Consider crowdfunding

The last time I checked, Audrey Assad had raised $71,933 USD to record her first Independent album. In fact, she raised so much money that it looks like she is going to record two. That’s not bad for a month-long campaign. Not bad at all.

How how did she do it?

Like so many others creative types, Audrey turned to the crowdfunding website Kickstarter.com. You see, her contract with Sparrow Records had recently come to an end. And now Audrey was an artist struggling to make it on her own once again. But with the help of this amazing fundraising platform, she was able to appeal directly to her fans.

As it turned out, Audrey wasn’t all alone after all.

Kickstarter won’t necessary kickstart everyone or everything; it is limited to creative projects and, as far as I can tell, isn’t available in Canada. Wherever you live, though, a crowdfunding website of some sort is likely within your reach. Indiegogo is one site you might want to explore. Rocket Hub is another. And there are many more, in various stages of development, including Boumchicaboum.

This type of techo-fundraising tool just might be what you need to bring a project you are passionate about to life.

How does it work? The crowdfunding people in New York (Kickstarter) or San Fransisco (Indiegogo) or wherever provide the technical expertise and take a 5-10% cut. Meanwhile, you provide detailed information about your worthy project and come up with some creative rewards. You will need to create a compelling video and also write about the purpose of your project. And then, people who are interested in what you are doing hopefully kick in the cash. This, of course, is the hard part.

One weakness with this approach is that you basically need to have a crowd of people who are interested in what you are doing before you start. While you will gain some exposure, this system doesn’t primarily create support. Rather, this online tool provides a way for people to express their support. In other words, this method works best if you already have a community, a network, or a fan base of some sort.

As well, giving from such a distance implies a large amount of trust. For unlike a nonprofit organization, a governing board will not oversee how the money is spent. No audits are required. No financial statements will likely be forthcoming. This means that your project will need to instantly have obvious merit aside from meeting pressing personal needs.

People will need to have very good reason to feel confident that you are not a crook or a crackpot looking for some easy cash.

After taking the time to explore the Kickstarter site, it appears that more than a few loons have landed in this virtual fundraising pond. Would an Indie debut recording featuring 12 monotonous tuba solos receive the same kind of support? Probably not. Some people might get paid more if they promise to stop playing.

And while I am sitting on enough material to create my very own “Weird Nathan” album complete with potential hit songs like “Big Yellow Tow Truck” and “We Didn’t Start that Fire” inspired from listening to Joni Mitchell and Billy Joel…I think I’ll wait.

At Kickstarter, less than half of the projects advertised on the site actually reach their fundraising goals. Pause for a moment and let this sobering statistic sink in. This implies that anyone looking for a money tree to shake should probably look somewhere else. But at the same time, this online platform certainly has potential. Actually, it has an amazing amount of potential. Anybody can make use of it. And it is free.

This online service might just be what you need to bring your dreams back to life. What have you got to lose if you give it a try?

Searching for answers

No one arrives on this planet knowing everything they need to know. Then again, one exception comes to mind; one solitary life stands out.

But for most of us, humility always make sense. For there is so much that we do not know.

If knowledge equals power then people like you and me are obviously lacking in both. It’s a no brainer. It is so obvious. We all need help. Human knowledge is as limited as the day is long.

Even considering recent progress, it’s embarrassing how little we know. And getting connected to the Internet doesn’t change anything. Is some ways, this only makes the situation worse. For now there is a much larger filing cabinet to sort through in order to find what we really need. Having access to more and more information isn’t always a good thing.

Trying to make a major decision? Keep in mind that you likely do not intuitively know what you need to know in order to do that. No offense. Don’t be insulted. That’s just the way it is for each person reading this. You will need to spend a significant amount of time gathering information. If you haven’t done that yet, you will need to. Sorry, but there is no other reasonable way to go about it.

Do you really want to routinely make critical decisions in a way that is random or reckless?

Even if you tend to rely more on your emotions when making a decision (and to some extent that is okay) make sure you make the time to take in accurate images and pictures which will in turn shape and inform your feelings.

This friendly word of advice is offered while taking a break from a very extensive information gathering process. This process has gone on for several years now and, frankly, I am getting tired. But there is no other option – none that I can see anyway. Either you wait for the appropriate information to come to you, or you need to make the effort to go out and find it. And usually a bit of both takes place during any significant research project.

It is encouraging every now and then when timely information drifts in your direction. But finding information and sorting through information usually takes a lot of hard work. There is no way around it.

So what do you need to know right now? Identify the information you need, and then be prepared to exert a large amount of energy to find it. Roll up your sleeves. Get ready for a workout. Don’t underestimate the amount of time it will take. Don’t expect someone else to do it for you. Grit your teeth, as they say, and then get at it.

Let’s say that you need to make a major career decision. Well then, be sure to carefully consider what you are thinking about doing before launching out decisively in that particular direction. A lack of quality research now could be very costly down the road. Now is the time to get started. Now is the time to do your homework. And yes, I speak unfortunately from experience.

Lots of enthusiasm and a lack of knowledge is a bad combination. Little enthusiasm and a lack of knowledge might be even worse. But the ideal, of course, it to be well-informed and enthusiastic. Take the time, make the time, to become knowledgeable. Make an effort to learn as much as possible when faced with a big decision.

Did I mention that searching for answers will be time-consuming and difficult?

Life isn’t easy down here on the earth. Are there any inhabitable planets where daily life might be easier? Perhaps you have pondered this question looking up into the night sky after a very long day. Maybe someone has an answer. But as far as I can tell, we could be living on this one for quite some time.

Might as well make the best of it, I guess.

Whacking the wasps

Would you prefer to be known as a spiritual person or a religious nutcase? Which word combination has the most positive connotation? Take your time. Think it over.

And yes, this would be one of those annoying (okay, very annoying) rhetorical questions. Sorry about that, but I needed a snappy introduction.

In many social circles, spirituality is viewed as being neutral and entirely positive. It’s all good. Meanwhile, religion – and particularly Christianity – is said to be negative and oppressive; it isn’t considered to be modern or moderate or progressive. Which is to say, that it’s almost all bad. No, it doesn’t take long before you get the distinct impression that traditional religion is out and designer spirituality is in.

From this precarious vantage point, bad things are sure to happen in post-modern paradise if too many people get too religious. That would be dangerous and very scary.

That’s right. Spirituality is said to be a bright ray of inclusive and politically correct sunshine in a dark and dogmatic world. This sophisticated lingo sounds lovely; it gets the certified stamp of approval. We hear it all the time. Many people take it on their tongue. And many in the West also take the tonic that is implied by this term. For this is how folks with a materialistic mindset attempt to chase their bad old nihilistic blues away.

It isn’t, however, much of a news flash to say that this technique doesn’t work. How could it? But some people still try to inject meaning and purpose into their lives by way of this long shot and haphazard method. They grasp at anything and everything.

Even now, my brain is beginning to shut down and the haze is setting in at the mere mention of this magical term.

It is interesting how a limited step of faith is rejected nowadays in favour of a wild and reckless leap into the spiritual beyond. Which brings up the question parents often ask their kids in the context of less-than-positive peer pressure; a question I was asked the other day in the context of my poor driving habits:

“If that guy up ahead of us decided to drive off a cliff, would you?”

Well, no, not exactly, I mean of course not. But I did seem to be drifting in that general direction. And it’s a good thing my wife was paying attention.

Longing for meaning and direction in life, searching for guidance, some young people unfortunately do what amounts to just that. In the name of freedom and individuality, they wander towards the edge of some well-known precipice and dutifully get in line to drive or jump off. Each new generation makes the same sad mistakes.

Spirituality isn’t all bad but it certainly isn’t all good either.

What am I getting at? Simply this: The spiritual world has a well-established dark side. While making contact with a variety of spiritual beings is possible, it is not recommended. There are consequences, and sometimes very unpleasant one. In other words, you really do not want to be messing with some powerful spiritual beings. Sure, people do it all the time – barging on in where angels fear to tread. But please, don’t go there. Don’t do that.

Of course I take it as a basic fact of life that unpleasant spiritual beings actually exist. For every crank who makes this sort of talk sound foolish, there are ten common people who will tell you in plain terms that this is so. For every condescending professor who has the leisure to live in his head, there are at least twenty ordinary guys who must deal with larger realities.

And life is hard enough without going out of your way to connect with dangerous spiritual realities. So put the stick down and back away as quickly as you can.

Fly the plane

Handing out titles without clear job descriptions is one way to create tension and even serious problems in an organization. Making such descriptions endlessly complicated and never-ending is another. So whether you are leading an organization or part of the team, work towards a clear and concise understanding. Clarify expectations.

Aim for a brief, written job description that even I could understand. It is a bit embarrassing, but it took me two whole weeks to figure out how to answer a call on my new smartphone and another couple of weeks to sort out a few other basic functions. Assume that there are people like yours truly in close proximity to you. In other words, keep it simple.

It works best to let one person drive

What is your job, exactly? And what is not your job? What authority do you have within your area of responsiblity? And what is the limit of your delegated authority? There will always be a need for flexibility; a need to find a way to quickly work together when the precise details guiding how to work together are not clear. There are, however, ways to avoid chronic organizational problems and self-destructive tendencies.

The sad reality is that very little will likely be accomplished if the structure of your organization or team is not clear or not respected. And what does get accomplished will be accompanied by feelings of frustrating and futility. After awhile, nobody will want to be a part of what is going on; their heart won’t be in it even if their body is still there. This reaction makes sense. If you didn’t have an opportunity to make a valuable contribution, would you want to stick around? And really, how many people want to be micro-managed or made to feel as if they don’t really count? Nobody that I know.

At the same time, leaders may feel reluctant to delegate specific responsibilities if they feel that their prerogative to do so is not respected in the first place. This can be very frustrating. It may be that their own role is not clear enough, or that they feel overwhelmed by far too many responsibilities. There is no time to work on clarifying other job descriptions, hammering out a few details, if their own job description is as vast as the sea and as hazy as the sky.

Trying to work together without a realistic and agreed upon way of how you are going to work together creates a lose-lose situation. Nobody wins. Things tend to crash. Everyone gets frustrated and sad. Yes, very sad.

More to the point, what needs to be avoided is a situation where two people or groups are unknowingly focused on the same small task. For this scenario creates hard feelings and much unnecessary conflict. As if you didn’t already know that. As well, this unfortunate situation drains positive energy out of an organization; it happens all the time. And this is one way to lose your sense of vision and learn how to fixate on petty politics. This organizational faux pas makes for much wasted time and can create dangerous situations.

Years ago, I spent close to one year travelling and working on a team made up of seven young people. Far from being a negative experience, this adventure turned out to be one of the best years of my life. As part of our preparation in order to work together, we had over one month of intensive training. During that time, a clear form of government was established and a team leader was selected. At the same time, each person was assigned several roles and responsibilities that were absolutely necessary in terms of the effective functioning of the team.

There was no doubt about it: Each person was needed; everyone mattered. And we understood how we were going to work together. We knew who did what.

For example, one person on the team was responsible to ensure that we all took our malaria medication. This was a very important job. Since we were travelling in East Africa, malaria was a significant concern. The previous year, most of the team members had contracted this serious disease. But this tragic situation could have been prevented.

Now imagine what could have happened if no one had been clearly selected to take on this responsibility the following year? Or consider the consequences of having two people on the team who were adamantly convinced that this was their job.

It is worth it to take the time to clarify roles and responsibilities.

Coming to life

What would he like to have said at his funeral? G.K. Chesterton thought for a moment, and then responded with these four words: “Look! He’s moving!”

How would you like to hear this brief statement declared at yours? This shocking comment would surely make for a memorable and very short eulogy. Anyone who managed to remain conscious would be talking about what took place in the next few moments for years to come.

“He’s what? What did that nice man just say, dear?”

“Oh, something about old Gilbert moving around or some such thing. If so, it seems we are going to be missing out on a nice lunch. Hey, wait a minute. What’s with all the commotion over there by the casket? What in tarnation is going on here? Hang on to your hairnet Hannah: Gilbert is moving; he’s baaack!”

Imagine what it would be like to watch someone actually come back to life. Wouldn’t it be terrifying and absolutely amazing? One minute the atmosphere is somber, sad and subdued. Grief hangs over the gathering; hope is hard to come by. Not much is going on. And the next…well, it depends on where you live, but even in the most reserved society everyone present would likely be freaking out.

If there ever was a time to cut loose and get hysterical, this would be the time. A sudden sign of life, even if it is ever so subtle, is something to celebrate.

As you may have noticed, dead people have a tendency to stay dead. This observation is nothing new. That’s just the way it is. Each new generation makes the same sad discovery. Some things never change. And it feels like it has been going on like this forever. There is a time to be born and a time to die. Tragedy strikes someone each day. Death hits hard. And it hurts deeply.

That being the case, it is awfully difficult to upstage a resurrection. What could you possibly recommend as an encore presentation? Watching the Oscars?

On another occasion, good old G.K. mentioned that although he didn’t mind being told that he was going to die, it was also nice to be reminded every now and then that he wasn’t dead yet. What was he getting at?

As a practicing catholic, this kind and clever comment was directed towards some of his Christian teachers. What was the problem? My guess is that there had been a little too much emphasis on preparing for death and a not quite enough teaching on how to make the most out of his life.

Death is certainly not to be trifled with. But then again, neither is life. Each life matters. Every person counts. But the problem is that consciousness and motion do not necessarily indicated the presence of life in any substantial sense or form. Is it possible to be technically alive and yet mostly dead? Sure it is. This happens all the time.

Take this computer for instance. Several days ago it was hit with a debilitating virus and virtually everything froze up and shut down. At one level it still worked, in the sense that you could turn it on, but nothing really worked. The screen lite up but that was it. While I doubt if a requiem has been written for such a specific occasion, it would have been entirely appropriate to play one.

From my perspective, there were very few signs of life. My old laptop had become mostly dead and practically useless. One minute it was functioning fully and the next it barely worked at all.

During this computer downtime a book by Tony Campolo called Carpe Diem or Seize the Day caught my attention. While dealing with a mostly dead device, I read about Dr. Campolo’s experience dealing with mostly dead people. That was his impression, anyway. It seemed that wherever he went he ran into “dead” people. Many students at the university where he worked seemed to be apathetic about life. And then when he travelled and spoke at a variety of churches, he often observed the very same thing.

My impression is that Mr. Campolo wrote this book not out of a desire to find fault or to criticize and condemn. He wrote it rather partly to avoid such a problem in his own life and partly to help other people find a way to come back to life. And the solution he offers is not simplistic.

Have you ever felt dead? Have you ever thought that there has got to be more to life than this? Who hasn’t? Be encouraged. It is possible to eventually find a way to come back to life.

Helpful communication

There are different ways of communicating. And some ways are better than others. If a friend has borrowed a book or a CD, and you would like to have it back, there are a variety of options.

You could, for example, hire a plane to fly over his house pulling a big, bright banner with bold letters that cry out, “Give me my book back!!!” That is one scenario. Your rogue pilot could be instructed to do one flyby after another, lower and louder, again and again, until the message gets through or the police arrive to shut down this disturbance of the peace.

Ideally, a classic WWII Spitfire plane would work best. And don’t forget to arrange to have an old air raid siren blaring – wailing – right across the street. Fire off a few flares to add to the excitement and pandemonium in the neighbourhood. Do what you need to do to get attention and action. Go crazy.

Quite a few books, etc. could find their way back home this way. But whether or not this is the best way to maintain healthy relationships (and avoid getting arrested) remains to be scene.

If the plane idea sounds too risky, you could always hire a media company to make a short video about your dilemma. Then, post it on YouTube. What do you think of that? Let the entire Internet world know about your missing book and your forgetful friend. The producer could take a more tactful and subtle approach. This video clip could open with an image of you staring mournfully at your bookshelf with U2‘s old song “I Still Havn’t Found What I’m Looking For” playing softly in the background.

As the picture expands, the camera could turn towards the calender and the clock on the wall in your office. Eventually the office window would come into view. A rapid succession of images depicting the changing of the seasons and the passing of time accompanied by Chilliwack’s old song lyrics, “Gone, gone, gone, she’s been gone so long, she’s been gone, gone, gone, so long!” would complete the effect.

When the production is complete, post a link to your video on Facebook. Give your friend a few days to notice it. Wait for their response. It sounds crazy, but it just might work.

But if your friend wasn’t home during the plane ordeal – that day when the landing gear hit the satellite receiver on the roof and knocked out their Internet reception. Well, then you’ll have to look into other options.

If you live in Canada, there is also the bizarre possibility of submitting a complaint to your local Human Rights Tribunal. That’s what people do these days. Contact the quasi-kangaroo court early on. Appeal to some recently established human right not to have your precious book held hostage for an extended period of time. A “right” that is by now most assuredly enshrined in some charter document somewhere.

Yes, it’s a strange world after all. It’s a strange, strange world.

With any luck, this overdue book borrowing offense is now considered to be a hate-crime as opposed to a love-crime. And by all means, say that you have been offended and that your feelings have been hurt. Work the system. That’s how it works.

Your preoccupied friend will likely notice an official letter in the mail threatening legal action if the aforementioned piece of personal property is not returned to the said owner in good condition and in a timely fashion. But what if he happens to be away on business and never reads this nasty letter? What then?

In that case, you may need to take your campaign to the old-fashioned air waves (i.e. the radio) in order to contact your incognito friend. It is a long shot, but you could call up Carly Rae Jepsen and see if she might consider quickly reworking her famous teen-infactuation song, “Call Me Maybe.”

If all goes well, your old friend will be driving back to his damaged home when he hears, “Hey, you have my book. Bob, this is crazy. So please return it. Or you’ll have to pay me.” A few more miles, and there it is again: “Hey, you have my book. Bob, this is crazy. So please return it. Or you’ll have to pay me.”

Meanwhile, Bob most likely forgot all about that book and is wondering why in the world you didn’t give him a call if you really wanted it back.

Explore your future online

Having a car that will get you where you need to go is much more important than what type of car you have. In the same way, finding a method that will help you clarify your career and life direction takes priority over identifying the “Cadillac” career-planning service.

With so many career-related websites, books, and online assessment systems available this point is important to keep in mind.

Find a source of guidance and insight that will potentially transport you from where you are right now to where you want to be in 10 or 20 years. Look around. Take your time. But remember: the idea is to get moving. So try something; don’t wait too long. A tangible resource in hand is exceedingly better than a distant ideal in your head.

Would you be interested in exploring the TypeFocus career-planning service provided here at Career & Life Direction? This offer is free (yes, free) to the first 4 people who send an email with the required information. The usual cost is $34.95 plus tax. The only catch is that you need to be willing to have your opinion about this service published on this site.

Why don’t you give it a try?

While I am not a pure pragmatist, in many situations what works for one person may not necesarily work for another. Different people have different preferences, different personalities and different ways of making decisions. There are often 25 different ways of doing the same thing that all more or less work just fine. This way of putting it could be a slight exaggeration, but you know what I mean.

So don’t feel like you have to do what everybody else around you seems to be doing -particulary if you are mingling with the coasting crowd. Be yourself. Take responsibility for your life. Take action. What will help you become all that you were intended to be? That is the question.

It might be necessary to try a few different career planning methods until you find one what works for you. What have you looked into so far?

Back in high school, I had a brief job guiding other students through a computer program (I can’t remember what it was called) that was intended to help young people decide which career path to take. Punch in some information and out popped your life purpose – or at least a few potential careers. That’s how it worked.

And although I am sure this form of guidance was offered with the best of intentions, I didn’t find it particularily helpful. More to the point, this experience only seemed to create more confusion in my life. Was I really supposed to be a florist? I didn’t think so.

For all I know, this service was greatly appreciated by the vast majority of students at my school. And yet, I can’t remember a single student jumping around joyfully in the guidance office, exclaiming how this program had just changed their life. It was more like, “Well, I finally got that over with.”

Staring at a computer isn’t likely the answer if you are tired of feeling like student or human being #489. It is possible that what you need more than anything else is a real, live, human being to talk to. If this describes your situation, is there someone in your community who you know and trust? Why don’t you give them a call and arrange a time when you can talk?

During the conversation you might want to ask your older friend how they decided what to do. What worked for them?

Perhaps you could also talk about the recent TypeFocus career-planning service you worked through. Did this experience give you more of a sense of direction in your life? You could share your thoughts. What did you like about it? What didn’t you like? Ask for their response. Go from there.

Here is my final pitch: Please consider signing up for free access to the TypeFocus career-planning service. This offer is available until Thursday, February 14, 2013. All that is required is your real name and email address together with a brief statement that you want to sign up.

If you are one of the first 4 people to respond, you will eventually receive an email indicating that you are signed up and telling you how to proceed. A short paragraph describing your impression of this service is requested by March 1, 2013.

Waiting for a miracle

Miracles happen; they do. Deny this and you end up denying reality.

Stop for a moment and consider what you might discover given a chance to interview even a few million people on this planet. May I suggest that you will hear one story after another that is very difficult to deny.

Meanwhile, many people in the Western world have a very strong belief system that will not allow them to accept the possibility of God’s occasional, let alone constant, intervention in human affairs. This doesn’t happen because it can’t happen – according to their system. And that’s too bad, because what you believe can have a way of distorting your vision and even closing your eyes.

While I have a lot of respect for some aspects of higher eduction, going to university or college isn’t necessarily the route to take if you want to discover what is really going on in the world. Sitting in a classroom reading books and writing essays has its place, but it amounts to placing yourself in a controlled environment. For you soon become preoccupied with certain things and unable to attend to others.

Sadly, staying in such a state for too long, say, for the amount of time it takes to get a degree or two, is a great way to become disconnected from reality. There are other ways to lose your grip, but this is one method that will work just fine.

Miracles happen. But they don’t always happen.

Perhaps I speak from experience. For example, years ago I read a book called Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. The author’s main point is clear enough from the title. As an American academic writing primarily to wealthy Americans, Ron Sider addressed a relevant topic. But feeling self-righteous and indignant, I attempted to argue one of his side points about inappropriate land use one day (i.e. wasting a large number of acres raising cattle as opposed to growing crops). But a friend quickly pointed out the glaring flaw in my argument.

Farmers tend to raise cattle on land that simply isn’t suitable for growing crops. Doesn’t everybody know that? I guess I didn’t.

And although this illustration is a bit of an aside, the larger point remains: If you don’t believe in miracles, it may well be because you have spent far too much time living in an educational or cultural or media bubble of some sort and not near enough time out in the real world having a look around.

Miracles happen. But they don’t always happen. Consider two traumatic stories:

On December 14, 2012, one well-armed young man walked into a school filled with young kids in the USA and opened fire. In a matter of 10 minutes, Adam Lanza killed 20 students and 6 adults. On August 5, 2002, four men armed with AK-47 assault rifles arrived at a school in Pakistan and did the same. After the 15 minutes attack, 6 adults had died. This included: Abdul Rehman, Baber Pervaiz, Jave Masih, Manzoor Elahi, Mohd. Mukhtiar, and Mohd. Rafiq. A tragedy nonetheless.

The terrorists were not, however, trying to kill other Muslims or their own countrymen. The note left behind made it very clear that they were targeting Christian kids from the West. But no students at Muree Christian School died that day. Not a single one.

Look into the details, take the time, and you might be surprised at what you discover.

And yet, this isn’t to suggest that it always turns out well for Christian people. Life doesn’t work that way. Most every day, a church is attacked somewhere in the world and hundreds of people are oppressed, threatened, and even killed. Saeed Abedini was recently sentenced to 8 years in prison in Iran. But many other stories could be told. If you really want to feel depressed, look into what is going on in North Korea.

To be clear, this reflection about miracles is primarily intended for people who are already convinced they take place. But is it possible to be too convinced? Yes, in a way. For what starts out as an entirely appropriate and healthy conviction can drift towards a distorted and extreme position. There is a big difference between believing in an open system, that is, in a world where God is free to intervene, and presuming to know where and when and how this will happen.

Living in denial of the miraculous isn’t the answer. And neither is routinely waiting around for a miracle to take place.

Hockey, hockey, hockey

How can you tell when a positive part of your life has become a distraction? Don’t expect a warning bell to go off or wait to hear a buzzer. It isn’t always easy to know.

For example, if you enjoy following the National Hockey League, how much time spent watching hockey would you say is too much? Four hours per week? Ten hours a week? Twenty? At what point has it gone too far?

Feel free to substitute another sport or hobby here if you like. Whether it is soccer or football or surfing the Internet, try to identify what could prevent you from living a life that is much more significant. Reading the news, trying to stay up on what is going on in the world, probably consumes too much of my time. What holds your attention?

How do you decide when an interest like hockey has become too important?

Five team jerseys in the closet, two jackets, three hats, four cups, six posters, and two massive team flags flying from each vehicle you own might be a clue. Naming all of your kids “Wayne” after the great Wayne Gretzky could be another. Hosting a hockey night in your home every other night of the week would also be cause for concern. There are likely also many early warning signs that indicate a problem.

There is, of course, nothing wrong with having a little fun and cheering on your favorite team. But how much time and energy and enthusiasm is too much? Where do you draw the line? And what will you miss out on if you don’t?

Fanatical enthusiasm is often worn like a badge of honour when it comes to sports. Few people would declare, “Watching ping-pong is my life purpose!” But in Canada, watching grown men whack a puck back and forth – and beat each other up in the process – comes close.

Given that the bickering between the billionaires and the millionaires has recently come to an end, this is admittedly an odd time to be posing this question. The lockout has finally ended after months of negotiations. For many, this is a great relief. Thankfully, the conflict is over. When it seemed like it would be game over for the entire season, it is now game on.

After such a long break, Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin are likely trying to remember how to lace up their skates. Okay, maybe not.

It almost sounds unpatriotic to say that I have enjoyed the break from our so-called national pastime. But it’s true. For hockey, among other things, has a way of barging in and demanding enormous amounts of time and attention. More and more and more attention seems to be required. It is never enough. What started out as a fun and friendly game to play on the pond in the winter has turned into a campaign to control your life. When the hockey-cult mindset kicks in things get a little crazy.

“Kill them!!!” That’s what the mother of one of the guys on my team use to yell from the stands. As I recall, we were losing in the first round of the provincial playoffs. And she didn’t seem to care much for the young kids on the other team.

Do you want to wake up one morning in a seniors home (that is, if you live to reach old age) and realize that you had been compulsively committed to secondary and second-rate life goals? One day, perhaps during a break from playing bingo, a small visitor is bound to ask, “So what is the most important thing that you did with your life, Grandpa?” What will you say? Are you going to talk about all the games you have watched and played?

A clock sits on the desk to my right ticking steadily; a reminder that your time on this earth is limited as is mine.

Making a mission statement

What is a mission statement?

A personal mission statement is a brief summary of your life focus. As such, it is larger than a career and much bigger than a job. And while it connects to your deepest convictions, it adds more information. Your statement is unique to you. It serves to direct your entire life by identifying the larger dreams and goals that drive you.

How do you make a mission statement?

It isn’t easy. Don’t expect it to be easy. You likely won’t find a quick formula or method to produce one. Although here is a suggestion: Give yourself, say, five years to live a busy, shallow, frantic, and non-reflective life. Then, stop and intensely reflect on the futility of the past five years. Meditate long enough to become good and frustrated. At this point, pull out a piece of paper and write down what you would much rather be doing with your life.

What does a mission statement look like?

My larger goal is to help restore Western civilization as a light in God’s world by encouraging the development of healthy and growing Christian communities and by expanding the influence of Christian individuals and organizations. At the same time, I hope to inspire people everywhere to develop their God-given potential for the common good.

Why bother working on a mission statement?

While there are likely many reasons, here are a few to consider:

1. To identify larger goals

A mission statement, or whatever you feel like calling it, will help you spend your time and focus your energy on something significant. Each person reading this is small and limited and can’t do everything. That being the case, what are you going to do with your life? How will you spend your time? Decisions must be made.

Writing down significant goals amounts to saying, “I am going to aim for this and not that.” So if you are tired of drifting along, doing a little of everything or a lot of nothing, you might want to work on your mission statement.

2. To set personal boundaries

A mission statement functions like a personal boundary. In other words, it is like a fence that separates your yard from your neighbour’s. For the most part, what your neighbour does on his land is up to him. If George began enriching uranium in his garage and building nuclear missiles pointed at you…now, that might be different. Usually, though, what George does over there is up to him and what you do – in your yard – is up to you. That’s how it works.

Do you ever feel like you are living someone else’s life? If so, you might need to have a look at your fence. Is it still there? Does it need repair? Take the time to establish your personal boundaries by formally identifying your life direction.

3. To discover core convictions

A mission statement will force you to think about what you believe. Unless, of course, you adamantly refuse and choose not to. Although that may be difficult. But do you really want to live a random and arbitrary life? The catchy slogan, “Practice random acts of kindness” could just as easily have been, “Practice random acts of cruelty!”

Sure, having strong convictions does not necessarily result in more of heaven here on earth. It all depends on what you truly believe. Look at Mali. But a widespread “whatever” mentality is good news if you were hoping for a little more hell. So keep asking “Why?” until you get answers. Go from there.

The short answer, is that it is a good idea to write a mission statement because this is another excercise that could help you reach your true potential.

Attempting to write a mission statement makes sense once you realize that writing is the process by which people usually discover things they don’t aleady know.

Telling your story

Career & Life Direction is focused on helping people and organizations identify and develop their God-given potential.

Do you enjoy writing? Do you have a story to tell or wisdom to offer that connects to this emphasis? If so, I would be happy to hear from you. What I had in mind, was a 600-800 word article with a couple of pictures and a brief bio. If you have a website, a link to your site could also be included.

Since this website has a global focus, it really doesn’t matter where you live. Articles travel fast via email. If, however, you hail from Saskatchewan or light up when you hear the words “Trailview” or “Greenridge” consider this to be a personal invitation.

But be aware that Career & Life Direction is not presently listed among the Fortune 500 group of companies. Which is to say, that I am offering a modest amount of media fame and $50 per article.

At the moment it would be great to be able to offer other perspectives in the following three areas:

1. Career Selection

What do you do for a living? Or, if you are now retired, what did you do? And what advice would you offer to a young person who is seriously considering the same career? What do they need to know in order to make a wise decision? The idea here is to provide personal and practical advice.

So far, I already have an article from a pastor and a nurse? Are you a doctor, a teacher, a farmer, an accountant, a carpenter, a banker, etc.? Why did you choose this career or vocation? Imagine that you are talking to a young adult who is just starting out in life. What could you say that would help them discern if this career is a fit for them?

What do you find exciting and fulfilling about what you do? And what do you sometimes find difficult? Careful consideration is required when making a career decision.

2. Personal Direction

Do you have a personal mission statement which serves to guide the overall direction of your life? If so, how did you go about putting it together? What does it say? And how has having this helped you make decisions over the years? Give specific examples.

The goal is to assist people who are frustrated because of a lack of general direction in their lives. What could you say to encourage and direct someone in such a situation – regardless of their age? What specific steps could they take to go about acquiring a more clear sense of direction?

In my own case, two books were particularly helpful. More information about these books is available in the “Progress” section. But the process may have been quite a bit different for you.

Any thoughts?

3. Organizational Development

Finally, do you have a leadership role in a small or large organization? Have you served on a governing board? Are you the president or the CEO of something? Are you actively leading a business, a church, a government department, or a community organization?

Is your name Stephen Harper? Yes, it is okay to write about running a country. Although I’ll understanding if you are too busy dealing with protests and a variety of other problems.

How have you helped to shape the direction of the organization you are a part of in a positive way? Do you feel that what you are a part of has reached or is beginning to reach its full potential? Why or why not?

More to the point, what advice would you offer to a leader who is struggling to clarify a vision or develop the potential of a group of people? What has worked for you? Is there a resource you have found helpful and would want to recommend?

Well, that’s about it for now. Thanks for your interest!

Nathan

*Please be aware that your article will be edited. In the process, I will attempt to preserve your voice and clearly convey what you are trying to say. Click on “Contact information” at the bottom of this page in order to ask a question or submit an article for consideration.