There are five essentials to a life of purpose and influence. These essentials are found in every successful person you know. They are qualities that you have exhibited from time to time. If you can be more intentional in capturing and harnessing these qualities in your life, the results will be astounding. Here they are:

• Passionate Learner.
• Battlefield Faith.
• A-Team Enthusiast.
• Extravagantly Simple.
• Fiercely Fearless.

A Passionate Learner is fascinated by everything. Constantly learning how to be better…do better…have better. They are Sham Wow super-absorbent learners.

Battlefield Faith is the ability to take on and overcome adversity. You get knocked down and get back up again. It reminds me of a scene in Captain America where Steve Rogers is getting beaten in an alley by the loud jerk that was disturbing everyone at the cinema. Loud Jerk: “You just don’t know when to give up, do you?” He then hits Steve, knocking him down again. Steve gets back up and says, “I can do this all day,” and attacks the guy again. That’s the attitude when circumstances knock you down, get back up. Here is what I have observed about successful people: before they succeeded, they were brought to the brink of great despair at the edge of their limitations. Everything in them wanted to quit but they didn’t, and so, emerged stronger and wiser. Look at the heroes of the Bible—all of them had more reasons in the natural to quit, but, against the odds, they overcame.

A Team Enthusiast is someone who believes that life is not a solo act. We need others. We were made for relationships. You can obtain success without people, but you can’t be a success without people. Be a team player and care about others.

Extravagantly Simple are wise people who make the complex simple. Most people live complicated lives because they lack concentrated focus.

Fiercely Fearless; that is a life of purpose and influence that is lived on the far side of the safe-zone. It’s willing to take calculated risks and make courageous decisions to start over after a failure. They have a determination to try it again, unwilling to take defeat lying down. You have these qualities use them more intentionally.

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”Mark 9:23 (NKJV)

Just a thought,
Carl

What is the greatest need in your life right now? Identifying that need is essential to living a more happy and fulfilled life. Here are the four greatest needs (assuming Christ is already Lord of your life). Need for security (financial, safety, protection, stability and/or order in your life). Need for power/influence (control, authority, morality, leadership) power over an addiction or bad habit. Need for achievement or attainment (creating something new, accomplishing/achieving your goals, greater results, success, more spiritual) God has designed us for success (Joshua 1:8,9). Need for intimacy and/or relational connection (to be heard, loved, cherished, touched, belonging). The relationship need trumps all the others, because God made us to be in relationship with Him and others. Many people go through life meeting the needs of others, while their own needs go unmet. Granted we should put God first; others second; and ourselves last. Last: yes! Forgotten: no! Determine the number one need that you have in your life today, that is unmet or under met. Why is this important? “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24 ESV). >“Ask, and you will receive….” Receive what? Receive an answer, direction and/or hope that your need can be met by God (James 4:2,3). Ask the Lord to show you how to get that need met in a safe and godly way. What three actions, can you immediately take towards that need being met? What needs to change in your daily habits? Believe you can do it, because with God all things are possible.

Just a thought,
Carl