What Drives You? (part 3 of 4)

Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You. Psalms 143:8 To know what drives you, ask yourself: What excites me? What do I seek and desire? What do I do exceedingly well? What gives me energy? The answers to these questions reveal a great deal about the way the Creator has shaped you. There are over 200 different types of drivers – things that motivate us, cause us to perform well, and fill us with energy as we do them. But at the simplest level, all these drivers fall into one of three categories. The 3 types of drivers are: Power, Image, & Contribution. Today we will continue our exploration of what drive people by looking at the nature of people who are driven by Contribution. People driven by a desire to serve or to make a contribution do not want to be in charge. They may have very little concern about how something looks or is perceived by others. They are driven instead by a desire to see goals reached and people helped. Those who are driven by a goal of making a contribution may have a rumpled appearance because their focus is not on themselves, but on others. They often deserve a hero’s badge, but if are given one, they would quickly pin it on someone else. Their heartfelt goal is to help others succeed. Examples include servant leaders such as Mother Theresa, social workers, and missionary nurses. To determine if you have contribution as the foremost driver in your life, ask yourself the following questions: Do I shun the spotlight? Am I uncomfortable being singled out, recognized, or made a fuss over? Do I care most of all that something good is accomplished, regardless of who does it or how it is accomplished? Do I find myself moving almost automatically to help others who seem to be struggling or in need? Do I find myself annoyed with what I perceive to be the materialism of fashion-consciousness of others when more important things are to be done? Do I prefer to be in frontline active service rather than in a decision-making role? Do I care more about getting the job done than about whether an awards ceremony or recognition dinner is planned after the job is finished? If you have answered yes to more than one of these questions, you are probably driven by contribution. It’s OK to contribution be your foremost driver. Those who are driven by contribution are often unheard and unseen, working behind the scenes to get the job done. They can make a valuable contribution to any group. Conversely, avoid the trap of pride in thinking that because you are driven by a desire to contribute, you have special access to the high moral road. Don’t think ill of those who are in power, since they may very well be the ones who provide the venue for the contribution you desire to make. Also avoid the tendency to disregard those who are image driven, thinking that they could get more real work done if they cared less about appearance. Are you driven by power, image, or contribution? What is the most important decision you can make right now related to the proper use of your foremost driver? 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 directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

A Tribute to Women

A tribute to women from Proverbs 31….. A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds. Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it. Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long. She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing. She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises. She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast for her family and organizing her day. She looks over a field and buys it, then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden. First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started. She senses the worth of her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day. She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in homemaking. She’s quick to assist anyone in need, reaches out to help the poor. She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows; their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear. She makes her own clothing, and dresses in colorful linens and silks. Her husband is greatly respected when he deliberates with the city fathers. She designs gowns and sells them, brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops. Her clothes are well-made and elegant, and she always faces tomorrow with a smile. When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly. She keeps an eye on everyone in her household, and keeps them all busy and productive. Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise: “Many women have done wonderful things, but you’ve outclassed them all!” Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades, but the woman who respects God is to be admired and praised. Give her everything she deserves! Adorn her life with praises! Praise God for women. She is created in the image of God. She is a child of God and equal to man in every way. 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 directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

What Drives You? (part 2 of 3)

To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. James 4:17 To know what drives you, ask yourself: What excites me? What do I seek and desire? What do I do exceedingly well? What gives me energy? The answers to these questions reveal a great deal about the way the Creator has shaped you. There are over 200 different types of drivers – things that motivate us, cause us to perform well, and fill us with energy as we do them. But at the simplest level, all these drivers fall into one of three categories. The 3 types of drivers are: Power, Image, & Contribution. Today we will continue our exploration of what drive people by looking at the nature of people who are driven by Image. To some people, what counts the most is the way things are done, especially the appearance associated with the way things are done. People driven by image are good presenters of a message, although they may not have been the originators of the message. They enjoy packaging people ideas, and things. They turn their creative abilities toward the visual and the readily apparent. People driven by image are generally very conscious of protocol, manners, appearance, and social acceptability. They often want everybody to be happy or everybody to be positive about the things, people, or ideas they present. They desire to please. Examples include marketing specialists, actors, entertainers, creative arts people, fashion designers, and public relations people. To determine if you have image as the foremost driver in your life, ask yourself the following questions: Is it important to me that I make good impressions? Do I care how things are accomplished as much as whether they are accomplished? Am I concerned with my appearance, including the image of my company, my neighborhood, my church, or the organizations to which I belong? Do I see making an acceptable impression as an important aspect of evangelizing people? Do I readily accept positions related to publicity, design, decorating, or protocol? Do I admire those who perform well and who stay within traditional cultural boundaries, displaying good manners and social grace? Do I place a high value on public recognition and rewards for those who do good work, seeing both as necessary for inspiring others and building a good reputation? Am I as concerned about how my work is presented as I am about getting the work done? If you have answered yes to more than one of these questions, you are probably driven by image. It’s OK to be driven by image. Those driven by image can be very important in setting the proper stage. They can be highly effective in wooing others and in preserving the beauty and traditions that are significant factors to many people. Avoid the tendency to think ill of those who couldn’t care less about image. Many people who are image driven do not understand how those in power can be in power when they care so little about appearance or protocol. They tend to regard them as crass brutes, which may not be the case. They also have a tendency to be condescending to those who are contribution driven, thinking they could be more effective if they only cared a little more about procedures, manners, social amenities, and appearance. Are you driven by power, image, or contribution? What is the most important decision you can make right now related to the proper use of your foremost driver? 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 directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

What Drives You? (part 1 of 3)

To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. James 4:17 To know what drives you, ask yourself: What excites me? What do I seek and desire? What do I do exceedingly well? What gives me energy? The answers to these questions reveal a great deal about the way the Creator has shaped you. There are over 200 different types of drivers – things that motivate us, cause us to perform well, and fill us with energy as we do them. But at the simplest level, all these drivers fall into one of three categories. The 3 types of drivers are: Power, Image, & Contribution. Today we will explore the nature of people who are driven by power. These people wear easily the mantle of leadership. They can be controlling and manipulative in their exercise of power, but they need not be. Those driven by power include those who seek to empower others. In some cases they are the power behind the throne – people who do not seek the limelight or the title, but who do seek to influence the choice about what is done, when, how, and with whom. In a positive light, people driven by power desire change and see themselves as change agents. They are not satisfied with the status quo in their own lives, neither are they satisfied with the status quo around them. Then degree to which they love, influences heavily the use of power in their lives – they can be tyrants and dictators, or benevolent leaders who bring help and growth to others. Examples include all kinds of leaders, especially business and political leaders. To determine if you have power as the foremost driver in your life, ask yourself the following questions: Am I most comfortable if I am the one in charge or if I can see that things are being done my way? Do I desire to make things happen, create momentum, or see that changes I desire are effected? Do I readily accept leadership positions when asked to assume them? Do I seek out leadership roles (as evidenced perhaps by running for an office)? Am I concerned about how and when I might earn a promotion or rise in rank or status within groups to which I belong? Do I desire to have greater spiritual power over evil, sickness, or things that plague humankind? If you have answered yes to more than one of these questions, you are probably driven by power. It’s OK to be driven by power. Those driven by power can exert much influence for good. They can be stabilizing forces as well as growth forces in any endeavor. Conversely, they should avoid the tendency to think that those who are driven by power are more important than those who are driven by image or contribution. Many power-driven people have a tendency to put down those who are driven by image or to take for granted those who are driven by contribution. We will explore those drivers over the next few days. Are you driven by power, image, or contribution? What is the most important decision you can make right now related to the proper use of your foremost driver? 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 directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

What Are Your Talents?

To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. James 4:17 Many people today don’t know who they are. They haven’t found themselves. The key to realizing who you are is to discover your gifts – your talents. Then you will know the areas in which you need to grow and the areas in which you need to leverage your strengths. Your giftedness cannot be cloned. What do you like to do? What are you good at doing? We often (but not always) become good at what we like to do. Just liking something does not mean that you are guaranteed to be gifted at it. Conducting your own internal talent search involves identifying your personality characteristics, qualities, skills, interests, passions, longings, hopes, and achievements. Check your talent search against your Turning Points (see earlier blog). If you think you have a specific talent or passion, but it has never been used in your life experiences, it is doubtful you truly have that talent or passion. Take each of your top 5 talents (gifts/strengths), as well as your driving motivators, and apply each one of them to each of your life domains (see earlier blog). How do they apply and what action plans do you need to begin making? Create a matrix of the strengths and motivators applied to the 5 Life Domains in an action oriented way. Be specific! Translate this to an action plan. Is there training required or some other enabler necessary? Are there any barriers that must be overcome? Pursue mastery in your talents, but be flexible - mastery may follow different paths. Generally speaking, mastery is rooted in practice. To begin with, you have to believe you can become a master. There are four stages to mastery: Unconsciously incompetent; Consciously incompetent; Consciously competent; & Unconsciously competent. Mastery is a lifelong process. Evaluate your progress as you go. Your Responsibility to Your Talents. You are responsible for knowing and living out your talents. You are responsible for focusing the resources made available to you. You are responsible for the commitments you make. You are responsible for striving to be and to do your best. What is the most important step you can take immediately to develop your giftedness? What is the most important decision you can make right now related to the application of your giftedness? 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 directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Truth@Life is Now Registered with Angie's List

Truth@Life is Now Registered with Angie's List. See the following link: https://my.angieslist.com/AngiesList/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fangieslist%2fMyAngie%2f Truth@Life’s mission is to transform organizations and individuals through life planning, leadership development, & strategic/business planning. We can assist you in overcoming a specific problem, achieving a specific goal, or capitalizing on a specific opportunity. Most organizations, as well as individuals have some level of dissatisfaction with the progress they are making or the legacy they are leaving. They either aren’t making progress or they aren’t making progress at the pace they would like. We utilize a unique process that breaks though the barriers and accomplishes the results you need – satisfaction guaranteed. Coaching is a process for unlocking people’s potential to maximize their own performance. A coach is someone who comes alongside to help you find your focus: to define your goal, layout an action plan, identify barriers to success, resource you as needed, hold you accountable, and course correct as required until the goal is achieved. The services offered by Truth@Life include the following: • Life Planning for Individuals (including the following) 1. Helping adults with job/career transitions 2. Improving personal time management 3. Understanding and managing interpersonal relationships (both personal and professional) 4. Helping teenagers choose their life time career, corresponding major, & best fit college 5. Assisting retirees with how to best manage this new phase of life • Leadership & Team Development for Individuals & Organizations • Integrated Strategic & Operations Planning (Integrated Business Planning) for Profit & Non-Profit Organizations

Truth@Life is Now Registered with Thumbtack

Truth@Life is Now Registered with Thumbtack. See the following link: Life Coaching & Leadership Development Truth@Life’s mission is to transform organizations and individuals through life planning, leadership development, & strategic/business planning. We can assist you in overcoming a specific problem, achieving a specific goal, or capitalizing on a specific opportunity. Most organizations, as well as individuals have some level of dissatisfaction with the progress they are making or the legacy they are leaving. They either aren’t making progress or they aren’t making progress at the pace they would like. We utilize a unique process that breaks though the barriers and accomplishes the results you need – satisfaction guaranteed. Coaching is a process for unlocking people’s potential to maximize their own performance. A coach is someone who comes alongside to help you find your focus: to define your goal, layout an action plan, identify barriers to success, resource you as needed, hold you accountable, and course correct as required until the goal is achieved. The services offered by Truth@Life include the following: • Life Planning for Individuals (including the following) 1. Helping adults with job/career transitions 2. Improving personal time management 3. Understanding and managing interpersonal relationships (both personal and professional) 4. Helping teenagers choose their life time career, corresponding major, & best fit college 5. Assisting retirees with how to best manage this new phase of life • Leadership & Team Development for Individuals & Organizations • Integrated Strategic & Operations Planning (Integrated Business Planning) for Profit & Non-Profit Organizations

Turning Points & Life Gates in Your Life

God works all things together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 A life plan (see earlier blog) includes the identification and analysis of Turning Points and Life Gates in your life. A Turning Point is a major milestone in your life. It’s a shift from one era of your life to another. It may be punctuated by a major decision or event. Such events could be marriage, death, leaving home, divorce, graduation, career shifts, retirement, etc. It could be a tragedy or crisis that you experienced. Regardless, the future will be different from the past after a turning point. It is not unusual for a person who is 50 or older to have 10 – 15 turning points. Where you find yourself today – closer to God or more remote, on or off the track vocationally or in your family or personal life – can be seen clearly through the perspective of your turning points and their control path. Life domains are impacted during a turning point (see the earlier blog on life domains). You can gain perspective about the balance of your life as well as the general results that key decisions and events seem to have caused by reflecting the control path in your life. You will also see the focus of energy in your life during any one period. There are also life gates. A life gate is a super-turning point, a supreme event, in your life. All domains of life may have been impacted in a powerful way during a life gate. Major doors may have been opened wide or slammed shut. A life gate either closes off the old part of life, or opens the gate to a new life, or both. Generally speaking people have very few life gates in their life, perhaps only 3 or 4. As you look back over the turning points and life gates, you can identify the patterns, trends, and themes of your life. You can begin answering the following questions: What did this mean to me? Why did this period have value to me? What were the critical consequences related to this event? Patterns are combinations of acts, qualities, and tendencies that form a consistent or characteristic arrangement in your life. Trends are the general direction, the prevailing tendency, the drift in your life. Themes are the dominant, recurring messages of your life. Finally, you can begin to draw some conclusions about what you see in your life story. Very specific lessons and conclusions can be drawn from reflection upon your turning points and life gates. These insights can be both immediate and delayed. Regardless of the insights, keep the following in mind: 1. God desires change and growth in you. 2. God wastes no experience in your life. 3. God works all things together for good to those who love Him. Another benefit of understanding turning points is the ability to recognize them as they are occurring. Are you in a turning point or life gate right now? 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 directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Four Helpful Questions

The truthful lip shall be established forever, But a lying tongue is but for a moment. Proverbs 12:19 No one has ever criticized a person to success, and yet all of us are masters of self-criticism. We need no help in that department. Jesus modeled the path to realizing potential: the encouraging word, hope, affirmation, and validation. He wants us to believe in ourselves, to love others, and unconditionally as He does. Four helpful questions: What is right about your life? What is wrong about your life? What is confused in your life? What is missing from your life? Apply each of these questions to the Five Life Domains mentioned in yesterday's blogs. What is right? This is what you might want to optimize in the future. What is wrong? This produces a list of things that might need to be corrected or changed. What is confused? This produces items that may need to be clarified. Most people have an area of their lives that is in a state of confusion or that they believe needs to be prioritized, organized, refocused, or discerned more clearly. What is Missing? Where are the voids? These may be blind spots to you. These are the areas where something may need to be added. The answers to these questions will help to build action plans to enable you to implement your Life Plan. 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 directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Life Domains & Seasons of Life

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 Reasons why people need to do a Life Plan include: I want to know why I still feel unhappy even though I am doing the job that I always thought I wanted to do. I want to know how I can get a better balance in my life between work and family. I want to feel less stress. I want to manage my time better. I want to be happier in my relationships. I want to know why I seem to keep making the same mistakes over and over again. I want to discover God’s plan for me in my retirement years. I want to know what path God wants me to choose in terms of my career and education. What do you need? Life is a whole with many parts: personal, family, church, vocation, community. Personal – your personal health, emotions, mind, possessions, and general well-being. Family – your immediate and extended family, including parents, spouse, children, and other close family relationships. Church / faith kingdom – your church or the broader faith community in which you are a member. Vocation – your career of work life, including volunteer work and tasks for which you are regularly responsible. Community – your neighborhood, city, or other defined community in which you are a member. These life domains are intended to function in balance. Balance is the key to wholeness. Each domain impacts all the others. The five domains are not necessarily equal (nor should they necessarily be). The five domains are not rigid (they may overlap or be combined). The key to the five domains is balance. Every person will have a slightly different balance point. The most important life domain for you is likely: personal. Ask yourself the following: Do I believe in myself? Am I placing relationships before tasks? Have I accepted my giftedness? Am striving for balance in all my life domains? Am I holding myself accountable? Your life evolves through seasons. The seasons of your life are: Winter – early youth; Spring – education / preparation years; Summer – work years; Harvest – later years. Are your current objectives in each of the life domains in line with your current season of life? The answers to these questions will help to build action plans to enable you to implement your Life Plan. 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 directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com