Exercising Faith, The Sin of Half-Heartedness, Closing Performance Gaps

Newsletter #2 on Feb 4th, 2023.

Discipleship // Leadership // Mental Performance. The best from this week.

DISCIPLESHIP

"We receive more faith (in Christ) by doing something that requires more faith."

Russell M. Nelson

Sometimes I hear people complain about not having certain skills when they haven't done what it takes to acquire that skill. Sometimes I hear people complain about not getting the grade they wanted when they didn't put in the work necessary to deserve that grade. Sometimes I hear people complain about the body they don't have when they haven't done what it takes to get the body they want.

Sometimes I hear people talk about losing their faith when they don't do what it takes to grow it.

Faith, like your body, is a muscle. It grows when it is exercised.
Faith, like a muscle, will atrophy if not exercised.

Don't complain about losing faith when you haven't done anything that requires faith.

LEADERSHIP

"Anything that you cannot (do not) do wholeheartedly is sin."

Baal Sham

I LOVE this idea. It is scripturally backed too. Look at this: "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus … Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters" (Colossians 3:17,24).

Jesus was wholehearted. In His discipleship to His Father. In His communication. In His interactions. In His preaching. In His ministering and mentoring. He did everything with full purpose of heart.

To live with full purpose of heart, to live wholeheartedly, this is what it means to "do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus." This is what it means to take His name upon us.

MENTAL PERFORMANCE

99.9999999999999999% of the world isn't thinking about you. And the ones that are aren't thinking about you that often. So stop worrying about what they think.

Matthew Kobach

Fear holds us back from so much. There is a gap between our potential and where we are right now. ACTION is what closes that gap between our potential and where we currently are.

Steph Curry had the potential to be the greatest shooter of all time. He has actualized that potential. How did he close that gap from where he used to be to where he is now? Action. Reps. Thousands of hours of deliberate practice. Plenty of people told him he couldn't make it. His scouting report coming into the NBA draft literally said this, "He will have limited success at the next level. Do not rely on him to run your team."

If he was like most of us, he'd have listened to that. He'd have cared what they thought. He'd have believed them.

When considering the gap between where we currently are and our potential, it's important to become crystal clear on what is keeping us from closing that gap.

The answer? Inaction.

Inaction is what keeps that gap wide open. Most of the time, that inaction is bred 1) fear of failure and 2) fear of what others will think.

When you start to feel that fear creep in and paralyze you from acting, remind yourself of this truth: 99.9999999999999999% of the world isn't thinking about you. And the ones that are aren't thinking about you that often. So stop worrying about what they think.

3 Questions

1) What is something you can do that will require faith?
2) How can you live more wholeheartedly, moment to moment?
3) What step do you need to take to close the gap between your current state and your potential?

Disciple-Leadership: Jesus-led. Lead like Jesus.

Have an amazing week, friends.

Aaron @ The Disciple-Leader