Life can have many motivators. We should practice self-reflection to answer the question “What’s driving you?”
This blog post contains my personal LinkedIn entries for January 3 through January 8, 2022.
New Years reflection – then what?
Goal setting follows reflection. But, reflect on what?
I suggest we Begin with Who. That is, understand who we are. Examine our desires and motives.
Why do this? So we determine Why we do what we are doing.
But, why begin with Who?
I’m convinced that who I am, as well as who I am becoming, is largely the outcome of who I choose to believe I am.
Today’s Question: An end-of-year debriefing is a great exercise. How does that activity help build your self-awareness and clarity about your motives?
One aspect of WHO is my mindset. It influences much of what I perceive. Then, those perceptions help set the tone of what I share with others. proverbsforprofessionals.net
Visualize multiplication!
I can visual multiplication where I live.
There are springs on either side of the lot. They flow into small streams, which combine with others on the way to a lake.
The outflow of the lake goes into a river. That’s a picture of how multiplication works.
I have witnessed similar multiplication in my personal and professional life. Now, I’m sharing what I’ve learned to promote multiplication in the lives of others.
Small, persistent efforts multiply over time. We visualize that multiplication as growth.
Today’s Question: Look around you. What’s there to help you visualize multiplication?
Sharing what we have with others comes back to us many times over! proverbsforprofessionals.net
In Ecclesiastes 11.1 Solomon gives us an interesting visual of multiplication in the form of “casting bread on the water.” He says we get back what we give out. Here, casting is a form of sowing.
What does self-care really mean?
We see many posts about self-care. But, what does that really mean?
How do I know I’m practicing self-care?
Most obvious are diet, exercise, rest and healthy boundaries in relationships.
Less obvious are personal and professional growth. Why? Because coming out of that growth mindset is greater self-awareness.
Least obvious is a deeper faith to address my own spiritual needs.
The outcome, when these three areas are aligned, is a clearer life purpose. Plus, deeper self-worth.
Today’s Question: How do you practice self-care?
I choose to grow, or I choose to stay where I am. So, I should choose wisely! proverbsforprofessionals.net
Proverbs 9.10 notes that reverence is the starting point for a life lived in balance and that’s able to make sense of things.
What’s driving you?
Life can have many motivators.
For example, some are driven by the desire to:
1). Prove wrong their detractors
2). Get as much as possible, thus are driven by greed
3). Avoid failure, thus by fear
4). Give back unilaterally to others.
But, what are the consequences for a poor choice regarding a life driver?
Well, when we’re driven by fear we’re unable to visualize a different and better future. Thus, we remain frozen right where we are!
Poor choices of a driver may mean I miss discovering my deeper life purpose. How so? By choosing the temporal over the eternal.
Poor choices here cause me to miss life’s abundance.
So, going into 2022, when’s the last time you reflected on what’s driving you?
Don’t be driven by fear, guilt, greed, or vengeance. Instead, recognize – then wholeheartedly pursue – your clearly understood life purpose! proverbsforprofessionals.net
Today’s Observation: For a person of faith, Purpose + Abundance fuels walking by faith.
From Proverbs 28.1 we learn not to live in fear of the unknown or the imagined. Instead, allow personal integrity to produce great boldness.
If you want my opinion!
Fact is, I DON’T want your opinion right how!
When do we respond this way? When we’re tired, impatient, or frustrated. We’re not open to receiving instruction.
Especially from someone who is a busybody!
Who is your least favorite, busybody know-it-all (e.g., co-worker, brother-in-law)? How do you deal with them?
Today’s Observation: If you want to be influential, don’t be that person who has an opinion about EVERYTHING. And, worse yet, is determined to share that opinion with EVERYONE.
In plain language, Proverbs 26.17 suggests that we should mind our own business!
New Year, new goals!
When considering new goals, I think it’s good to know what growth looks like.
For example, steady progress toward a new skill isn’t perfectly finished in our early attempts.
Moreover, making progress toward goals means we encounter delays, diversions, and set-backs.
In those times of challenge, it’s important to remind ourselves of past gains. Of past accomplishments.
That is, use experiential insights from prior gains by applying them to current challenges.
For 2022 my goal is to expand my understanding of what a balanced life looks like.
Today’s Observation: When growing, we bring previous learning alongside current challenges. Hence, we grow, apply that learning in a different context, then repeat the process.
