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“Understanding may be able to change minds, but action changes lives.”

A thought by John C. Maxwell (2015-10-06) from his book, Intentional Living: Choosing a Life That Matters (p. 14). Center Street. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

I may understand what it takes to get in physical shape but if I don’t do what I understand then I will stay the same physically.  Yes, understanding is important but action make the difference.

John says, “If you take action, it will change your life. And that change will begin changing others.” 

He then asks a good question, “What task to help others keeps popping up on your ‘I should’ list?”  What is it?  This is where the understanding comes in.  Understanding is important.  Just stop and think for a moment.

Then he says, “I want to challenge you to develop the discipline of doing in that area. Every time we choose action over ease we develop an increasing level of self-worth, self-respect, and self-confidence. In the final analysis, it is often how we feel about ourselves that provides the greatest reward from any activity.” 

He goes on, “In life, it is not what we get that makes us valuable. It is what we become in the process that brings value to our lives. Action is what converts human dreams into significance. It brings personal value that we can gain from no other source.”

Later he says, “Most people are pretty passive about their lives. An indication of this is that when asked to describe significant regrets in their lives, eight out of ten people focus on actions they did not take rather than actions they did. In other words, they focus on things they failed to do rather than things they failed at doing. A better story will emerge for you when you are highly intentional with your life.”

Let God make the difference in you so you will make the difference he wants you to make in the world around you.

So what task to help others keeps popping up on your ‘I should’ list?  

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