Alright… so let’s do this.
You pick the area of life… family, career, health, finances, fitness, ministry, friends, charity, hobbies, personal growth, whatever… and I’ll ask two questions.
Go ahead… pick an area. This isn’t a test.
Okay, so it’s finances… yes, more and more… it’s always finances. So, here are my two questions: With respect to your… (fill in the blank, in this case… FINANCES):
1) Where do you WANT to be in 12-15 months?
2) Where do you EXPECT to be in 12-15 months?
Are they the same answer?
Okay, pick another area… this time fitness. Now, ask the same two questions.
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The answer to the first question is simple. Usually people have a general idea where they’d LIKE to be… or at least where they would like NOT to be.
But it’s the answer to the second question that reveals character, leadership, and responsibility (or the lack of). You see, in order for expectations to line up with desire… there are at least three critical components that must be present:
1) Commitment
2) Plans
3) Actions
Miss one… and our WANT becomes a mere wish… a fleeting hope… a pipe dream.
But together… with the commitment to take whatever actions are necessary to fulfill our plans, regardless of the challenges… we begin to expect the eventual outcome.
Simply put… we no longer just HOPE we will get what we WANT. Instead, we now EXPECT to get that to which we are COMMITTED.
Big difference.
Questions:
In terms of this discussion, what is the difference between FAITH… and HOPE? Which do you have more of?
In which area of your life do you have the most concrete plans? How have you measurably moved the dial on those plans in the last 45 days?
Which of your life-goals most closely resemble a wish… as opposed to an expectation? What one thing could you do by this weekend to change that?
I look forward to hearing from you.
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