Exciting news! Engaging Life and Leadership is now ranked #3 in Christian Leadership and Christian Business podcasts. WooHoo! We’re celebrating the opportunity to help more people! Now that we’ve screamed in your ears, let’s get down to business.
Fruitful labor means making a difference. Finding the meaning in our existence, in other words, to define why we matter, is solidified in our productive actions.
Effective leaders are excellent producers. However, though productivity is part of the journey, it is not the final destination. What we produce is simply a vehicle moving us toward our pre-determined goals and visions. The mechanics under the hood.
In our continued efforts to discuss relevant issues for Christian men AND women in leadership, we offer surprising, and practical ways to help you lead yourself and others to get more done. Are you accomplishing everything you need to? If not, listen to this well thought out discussion on Engaging Life and Leadership.
Download and listen while you drive, walk, workout, clean the house, or complete any other mundane task. Subscribe and take Engaging Life and Leadership with you wherever you go for a convenient learning experience. Take a moment to download now, then listen anytime, anywhere.
Here are the first five of Engaging Life and Leadership’s Top Ten Productivity Tips:
1. Accept the pressures of chronic discontent.
Productive people accept chronic dissatisfaction — when it’s healthy. In a productive organization, one continually feels the pressure of not doing enough or getting things exactly right. This is a sign of progressive thinking. Many people find it easier to lower their standards and settle for lower levels of productivity. But in situations where someone is happy with the way things are, nothing is likely to change. A risk of stagnation.
Productive leaders are discontented visionaries — refusing to stay where they are, as they move toward their desire for somewhere better. Healthy discontentment requires an analysis of where an individual’s ministry, organization, or business currently is, versus the passion in her heart.
2. Make your vision specific.
A vision is a clear picture of something we want to exist in the future. It creates a bulls-eye, a target to shoot for, it encourages people to think beyond what is, and to visualize what will be. Vision is a picture of a future reality, beyond a dream or a goal — it’s a truth within you. What your future will look like. To achieve that reality, the leader must totally commit to its achievement. Whatever it takes…..
3. Delay gratification.
The skill of delayed gratification is the ability to resist the temptation for an instant reward and wait for a later, and greater reward. In other words, refusing to sacrifice your best on the altar of the immediate.
Productive people recognize the later reward as a higher achievement, and have developed the gift of waiting. Celebrations are tied to specific goals, and achieving a desired outcome, a success point, then allowing yourself a pre-determined reward. But unless you wait to receive, you will miss the true meaning of the phrase,“Victory never tasted so sweet.” A watered-down lesser version of victory will not offer the same rich flavor..
4. Keep a tight focus.
Often times, focused leaders give up things while focusing on the work set before them. Hobbies, entertainment, and other minor tasks are placed on hold.
A word of caution here. Do not let your life shift too far in one direction. Singleness of mind is important, but you must maintain balance in family, nutrition and exercise. Some veering away occurs, and is natural with highly productive people, but they catch themselves when it happens. Be watchful, and rein your life back in when balance is at stake.
5. Tell yourself good news.
You must guard your mind against all forms of discouraging input. Don’t live in a box, but don’t let the negatives of this world shape you. The worst thing a productive person can do is to tell themselves they are not good enough or not worthy, or “it was never meant to be.”
The power of positive self-talk is unexplainable in the few words we have time for here. But hear our harmonized coaching voices, “What you say and believe about yourself, will guaranteed, shape who you are and how much you succeed.”
Look up Philippians 4:8 – Now live that attitude….
Stay tuned next week, when we’ll round out our Top Ten Tips for Productive Living.
John 15:8 “This is to my Father’s glory that you bear fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
How do you get enough done?
Anita Fresh Faith
As Darren and Anita travel the country speaking on leadership and effective life skills, they share the practiced habits that have made them more productive. Taking one productive action at a time, you can step into a more meaningful and power-filled life.
Receive an abundance of prosperity and peace when you learn and apply the secrets discussed. This show on Engaging Life and Leadership will inspire you to make simple, yet powerful changes. Your life should never be the same. Remember, you’re always leading, but are you leading well?
Now reaching nearly 40 countries, including the UK, word of this podcast continues to catch fire. Consider helping spread the message by going on iTunes to rate and review the program. Listen to three shows, then give your honest evaluation. Let your voice be heard.
You can always find Engaging Life and Leadership on iTunes, Stitcher, Juice, Downcast, Podcruncher, TuneIn Radio, SoundCloud, and other podcatcher platforms. We welcome and appreciate any and all reviews, please find us on iTunes, and leave your honest opinion today.
Leave your feedback, questions, or comments, at www.engaginglifeandleadership.com. Find Darren at www.darrendake.com and email darren@darrendake.com. Anita at anitabrooks.com and at her email anita@anitabrooks.com.
Thanks, and tune in to Engaging Life and Leadership next time, where a single podisode could transform your life from mediocrity to magnificent!
Don’t forget to check out Anita’s Book, First Hired, Last Fired — How to Become Irreplaceable in Any Job Market, and Darren’s book, Unrighteous today.
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