LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day. Henri J.M. Nouwen

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

This month I want to focus on the word JOY.

Last week, while recording a podcast with a friend, I was asked the question, "what brings you joy"? It was a great question, and it kind of stopped me in my tracks.

Earlier in the week, Gina and I had attended the funeral of a good friend, and while there was sadness, there was also so much joy around the way he lived his life and the influence he had on so many people. It was a broad scope of emotions as we celebrated his life and as we connected with good friends in the process.

I then came back home to a really full and hectic week, and I'm learning that sometimes these transitions from one thing to another need a little time! The truth is, I flew back really early in order to make an important meeting, so I was tired, emotional, and not ready to dive into the tasks that were before me.

In the midst of these transitions, these emotions, this fatigue, and the urgency of things on my plate, we escaped late Thursday afternoon to attend our grandsons first art show at his preschool. (Yes, he's truly an artist). As members of our family came together to celebrate this beautiful child, I was overwhelmed. It wasn't just the art, but it was the love that was being displayed through our family, it was my 2 grandkids running on the grass chasing a ball, it was smiles and laughter, it was cheering and encouragement, it was just pure JOY.

I didn't realize it at the time, but it was so much more than a moment.

It was a reflection of what was stirring in my heart and soul in the midst of everything that had gone on during the week, and I didn't realize it in the moment, but when I reflected back while doing the podcast, that was the first thing out of my mouth when asked, "what brings you joy?".

Nouwen shares this:

"Joy isn't the same as happiness. Happiness is reactive - it comes and goes based on circumstances. Joy is something deeper: a settled sense of meaning and gratitude that can coexist with suffering, grief, or difficulty."

It's a discipline, not a moment and I want to keep choosing it everyday.

What Brings YOU Joy?

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"If you spend your life trying to be good at everything, you will never be great at anything." Tom Rath

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

We continue the conversation on STRENGTHS for a few more weeks.

Tom Rath has spent his life focused on different aspects of Strengths-Based Leadership as well as a Leaders Health. His books have had a profound influence in my life over the years and I'm currently reading his latest book, What's the Point, which is a book about purpose.

I shared with you a little bit about my drumming passion growing up, but I have other music interests as well. I play the guitar, bass guitar and the piano a little bit.

Here's the deal, I can pick one up or sit down at the piano and play something. I've learned enough over the years to be able to perform, to play a tune, or even to lead worship, but I never "mastered" any of those instruments. I play enough to get by and to use it, but I'm not good enough to do more with it.

Do you want to know why? Because I chose to be "good" or "decent" at all three, and never put the time into practicing any one of those to become really great.

Sometimes when I'm standing in church or at a concert, I just get lost in the musicians abilities to play their instrument.

We went to see The Eagles (my favorite band growing up) last year perform, and I was standing there in awe of their talent. Don Henley playing the drums, Joe Walsh just screaming on the guitar, and Vince Gill fitting into the Eagles lineup with incredible vocals and guitar playing. Timothy B. Schmit plays the bass so casually, but it drives their music.

These are performers who have spent a lifetime becoming GREAT.

I chose to be "OK".

Do I have regrets? Sometimes. Gina often asks me what instrument I'd like to play in a band, and it always depends on the kind of music they're playing.

I'd like to be able to really play the piano, or to play the guitar the way I see some of these professionals play.

But, I chose other things, other passions, other interests. I chose to develop strengths in other ways that were a good investment in my time.

I could talk to you about my desire to be a GREAT golfer, but that will never happen, so I'll just keep being OK.

How do we determine what to focus on? What to spend time developing? What to invest the energy into?

That's a conversation between you and God. He made you for a unique purpose, and once you find out what that is, you will be drawn to grow and develop in the areas that help you become the best you can be, with His help.

I may never be a world famous musician, but I can still admire those people, I can appreciate the work they've put into developing their skills, and I can stay true to the path I'm on, being the person God has called me to be.

What do you want to be GREAT at? What are you GREAT at? Why?

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"What leaders have in common is that each really knows their strengths, has developed their strengths, and can call on the right strength at the right time." Donald O. Clifton

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

We continue the conversation on STRENGTHS for a few more weeks.

Donald O. Clifton really began the study of STRENGTHS which came from this thought:

"What will happen when we think about what is right with people rather than fixating on what is wrong with them?"

Clifton went on to create the CliftonStrengths (Strengthsfinder 2.0 with Tom Rath) which has been used around the world to help people identify their core strengths using a 34-theme template.

The idea is pretty simple: If I come home with a report card in Junior High School, and I have an A in English, a B in History and a D in Math, my parents will naturally tell me I have to focus on getting the math grade up, and at the expense of the classes I excel in, I need to put all my energy into my math grade, which in turn might bring my math grade up to a C, but it might also bring my English & History grades down.

Clifton calls it "weakness-fixing" and he points out that this leads to mediocrity and that it doesn't reflect my true capacity.

Of course there's balance in everything. If you're getting a D in a class you need to work on that to some extent, however in Cliftons writings, he shares that in areas of weakness, learn to be content with a C grade in math and then spend your energy and time on areas of interest and natural talent.

I wish I had understood this concept earlier in my life, in my development.

When I was a kid, my first instrument was an accordion. I have no idea why my parents would do that to me, but I hauled the accordion for a while back and forth to lessons. I don't remember ever really enjoying it. My next instrument was the piano, and while I enjoyed this, I just didn't want to be a piano player, of course this was before Elton John & Billy Joel made it cool.

I wanted to be a drummer! I had dreams and goals of being a rock and roll drummer, and fortunately my parents believed in that dream. I took lessons, I rented a snare drum to practice at home, eventually I got my first drum set (which was banished to a room far away from everyone else), and I played the drums all the way through late elementary school, junior high and high school. After college I played at my church and continued to play percussion for many many years.

Drumming was in my bones. Gina experiences it often as I work out a rhythm on the steering wheel of our car, over and over again!

I don't know if drumming is a strength, a talent or a passion, but I'm thankful that my parents saw that in me and not only encouraged me, but made it possible for me to develop this in my life.

That's what I want to do more of: identify areas of strength in people and help them experience the joy that comes from using that God-given gift to impact the world!

What's a STRENGTH you have that you'd like to explore and invest in?