Choose your life by choosing your view

 

My coach asked me, “What does this look like from the other side looking back?”  That question made all the difference.  I was no longer looking at an imagined wall to climb over, but I was viewing what life would look like after the wall was conquered.

Sometimes we need a different view.  We are looking at the obstacles, the challenges, and the reasons why we can’t.  How might our lives be different if we spent more time considering life on the other side of those obstacles and challenges? Instead of focusing on why we can’t, what might happen if we imagined telling about why we did?

 

Instead of focusing on why we can’t, what might happen if we imagined telling about why we did? Click To Tweet

 

One of Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is “Begin with the end in mind.”  In other words, get a clear picture of the desired results and then plan your way back.

When I began writing this series of posts on 6 Powerful Choices, I really had no idea what would be going on this week.  I’ve been working on a new book (my 5th) for months.  With my previous books, I just wrote them and hoped that I might somehow get them in the hands of a few people.  I thought of all the reasons why my readership would always be small.  I just don’t know that many people.

But I approached this book differently.  I began with the end in mind of writing a book that would get into the hands of a much larger audience—dare I say, a best seller?  Some might suggest that I would need to pick a topic with broader appeal.  This one is actually the most narrow and specifically focused of any book I have written.  How’s this for a popular title: Why “Bible Study” Doesn’t Work: The epic failure of evangelicalism’s favorite discipleship method — and how YOUR CHURCH can do something about it.

 

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As of this moment, this book is on 3 Best Seller lists on Amazon, all in the top 10 and two of them in the top 4.  It has been available in the Kindle store for the past 5 days.  You can find it (and buy it) by clicking here.

What was the difference?  I invested in a self-publishing course that helped me focus on the result of finding and connecting with readers.  I learned some things about writing, but I learned more about connecting.  I began with the end in mind and chose to act based on the belief that this book would be a blessing and encouragement to many people.  Instead of setting a goal of completing a book, I wrote a book with the purpose of serving my life’s mission of empowering others on their next step toward amazing.

Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Our lives matter to God.  His greatest blessings are what He places in our hearts, not in our hands.  What view has He placed in your heart?

And in case you’re wondering how rich I’m getting from this Best Seller, I’ve made $26.36.  It’s not about the money, it’s about the readers and the impact on their lives.

 

God's greatest blessings are what He places in our hearts, not in our hands. Click To Tweet

About

Just an ordinary guy living an amazing life. Amazed by God and joining Him in His amazing activity in the world. Seeking the flourishing of fellow travelers. Author, Blogger, Speaker, Singer, CoachSultant, Husband, Dad, Grandpa.