Influence

 I asked myself a question today.  How do you measure the power of influence?  What moves people toward willing redirection of personal values?  Who has most influenced me?What was done or said that convinced me to step over the line of decision? I want to live a compelling life...and I'm sure you do to.  Just a couple of thoughts for hopeful influencers...

1.  Have Convictions Know where you are going and know WHY.  Directionless people are like vanishing footprints in the sand.  Base your convictions on truths, not just facts.  Factual folk want to win arguments, even at he expense of relationships. Keep proving your point and you become irritating.  Live your point and you become influential.  

2. Stay Fresh.  Pay attention to your spirit.  Separate yourself out from distractions and duties at the top of your day and invite your Creator to speak to you.  Life is much too complex and challenging to outsmart it.  You can certainly problem solve with accurate data and good decision making, but you will hit a wall before long.  If you want to experience breakthrough, you have to admit your limitations and welcome wisdom, (James 1:5).   Wisdom is rare.  Influencers know it, and the influenced realize it.

3.  Audit Your Attitude.  Influencers are cheerful, engaging, and just plain nice.  Influencers listen BEFORE advising.  Influencers are motivated and calming at the same time!  They make you want to jump out the gate rather than feeling pushed off a cliff.  Influencers live out what they expect of.  Influencers don't back away from truth, but they deliver it with an other-centered attitude that fosters buy in that inspires what I call "Gain Change".  It's not putting the schmooze on.  That's shallow and selfish.  If you want to influence those you love, and those you know, remember...meanness, ego and throwing your weight around have to go!

"Let kindness and truth never leave you.  Bind them on your neck.  Write them on the tablet of your heart." Proverbs 3:3  I read these words many years ago.  They weighed on me big time.  I was great at truth, but I stunk at kindness.  The Heavenly Father spoke His truth kindly to me.  I was changed for the better.  If you yearn to be a game changer, I encourage you to take this one Bible verse to heart as well.