First of all I want to sing the praises of Amazon's Kindle electronic reader. My wife bought me one the other day. Best invention ever! Not for everyone, but it works for me.
And so we continue....
A number of years ago I was speaking with a "Top Producer" real estate agent. He said, "Every morning I get up look in the mirror and say I have to get a job today." What he recognized was that the sales he made last week or even yesterday were in the past and his "job" was to go out and get more sales.
All of this takes initiative. No matter what our chosen field of work, service or ministry is, to be successful, we have to be initiators.
John Maxwell puts it this way, "If you want to achieve great things as a leader, you must be willing to initiate and put yourself on the line."
Being an initiator will take you places others will not go. People will shake their heads in wonder as to why you would take on a particular challenge, task or project. It will cause you to walk alone, it is lonely. Initiative will cost you personally. Initiators are driven by passion and vision and the real reward is the outcome they dream of. Initiators jump into action about the time everyone else gives up. Being an initiator is hard work and risky. It demands your time, attention, personal sacrifice, comfort and security. It will cost you all of that and more.
If you are going to be an initiator be prepared to be mis-understood. Not everyone will get on board with you. There will be many that question your sanity. Although you need to listen to the critical thinkers and the voices of reason (thank God for these people, we need them) you will need to process their thoughts and carry on.
Maxwell goes on to ask these questions:
Are you an initiator? Are you constantly on the lookout for opportunity, or do you wait for it to come to you? Are you willing to take steps based on your best instincts? Or do you endlessly analyze everything? Lee Iacocca said, "even the right decision is the wrong decision if it is made too late?"
May God give us more initiators.
6 comments:
This was a challenge I needed to hear - especially today. Thank you!
Thanks Jim. Well said!! Dennis.S.
Sounds like the old "Jim" of Edam, miss you guys wondered what you were up to now.How did you find me on facebook?Joan Seabrook
Great Post! And I get it. You via Maxwell have said it well.
You are right - it will cause you to walk alone... and, in some cases, initiating change, seizing the opportunity, speaking the truth, or standing up for what's right, will even get you kicked out of church.
Kicked out and alone... there's Church family, and "Christians" for you.
The Lone Ranger
Re: "Kicked out and alone.... there's Church family and "Christians" for you."
Wow, what church did telling the truth (etc.) get YOU kicked out of LR? Not one of ours, I will tell you.
I must say, however, in my varied life experiences, finding oneself 'on the outside looking in' NEVER results from one having taken "initiative" within an organization, but rather "liberties". In fact, I struggle to place these comments (which, frankly, savour of bitterness and pain) into the context of this blog.(?)
As a "Christian", I can't help but ponder what sad events precipitated this 'out-of-context' and oddly personal comment.
Team Player
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