Skip to main content

Clutter

Have you ever walked into your closet, pulled out a piece of clothing, and realized that you've had the item for a decade (or two or three)?!  Sometimes, the item hasn't even fit for longer than you care to remember.  Why is the item still in your closet?  "I'll fit into it again, someday."  "It'll be back in style someday."  "I forgot it was there."  "I'm saving it for a special occasion."  "I just need to mend the small hole in it."  These are all excuses that are cluttering up your closet.  When it comes back in style, it won't be quite the same.  If you were going to fit into it, you would by now.  How many years have you waited for that special occasion?  Do you even know how to mend a hole?  You can take control.  Be realistic.  Let go of things that don't flatter you where you're at right now.  Purge.  Make room for something new.  Fix it, if it's of value.  Throw your own special occasion.  Don't put it off for another year, or two, or decade.  There's a lot of good intention sitting there, but if we don't get it out and use it, it's just clutter.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Excuse or reason?

This past weekend, I listened to Sue Rusch, who is a Strategic Consultant, Speaker, & Business Coach (and also very tall).  Of all the wonderful information she gave (and there was a lot), the one quote that really struck home for me was, "We can look at family as an excuse , or a reason ."  Ouch!  It's so easy to avoid the work that I know I need to do, by saying "my family time is more important".  But what am I calling "family time"?  Sitting in a dance studio during lessons?  Watching tv while the rest of my family watches another tv?  Sitting on a field watching soccer practice?  Dinner together (but barely half the family is there)?  Choose what is important.  And be there.  Remember the reasons that you chose leadership.  And if your leadership is important, schedule your activities.  And be there .  No excuses. Thanks to everyone who is regularly (or even occasionally) reading this blog. I've been cover...

It's about them

One of my leadership activities is being a business coach. I help others identify their goals and plan strategies to achieve their goals. Very often, the initial coaching goes something like this- "What are your goals?" "These are my goals." "What do you need to do to achieve these goals?" "I need to do a,b,c." "When do you want to have these goals achieved?" "By this date." And then off they go. OK- so there is more, but this boils it down to the essentials. Next coaching (after they have actually done some of the steps) sometimes goes like this- "No one will a or b." "What was their objection?" "I asked them to a or b for me, and they just said no." "What did you offer them?" "I offered them a or b and they said no." "What was in it for them?" "I didn't even get to tell them because they said no." "So why would they want a or b?...

People test

"If you do not pass the people test, nothing else matters. Promotion without connectivity is destructive. I often share with church leaders that most of the churches in the United States should not promote themselves. Why? Simple. If your current membership is not actively inviting people or visitors are not staying, there are reasons why. If you do an advertising campaign, you are asking people to come in your doors only to realize why no one wants to invite anyone to your church. They never come back and leave to tell all their friends what they did not like about your church. This is not good marketing. The heart of marketing is people. Don’t start with mailers. Start with people. Ask yourself, “What am I doing this week to learn how to reach people more effectively? It's time to evaluate. Are we creating an atmosphere that fosters growth or are we ministering unto ourselves?" http://www.beyondrelevance.com/index.cfm/PageID/913/blog_year/2010/blog_month/2/index.html...