Know Yourself

Behind every successful person is someone who knows who they are and what they want out of life. A huge part of knowing yourself is defining your values.

I’ve seen the impact knowing—or not knowing—one’s values can have in my life and the lives of others. When you don’t know what you value, it’s easy to forget who you want to be and why you do what you do. Over time, you’ll lose sight of your goals, getting caught up in the mundane details of daily tasks and gradually becoming discouraged. Eventually, you’ll find yourself wondering how you ended up in this place and questioning whether life has purpose and meaning at all.

But when you know what you value, you have purpose. When you wake up every day knowing exactly what you stand for, you become more confident in where you’re going. You’re motivated to get out of bed and work toward your goals, and you are ultimately able to accomplish much more. There’s an amazing difference between a person who wakes up knowing the values they live by and someone who doesn’t.

Before you read any further, take some time now to identify your values. This simple exercise is the most important thing I can give you as a dad. When you base your life around the values you stand for, your potential is unlimited.

You Can Change a Plan But You Need One First

Don’t let your fear of making the wrong decision stop you from making any decision. Create a plan and you will find your destination along the way.

When I was in my early-20’s I had a desk job. I remember one day when I sat in my office, stared out the window, and dreamed about all the other things I wanted to do. I thought of starting more businesses. I dreamed of incorporating my passions into something I could make money with. When I realized I spent more time staring out the window than working at the job I had, I thought, “Maybe it’s time to change my plan.”Before this moment, my plan was to climb the corporate success ladder. But what I didn’t realize was just because I had

Before this moment, my plan was to climb the corporate success ladder. But what I didn’t realize was just because I had this plan, it didn’t mean I couldn’t change it.

Figuring out life as a young adult feels terrifying. Some young people decide on a different career path every week. I’ve often heard people describe the process in terms like these: “I wanted to be a lawyer for a few weeks, then a writer, then a pastor, then a doctor. Then I thought I might just end up homeless.”

And the thing is, not knowing is okay. Actually, not knowing is normal.

What’s not okay is letting the fear of making the wrong decision stop you from moving altogether. Just because you start in one direction doesn’t mean you can’t change; the key is starting.

You need a plan. A ship without a rudder has no direction, and you also can’t turn a ship that isn’t moving. You need a plan because that’s the only way you will figure out what you actually want to do. If you don’t have a plan to get somewhere you’ll end up anywhere.

Look back at your values, your passions, and the things you enjoy. Your plan should be birthed out of those things.

If you dream of being a pastor but know you need to eat, take a small step toward your dream. Get a job at Starbucks while you volunteer at a local church. Work toward your plan. I would never have started and acquired 40 different business if I didn’t have the job where I stared out the window. Taking steps in life is the only way to figure out where you want to go.

And don’t limit your plans to your professional life:planning for your personal goals is important, too. If you’re not intentional about going to college, saving money, or creating good friendships, these things won’t happen.

So take a risk and create a plan to follow your passion. True life is found in the transitions and course correcting. Through these experiences you will discover what you really want to do, but more importantly, you will discover who you are.

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