When social media first came to my attention years ago, I made a decision that I would avoid political and controversial posts if at all possible. Of course, I wasn’t always successful early on, garnering my fair share of harsh responses and a few posts that I deleted after I went back and re-read some of my words which made me look like “one of those guys.” Life has been a lot easier using social media for nothing more than posting cute pictures and keeping up with what all of my virtual friends around the world are doing.
Of course, it becomes harder and harder to peruse many of these sites because, more often than not, they are filled with nothing more than caustic opinions about politics and social issues. Yes, American politics is a hot mess and the media is nothing more than a feeding frenzy waiting to unearth the next savory morsel of ill repute that will hopefully doom another candidate or celebrity or turn an issue into a one-sided free for all. The funny thing about all of this is that I’ve yet to see a social media post that successfully sways the masses into agreeing with their point of view. If anything, all they do is cause further division and rupture budding virtual friendships. So not worth it.
The point is: We can do better. It’s not that I don’t care about your views. I truly do care and would be more than happy to discuss them over coffee and doughnut. I realize that you have every right in the world to post whatever you wish on social media and I will defend that right - while at the same time “unfollowing you” because I just can’t handle all of the negativity and one-sided vitriol that consumes my news feed.
Instead, let’s post more pictures of cute puppies and even cuter kids, Bible verses that inspire us to seek after Who really matters, cool videos of amazing guitar solos or soldiers being reunited with their families, requests for good restaurants and better recipes, and of course life events such as births and marriages that need to be celebrated.
Do we truly need social media? I don’t know, and I certainly don’t use it like I used to. But in light of the fact that we no longer send letters or make phone calls like we did back in the “good old days,” it doesn’t seem like such a bad idea as long as it is not abused. Still want to shout about your opinions and political views? Then run for office and be the change you so desperately want to see.
I guarantee that people would be able to accomplish so much more in this world if they stepped away from their keyboards and put their energy into actually trying to solve these problems that make them so angry in the first place. And, I bet that they would be so busy seeking to accomplish these changes that they wouldn’t have enough time to post about it. That would be awesome because it would free my feed up so that I could see more of those cute kitten videos.
Showing posts with label Initiative. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Initiative. Show all posts
Fridays are for finishers
Fridays are the best days of the week. Period. Need proof? How about these sweet lyrics from George Jones:
I've heard others try to downplay the importance of Fridays as if people like me use Friday as an excuse to quit trying so hard. After all, they say, every day is just as important as the next and should receive the same amount of effort as Friday. Maybe, but that's missing the real point about Fridays.
You see, I think Fridays are awesome because they mark the natural finish line of what most of us began on Monday. For those of you in cultures that use Friday as a weekend day of worship or your calendar is not like the one I use, just pretend that Friday is as awesome as I say it is, okay?
Fridays are for finishers.
What does that mean?
Ask anyone how they feel about Mondays and more than likely they will speak of Mondays like they are satanic curses, unless of course Mondays are the days that they get paid. Then Mondays are awesome! But under normal circumstances, Mondays are loathed at best. Monday to many is the beginning of the grind, the necessary evil of a new week at school or work or both. Mondays make the weekend seem so far away.
But alas, don't fret! Friday is coming! Friday represents the finish of what you started on Monday. By 5:00 Friday, you have put your 40 hours in. By the 3:00 on Friday, you've finished another week of classes. While this may sound more shallow than a George Jones song, there is something really valuable about propping up Friday to such a high standing.
We live in a world where people don't know what it means to finish anything. They quit their jobs when their boss hurts their feelings, they quit their marriages when they think they've run out of love, and they fail to honor their commitments when they think that something better has come along. How many books have you started yet failed to finish? Guilty as charged.
Other than a full-scale revival of the church, what we need more than anything are FINISHERS! Only those who complete the task fully can declare that they are truly finished. Jesus Himself created this concept when He cried, "It is finished!" as He breathed His last on the cross.
Not long ago I watched a video of an Naval Admiral as he addressed a group of college students at their graduation. He said something in that video that was so profound that I had to watch it again: To change the world, start by making your bed. Seriously, that's what he said. And here is what he meant by that: If you start the day by making your bed, then you've already accomplished something before you've even walked out the door. In other words, you've completed a task before your day even begins. And if you finish something as simple as making your bed, then it will be easier for you to tackle and finish more important tasks the rest of your day.
Will making your bed every morning guarantee that you will finish those critical obligations that loom over you? Not necessarily, but if you start with finishing then at least you will know what finishing feels like. And finishing feels great because when you finish something - and especially if you finish it well - then you will rarely have to live with the regret of "what if."
Let me finish with this great quote by Brad Lomenick from his book H3 Leadership:
It's finally Friday
I'm free again
I got my motor running for a wild weekend
It's finally Friday
I'm outa' control
Forget the workin' blues
And let the good times roll.
I'm free again
I got my motor running for a wild weekend
It's finally Friday
I'm outa' control
Forget the workin' blues
And let the good times roll.
Sorry that you now have that song stuck in your head. And yeah, maybe that song isn't so awesome after all, but Friday IS all that and a bag of chips. Here are some reasons why:
- Friday night high school football games in the fall
- The one night of the week you can stay up really late because you can always sleep in on Saturday
- In our western culture, Friday marks the finish line to a grueling week of work and school
- Square fish sandwiches in schools on Friday (do they still do that?)
I've heard others try to downplay the importance of Fridays as if people like me use Friday as an excuse to quit trying so hard. After all, they say, every day is just as important as the next and should receive the same amount of effort as Friday. Maybe, but that's missing the real point about Fridays.
You see, I think Fridays are awesome because they mark the natural finish line of what most of us began on Monday. For those of you in cultures that use Friday as a weekend day of worship or your calendar is not like the one I use, just pretend that Friday is as awesome as I say it is, okay?
Fridays are for finishers.
What does that mean?
Ask anyone how they feel about Mondays and more than likely they will speak of Mondays like they are satanic curses, unless of course Mondays are the days that they get paid. Then Mondays are awesome! But under normal circumstances, Mondays are loathed at best. Monday to many is the beginning of the grind, the necessary evil of a new week at school or work or both. Mondays make the weekend seem so far away.
But alas, don't fret! Friday is coming! Friday represents the finish of what you started on Monday. By 5:00 Friday, you have put your 40 hours in. By the 3:00 on Friday, you've finished another week of classes. While this may sound more shallow than a George Jones song, there is something really valuable about propping up Friday to such a high standing.
We live in a world where people don't know what it means to finish anything. They quit their jobs when their boss hurts their feelings, they quit their marriages when they think they've run out of love, and they fail to honor their commitments when they think that something better has come along. How many books have you started yet failed to finish? Guilty as charged.
Other than a full-scale revival of the church, what we need more than anything are FINISHERS! Only those who complete the task fully can declare that they are truly finished. Jesus Himself created this concept when He cried, "It is finished!" as He breathed His last on the cross.
Not long ago I watched a video of an Naval Admiral as he addressed a group of college students at their graduation. He said something in that video that was so profound that I had to watch it again: To change the world, start by making your bed. Seriously, that's what he said. And here is what he meant by that: If you start the day by making your bed, then you've already accomplished something before you've even walked out the door. In other words, you've completed a task before your day even begins. And if you finish something as simple as making your bed, then it will be easier for you to tackle and finish more important tasks the rest of your day.
Will making your bed every morning guarantee that you will finish those critical obligations that loom over you? Not necessarily, but if you start with finishing then at least you will know what finishing feels like. And finishing feels great because when you finish something - and especially if you finish it well - then you will rarely have to live with the regret of "what if."
Let me finish with this great quote by Brad Lomenick from his book H3 Leadership:
Choose to outwork everyone. Great leaders are great finishers.
My friends, strive to finish well.
You don't need a license to drive
The artist known as Prince just died. It's all over the news and his music is basically on every station. While not necessarily a fan of Prince - I have never owned nor downloaded any of his music - I do have a deep appreciation for the artist that he was. I'm not ashamed to admit that last night in the car is was jamming to "Little Red Corvette" and "Let's Go Crazy" when it came on the radio. When you hear brilliance, you must stop to appreciate it.
Another no-as-famous person died yesterday as well. Chyna, of WWE fame, passed away, leaving behind a legacy for female wrestlers that she pretty much started on her own. Back in the day, I used to watch wrestling when it wasn't the trashy show that it is now. Chyna was just coming on the scene then and, while I didn't always buy the theatrics, I did appreciate the fact that a woman could body slam a man and make him look silly. When someone busts boundaries wide open, you have to stop and admire, even if it's an arena (pardon the pun) that you don't necessarily like.
Why do so many people react almost viscerally when those who are loaded with talent and vision are gone from our presence seemingly too soon? I believe it's because these people leave a void in our lives that we don't believe can be adequately filled by someone else. While the movers and the shakers of this world have feelings and often deal with the same struggles as you and me, they also have something that makes them stand out - drive.
Drive is what you call initiative on steroids. It's what keeps you up at night thinking about how tomorrow is going to be better today. Drive won't necessarily give you better grades on your tests, a cooler car, or a nicer house, but it will allow you to push boundaries that many will think impossible to eclipse.
As a society, we adore and sometimes detest people with drive. But we also tend to do something else that is rather self-deprecating. As hold these people in higher esteem, at the same time we believe that there is no way we could ever achieve the same kinds of success that they did. That had IT and we don't, or so we convince ourselves. When we see ourselves that way, we automatically limit ourselves and preapprove mediocrity as a way of life.
Don't get me wrong - there are people out there who have achieved much more than you and I could ever do, whether it be because of the financial backing that they have, freakish athletic ability, or a brain that is wired for superior smarts. Yet drive is not limited to those with "elite" skills. Drive is something that we all have within us, we just have to be unafraid to release the horses and let them run.
Ask yourself this: What is your passion? You know, what is the one thing that, if you could do it, you would want to invest all of your energy and time in for as long as you could? Your passion is what drives you, and for many we have allowed life's circumstances to dictate where we can and cannot allow our drive to take us. Some of that is beyond our control, yet more often than not we limit ourselves.
Jesus had drive. It was to seek and save the lost, drawing all men and women to His Father, God. The apostle Paul had drive. His was to proclaim the good news of Jesus across the Asian continent, planting churches all along the way. You, too, have a drive that God has put into your heart. It may not make you into a famous musician or professional wrestler, but once you allow that drive out of the barn you can be assured that God will use it to change the world around you.
Another no-as-famous person died yesterday as well. Chyna, of WWE fame, passed away, leaving behind a legacy for female wrestlers that she pretty much started on her own. Back in the day, I used to watch wrestling when it wasn't the trashy show that it is now. Chyna was just coming on the scene then and, while I didn't always buy the theatrics, I did appreciate the fact that a woman could body slam a man and make him look silly. When someone busts boundaries wide open, you have to stop and admire, even if it's an arena (pardon the pun) that you don't necessarily like.
Why do so many people react almost viscerally when those who are loaded with talent and vision are gone from our presence seemingly too soon? I believe it's because these people leave a void in our lives that we don't believe can be adequately filled by someone else. While the movers and the shakers of this world have feelings and often deal with the same struggles as you and me, they also have something that makes them stand out - drive.
Drive is what you call initiative on steroids. It's what keeps you up at night thinking about how tomorrow is going to be better today. Drive won't necessarily give you better grades on your tests, a cooler car, or a nicer house, but it will allow you to push boundaries that many will think impossible to eclipse.
As a society, we adore and sometimes detest people with drive. But we also tend to do something else that is rather self-deprecating. As hold these people in higher esteem, at the same time we believe that there is no way we could ever achieve the same kinds of success that they did. That had IT and we don't, or so we convince ourselves. When we see ourselves that way, we automatically limit ourselves and preapprove mediocrity as a way of life.
Don't get me wrong - there are people out there who have achieved much more than you and I could ever do, whether it be because of the financial backing that they have, freakish athletic ability, or a brain that is wired for superior smarts. Yet drive is not limited to those with "elite" skills. Drive is something that we all have within us, we just have to be unafraid to release the horses and let them run.
Ask yourself this: What is your passion? You know, what is the one thing that, if you could do it, you would want to invest all of your energy and time in for as long as you could? Your passion is what drives you, and for many we have allowed life's circumstances to dictate where we can and cannot allow our drive to take us. Some of that is beyond our control, yet more often than not we limit ourselves.
Jesus had drive. It was to seek and save the lost, drawing all men and women to His Father, God. The apostle Paul had drive. His was to proclaim the good news of Jesus across the Asian continent, planting churches all along the way. You, too, have a drive that God has put into your heart. It may not make you into a famous musician or professional wrestler, but once you allow that drive out of the barn you can be assured that God will use it to change the world around you.
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