Showing posts with label destiny. Show all posts
Showing posts with label destiny. Show all posts
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Live Life Fearlessly
Living life without fear is like breathing without air. It is not possible. Fears will come. Fear shows up when the bill money is low but the bills are high. It's there when the doctor says she's sending your x-rays to a colleague to take a closer look. It rears its ugly head when the layoffs you have heard were coming...arrive.
Fear accomplishes many things in the lives of men, women, and children: anger, resentment, disobedience, violence, greed, theft, adultery, jealousy, hate, and a multitude of other destructive emotions. Our lives and relationships are damaged - sometimes beyond repair - when we allow fear to have free rein; to go unchecked. But it does not have to be this way. There is a way which leads to peace in the midst of even the most pressing and immediate fears.
That way is anchored in your faith in God, but there's more to it. I know plenty of God-'fearing' folks who are as tormented by the fears of this world as anyone. What separates my life and view from theirs?
The answer is found in the sure knowledge of WHY am I here on this planet. Fortified by my faith in God, I have taken the time to dig deeply into what makes me, me. Long sessions of self-examination successfully enabled by a foundation of prayer have revealed my design. Design? Yes...design. You see we are more skillfully crafted than anything we ourselves are able to design and manufacture.
Amazing software powering programs we call artificial intelligence are yet primitive when compared the brilliant complexity of the human being. The part of you which is not defined by your skin, eye, or hair color; your height or weight; your education or beliefs (or lack thereof), is unique to you. In teaching my D.E.E.D.S. curriculum I point my audiences to an undeniable fact - there is a reason there aren't six billion doctors on the planet. Not everyone wants to be a doctor!
We are all unique, masterpieces of design. Some of us are designed to be doctors, others to be pilots, still others to be movie critics. What is your design? What activity has always fascinated you? What were you known for as a child? What did you want to do no matter what other children wanted to do?
In my book, Be Known For Your DEEDS, I provide seven case studies of individuals who enjoy varying levels of financial success today (and nine traits they share), but who are all living a satisfying life based on following their intrinsic design. Back to the interplay with faith in God....
When you come to the realization there is a concrete reason why you are on this planet, and that you are uniquely designed to achieve the destiny for which you were created, there is little that will scare you away from so important a mission. Those who try to dissuade you based upon their own ignorance, and attempt to de-value your existence are to be ignored. YOU are created in the image of God, and are not the result of freakish, random chance!
YOU are here by plan and design. But why? Only you can discern that, and it is vital that you do. Destiny and a life to be lived fearlessly are waiting, but what about those nasty fears lurking in the mailbox, on the job, in the economy, not to mention the phobias which can paralyze us (fear of heights, confined spaces, the dark, death, snakes, spiders, etc.)?
Fear, no matter the name we assign to the symptom, stands in the way of your destiny and provokes you to turn back. Fear stands in the way of a life with great meaning, value and quality. It will be faith in the God who created you, and the will you demonstrate to define your passion in life (intrinsic design), that will eradicate fear as a threat. It may still rise up, but it will be ignored, dealt with, and/or handled because it no longer controls you. You now control your emotional responses and have become free to live the life to which you are called and were born!
Fearlessly,
JD
Be Known for Your DEEDS is available on Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com
Monday, June 11, 2012
Design, Purpose, Passion, Destiny
We have a very specific design, although our individual designs are all different. My physical design includes my appearance, the way I prefer to dress (www.pinterest.com/jdthespeaker), how my brain processes and absorbs information, and how my lungs, diaphragm, vocal chords, and tongue turn sound into speech. My design is also intangible. I have life and educational experiences unique to me, related to both nurture and nature, which inform my knowledge base, worldview, and opinions.
My purpose is linked to my design. Because of my design, my purpose is more achievable. With a different appearance, voice quality, or ability to translate thought into speech my specific purpose would either be impossible or different. But that is not so. My purpose is to encourage others. I have coined the phrase, "Be better than you've been, and do more than you've done," to identify the goal of my message.
The message finds an audience based upon more than just design and purpose however. There has to be passion for a thing to drive its pursuit. Without the passion to see men and women become all they are meant to be in this life, my design and purpose would fail. If you have no demonstrable passion for a particular pursuit - any moral and legal one will do - then your design is wasted, and your purpose will go unfulfilled. However those of us who do have a passion are led directly and correctly into a life of destiny.
You see none of us are here by accident. No cosmic coincidence has resulted in this planet's ridiculously amazing and diverse flora and fauna. There is design inherent in all the natural world. I laugh sometimes at the thought of wild animals having a 'fear' of man (we can't out-run them, out-swim them, out-climb them, without weapons defend ourselves, and should by no means, apart from being well-armed, attack them).
But because life on this planet follows that design (our dominion), we are free to discern our purpose, pursue our passion, and live a life of destiny. The destiny of the person who embraces their design, identifies their purpose, and pursues their passion is a journey comprised of learning and living. Consciously or not, with passion in our lives we will work each day to be better than we have been, and to do more than we have done.
I know people whose design and purpose has resulted in passions for hunting, music, making friends, sports, real estate, selling, starting businesses, acting, medicine, law, and on and on. (hint: there's a reason not everyone wants to be a doctor...) We have different designs, purposes to achieve, and passions to propel us. Our destiny awaits!
For more on defining YOUR passion, and living YOUR destiny, read my book, Be Known for Your DEEDS. It's available on Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com.
Fearlessly,
JD
My purpose is linked to my design. Because of my design, my purpose is more achievable. With a different appearance, voice quality, or ability to translate thought into speech my specific purpose would either be impossible or different. But that is not so. My purpose is to encourage others. I have coined the phrase, "Be better than you've been, and do more than you've done," to identify the goal of my message.
The message finds an audience based upon more than just design and purpose however. There has to be passion for a thing to drive its pursuit. Without the passion to see men and women become all they are meant to be in this life, my design and purpose would fail. If you have no demonstrable passion for a particular pursuit - any moral and legal one will do - then your design is wasted, and your purpose will go unfulfilled. However those of us who do have a passion are led directly and correctly into a life of destiny.
You see none of us are here by accident. No cosmic coincidence has resulted in this planet's ridiculously amazing and diverse flora and fauna. There is design inherent in all the natural world. I laugh sometimes at the thought of wild animals having a 'fear' of man (we can't out-run them, out-swim them, out-climb them, without weapons defend ourselves, and should by no means, apart from being well-armed, attack them).
But because life on this planet follows that design (our dominion), we are free to discern our purpose, pursue our passion, and live a life of destiny. The destiny of the person who embraces their design, identifies their purpose, and pursues their passion is a journey comprised of learning and living. Consciously or not, with passion in our lives we will work each day to be better than we have been, and to do more than we have done.
I know people whose design and purpose has resulted in passions for hunting, music, making friends, sports, real estate, selling, starting businesses, acting, medicine, law, and on and on. (hint: there's a reason not everyone wants to be a doctor...) We have different designs, purposes to achieve, and passions to propel us. Our destiny awaits!
For more on defining YOUR passion, and living YOUR destiny, read my book, Be Known for Your DEEDS. It's available on Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com.
Fearlessly,
JD
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Childhood Evidence
One of the central messages I deliver to audiences is the idea that as early as childhood the passion for a thing will have manifested. As an example, one can easily peg me in two categories professionally, speaker and writer. I am without doubt living out my passion and walking in my destiny! It is hard to describe how blessed I feel each day to know that I know why I'm here on this planet, and am living that purpose.
The evidence in my childhood points to both speaking and writing. Joke-teller, 'star' of Rumplestiltskin in the 3rd grade, a role in the Christmas play in the 5th grade, a student organizer of Hippy Day at my elementary school in the 6th grade (made it on camera for local news coverage!), and on and on. I was also very proud of my handwriting. In the 2nd grade I won a kiss and a pack of M&Ms from my teacher for the best penmanship in my class.
So I wonder if Jacques Cousteau had a fascination for the ocean when he was a boy? Did this man who was instrumental in the development of SCUBA display his passion for the sea in the earliest years of his life? If you are in your 40's or older did you ever miss, 'The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau' when it came on television? Not if you could help it....
The evidence may be a love of baseball that becomes a life in the sport, or a love of music that becomes a life in the arts. Perhaps you were a doodler, or like me and always talking (always!). Maybe you liked putting together puzzles, or seemed destructive because you took everything apart to see how it was made. I am convinced the evidence is there for each of us.
In that evidence are the clues to our individual and personal design; the very foundation of why we are here on this planet. Recall how very different you felt from the other kids, and even from your brothers, sisters, or Mom and Dad? The reason is not bad, but instead a clue which may unlock your destiny.
That clue has virtually nothing to do with your gender, your race, or your ethnicity. It will not promote immorality, illegality, or division. The clues and the evidence they support are instead of the greatest benefit to you and those you love. This evidence, at least that which I discovered, leads to your passion, and passion leads to a life of fulfillment and purpose. Start digging. What does the evidence tell you?
Go to www.LifeThreadCommunications.com and check out my book on this subject, Be Known for Your DEEDS!
Fearlessly,
JD
The evidence in my childhood points to both speaking and writing. Joke-teller, 'star' of Rumplestiltskin in the 3rd grade, a role in the Christmas play in the 5th grade, a student organizer of Hippy Day at my elementary school in the 6th grade (made it on camera for local news coverage!), and on and on. I was also very proud of my handwriting. In the 2nd grade I won a kiss and a pack of M&Ms from my teacher for the best penmanship in my class.
So I wonder if Jacques Cousteau had a fascination for the ocean when he was a boy? Did this man who was instrumental in the development of SCUBA display his passion for the sea in the earliest years of his life? If you are in your 40's or older did you ever miss, 'The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau' when it came on television? Not if you could help it....
The evidence may be a love of baseball that becomes a life in the sport, or a love of music that becomes a life in the arts. Perhaps you were a doodler, or like me and always talking (always!). Maybe you liked putting together puzzles, or seemed destructive because you took everything apart to see how it was made. I am convinced the evidence is there for each of us.
In that evidence are the clues to our individual and personal design; the very foundation of why we are here on this planet. Recall how very different you felt from the other kids, and even from your brothers, sisters, or Mom and Dad? The reason is not bad, but instead a clue which may unlock your destiny.
That clue has virtually nothing to do with your gender, your race, or your ethnicity. It will not promote immorality, illegality, or division. The clues and the evidence they support are instead of the greatest benefit to you and those you love. This evidence, at least that which I discovered, leads to your passion, and passion leads to a life of fulfillment and purpose. Start digging. What does the evidence tell you?
Go to www.LifeThreadCommunications.com and check out my book on this subject, Be Known for Your DEEDS!
Fearlessly,
JD
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Destined for Success
How many of us believe we are destined for success? I used to, then went through a phase that had me doubting anything other than a status quo existence. And the status quo was status low! It caused me to re-examine my life, my priorities, how I did business, how I did relationships, and how I did my faith.
Today I have no doubt that I am destined for success and it's because I have redefined success. I no longer attach success to a robust bank balance, thriving investments, season tickets, expensive toys, or enough botox to keep me wrinkle free until I'm 90. All of those things are nice symptoms of someone's success, and I welcome them as they come...or not.
Success is wrapped up in living out one's destiny. Mother Theresa was an unabashed success, and we would have to conclude that Bill Gates is as well. Delmar Walker, my late Dad, was a success, but he never made much more than 50k in a year. As in the case with Mother Theresa, success is not tied to money. It is tied to passion and destiny.
As of this writing, I don't yet own the boat I want. I don't own the car I'd like or live in the exact house of which I dream. My expensive toys are rather dated and old - not so pricey any longer. No season tickets. The bank account is far from robust, and the wrinkles will just have to add character. But I am in the lane I was born to occupy.
There is a deep satisfaction in that. The cool part is that I am being rebuilt after a fashion that maintains my integrity, my focus, my love of life and people, and will provide the comforts I will never again take for granted. My path to this point is not one I would have chosen for myself, but I rejoice in the strength I've gained, the lessons learned, the new relationships which have been forged, and the clarity with which I see what success really is.
Success is a function of doing that which you are designed to do, and then doing it with all the gusto you can muster. I speak from intimate experience, and now am able to not only tell others how they, too, can achieve success that is sustainable for a lifetime, but I can teach them. It's a cool train.
Fearlessly,
JD
Today I have no doubt that I am destined for success and it's because I have redefined success. I no longer attach success to a robust bank balance, thriving investments, season tickets, expensive toys, or enough botox to keep me wrinkle free until I'm 90. All of those things are nice symptoms of someone's success, and I welcome them as they come...or not.
Success is wrapped up in living out one's destiny. Mother Theresa was an unabashed success, and we would have to conclude that Bill Gates is as well. Delmar Walker, my late Dad, was a success, but he never made much more than 50k in a year. As in the case with Mother Theresa, success is not tied to money. It is tied to passion and destiny.
As of this writing, I don't yet own the boat I want. I don't own the car I'd like or live in the exact house of which I dream. My expensive toys are rather dated and old - not so pricey any longer. No season tickets. The bank account is far from robust, and the wrinkles will just have to add character. But I am in the lane I was born to occupy.
There is a deep satisfaction in that. The cool part is that I am being rebuilt after a fashion that maintains my integrity, my focus, my love of life and people, and will provide the comforts I will never again take for granted. My path to this point is not one I would have chosen for myself, but I rejoice in the strength I've gained, the lessons learned, the new relationships which have been forged, and the clarity with which I see what success really is.
Success is a function of doing that which you are designed to do, and then doing it with all the gusto you can muster. I speak from intimate experience, and now am able to not only tell others how they, too, can achieve success that is sustainable for a lifetime, but I can teach them. It's a cool train.
Fearlessly,
JD
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