Skip to main content

"The skills that got you here are probably not the skills that will get you there."

A thought by John C. Maxwell (2012-10-02) from his book, The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth: Live Them and Reach Your Potential (p. 184). Center Street. Kindle Edition.

Wow, have I ever found that to be true. What skills I need now as a writer and a retiree are totally different from when I was a church planter/pastor.  All the skills I need to be Margaret’s husband change all the time and the fact that I am a parent of adults and also a grandparent to three awesome young ladies means it is imperative that I keep growing, i need new skills.

The fact that I am retired is totally different to when I was working 50 – 60 hours a week with people needing me on a daily basis.  I need to constantly keep growing.

What about you?  Are you one of those who believe that you know all that you need to know? That you have all the answers because there are no more questions you have to have answered.  Are you one of those who have never picked up a book since you graduated from high school or even college?

As John also said, “One of the dangers of success is that it can make a person unteachable.”   But that is a waste of potential.  “The skills that got you here are probably not the skills that will get you there.  There are too many other areas to conquer even at 66.  Oops, 65+.  One of the reasons I am writing this particular blog is to keep me growing, to keep me reading and to challenge others to do the same. 

If that is also your desire why don't you click on the title of John’s book at the top of this blog and it will take you to amazon.com where you can buy it.  The same is true for every post on this blog.  You can click on the title of that particular book that I got the thought from and go to amazon.com and buy it.  Do I get any kickback from it?  No.  I decided not to do that.  I just wanted to help you grow through reading.  That is my payback.

So what are you going to do? 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

“There’s a big difference between building a castle and building a kingdom.”

A thought by Bob Goff from his book, Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People ( p. 41). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)   Have you ever built a sand castle or maybe a Lego castle?   Have you? Bob says, “We actually build castles all the time, out of our jobs and our families and the things we’ve purchased. Sometimes we even make them out of each other. Some of these castles are impressive too. Lots of people come to admire what we’ve built over the course of our lives and tell us what great castles we have. But Jesus told His friends we weren’t supposed to spend our lives building castles. He said He wanted us to build a kingdom, and there’s a big difference between building a castle and building a kingdom.” Bob goes on, “You see, castles have moats to keep creepy people out, but kingdoms have bridges to let everyone in. Castles have dungeons for people who ha...

“When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life.”

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 57). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. To realize that from God’s perspective life is a test goes a long way in determining how you handle your life.   It is important to see that in testing your character is both developed and revealed.   Rick goes on to say that “even the smallest incident has significance for your character development. Every day is an important day, and every second is a growth opportunity to deepen your character, to demonstrate love, or to depend on God.” So there is a God purpose behind each situation in your life.   Even the bad ones are there to strengthen you and develop you.   You see those bad situations are really good ones because they are there for your good. I start each day with a reminder that God is good.   Not every situation that is going to come in my day is good but because G...

“What areas of my personality, background, and physical appearance am I struggling to accept?”

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 35). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. Rick posed this question at the end of his chapter, You Are Not an Accident.   In this chapter he deals with the fact that God created you the way you are with a purpose.   In other words you are not an accident.   I am also reading the Apostle John’s view of Jesus and what He said and did while He was here on earth.   In the beginning of Chapter 9 there is a story about a blind man.   And the disciples who were with Him asked Him a good question, “Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind? ”   Have you ever asked the same thing about something in you that you don’t like?   Like that characteristic is a curse or something.   Society has set a standard that is not a standard of God.   Remember, He created you and you are not an accident. Je...