This event was outdoors and not nearly as rough and tumble as I thought it would be. While it is a very physical sport it is also one that uses tactics in a very strategic way.
I took this photo of a young mother of a foiur year old who is looking to make a scoring move. Can you see the determination on her face? She has a dream, a goal, and she is intent on making it happen.
What is your dream? Is it to build a business, write a book, improve your financial situation, have more money to donate to a worthy cause? Will you see it come to pass in your life? I know that there is a part of you that hopes you will. But will you engage the process that will make it happen?
Everything starts in your mind and your hearts. Every great invention, book, poem, a piece of art or new business idea grew out of a thought and idea that someone had. They stuck their head above the crowd, took a different path and believed that their dream, idea or thought was a possibility. Right now take a moment and ask yourself, “What if I was able to _______?” For just a moment think about a big dream that you believe that God has planted in your heart. Don’t let those old negative thoughts and feelings of fear a failure get in the way. Think about how that dream or vision could impact your personal life, your family, your church, your business, and your community.
Sounds great! Are you feeling motivated? I hope so, but allow me to help you see how fear can steal your dream and then give you some steps to push that fear aside.
My friend, Dr. Charles Lowery, is a gifted speaker, psychologist, and human behavior expert. Several years ago I had the joy of working with him on a church staff in Albuquerque. As a mental health professional, and associate pastor, Charles and I had some shared interests from helping people to know Christ and make him known, to understanding human behavior.
I have heard him speak on fear many times, and I’ve always remembered two power acrostics that he uses to describe fear:
Forget Everything and Run
and
False Evidence Appearing Real.
I would like to add a third:
Forever Exploring Another Route.
Think about that for just a minute. Fear almost always causes us to study another path, one that is potentially less damaging and dangerous, but also less rewarding. In this way, fear keeps us in check and holds us back. Ultimately, forever exploring another route will lead you to a place of defeat, self-doubt and second guessing yourself. If you are going to push back fear, you will most likely have to face this tendency to explore another route and get over it, to pursue your dream.
I believe that God plants dreams in our hearts and minds. Here is the kicker, while he may plant the seed, we must water the idea, nourish the dream, and do our part to make it become a reality.
My friend, Gayle Rogers Foster, whose father was a world renown preacher, Dr. Adrian Rogers, is a disarmingly honest Executive Director in Premier Designs Jewelry. I have known her for most of the twenty-five years that my wife and I have been involved with this outstanding direct service company. I have deep respect for her insight into people her love for the Lord and her business insight.
“I thought of this profound business wisdom in my sleep. I’m writing it down and posting it before I even get out of bed.
1). Do something.
Praying, wishing, dreaming, planning, goal setting, having a great attitude, being teachable, being humble, having integrity, etc., etc. is all great. But NOTHING happens until you do something.
2). Follow through.
Contact without follow through is nothing more than a sacrifice bunt. All you do is put someone in scoring position for someone else to drive home.
3). Don’t be weird.
Do something and follow through in a natural, normal, pleasant, friendly, relational way. Don’t make people want to run, or hide, or screen their calls, or block your messages, or defriend you. Don’t stalk your prey, don’t harass, don’t get in people’s private space, don’t be intense.
There you have it. The business wisdom of the ages. Given to me while I was sleeping. Pretty simple. And what I’ve done to build my business for 27 years now while I was NOT sleeping tells me this will work.” Gayle Foster.
I’d love to hear your comments.