Happy New Year, friends! I have a prediction. On Dec. 31, 2017, neither you nor I will be at the same point that we are today in any area of life. One year from now your financial picture will be stronger or weaker; you will be more or less effective at your job; you will be closer to God or further away; you will be a better or worse parent, family member and friend. You will be more or less skilled as a leader; more loving toward your spouse or more complacent; healthier or less healthy physically, emotionally, spiritually and relationally.
Every day we take small steps. A day without growth is a wasted opportunity. A few consecutive days without growth is a disappointment. A year absent positive growth is a tragedy.
Several factors will impact your growth in 2017. One of the monster factors we face throughout life is, "How will you process wounds?" We all have wounds to varying degrees. So, will you allow your wounds to affect you day after day, polluting your life, or will you deal with them in healthy God-honoring ways? A few years back, I decided to trust God and dive into wound exploration and repair. I wouldn't trade that journey, despite the pain, for anything. Pain is a necessary classroom for growth.
Another key to progress is honest evaluation. Will you invest time, energy and vulnerability to evaluate where you are? What were the three best decisions and greatest mistakes you made in 2016? What choices led to detours or worse, derailments? A growing leader consistently takes assessment through self-evaluation and feedback from others. When is the last time you asked your spouse, "What one thing could I do to be a better husband?" When is the last time you asked your boss, "What one thing could I do to be a better employee?" Raw, honest feedback is a gift from those we trust, yet we rarely appreciate it, ask for it or are humble enough to receive it.
Paul lived when Jesus did and was a high capacity leader in the early church. He wrote, "Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else." This is great advice. There is joy in taking ownership of our life, no longer blaming or comparing ourselves to others, receiving evaluation and feedback, and intentionally growing forward.
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Growth never happens by accident, only by intention. I keep Proverbs 1:32 up in my office: "The waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them." Do you intentionally invest your time and money in what matters most to you? Or are you wayward; randomly spending your time, talent, and money? The key to a great 2017 will not be managing our time but managing yourself.
