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Finding Your Way

AuthorHouse

Contents

Endorsements...........................................................ixAcknowledgements.......................................................xiiiForeword: Dr. B. Courtney McBath.......................................xixHighway One: A journey of Discovery....................................1Highway Two: A Task of Decision-Making.................................15Highway Three: A Spirit of Diligence...................................30Highway Four: A Call to Personal Development...........................45Highway Five: A Hope in the Face of Disappointment.....................69Highway Six: A Renewed Passion for the Dream...........................85Highway Seven: A Strategy for Dollars..................................103Highway Eight: A fulfilled Destiny.....................................114Afterword: Dr. Samuel R. Chand.........................................125End Notes..............................................................127

Chapter One

I find that the great thing in this world is not so much where we STAND, as in what direction we are MOVING. - Oliver Wendell Holmes

"Son, you will discover a lot of things, even if it's the hard way. Just keep living-life is gonna teach you a few unforgettable lessons that you will be able to use to help yourself and other folks!" This was the unvarying reminder of Mr. William Langley; a sage, who lived in the community were I grew up as an adolescent. I would often seek him out and listen to his wisdom about his personal, hard-learned life lessons. Many of his bold statements still resound in my ear and guide me until this present day. Mr. William was right! Discovery can be an amazing unearthing of personal purpose.

It is very likely you have often reached plateaus that have caused you to question your primary purpose or worth in life. Questions such as: I have this gift, but how am I to use it? If I am to use it, who will I benefit? Will it be my sole occupation in life? If so, who will help me get started and established? Could I possibly inspire someone through my gifts? These are real questions that demand real answers. It was John Quincy Adams who once said, "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." A statement such as this makes you think about your life for a moment! Over the years, have you consistently crossed the paths of people who believed they could learn from you? If so, you participated in the art of influence. When people see character traits or skilled abilities in you that they mimic when you are not around, then whether you accept it or not, you are leading. Now you may say, it's unofficial, and this may be true; nonetheless, it is still leadership.

Everyone comes to an understanding of the power of his or her unique influence at different stages and through different processes in life. The awakening for you may have been through a childhood experience, a work related experience, a series of conversations with a friend, an abundance of hardships, or even, perhaps, through a vision. However, you discovered your ability to influence, the light turned on one day, and suddenly you realized that your gifts and talents were not solely for personal indulgence but rather, for the good of others. When you happened upon such a glorious revelation, it challenged you. This challenge was not so much in where you stood, but in the direction you were to move. Let's discuss for a few moments how discovery initially empowers you to lead.

It opens our eyes. Perhaps one of the most essential qualities of a leader is the ability to see-by this I mean the quality to understand. There is nothing more disquieting than to be in the dark about something, and then suddenly, you get it! Everything is a melancholy before the moment of revelation comes. Then, in an instant, the mood changes for the better. The reason is simple: understanding is the ability to see. At this pivotal juncture the, "how to," is not the sole reason for rejoicing-that likely has not even come to you yet. But, the primary, "what," is the eye opener and you know from this revelation; you can at least get the ball rolling. Stephanie Luetkehans says, "Having it all doesn't necessarily mean having it all at once." I think this thought can be applicable to understanding. All in all, usually the breathtaking discovery is that because you can at the very least see it -you can move toward it.

It creates an excitement. The mere notion that you can be of real value to someone is huge, especially if you are the type who often second guesses your calling. For years I have observed leaders who were once completely immobilized, but they became fully engrossed in their work because it brought them a sense of significance. A genuine leader is always compassionate about others. If a leader has something to offer, he will become excited at every opportunity to do so. If you are doing something and consistently lack passion, it is a sign that you may not be doing the right thing. "I have never seen a monument erected to a pessimist," says the late Paul Harvey. I love this quote-isn't it true? Listen, there must be excitement about what we do because it is contagious and generates involvement from others. Assertive behavior is active, direct, honest, and is essential for a leader, as it will win over others every time. It generates energy. When you identify your purpose in life, there is an amazing "get-up-and-go" feeling that builds with momentum. Many times you don't know where it comes from, but the fact is, it is there. This is how I've felt about every book I have written. I would start on a chapter with a set time frame, and before I knew it, hours had passed, and I would still be writing. The energy to stay awake and the inspiration to write would be on high. Not only could I not turn it down or off, I didn't want to turn it off. This is not a mute point because without energy to stay the course in an assignment, you will find yourself starting, stopping, starting, stopping and ultimately, if you are not careful, quitting! Well, you know the deal about quitting, you don't win, and you will surely never discover! It compels us to evaluate. A legitimate discovery of leadership potential essentially says, now that I am in the forefront, what I am I going to do about it? What is it going to cost me? Am I willing to go the distance and pay whatever the cost? These sorts of practical questions must be posed at the onset. We will discuss this subject at length in chapter six: A strategy for dollars. Many good leaders failed to arrive at this initiation point; hence, nothing ever mobilizes to any lasting degree. It is such a simple but imperative reality to be reckoned with if you are going to advance forward successfully. Eugene H. Peterson poses the question this way in light of a leader preparing for war, "Can you...