Compromise? Never!!!

We noticed a long time ago that a great many people are painfully aware of having “violated” or compromised their most dearly held value system.  In our counseling and coaching conversations, many have agonizingly shared that they have departed from some of their most treasured and deeply held principles of living.  It’s not as uncommon as one might think, too.

Even in Biblical literature we read of the Apostle Paul’s struggles with this as he writes

I don’t understand what I am doing.  For I do not do what I want – instead I do what I hate.  (NET Bible)

Why is this so common?  Why does this happen even among men and women who are committed to a deep faith and a lifestyle marked by integrity?  We’ve discovered at least three of the top reason why people are so prone to being as easily drawn from their most sincerely held and even well-developed values.

First, we don’t have them in written form.  We found some great research that indicates that only about 3% of key leaders in America write down their goals or value system.  Amazingly, the 3% who DO write them control a large percentage of the wealth in America!

Second, we don’t do regular self-checks or “pulse-taking.”  Even among people who have written goals and values, many tuck them neatly into a drawer somewhere.  It is rare to find someone who can succinctly tell you what they’ve written…or even which drawer they stuck their goals into.

Third, we don’t have anyone who walks alongside us as a mentor or someone to whom we have made ourselves accountable.  Another interesting thing we noted in our C2H research and development is that in the world of pro sports and even in the entertainment industry, athletes and entertainers spend large sums of money on swing coaches and dialect coaches, but rarely empower one or two people to “ask them hard questions” regarding their lifestyle.

Indeed, we named our program “Champions 2 Heroes (C2H) because we know of scores of people in almost every walk of life who have “Champion” potentials and abilities, but yet, who often make life-altering decisions that ultimately prevent them from ever reaching what we think of as “Hero” status.  We have devoted more than 3 years to research and development through pilot programs to create C2H.  Naturally, we believe it is one of the finest – if not the best – approaches to helping people grow!

We want to help change the trend of a compromised life!  Look at our website at www.champions2heroes.com to see how we do it, then call us immediately to sign up to become a Champion 2 Hero!!!

David Dickerson

Decision Making

Twenty Principles for Making Sound Decisions

1. Research the subject as thoroughly as possible.
2. Consider the information you have assembled.
3. Seek out Godly counsel but sift it carefully.
4. Pray for wisdom and direction.
5. Listen to the Holy Spirit and your conscience.
6. Follow your convictions.
7. Decide what you really want to do but don’t let emotion rule.
8. What does your experience teach you about this decision?
9. Don’t react, but act boldly.
10. Prioritize options.
11. Ask yourself if this is the core decision that needs to be made first which will unlock the other smaller decisions that follow.
12. Develop an action plan.
13. Execute your plan.
14. Adjust your plan as necessary.
15. Persist with your plans and do not give up too quickly.
16. Establish a time frame for evaluation of the decision to be made – urgent vs. important.
17. Own your decision and do not blame others for bad outcomes.
18. Determine in advance that you will you measure the correctness of your decision – based on  process followed and not expected outcome.
19. Remember failure is not fatal but it is inevitable when you are doing anything.
20. Lead your decision.  Remember that not making a decision is actually making a decision – don’t procrastinate.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."  ~ James 1:5 NIV


Daniel Southern

Tebow the Terrific

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16 (NIV)

When Tim Tebow threw for 316 yards in the Wild Card playoff against Pittsburgh, it launched a viral buzz over one of his favorite verses; John 3:16.  If you search for John 3:16 on Google - in 0.11 seconds more than 104 million search results pop up.

Ironically, it took all of 11 seconds for Tim Tebow's Denver Broncos to score a huge upset in overtime Sunday night against the vaunted Pittsburgh Steelers defense.

Tebow — a devout Christian who wore the Bible reference  “John 3:16” painted on his eye blacks during the 2009 NCAA National Championship game — finished with 316 yards.

And if that wasn't enough…

Tebow's per-throw average: 31.6 yards.

Sunday's overtime TV rating: 31.6.

Pittsburgh's time of possession: 31 minutes, 6 seconds.

Always one to deflect credit, Tebow did not mention the similarities of the 316 passing yards and one of his favorite verses in Sunday's post-game press conference, but he was quick to give God the glory.

"First and foremost, I just want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ," Tebow said. "He's done so much in my life."

So here is my question:  when is everyone going to actually start accepting that what we are seeing in Tebow’s life is real and that he deserves a little personal credit for standing strong for his beliefs?

You can’t help but like the guy; his talent cannot be denied and he is winning.  So why don’t the pundits back off and just enjoy what’s happening?  I guess they want him to fail or maybe even worse they hate anyone who is truly a class act.  If Tim was a scumbag, they wouldn’t have anything negative to say about him, because he wasn’t trying to be better.  I am personally sick of the negative role models and delighted to see someone out there who is worth cheering for.

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." ~ Teddy Roosevelt

If you want to understand his perspective on what's going on in his life or how he looks at life, get your copy of Tim Tebow's book Through My Eyes.  The book is available just about everywhere.

by Daniel Southern