Adjusting As We Go

Our family is entering a new season of life as our oldest daughter starts college in just a couple of weeks. She is attending the local community college and we are all in agreement on the wisdom of that plan for many different reasons. Part of her future desire is to finish her two year degree and then take some time off from school to be sure what direction she wants to follow. I think she might sometimes feel pressure to have those answers already confirmed even though we continue to reassure her that isn't necessary. I've shared with her my own journey and how I was able to use my two years of community college to narrow my focus and figure some things out.

I believe God has a purpose for each of us, but I also believe that purpose can be adjusted based on our season of life. While I am confident in my current life calling, I also believe it was different when I was younger. When I was just coming out of college, there was no doubt in my mind that I was supposed to be an athletic trainer and teacher. For nine glorious years at Mainland High School I was fulfilling my purpose and serving where I was supposed to be. When that season was complete, I stepped into the next role I was meant to fill and found great satisfaction in living it out through youth ministry. Even though I hadn't necessarily anticipated this change in direction I was able to maintain flexibility and adjust as life created new opportunities around me.

We don't always have to have every step of life's journey figured out. This doesn't mean we can't dream and plan for the future. It just means we should be ready to make adjustments as we grow and new opportunities arise. Even as we chase after our purpose we've got to be flexible as that calling changes as we mature.

Taking a Break

In the past few weeks I've been bothered by some pain in my right heel. I'm not sure what has caused it, but I noticed it after one of my running days. I took a week off in hopes of giving it some time to heal, but it didn't get completely better. Since I'm stubborn (and perhaps a little addicted to running) I decided to get back on the streets in spite of my discomfort. It doesn't hurt too much when I'm running, but I have to concentrate to make sure it isn't altering my stride which would lead to other problems.

I was talking about it with a friend over coffee this week and came to the conclusion that I should take some extended time off to allow it to properly heal. I don't want to do something so damaging through my stubbornness that will cause me long term damage. As much I don't want to stop running, it's in my best interest to adjust my habits to give me time to recover. I will have to ramp up my gym time and use other methods of keeping my fitness levels where I want them.

Sometimes we've got to make difficult decisions that aren't the most appealing in the short term, but make better sense for our long term health. This takes an understanding of life goals and the willingness to make temporary adjustments that will eventually bring greater benefits. Success in life isn't just about what's happening right now, but how the present is setting us up for a better future.

Bouncy

You don't have to live very long to discover that life doesn't always move according to your plan. No matter how well we might script things out or the contingencies we try to anticipate there will be missteps along the way. There is no denying the frustration caused by these unexpected twists even with thorough preparation. It's actually perfectly acceptable to be somewhat befuddled by these circumstances. If we want to overcome them however, we've got to learn to be flexibly adaptable. Our potential to move forward in these continually unpredictable scenarios is measured in our ability to bounce back. Developing the skill of thinking on our feet and standing firm when the ground shifts around us will help us be more resilient in uncertainty.

We will run into hard, unexpected obstacles which knock us down occasionally. Learning to bounce back in the right direction helps us overcome them.

Be Flexible

I've had to work to increase my flexibility and it hasn't been a quick or easy process. It has required intentional focus, discipline, and perseverance. If I don't put the time in to stretch myself out I know I'll end up getting hurt. I won't be able to endure the strains of exercise or make quick adaptations to the terrain around me and I'll fall short of my goals. 

That's not a bad idea for other areas of my life either. The terrain of life is constantly changing and things very rarely work out exactly as planned. I can choose to allow those unforeseen circumstances to derail me completely or I can be flexible enough to adapt and move forward. I've got to continually stretch my problem-solving muscles by finding ways to overcome adversity. Then I'll be able to keep moving forward in the right direction even if the path doesn't look exactly like I thought it would.

Meeting of the Minds

I'm in Arizona this week attending the XP Summit,a conference for executive pastors. I am still relatively new to this role, which is also new to our church. We are still working to determine what works best for us. 

It's always interesting to hear from people in different areas of the country about the methods which work best for them. It's a relief to hear some struggles are common regardless of geography and experience. Sharing ideas and best practices will only help shape us all even as we strive to make things work in an ever changing environment. 

An executive pastor I met this week said, you have to figure out what works best for your situation and be ready to be flexible as you go. That's an accurate description of leadership regardless of the type of organization. If you aren't able to adjust, you will hinder organizational and personal growth.

Flexible Leadership

Unsuccessful coaches are those that impose their coaching style on their players without any regard for individual abilities and tendencies. These coaches arrogantly assume that since they have had victories using their system that everyone must adapt to how they do things. This doesn't take into consideration the chemistry and capability of individual people and highlights a stubborn inflexibility in that leader. It's why some coaches that were highly successful in one program are unable to translate that to another team. A wise coach will either recruit the people that fit the mold of their personal philosophy or invest the energy in reshaping their strategy to fit their personnel. Steadfastly refusing to adapt is what separates one-dimensional leaders from those that are truly transcendent.

What kind of leader are you? Are you secure enough in your own strengths & confident enough in your abilities to make those you lead successful? We reflect our true thoughts in the way we guide people in our jobs, the church, and even in our families. 

Big & Nimble

I was listening to ESPN radio in the car today (as I always do) and heard one of the hosts use a phrase that stuck with me. He said, "If you're going to be that big, you've got be nimble." He was referring to big offensive and defensive lineman that have to be quick on their feet or their size will be a detriment. His point was that you can't just be a behemoth--you've got to learn to move. You'll either trip over your feet or figure out how to maneuver as you change.

It's not a far stretch to see that this doesn't only apply to successful athletes. Even as we grow on a personal level, see our family increase, or watch our church get bigger, the principle is the same. We can't expect to do things exactly the same way and still see the same success. We've got to learn to adapt to our new found growth and be ready to adjust or we'll get left in the dust. You can't just grow--you've got to learn to be flexible to thrive.

Seems About Right

It's a proven fact that things will not always go as well as you hoped. There will always be circumstances that you can't control and unforeseen complications that can hinder your plans. My wife and I have taken to a phrase when misfortunes seem to pile up, "Seems about right." I suppose it's our way of admitting that it seems as if things sometimes pile up and yet they are often just a result of the pattern of life. The truth is that things will often go awry and become more complicated than you think they should be. The key to survival and avoiding emotional implosion is to maintain an attitude of survival and adaptability. As a good friend of mine says, "Life is adjustable" and you have to figure out how to be flexible so you survive the unexpected.