Think About It

Today’s Focused Thought - Feeding Your Mind

Jeff Olson says we are digging our graves with our teeth every day.

You know, there a lot of truth to that statement. Every single day, you are making choices that compounded over time can lead to disastrous consequences. The results of these choices are nearly invisible because they are the most mundane, insignificant choices you make every single day. By the time they arrive, you are IN IT. 

The best association with taking of yourself physically, is the other end of the spectrum; taking care of yourself mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.

Healthy food is to the body as positive thoughts are too the mind

What are you watching, reading, and surrounding yourself with every day? Positive people? Mentors? Books? Television? Computer (Yep. Look at me tumbling on Tumblr). Watch what you say, do, listen to, and focus on every day just as you monitor what you eat. Celebration and fun to reward yourself is very healthy once in awhile. A cookie here, ice cream there, and other foods. 

I read the Slight Edge by Jeff Olson and if has really guided me in thinking about every day choices and how each day you are either hindering or helping your personal growth areas by what you do. 

Learn meta leadership. Just as meta cognition is thinking about thinking, meta leadership is leadership about self-leadership. Lead yourself well. Personally growing every day toward your goals and purposes is the best investment you can every make for yourself. 

The price of freedom is not free. The price you pay is the never-ending challenge of self-leadership. 

We make ourselves or break ourselves with our own thinking. What will you do today that will feed your mind in a healthy way?

The Test that Really Matter: The TESTS of LIFE

ve have tests on my mind. Specifically, the tests that really matter and the ones that are just a test. I’m talking about the tests that build character and personality. The tests that you don’t want to fail. If you do, you see the consequences and they worsen when you fail them. Not one individual is exempt from the tests that come from leadership responsibility of the self and other people. Habitudes book chapter from the organization Growing Leaders (This is not my idea).

Key points:

- We all experience these tests at one time or another.

- Our goal is to pass the test and excel the expectations

- Anticipate tests in life and assume a positive outlook on passing them to do well.

- Before promotion or growth, you must be tested.

- Every promotion builds internal preparation and reveals your readiness to move forward

- There is a difference between self-promotion and authentic promotion.

- Promoting oneself does not substitute for true promotion from real leaders

- Cool metaphor: A product is never used until it is tested; the same goes for people in life challenges. People that make a difference have been tested constantly.

- Authority and usefulness is your goal? Expect to be tested constantly

All right, enough of the points. Here’s the real course of the meal.

Life Tests:

1. Small Things - Are you willing to go beneath your potential to accomplish small tasks, step-by-step, to prepare for the future?

2. Motive - Are you willing to do the right thing for the situation? Why you do something determines what you do.

3. Stewardship - Are you willing to be wise and generous, thankful for the resources that you have?

4. Wilderness - Are you willing to perform when life isn’t fun? Changing and growing despite the brick walls that you encounter?

5. Credibility - Are you willing to follow through on tasks with integrity? Can you compromise under pressure?

6. Authority - Are you willing to learn to be a follower before a leader? Can you submit to positional authority?

7. Offense - Are you willing to forgive others and balance your level of vulnerability when it comes to dealing with situations?

8. Warfare - Are you willing to stick with it? Pursue visions despite consequences and conflicts?

9. Time - Are you willing to use your time wisely and seize important opportunities when they come to you?

10. MASTERY - Who has the true authority in your life? When situations get tough, whose voice will determine what you do? Do you have a heart response to authority in your life?

Recognize these life tests and pass them. I guarantee you could take any life situations and apply several of these life tests. I love leadership. Can’t you tell?

Thanks for reading. I can honestly say that it’s difficult following every single one all the time.

How well have you done with these tests?

7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens: Habit 3

I love to read. Even further, I love to read and then apply what I’ve learned. Here are a few things I got out of these habits.

Habit 3: Put First Things First

 - The four quadrant time management slots. Mixes between urgent, not urgent, important/not important. We want to be in the prioritizer quadrant, even though we spend time being a procrastinator, slacker, or yes-man.

- Use a planner often or another method. I’ve been using a planner for almost two years. IT WORKS. I still forget things, but not very often because I write it down!

- What is interesting is that you can select your “big rocks” in the week by focusing on the role you play: student, friend, family, job, me, etc. Put your big rocks in first. I love that analogy. Consistency and planning are crucial

- Step out of your comfort zone and into the courage zone often. Adventure, risk, and challenge frequently happen more often. Fail forward and often. Do things no one else is willing to try.