Fear and faith are both personal choices. That said, what’s your biggest fear? What are you doing to address that fear?
This blog post contains my personal LinkedIn weekday entries for September 20 through September 24, 2021.
Really, how bad is bad judgment?
Well, it depends on the situation! Why? Because some decisions are less impactful than others.
Worse case, bad judgment can destroy a leader’s influence!
What factors can cloud good judgement? Here’s a starter list:
1). Careless haste due to excessive time pressure
2). Lack of relevant data from which to operate
3). My own cognitive biases, such as leaning heavily on what I heard first
4). Undue influence such as external pressure.
Today’s Question: What can you add to this list of factors that produce bad judgment?
Proverbs 21.7 teaches that a devious and godless character is destructive because of the poor judgment it produces.
I can do it! Well, maybe not!
Sometimes I get in over my head and cannot keep up.
For example, my mid-40ish son was trying to run wind sprints up a steep hill with my two nephews. Both are teenagers and both are athletes.
You can probably guess the outcome!
Today’s Insights: I should recognize both my strengths and weaknesses. Compete where I’m strongest. Remember the old adage, professional growth can happen daily; it doesn’t all happen in one day!
Ok, when’s the last time you took on more than you could handle? What did you do about it?
Proverbs 30.28 teaches that something as small as a spider gains entry into a palace by using innate capabilities, paired with persistent effort.
You want me to go where?
Ever been invited somewhere and immediately knew you wouldn’t go?
We recently got such as invitation from one of our kids. They knew the answer would be NO. What they really wanted was for us to dog sit for a week!
What’s the lesson here? It’s Ok to be true to who you really are. However, the assumption is that you know who you are.
Today’s question: How do you maintain appropriate boundaries in regard to requests?
Proverbs 18.2 warns that it’s foolish to be so self-consumed that I learn nothing from experiences. One outcome of that self-focus is that I don’t know my true self.
A healthy self-image recognizes boundaries as a vital part of abundant living. proverbsforprofessionals.net
We’re not all getting A’s are we?
At some point the highly talented realize they’re no longer the smartest.
Or, the fastest.
Or the strongest!
The question that opens this post was asked in a classroom full of freshmen at a selective university where every student was the editor of their high school newspaper.
Reality check!!
Today’s Insight: Coasting along on raw talent only takes me so far. Now the hard part begins!
So, what is it that enables you to compete effectively when you’re not the smartest, fastest, or strongest?
In Proverbs 2.2 Solomon asks a child to “apply your heart to gaining insight.” That is, to focus character on development. Note the focus on heart, NOT head!
A truly balanced life is all about character transformation, and nothing about native intelligence! proverbsforprofessionals.net
What’s your biggest fear?
For me, “biggest fear” depended on stage of life. For example, at age 14 my biggest fear was being uncool due to my terminal nerdiness!
As it turns out, I’ve seemed to find different things to worry about at different points in my life. That is, I never seem to run short of concerns!
Today’s Insight: Fear or faith are both choices. I can move forward or stay where I am. So, choose to grow!
Proverbs 29.25 contrasts living in fear, with words such as cares and trembling, with living in faith as experienced by trust in God.
Don’t be trapped by fear. Instead, by transformed by trust by living in faith. proverbsforprofessionals.net