Activate The Principles

There are principles that exist that if activated or put into action produce massive outcomes.

For example:

1. Give and it will be given to you

2. Humble yourself and you will be exalted

3. Be faithful over a few things, then you can rule over much

The list goes on. Many believe that success in life and leadership comes by work, charisma , or intellect alone. It may seem that it is just a matter of putting ideas into action or by just being fortunate but the major glue between work, charisma, ideas and every other productivity factor are principles. A principle is a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning. Principles become the foundation that allows everything else in our lives and leadership to work. Principles are like the hinge on a door. If you don’t have the hinge, the door won’t open. Principles are like keys. If you don’t have keys, you are locked out.

We are living in a time where people want to lead and achieve without principles. There is an understanding that how you do anything is how you do everything. Principles become the charge of how you do everything. The thought that intellect alone or talent alone will allow you to achieve is a fallacy.

This is the missing component at this time that is fueling the issues we see personally, politically, professionally, racially, etc. There is a subtle thought that we can be successful without principles. We must grab principles and institute them in every area of our lives.

Are you principle deficient? Have there been thoughts that have been released to stifle the light of principles in your life? Take some time today and evaluate your principles. Determine to learn some new principles. Activate strong principles today and watch how your life and leadership takes a new course.

Synergy

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

Batman and Robin.

Shaq and Kobe.

Regis and Kelly.

Joshua and Caleb.

Will and Jada.

Elijah and Elisha.

The list goes on and on. Each of the aforementioned represent unique duos or trios that have captured our attention by their talent, skill, authority, expertise, and mega success. Though each of the individuals are dynamic alone, I am convinced that they stepped to another level of impact due to mastering one thing: synergy. The combined effect of the duos and trios have proven greater than the sum of their separate efforts.

We are wired in western civilization to strive at times for individual success. There is nothing wrong with individual success and some efforts are best achieved individually.  I am an advocate for being a self starter and taking responsibility for one’s talent and purpose.  We should soar beyond the mountain tops as individuals. However, there are opportunities as a leader, partner, entrepreneur, friend, team member, coach, boss, ministry leader, or even employee, where if you are able to connect and build synergy, there is combustion. Great things happen. Productivity becomes exponential. If you consider the duos and trios mentioned, many of them have spent the majority of their assignments working with the same partner(s) and achieved an optimization that they couldn’t achieve by themselves. They stepped into the zone called synergy.

What really is needed to achieve synergy is a healthy understanding of what you have to offer and how that coupled with what someone else has to offer produces another level of effect. Insecurity is the killer of synergy. Pride and selfishness are also killers of a vision and synergy.

I do realize that we are in the age where we must discern connections. Fakers, haters, and everything in between have us throwing up the peace sign and saying “I’m good” as we journey to build. Sometimes we must walk alone, but I also know that a massive vision is never carried out solo. One can put a thousand to flight. Two, ten thousand to flight. Something happens when we connect with the right people.

Put it on your list of goals for 2020. Where there is an opportunity to build synergy, strive for it. Nurture it. Then move forward and produce exponentially.

Extraordinary

There’s a hook in a song I know that says “the ordinary just won’t do.” Brilliant people are extraordinary. Extraordinary means to be unusual or remarkable.  Remarkable means to be noteworthy; worthy of notice or attention.  Ordinary people live and face circumstances and seemingly stay boxed in where extraordinary people are able to take even regular circumstances and handle them in a way that people say “wow, did you see that.”  Extraordinary people soar.  The earth is waiting for a manifestation of individuals who are not ordinary.  It takes a different mindset. It takes a different spirit.  Ponder this today. Are you ordinary or extraordinary?  Don’t get me wrong. I am not advocating becoming an attention seeker or people pleaser. I am not advocating vain motives. I do believe you are graced to do something unusual; something remarkable.

There is nothing wrong with being ordinary, but there’s also nothing wrong with being EXTRA.  Make your mark. Establish your footprint. Selah.

Be Ye Also Ready

Brilliant ones!!! Unexpected things are on the horizon. I believe this strongly!! What will it take?

Readiness.  It is a concept that we know about but maybe it is not at the forefront of our thoughts. Readiness plays an important part in our next.  Readiness is having an expectation that something will happen and being prepared for it. Have you heard the saying be ye also ready?  It comes from a scripture where Jesus encouraged His disciples to prepare and reiterated that He might appear in an hour that was least expected.  Isn’t that typically how opportunities, blessings, and breakthroughs work? They appear when least expected.  Most of us have small hints or inclinations about things we should work on or prepare.  We either pay little attention to the hints or want to hurry up and get the preparation over.  Brilliant ones, we are in a strong season of preparedness.  What are you getting ready for?  I know what I am getting ready for and it takes a couple of things.   Readiness takes a plan or a blueprint.  Readiness takes practice. Readiness takes time.  Readiness takes focus.  Readiness may require feedback.  The list may swell or lessen. Whatever it takes, let’s BE READY and when opportunity comes we will step forward with full confidence.

The Refiner: Failure

It is exciting to watch babies grow to the point where they start learning how to walk.   We observe their efforts, curiosity, and eagerness. The baby attempts to stand up, typically big-eyed and drooling, holding on to objects, bumping into things, and falling on their bum. There is a tenacity with a baby that is interesting to watch. They don’t give up. They press in.  They push their way and eventually they are walking. No one ever mentions to the baby, “hey, you have fallen 652 times, so you won’t ever walk.” Somehow, within their inner being, they keep trying.

Another happy moment is when a child is learning to ride a bike.  The child, who is fully decked in a helmet and knee pads, wobbles on a bike until they are able to ride it with full balance, control, and no training wheels.  Never is failure discussed in most cases or even considered though there are falls and half-successful attempts. It’s apart of the process.

Somewhere in our growth process as we add age, education, and other accomplishments,  we develop a layer of pride where the sense of failing or not getting attempts right becomes more tangible and the pain of not accomplishing the end goal more excruciating. We grow ashamed to admit that it has happened and “failing” is equated to some end of who we are as a person or our worth.  What I have come to understand is that failure is necessary. 

Just like the baby that presses beyond the countless falls to learn to walk or the child that has to keep pressing to ride a bike, life presents circumstances where we fail. I have a new perspective on failure.   Failure never defines you but refines you.

I have failed. I know what it looks like. I know what it feels like but I wouldn’t have the wisdom, character, strength, or be able to move in another dimension without failure. I am able to say with full confidence that failure is necessary for shaping and forming of any brilliant leader.  Embrace your story which includes falling down. It includes failure.  Do you want to shine?  Let failure buff and refine.

Are You Serious?

A common phrase echoed back to a person sharing details of a scenario that seems unrealistic or to convey utter shock that a situation has played out the way it has is “are you serious?”  Another play on the word serious is when we meet individuals who come across as intense and it is said, “they are way too serious.”  I have spent some time thinking about what I should be serious about.

After reaching a milestone birthday recently, I starting reassessing many aspects of my life.  I realize that time is flying fast.  All things considered, when you count the value of your days and all that has to be accomplished in them,  I thought to myself ‘I gotta get serious.’  What do I mean when I say serious ? When I think about being serious, I think about focus. Prioritization. Weight.  Discipline. Consistency.  Webster’s defines serious as 1) of showing or characterized by deep thought; 2) requiring thought concentration of application and/or 3) weighty or important.  Because life is filled with so many activities, interests, ideas of curiosity, goals, distractions, responsibilities, fantasies, and even mundaneness, we can find ourselves wandering or engaged in life with meager attempt.  Brilliant individuals are able to quickly assess what they count as serious and what isn’t serious.  Is your business or career a serious matter? What about your faith and health? Are your relationships and finances a serious matter? What about your self care?  Are conversations and contemplation a serious matter? The list goes on and on.  The beauty of it all is that you are able to define what is serious to you.  I can not define what it is for you, but I ask the question today, ‘are you serious?” You are the one who defines what is weighty. 

Becoming sensitive in this area may require admitting that there are areas that have been shrugged away as non-important or ignored that should have more attention.  Asking the question can reset focus and eliminate mindless activities and wasting of a precious commodity known as time.

I leave with this thought from Psalm 90:12:

12 So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Days….We only have a few of them, so let us use them wisely.

A Beehive Called Mediocrity

I recently encountered a beehive called mediocrity.  When you think of a beehive, you are presented two opportunities: one for sweetness and honey or another can be a painful attack. As a leader, you realize quickly that a decision must be made.  Do you become the ‘influencer/troubler’ (the person who stirs the beehive and leads the hive to new actions, beliefs, and ways of doing) or do you hear the collective cries that state “we’ve always done it this way” or " let us be”?  Will the outcome of your leadership produce honey like that which is found in the choicest of hives or leave a sharp bitter pain because of numerous stings? 

I am reminded of a wise teacher who spoke of entering a city.  He noted that he could not accomplish the work he was gifted to accomplish amongst the people because of unbelief and familiarity. Unbelief and familiarity become the pillars of mediocrity.  The teacher offered much to the people but the people settled for comfort.  They rejected his wise teachings and became a source of resistance to his leadership.  In turn, the teacher noted that he couldn’t accomplish work in that city. He quickly exited and pursued other opportunities.

As leaders we must discern whether our leadership in an opportunity or atmosphere has the potential for sweet honey and victory or bitterness and tragedy. There are risks at every corner and challenges in leadership.  No work of leadership is 100% victory at every moment but eventually there should be evidence that your presence as a leader creates beautiful synergies and impacts for positive outcomes.  Your leadership should be value add.  Are you connected with those who believe in you, your abilities, and what you stand for? If not, will your attempt of leadership bring disruption that stirs a hive to attack?  What will become of your attempts?

Some atmospheres will never change or accept what you bring. Some atmospheres are not hungry enough to step out of what has become a comfortable norm.   Take some time this week to assess whether you are connecting with people and atmospheres that receive your brilliance or attack your brilliance.  At some point you must be willing to shake the dust from your feet and move forward to the place where your gifts, leadership, and excellence are received and flourish the most. Take time today to consider if your gifts are tied because of mediocrity. What good is brilliant light if it is smothered by a pseudo darkness known as mediocrity.