Staying the course…part 2

here are some more lessons in longevity that i have learned…some because i paid close attention to those that were trying to teach me…some because i’m hard-headed:

staying focused can be a liability.   conventional wisdom says that the best way to succeed in whatever we are doing is to focus.   in this day and age of various levels of attention deficit,  the ability to stay on task is  seen as a precious commodity.   but real life doesn’t let us do that.   the world we live in requires us to be able to change on the fly.   we need to be able to constantly adapt and adjust to the unpredictable and unplanned curve balls that are constantly thrown at us.   being too focused  is sometimes a painful enemy.

know the difference between expectations and standards.   this may seem kind of pointless to you,  but it has been money for me.   expectations… especially the unstated kind…are death.   people are going to fail.   people are going to let you down.   people are going to sin.   people are going to fall short.   so i learned a long time ago to temper my expectations of people.   it’s not a lowering of the bar.   it’s just the grace that always gives room for people to be less than perfect.

don’t ever think you’ve arrived.   when i was about twenty,  i was deeply moved and impacted by a man in his seventies.   if there was ever a man who had arrived,  it was this guy.   he was wise,  mature,  godly,  experienced,  full of credibility,  a spotless reputation,  a gifted teacher and powerful mentor of young men.   but what remember the most about him was his humility.   he had this fresh openness to learning.   he was not intimidated by young people,  but listened intently to what we were saying and thinking and affirmed our value.   he saw through my youthful arrogance and overlooked my nonsense.  he truly believed that god still had much to teach him.   i still remember the day i said i hoped i would grow up to be like him.

know your times and seasons.   there are times in my week that i shouldn’t make important decisions.   there are times in my week when i am more rested and times that i am more inclined to be scattered or insensitive.   i need to be constantly  aware of those times.   my schedule compresses later in the week.   i normally have more flexibility early in the week.   you need to know the seasons when you are at your best…and take advantage of that time.   and if at all possible,  run and hide during your bad times.   know yourself.

so what do you think?   can anybody relate?   do you have anything to add to these ones?

#expectations #focus #longevity