Releasing Your Grip

There are people who are hoarders of possessions. They continue to stockpile things without being able to get rid of them until it overwhelms their home and family. It's not something I completely understand, but I offer no ridicule either. It is a true anxiety disorder which can be quite debilitating.

While we may not all suffer from this particular disorder, I do think we practice hoarding in other ways in our life. We may be hanging onto our talents and abilities and not finding ways to use them. We have positive words and encouragement we can speak to our family and friends and choose not to speak them. We have financial resources (even when limited) we can use to help others and cling tightly to them instead of releasing some to make a difference.

This type of hoarding is harder to classify and doesn't get the same consideration as the more widely recognized disorder. It can still cause unexpected anxiety while limiting our person growth and depriving others around us of a potential blessing. If it's within our power to make a positive difference, we should use whatever we have for that purpose.

New Arrangements

There are only 3 colors, 10 digits, and 7 notes; 
it's what we do with them that's important. 
Jim Rohn

Where are you using your creativity? It's not as if you have to create every element of innovation from scratch. The basics are already there. Now it's a matter of rearranging them in unique patterns that reflect each of our talents. Stretching the boundaries of what is new can be done using the same tools everyone else has used, but doing it in new, thoughtful patterns.

At Bat

I saw online this morning that my beloved NY Mets are changing hitting coaches once again. They
fired the first coach about halfway through this season and promoted the guy they let go yesterday. When you compare the team's batting results under both coaches they are very similar.

These parallel statistics could point to the ineffectiveness of both men to identify problems and communicate solutions. It could also be very revealing about the players they are attempting to improve. Perhaps the issue isn't with the coaching philosophy, but the talent and focus of the players they are working to help. If they continue to bring in hitting coaches and see the same results it might hint of a problem that isn't related to leadership or instruction.

At some point, a leader is doing the best they can with what they have. The results may not be at the level that is hoped for, but changing the leader may not elevate the level of performance either.

This Is Me

If you boast about your areas of strength (personality traits, abilities, potential, gifting) and nobody near to you recognizes those strengths, there is a problem. You're either not being earnest in using that ability or you're not honestly assessing who you really are.

Dormant strength needs to be awakened and developed to have an impact. An authentic self-assessment and wise counsel from dependable voices will help us be realistic in our capabilities. Both of these are key to operating healthfully in our natural gifting and maximizing our personal potential.

In simple language: know who you are & work to make the most of who you are.

Big Shot

I love the playoffs in any sport. It has drama, upsets, tension, and big moments. No matter the sport, we see the superstars rise to the top, but we also inevitably see an relatively unknown athlete have a minute in the spotlight. Sometimes this occasion wins a game or changes momentum, but it is very rarely expected.

In last night's NBA playoff game between the Houston Rockets and Portland Trailblazers, a player named Troy Daniels hit a huge shot. This was a make-or-break moment for Houston as they would have most likely been out of the playoffs very soon if they lost this game. In a big moment, Troy hit a three pointer to give his team the lead. I think it is safe to say that he was the most unlikely hero last night. He had only played in five (5!) total games so far this season and yet was able to come through in the clutch.

While Troy might not been expected to hit a game winning shot it was also not the first three pointer of his life. He once made 11 3-pointers in a game in college and took 599 3-point shots while playing the Developmental League. This was his first opportunity on the big stage, but he had been preparing for it his entire career.

We might have the "opportunity of a lifetime" fall into our lap, but we have a better chance of finding that opportunity if we're preparing for it all along. Sitting on the sidelines without developing our skills won't get us into the game. We've got to be willing to devote the hours to practice if we expect to find success when the opportunity arrives.

Hitting It Right

I have a sweet spot. Some may disagree with that assessment, but they would be misinterpreting my intent. I'm not referring to my disposition, but to the part of me that includes my talents and abilities. It's my natural wiring from God and what He has created me to do best. When I operate from my strengths I tend to be the most fulfilled, challenged, engaged, and energetic. There's no feeling quite like being able to use your gifting in the right way. That sweet spot was where I felt all morning as I spent time with good friends and leaders strategizing the future of ministry and the best way to impact our community.

When people don't know what their "sweet spot" is they struggle through day-to-day life searching for purpose and connection. If they are lucky they might stumble on it and then continue to feed that gifting without a great understanding of what's happening. The best scenario is when we take the time to discover how we work and then invest the time in developing those gifts so they can be used in the best possible way. There is nothing quite as fulfilling as understanding what you were created for and being able to thrive in those strengths.