One of the key themes of many self-development books is to focus on your strengths. Focus the majority of your time and effort further developing the areas you are good at (the strength zone) and less time in your areas of weaknesses. This seems to be conventional wisdom but I’ve got some issues with this line of thinking.
I think this perception of development is “linear” in orientation when maybe what is required is a more “tree-like” multi-faceted approach. The danger with solely focussing on your areas of strength is that it can result in you being stuck in your comfort zone focusing on areas where one feel’s secure and discourage venturing out and seeking new challenges outside your comfort zone. How are we so sure such areas of weakness cannot be transformed to areas of strength if we diligently apply ourselves to develop in those specific areas?
TD Jakes wrote that “if you are not moving forward then you are moving backwards”. I believe the focus should be on increasing the boundaries of one’s comfort zone as opposed to entrenching them. Even if we fail there is still a lesson to be learnt that would further increase one’s development. Better still, if we continually fail then we can truly say this branch is not for me, find a work-around against this particular area of weakness and start building a new one.
I suppose this raises other issues such as generalisation vs. specialisation. Breadth vs. depth. The answer to that seems more of a personal preference than anything else. But then again it depends on what dimensions we are using. If we view it in the context of the combination of our professional and personal lives it cant be such a bad thing now can it.
Anyhow, enough randomness for today.
Easy
Monday, December 17, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
Fighting Temptations
I’ve started reading “The Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren. It’s a fascinating book and would recommend it anyone who hasn’t read it yet. What Rick Warren did is to have 40 chapters and the whole idea is you read and meditate on a chapter per day as you embark on a quest to find God’s purpose for your life. I’ve just done the 1st 2 chapters and they’ve been very revealing. The theme of the 1st chapter is that it’s not about you. Your life is not about you. Its about God. He created you for a reason. It’s not about what do I want but what does God want to do with me. The 2nd chapters talks about how God does not make any accidents and we were designed, warts and all, intentionally by God.
So how is this related to fighting temptations? Well, like most people I have issues I battle with. I’ve written about them on this blog for ages. Things about myself am not terribly happy about. But I have to see these things as a test and God allowed it to happen to me for a reason which fits into the bigger picture of His plan for me. Sounds familiar right. But unto the next question how do I pass the test and progress? I have spent a lot of time trying to find the answer to this question and it seems the more I think about it and read about it, the more insight I get.
I’ve been doing a lot of reflection in the context of the few chapters I’ve read so far and I have realized that my motives for seeking victory from my temptations are probably selfish. The question is this. Am I fighting temptation because of my love for God or so I can feel holy and pure? Is it primarily to feel good about myself as I don’t have to deal with guilt when I fall? So I can feel as if I have arrived as a spiritual warrior? Is it because I don’t want to be “disqualified” from his blessings by sinning? Is my reason for fighting temptation all about me or about Him?
If I am going to be honest then I would say its probably more about me than it is about Him. I don’t like the fact that am a sinner. I don’t like the fact that I don’t have control over myself and do things willfully which I don’t want to do. It frustrates the living daylights out of me to know I am weak and pathetic. I want to accomplish so much in my life and fear that my constantly falling is going to prevent God from blessing me so must be holy to ensure that doesn’t happen. But that got me thinking what if I didn’t have any issues? Can God trust me enough to still thirst for Him when I have no problems? When I seemingly don’t need Him?
So how do you show God you love him? By keeping his commandments yes but keeping His commandments for the right motives. Not for our own selves but for Him.
Ps 51: 17 says
“The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
My motives need to change. It’s not about what I can get out of my relationship with God, but what God can get out of His relationship with me.
Anyhow peeps gotta go.
Have a great weekend
So how is this related to fighting temptations? Well, like most people I have issues I battle with. I’ve written about them on this blog for ages. Things about myself am not terribly happy about. But I have to see these things as a test and God allowed it to happen to me for a reason which fits into the bigger picture of His plan for me. Sounds familiar right. But unto the next question how do I pass the test and progress? I have spent a lot of time trying to find the answer to this question and it seems the more I think about it and read about it, the more insight I get.
I’ve been doing a lot of reflection in the context of the few chapters I’ve read so far and I have realized that my motives for seeking victory from my temptations are probably selfish. The question is this. Am I fighting temptation because of my love for God or so I can feel holy and pure? Is it primarily to feel good about myself as I don’t have to deal with guilt when I fall? So I can feel as if I have arrived as a spiritual warrior? Is it because I don’t want to be “disqualified” from his blessings by sinning? Is my reason for fighting temptation all about me or about Him?
If I am going to be honest then I would say its probably more about me than it is about Him. I don’t like the fact that am a sinner. I don’t like the fact that I don’t have control over myself and do things willfully which I don’t want to do. It frustrates the living daylights out of me to know I am weak and pathetic. I want to accomplish so much in my life and fear that my constantly falling is going to prevent God from blessing me so must be holy to ensure that doesn’t happen. But that got me thinking what if I didn’t have any issues? Can God trust me enough to still thirst for Him when I have no problems? When I seemingly don’t need Him?
So how do you show God you love him? By keeping his commandments yes but keeping His commandments for the right motives. Not for our own selves but for Him.
Ps 51: 17 says
“The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
My motives need to change. It’s not about what I can get out of my relationship with God, but what God can get out of His relationship with me.
Anyhow peeps gotta go.
Have a great weekend
Monday, December 03, 2007
The Experience to Me
The Experience 2007 was another awesome night. I just wished it went on for days on end. I can’t believe I have to wait another year for my next fix. Apart from the praise and worship side of it, which is just a surreal, the Experience to me shows why it’s important to dream big dreams. It is a celebration of “no limits” and “possibilities”. It shows that our perception of the boundaries of what is possible is where we individually decide to put them. For two years running we have had an all night gospel concert in the middle of Lagos Island near the xmas period, featuring the world’s leading gospel artists with attendance free. It takes seeing to believe it.
As a nation, it always disappointing when I meet prophets of doom who go on about how this country will forever be messed up. Stress the need to get out. How nothing good can come out of this country etc. Am sure everyone has met their fair share of people like this. While I don’t want to belittle the trials people have experienced in this nation and the scars this nation has inflicted on our souls, having a negative attitude was, is and forever will be pointless!!. The only thing a negative attitude is guaranteed to achieve is to ensure one remains stuck at the same level and is incapable of progress.
I had the opportunity of showing a friend around town over the weekend and it just stuck me how much Lagos has changed. How it is evolving right before our eyes. How the middle class in Nigeria is being awoken again. How we are starting have a small glimpse about the future prosperity this nation is capable of.
“Dream like a fool”
This is a common phrase uttered by both TD Jakes and Pastor Paul. We are the sum of our life experiences both positive and negative. They shape our thinking. They set our boundaries on our expectations of the future and dictate our actions in the present. It is critical to experience God and let Him remove the trauma’s life’s experiences have poured on us. To help us keep believing in our dreams and help us order our steps to achieve them.
“The Experience” shows us what is possible in our lives if we depend on God. If we let Him determine what is possible in our lives, instead of depending on ourselves or what people tell us.
Father, give me the ability to dream not just big dreams but God dreams. Help me Father not to limit you or doubt you but instead to listen intently to what you have in store for me. Help me Lord to remove all the scars of this daily life and refocus myself and goals on what you have told me my life will become. Give me encouragement in the times I am discouraged by current realities that my dreams will never become reality. Order my steps father so I don’t get consumed by what I want to be, but instead what you want me to be.
Alright peeps, I will catch you all later.
As a nation, it always disappointing when I meet prophets of doom who go on about how this country will forever be messed up. Stress the need to get out. How nothing good can come out of this country etc. Am sure everyone has met their fair share of people like this. While I don’t want to belittle the trials people have experienced in this nation and the scars this nation has inflicted on our souls, having a negative attitude was, is and forever will be pointless!!. The only thing a negative attitude is guaranteed to achieve is to ensure one remains stuck at the same level and is incapable of progress.
I had the opportunity of showing a friend around town over the weekend and it just stuck me how much Lagos has changed. How it is evolving right before our eyes. How the middle class in Nigeria is being awoken again. How we are starting have a small glimpse about the future prosperity this nation is capable of.
“Dream like a fool”
This is a common phrase uttered by both TD Jakes and Pastor Paul. We are the sum of our life experiences both positive and negative. They shape our thinking. They set our boundaries on our expectations of the future and dictate our actions in the present. It is critical to experience God and let Him remove the trauma’s life’s experiences have poured on us. To help us keep believing in our dreams and help us order our steps to achieve them.
“The Experience” shows us what is possible in our lives if we depend on God. If we let Him determine what is possible in our lives, instead of depending on ourselves or what people tell us.
Father, give me the ability to dream not just big dreams but God dreams. Help me Father not to limit you or doubt you but instead to listen intently to what you have in store for me. Help me Lord to remove all the scars of this daily life and refocus myself and goals on what you have told me my life will become. Give me encouragement in the times I am discouraged by current realities that my dreams will never become reality. Order my steps father so I don’t get consumed by what I want to be, but instead what you want me to be.
Alright peeps, I will catch you all later.
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