Archives for January 2018

The power of another iron

It’s difficult to keep your confidence in your career.

More and more people want to move to a different vocation.  There are a lot of noble reasons for the this, not the least of which is the fact that there is usually more money associated with a career move.  However, I think there are some deeper motives at play. This may sound odd, but let’s examine it together.

Why do you want to leave you job? Why do you want to begin a brand new job? What are you trying to escape?

At our core (I think it’s human nature), we have a tendency towards restlessness. We want to know the next challenge.  We want to know what’s next on the horizon.  More importantly, we want to know that if things aren’t going so well here, is there a chance they’d be better elsewhere?

When I started working for the church in 2004, I quickly arrived at the conclusion that I wasn’t perfect at it.  I was far from it.  There was so much to learn.  Some days were better than others.  Some days I was reeling with excitement and vision, others, I was in the trenches dealing with conflict and self-doubt.

It wasn’t until 2005 when I enrolled in Bible college full-time online that  something happened.  The conflicts didn’t bother me as much.  I became more productive.  I noticed decisions were coming easier to me.  And finally, bad days stayed in their own compartment as I moved into school work.

I discovered the power of another iron.  And since then, I’ve I’ve always had other irons in the fire.

You might call them side jobs, side work, or my personal favorite, side hustles.  They help you.

Trust me.

Let’s look at three reasons why you need a side hustle:

1) It adds to my leadership portfolio.  There’s something liberating about the idea that you’re not shackled to only one stream of income and vocation.  Having something all together different on the side helps to boost your confidence.  I am a video editor, a writer, a corporate trainer, a real estate investor, a motivational speaker and a pastor (that’s my main vocation).  They all could exist separately, which builds a versatility into my character and leadership.

2) It diversifies my income.  Being able to earn income on the side makes me feel less dependent on one main job for all of my financial needs.  There is a quiet desperation among many professionals waiting to see what the next raise is going to be.  For me, I know that there are other options to make that raise happen.  It doesn’t have to be a conventional decision from my employer.

3) It multiplies my influence.  You may not be motivated by this, but I certainly am.  I knew when I was young that I wanted to be a leader, and to help people.  The currency to have a voice with people is influence.  Having side projects enables me to influence people that I normally wouldn’t if I just worked the job of a minister.  I love being able to serve people that don’t go to my church, and to have a reputation with people of trust.  That means a lot to me, and I’ve built it over the years.

So think about your life.  What might you try on the side?  What area of untapped talent is laying in your vocational attic?  Maybe 2018 is the year to stretch that side hustle muscle!

Three Steps to a DIY Degree

For some time, there was a question that I avoided like the plague.

I mean years.  When this subject came up in a group, I would try desperately to change the subject – even to incendiary topics.

“How about how crazy climate change is?”

“Wow, I can’t believe <fill appropriate name of president at the time> is still in office!”

And sometimes, I would even go on full attack mode:

“Are you gaining weight?  Are you trying to eat your feelings?”

But there was always the chance that the question would come up and I would be forced to have to answer it.

Yes, at 21 years old and moving into the position of the assistant pastor of church I work for, the question that scared me the most was this:

“What degree do you have?”

Yep, that was it.  I was so afraid people would ask me about my education.  When the church hired me I had none, but I immediately enrolled in a self-study, Bible certificate program, and finished that up in about 18 months.  I felt so relieved.  At the same time, I realized that there was a way that I could attend school through online education, still be a pastor and not have to re-locate and do so for free!

I jumped at the chance.  No one was going to ask me that question and catch me red-handed with no degree.

So for six years, six long years, I received a certificate in Biblical studies, a Bachelor’s Degree, a MA in Religion, and finally a Master of Divinity degree.

I was locked and loaded and ready to engage in educational discussions now.  Bring it on, Donkey Kong!  I will tell you of every class, every single paper, and I’ll even let you look at my research on the Spiritual Gifts debate.

Do you know how many people asked me in 14 years about my education.  Out of the thousands and thousands of people I’ve come across, ministered to, married, preached to, and even counseled.  Do you know how many?

Drumroll please.

Three.

Yep.

Three people.

The first person was the husband of the first funeral that I did (ironic because at that point, I had nothing).  The second person was a student going to the same school that I had attended (they didn’t attend the church).  And finally, the third person was the lady who called me to verify how my degree would be printed (yes I counted her because I was so desperate to use this in conversation).

Six years for three people.  It’s like two years per person.

How much of what I used in my professional life is a whole other discussion, but that’s not the point.

On the other hand, let me share with you some pivotal experiences – that as a professional and as a lifelong learner, I’ve found challenging.  I’d recommend this to anyone, regardless of where you find yourself in the career spectrum.

1) Take a professional development course that YOU pay for.  In the winter of 2015, I took a Dale Carnegie Skills for Success Course.  It changed my life.  It made me a better communicator, and it taught me to how to think outside of my own professional bubble as a pastor.   It impacted me so much that I spent two years becoming certified to facilitate the course myself.

The point is that it challenged me and it wasn’t something I was doing for a grade.  The amount of money I invested, I invested in me.  Read about Tony Robbins and how he put himself through a self-development course that changed the trajectory of his life.  I think he’s doing pretty well now (not that I’m Tony Robbins because I am not that motivational and I don’t have to feed the cuss jar as much).

As a leader, you have to invest in yourself.

Another option is online professional development.  But be careful.  Some online courses offer minimal content at maximum cost.

Here are some that I personally recommend that have been game changing:

Michael Hyatt  (productivity, goal-setting, writing and publishing)

Jon Acuff (goal-setting, motivation)

Carey Nieuwhof (church ministry, leadership)

Those are my three biggest.

2) Network with people doing what you do.  I love seeing pastors get ready for the weekend.  I connect to just about every pastor that I can on social media.  I think this is so key.  One of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had (educational, too) was when I had the privilege of praying over a New England region during a multi-cutlural, multi-denominational prayer gathering hosted by Cross Point Church in Rhode Island.  Dr. Steve Robinson treated me like he’d known me for years and I’ve never met a more peaceful and dedicated group of like-minded pastors.

You need to find people who are doing what you are doing and connect with them.  If you are struggling with feelings of inadequacy or insecurity, get over yourself.  The level of education you get from one conversation from someone in your field may be worth a couple years of college.  It’s unreal.

3)  Help anyone and everyone that comes to you for advice in your field.  I made this promise with myself that I would do this, but truthfully, I haven’t had many people ask.  However, I want to be a leader that others come to for help about their ministry, career, or life.  I don’t want to hoard the good that I’ve experienced.

Those three things changed me from the inside out.  So, even if you can’t fork over thousands for a fancy group of letters that no one will ask you about, invest in yourself by looking for other ways to learn.  The dividends are worth more than a certificate on a wall collecting dust!