What Does SUCCESS Mean to You? by Steph Beth Nickel

 
Photo Credit: geralt on Pixabay.com

Before we can determine if we are on the path to success, we must determine what success means to us.

For many, being successful means earning a lot of money, writing a bestseller (or two or three . . .), growing a social media following of 100s of thousands, etc.

But maybe you define success far differently—and that's okay.

For years, my goal has been to self-publish. But including such a lofty goal on a list is infinitely easier than breaking it down into its multiple components: completing the manuscript(s), learning each step of the process, enlisting the aid of others, and following through (especially that first time, when every step has a learning curve).

Despite a plethora of reasons (and excuses) for not being further down the path, I am taking steps in that direction. Recently, I fired off my manuscript to beta readers and asked for their input.

As writers, we never truly know how the reader will receive our words or if those words will achieve the goals we have for them. Receiving input from trusted individuals and making recommended revisions (especially if multiple people comment on the same thing) will make our writing stronger.

I have several other goals and means of measuring success but have had the desire to self-publish for more years than I can remember. So, I will press on in that direction . . . with the help of my beta readers—and so many others.

And when distractions come along, which they will, I will determine if it's time to re-evaluate my goals or press on. Although self-publishing is still a goal of mine, it is not, by any means, my highest priority. My husband is retiring next year, and the plan is to sell the house we've been living in for over 20 years and move west with our daughter to be close to Son #2 and his wife. Finding my place in our new community and "finishing well" are my idea of true success . . . whether that includes publishing multiple books or not.

As Christians, isn't it amazing that, from God's perspective, we have already attained the ultimate success. According to Ephesians 2:4-6, ". . . God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus . . ."

These verses, among so many others, assure us of what has been referred to as "the already but not yet." Because of our faith in the Lord, a success far greater than any we can imagine has already been secured for us.

What an encouragement as we travel the path to what we define as success in the here and now!

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version@), copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

How Do You Measure Your Life? by Bob Jones

Clayton M. Christensen is a big deal when it comes to innovation. Steve Jobs credited him with life changing insights. Christensen gave a powerful speech to the Harvard Business School's graduating class of 2010. The speech was memorable because it came at a time of intense personal reflection. He had just overcome the same type of cancer that had taken his father's life. As he struggled with the disease, the question "How do you measure your life?" became more urgent and poignant. The speech morphed into a bestselling book, “How Will You Measure Your Life?”

 

How do you measure your life? What is your measure of success? Or progress? Are you hard on yourself? Are your expectations in line with what God wants for you?

 

To start the new year, I looked at seven familiar units of measure that can shape a measured perspective on life.

 

Inch

Inch is one of the few units of measure that we have turned into a verb, in this case meaning “to move or progress very slowly.”

 

When I feel overwhelmed by a major project, I remind myself that, “Inch by inch it’s a cinch.”

 

Ounce

When someone asks you if you have “an ounce of common sense,” the measurement system doesn’t matter. They are using the word simply to mean “a minimal amount.”

 

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Make space in 2024 to care for your wellbeing. Come apart before you come apart. Take a break. Go for a walk. Dance in your kitchen. Sing in the shower.

 

Fathom

In Old English, fæthm referred to the length of one’s outstretched arms. As a verb, to fathom originally meant to encircle something with the arms as if for measuring as well as to measure depth. Now the verb is used as a reference to this literal getting to the bottom of something.

 

Can you fathom the depth of God’s love for you? In this world, all we know is limited supply. Eventually, we will run to the end of everything: money, time, resources, energy, pleasure, satisfaction, peace, safety, health, life. We have this life and all eternity to plumb the depths of God’s love. You are loved.

 

Watt

Did you know the watt is named for James Watt (1736-1819), known for inventing the Watt steam engine? though his namesake unit of measure probably makes you think of light bulbs.

 

Is there a 100 watt light bulb over your head illuminating a breakthrough idea for 2024?

 

Meter

The base unit of measurement in the metric system, so basic that it derives from the Greek word for “measure” (metron). For a musician, the meter is the regular background rhythm, or 4/4 time.

 

What is your rhythm of writing? Of living?

 

Furlong

A furlong refers to a distance equal to 220 yards (or one-eighth of a mile), but in olden times it was defined less precisely as length of a furrow in a cultivated field. The furrow made up the long side of what we now call an acre, originally regarded as the amount of arable land that could be plowed by a yoke of oxen in a day.

 

Writers measure a day’s work in words. Some try for 500 words a day. Others lean into a 1000. What amount of words do you plow in a day?

 

Milestone

A milestone is a stone used to mark a milepost, which designates a point located a certain number of miles to or from another designated point. Metaphorically, it’s a significant point or accomplishment in any journey.

 

Carve out 45 minutes this month to reflect on significant milestones in your writing journey. You will no doubt be amazed at how far you have come.

 

How will you measure your life?

Happy New Year! All the best to you on 2024.

 

Thank you for reading. And for commenting.

 

You can follow Bob's writing at REVwords.com

Why Loyalty Is Your Best Friend by Bob Jones

 

“You give loyalty, you'll get it back. You give love, you'll get it back.” Tommy Lasorda, LA Dodgers

 

“The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, is in its loyalty to each other.” Mario Puzo

 

Loyalty. Aside from faithfully carrying out my responsibilities in the first month of my first pastoral role, that’s the only expectation my senior pastor placed on me.

 

Fresh out of Bible College, newly married, and grateful to have a paying job, why would I not be loyal to the man who gave me a chance? Besides, loyalty is easy when there is respect for a trustworthy leader and her or his experience. I was the rookie. He was the veteran. He was easy to work with, an example of dedicated faith, had a great sense of humour, his three sons respected him, and his wife was devoted to him.

 

We worked hard, saw men and women make decisions to follow Jesus, and the church grew. He gave me opportunities to lead and experience ministry, didn’t overreact when I made mistakes or fell short of excellence.

 

About a year into our experience, I received a call from a man in the church that I respected. He wanted to know if I was interested in going with him and his friends to a Major League baseball game in a neighbouring city. He didn’t have to ask twice! That would be my first time in a storied ballpark to see a team I cheered for as a kid.

 

During the drive to the game the conversation turned from baseball to our church. Did I feel over-worked? Did I feel our pastor was doing a good job? Did I have any concerns about his leadership? Do you see yourself as a senior pastor? No. Yes. No. No, why would I? The conversation turned in another direction and the subject never came up again that night. The baseball game and the stadium were fantastic. The days ahead were not. That was the last game I was invited to.

 

Not too long after that night our lead pastor called me into his office. He explained that some of the members were upset with him. They had drafted a petition for a vote of confidence on his leadership. There would be a “meeting.” Did I know anything about that? No. Who would do that kind of thing? Turns out there was more than a baseball game going on that night a few weeks back.

 

He asked my wife and I not to attend the meeting. This was one pastoral experience he didn’t want us to have. The confidence vote failed. He could stay. However, eight months later he accepted a pastoral role in another province. He thanked me for my loyalty and asked if I would be willing to come with him as his assistant. We readily said, yes. I remember his surprised look and then a smile and a tear.

 

We worked together for a total of ten years in two churches over thirty years ago. We stay in touch. My loyalty is still to him. Always will be. Both of us are aged now, with no regrets.

 

My situation didn’t become an ethical dilemma, but I wonder if that’s because all I wanted to do was be loyal.

 

I write to grow hope, inspire people to be real, forge an authentic faith in Jesus, and discover their life purpose.

Please follow my writing at REVwords.com

I would love to hear from you.

 

 

The Power of One Thing (Randy Carlson), A Review by Susan Barclay

 

Carlson, Randy. The Power of One Thing: How to Intentionally Change Your Life. Tyndale House Publishers, 2009.

In The Power of One Thing, author Randy Carlson’s goal is to help readers intentionally change their lives. With the academic credentials to go with over 25 years of counselling experience, Dr. Carlson is well-equipped to help people improve in the five essential areas of life: faith, family, health, finances, and work.  As President of Family Life Communications Incorporated, he oversees the ministries of Intentional Living and Family Life Radio, where he fields numerous calls from listeners dealing with problems in one or more of these spheres. 

Divided into two parts, the book’s primary arguments are that you’re only “one thing” away from a better life and that changing one thing at a time is the most sensible approach. Most of us have tried to ameliorate our lives by biting off more than we can chew in one mouthful (I know I have!). Carlson encourages us to see the power in doing just one thing differently. If, for example, the idea of writing a full-length novel has struck you with writers’ paralysis, why not keep your sights on the next 1,000 words and produce them daily?  If you’re spending too much time on social media and failing to accomplish more important work, why not limit social media time to an hour each night? Can you think of other ways to use this principle to improve your writing life?

Overall, Carlson covers nine things to consider changing, and you can start wherever you need to most. Do you need to change your thinking or attitude, how you deal with emotions, or the words that come into your mind and out of your mouth? There are chapters on each of these. Do you need to change your use of time, the state of your house, the friends you choose? How about the questions you ask yourself and the way you make decisions?

        Change is possible. Look to the power of one thing. 

_________________________ 

You can find out more about Susan Barclay's writing at www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com.

Celebrate Each Step Forward by Nina Faye Morey

“Breaking big dreams into small steps is the way to move forward.”

~ Sheryl Sandberg

I was in my early fifties when I seriously began my writing journey. Writing was a life-long dream, but doubts lingered. What if I don’t have what it takes? What if I’m not good enough?

As a teenager, I had some poems and stories published in the Western Producer’s “Young Cooperators Club.” But before long, I became preoccupied with other things and didn’t pursue my passion again until midlife. My first query letter went to the “Farmlife” editor of Grainews. To my astonishment, she called to encourage me to send in my story. I worked hard on it for several weeks and submitted it before the deadline. She accepted it for publication! Celebrate, celebrate, dance to the music!

Since then, I’ve progressed step by step in my writing, publishing articles, short stories, and poems in various publications. I’ve received writing awards and the Barnabas Fellowship from InScribe, published stories in two of their anthologies, presented workshops at their conferences, and served as the columns editor and editor-in-chief of their FellowScript magazine. Two novels and a collection of my published writing are current works in progress.

Thomas Carlyle said, “Nothing builds self-esteem and self-confidence like accomplishment.” Each small step taken in my writing journey boosts my courage, and each successful step forward earns me the right to celebrate. So I give myself permission to do my little victory dance! It’s something I’d highly recommend. But if you have two left feet, here are a few other ways to celebrate success:

Celebrate your success with a commemoration. Commemorate your published work, positive reviews, and writing awards in some way. Frame that book cover or writing award and hang it on your wall; print out that admiring email from a fan and keep it in your journal; place that favourable review alongside your piece in your writing portfolio and post it on your website. These commemorations remind you of your successes and boost your confidence whenever you become discouraged or feel like a failure.

Celebrate your success with others. Share your success stories with family, friends, and the larger writing community. Call or email them, post announcements on your website, or share the news with your followers on social media or through newsletters. Don’t forget to thank those who’ve supported you along the way. Take them out for dinner or throw a celebration party.

Celebrate your success with someone else’s creation. Replenish your creative energy by enjoying someone else’s creation. Read a favourite author’s novel, watch a favourite movie, or gorge on a favourite bakery’s confection. Go ahead, don’t feel guilty. You’ve earned it!

Celebrate your success with a present to yourself. Gift yourself with anything your little heart desires, but you might want to consider something that provides physical benefits as ours is a sedentary profession. It doesn’t have to be expensive—a good pair of running shoes, a few free weights, an exercise band, or registering for a Zumba class. A special treat might be a visit to a spa or a massage for your aching back.

Celebrate your success with God. Remember to thank God for every blessing: a friend’s email that encouraged you not to quit when you were feeling discouraged, the devotional that lifted you up when you were feeling down, or the Bible verse that helped you speak to the hearts of both saints and sinners. No matter how small each day’s gift, keep a gratitude journal and write it down. This practice helps you maintain a positive attitude and demonstrates your faith and trust in God’s plan for your life.

Celebrating your success will refresh you mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually and provide fresh perspectives to help spur you on to even greater success.

How To Make Your Days Count As A Writer by Bob Jones

They say time flies because you’re having fun or aging. I must be having a fun time growing old because, Mr. Scott, it feels like the year is flying by at warp speed.

You can’t slow down time but you can make the best of your time. Setting goals is one of the best ways I’ve found to make my life count for something great. Reviewing my goals regularly is a way of making my goals count.

Goals!  

I’ve been setting professional and personal goals for over thirty-five years. Only in the past two years have I set writing goals. December is typically my goal-setting time. I dream my goals up, pray my goals in, write my goals down and start living in the direction of fulfilling them.

Every day is my goal watching time. Every single day.

Typically, I don’t share my writing goals with other people. So the rest of this post is a bit of a risky departure for me.

Will people think my goals are too small? Too audacious? Not audacious enough? Inspiring? Boring?

My new behavioral goal is vulnerability so here goes.

My Goals For 2016:

#1 Write two blog posts/week every week of the year.

#2 Reach an average of 1,000 views/day on my blogsite by December 31st.

#3 Publish six articles in my denomination’s national magazine.

#4 Publish one article in a national Christian magazine.

#5 Publish one article in a national newspaper.

#6 Publish sixteen articles in local papers.

#7 Enter my book, “Ornament” in the Word Guild’s Writers Contest.

#8 Sell the rest of the copies of my book.

#9 Read six books on writing in the year.

Reviewing my goals daily in January is done with a lot of optimism.  Reviewing them daily in April is a combo of thrill, chill and anxiety. 

Reviewing them in September is a reality check.

So, how am I doing?

#1 – On track.  Check

#2 – No where close. The one day I had 1760 views was a guest post.

#3 – 3 articles published so far.

#4 – Zero articles submitted.

#5 – Zero articles accepted.

#6 – Ten articles published so far with four months to go.

#7 – “Ornament” was awarded “Best Life Story in 2016” WOW!

#8 – Sold 2630 with 870 to go.

#9 – I’ve read two books to date. “Bird by Bird” A. Lamott and “The Writing Life” by A. Dillard

What are your goals for the rest of this year?

 

Robert (Bob) W. Jones is a recovering perfectionist, who collects Coca-Cola memorabilia and drinks Iced Tea. His office walls are adorned with his sons’ framed football jerseys, and his library shelves, with soul food. He writes to inspire people to be real, grow an authentic faith in Jesus, enjoy healthy relationships and discover their life purpose.

Quotes to Motivate Me - Tandy Balson

I read a quote from Jack Canfield that sums up my writing goals for this year.  He said, “Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.”

Failure is a scary prospect for me.  I need to remind myself that everything that has the risk of failure also carries the possibility of success.

That being said, my goal for this year is to write and submit articles for publication.  I haven’t been able to say that out loud.  Does putting it in print count?  My first step is to believe in myself.  Here’s another quote that speaks to this point. “Self confidence is the most attractive quality a person can have; how can anyone see how awesome you are if you can’t see it yourself?” – Unknown

To expand my sphere of influence I’d like to have more publishing credits.  This won’t happen unless I write something of quality and submit it to the proper publications.  Finding the right fit for my words can be a daunting task.  Am I up to it?  This quote should help me, “When you say “It’s hard”, it actually means “I’m not strong enough to fight for it”. Stop saying it’s hard. Think positive!” – Unknown

In order to be a better writer I need to attend conferences and workshops.  There are online trainings that I’ve started but never completed.  I told myself working on them took time away from writing.  Looking back, maybe I didn’t believe in myself enough to keep going. This quote should help motivate me to move forward, “Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal.” Vince Lombardi

As motivating as these quotes may be, I know a better place to look for the strength and confidence I need. That is why I rely on the promise found in 2 Corinthians 12:9;   But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 

I believe that God has called me to write. In order to do this I’m relying on his promise found in Psalm 32:8; The Lord says, “I will instruct you.  I will teach you the way that you should go.  I will advise you as my eyes watch over you.”  

No matter where my writing journey may take me this year, I trust that God’s plan is better than any I may have.  I have decided not to limit him with my expectations.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3