Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes

 

“Only you can change you.”  That is so true.  To implement change, you need to be intentional and proactive.  It takes action and determination.  Resolutions do not instigate change.  Goals do not prompt change.  Good intentions only go so far.  Nothing changes if nothing changes.

 

Change is not easy.  We humans are resistant to it.  It is important to note that big changes usually start with small steps. There must be an initial step, a starting action item, a simple goal.  Make incremental changes to your diet.  Increase your workout frequency or intensity over time.  Start a new daily habit of quiet time, reflection, or prayer.  Eliminate the negative forces or distractions. Set a stretch goal in your professional life.  These are all easier said than done.  However, they have one thing in common, they all require something to change. 

 

Nothing changes if nothing changes.

Your Trajectory?

What is the current trajectory of your life?  Where is your life headed?  If you stay on your current trajectory, where will you end up?  This is a critical question.  Often, we sit idly by and let life take us in certain directions without attempting to influence that direction.  We also do not always think about the long term direction of our current trajectory.  It is important that we look at where we are as well as where we are headed. 

What you do today has significant impact on your future.  We have the ability to influence the trajectory of our lives.  Certainly some aspects of life are outside of our control, but the parts we can control have the ability to take us in the wrong direction if we sit back allow that to happen.  Do not think that you have no influence on the trajectory of your life. You do.  Do not sit back and let life happen to you.  God has a plan for you and wants to see you pursue that plan.  To do so you likely need to be proactive in determining the course of your life.  Check your current trajectory and tweak it as needed…

Consider your impact…

We all impact the lives of those around us.  It is inevitable, as is the way that people impact our lives each and every day.  The challenge is to impact people positively.  The greater challenge is to proactively impact people positively.  Never underestimate the impact you have on others just during normal daily encounters.  Try to consciously have a positive impact during those encounters.  We all have gifts.  We should strive to use those gifts in order to beneficially impact those around us.  Consider all of the uplifting ways you might be able to impact people during your day.

• Encourage
• Support
• Console
• Be an example
• Share
• Pray for
• Advise
• Teach
• Listen

Consider your impact on those around you, and do so positively.  What will your impact be today?

Life Plan

Do you have plans and goals?  Do you methodically plan out the direction of your life?  I have to say that I am not very good at this.  Too many of us just let life come at us.  We take what life brings us.  The problem with that is that you never know where you are going or where you might end up.  Setting priorities based on goals and objective gives us structure and direction.  It allows us to measure progress and impact the trajectory of our lives.  It is how we grow, change and improve.  We just have to learn to be flexible, knowing that plans will always changes.  What is that saying?  Man plans, God laughs!  God has given each of us a unique skill set and He wants us to use those gifts.  We just have to be open to the fact that our plans may not always match His!  Goals and plans are good proactive life tools, just be sure and be open to the influence of God in those plans.  I do not known Jim Rohn, but his quote below is on point for this topic.

“If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's, and guess what they might have planned for you? Not much.”

--Jim Rohn

Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes

The closing line in the MMM from last week was “Only you can change you.”  That is so true.  To implement change you need to be intentional and proactive.  It takes action and determination.  Resolutions do not instigate change.  Goals do not prompt change.  Good intentions only go so far.  Nothing changes if nothing changes.

Change is not easy.  We humans are resistant to it.  It is important to note that big changes usually starts with small steps.  Something has to be the beginning of change.  There has to be an initial step, a starting action item.  Make incremental changes to your diet.  Increase your workout frequency or intensity over time.  Start a new daily habit of quiet time, reflection or prayer.  Eliminate the negative forces or distractions.  Set a stretch goal in your professional life.  These are all easier said than done.  However, they have one thing in common.  They all require something to change.  Nothing changes if nothing changes.

What will you change in 2018?

Leadership

Last week the MMM concluded with this statement…  The fact is, leadership opportunities surround us daily.  Do not take your leadership opportunity lightly.  It is the opportunity to literally change the outcome of the world around you.

Did you think about it?  Do you believe it?  Do you live it?  I know that I often fall into the trap of letting the world happen around me.  I tend to wait for things to resolve themselves.  I sometimes wait for people to change themselves or to come to some resolution on their own. That is a weakness.  It is passive leadership.  Actually, it is the absence of leadership.  I need to be  a more proactive leader.  None of us should just let the world happen “to” us.  More importantly we should not just let the world happen “to” those we love and causes we care about.   We should seize the opportunity to:

• Lead by teaching our kids how to make wise educated decisions and live productively.
• Lead by example in how we handle adversity and challenges at work and home.
• Lead civic and social initiatives that improve our communities and the lives of others.
• Lead confidently through change and challenges at our places of work.
• Lead with integrity by doing the “right thing” no matter the circumstances.

Lead like this and you will change the world around you.