Recognizing Great Leaders

If you are one of those who love the news networks you can agree that most of what we see and hear is very little good and plenty of the bad and the ugly. Negativity and the worst of human traits are portrayed daily. The world needs its examples of leaders such as John C. Maxwell, Martin Luther King Jr., Zig Ziglar, Billy Graham and Ronald Reagan. What makes these examples stand out and recognized as world class leaders? I want to address three things that I think makes individuals appear as giants in the crowd. The leader examples I mentioned are some of my favorite, but do not constitute an all-inclusive list.

As John C. Maxwell says, “Leadership is influence.” Everyone influences either in a negative or positive way. More positive ways are what the world needs. Positive ways of influence offers peace, and unity, thus promoting growth individually and socially. I also believe there are some commonalities among these leaders to make them great. They follow certain principles while maintaining an attitude that strengthens their audience of followers.

I will list the three things and support each of them with quotes from these leaders. If you study these three things and the quotes, you will be able to recognize great leaders all around you.

They Possess Positive Attitudes

Positive attitudes will produce positive influence and positive influence will promote positive change. We constantly need change to adapt to an ever changing society. The best way to change is through personal growth. Read these quotes that speak of attitude from each of the five leaders. Those with a positive attitude and sees life as a good song always hear the music. If there is none they make the music!

John Maxwell – People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude.

Martin Luther King Jr. – Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.

Zig Ziglar – Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.

Billy Graham – When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.

Ronald Reagan – Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music.

They Follow Common Principles

There are certain principles that everyone must follow when the same results are expected. For example, when you desire better communication, listening as well as talking must be part of the conversation. Another is that physical exercise promotes good health. There are different ways to achieve results from these examples; however, the principle is the same. A good character is a must for a great leader. These quotes from each of the five leaders speak of principles to follow that will produce good character qualities.

John Maxwell – As a leader, the first person I need to lead is me. The first person that I should try to change is me.

Martin Luther King Jr. – Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.

Zig Ziglar – Honesty and integrity are absolutely essential for success in life – all areas of life. The really good news is that anyone can develop both honesty and integrity.

Billy Graham – God has given us two hands – one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for sharing.

Ronald Reagan – We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.

They Have the Ability to Maintain Great Followings

I have heard it said that the hardest thing to do is lead one’s self much less lead others. The best place to start is with self. However, do not think you can lead others well if you are not investing in leading yourself. To build and maintain a following takes skill that has been defined and refined through personal application. This in no way constitutes that you forget others. The best way to help others is to gain and maintain self-discipline. This process establishes and equips the best leader for them, which could be you. These quotes from the five leaders suggest what a leader must do to speak volumes to their followers.

John Maxwell – A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.

Martin Luther King Jr. – A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.

Zig Ziglar – When you encourage others, you in the process are encouraged because you’re making a commitment and difference in that person’s life. Encouragement really does make a difference.

Billy Graham – Racial prejudice, anti-Semitism, or hatred of anyone with different beliefs has no place in the human mind or heart.

Ronald Reagan – If we love our country, we should also love our countrymen.

In a world that daily advertises catastrophe, chaos and division we need examples that will cause us to hold our heads high and wade through the world’s trouble.

Everyone Likes Gifts

Consider ordering a copy of the book ‘A Commitment to Unleash Your Leader Potential’ and receive a GIFT. This gift is designed to help you tap into your potential, if you haven’t already, and be propelled to a new level of leadership and sensitivity in the Spirit in ONE DAY! A prerequisite is to order a copy of the book by clicking here and email the receipt to author@danielevans.org. We will then forward you information on how to receive your gift.

By Daniel W. Evans

Scriptural One-Day Fasts

What is fasting? This is a question I have been asked many times. It is a legitimate question, because this is a subject that is not widely taught in the churches much less practiced. You will read about fasting in the Bible, hear about it in your doctor’s office, and you may hear about it through nutritional and health programs. The dictionary definition of the word fast (fasting) is to abstain entirely from or limit food, to eat only sparingly or of certain types of food, or a period of self-denial. As we have briefly discussed different types of fasts, let’s move on to discuss the meaning of biblical fasting.

Biblical Fasting

What makes a biblical fast different from any other fast? The difference is that it is not only accomplished voluntarily by abstaining from food, but while practicing it, praying to God (the Creator of Heaven and earth), seeking Him during the fast, and following biblical guidelines are vital parts of the fast. As Christians, the practice of fasting is not necessary to ensure our salvation. But, we all live in a body, have a soul (mind, will and emotions), and live around people. These areas have the potential of creating circumstances that are hard to deal with and at times difficult to understand why we are facing a particular battle. Biblical fasting places you in a position to gain strength to work through these issues to get the help you need from God. In the Bible, fasting was practiced when the people of God faced personal, economical and famine hardships. They even fasted when facing their enemies. Fasting was also practiced when they started an assignment from God, and so many other examples. They dealt with the same issues of having a body, having a soul, and living around people, as we do today.

A Scriptural One-Day Fast

There are other examples of a one-day fast. However, we will only share one biblical example. In 2 Chronicles chapter twenty, Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, had a great army to come against him with the intent to attack (V.1, 2). He feared, proclaimed a one-day fast throughout Judah, and they all came together to seek the Lord (v. 3, 4). Then the Lord spoke to Jehoshaphat and all Judah through a Levite prophet and said that the battle was not theirs, but His (v. 15). Then God gave him specific details on what he must do (verses 16, 17). The next day king Jehoshaphat appointed singers to go before the army and the enemy was smitten by their own hands (verses 21-24). It took three days for the spoils of riches and precious jewels to be carried off from the dead bodies of the armies (verse 25). On the fourth day they met in a valley to bless the Lord (verse 26). What a miraculous act of deliverance and accumulation of wealth because of fasting, praying and seeking God.

Fasting Produces a Certain Character

My studies of the Word of God have revealed to me that the spiritual discipline of fasting itself is more important than naming specific biblical examples of fasting and using them only for certain needs. For example, partaking in a twenty-one-day fast and arbitrarily naming it a ‘Daniel Fast’ may not bring you understanding of a vision as it did Daniel in chapter 10. However, it will assist you in developing the Daniel kind of character that will prepare you to receive from God as Daniel and many other biblical patriarchs did when they fasted.

I have taught on this subject and referenced it in my preaching and teaching on many occasions. Many people have asked questions that lead me to believe that many do not have an understanding of the discipline of fasting. I do not fast because my name is Daniel, but I do fast as Daniel did and many others mentioned in the Word of God. I realize that it is a discipline and that I must set my mind to practicing it with the help of the Holy Spirit. Part of making a discipline work is to know what you must do. According to the scripture we find that food is always involved in fasting. Therefore, whether you sacrifice activities and physical pleasures or not, the abstinence of food should always be included in your fasting. The decision whether you fast a meal, certain types of food, or all food for the entire fasting period remains between you and the Holy Spirit. It is important to keep in mind medications and other directions from your doctor.

To learn more about fasting, visit our website by clicking here. While you are visiting the site check out the informative FAQ’s section with detailed answers to a list of questions.

Everyone Likes Gifts

Consider ordering a copy of the book ‘A Commitment to Unleash Your Leader Potential’ and receive a GIFT. This gift is designed to help you tap into your potential, if you haven’t already, and be propelled to a new level of leadership and sensitivity in the Spirit in ONE DAY! A prerequisite is to order a copy of the book by clicking here and email the receipt to author@danielevans.org. We will then forward you information on how to receive your gift.

By Daniel W. Evans

Leadership and Parenting

With a background of construction, I am very familiar with foundations for building structures. As a minister, I am also familiar with spiritual foundations. The first being when God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit had a conversation and created a plan at the foundation of the world. Everything has a foundation. The foundation determines how well whatever you are building will not only remain, but continue to progress.

Foundational Levels of Leadership

Concerning leadership, let’s review its basis. The first foundation of leadership is with the Holy Spirit leading mankind into the Father’s will. The next level is the individual leading himself. On this level personal growth will determine how well the next level of the family will progress. No matter what example you use all levels of leadership progress from these three levels. God, the individual and the family determines the effectiveness of all other levels. This week I would like to discuss the family level from the perspective of parenting.

Leadership through Parenting

I would like to reiterate what I discussed in another blog. My wife and I have a son with disabilities. We chose years ago to lead our family of three children with godly principles and to treat our son with disabilities as a normal child. That in itself was a slow process and took much effort from my wife and me. This is also a truth shared by many families even without children with physical, emotional or mental disabilities. I heard it said this way, “Every family has some type of dysfunction.” Whether this is true or not, the effort is always challenged.

To our family, God has proven to be faithful, powerful and loving time and time again. When doctors stated that Hunter would not get any better, we believed God and did not change from following leadership principles and applying certain techniques. All I can say is that Hunter is far better with his behavior and other symptoms than with the prognosis doctors attempted to offer us. The result is in the pudding! You cannot argue with results.

Leadership techniques, faith and prayer have tremendously helped our family. Prayer does change things! Our other two children are great parents. Our older son now operates one of the major segments of our family business. I am not insinuating that everything has been a bed of roses. However, I stand firm on this principle. Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proper family leadership is the basis of community development, including the workplace. Of course, this cannot be obtained without following other principles.

Solid Foundations Promote Growth

With this in mind, when families grow churches will grow. The community and workplaces will be entrenched with integrity, morality and a respectful love for each other. The greatest challenge for many parents today is to lead their children to listen to them instead of being influenced by their peers. Many times, peer pressure creates dysfunction in the home that leaves parents in a passive attitude. Parents must be active and proactive in their children’s lives applying good techniques in their parenting. This will greatly help children through those years of being easily influenced because of their own mental and emotional development. When individuals grow the reciprocal effect will be families and organizations growing. Solid foundations promote growth!

Personal Growth has Its Value

The best way to add to the growth of a family or organization is to grow personally. This is my testimony concerning our son, our family, our church and our business. As a family, business and church leader, something you learn early on is that you cannot change others. When you attempt to change someone, you actually hinder growth by trying to be a Holy Spirit wannabe. The Holy Spirit is the only One that can change us and it has to take place from within. Of course, this is only accomplished with a willingness to be teachable and pliable. All we can do is set the example for others, even our children, and offer assistance when needed.

A Day of Discovery for Parents

Consider ordering a copy of the book ‘A Commitment to Unleash Your Leader Potential’ and be prepared for ‘A Day of Discovery.’ This day is designed with several FREE teleconferences to help walk participants through the five step process as outlined in the book. You could tap into your potential, if you haven’t already, and be propelled to a new level of parenting leadership in ONE DAY! A prerequisite is to order a copy of the book by clicking here and email the receipt to author@danielevans.org. We will then forward the access information for the audio recordings. HAPPY parenting!

 

Some Basics of Prayer & Fasting

“But when you fast, perfume your head and wash your face, So that your fasting may not be noticed by men but by your Father, Who sees in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open.” Matthew 6:17-18 (AMP)

 

What is fasting? This is a question I have been asked many times. It is a legitimate question, because this is a subject that is not widely taught in the churches much less practiced. You will read about fasting in the Bible, hear about it in your doctor’s office, and you may hear about it through nutritional and health programs. The dictionary definition of the word fast (fasting) is to abstain entirely from or limit food, to eat only sparingly or of certain types of food, or a period of self-denial. As we have briefly discussed different types of fasts, let’s move on to discuss the meaning of a biblical fast.

 

Body, Soul and People

 

What makes a biblical fast different from any other fast? It is not only a voluntary abstinence from food, but while practicing it, praying to God (the Creator of Heaven and earth), seeking Him during the fast, and following biblical guidelines are vital parts of the fast. As Christians, the practice of fasting is not necessary to ensure our salvation. But, we all live in a body, have a soul (mind, will and emotions), and live around people. These areas have the potential of creating circumstances that are hard to manage. At times, it is even difficult to understand why we are facing a particular battle. Biblical fasting helps you gain strength to work through these issues and to receive help from God. In the Bible, fasting was practiced when the people of God faced hardships, faced the enemy, started an assignment from God, and so many other examples. These biblical patriarchs dealt with the same issues of having a body, having a soul, and living around people as we do today.

 

Specific Details

 

In 2 Chronicles chapter twenty, Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, had a great army to come against him to war (V.1, 2). He feared, proclaimed a fast throughout Judah, and they all came together to seek the Lord (v. 3, 4). Then the Lord spoke to Jehoshaphat and all Judah through a Levite prophet and said that the battle was not theirs, but His (v. 15). Then God gave him specific details on what he must do (verses 16, 17). The next day king Jehoshaphat appointed singers to go before the army and the enemy was smitten by their own hands (verses 21-24). It took three days for the spoils of riches and precious jewels to be carried off from the dead bodies of the armies (verse 25). On the fourth day they met in a valley to bless the Lord (verse 26). What a miraculous act of deliverance and accumulation of wealth because of fasting, praying and seeking God.

 

A Daniel Kind of Character

 

My studies of the Word of God have revealed certain truths. The spiritual discipline of fasting itself is more important than naming specific biblical examples of fasting and using them only for certain needs. For example, using a twenty-one-day fast and naming it a ‘Daniel Fast’ may not necessarily bring you understanding of a vision as it did Daniel in chapter 10. However, it will assist you in developing the Daniel kind of character that will prepare you to receive from God as did Daniel and many other biblical patriarchs when they fasted.

 

I have taught on this subject and referenced it in my preaching and teaching on many occasions. Many people have asked questions that lead me to believe they do not have an understanding of fasting. I do not fast because my name is Daniel. However, I do fast as did Daniel and others in the Word of God. I realize that it is a discipline and that I must set my mind to practicing it with the help of the Holy Spirit. A very important part of a discipline working for you is to know what you must do. According to the scripture we find that food is always involved in fasting. Therefore, whether you sacrifice activities and physical pleasures or not, the abstinence of food should always be included in your fasting. The decision whether you fast a meal, certain types of food, or all food for the entire fasting period remains between you and the Holy Spirit.

 

The Holy Spirit understands your physical inabilities and health issues, medication requirements and intense schedules. He will lead you to what you must do as you are developing this voluntary discipline for your life.

 

A Day of Discovery – Committed to a Fast

 

Order your book ‘A Commitment to Unleash Your Leader Potential’ and be prepared for ‘A Day of Discovery.’ This day is designed with several FREE teleconferences to help walk participants through a five step process. You could tap into your potential, if you haven’t already, and be propelled to a new level in ONE DAY! A prerequisite is to order the book by clicking here and email the receipt to author@danielevans.org. We will then forward the access information for the calls and schedule of calls to you.

 

By Daniel W. Evans

Leadership through the Eyes of a Minister

Leadership is about influence and is universal for any organization. I have had the privilege to co-manage a successful family business and serve on pastoral staffs in three different churches. There are those who may question if either of these is a privilege. However, I consider them as privileges. I have learned much from others I was directly involved with and from circumstances we all shared. By the way, I am still learning and do not think I will graduate from this class until I shut my eyes in eternal rest.

 

How you interact with people is similar when you train and attempt to implement new programs and growth techniques. However, there is a difference between leading paid and volunteer leaders. Most churches operate completely or partially on volunteer help. When you are training volunteer leaders you have to be conscious of their personal time. They are volunteers and more than likely have full-time jobs. Not to mention their schedules may already be packed out for their children and personal lives. This can create problems sometimes with churches that do not have money for a full-time staff.

 

This can also create a dilemma with a lead-pastor, other staff pastors, directors and deacons. What do we do from here, may be the question when there is not enough help to fulfill a vision. Over the years I have been involved with churches that faced these issues. They can be viewed as opportunities for creativeness or they can create bottlenecks and lids, therefore hindering or disallowing growth. Either way, decisions and changes need to be made.

 

Help us grow!

 

The basis of all leadership examples is the family. My wife and I have a son with disabilities. We chose years ago to lead our family of three children with godly principles and to treat our son with disabilities as a normal child. That in itself was a slow process and took much effort to implement. This is also a truth shared by many families even without challenged children. To our family, God has proven He is faithful, powerful and loving time and time again. When doctors stated that Hunter would not get any better, we believed God and did not change from following leadership principles and applying certain techniques. All I can say is that Hunter is far better with his behavior and other symptoms that we were told would not change.

 

With this in mind, when families grow churches will grow. Employees will cooperate with businesses to produce better working environments. This in turn will positively impact profits for greater salaries and benefits. When individuals grow the reciprocal effect will be families and organizations growing. Growth promotes growth!

 

The best way to add to the growth of a family or organization is to grow personally. This is my testimony concerning our son, our family, our church and our business. As a minister, something you learn early on is that you cannot change others. When you attempt to change someone, you actually hinder growth by trying to be a Holy Spirit wannabe. The Holy Spirit is the only One that can change us. All we can do is set the example and offer assistance when needed or desired. Again, offering assistance is all we can do with an organization of volunteers, because you cannot make demands. However, in a business it is easier to set expectations and demand specific results.

 

What about me?

 

This is a question asked by many. Let me start with myself. I have been in business since 1979 and in ministry since 1982. Responsibilities have been overwhelming at times. However, while trusting God with decisions to make, circumstances to face, individuals to manage, or change to apply to self, my comfort has been, He will help you through. It starts with self! Take care of what is needed in this area and the reciprocal effect will transfer down line to all you influence.

 

I am an advocate of prayer and fasting which has really helped me gain control over my propensities. To fulfill responsibilities, manage people and please God at the same time, you have to initiate extremes. Fasting has been a great discipline to help me accomplish this. Have I reached the level beyond anyone else? Definitely not! However, I realize I would not be where I am today if it were not for the leading of the Holy Spirit in those things that helped and continues to mold me. This knowledge from experience is as refreshing as the continuous flow of a mountain stream.

 

A Day of Discovery – What about you?

 

Order your book ‘A Commitment to Unleash Your Leader Potential’ and be prepared for ‘A Day of Discovery.’ This day is designed with several FREE teleconferences throughout the day to walk participants through all five steps from the book. That is right, all five steps in one day. You could tap into your potential, if you haven’t already, and be propelled to a new level in ONE DAY! A prerequisite is to order the book by clicking here and email the receipt to author@danielevans.org. We will then forward the access information for the calls and schedule of calls to you.

 

By Daniel W. Evans

How To Measure Up

A question I have heard many times from my youth up is who are you looking up to? I became a licensed electrician because I looked up to my dad. I became a certified coach, speaker and trainer because I looked up to John C. Maxwell. Who are you looking up to or more precisely, who are your mentors? We have people we refer to as mentors in our lives who already excel in the areas of our interests. A question remains, how do we measure up to them?

When I was a child we spent most of our daylight hours in the woods as we referred to trees of a forest. I remember leaning face first against some tall trees and imagining what I would do if I were as tall as a tree. You can only imagine where the imagination would take a child with such a question. The point is that I am full grown and I did not reach the height of a tree or even meet the expectations of my young imagination. However, at times the world could use a superhero such as superman or a jolly green giant.

Let’s get back to reality and explore the opportunities presented to us of how we can measure up to our mentors. Answering a few questions can help us.

What is measuring up?

Measuring up is a process that helps us monitor and adjust action necessary to achieve goals and reach success. We should not measure ourselves by comparing ourselves with others. Conditions, training, talents, mentors and individual interests may be different in all of us. It is very seldom, if at all, that you will find two people with the same levels in each of these areas. You may find several with similar levels, but not the same. The proper process is to find out what others have done and follow those steps while incorporating yourself into it to include your training, talents, and so on. Only by being intentional with this process can you monitor and measure your success.

 

Who should we measure up to?

 

Your mentors should be those who challenge you to achieve better and more for yourself and others. The challenges may be from mutually set expectations or from your own personal admiration of what they have accomplished. It could be both, because mentors are usually those we enquire information from and are then willing to follow it. There are always two sides to the fence – the good and bad and the right and wrong. The good and right thing to do is choose mentors that set a good example and have great accomplishments of adding value to others.

 

What is a good process for measuring up?

 

In respect of our mentors, how do we measure up to them? Always remember, when we try to be like someone else we tend to overlook our own potential and talents. We miss the mark by trying to take this route and exhaust a lot of time we will never regain. Our mentors followed processes by investing their time and energies in setting goals and achieving them. They eventually grew into who they are today. The same process will work for you. Do not work so hard at trying to be just like them. However, find out what they did to be who they are.

 

The question remains, how do we measure up to them? There are ways to measure whether you meet your goals or not. But first, you have to know what you are measuring and how to measure it. In the book, ‘A Commitment to Unleash Your Leader Potential,’ we are given twelve qualities of a leader. A process is explained how we can measure ourselves to the qualities. If action is needed for development in them the book teaches how to monitor and measure our success in these qualities. There are two things to know if you desire to measure up. First what are you measuring? Secondly, what process will be used for measuring?

A Day of Discovery

How do you measure up?

Order your book ‘A Commitment to Unleash Your Leader Potential’ and be prepared for ‘A Day of Discovery.’ This day is designed with several FREE teleconferences throughout the day to walk participants through all five steps from the book. Just to emphasize, all five steps in one day. You could tap into your potential and be propelled to a new level in ONE DAY! A prerequisite is to order the book by clicking here and email the receipt to author@danielevans.org and then the access information for the calls and schedule of calls will be forwarded to you.

By Daniel W. Evans

How To Implement Structure Into Your Life

What is structure?

The construction industry has many specialized processes that builders are required to follow for the construction of a building to pass specific inspections. This inspection process offers durability, safety, convenience, and many other necessities to the construction of residential, commercial and industrial facilities. A building structure is constructed by following structured processes and specifications. The type of structure we will discuss is not about a building structure. However, it is about a process with methodologies that when followed will help lead someone to success, significance and satisfaction.

The ultimate structure was set in place during creation. Everything was set in place that when certain conditions are met a certain result will be produced. For example, when warm air is mixed with colder air masses it results in an atmospheric disturbance that polarizes the atmosphere. These charged atmospheric regions temporarily equalize themselves through a lightning flash or a strike to the ground. This is a brief summary, but in no way gives justice to an extensive explanation of how lightning is produced. Only enough is shared to reveal how well nature follows structure. The laws of nature do not change, because a structure is set in place that they have to follow.

Once we understand the importance of structure, we should desire to follow structured processes that can produce desired results. Structure involves consistency which is based upon proven history. If there is enough historical data to prove a certain process to be successful, then we need to incorporate this data into structured processes. Once structure is set in place and consistently followed, significant results are produced. 

What is structure, you may ask? It is simply an organized system designed to help anyone maintain focus for maximum results. What results do you desire? Are you ready to establish goals and meet them?

Structure plays an important role in creating and completing tasks and goals.

The best outcome is the one that helps you complete tasks, which results in meeting goals. In a world of busyness it is difficult to reach goals without some form of structure in place. The structure may be in the form of schedules, agendas, To Do Lists, and so on. Businesses have organizational charts for the flow of communication, job responsibilities, marketing, pay scales, and even for growth. Without structure it would be hard to complete tasks needed to reach specific goals. Even in personal growth you need structure to achieve satisfactory results.

The book, ‘A Commitment to Unleash Your Leader Potential,’ offers structure to a biblical discipline that will help tap innate potential. The structure assists in the area of focus and how to maintain it. When focused we can achieve anything. As previously mentioned, consistency is an important factor, even in maintaining focus. When we follow structure we become consistent in staying focused and meeting goals, which will produce change and growth.

Difficulties of life come to all of us. There are many circumstances that arise in the course of a day that distracts us and causes us to lose focus. We are robbed of so many opportunities with many of them never returning the second time. How do we stop this seemingly never-ending cycle? The answer is very simple, follow structure. Create a structured plan that will help propel you toward your goals in life. ‘A Commitment to Unleash Your Leader Potential’ was written to help you remain on the right track or to get on the right track. Do not think that if you have been derailed, that you can never return to the right track. Structure offers hope that when followed will produce consistency.

I want to share one personal example of how structure has helped me. I have followed structure of rising early to study and pray for so many years that I have not used an alarm clock for quite some time. Consistency developed because of the structure helped create the mindset needed to operate even during my sleep. I wake without an alarm and with prayer on my mind.

A Day of Discovery

Order your book ‘A Commitment to Unleash Your Leader Potential’ and be prepared for ‘A Day of Discovery.’ This day is designed with several FREE teleconferences throughout the day to walk participants through all five steps from the book. Just to emphasize, all five steps in one day. You could tap into your potential and be propelled to a new level in ONE DAY! A prerequisite is to order the book by clicking here and email the receipt to author@danielevans.org and the access information for the calls and schedule of calls will be forwarded to you. 

By Daniel W. Evans

The Importance and Practice of Commitment

Committed to a Promise

A promise was made thousands of years ago not to destroy the earth again with water. A rainbow was the sign hung in the sky as a reminder of the promise. Hanging a sign around our necks would be difficult to remind others of a promise to them. However, the word commitment speaks of involvement and engagement. When we involve ourselves with keeping a promise, this speaks louder of commitment than a giant sized bill board.

Every day is a day the Lord has made. While He is creating a day He places a rainbow in the sky at the appropriate time and under the proper conditions. He is very much involved in keeping His promise. We should be the same in making personal commitments and promises.

The word commitment means a pledge or promise. When we make pledges or promises we are actually committing ourselves to a task of engagement for whatever it takes to fulfill them. With this in mind, we should be aware of the effort, cost and integrity that are associated with making and fulfilling them.

One of the five steps in the book, ‘A Commitment to Unleash Your Leader Potential,’ is about making commitments. This step is very important because you cannot set a goal and achieve satisfactory results without being committed. How many people do you know who started a diet and was not committed enough to reach their goal? This is true with just about anything we engage ourselves. It takes commitment to set goals, create a plan, and apply proper action steps to fulfill the entire plan.

Failed Commitment

One way to guarantee a failed commitment is not to be engaged. I have seen many make promises and do not put forth the slightest effort to even make a note of the commitment. For example, when you promise someone you will call them, talk about the best times and then enter the date and time into your phone calendar with a reminder. This is a simple example, however very effective in portraying the need of engagement.

Remaining engaged is the best practice to produce results. No one wants to fail. However, think about this. Failure is not a stopping point; it is a starting point for something new. A finish line is not needed if the athlete or driver is not committed. Commitment helps us keep our eyes on the goal and press toward the finish line.

Discipline and Commitment

Discipline is a dirty word to some. It speaks of changing normal routines and mindsets. This is a hard thing for some, because it takes too much commitment.

Practicing is the process of disciplining yourself and will help you be more committed in keeping your promises. Following this process will assist you in making, maintaining and fulfilling commitments. When you are disciplined in a certain area you will become better in that area. Of course, if you continue some failure may occur. Do not stop the discipline if you fail. However, learn from it and continue the process, because this is also a commitment. Commitment helps one not to run away, throw up their hands or throw in the towel.

Through several wrecks, burning eyes from sweat and a shaking car the pit stop may look very appealing to a race car driver. However, crossing the finish line is the only way he will get close to the trophy and prize money. Race after race is what will eventually lead him to the checkered flag first. Commitment will help you keep your eyes on the goal!

Don’t Miss Out

Order your book ‘A Commitment to Unleash Your Leader Potential’ and be prepared for ‘A Day of Discovery.’ This day is designed with several FREE teleconferences throughout the day to walk participants through all five steps from the book. Just to emphasize, all five steps in one day. You could tap into your potential and be propelled to a new level in ONE DAY! A prerequisite is to order the book by clicking here and email the receipt to author@danielevans.org. The access information for the calls and schedule of calls will be forwarded to you by email.

By Daniel W. Evans

Bees Teach How To Develop Focus

A Busy Bee

Development of skills to maintain focus for leadership, business, ministry, or personal growth is desperately needed. Focus is important to maintaining a specific course intended to achieve a set goal. You can be as busy as a bee. However, if you do not remain focused you will not be making honey or money. I have a lesson to share with you that I learned last summer about bees and focus.

My Wife’s Bee Pool

My wife had a pool installed last spring and before she could enjoy the water it was infested with honey bees. She is allergic to stings with some traumatic experiences when she was younger. It was kind of humorous watching the bees enjoy the pool while flopping around getting their wings wet. All Debra could do was view them at a distance wondering why she could not get in her pool. She made several calls to professionals to find out why there was a bee party at her pool. After hearing several opinions, she learned that bees will travel great distances not only for pollen, but water as well. She tried many recommended remedies to no avail and finally accepted what three of them had said. The three opinions in agreement were that the bees would leave soon and were only there because they smelled water from a new source. They finally left as it was stated. My wife was happy as she floated and flapped her wings to get them wet. She was happier and more excited than the bees were!

 

A Bee Lesson

Let me explain the lesson learned. We were told that the bees would not bother us if we were not a threat. You could even get in the water as long as you did not directly disturb them. This was even hard for me to understand because they were everywhere on the surface of the water and flying all around the pool. They said the bees would just move out-of-the-way, because all they wanted was water. We did not get into the water ourselves, but noticed when we were cleaning the pool and placing other items into the water they would just move around or fly off and later return.

Eventually, in about three weeks, they left. It happened to be true what we were told by three professionals. They were only focused on getting water back to the hive from a new water hole. They finally realized this new water hole was not a good source and left. The bees were so focused that nothing hindered them from flapping their wings in the water and taking water back to the hive. The only time they would lose focus was if they were directly threatened.

How many times do we allow things around us to distract us? We may have no control over these things and they may not directly affect us. However, we allow them to distract us to the point of not recognizing opportunities and not achieving our goals. Have you heard the phrase, ‘none of your business?’ Many times we involve ourselves with things that we have no business involving ourselves. It only tends to distract us from focusing on the business at hand. The results are disappointments that failures.

 

A Coaching Bee

A coach asks questions to direct his client inward to where the answer may already rest. Ask yourself this question. Am I fully engaged in the process of focus to reach my goal? If you are not, you will lose time that can never be recovered, not to mention opportunities that may not return to you again. Two chapters in the book ‘A Commitment to Unleash Your Leader Potential’ deal with the subject of focus.

 

The Hive Must Thrive

We all should learn from the honey bee that focus is needed for the hive or tribe to thrive. Those who follow you depend not only upon their own focus, but yours as well. How are you leading? Are you leading with unaltered focus? God has given us great lessons to learn from nature and the mentors He has placed in our lives. Focusing to develop your positive traits will increase your positive influence. As Christians, we should focus on being such godly examples that others desire a relationship with Christ. That, my friend, is the ultimate influence derived from intentional and precise focus.

We can help you with focus and with many other leader qualities. Mark your calendar to join us on August 26^th for ‘A Day of Discovery.’ We will offer more details for this one-day event with multiple teleconferences as the date draws near. Just a heads up, you will need a copy of the book, ‘A Commitment to Unleash Your Leader Potential,’ to participate in this event. Save your receipt when you purchase the book!

 

By Daniel W. Evans

How Experience and Influence Work Together

Are you only focused on seeing the light at the end of the tunnel or do you see the light that is within you? We need to be enlightened to the treasure of potential deep within each of us. Meditate upon the simple truth in this statement. We have what it takes to be what it takes to influence our part of the world.

The book, “A Commitment to Unleash Your Leader Potential,” discusses four areas of leadership influence and breaks them down for easy identification. When the four areas of your own influence are identified it is much easier to define and refine your skills. Becoming actively involved in the Law of Reflection helps you examine your experience for clarity. Your experience will enlighten you to the truth of your skills and limitations. This knowledge equips you to identify your positive and even your negative impacts in all four areas. This process helps you become a better influencer, which in turn will grow your tribe or following.

Let’s review the definitions of the words experience and leadership to see how they jointly play a role in leadership and personal success. The word experience means knowledge or practical wisdom gained from what one has observed, encountered, or undergone. While the word influence means the action or process of producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of another or others. You should already be able to see by the definitions the importance of drawing from your experience to increase positive influence.

In addition, we can learn from these definitions that it is important to know your mentors and other close associations. What you learn from these associations will be applied to your everyday interaction with people. Whether your knowledge is innate or learned it will surface. Be careful when selecting mentors and those of your inner circles. I am a person of faith and I believe this truth, “bad company corrupts good character.” If you desire to add value to others by influencing them positively you must receive constant deposits of the same. A cardinal leadership rule of mine is what you scoop in is what you will dish out. The scooping ratio must be greater than the dishing out for you to produce satisfactory results.

Our experience is a very important element to our influence. What we experience within ourselves, among others, and through life’s circumstances is a teacher to our influence. How we interact with others is based upon our thinking and our thinking is determined by what we have learned. Let’s review the three ways of within, others and circumstances that shape our experiences, which in turn shapes our influence.

Within – How we feel, what we think and what we have learned are ingredients to how we interact to others and circumstances. They affect the inner workings of our minds. We should intentionally work at maintaining a healthy level of thinking, because our thoughts affect our emotions. Our thinking mixed with emotions determines how we react to others and circumstances. Investing in personal growth also plays an important role in gaining knowledge that can assist in the mental process of thought and emotional management. No one has the ability to read minds. However, our responses indicate what may be anchored deep within us, which if not beneficial to us will need uprooting. This is accomplished by adding positive knowledge that produces change to our inner being.

Others – The people we have positioned in our lives influences us more than we may admit. We learn from their influence. If their influence is negative based upon a lack of knowledge and bad experiences, this is what we have to glean from. We did not have a choice where we were born and to whom, but we do as we grow and develop into independent individuals. We influence people more than we realize. This is the reason we must be aware that we are impacting the lives of others. Awareness can start the process of assessments of our own experience and influence. Review the status of your mentor and inner circle relationships that is not favorable to your progress and success. Engaging to produce positive change within ourselves also helps our status of being a better influencer to others.

Circumstances – The first thing to learn about circumstances is that bad things happen to good people. If this is true, the best thing for us to do is minimize bad circumstances. The only person you have complete control over is you. That is true for us all. If circumstances is a teacher and affects my influence, then I must be the owner of my own experiences and control them and also how I remember them. It also involves perspective. Others in my life and of course, my own knowledge, help create the experiences needed to form positive influence. It is my decision to choose my associations and gain the knowledge I need to accomplish this goal. By maintaining control over my thoughts and emotions a different perspective is created. One that will help me perceive any circumstance as a teacher offering an opportunity to learn from it instead of considering it as being only a hindrance.

Always remember that your experience is a key element in determining your influence. In a world full of influences, make sure your influence is impacting your part of the world in a positive way!

By Daniel W. Evans

Definitions for the words experience and influence were taken from http://dictionary.reference.com.