#30- Steer by Starlight!
by Cory MacNeil

"I do some of my best work in my sleep!"

Those words were spoken by a contractor friend of mine during a conversation we had about the challenges of building.  He explained that quite often, he simply thought about his problem before going to bed and when he woke up the answer would come to him.  This idea may sound crazy on the surface, but what if there is really some truth to it?  Is it possible to be most productive when you are least active?  We're going to talk about that in today's post.

During the past couple of weeks you've been learning about the importance of creating and illustrating a healthy culture, be it in your home, organization, club, etc.  If you attempt to create and live out a better life for you and those in the boat with you, you'll soon realize how much creativity it requires.  After all, you only have so many hours in the day, so what do you do?

What if I told you the answer is as simple as going to sleep?  Without going into all of the mumbo jumbo on this topic, your mind continues to work while you are sleeping.  However, in the age we live in, sleep is looked upon as a waste of time; something we do because we have to; it's a time when we have no choice but to forget about everything until we can get up and actively pursue our goals and dreams.  Right?

Wrong!

We truly can do some of our best work in our sleep.

Now hear me out.  What I'm talking about is not some new whimsical idea that hasn't been tested or proven.  Here's how it works.

1.  Before you go to bed, ask yourself a question.  Stick with just one question.  Once you see how effective this is, you might be tempted to ask 5, 10 or twenty questions.  You'll have plenty of time to do that in the future.  For now, focus on ONE challenge you are facing.  Write it down.  If it makes you more comfortable, call this prayer.  If you're not comfortable with that word, call it putting your subconscious to work.  If you've given up on prayer before bed time, this will show you the importance of sticking with it.  For example, you might pray: "Lord, How can I be more productive throughout my day?"

2.  Now imagine what it will look like for you to be more productive.  Maybe greater productivity looks like you waking up and being refreshed and ready to study the bible and pray before work.  Maybe being more productive looks like you having more energy for your spouse and kids at night.  Maybe being more productive looks like you assembling an energetic team that excels at coming up with new and cutting edge ideas.  Whatever you do, really take some time to think about what the solution to your problem looks like.

3.  Next, imagine how it's going to feel when you receive the answer to your question.  Imagine how it's going to feel to have your sermon finished by Wednesday or your series completed a month ahead of time.  Imagine how it's going to feel when your presence with your wife and kids grows and they realize you are engaged, not just putting in your time.  Imagine how it's going to feel to not just go through the motions on a daily basis but to live with purpose and more energy.

Before you object, give it a try for yourself.  If you choose to accept the challenge, here are a few more tips: First, keep a journal or voice recorder next to your bed.  Why?  You might receive some of your best answers in the middle of the night.  So be ready.  You'll cringe when you wake up in the morning and realize you forgot something that was totally revolutionary and fresh the night before.  Second, take time to look at your notes in the morning.  Make this a part of your launch for the day.  Reflect on what you wrote down and further research things that intrigue you.  Search the scriptures.

While you're at it, have some fun.  Wouldn't it be ironic if you discovered that what you think is one  of your most unproductive times of the day turns out to be one of your most productive?  Someone once said the only thing you can expect from God is to do the unexpected.  At the end of the day, He is more interested in us than we are in Him.  Just imagine....although you're in a rut today, you may be one night away from a life beyond your wildest dreams!

Ephesians 20-21 God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.  The Message

#29- Visible Change

Last week you learned about creating a culture where people can speak and be heard.  So how do we illustrate that our culture is changing?  

Ten years ago when we moved into our current home, we decided to paint the kitchen Forest Green.  I still don't know what we were thinking.  We told ourselves we liked it, but admittedly the already dark room became darker and smaller.  Last week I decided enough was enough and repainted the kitchen a very light shade called Glowing Green.  The color is actually like a very pale shade of Robin's Egg.  What better way to spend the last freezing day of cold weather and get in gear for Spring?  And what better way to show others that change is taking place within you or your organization?

Boiling this down some more, people need more than just lip service, they want to see results.  It's one thing to tell your boss you are becoming a more productive worker; it's another thing to show your sales numbers are up 3 percent over last year.  You can say you're really learning a lot from the bible, but the question is where is is sticking out in your life?  How would your spouse rate your growth?  You say you love her, but do you still wait until she nags before taking out the garbage?

How do you know you're growing?  You know, when you start not only thinking differently, but acting differently.  Growing people are not comfortable with the status quo, they are people who chase what could and should be.  If you don't like the color of your kitchen or the state of your marriage or your job or the choices you are making, do something about it!  Better yet do something for others.  Take the first step in completing the project your wife has been talking about.  Pour the wine down the kitchen sink.  Send out your resume.  Stop being grumpy.


By now, you may be thinking I can't do all of those things by myself.  You're right.  But with God's help you can do a lot more than you could ever ask, imagine or think!  God hasn't left you here to be miserable and lonely and depressed, He wants you to have not just eternal life, but abundant life.  Yes, you will experience heart ache and loneliness, depression, and rejection, but that doesn't have to be the end of the story.  Ask God to help you write a better next chapter.  You can triumph over tragedy.  You don't have to live in the dark, depressing kitchen, you can paint it.

1.  Budget- If you're going to make some practical changes in your life, it might be helpful to budget.  I used to just dream and swipe, but last week I decided to withdraw a certain amount of money before going to the Home Improvement Store.  In the long run, I got the paint I needed and only 2 of the 4 LED lightbulbs I am using to replace the existing recessed lights in my soffit, but I experienced an unexplainable joy knowing I had exercised self- discipline while making my purchase.

2. Prioritize- Take some time to decide what really needs to change and focus on one project at a time.  Maybe right now you are unsure what your next project is.  Work on the last job God gave you until He shows you something different.  Don't forget that He is perfectly capable of inspiring you.  If you're not inspired at the moment, maybe it's because you haven't completed the last project.

I'm sitting in our 'new' kitchen as I write and it's amazing.  A once dark and dreary room is now fresh and bright and ready to receive huge infusions of Spring.  How about you?  Are the changes taking place in you or your organization being reflected in your physical environment?  Or is it business as usual?  You can tell people that change is taking place in you and/your organization, but unless they see some kind of tangible proof, chances are they won't believe you.

#28- Further Faster!

by Cory MacNeil

My Grandfather couldn't swim a lick to save his life!  However,  I remember him leading me across a train bridge over water late at night to go fishing!  As you can imagine, it's scary enough to step from tie to tie in daylight, let alone at night with fishing gear and a flashlight.  To this day, I don't know what he was thinking, but I do know this: communication can be scary!

Let me explain.  You may not think so, but expressing ideas, thoughts, dreams, visions and feelings is just as scary for some people as crossing a railroad bridge late at night.  It wouldn't be so bad if they hadn't been so hurt in the past.  At one point or another, they shared with someone and the other person neglected them or failed to listen.  Maybe they even gave it another shot, but had the same results.  You get the idea.

Now put a bunch of those people in the same room (almost everybody) and you've got an idea why team communication can be so difficult.  In some cases, the bridges aren't just rickety, they're non-existent!  As someone once said, "that's not a bridge, it's Termites holding hands!".  No wonder there's so much fear and frustration in our personal relationships and the organizations we're involved in.  Add a leader to the mix who has poor self esteem to begin with and the problem only escalates.

One thing you can do to ensure excellent communication in your personal relationships and organization is create a culture that accepts and encourages diversity.  That means our conversations and meetings should provide a safe zone, not a war zone.  Yes, we will disagree.  Yes, we often have silly ideas.  Yes, we will be misunderstood.  And yes, sometimes our meetings will be a flop.  But until you begin to invite honest feedback and input in your conversations, you're not going to grow.  Feedback is your friend.

For example, what would happen if you asked your spouse to share their heart with you on any given topic?  If you were to ask them, would they say they can talk to you about ANYTHING?  Or have they given up on having a heart to heart with you because you flew off the handle when they informed you of a late fee yesterday on your Visa bill?  How about the organization you lead?  Do your people have an open invitation to come and talk with you when they disagree with you or are they afraid because you justified your actions last time they did and failed to take into consideration what they were saying?

An amazing thing happens when you open yourself up to what other people have to say.

Ordinary conversations become extraordinary.

People begin to open up and blossom.

Creativity soars.

And, your blood pressure goes down.

If your personal relationships are struggling to grow and your organization is stalled, why not take the time to create a new culture where honesty and feedback are rewarded and not punished?  Take a cue from the indian tribes who pass a stick to the person who is talking and require everyone to listen while the person with the stick is sharing.

Looking back now, I still think my Grandfather was CRAZY for taking a young pre-teen across a train bridge on a dark night.  I don't know what we would have done if we'd taken one wrong step or looked up to see a bright light chugging our way.  But I do know this.  I want the bridge for communication between myself and others to be well constructed and safe.  I don't want it to be a place where tragedy might occur, I want it to be a place of transformation!

The stick's in your hands now, PLEASE feel free to comment below!

#27- How Do You Keep Moving Forward?

by Cory MacNeil

What is your vision for your life?  Your church?  Your family?  As someone once said, “A failure to plan is a plan to fail”.  Chances are if you have no blueprints for your life, you’re not going to build much of anything.  So where do you start.

Pastor and author Andy Stanley argues that vision starts with a daily commitment.  Think about that for a moment.  Regardless of how great your vision is, unless you’re willing to commit to it, you’re doomed from the start.

Will you make mistakes?  Yes!  But as Life Coach Dave Kraft says: “If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not making much of anything.”  

I believe one of the largest obstacles holding leaders back from casting vision is the fear of error.  As someone said, “there’s so much fear of strange fire, that we have no fire!”  When we fear what others will think if we fail, the obstacle in question is our pride.

So what is vision?  Vision is a clear mental snapshot of “what could and should be”, according to Stanley.  Vision is not the real challenge, the real challenge is making vision stick.  Some of you have an idea of what could and should be.  You may even have the wisdom to make it happen.  But are you constantly and creatively finding ways to keep your vision before the eyes of your followers?

Another good question to ask when trying to understand your vision is to ask what the problem is that needs to be solved.  For instance, maybe the problem is there are no basketball courts in your community for under privileged teenagers.  Or maybe the problem is poor morale at your place of employment because the employees have no allocated place or times to get together for meaningful connection throughout the day.  You can’t come up with a solution until you understand the problem.

Maybe you struggle with vision because you get side tracked.  Often, less important things take the place of the urgent.  Saying YES to vision may mean saying NO to less important details

Why?  The bible says: “Where there is no vision, the people perish!”.  Pastor Johnny Hunt says it this way: “Where there is no clear, prophetic revelation, the people cast off all restraints!”.  If the people in your life cannot see your vision, maybe it’s because you haven’t made it stick.  Vision is a big deal when you realize people’s lives are at stake. 

One way to make vision stick is to make it simple and memorable.  Provide a visual.  For example, if you’re a pastor, post a photo of you and your smiling church members standing in front of your sign.  What simpler way to illustrate the goals of joy and unity?  Again, not only must you state the vision, you must REPEATEDLY remind your people, family, organization and others of the vision.  

Perhaps right now, you are faced with a challenge.  Maybe, just maybe, you are burdened by the problem because God wants to use you to come up with a solution.  It wouldn’t be the first time.  A.W Tozer said: “God tells the man or woman who cares!”  The challenge you are facing right now may be a leadership opportunity in disguise.

Whatever you do, Stanley emphasizes that you take notice when people catch your vision and CELEBRATE!  As a leader you want to minor in pointing out flaws in other people and major in recognizing strengths.  

In the meantime, understand that people’s complaints can be useful in determining their understanding of your vision.  Feedback is your friend!  Sometimes their complaints only show their lack of understanding.  Leaders never take constructive criticism personally.

If you are currently struggling with making vision stick in your church, home, or workplace, be on the lookout for our next post when we discuss perhaps the greatest key to implementing your vision.  In the meantime PLEASE be sure to comment below.

What have you learned about vision?  And while you’re at it, buy a copy of Andy’s book Making Vision Stick.

#26- How to Kill A Dragon

by Cory MacNeil

Maybe it’s a co-worker, but it could be anyone, including your spouse, a friend or a neighbor.  Every once in awhile, something happens....some kind of tension or conflict...and you bite your tongue and don’t say anything.  Instead you let it burn in your chest like a....dragon.  With the passage of time the dragon grows bigger and bigger.  In the process, you leave the door wide open for other dragons to enter.

Dragons were never meant to be kept under lock and key.  First, they cost too much to feed and they’re a mess to clean up after.  On a real bad day, they may burn your house down.

The bible says to ‘be angry and sin not’.  Despite your best efforts to go with the flow and maintain peace, there will be times when you CHOOSE to speak up.  Other times the words will just come out of your mouth.  Maybe this happened to you just recently and you’re still surprised by it.

We can only take care of Dragons for so long, before it’s time to set them free.  Otherwise we just keep on taking care of them and suffering emotional exhaustion and hopelessness in the process.  It’s hard to concentrate on other fruitful matters when every moment of your day is spent taking care of a dragon.

Is it time that you had ‘the talk’ with someone?  Have you been put in a position of compromise but you’ve just kept your mouth shut and gone along with the plot?  Maybe, just maybe, the other person is wondering how long you’re keeping so quiet.  Maybe they have a Dragon or two of their own.

Sometimes amazing things happen when we set our dragons free- it’s called communication.  Other people don’t know what we’re thinking or feeling unless we show them.  When we communicate, beautiful things happen.  Ultimately, things may not go as you plan when you set your Dragon free, however, chances are things will go swimmingly well.

Tweet this: Don’t be afraid to set up some boundaries in your life.  Letting others continually invade your private space not only burns you out in the long run but gives others a false sense of freedom.  

Ironically, liberating a dragon is just what the doctor ordered in many cases when it comes to accelerating a relationship.

If there’s one thing that’s lacking today, it’s transparency.  Your honesty and openness may be a cup of cold water to someone who has grown accustomed to a world of people who are private and silent.  So go ahead and set a dragon free today.  It’s a lot cheaper than feeding one.