Weekly Thought – December 23, 2014
Fred had a business principle: Be colorful, but not showy. On Christmas he crossed his own line. He waited until the entire family assembled then appeared in a red velour shirt, red sweatpants, and red socks. The group groaned appropriately, but looked forward to the next “faux Santa” occasion.
This is the last excerpt from the letter to the young man who wondered if he could be a Christian and still be successful.
May you experience the joy of our Lord Jesus Christ during this season celebrating His incarnation. May you continue to strive for maturity and connect with others as you journey.
Does Success Trump Saintliness? (Part 6)
As I outlined my thinking on business success I gave you twelve recommendations of things to implement in your planning. I am confident you need to have an attitude of forward motion. You will not do well if you stay in a defensive posture. You have heard me talk about constructive strengths and destructive weaknesses. It is important to look at both the principles of “do,” and those of “don’t.”
Here are four don’ts to consider as you build your strategy for career development.
1) Don’t ever give up. A person should never spend time thinking about reasons for giving up, slowing down, or stopping. This is why the follow through in business, just like in sports, is so critical. In golf we talk about the high follow through. Good golfers don’t begin to slow down before hitting the ball. When a person develops the habit of winning, you won’t quit at a crucial time, either consciously or unconsciously.
2) Don’t look back. Look all you want before starting, but once something is going, it is best to move on. Fears may plague you; self-doubt may attack; criticisms may surface, but don’t look back. The Bible puts it this way: “He that putteth his hand to the plow and looketh back is not worthy of me.” Once the plow is in motion, finish the row.
3) Don’t settle for “it might have been.” Too often people fear trying and failing believing they would then have nothing. So, rather than risking they settle for what might have been – falling back on the stories of great potential. But when this is done, they hold tenaciously to the promise and lose the reality.
4) Don’t panic. Those who handle emergencies well are usually strong because they have thought through crises and constructed strategies and actions. Panic is loss of control in action and reaction. When this happens, fear and instinct take over – usually disastrously, and we lose the value of our experience. The best plans become useless to a person in panic.
This week think about: 1) Which of these don’ts particularly hits home? 2) How can I use these points in mentoring? 3) How am I going to make Christmas special for my family and friends?
Words of Wisdom: “Panic is loss of control in action and reaction.”
Wisdom from the Word: “Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’” (Luke 9:62 NET Bible)