\"If you wait to measure every difficulty and balance every perplexity you meet, you will do but little.\"

Last night I was searching through my email history to find a message to one of my mentors regarding a project I wanted to write about and study. After I read the email, I continued to check other emails and then chanced upon a particular email that left me thinking deeply before drifting off to sleep.

You see, a few weeks ago, my wife and I had a conversation about "Change" and the tone of that discussion was basically that time itself does not create change --- at least for the positive. In fact, sometimes, time makes things worst --- if we do nothing to change. My argument was that:

2019 and 2020 will be about the same as 2018, 2017, and 2016 if you do nothing different. If you don't make a shift (for the better) then things will not shift for you (in the positive sense). I think it is was the Jim Rohn who said, "For things to change, You have to change. For things to get better, You have to get better. For things to improve, You must improve!"

(Back to My Email Browsing)

The email that left me thinking deeply was dated June, 17, 2016 and the title was, "What's Working and What's Not?" (Isn't that an interesting title for a future blog post?)

Interestingly, as I read my own notes in the section of What's Not Working, it hit me dead in the eyes, that after 3 years, those things are basically the same today in 2019. They're still not working!

AND... I have not done anything different to change them. I have not DECIDED to make the hard call to do what I KNOW needs to be done to change or eliminate those things.

I work up today, armed and ready to decide to do something about those things and that includes writing this blog post to help someone who may be in a situation where you just know you need to decide to do or not do something. I hope this liberates you to move forward.

There is an aspect of decision making that parents, leaders, and those in the work of God often overlook and even down play. Sometimes, it is passed off for being intellectual and cautious but these are only a garb covering our lack of faith, fear, and unbelief.

The times in which we live demand a shift from the often binding and overly cautious mindset of the masses. We have lost much through procrastination and people pleasing that those grounds cannot be regained or will take way more effort and resources than we care to allocate. Something needs to change!

And Yes, I get it. There's a time and season for every purpose under heaven.

- Yes we must plan.

- Yes we must be patient.

- Yes we must be cautious.

But let us also be clear. "God requires promptness of action. Delays, doubtings, hesitation, and indecision frequently give the enemy every advantage."1 This is where we have lost much in our families, communities, businesses, churches, and nation.

Some of us have been waiting since 1888 just to get moving!

- Waiting for ages to get healthy or go on a diet.

- Waiting forever to start or complete a degree.

- Waiting to start that business, save and invest, or get out debt.

- Waiting to write that book or make that album.

- Waiting to get married or start a family.

- Waiting to change jobs or move to a new city.

- We wait, and wait, and wait...

Until precious moments are lost, months and years go by and we're now older, sicker, poorer, lonelier, more discouraged, and the list goes on. Yet, that thing still needs to be done!

My friend. The first step to turn situations like these around is to make a decided decision. Decide to change. Decide to do something about it. What are you waiting for?

Are you in the process of making a decision or several decisions? Then knowing how to make Good Decisions is a skill you should learn and master. Many people fear making a decision but don’t be.

I'm not here telling you to rush ahead aimlessly and make a mess of things. What I am saying is that if you have been procrastinating --- putting off important decisions and choices, then what are you waiting for? Why not decide to do something or just let it go? Why not tackle that thing today, this week, this month, or this quarter.

Often times we say, "I'm waiting on God," but I believe that most of the times, God is actually waiting on us. As the wise King Solomon said, "Whoever observes the wind will not sow, And whoever regards the clouds will not reap." (Ecclesiastes 11:4) My way of saying is, if you keep waiting for everything to be perfect, you will never do anything. If you keep waiting for something to change, chances are they won't and you'll have nothing to show for it.

Don't wait until you have all the money, for all the "right" information, until the stars line up, until the children are grown, until your spouse changes, etc. etc. Start where you are and with you have. Head in the direction of where you know you need to go. Begin the journey. When you have that inspiration, strike while hot!

For those needing some guidance to fan the flames of progress. Try these:

1. Pray for Wisdom and Divine Insight. God has promised that if you, call out to Him, He will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know (Jeremiah 33:3). "If any of you lacks wisdom, ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to you." (James 1:5)

2.,Gather The Best Information. Yes you do do need to make sure you have good information so you can make the best decision. Gather from sources you trust and that are reputable. If need to get in shape, for example, you'd probably want to take the advice of an out-of-shape person with a grain of salt.

3. Weigh the Pros and Cons. Especially if it your action in a particular direction has dire consequences. There should be more pros than cons in this case. However, if either path will get you to your destination and there's no serious consequence, just pick a road and go with it. Don't over analyze things. Make a choice and keep moving.

4. Seek Godly Counsel. This sage advice is still important today. Get input from your spouse, parents, or trusted mentors, coaches, and spiritual leaders. "Without counsel, plans go awry, But in the multitude of counselors they are established." "Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety." (Proverbs 15:22; 11:14)

5. Make a Decision and Just Go for It! Even with the best information and counsel, we'll still make mistakes but don't let fear stop you. Failures are stepping stones to success and experience is a wise teacher. So having done your due diligence, make a decision and as Dave Ramsey likes to say, "If you made the wrong decision, [then simply] make another decision." Your leadership and progress in life depends on your decisions and choices. Chose to go where your destiny beckons rather than arriving to a place you hate because you did not decide to be there.

6. Journal Your Decisions and Their Outcomes. This will build your confidence and you'll begin to see patterns emerge that will speed up your decision making process in the future. Write about the challenges you face in specific details. Write down the possible solutions and their pros and cons. Write why you choose a particular option over another. Chronicle what happened as a result of your decisions and choices. What did you learn? What would you do differently next time? This is good practice and training in strategic thinking and planning (more about this in another blog post).

7. Take The 40 Days GREATNESS Challenge. Sometimes a daring challenge is what we all need to give us a boost and reason to do something. I've found that challenges are not only motivating but also makes me more laser focused and intentional. Why not see what you can do in the next 40 days with this guided challenge? Click here now to get started.

I hope that serves you today. Whether you're an entrepreneur, mother, father, teacher, doctor, lawyer, military officer, elderly, pastor, or student, all our results are impacted by our decisions. The home, the business office, hospital, school, and even the church needs leaders who can make good decisions ... prompt decisions.

I hope that serves you today. Whether you're an entrepreneur, mother, father, teacher, doctor, lawyer, military officer, elderly, pastor, or student, all our results are impacted by our decisions. The home, the business office, hospital, school, and even the church needs leaders who can make good decisions ... prompt decisions.