I recently finished Jon Maxwell’s latest book entitled Everyone Communicates, Few Connect. The goal of the book is to help leaders to understand that the goal is not to just communicate with people but to really connect. There are a few practices that if you will infuse into your communication will really help you to connect your message.

One of the most creative things that I really enjoyed about this book was that John Maxwell allowed fans from his blog to contribute to the book. If you look on the front cover you will see pictures of many different people. Then, when you first open the book you will see many more pictures of people. All of the pictures represent people who contribute in one way or another with the book. I found this to be very innovative and I believe it helped to add credibility to the message. It is almost like a wikipedia book on communication. 

Overall, I found the book to be worth the read. It doesn’t present any earth shattering info, but very rooted principles that serve as good reminders.

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This devotional is ideal for those men who hold a high value to sports in general. Each day offers a real life sports hero as an example of the topic discussed. It will reveal to you the spiritual lives of some of sports most celebrated athletes. It will also display warnings by discussing those in the limelight who choose the wrong paths.

I believe this book is ideal for both the committed Christian and the one who is just leaving life on the fringes. With the discussion questions in the back, this book could easily be converted into a 40 day Men’s Bible Study as well. Living Life in the Zone can also be a useful tool to those who might struggle with taking part in regular devotions.  It would make a great Birthday gift!

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Now, life feels much different. Maybe you are not exactly certain what your unique skills are or what strengths you possess that can truly add value to an organization. You grow envious of others because they just seem to know what they are all about while the rest of us are on a quest and a journey.

I read a quote about a year ago that has really stuck with me. Dan Miller of 48 Days To the Work You Love said, “A job search is 80% inward.” The point he was trying to make is that we can spend way too much time focused outward on our job search that we never take the time to look inward first.

There is a classic book written in the early 1900’s called “Acres of Diamonds.” You can read the full version online for free. It was written by Russell Conwell, the Founder of Temple University. In the book he tells a story of a man who strongly desires to be wealthy. He was reading stories about ordinary people becoming extremely wealthy in the Gold Rush Era. He then decided to sell his land to his neighbor and go on a pursuit for wealth.

He spent his whole life and resources and died with nothing.

Meanwhile, a few years later by accident his neighbor discovered diamonds buried on this old man’s land. Wealth was under his nose all along. The moral of the story? What you really want in life is buried within you. The truth is it is not the extra $2.02 raise or the next new company that is going to bring you the happiness in life.

It is discovering your unique gifts and abilities and living your life using them to bring value to others.

Looking internal means asking questions like:

1. What are my unique gifts and abilities?

2. What are my natural strengths that come easy for me but can be a challenge for others?

3. What would I be the most energized and fulfilled doing?

I believe too many of us see work as a necessary evil instead of a higher calling. I have a question for you that literally stopped me in my tracks when I heard it for the first time:

You will spend more time at work then you will in all of the other activities combined (family, friends, church, vacation), shouldn’t you at least enjoy what you do?

Especially if you are out of work at the moment, you should take some time to assess your skills and strengths and get clarity on what you are all about. When you understand where your true strengths lie, things just begin to click. It will give you confidence in the interview and land you the job.

Are you still lost?

Here are a few resources that can help you:

1. Strengths Finder

2. CareerPath by CareerBuilder

3. Path 101

Take some time to discover your strengths it will energize you and renew your passion in life.

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So what do you do if you are a day dreamer like me? You intentionally live in the present moment. It is not an easy thing to do. You really have to make yourself do it.  Awareness is the first step. You have to be aware of when you find your mind elsewhere.  If you are sitting with your family playing monopoly, play monopoly. Stop thinking about work, your email, or what you have to do around the house.

I am also a tenacious goal setter. Always thinking in the future 1, 5, or 10 years. While it is noble to have goals in life, If you are not careful you never take the opportunity to savor the moment. I am guilty of playing with the kids but never really being there 100%. I often think, wouldn’t it be great to have the mind of a child again and be 100% engaged in what you were doing (regardless of how trivial the activity is).

Putting your mind in neutral can be extremely healthy. One exercise I have adopted in the last year is the 24 Hour Rule. Choose a 24 hour period sometime during the week in which you totally unplug. In other words, if you start at 7 pm on Saturday night then you continue until 7 pm on Sunday night. During that 24 hour break you do not think about work at all. Allow your mind to relax and enjoy the relationships in your life.  Try this experiement and see if it works for you.

My Personal 24 hour Rule

What I have made habit recently is to unplug on Saturday evening and allow myself to enjoy my family and my church on Sunday. I am even back to falling asleep on Sunday afternoon watching an NFL game. It is a great emotional break for me. Then, on Sunday night I have my weekly review. I take time to look over my up coming week, review my goals, set my schedule, monitor my open loops and get ready to attack the week. I find that hitting my weekly review after being unplugged for 24 hours is especially rewarding. My mind is ready to be engaged.

What activities do you do to put your mind in neutral?

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