Three Keys to Surviving Difficult Times

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:11-12 How do you maintain the proper perspective when life is getting you down? When the storms of life are raging all around you and it seems like things are going progressively from bad to worse? When your dreams have all evaporated? There are three keys to survival. The first key: Be joyful in hope. Hope is the strong expectation of God’s deliberate action. It’s not wishing; it’s confident believing. And with that confidence, our hearts are lifted as we anticipate God’s divine work to accomplish His will in our lives. It has been said, “Most people who fail to accomplish their dreams fail not from ability but from a lack of commitment and belief.” The second key is patience in affliction. Difficulties are a part of life. We are fallen people living in a fallen world. Beyond that, God “prunes” fruitful believers so that we will bear even more fruit. Pruning hurts! When we experience problems, our natural reaction is to try to get out of them as quickly as possible, but that is not how God wants us to respond. Whether He takes us out of them or through them, God wants us to look to Him for wisdom and strength during difficulty so that our faith grows stronger. Unfulfilled expectations, unforeseen difficulties, and waiting for God’s answers can make us want to give up, but the third key is to continue praying with resolve. In difficult times, our prayers deepen and take on a new sense of urgency and earnestness. And if it gets worse, if the delay continues, we should stop asking and start listening, which may be the lesson God wanted to teach us all along. Which of these keys do you need to focus on right now? Which is a strength in your life? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. 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

The Leadership Principle of Navigation (part 3 of 3)

Continued from October 25... Anyone can steer a ship, but it takes a real leader to chart the course. The secret to the Principle of Navigation 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 the Principle of Navigation 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. Anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a real leader to chart the course. How are you at thinking ahead and planning the course of action needed? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. 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

The Leadership Principle of Navigation (part 2 of 3)

Continued from October 23... Anyone can steer a ship, but it takes a real leader to chart the course. 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. How are you at thinking ahead and planning the course of action needed? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. 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

The Leadership Principle of Navigation (part 1 of 3)

Anyone can steer a ship, but it takes a real leader to chart the course. Followers need leaders to effectively navigate 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. The truth is that nearly anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a real leader to chart the course – to have vision of where the organization needs to go and to plan accordingly. Leaders who navigate 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. How are you at thinking ahead and planning the course of action needed? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. 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

Making Choices for Success & Significance

What is success? Only you can define it in your own life. In my own life, I have attempted to define both Success and Significance. To me, Success is secular. Significance is spiritual. It doesn't matter how you define your own spirituality. Spiritual matters are always finer, deeper, and longer lasting than secular matters. Success focuses on three Fs: • Fans. • Fame. • Fortune. Success is focused on tasks, even goals. Significance also focuses on three Fs: • Faith. • Family. • Friends. But, significance focuses on purpose. Why am I here? What do I do with the talents, experiences and skills that I have? How can I make the world a better place? How do I plant seeds of greatness in the lives of those around me? How do I make an impact in the circles of influence where I find or place myself? To choose success and significance, you must be a strategic thinker who: • Has a clear vision of what you want to accomplish. • Develops a solid strategy that answers three questions: - Who or what are we today? - Who do we want to become? - How do we get there? • Employs practical systems to achieve your goals. • Commits to consistent execution because in consistency, success emerges. When implementing your strategic plan for success, it really comes down to three "Ds": Decide what you want most to achieve. Determine the first step to getting what you want. Do the first thing that will start you moving toward your goal. Using these seven keys, you can choose success and significance. But keep this in mind: success is not a matter of luck, not an accident of birth, not a reward for virtue. The most successful people I know are the ones who have something to do, somewhere to be and someone to love. No one is responsible for your success or your joy. You must search for it and be in a continual state of earning it. To merely succeed is not an end in itself. You must use your success to impact other people...to impact the world...to Live Life from the Inside Out. It all starts with the choices you make—they determine the person you will become. Want to develop a plan for both success and significance in your own life? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. 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

The Leadership Quality of Commitment (part 3 of 3)

Continued from yesterday... Here are 3 exercises you can do to start evaluating and improving your level of commitment. Consider the following... 1. Measure it: Sometimes we think we are committed to something, yet our actions indicate otherwise. Take out your calendar and your checkbook register. Sped a few hours tallying up how you spend your time and where you spend your money. Look at how much time you spend at work, in service, with family, in health and recreation activities, in your faith, and so forth. Figure out how much money you spent on living expenses, entertainment, personal development, giving, etc. All these things are true measures of your commitment. 2. Know what’s worth dying for: One of the questions every leader must ask himself is, “What am I willing to die for?” If it came down to it, what in life would you not be able to stop doing, no matter what the consequences were? Spend some time alone meditating on that thought. Write down what you discover. Then see if your actions match your ideals. 3. Use the Edison method: If taking the first step toward commitment is a problem, try doing what Thomas Edison did. When he had a good idea for an invention, he would call a press conference to announce it. Then he’d go into his lab and invent it. Make your goals, your plans, your commitments public. You will be more committed to following and achieving them. Want to get started on increasing your leadership commitment? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. 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

The Leadership Quality of Commitment (part 2 of 3)

Continued from yesterday... The following three observations tell us a lot about the nature of commitment: 1. Commitment starts in the heart. Some people want everything to be perfect before they are willing to commit themselves to anything. But commitment always precedes achievement. It is said that in the Kentucky Derby, the winning horse effectively runs out of oxygen about half-way through the race and goes the remainder of the way on heart. All good athletes recognize the importance of commitment. NBA legend Michael Jordan says, “Heart is what separates the good from the great.” So if you want to make a difference in other people’s lives as a leader, look into your own heart to see if you’re really committed. 2. Commitment is tested by action. It’s one thing to talk about commitment. It’s another to do something about it. The only real measure of commitment is action. It has been said, “Nothing is easier than saying words. Nothing is harder than living them day after day.” 3. Commitment opens the door to achievement. As a leader, you will face plenty of obstacles and opposition – if you haven’t already. And there will be times when commitment is the only thing that carries you forward. It has been said, “Commitment is the enemy of resistance, for it is the serious promise to press on, to get up, no matter how many times you have been knocked down.” If you want to get anywhere worthwhile, you must be committed. When it comes to commitment, there are really only four types of people: 1. Cop-outs: People who have no goals and who do not commit. 2. Holdouts: People who don’t know if they can reach their goals, so they’re afraid to commit. 3. Dropouts: People who start toward a goal but quit when the going gets tough. 4. All-outs: People who set goals, commit to them, and pay the price to reach them. What kind of person are you? Have you been reaching your goals? Are you achieving all that you believe you can? Do people believe in you and follow you readily? If your answer to any of these questions is no, the problem may be your level of commitment. To be continued... Want to get started on increasing your leadership commitment? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. 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

The Leadership Quality of Commitment (part 1 of 3)

Former pro basketball player Bill Bradley attended a summer basketball camp at age 15 conducted by Ed Macauley. During that camp, Macauley made a statement that changed Bradley’s life: “Just remember that if you’re not working at your game to the utmost of your ability, there will be someone out there with equal ability. One day you’ll play each other, and he’ll have the advantage.” People do not follow uncommitted leaders. Commitment can be displayed in a full range of matters to include the work hours you choose to maintain, how you work to improve your abilities, or what you do for your fellow workers at personal sacrifice. The world has never seen a great leader who lacked commitment. Ed McElroy of USAir spoke of its importance: “Commitment gives us new power. No matter what comes to us – sickness, poverty, or disaster – we never turn our eye from the goal.” What is commitment? To each person, it means something different. To the boxer, it’s getting off the mat one more time than you’ve been knocked down. To the marathoner, it’s running another ten miles when your strength is gone. To the soldier, it’s going over the hill, not knowing what’s waiting on the other side. To the missionary, it’s saying good-bye to your own comfort to make life better for others. To the leader, it’s all about that and more because everyone you lead is depending on you. If you want to be an effective leader, you have to be committed. True commitment inspires and attracts people. It shows them that you have conviction. They will believe in you only if you believe in your cause. As the Leadership Principle of Buy-In states, people first buy into the leader, then they buy into the vision. To be continued... Want to get started on increasing your leadership commitment? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. 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

The Leadership Principle of Process (part 3 of 3)

Continued from part 2... Leadership is developed daily, not in a day. That is a reality dictated by the Principle of Process. The secret for success in life is for a person to be ready for his time when it comes. What a person does on a disciplined, consistent basis gets him ready. The good news is that your leadership ability is not static. No matter where you are starting from, you can get better. There is an old saying: Champions don’t become champions in the ring (or on the field), they are merely recognized there. So true. If you want to see where someone develops into a champion, look at his daily routine. Former heavyweight champ Joe Frazier stated, You can map out a fight plan. Better yet is to map out a life plan. When the action starts, it boils down to reflexes. That’s where your road work shows. If you’ve cheated on that in the dark of the morning, you’re getting found out now under the bright lights.” Boxing is a great analogy for leadership development because it is all about preparation. Even if a person has natural talent, he has to prepare and train to be truly successful. President Theodore Roosevelt, a great leader and boxing enthusiast, once stated: “It’s not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and, who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” Roosevelt, a boxer himself, was the ultimate man of action. He began everyday by spending time building his body as well as his mind. He did that for his entire life. He did not become a great leader overnight. His road to the presidency was one of slow, continual growth. When they removed his dead body from his bed, they found a book under his pillow. Up to the very last, he was still striving to learn and improve himself. He was still practicing the Principle of Process. So if you want to be a great leader, the good news is that you can do it. But is will cost you. Everyone has the potential, but not everyone is willing to make the sacrifice. It isn’t accomplished overnight. It requires perseverance. You can’t ignore the Principle of Process. Leadership does not develop in a day – great leadership takes the better part of a lifetime. Want to get started on the process of improving your leadership? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. 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

The Leadership Principle of Process (part 2 of 3)

Leadership develops daily, not in a day. Continued from yesterday - the four phases of The Leadership Principle of Process... Phase 1 - I don’t know what I don’t know: Most people fail to recognize the value of leadership. They believe that leadership is only for a few – for the people at the top of the corporate ladder. They have no idea of the opportunities they are passing up when they don’t learn to lead. In the course of each day most individuals try to influence at least four people. This substantiates the claim by sociologists that most people will influence – positively or negatively – over 10,000 people in their lifetime. Unfortunately, as long as a person doesn’t know what he doesn’t know, he doesn’t grow. Phase 2 - I know what I don’t know: Usually at some point in life, we are placed in a leadership position only to look around and discover that no one is following us. That’s when we realize that we need to learn how to lead. Benjamin Disraeli once said, “To be conscious that you are ignorant of the facts is a great step to knowledge.” Phase 3 - I grow and know and it starts to show: When you recognize your lack of skill and begin the daily discipline of personal growth in leadership, exciting things start to happen. Every one can become a great leader. Almost immediately, progress begins as your influence become greater, as you put newly learned leadership principles into practice. Read books, listen to tapes/CDs/DVDs, and attend regular seminars. Whenever you come across a golden nugget of truth or a significant quote, file it away for the future. Phase 4 - I know what I don’t know: When you’re in Phase 3, you can be pretty effective as a leader. However, when you get to Phase 4, your ability to lead becomes almost automatic. And that’s when the payoff becomes larger than life. But the only way to get there is to practice the Principle of Process and to pay the price. Think for a moment, which phase are you in? To be continued... Want to get started on the process of improving your leadership? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. 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