The moral and ethical side of wanting to make a lot of money in business

September 12, 2011 by 14 Comments
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You Are in For A Treat!!

 

Today I am honored to bring a post by my coach Sandi Krakowski to the table. She has boosted my life and my business in many ways beyond what I could have ever imagined. She is a no-nonsense teacher and knows how to keep you on track. Meeting her and hooking up with her has been one of the best choices in my life. There is always a challenge when you read one of her posts or attend one of her business calls. So today I want to bring that blessing right here on The Choice Driven Life. Let us know how much you enjoyed today’s post!

This article was first published in A Real Change. To receive your own FREE “Make More Money With Your Blog” training, go to ARealChange.com and claim your free coaching class NOW!

The moral and ethical side of wanting
to make a lot of money in business

By:  Sandi Krakowski

In today’s economy, many people are looking for a small business as a way to supplement or replace a lost income. Some even desire to replace a current working income because they are not enjoying the current condition of Corporate America. Having your own business that operates virtually online has become the path to ‘dreams come true’ for people who would have never thought of doing so in the past.

As we’ve had the opportunity to coach many new and aspiring business owners one of the first things I ask of my clients is WHY are they wanting to work online and run their own business. Unanimously, the common answer I always hear is a desire to make more money.

When someone wants to make more money there are a host of challenges that arise that many new business owners are not prepared for. Something I’d like to shed some light on is the fact that desiring to make a lot of money in business is not only a great moral desire but also a very ethical desire.  One of the reasons creating a lot of money in business is both ethical and moral is that in order to succeed in business you must work on more than just learning new marketable skills.

The CEO must work on becoming a better person who can run, manage and create a large business. As a matter of fact this is one of the biggest things that a business owner must do to be successful and it is the place where success separates from mediocre. In other words, many aspire to succeed; few will walk the road it takes to get to where they’re dreaming of being.

One very prevalent thing new business owners are facing as they seek to build a company is that most people believe that building a big business is inherently bad. Many think they have not been influenced by the things that are directed towards the attack of wealth and business but the reality is there is a long term ripple effect that has been building up for years that makes it a big challenge to move forward in prosperity as a business owner.

Rabbi Daniel Lapin shares in his book, “Thou Shall Prosper”

“Understand that it is very unlikely that you have not been at least slightly impacted by the culture’s slander of business. For those doubtful of how successful the campaign to discredit the worthiness of business has been, Business Week featured a cover story entitled, “Too Much Corporate Power” Sept 2000 that quantified American attitudes toward business with polls

72% of Americans agreed that business has gained too much power over too many aspects of American life.
Only 47 percent agree that “in general, what is good for business is good for most Americans” (down from 72% in 1996)
66 percent agree that “large profits are more important to business than developing safe, reliable, quality products”
Only 27 percent thought that business had “fair and reasonable prices, relative to their profits”

While certainly admiring the achievements of many of today’s wildly successful young entrepreneurs, many Americans have become conditioned to distrust the morality of business. “

If as a society we distrust the morality and ethical value of growing enormous profits as a company it is a natural law of success and wealth that we will struggle to increase our own personal wealth as a business owner until we rectify this on a personal level. To see if you happen to have such judgements and skepticism of company growth and the rich, ask yourself if you’ve ever made comments about those “Big deep pocketed executives who are only out for themselves” or have you given into popular opinion that the “Rich should be taxed because they can afford to cover the rest of us who are struggling.” Judging and distrusting the rich is a huge error if you aspire to increase your own personal wealth.

Daniel Lapin continues with this profoundly disturbing but truthful statement-

“Here is the message that the culture is broadcasting: If you cause unbearable pain to others while in pursuit of your sexual pleasure, you will find understanding and sympathy. However, if you are a businessperson causing even the slightest tinge of discomfort to others while in pursuit of profit and wealth, you will immediately and unconditionally be condemned as immoral.”

As I coach one on one with many clients and in groups with 40-80 clients at a time, I have become very painfully aware of how many people are not only judging the rich they are nearly terrified to break out of the set pattern of our culture and will unconsciously do anything they can to prevent themselves from being successful. The occurrence of procrastination increases, the reasons for not moving forward rise and the extenuating circumstances that prevent one from really working as hard as they can and giving it their all come in more flavors than even ice cream. Sadly, most people who say they want to make more money have never even considered let alone truly given intense thought to the moral and ethical side of making money.

When we add in the dignity and morality of business, the reality of inviting real mentorship into your space and getting to know oneself at a deep level, most people grow so uncomfortable they will stop before acquiring any level of success. If they do move forward, once the realization that they must drop the idol of perfection, learn to know and act on what is coming in the future and really do what it takes to succeed in business on a daily level, most people will succumb to what they’ve always known. They recoil and take the ‘well worn path’, even though it’s really a place of misery and distraught and the argument and war against wealth continues, full steam ahead.

My friends, did you ever dream in a million years that you are actually fighting a moral and ethical war when you seek to increase your own personal wealth, grow a big company, create jobs for many people and provide for those who cannot provide for themselves? Success is far more than a dream, it’s something that in order to achieve you’ll need to truly get over lesser things and grow as the Champion you were designed to be.

I’ll never forget when God had a heart to heart talk with me and told me to STOP worrying about what people think of me. He told me that it was far more than getting over my insecurities and fears of what people thought of me. It was greater than being concerned about the judgements that they had against me. He said that I had entered the realm that was in war for quite sometime before I even got there and while I certainly am not at the level of many big high level corporations, I had entered the rank of battle that many company owners know nothing about because they quit far too soon.

I want to challenge you today, to ask yourself why you want to make more money in business. Is it merely to increase your own personal net worth? And if it isn’t just for your own personal satisfaction and consumption are you willing to make a commitment to not only build a business, but become a NEW you?

Wealth will require the following equation.   

Increased Wealth =  The New You – The Old You

This equation was first presented to me in Daniel Lapin’s book and it really gave me an enormous breakthrough. The concept of getting new friends, a new mind, new ways of thinking and doing things is not a mere suggestion for those who wish to get a raise on a job, it’s an absolute requirement if you desire to create a entirely new future for yourself and your family. The New You will attract new opportunities, it will increase your confidence, you’ll make more money and more people will be attracted to you because of this. In other words, to acquire more money you CANNOT stay the same, stay who you are or continue to live as you do. It will require that you work on far more than merely new learning skills. Anyone who tells you to get new skills is really short changing the equation of real wealth creation- get a new YOU for a new life and a new bank account is the reality you’ll end up with.

Lastly, because it is a moral and ethical thing to make more money, I have another challenge to present you with today. Here is it. It is perfectly acceptable and kosher for you to ask God to help you to make more money. It’s perfectly acceptable for you to ask God for more money in general! If you are comfortable with prayer, go ahead and include a request for prosperity in your prayer time. What you are truly asking for my friends, is an increased opportunity to serve your fellow human beings and make an impact to benefit others.

That… is what A Real Change is all about.

Sandi Krakowski

 

Sandi Krakowski is a Mompreneur, Coach, Strategist & Mentor, Online Marketing Expert, Speaker, Writer, Copywriter. Mindset & Marketing For Small Biz Owners.  Her unique talent is as a “Back To Basics Step By Step Business” expert who currently serves more than 150,000 clients in over 136 countries. Her systems help the average business owner as well as big corporations get extra-ordinary results quickly. She has a track record for her ‘bringing it into action’ processes that company owners find easy to implement with quick results. She has been working online successfully for the last 14 years and built 11 successful companies ranging from eCommerce to Direct Sales to a Copywriting Firm, Marketing Business, Consulting, Coaching, Info Products and her current business A Real Change Int’l.

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Step Up To The Plate, It’s Your Destiny to Hit a Homerun

September 8, 2011 by 20 Comments
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Step Up To The Plate, It’s Your Destiny to Hit a Homerun

by Olga Hermans

 

Do you know what it takes to make a homerun? One thing is sure, you need to be in good physical condition. Winners will lift weights and work out to be at their best for the regular season games. This kind of physical conditioning is a part of spring training, but it continues throughout the rest of the year. Even during the off season, a ball player must continue physical conditioning for top performance.

We all know what most people do in off season; the pressure is off and temptation hits us. We even might get into some bad habits like getting lazy, eating too much junk food and things like that. Christians have off seasons too; the seasons that come after great victories. Maybe you finally got out of debt or your business rose to that level that you have been waiting for.

The thing is though that we cannot stop training in off seasons, because we cannot afford to be out of shape when a curve ball comes blasting our way. The most devastating injuries occur when we become complacent about the things of God because the pressures of life are off for awhile.

When we experience sickness in our bodies, we can end up on the sidelines and if the devil has his way, he will do his best to put us out of the game completely. When we are critically sick we can use the scriptures and release our faith of course and that is all good. But if your life is going in the wrong direction, without a life change you will be sick again.

God has put within us an immune system to fight off enemy particles in our bodies. This system is designed to destroy destructive germs and negative cells, such as those that cause cancer. The immune system sends out chemicals and positive cells to fight and destroy bad ones. When the immune system is worn down, diseases (enhanced through anger, strife, fear, unforgiveness, bitterness, depression, loneliness and similar negative emotions) gain access into the body. Taken from “The 7 Pillars of Health” by Dr. Don Colbert

So, here are several life changes you can make to bring your spirit, soul and body back into alignment in order to step up to the plate to hit that homerun again!

1.   Reset Your Priorities

You can make a decision to have your priorities right. The Bible says clearly that we shouldn’t lean on our own understanding but acknowledge God and He will direct our path! Prov.3:5-6 Let’s face it: God is much smarter than us 🙂

2.   Adjust Your Schedule

You can decide, “The Kingdom of God is going to be first in my life”. Start the day with giving God your very first moments of the new day. When you do that, you prayers are so much more effective and they will cause you to soar like an eagle in God’s plans for you.

3.   Relax in Faith

We are told to cast all our care upon Him, for He cares for us 1Peter 5:7. The God of Israel never slumbers nor sleeps, why then should we stay awake all night worrying? Psalm 121:3-4. Cast your cares upon the Lord and relax in faith. Once you have given something to Him, do not take it back again. He is well able to handle anything that comes your way.

4.   Rest in the Lord

Some people are so uptight they make coffee nervous! You can decide, “Lord, I will rest in You and lean on Your everlasting arms.” Hebr.4:9-10. We shouldn’t overlook the need for natural rest. God made our bodies that way. A good night’s sleep can go a long way toward relieving stress, increasing mental alertness and giving you physical stamina for all the tasks of your day.

5.   Laugh

Many people are standing up on the outside, but they are lying down on the inside. Depression will cause you to lie down on the inside and it will hinder the proper functioning of your immune system. Learn to laugh at your own mistakes and do not be afraid to share the humor with others in a light-hearted way.

6.   Eat the right foods

Replace fried foods (those heavy in fat and high in cholesterol) with fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Drink plenty of water and ease up on sugary soft drinks. We cannot make a “god” out of eating. It is all right to enjoy food, but we ought to have enough sense to eat things that will not cause health problems.

7.   Exercise

In Bible days, Jesus and his disciples did not hop in a chariot when they wanted to go somewhere. They walked everywhere they went. What we call exercise today was their normal way of life. Find exercises you like and stay with them. Schedule them into your day just like you would an appointment.

8.   Forgive

This is a biggie; many people think it is hard to forgive their abusers or their enemies, but the truth is that it is much harder on you NOT to forgive. You are binding yourself up to the enjoyment and fulfillment of your life. Unforgiveness will block the power of God from working in you. It is time to repent and get all that negative stuff totally out of your spirit, soul and body.

When you make a choice to do what is necessary to get into a good physical condition and staying that way even in off-seasons, you will be prepared at any time to step up to the plate and hit a home run. You will be alert, ready, and strong enough for the circumstances.

My Question to you is: Are you willing to take these steps serious? Tell me and the other readers what you are going to do about it and which step is it that you have under your belt already? Thank you for doing so.

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How To Soar Into Your Dreams Like The Eagles

September 1, 2011 by 24 Comments
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How To Soar Into Your Dreams Like The Eagles

by Olga Hermans

One of the things that all of us know about an eagle is, that they are always up in the air or sitting somewhere on the top of a tree in the mountains. But we never have to stop our car for an eagle, because it wants to cross the road. Eagles are born to fly; they force themselves to soar to great heights and glide on currents of wind; this is placed within them by their Creator.

You know, in a way, we are like that. When God created us; He planted a dream on the inside of us or a goal that would push us to go to heights of achievement. But for many, that dream remains just that, a dream. That soaring vision seems utterly out of reach.

Some people dream of having a business or a witty idea; a new invention. Others dream of raising a great family or great relationships. It doesn’t really matter what kind of a vision you have for your life. One thing is for sure, that God didn’t place that dream there to frustrate you. He had put it there for you to fulfill it and to live right in the middle of it.

We can learn many things from the eagle. Nature shows us that God exists and it shows us His character. Romans 1:19-20. The Amplified tells us:

“For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiwork). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defence or justification].”

The Bible uses the eagle frequently. Deuteronomy 32:11-12 is a metaphor for explaining the ways of God.

Let’s see what we can learn from the eagle.

Eagles are very fascinating, isn’t it? They have symbolized majesty, strength and power; the Bald Eagle is the national symbol of the United States. The ancient Egyptians and Greeks revered the eagle. The eagle was the primary symbol of the Roman Empire, as well. In fact, every Roman soldier had an eagle inscribed on his shield.

Ok, we are talking about your dream and mine . When the Bible talks about an eagle, it refers to the Golden Eagle. They mate for life, and when the time comes to build a nest, they typically do that high up in a mountain cliff. They start with large pieces of wood and branches of sometimes 8-9 feet long. These large branches are usually placed upon a sturdy rock ledge or in a cleft in the rock.

This reminds us of what Jesus told us that those that hear His words and act upon them are like a man who builds his house upon a rock (Matthew 7:24). And God hid Moses in a cleft of a rock in order to protect Him from the awesome power of God’s glory (Exodus 33:22).

The most important key to the fulfillment of your dream is to make sure that your life is built on the right foundation and that is Jesus. Nothing else will ever matter or be right until you surrender everything that you are and have to Him.
When the gathering of the large branches out of the valley is done, the eagle pair will look for smaller sticks and bring those to the nest-under-construction. When that is done the branches will be covered with leaves to make it soft.

When the nest is done and the couple is finished, the nest weighs between one and two tons and will be able to withstand frequent winds up to 100 miles per hour.

This is the moment to start the family. You will see that the way the male eagles deal with the baby eagles shows us a lot about how God deals with us.

The female eagle lays one or two eggs in the spring and after a few weeks the baby chicks come out. That is the moment that the male turns into a very skilled provider; he does whatever it takes to provide for all the needs of the family.

This is exactly what God does for us when we get born-again. All our needs get met, Phil. 4:19
The father eagle does much more than just provide the basic necessities, however. He literally showers his young ones with gifts.

Scientists still don’t know why, but the male eagle brings “gifts” before the baby eagles arrive; gifts that have no meaning and above and beyond the necessities of life. Things like an old shoe or some tin can and things like that. And then something funny happens; the mother eagle inspects everything and throws most of it out. 😉

This is something that shows us how much God cares for us. The bible tells us that He wants to do so much more for us than just filling our needs. It says that He wants to “bless” and “prosper” us. He “crowns” us with loving-kindness and good things. God enjoys it to bring good things into our life, just because we are His children and He loves us.

We can compare Baby Eagles w/ Baby Christians

When the baby eagle arrives, mom and dad do everything they can to please and support the baby eagle. All the baby eagles need to do is to sit in their nice comfy nest and wait for the food. Isn’t that what we do as a baby Christians? I remember the first months that I was born again; it seemed that all my prayers got answered right away. I saw many miracles happening in my life right and left.

But we all know those days don’t last forever. In the first season God makes a lot of grace available to us because we lack so much knowledge and there is absolutely no maturity.

But then slowly God is going to hold us responsible for the truth that we have heard and we have to start using our faith to get our needs met.

These eaglets have to do the same thing. The day comes that the mother eagle comes back to the nest not to provide comfort and provision as she always did before. No, she begins to flap her wings and walk around in the nest for the eaglets to get up and start moving. The mother makes the nest as uncomfortable as possible by even taking the leaves out which leaves the eaglets no choice than to get up and walk around. They are forced to strengthen their weak and unstable legs. Do you remember the verse in Deut.32:11?

We truly can get too comfortable as Christians, and there is a danger in being too comfortable for too long. That way you will never grow or develop the strength to achieve your dreams if God keeps giving you everything that you want the moment you ask for it.

Do you want to know what happens next? The mother eagle moves her babies to the very edge of the nest, which is 10,000 foot high above the ground. Whatever these eaglets are thinking or feeling at that moment is nothing compared what is coming up next.

The parent is going to do something that we would find shocking in our natural mind, because the momma eagle pushes her young out of the nest at that time. The eaglet has seen the parents fly and tries to imitate them by flapping his wings frantically with not much success.

And then, just before the eaglet touches the ground, the father comes to rescue and catches him and carries him back to safety. Wow! This is repeated over and over again; this is how the young eagle gets more and more confident and then after a while it flies with the same majesty of its parents.

Do you remember the post on procrastination where we talked about the fact that people keep waiting on God instead of taking some action? They don’t want to leave the nest. They cling tenaciously to the security and comfort of the familiar and the safe. As a result, they never step out into the realm of faith. And it is only in stepping out in faith that they can ever soar on eagle’s wings into their dreams.

Just as God has placed in every eaglet the desire to fly, He’s placed in every believer a vision or dream. A dream that is tightly connected to God’s high calling for your life. A desire to reach toward the lofty things He’s called you to do. So, when will you stop tolerating your unfulifilled life a start to discover the life you were born to live?

Far too few people ever take flight in those dreams because they’re afraid to leave the nest. They’re afraid to risk rejection. Afraid to fail.

Once you get a general idea of what that dream is, you need to let God refine it for you. Then, the only thing that stands between you and the realization of that dream is the comfort of your nest.

If you’re seeking God with all your heart, He’ll not let you fall to your destruction, even if you make a mistake. Psalm 91:11,12 says: “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”

There is no other way; when you want to live your dreams, you have to step out in faith. Never be afraid to dream. People who don’t dream, never will develop the motivation to step out of the nest.

Spend time with your God and let Him show you the dreams that He has for you.Then, when He’s refined that dream, step out of the nest with the confidence that comes from knowing He’s there to catch you if you fall.

Just remember, the only thing that limits God in this earth is how big you’re willing to dream and how willing you are to step out of the nest.

Do these things and you’ll ultimately find yourself soaring into your dreams.

You can subscribe to The Daily Choice which brings an encouraging message 5 days a week to your inbox by clicking here

Question: Are you willing to get out of your comfy nest and go for your God-given dreams? Please share and start a discussion; every reader will like you for it 😉

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You Can Start Over!

August 25, 2011 by 22 Comments
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You Can Start Over!      

by Olga Hermans

 

 

 

God Originated the “Starting Over” Principle

Has there ever been a time in your life that you wanted to start all over again? Well, I would say “join the club”. Of course you have and you have many chances to do that. There are many moments in our life that we don’t know what to do and feel like we should do something and then later on regret what we did.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all human beings were born with “manufacturer’s instructions” tied to their wrists, explaining who they are and how they work? (Of course, even if we did, most of us would probably skip the instructions and try to figure out life as we went along!)

So, there are times in our life that we really miss the mark so to speak. But God has put the principle of a “new start” in the entire universe. Everybody that reads the Bible knows that He worked for six days in Genesis chapter one, and then on the seventh day He rested. The week starts all over again on Sunday.

We thank God and worship Him as we go to church on Sundays, at least most of us do. Sunday is resurrection day; it is the day that Jesus arose from the dead. The early church began to worship on the first day of the week.

Look at how we celebrate a new day every day, because the earth rotates every twenty-four hours. It doesn’t matter how dark it gets during the night, morning will always be there on time. A new moon appears faithfully every month.

Every year, we experience a new beginning because the earth rotates around the sun during the 12 months of the year and then it starts all over again.

Then there are the seasons; after summer comes fall, then winter and the spring. God said. “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease” Gen. 8:22.

God is the one who has put the principle of “starting over” in the earth. The time that we were farmers in Alberta and had a bad crop in a particular year, we were looking forward to the time that we could start all over and plant a new crop for the next year! I remember that time so well and that each year brought a new harvest.

The Bible is filled with stories of people beginning again. God made a beautiful, perfect Garden and put Adam and Eve in it. In spite of its perfectness, they fell. The moment they fell, God initiated a new beginning. He said, “the seed of women is going to crush your head, devil. It’s going to destroy your power and take away what you’ve done” Gen. 3:15

When Jesus came to the earth; we started all over again with a new calendar. It changed from B.C. to A.D. It was a very significant moment when Jesus arrived in the earth; time started all over again and it was not a coincidence or an accident. No! Life begins not when you were born or when you turn 50, but with the moment that you receive Jesus into your heart as your Lord and Savior.

That is the new start in our life where we can make a choice to forget all those things of the past; the things which are behind. What are you waiting for? When you want to discover the life you were born to live and really, really want to pursue your destiny you have to leave everything from the past behind you.

When you want to feel in control and have faith for the things that you can’t control, you have to arise from your slumber. You know, as soon as you know what you want your life to look like; you are able to make important decisions and all your focus and everything else gets real clear.

The life you were born to live is one without regrets, one where you can learn from your mistakes and where you feel you are in control. See what Paul told us; read it very carefully:

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Phil. 3:13-14

Are there some things in your past that you’d like to forget? I do! We need the grace of God to forget. Grace is the power of God that enables us to do that. It is not something that we are able to do by ourselves, but it is by His gift of grace that we are able to leave the past behind and to let go of all the things that have happened.

We need to know that because Jesus shed His blood on the cross, the past is wiped out. God does not want to remind us of our past and He does not want to be reminded by us of our past. Such a good God.

People want to hold on to the past for more than one reason. They don’t realize that God originated the “Starting Over” Principle.

There are people who have had some great things happen to them in the past; they are very nostalgic, they love to experience it again and again in their mind. Then there are people who hold on to the past because it was so bad. These people are bitter and hold on through regret and sorrow, they like to go over it time after time.

Today is the day to choose to start all over again and to forget all those things of the past and lay those things “which are behind” aside. They keep you from moving forward; your future is much better than your past. There are so many things that you can look forward to.

Do you like salmon? The salmon is known as a fish with a fighting spirit. You might have seen a video of salmons where they fight the current because they want to go upstream and lay their eggs before they die.

Fighting to go upstream is not the only thing that they do; there are also bears on both sides of the stream that try to stop them from their most important accomplishment. It is amazing seeing how they challenge the rapids, rocks, and bears to reach their destiny.

Salmon have a remarkable sense of direction as some of them travel as far as 2,000 miles to find the exact stream in which they were born. Somehow, they know the exact destination they must go to lay their eggs. They must go up that particular stream to fulfill their destiny.

Their purpose – to lay eggs and fertilize them – will multiply their impact on the next generation. The bears would like to eat salmon and end their journey prematurely. The bears actually want the eggs the salmon are carrying. Many times they will rip open the fish, eat the eggs, and leave the carcass.

Do not be afraid to go upstream. God has an exact destiny or stream that you should go up to lay your eggs. Satan is not exactly just trying to stop you; he wants to get the eggs you are carrying. Satan knows that if you reach your destination and finish your course, you will lay some eggs that will bring multiplied blessing to your generation.

This might be a moment for you to make a choice to start all over again, to fight and go upstream. If that is what it takes, then just go and do it by all means. God is on your side; He watches over you all the time and you can do all things through Christ which strengthens you.
Please share with us you have been in that place where you started all over again or maybe you are in it right now. Thank you so much for doing that!

You can subscribe to The Daily Choice which brings an encouraging message 5 days a week to your inbox by clicking here

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Ways to Success: The First Step Is to Stop Procrastinating

August 18, 2011 by 20 Comments
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“Nothing Is So Fatiguing As The Eternal Hanging On Of An Uncompleted Task.” ~William James


Ways to Success: The First Step Is to Stop Procrastinating

by Olga Hermans

 

Many times I have heard people tell me they are just “waiting on God.”   While it sounds very spiritual, self-sacrificing and honorable, I also find that more often than not it’s just a politically correct way of procrastinating or justifying indecision.  Instead of gathering information, creating a plan, and taking action, they can comfortably hide out in a theological wilderness with all the other Egyptians while doing nothing.

Am I speaking to you? We all have been there and done that. Many of us are in a position where we need to make a change. Yes, we know that creating change may not come easily, because our mind tends to view anything different as dangerous.

Our mind likes to hold on to things that it knows from the past. Let me tell you, if you are holding on to things of the past, it’s impossible to receive something fresh and new. Just let go. Way too many times our past has a hold on our future.

Many times in my past there was that one thing that kept me from being productive in my life. It shouldn’t have to be. Even to the point that I was almost paralyzed because I had made mistakes in the past.

But then again there was also a time in my life that I felt I was paralyzed because of past success which was holding me back in a certain state of “resting on my laurels.” Have you ever been there?

Until the time came that I started to invest in myself and started to do things daily; I started to pick myself up to get going and move forward to accomplish something that was a benefit not only to me, but also to the lives of others.

I absolutely needed to let go of the past; all those things in the past started to bother me to the point that I didn’t have any desire to do anything. Almost to the point that I felt really lazy and sluggish and I didn’t want to move forward.

Friends started telling me that there were so many people out there who needed to hear what I had to say; that they needed my talents, my abilities; that they were looking for me to encourage them in their life. I remember the moment that I started to believe them and my life started to flourish because my focus wasn’t on me anymore, but I decided to start to serve people.

You see, the moment you decide to get into the “people business,” your life will change. People in need wouldn’t care that my life hadn’t been perfect. Welcome to the human race!

This was the reason why I kept procrastinating and procrastinating; what a foolish thing to do to if I think about it now. Just wasting time away by not believing in myself, thinking so lowly of myself, always thinking the best of other people but never thinking of myself that I could do something worthwhile. That is who I was.

People often say something like, “If I only would know what to do, then I would…” The truth is that if you make a choice to make a move things will start to fall into place.

I have heard someone say once: “you cannot steer a parked car”. That means that we first have to put the key in the ignition, turn the key and start the car before we can steer the wheels.” That principle works the same with our life.

If your life is or was like that, let me tell you what worked for me, will also work for you:

Here we go:

Make a plan that you work on daily. Start to visualize and talk about what you would like your daily life to look like, the direction you want go, the place you want to live, what kind of business you want to do.

You also should avoid those dream robbers, they always come around when you finally start going. Many dreams get robbed by negative thoughts and feelings. The biggest dream robbers are people who like to come and tell you why things cannot be accomplished or why you in particular don’t qualify for that certain thing that you are trying to accomplish.

Just don’t spend any time with people who try to rob your dream. You can ask God for the right people to come into your life; who build you up and not tear you down. There are people out there that are waiting to receive what only YOU can give them.

Take care of your dream and nurture it, keep your dream alive at all cost. Treat it as a newborn baby. Then, you need to grow it and implement things step by step. You will see a difference coming soon enough.

Then, you need to write it down!

The Bible tells us to “write the vision down so that those who read it can run with it.” This is the moment where you need to be bold. Write all the things down where you see yourself in 3 months, then six months and in a year. If you can see yourself in 5 years, write it down and even in 10 years. That is how a vision statement starts. Keep it in front of you all the time and envision yourself with everything that you have written down.

The Bible also tells us that people perish without a vision. You need a road map to see where you are going. If you don’t know where you are going, you will never know that you arrived. You will miss out on all the excitement, because when you arrive at a place there is always that feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction.

Then the moment is there to ACT

Procrastination is the enemy. Ask yourself this question, what would you do if money were no object? This is a moment where you can let your imagination take off, take all the breaks off. What would you be doing in this world that needs you and is crying out for your talents and gifts?

You can do that right now. Dream, plan and write it down and then take a few baby steps that don’t have to cost you anything except time and energy on your part. These are the things that most people don’t want to do, did you know that? I have on my white board here in front of me, “Just Do It!” Once you have taken the first step, you will be glad you did it.

Let me ask you 3 simple questions:

What are your greatest three concerns that cause you to not go forward with your dream? And then ask yourself, “How would God answer to those concerns”?

  1. What simple steps can you make today that declare, “I’ve started”?
  2. If money were no object, what would you be doing differently?
  3. How many hours a week are you presently giving to meditating, envisioning, planning, and praying about your vision?

Please share your answer with us by making a comment; others will love to read what you have to say.
It might be your very first step!

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You Were Born To Be A Star

August 8, 2011 by 12 Comments
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…Then You Will Shine Among Them Like Stars In The Sky. Phil.2:14

 

You Were Born To Be A Star

by Olga Hermans

 

We live in a culture and in a time that is focused on how we should qualify as stars; being the best. Those that are inspiring for what they do or the position that they want to have in society.

I believe that not only we as people are looking for stars, but that God is also looking for stars. He is looking for you and I to shine like stars in the earth. God is not like Simon Cowell from American Idol bringing us out on the stage somewhere to be judged by the masses.

God says “I will work in you and I will work through you, that you would shine like a star. Phil.2:15

We are so focused on stars, we are searching for stars. Every realm of media and society, every sport is focused on those that are stars. We have movie stars, we have pop stars, and we have ALL stars. When your children are in school and they do well, they get a gold star. A star is something that we are looking for. Before you go to a restaurant or hotel, you check how many stars it has; is it a 2 star or a 3 star or prestigious 5 star. We are focused on stardom; we are focused on the best. Not only in people, but in things as well.

An Oreo cookie is considered as the best in its field; they sold 400 billion cookies since they were first created and they go down as the most popular cookie of the twentieth century. Now you know that Oreo’s are stars.

We live in a culture and in a mindset that is focused on stars; we are searching for stars. Many of us would say about ourselves “well, I am not a star”, but looking at others who are an athlete, a musician or some political figure and we say, well they were probably just born that way.

I was reading an article the other day by Steven Levitt; he was asking  about the commonalities between those who would succeed and there were certainly a number character traits and personality traits. But there was one thing he found in an ordinate number of those that had succeeded and advanced to the premiership in their nation. These people were born in the first three months of the year. There was an above average of people that were born in that span of time and so they dug a little bit deeper and then they found that 40% of all those that had become stars were born in those months. And only 15% of those who were born in the last 3 months of the year became stars.

The finding was simply that the kids who started school at a slightly older age were just slightly more developed; they had a little bit more opportunity to give their best and were noticed and affirmed and given tasks appropriate to that. And so at a young age they were given the opportunity to work at it.

You know, I don’t believe that stars were just born. It takes a little bit of work. And if you talk to someone who is classified as a star they are quick to say “I have worked hard at what I got.”

You have to live in the fullness of your purpose and passion for your life. It is like you are sitting in your car and your eyes are dozing off; you’re getting a little sleepy behind the wheel and you feel the shatter on the side of the road. And then there is that moment of alertness where you come to your senses and you become far more aware of what could have just happened and adrenaline fires through your body.

The apostle Paul tells us that there should be a shot of adrenaline in our spirit at the thought of living anything less than what you were saved for.

It is like you are on the road of life right now and you are falling asleep behind the wheel of your life. I want to encourage you today to wake up, let there be a search of adrenaline that God has something bigger and grander in store for you. You could totally miss it; you could totally miss what God has in store for you.

Php 2:13  For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. It is God who is working in you to will and to act.

It is like a light bulb; this is an extended service light bulb.

This lightbulb was designed to shine brightly; it was fashioned that way. It is perfectly designed that way, but unless it is connected to a source of power it can accomplish nothing.

In fact, it doesn’t matter what this lightbulb thinks of itself, this lightbuld might have some insecurities that it cannot keep up with the more eco-friendly light bulbs. This light bulb might be a little bit ashamed of its 40 watts thinking that there are some 60 watts out there and some 90’’. This light bulb might be embarrassed that it is not halogen.

But it does not matter what the light bulb thinks of itself, when it is connected to the power it will shine as it was designed to do. In the same manner this light bulb might think “check out my form”. I got something special to offer and this lightbulb might go trying to light the world but unless it is connect to its source of power, it will accomplish nothing.

Let me encourage you today that it is both humbling and empowering in every way. It is God who works in us to will and to act. How does He work in us? He gives us purpose. He gives us the power to accomplish that purpose. God is willing and able to make you and I able. It is God who gives us purpose.

For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Philippians 2:13 If we allow God to work in us and through us, we shine because that is what He has designed us to do. It is how He created us.

He has a great design in store for your life, He causes you to shine like a star. You don’t have to do it on your own, but you have to do it. There is something to do for you here on the earth. There should be a shot of adrenaline to think of living anything less than all that God has for you.

Once you discover what God has in store for you; you also will  discover your passion, pursue it with every fiber in your body until you achieve every goal you have with that passion. What is YOUR passion that you are currently pursuing? Let us know by leaving a comment.

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