Archive for the ‘Awareness’ category

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How Was Your Day?

November 18, 2008

This is a question that I’m repeating to myself each day as I return home from a day at the office. I’m asking this question, and you should too, because of the fact that we should be living remarkable (another word that is becoming very familiar to my mind) lives every day.

Sure we all have bum days where things don’t go exactly as planned…well maybe a lot of those kind of days, but that is still no reason to go home and answer The Question with a simple “OK”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not skydiving and bull riding every day, but I have picked up the gauntlet to have remarkable experiences more often than the “status quo” wants me to.

A remarkable day is simply a day that exhibits qualities worthy of remarking about. What did you do today that can’t wait to tell other people about?

In case you haven’t heard, I corralled a snake (a Copperhead we think now) out of the church – no we didn’t keep it for Sunday. Now that’s remarkable! And I bet you want to tell someone else right now.

Look out for opportunities to do and experience remarkable things. Life is waiting to be lived – so go live it!

Categories: Awareness, Life
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Most People

November 15, 2008

This is from the book Tribes by Seth Godin and it is great:

Most people like the products they already have, so marketers ignore them.
Most people work hard to fit in, so others don’t notice them.
Most people like eating at places where they’ve eaten before.
Most people would like the world to stay just as it is, but calmer.
Most people are afraid.
Most people didn’t use Google until last year.
Most people aren’t curious.
You’re not most people.
You’re not the target market for most marketers.
Almost all the growth that’s available to you exists when you aren’t like most people and when you work hard to appeal to folks who aren’t most people.

Here’s to you. Someone who is most assuredly not “most people”!

Categories: Awareness, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Leadership, Life, People
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What kind of Change do we need?

November 13, 2008

The entire election cycle has had with it one undulating theme. However we try to look at it, Change, has been on the gilded tongues of both competing parties. It seems, in practice, that we humans tend to desire equilibrium more than constant change. In fact, one of the problems with many previously successful industries around the world is that when faced with a decision to change or to remain the same, they chose the latter. Typically this resulted in reduced influence or relegation to the history books.

Now, it seems, we yearn for “change”. Despite it’s popularity the word is a swarm of ambiguous ideas. Depending on how many people you question about the meaning of the word “change” will determine the variety of answers you will receive.

We have to admit that change is decidedly amoral. The true meaning has to be derived from its motivation. For me, the idea of change leads me in the direction of asking, “where is the reference for change?” When we decide to change, what will be the way we will measure our change?

Meg Wheatley (by now you know I’m a fan) says that,

Self-reference is what facilitates change in turbulent environments. In human organizations, a clear sense of identity.

the values, traditions, aspirations, competencies, and culture that guide the operation are the real source of independence

from the environment. When the environment demands a new response, there is a reference point for change.

Self-identity gives us the fulcrum to make positive progressive change happen. Self-identity and self-reflection are crucial in the volatile world we live in. Meg doesn’t say, “If the environment demands a new response”, she says, “WHEN the environment demands a new response”. Reinvention and rebirth come from change that has at it’s root an accepted identity.

Whether in our homes or at work, change will come, but the question to ask is, “Where will the reference point for change come from?” If you do not have that point identified, change can bring distress. If you do have that point solidly in place, change can produce exponential growth in your life and career.

Categories: Awareness, Context, Cultural Ideas, Life
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What Does Your Future Look Like?

November 12, 2008

This past week I was rereading some books that I had stacked up, one was Turning To One Another by Meg Wheatley. Great book about the value of simple conversations and being presnt in those conversations. What struck me was a quote by Paulo Freire which said,

 “What if we discover that our present way of life is irreconcilable with our vocation to become fully human?”

If you are like me, I don’t often find myself thinking about what it means to be fully human. You may be asking the same question, but for Paulo, the answer is that the vocation, or calling, to be fully human is given to us and therefore signifies that we are part of a larger place.

To become fully human means that we live an open life that is filled with generosity. We become more human each time we make the decision to reach out instead of withdrawing into our personal sufferings and experiences.

We can only become fully human when we extend ourselves. When we create a world of secrecy and whispers around us, we lose life rather than gain life. When we chose to become aloof and non-communicative we allow our ego to reign and prevent our own growth. When we close ourselves off from those around us, we may pretend that we are doing it for our own good. The truth is that we lack the courage to engage real dialogue – conversations where I speak and then become silent and listen. Speeches do not give; they are not generous. Listening and opening ourselves up to one another are acts of generosity. These are the actions that lead to our becoming fully human and going from a human doing to a human being.

Categories: Awareness, Belief, giving, Influence, Life, People
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Words From Rumi

November 11, 2008

Rumi was a Persian poet who had and continues to have considerable influence in both the Middle East as well as here in America. His poems are known for their spiritual significance and poignancy. One that I felt would be good to share is short and to the point.

“Sit down and be quiet.
You are drunk, and this is the
edge of the roof.”

How often do we become caught up in the activities of the day, drunk if you will, and forget about the life we are living and the world around us. Taking time to consider and think about things consciously is a discipline that is lost from our collective accepted behaviour. Anyone can sit and say that they are thinking, but the truth of their words comes from the actions that follow.

Take some time today and think – if for just 5 or 10 minutes. Focus on the thinking and quiet yourself. Often when you return to your work things will seem clearer. This isn’t magic, it is the way we were meant to live our lives.

Categories: Awareness, Belief, Centering Prayer, Life, peace, People
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Fans Change the World

November 9, 2008

One of my hero’s is Kevin Kelly. Several moths ago I had the opportunity to meet him; it was a major highlight of my life. Kevin talked about the “1,000- True Fans” in an article. Basically, a true fan is someone who is a member of the tribe and cares deeply about you and your work. A true fan is the person who will choose to tell others about you, bring a friend to hear you.

In these days of Facebook and MySpace, the concept of a “friend” is increasingly gaining a cloud of vagueness. This is not so of true friends. If an artist has 1,000 true friends, he has enough to make a good living and help some others along the way. A true friend will not wait for the paperback. They want the hardback or first edition. The major key element that true fans bring is the added intercommunication with other fans. The true fans help to fan the words of the artist into a roar.

The takeaway hear is that you cannot allow yourself to become fixated on numbers. You do, however, want to seek to make and keep fans. A few of these precious true fans can change everything. They just need you to be brave enough to be You.

Categories: Awareness, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Leadership, Life, People
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Crowds

November 8, 2008

I’ve been reading a lot about Crowds. Who they are, and who they are not. The most intriguing aspect of the Crowd conversation is that nobody is discounting that the power leverage has shifted. The ball is owned by the Crowd, and the Crowd determines what the next step is.

The nagging thought that I keep getting is that if a Crowd is simply a large mass of people, the ability to direct, sell, teach, even listen to them is practically impossible. The other thing about Crowds is that they can gather in an instant, but they can also disperse just as quick.

I’ve been to a couple of meetings with “guys in the know” about the next step in church development and where religion plays a part in that development. In every instance there is a focus on the Crowd. A push to get the Crowd involved and bring the Crowd to some central event. The sad part about this is that in essence there is no difference from “marketing to a Crowd” to the old stand on the street corner with a bullhorn approach in terms of truly making a difference.

Sure you may get your church’s name in the paper, but who reads papers anymore? You may create a “buzz”, but then you fall into the same need to have a bigger buzz each time you meet. Most organizations do their best at sending loads of money out to the crowd. I suppose that is OK if your intention is to become just like most organizations – bland and interchangeable. I suppose it is OK if you just want to surf the same wave every other guru is asking people to surf.

It’s not OK if you want to be anything other than “most”. If you have any desire to be remarkable – in other words that someone would have reason to “remark” about you – you have to focus not on Crowds, but on Tribes. As Seth Godin says, “A crowd is a tribe without a leader. A crowd is a tribe without communication…Smart organizations assemble the tribe.”

Categories: Awareness, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Leadership, Life, People
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Me, Myself & I Am

November 5, 2008

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Matthew Peters and Elisa Stanford’s new book, Me Myself & I AM is a new book that can become an experience of knowing yourself better than you thought possible. It is   

made up entirely of insightful, profound, and occasionally ridiculous questions.  Me, Myself, and I AM invites you to open to any page, open yourself to God, and be the author of your own story.

 

Questions range from spiritually intriguing—

You overhear God talking about you. What do hear him saying?

 

to thought-provoking—

You are on a long car trip with a close friend who is not a Christian and the conversation turns to faith. What is your biggest fear about what your friend will ask or say?

 

to challenging—

Do you believe that all of Jesus’s followers have a responsibility to tell others about him?

 

to just plain fun—

If your life before you became a Christian were a movie, its title would be:

Animal House

As Good as It Gets

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

It’s a Wonderful Life

 

Me, Myself, and I AM will inspire, and get you thinking about your spiritual life from entirely new angles. You can use Me, Myself, and I AM as a reflective tool, a way to start conversations with friends and family, or as a spiritual time capsule to look back on years later. To sum it all up, this book is more than just another book. This book helps you to see better – to see yourself, God and the world around you through a new third person awareness lens. You won’t be disappointed in the results!

 

You can find Me, Myself & I AM at Amazon, Books a Million, Barnes and Nobles, or your local Christian bookstore.

Categories: Awareness, Books I'm Reading, Life, Uncategorized

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Looking for a Movement

November 1, 2008

There are many different groups of people who meet and know each other in various ways. These groups of people can be a formal business group or just a group of people who are interested in the same kind of books or art. There are times when we, as members of some of those groups, want to make something happen or get something done. More often than not, nothing is eventually what happens. Even though we have very good intentions, the end result is that everything stays the same.

Used to be, you needed to convene a committee to make a proposal to get something done, especially in business. Now things are different. The one thing that is needed to move your group toward being a movement is a leader. And there is no reason that leader shouldn’t be you. Yeah, you heard me right, you have everything it takes to be a leader.

You have an idea of something that, if done, would change the way the future of your group looked. You will not be able to push people where you think the group should go. You have to lead them where you know they want to go. People want change. Change is far more inviting than “same”. Change has risk, which is why they need you to lead them.

Having a leader helps people go where they want to go. As a leader you get to see your group begin to move and become a movement. Take up the challenge and take your group that is probably stuck somewhere and be the leader we all need to get things going.

Categories: Awareness, Belief, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Leadership, People, Starting, Vision
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It’s my Birthday…again!

October 31, 2008

Yes, I’m a Halloween baby. For years and years you’ve celebrated my birthday unknowingly. For those who didn’t know, some questions they’ve had have now been answered! Sometimes we have birthdays that are good and others that are bad, but today has been a great day for me. I woke up this morning and had dozens of birthday wishes on Facebook, then I had several people call and then topped it off by meeting at the Holton’s house for trick-or-treating and some good time together (there was also a cake and some good punch!).

So much as happened over the past year to be grateful for, that there simply isn’t enough time or space. Most of it boils down to good times with good friends and being able to be myself. For years I tried to fit into a mold that was made by other people, that was difficult and stressful. The transition to being yourself may be hard, but the “being” yourself part is an indescribably simpler way to live. My friends and I may not agree on everything (we don’t for the record), but the thing we do agree on is that we are friends. Being connected with people in an organic way seems to be the antidote for most of the stressful junk that most of us wade through each day.

When I think of people I want to hang out with or talk to I think of the people who are a part of Lifepoint. The best birthday present of all is to know that true friends are just a phone call away – in fact sometimes they have called before I did! This next year is certainly going to have some new stuff in it. There will be new economic, political and financial events, but in each of the different experiences awaiting in the following year, I know I’ve got people who care for me, and who I care for, that will be sharing in the experiences with me.

Categories: Awareness, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Life, Me, People

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