I dunno about you but, I find that, when I’m having serious trouble sleeping at nights I hear God a lot more clearly. I get so introspective in the day time (I’m trying to work on this), that it’s actually kinda nice just to be too exhausted to think straight and just let Him speak to me. He knows me! Anyway, I just wanted to share with you what He was telling me all about last night in the wee hours:

When you love yourself, truly, the reality of that totally flips and transforms your old ways of thinking. For example, “Why would anybody ever love me?” becomes “Why wouldn’t anybody love me?” Self-love is totally healthy and shouldn’t be mistaken for pride or egotism. Those are two separate ideas and actually have nothing to do with loving yourself at all. One trait of a person who has a healthy…

Understand leadership roles by comparing leadership to something else.

Leader as:

1. Glue: connecting people to each other’s dreams.
2. Curious monkey: seeking and creating clarity with courageous questions.
3. Bulldozer: pushing through barriers by exploring resistance.
4. Prognosticator: predicting the future by seeing patterns in the past.
5. Coach: building winning teams.
6. Road sign: calling for alignment.
7. Instigator: challenging accepted beliefs and behaviors in order to confront stagnation and create something new.
8. Guardian: protecting resources and progress.
9. Mentor: sharing useful experiences that guide.
10. Magic Eight Ball: making decisions.
11. Police man: correcting, enforcing, and holding accountable for the common good.
12. Partner: sharing the load by honoring and leveraging strengths.
13. Magnet: attracting followers by focusing on shared values.
14. Communicator: conveying relevant information that empowers.
15. Servant: seeking the success of others.

Leader as curious monkey:

My favorite comparison is curious monkey. The trouble with questions is they create confusion, at least at first.

The path to clarity…

X Games BMX Dirt gold medalist Stephen Murray, who suffered a career-ending injury that left him paralyzed below the shoulders in 2007, released a video this week that shows him moving both of his arms. The development comes almost six years to the day since Murray was injured at the Baltimore Dew Tour stop on June 22, 2007.

(Via/more).

The way you deal with today’s frustration reflects the leader you’ll become tomorrow.

Frustration is an alarm clock;
a spotlight pointing:
a match burned too long.

Frustration is a gift that says pay attention.

Don’t get frustrated with frustration. Frustration is feedback on decisions and relationships.

Frustration’s goal:

The singular message of frustration is change.

1. Usually, it’s you.
2. Sometimes, it’s others.
3. Perhaps it’s processes and procedures.

Repeated frustration:

Frustrations that return want attention like neglected children.

Ignoring frustration makes frustration mad.

Successful leaders choose responses. Weak leaders react.

Choose who to be:

1. Welcoming. Open up don’t close down. “Come in, let’s talk.”
2. Calm. Cool down don’t heat up. Nothing says confidence more than calmness during frustration.
3. Able. Assume a do-something posture.

Bonus: Optimistic. Express optimism while acknowledging realities.

Choose what to do:

1. Acknowledge don’t ignore. “That’s frustrating,” is better than, “It’s not that bad.”
2. Run toward not away. Deal…