Intentionality

How do you approach each day?  Do you have a plan for what you will do each day from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed?  Or do you allow the day to unfold” however” it is going to unfold, and just let it run your life?

So much more is gained if you take control of your day instead of letting it take control of you.

“The secret to growing is to be intentional every day by your daily agenda.  You are either getting better each day or you are getting worse.  If you are going to be what you need to be, you need to be intentional every day.”   John Maxwell, Chick-fil-A leadercast, May 2012.

Now I’m not saying that if something comes up during the day that you can’t react to it and go “off schedule” to take care of it.  But think about how much better a day would be if you actually had a plan of attack?  If you took just a couple of minutes and thought through what you wanted to accomplish, and then each day put those thoughts into action?

Your plan needs to be simple, basic, practical and applicable. “People are always willing to change their circumstances but are never willing to change their lives.” (John Maxwell again)

Can you remember those times in your life when you did have a plan?  When you knew exactly what needed to get done from the time you woke up until the time you went to bed and how productive those times actually were?

An example for me about being intentional involves what I do the first thing I get up.  I have been trying hard to be intentional about getting up each day and picking up the WORD before I ever think about looking at my smart phone (this takes a concerted effort by me each day but I refuse to let words/images from my phone be the first thing that enters my mind! Satan really pulls at me each morning on this one!).  What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? Check your email? Look at Facebook?  Take your turn at Wordfeud?

Think of it this way:  If you were to read just 1 page of the Bible every single day, over the course of several years (yes I know this is a long time but still…) you would have the entire Bible read! Now which is going to give you more strength in what you do and help you reach your fullest potential – the daily Bible verses you read or looking at someone’s “status” on Facebook?

My example here is not to pass judgment but to encourage you to be a Real Christian Business Man and make a plan – make a difference in your life by taking an active role in getting better and reaching your fullest potential.

“Diligent work gets a warm commendation; shiftless work earns an angry rebuke” (Prov 14:35. The Message)