How Well Do You Know Yourself?

I wrote recently in a blog concerning knowing your purpose.  I think we need to look back a bit and see that if we are going to know our purpose, we must first know ourselves.  John Maxwell in his great book, The Fifteen Invaluable Laws of Growth, writes in the second law – “The Law of Awareness - you must know yourself to grow yourself.” 

John goes on to say, “to grow, you must know…your strengths and weaknesses, your interests and opportunities. You must be able to gauge not only where you’ve been, but also where you are now. Otherwise you cannot set a course for where you want to go.” 

Think about this statement!

How well do you know yourself?  What motivates you?  What do you like?  What are you good at doing?  What energizes you?  This will take time to reflect and understand, because if we ever intend to grow our businesses, our families, our finances, our future, we must first grow ourselves.  To do that we must be fully aware.

John asks some probing questions in his book: 

1. Do you like what you’re doing now?

2. What would you like to do?

3. Can you do what you would like to do?

4. Do you know why you want to do what you would like to do?

5. Do you know what to do so you can do what you want to do?

 6. Do you know people who do what  you’d like to do?

7. Should you do what you’d like to do with them? 

8. Will you pay the price to do what you want to do?

9. When can you start doing what you’d like to do? 

10.  What will it be like when you get to do what you’d like to do?

Take time to review these questions?  Meditate and reflect on them as they apply to you!  You’ll begin to know yourself.  It’s a beginning to a lifetime of growing to become the person you were made to be.

Two great days in your life:  

1. The day you were born

2. The day you discover why?

Do YOU Know Your Purpose?

Purpose – the why for our existence – that which defines us as a person – that which causes us to be unique.  Do you know your purpose?

Our children and youth are tested often during their lifetimes, to judge how much they know, and what they know.  Sometime between elementary school and high school, they will take aptitude tests, psychological assessments, and ‘giftedness’ evaluations to determine what is the ‘bent’ or interests.  The sad thing is that after all those tests, they may end up wandering and drifting along through life, without a sense of direction and purpose. We are discovering that many college graduates cannot find jobs in their field of study and expertise, and they are either unemployed or are settling for jobs that make them feel unfulfilled.

Do YOU know your purpose in life?  What is your direction? 

John Maxwell writes in his book Your Roadmap For Success , “Nothing can take the place of knowing your purpose.” I believe that each of us is made by our Creator and a portion of His image is in us. That means we each have a destiny – a purpose.  We are NOT here by accident!  The problem comes when you don’t know that purpose.  Years are wasted searching, usually by trial and error, for a reason.  Many miserable days are spent doing “work” that produces no satisfaction emotionally, and that nagging feeling that you are on a “cruise to nowhere”.   John talks about that in his book.  In many of the coastal ports of America, cruise line companies offer “cruises to nowhere” (day cruises) – in other words, you pay to take a ride at sea, only to return in a few hours to the same port you left, having went nowhere!  Does this describe the way you feel? All that effort, and you’re seemingly going nowhere?

Now let me quickly let you know that SUCCESS in life is a journey --- not a destination.  Also, beware that success relates to your direction, and not your destination.  Since success in life is a journey, you ought to know your direction. Have you ever heard someone say,  “You can’t get there from here?”  That means you are not headed in the right direction!  Which way are you headed? 

You must know your purpose, so you can set your direction!

One of the ways you can begin to determine your purpose in life, is to spend time reflecting on who you are?  What do you like?  What activities bring you the most satisfaction?  What energizes you?  If you’ll stop and listen to yourself, ask the tough questions, and be honest with yourself, you’ll begin to uncover that inner purpose for your life. 

Need help in asking those questions?  Need help in finding your purpose?  That’s what I would like to do --- come alongside you as a friend, and help you unlock that destiny inside of you.  Contact me.

GROWTH IS NOT AUTOMATIC

So many of us think that because we are alive, growth is automatic.  Yes, we grow physically automatically – or at least it seems that way to us.  We’re born as babies, and because our parents feed us and nurture us, our bodies do seem to grow automatically.  We get larger, taller, and heavier as life goes on, one birthday at a time.  We learn to walk and talk, mostly by trial and error.  Then we’re off to school to learn even more about what life is all about.  We go through the processes of time, and one day we ‘graduate’ – first with a diploma, then maybe with a degree. Then what?

I came across a statistic recently that blew my mind:

            One-third of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives. 42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college. 80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year. 70 percent of U.S. Adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years  

           [http://mentalfloss.com/article/27590/who-reads-books]

           

I think we assume that because we go to work everyday – at whatever job you have – that you are learning and growing because you “show up”.  Unfortunately, that just does NOT mean you are growing intellectually, socially, spiritually, etc.

If you want to truly grow in your family life, your business acumen, your spiritual walk with God, and your leadership abilities, then it will require a deliberate, intentional decision and action to make this happen.  Growth is NOT automatic!

John Maxwell writes in his New York Times Bestselling book, The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, “Growth doesn’t just happen.”  He calls it the “Law of Intentionality”. He quotes Jim Rohn who says, “You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.”  In other words, you have to make a decision to grow – you have to be determined to grow – and you have to take action in order to grow.

Are you growing?  Or, are you stuck, using and believing what you’ve always believed? Are you doing things the way you’ve always done them?  You do know that one definition of “insanity” is “doing the same things over and over, and expecting different results”?

What do you want out of life this year?  What results are you expecting this year?  Then, whatever your goals, they must begin with growth.  Do you need some help in growing yourself this year? Then let me come alongside you in your growth journey. Let’s grow together.

Don Railey's Leadership Web Page

YOU'RE THE LID

Some 17 years ago, my mentor and friend, John Maxwell published a multi-million dollar best seller book, 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Over and over again, John defines leadership as ‘influence.’  His famous statement was and is, “everything rises and falls on leadership”.  In my journey, I have discovered these laws working in my vocation and calling – the ministry.  For the past forty plus years, I have lived out these laws – for better or worse. 

The first law he writes about is called “The Law of the Lid.”  John clearly states, “Leadership ability determines a person’s level of effectiveness.”  What I have seen in every organization that I have led or have been a part of, the top leader sets the bar, and the organization follows.  In other words, the organization cannot exceed the abilities of the top leader – he or she IS the Lid.  I’ve seen so many churches or non-profit organizations being frustrated with their level of growth.  The answer which we don’t always like to hear, is that the leader is the one who moves the bar higher, ONLY as they improve their own leadership abilities. 

John writes, “The higher you want to climb, the more you need leadership. The greater the impact you want to make, the greater your influence needs to be.”

Are you frustrated as a leader that others are not following as you like? Are you expecting results that just are not happening in your church, organization, or civic group? What kind of leader are you?  How well do you understand the power of your influence in your organization?  Would you like to go to the ‘next level?’

Whether I like it or not, I, as a leader, AM the Lid of my group.  They will not go beyond the level of my leadership.   I am determined to raise the bar – to lift the lid! That means I am on a journey of leadership growth.  

Want to join me?  Need some help?  I would be honored to come alongside you and let’s journey together toward excellence. Contact me and let’s take the journey together this year. (click the link below)

Don Railey's Leadership Web Page