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In a world obsessed with being heard we find ourselves surrounded by multiple streams of communication every waking moment. The bombardment of words into our mind is nonstop. Written, spoken, or sung we are encircled by words. They express our thoughts and feelings and impact our behavior.

Dear younger me,

In my last letter to the younger me I reminded myself of the importance of leading with love. Life as a father is more enjoyable when you keep in mind the simple insights I left in my last note: Give the benefit of the doubt, balance your counsel, and vulnerability builds character.

Below are my study notes for a talk I had the honor to give at the Irving Bible Church Big Man Conference. I wanted the notes to be available for the 100 men who attended as a take away. So, I began preparing a handout to give the group. Then I was asked an interesting question.

Dear Younger Me,

Since the classic movie Back To The Future first appeared we have been obsessed with time travel. The fact Doc Brown may have been on to something has been a true fascination. Given the demographics of the vast, every expanding readership of this platform, it is within reason one of its many readers has in fact had a Doc Brown moment.

In the world of leadership, the principle of connection ranks close to the top of the list. The basic idea of leadership is about influence. The effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of our influence rises and falls on our ability to connect with others. Our ability to successfully communicate with others is directly related to our ability to connect with our audience. Yes, connection is vital.

Burnout. At some point in our life we will all face periods of burnout. The sad reality is we rarely recognize when we are in burnout mode until it is too late. By then the damage has been done. An extended period of burnout creates “purpose creep”, which is the slow drift away from our center to a place of frustration and disengagement.

In The Kingmaker the center character, Kyle Ellis, has a conversation with one of his Kings. The conversation centers on the Empire State Building. Construction of this magnificent building began in 1930 and still stands proudly today.

“The story I am writing in my head about us has changed from the early days. The story began with purpose and a passion to help others achieve their greatest dream, which included me. That story has changed, Kyle. It is no longer driven by purpose. The story that is being written today is one of only you.” 

Life is challenging at times. Even during times of struggle it is possible to be on purpose.

What I have discovered is there are four important areas to consider when dealing with setbacks in life. These important considerations will help you as you focus your energy on improving in any area of life.

The Importance of Purpose

Having spent time as a leader in HR, I encountered countless people seeking career advice. The questions almost always come around to purpose and passion.

When you understand that purpose is about why you are here and where you are going and passion is the energy that drives purpose, it becomes easier to crack the career code. It is not uncommon for someone to approach me complaining about their job and how it doesn’t fulfill their purpose.

As leaders at work, in our community, or in our home we should realize each day we have a choice to make. The choice, as with many choices in life, is simple yet not always easy to execute. We must choose today the storyline of our day.

In the sacred journey of life there are few things more important to get right than love. With a wide range of definitions of this simple word it is no wonder we have so much trouble living it out.

Last week we discussed how to identify and pursue your True North. This week’s post will help you find people who will make sure you will get there.

The second principle we’ll look at on our journey to becoming a difference-maker leader is the concept of enlisting the aid of a personal board of directors.

The comfort zone is perhaps the most dangerous place for a leader. It’s the place where dreams die. It’s the place where nothing changes. Sure, there are perks to the comfort zone: fewer headaches, less risk, and no heart-stopping moments of panic. But there’s also no growth. A difference-maker leader does not spring from the comfort zone, but is borne by trial and error, risk and reward.

Your story is unique. It’s comprised of many thousands of stories that weave together to make you who you are. Your stories define your success, your reputation, your ambition, and your self-esteem.