Archive for Change

What IS Ordinary?

Rodney Agan / May 20, 2013 / 2 comments

What is ordinary?  According to Dictionary.com, it means: of no special quality or interest, commonplace, unexceptional; somewhat inferior or below average.

The term itself seems to imply “normal” or “expected” as though that is the goal to which we should all strive to achieve.  Ordinary is a “badge of honor” to some.  They do not want to stand out in the crowd.  Really?  Who really wants to be a “clone” or just like the rest of society?  Anyone can do that.  As a matter of fact, it has been done over and over for generations.

In reality, no one is ordinary.  We are all:

1-    Different – The Bible says we are uniquely made.  That means we are all different.  From our personality, physical make-up, and giftedness.  Not only are males and females different; each male and female is different.  Different is not bad, it’s good.  It is the real YOU!  No need to be a duplicate of someone else.  They do not have all the qualities you already have.  See WHO God made you and be all of that person you can become.

2-    Designed – In planning humanity, God had you in mind.  He saw the “when and where” of history He would insert you.  Think about it, out of thousands of years of man’s existence, THIS is where God placed you.  Your environment, abilities and liabilities are all part of God weaving you into existence, and more importantly, His Sovereign plan.

3-    Destined – God not only made us unique, He also planned out our existence.  If you believe in God, you must believe that He is in control.  If He is in control, you should see His hand working in your life.  When we fight against Supernatural things happening in our lives, we are not being “ordinary”, we are being disobedient.  We should want to finish the path God has placed us on with victory.

So what should you do? Don’t settle to:

  • Live beneath your potential.
  • Fit into the mold of your peers.
  • Let your dreams die.

In the end, you will see God had a plan all along, and YOU were a part of it!

Category: Change, Life Coaching, Personal Development /

When Your Ship is Dead in the Water

Rodney Agan / February 22, 2013 / 3 comments

Recently, the Carnival Cruise Line ship, “Triumph” experienced a fire on board.  As a result, the ship was disabled 150 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico.  Over 4,000 passengers and crew were stranded with a minimal amount of food or electrical power.  Sewage and clean water became a problem.  They were so close, yet so far, from civilization.  After about 4 days of anxiety, the ship was towed to port, but it was not too “triumphant” on that day.

It is amazing how quickly life changes. One minute people were enjoying the luxuries of an exotic vacation.  The next minute there were standing in lines for hours just to eat, and sleeping in deck chairs and in hallways.  One minute they were enjoying the pools and hot tubs.  The next minute, they couldn’t use the restrooms in their own cabin.

Sometimes, life hits us like that. You feel like you have everything under control only to find out you don’t.  What should you do? Freak out? Panic? Shut down? Give up? When you allow circumstances to dictate your response, you will often make irrational decisions.

Here are seven lessons learned from this experience you might think about when your ship is dead in the water:

1-    Don’t forget about the good times you have already enjoyed.

2-    Remember, destinations change, and that is not always a bad thing.

3-    You can handle more than you thought you could.

4-    Sometimes, you just need a tug.

5-    Determine to learn from the experience and “live for another day”.

6-    Admit it- You can’t do anything about things you can’t do anything about.

7-    Work with me here… Sewage happens!

If you are frustrated or at a standstill in life, look around for life-lessons.  See things from the bigger picture.  Remember, one incident does not necessarily need to define your entire life.

What are your thoughts?

Category: Carnival Cruise Triumph, Change, Fun, Personal Development, Responsibility, Stress /

Some People Will Drive You Crazy

Rodney Agan / December 5, 2012 / 2 comments

If you haven’t already, take a moment and read an earlier post called “Some People”.  Some people just seem to do nothing more than take up our much-needed brain space.  They simply will not go away. They know how to get under our skin.  Every time we look up, there they are.  Every time we make a decision, they have their “two cents” worth to add.

Some people will drive you crazy because:

1-    They don’t know where THEY are going. We have all been driving behind someone who was lost or confused.  They slow down and speed up.  They use their turn signals, and still do not turn. In life these kinds of people are always changing careers or looking for the next big thing to come along.  They need their W-2 forms sent by UPS each year because they have so many from different jobs.  They will distract you from your path if you let them. 

2-    They don’t like where YOU are going.  Have you ever had someone riding with you that knew the “short cut”?  They had a better way.  They wanted to tell you how and where to drive.  These kinds of people in life will frustrate you if you listen to them.  They are unhappy with where they are in life; therefore, they do not believe you should be happy either.

3-    They don’t care where OTHERS are going.  If you are ever in a hurry you will always get behind someone who is not.  They get in the fast lane and slow down. They pull out in front of you and drive 45 miles per hour.  They will not allow you around and will not speed up.  Eventually you will break the law to get around them if the opportunity arises.  In life these people will cause you to become reckless if you let them.  If you get too frustrated, you will make bad decisions yourself. 

Don’t let others set your speed or your course. Don’t allow them to alter your route or agenda.  Just be patient, soon they will make a turn and get out of your way.

Category: Change, Personal Development, Stress / Tags: , , , , , ,

Rafting down the Rivers of Life

Rodney Agan / December 3, 2012 / No comments

If you go into the hills of North Georgia you will see many rivers where people go inner-tubing or rafting.  The two are much different.  Inner-tubing is usually floating down a lazy river with no cares in the world.  Rafting on the other hand is more like a sport.  You get on the fast-paced part of the larger rivers with fast-paced rapids and navigate down them.  Usually you have a professional guide to take your group of 6-8 people down the course.  It can be quite challenging.

I have taking many groups rafting through the years.  Below are a few lessons I have learned.  I believe they could also be considered life-lessons.

1-    Not all RIVERS are the same.  In Georgia, what one person calls a creek another may call a river.  One is a slow-moving stream of water with various points becoming more treacherous than others.  Some rivers are filled with boulders and fast-moving water headed toward a water-fall.  All of our lives are different and the phases of our lives are different. See your life as unique.

2-    Not all RAPIDS are the same. I have been down a few different rivers on rafting trips.  Most rapids in North Georgia are classified in the 3-5 category. They all have names like “Devil’s elbow”, “Jigsaw corner”, and “Mother-in-laws kiss” (OK, I made that last one up, but you get the picture).  In life you need to be aware how to navigate through your particular rapids.  Don’t let the circumstances scare you but at the same time, take them seriously.   

3-    Not all GUIDES are the same.

  • Some want to take you where they have never been.  Once, I took a group and we had college-age girl, who weighed about 80 lbs, trying to guide our boat.  During a particular rapid, she screamed and jumped down into the boat, leaving us to fend for ourselves.  You need a guide in life that will help you through the hard
  • Some can’t take you where you need to go.  If you plan to navigate a Class 5 rapid you need someone who has “been there, done that”.  Surround yourself with someone with the confidence and ability to be there for you, but also with the experience to guide you through it.
  • Some want to take you where you are not ready to go.  Just because the guide has been there, it doesn’t mean you need to go there.  The older I get, the less adventurous I become. You may need someone to help you admit that the path you are one is not designed for you.

Life Coaching is similar to an experienced guide taking you down the river.  It will help you navigate your course with efficiency and courage.  If you would like more information about connecting to a Personal Life Coach, contact me at rodneyagan@get2thenextlevel.com

Category: Change, Fun, Leadership, Life Coaching, Personal Development, Teams / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Book Special – Living Between Generations

Rodney Agan / December 3, 2012 / No comments

Some years ago I wrote the book, “Living Between Generations”. This book was written at a time in my ministry where I realized that the “status quo” was killing our churches.  At the time, I was on a private journey of biblical awareness to understand what I really believed, not just what I had been told.

I recommend this book to churches and ministry leaders who are feeling “stuck” or questioning the reasons for your traditions.  This is written more to conservative, traditional ministries who are looking for a better understanding of how to get out-of-the-box, or even question “the box”, without denying the foundations of our faith.

Great teaching tool for your deacons, teachers, leadership, etc. to help them understand the need for change.

This book retails for $10 plus shipping, but I really want to get it in the hands of people who could benefit from it.

SPECIAL OFFER:

1 BOOK for $5 (FREE SHIPPING)*

3 BOOKS FOR $12 (FREE SHIPPING)*

Bulk orders:

10 BOOKS for $30 (FREE SHIPPING)*

25 BOOKS for $60 (FREE SHIPPING)*

 *While supplies last / Credit Cards 3% fee

Book Promo:

As one looks over the landscape of churches in America, it seems clear that there are many who are satisfied with the “status quo”.  It seems that a disconnect has appeared between the things that birthed and built the church originally and what it will take to sustain future growth and success.

In this book, “Living Between Generations”, you will find an honest, hands-on approach to some of the more pertinent subjects facing churches today.  Many write-off the problems they are facing as being a breakdown between generations that cannot be repaired.  The author shows that this should not be the case.  This book will deal with subjects such as, Living Between: Baby Boomers and Generation X, Patience and Permission, Tradition and Tragedy, Crayons and Computers, Preservationists and Pioneers, Missions and a Mission, and others.

This book will challenge your thinking, but not try to make up your mind.  That is up to you!

 

 

Category: Change, Communication, Leadership, Personal Development, Teams / Tags: , , , ,

Leaves are like People!

Rodney Agan / November 28, 2012 / One comment

I recently took a few days alone at a cabin in the mountains of North Georgia to pray and study.  While sitting on the deck reading one day, I began to look at the leaves around me.  The fall season in Georgia is beautiful.  The leaves start changing colors then they turn loose and fall to the ground.  As I was sitting there, tree after tree was losing leaves.  Many were barren or getting close.  I began to think about this, and realized a truth about leaves that reminded me of people.

1-    They change as time goes by.  In Georgia, the leaves begin their change around October.  If you know what is happening, you can see it coming.  At first their color changes ever so slightly, then at a certain time and temperature they completely change.  People can be just like that.  You can see when they get complacent, agitated, angry, apathetic, etc.  If not dealt with soon, they will make complete changes, and not for the better.

2-    Many turn loose and go their way.  As I studied the leaves I realized many of the leaves evidently turned loose at the first gust of wind, but others were hanging on longer.  Eventually, I would see a lone leaf let go.  Soon another one and another.  It seems that people today want less commitment than ever before.  When they make a decision to “let go” you have to let them. 

3-    Most have no sense or control of their destination.  When the leaves let go of the tree branch they have no idea where they will end up. They have no steering wheel or motor. They are at the mercy of the wind to take them where it will.  People with no purpose or goal in life have no idea where they are going and therefore, they simply go with the circumstance of life.  They never do anything to take control of their own lives.

4-    They end up in a pile with no identity.  After blowing around untethered for a while, they eventually hit the ground. When they reach the ground, they usually never move again unless something or someone bigger than themselves comes by and moves them.  People with no purpose in life just “survive”.  They are unhappy, unsatisfied, but unmotivated enough to move.  These people live and die without making a real difference in the world or for those following them. 

5-    They never make it far.  When they make it to the pile, in reality they fell a long ways “down”, but not very far “away”.  They can always see where “used to be” but never where they “could be”.

You might want to check out a earlier blog I wrote about, “Some People.”

Category: Change, Communication, Personal Development, Relationships, Responsibility / Tags: , , , , ,

The Ladder of Success

Rodney Agan / November 15, 2012 / No comments

Everyone wants to be successful.  We all want to believe that we have reached a pinnacle that shows we deserve admiration and respect.  There is nothing wrong with that if it is for the right reason and done within the right parameters.  Many people who strive for success do so by breaking the rules.

Some want to be successful but are going about it in unethical or immoral ways.  The problem is they are becoming successful in something that does not matter or is not good for them. It is fine to be on a ladder leading toward success, as long as it the right one.

Consider these thoughts about climbing the ladder of success:

1-    You can only climb as high as the ladder.  While that sounds simplistic, just think about your success ladder.  Can it really take you where you need to go?  It would be a shame to sell yourself short from what real success could be for you because you are on the wrong journey.

2-    Different ladders are designed for different things.  Some ladders are made for specific tasks.  If you bring a step-ladder to paint a second story wall, you will fall short.  If you know where you are going you will then know which “ladder” to climb.

3-    Some ladders are only designed for one person.  I believe real success requires others to be on the journey with you.  If you are trying to do this “solo” you will probably wind up at the top, but lonely.

4-    Ladders have a weight limit.  Some jobs require specific tools and supplies; they need a ladder equipped to handle it.  When you start your “career” climb, you will begin to acquire “tools” along with “experience and other baggage”.  Be sure you are designed to handle all of it.

5-    The foundation on which a ladder stands is important.  If your goals and dreams are not on the proper foundation, they will one day crash to the ground.  You cannot build on things that are unscriptural, immoral, or unethical, and expect the “ladder” to survive the climb.  You will fall.

6-    It would be tragic to climb to the top of the ladder only to find out it was leaning against the wrong wall.  I have counseled and coached people who were what we would call successful, but they were unhappy. They had “arrived” but did not like their destination.

It is great to be climbing a ladder toward success, just be sure it is the right ladder and is leaning on the right wall.

Category: Change, Leadership, Personal Development, Responsibility / Tags: , , , , , ,

Pessimist, Optimist, or Realist? Pt 3

Rodney Agan / September 5, 2012 / No comments

A Realist

In the first post we looked at a PESSIMIST.  In the second post we looked at an OPTIMIST.  In the last post we will look at a REALIST!

William Ward described it this way: “A Pessimist complains about the wind.  The Optimist expects it to change. The realist adjusts the sails.”

It is dangerous to be a full-fledged optimist or pessimist.  I think of them as being a ditch on either side of the road.  The balance is found in taking the best of optimism and the best of pessimism, and blending the two.  You then have a realist!

According to www.dictionary.com, a realist is, “a person who tends to view things as they really are.”  Anything can be taken to the extreme, but I view a realist as a person who acknowledges the facts, analyzes them, and accepts the results.

1-    A realist needs to catch the excitement of the Optimist.  If you listen to an optimist you believe you can conquer the world.  You don’t know how yet, you are not sure when it should be done, or what it will take; but you do know it should be done.  The forward-thinking attitude of an optimist convinces you that whatever needs to be done, CAN be done.  You need that spirit.  It will move you beyond mediocrity.  A realist tends to continually plan, but is slow to move forward.  When realism collides with optimism something happens.

 2-    A realist needs to accept the honesty of the pessimist.  A realist wants to know the truth.  The pessimist will give truth but without love.  A pessimist will often look through the hype and see the heart of the matter.  This is good for a realist to see.  It allows the excitement of vision to be tempered by reality.

 3-    A realist can bring a pessimist and an optimist together.  Left alone, a pessimist or optimist will destroy each other.  When a realist holds the hand of the pessimist and an optimist, it brings the best of both worlds.

Are you a PESSIMIST, OPTIMIST, or REALIST? Leave a comment…

Category: Change, Communication, Personal Development / Tags: , , , ,

Pessimist, Optimist, or Realist? Pt 2

Rodney Agan / September 4, 2012 / 4 comments

An Optimist

In an earlier post, we talked about a PESSIMIST.  In this post we will look at an OPTIMIST.  They differ in many ways, mainly their outlook on life. One illustration of this is listening to the weather.  When the Meteorologist gives the forecast, two different things are heard.  The pessimist hears that there will be a 30% chance of rain.  The optimist hears that there is a 70% chance of sunshine.  Again, both are correct, but neither is complete.

I am using definitions from www.dictionary.com to illustrate the differences between being a pessimist, optimist, or realist.

By definition, optimism is “The tendency to expect the best and see the best in all things.”  It is “the belief that good ultimately predominates over evil in the world.”  Obviously, it is good to have optimism, but it must be kept in check or it can get out of hand.

In this post I would like to give some things for an optimist to consider.

1-  On Optimist tends to overlook the facts for the outcome.  An optimist is usually a visionary; one who inspires or motivates others.  The problem is that an optimist usually only looks at the end result.  Listen to your conscience. Don’t overlook facts that tell you to make another decision or slow down.

2-  On Optimist needs to have someone help them count the cost.  An optimist is wise to have someone trustworthy to evaluate them.  The means do not always justify the end. Think things like: what are the ramifications of what I would like to do?  Who will this affect? How much will it cost? When is the right time?

3-  On Optimist should not confuse confidence with competence. Judgment oftentimes is blurred by desire.  As a boy, I had a friend who convinced me I could fly.  We got on the roof of his one-story house with a towel for a cape, and jumped.  It took less than a second to realize my confidence far out-weighed my competence. I’m thankful he didn’t live in a two-story house. 

Just because you have a great idea, does not mean: it is the best idea; that it is time for this idea; that this idea will be beneficial; or that it will actually work.  On the other hand, your optimistic idea may be ready to move forward. If so, do not let the pessimist talk you out of it.

“A pessimist see the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” – Winston Churchill

Are you a PESSIMIST, OPTIMIST, or REALIST? 

Category: Change, Communication, Personal Development, Uncategorized / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Pessimist, Optimist, or Realist? Pt 1

Rodney Agan / September 3, 2012 / No comments

A Pessimist

Positive people look at things completely different from negative people.  Positive people are usually optimists, and negative people are usually pessimists.

When you have a glass filled halfway with water, one says “half-full” and the other says “half-empty”.  Both are right, but neither is complete.

I will be using definitions from www.dictionary.com to illustrate the differences between being a pessimist, optimist, or realist.

In this first post, we will look at a PESSIMIST.  This is a person “who habitually sees or anticipates the worst or is disposed to the gloomy.” They make statements consistent with a negative mindset.  No matter how good something is, there has to be a catch. Nothing is ever this good.  I’ll believe it when I see it.

Note some other words we use that describe various views of a pessimist:

1-    Skeptical – Nothing is ever good enough. They are very distrustful so they will not commit to anything long-term or whole-heartedly.  Even when something is working properly, a skeptical person is always looking for its demise.

2-    Cynical – A cynical person is not fun to be around.  Not only do they have a negative outlook, they will be upset at you if you don’t feel the same way.  A cynical person cannot keep quiet.  They WILL tell you what is on their mind and it will never be good.  They play “Devil’s Advocate” in EVERY situation.

3-    Fatalistic – This is when a person has been pessimistic so long that it has become woven into every fiber of their being.  Not only do they not SEE the potential of success, they will not ALLOW it. To be a fatalist is to have a completely hopeless mentality.

If you are negative by nature, start listening to things you say.  Look at the facial expressions of the people whose “bubble you keep busting”.  Notice how depressing and discouraging you have become.  You only live once, give life a chance to work.  You might be surprised when it does

Are you a PESSIMIST, OPTIMIST, or REALIST?

Category: Change, Personal Development / Tags: , , , , , , ,
« Older Entries