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Go Get Your Long-Term Goal

Most every student at Belmont University has a dream when they enroll. That dream usually includes being selected for one of the four showcases that Belmont holds every school year. The Country, Christian, Rock, and Pop showcases are held in the school’s Curb Event center, draw on the average of 2000 people, and are judged by industry professionals. The winner of each showcase is then given the opportunity to perform in “The Best of the Best” showcase at the end of the year.

Just like anything else in life, some students seize the opportunity, and others let their chance slip away. Some students simply dream. Others set goals and find a way to make those goals a reality.

One student, who was recently selected for this years’ Rock Showcase, set and achieved small goals. As each short-term goal was reached, it was a step toward the larger goal of one day being selected for a showcase:

  • Write songs
  • Record songs
  • As a freshman, do grunt work for the showcases, to learn how they work
  • Watch auditions and showcases to learn how they’re done
  • Volunteer to manage a friend who is auditioning for a showcase
  • Compliment and support those who are achieving their own goals
  • Submit recorded music for a showcase audition
  • When selected as one of eight bands for a live audition, rehearse and perfect
  • Bring energy and passion to the live audition

All these steps in and of themselves were not a guarantee of success. But there were purpose and direction in each short-term goal along the way. They were all aiming toward the larger, long-term goal of one day, before graduation, being selected for a showcase.

Dreams are very rarely realized by happenstance. Small, incremental steps and short-term goals have been proven to be effective when making dreams realities.

What small steps can you take today toward one long-term goal that you’d like to achieve?

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Celebrating Faithfulness in a Throwaway World

Have you joined the Green Movement? As you well know, there is a concerted effort underway to reduce, reuse, and recycle. We are trying to be better stewards of the planet.

But we still live in a throwaway world. Too lazy to throw glass in the recycle bin? Throw it away. Something needs a minor repair? Get rid of it. Don’t like your car? Get a new one.

Then there was this guy named Joe. He drove his Honda one million miles. That’s right: one with six zeros behind it.

Honda heard about Joe’s faithfulness to their product. So they decided to celebrate Joe’s steadfastness. Here’s what they did:

What Honda did cost them very little in terms of their overall budget. Not only is Joe a fan for life, almost 100,000 people have viewed the YouTube video that you just saw. Many are probably marveling that a Honda could go for a million miles. Some are probably even considering purchasing a Honda as their next vehicle.

Have you notice faithfulness in an employee, co-worker, teacher, pastor, or friend?  Have you seen someone invest their time in people rather than just throwing them away, as it were? Is there a person you know who exhibits and demonstrates commitment above and beyond the call of duty?

Give her new car. OK…maybe you can’t afford that.

  • Throw him a parade
  • Toss some confetti
  • Buy a small gift
  • Make it public
  • Celebrate her in front of a festive gathering
  • Provide some kind of respite
  • Send flowers
  • Bring a bouquet of balloons
  • Create a fuss
  • Send a note
  • Get 25 people to stop by throughout the day and offer a word of thanks
Can you suggest a way to say thank you to your million mile hero?
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One Simple Way to Be Just a Bit More Kind

Recently I have been thinking a great deal of the phrase: “Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” Apparently the phrase is sometimes attributed to Plato, although that is disputed. No matter. Whomever said it, the phrase carries the gravitas of truth.

I’ve been noticing the looks of concern that follow smiles. I’ve seen the blank stares in meetings. I’ve observed the contemplative postures.

Some battles are known to me. Others I can only imagine.

But there’s one simple way anyone can deliver more kindness. It happens when we are aware of the way people treat us in the midst of our own battles.

Some have empathized and understood. I want to imitate them in my dealings with others.

Some have run rough-shod, completely unaware of the battles I fight. I don’t want to imitate that kind of treatment.

Self-awareness fosters empathy for others. 

The One who is kindest of all fought His own, epic battle. He fought it for you. Even when others don’t understand or treat you in the way you ought to be treated, He understands. He treats you with forgiveness, kindness, and compassion.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). Or, to put it another way, “Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” But, in Christ, the victory has been won.

Who needs your kindness today?

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Top 10 Things to Do While Waiting in Line at the Apple Store

Have you walked by an Apple Store recently? Please tell me if you see one without a line out the door. Steve Jobs created things for us that we didn’t even know we needed or wanted. The devices sold at the Apple Store have made life more convenient, brought us closer together, and put power in the palm of our hand. Wish I would have bought Apple stock ten years ago.

I was there the other day to get my new iPhone 4S (yep…I waited almost a week to take the plunge; and, yep, Siri is incredible). I had to wait in a short line. While I waited I was amazed at the reactions of people as they were trying to get into the store. It’s incredible how rude and impatient people can be.

As I stood there waiting, I did my best to smile and be pleasant. I also came up with a creative exercise. As I waited I thought about the top ten things to do while waiting in line at the Apple Store:

  1. Count the number of times you hear the name “Steve Jobs.”
  2. Listen in on a one-to-one coaching session.
  3. Dream up your own app.
  4. Make up the background stories of Apple Store workers.
  5. Marvel at the vastly different types of people who buy Apple products.
  6. Take in the cacophony, and try to pick out a conversation.
  7. Watch a video on a high definition computer monitor.
  8. Discuss the finer points of upgrading your iPhone with others in line.
  9. Imagine the store painted all in black, instead of all white.
  10. Use your old iPhone’s stop watch to clock your time in line.
What would you do if you had to wait in line at the Apple Store?
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How to Order Disorder and Foster Creativity

There is one small room in our home that is distinctly mine. It’s right off of our bedroom, and serves as an office, a dressing room, a space for mementos, and a walk-in closet. It’s all mine. And since it’s mine, it’s a place that often gets just a little chaotic…a little out of control…a little disorderly. It’s partially because I’m a busy person. Things just seem to pile up. But it’s also because I don’t discipline myself often enough to bring order out of that chaos.

When I just can’t stand it anymore, I lock myself in that room until I discover order once again. I need order in my life in order (get it?) to create. When my space is messy, my mind is messy.

Anyone can bring order to disorder and so foster creativity by making three commitments. I firmly believe that Genesis 1 teaches us that the most creative Being in the universe created in an orderly fashion, rising up out of the chaos. Read Genesis 1 and you will see the orderly way in which God created the world. God’s creativity is orderly. We are His children, and we glorify Him when we create in an orderly fashion, rising up out of the chaos of this world.

Order disorder in your life, and foster creativity, by committing to:

  1. Keep an orderly space. My secretary, Sherri, provides a wonderful example of this. Every evening before she goes home, she tidies up her desk. When she comes in the next morning it is a clean, open space ready for the onslaught of the day. She disciplines herself to clear her space each night so that she’s immediately ready to create in the morning. I’m learning from her…and trying to get better every day. A clean desk is an open space to begin a creation. It’s inviting creative action. Clean off your desk. Now.
  2. Cultivate an orderly mind. I’m (obviously) not God, so it’s hard for me to create out of the midst of chaos. I need to remove distraction, clear my head, and focus on a topic, creation, or piece of art. When I write I often cultivate an orderly mind by taking a large sheet of paper and creating an outline, overview, or drawing of what I intend to write and where I intend to go. Cultivating an orderly mind, just like keeping an orderly space, is a discipline. The more your practice the better you’ll get.
  3. Take an orderly action. My favorite example of this comes from Twyla Tharp’s book The Creative Habit. Twyla Tharp, world famous choreographer, encourages an action called “chaos and coins.” Simply take a handful of coins, toss them on a table, and look for a pattern. If there is none, create a pattern yourself. Tharp says that this is the essence of creativity: “There are a number of possibilities, but only one solution looks inevitable” (p.109). It’s an orderly warm up for the creative mind. It’s an exercise that helps you “feel more optimistic about resolving disorder” (p.110).

Three simple commitments. One enormous creative boost. Bring order out of chaos and enhance your creativity.

How do you order disorder in order to foster creativity?
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The Eternal Promise of Fall

For some reason, many people view the season of fall as a season of comfort. People love to get their hooded sweatshirts out of the drawer, pull on their sweat pants, smell the scent of burning leaves, and drink pumpkin spice lattes. Have you raked your leaves yet? Here in Milwaukee, Saturday was the perfect day to do just that. I wore a comfortable pair of shorts and a long-sleeved t-shirt.

You can find comfort in any season by trusting in two incredible promises of God. Moses is 120-years-old, and about to turn over leadership of Israel to Joshua. In the late fall of his life, he addresses all of Israel. It is his desire to provide comfort and promise for the people of Israel as they are about to enter the promised land. “Be strong and courageous,” he says. “Do not be afraid or terrified because of (your enemies), for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

He will never leave you nor forsake you. Those sound like two “fall” promises to me.

  1. He will never “leaf” you. Leaves start their lives as minty green little sprouts bursting from a tree. They grow and flourish and live a lively and breezy life all summer. Then fall comes and their color changes. Their grip to the branch begins to loosen. Before you know it they’re hanging on by a thread. When they just can’t hold on any longer, they let go and float softly to the ground. When we, like leaves, are dead in our sin and fall to the ground, our heavenly Father gently cradles us in His hand and grafts us back into the Branch. It is when we are connected to the Branch that we receive the sap of life. We are forgiven, new, and renewed. He will never “leaf” you on the ground.
  2. He will never for- “rake” you. At our house we get to simply rake our leaves into the street, where the city comes by late at night, sweeps them away, and incinerates them. When we rake our leaves into the street we abandon them. We wash our hands of them. We are happy to see them taken away and burned. Because He loves us, God never rakes us away and abandons us. Instead, He abandoned His own Son. On the cross. Jesus cried, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus was raked into the depths of hell so that those who trust in Him will never be. He is with us whether we know it or not, whether we like it or not, whether we believe it or not, whether we feel we need Him or not. He will never for- “rake” you.

Just before Jesus ascended into heaven He made a mandate that included a promise. He said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20). In making disciples by baptizing and teaching, Jesus is with us “to the very end of the age.”

Whether you are Moses or Joshua, Mary or Martha, a botanist or a gardener, God will never “leaf” you or for- “rake” you. He is with you always to the very end of the age, to provide forgiveness, life, and salvation.

What is it that reminds you of God’s presence in your life?

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How to Stretch Yourself By Adopting 3 Attitudes

When was the last time you stretched yourself in a big, uncomfortable way? I recently did just that when I attended the Dynamic Communicators Workshop. It’s a workshop led by nationally renowned speakers, Ken Davis and Michael Hyatt. It was the hardest I’ve worked at a conference in a long, long time. It gave me the opportunity to bring clarity and focus to all of the different ways I communicate as a pastor.

We first learned a method of constructing all different types of communication called SCORRE™. SCORRE™ applies in most every kind of communication, especially pertaining to preaching and public speaking. In addition, SCORRE™ suggests a way of questioning oneself and determining the place to which you will be taking your audience. If you know where you want your audience to go it makes it that much easier to take them there.

Every day of the conference we worked with a personal coach who helped us craft and present a speech to a group of our peers.  We had to give three separate speeches to our small group. Each of us were critiqued, evaluated, and encouraged. I can’t imagine a more helpful conference for anyone who communicates for a living.

But it was a stretch. It’s not easy to emotionally open up in front of a group of strangers. But those strangers became friends. They provided constructive criticism. They lent support. They did so because they were in the same boat. We all stretched ourselves.

You can stretch yourself when you adopt three attitudes:

  1. Willingness. An attitude of willingness is essential. You can make excuses all day, every day that will keep you from stretching yourself and taking the next step. I had to be willing to get away from the demands of every day work life, willing to make a commitment to do something uncomfortable, willing to work hard. An attitude of willingness will stretch you simply by making the commitment to take the plunge.
  2. Vulnerability. An attitude of vulnerability is a dangerous thing. Studies have shown that one of the greatest fears people have is speaking in public. That’s probably because when we are in front of people we are exposed to all kinds of risks. What if they don’t like me? What if I forget my words? What if I look silly? But an attitude of willing vulnerability is actually an endearing thing to an audience. Open yourself up and you will be loved. An attitude of vulnerability will stretch you by enabling you to confront and overcome fears.
  3.  Creativity. An attitude of creativity means that you are willing to say, “yes” to paths, twists, turns, and trails no matter where they may lead. At the SCORRE™ Conference we had to come up with three different speeches. It stretched my creativity. I had to say, “yes” to doing each of the three speeches because they were expected of me. What a great exercise. Saying, “yes” forced me to explore topics and expand my creativity. An attitude of creativity will stretch you by helping you discover new and exciting paths in your work and even in your play.

What ideas do you have to help me stretch myself even more?

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A Simple Way to Help Abused Orphans in Haiti

The world is getting smaller. There is just one degree of separation between me and the people of Haiti. For a number of years my wife’s uncle has been going to Haiti to direct a boy’s choir. He and his crew have had an incredible impact on those underprivileged children both before and after that country’s devastating earthquake.

The world is getting smaller. Through the power of social media I have learned of a tragic situation developing in Haiti. The director of an orphanage had been embezzling money, withholding food, and selling clothing meant for the children. He is now in jail. However, seventy-five children in the orphanage are still in great danger. Food has disappeared, children have been abused, and some have even disappeared. There is one five-year-old girl who currently weighs only eleven pounds.

You read that right. Eleven pounds.

The world is getting smaller. If you want to know more about this tragedy taking place outside of our borders, click here.

The world is getting smaller. An effort is being undertaken to raise awareness in the media regarding this disturbing situation. The group that discovered it is asking that a petition be signed that asks CNN to use its media voice to spread the word and help end child abuse and child trafficking. Again, to read more about it and for a link to the petition, click here.

The world is getting smaller. It means that you and I can have a very real, very positive impact on children desperately in need of rescue, care, and a new lease on life. Please consider signing the petition. Please consider making your voice heard. Please consider using the tools at hand, tools that make the world a smaller place, to bring hope into the life of a child in Haiti.

How can I help a cause that’s important to you?

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A Company That Knocks Your Socks Off With Creativity

How many times have you taken your laundry out of the dryer only to find that you had lost a sock? Now you are left with only one sock; or if you have two others of the same color, a trio. It’s a perennial problem for all those who do the wash. What happens to all those disappearing socks?

One company capitalized on that dilemma. LittleMissMatched decided to base the entire concept of their company on selling socks not in pairs, but in threes; not matching, but (color-coordinated) mismatched. They started marketing to little girls. It was so successful that they have now branched out  into furniture, adult styles (including men’s), and toys.

LittleMissMatched can trace its success to a number of different things, including the fact that it allows people to be different and distinctive in the way they dress. Their mission is to “build a brand that is FUN, inspires CREATIVITY, embraces individual STYLE and celebrates self EXPRESSION.”

Beyond that, LittleMissMatched has embraced social media. In their most recent marketing campaign they have used a YouTube video of their president to encourage individual creativity (again…by wearing mismatched socks), and by promoting a fund that inspires creativity in kids around the world. Check it out:

What can you do today that could match (get it?) the three-sock, mismatched creativity of LittleMissMatched? How could you spread the word with social media? What issue or cause could you support while you do so?

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How to Demonstrate Loyalty in a Fickle World

Loyalty is like common sense: it’s not so common anymore. It is a precious commodity. It is rarely seen and, thus, valued when and where it is found.

Athletes jump from team to team. Employees jump from job to job. People move from city to city. It’s hard anymore to find loyal fans, workers, or citizens.

It’s even becoming difficult to find Christians who are loyal to their church. In an age of consumerism, the church itself has become just another marketable product that people will quickly leave if they aren’t entertained or if they don’t have every one of their personal needs or preferences met.

And when churches or organizations try to be faithfully creative or inspiring, they meet resistance and threats. It’s so easy to pick up the marbles and go home….or to another church.

Today you have the chance to be loyal. Demonstrate your loyalty by:

  • Complimenting your boss or co-worker publicly;
  • Going the extra mile even when it’s unexpected;
  • Saying good things (about your job, organization, or church) to friends, family, and neighbors;
  • Encouraging others to be faithful and loyal;
  • Using every opportunity to vocally show support;
  • Surprising others with compliments, gifts, or concrete encouragement.

Your demonstration of loyalty will go a long way toward encouraging loyalty in others. Members of one of my former congregations demonstrated their loyalty one snowy Sunday when no one could get to church except those who walked. That morning we had eight loyal people in attendance for worship, all of whom trudged through the snow. Word spread, and their loyalty had a positive impact on others.

Thankfully, it’s only human beings who are fickle. The most loyal, dependable, trustworthy, devoted, reliable constant in life is God. He made sure to send His Son for us, who was loyal to the Father even to the point of death. Nothing or nobody could distract His perfect loyalty.

Please share an example of loyalty or another way loyalty can be demonstrated with a comment below.