USE SMALL, DAILY ACTION TO ACCOMPLISH MORE

I’m not sure if it’s my favorite app, but it is one that I use several times per day.  It’s called Wunderlist.  It’s free (of course) and it is a simple to-do list that syncs across all of my screens.  While it is a way for me to organize my day, I’ve found a greater benefit:  I accomplish more while working less.  Let me explain.

Before I started organizing my daily activities, I would gravitate toward accomplishing tasks that I liked to do – writing, researching, reading etc.  Some days this worked fine, ending my day with a small sense that I’ve finished what needed to be done.  Most days, the tyranny of the urgent decimated my hit-or-miss schedule and I’d end up stressed out and overworked.

Once I began thinking in “small-daily-action” terms and dedicated my tasks to Wunderlist, my productivity level skyrocketed as my stress level plummeted.

How do you use Wunderlist (or, another app – Evernote)?  Simply put everything on the list with a due date.  Write notes by each task if you need to but make sure that you create a global list for larger tasks and break them down into smaller chunks using due dates.  Then be diligent about completing the small, daily tasks by the end of the day.  Like me, when you reach the end of your day, you’ll find at least one or two tasks that weren’t all that important and thus, didn’t get accomplished.  Decide if you need to change their due date to tomorrow or take the due date out all together.  Take 5 min. at the beginning and end of your day to organize and you’re set to go!

As it says in Proverbs 6:6,

“Consider the ways of the ant and be wise.” 

Question:  How do you stay organized during your day?  Write a Reply below …

Peace!

Makenzie’s Misunderstood Bible Verse – Jeremiah 29:11 – Part 2

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” – Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Truthfully, this translation is not the best for this verse (see part 1).  Even though millions have it as a life verse, have used it for comfort and have placed it on everything from bumper stickers to coffee mugs, it still doesn’t capture what God is saying.

It’s Makenzie’s life verse as well but there is so much more meaning to it if you dig into the context and the original language.  In context, God has exiled the Israelites to Babylon (which is a whole ‘nother theological discussion).  He tells them to hang out, do what needs to be done, get married, build a life etc.  But at the end of 70 years, He is going to bring them back to their homeland.

The Israelites are ticked, tired and tried.  They need to know that God hasn’t abandoned them or forgotten about them.  They need some encouragement from this God who, in His love, allowed desperate hardship to uproot their entire people group.  And in comes verse 11 of Jeremiah 29:11.  Through a word of encouragement, God says to this beat up nation, “Hey!  Don’t worry.  Hang in there.   For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

God doesn’t have an individual plan for you but more importantly, He has a larger purpose for you (again, see part 1).  And, as the original language points out, God thinks good thoughts about you.  For one, they are thoughts of peace.  It is possible to be in the worst life tragedy or the most frustrating situation and still have peace!  The peace that God gives!  He doesn’t think evil on you either.  Meaning, if you feel like God has allowed destruction in your life, behind the scenes, He is working it into something good (see Romans 8:28).  He also knows what the end of the story looks like in your life and, again, it is good.  It may not be what you expect, but it is good.

Our family is experiencing this good right now.  Coming next month, it will be 3 years since the Lord danced my oldest daughter, Makenzie, to heaven.  It has been extremely hard, much of the time.  It has been a journey that I wish upon no one.  But we are seeing how even in the midst of the struggle, we have had peace.  And it is good.

So go ahead and mark up the T-shirts with Jer. 29:11.  Claim it for your confirmation or life verse.  Tattoo it on your hand.  Whatever.  God has great thoughts and a purpose for your existence.  Live fully, Love God and Laugh from your gut.  Life is worthy of that!

Peace!

Reading the Book on Alignment

One of the consistent struggles about which I hear leaders talk is alignment.  More specifically, “How do I get my organization to be on the same page and moving in the same direction?”

Greater experts have a gazillion seminars, trick and tips on how to do this, but one of the main keys is to set three goals.  Unfortunately, the strategies, objectives and tactics need to be surmised by you and your team, but here is a mental picture that has helped me.

1)  When I think of aligning the organization/church, my first thought goes to my staff (or those who report directly).  The goal here is to make sure they are all on the same page and moving forward.  Daily conversations, meetings, evaluations and encouragements that focus on the movement toward the vision are essential.

2)  The second goal is to encourage the organization/church’s leaders to be on the same chapter of the page in which your staff is operating.  Whether it’s your Board of Directors or the Church Council, operational updates, stories and reviews are examples of “chapter synergy” that you need to strive for to keep your leadership moving toward the realization of the vision.

3)  The third goal is the make sure the total organization/church is in the same book!  I know this sounds weird, but so many organization/church leaders think everyone knows why the organization/church exists but are surprised when they hear comments that don’t describe the organization/church at all!  As clear and often as you can, you need to communicate to the greater constituents/congregants who we are, what we are about and how we are moving toward the vision.

Remember – Staff on the same page, Leaders on the same chapter and the Global Organization/Church in the same book!

Peace!

How to Beat Distractions

One of the greatest stories of leadership is in the Bible, the book of Nehemiah.  The story chronicles Nehemiah’s vision and mission of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. Deluged with enemy attacks and coercion, Nehemiah had to trust his gut and his God and keep focused on the task at hand.

One distraction came when some of Nehemiah’s enemies found out how well he was doing and tried to get him to leave his mission to meet with them.  Nehemiah told them something that all of us who call ourselves leaders should repeat daily.  He said, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.”

How many times a day do we get distracted and unfocused from that which we are called to do?  How many times do opportunities present themselves but they do not fit with your own personal or organizational mission?  Stay focused on that which you feel call to do and you’ll complete that for which you are wired.  When you feel distracted, remind yourself like Nehemiah did, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.”

Peace,

My new website:

(For a complete message on this topic go to “THIS ONE THING”)

Making the Impossible Possible

I can easily get overwhelmed with all of the ideas that pop into my head.  Without prioritizing and setting goals, accomplishing even a fraction of them would be impossible.

The habit of setting Goals is so important.  Earl Nightingale said, “People with goals succeed because they know where they’re going.” Do you know where you’re going?  Are there projects or milestones that you’d like to conquer this new year?  Knowing how to set goals can help 2012 be one of the best years of your life.

To review from last weeks post, here is a seven step way to set goals:
1 – Decide what you want.
2 – Write it down.
3 – Set a deadline.
4 – Brainstorm a list of everything you can think of that you could do to accomplish this.
5 – Organize the list by sequence and priority.
6 – Do something.
7 – Do something everyday.

Now, list 10 goals for this year and ask yourself, “If I could only achieve one goal, which one would have the greatest impact on my life?”  Once you’ve answered that, focus on that one with high intensity.  You can still work on the other goals, but keep the number one the number one.

For me, I have goals in 7 areas of life:  FINANCE, HEALTH, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, FAMILY, SPIRITUAL, SOCIAL, and CAREER. Not all of them are drastic.  Some of them are crucial.  Taking the above process, here’s how I’m working on one of my goals:

One of my important goals is to finish a long-awaited book project called, “Refined – Turning Pain into Purpose.” Using Brian Tracy’s 7 steps, here’s how it’s all working out:

1 – Decide what you want. – I want to complete “Refined – Turning Pain into Purpose.”
2 – Write it down. – I have a goal worksheet that I use on which this project is listed.
3 – Set a deadline. – Publishing date:  March 30.
4 – Brainstorm a list of everything you can think of that you could do to accomplish this. – Actually, I’ve brainstormed how to keep distractions at bay which frees me up to finish the project.
5 – Organize the list by sequence and priority. – I’m writing chapter by chapter and then editing.  Chapter completion dates: I have 5 chapters left to write so my dates are.  Jan 13, 20, 27, Feb 3, 10.  Editing process completed by Feb. 24. Pre-publishing completed by Mar. 24.
6 – Do something. – 5:30 – 7 am is my daily writing time with some late after noons if possible.
7 – Do something everyday.

Let me know if this is helpful!

Peace!

(BTW, If you’d like me to email you when “Refined” is available, email me here.)

2012 – I Resolve to Set Goals

“This year’s going to be different.”  Famous last words of many a would be achiever, myself included.  Every January, I endeavor to set out resolutions that are, in theory, suppose to drive me achieve and better myself in some way.  However, I’m part of the statistics that show I’ll have failed in my resolution by the end of January.

This year is a bit different.  This year, I’m resolving to set goals.  Resolutions depend on willpower.  Goals are marked by steps.  Resolutions are all or nothing.  Goals ebb and flow with the rhythms of life.  Resolutions end up as another contribution to the trash basket of failure.  Goals end up changing your life one step at a time.  Brian Tracy said, “Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement.”

So how does one set goals and ultimately achieve them? The next blogs will lay out a simple way of setting and achieving goals.  So check back soon.

Peace!