I had to watch Pastor Bil's lastest sermon online because I woke up 5/18 sick like I was hit by a freight train.
The last two months have been his best sermons ever. Imagine -- a pastor talking, preaching on Vision & Leadership?!!! This is so awesome. Not to be a gushing, blushing teenager here, but it's really affected my life.
This past Saturday morning, returning from leading my tiny MOB group, I had an epiphany: the reason I have felt rudderless for the last few years is because I accomplished so many of my dreams so quickly. What I imagined my life to be when I was 16 has already come true, and more. I have a smoking hot wife, a house full of energetic kids, a high paying job that still let's me work out my own schedule and work from wherever I want -- my house, the beach, wherever -- AND see my kids at night.
I got a life beyond my imagination, but at the time, I didn't extend my goals because I'd never made any to start with. I had only thought "it would be cool to be A, B, & C by the time I'm dead." Well, I made it to C when I was about 32 but I never made plans for D, E & F. That's what I'm doing now, and it's incredible. I've been making goals for awhile now, but failing to act on them. It's HARD to figure out which of 10 different great goals you want to do, and what the first step is. It's especially hard when you are still living the life of AB&C. You know, if I didn't do DEF right away, or if ever at all, I'm still as successful as I'd ever imagined. Sometimes it's hard to be motivated like that. In some ways, I imagine it to be a trick. Success can make you apathetic and unmotivated unlike anything else.
Pastor Bil has been pretty important in this personal crusade of mine. I also want to mention a guy who has been helping me: Paul Lozuk. This dude's been helping my wife get together her business plan and blowing our minds with thoughts about leadership and influence.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
How to Get to the Top
It occurred to me the other day that "getting to the top" is pretty tough to do when the times are good.
I don't spend much time in front of the TV if the Spurs aren't playing but one of my favorite programs is "Band of Brothers" that aired on HBO right around 9/11. I received it on DVD a couple of Christmases later. It's fantastic. It's about Easy Company, part of 501st Airborne Infantry in WWII. It follows the company from the beginning, when they formed the division and companies, to the end of the war. During this time the central character, Lieutenant Dick Winters, goes from 1st Lt to (if I remember correctly) Major Winters. He didn't do it because times were good. He sacrificed his leadership and rank many times, he put his life on the line and survived. He led well, inspiring his men not by pushing them, but by pulling them up after him. And through attrition -- he went from platoon leader to head of Easy Company because his CO died on D-Day -- ability and sacrifice, he rose all the way up. If there were no battles, if it was all easy, he would have ended the war where he started, perhaps with a promotion or two, but he never would have made it as far as he did without the ability to shine during the tough times.
So, now, it at least appears our country is in a bit of a pickle. We are driving big cars and gas prices are through the roof. That's a small problem. Some people made bad decisions in taking home loans they eventually couldn't pay back. China seems to have most of our IOU's -- and as a country we have plenty of IOU's. It's kind of like most of our personal accounts. There isn't any real room for error there. But these are the good times. These battles and struggles will allow you to rise up and promote yourself from wherever you are to wherever you want to be. You won't get the chance to radically improve where you are in life if it's all E.Z. But there will be hemorrhaging, of confidence, of money, of stature. If you are steady and consistent and make good choices, your sand castle will be the one that still stands when the waves recede. Crack open your Bible, all you need to know to hold steady in tough times is in there.
I don't spend much time in front of the TV if the Spurs aren't playing but one of my favorite programs is "Band of Brothers" that aired on HBO right around 9/11. I received it on DVD a couple of Christmases later. It's fantastic. It's about Easy Company, part of 501st Airborne Infantry in WWII. It follows the company from the beginning, when they formed the division and companies, to the end of the war. During this time the central character, Lieutenant Dick Winters, goes from 1st Lt to (if I remember correctly) Major Winters. He didn't do it because times were good. He sacrificed his leadership and rank many times, he put his life on the line and survived. He led well, inspiring his men not by pushing them, but by pulling them up after him. And through attrition -- he went from platoon leader to head of Easy Company because his CO died on D-Day -- ability and sacrifice, he rose all the way up. If there were no battles, if it was all easy, he would have ended the war where he started, perhaps with a promotion or two, but he never would have made it as far as he did without the ability to shine during the tough times.
So, now, it at least appears our country is in a bit of a pickle. We are driving big cars and gas prices are through the roof. That's a small problem. Some people made bad decisions in taking home loans they eventually couldn't pay back. China seems to have most of our IOU's -- and as a country we have plenty of IOU's. It's kind of like most of our personal accounts. There isn't any real room for error there. But these are the good times. These battles and struggles will allow you to rise up and promote yourself from wherever you are to wherever you want to be. You won't get the chance to radically improve where you are in life if it's all E.Z. But there will be hemorrhaging, of confidence, of money, of stature. If you are steady and consistent and make good choices, your sand castle will be the one that still stands when the waves recede. Crack open your Bible, all you need to know to hold steady in tough times is in there.
We should be happy, right?
We should definitely be happy, right? Money buys happiness, right? Maybe it's spending money that's happiness. And, wow, we spent it. Boats, big cars, cigarettes (what's this, $5 a pack now? Glad we started that habit -- showed mom and dad, didn't we!), big houses, lots of toys at Christmas. Spare no expense! We spent not only everything we had, but then some. We're definitely happy. Aren't we? Why are we not happy? We should be. Spending money makes us happy. We spent it! ALL OF IT! WHY ARE WE NOT HAPPY?!?
We've all heard "money can't buy happiness" but I've heard from even my church friends that while that's true "it can buy you options," or "it gives you freedom." No, money gives no freedom. Freedom is a whole 'nuther concept that we're getting pretty rusty on, quite frankly.
Look, the more money you have, the more you worry about losing it, about blowing it; what are the banks doing with it? Am I maximizing my returns? Will I be the fool who blew $5 million because he didn't have a plan? Did I invest it properly?
Now, if you have a good plan and you have a lot of money, bully for you. For most people though, too much money is a concept we'll never embrace. So, answer me this: Is there a lot of freedom in being broke? Well, yes, actually. I didn't say "in being in debt" and I don't mean not having a job and living on welfare. Have a job, save sensibly, buy sensibly and if at the end of the week you don't have cash-on-hand don't spend on credit. You don't deserve it. If you deserved it, you'd have it. I'm not saying you didn't work really hard, I'm not even saying that you didn't catch a tough break that cost you half of your paycheck.
Besides if you are broke and not in debt and not too worried about it, then you are probably trusting God and that's a good thing. You know that freedom concept? That's where you pin it, dude. Oh, and you cannot possibly be broke if you rely on God. Broke is not a monetary concept. That's why you are not happy after you've spent all the money.
Look around you. Are you happy with your financial situation? Are your friends happy with theirs? For the people I know that lead churches or other large groups of people, there is never a better time than the outskirts of a recession (or what may be one) to drive home the point that money doesn't buy happiness. "Here," says the preacher, "I offer proof: Your Life!"
Not tithing at church didn't save you enough money to be able to buy the things that, finally, after all these years, made you happy. In reality, not tithing at church gave you 10% more to spend but you really spent 20% more, which was 10% more than you actually had. And now, as my pastor says, you are tithing to the credit card company instead. Who's your God? Don't just say it. Prove it. Whose name is in that online-bill-pay account, your church or Visa?
So, while we hear "money can't buy happiness" all the time, if this recession shakes out, we'll soon find out. In the end, I think we might find not having so much money to over-spend might make us happy after all.
We've all heard "money can't buy happiness" but I've heard from even my church friends that while that's true "it can buy you options," or "it gives you freedom." No, money gives no freedom. Freedom is a whole 'nuther concept that we're getting pretty rusty on, quite frankly.
Look, the more money you have, the more you worry about losing it, about blowing it; what are the banks doing with it? Am I maximizing my returns? Will I be the fool who blew $5 million because he didn't have a plan? Did I invest it properly?
Now, if you have a good plan and you have a lot of money, bully for you. For most people though, too much money is a concept we'll never embrace. So, answer me this: Is there a lot of freedom in being broke? Well, yes, actually. I didn't say "in being in debt" and I don't mean not having a job and living on welfare. Have a job, save sensibly, buy sensibly and if at the end of the week you don't have cash-on-hand don't spend on credit. You don't deserve it. If you deserved it, you'd have it. I'm not saying you didn't work really hard, I'm not even saying that you didn't catch a tough break that cost you half of your paycheck.
Besides if you are broke and not in debt and not too worried about it, then you are probably trusting God and that's a good thing. You know that freedom concept? That's where you pin it, dude. Oh, and you cannot possibly be broke if you rely on God. Broke is not a monetary concept. That's why you are not happy after you've spent all the money.
Look around you. Are you happy with your financial situation? Are your friends happy with theirs? For the people I know that lead churches or other large groups of people, there is never a better time than the outskirts of a recession (or what may be one) to drive home the point that money doesn't buy happiness. "Here," says the preacher, "I offer proof: Your Life!"
Not tithing at church didn't save you enough money to be able to buy the things that, finally, after all these years, made you happy. In reality, not tithing at church gave you 10% more to spend but you really spent 20% more, which was 10% more than you actually had. And now, as my pastor says, you are tithing to the credit card company instead. Who's your God? Don't just say it. Prove it. Whose name is in that online-bill-pay account, your church or Visa?
So, while we hear "money can't buy happiness" all the time, if this recession shakes out, we'll soon find out. In the end, I think we might find not having so much money to over-spend might make us happy after all.
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