Sunday, August 20, 2017

Not the Same Mistake Again!

Why do we sometimes find ourselves repeating the same mistakes over and over again? We have all heard folks talk about how experience makes you all the wiser for the next time you encounter a similar problem, but still we find ourselves committing the same mistakes. The fact is that experience only helps us if we take the time to analyze our experience and walk through what went wrong. That process has to be approached with a sincere willingness to recognize when we are the problem, when it was our poor judgment that led to the mistake versus blaming someone else. It is always easier  to look for someone else to blame for our problems rather than take responsibility for our own deficits.  Recognizing this truth is the first step towards an honest evaluation of our past mistakes.

Why start with you, with a self examination? Simple, when looking at repeated mistakes look for the common denominator.  You are clearly going to be the first common denominator that needs scrutiny.  What did you do or fail to do that may have led to the problem? It takes humility and sincerity to concede the mistakes you may have made. Fixing those is the first critical step you must take before you can address any other contributing factors.  We should all remember the Bible story that reminds us to take out the plank from our own eyes before dealing with the spec in our neighbor’s eye. If you keep making the same mistakes at work, dating the same losers, having the same arguments with your spouse, etc. start by addressing your actions and how you can improve those. Get advice from someone your trust who is succeeding in the areas you are struggling, they can provide insights that can help you do better. Please remember the humility piece, don’t ask for the truth if you can’t handle the truth.

Once you’ve identified the challenges, then do something about them. Be intentional on making change happen in your life so you don’t repeat the same mistakes. Focus on your emotional maturity, recognizing your weaknesses and how to keep them in check. Then use the strengths you possess to help you compensate for your challenges. Understand that you can avoid repeating the same mistakes by planning to do better and being intentional about it. Just a little advice to go!

Sunday, August 13, 2017

Battling the Giants in Your Life!

We all have or will at some point in our lives find ourselves facing a challenge that appears impossible, an unsurmountable “Giant” of a problem.  There is the biblical story of David and Goliath that often reminds me that given the right approach, we can overcome the giants we may face.  The biblical story of David and Goliath, found in 1 Samuel 17, provides a lesson on how to approach and defeat the giants in our lives.  Here are a few strategies I’ve learned from how David defeated Goliath:

1. David did not confront the problem using a conventional approach.  He first put on the traditional battle gear and then quickly discarded it because he recognized that using a conventional approach was not going to work.
2. David focused on his strengths, not his weaknesses.  Rather than look at the giant and conclude that he could never defeat him, he considered his areas of strength and chose to approach the problem from a strong point.  He picked up five stones and his sling shot, recognizing that his expertise in this area would give him the distinct advantage of striking from a distance.
3. David did not overestimate his skills, he was realistic and level headed.  He didn’t pick up one stone assuming he was going to dispose of his problem in one attempt, he picked up five stones.  He was ready to take five shots, five approaches to overcoming the challenge he faced.  He demonstrated humility and recognized that eating this elephant might take more than one bite.
4. David did not get discouraged or dismayed by the size of the problem, Goliath was one big giant of a warrior.  Instead, he trusted his faith in God and the gifts that God has given him.  His emotional intelligence was critical as he displayed self-awareness by recognizing what he could achieve, self-regulation by controlling his fears, and motivation by focusing on the goal and the importance of the victory.  
5. Finally, David used the victory to his advantage.  His ability to take down the giant, to overcome this insurmountable task, enabled him to lead others confidently into battle. He recognized that this victory provided momentum to win the greater battle and quickly moved on to the next challenge.

There are many lessons to be learned from David’s strategy for defeating Goliath.  He would go on to become the King of Israel and win many more battles because he was faithful to God, remembered to think out of the box, focused on his strengths instead of his weaknesses, believed that victory was possible, and used the victories of the past to motivate others to take on new challenges.  You too can defeat the Goliath’s in your life, it simply takes faith in God and the wisdom of a shepherd boy called David.  Just a little advice to go!