I've got 6 hours left before I head out on vacation. 

The honey do list is still unfinished, I'm hungry for something greasy and have at least two unfullied client promises are on my mind as well. 

And yet, there is this other thing 'I wish' I could do.

Goals and tasks are a pretty more tangible. 

Faith, dreams and even hopes are metaphysical but yet have strong impact on the realities of our daily life. 

But what about 'wishes'? 

I can't think of any scriptural references and personal development tactic that uses them. 

Adult Children

Who uses wishes? 
Disney? Rosa Royce? Kindergarteners?

What are the practical uses of wishes?
Blowing out birthday candle? Splitting a turkey bone?

More often than I'd like to admit, my mind uses the phrase, I wish for this or I that... And yet the concept is purely based in the imagination and reality of children.

And with that, those simple words rarely make my DO anything. 

The only reason I'm wishing and not planning or acting is because it must be something that can't be done. 

I don't wish to put gas in the car. 

I don't wish to go the bathroom. 

So why am I wishing for more time to do that stuff that really matters?

Cursing Wishes

Yes, I have conviction and motivation... but I have it for other areas as well. 

So what separates the working out from the say, learning French, working 80 hours a week or writing a book every year? 

I care. 

In my reality of today, I care right now. 

And so right now, I do what I really want to.

I need to let pain push me, if insipration isn't pulling me.

I need to let the "I wish" thought remind me I'm living a lie and my time is running out. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts, disagreements or comments. Please share below: 

- Arvell Craig

I'm noticing how addictive or seductive or how much of a fraud achievement is. 

We treat, or think of success and achievement as if it is a seal from God confirming that what we are doing is right, on-point or in His will.

What if you did something and a positive result happened? Positive like people praised you, someone paid you or some other external rewards happened. How could you not continue in that area or line of work? Especially if you did not have an alternative which would pay you similarly. 

What if you did something else yet the entire process breathed life into you? 

So you've got life ( emotional and perhaps spiritual ) energizing you in one area of activity, while there is this other area, that puts money in your pocket and maybe some social acceptance. 

How far are those emotional or spiritual goose bumps going to take you? 

Whose voice is louder? 

The voice of cash money; an expense budget to tantalize yourself to the nth degree? How could you give that up?

Why would you give that up? 

Couldn't you endure drudgery to reach such a place of power? 

I bet you could even learn to change the psychology of your brain chemistry or value system in order to feel good about the vain process you're enduring. You could justify every action and activity of comprise because the ending result would be so rewarding.

As many people have stated, there may be universal laws of success and principles that just seem to work; like breaking down the process of mitosis -- the cunning have learned a repeatable process of bringing and even creating material prosperity.

And of course all of life is about prosperity. 

God said it, Abraham confirmed it and that settles it right?

( Can I mention the thousands or millions of people living and eventually dying in poverty believing in the same God - but whose circumstances will never fit those so called principles or laws… No? Ok, I'll leave that out. )

There are laws that govern success and many claim to have them - but who controls the law of the human heart? The deep seated testimony of wholistic alignment that is possible for attainment by every human ( or really every Christian ) in spite of circumstances?

What principle speaks to that?

When no one is around and you can't get a ounce of prestige -- and still you're drawn towards that other area? 

What do we do with that internal and unpopular sensation?

What is the point of it? Is it a fluke? An anomaly? Like an appearance of a rainbow -- beautiful in it's discovery but completely unattainable, unreachable and impractical.

I don't know about you, but I live for achievement. Not for purpose or meaning. (Note: I'm speaking about actions not motives.) I've come to live for external signs that wipe away the anxieties caused by the cares of this world. Floating down like gifts on parachutes, that pay check or closed sale speaking to my need for acceptance or guidance or direction. 

And when I can't seem to hear from God - two or three zeros following a positive integer will do just fine. 

Lord forgive me.

I've just finished reading an article by Jim Collins - author of Good to Great and other excellent books. 

In this article, Jim talks about his annual ritual of doing a 'stop doing list' when making his new years resolution. 

I find the idea intriguing...

How about making some New Years resolutions now? 

Why wait another 5 months -- doing stuff that doesn't matter // neglecting things that do? 

I think the idea of committing to not do things a wiser action that committing to add more things to our plate. 

Why assume that it is most important to just survive -- doing what needs to be done and waiting for all your ducks to be in a row before you live for the things things that really matter?

Happy New Year!

-Arvell

This is a good article. See link below.

Many with dreams but no drive don't understand why they are not progressing more. They haved live by external motivation, but the things outside us won't live for us....  


http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/sethsmainblog/~3/x-OghA-CQMA/dependency-on-external-motivation.html

Dying empty - mean to end ones' life having emptied themselves of all they were to accomplish during their time one earth. The opposite of dying full: taking your dreams and talents, ideas and inventions, songs and books with you to the grave. But, let me clarify this a bit...

Dying empty does not mean to simply live completely focused on accomplishments, success and productivity. It does not mean you speak everything that comes to mind, or that you patent every idea that comes to you while in the shower. Dying empty does not mean you sacrifice people, relationships and every present moment in hopes of some distant future future where you can enjoy life without obligations.

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There is a vast number of issues, people subjects that absolutely do not care about. 

Is that ok? 

And there is narrow small number of things that care deeply about. 

That sounds better right? 

To me, being open and clear about the things I care nothing about, gives my remaining energy and concern an unbridled focus. I don't hesitate to state I can nothing about so-and-so, or this political issue, or this news topic. I find my immediate world brings enough drama to keep my preoccupied. 

I never seem to finish my to-do list, so why should I add more to it? 

Now, I'm sounding a little selfish right? 

But no, it isn't until "so-and-so" shows up at my door, on my phone or into my wife's prayer time that it becomes a concern of mine. I think God is able to bring directly to our doorstep, directly in front of our face the things we need to be personally involved in. 

Everything else is just a distraction.

I've learned that I have a circle of influence. (You've probably heard that statement as well) And so why should I give energy towards that which I have no influence. Why speculate on the hypothetical future or given energy to the irreversible past?

So let me repeat a previous statement: 

I think God is able to bring directly to our doorstep, directly in front of our face the things we need to be proactive in. Everything else is just a distraction.

I find an incredible book. . .

It has boat load of golden nuggets. Keys that unlock titanimum doors through which hold the yellow brick road towards my dreams' manifestation.

Or at least a cool way to pay this month's bills. :)

A guy like me wants to immediately tell the world! Share this truth that I just discovered. 

Tweet the quote. Write a blog or email to my list so they can implement this idea as well.

No, I'm not even acting like it's mine. I gladly share where I learned it from.

Then it hits me..."why am I reguritating another person's ideas as compared to pioneering my own...

Why be a curator? A retweeter. A middle man. Why not be an orginator!?"

But check it, then another reality hits me: "there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecc. 1:9). 

NO ONE has original ideas or thoughts. Everything new truth is some what recycled. 

Check it - 

If you've ever done some thorough research on a topic I'm sure you'll notice common ideas and stories being spoken over and over again. Sometimes they are presented in a different package. But all in all, it's the same idea. 

And so, even though this new truth isn't necessarily original, to the specific people I interact with may - it may be gold. Thus whether or not I came up with it, my value increases because I've become a blessing to them. They don't care who came up with - but they are glad they received it and they're glad I didn't keep to to myself, but I shared it.

There are a two different views or rules of life that we can live by. (1). We can sow what we have reaped. Or (2). We can sow what we wish to reap!

I was recently advised to manage my team as to help them "get what they deserve." And that operating by cause and effect is simply being  "fair".  

However, I have a problem with this... I don't think I've been treated fair, so why should I treat others this way??

I spent 6 years in undergrad and failed over 25 classes. In my final semester before graduation, it would have been fair for the computer science teacher to fail me since I truly deserved an F. 

However, he didn't. He gave me mercy and I got a C-. (or something like that). 

Likewise, I've gone through the majority of my life as a slacker; struggling here and there because of my own decisions. And even though I have had to deal with the consequence, I can't say it's been 'fair'.

God has blessed me beyond what I deserve. And I am currently reaping blessings that I can't take credit for. 

Thus, when someone whom slacks or p's me off. How should I treat them? 

As a Christian, I'm called to recognize the grace extended to me and extend the same amount to those around me. I'm called to remember where I came from. Remember how I would be without grace and mercy and forgiveness. I'm called to be grateful and never forget.

I'm never called to be fair. Never called to make judgements. But to make declarations and pronouncements of blessings and compassion in hopes that through goodness received they might make changes for the better.

Slackers like me don't need time managment techniques, anti-procrastination coaching, or motivational speakers to pump us up. We just need to care. 

If we actually cared about what we were doing, we'd have inner drive pushing us to completion. However, we instead run from urgency to crisis; and then to other people's priorities instead of our own.

So if all we need to do is actually care about what we're trying to do or want to do, how do start caring? 

I have list here of a few things that I think cause people to give-a-rip about a given thing. 

   1. Law (I need to care because if I don't God or the government will punish me)

   2. Pride (I need care because it will make me feel important or special)

   3. Principle (I need to care because it is the right thing for me to do)

It seems to me, to bring your audience out from simple distant observation into engagement you need consistency and momentum.

I read an infographc the other day contrasting the effects of businesses that blog 1x per week, 4-5x per week and over 8x per week.

In short, it said that business that post content 1-5x a week get an average of 1 or less comments per day. But then businesses that post more than 8x per week, get an average of 10 responses or comments per day!

Why is that? 

It seems there is something about consistency and momentum that causes people to become engaged into what you're saying. But when you're not consistent, no matter how profound your content - the time and space separation between your statements don't secure a connection between you and your listeners.