Staying On Course

Recently I was on a trip and I loaded the destination into my phone’s GPS, and started driving.

I didn’t feel like I needed it at first since I know how to get out of my neighborhood. But it’s easier to do in the beginning than to plug it in while driving.

Through a series of short straightaways and quick turns, I soon found myself on the highway.

Stay on this road for 227 miles.

Staying on course means having discipline and eliminating distraction.

Immediately I had a knot in my stomach.

I knew it was a long trip. I knew how many hours it would take. I had even accounted for traffic times so I could make it as short as possible.

But there’s still something about seeing that number and the accompanying time frame that made me feel a tad frustrated.

Can you relate?

Why we need to practice staying on course.

Whether we like it or not, we all need to follow the advice to stay on course.

Trying a new startup venture? Stay the course.

Repairing a broken relationship? Stay the course.

Losing weight, changing your eating habits, or completing a degree? Stay the course.

Too often, we bail too quickly on our goals and never see real results. We hear the other dreaded word of a navigating GPS system: “Recalculating.” It means we’ve veered off course and need to get back on track.

Staying the course means eliminating distractions.

Staying the course means staying hyper-focused.

Staying the course means developing extreme discipline.

Staying the course means knowing what the end destination is, and refusing to stop before you get there.

Staying the course is not easy, but it is deeply rewarding. It is the only way to truly get to where you want to go in life.

The only way your side hustle becomes your main gig is by staying the course.

The only way you’ll have the body you dream of is staying the course in your diet.

The only way to have a thriving marriage, growing business, strong team, or financial success is by staying on course.

Your goals, dreams, visions, and plans for life are all at on the line. Don’t settle for anything less than reaching your final destination.

Stay the course!

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Three Questions for Continued Growth

The reality of life and leadership is that a plateau isn’t a healthy or viable option. Any attempt to stay the same, hold level, or keep steady will result in a gradual downward spiral of death.

You are either progressing towards your goals or you are stepping back from them.

You are either growing or you are dying.

Because of this, as leaders, we always need to be conscious of what it is we are doing with our time, energy, and resources. Are we actively pursuing that which makes us better and gets us to the most full and complete version of ourselves, or are we withering in the summer sun? Are we leading our teams into maximum efficiency, or are we watching them twist in the wind? Do we hope to just hold on, or are we intentionally planning success?

If you take your own growth seriously (and you should) here are three questions you need to be asking yourself for continued growth.

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3 Questions to Ask for Continued Growth

Three Questions for Continued Growth

1.) Who do I need to be?

This question gets at both the importance of our calling and our character. It makes sure that we are on track with who God has made us to be and developing the proper skill set to accomplish our goals.

Are you taking the time each day to understand yourself, invest in your own well-being, and develop your leadership capacity?

2.) Who do I need to know?

This helps us seek out new opportunities, mentorships, coaching relationships, networking chances, and other relevant and related people. 

Let’s say one of your financial goals is to be a millionaire. You’ll get there faster by hanging around people who are millionaires than you will with people who go over budget every month by busting their budget on junk food.

Are you surrounding yourself with the people that will influence you positively and get you closer to your goals?

3.) What do I need to do?

This step is about action. You may know all the right people and have the right morals to succeed, but you’ll never get there without action. Simply put: knowing the right answer, but not doing it, is just another way to watch your dreams die. You must be willing to be both a person of deep conviction and great action.

Can you lay your head down each night, knowing you did the work you needed to that day to get you closer to your goals?

Conclusion

Growth is essential as a leader. Day in and day out, our ability to influence others is tied directly and ultimately to our ability to understand, develop, enhance, embrace, and live out our own story.

We must understand our calling.

We must develop our character.

We must live with courage.