7 Words to a Successful Career

Growing up we have been taught the Golden Rule.  We’re supposed to treat others the way we would like to be treated.  It’s great advice to help keep the peace and to promote working together instead of working against.  What many people don’t realize is that the Golden Rule is actually rooted in the Bible.

“For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:14 (ESV)

But what I have seen in modern business is that we tend to create our business as one persona, and our personal and spiritual lives as another.  For some reason many feel the two cannot mesh.  There’s no reason that we should treat others the way we want to be treated in our personal lives but not business.  In fact, there should be no discrepancy between the two.

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Make your Business Stand Out

In the book of Matthew, Jesus talks about how Christians should position themselves in society.  He compares us to salt (a common ingredient that had a wide variety of uses in an age before refrigeration was available), and how if we’re not going to do the job correctly, then what use are we?

Jesus goes on to compare us to the light of the world.  He says in Matthew 5:14 that, “a city on a hill cannot be hidden.”  It’s a great analogy that we should let the love of Jesus shine so brightly in our lives that we cannot hide it; and others ask why we are different.  But we can expand those principles to a business standpoint as well.

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Overnight Success via the Fast Track

There are two types of people in this world.  Those that believe success is determined by an individual’s hard work, and those that believe it’s a matter of luck.  While there is some merit to both sides (those that were born into certain economic statuses are more apt to enjoy success than those who were not; financially speaking anyway), there’s a common theme about those that tend to be the most successful.

It turns out that success doesn’t just mean making a bunch of money.  In fact, somewhere in history we got caught up in the notion that those with more money are more successful.  But we also know that being financially successful will often lead to some severe mental illness.

So, how do we combat all of this?  How do we move from the feeling that we’re not successful, to one of being successful, but at the same time recognize the success and prevent the success depression that hits a lot of those at the top?

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The Basic Principles of an Honorable Company

I work closely with quite a few small businesses here in Billings.  As I get more and more plugged into the business world, I notice the same thing pop up over and over.  The businesses that succeed have a strong standard of integrity.  They hold this in high regard, and won’t waiver on it (sometimes it means they lose money).  For instance, take a look at this post from Big Sky Collision Center.

During a recent quiet time, a time that I often get ideas for my posts and are usually spurred on by a single verse or two, I read 1 Corinthians 13:6-7.  For those familiar you will recognize that as the love chapter.  For those unfamiliar, it’s quoted below.  The idea, however, is that it doesn’t just apply to love; it also applies to a business that is setting itself up to succeed.

“it [Love] does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:6-7 ESV.
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Winning Doesn’t Mean they Lose

Whether you’re a business owner, a manager, or a professional, you are competing for business with someone else.  Most people believe that in order for their business to succeed, their competitors should fail.  That, however, is a fallacy.

“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,” Proverbs 24:17 ESV.

In the book of Proverbs we learn about being a good sport.  It’s a great way to make sure your heart stays kind, and it’s a great way to ensure that your life remains stress free (not to mention you show the love of Christ).  But we can extrapolate this to more than just being a kind person.

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Innovation is a Requirement for Survival

Many people think of innovation as something that only a select few get to do.  They think of people like Steve Jobs innovating and revolutionizing the smart phone world.  Or James Dyson and his vacuum cleaners.  Or perhaps, on a more local level, Big Sky Collision Center innovating and turning the auto repair industry on its head.

But those are just the big examples.  Those are some examples that shook up industries and became immensely popular in our culture today.  Innovation, however, happens many times throughout the day on a much smaller level.  In fact, you have probably innovated today without even realizing it.

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How to Deal with Uncontrollable and Controllable Events

I recently read the book Chop Wood, Carry Water by Josh Medcalf.  Then, over the previous couple of months, my Biz to Biz group has been going through and having a bit of a discussion on it.  I had the opportunity to talk about one of the chapters last week.  If you haven’t had a chance to read it, then you need to pick up a copy, it has a ton of valuable information.

I was assigned to Chapter 23.  During preparation, I was able to glean a bunch of insights; and the words of Ben Sweetland rang true, “We cannot hold a torch too light another’s path without brightening our own.”  Here is what I discovered in my journey.

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Growing through the everyday “stuff”

Normally I try to sit down once each week and write some brilliant insights.  Generally they are focused on something I have read recently, or perhaps a Bible verse that I found applied to life.  Today… I got nothing.

I have recently read through the book Chop Wood, Carry Water by Joshua Medcalf.  If you haven’t read it, then I highly recommend it.  The basic premise, at least around the title, is that you have “chores” to do that must be done every day.  If you try to skip them, it throws everything off.  Lately, I have been chopping wood, and carrying water (and taking the morning off to go to the trampoline park with my son).  That means I have been working on these things, instead of exploring insights.

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Get What You Want, Every Time

We all have needs, and we all have desires.  Often, however, we have to put our desires aside because they’re either unattainable, or unattainable at this moment.  But what if I told you that there is an easy way that you can get what you want, every single time, and all you have to do is ask?  It sounds absurd, but we can claim that Biblical promise laid out to us in Mark 11:24

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24 ESV More »

Instead, Resolve to Tackle Your Goals

I despise New Year’s resolutions.  It took me quite a few years to realize why, but I finally discovered it is because the majority of resolutions revolve around superficial “stuff” that really doesn’t matter in the long run.  Sure some are noble, some are healthy, and some are good.  But for the most part, resolutions largely revolve around things that look good on paper, but in the end don’t really matter.

Instead, about 20 years ago, I resolved to never again make a New Year’s Resolution.  A few years ago, I sort of broke that resolution and resolved to start setting goals for the calendar year.  Those goals, however, are different than my resolutions.  Those goals involve action steps to make sure I get there.

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