GOOD FRIDAY ECUMENICAL STATIONS OF THE CROSS WALK
The First Station - Jesus is condemned (Mark 15:1-5)
Reflection
In his silence, Jesus challenges the power of the powerful.
What positions of power do I hold - in my family, in my work, in my circle of friends?
Do I use them to support or oppress?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Jesus, in a world that seeks power and control, help me to remember your silence. Help me to realise that true power always enhances life, never destroys it. May I be ever mindful that all power comes from you and must be used in your service.
The Second Station - Jesus Accepts His Cross (John 19:17)
Reflection
In his acceptance of his cross, Jesus challenges us to be mindful of the burdens we lay on others.
What unnecessary burdens do I lay on others?
Do I delight in adding to another's difficulties in life?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Gentle Jesus, you accepted your cross lovingly. Help me to always be aware that my actions can result in creating burdens for others I know and even those I don't know. May I always choose my actions, consciously trying to reduce the suffering of others.
The Third Station - Jesus falls the first time
Reflection
In his fall, Jesus challenges our apathy.
When have I been unmoved by the fall of another?
How often have I seen another's failure as a result of an inadequacy on their part and deserving of disgrace?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Jesus, you fell in front of everyone. Help me to notice those who fall around me because of weariness, pain, weakness or sorrow. May I never ignore the suffering of others but, with your image before me, be compelled to offer assistance to those in need.
The Fourth Station - Jesus meets his mother
Reflection
In his ability to look into the face of his helpless mother, Jesus challenges our sense of always needing to be in control.
The world wants us to believe that we can have everything and do anything. How do we balance that with a healthy sense that we are not always in charge?
How do we accept those awful moments in our lives not simply as failures but as part of the fullness of life?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Jesus, you teach us that there are always moments in our lives that bring pain and failure and sometimes there is nothing we can do to change them. Help us, like Mary, to accept those times with faith and trust and love. May we never let those moments defeat us but strengthen us for the next moment on our journey.
The Fifth Station - Simon helps carry the cross (Mark 15:21)
Reflection
In the willingness to continue alone, despite his weakness, Jesus challenges our lack of involvement, our fear of upsetting the status quo.
How can I look at the suffering that exists around me without responding?
What do I need to push me toward service?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Patient Jesus, you wait for us to come to realisations in our own time. Help me to have the wisdom to know that just because something continues to happen in front of me doesn't make it right. May I never lack the courage to do what I know is right, even if it involves a risk.
The Sixth Station - Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
Reflection
In his response to Veronica's act of kindness and courage, Jesus challenges us to do likewise.
We find no evidence of Veronica in the scripture.
Perhaps we created her because we refuse to believe that no one would step forward in the midst of this great tragedy to assist Jesus. Perhaps Veronica is my best self-prompted love, courage, no thought of danger or cost.
Is that when the imprint of Christ's own self is most clear in me?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Loving Jesus, you shared the image of your very self with Veronica. Help me to always believe in my own goodness and act on it. May my life always reflect the light of God's life within me.
The Seventh Station - Jesus falls a second time
Reflection
In the second fall, Jesus challenges our refusal to recognize the suffering of our brothers and sisters.
It might be possible to see and ignore one fall but not two.
Could it be that the fall of another adds to my stature or status?
Is it my gain, or my unwillingness to lose what I have that allows me to ignore it?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Suffering Jesus, you fall yet another time. Help me never to allow the suffering of others to continue so that my life can remain undisturbed. May I always be ready to lift up my sisters and brothers even at a cost to myself.
The Eighth Station - Jesus speaks to the women (Luke 23:27-31)
Reflection
In his ability to focus not on himself but on those around him, Jesus challenges us to the realisation that our lives are all interconnected.
Do I think that the lives of others have no connection to mine - as if I could just observe them, perhaps even weep, yet walk away unchanged?
When one of my brothers or sisters suffers or is oppressed, I too suffer and I too am oppressed.
Have I cried for others so that I would not have to work for them?
When will I realise that justice will come only when those who are not oppressed are equally as outraged as those who are?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Compassionate Jesus, in the midst of your own suffering you turned your face toward others. Help me to understand that my salvation is bound up with everyone else's. May I always work for peace and justice for others knowing that at the same time I am working for my own.
The Tenth Station - Jesus is stripped of his garments (John 19:23-24)
Reflection
In his nakedness, Jesus challenges us to treat each person with dignity.
How often do I strip others of their dignity?
How often do I ignore those who diminish the dignity of others through words or actions?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Loving Jesus, your life is a witness to the beauty and dignity of all human life.
Help me to respect that dignity in all persons, in all stages of life, in all races and creeds. May I work each day to appreciate and accept the uniqueness and goodness of all people and to guarantee that right when it is threatened.
The Eleventh Station - Jesus is nailed to the cross
Reflection
In his willingness to endure the agony of death, Jesus challenges us to stand by those who are dying.
How do I journey with those who are dying or dealing with life threatening illness?
How do I view my own mortality?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Suffering Jesus, though you were God, you willingness endured suffering and death. Help me to follow your example and never shrink from those things in my life that cause me pain. May I truly believe that the result of death and dying is always greater life.
The Twelfth Station - Jesus dies on the cross (John 19:28-30)
Reflection
In his death, Jesus challenges our fear and promises us new life.
What is my response in the face of death?
Not just my own but others - members of my family, people in war-torn places around the world, the death of the very earth itself.
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Abandoned Jesus, in your hour of death, even your closest friends fled. Help me to never shrink from the fear of death but to offer it as the final act of life. Help me to accept the death of others when I must, and yet fight against death when it comes as a result of injustice, war, hatred or neglect. May I come to know the life that is stronger than death.
The Thirteenth Station - Jesus is laid in the arms of his mother (Matthew 27:55-56, Mark 15:40-41, John 19:25-30)
Reflection
In his death, Jesus challenges us to accept the little deaths that enter our lives daily.
How do I react when sorrow and death enter my life, when suffering is "laid in my arms"?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Jesus, your suffering had come to an end, yet for those around you it became deeper than ever. Suffering never seems fair or deserved yet it comes to each of us without distinction. Help me to realise that though every loss is painful, that pain becomes an opening for new growth. May I never be conquered by death but embrace it as Mary did and in that embrace find the true fullness of life.
The Fourteenth Station - Jesus is laid in the tomb (Matthew 27:57-61, Mark 15:42-47, Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42)
Reflection
In his burial Jesus challenges us to remain open to the mystery of life.
How often do I bury my hopes and dreams?
Do I lack faith in those around me or in myself, unable to see the potential?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Jesus, those who have loved you most still did not understand the promise of your life. Help me to have faith enough in myself and others to enable me to continue to believe in the richness of life despite fear and failure. Help me to trust that your life and your love are always available to me even when they seem hard to find. May I live every day filled with your life that is stronger than death until we are one together forever.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Worshipping God With Feeling
We were privileged to join with brothers and sisters from Saint Thomas' Anglican Church in Werribee on Friday morning for the Good Friday Ecumenical Stations of the Cross Walk. It's our first time participating in such an event, and we were heartened to learn that the event, which has gone on for 6 years now, is jointly organized by the Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran and Uniting Churches of Werribee. What a wonderful way to celebrate our unity in Christ!
STAC has 5 services to cater to different worship preferences: the 8 am traditional Anglican service, the 9.30 am contemporary service, the Wed 9 am Holy Communion Service (which is the most traditional and is conducted in olde English, with its Thee's and Thy's), the 1st Wed Healing and Teaching Service, and the 3rd Wed Cafe Church (a very casual service with meal and service conducted around tables in a sit-and-listen style).
On its worship brochure are these words: Worshipping God With Feeling.
This is what parish priest Father Max Bowers says in the brochure -
Thankfully we are all different and have different interests. If this were not so it would be a very boring and sterile world to live in.
Worship also falls into same understanding. We believe it is the responsbility of the parish to provide a diverse number of worship styles. As a result, we now cater for the interests of most current and future parishioners.
Whilst we may each choose a different worship style, we are still very much a part of the parish as a whole. This is evident in the various home groups or social occasions that bring people together from all the worshipping styles.
As a result of this diversity, in the course of a month we are able to offer five distinct and different worship services to choose from.
We are pleased to be able to encouage you to experience what we have to offer and then decide which service best meets your spiritual needs.
With every blessing,
Father Max Bowers
Parish Priest
Reflection
I am often guilty of worshipping God (when I worship Him at all) in a clinical way, as though God were concerned with the style I use or my choice of words or their presentation. God is so much more than all these! And I need to remember that. He knows my distractions and the preoccupations of my heart. He understands when I struggle to find the words. He is compassionate towards my private fears and inhibitions and will never mock me for them.
What He wants is all of me, and that includes every ugly thought and motive and deed - not just the parts I choose to display. There is nothing I have said and done and thought that He does not already know about. Let me then worship Him freely in spirit and in truth - with the help of His spirit, in full confession of the truth: that I am but a sinner. There but for the grace of God go I.
STAC has 5 services to cater to different worship preferences: the 8 am traditional Anglican service, the 9.30 am contemporary service, the Wed 9 am Holy Communion Service (which is the most traditional and is conducted in olde English, with its Thee's and Thy's), the 1st Wed Healing and Teaching Service, and the 3rd Wed Cafe Church (a very casual service with meal and service conducted around tables in a sit-and-listen style).
On its worship brochure are these words: Worshipping God With Feeling.
This is what parish priest Father Max Bowers says in the brochure -
Thankfully we are all different and have different interests. If this were not so it would be a very boring and sterile world to live in.
Worship also falls into same understanding. We believe it is the responsbility of the parish to provide a diverse number of worship styles. As a result, we now cater for the interests of most current and future parishioners.
Whilst we may each choose a different worship style, we are still very much a part of the parish as a whole. This is evident in the various home groups or social occasions that bring people together from all the worshipping styles.
As a result of this diversity, in the course of a month we are able to offer five distinct and different worship services to choose from.
We are pleased to be able to encouage you to experience what we have to offer and then decide which service best meets your spiritual needs.
With every blessing,
Father Max Bowers
Parish Priest
Reflection
I am often guilty of worshipping God (when I worship Him at all) in a clinical way, as though God were concerned with the style I use or my choice of words or their presentation. God is so much more than all these! And I need to remember that. He knows my distractions and the preoccupations of my heart. He understands when I struggle to find the words. He is compassionate towards my private fears and inhibitions and will never mock me for them.
What He wants is all of me, and that includes every ugly thought and motive and deed - not just the parts I choose to display. There is nothing I have said and done and thought that He does not already know about. Let me then worship Him freely in spirit and in truth - with the help of His spirit, in full confession of the truth: that I am but a sinner. There but for the grace of God go I.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
A Master in the Art of Living
A Master in the art of living
Draws no sharp distinction
Between her work and her play,
Her labor & her leisure,
Her mind and her body,
Her education and her recreation.
She hardly knows which is which.
She simply pursues her vision
of excellence through whatever
She is doing and leaves
others to determine
Whether she is working or playing.
To herself, she always seems
To be doing both
Draws no sharp distinction
Between her work and her play,
Her labor & her leisure,
Her mind and her body,
Her education and her recreation.
She hardly knows which is which.
She simply pursues her vision
of excellence through whatever
She is doing and leaves
others to determine
Whether she is working or playing.
To herself, she always seems
To be doing both
Anon
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Finding Your Career Passion
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Note: This article is adapted from Dr. Hansen’s forthcoming book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Choosing a College Major
Serena: This is one of the most exhaustive checklists I've seen. When you've done yours, why not email me and we can talk more about what you discovered? :-)
Passion may seem an odd word choice when paired with career, but rest assured that one of the most important elements of personal happiness is being passionate about your career and your job. You do not want to be one of those people who live for the weekends and dread Sunday evenings. Life is too short to not love the work you do.
Will you love your work and your career as much as your passion for other things and people? Why not? It is completely possible to not only find the career that is a perfect match for your skills and interests, but one that also inspires you and fuels your desire to perform better, work harder.
Do you think you’re too old, too entrenched in your current career? Or maybe too young and filled with too many ideas (or doubts) about what you want to do with your life? Or maybe a recent college grad who now realizes you chose the wrong major and career path?
Regardless of where you are in life -- where you are in your career -- there is always time to discover -- or rediscover -- what you’re truly passionate about and turn that interest and passion into a new career.
Finding a career that you have a passion for is all about obtaining fulfillment. Some of these jobs may also not be the highest-paying jobs in the world, but career passion is not about the money, it’s about how the job makes you feel inside. Loving your job and career will go a long way to loving your life -- so, take the time to find your career passion. The ideal scenario is one where you find a career that combines what you love to do with you’re great at doing.
One of the best tools for clarifying your underlying interests, passions, and possible career paths is to sit down and reflect on a series of questions about how you have lived your life thus far. These questions are designed to really make you think and reflect on who you are as a person and what you want to become.
So, find a place where you can sit down for a while, grab a pen and some paper, and start the process. You don’t have to respond to all these questions in one sitting… and it might be best, once you have answered all the questions, to take a break before you try to determine what your answers mean for your future. The only real rule for this exercise is to be honest with yourself.
About your favorite activities.
What do you love to do in your free time? Try to brainstorm 5-8 activities. Don’t count activities you have to do or are doing to make yourself look better to college admissions folks. Identify the activities that you truly enjoy. Once you’re done writing them down, look for a theme.
About the skills that come naturally to you.
What are the skills that come to you without thought and effort? Are you a math whiz who can easily add and subtract large numbers in your head? Can you hear a foreign language and immediately be able to replicate the inflections? What are some of the things you are a "natural" at? Brainstorm 3-5 of these skills.
About your favorite classes and subjects.
Looking back through your school years, what were the classes -- or specific subjects -- that you enjoyed the most -- that inspired you to learn more? These do not need to be the classes in which you received the highest grades; rather, these are the classes that you actively attended because you loved the course material. Make a list of your favorite classes and subjects and look for some themes.
About your dream jobs and careers.
If you could do any job in your life, what would you choose? You may have done this exercise in elementary school, but it’s time to do it again; however, you can keep the same ones you chose then and any others that interest you now. The key is to ignore any roadblocks and simply choose dream careers. So, for example, even if you always wanted to be a fighter pilot but are not eligible because of health reasons, still put it on your list. Write down at least five careers that you think you would enjoy.
About discovering the types of things that energize you.
What types of things energize you? Think about people, places, and activities. For example, if you are a diehard competitor who rises to the occasion no matter how tired you are, then competition should be on your list. If visiting the zoo is still something that gets you excited, put it on your list. Try to develop 3-5 examples.
About examining your lifelong interests.
Examine the past 5 or 10 years for activities, subjects, or causes that you have been deeply involved with at a personal level. What are some of your long-term interests? For example, if you have always loved bicycling, have a poster of Lance Armstrong (or one of his wristbands), ride your bike as often as you can -- and for as long as you can remember, put biking on your list. Record your list of interests -- and then look for themes and connections.
About areas where you are already perceived as an expert.
What are a couple of areas where your friends and family see you as an expert -- or at least as someone who is knowledgeable about the issue? Are you the person in your family whom everyone finds when they are having a problem with their computers? Are you an expert on all things related to baseball? Write down as many examples as you can think of where you are an expert.
About removing outside influences and pressures about what others think should be your career.
Sometimes we think we want a career in a certain career field simply because we have been told so many times that we’re perfect for it (even if we hate the thought of ever doing it). So... try and separate true interests from ones where you have been influenced by others -- or ones you are pursuing because you feel you should to please someone else. Write them down your true interests (if you have not done so already earlier).
About the values you most cherish.
What are the values you hold dear and that help guide how you live your life? Make a list of them. This one may be the toughest for you to tackle, but think about the core values and principles with which you live your life. Typically, these are most influenced by your upbringing -- your family’s values and your religious beliefs. This question is critical because you will never be happy or satisfied in a career that does not offer the same values that you possess.
About the subject areas you most enjoy reading about.
When you are in a bookstore or the library, what are the subjects of the types of books and magazines that you are drawn to? What Websites do you visit the most and devote the most time to? These subjects can be related to your classes and schoolwork but should not be ones that you are required to read; rather, these are subjects you enjoy reading for your own pleasure and knowledge. Develop a list of your favorite subjects.
About discovering the best types of work environment for your personality.
What type of work environment fits you best -- the fast-paced, always changing, or the slow-paced, predictable? If you’re a student, this question might be a little premature for you to answer, but you could also think about the various classroom or teaching styles you have experienced in the past and see if you prefer one style over all others.
About reviewing your volunteering and community service experiences.
What types of volunteering have you done or wish you have done? Again, as you make this list, think about experiences you would participate in even if you were not using them for college applications. What types of community service appeals to you? Look for a theme in terms of the types of organizations, types of people, or types of service you perform.
About examining the majors and prospective career paths taken by your friends.
Make a list of the careers that your closest friends work in (or plan to work in). See anything that really grabs your interest? Write them down. Please note that this examination is not about copying what your friends are doing, but rather, because friendships are formed around common interests and bonds, examining their plans may provide some insight into your interests.
About understanding your deeply rooted beliefs -- your life's calling.
Have your friends and family told you repeatedly that you would be excellent in a particular job or career? Do you have a deeply held desire for a particular career? Do you think about your calling in life? It sounds corny -- or maybe even sacrilegious -- but some people are born for certain careers. For me, it about being a teacher, about empowering people and making a difference in their lives. What’s yours? Write them down.
About the types of things you currently do to help people.
When your friends or family ask you for help, what are the types of things they ask you to help with? What are the types of things you wish people would ask you to do? If you’re still struggling with this one, use this prompt: People I know often ask me for help with… Make a list.
About the goals in life you want to achieve.
What are some of the big goals you want (or still want) to achieve in life? Do you want to save lives? Makes lots of money? Be a movie star? Live in a big house? Save the Earth? Become president? Think big here -- and think about the top couple of goals that mean the most to you right now. (Note, of all your answers, these will probably change the most as you move through life.) What types of careers might help you accomplish these goals? Write down answers for both goals and careers.
Finally, it’s about putting together all your self-discovery results. Gather your assessments, preliminary research, and answers to the questions and see if you can find a couple of obvious themes running through them. Don't rush this process... contemplate. Make a final list of potential jobs and career paths.
Final Thoughts
Everyone deserves the opportunity to live a life of fulfillment and passion. Whether you are a student struggling to find a major or someone later in life looking for a new career and a fresh start, you can (or should) always find time to discover the right career for you -- the career that will fulfill your career passions and lead to a life of happiness and fulfillment. Look deeply inside yourself and remove all obstacles (real and perceived), and you will be on your way in your journey for finding your career passion, achieving career success, and living your life.
Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.
Dr. Randall Hansen is Founder of Quintessential Careers, as well as publisher of its electronic newsletter, QuintZine. He writes a biweekly career advice column under the name, The Career Doctor. He is also a tenured, professor of marketing in the School of Business Administration at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. He can be reached at randall@quintcareers.com. Read more about Dr. Hansen.
Note: This article is adapted from Dr. Hansen’s forthcoming book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Choosing a College Major
Serena: This is one of the most exhaustive checklists I've seen. When you've done yours, why not email me and we can talk more about what you discovered? :-)
Passion may seem an odd word choice when paired with career, but rest assured that one of the most important elements of personal happiness is being passionate about your career and your job. You do not want to be one of those people who live for the weekends and dread Sunday evenings. Life is too short to not love the work you do.
Will you love your work and your career as much as your passion for other things and people? Why not? It is completely possible to not only find the career that is a perfect match for your skills and interests, but one that also inspires you and fuels your desire to perform better, work harder.
Do you think you’re too old, too entrenched in your current career? Or maybe too young and filled with too many ideas (or doubts) about what you want to do with your life? Or maybe a recent college grad who now realizes you chose the wrong major and career path?
Regardless of where you are in life -- where you are in your career -- there is always time to discover -- or rediscover -- what you’re truly passionate about and turn that interest and passion into a new career.
Finding a career that you have a passion for is all about obtaining fulfillment. Some of these jobs may also not be the highest-paying jobs in the world, but career passion is not about the money, it’s about how the job makes you feel inside. Loving your job and career will go a long way to loving your life -- so, take the time to find your career passion. The ideal scenario is one where you find a career that combines what you love to do with you’re great at doing.
One of the best tools for clarifying your underlying interests, passions, and possible career paths is to sit down and reflect on a series of questions about how you have lived your life thus far. These questions are designed to really make you think and reflect on who you are as a person and what you want to become.
So, find a place where you can sit down for a while, grab a pen and some paper, and start the process. You don’t have to respond to all these questions in one sitting… and it might be best, once you have answered all the questions, to take a break before you try to determine what your answers mean for your future. The only real rule for this exercise is to be honest with yourself.
About your favorite activities.
What do you love to do in your free time? Try to brainstorm 5-8 activities. Don’t count activities you have to do or are doing to make yourself look better to college admissions folks. Identify the activities that you truly enjoy. Once you’re done writing them down, look for a theme.
About the skills that come naturally to you.
What are the skills that come to you without thought and effort? Are you a math whiz who can easily add and subtract large numbers in your head? Can you hear a foreign language and immediately be able to replicate the inflections? What are some of the things you are a "natural" at? Brainstorm 3-5 of these skills.
About your favorite classes and subjects.
Looking back through your school years, what were the classes -- or specific subjects -- that you enjoyed the most -- that inspired you to learn more? These do not need to be the classes in which you received the highest grades; rather, these are the classes that you actively attended because you loved the course material. Make a list of your favorite classes and subjects and look for some themes.
About your dream jobs and careers.
If you could do any job in your life, what would you choose? You may have done this exercise in elementary school, but it’s time to do it again; however, you can keep the same ones you chose then and any others that interest you now. The key is to ignore any roadblocks and simply choose dream careers. So, for example, even if you always wanted to be a fighter pilot but are not eligible because of health reasons, still put it on your list. Write down at least five careers that you think you would enjoy.
About discovering the types of things that energize you.
What types of things energize you? Think about people, places, and activities. For example, if you are a diehard competitor who rises to the occasion no matter how tired you are, then competition should be on your list. If visiting the zoo is still something that gets you excited, put it on your list. Try to develop 3-5 examples.
About examining your lifelong interests.
Examine the past 5 or 10 years for activities, subjects, or causes that you have been deeply involved with at a personal level. What are some of your long-term interests? For example, if you have always loved bicycling, have a poster of Lance Armstrong (or one of his wristbands), ride your bike as often as you can -- and for as long as you can remember, put biking on your list. Record your list of interests -- and then look for themes and connections.
About areas where you are already perceived as an expert.
What are a couple of areas where your friends and family see you as an expert -- or at least as someone who is knowledgeable about the issue? Are you the person in your family whom everyone finds when they are having a problem with their computers? Are you an expert on all things related to baseball? Write down as many examples as you can think of where you are an expert.
About removing outside influences and pressures about what others think should be your career.
Sometimes we think we want a career in a certain career field simply because we have been told so many times that we’re perfect for it (even if we hate the thought of ever doing it). So... try and separate true interests from ones where you have been influenced by others -- or ones you are pursuing because you feel you should to please someone else. Write them down your true interests (if you have not done so already earlier).
About the values you most cherish.
What are the values you hold dear and that help guide how you live your life? Make a list of them. This one may be the toughest for you to tackle, but think about the core values and principles with which you live your life. Typically, these are most influenced by your upbringing -- your family’s values and your religious beliefs. This question is critical because you will never be happy or satisfied in a career that does not offer the same values that you possess.
About the subject areas you most enjoy reading about.
When you are in a bookstore or the library, what are the subjects of the types of books and magazines that you are drawn to? What Websites do you visit the most and devote the most time to? These subjects can be related to your classes and schoolwork but should not be ones that you are required to read; rather, these are subjects you enjoy reading for your own pleasure and knowledge. Develop a list of your favorite subjects.
About discovering the best types of work environment for your personality.
What type of work environment fits you best -- the fast-paced, always changing, or the slow-paced, predictable? If you’re a student, this question might be a little premature for you to answer, but you could also think about the various classroom or teaching styles you have experienced in the past and see if you prefer one style over all others.
About reviewing your volunteering and community service experiences.
What types of volunteering have you done or wish you have done? Again, as you make this list, think about experiences you would participate in even if you were not using them for college applications. What types of community service appeals to you? Look for a theme in terms of the types of organizations, types of people, or types of service you perform.
About examining the majors and prospective career paths taken by your friends.
Make a list of the careers that your closest friends work in (or plan to work in). See anything that really grabs your interest? Write them down. Please note that this examination is not about copying what your friends are doing, but rather, because friendships are formed around common interests and bonds, examining their plans may provide some insight into your interests.
About understanding your deeply rooted beliefs -- your life's calling.
Have your friends and family told you repeatedly that you would be excellent in a particular job or career? Do you have a deeply held desire for a particular career? Do you think about your calling in life? It sounds corny -- or maybe even sacrilegious -- but some people are born for certain careers. For me, it about being a teacher, about empowering people and making a difference in their lives. What’s yours? Write them down.
About the types of things you currently do to help people.
When your friends or family ask you for help, what are the types of things they ask you to help with? What are the types of things you wish people would ask you to do? If you’re still struggling with this one, use this prompt: People I know often ask me for help with… Make a list.
About the goals in life you want to achieve.
What are some of the big goals you want (or still want) to achieve in life? Do you want to save lives? Makes lots of money? Be a movie star? Live in a big house? Save the Earth? Become president? Think big here -- and think about the top couple of goals that mean the most to you right now. (Note, of all your answers, these will probably change the most as you move through life.) What types of careers might help you accomplish these goals? Write down answers for both goals and careers.
Finally, it’s about putting together all your self-discovery results. Gather your assessments, preliminary research, and answers to the questions and see if you can find a couple of obvious themes running through them. Don't rush this process... contemplate. Make a final list of potential jobs and career paths.
Final Thoughts
Everyone deserves the opportunity to live a life of fulfillment and passion. Whether you are a student struggling to find a major or someone later in life looking for a new career and a fresh start, you can (or should) always find time to discover the right career for you -- the career that will fulfill your career passions and lead to a life of happiness and fulfillment. Look deeply inside yourself and remove all obstacles (real and perceived), and you will be on your way in your journey for finding your career passion, achieving career success, and living your life.
Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.
Dr. Randall Hansen is Founder of Quintessential Careers, as well as publisher of its electronic newsletter, QuintZine. He writes a biweekly career advice column under the name, The Career Doctor. He is also a tenured, professor of marketing in the School of Business Administration at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. He can be reached at randall@quintcareers.com. Read more about Dr. Hansen.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
The Law of Momentum
Newton's first law of motion states that an object at rest tends to stay at rest, and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
I find this true of my life. For most of my 36 years, I have lived with the mindset of wanting to do and be more but not being willing to do whatever it takes. I sought the path of least resistance, the path that required little or no hard work, the path that would not require me to give up comfort activities or change my habits. So of course I stayed "at rest" - stuck on a plateau, safe but going nowhere.
Decisions have always paralysed me into a state of frozen inertia. Even something as trivial as what to pack in the baby's bag before an outing can take forever. Will a romper do or should I add a fleece jacket in case the weather changes? Does she need an extra pair of shorts? Should I pop a raincoat in just in case? What if it's hot? What if it's cold?
Recently, I was struggling with a sense of failure over what I clearly knew to be the results of this inertia. Because I wasn't willing to take the initial step, important decisions about our finances were left dormant and festering like the weeds growing out of control in our backyard. I had a reason for every non-decision. No time. Can't find contact number. Don't feel like calling. Don't have info at hand. Too tired. Another time.
I had all sorts of internal conversations as I batted the case for and against action back and forth inside my head. Finally, I was ready to take the first step.
It started with calling VicRoads to make an appointment to take the driving theory test and vision test. Surprise! They have Sat appointments! So hubby doesn't have to take the day off to drive me there and back and mind the kids.
Next, I started applying the action exercises Suze Orman recommended in her book The 9 Steps To Financial Freedom. I went online and found a bank offering the highest savings rate for online accounts and applied straightaway, linked the account to our existing account and set up a RSP and DDA to fast track our savings. I also did a funds transfer to take advantage of the high interest offered for keeping a minimum balance in our online account. I repeated the process with my Sg funds.
I checked out the Australian Scholarships Group, a non-profit org that pools parent contributions for the education of kids till tertiary level. I liked what I saw on the website and emailed for details. A consultant came the very next evening to tell us more. We ran the numbers, came to a joint decision on the monthly contributions and filled out the forms to enrol the girls. We only need to pay the contributions till they hit Year 7. After that, we will receive an annual cheque that will be enormously helpful in covering their school fees, books, uniforms and whatever else they need. Once the girls reach tertiary, they will each receive a monthly allowance direct into their accounts.
Another major decision made, another step in the right direction. The more action I took, the more excited I got. I was finally breaking free of my inertia and moving towards financial freedom!
It's amazing how empowered and strong and alive I felt as I gained personal momentum with every little decision taken. An object in motion tends to stay in motion. As in physics, so in life.
Right now, I'm researching private health insurance options. Just last night, as a few other ladies and I worked at cutting and laying out platters of sandwiches, slices and sweets for our church's Floral and Craft Festival, I discovered the lady I'd teamed up with to do sandwiches is a HBA insurance sales agent! I'd already checked out the HBA website and liked what I saw and was ready to find out more, so this was perfect timing. She'll be getting us the brochures and walking us through the application process. Isn't that great?
One thing I've noticed: when you start making a step in the right direction, you set certain processes in motion, and things - whatever is helpful to achieve your desired outcome - start to fall in place. Lots of writers and motivational speakers describe this phenomenon as "the laws of the universe" conspiring to help you.
It is like the parable of the growing seed in Mark 4:26-28. "A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain - first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head."
But the man first had to do the work of scattering the seed. Likewise, it is only when I'm finally willing to do the work of making that first tough (or simple) decision that I will start the chain reaction to allow other good things to come into my life.
I find this true of my life. For most of my 36 years, I have lived with the mindset of wanting to do and be more but not being willing to do whatever it takes. I sought the path of least resistance, the path that required little or no hard work, the path that would not require me to give up comfort activities or change my habits. So of course I stayed "at rest" - stuck on a plateau, safe but going nowhere.
Decisions have always paralysed me into a state of frozen inertia. Even something as trivial as what to pack in the baby's bag before an outing can take forever. Will a romper do or should I add a fleece jacket in case the weather changes? Does she need an extra pair of shorts? Should I pop a raincoat in just in case? What if it's hot? What if it's cold?
Recently, I was struggling with a sense of failure over what I clearly knew to be the results of this inertia. Because I wasn't willing to take the initial step, important decisions about our finances were left dormant and festering like the weeds growing out of control in our backyard. I had a reason for every non-decision. No time. Can't find contact number. Don't feel like calling. Don't have info at hand. Too tired. Another time.
I had all sorts of internal conversations as I batted the case for and against action back and forth inside my head. Finally, I was ready to take the first step.
It started with calling VicRoads to make an appointment to take the driving theory test and vision test. Surprise! They have Sat appointments! So hubby doesn't have to take the day off to drive me there and back and mind the kids.
Next, I started applying the action exercises Suze Orman recommended in her book The 9 Steps To Financial Freedom. I went online and found a bank offering the highest savings rate for online accounts and applied straightaway, linked the account to our existing account and set up a RSP and DDA to fast track our savings. I also did a funds transfer to take advantage of the high interest offered for keeping a minimum balance in our online account. I repeated the process with my Sg funds.
I checked out the Australian Scholarships Group, a non-profit org that pools parent contributions for the education of kids till tertiary level. I liked what I saw on the website and emailed for details. A consultant came the very next evening to tell us more. We ran the numbers, came to a joint decision on the monthly contributions and filled out the forms to enrol the girls. We only need to pay the contributions till they hit Year 7. After that, we will receive an annual cheque that will be enormously helpful in covering their school fees, books, uniforms and whatever else they need. Once the girls reach tertiary, they will each receive a monthly allowance direct into their accounts.
Another major decision made, another step in the right direction. The more action I took, the more excited I got. I was finally breaking free of my inertia and moving towards financial freedom!
It's amazing how empowered and strong and alive I felt as I gained personal momentum with every little decision taken. An object in motion tends to stay in motion. As in physics, so in life.
Right now, I'm researching private health insurance options. Just last night, as a few other ladies and I worked at cutting and laying out platters of sandwiches, slices and sweets for our church's Floral and Craft Festival, I discovered the lady I'd teamed up with to do sandwiches is a HBA insurance sales agent! I'd already checked out the HBA website and liked what I saw and was ready to find out more, so this was perfect timing. She'll be getting us the brochures and walking us through the application process. Isn't that great?
One thing I've noticed: when you start making a step in the right direction, you set certain processes in motion, and things - whatever is helpful to achieve your desired outcome - start to fall in place. Lots of writers and motivational speakers describe this phenomenon as "the laws of the universe" conspiring to help you.
It is like the parable of the growing seed in Mark 4:26-28. "A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain - first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head."
But the man first had to do the work of scattering the seed. Likewise, it is only when I'm finally willing to do the work of making that first tough (or simple) decision that I will start the chain reaction to allow other good things to come into my life.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
An Inspiring Speech from a Civil Servant
My aunt in the States forwarded this by email today, and it's too good not to pass on.
Very rarely does a civil servant publicly confess her faith, much less one so senior. Perhaps she was placed where she is "for such a time as this". I am encouraged and inspired by PS (PSD)'s faith, courage and candour.
SPEECH AT HER WORLD WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2006 GALA DINNER, 6 MAR 07
Minister Vivian Balakrishnan
My Dear Family, Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen
1. Thank you for being here to share this evening with Esther and me. Thank you Simon for your very kindwords. And thank you Her World and the Judging Panel for giving me this honour.
2. This award came as a complete surprise to me. Sometime in early January, Simon told me that Her World would like to give me this award and asked if I would accept it. My first question to Simon was “Why me?”
Simon mentioned my contribution to the community through my book on my journey when my elder son, Samuel, was battling cancer about 2 years ago. I told Simon that I was very honoured and flattered by the award but there are so many other women out there who have gone or are going through even much more difficult trials than I had.
To be honest, I was concerned because when Simon mentioned the award, the first two words that came to my mind were “vanity” and“pride”. I wanted to be sure that if I do accept the award, I would do it for the right reason, certainly not for vanity and pride. I told Simon that I would need to pray about it.
3. That night, I asked my family members to help pray for me. Sam said “Mom, so long as you are unsure, don’t accept it.” I told him that I was unsure because of my concern that I was doing it for my vanity and pride. Yet I also know that if I accept the award, it would a wonderful opportunity for me to share with others God’s love for us, and to thank God for all He has done and is continuing to do in my life. Sam said he would pray for me. The next morning, he asked why I would want to accept the award. I repeated what I told him the night before. Sam then said “Go for it, Mom”.
4. Two weeks after I told Simon that I would accept the award, we found out that Sam has a relapse. His cancer has returned but we thank God that the tumouris localized, at the old place, in his thymus gland. Sam had a surgery about a month ago to remove the tumour but unfortunately not all could be removed. Sam is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment andfurther down the road, will be having a stem cell transplant using stem cells from Russell, his younger brother. My husband and both my sons, whom I am very proud of, are here with me tonight.
5. As a Christian, I am taught to “be joyful always; to pray continually; to give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will” for me (1 Ths 16-18). I am also taught not to be “anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, (to) present our requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Ph 4:6-7)
6. Indeed, notwithstanding Sam’s recent relapse, Godhas granted my family and I much peace. Sam himself is very much at peace, still living life normally and we are greatly encouraged by that. We have learned that when we trust and obey God and do His will, He will give us many reasons to be thankful for. Yes, even with our new trial, our new journey of faith, there is much my family and I are thankful for.
7. And this award tonight has given me the opportunity to reflect on the many blessings in my life and for thanksgiving.
8. God knows my strengths for He is the one who has blessed me with them. He also knows where I am lacking and ensures that I am well supported there.
I have a husband who besides being the handyman in the house, happily does the grocery shopping – I know nothing about where to get the value for money stuff – he does. I have a younger sister who lives with my family and is like a surrogate mother to my sons whenever I or my husband are away. I have a faithful and reliable domestic help who has chosen to work with my family for the past 18 years.
I am deeply thankful that I have a large but close knit extended family who is always there to love, laugh and cry with me. I feel very blessed to have friends, some of whom are here tonight, who will stay with me through thick and thin, where at times no word need to be spoken for their presence is comfort enough.
9. I have been very blessed in my career as well, not just in the kinds of challenges and opportunities Ihave been exposed to, but in the relationships that have been formed over time. I am very thankful for the many good bosses, mentors and colleagues in my life, many of whom have become firm friends. If not for their care, compassion and unstinting support when my son fell ill 2 years ago, and even now, I would have found it almost impossible to work.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan was my Minister in 2004 and when he heard about Sam’s illness, he went out of his way to support me, giving me time to take care of Sam and even offering me the use of his office in the Singapore National Eye Centre should I need a place to rest or work whenever I accompany Sam to the National Cancer Centre for his treatment. I thank God that he was my Minister at that point in time. God has truly been taking very good care of me.
10. Throughout my life, I have taken on and am still taking on many roles. But one thing is clear. I am no superwoman and I don’t believe in superwomen nor for that matter, supermen. I think it will be impossible for anyone to play all his or her multiple roles equally well. For me, I have a simple philosophy. What I can’t do well or can’t do at all, I outsource. When my sons were very young and looking at picture books, they would point to the lady in the kitchen and say “Aunty Lina”, my maid, never “mummy”. When the Her World team wanted to shoot the video of me, they had suggested that one scene be of me in the kitchen preparing meals. You should hear the hysterical laughter in my home when I shared this with my family.
11. But of all my roles, the one that I treasure most is that of being a mother so I thank the Judging Panel that in deciding to give me this award tonight, they have recognized my role as a mother.
12. Motherhood has given me the deepest pain yet the greatest joy; the most tears yet the most laughs; humility yet pride. And most of all, it has allowed me to get to know my God so much more, beginning with Sam’s battle against cancer in September 2004. So I thank God for giving me this opportunity to be amother to my 2 wonderful boys.
13. There is a story in the Bible about a man who before going on his journey, entrusted his 3 servants with his money. To one, he gave 5 talents of his money, to another 2 talents and to the last, one talent, each according to his ability. When he returned, the one who was given 5 talents said he had put them to good use and gained the master another 5. So also the one who was given 2 talents; he gained 2 more but the one who was given one talent, simply hid the money as he was afraid of losing it.
When the master returned, this last servant thought his master would be happy. But his master was furious because he has not made good use of the talent that was given tohim. The master expected him to be a steward, not a mere custodian of his talent.
14. So likewise, God has given us gifts and resources according to our abilities and expect us to invest them wisely. We are responsible for ensuring that we grow well whatever we have been put in charge of.
15. I have been in the Civil Service for some 26 years. I love what I do and I am very proud to be a member of the Singapore Civil Service. I used to tell my colleagues that as civil servants, we are custodians of the public funds that have been entrusted to us but I am wrong. Like the Biblical story that I have just shared with you, we are to be more than custodians, especially if we are at senior positions – we are to be stewards, with a responsibility to protect, nurture and growing what has been entrusted to us.
16. When I first became a Christian about 9 years ago, one of the first things I learned was that we are all God’s children. My sons are also God’s children. My husband and I are but only stewards of our boys, looking after them on God’s behalf. I pray often that we have been good stewards of our children. I think we are not doing too badly because I know my boys are walking right with God. And I know that so long as they walk right with God, they will multiply the blessings God has given them and bless others in turn.
17. Whether as a career woman or a mother or any other role that I have taken on, I pray regularly that I will be a blessing rather than a burden to whoever God has put me in touch with each day of my life. My God has given me much. And as the Bible says, from anyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:48) I pray I will do justice to this award you have given me.
18. Thank you once again for this honour. I have been conferred this award but I think this award is for all the women who are blessed with the faith, the peace, the strength and the tenacity to overcome whatever adversity they may face.
God Bless All of you!
Very rarely does a civil servant publicly confess her faith, much less one so senior. Perhaps she was placed where she is "for such a time as this". I am encouraged and inspired by PS (PSD)'s faith, courage and candour.
SPEECH AT HER WORLD WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2006 GALA DINNER, 6 MAR 07
Minister Vivian Balakrishnan
My Dear Family, Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen
1. Thank you for being here to share this evening with Esther and me. Thank you Simon for your very kindwords. And thank you Her World and the Judging Panel for giving me this honour.
2. This award came as a complete surprise to me. Sometime in early January, Simon told me that Her World would like to give me this award and asked if I would accept it. My first question to Simon was “Why me?”
Simon mentioned my contribution to the community through my book on my journey when my elder son, Samuel, was battling cancer about 2 years ago. I told Simon that I was very honoured and flattered by the award but there are so many other women out there who have gone or are going through even much more difficult trials than I had.
To be honest, I was concerned because when Simon mentioned the award, the first two words that came to my mind were “vanity” and“pride”. I wanted to be sure that if I do accept the award, I would do it for the right reason, certainly not for vanity and pride. I told Simon that I would need to pray about it.
3. That night, I asked my family members to help pray for me. Sam said “Mom, so long as you are unsure, don’t accept it.” I told him that I was unsure because of my concern that I was doing it for my vanity and pride. Yet I also know that if I accept the award, it would a wonderful opportunity for me to share with others God’s love for us, and to thank God for all He has done and is continuing to do in my life. Sam said he would pray for me. The next morning, he asked why I would want to accept the award. I repeated what I told him the night before. Sam then said “Go for it, Mom”.
4. Two weeks after I told Simon that I would accept the award, we found out that Sam has a relapse. His cancer has returned but we thank God that the tumouris localized, at the old place, in his thymus gland. Sam had a surgery about a month ago to remove the tumour but unfortunately not all could be removed. Sam is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment andfurther down the road, will be having a stem cell transplant using stem cells from Russell, his younger brother. My husband and both my sons, whom I am very proud of, are here with me tonight.
5. As a Christian, I am taught to “be joyful always; to pray continually; to give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will” for me (1 Ths 16-18). I am also taught not to be “anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, (to) present our requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Ph 4:6-7)
6. Indeed, notwithstanding Sam’s recent relapse, Godhas granted my family and I much peace. Sam himself is very much at peace, still living life normally and we are greatly encouraged by that. We have learned that when we trust and obey God and do His will, He will give us many reasons to be thankful for. Yes, even with our new trial, our new journey of faith, there is much my family and I are thankful for.
7. And this award tonight has given me the opportunity to reflect on the many blessings in my life and for thanksgiving.
8. God knows my strengths for He is the one who has blessed me with them. He also knows where I am lacking and ensures that I am well supported there.
I have a husband who besides being the handyman in the house, happily does the grocery shopping – I know nothing about where to get the value for money stuff – he does. I have a younger sister who lives with my family and is like a surrogate mother to my sons whenever I or my husband are away. I have a faithful and reliable domestic help who has chosen to work with my family for the past 18 years.
I am deeply thankful that I have a large but close knit extended family who is always there to love, laugh and cry with me. I feel very blessed to have friends, some of whom are here tonight, who will stay with me through thick and thin, where at times no word need to be spoken for their presence is comfort enough.
9. I have been very blessed in my career as well, not just in the kinds of challenges and opportunities Ihave been exposed to, but in the relationships that have been formed over time. I am very thankful for the many good bosses, mentors and colleagues in my life, many of whom have become firm friends. If not for their care, compassion and unstinting support when my son fell ill 2 years ago, and even now, I would have found it almost impossible to work.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan was my Minister in 2004 and when he heard about Sam’s illness, he went out of his way to support me, giving me time to take care of Sam and even offering me the use of his office in the Singapore National Eye Centre should I need a place to rest or work whenever I accompany Sam to the National Cancer Centre for his treatment. I thank God that he was my Minister at that point in time. God has truly been taking very good care of me.
10. Throughout my life, I have taken on and am still taking on many roles. But one thing is clear. I am no superwoman and I don’t believe in superwomen nor for that matter, supermen. I think it will be impossible for anyone to play all his or her multiple roles equally well. For me, I have a simple philosophy. What I can’t do well or can’t do at all, I outsource. When my sons were very young and looking at picture books, they would point to the lady in the kitchen and say “Aunty Lina”, my maid, never “mummy”. When the Her World team wanted to shoot the video of me, they had suggested that one scene be of me in the kitchen preparing meals. You should hear the hysterical laughter in my home when I shared this with my family.
11. But of all my roles, the one that I treasure most is that of being a mother so I thank the Judging Panel that in deciding to give me this award tonight, they have recognized my role as a mother.
12. Motherhood has given me the deepest pain yet the greatest joy; the most tears yet the most laughs; humility yet pride. And most of all, it has allowed me to get to know my God so much more, beginning with Sam’s battle against cancer in September 2004. So I thank God for giving me this opportunity to be amother to my 2 wonderful boys.
13. There is a story in the Bible about a man who before going on his journey, entrusted his 3 servants with his money. To one, he gave 5 talents of his money, to another 2 talents and to the last, one talent, each according to his ability. When he returned, the one who was given 5 talents said he had put them to good use and gained the master another 5. So also the one who was given 2 talents; he gained 2 more but the one who was given one talent, simply hid the money as he was afraid of losing it.
When the master returned, this last servant thought his master would be happy. But his master was furious because he has not made good use of the talent that was given tohim. The master expected him to be a steward, not a mere custodian of his talent.
14. So likewise, God has given us gifts and resources according to our abilities and expect us to invest them wisely. We are responsible for ensuring that we grow well whatever we have been put in charge of.
15. I have been in the Civil Service for some 26 years. I love what I do and I am very proud to be a member of the Singapore Civil Service. I used to tell my colleagues that as civil servants, we are custodians of the public funds that have been entrusted to us but I am wrong. Like the Biblical story that I have just shared with you, we are to be more than custodians, especially if we are at senior positions – we are to be stewards, with a responsibility to protect, nurture and growing what has been entrusted to us.
16. When I first became a Christian about 9 years ago, one of the first things I learned was that we are all God’s children. My sons are also God’s children. My husband and I are but only stewards of our boys, looking after them on God’s behalf. I pray often that we have been good stewards of our children. I think we are not doing too badly because I know my boys are walking right with God. And I know that so long as they walk right with God, they will multiply the blessings God has given them and bless others in turn.
17. Whether as a career woman or a mother or any other role that I have taken on, I pray regularly that I will be a blessing rather than a burden to whoever God has put me in touch with each day of my life. My God has given me much. And as the Bible says, from anyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:48) I pray I will do justice to this award you have given me.
18. Thank you once again for this honour. I have been conferred this award but I think this award is for all the women who are blessed with the faith, the peace, the strength and the tenacity to overcome whatever adversity they may face.
God Bless All of you!
Thursday, March 15, 2007
On Wealth and Giving
WEALTH
Hardly anyone wants to be poor; most people would like to be rich. Wealth brings power, standing in the community, increased leisure and freedom from worry-so it is thought.
Not surprisingly, in the richest part of the world many Christians are preaching a “prosperity gospel”-that faithfulness to Jesus will lead to personal wealth.
Tragically, this distorted message is now taking root in some of the poorest countries of the world. Is wealth a sign of God’s blessing? Is money the main measure of wealth? Why does money “talk”? Does the Bible endorse wealth, promote it or exclude it? How are we to respond in spirit and action? Our souls hang on our answers to these questions.
Wealth as Power
Principalities and powers form an invisible background to our life in this world. One of those powers is money. Mammon, as it is sometimes called, comes from an Aramaic word, amen, which means firmness or stability. It is not surprising that a common English phrase is “the almighty dollar.”
As an alternative god, mammon inspires devotion, induces guilt, claims to give us security and seems omnipresent-a godlike thing (Foster, p. 28). It is invested with spiritual power that can enslave us, replacing single-minded love for God and neighbor with buying-selling relationships in which even the soul can be bought (Rev. 18:11-13). So money, wicked “mammon” (Luke 16:9 KJV), is a form or appearance of another power (Ephes. 1:21; Ellul, pp. 76-77, 81, 93). “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). Joseph, the righteous and Jesus are sold (Amos 2:6).
Money is not the only form of wealth, and not the first one named in Scripture. In ancient societies of Old Testament times, real wealth was associated with land. Even today in many Third World countries, land is the only permanent possession. Crops, cattle and houses could be destroyed by calamity, but the land will remain. So will the family.
In God’s threefold promise to the descendants of Abraham (presence of God, peoplehood and a place to belong), the land figures prominently. Poised on the edge of Canaan, Israel was promised a good land to gain wealth. “Remember the Lord your God . . . gives you the ability to produce wealth” (Deut. 8:18).
Land belonged to God but was trusted to families.When the land had been mortgaged or sold to pay debts, the Jubilee year (Leviticus 25) was the instrument of returning land to the original families.
How this applies to Christians today is a sensitive question. The meaning of “in the land” to Israel has now been encompassed by the phrase “in Christ” through which both Jews and Gentiles become joint heirs (Ephes. 3:6). This includes economic sharing and justice but does not literally mean a common piece of geography (see Stewardship). So we are already seeing that Scripture appears to be ambiguous on this subject.
There are two voices of Scripture: one blessing the rich, the other cursing; one declaring that wealth is a sign of God’s redemptive love to make us flourish on earth, the other declaring that wicked mammon (Luke 16:9), usually gained at the expense of the poor, is an alternative god (see Money). We need to look at each of these in turn.
Wealth as Blessing
The idea that wealth is a sign of God’s blessing(Deut. 30:9; Proverbs 22:4) is illustrated by the lives of Abraham, Job and Solomon.
In contrast to those who praised the Lord because they were rich (Zech. 11:5) but were soon to be judged, it is noteworthy that each of these exemplars depended on God rather than their wealth (Genesis 13:8-18; Job 1:21).
The wise person in Proverbs is essentially a better-off person with servants-equivalent to our modern household machines;-- neither fabulously wealthy nor living in grinding poverty.Some wealth is a good thing; too much or too little would be alienating from God (Proverbs 30:9).
So the wise person prays, “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread” (Proverbs 30:8).The prosperity gospel now being preached worldwide is not satisfied with a comfortable existence or merely praying for our daily bread.
We can critique it on at least three grounds. First, it encourages perverted motives: focusing on profitability. Second, it misinterprets God’s deepest concerns for us: material well-being rather than total well-being. Third, it misinterprets God’s promises to Israel as immediately applicable to Christians without being fulfilled and transfigured in Christ (compare 1 Tim. 6:3-10).
Nevertheless, the Old Testament clearly presents wealth as a means of God’s grace.
Wealth as Sacrament
The Old Testament affirms that God is the true owner, proprietor and giver of wealth (1 Samuel 2:7-8; Proverbs 3:16; Eccles. 5:19; Hosea 2:8). We are merely stewards (Proverbs 3:9). But the fact that God gives wealth, indiscriminately it seems, produces what Jacques Ellul calls “the scandal of wealth.” God sometimes gives wealth to the wicked (Job 21:7-21; Psalm 73:12-13).
Why would God do this if wealth were a sign of being blessed?
Contrary to the common argument that wealth is the result of “our hard-earned labor” or “our faithfulness,” the Old Testament takes a more sacramental view.
Wealth is a free gift of God, a sign of God’s grace given generously and without merit.
Further, wealth points to the final consummation when our wealth will be taken into the Holy City (Isaiah 60:3; Rev. 21:24-26; see Ellul, p. 66).
It is a gross and dangerous oversimplification to say the Old Testament endorses wealth as the blessing of God and the New Testament proclaims it is a curse.
Wealth as Temptation
Even the Old Testament warns that the pursuit of wealth for its own sake is vain and harmful, leading to self-destructive autonomy (Psalm 49:6-7; Proverbs 23:4-5; Proverbs 28:20; Proverbs 30:8-9; Hosea 12:8).
Proverbs 10:15, for example, “The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,” is illuminated by Proverbs 18:11, “They imagine it an unscalable wall.” Wealth is an illusionary security. Wealth will not satisfy (Psalm 49:6-7; Eccles. 5:10).
Several points need to be made here.
First, no one is made right with God (justified) by the fair acquisition of wealth (Proverbs 13:11) or by dispersing it on behalf of the poor. In the absence of a “principle” or “doctrine” about money, we are called to find our justification not in our use of money but in our relationship to God. We are accepted by faith through grace.
Second, instead of becoming stewards of wealth for the benefit of the poor (Proverbs 31:5, 8-9), we are tempted to use what wealth we have to dominate others (Amos 2:6)-a subject taken up by John Chrysostom in his sermons on Luke 16. Just as the brothers of Joseph enjoyed their fine meal and did not “grieve over the ruin of Joseph” (Amos 6:6; Genesis 37:25), very few wealthy people have been able to resist becoming desensitized to the poor.
Third, especially reprehensible is yielding to the temptation to enlist God’s Word to serve our lust for wealth (2 Kings 5:20-27; Micah 3:11), to “baptize” greed, a matter symbolized in the commercialized temple which Jesus cleansed.
When we turn to the New Testament we discover that “Jesus Christ strips wealth of the sacramental character that we have recognized in the Old Testament” (Matthew 6:24; Luke 6:30; Luke 12:33; Ellul, p. 70).
The rich fool trusts in his barns and investments and is not ready to meet God, nor is known by God. The rich already have their comfort (Luke 6:24); they have nothing to look forward to.The rich young man must give everything away and follow Jesus. True wealth is not the accumulation of houses, farms, jewels and money but something more.
Though these passages seem to argue for an antiwealth New Testament ethic, it is not that simple. Jesus affirmed the extravagant and wasteful display of love when the woman poured perfume on him head: “She has done a beautiful thing to me” (Mark 14:1-11). And Jesus himself accepted the generous financial support of women with means (Luke 8:3). How are we to resolve this tension?
Heavenly Wealth
Unquestionably many of Jesus’ negative statements about the rich and the wealthy are addressed to the spiritual malady fed by material abundance.
“Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15; compare James 5:1-6).
As an alternative god wealth must be repudiated, if necessary by giving it all away (compare Luke 16:13).Ultimate security and blessing cannot be found in the accumulation of things (compare Matthew 6:19).
At this point Scripture gives us a harmonious, though disturbing, single message. Possessions are solely and simply a matter of stewardship, not ownership, and this life’s assets are to be used with a heavenly orientation.
What are these heavenly treasures, and how do they relate to everyday wealth, or the lack of it?
We gain an important paradigmatic perspective on this question from the Old Testament.
There the inheritance received by Israel through the promise was a threefold blessing:a. the presence of God (“I will be with you”),b. the people (“you will be my people; I will be your God”) andc. a place to belong (“the land will be yours”).
As noted above, what we are given “in Christ” more than fulfills the promises made to Abraham and his descendants.God is with us in an empowering way through the Spirit. What greater treasure can there be than to belong to God and be known by him?
In Christ we experience peoplehood, a new family with hundreds of brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, children and lands (Matthew 19:29; Mark 10:29-30; see Church-Family).
The promise of a place is fulfilled doubly: first in true fellowship here on earth through a full sharing of life with other believers, and second in the place which Christ has prepared for us (John 14:2) in the new heaven and new earth, the city of God (Hebrews 11:13-16).Presence, peoplehood and a place-these are true wealth for the Christian.Money in the bank, ownership certificates of bonds and title deeds to properties are only an optional extra to this wealth.
But what are we to do with the temporal wealth God has entrusted to us?
Stewards of Wealth
Stewardship is much more than giving money to the church or to charities.
It is caring for God’s creation, managing God’s household, bringing God’s justice.
Old Testament social legislation pointed to the coming (and present) kingdom of God with principles that were economically gracious: the provision for the gleaning of the poor by not harvesting everything one could (Ruth); the provision of the sabbath for the land and for indebted people; the cancellation of debts with Israelites and resident aliens in the seventh year-thus stressing neighbor love (Deut. 15:1-6); the command to lend without interest to one’s neighbor (Deut. 15:7-11); the release of Israelite slaves on the seventh year (Deut. 15:12-18); the provision of Jubilee, by which the hopelessly indebted could start again (Leviticus 25); the command that kings and leaders must not enrich themselves by that leadership but should live simply as brother-leaders (Deut. 17:16-20).
While these commands are not to be slavishly followed under the circumstances of the new covenant, they reflect a minimum standard for economic life for people “in Christ.”
Christian stewardship cares for the earth, releases debts, empowers the poor, brings dignity to the marginalized and equalizes opportunity. But there is also direct giving.
Probably no other single factor indicates our true spirituality more than what we do with the wealth we have and in what spirit we share it.
Christian giving is marked by hilarity (Luke 6:38; 2 Cor. 9:7) that takes us beyond a calculated tithe and reflects the generosity of God.
The Lord might well ask in this area as in others, “What more do you do than the pagans who know not God? And why?”
First, we are to invest primarily in people, especially the poor. The only treasure we can take from this life to the next is the relationships we have made through Jesus (Luke 16:9). The treasures in heaven are relationships that have been formed through the gracious use of money, the investment of the things of this life in a world without end, often in the context of everyday work.
Second, we are to give wisely and carefully. It was John Wesley who advised: “Gain all you can, save all you can, give all you can.”But the giving must take us beyond merely relieving the symptoms of people’s distress through giving alms.
Almsgiving may be a perversion of giving, because, as Ellul (p. 112) shows, it binds the recipient in an obligatory relationship, demands gratitude and does not usually address the reasons behind the person’s poverty.
So individuals and churches should invest in people and causes grappling with the systemic powers that hold people in bondage to a cycle of poverty.
There may be no greater area of discernment needed for the Christian in everyday life than to decide when, where and how to give money away.
Third, some form of voluntary impoverishment is required of all followers of Jesus.It is not sufficient to say, as many do, “The rich young ruler was a special case” (see Matthew 19:16-30).
We are all in need of profaning the false god of Mammon and relativizing wealth in this life as something less than full treasure in heaven.There are several dimensions of voluntary impoverishment.We start by relinquishing ownership to God.We practice continuous thanksgiving, which is the only way to become content whatever our circumstances (Phil. 4:12-13).
We should pay our taxes with a generous heart, knowing that some of this is being used to provide services and care for the poor and disadvantaged.We should give directly to the poor with no strings attached as personally as possible (Luke 16:9; Stevens, pp. 159-65).
We should give to God’s global work (2 Cor. 8-9).
Finally we should be ready, if so commanded by Christ, to sell all. Christian people do not have a monopoly on giving, any more than they have a monopoly on gifts of teaching and administration or showing mercy. What makes giving a spiritual ministry, as Paul notes in Romans 12:7-8, is an extra anointing that God gives to people who are harmonizing themselves with God’s Spirit.
Then those who show mercy do it “cheerfully,” and those contributing to the needs of others “generously.” Throughout the New Testament it is the interiority of the matter that is emphasized: freedom from manipulation and covetousness, motivated by true love for God and neighbor. As Jacques Ellul notes, “Ultimately, we follow what we have loved most intensely either into eternity or into death” (Matthew 6:21; Ellul, p. 83).
Article By R Paul Stevens
Originally published in The Complete Book of Everyday Christianity by Robert Banks and R. Paul Stevens.
©1997 by Robert Banks and R. Paul Stevens.
Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA.
www.ivpress.com
References and Resources
1. J. M. Bassler, Asking for Money in the New Testament (Nashville: Abingdon, 1991);
2. J. Chrysostom, On Wealth and Poverty, trans. C. P. Roth (Crestwood, N.Y.: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1984);
3. J. Ellul, Money and Power, trans. L. Neff (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1984);
4. R. Foster, Money, Sex and Power (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985);
5. D. J. Hall, Stewardship of Life in the Kingdom of Death (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988);
6. J. C. Haughey, The Holy Use of Money: Personal Finances in the Light of the Christian Faith (New York: Doubleday, 1986);
7. L. T. Johnson, Sharing Possessions: Mandate and Symbol of Faith (London: SCM Press, 1981);
8. R. J. Sider, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger (Dallas: Word, 1990);
9. R. P. Stevens, Disciplines of the Hungry Heart (Wheaton, Ill: Harold Shaw, 1993);
10. C. J. H. Wright, God’s People in God’s Land: Family, Land and Property in the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990).
Hardly anyone wants to be poor; most people would like to be rich. Wealth brings power, standing in the community, increased leisure and freedom from worry-so it is thought.
Not surprisingly, in the richest part of the world many Christians are preaching a “prosperity gospel”-that faithfulness to Jesus will lead to personal wealth.
Tragically, this distorted message is now taking root in some of the poorest countries of the world. Is wealth a sign of God’s blessing? Is money the main measure of wealth? Why does money “talk”? Does the Bible endorse wealth, promote it or exclude it? How are we to respond in spirit and action? Our souls hang on our answers to these questions.
Wealth as Power
Principalities and powers form an invisible background to our life in this world. One of those powers is money. Mammon, as it is sometimes called, comes from an Aramaic word, amen, which means firmness or stability. It is not surprising that a common English phrase is “the almighty dollar.”
As an alternative god, mammon inspires devotion, induces guilt, claims to give us security and seems omnipresent-a godlike thing (Foster, p. 28). It is invested with spiritual power that can enslave us, replacing single-minded love for God and neighbor with buying-selling relationships in which even the soul can be bought (Rev. 18:11-13). So money, wicked “mammon” (Luke 16:9 KJV), is a form or appearance of another power (Ephes. 1:21; Ellul, pp. 76-77, 81, 93). “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). Joseph, the righteous and Jesus are sold (Amos 2:6).
Money is not the only form of wealth, and not the first one named in Scripture. In ancient societies of Old Testament times, real wealth was associated with land. Even today in many Third World countries, land is the only permanent possession. Crops, cattle and houses could be destroyed by calamity, but the land will remain. So will the family.
In God’s threefold promise to the descendants of Abraham (presence of God, peoplehood and a place to belong), the land figures prominently. Poised on the edge of Canaan, Israel was promised a good land to gain wealth. “Remember the Lord your God . . . gives you the ability to produce wealth” (Deut. 8:18).
Land belonged to God but was trusted to families.When the land had been mortgaged or sold to pay debts, the Jubilee year (Leviticus 25) was the instrument of returning land to the original families.
How this applies to Christians today is a sensitive question. The meaning of “in the land” to Israel has now been encompassed by the phrase “in Christ” through which both Jews and Gentiles become joint heirs (Ephes. 3:6). This includes economic sharing and justice but does not literally mean a common piece of geography (see Stewardship). So we are already seeing that Scripture appears to be ambiguous on this subject.
There are two voices of Scripture: one blessing the rich, the other cursing; one declaring that wealth is a sign of God’s redemptive love to make us flourish on earth, the other declaring that wicked mammon (Luke 16:9), usually gained at the expense of the poor, is an alternative god (see Money). We need to look at each of these in turn.
Wealth as Blessing
The idea that wealth is a sign of God’s blessing(Deut. 30:9; Proverbs 22:4) is illustrated by the lives of Abraham, Job and Solomon.
In contrast to those who praised the Lord because they were rich (Zech. 11:5) but were soon to be judged, it is noteworthy that each of these exemplars depended on God rather than their wealth (Genesis 13:8-18; Job 1:21).
The wise person in Proverbs is essentially a better-off person with servants-equivalent to our modern household machines;-- neither fabulously wealthy nor living in grinding poverty.Some wealth is a good thing; too much or too little would be alienating from God (Proverbs 30:9).
So the wise person prays, “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread” (Proverbs 30:8).The prosperity gospel now being preached worldwide is not satisfied with a comfortable existence or merely praying for our daily bread.
We can critique it on at least three grounds. First, it encourages perverted motives: focusing on profitability. Second, it misinterprets God’s deepest concerns for us: material well-being rather than total well-being. Third, it misinterprets God’s promises to Israel as immediately applicable to Christians without being fulfilled and transfigured in Christ (compare 1 Tim. 6:3-10).
Nevertheless, the Old Testament clearly presents wealth as a means of God’s grace.
Wealth as Sacrament
The Old Testament affirms that God is the true owner, proprietor and giver of wealth (1 Samuel 2:7-8; Proverbs 3:16; Eccles. 5:19; Hosea 2:8). We are merely stewards (Proverbs 3:9). But the fact that God gives wealth, indiscriminately it seems, produces what Jacques Ellul calls “the scandal of wealth.” God sometimes gives wealth to the wicked (Job 21:7-21; Psalm 73:12-13).
Why would God do this if wealth were a sign of being blessed?
Contrary to the common argument that wealth is the result of “our hard-earned labor” or “our faithfulness,” the Old Testament takes a more sacramental view.
Wealth is a free gift of God, a sign of God’s grace given generously and without merit.
Further, wealth points to the final consummation when our wealth will be taken into the Holy City (Isaiah 60:3; Rev. 21:24-26; see Ellul, p. 66).
It is a gross and dangerous oversimplification to say the Old Testament endorses wealth as the blessing of God and the New Testament proclaims it is a curse.
Wealth as Temptation
Even the Old Testament warns that the pursuit of wealth for its own sake is vain and harmful, leading to self-destructive autonomy (Psalm 49:6-7; Proverbs 23:4-5; Proverbs 28:20; Proverbs 30:8-9; Hosea 12:8).
Proverbs 10:15, for example, “The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,” is illuminated by Proverbs 18:11, “They imagine it an unscalable wall.” Wealth is an illusionary security. Wealth will not satisfy (Psalm 49:6-7; Eccles. 5:10).
Several points need to be made here.
First, no one is made right with God (justified) by the fair acquisition of wealth (Proverbs 13:11) or by dispersing it on behalf of the poor. In the absence of a “principle” or “doctrine” about money, we are called to find our justification not in our use of money but in our relationship to God. We are accepted by faith through grace.
Second, instead of becoming stewards of wealth for the benefit of the poor (Proverbs 31:5, 8-9), we are tempted to use what wealth we have to dominate others (Amos 2:6)-a subject taken up by John Chrysostom in his sermons on Luke 16. Just as the brothers of Joseph enjoyed their fine meal and did not “grieve over the ruin of Joseph” (Amos 6:6; Genesis 37:25), very few wealthy people have been able to resist becoming desensitized to the poor.
Third, especially reprehensible is yielding to the temptation to enlist God’s Word to serve our lust for wealth (2 Kings 5:20-27; Micah 3:11), to “baptize” greed, a matter symbolized in the commercialized temple which Jesus cleansed.
When we turn to the New Testament we discover that “Jesus Christ strips wealth of the sacramental character that we have recognized in the Old Testament” (Matthew 6:24; Luke 6:30; Luke 12:33; Ellul, p. 70).
The rich fool trusts in his barns and investments and is not ready to meet God, nor is known by God. The rich already have their comfort (Luke 6:24); they have nothing to look forward to.The rich young man must give everything away and follow Jesus. True wealth is not the accumulation of houses, farms, jewels and money but something more.
Though these passages seem to argue for an antiwealth New Testament ethic, it is not that simple. Jesus affirmed the extravagant and wasteful display of love when the woman poured perfume on him head: “She has done a beautiful thing to me” (Mark 14:1-11). And Jesus himself accepted the generous financial support of women with means (Luke 8:3). How are we to resolve this tension?
Heavenly Wealth
Unquestionably many of Jesus’ negative statements about the rich and the wealthy are addressed to the spiritual malady fed by material abundance.
“Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15; compare James 5:1-6).
As an alternative god wealth must be repudiated, if necessary by giving it all away (compare Luke 16:13).Ultimate security and blessing cannot be found in the accumulation of things (compare Matthew 6:19).
At this point Scripture gives us a harmonious, though disturbing, single message. Possessions are solely and simply a matter of stewardship, not ownership, and this life’s assets are to be used with a heavenly orientation.
What are these heavenly treasures, and how do they relate to everyday wealth, or the lack of it?
We gain an important paradigmatic perspective on this question from the Old Testament.
There the inheritance received by Israel through the promise was a threefold blessing:a. the presence of God (“I will be with you”),b. the people (“you will be my people; I will be your God”) andc. a place to belong (“the land will be yours”).
As noted above, what we are given “in Christ” more than fulfills the promises made to Abraham and his descendants.God is with us in an empowering way through the Spirit. What greater treasure can there be than to belong to God and be known by him?
In Christ we experience peoplehood, a new family with hundreds of brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, children and lands (Matthew 19:29; Mark 10:29-30; see Church-Family).
The promise of a place is fulfilled doubly: first in true fellowship here on earth through a full sharing of life with other believers, and second in the place which Christ has prepared for us (John 14:2) in the new heaven and new earth, the city of God (Hebrews 11:13-16).Presence, peoplehood and a place-these are true wealth for the Christian.Money in the bank, ownership certificates of bonds and title deeds to properties are only an optional extra to this wealth.
But what are we to do with the temporal wealth God has entrusted to us?
Stewards of Wealth
Stewardship is much more than giving money to the church or to charities.
It is caring for God’s creation, managing God’s household, bringing God’s justice.
Old Testament social legislation pointed to the coming (and present) kingdom of God with principles that were economically gracious: the provision for the gleaning of the poor by not harvesting everything one could (Ruth); the provision of the sabbath for the land and for indebted people; the cancellation of debts with Israelites and resident aliens in the seventh year-thus stressing neighbor love (Deut. 15:1-6); the command to lend without interest to one’s neighbor (Deut. 15:7-11); the release of Israelite slaves on the seventh year (Deut. 15:12-18); the provision of Jubilee, by which the hopelessly indebted could start again (Leviticus 25); the command that kings and leaders must not enrich themselves by that leadership but should live simply as brother-leaders (Deut. 17:16-20).
While these commands are not to be slavishly followed under the circumstances of the new covenant, they reflect a minimum standard for economic life for people “in Christ.”
Christian stewardship cares for the earth, releases debts, empowers the poor, brings dignity to the marginalized and equalizes opportunity. But there is also direct giving.
Probably no other single factor indicates our true spirituality more than what we do with the wealth we have and in what spirit we share it.
Christian giving is marked by hilarity (Luke 6:38; 2 Cor. 9:7) that takes us beyond a calculated tithe and reflects the generosity of God.
The Lord might well ask in this area as in others, “What more do you do than the pagans who know not God? And why?”
First, we are to invest primarily in people, especially the poor. The only treasure we can take from this life to the next is the relationships we have made through Jesus (Luke 16:9). The treasures in heaven are relationships that have been formed through the gracious use of money, the investment of the things of this life in a world without end, often in the context of everyday work.
Second, we are to give wisely and carefully. It was John Wesley who advised: “Gain all you can, save all you can, give all you can.”But the giving must take us beyond merely relieving the symptoms of people’s distress through giving alms.
Almsgiving may be a perversion of giving, because, as Ellul (p. 112) shows, it binds the recipient in an obligatory relationship, demands gratitude and does not usually address the reasons behind the person’s poverty.
So individuals and churches should invest in people and causes grappling with the systemic powers that hold people in bondage to a cycle of poverty.
There may be no greater area of discernment needed for the Christian in everyday life than to decide when, where and how to give money away.
Third, some form of voluntary impoverishment is required of all followers of Jesus.It is not sufficient to say, as many do, “The rich young ruler was a special case” (see Matthew 19:16-30).
We are all in need of profaning the false god of Mammon and relativizing wealth in this life as something less than full treasure in heaven.There are several dimensions of voluntary impoverishment.We start by relinquishing ownership to God.We practice continuous thanksgiving, which is the only way to become content whatever our circumstances (Phil. 4:12-13).
We should pay our taxes with a generous heart, knowing that some of this is being used to provide services and care for the poor and disadvantaged.We should give directly to the poor with no strings attached as personally as possible (Luke 16:9; Stevens, pp. 159-65).
We should give to God’s global work (2 Cor. 8-9).
Finally we should be ready, if so commanded by Christ, to sell all. Christian people do not have a monopoly on giving, any more than they have a monopoly on gifts of teaching and administration or showing mercy. What makes giving a spiritual ministry, as Paul notes in Romans 12:7-8, is an extra anointing that God gives to people who are harmonizing themselves with God’s Spirit.
Then those who show mercy do it “cheerfully,” and those contributing to the needs of others “generously.” Throughout the New Testament it is the interiority of the matter that is emphasized: freedom from manipulation and covetousness, motivated by true love for God and neighbor. As Jacques Ellul notes, “Ultimately, we follow what we have loved most intensely either into eternity or into death” (Matthew 6:21; Ellul, p. 83).
Article By R Paul Stevens
Originally published in The Complete Book of Everyday Christianity by Robert Banks and R. Paul Stevens.
©1997 by Robert Banks and R. Paul Stevens.
Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA.
www.ivpress.com
References and Resources
1. J. M. Bassler, Asking for Money in the New Testament (Nashville: Abingdon, 1991);
2. J. Chrysostom, On Wealth and Poverty, trans. C. P. Roth (Crestwood, N.Y.: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1984);
3. J. Ellul, Money and Power, trans. L. Neff (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1984);
4. R. Foster, Money, Sex and Power (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985);
5. D. J. Hall, Stewardship of Life in the Kingdom of Death (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988);
6. J. C. Haughey, The Holy Use of Money: Personal Finances in the Light of the Christian Faith (New York: Doubleday, 1986);
7. L. T. Johnson, Sharing Possessions: Mandate and Symbol of Faith (London: SCM Press, 1981);
8. R. J. Sider, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger (Dallas: Word, 1990);
9. R. P. Stevens, Disciplines of the Hungry Heart (Wheaton, Ill: Harold Shaw, 1993);
10. C. J. H. Wright, God’s People in God’s Land: Family, Land and Property in the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990).
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
When You're a Prisoner of Yourself
Found the perfect description of what happens when we allow a personal flaw or struggle to so dominate our lives that we think everyone else sees us the same way as our inner critic.
This is an excerpt from an interview in Good Weekend (Mar 3, 2007). The subject shares about his sexuality crisis and how he tried to keep it a secret for fear of how others would view him. What's remarkable is that the conclusion he came to could very well apply to our own thorns in the flesh. Replace references to homosexuality with your own particular challenge and see what I mean.
========================================================
I've learned since then that the true torture of the closet is that you are at heart a prisoner of yourself: of how you see yourself, and how you imagine others will see you. Homophobia plays a large role, and to that extent it keeps you locked away. The problem is that you eventually see hatred even where it doesn't exist, and become a victim of something you are only guessing is waiting to harm you.
For the duration of the shoot, life felt good nearly all of the time, even with the limitations my heart and mind were placing on it. As the film came to an end, I could look at my life and imagine it as a party, with everyone gathered to celebrate my success. If I excused my secret from the room, asked it to stand outside, I could look around at the gathering that remained and be grateful that I had come so far and built such remarkable friendships. Then I'd invite my secret back inside, and realise that the only person in the room who still hadn't worked out how to like me, was me.
This is an excerpt from an interview in Good Weekend (Mar 3, 2007). The subject shares about his sexuality crisis and how he tried to keep it a secret for fear of how others would view him. What's remarkable is that the conclusion he came to could very well apply to our own thorns in the flesh. Replace references to homosexuality with your own particular challenge and see what I mean.
========================================================
I've learned since then that the true torture of the closet is that you are at heart a prisoner of yourself: of how you see yourself, and how you imagine others will see you. Homophobia plays a large role, and to that extent it keeps you locked away. The problem is that you eventually see hatred even where it doesn't exist, and become a victim of something you are only guessing is waiting to harm you.
For the duration of the shoot, life felt good nearly all of the time, even with the limitations my heart and mind were placing on it. As the film came to an end, I could look at my life and imagine it as a party, with everyone gathered to celebrate my success. If I excused my secret from the room, asked it to stand outside, I could look around at the gathering that remained and be grateful that I had come so far and built such remarkable friendships. Then I'd invite my secret back inside, and realise that the only person in the room who still hadn't worked out how to like me, was me.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Time Management vs Self Management
Are you someone who makes lists of all the things you need to do? At the end of the day when you review your list, are you disappointed because you haven't accomplished as much as you would have liked? Does this sound familiar to you?
We hear a lot about time management and how we need to organise ourselves and manage our time more effectively. In order to regulate our time, new ways of thinking and being need to be developed. Our attitudes and beliefs need to be identified and at times altered in order to make beneficial changes. We need to develop self management strategies. When we manage ourselves better we tend to be less overwhelmed, more productive and happier.
There are various models for time management. One is making daily and/or weekly lists, then prioritising which items are the most important and tending to those first. Of course the challenge is that is if you don't like some of the tasks, you probably tend to avoid doing them. (I know this strategy intimately.) It also does not account for all of the complications which arise nowadays on the job. Emails, voice mails, urgent requests which must be dealt with immediately, or conference calls; modern technology has made our lives easier and more complicated at the same time. We are generally expected to do more in less time and with less support.
Steven Covey in his book, First Things First breaks tasks down into 4 quadrants:
§ Urgent and Important,
§ Not Urgent and Important,
§ Urgent and Not Important, and
§ Not Urgent and Not Important.
There is a great deal of value in this model and certainly gets one thinking about how to define the many things one has to do. The difficulty is that important projects can become urgent if one has procrastinated and that isn't necessarily a helpful way to operate. It would also be relevant to identify what is important to you and spend time doing that as well, because it might never become urgent. For example, your family may be very important to you, but you frequently miss your child's school or sporting events. Or your partner wants to spend more time with you, but somehow you don't make it happen. It's important, but not urgent. The other concern is when do unimportant things get tended to.
So how can we get things done in ways which are more productive and less stressful? David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, states that it is not about managing time, but rather about managing our actions. What would it be like for you to fully dedicate 100% of your attention to whatever task was present, of your own choosing with no distraction?
Allen says it is possible to get things done with minimal effort in both your personal and professional life while staying relaxed. Athletes describe it as being in the "zone". His strategy is to first get you thinking. What is something you want to accomplish? What outcome do you want to achieve and what is the very next action you need to do in order to move your project forward? Try this exercise and notice if there were any changes in your mood and perspective.
In addition, Allen has identified a five-stage method for managing workflow. These are described as:
§ Collect things that command our attention
§ Process what they mean and what to do about them
§ Organise the results
§ Review options for what we identify as needing to do
§ Do
This way of looking at things seems reasonable and many of us probably do something which resembles this. However, difficulties arise if there is a breakdown in any of the stages and ultimately it leads to what we choose to do or not do.
Allen's model for choosing actions in the moment includes the following:
Context - Does it require a particular location (office, home) and what tools are required (computer, phone, etc.) Time Available - When do you have to do something else? If you have a conference call in 15 minutes, then there are many things you won't be able to do.
Energy Available - Evaluate how much energy you have in the moment. Some tasks may require more physical energy, while others need creative energy
Priority - Given your context, time and energy what action will give you the biggest payoff? You are at your office and you have 30 minutes before a meeting and your energy level is low. View this as an opportunity to rely on your intuition to determine what to do next. Perhaps reading your emails or proofreading a report is the most you can manage.
We need to think about our work before we do it. Planning for it, as well as paying attention to what we are thinking and feeling leads to greater productivity with less effort. What better way to then have the time to do more of what we really enjoy!
Copyright © 2006 by Gail Solish. All rights reserved.
Gail Solish, MSW, RSW provides Executive/Personal coaching to managers, directors and executives focused on workplace development and relationship management.
Claim your FREE e-course "Unleash Your Potential and Increase Productivity and Fulfillment" at www.ActualizeYourGoals.com.
We hear a lot about time management and how we need to organise ourselves and manage our time more effectively. In order to regulate our time, new ways of thinking and being need to be developed. Our attitudes and beliefs need to be identified and at times altered in order to make beneficial changes. We need to develop self management strategies. When we manage ourselves better we tend to be less overwhelmed, more productive and happier.
There are various models for time management. One is making daily and/or weekly lists, then prioritising which items are the most important and tending to those first. Of course the challenge is that is if you don't like some of the tasks, you probably tend to avoid doing them. (I know this strategy intimately.) It also does not account for all of the complications which arise nowadays on the job. Emails, voice mails, urgent requests which must be dealt with immediately, or conference calls; modern technology has made our lives easier and more complicated at the same time. We are generally expected to do more in less time and with less support.
Steven Covey in his book, First Things First breaks tasks down into 4 quadrants:
§ Urgent and Important,
§ Not Urgent and Important,
§ Urgent and Not Important, and
§ Not Urgent and Not Important.
There is a great deal of value in this model and certainly gets one thinking about how to define the many things one has to do. The difficulty is that important projects can become urgent if one has procrastinated and that isn't necessarily a helpful way to operate. It would also be relevant to identify what is important to you and spend time doing that as well, because it might never become urgent. For example, your family may be very important to you, but you frequently miss your child's school or sporting events. Or your partner wants to spend more time with you, but somehow you don't make it happen. It's important, but not urgent. The other concern is when do unimportant things get tended to.
So how can we get things done in ways which are more productive and less stressful? David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, states that it is not about managing time, but rather about managing our actions. What would it be like for you to fully dedicate 100% of your attention to whatever task was present, of your own choosing with no distraction?
Allen says it is possible to get things done with minimal effort in both your personal and professional life while staying relaxed. Athletes describe it as being in the "zone". His strategy is to first get you thinking. What is something you want to accomplish? What outcome do you want to achieve and what is the very next action you need to do in order to move your project forward? Try this exercise and notice if there were any changes in your mood and perspective.
In addition, Allen has identified a five-stage method for managing workflow. These are described as:
§ Collect things that command our attention
§ Process what they mean and what to do about them
§ Organise the results
§ Review options for what we identify as needing to do
§ Do
This way of looking at things seems reasonable and many of us probably do something which resembles this. However, difficulties arise if there is a breakdown in any of the stages and ultimately it leads to what we choose to do or not do.
Allen's model for choosing actions in the moment includes the following:
Context - Does it require a particular location (office, home) and what tools are required (computer, phone, etc.) Time Available - When do you have to do something else? If you have a conference call in 15 minutes, then there are many things you won't be able to do.
Energy Available - Evaluate how much energy you have in the moment. Some tasks may require more physical energy, while others need creative energy
Priority - Given your context, time and energy what action will give you the biggest payoff? You are at your office and you have 30 minutes before a meeting and your energy level is low. View this as an opportunity to rely on your intuition to determine what to do next. Perhaps reading your emails or proofreading a report is the most you can manage.
We need to think about our work before we do it. Planning for it, as well as paying attention to what we are thinking and feeling leads to greater productivity with less effort. What better way to then have the time to do more of what we really enjoy!
Copyright © 2006 by Gail Solish. All rights reserved.
Gail Solish, MSW, RSW provides Executive/Personal coaching to managers, directors and executives focused on workplace development and relationship management.
Claim your FREE e-course "Unleash Your Potential and Increase Productivity and Fulfillment" at www.ActualizeYourGoals.com.
Monday, March 12, 2007
The Biggest Loser
This reality TV show is currently screening 7 pm weeknights on Channel Ten. Weight-challenged contestants (the lightest of whom weighed in at 109 kg at the start of the show) compete to see who can lose the most kilos and take home $250k.
Here's what our congregation was invited to consider in the lead up to Easter:
"So what challenge have you taken up as you make your preparation for the Easter events? Is there some deliberate sacrifice you have made as a means of marking your preparation? Perhaps you could determine to go and visit someone you know who is lonely or hard to love. Maybe you could do some baking for someone who is frail and living alone. What about spending some deliberate time at a designated hour of the day when you will pray, read and reflect on the meaning of your faith. And of course, you could decide to stop being so busy for a while so that you can discover what you have given up because of your constant activity.
...Australia's biggest losers are not those who are able to shed many kilograms, which is good for the physical well being. The biggest losers today are those who fail to appreciate the positive blessings which flow from spiritual discipline.
Whatever your situation, decide to do something to make your life, your heart and your soul ready for the surprising benefits of spending time with God."
Here's what our congregation was invited to consider in the lead up to Easter:
"So what challenge have you taken up as you make your preparation for the Easter events? Is there some deliberate sacrifice you have made as a means of marking your preparation? Perhaps you could determine to go and visit someone you know who is lonely or hard to love. Maybe you could do some baking for someone who is frail and living alone. What about spending some deliberate time at a designated hour of the day when you will pray, read and reflect on the meaning of your faith. And of course, you could decide to stop being so busy for a while so that you can discover what you have given up because of your constant activity.
...Australia's biggest losers are not those who are able to shed many kilograms, which is good for the physical well being. The biggest losers today are those who fail to appreciate the positive blessings which flow from spiritual discipline.
Whatever your situation, decide to do something to make your life, your heart and your soul ready for the surprising benefits of spending time with God."
Lenten Reflections
From the HXUCA bulletin
A LENTEN PRAYER
I thank you God for the sacrifices made on my behalf by Jesus Christ.
Help me during this time of Lent to be deliberate in spending time in your presence so that I may come to a point of more fully appreciating your sacrifice for the world.
Give me the strength to give something up - a habit, an excess, something that you have been reminding me of.
Amen.
Reflections
I have to be deliberate, determined, and disciplined in spending time with God. This means effort and persistence, not just wanting and wishing.
It means engaging in the daily self-talk that acknowledges my weaknesses (wanting to sleep just a few minutes more, thinking "Maybe I'll do this tomorrow") and chooses what's right over what's comfortable.
It's allowing the head to rule the heart, or the body for that matter.
It's putting my personal comfort and love of ease on the scales against the enormous sacrifice God made by sending Jesus to the cross for me - why me? - weak, unholy, inconsiderate, self-absorbed, cowardly, lazy, timid, conflicted me.
What have I done to deserve this sacrifice?
And what have I done in response to this sacrifice?
May I be awed and humbled by the meaning of Good Friday and Easter Sunday a little more each year.
A LENTEN PRAYER
I thank you God for the sacrifices made on my behalf by Jesus Christ.
Help me during this time of Lent to be deliberate in spending time in your presence so that I may come to a point of more fully appreciating your sacrifice for the world.
Give me the strength to give something up - a habit, an excess, something that you have been reminding me of.
Amen.
Reflections
I have to be deliberate, determined, and disciplined in spending time with God. This means effort and persistence, not just wanting and wishing.
It means engaging in the daily self-talk that acknowledges my weaknesses (wanting to sleep just a few minutes more, thinking "Maybe I'll do this tomorrow") and chooses what's right over what's comfortable.
It's allowing the head to rule the heart, or the body for that matter.
It's putting my personal comfort and love of ease on the scales against the enormous sacrifice God made by sending Jesus to the cross for me - why me? - weak, unholy, inconsiderate, self-absorbed, cowardly, lazy, timid, conflicted me.
What have I done to deserve this sacrifice?
And what have I done in response to this sacrifice?
May I be awed and humbled by the meaning of Good Friday and Easter Sunday a little more each year.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Take Personal Responsibility
From Kim Fulcher's Compass Life Designs Newsletter
Serena:
I've been following Kim Fulcher's newsletter for 2 months or so and find her writing immensely helpful. She's just started a series of articles on personal effectiveness, a topic that's close to my heart, and this is the first of them. It's on taking responsibility for our circumstances, something we know at the head level but sometimes find difficult to practise. It's easier to whine and point the finger at someone or something other than ourselves, because that means we don't need to do anything about it! But if we make a lifelong habit of doing so, we're just allowing ourselves to stay stuck. Ultimately, we have to ask ourselves if that's worth it.
Principle Number One:
Embrace Personal Responsibility
No one is responsible for your life circumstances except you. Yes, people and events may impact you in ways you cannot control, but ultimately you are the only person who can decide what you do with the experiences you’ve had, the dreams you aspire to, and the actions you take each day.
To be responsible quite literally means that you are “able to respond” to the events of your life. This ability to take in the present conditions of your life at any given time and to decide if those circumstances are working for you or not is always present. You always retain the power to take action and to change circumstances that aren’t measuring up to your standards.
One of the most debilitating, yet common, challenges I work with clients to overcome is what I refer to as a victim mentality. Perhaps you’ve had a difficult childhood and that has anchored you in a self-defeating cycle of feeling powerless and devalued. It’s possible that your heart was broken by an ex-lover who betrayed you or by a malicious co-worker who contributed to your being fired. In fact, it’s probable that you’ve been on the short end of the stick at least once in your life.
Don’t let these isolated experiences take away your power! It’s time to get real and to think logically for a moment. Most of us had difficult childhood experiences. In fact, I’ve never met an individual who came from a stereotypically “functional” family. I’m not sure there is any such thing. Yet this experience doesn’t keep effective people stuck in the past.
Most of us have had our hearts broken or been on the receiving end of less than optimal treatment in the workplace. Yet, the great majority of us have survived. In fact, you have too! Don’t allow your victim story to rob you of the life you deserve to live. Whatever your story is, let it go.
Effective people don’t live in the past. They’ve learned from the past. Then they’ve let it go. They live each day in the present, with their eye on the future they wish to create. When something bad happens, they take in the facts, invest themselves in their power, and take responsibility to address the situation in a way that compliments the life they want to live.
You are so powerful! Don’t give your power to the past—to people who have hurt you or to the experiences that undermined your self-confidence. Step into the full magnificence of who you are, investing yourself in the belief that you can handle anything that comes your way. Then take responsibility to handle it.
Until Next Week…Kim
Serena:
I've been following Kim Fulcher's newsletter for 2 months or so and find her writing immensely helpful. She's just started a series of articles on personal effectiveness, a topic that's close to my heart, and this is the first of them. It's on taking responsibility for our circumstances, something we know at the head level but sometimes find difficult to practise. It's easier to whine and point the finger at someone or something other than ourselves, because that means we don't need to do anything about it! But if we make a lifelong habit of doing so, we're just allowing ourselves to stay stuck. Ultimately, we have to ask ourselves if that's worth it.
Principle Number One:
Embrace Personal Responsibility
No one is responsible for your life circumstances except you. Yes, people and events may impact you in ways you cannot control, but ultimately you are the only person who can decide what you do with the experiences you’ve had, the dreams you aspire to, and the actions you take each day.
To be responsible quite literally means that you are “able to respond” to the events of your life. This ability to take in the present conditions of your life at any given time and to decide if those circumstances are working for you or not is always present. You always retain the power to take action and to change circumstances that aren’t measuring up to your standards.
One of the most debilitating, yet common, challenges I work with clients to overcome is what I refer to as a victim mentality. Perhaps you’ve had a difficult childhood and that has anchored you in a self-defeating cycle of feeling powerless and devalued. It’s possible that your heart was broken by an ex-lover who betrayed you or by a malicious co-worker who contributed to your being fired. In fact, it’s probable that you’ve been on the short end of the stick at least once in your life.
Don’t let these isolated experiences take away your power! It’s time to get real and to think logically for a moment. Most of us had difficult childhood experiences. In fact, I’ve never met an individual who came from a stereotypically “functional” family. I’m not sure there is any such thing. Yet this experience doesn’t keep effective people stuck in the past.
Most of us have had our hearts broken or been on the receiving end of less than optimal treatment in the workplace. Yet, the great majority of us have survived. In fact, you have too! Don’t allow your victim story to rob you of the life you deserve to live. Whatever your story is, let it go.
Effective people don’t live in the past. They’ve learned from the past. Then they’ve let it go. They live each day in the present, with their eye on the future they wish to create. When something bad happens, they take in the facts, invest themselves in their power, and take responsibility to address the situation in a way that compliments the life they want to live.
You are so powerful! Don’t give your power to the past—to people who have hurt you or to the experiences that undermined your self-confidence. Step into the full magnificence of who you are, investing yourself in the belief that you can handle anything that comes your way. Then take responsibility to handle it.
Until Next Week…Kim
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
The PDCA Cycle
Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA)
Implementing new ideas in a controlled way
Also known as the PDCA Cycle, or Deming Cycle
From MindTools.com
Something needs to change: Something's wrong, and needs to be fixed, and you've worked hard to create a credible vision of where you want it to be in future. But are you 100% sure that you're right? And are you absolutely certain that your solution will work perfectly, in every way? Where the consequences of getting things wrong are significant, it often makes sense to run a well-crafted pilot project. That way if the pilot doesn't deliver the results you expected, you get the chance to fix and improve things before you fully commit your reputation and resources.
So how do you make sure that you get this right, not just this time but every time? The solution is to have a process that you follow when you need to make a change or solve a problem, a process that will ensure you plan, test and incorporate feedback before you commit to implementation.
A popular tool for doing just this is the Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle. This is often referred to as the Deming Cycle or the Deming Wheel after its exponent, W Edwards Deming. Deming is best known as a pioneer of the quality management approach and for introducing statistical process control techniques for manufacturing to the Japanese, who used them with great success. He believed that a key source of production quality lay in having clearly defined, repeatable processes. And so the PDCA Cycle as an approach to change and problem solving is very much at the heart of Deming’s quality-driven philosophy.
The four phases in the Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle involve:
Plan: Identifying and analyzing the problem;
Do: Developing and testing a potential solution;
Check: Measuring how effective the test solution was, and analyzing whether it could be improved in any way; and
Act: Implementing the improved solution fully.
These are shown in Figure 1 below.
There can be any number of iterations of the “Do” and “Check” phases, as the solution is refined, retested, re-refined and retested again.
How to Use the Tool
The PDCA Cycle encourages you to be methodical in your approach to problem solving and implementing solutions. Follow the steps below every time to ensure you get the highest quality solution possible.
Step 1: Plan
First, identify exactly what your problem is. You may find it useful to use tools like Drill Down, Cause and Effect Diagrams, and the 5 Whys to help you really get to the root of it. Once you’ve done this, it may be appropriate for you to map the process that is at the root of the problemNext, draw together any other information you need that will help you start sketching out solutions.
Step 2: Do
This phase involves several activities:
Generate possible solutions;
Select the best of these solutions, perhaps using techniques like Impact Analysis to scrutinize them; and
Implement a pilot project on a small scale basis, with a small group, or in a limited geographical area, or using some other trial design appropriate to the nature of your problem, product or initiative.
Our section on Practical Creativity includes several tools that can help you generate ideas and solutions. Our section on Decision Making includes a number of tools that will help you to choose in a scientific and dispassionate way between the various potential solutions you generate.
Note:
The phrase “Plan Do Check Act” or PDCA is easy to remember, but it’s important you are quite clear exactly what “Do” means. “”Do” means “Try” or “Test”. It does not mean “Implement fully.” Full implementation happens in the “Act” phase.
Step 3: Check
In this phase, you measure how effective the pilot solution has been, and gather together any learnings from it that could make it even better. Depending on the success of the pilot, the number of areas for improvement you have identified, and the scope of the whole initiative, you may decide to repeat the “Do” and “Check” phases, incorporating your additional improvements. Once you are finally satisfied that the costs would outweigh the benefits of repeating the Do-Check sub-cycle any more, you can move on to the final phase.
Step 4: Act
Now you implement your solution fully. However, your use of the PDCA Cycle doesn’t necessarily stop there. If you are using the PDCA or Deming Wheel as part of a continuous improvement initiative, you need to loop back to the Plan Phase (Step 1), and seek out further areas for improvement.
When to use the Deming Cycle
The Deming Cycle provides a useful, controlled problem solving process. It is particularly effective for:
Helping implement Kaizen or Continuous Improvement approaches, when the cycle is repeated again and again as new areas for improvement are sought and solved.
Identifying new solutions and improvement to processes that are repeated frequently. In this situation, you will benefit from extra improvements built in to the process many times over once it is implemented.
Exploring a range of possible new solutions to problems, and trying them out and improving them in a controlled way before selecting one for full implementation.
Avoiding the large scale wastage of resources that comes with full scale implementation of a mediocre or poor solution.
Clearly, use of a Deming Cycle approach is slower and more measured than a straightforward "gung ho" implementation. In true emergency situations, this means that it may not be appropriate (however, it's easy for people to think that situations are more of an emergency than, in reality, they really are...). In non-emergency situations, the Deming Cycle is likely to be quite powerful.
Note:
PDCA is closely related to the Spiral Development Approach which is popular in certain areas of software development, especially where the overall system develops incrementally. Spiral Development repeats loops of the PDCA cycle, as developers identify functionality needed, develop it, test it, implement it, and then go back to identify another sub-system of functionality.
Key points:
The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle provides a simple but effective approach for problem solving and managing change, ensuring that ideas are appropriately tested before committing to full implementation. It can be used in all sorts of environments from new product development through to marketing, or even politics.
It begins with a Planning phase in which the problem is clearly identified and understood. Potential solutions are then generated and tested on a small scale in the “Do” phase, and the outcome of this testing is evaluated during the Check phase. “Do” and “Check” phases can be iterated as many times as is necessary before the full, polished solution is implemented in the “Act” phase.
Implementing new ideas in a controlled way
Also known as the PDCA Cycle, or Deming Cycle
From MindTools.com
Something needs to change: Something's wrong, and needs to be fixed, and you've worked hard to create a credible vision of where you want it to be in future. But are you 100% sure that you're right? And are you absolutely certain that your solution will work perfectly, in every way? Where the consequences of getting things wrong are significant, it often makes sense to run a well-crafted pilot project. That way if the pilot doesn't deliver the results you expected, you get the chance to fix and improve things before you fully commit your reputation and resources.
So how do you make sure that you get this right, not just this time but every time? The solution is to have a process that you follow when you need to make a change or solve a problem, a process that will ensure you plan, test and incorporate feedback before you commit to implementation.
A popular tool for doing just this is the Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle. This is often referred to as the Deming Cycle or the Deming Wheel after its exponent, W Edwards Deming. Deming is best known as a pioneer of the quality management approach and for introducing statistical process control techniques for manufacturing to the Japanese, who used them with great success. He believed that a key source of production quality lay in having clearly defined, repeatable processes. And so the PDCA Cycle as an approach to change and problem solving is very much at the heart of Deming’s quality-driven philosophy.
The four phases in the Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle involve:
Plan: Identifying and analyzing the problem;
Do: Developing and testing a potential solution;
Check: Measuring how effective the test solution was, and analyzing whether it could be improved in any way; and
Act: Implementing the improved solution fully.
These are shown in Figure 1 below.
There can be any number of iterations of the “Do” and “Check” phases, as the solution is refined, retested, re-refined and retested again.
How to Use the Tool
The PDCA Cycle encourages you to be methodical in your approach to problem solving and implementing solutions. Follow the steps below every time to ensure you get the highest quality solution possible.
Step 1: Plan
First, identify exactly what your problem is. You may find it useful to use tools like Drill Down, Cause and Effect Diagrams, and the 5 Whys to help you really get to the root of it. Once you’ve done this, it may be appropriate for you to map the process that is at the root of the problemNext, draw together any other information you need that will help you start sketching out solutions.
Step 2: Do
This phase involves several activities:
Generate possible solutions;
Select the best of these solutions, perhaps using techniques like Impact Analysis to scrutinize them; and
Implement a pilot project on a small scale basis, with a small group, or in a limited geographical area, or using some other trial design appropriate to the nature of your problem, product or initiative.
Our section on Practical Creativity includes several tools that can help you generate ideas and solutions. Our section on Decision Making includes a number of tools that will help you to choose in a scientific and dispassionate way between the various potential solutions you generate.
Note:
The phrase “Plan Do Check Act” or PDCA is easy to remember, but it’s important you are quite clear exactly what “Do” means. “”Do” means “Try” or “Test”. It does not mean “Implement fully.” Full implementation happens in the “Act” phase.
Step 3: Check
In this phase, you measure how effective the pilot solution has been, and gather together any learnings from it that could make it even better. Depending on the success of the pilot, the number of areas for improvement you have identified, and the scope of the whole initiative, you may decide to repeat the “Do” and “Check” phases, incorporating your additional improvements. Once you are finally satisfied that the costs would outweigh the benefits of repeating the Do-Check sub-cycle any more, you can move on to the final phase.
Step 4: Act
Now you implement your solution fully. However, your use of the PDCA Cycle doesn’t necessarily stop there. If you are using the PDCA or Deming Wheel as part of a continuous improvement initiative, you need to loop back to the Plan Phase (Step 1), and seek out further areas for improvement.
When to use the Deming Cycle
The Deming Cycle provides a useful, controlled problem solving process. It is particularly effective for:
Helping implement Kaizen or Continuous Improvement approaches, when the cycle is repeated again and again as new areas for improvement are sought and solved.
Identifying new solutions and improvement to processes that are repeated frequently. In this situation, you will benefit from extra improvements built in to the process many times over once it is implemented.
Exploring a range of possible new solutions to problems, and trying them out and improving them in a controlled way before selecting one for full implementation.
Avoiding the large scale wastage of resources that comes with full scale implementation of a mediocre or poor solution.
Clearly, use of a Deming Cycle approach is slower and more measured than a straightforward "gung ho" implementation. In true emergency situations, this means that it may not be appropriate (however, it's easy for people to think that situations are more of an emergency than, in reality, they really are...). In non-emergency situations, the Deming Cycle is likely to be quite powerful.
Note:
PDCA is closely related to the Spiral Development Approach which is popular in certain areas of software development, especially where the overall system develops incrementally. Spiral Development repeats loops of the PDCA cycle, as developers identify functionality needed, develop it, test it, implement it, and then go back to identify another sub-system of functionality.
Key points:
The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle provides a simple but effective approach for problem solving and managing change, ensuring that ideas are appropriately tested before committing to full implementation. It can be used in all sorts of environments from new product development through to marketing, or even politics.
It begins with a Planning phase in which the problem is clearly identified and understood. Potential solutions are then generated and tested on a small scale in the “Do” phase, and the outcome of this testing is evaluated during the Check phase. “Do” and “Check” phases can be iterated as many times as is necessary before the full, polished solution is implemented in the “Act” phase.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Onwards and Upwards
At the end of CS Lewis' The Last Battle, the last of the Narnian stories, Reepicheek the mouse urges everyone on as they make their way into the real Narnia (the equivalent of Heaven). "Onwards and upwards!" he cries as he leads the way.
And that, in essence, is how I feel my life is unfolding.
Everytime I get too comfortable and feel that I've finally got my act together, or that my life is finally in balance, God prods me to move on to the next level.
It's a bit like coping with a new baby. Just when I'm congratulating myself that my milk supply has stabilized and Jordanne is feeding/sleeping well, she starts exhibiting new and challenging behaviours. She demands more frequent feeds. She refuses to be by herself. She becomes more wakeful. And so on.
I reckon the point God is trying to get across is that my whole life is a work in progress. There is never any point at which I can truly say "I've arrived" or that I don't need Him anymore. As long as I live, I will be stretched and challenged daily to live my life Onwards and Upwards for His glory.
And that, in essence, is how I feel my life is unfolding.
Everytime I get too comfortable and feel that I've finally got my act together, or that my life is finally in balance, God prods me to move on to the next level.
It's a bit like coping with a new baby. Just when I'm congratulating myself that my milk supply has stabilized and Jordanne is feeding/sleeping well, she starts exhibiting new and challenging behaviours. She demands more frequent feeds. She refuses to be by herself. She becomes more wakeful. And so on.
I reckon the point God is trying to get across is that my whole life is a work in progress. There is never any point at which I can truly say "I've arrived" or that I don't need Him anymore. As long as I live, I will be stretched and challenged daily to live my life Onwards and Upwards for His glory.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Living In Balance (Part 2) by Kim Fulcher
Last week I challenged you to broaden your definition of beauty. I asked you to find at least one thing you like about the way you look, and focus on that attribute every day. How do you feel? Has your confidence improved a bit? Have you smiled more frequently than you normally do? I hope so.
This week, I want to introduce you to a new framework to use when considering what you don’t like about the way you look. I call this concept Accept It or Own It.
All of us have physical features we are less-than-thrilled with. Perhaps you are unhappy with your weight, or you may think that you’re too short (or too tall). Every physical feature you are dissatisfied with falls into one of two categories.
Accept It – You can’t change it. You were born with it. (Your height is a good example in this category). You will be more satisfied with your looks and your life when you accept it.
Own It – You can change it, but you haven’t yet. (Your weight falls into this category). If you’re unhappy with an aspect of your physical body which you can impact, make the decision to change it – or own it and move on.
Getting clear about what you don’t like, accepting those things you cannot change, and investing your energy in changing those things you can will dramatically impact your life.
It’s time for you to stop beating yourself up about your height, your nose, the color of your eyes, or your bone structure. Why give your energy to something you have no ability to impact?
Instead, identify at least one physical attribute you are unhappy with, and commit to change it! Maybe you don’t like your hairstyle. Thumb through magazines, find a style you love, and go take the plunge with a new cut. Don’t like your style? Think about the kind of style you’d like to have, and raid your closet to put new outfits together. Unhappy with your weight? Make a commitment to begin eating right and exercising.
While I get that all of these things are much easier said than done, I’m also clear that you’re already investing a great deal of energy in feeling unhappy about the way you look. Why not make a more constructive effort to put yourself on the path of happiness? It’s time to get into action.
Right now, pick the one thing you are going to change. Do not go through one more day without taking action to make an improvement. What will you do this week to reform in this area?
Please remember that when you stop directing your energy to lamenting over your flaws, and begin to focus instead on changing what you’re able to, you will experience a wave of self acceptance that will move you to quietly celebrate the abundance of your life – and your looks.
Until Next Week…Kim
This week, I want to introduce you to a new framework to use when considering what you don’t like about the way you look. I call this concept Accept It or Own It.
All of us have physical features we are less-than-thrilled with. Perhaps you are unhappy with your weight, or you may think that you’re too short (or too tall). Every physical feature you are dissatisfied with falls into one of two categories.
Accept It – You can’t change it. You were born with it. (Your height is a good example in this category). You will be more satisfied with your looks and your life when you accept it.
Own It – You can change it, but you haven’t yet. (Your weight falls into this category). If you’re unhappy with an aspect of your physical body which you can impact, make the decision to change it – or own it and move on.
Getting clear about what you don’t like, accepting those things you cannot change, and investing your energy in changing those things you can will dramatically impact your life.
It’s time for you to stop beating yourself up about your height, your nose, the color of your eyes, or your bone structure. Why give your energy to something you have no ability to impact?
Instead, identify at least one physical attribute you are unhappy with, and commit to change it! Maybe you don’t like your hairstyle. Thumb through magazines, find a style you love, and go take the plunge with a new cut. Don’t like your style? Think about the kind of style you’d like to have, and raid your closet to put new outfits together. Unhappy with your weight? Make a commitment to begin eating right and exercising.
While I get that all of these things are much easier said than done, I’m also clear that you’re already investing a great deal of energy in feeling unhappy about the way you look. Why not make a more constructive effort to put yourself on the path of happiness? It’s time to get into action.
Right now, pick the one thing you are going to change. Do not go through one more day without taking action to make an improvement. What will you do this week to reform in this area?
Please remember that when you stop directing your energy to lamenting over your flaws, and begin to focus instead on changing what you’re able to, you will experience a wave of self acceptance that will move you to quietly celebrate the abundance of your life – and your looks.
Until Next Week…Kim
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Living In Balance (Part 1) by Kim Fulcher
From Kim Fulcher's Compass Life Designs Newsletter
Living In Balance
This month we're going to talk about a loaded subject - the way you feel about how you look. Let's go...
In an ideal world, the way we look would not impact the way we feel about ourselves, but since we don't live in an ideal world; the truth is that most of us are impacted by our body image. This month, we're going to take a look at the way you feel about your body. I'm going to invite you to broaden your definition of attractiveness, and I'm going to challenge you to start taking great care of yourself.
A New Definition of Appeal
The first step in learning to accept yourself and celebrate your unique attractiveness requires you to broaden your definition of appeal itself. Quite literally, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We've simply had our eyes trained for so long that many of us have stopped thinking for ourselves. (If you fall into this category, don't you think it's about time to start thinking for yourself?)
Think about a man or woman you have known or seen who doesn't necessarily fit the stereotypical definition of attractiveness - yet you find him or her intriguing, enigmatic, and fascinating. Perhaps she has an incredible sense of style, or he has a bit of a swagger in his step. This person might be wonderfully put together, or simply have a warm and inviting smile. While this person may not fit the societal definition of appeal, he or she has found a way to embrace all aspects of who they are, and they are incredibly compelling as a result of doing so.
The French actually have a word for this kind of allure. When a person is appealing without meeting the stereotypical rules of attractiveness - they say he or she has joie de vivre. A person who has joie de vivre gets noticed when they walk into a room - no matter what their clothing size is. This person invests in their self-care, and is comfortable in their own skin. He or she not only gets that they aren't physically perfect, their ability to celebrate these imperfections makes them positively magnetic.
Examples of American celebrities with joie de vivre include Barbara Streisand, Susan Sarandon, and Oprah Winfrey or Colin Firth, Bruce Willis and Ed Harris. While America's rules-of-attractiveness might not define any of these people as appealing, as you look at any of them, you cannot deny that each of them is striking.
It's time for you to embrace a sense of joie de vivre and start walking around with a bit of swagger in your step. Are you willing to broaden your definition of beauty? Will you give yourself the gift of acknowledging and appreciating your unique potential for gorgeousness?
This week, I challenge you to make an inventory of the things you LIKE about the way you look. Select at least one thing you appreciate about your physical appearance, and celebrate it for the next seven days.
If you like your shoulders, wear a sleeveless shirt. If you think you have great feet - get a pedicure. If you appreciate your lips, use them to smile. The point is to invest a little energy in appreciating your physical strengths - instead of focusing on your weaknesses. Next week we'll begin talking about addressing what you don't like. This week, simply focus on what you DO.
Until Next Week...
Living In Balance
This month we're going to talk about a loaded subject - the way you feel about how you look. Let's go...
In an ideal world, the way we look would not impact the way we feel about ourselves, but since we don't live in an ideal world; the truth is that most of us are impacted by our body image. This month, we're going to take a look at the way you feel about your body. I'm going to invite you to broaden your definition of attractiveness, and I'm going to challenge you to start taking great care of yourself.
A New Definition of Appeal
The first step in learning to accept yourself and celebrate your unique attractiveness requires you to broaden your definition of appeal itself. Quite literally, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We've simply had our eyes trained for so long that many of us have stopped thinking for ourselves. (If you fall into this category, don't you think it's about time to start thinking for yourself?)
Think about a man or woman you have known or seen who doesn't necessarily fit the stereotypical definition of attractiveness - yet you find him or her intriguing, enigmatic, and fascinating. Perhaps she has an incredible sense of style, or he has a bit of a swagger in his step. This person might be wonderfully put together, or simply have a warm and inviting smile. While this person may not fit the societal definition of appeal, he or she has found a way to embrace all aspects of who they are, and they are incredibly compelling as a result of doing so.
The French actually have a word for this kind of allure. When a person is appealing without meeting the stereotypical rules of attractiveness - they say he or she has joie de vivre. A person who has joie de vivre gets noticed when they walk into a room - no matter what their clothing size is. This person invests in their self-care, and is comfortable in their own skin. He or she not only gets that they aren't physically perfect, their ability to celebrate these imperfections makes them positively magnetic.
Examples of American celebrities with joie de vivre include Barbara Streisand, Susan Sarandon, and Oprah Winfrey or Colin Firth, Bruce Willis and Ed Harris. While America's rules-of-attractiveness might not define any of these people as appealing, as you look at any of them, you cannot deny that each of them is striking.
It's time for you to embrace a sense of joie de vivre and start walking around with a bit of swagger in your step. Are you willing to broaden your definition of beauty? Will you give yourself the gift of acknowledging and appreciating your unique potential for gorgeousness?
This week, I challenge you to make an inventory of the things you LIKE about the way you look. Select at least one thing you appreciate about your physical appearance, and celebrate it for the next seven days.
If you like your shoulders, wear a sleeveless shirt. If you think you have great feet - get a pedicure. If you appreciate your lips, use them to smile. The point is to invest a little energy in appreciating your physical strengths - instead of focusing on your weaknesses. Next week we'll begin talking about addressing what you don't like. This week, simply focus on what you DO.
Until Next Week...
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Developing A Great Character by Brian Tracy
Being the Best In Every Area
What is character? Your character is the degree to which you live your life consistent with high, life-enhancing values. A person who lacks character is one who compromises on higher order values in favor of lower order expedience, or who has no values at all. Your adherence to what you believe to be right and true is the real measure of the person you have become to this moment.
Define What "Excellence" Means to You
Let us say that one of your values is "excellence." Your definition of excellence could be, "Excellence means that I set the highest standards for myself in everything I do. I do my very best in every situation and under all circumstances. I constantly strive to be better in my work, and as a person in my relationships. I recognize that excellence is a life-long journey and I work every day to become better and better in everything I do."
Organize Your Actions
With a definition like this, you have a clear organizing principle for your actions. You have set a standard by which you can evaluate your behavior. You have created a framework within which you can make decisions. You have a measuring rod against which you can compare yourself in everything you do. You can continually grade your activities in terms of "more" or "less." You have a clear target to aim at and organize your work around.
Decide What You Want for Your Family
It's the same with each of your other values. If your value is your family, you could define this as, "The needs of my family take precedence over all other concerns. Whenever I have to choose between the happiness, health and well being of a member of my family, and any other interest, my family will always come first."
Keep Focused
From that moment onward, it becomes easier for you to choose. Your family comes first. Until you have fully satisfied the needs of your family, no other time requirement will side track you into a lower value activity.
Shape Your Own Character
The wonderful thing about values clarification is that it enables you to take charge of developing and shaping your own character. When your values and goals, your inner life and your outer life, are in complete alignment, you feel terrific about yourself. You enjoy high self-esteem. Your self-confidence soars. When you achieve complete congruence between your values and your goals, like a hand in a glove, you feel strong, happy, healthy and fully integrated as a person. You develop a kind of courage that makes you completely unafraid to make decisions and take action. Your whole life improves when you begin living your life by the values that you most admire.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to put this ideas into action immediately.
First, create a clear, written description of your values and what they mean to you. From that point on, resolve to live consistent with your own definition.
Second, discipline yourself to live in complete alignment with the values, virtues and qualities that are most important to you. This is the key to character.
What is character? Your character is the degree to which you live your life consistent with high, life-enhancing values. A person who lacks character is one who compromises on higher order values in favor of lower order expedience, or who has no values at all. Your adherence to what you believe to be right and true is the real measure of the person you have become to this moment.
Define What "Excellence" Means to You
Let us say that one of your values is "excellence." Your definition of excellence could be, "Excellence means that I set the highest standards for myself in everything I do. I do my very best in every situation and under all circumstances. I constantly strive to be better in my work, and as a person in my relationships. I recognize that excellence is a life-long journey and I work every day to become better and better in everything I do."
Organize Your Actions
With a definition like this, you have a clear organizing principle for your actions. You have set a standard by which you can evaluate your behavior. You have created a framework within which you can make decisions. You have a measuring rod against which you can compare yourself in everything you do. You can continually grade your activities in terms of "more" or "less." You have a clear target to aim at and organize your work around.
Decide What You Want for Your Family
It's the same with each of your other values. If your value is your family, you could define this as, "The needs of my family take precedence over all other concerns. Whenever I have to choose between the happiness, health and well being of a member of my family, and any other interest, my family will always come first."
Keep Focused
From that moment onward, it becomes easier for you to choose. Your family comes first. Until you have fully satisfied the needs of your family, no other time requirement will side track you into a lower value activity.
Shape Your Own Character
The wonderful thing about values clarification is that it enables you to take charge of developing and shaping your own character. When your values and goals, your inner life and your outer life, are in complete alignment, you feel terrific about yourself. You enjoy high self-esteem. Your self-confidence soars. When you achieve complete congruence between your values and your goals, like a hand in a glove, you feel strong, happy, healthy and fully integrated as a person. You develop a kind of courage that makes you completely unafraid to make decisions and take action. Your whole life improves when you begin living your life by the values that you most admire.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to put this ideas into action immediately.
First, create a clear, written description of your values and what they mean to you. From that point on, resolve to live consistent with your own definition.
Second, discipline yourself to live in complete alignment with the values, virtues and qualities that are most important to you. This is the key to character.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Another Reason To Celebrate!
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28
Once again, we marvel at the goodness and the infinite wisdom of God. Truly, His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts than our thoughts.
Only God could have provided hubby with a full-time job in the IT industry...
- When he'd all but given up hope of being accepted into the IT industry here
- When he'd lost track of all the applications he's been sending out, in particular this one that was finally accepted
- When his part-time assignments had just come to an end
- When Beth just started kinder this week
- When the baby is turning a month old and she and I have had time to get acquainted and to figure out her routine
Friday, February 02, 2007
Creating Clarity by Steve Pavlina
Creating Clarity
http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles/power-of-clarity.htm
Proactive people are clear about what's important to them and why. They cut through the clutter of uncertainty to make decisions and take action. Reactive people, on the other hand, allow themselves to wallow in a fog of uncertainty, forever reacting to events and circumstances that seem beyond their control.
When you live reactively, you do give up control, but you can never give up responsibility. To the degree that you fail to make decisions for yourself, someone else will come along and make those decisions for you, whether it be your parents, your spouse, your boss, the media, or societal conditioning. After a time you'll find yourself enduring a life you never really wanted... always working to fulfill someone else's goals and never your own.
Proactive people accept that it's impossible to avoid responsibility for one's results in life, so they jump in and participate willingly. Instead of living as mere statistics and playing follow-the-follower, they make conscious choices based on their unique values, beliefs, and goals. Consequently, they enjoy a sense of passion and purpose that is forever denied those who live reactively.
Here are 10 suggestions for creating more clarity in your life, so you can enjoy a life of meaning and fulfillment:
http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles/power-of-clarity.htm
Proactive people are clear about what's important to them and why. They cut through the clutter of uncertainty to make decisions and take action. Reactive people, on the other hand, allow themselves to wallow in a fog of uncertainty, forever reacting to events and circumstances that seem beyond their control.
When you live reactively, you do give up control, but you can never give up responsibility. To the degree that you fail to make decisions for yourself, someone else will come along and make those decisions for you, whether it be your parents, your spouse, your boss, the media, or societal conditioning. After a time you'll find yourself enduring a life you never really wanted... always working to fulfill someone else's goals and never your own.
Proactive people accept that it's impossible to avoid responsibility for one's results in life, so they jump in and participate willingly. Instead of living as mere statistics and playing follow-the-follower, they make conscious choices based on their unique values, beliefs, and goals. Consequently, they enjoy a sense of passion and purpose that is forever denied those who live reactively.
Here are 10 suggestions for creating more clarity in your life, so you can enjoy a life of meaning and fulfillment:
- Define your life purpose. Use the Discover Your Purpose process to create your personal statement of purpose. Whenever you're faced with a key decision, ask yourself which option best fits your purpose. In many cases the correct decision will become clear. As you continue using your purpose to make decisions, you'll gradually align the various parts of your life with your purpose, which will greatly improve your overall sense of clarity and direction.
- Set clear goals. When you have no goals, you're like a ship adrift at sea; the sea will toss you around aimlessly. When you have fuzzy goals, you're like a ship with a broken navigational system; no matter how hard your try, you'll only spin in circles. When you have clear, unambiguous goals, you're a ship with a destination sailing full speed ahead. Goals build clarity by cutting through the fog of indecision.
- Select your own experiences. Life is an experience, not an accomplishment. Some paths are more interesting and rewarding than others even though the destinations may be similar. Suppose you'd like to develop a certain level of fitness. Perhaps you could achieve it by working out in your home. But maybe you could also get there by training at a martial arts studio. Don't just focus on outcomes. Consider your experiential preferences too, so you enjoy the journey as well as the destination.
- Assess your values. Do you want your life to be secure or adventurous? Peaceful or courageous? Healthy or wealthy? Read Living Your Values, and use the List of Values to gain clarity about what's most important to you in life. Knowing your top 3-5 values will provide you with a much deeper level of self-knowledge.
- Create a personal accountability system. Assemble all your best clarity-building tools -- your purpose statement, your values, your goals, and more -- in one convenient place, and review them regularly to keep your life flowing in the direction of your dreams. Read the Personal Accountability System article to learn more.
- Keep a journal. When you record a thought or idea and read it back, you'll being seeing it from a different angle. This perspective shift can provide a new level of clarity, as some ideas appear very different once you get them out of your head. Also, whenever a thought or idea has been recorded, you'll feel better about mentally releasing it, which helps you stay focused on the current task or project.
- Ask a friend. Since your friend is probably not as emotionally invested in your situation as you are, s/he will be able to see your situation from a broader perspective. If your friend and you have similar values, chances are your decisions will be similar. But it's often easier to make a wise decision when you aren't the one who has to implement it, so consulting a friend can help you gain certainty that your decision is correct.
- Embrace mistakes. Let go of the idea that your decisions must be perfect. The more decisions you make, the more mistakes you'll make. Often that's exactly what you need to do because there are many situations where the correct decision can only be recognized after a series of mistakes. Very few people find the perfect career or relationship on the first try. Clarity grows with experience, and experience comes from making mistakes.
- Recognize when you already have clarity. If you find yourself spending an inordinate amount of time trying to gain clarity in some area, you may already know what to do, but you lack the courage to follow through. Don't go back to the drawing board and rework all your plans from scratch. Keep the decision in front of you, and work on building the courage to implement it. Start by admitting to yourself, "I know this is the correct decision, but currently I lack the strength to proceed." Listen to Podcast #2 and read The Courage to Live Consciously for further advice.
- Ride it out. Sometimes your life will be struck by events that uproot your sense of certainty. Even positive events such as moving to a new city can have this effect. Taking a few weeks to reorient yourself is very reasonable... several months for a major life change. But when you recognize that you're no longer in a necessary incubation period, it's time to set some fresh goals.
When you find yourself stuck in a fog of uncertainty, you can still make conscious decisions and plan your way out of the fog. However, that alone will not cause the fog to lift. Only after you get moving will you come to the edge of the fog, and then you'll be able to see much farther ahead. Clarity is greatest when you're in motion, not when you're standing still.
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