Welcome to the Truth@Life Blog Site by Curtis Songer


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Monday, December 30, 2013

Outrageous Faith (part 5 of 5): Right In Front of Us

God's provision is often right there in front of us, but sometimes we can't see it because of opposition. Whenever you decide you are going to step out in faith and take action, there is going to be opposition. The opposition frequently comes from one or more of three sources: 1. It may be the opposition of other people. They will tell you every possible reason why it won't work, rather than encouraging you. There will always be people on the sidelines, even Christians, who will criticize. The enemy will use people, sometimes even those close to you, to keep you from moving forward. 2. Sometimes the opposition is circumstances - your job, your finances, the economy - to keep you from doing great things for God. You will see no EARTHLY way of moving forward. 3. Sometimes the opposition is in your head - negative voices, past failures, self-doubts, poor self-esteem - to keep you from doing great things for God. Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.” The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?” “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.” (2 Kings 6:8-12 NIV) The king thought there was a traitorous spy in his midst. In reality, God revealed the most intimate thoughts of the king to the prophet. “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city. When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked. Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria. After they entered the city, Elisha said, “ Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria. When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?” “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory. (2 Kings 6:13-23 NIV) When you are faced with opposition do the following four things: 1. Don't be afraid. Scripture is consistent throughout on this: don't be afraid. Why? Because He who is with us is much greater than those who are against us! We are afraid because we don't see what is right in front of us - the power of God! We need to pray the prayer: God, please open our eyes so that we can see what you can see - your power and provision. All fear will disappear when God opens our eyes. God's provision is always much greater than our opposition! 2. We must recognize that we are not alone. Those who are with me are greater than those who are against me. Greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world! Sometimes we have to close our physical eyes in order to open our spiritual eyes. The sad truth is that God has all the power in the universe, yet His children live in weakness. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:18-21 NIV) 3. Trust God to provide. God does not always provide the way we want Him to provide. He has a better way. We want revenge and justice. More often, God provides kindness, love, and grace. This is what changes lives - yours and your opposition's! 4. Take action. God cannot course correct an immovable object. If God has shown you His will, take action. Don’t wait forever for confirmation. Don’t fall into the mistake of analysis paralysis. This is just another form of lack of faith. And faith without works is dead. God may be testing your faith. And if you are really seeking to do His will, rather than you own, He will protect you if you start moving in the wrong direction by showing you another provision for your needs. But you have to move, you have to take action. And never mistake opposition for course correction. In fact, opposition is often confirmation that you are on track for doing great things for God. God’s provision for our needs is often right in front of us. Don't be afraid of His will - open your eyes to see the power of God - trust Him and His ways (not your ways) – take action and watch for God’s confirmation or course correction. This is the way to live a life of outrageous faith. Are you having difficulty discerning God's will? Or is the real issue having enough faith to act on what you believe He is telling to you do? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Outrageous Faith (part 4 of 5): Upon Further Review

Sometimes God uses suffering to strengthen our faith. In the game of life, we may doing our best, but the call on the field does not always go our way. One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood before him. Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’ ” She replied, “I have a home among my own people.” “What can be done for her?” Elisha asked. Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.” Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. “About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.” “No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!” But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her. The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers. He said to his father, “My head! My head!” His father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. (2 Kings 4:8-20 NIV) The following are three great truths about faith: 1. We have to have the faith to trust God, even when the call on the field does not go our way - when life is totally and completely unfair. She called her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return.” “Why go to him today?” he asked. “It’s not the New Moon or the Sabbath.” “That’s all right,” she said. She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead on; don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.” So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, “Look! There’s the Shunammite! Run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’ ” “Everything is all right,” she said. When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.” “Did I ask you for a son, my lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?” (2 Kings 4:22-28 NIV) Sometimes God allows suffering in our lives to strengthen our faith. We are in BITTER DISTRESS. In these moments, we can turn toward God or away from him. This is faith. Will we surrender our will to God's will, no matter what that is? Will I allow (trust) Him to do WHATEVER He wants to do with my life - even if I don't like what is happening?! We must walk by faith and not by sight. We trust in HIS plans, not our plans. Sometimes it takes a long time for us to see how what we are going through is in our best interest – or in the best interest of others around us. We have to be patient and trust in Him. We must wait for "upon further review..." Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20, 21 NIV) His plans for me are FAR superior to my plans. But the child’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her. (2 Kings 4:30 NIV) The Shulamite woman keeps trusting. 2. We have to have the faith to trust in God’s plans for us, sometimes even to believe in God for a miracle. Upon further review... When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord. Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm. Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite.” And he did. When she came, he said, “Take your son.” She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out. (2 Kings 4:32-37 NIV) To GOD be the glory, great things HE has done. Faith (only the kind that surrenders my will to God to allow/trust Him to do anything He wants with my life) can move a mountain. No other type of "faith" moves mountains. 3. We have to have the faith to remember that no situation is "dead" as long as God is on the scene. "Upon further review" means being willing to wait on God without knowing why He allows to happen what is happening - maybe even until we are face-to-face with Him in heaven. This is true faith. Are you going through a particularly tough time in your life? One that is challenging your belief in God to have your best interests at heart? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Outrageous Faith (part 3 of 5): Collecting Jars

When you don't have what you really want, turn to a person who can help and you may discover that God has already given you all you really need. The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.” Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.” (2 Kings 4:1, 2 NIV) 1. God works through people. When you have a REAL need, turn to a godly person for help. Do not be afraid to reach out to others and be vulnerable. You are not “bothering” them. In fact, when you meet someone who has a REAL problem, you must make yourself available to them. How can I help you? Remember, God performs miracles through His people. Parents: your greatest success in life will likely not be what you accomplished, but rather who you raised. God want to work through you. 2. When you don't have what you really want, you may discover that God has already given you all you really need. So stop waiting for what you want Him to give and start working with what you already have. We must focus on what we DO have, not what we DON'T have. What we DO have is more than enough for God to use to do a miraculous work. We have a God who specializes in doing great things with very little. When God is involved, He does GREAT things with VERY LITTLE things (Moses staff, the widow's jar of oil, 5 loaves & 2 fish). 3. Offer God what you have and trust him for what you need. Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.” She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.” But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing. (2 Kings 4:3-6 NIV) The oil would likely have kept flowing if there had been more empty jars. If she had more faith and collected more jars, God's blessings would likely have been even greater. On the other hand, God gave her only what she needed (for the rest of her life). Faith is not "a force" like in Star Wars, rather it is a measure of how willing we are to totally surrender to God whatever he wants us to do – to offer him all that we have and to trust Him for all that we need. We come to God completely empty and He fills us with His presence. Oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit I'm the Bible. His presence in our life is ALL we need. He is everything. He is all we need. Offer God what you have, then trust Him for what you need. Why? Because when you don't have what you really want, you will discover that God is all you really need. Do you know what you really want versus what you really need? Do you offer to God all that you have and trust him for all you need? Are you willing to turn to others who can help in order to see God work His miracle in your life? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Worry about Worrying?

I used to worry. A lot. The more I fretted, the more proficient I became at it. Anxiety begets anxiety. I even worried that I worried too much! Ulcers might develop. My health could fail. My finances could deplete to pay the hospital bills. A comedian once said, "I tried to drown my worries with gin, but my worries are equipped with flotation devices." While not a drinker, I certainly could identify! My worries could swim, jump and pole vault! I asked a life coach who listened as I poured out my concerns and then said, "You need to learn to wait to worry." As the words sank in, I asked if he ever spent time fretting. I was quite certain he wouldn't admit it if he did. To my surprise, he confessed that in years gone by he had been a top-notch worrier! "I decided that I would wait to worry!" he explained. "I decided that I'd wait until I actually had a reason to worry - something that was happening, not just something that might happen - before I worried." "When I'm tempted to get alarmed," he confided, "I tell myself, 'You've got to wait to worry! Until you know differently, don't worry.' And I don't. Waiting to worry helps me develop the habit of not worrying and that helps me not be tempted to worry." I now frequently ask people what they were worried about this time last year. It's a great question because most people can't remember. Then I ask if they have a current worry - they always do. Then I remind them that the average worrier is 96% inefficient. Studies show that only 8% of what we worry about ever comes true. And about half of that we could not have avoided anyway. Charles Spurgeon said it best. "Anxiety cannot empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but it does empty today of its strength." Most of us want to be positive. It's advantageous to possess a sunny outlook. Doors open to optimists. They make friends, earn respect, close sales, produce loyal clients, and others enjoy and want to be like them - even to be around them. The question is how can we do that consistently? Do you struggle with anxiety? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Friday, December 20, 2013

Outrageous Faith (part 2 of 5): Digging Ditches

While walking on the water, Jesus said to Peter, “Come to me.” Peter got out of the boat - that took faith. But as soon as he felt the waves, the trials of life, his faith failed. He started to doubt, just like after taking a step of faith we often start to doubt. "So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them. “What!” exclaimed the king of Israel. “Has the Lord called us three kings together only to deliver us into the hands of Moab?” But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire of the Lord?” An officer of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah. ” Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Why do you want to involve me? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.” “No,” the king of Israel answered, “because it was the Lord who called us three kings together to deliver us into the hands of Moab.” Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you. But now bring me a harpist.” While the harpist was playing, the hand of the Lord came on Elisha and he said, “This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water." (2 Kings 3:9-16 NIV) That’s exactly what I do when I am stressed with making a decision, don’t you? Call for a harpist. NOT!!! But there is something about worship music that allows us to hear God speak. There is a direct correlation between worshipping God in song and hearing him speak! While the harpist was playing, the hand of God came upon him and Elisha heard from God. While the harpist was playing, the hand of the Lord came on Elisha and he said, “This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also deliver Moab into your hands. (2 Kings 3:16-18 NIV) There was only one problem, there were no pools. They had to be dug. No sign of water anywhere, and a promise that it would not rain. Yet, God was telling them they had to dig ditches. What He was really saying, "are you still willing to obey Me?" There is no sign of provision for you in your time of difficulty, yet will you obey God and dig the ditches – take action. You see, faith is not a feeling, it is an action. Faith is not a statement – words falling from your mouth, it is an action. There are times when God wants us to participate in His miracle! God says, "Show Me your faith, and I will show you My faithfulness!" Get up, take action, do your part. When it comes to outrageous faith, only God can send the water, but sometimes He requires you to dig the ditches. What ditch is God asking you to dig so that He will send the blessings His blessings to you? When it comes to outrageous faith, stop focusing on your struggle and start focusing on the Savior! Stop focusing on your problem and start focusing on His provision! Walking by faith is first all about your perspective - having God's perspective on your life and this world. Second, once you have God’s perspective on your life, faith is about being willing to surrender to God no matter what He has planned for you. So I ask again, what ditch does God want you to start digging?! Are you having a difficult time taking action? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

It's Time to Plan

Followers need leaders to effectively plan for them. When facing life and death situations, the necessity is painfully obvious. But even when the consequences aren’t as serious, the need is just as great. Leaders who plan well do even more than control the direction in which their people travel. They see the whole trip in their minds before they leave. They have a vision for their destination, they understand what it will take to get there, they know who’ll they’ll need on their team to be successful, and they recognize the obstacles long before they appear on the horizon. A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see, and who sees before others see. The larger the organization, the more clearly the leader has to see far ahead. That’s because sheer size makes midcourse corrections more difficult. And if there are errors, many more people are affected than when you are traveling alone or with only a few people. The Titanic is an excellent example. Before leaders take people on a journey, they must go through a process to give the trip the best chance of being a success: 1. They draw on past experience. 2. They listen to what others have to say (especially those who have traveled the journey before them). 3. They examine the conditions before making commitments. 4. They make sure their conclusions represent both faith and fact. They draw on past experience: Every past success and failure can be a source of information and wisdom – if you allow it to be. Successes teach you about yourself and what you’re capable of doing with your particular gifts and talents. Failures show what kinds of wrong assumptions you’ve made and where your methods are flawed. If you fail to learn from your mistakes, you’re going to fail again and again. That’s why effective leaders start with experience. They listen to what others have to say: No matter how much you learn from the past, it will never tell you all your need to know for the present and the future. That’s why the best leaders gather information from many sources. They get ideas from members of their leadership team. They talk to the people in their organization to find out what’s happening on the grass-roots level. And they spend time with leaders from outside the organization who can mentor and advise them. They examine the conditions before making commitments: Despite their often excellent intuition, before effective leaders make commitments that are going to impact their people, they take stock and thoroughly think things through. They count the cost before making commitments for themselves and others. They make sure their conclusions represent both faith and fact: An effective leader must possess a positive attitude. They’ve got to have faith that they can take their people all the way to the destination. If they can’t confidently make the trip in their own mind, they’re not going to make it in real life. On the other hand, they also have to be able to see the facts realistically. They can’t minimize obstacles or rationalize their challenges. If they don’t go in with eyes wide open, they’re going to get blind-sided. Realistic leaders are objective enough to minimize illusions. They understand that self-deception can cost them their vision. Sometimes it’s difficult balancing optimism and realism, intuition and planning, faith and fact. But that’s what it takes to be an effective leader. The secret to the Principle of Planning is preparation. Preparation conveys confidence and trust to people. The following acrostic may be helpful: PLAN AHEAD. P = Predetermine a course of action. L = Lay out your goals. A = Adjust your priorities. N = Notify (communicate with) key personnel. A = Allow time for acceptance. H = Head into action. E = Expect problems (and plan for contingencies). A = Always point to the future vision (and the successes along the way). D = Daily review your plan. The major barriers to successful planning are fear of change, ignorance, uncertainty about the future, and lack of imagination. The secret to overcoming these barriers is preparation. When leaders prepare well, they convey confidence and trust. Lack of preparation has the opposite effect. Leaders who are good navigators are capable of taking their people just about anywhere. It’s not the size of the project that determines its acceptance, support, and success. It’s the size of the leader. Do you struggle with proper planning? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Hot Coffee in the Crotch Anyone?

Have you ever noticed that two people can confront the same circumstances with very different reactions? This is a matter of attitude and nothing else. Freedom is being able to say, "Rich or poor, alone or with a mate, physically healthy or not, employed or laid off, I believe that peace of mind is possible." We have all experienced what it is like to be having a perfectly fine day and have a situation or crisis arise that sends us into a tailspin. It may be something small like a traffic jam making us late, or something more severe like the loss of a job. Our response can seem automatic. Though at first it may be difficult to accept, freedom depends on recognizing that you're not upset because of what occurred, you are upset because of how you perceive the situation. Key to a good attitude is recognizing that you are not a victim of the world. Another way of saying this is: There is nothing in this world that has the power to ruin your day. If you are upset, it is because you have directed your mind to be so. Initially these truths can be hard to accept because you have become so accustomed to giving your happiness away. Every time you blame another person for your unhappiness you are giving your it away. Stop blaming. How you perceive a situation will determine your experience and your reaction. Let's imagine that you have a favorite coffeehouse that you frequent. The staff knows your name and always has a warm and friendly greeting as you walk through the door. An extremely grumpy woman whom you have never seen before serves you this particular morning. She appears preoccupied rather than caring about you or what she is doing. As she pours your hot coffee a good portion spills in your lap. Despite your jumping in shock, no apology follows. Your experience is anger: both toward the waitress and the owner, Joe, for hiring such an incompetent person. Then, a friend of yours at the next booth says, "Isn't it great that Joe hired her!" "Great! Are you out of your mind? She just spilled hot coffee in my lap and walked away," you reply with your best indignant voice. "Oh, you didn't hear the story?" your friend whispers. "What story?" you angrily reply, still drying off your new slacks, wondering how you will go through the day looking as though you wet your pants. "Yeah, Joe didn't know her from Adam. He read in the paper that her husband had died last month in a car accident. Apparently her husband's health insurance stopped, and she was looking for another job in order to pay for her sixteen-year-old son's chemotherapy for leukemia," your friend responds. Now, you still have hot coffee in your crotch, but are you still angry? Unlikely. The only thing that shifted was your perception and attitude. Through discovering a reason to be compassionate, your entire experience changed - and there are always reasons to be compassionate. An important part of happiness and contentment is developing compassion. Instead of going out in the world and finding plenty of reasons to be upset, go out and discover reasons to extend love. There are thousands of reasons waiting for you right now. A helpful thought to remember is that a miracle is nothing more than allowing an old grievance to become a current compassion. If you ever run short on reasons to be compassionate, remember there is always one good reason: It makes you feel better than anything else you could do. Do you struggle with maintaining the proper perspective and attitude that fosters happiness? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

The End of the Year - A Time to Reflect on Priorities

Leaders never get to a point where they no longer need to prioritize. It’s something that good leaders keep doing whether they’re leading a project, pastoring a church, leading a small business, or heading up a multi-billion dollar corporation. A leader who suddenly realizes that he has been focused on the wrong set of priorities is like the native who climbs the tallest tree, surveys the entire situation, and yells, “Wrong jungle!” There are two principles that can help you measure your activity and determine your priorities. The first one is called the Pareto Principle and the second is the Three Rs. If you focus your attention on the activities that rank in the top 20% in terms of importance, you will likely get an 80% return on your investment. For example, if you have 100 customers, the top 20 will likely provide you with 80% of your business. If your to-do list has 10 items on it, the 2 most important ones will likely give you an 80% return on your time. And if you have 10 employees, you should give 80% of your time and attention to the 2 that have the greatest future potential. If you haven’t already observed this phenomenon, test it, and you’ll see that it really works out. The second principle is the Three Rs. The Three Rs are requirement, return, and reward. To be effective, leaders must order their lives according to three questions: 1. What is Required? We are all accountable to somebody – an employer, a board of directors, our stockholders, or someone else. For that reason, your list of priorities must always begin with what is required of you (your superior’s priorities that you must support). Anything that is not necessary for you to do personally should be delegated of eliminated. 2. What Gives the Greatest Return? As a leader, you should spend most of your time working in your areas of strength. If something can be done 80% as well by someone else in your organization, delegate it. If a responsibility could potentially meet that standard, then develop a person with the remaining 20% to handle it. 3. What Brings the Greatest Reward? It has been said, “There are many things that may catch the eye of a leader, but there should only be a few things that catch his heart.” The things that bring the greatest personal reward are the fire lighters in a leader’s life. Nothing energizes a person the ways passion does. Is it time for you to reflect on your priorities this past year? Is it time for a change of priorities as you begin to set your goals and make plans for the coming year? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Monday, December 16, 2013

Outrageous Faith (part 1 of 5): Kill the Cow & Burn the Plow

Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah's faith. The Bible records that Elisha performed more miracles in the Bible than any other person. Elisha demonstrated outrageous faith. Outrageous faith starts with outrageous commitment. So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?” So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant. (1 Kings 19:19-21 NIV) Elisha had a boring job. Everyday, all he smelled was oxen poop and all he saw was oxen butt - all day, everyday. In this environment it would be very easy to lose hope of ever having a life of significance. But Elisha was faithful. When you are faithful with the little things, God will trust you with a lot. Elijah went up and through his cloak around him. He was declaring that God wanted to use Elisha just as God had used Elijah. Two principles to outrageous commitment: 1. You don't have to understand fully, in order to obey immediately. We must have margin in our lives: a padding such that we can respond to opportunities that God puts in our path. We must be in a posture of spiritual readiness. But even when God asks you to move, He usually does not give you all the details. We can't handle all the details. When He wanted Peter to step out of the boat, all he said was "come." He did not tell him to step out carefully: "Be careful now, don't get your knees wet, keep your eyes focused on Me." No, all He said was "come." You don't have to understand fully, in order to obey immediately! You can't eat filet mignon, when your mouth is full of Ding Dongs! What is your one word? Is it "come", "stay", "go", "stop", "quit", break it off". You will never understand fully, so stop trying, and start obeying. 2. Those God uses the most are the ones who hold onto stuff the least! Let go and let God. Do what Elisha did, "kill the cow & burn the plow." Don't have a plan B. There can be no contingency plans, no way to turn back! Do what the disciples did when Jesus called them, "they left everything." As you look at your life, answer the following question: "What cow does He want you to kill? What plow does He want you to burn?" How long has it been since you have had to trust God and not your bank account? As humans, we love security. Babies love their blanky. If we are to grow as Christians, we have to let go of our security blankets. To step towards our God-ordained destiny, we have to step away from our earthly security. Kill the cow & burn the plow. Isn't it time to develop an outrageous faith - right now! Do you know what you are uniquely designed and called to do? Are you having trouble transitioning into that calling? Is there something in your life that you have been thinking of pursuing for several years, but never committed to? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

What’s the Secret to Success?

My path, like that of so many others, has been a winding one, filled with discovery and lessons at every turn. In my personal quest for a more joy-filled and creative life, I have reinvented myself numerous times. Increasingly, we must all learn to do this, whether we choose different careers or a new place to live. Reinvention is required because change is a part of our world. It is here to stay. You have to learn to adapt to it, to embrace it, to create a life you love. I'm a late bloomer. I started my business at the age of 49. I was at a crossroads, and I knew I needed to take a different direction, but I wasn't sure what that was. I think we all feel that uncertainty when facing new challenges. One thing I knew for sure was that I wanted a career that would give me joy. During an interview I was once asked, "What's the secret to success?" The answer I gave is that there really is no secret at all. But, as I reflect upon my life, I believe there is one principle which has helped guide my journey and those of many others. Whether you are a stay-at-home mom, a nuclear physicist, a corporate executive, or the pastor of a church – you must discover what you love to do. If you love it, you will work at it. If you work hard enough at it, you will become good at it. And if you are good at it, someone will pay you to do it. The secret to life is to pursue with passion what you believe you have been called to do. This will not only take care of your physical needs, but much more importantly will lead to a lifetime of fulfillment. Does change in your world require some reinvention right now? Do you know what you are uniquely designed to do? Are you having trouble transitioning into that calling? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Monday, December 9, 2013

Learn & Do Great Things

A leader is a lifelong learner. He/she is someone who never stops learning. A true leader makes the most of the hundred billion brain cells God has put on loan to him. A true leader is consumed with curiosity. The leader keeps asking and seeking and knocking. And the quest is never over because the questions never end. Leonardo da Vinci was determined to keep learning until the day he died. He once said, “I want to learn something new the day I die. Why? Because I can.” So go ahead and live as if you’ll die tomorrow. But keep learning as if you’ll live forever. If you learn despite the obstacles, and if you learn from your failures, you are destined to do great things. You were created for a purpose. There are opportunities to give you and assignments with which to entrust you. But I’m sure you have realized by this point in your life that you will face opposition along the way. People who are called to greatness face great challenges. No one ever promised you it would be easy. In fact, I can promise just the opposite - there will be great difficulties. But you can use each one to strengthen you to overcome the next obstacle. But this is only possible under these conditions - that you learn from the obstacles, that you learn from your failures, and that you never give up. No matter what comes your way, refuse to quit. Do you need help in overcoming obstacles and learning from your failures? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Decide to be Different

If you believe that time has passed you by, your best days are behind you, or that somehow you've failed too many times to have another chance, nothing could be further from the truth. Today is the best day to begin - the best opportunity for a new destiny. After his first audition, a casting director told actor Sidney Poitier, "Why don't you stop wasting people's time and go out and become a dishwasher or something?" It was at that moment, recalls Poitier, that he decided to devote his life to acting. He wasn't going to let someone else decide his life path. Stop sitting on the fence. Make a decision to be different. Stop straddling the middle of the road. There's nothing in the middle of the road, but yellow stripes and dead armadillo. Decide to do something now to make your life better. The choice is yours. "My decision is maybe - and that's final." Is this you? Being decisive is essential for a successful life. If you deny yourself commitment, what will you do with your life? Every accomplishment, great or small, starts with a decision. If you have the will to win, you have achieved half your success; if you don't, you have achieved half your failure. The moment you definitely commit yourself, change begins. All sorts of things happen to help you that never would have otherwise occurred. Kenneth Blanchard observed, "There is a difference between interests and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you only do it when it is convenient. When you are committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results." Lack of decisiveness has caused more failures than lack of intelligence or ability. Indecision often gives an advantage to the other person because they did their thinking beforehand. Helen Keller said, "Science may have found a cure for most evil; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all-the apathy of human beings." Don't leave a decision for tomorrow that needs to be made today. Remember, don't be a "middle-of-the-roader" because the middle of the road is the worst place to try to go forward. You can do everything you ought to do once you make a decision. Today, decide on your dream. Do you need help in determining the best path forward? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Monday, December 2, 2013

Managing Your Time & Activities

One of the main causes of the pressure that invades our lives is our unwillingness to discard optional responsibilities - not because they're a waste of time, but simply because they distract us from the main goals of our lives. So how do you decide? How do you determine what to invest your time in and what not to? For many of us, we let the tyranny of the urgent dictate what we do next. The tyranny of the urgent occurs when we focus on what is due next, what has to be done before it is too late. For others, we get involved in a lot of really great things - some with a mission or purpose that we truly believe in. Examine any one of these activities and you would say they are very worthwhile. However, taken all together they are quite overwhelming and don't seem to progress us toward our main goals in life (if we even have goals that are well defined). So how do we decide what deserves out limited time - the only commodity in life that we cannot manufacture more of? The key lies in priorities that have been derived from specific goals in each of our five life dimensions: personal, family, faith, vocation, and community. These goals should have been developed from an assessment of where our lives are today versus a clear vision of where we are headed. And the vision should be one that is in complete alignment with a well defined life mission (our purpose for living). When these items exist, it becomes fairly easy to hold up any current activity against the mission, vision, goals, and priorities and say this supports my life's direction or not. In addition, new activities that would consume our time and efforts can also be held up against these and evaluated for whether we should be involved or not. When adhering to this process, "no" has can be one of the most liberating words you will ever use. Could you use some help in eliminating some of the activities in your life to achieve a more manageable and less stressful lifestyle? Have you developed a priority and time management system based on you life's mission, vision, and goals? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many-- not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." ~Charles Dickens Today the entire United States celebrates one of its most cherished national holidays -- Thanksgiving Day. It's a day often filled with great food, family get-togethers, and lots of sports on TV for those who care (Go Steelers and Lions!). But the real intent of the day is to take a break from the daily routine. To step back and reflect. And then to give thanks to God for all the blessings we have, as a nation and as individuals. Sometimes that's not always easy. You can either beat yourself up over past mistakes, or learn from them. And look forward to better days ahead. After all, your life is FILLED with potential... and opportunities right now… if you only accept them. Most people dwell on the negative of past mistakes, and that paralyzes them from creating a better future. May you find joy and thankfulness in whatever you do. The road to get there may seem daunting at times…but we can all be thankful that we do not walk that journey alone. Happy Thanksgiving from... www.nccxpastor.blogspot.com

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Show Some Kindness

In this world of negativity, leaders know the power of kindness and the rewards it brings. They may not know the timing of those rewards, nor the form they will take, but rest assured they are very real indeed as the following story illustrates... The year was 1863, on a spring day in Northern Pennsylvania. A poor boy was selling goods door-to-door to pay his way through school. He realized he had only a dime left, and that he was hungry. So he decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal, he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry and so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?" "You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness." He said, "Then I thank you from my heart." As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strengthened also. He had been ready to give up and quit. Years later, that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, he went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown, he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day forward, he gave special attention to the case. After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office pass to him the final billing for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge, and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally, she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words: "Paid in full with one glass of milk." Could you use some help in changing your organizational culture or personal leadership style? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Saturday, November 23, 2013

The Power of Positivity

Literature and history are full of people who suffered from handicaps, had talents that were inferior to those around them, lived in the worst of circumstances, or faced many defeats. Yet, many of these people are listed among the winners in life’s Hall of Fame. Those who were famous we hold up as examples of great leadership. Why? What made them achieve despite their circumstances? The secret is this: Whether you reach success or failure in life has little to do with your circumstances; it has much more to do with your attitude, with your faithful courage, and with your choices. You see, non-achievers blame their circumstances; winners rise above their circumstances. Some concentrate on the blank wall that boxes them in; winners always look for a way to get under it, over it, around it, or through it. You must surround yourself with positive influences. When you are surrounded by negative thinkers, images, or materials, it is easy to get bogged down in hopelessness. Read inspiring books and magazines. Listen to motivational recordings and speakers. Attend positive-thinking seminars or programs. Make it a point to read or watch or listen to something positive and inspiring at least once every day. Focus on your strengths instead of your weaknesses. Learn to leverage your strengths in all dimension of your life: personal, family, faith, vocation, and community. Associate with positive people. Look for friends who feel good about themselves, people who have the attitude of gratitude. People who need to tear down others are not happy with themselves and are not good for you or your attitude. Life should be an adventure, to be savored from beginning to end. It is a game of constantly changing odds, constantly developing challenges, constantly opening opportunities. To win it, you have to play it. Sitting on the sidelines won’t do. Even after you’ve achieved all you ever hoped to achieve, it’s no time to stop living. Do you need assistance developing a more positive attitude? Have you maximized positivity in all areas of your life: personal, family, faith, vocation, and community? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Friday, November 22, 2013

Empowerment Needs Boundaries

Every great leader knows he must empower his/her people to work autonomously if he wants to accomplish great things. But when you start your people on a journey to the land of empowerment, don't forget that they need boundaries. If you cut them loose without any direction, they will get lost and revert back to their old unempowered habits. Like the banks of a river, boundaries have the ability to channel energy in the right direction. A study was once done of a school playground in the middle of a big city. The playground was surrounded by the school on one side and three busy streets on the other sides. The children always played in the center of the playground or close to the side bordered by the school. Upon closer observation, it appeared the children were afraid to go close to the busy streets, for fear of what might happen to them (e.g., being hit by a car, kidnapped by a stranger, etc.). The school officials realized the potential danger and decided to install six foot fences around the playground. As soon as the fences were installed, the children began using the entire playground, no longer afraid of the busy streets. They would go right up to the fences to play and talk with one another - only a few feet from dangers that had terrified them before. They inherently understood there was safety and security in the boundaries. Inside the boundaries they felt complete freedom to do whatever their hearts desired. If you take away the boundaries, your people will lose their momentum and direction. Boundaries that create autonomy include: Purpose - what does your company do? Values - what are your company's operational guidelines? Goals - where is your company headed? Roles - who does what? Structure - how is your company organized? Culture - what is acceptable behavior? Don't send inexperienced people off alone and then punish them when they make mistakes. Establish clear boundaries that will free them to make decisions, take initiative, act like owners, and stay on track. Do you need assistance establishing appropriate boundaries with those you lead in your workplace, your home, your church, or in your community service role. Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Friday, November 15, 2013

You Need a "Solution Pandemic"

Everywhere you look today there are problems. Turn on your TV or computer - pick up a magazine or paper—and what do you see? Problems! Talk to your spouse, co-worker, family members or friends, and within minutes someone will bring up a problem...or two or three. Problems permeate the workplace, too—new products, old products, customer service, health care, retirement plans, sales, marketing, budgets, IT, personnel - the list of problems we confront each day is vast. If that's not enough, consider the global problems we are facing - hunger, war, terrorism, economy, jobs, pollution, global climate change, disease, energy, health care, education, government corruption, trade barriers, overpopulation, sanitation, water - the world's problems seem endless. In short, we are experiencing a "problem pandemic" like never before. What's scarier yet, is many experts predict there is no end in sight. So what can YOU do about this threatening pandemic? Embrace it! This may seem strange at first, but many "problems" aren't problems at all. In fact, most problems are opportunities and many are actually solutions just waiting to be found. Can you imagine waking up each morning faced with a "solution pandemic?" Truth@Life provides you with the solutions to problems that plague your life. Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Monday, November 11, 2013

Great Leaders Become Great Followers

The following is a message given by Justin Dosch, Associate Pastor of Grace Community Church in Cranberry, PA, one of the 50 fasted growing churches in the United States - a 10 year old church averaging about 2200 per weekend in worship (interesting note: 4 of the 5 pastors are from the Baptist denomination). Justin has been one of my leadership development clients for the past year. In this message, he has summed up, better than I ever could have, some of the reasons I am a life coach and what I hope the true mission of Truth@Life is: Week 3: Follow Me - Great Followers Become Great Leaders By Justin Dosch November 10, 2013 What are the characteristics of a great leader? Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. Jesus was the greatest leader of all time. If I am called to be a follower of Jesus, then I am called to be a leader. We are all leaders. What kind of leader am I? Where am I leading my people? When I follow Jesus where am I going? The Bible says: Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:43-45 NIV) The greatest leadership principle is, "whoever wants to become the greatest must be the greatest servant - to give his life to others." Servant leadership turns the world's definition of leadership upside down. Jesus called you to be a follower so that you could be a leader. A change agent - an influencer of others. Based on this passage, what do leaders look like? 1. Leaders are humble. Leaders lift the influential ability of others. ALL our talents and gifts are from God! The greatness in me has nothing to do with me. The greatness in me has everything to do with God in me. We must look at every person as greater than we are, worthy of our time and service. 2. Leaders leave a legacy. If we don't mentor others, what we have been given dies with us. If we don't pass it on to others and teach them to pass it on to others, it dies. Jesus said - I have taught you so that you can teach others. An example of this is a succession plan - not just a future org chart - rather a development plan for those we mentor. Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23 NIV) What is your cross? Your cross can be thought of as your life mission and core values. It is what you would give up your entire life for. Do you know what those are? If so, are you living them with the purpose of influencing others? If you don't know them, it's time to find out! Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Leaders Understand The Importance of Superior Customer Service

Service with surprise is like a box of Cracker Jack. It was not the cool box or the caramelized popcorn we craved - it was the free prize inside. While the prize had little economic value, its emotional value was priceless. Surprise breaks the monotony of ho-hum, communicates a caring attitude, and fosters an infectious spirit that customers cannot wait to share with others. Some companies have the principle of including the Cracker Jack surprise down pat. Zappos is ranked #2 in the U.S. in customer service. It also has "Create Fun and a Little Weirdness" as one of its core values. Zappos sent a bouquet of flowers to a loyal customer after the call center operator learned she had just had an emergency appendectomy. Miller Brothers, Ltd., an upscale men's clothing store in Atlanta, has "sophisticated fun" as one of its hallmark values. And the proof? A colorful gumball machine sits on a small table in the store's entrance foyer. Beside it is a large bowl of bright shiny pennies. Guess where Junior goes while daddy is trying on trousers? What can you do to apply the "Cracker Jack" Principle? Pretend the service that you deliver is like your customer's birthday. The best gifts are those that contain a delightful surprise. Put on your "little kid" creative hat and consider ways to make your service silly, funny, whimsical or quaint. Better yet, ask a kid for ideas! Like Cracker Jack, position the surprise in a way that heightens the astonishment and amazement. "Being on par in terms of price and quality only gets you into the game. Service wins the game." Customers exist inside, as well as outside, our organizations. In a manufacturing company, Shipping is the customer of Production Operations, who is the customer of purchasing (suppliers), who is the customer of Order Management. Product Design is the customer of market research, etc. The same customer service chains exist in service companies and non-profits. There are many examples. Does your organization need to significantly boost its level of customer service for either internal or external customers? As a leader, what could you do to improve customer service? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Awesome Leadership Conference Coming!

There is an awesome leadership conference coming to the Pittsburgh area! Nov 13 | 8:30am-12:30pm North Way Christian Community | Wexford, PA Tickets starting at $29* Leading Through Change is a four hour LIVE seminar with Brad Lomenick, President of Catalyst and best-selling author. Also present to share his thoughts on leadership will be the Pittsburgh Pirates General Manager, Clint Hurdle! CATALYST is well known for gathering Christian leaders from a wide variety of organizations at their national leadership events. Jay Passavant is hosting this event at North Way and will be happy to answer any questions you have. In addition, I will be there and would love to see you! To register, copy and paste the following link into your Internet browser: http://passavantleadershipgroup.com/ltc-register/?utm_source=Staff&utm_campaign=d80fa5117d-LTC_Invite&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c7fdf3651d-d80fa5117d-569207

Monday, October 28, 2013

Three Keys to Great Leadership

A gardener at the Disney studio left some tools in an empty parking space. When a producer drove up and saw the tools in his space, he honked at the gardener and gave the poor man a chewing out. Walt walked up and interrupted the producer's tirade. "Hold it!" he said. "Don't you ever treat one of my employees like that! This man has been with me longer than you have, so you'd better be good to him!" That was Walt. To his employees, he was not only a leader. He was their defender and their servant. That's what separates leaders from bosses. I've always been fascinated with the qualities and characteristics of great leaders. History has identified many qualities and characteristics of great leaders, and, of course, no person embodies them all. But the great leaders I've known, or read about have one simple thing in common: They have developed their leadership styles around their personalities and their values, and in the end, their actions are consistent with what they truly believe. The goal of many leaders is to get people to think more highly of the leader. However, the goal of a great leader is to help people to think more highly of themselves. There are three keys to becoming a great servant leader: 1. Let go of your ego. The truly great leaders are not in leadership for personal gain. They lead in order to serve other people. 2. Become a good follower first. Rare is the effective leader who didn't learn to become a good follower first. That is why a leadership institution such as the United States Military Academy teaches its officers to become effective followers first - and why West Point has produced more leaders than the Harvard Business School. 3. Give your power away. One of the ironies of leadership is that you become a better leader by sharing whatever power you have, not by saving it all for yourself. If you use your power to empower others, your leadership will extend far beyond your grasp. Do you want to become a better leader? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Monday, October 21, 2013

You Can't Manage Your Time

Arthur Berry was described by Time as "the slickest second-story man in the East," truly one of the most famous jewel thieves of all times. In his years of crime, he committed as many as 150 burglaries and stole jewels valued between $5 and $10 million. He seldom robbed from anyone not listed in the Social Register and often did his work in a tuxedo. On an occasion or two, when caught in the act of a crime by a victim, he charmed his way out of being reported to the police. Like most people who engage in a life of crime, he was eventually caught, convicted and served 25 years in prison for his crimes. Following his release, he worked as a counterman in a roadside restaurant on the East Coast for $50 a week. A newspaper reporter found him and interviewed him about his life. After telling about the thrilling episodes of his life he came to the conclusion of the interview saying, "I am not good at morals. But early in my life I was intelligent and clever, and I got along well with people. I think I could have made something of my life, but I didn't. So when you write the story of my life, when you tell people about all the burglaries, don't leave out the biggest one of all... Don't just tell them I robbed Jesse Livermore, the Wall Street baron or the cousin of the king of England. You tell them Arthur Berry robbed Arthur Berry." Here are six terrific truths about time: First: Nobody can manage time. But you can manage those things that take up your time. Second: Time is expensive. As a matter of fact, 80 percent of our day is spent on those things or those people that only bring us two percent of our results. Third: Time is perishable. It cannot be saved for later use. Fourth: Time is measurable. Everybody has the same amount of time...pauper or king. It is not how much time you have; it is how much you use. Fifth: Time is irreplaceable. We never make back time once it is gone. Sixth: Time is a priority. You have enough time for anything in the world, so long as it ranks high enough among your priorities. Do you need help with time management? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Real Leaders Unplug

Real leaders recognize there is a difference between the personal, family, faith, vocation, and community dimensions of their lives. They know that while all are integrated, there needs to be a balance. Technology threatens to change all that. Technology has taken over. But it’s not as if we mind. Modern people have a love affair with technology. But if we are entranced, we are also enmeshed. The downside of technology is real and painful, and it is the far-reaching tentacles of technology - ​directly or indirectly - ​that have caused the majority of our work-life problems. In the past, there was a closure on the end of every day. It was called night. There also existed a closure on the end of every week - ​it was called Sabbath (observed by most on Sunday). Today, there are no natural closures. One religious leader suggested that Sunday is a day to stop our work, and it also is a day to stop thinking about our work. In Scriptures, the faithful disconnected from their work for a Sabbath every week. If we wish a healthy work-life balance, we will need to confront technology’s hold on our lives. We will seek balance. We will unplug. Do you need help finding the balance? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Check Out the Following Interview With me by Noomii

Check out the following interview with me by Noomii: http://www.noomii.com/users/curtis-songer

Leadership Lessons from Foolish Father Coaches

I cherish so much about our children. Through my many years of parenting, this is what I realized that I treasured the most: each relationship. Oh, I admit it's nice when they scored points in a basketball game, excelled at a swim meet, or gracefully performed a ballet dance routine. I'm pleased when their grades revealed above-average scores, or when I observed the effort put into a home project. And of course it's flattering when people comment how nice they looked or how respectful they were. But what really tripped my trigger and renewed my parental energy - after returning from a business trip, or attending a swim meet, playing taxi driver, or setting curfew - was a loving smile, a hug, a high five, and the four cherished words: "I love you, Dad." I became keenly aware how my actions, words, tone of voice, or nonverbals affected the loving, caring, and mutually respectful relationship we enjoyed as a family. As a father, I failed at times to uphold my end of the responsibility. There were situations when I crushed my children's spirits. This was illustrated frequently while my kids were playing on the flag football teams I coached. It didn't take long for me to realize that the definition of a father-coach is someone who expects his kids to be everything he wasn't. I upheld high and sometimes unrealistic expectations. I even found it easy to justify my demands by attempting to motivate them to be the best they could be. However, more than once I overstepped my parental privileges. After blowing up at them for less than perfect play, the joy of winning would drain from their faces. They stood motionless and speechless as Dad continued to drain the power from their self-esteem batteries. I knew I'd blown it, but I continued to justify my outburst and dig myself into a deeper hole. Occasionally, realizing what a fool I had been, I would later look into their fearful and discouraged faces and say, “I was wrong, I'm sorry for blowing up at you. You worked hard in that game and I failed to recognize you for all the good things you did. Please forgive me." Their response would touch my heart, and my eyes would fill with tears. "It's okay, Dad. We know you love us." The only way to heal a damaged spirit is to swallow the parental pride and say, "I'm sorry. I was wrong. Please forgive me." Failure to bring healing when you've been unfair or hurtful can breed anger for years to come. Effective leadership is based on healthy relationships. When was the last time you told your child or anyone else you lead, "I'm sorry for anything I have ever said or done that has hurt you?" Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Leadership Lessons from Wolves

The attitude of the wolf can be summed up simply: it is a constant visualization of success. The collective wisdom of wolves has been progressively programmed into their genetic makeup throughout the centuries. Wolves have mastered the technique of focusing their energies toward the activities that will lead to the accomplishment of their goals. Wolves do not aimlessly run around their intended victims, yipping and yapping. They have a strategic plan and execute it through constant communication. When the moment of truth arrives, each understands his role and understands exactly what the pack expects of him. The wolf does not depend on luck. The cohesion, teamwork and training of the pack determines whether the pack lives or dies. There is a silly maxim in some organizations that everyone, to be a valuable member, must aspire to be the leader. This is personified by the misguided CEO who says he only hires people who say they want to take his job. Evidently this is supposed to ensure that the person has ambition, courage, spunk, honesty, drive—whatever. In reality, it is simply a contrived situation, with the interviewee jumping through the boss's hoops. It sends warnings of competition and one-upmanship throughout the organization rather than signals of cooperation, teamwork and loyalty. Everyone does not strive to be the leader in the wolf pack. Some are consummate hunters or caregivers or jokesters, but each seems to gravitate to the role he does best. This is not to say there are not challenges to authority, position and status—there are. But each wolf's role begins emerging from playtime as a pup and refines itself through the rest of its years. The wolf's attitude is always based upon the question, "What is best for the pack?" This is in marked contrast to us humans, who will often sabotage our organizations, families or businesses, if we do not get what we want. Wolves are seldom truly threatened by other animals. By constantly engaging their senses and skills, they are practically unassailable. They are masters of planning for the moment of opportunity to present itself, and when it does, they are ready to act. Because of training, preparation, planning, communication and a preference for action, the wolf's expectation is always to be victorious. While in actuality this is true only 10 percent of the time or less, the wolf's attitude is always that success will come—and it does. Would you like to learn more about excellent leadership? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Friday, September 27, 2013

What Would You Do If You Knew the Date of Your Death?

What would you do if you knew the date of Your death? “Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.” – Steve Jobs. Abraham Lincoln once said, "The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time." Would you do things differently if you knew you’ll be dead soon? Would you choose different career or different relationship? Would you stop procrastinating on things? Questions like these help to bring our lives into razor sharp focus. Would you like to learn how to better set priorities, manage your time, and achieve your goals? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Thursday, September 26, 2013

The Pebble in Your Shoe

Everyone has had a pebble in his or her shoe. You may have one or two now. It's the small, nagging thoughts that eventually weigh you down. Some pebbles have been hidden, undetected for years. Others push, prod, and make their presence felt every day. Each pebble intrudes into the lives of the unsuspecting. At different times in life the pebbles arrive. Although they are small and mostly undetected, they represent many unresolved thoughts, images and experiences. Some are pebbles of doubt. They form from a single thought that occurred years, months or weeks before. Some pebbles are lodged only in your business shoes. Some reside in your house slippers that you tuck under your bed. Some pebbles find their way into your golf shoes while others form in the shoes worn while you parent. Unfortunately, some pebbles travel in all your shoes regardless of where you walk or run. Some pebbles are of fear. Others are created from guilt, rejection or shame. Maybe not today, but they eventually arrive unannounced and usually at the most inappropriate time. What challenges do they present? To run the marathon race of life at your most efficient speed, you must be free of embarrassment, guilt, rejection, fear, envy, jealousy, anger, impatience, frustration and worry. All can be lodged in any shoe, from a pair of loafers worn by a city dweller in Manhattan, to a pair of boots on a farm in Montana. These intangible pebbles are crippling. They destroy relationships. They contribute to overeating and gaining unhealthy weight. They coax us into drugs, alcohol and other addictions. They destroy families and alienate friends. They thwart the potential of our children and physically snuff extra years from our life. These are the pebbles in the shoe. The pebble can cause you to quit or perform with complete indifference. It can help instigate a fight or add disrespectful silence to an otherwise dynamic relationship. Even the desire for fame, fortune or power can turn into a pebble in your shoe if left undetected. Most pebbles stir up the past, cloud the future and keep the present to a blink of the eye. Like a garden that's been freshly tilled, a pebble can reappear without warning or detection. Prevention and removal are your only options for simplicity, balance and abundance. Would you like to learn how to clear your mind of indecision, uncertainty, confusion and fear? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Decisions Can Be Stressful, Stress Can Be a Decision

Several years ago while listening to my pastor give a Sunday sermon, he spoke about how life is made up of a series of choices. It made me realize that my hectic professional and personal life was of my choosing. Therefore, a life of stress had become my choice. Many of us hurry through life going from one place to the next, focused on conquering the next mountain, making the next deal, running the next errand, and believing we will never have enough time to do all the things we need to get done. Yet, there is all the time in the world if we just realize that we are the creators of this life we choose to live. That's right. Life is a series of choices and being free from stress is one of those choices. Whether your business life is overly complicated or your personal life (or both), you have chosen this current system of chaos. The world is a tantalizing swirl of getting the next "fix," tempting us to fit more and more things, people and processes into our lives, personally and professionally. And because we are so busy being busy, it's easy to be lured into the fray, with our lengthy to-do lists. Yet, the greatest achievements have often come from the simplest of ideas and in the simplest forms. To experience a simplified life, we first have to learn to slow down long enough to see through all the clutter. We need to realize that we are powerful magnets that attracted this life to ourselves—no matter what—good or bad. Is there too much stress in your life? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Laugh at Yourself - A Road to Health

A few years ago a health study determined there are 3 main reasons people can't cope in life: 1. They live in the past. 2. They have a low self-esteem. 3. They can't laugh at themselves. In fact, the study indicated that we need approximately 12 laughs a day to stay healthy! I heard a story not long ago about a guy who sent flowers to his friend who was opening a new restaurant. When he arrived at the grand opening, he looked for his flowers. Well, when he found them, he saw that he had sent a white wreath that said, "May you rest in peace." He panicked, of course, and called the florist who said, "Bob, I'm not worried about you because as we speak, there's a guy being buried who got a dozen roses that said, "Good luck in your new location!" Ah yes...life throws us curve balls when we least expect it! And sometimes, just to stay sane, we need to sit back and laugh! Is there enough laughter in your life? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Friday, September 20, 2013

A Leader's Voice

Before exploring the art of communicating to and teaching larger groups, we must assess whether our toolbox includes what is needed for these intimate, frequent, daily interactions ... Communicating effectively is not optional for a leader—​it is absolutely essential. Not all leaders will be required to speak in front of large groups, but all leaders are engaging in the fine art of communication all the time, in every encounter, both verbally and non-verbally. We neglect developing communication skills to our peril. Every connection with someone on our team is an opportunity for influence, vision clarification, reinforcement of values, or simply a chance to encourage, inspire, or correct. A leader’s voice emerges in the accumulation of these smaller moments, and we must commit ourselves to discovering and developing that unique voice. What does your "leader's voice" sound like? What message(s) are you communicating? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Thursday, September 12, 2013

The Fences of Your Mind

I've watched the movie Chicken Run at least a half-dozen times. Just beneath the surface of its simplistic look and story line lie a number of wonderful messages told through the eyes of a bunch of Claymation chickens trying to break out of their chicken-wire world to escape their fate at the chopping block. Their freedom leader, a feisty little hen named Ginger, comments profoundly in one scene: "the fences are all in your mind." She reminds her fellow chickens (and us), that a bigger obstacle than the physical fences they're surrounded by are the mental fences that hold them captive. It's been a good reminder for me on those occasions when I've been dealing with my own mental fences...those created by self-doubt, uncertainty, fear. Can you relate? Where have you fenced yourself in mentally in recent days or weeks? Perhaps your mental fence is procrastination, a deadening habit that keeps you stuck. Maybe yours, like mine, is related to self-doubt, and the on-going internal noise it produces that keeps you immobilized. Perhaps yours is the belief that you don't deserve success, so you sabotage yourself to avoid having to find out how successful you could be. There are a million variations of the theme, but the result is still the same: we stay stuck like the chickens in the movie. A key question to ask yourself is: "How do I limit myself and how can I stop?" Those limitations are never external. They always live inside us. The antidote to being trapped by our mental fences is to create a compelling enough vision that, like Ginger and her flock of chicken friends, we're willing to resort to amazing measures to break out. I challenge you to take some bold, even outrageous steps to break free of your mental fences. If it's procrastination, declare a "freedom day" and take action on everything you've been putting off: from cleaning your office to making phone calls or responding to emails you've avoided. If it's self-doubt, sit down and write out everything you value and why it's important. Then challenge yourself to eliminate anything that doesn't absolutely reflect your values, or add something that is a profound statement of who you are. Recognize that your mental fences can only keep you stuck as long as you're looking at them. They can only contain you as long as you're not taking actions consistent with your vision. Go ahead, take the action you've avoided and leap into a future filled with possibilities. And remember, the fences are all in your mind! Do you have fences in your mind? Truth@Life can assist you in overcoming these fences and making a lasting change in your life. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE 1-hour consultation!

Monday, September 9, 2013

What Do You Really Believe In?

What are your core values? These help you to identify what you stand for. These are meant to be non-negotiables in your life. If an employer violated these (core values), you’d quit. They guide your world-view and help to shape your decisions. They help to spell out who you are. They follow you wherever you go and determine how you go about accomplishing your life’s work, your mission statement. Some examples of common core values are: Honesty & integrity, Teamwork/collaboration, Being others-focused, Kind, Patient, Lifelong learning, Continual improvement, Disciplined, Pursuit of excellence, Never complacent, Never satisfied, Increasing value in whatever you do, Simplicity, Faithful, Loyal, Committed, Forgiving, Respectful, Trustworthy, Generous, Humble, Joyful, Persevering, Loving, Peaceful, Content, Wise / Discerning, and Hopeful / Optimistic. People inherently use their core values to assist them in making good decisions. One can make decisions faster and more consistently if they base their decisions on their core values. They can also communicate their decisions more effectively so that others understand them when the decision is based on a known core value. The clearer you are on what you stand for, the easier it will be for you to make good decision. On the other hand, when we act in such a way that violates one of our core values, or when we make a decision that violates our core values, we inevitable regret it. Without exception regrets in life can be traced to the violation of that person's core values. Many of us have difficulty forgiving ourselves and we don't know why. It's because we violated one of our core values. When we think about it, we can't believe we could have ever done that. So what are your core values? Do you have regrets in life? Truth@Life can assist you in identifying and living by your core values. Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Take the First Step

All successful people are faithful in the small things. There is power in taking small steps. Many people are not moving forward today simply because they were not willing to take the small step placed before them. If you have a dream to go into any particular area, you should leap at the opportunity—no matter how small—to move in the direction of your dream. For example: if you dream of being a college basketball coach and are sitting at home waiting for an invitation from the University of Louisville, you should know that call will never come. You need to find an opportunity to coach somewhere, anywhere. Find a young person, a young team. Jump in and coach with all of your heart, like you would if you were coaching at the highest level. Grow where you are planted. Don't be afraid to take small steps. There's something powerful about momentum...no matter how small. Many times the impossible is simply the untried. I can remember a time in my life when I was immobilized with fear, consumed with what I was supposed to do. It seemed so huge a task; I was unable to bring myself to face it. A friend came to me and spoke two words that broke that paralysis in my life. He said, "Do something!" I'll never forget that day...taking some small, seemingly insignificant steps. Momentum began to come into my life. If you are at a point of paralysis in your life because of what you feel you're supposed to do, the words today are, "Do something!" Don't worry about the long-term goal right now; just take the steps that take you past the starting point. Soon you'll get to a point of no return. As you climb higher, you'll be able to see much farther. As you begin, don't be afraid. It has been said, "Fear of becoming a 'has-been' keeps some people from becoming anything." Every great idea is impossible from where you are starting today. But little goals add up, and they add up rapidly. Most people don't succeed because they are too afraid to even try. As incredible as it sounds, they decide in advance they're going to fail. Many times the final goal seems so unreachable we don't even make an effort. But once you've made your decision and have started, it's like you're halfway there. Start - no matter what your circumstances. Take that first step! Would you like to learn more about achieving true work/life balance? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Is Work/Life Balance Possible?

Some people talk about achieving “balance” in life. But “harmony” is a better metaphor than balance. I can never expect to live a balanced life, but I can expect to live a harmonious life, in which the ends are held in tension or harnessed, not leveled out ... We all face different situations, different variables. One person’s solution may not work for the next person. We can’t just “balance” life by deciding how much time or energy we must devote to certain parts of our lives. We must regularly ask ourselves the question, “How much is enough?” We need periods of rest now more than ever. It is in the quiet times that our minds and souls recharge and rejuvenate. When “nothing” is happening, something is happening ... When water is still, it becomes clear. So, too, the mind and soul. Would you like to learn more about achieving true work/life balance? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Announcing a Free Public Information Session: How to Change Your Job Before Your Employer Does It for You (& What to do When He Has)

The average person today changes jobs every 3 years. They go through a complete re-tooling and change careers every 10 years. Some of this is by choice. Unfortunately, some is not. For those who choose to change, the most common reasons are to get better pay, to leave a “bad boss”, to get out of a toxic environment (e.g., bad relationships with co-workers), to seek better work/life balance and less stress, and seek a more fulfilling job. For those who are forced into unemployment, the reasons given by management are economic downturns, poor performance, and the need to replace older, more costly employees with younger, cheaper employees. Some of these reasons are bogus. But whatever the case, this is becoming more common every year with layoffs at some major companies as frequent as every 3 months. A series of free public information sessions are coming up to discuss how to plan for and manage a vocational transition on your own terms, how to minimize the impact on you if it has already occurred, and how to keep this from happening again. You only need to attend one of these sessions. They will be held at the following locations and times: 1. Panera Bread in Cranberry, PA 20111 Route 19 Sunday, August 11 at 7:00 PM 2. Panera Bread in Wexford, PA 12071 Perry Highway Tuesday, August 13 at 8:00 PM 3. Panera Bread in Oakland, PA 3800 Forbes Ave. Thursday, August 15 at 6:30 PM 4. An Online Webinar may be offered for those not in the Pittsburgh Metro Area Time and date to be determined Send an email if interested in this option Refreshments will be served. Pre-registration is not required, but space is limited and pre-registration is the only way to guarantee your seat. Simply respond with the location, date, and time you plan to attend to: Curtis Songer Principal, Truth@Life Organizational Planning, Life Planning & Leadership Development curtis.songer@gmail.com 248-396-6255

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Your Mind: As You Sow, So Shall You Reap

George Bernard Shaw said, "People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, they make them." Well, it's pretty apparent, isn't it? And every person who discovered this believed (for a while) that he was the first one to work it out. We become what we think about. Conversely, the person who has no goal, who doesn't know where he's going, and whose thoughts must therefore be thoughts of confusion, anxiety and worry—his life becomes one of frustration, fear, anxiety and worry. And if he thinks about nothing... he becomes nothing. How does it work? Why do we become what we think about? Well, I'll tell you how it works, as far as we know. To do this, I want to tell you about a situation that parallels the human mind. Suppose a farmer has some land, and it's good, fertile land. The land gives the farmer a choice; he may plant in that land whatever he chooses. The land doesn't care. It's up to the farmer to make the decision. We're comparing the human mind with the land because the mind, like the land, doesn't care what you plant in it. It will return what you plant, but it doesn't care what you plant. Now, let's say that the farmer has two seeds in his hand—one is a seed of corn, the other is nightshade, a deadly poison. He digs two little holes in the earth and he plants both seeds—one corn, the other nightshade. He covers up the holes, waters and takes care of the land...and what will happen? Invariably, the land will return what was planted. As it's written in the Bible, "As ye sow, so shall ye reap." Remember the land doesn't care. It will return poison in just as wonderful abundance as it will corn. So up come the two plants—one corn, one poison. The human mind is far more fertile, far more incredible and mysterious than the land, but it works the same way. It doesn't care what we plant...success...or failure. A concrete, worthwhile goal...or confusion, misunderstanding, fear, anxiety and so on. But what we plant must return to us. You see, the human mind is the last great unexplored continent on earth. It contains riches beyond our wildest dreams. It will return anything we want to plant. Would you like to learn more about changing attitudes and behviors? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Announcing a Free Public Information Session: How to Keep Your Kids From Living in Your House Until Age 30 & Beyond

Thirty years ago the average young person left home by age 19. Today, those that go to college leave home on average by age 23 and cost their parents a minimum of an extra $21,000. Those that do not go to college leave home on average at age 31 and cost their parents an average of $30,000. In both cases, these extra costs generally come right out of (or never go into) the parents’ retirement funds. But what is much more tragic is that these young people are getting a slower start in life in their families and careers. Also, studies show that they suffer from low self-esteem issues, social issues, and a more significant lack of fulfillment in the careers they eventually select. A series of free public information sessions are coming up to discuss why this happens and what you can do to prevent it (or correct the situation if it has already occurred). You only need to attend one of these sessions. They will be held at the following locations and times: 1. Panera Bread in Cranberry, PA 20111 Route 19 Sunday, August 11 at 6:00 PM 2. Panera Bread in Wexford, PA 12071 Perry Highway Tuesday, August 13 at 7:00 PM 3. Panera Bread in Oakland, PA 3800 Forbes Ave. Thursday, August 15 at 5:30 PM 4. An Online Webinar may be offered for those not in the Pittsburgh Metro Area Time and date to be determined Send an email if interested in this option Refreshments will be served. Pre-registration is not required, but space is limited and pre-registration is the only way to guarantee your seat. Simply respond with the location, date, and time you plan to attend to: Curtis Songer Principal, Truth@Life Organizational Planning, Life Planning & Leadership Development curtis.songer@gmail.com 248-396-6255

Thursday, July 18, 2013

The "Secrets" of Great Leadership

Your ability to take charge, to lead, to get the best out of yourself and others, is vital to your achieving your full potential in life. The good news is that leaders are made, usually self-made through work on themselves, not born. Leadership is action, not position. It is defined by what you do, not by your title on your business card. A leader is someone who executes, takes action, and achieves goals and moves ahead. What this means is that you can be a leader without dedicated followers - simply by accomplishing results and positively influencing those around you. In fact, that is the definition of leadership: "The ability to get results and positively influence others." When you think and act like a leader, you soon get the results that leaders get, and enjoy the results of leadership: respect, esteem, more opportunities, higher pay and a life of significance - making a real difference in your world. There is more good news. Leadership is not fixed. It is a set of learnable principles and qualities. This means that you can learn any leadership skill you need to achieve any leadership goal that you can set for yourself. How do top leaders think and act? In more than 3,300 studies of leaders over the centuries, they have identified "ten key principles (or processes of leadership and ten key qualities of leadership" that you can learn and apply. There are no real "secrets" of leadership. There are only timeless truths that have been discovered and rediscovered again and again over the centuries. Would you like to learn more about these ten key principles and qualities? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Greed Is Good? NO - Change is Good!

As a leader, deciding to make changes is the easy part. Getting your people on board is much more difficult. Why is that? Quite simply, change is an emotional process. We are all creatures of habit who usually resist it, and welcome routine. Uncharted waters are scary. In the long run, however, sameness is the fast tract to mediocrity. And, mediocre companies won't survive. When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge. And, that is your challenge...to convince your team that the new world you are trying to create is better than the one you're in. Is it easy? Of course not. It takes planning, commitment, patience and courage. The truth, of course, is that change can be a wonderful gift. In fact, it is the key that unlocks the doors to growth and excitement in any organization. And, most importantly, without it...your competition will pass you by. A big part of success, as a leader, will be your ability to inspire your team to get out of their comfort zones; to assure them that even though they are on a new path, it's the right path, for the right reasons. In the meantime, do you have "leadership habits" that need to change for you to become more effective in your personal or professional life? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Leadership Blog: Communication is the Oxygen of Leadership (part 3 of 3)

Continued from last week, here is the conclusion of our review of the 12 great principles of communication… Winston Churchill was a great leader and a great communicator. He was a man fit for his time. Some called him “the voice of England” because he could communicate in such a way that it captured the hearts and minds of the people and their dreams. The following quotes illustrate this: “We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender… Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival…. Never, never, never give up!” Winston Churchill was amazing at knowing the needs of his audience, living his own message, and painting a vision that moved people forward with hope and anticipation. 10. Focus your attention on the audience. Effective communicators focus their attention on the person (or people) with whom they are communicating. They know it is impossible to effectively communicate to a person or audience without knowing them. 11. Live your message. Credibility precedes great communication. There are two ways to convey credibility to your audience. First, believe in what you say. Second, live what you say. There is no greater credibility than conviction in action. 12. Have a meaningful vision and mission and reinforce it in everything you do. Most vision statements could be randomly interchanged and no one would know the difference. If you asked your employees to explain what the vision is for their organization could they tell you? People whose companies have a compelling and meaningful purpose and direction engage their employees’ hearts as well as their heads. The beauty of a clear, well-understood vision is that every employee can use it to guide their choices - where to invest their time, energy and resources. Great communicators tend to be excellent leaders. They are easier to follow - people know where they are going, why they want to get there and what they have to do to move toward the goal. It sounds so simple; you would think every leader would just automatically be aware of the power of transparent, intentional communication. But they aren’t. Here are a few things to consider, if you are a leader who wants to lead with more clarity: How are you doing when it comes to communication? Are you well connected to all your teammates? Have you neglected some people or excluded them from your circle of communications? Or have you isolated yourself from others for the sake of being more productive? You may accomplish more individual goals that way, but your team will be less effective. How about accessibility? Can members of your team get to you? Do you follow the twenty-four hour rule? Anytime you are not communicating well with your team members, the team suffers. In the menatime, do you have "leadership habits" that need to change for you to become more effective in your personal or professional life? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com