By Chad Hull, Certified John C. Maxwell Coach
5 Ways To Dream Big And Build A Strong Future
Practical knowledge you can apply now to pursuing God for your personal plan.
As one year comes to an end another begins. For a Christian, this is a call to action in the pursuit of purpose, or continued growth in God’s plan. Everyone has gifts and talents, a purpose, a calling. We spend hours and hours in line at the Apple Store purchasing the newest smart phone, upgrading our computer, installing anti-virus software, but how much time and effort do you invest in yourself? Let’s make the New Year about becoming the best version of YOU, not a different you, a better you!
As readers of Faith & Fitness Magazine we are already driven and motivated to be our best in all areas of our lives, especially when it comes to faith, fitness, family and career, am I right? Yes! So say it – say I AM driven, I AM motivated, I AM intentional.
Joel Osteen’s book titled, The Power of I AM, provides countless scriptures and stories regarding the power of our thoughts pertaining to our “calling.” My takeaway is that we are each uniquely equipped with talents and abilities anointed to become all that God has purposed for us. It begins with our thoughts which when applied to action have the power to upgrade every area of our lives.
In my interview with Dr. Michael Mantell a retired Transformational Behavior Coach and author of the book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, I asked what he felt was most important to focus on first when upgrading ourselves to a new and improved version? Dr. Mantell stated, “The order of upgrading our life is to a) think better to b) feel better to c) live better.” He went on to say, “Thinking better is anchored in our faith trusting that nothing simply happens TO you, rather all of life happens FOR YOU – through that lens, you are better equipped to live at a higher sense of awareness.”
I agree with Dr. Mantell 100% in that everything begins with our thinking, which goes beyond affirmations and positive thoughts. It is my belief the biggest gap there exists is the gap between thinking and doing. We need to convert thoughts into action by moving from intention to achieve implementation. If thoughts and will power were enough, we would already look, feel and be everything we were called to be. Will power pushes us but runs out of steam. A purpose or calling “pulls” us toward our purpose providing energy for that which we wish to achieve. Beginning to live at a higher sense of awareness is like shining a flashlight in the dark. You begin to see things by using your thoughts to examine and learn from past and present experiences. Higher awareness begins with you. You have to know yourself to grow yourself.
So lets look at just five areas with action steps we can intentionally focus on in the New Year and as John C. Maxwell’s book title states – to really Put Your Dreams to the Test.
FOCUS AREA #1 – WHERE AM I RIGHT NOW?
Begin with the end in mind. Before I begin a new fitness routine I figure out what I want to achieve and then set up the steps to get me from where I am to where I want to be. I many not know exactly how to do it at first, but I know what the desired outcome is – that is where I begin. The same process applies to our passion and purpose as it relates to relationships, career and spiritual mission.
Isn’t it true we often assess where we are by comparing ourselves to others? This is something I struggled with personally. For years I helped build a company through sales and branding their company. The more financially successful we all became due to the growth, the more frequently ownership of this family business would say things to me like “you won the lottery when you got this job” and “you’re just a kid from Stoughton without a degree” amongst other things. You see, I was young and looked up to the owners. Over time, through comparing myself to their success and hearing their consistent devaluing remarks, I wrapped my identity around the limiting belief of not being good enough. This was a learned identity built around what I had in relation to others versus “who” I was without even realizing I was doing it.
I now understand my core values and beliefs were not aligned with my role in that company and thankfully, learned behavior can be un-learned. It wasn’t until my family and I moved to Georgia and started over where I learned to be “content” and stop comparing myself to others. I now realize contentment doesn’t diminish our drive or determination – it just changes our awareness.
Comparing ourselves to others can be dangerous as it leads to insecurity, self-doubt, limiting beliefs and even depression. If this is an area you also struggle, check out a timeless best seller by Dale Carnegie, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. Before we continue, I need you to agree – to stop comparing yourself to others. You are running your own race without the understanding of others gifts, abilities or life circumstances. God doesn’t compare, instead He values your inner character.
Prioritize: Truly assessing where we are can be as simple as identifying our priorities. This can be everything from faith, family, fitness and career to camping and knitting. Start by listing the priority most important to you (and God) first and this will be your foundation for moving forward for which area you invest your energy for improvement.
Reflect: Intentionally looking back over this past year will help turn our experiences into insight. Did you meet your fitness goal? If not, what got in the way? As a coach, I believe the answers are always within you, the key is to ask yourself the right questions and the answers will reveal themselves. Certainly for Christians, faith and God play a role in those answers but first here are 8 tips from High Achievers regarding reflection and starting the New Year off right as shared by Michael Hyatt.
Strengths and weaknesses – we all have them. What are yours? Knowing is growing. We can’t change what we don’t acknowledge. Writing them down will give you powerful insight and if you’re not sure ask your spouse – ok maybe ask a good friend to help you. You can also take a DISC ASSESSMENT to find out how your strengths align with your values as well as your career or professional goals.
Click/tap below to continue to the next page for the second focus area – deciding what you want and how that aligns with God.
