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Starting right is important. Frank Herbert’s “Dune” beginning saying “A beginning is a very delicate time.” Much rides on how we start things, but we must start. So how do we focus on starting right?
Fun Fact:
According to a 2013 Forbes article just 8 % of people who make new years resolutions are able to achieve them.
Starting Right:
The whole idea of starting right with focus and intention is hard for me. The reason is that I’m of two natures. I thrive where there is a clear plan and good schedule. But I am not good at making either. In other words, you give me a good outline with clear expectations and I will work hard and enjoy it while I do.
I have always wanted a plan. When I was a kid my parents couldn’t “spring” bedtime on me. They had to tell me, “OK bedtime is in 10 min.” I love working in an environment that has a clear set of goals. Working for a school, the goal is to see the students succeed. But it can be frustrating when the means and methods to getting to that goal change or are unclear. Now as much as I enjoy having rules, guidelines and plans, I don’t want them to be too ridged. I will be bold and advocate for change, if I feel the goals are not being met. I also advocate for change when things and plans are steamrolling people.
Yes, I love working under people who have a vision and plans for bringing it about. Why? Because I can look at the plan and easily see where I can help and serve. But having a vision or plan that starts with me that is a different story!
Self-starting is a challenge. That is why I enjoy and value the Stuff I Learned Yesterday podcast community. The encouragement you all provide in setting goals and walking them out help me. This year I wanted to be intentional about starting right. I decided to plan to make the start of the year fruitful. You see I had a break from podcasting on the TV show Gotham, since it was off December through February. I wanted to keep podcasting and continue to grow my skills. My podcasting roll is still in its’ beginnings and I know it is still delicate. I had to have intention to keep going.
So I committed to Darrell and the SILY community to be one of the hosts for this new season of SILY. I knew that Darrell had a plan. He gave us a deadline and an outline. But it meant that I would have to be self-starting and motivated to write and record all the episodes before the deadline. To start right, I set a goal to spend my Saturday mornings at a local coffee shop writing out the episodes. I then had to set time aside to record. So even with Darrell’s plan I had to be self-motivated. I also committed to do a Triplecast series with Cory. This too required discipline and planning.
I’ve found that starting right requires committing goals/plans to paper. I set down and made goals for the year. The goals encompass personal and professional life. The list was a lot smaller than last year and I feel they were more focused.
I’m really seeing the benefits of starting right with intention. I know that it is childish to want others to plan for you and lead you all the time. But my natural bent is for service and helping. But biblically, I know, as a man I’m called to lead. I don’t know if I’ll ever be a “planner” but I don’t want to drift on time and tides they way I have in the past. I hope that as I commit to start right with focus and intention things will change in me. I hope that I will be come a more balanced person. I’m seeing, so far, that starting with focus and intention is helping to keep me going when I struggle.
Starting right with a good plan is wonderful. But part of the challenge is keeping up with the plan and momentum. Plans are wonderful but we have to realize that there will be times of challenge. There will be times that our plans don’t work out. We have to be ready to adapt and change. As much as we can be proud of our plans, we have to know that there must be flexibility.
There will be times when our plans burn us out. I’m learning that part of starting right is intentionally planning rest and down times. That sounds crazy but planning to rest and take a break is the best thing for us. I can coast and be lazy with the best of them. But if I don’t have a plan to restart I’ll fail. I’ve found that scheduling breaks helps to recharge me with focus. I’m not feeling guilty for resting. I look at it as a sabbatical from my work to help provide clarity and rest. God set the example for us in declaring one day a week a day of rest. Even Christ, in His time on earth, took time to get away rest and commune with the Father. So yes, I’ve learned part of starting right means planning to rest. If I don’t rest and relax, I will become stressed out, exhausted and sick.
I want to share one thing that has really helped me focus and blessed me. Each year the elders in my church, and anyone who wants to join them, pray over each family and individual. They ask what we want to be prayed over about and then speak words and encouragements they hear from the Lord. It is a humbling time, but it was a blessing to have goals for the year to have them pray over. It helps me in starting right with intention to have my family of faith pray over me and advise me as I go.
Here’s what I learned.
So what have I learned about starting right? As hard as it may be, plan with intention. Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from starting. Learn to be flexible and schedule rest. But most of all share your plans with others so that they can support and advise you. As Proverbs says, “in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”
I’m Geoff Gentry and this has been Stuff I Learned Yesterday
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