Leadership

“The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn and feel and change and grow and love and live.” - Leo Buscaglia Buscaglia was right. Risk is not only a part of life, it is one of life's best growth engines.  When a child is no longer satisfied to scoot along the floor, she takes the risk of learning to walk.  Without taking that risk, she would never learn to skip, hop, or run. When we get to the dating and courtship phase of life, there is the risk she will say no. Those who have started businesses or churches or organizations, understand the risk of failing comes with the territory. Artists who take their craft from the basement to the stage, risk rejection. As Buscaglia says, you may avoid suffering and sorrow but…

“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” – Nelson Mandela Are you playing small with your life?  Truth be told, many people are.  Whether it's an addiction to mediocrity or a fear of failing, too many people live life in the small-to-medium range.  And it's acceptable. So, how do you know what kind of life you are capable of living?  You try ...

The minute you stop moving, you start settling. If you stop pursuing better communication with your spouse, you are settling for the level of discourse you have now. If you stop reading books that stretch your mind, you are settling for the knowledge you have now. If you stop exercising, you are settling for the health you have now. If you stop pursuing your dreams,  you are settling for your present achievements -- soon to be past accomplishments.

A few days ago I read an excellent article by Mark Batterson offering tips for high capacity leaders.  Batterson is the pastor of National Community Church, a thriving multisite church in the Washington D.C. area.  Over the years, I have apprenticed myself to him via his books and blog.  This article is a great example of why. Here are a few of my take-aways. Your destiny isn’t a mystery. Your destiny is the cumulative decisions you make. Negativity is a cancer. No margin = no vision. If you listen to God, people will listen to you. If your life is interesting, your messages will be interesting (what does that say about boring preaching!). Don't try to be who you are not.  

"To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful." -- Edward R. Murrow, journalist