Four Kinds Of People - Which One Are You?

Podcast (listen-to-this-article-here): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 4:48 — 8.8MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

What will be your life legacy? How can you stay motivated to build a great legacy? One man used a large picture frame. The left side had a picture of the hospital where he was born and on the right side was a picture of the cemetery where he would be buried. In the center was a big question mark.

CC Image courtesy of Eric Danley on Flickr

The bookend photographs indicated his beginning and end. The center question mark was a reminder to fill the time in between with significance.

Are we filling the question mark of our time on earth with significance? I fear that many are not.

There are four kinds of people in the world. Most people probably fit into the first three categories. Which category do you fit into?

1. Survival Oriented

This kind of person wonders if they will ever make it, if they will survive, if they can keep the doors open.

Some are forced by circumstances to be survival oriented. But others are that way by choice.

They just want to “get by.”

People with a survival focus tend to be fearful, unwilling to advance and are unfulfilled.

2. Status Quo Oriented

These people are willing to just drift as effortlessly as possible through life. As long as they are comfortable, they don’t seem to care if they make a difference. They are more concerned about not rocking the boat by doing anything challenging.

They just want to “get along.”

This outlook is self-centered, bland and unsatisfying.

3. Success Oriented

These people focus on how big they can make themselves appear – with a grander house, more money, better vacations, a nicer car, bigger “toys” and so on. They strive to look like they’re doing well.

These people wonder, “How successful looking can I appear?”

They just want to “be noticed.”

This is a more positive outlook than the first two since it is not as fearful or closed. However, it is also self-focused and ultimately unrewarding.

4. Significance Oriented

This type of person wonders how they can make a difference that will last. They ask what difference their efforts will have fifty or a hundred years from now.

They want to “leave a legacy.”

Their focus is centered on others. This is a life lived on purpose.

Significance oriented people experience long-term satisfaction in life. Even when their personal life is difficult, they have an abiding sense of accomplishment knowing they have made a difference for others.

In The Greatest Generation, journalist Tom Brokaw wrote; “To make a buck is comparatively easy, the point is: to make a difference.”

This is the lifestyle of Jesus who said about Himself, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45 ESV)

Click here to learn how Jesus gave his life “as a ransom for many” and receive eternal salvation.

May you live a life of genuine significance and leave behind a wonderful legacy, especially for the ones you love the most.

How can you leave a great legacy? I give a ton of help in my eBook called Don’t Miss Your Life. You can get it for free when you sign up to receive my updates via email.

My Top 10 Most Read Articles Of 2014

Recently I received year-end statistics for my website. While in many ways I still feel like a blogging beginner, it seems that some significant impact is being made for Jesus via this online ministry.

Some of the highlights:

• In 2014, people viewed my website (markalanwilliams.net) in 119 countries.

• These countries were as diverse as Bulgaria, Egypt, Mozambique, Saudi Arabia, Chile, France, Indonesia, Nicaragua, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Finland, Algeria, Cambodia, and so on.

• Over 10,000 different people read articles during the year.

• My blog was viewed over 18,000 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 7 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

The report also listed the top 10 articles, which I am sharing below.

First, a few observations about the most popular articles:

• It seems that the most popular tend to be the more controversial—they offer a different viewpoint. This makes me think that people want to have their minds stretched, their thinking challenged and their questions answered.

• While I don’t get a lot of criticism, here are the articles that brought some criticism:#1 by a few people who disregard what the Bible says on homosexuality and maybe didn’t even bother to read the passages I cited.

• #4 by a few people who think that despite what Scripture says, there’s a way for people to be saved without receiving Jesus Christ.

• #7 by a guy who thought that my title was disingenuous because overall I actually love being a Christian.

• #9 by a guy who thought that if you are a Christian, there’s no way you can be depressed

• Some articles got more exposure since they were posted earlier in the year. Nonetheless, I think this would not tip the “voting with clicks” a lot.Similarly, some articles were posted in 2013, but still made it onto the list.

So here are the top 10 most read articles of 2014. If you haven’t had a chance to read them yet, or would like a review, just click on the title and it will take you to the article.

My Top 10 Most Viewed Articles

• What Scripture Says About Homosexuality: Uncut, Uncensored, and Unedited

• Seven Guidelines for Discussing Gay Marriage

• 3 Steps to Overcoming Betrayal and Building Trust Again

• Five Questions for Those Who Think Many Roads Lead to Heaven

• My Classmate Bart Ehrman’s Hopeless Response to Suffering

• Shot to Death in Our Former Home—Another Alcohol Tragedy!

• Why I Don’t Like Being a Christian

• How I Made a Killing in Real Estate and You Can Too!

• Four Steps to Climb Out of a Pit of Depression

• Four Powerful Proofs Jesus Lives

Stay tuned for more stimulating articles in 2015!

7 Steps To A Productive Vision Retreat

Podcast (listen-to-this-article-here): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:16 — 17.0MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

Some time ago I was facing a major decision. Would I continue to plant churches or become a missionary and train others to plant churches? To help in the decision-making, I went on a vision retreat and asked God what He wanted me to do. I felt led to become a missionary. It was a wonderful leading. Many similar leadings have come from my Vision Retreats over the years.

CC Image courtesy of Ana_Cotta on Flickr

This week I am going on another Vision (or Prayer) Retreat. I’m excited to get away to pray, envision and plan for the upcoming quarter, year and even the rest of my life. Big and little decisions will be made. I need focus and clarity. I want to hear from God.

I try to do a retreat at least once a quarter, and I outlined why it is so important in the article Who Needs a Vision Retreat. The reasons included:

• Leaving the routine (often we can’t see the forest because of the trees)

• Focus timeRest and renewal

• Seeing the big picture

• Connecting with God

• Dreaming new visions and goals

• Imitating Jesus: (Luke 6:12 NIV) “Jesus went out into the hills to pray, and spent the night praying to God.”

But what do I do on a Vision Retreat—sit and stare or twiddle my thumbs? Not hardly. In fact, usually I end up feeling like I haven’t had enough time, rather than too much time.

Here’s the basic Vision Retreat Agenda I follow: 

1. Thankfully Review Your Blessings 

Gratefulness puts me in the right mindset. I typically begin every day listing things I am thankful for. My list (with many items repeated) has grown to over 23,000 blessings.

On a Vision Retreat it’s helpful to highlight your greatest blessings since the last retreat.

2.Review and Adjust Your Life Plan

Hopefully you have crafted statements of your Life Purpose, Core Values and Life Vision

If you haven’t yet taken these steps, I suggest you study my eBook Don’t Miss Your Life which explains how to accomplish these tasks, FREE when you subscribe to my blog.

On your retreat you can refocus on your Purpose, Values and Vision, and make any needed revisions.

3.Study Scripture and Practice “Listening Prayer”

Prayer should be a two-way conversation—we speak to God and He speaks to us. Study Scripture and ask God to speak to you through it. Record what He is saying to you.

In addition, create a list of specific questions you need guidance for. These can be about personal, work, and relationship issues.

I like to write out my questions on 3 x 5 cards and then pray, often in the beauty of a nature setting. I listen attentively for God to speak through his “still small voice.” This comes in the form of a conviction, a leading or a knowing.

Then I record God’s answers to my issues.

To learn more about listening prayer read these posts:

• Five Ways God Speaks to Us

• Strategies for Hearing From God

• How to Hear From God

4.Reflect on Key Questions

Here are some additional Vision Retreat questions suggested by Bobb Biehl:

• What is overwhelming me?

• What three decisions are causing me the most stress?

• What roadblock(s) have me stuck?

• What areas should I resign from or postpone?

• What items can I delegate to someone equally capable?

• What person would I like to mentor and who would I like to mentor me?

• What problem could I solve with 10% of my personal income?

• What principle or truth would I like to teach a group of people?

• What habit would I like to break or establish?

• What area of life would I like to grow in personally?

My friend Bob Tiede has a blog dedicated to asking questions called Leading With Questions. Check out Bob’s blog for additional questions.

5.Refocus Your Goals and Priorities

Review progress on your goals and make adjustments if needed.

Remember that if you are not a goal setter, you can be a problem solver and achieve many of the same results.

Carefully re-assess your current realities and progress made toward your goals. A Vision Retreat is a great time to cross-off completed goals and add new ones.

To me, this is one of the most important aspects of my Vision Retreat Agenda.

6. Review Your Goal Plans

Goal plans are simply the steps to reach our goals. Consider what steps you need to take to reach your goals. Write them down.

This is Step V of my e-book Don’t Miss Your Life, “Organize to Reach Goals.”

7.Calendar Your Key Activities  

Finally, a Vision Retreat is a great time to update your calendar to reflect changes, new plans and goals. This helps to avoid scheduling conflicts, and over-commitment.

Include:

• Vision retreats

• Vacations

• Education

• Birthdays

• Anniversaries

• Holidays

• Board meetings

• Travel

Take these steps and you will stay on track in your Vision Retreat and make progress toward reaching your vision and goals. The time you spend on your Vision Retreat will fly by and will be well spent.

NOTE: This article is based on one of the chapters in my eBook called Don’t Miss Your Life. You can get it for free when you sign up to receive my updates via email.