The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” John 1:43 (ESV)
If you are going to be a model for others, it is critical for you to find someone to follow
yourself. Otherwise, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that everything begins and ends with your example. Having a mentor to follow keeps you grounded and lets you know there’s always more you can do to improve and add value to others.
As I mentioned in the December blog, you can start by finding someone in your circle to follow. It could be a pastor, an elder, or another leader from your church. I know I’ve utilized all these people throughout my lifetime. A great way to find someone to follow is to hire a coach. There is nothing like having someone spend intentional time focusing on how you want to grow in your life!
Technology has advanced dramatically in the last ten years as well. And at the risk of sounding like an Allstate commercial, there is a podcast for that. Podcasts are a great way to access top-tier leaders, get into their minds, and see how they succeed. Most of the time, their content is free, and you can connect - on a limited basis - through social media. But often, you can pay for upgraded services to get more in-depth lessons or attend conferences they speak at.
Of course, you have your tried and true method of reading a book. The great thing about books is you can process them at your own speed. You can always go back and review the lesson. Books allow you to interact with the wisdom of past generations. The drawback is you are limited or have no interaction with the author. Here are a few books that have added value to me.
The Bible
Mansfield’s Book of Manly Men by Stephen Mansfield
Wild at Heart & Fathered by God by John Eldredge
Atomic Habits by James Clear
The Power of One More by Ed Mylett
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, Everyone Communicates Few Connect, 21 Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell
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