The End Results

What are you trying to achieve? Honestly, at the end of the day, what are you ultimately striving to accomplish during your time on earth?

Have you ever stepped back and looked at the bigger picture? Have you ever stopped and asked yourself, “If all my hard work is being invested right now, what is the ultimate end result of my labor?”

Recently, I have been challenged with this question. No matter how much we work, how far we push ourselves, what is the final destination for everything we do in life?

Through prayer and fellowship, the answers to these questions have been given to me by several different people in very similar ways. After being challenged by family and friends, I have compiled a list of what I would like the fruits of my labor to bear:

1. Exhibits of Grace
My dog, Punky, is an obedient school drop out and can be difficult to control at times. She has been known to puke and urinate in my roommate’s bed, consume large amounts of chocolate and pairs of my roommate’s shoes, and she recently defiled my roommate’s TCU (her Alma Mater) flag. Needless to say, it is not an easy task to coexist with my dog. However, through all our issues, my roommate has not banished Punky from our apartment and furthermore, my dog is still alive. My roommate, Emily, calls on Grace to arrive every time my dog steps outside the boundaries.

Like Punky, we make mistakes and need Grace to come save us. Ultimately, I want my work to reflect a series of graceful moments that offer hope. We are given Grace everyday. My prayer is that I can capture the hope I receive and provide a catalyst for others to move in a positive direction.

2. Nurturing Relationships
We are designed to have deep, meaningful relationships with others that help foster our development as humans. For centuries, mankind has formed communities that offer people security, friendship, and love. When all else fails in life, we can count on certain relationships to help build us and supply us with strength to continue.

I am blessed to have a great community of friends and family. My hope is that all my hard work can benefit them in some shape or form.

3. Motivation for Others
“All true motivation is self-motivation in action.” Ultimately, I want my work to help unlock the potential in others. There are millions of us that don’t recognize how great we really are. Everyone has the keys to success. Sometimes, you just need the right motivator to point you in the right direction.

Gratitude Attitude

After attending an awesome service at church tonight, I was reminded on how we can experience Joy. Joy comes from the feelings of gratitude and thankfulness. When we rejoice in the things we have and take inventory of the blessings we receive, it can be hard to let negativity and fear rule our minds or hearts.

William A Ward is famous for asking this question: “God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" Well, Have You?

Be Thankful for what you have. Be Thankful for what will come to you. Be Thankful for all you experience and have yet to live. Be Thankful for the people in your life and the relationships that keep you safe. Be Thankful for your health. Be Thankful for your career. Most of all, Be Thankful that you can experience Grace.


"The sky is grey and the light is far
The sea is a rage within my heart
I turn my sight to the crashing waves
I cry in the night just to be saved
I need eyes to be my guide
I need a voice that’s louder than mine
I need hope
I need You Cause I can’t do this alone
Grace I call Your name
Oh won’t Your smile fall over me
I’m cracked and dry on hands and knees
Oh sweet grace rain down on me
I need You grace
I pray for dawn a new day to live
I pray for mercy only Jesus gives
Though darkness falls and a million cry
I believe over all there’s a greater light shining for us"
Phil Wickham

Thanks Tanner :-)

What Makes Me Great?

As a recruiter, I am consistently trying to match job seekers to their ideal career path. Part of this process includes coaching potential employees on the methods of "up-selling" themselves to potential employers. One question that is constantly repeated in interviews is: "Why should an organization hire you?"

Never giving much thought about the question, I recently started to search for what my answer would be in broader terms. Let me put it to you this way: Have your ever stopped and asked yourself, "What Makes Me Great?"

TOUGH QUESTION.

Everyone has a different response. When searching for the answer, it is important to remember two key elements: 1) Your motivators 2) Your core values.

MOTIVATORS

What gets you out of bed in the morning? If your answer to this question is: the alarm clock, the kids, work, or my parents yelling at me, sorry...these responses are NOT truly why you choose to live life everyday.

We are all motivated by different things. If you are unclear on what truly moves you to achieve more in life, think about these questions:

1) What/Who is important in my life?

2) Why is what/who important to me?

3) How do I feel when what/who is safe and secure?


CORE VALUES

What makes YOU different? Everyone has a different value system that is prioritized based on environmental, relational, spiritual, emotional, and behavioral factors. The bigger question is: Have you ever listed your values and assigned them a ranking based on importance in your life? If not, I dare you to try. Trust me, its a lot harder than you think.

I encourage you to think and pray about the answer to this question,"What Makes You Great?" More than anything, you will probably find things about yourself you did not know.

Reposition and Refocus-Changing Your Goals

Insanity is the term used to define the action of repeatedly doing something and expecting to get different results. Well, I think I have officially became insane. Many of you know that my ultimate running goal is to be faster than my dad. After working hard, my quest to beat my old man has left me eating his dust.

So, what do I do now? Give up? Toss my goal? Not exactly.

When looking for clarity or an answer to a problem, I turn to my bible, my family, my friends, or Oprah. Oprah is quoted for saying, "Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it."

THANK YOU OPRAH! I have the answer I have been searching for in my crossroads of self doubt and desire to win. I am goiong to beat my dad on distance rather than speed.

All of us have struggled with the ability to accomplish a goal. We all experience the trials and tests that are laid out on the path of claiming our victories. When we get frustrated, it is easy to scrap our goals, push them aside, and enter into a place of feeling broken and disappointed.

However, I challenge that before we completely discount our goals, we simply refocus and reposition our strategy. I want to beat my dad. Period. End of Story. Realizing that my chances of being faster than him are not going to happen soon, I have decided to reposition my training on distance. Ultimately, all of us can reach our destinations if we regroup and find different, creative avenues to success.

I registered for my first full marathon in Chicago on 10/10/2010. Follow me on Twitter @SeeKrisRun as I start training and start to claim victories over my dad.

Marathon Training Playlist-Pre Makeover

Currently, these are the most played songs on My Playlist pre-makeover. Good songs to listen to while running, however, I am ready for a change.

1) Hard- Rihanna
2) Mercy- Duffy
3) Imma Be- Black Eyed Peas
4) Get Back- Ludacris
5) When We Were Young- Killers
6) Empire State of Mind- Jay-Z
7) Let It Rock- Kevin Rudolf and Lil Wayne
8) Dont Stop the Music- Rihanna
9) Just Fine- Mary J Blige
10) Get Me Bodied Beyonce
11) Wanna Be Startin Something- Michael Jackson
12) PYT-Michael Jackson
13) Pass the Dutch-Missy Elliot
14) Welcome to the Jungle-Guns N Roses
15) We Run This-Missy Elliot
16) Bootylicious-Destiny's Child
17) Closer- Ne-Yo
18) Hey Jealously-Gin Blossums
19 ) Bridge and Tunnel-Honorary Title
20) Hang Me Up to Dry-Cold War Kids

Blessed Beyond Belief

The holiday season always fills my heart with joy and praise, however, this year has left me feeling overly grateful for the many things in my life.

A quote that has been embedded in my thoughts has been, "Praise the bridge that carried you over." How can we move forward with our own personal quests for greatness if we do not give Thanks? One of my favorite leaders wakes up almost every morning and updates her facebook status to say, "If you want to be raised, you first have to give praise".

We live in a self fulfilling world that proclaims the right to passage for greatness is to start with YOU. Why do we have to start with ourselves? Why does the world consistently push this "self centered" philosophy that YOU/one self is the only medium to personal growth?

Even though I do believe we need various levels of self accountability in most areas of our lives, I am far from believing that my life would be the same without the many people who took a personal investment in ME. I truly believe that we are designed to have nurturing relationships with others that feed into our development. Without these people, we would not be able to learn from our mistakes and become better individuals.

Before you move into the new year, take the time to give Thanks. Praise the ones that have carried you, Praise the ones that have helped you grow, and Praise the only ONE that gives you Faith to continue.

Experiencing Change-I am just in Transition

How do you experience Change? Do you get flustered and stressed out over the anticipation of what is to come? Or do you embrace the process and focus on the positive possibilities?

On Saturday night, I attended a holiday banquet for the SevenFolds Society (http://sevenfoldsociety.com/) and the group hosted guest speaker, Leslie Taylor Hare (http://leslietaylorhare.com/). Currently broadcasting her own local TV and radio shows, Leslie is a motivational speaker who encourages individuals to celebrate life. One key word that Leslie kept repeating during her speech was: Transition. This can be a great word depending on how you approach Change.

It has taken me the better part of a year to take the negative connotations Change can have and move them toward the positive outcomes Transitions can bring. To me, the word Transition has a sense of hope linked into the actions taken place during this process. Think about the changes happening in your life. Are you in between jobs? Have you lost valuable relationships? Are you overwhelmed with stress regarding health or financial issues? List ALL of them on a piece of paper. Take a hard look at them and THEN CHANGE YOUR OUTLOOK.

Repeat to yourself: I am in Transition.

1) You are not in between Jobs. You are in Transition to something bigger and better for your career.

2) You are not friendless and lonely. You are in Transition to find more meaningful relationships that will add value to your life.

3) You are not financially devastated. You are in Transition to learn more about how to make better decisions on how to spend/invest your money.

4) You are not unhealthy. You are in Transition to achieving your ideal image of health.

You are in TRANSITION.

I would like to thank the SevenFolds Society for the holiday party invitation. I had a great time.