WITH AN overwhelming access to knowledge, this generation
often finds itself ten feet wide and one inch deep. Knowing a little
about everything but never enough about one thing to matter.
We have no shortage of words; rather, we have a shortage of the
right words.
Poetry has been defined as the best words in the best order. But
I believe it goes beyond a poem. The right words listed in concert
and color can articulate a comprehensive and deep meaning in
just a few characters. A meaning that can fasten your fears to
the floor and allow you to step into progress. Anchors that keep
us straight and hold us tight – almost like an injection of clarity
and control for our most uncertain of times.
Ultimately, words are the stones that bridge the gap to our
furthest destinations. From incomprehension and overcoming
indifference to closing a sale or believing in God. Words make up
how we think, what we know, and who we become.
But the right words change your life. They can change your
story. Here are the words that have changed mine.
1. “Never Get Too Busy Making A Living That You Forget
To Make A Life.”- My Grandmother
How It Has Helped Me: Getting lost in something you love often
results in getting lost in general. We live in a culture that measures
our success by how much money we make rather than the fullness
of our lives. Over the 13 years I’ve spent building businesses, I’ve
learned the months that feel weighted to one side typically
follow a season spent living in the absence of this quote.
2. “Speak To People How They Need To Hear It, Not How
You Want To Say It.” - My Mentor
How It Has Helped Me: Empathy is a difficult virtue to master. As
an entrepreneur, the best marketing is performed by those who
can step into the customer’s pain. To put words to their emotions
and to create products that solve their most trying problems.
As leaders, we must not forget that thoughtfulness is the most
effective form of communication.
I was even passive. But arguments, debate, and marketing are
all important pieces of the persuasion family. In my experience,
the secret to removing a fear of confrontation is to re-establish
your respect for others. It’s to realize our thoughts are directly
connected to our hearts. Winning an argument and losing their
heart is a cause for hurt. But winning both is a cause for respect.
Remember, people don’t care what you know until they know
that you care.
6. “It’s Impossible To Be Spiritually Mature While
Remaining Emotionally Immature.” - Peter Scazzero
How It Has Helped Me: Nothing is independent. Over the
years I’ve learned my faith can only go as far as my capacity
to connect with people. Too often, I find myself trying to
simplify my spirituality to a one-dimensional experience – as if
I can compartmentalize my faith absent of others. But I can’t.
Because maturity in any area requires maturity in all areas.
7. “We Change When The Pain Of Staying The Same Is
Greater Than The Pain Of Changing.” - Dr. Henry Cloud
How It Has Helped Me: The old saying, “if there’s no pain, there’s
no gain” reigns true. But in life, pain doesn’t always equal bad. I’ve
learned to re-associate pain with growth. It’s helped me not to
spend my life avoiding pain but instead identifying pain that
is good for me. The pain that forms me into the person I was
intended to be.
8. “Who We Listen To Will Determine Who We Will
Become.” - Unknown
How It Has Helped Me: I don’t give my eyes and ears to many.
Because my history tells me those I give permission to speak into
my life will determine the direction of my actions. It decides the
life that I’ll end up creating. It calls for a change in behaviors that
will ultimately adjust my current state of existence. Be cautious
with whom you lend your ears. If we let the wrong person in, we
could find ourselves far from who we want to become.
3. “Your Greatest Weakness Is Often The Overextension
Of Your Greatest Strength.” - Jason Benham 9. “Success Occurs When We Shift Our Efforts From
Making A Million Dollars To Helping A Million People.” -
Dharmesh Shah
4. “A Designer Knows He Has Achieved Perfection Not
When There Is Nothing Left To Add, But When There Is
Nothing Left To Take Away.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupery 10. “If You Don’t Build Your Dream, Someone Will Hire You
To Build Theirs.” - Unknown
How It Has Helped Me: I’m a natural teacher. Speaking, selling,
and convincing others is almost instinctive to me. But far too
many times I’ve been kicked in the leg by my wife for not shutting
my mouth. I’m learning that the overuse of our inherent gifting
can backfire. The secret is learning to take it to the very edge, and
stop.
How It Has Helped Me: A designer is someone who can make
something more beautiful than someone else with the same
tools at the same cost. Beauty is my secret weapon. But the
more I practice design, the more I realize its purpose is not
to draw our eyes to many things, but one thing. So whenever I
dislike the aesthetics of something I’m working on, whether it’s
landscaping my backyard or designing a new website, my first
step is to take something away.
5. “The Goal Of An Argument Is To Win Their Heart, Not
Just Their Mind.” - Matthew L. Jacobson
How It Has Helped Me: I used to HATE arguments. For a season,
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How It Has Helped Me: I spent many years trying to make money
to make money. It felt hollow and empty. And surprisingly I didn’t
make much money either. It wasn’t until I had a genuine heart
for helping others that I saw a significant jump in my income.
Success is often counterintuitive. What looks like the answer to
many is often the path to mediocrity. Instead, the harder path is
typically the right path. The path to a more sincere prosperity.
How It Has Helped Me: This quote is a bit like of a backhanded
encouragement. It’s harsh, but it’s true. You can either use your
resources (time, energy, passion, etc.) to build the life you want
or you will be used as a resource to build the life someone else
wants. For me, this quote has been the motivation I needed to
become a creator instead of a supporter.
Are you looking to start something of your own? Are you looking
to put your resources into building the business and life you love?
Starting a business can be intimidating. Maybe you need help
boosting your confidence, removing the blindspots, and preparing
yourself to succeed on your own. Visit www.startupcamp.com.