Doing time? Go for a ‘Life Sentence’
So, how are those New Year’s resolutions going?
Ooh, sorry.
Sore spot, huh?
You’re not alone.
According to a pair of recent studies, only 8 percent of Americans who make a New Year's resolution actually keep it for a year. And more than 80 percent have failed by February.
Yuk.
But here’s some good news: Even if your best-laid plans have already gone astray, it’s still early in the game. You still have a chance to pivot in a different direction as we move through 2021.
I think I can help.
I love to jot things down. When I imagine something clever or when I hear another person say something profound, I’ve got to write it somewhere. My wife has discovered scraps of paper in places you can’t begin to imagine.
Those crinkled-up notes have served me well through the years. They’re not resolutions. They’re not strategies. They’re not hacks. They’re not tips, tricks, or secrets either.
They’re simply reminders of who I REALLY want to become, how I REALLY want to live, and how I REALLY want to be remembered.
Maybe they’ll inspire you to think the same way. Feel free to jot some down yourself. Maybe even press some on your bathroom mirror with Post-It notes, or create a new screen saver for your phone.
Conversely, if you’ve got some sentences of your own that may help me, please share. I’m ALWAYS looking for ways to get better.
So, without further delay, here are some phrases to write down today that could improve your life tomorrow.
Since all we’re doing time on this earth together, a “Life Sentence” just might be the way to go.
And grow.
*****
On a relationship with God …
Your purpose for existing is this: to let God the Father love you. (Ponder this one for a bit. We can’t believe, trust or glorify without first feeling loved.)
On developing good habits …
Can you do it for a day?
On eating well …
Food is fuel. Food is medicine.
On self-discipline …
Never sacrifice what you want MOST for what you want now.
On raising children …
Hold the crown six inches above their head and allow them to grow into it.
On coaching children …
Never be a child’s last coach.
On writing well …
Great writing is rewriting. And then rewriting some more.
On teaching …
Can the people I lead feel love when I correct them?
On proper breathing …
Breathe through your nose. Eat with your mouth.
On standards vs. rules …
Standards raise us up. Rules are enforced downward.
On church …
We don’t go to church. Fundamentally, we ARE the church and we go to a building to worship together.
On making good decisions …
Every decision we make eventually becomes a story we tell. What story do I want to tell in 10 years?
On becoming a great conversationalist …
Keep telling yourself, shut up and listen. Keep asking yourself, what can I learn?
On modeling behavior …
Young people will only aspire to reach the highest branch they can see. That might be you.
On humility …
Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself. It’s thinking of yourself less.
On pursuing your dream …
Don’t half-ass it.
On worry …
Worry is what happens when we pray to ourselves.
On transformational coaching …
Coach the heart, not the talent.
On your calling vs. your job …
A calling consists of one or a few things you just HAVE to do each day. Your job is where you get to do those things.
On success vs. excellence ..
Success is fleeting. Excellence is forever. Always pursue excellence.
On outcomes vs. the process …
Never focus on a “finish line.” There’s no such thing in real life. Always focus on the process of BECOMING who you really want to be.
On being “gifted” …
Someone who has practiced over and over until it looks natural.
On getting older …
Today, you are the oldest you’ve ever been and the youngest you will ever be again. You are perfectly positioned between experience and opportunity.
What to focus on if something good just happened …
Next play.
What to focus on if something bad just happened …
Next play.
And, finally, how can we best deal with all the political turmoil in D.C., riots and protests around the nation, big tech censorship online and all the other junk swirling around us?
Just keep praying without ceasing. Just keep sharing the gospel.
Hmm. Maybe the answers we’re desperately searching for are often much closer than we think.
We just don’t think sometimes.
But take note. There’s still plenty of time left to change that in 2021.
It’s only January, after all.
And now you’ve got a plan to do it.
(Tim Kolodziej is the creator of EnspireU.com and author of this piece. If you would like to receive encouraging/inspiring messages, videos, and motivational stories each morning, text him at (412) 226-4977.)