by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
Awakening the Entrepreneur Within by Michael Gerber shows how ordinary people can create extraordinary companies. Known for his E-myth series, Gerber at age 69, strikes out on a new venture he refers to as the dreaming room. He has been wanting to do this most of his life, and decided he hasn't burned up all his E-cells yet. Here's the process of the Entrepreneur about to "awaken" in you. It all begins in your newly found dreaming room.
To invent a new life out of nothing takes the Five Realities of the Entrepreneur.
Reality #1 An entrepreneur invents.
Reality #2 Entrepreneurs do not buy business opportunities, they create them.
Reality #3 Invention is contagious.
Reality #4 To an entrepreneur, the success of the invention, the business,
is measured by growth.
Reality #5 Everyone possess the ability to be an entrepreneur.
The entrepreneur personality has four dimensions.
The Dreamer
The Thinker
The Storyteller
The Leader
Each are in you and are part of the process of raising up the dream to be reality. It's to invent, conceive, articulate and build a new venture.
The Dreamer and the Dream
The dreamer invents ideas, then creates systems. Everything in a business needs a system to function, grow, thrive. Although at the beginning the dreamer stops, focuses, listens, feels. The awakening comes from this. Logic is not needed, the dreamer defies logic.
The best dreams of the entrepreneur are not personal dreams, but impersonal dreams. Dreams that serve your interests are personal; dreams serving other people's interests are impersonal. They care about creating it because it impacts so many people. They think about "what this will have for people who want to buy it." It's lasting value to the customer.
The personal dream limits one to one's self. The impersonal dream is much larger than one's self and impacts many who share in building it. What matters is the customer and treating them better than anyone else. It's a dream that has meaning for many. What's missing in every business... the system. When you see the system, the dream rolls. It then moves from a dream, to a vision, to a purpose, and mission. Results are then produced.
The Thinker and the Vision
Some fundamentals.
--All businesses require vision. To develop a vision requires a process.
--All visions are both personal and impersonal. A life vision, a business vision.
--Every company is an organization of people, relationships, functions, a flow that can be charted.
--An organization is an organization of systems. All systems merge into one system.
Take the dream apart. Study every detail and put it back together answering "what do I want." Then you re-dream again, and take it apart again... conceiving, creating process, systems and the scalability factor. The ten pillars of the most successful business in the world include the above four plus:
--There is no such thing as customer service, only commitment
--Master money, and everyone in your business must master money.
--Your people are not your business. Your business is your own reality. Your people are themselves, interested in themselves.
--Your business is an idea.
--You know more about your business than anyone else.
--A business must mean something. Never stop asking questions.
Design a business model that transforms itself and grows. Come to grips with your business model including your design, implementation, management (i.e., low cost, easy to enroll, easily accessible). Ask: "How are we going to get this done?" Revisit the "What?" you're getting done, for whom, and why it's important to them.
The Storyteller and the Purpose
The storyteller is the one who sings songs and tells his story to whomever will listen. It's the spirit of the story that grabs the heart of the listener. The story makes the purpose real, shows why the business is important. The story shows why a new company needs invented. The story grows within you and is you.
It's your story and you make it come true. For the story to be told you must tell it. For the risks to be taken, you must risk it. For the journey to be continued, you must continue it. For the mission to be accomplished, you must accomplish it.
The Leader and the Mission
The five essential skills to lead anything... concentration, discrimination, organization, innovation and communication. Everything you do as a leader is documented as a system, implemented as a system. Embrace ideas with your whole being. A business is a hierarchy of three stages.
The lowest is the practice... a self-operating system for lead generation, lead conversion and client fulfillment.
The next level is the business or many practices being tied together with a business management system to monitor, control and improve the operating system.
The third is the enterprise to lead management of the business to greater levels through inspiration, application, coaching and consulting. Then the company grows to multiple enterprises or regions. Most establish a practice but don't build, perfect or replicate what they started. There's wisdom in process... knowledge of the world, what it wants, knowing yourself and what you need, getting results and what you need in order to get them. Then knowing what's next and improving to get there.
You learn to take time to figure out what steps to take and take them one after another... to grow progressively. You learn not to move on until the step you are on is on sure footing. Getting everything under way falls back on your imagination... your energy, your spirit, your passion for your cause. You progressively move from dreaming, to thinking, to storytelling, to leading and missioneering. The old is thrown away. The new starts in your imagination.
More on Awakening the Entrepreneur Within and how to get involved in an exciting social network of entrepreneurs.
http://www.awakeningtheentrepreneur.com/
In The Beginning The Spirit of God created.
The source of all creation is His Spirit.
Nothing existed and Spirit created all things we see now, have seen, will ever see.
It all starts in Spirit, which is first a dream. Spirit gives us a dream then it shows us how to process the dream. Then Spirit empowers everything to release and make the dream into something we see, something that works, that exists.
Ezekiel pointed out that we must let the old go and allow the new to come about. "Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!"
(Ezekiel 18:31, NASB)
This is to put away the old and begin developing the new heart, a new way of looking and doing things. Our efforts are limited. "The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life."
(John 6:63, NLT)
This new heart will then change everything around you and all things will become new and beautiful, fresh like a new spring in a meadow. "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations."
(Ezekiel 36: 25-27, NLT)
The rules of the Spirit are filled with love, joy, peace. It's regulations give freedom, excitement and exhilaration in its process. The old rules wear you out, the new rules give you life... full and filling!
The New Spirit will begin rebuilding a new land for you to live. "I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Then I will arrange to take you to another land like this one—a land of grain and new wine, bread and vineyards."
Ezekiel 37:14; 36:17 NLT)
And this New Spirit, the Spirit of creative power is yours for free... "how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask."
(Luke 11:13, NLT)
He will put it in us and He gives the Spirit "freely" for all who ask. This Spirit is given "freely" without reservation... For those who ask and keep asking.
The more you ask, the more Spirit is given. Spirit is the creator of all things and with Spirit all things are created with the Unlimited resources of Spirit... The Spirit which created the Universe. He doesn't ask us to keep asking because he is a stubborn God, but because He is a generous God and gives more, and more, the more we ask. So keep asking, ask for a lot, of Spirit, and allow the dream to be as Big as Spirit can create, The All-Universe creating Spirit.
The secret is to go into your dreaming room of Spirit, frequently, stay a while. Go into this re-invigorating meadow where fresh Springs of Spirit flow into and then through you and you employ the strategies of the vision that come over you.
The Spirit then goes ahead of you doing the miracles of the vision, mission you are set out to participate in Him to see come into being. The Spirit is the ultimate dreamer in you, the vision maker, the vision fulfiller, the path director and the driving force of the purpose with a mission that keeps you proclaiming jubilantly to all what you are doing.
Spirit-inspired vision is your driving power. It is the Spirit power of God that creates all this of beauty, creates new life, and significance. Then we all know, when we see its exuberance, that the very Spirit of God has done this.
Its significance lances so much beyond us. We know that something greater than us has Created, has dreamed through us and has maneuvered a mission of eternal entries.
And the Spirit of God is coming on us new, the old will pass away,
and He will give us a new heart
and He will give us a new land to live.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Predictably Irrational... Faith, the Irrational Trademark of Spirit
by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely points out that our rational methods to evaluate economic and customer responses to the economy are not really rational. We are predictably irrational in how we make choices and function in lifestyle. Ariely specializes in behavioral economics. The way we gather information using controlled methods is based on human behavior being rational. Simply, human behavior is not rational; decisions are irrational, but predictably irrational.
Predictably Irrational proves this point, and continues to provide insight to how we respond to teetering life stimuli.... which is predictably irrational.
The truth about relativity is we do compare things to one another, but we compare what's easily understood and avoid what is not. Our view of our own attractiveness affects our view of attractiveness of others. The more of what we have promotes having more of what we have. So those who have, want more, even when our rational side thinks we have enough.
We anchor ourselves to initial prices. Our first purchase price affects the rest... how we review them. It's not so much supply and demand affecting prices. It's not so much demand as what the price was when we first bought it. Behavioral thinking takes us back to what we once paid for it... our anchor.
Zero cost is still irresistible. If it's free we will try to get it no matter what it costs us. We will buy one and get one free faster than buy two for the price of one. We will get free now, and be willing to pay later. We will pay more for free time. For example we will pay to be a preferred customer so we won't have to wait on the phone, in the line. Make something free and people will run to you.
Social norms are stronger than market norms. Volunteerism is big. We would rather do something for nothing that means something to us than to get paid for it. When we introduce market norms into social norms, we violate social norms and hurt relationships. For example, on a date, when buying dinner (social norm), we will insult our date if we suggest we want something back in return (market norm). The two ideals don't mix. Treating customers using social norms is more powerful; it promotes loyalty.
Courtesy wins over contract. Social rewards strongly motivate behavior... which becomes a predictably irrational factor. The social norm says if your are flexible, concerned, we are willing to pitch in without additional compensation. Social norms applied in business out-market market norms.
When aroused sensuously, we do things we won't do in a normal state when we are rational, in a sound mind. When emotionally or sensuously aroused we become predictably irrational.
Procrastination can be controlled when process is divvied out in small parts, short-term specific deadlines. People who procrastinate will always procrastinate. You can't fix it by trying to change the behavior of procrastination, you must use controls, guides to redirect behavior. Rational approaches don't have an effect because procrastination is based on conditioned behavior. So tools and guidelines are necessary to control behavior patterns. It is good to admit procrastination, get the tools designed to help you. Planners, technology, people assistants... devices that interrupt your conditioned behavior and force you to stop and change course.
If we own it, we think it's worth more. We value it more than other people do. What we have we fall in love with. The more work we put into something, the more we value, feel a sense of attachment to it and ownership of it. What we want and dwell about having, we start putting ownership on it before we actually own it. Ownership is not limited to just material things. It can be ideas, points of view, politics, sports. Ownership increases over time and it is hard to move backwards...downsizing our home, our cars, tools and toys.
Closing doors on options we have is difficult for human behavior to do. We want to keep options open and not close any doors. So we have a tendency to run back and forth to them. It is difficult to break from this behavior and spend time on only that which is really important. This running back and forth to lifestyle, mental options not only takes our time but it wears us out. Doors which we see as tied to our dreams are hard to close. So we're irrationally compulsive to keep these doors open... when we would be better off to shut the one we need to shut.
Expectation creates the result of the expectation. For instance, when expecting a movie will be good, we will find ways to like it and enjoy it. Our expectations, perspective, beliefs can blind us to the truth. A third party can help us see through tainted expectations. Like a placebo, we think the higher priced tastes better, is better than the lower priced. We assume quality is less in lower price. Consider quality, value with price.
Why we are dishonest. Most everyone is dishonest about something. One may not even take a pencil from the office, but will do personal work at night using the office electricity. Honesty is subjective to how a person views honesty. So honesty varies. When given the opportunity, most will cheat. When we think about honesty, like right after reading the 10 Commandments in the Bible, we deter dishonest actions. When removed from these benchmarks, we stray to dishonesty. So an oath, the rules, must be recounted just before temptation. When professional ethics decline, it's hard to get them back. Whatever reminds us of ethical principles needs frequent review.
We have a tendency to cheat more with non-monetary objects, than when dealing with money. When given a chance, people cheat. But when money is tied to cheating, we then justify it to go for the money (i.e., stock option backdating).
We are far less rational in our decision making than standard economic theory assumes. Our irrational behaviors are systematic and predictable. Ariely concludes that "economics would make a lot more sense based on how we actually behave, than on how we should behave."
"What we digest (through our eyes, ears, brain) is not necessarily a true reflection of reality. We are limited to the tools nature gives us, limited by the quality and accuracy of these tools. We need to force ourselves to think differently about our decisions... based on actuality."
http://www.predictablyirrational.com/
So what is faith?
It's predictably irrational.
Faith is what we hope for but have no evidence to support it will happen but we believe it will happen anyway, regardless of circumstances or evidence.
The concept of Spirit is that the very Spirit of God will do things based on faith alone. This requires no evidence or physical rational, proven methods that it will happen. In many cases it may be viewed as impossible according to human, world and physics standards. So faith is what Jesus said is what our lives are based on and it is predictably irrational.
We are saved, brought into His Kingdom by faith...mere belief in Him and turning from our other ways and following His ways. To accept His teachings on faith. And to know everything in our lives are provided by faith.
Just do a keyword search at
http://www.biblegateway.com/
and type in "faith" for Matthew through John. Look at all the applications of faith. If this is not an exhilarating case for faith...! (Caution: you may become overly inspired by just reading the Scriptures that have the word "faith" in them.)
Now try Hebrews. Just look at the references to faith in this letter. Here's just part of it:
"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see (will materialize). By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him."
(Hebrews 11: selective verses, NLT)
Then the Hebrew writer continues to list all the anointed ones in the Bible and their walk of faith. He mentions over 20 examples of the most prominent men of God who ever lived that they lived by faith.
It is like ... do we get this picture?
It's all about faith.
It's all about that miracles are manufactured in faith.
It's that all life substance comes from faith.
Do we get this yet?
Is this not predictably irrational, but it is the way that in the world we work miracles, live in love; it's where peace and joy abounds exuberantly.
The Hebrew writer then draws this conclusion:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."
(Hebrews 12:1, NLT)
Don't stop there, keep on reading. It keeps getting better and never stops... forever, our faith promises, its forever. And live exuberantly in faith... the assurance that great things are on the way.
And we can go to the bank on it!
Make your withdraw from the bank today and life in the abundance of love, joy, peace, power through faith... knowing it will happen. So be expectant as it journeys to you.
Now, this is too hard to grasp, to be figured out logically, rationally. But Jesus said, this is the way it is and will be. Those who come to Him by faith, will be received into His kingdom of eternal love, joy, grace, and power. It's all about living by faith and trusting in Him.
How do we understand this?
We can't... only in His Spirit.
As the Apostle Paul said,
"And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, 'Who can know the Lord's thoughts?'"
(I Corinthians 2:12-16, NLT)
We must live in Spirit to understand Spirit, which we really can't understand but accept it through faith. To understand this, and see it work for us, it requires being Spiritual, to operate in Spirit as our main mode of operation. So the only catch is we must give our minds over to Spirit and live in the mind of Christ... a Spirit function. Our thoughts and education are based on rational thinking.
We can analyze and figure things out with our minds.
But Jesus said you can't.
The Apostle Paul says we can't.
So we must learn to trust Spirit, that all things work out through faith, trust in that God's power is working on our behalf.
"My righteous ones will live by faith.
We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.
For every child of God defeats this evil world,
and we achieve this victory through our faith."
(Hebrews 10:38,39; 1 John 5:4, NLT)
4spirit@gmail.com
Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely points out that our rational methods to evaluate economic and customer responses to the economy are not really rational. We are predictably irrational in how we make choices and function in lifestyle. Ariely specializes in behavioral economics. The way we gather information using controlled methods is based on human behavior being rational. Simply, human behavior is not rational; decisions are irrational, but predictably irrational.
Predictably Irrational proves this point, and continues to provide insight to how we respond to teetering life stimuli.... which is predictably irrational.
The truth about relativity is we do compare things to one another, but we compare what's easily understood and avoid what is not. Our view of our own attractiveness affects our view of attractiveness of others. The more of what we have promotes having more of what we have. So those who have, want more, even when our rational side thinks we have enough.
We anchor ourselves to initial prices. Our first purchase price affects the rest... how we review them. It's not so much supply and demand affecting prices. It's not so much demand as what the price was when we first bought it. Behavioral thinking takes us back to what we once paid for it... our anchor.
Zero cost is still irresistible. If it's free we will try to get it no matter what it costs us. We will buy one and get one free faster than buy two for the price of one. We will get free now, and be willing to pay later. We will pay more for free time. For example we will pay to be a preferred customer so we won't have to wait on the phone, in the line. Make something free and people will run to you.
Social norms are stronger than market norms. Volunteerism is big. We would rather do something for nothing that means something to us than to get paid for it. When we introduce market norms into social norms, we violate social norms and hurt relationships. For example, on a date, when buying dinner (social norm), we will insult our date if we suggest we want something back in return (market norm). The two ideals don't mix. Treating customers using social norms is more powerful; it promotes loyalty.
Courtesy wins over contract. Social rewards strongly motivate behavior... which becomes a predictably irrational factor. The social norm says if your are flexible, concerned, we are willing to pitch in without additional compensation. Social norms applied in business out-market market norms.
When aroused sensuously, we do things we won't do in a normal state when we are rational, in a sound mind. When emotionally or sensuously aroused we become predictably irrational.
Procrastination can be controlled when process is divvied out in small parts, short-term specific deadlines. People who procrastinate will always procrastinate. You can't fix it by trying to change the behavior of procrastination, you must use controls, guides to redirect behavior. Rational approaches don't have an effect because procrastination is based on conditioned behavior. So tools and guidelines are necessary to control behavior patterns. It is good to admit procrastination, get the tools designed to help you. Planners, technology, people assistants... devices that interrupt your conditioned behavior and force you to stop and change course.
If we own it, we think it's worth more. We value it more than other people do. What we have we fall in love with. The more work we put into something, the more we value, feel a sense of attachment to it and ownership of it. What we want and dwell about having, we start putting ownership on it before we actually own it. Ownership is not limited to just material things. It can be ideas, points of view, politics, sports. Ownership increases over time and it is hard to move backwards...downsizing our home, our cars, tools and toys.
Closing doors on options we have is difficult for human behavior to do. We want to keep options open and not close any doors. So we have a tendency to run back and forth to them. It is difficult to break from this behavior and spend time on only that which is really important. This running back and forth to lifestyle, mental options not only takes our time but it wears us out. Doors which we see as tied to our dreams are hard to close. So we're irrationally compulsive to keep these doors open... when we would be better off to shut the one we need to shut.
Expectation creates the result of the expectation. For instance, when expecting a movie will be good, we will find ways to like it and enjoy it. Our expectations, perspective, beliefs can blind us to the truth. A third party can help us see through tainted expectations. Like a placebo, we think the higher priced tastes better, is better than the lower priced. We assume quality is less in lower price. Consider quality, value with price.
Why we are dishonest. Most everyone is dishonest about something. One may not even take a pencil from the office, but will do personal work at night using the office electricity. Honesty is subjective to how a person views honesty. So honesty varies. When given the opportunity, most will cheat. When we think about honesty, like right after reading the 10 Commandments in the Bible, we deter dishonest actions. When removed from these benchmarks, we stray to dishonesty. So an oath, the rules, must be recounted just before temptation. When professional ethics decline, it's hard to get them back. Whatever reminds us of ethical principles needs frequent review.
We have a tendency to cheat more with non-monetary objects, than when dealing with money. When given a chance, people cheat. But when money is tied to cheating, we then justify it to go for the money (i.e., stock option backdating).
We are far less rational in our decision making than standard economic theory assumes. Our irrational behaviors are systematic and predictable. Ariely concludes that "economics would make a lot more sense based on how we actually behave, than on how we should behave."
"What we digest (through our eyes, ears, brain) is not necessarily a true reflection of reality. We are limited to the tools nature gives us, limited by the quality and accuracy of these tools. We need to force ourselves to think differently about our decisions... based on actuality."
http://www.predictablyirrational.com/
So what is faith?
It's predictably irrational.
Faith is what we hope for but have no evidence to support it will happen but we believe it will happen anyway, regardless of circumstances or evidence.
The concept of Spirit is that the very Spirit of God will do things based on faith alone. This requires no evidence or physical rational, proven methods that it will happen. In many cases it may be viewed as impossible according to human, world and physics standards. So faith is what Jesus said is what our lives are based on and it is predictably irrational.
We are saved, brought into His Kingdom by faith...mere belief in Him and turning from our other ways and following His ways. To accept His teachings on faith. And to know everything in our lives are provided by faith.
Just do a keyword search at
http://www.biblegateway.com/
and type in "faith" for Matthew through John. Look at all the applications of faith. If this is not an exhilarating case for faith...! (Caution: you may become overly inspired by just reading the Scriptures that have the word "faith" in them.)
Now try Hebrews. Just look at the references to faith in this letter. Here's just part of it:
"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see (will materialize). By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him."
(Hebrews 11: selective verses, NLT)
Then the Hebrew writer continues to list all the anointed ones in the Bible and their walk of faith. He mentions over 20 examples of the most prominent men of God who ever lived that they lived by faith.
It is like ... do we get this picture?
It's all about faith.
It's all about that miracles are manufactured in faith.
It's that all life substance comes from faith.
Do we get this yet?
Is this not predictably irrational, but it is the way that in the world we work miracles, live in love; it's where peace and joy abounds exuberantly.
The Hebrew writer then draws this conclusion:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."
(Hebrews 12:1, NLT)
Don't stop there, keep on reading. It keeps getting better and never stops... forever, our faith promises, its forever. And live exuberantly in faith... the assurance that great things are on the way.
And we can go to the bank on it!
Make your withdraw from the bank today and life in the abundance of love, joy, peace, power through faith... knowing it will happen. So be expectant as it journeys to you.
Now, this is too hard to grasp, to be figured out logically, rationally. But Jesus said, this is the way it is and will be. Those who come to Him by faith, will be received into His kingdom of eternal love, joy, grace, and power. It's all about living by faith and trusting in Him.
How do we understand this?
We can't... only in His Spirit.
As the Apostle Paul said,
"And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, 'Who can know the Lord's thoughts?'"
(I Corinthians 2:12-16, NLT)
We must live in Spirit to understand Spirit, which we really can't understand but accept it through faith. To understand this, and see it work for us, it requires being Spiritual, to operate in Spirit as our main mode of operation. So the only catch is we must give our minds over to Spirit and live in the mind of Christ... a Spirit function. Our thoughts and education are based on rational thinking.
We can analyze and figure things out with our minds.
But Jesus said you can't.
The Apostle Paul says we can't.
So we must learn to trust Spirit, that all things work out through faith, trust in that God's power is working on our behalf.
"My righteous ones will live by faith.
We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.
For every child of God defeats this evil world,
and we achieve this victory through our faith."
(Hebrews 10:38,39; 1 John 5:4, NLT)
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Compassionate Samurai... Warrior of the Lamb
by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
The Compassionate Samurai by Brian Klemmer is leading lives with boldness to create a world that works for everyone, with no one left out. The Samurai were the feared, and respected warriors of their day. They were known for bravery, honor, personal loyalty. Samurai means "to serve." Klemmer coined the phrase compassionate samurai to reflect someone strong on values, can make anything happen, with a life devoted to service.
Your business, organization, network can excel while living by the compassionate samurai code: commitment, personal responsibility, contribution, focus, honesty, honor, trust, abundance, boldness, and knowledge. With these tools, or ammunition, you can go into the marketplace and wage a great war. Klemmer recommends you focus on one trait every week. The last chapter summaries his key points throughout the book.
Commitment
Say it and begin taking steps. When you put your thoughts into words, it begins moving you toward your goals. Say what you mean, do what you say, and be bold in your promises... that you absolutely commit to keep. Make agreements based on priorities, avoiding trivial matters. You're committed to do more than you can. Your work ethic, dedication, and self confidence contribute to making big agreements and keeping them.
Personal Responsibility
Everything you have and don't have, and ever will have in life is because of the choices you make. Your quality of life or lack of quality of life is the result of your choices. We all have freedom. Our choices increase our freedom, or limit our freedom. No one is your problem. You take responsibility for everything. God is all-powerful. We are responsible to use the power and gifts provided to us.
Contribution
"How can I serve this person, organization, or country." The compassionate samurai gives without thought of personal gain. They are not only contributors but living gifts. They take care of themselves so they can give more to others recognizing the six benefits of giving: it feels good; you give to get; it builds loyalty; it increases your power; giving without recognition increases your power; it increases your spirituality. Giving without recognition causes something supernatural to occur-- you gain influence that's inexplicable. Thinking service before self, give them what they want, not what you want to give them.
Focus
Anchor reality to your visions. Focus turns average talent, small amounts of time, or minimal resources to produce extraordinary results. Focus leverages power.The three challenges of focus are inability to focus, focusing on things that make you ineffective, being unaware of what's around you. Life is full of distractions, so the compassionate samurai learns to not let surroundings distract them. Their focus is on service or contributions, regardless of their circumstances. They stay focused on effective things, forget failures or successes...giving full attention to what's here now. Not being "here now" kills effectiveness and intimacy. Compassionate samurai are focused but still aware of what's going on around them, without letting it impair their focus. It's a 360 degree awareness. Hearing others, taking that in consideration as you present yourself.
Honesty
Say what you mean, mean what you say. You can tell the truth and still not be honest. It's a true picture of yourself or circumstances involved. We are dishonest when we tell something that isn't true, give an illusion of what's not so, not telling what is so, pretending to know. Honesty lets your heart show. Transparent or honest. Honesty has integrity, sincerity while transparent is free of pretense, visible, being understood. Honesty is truthful on our own experiences, and uses diplomacy in respect of others... giving them the right to share feedback or not.
Honor
Hold principles above personal benefit. It's respecting others, not being condescending to others, listening to others, speaking well of others and their organizations. Honor is about respect, but learning to respect yourself as well as others. When you dishonor or belittle others, you make yourself small. Honor sees that everyone wins around you.
Trust
The ability to trust others and themselves with their life. "I love you" is a powerful phrase we should share freely, frequently with those close to us. The same holds true for the phrase, "I trust you." Those who lack trust for themselves, distrust others. So build up your trust for yourself through honor and honesty. Trust is a great personal power. it produces synergistic power in teamwork, builds intimate relationships, releases time freedom and efficiency, makes service stand out, and gives you a feeling of exhilaration. When trust is betrayed, it's very difficult to regain. Trust is built and rebuilt by making commitments and keeping them, making yourself accountable to others.
Abundance
Be willing to pay the price. Before anything happens, it must first happen in your mind. It must take root there. The compassionate samurai realizes that his wholeness and completeness doesn't depend on external circumstances. It's about being connected to God who is infinite. You are complete being connected to Him. Then your thoughts create the right habits that facilitate perpetual wealth. Even when current circumstances may be dire, train your mind to buy into your future reality and continue advancing toward it.
Keys to abundance are giving--practice tithing. Receiving freely, learn to accept graciously and feel you are worthy of it. Learn to say "thank you" and leave it at that when people compliment you. Use systems to create profits. Don't think "I can do this," think "How can I?"
There's no lack; there's more than enough. You are more than enough. Thus, there is an abundant supply of everything you need. Humility is understanding God is the supply not you.
So, the economy, recession, inflation, don't sway you. The compassionate samurai says that if abundance does not seem to exist, I'll have to create it. Take life on.
Boldness
We have courage. But are we displaying it? The compassionate samurai see problems as a set of weights. The more weight (bigger the challenge) the stronger we get when we take the problem on. Pressure is the opportunity to awaken the sleeping beauty of courage inside. Courage is an attitude of confronting danger or your greatest fear. Courage does not deny fear, it recognizes fear as reality, but acts valiantly in spite of it. Practice courage on the day by day opportunities. Climb out on the limb until it breaks, then dust yourself off and do it again.
Keep the potential rewards and benefits before you. Create your support team of lions. Make friends, help them. Leverage your strength. If God is with you, who can be against you. Courage is not an option; it's a way of life. When you are scared and want to back down, then is the time to go faster.
Knowledge
Specialized knowledge provides you the edge. Compassionate samurai pursue excellence, always seeking to surpass their current level. Satisfaction and contentment come when you are where you're supposed to be. When you're aligned to your purpose, things don't matter unless they support that purpose. No matter where you are now, you always have more to learn. Be humble enough to receive instruction even from those you see as less than you. Some of the greatest knowledge you can tap exists right in your circle of influence.
Finishing Strong
Now put the 10 traits of Compassionate Samurai character to work. Re-read each chapter again and again, and use repetition in actions.The idea is to make these qualities automatic. Klemmer has exercises in this chapter to help you do that for each quality.
http://www.klemmer.com/
Jesus had so much of the samurai characteristics. He is gentle, kind, caring. He held children with much tenderness with a preference for them. But He was militant as a warrior to the critical spirit of the Pharisees.
To the one's who hurt, He was kind and gentle, compassionate and used His powers to heal them. To the one's who were arrogant He was cutting as a sword making them aware of their coming demise. As the samurai was so loyal to his superiors, Jesus expressed great loyalties to His Superior, God the Father. He said He would do nothing outside God the Father... completely devoted to His Superior.
Jesus also warned he did not come to bring peace but a sword. He walked the earth in peace, but wickedness would come to an end violently. "Don't imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword." 'I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household!' "If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it."
(Matthew 10:33-39, NLT)
Our battle on earth is much like the Samurai's. They fought to the end courageously. Committed to fight for what they valued even if it would take them to their death. They knew the risks. Faced their risks, but they faced fear with courage. Jesus in facing the cross was in human fear. He pleaded with God for strength because the human side of him had great fear.
But the strength He drew from the Spirit of God gave Him the edge to carry out the most courageous assignment anyone has ever dared to take on. And without the Spirit of God, He could not have completed His mission which required great perseverance, courage, to overcome unbelievable physical pain, but He held on to complete what God had for Him to do that would change the world, universe forever. Only with the Supernatural Power of the Holy Spirit could He withstand all the pain, conniving and opposition to complete His mission.
As Jesus was privileged to have the Holy Spirit Power, we are too. We have the same privilege to attain the Supernatural Power of Spirit for all we face. The greater the mission, the greater the challenge, the more the Spirit will be poured into you to give you Supernatural Strength. When we seek it, we will attain it. That's why our strength is in prayer, going into the Inner Chamber of God for our Strength in Spirit.
Can we live out our purpose and mission... even if it means death to close relationships, giving up people and circumstance closest to us, even when these reject our mission? Are you so close to God you know what your mission is and you fulfill it even if it means total loss?
But loss of this life and benefits of this life, will eventually have its rewards. The compassionate samurai kept his eyes on the rewards. There are short-term rewards, those that will come eventually on earth, and long-term, those that will come in heaven. All the silver and gold belongs to us, those who follow the Lord as warriors.
"The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies."
(Haggai 2:8, NLT)
Are we warriors in Spirit, God is using in Spirit to defeat the strongholds evil in spirit that surround the universe, that war against us. The gold and silver will be returned to His Servants.
"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."
(Ephesians 6:11-13, NLT)
We fight these strongholds, but we have the power to destroy them.
Those who fight to the end will.
If we don't quit, we will win.
"The Son of Man... held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death."
(Revelations 1:13,16,18, NLT)
At the final battle we will win.
Jesus will return with a Sword for the final victory
and we will win, forever winners in our faith,
in our loyalty, in our mission for Jesus' Kingdom to come on earth as in Heaven.
"And everyone will hate you because you are my followers.
But the one who endures (perseveres, suffers through) to the end will be saved."
(Mark 13:12-14, NLT)
Fight the Fight now, with the Sword of Spirit. Evil does not like good. But the Good, the Righteousness of God will prevail. We are to fight the fight against evil in the marketplace.
We are called as warriors in the marketplace.
No matter how severe the opposition, if we fight to the end, we will win. Those who endure to the end will win.
If you don't quit, you will win.
It's guaranteed. It's an eternal guarantee.
Victory will come for those who persevere, even to the end. Victories are yours along the way.The way includes a life of Spirit, a life of prayer intercession, in our prayers the Spirit, the Lord all Powerful, fights for us.
As we live a life of living in prayer and constant contact in the Spirit, the Power of Spirit wages our the wars, fights our battles and our victory is guaranteed.
Live in the Power of Spirit.
Don't quit, depend on God's Spirit
and His unmatchable Power and... you will win!
4spirit@gmail.com
The Compassionate Samurai by Brian Klemmer is leading lives with boldness to create a world that works for everyone, with no one left out. The Samurai were the feared, and respected warriors of their day. They were known for bravery, honor, personal loyalty. Samurai means "to serve." Klemmer coined the phrase compassionate samurai to reflect someone strong on values, can make anything happen, with a life devoted to service.
Your business, organization, network can excel while living by the compassionate samurai code: commitment, personal responsibility, contribution, focus, honesty, honor, trust, abundance, boldness, and knowledge. With these tools, or ammunition, you can go into the marketplace and wage a great war. Klemmer recommends you focus on one trait every week. The last chapter summaries his key points throughout the book.
Commitment
Say it and begin taking steps. When you put your thoughts into words, it begins moving you toward your goals. Say what you mean, do what you say, and be bold in your promises... that you absolutely commit to keep. Make agreements based on priorities, avoiding trivial matters. You're committed to do more than you can. Your work ethic, dedication, and self confidence contribute to making big agreements and keeping them.
Personal Responsibility
Everything you have and don't have, and ever will have in life is because of the choices you make. Your quality of life or lack of quality of life is the result of your choices. We all have freedom. Our choices increase our freedom, or limit our freedom. No one is your problem. You take responsibility for everything. God is all-powerful. We are responsible to use the power and gifts provided to us.
Contribution
"How can I serve this person, organization, or country." The compassionate samurai gives without thought of personal gain. They are not only contributors but living gifts. They take care of themselves so they can give more to others recognizing the six benefits of giving: it feels good; you give to get; it builds loyalty; it increases your power; giving without recognition increases your power; it increases your spirituality. Giving without recognition causes something supernatural to occur-- you gain influence that's inexplicable. Thinking service before self, give them what they want, not what you want to give them.
Focus
Anchor reality to your visions. Focus turns average talent, small amounts of time, or minimal resources to produce extraordinary results. Focus leverages power.The three challenges of focus are inability to focus, focusing on things that make you ineffective, being unaware of what's around you. Life is full of distractions, so the compassionate samurai learns to not let surroundings distract them. Their focus is on service or contributions, regardless of their circumstances. They stay focused on effective things, forget failures or successes...giving full attention to what's here now. Not being "here now" kills effectiveness and intimacy. Compassionate samurai are focused but still aware of what's going on around them, without letting it impair their focus. It's a 360 degree awareness. Hearing others, taking that in consideration as you present yourself.
Honesty
Say what you mean, mean what you say. You can tell the truth and still not be honest. It's a true picture of yourself or circumstances involved. We are dishonest when we tell something that isn't true, give an illusion of what's not so, not telling what is so, pretending to know. Honesty lets your heart show. Transparent or honest. Honesty has integrity, sincerity while transparent is free of pretense, visible, being understood. Honesty is truthful on our own experiences, and uses diplomacy in respect of others... giving them the right to share feedback or not.
Honor
Hold principles above personal benefit. It's respecting others, not being condescending to others, listening to others, speaking well of others and their organizations. Honor is about respect, but learning to respect yourself as well as others. When you dishonor or belittle others, you make yourself small. Honor sees that everyone wins around you.
Trust
The ability to trust others and themselves with their life. "I love you" is a powerful phrase we should share freely, frequently with those close to us. The same holds true for the phrase, "I trust you." Those who lack trust for themselves, distrust others. So build up your trust for yourself through honor and honesty. Trust is a great personal power. it produces synergistic power in teamwork, builds intimate relationships, releases time freedom and efficiency, makes service stand out, and gives you a feeling of exhilaration. When trust is betrayed, it's very difficult to regain. Trust is built and rebuilt by making commitments and keeping them, making yourself accountable to others.
Abundance
Be willing to pay the price. Before anything happens, it must first happen in your mind. It must take root there. The compassionate samurai realizes that his wholeness and completeness doesn't depend on external circumstances. It's about being connected to God who is infinite. You are complete being connected to Him. Then your thoughts create the right habits that facilitate perpetual wealth. Even when current circumstances may be dire, train your mind to buy into your future reality and continue advancing toward it.
Keys to abundance are giving--practice tithing. Receiving freely, learn to accept graciously and feel you are worthy of it. Learn to say "thank you" and leave it at that when people compliment you. Use systems to create profits. Don't think "I can do this," think "How can I?"
There's no lack; there's more than enough. You are more than enough. Thus, there is an abundant supply of everything you need. Humility is understanding God is the supply not you.
So, the economy, recession, inflation, don't sway you. The compassionate samurai says that if abundance does not seem to exist, I'll have to create it. Take life on.
Boldness
We have courage. But are we displaying it? The compassionate samurai see problems as a set of weights. The more weight (bigger the challenge) the stronger we get when we take the problem on. Pressure is the opportunity to awaken the sleeping beauty of courage inside. Courage is an attitude of confronting danger or your greatest fear. Courage does not deny fear, it recognizes fear as reality, but acts valiantly in spite of it. Practice courage on the day by day opportunities. Climb out on the limb until it breaks, then dust yourself off and do it again.
Keep the potential rewards and benefits before you. Create your support team of lions. Make friends, help them. Leverage your strength. If God is with you, who can be against you. Courage is not an option; it's a way of life. When you are scared and want to back down, then is the time to go faster.
Knowledge
Specialized knowledge provides you the edge. Compassionate samurai pursue excellence, always seeking to surpass their current level. Satisfaction and contentment come when you are where you're supposed to be. When you're aligned to your purpose, things don't matter unless they support that purpose. No matter where you are now, you always have more to learn. Be humble enough to receive instruction even from those you see as less than you. Some of the greatest knowledge you can tap exists right in your circle of influence.
Finishing Strong
Now put the 10 traits of Compassionate Samurai character to work. Re-read each chapter again and again, and use repetition in actions.The idea is to make these qualities automatic. Klemmer has exercises in this chapter to help you do that for each quality.
http://www.klemmer.com/
Jesus had so much of the samurai characteristics. He is gentle, kind, caring. He held children with much tenderness with a preference for them. But He was militant as a warrior to the critical spirit of the Pharisees.
To the one's who hurt, He was kind and gentle, compassionate and used His powers to heal them. To the one's who were arrogant He was cutting as a sword making them aware of their coming demise. As the samurai was so loyal to his superiors, Jesus expressed great loyalties to His Superior, God the Father. He said He would do nothing outside God the Father... completely devoted to His Superior.
Jesus also warned he did not come to bring peace but a sword. He walked the earth in peace, but wickedness would come to an end violently. "Don't imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword." 'I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household!' "If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it."
(Matthew 10:33-39, NLT)
Our battle on earth is much like the Samurai's. They fought to the end courageously. Committed to fight for what they valued even if it would take them to their death. They knew the risks. Faced their risks, but they faced fear with courage. Jesus in facing the cross was in human fear. He pleaded with God for strength because the human side of him had great fear.
But the strength He drew from the Spirit of God gave Him the edge to carry out the most courageous assignment anyone has ever dared to take on. And without the Spirit of God, He could not have completed His mission which required great perseverance, courage, to overcome unbelievable physical pain, but He held on to complete what God had for Him to do that would change the world, universe forever. Only with the Supernatural Power of the Holy Spirit could He withstand all the pain, conniving and opposition to complete His mission.
As Jesus was privileged to have the Holy Spirit Power, we are too. We have the same privilege to attain the Supernatural Power of Spirit for all we face. The greater the mission, the greater the challenge, the more the Spirit will be poured into you to give you Supernatural Strength. When we seek it, we will attain it. That's why our strength is in prayer, going into the Inner Chamber of God for our Strength in Spirit.
Can we live out our purpose and mission... even if it means death to close relationships, giving up people and circumstance closest to us, even when these reject our mission? Are you so close to God you know what your mission is and you fulfill it even if it means total loss?
But loss of this life and benefits of this life, will eventually have its rewards. The compassionate samurai kept his eyes on the rewards. There are short-term rewards, those that will come eventually on earth, and long-term, those that will come in heaven. All the silver and gold belongs to us, those who follow the Lord as warriors.
"The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies."
(Haggai 2:8, NLT)
Are we warriors in Spirit, God is using in Spirit to defeat the strongholds evil in spirit that surround the universe, that war against us. The gold and silver will be returned to His Servants.
"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."
(Ephesians 6:11-13, NLT)
We fight these strongholds, but we have the power to destroy them.
Those who fight to the end will.
If we don't quit, we will win.
"The Son of Man... held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death."
(Revelations 1:13,16,18, NLT)
At the final battle we will win.
Jesus will return with a Sword for the final victory
and we will win, forever winners in our faith,
in our loyalty, in our mission for Jesus' Kingdom to come on earth as in Heaven.
"And everyone will hate you because you are my followers.
But the one who endures (perseveres, suffers through) to the end will be saved."
(Mark 13:12-14, NLT)
Fight the Fight now, with the Sword of Spirit. Evil does not like good. But the Good, the Righteousness of God will prevail. We are to fight the fight against evil in the marketplace.
We are called as warriors in the marketplace.
No matter how severe the opposition, if we fight to the end, we will win. Those who endure to the end will win.
If you don't quit, you will win.
It's guaranteed. It's an eternal guarantee.
Victory will come for those who persevere, even to the end. Victories are yours along the way.The way includes a life of Spirit, a life of prayer intercession, in our prayers the Spirit, the Lord all Powerful, fights for us.
As we live a life of living in prayer and constant contact in the Spirit, the Power of Spirit wages our the wars, fights our battles and our victory is guaranteed.
Live in the Power of Spirit.
Don't quit, depend on God's Spirit
and His unmatchable Power and... you will win!
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