The Health of a Leader

Our world is in need of effective and functional leaders, but to be a this kind of leader you must be a healthy leader.

If you have ever been sick, you understand how difficult it is to be at your best.  I became too familiar with this after my Achilles repair.  There were many times I had the strength mentally, but physically my body would not allow me to perform various tasks.

Have you ever been in this situation?

In the study I will share with you this week, we will discuss the health of a leader.  To help with this discussion, we will look at the life of Daniel in the Bible.

Daniel was an effective and functional leader because he was healthy.  Let me share with you what made Daniel a healthy leader and how you can become just as successful as Daniel.  Daniel practiced three strategies causing him to be a successful leader.  If you would only try these three strategies, you too will enhance your effectiveness as a leader.

1. Refuse to be distracted.  In Daniel 1:8, Daniel “purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor the wine he dank.”  As leaders, we are not immune from being distracted.  Matter of fact, it can easier for us as leaders to be distracted with the many responsibilities on our plate.  At times, we can get so caught up in everything around us.  We lead others and sometimes we forget to lead ourselves, which includes our health.  Daniel committed and determined in his heart that he was going to take care of himself.  We cannot help others, if we don’t first help ourselves.

2. Realize your strength.  Most of the time, we know what we need to do and how we need to do it.  Don’t get caught up in taking short-cuts with any part of your leadership.  Daniel refused the food of the king because he knew what his body needed to effectively lead.  Daniel say in verse 12 of chapter one, “…let them give us vegetables, grains, and water to drink.”  A valuable point we can all take away from this passage is how Daniel did not want what everyone else was eating and drinking.  Daniel saw how others start to look after partaking in the king’s meat and drinks.  This applies to our health, but also applies to our work ethic.  Know where you strength lies.  Eat right, work hard, and trust in God.

3. Maximize your potential.  Once you take care of the first two points, you will be in a great position to maximize your strength.  Daniel was blessed because of his loyalty and devotion to God.  In verse 17 of chapter one it says, “God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom.”  Not only was Daniel blessed, but also his friends were blessed as well.  They had such a great reputation that “the king inquired about them” and needed their help.  We do things the right way; we will be blessed beyond our wildest imaginations.

Wherever you are in life, it is never too late to improve your health.  It’s what you eat, drink, read, and watch on TV.  It’s how much sleep you get.  It’s who you hang around.  It is our responsibility to manage our own health.  Your health as a leader today will determine your success as a leader tomorrow.

 

Question: What can you do to improve you health as a leader?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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Show Your Title

Life can be pretty demanding making it quite hard to take control of your life.

My father and mother taught me as a child to take ownership of my life and avoid letting anyone else dictate my life’s outcomes.  As a child, I thought this was a difficult task due to peer pressure, identity crisis, etc.  However, I believe it can be more of a challenge as an adult.

What do you think?

As adults, expectations are high and demands are great.  It can get pretty ridiculous because of others unrealistic expectations.

I believe we all are leading something or someone, which places even higher expectations on our live.  Expectations are high, whether you are a father, mother, sibling, Christian, worker, or business owner.  Just to name few.

This is why everyday you must "Show Your Title!"

I’m not talking about your title or position at church or work, but I’m talking about showing you have control of your life.

In property law, a title is when a person “out-right” owns or has equitable interest in a piece of property.

So, I say again, “Show Your Title.”

I completely understand why it is impossible to control any external stimuli, but I do believe we as leaders can control internally what we feel, say, and do.  With that said, I love the attitude quote by Charles Swindoll.

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.  Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.  It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.  It will make or break company…a church…a home.  The remarkable thing is is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace of that day.  We cannot change the inevitable.  The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude…I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it.  And so it is with you…we are in charge of our Attitudes.”

 

Your title is your life, but more importantly like Charles Swindoll it is your attitude.

If you don’t have control over your attitude, then you may want to quickly figure out who has your title.  Once you have full ownership of you title, “Show Your Title.”

Show your title by being kind to others, leading with compassion, taking accountability, and enjoying your road to success.

 

Question: Do you own your title?  How have you shown your title?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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OPPORTUNITY WILL KNOCK

Everyday we live brings new opportunities for leaders to grow, love, dream, and live with purpose.  Leaders think the best before thinking the worst.  They aren’t envious of the prosperity of others.  As a matter of fact, good leaders are happy when others experience success.

I have never been one to be jealous of another person’s success.  If anything, I have always been excited and happy for the success of others.

Any jealousy creates negative energy that can limit your ability to grow.  So, jealousy is quite counter-productive to your personal and business success.

Whether you are jealous or not, opportunity will knock.

What will you do when opportunity knocks?

It is not a matter of if, but when.  Opportunity will knock, but will you be ready when it does?

Since we know opportunity will knock, I want to prepare you for your opportunity when it knocks.  There are 3 strategies you can use to prepare for your success.

1. Embrace your challenges.  When you are able to see your trying times as stepping stones, you will focus less on the struggle and more on growth that will occur from the difficulty.  It has been proven that we grow stronger in the presence of adversity.  That is one of the reason why Friedrich Nietzsche said, “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.”

2. Be happy for the small things.  Many times we look for big opportunities to present themselves.  To be completely honest, you will come in contact with more small opportunities than the bigger opportunities.  How you handle the small opportunities will determine two things:

1) How you will handle the big opportunities and

2) How many big opportunities you will experience.

3. Surround yourself with people who are opportunistic.  I don’t believe opportunities are a matter of dumb luck (something good happening by chance, without being planned or deserved).  When you are intentional about surrounding yourself with people who are engulfed with opportunities, it is only a matter of time before you will experience your own opportunities.

Opportunities will knock, but make sure you are prepared for your opportunities.

 

Question: Are you preparing yourself for your opportunities?  How will you handle opportunity when it does knock?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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A Roadmap for Leaders

In today’s fast-paced world, it easy to get lost in the noise when seeking leadership advice.

I have seen many leaders in different settings from church to our business world.  I believe the foundation of leadership begins with the Bible.

When was the last time you learned a leadership principle from the Bible?

Whether you know it or not, leadership started with the God and His inspired Word.  There are many great leadership books, but I don’t think there is a better book on leadership than the Bible.  The Bible doesn’t just talk about effective leaders, but also it describes ineffective leaders and their rise and fall.

There are many misconceptions about the Bible.  I have heard people use the Bible to condemn, but God sent the greatest leader to our Earth for one reason.

John 3:17 says, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”

A roadmap for all leaders can be found in Christ.

You may not be a consistent Bible reader, but I encourage you to take a look at the life of Christ.  Study how he handled His twelve disciples, His followers, and even His enemies.

If you are looking for leadership advice, look no further.  The world’s greatest leader has already graced our Earth.

Whether you believe in Him or not, He is undeniably the most influential leader of all time.  To this day, Jesus still has more followers than any leader that has ever walked this Earth.  You could add all the social media platforms together and Jesus would still have greatest following of all-time.

Every leader needs a mentor.  Who better to have as a mentor than Jesus the Christ?

Here are 20 reasons why leaders should use Jesus as a mentor.

1. He is the Most Influential Leader

2. He is God

3. He is Head over All Things

4. He is the Truth

5. He is Just

6. He is Faithful

7. He is a Rock

8. He is a Savior

9. He is a Mediator

10. He is Creative

11. He is Perfect

12. He is a King

13. He is Caring

14. He is Love

15. He is a Provider

16. He is a Protector

17. He is All-Powerful

18. He is the Great Forgiver

19. He is Wisdom

20. He is Life

Even with these 20 reasons to make Jesus your mentor, there are still literary a million other reasons to let Jesus be your mentor.

 

Question: How can Christ help you as a leader?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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KILL YOUR FEAR

People have different feelings when it comes to the word, KILL.  It is a strong word to use.  However, when it comes to the building successful leadership and living out your dreams, you must daily kill your fear.

Every move our business, MTN Universal, has made to move forward has taken a great level of faith to kill fear primary because of the unexpected/unpredictable.

What fears do you have?  Have you ever avoided making a decision or taking action with something due to fear?

Having a fear/fears doesn’t make you a bad person.  It doesn’t make you a “scary” person.  It just makes you human.

We have to find a way to kill our fears daily because each day will bring its own set of fears.

It may not be a fear of dying, public speaking, etc.  It could be fear of change.  It may be fear of more responsibility.  It may be fear of connecting with other leaders.  One of the biggest fears for most people is fear of failing.  Whatever kind of fear it may be, you have to take these three steps to kill it.

1. Acknowledge your fear.  One of the most powerful steps to releasing your mind from any restrictions is acknowledgement of a specific problem.  In the case of fear, acting like you have no fear when you are fearful will only give room for your fear to grow.  Recognize what is holding you back as a leader and start the process of bringing an abundance of prosperity into your life.

2. Face your fear.  When you have recognized what you are fearful of, then you can face it.  Don’t run from it, hide from it, or even play with it.  Face your fear.  This is beneficial for you because it will break you free from any limitation in your life.

3. Fight your fear.  In most cases, fear is present because of the absence belief.  We fight fear with faith.  Hopefully you are attached to a company or people who believe in your vision.  One crucial key to success is killing fear by believing in the possibilities for your success.  If no one else believes, you should believe.

As leaders, it is quite easy to become paralyzed by fear.  Everyone has challenges they will face, but leaders have to make tough decisions that affect many people and themselves.  Kill your fears by believing.  Believe in God. Believe in yourself.  Believe in your vision as a leader, whether it is a Fortune 500 company or just a small business.  Believe!  Believe!  Believe!

 

Question: What fears are keeping you from advancing in your personal and business life?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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Words Leaders Use

Words can be a powerful asset to a leader, if used the right way.  Regardless of whether you are leading one person or thousands, a good leader is careful with his or her words.

In the past, I have worked for supervisors who were unable to effectively communicate their vision.  In these cases, words were used carelessly.  Careless use of words doesn’t inspire change, but rather discourages your followers.

Have you worked for a leader that carelessly used his or her words?

Obviously, leaders use many effective words, but here are a few simple words we will discuss today that will help with your success.  Consistently adding these words to your vocabulary will assist you in receiving favorable outcomes as a leader.

1. Thank you.  Saying “thank you” is one of the easiest ways to let your followers know how much you appreciate them.  Never fail to say these two simple words because you wouldn’t be where you are without those who have helped you.

2. Yes.  We hear the word no a lot these days.  More than likely, you have heard “no” at least a hundred to a thousand times.  The same goes for your followers, so find a way to say “yes.”

3. No.  Everything can’t be a “yes.”  There are times when you have to say, “No.”  Some may believe “no” is a negative word to use, but it can be helpful to you and your followers if used in the right way.

4. Sorry.  You will make mistakes.  When you make a mistake, acknowledge your mistake and it will help you move forward.  Hiding mistakes will only lead to further failure.

5. Awesome.  Some people don’t like words such as you rock, you’re the best, you’re awesome, etc.  However, as a leader if you want to inspire someone to follow your vision, you will discover these types of words will light a fire under your followers.  Understanding how to be a source of encouragement will help you tremendously.  Simultaneously, your encouragement will do two things for your followers:

1) Praise their gifts/abilities and 

2) Show appreciation.

6. Care.  Any relationship we are invested in, we want to know that the person on the other end cares.  Take for an example, a doctor operating on your heart or maybe just a minimally invasive knee surgery.  I want to know that the doctor cares about the success of my surgery.  Your followers want to know that you care and that you won’t lead them carelessly.  TIME magazine did a poll and one of the Top Reasons Why Americans Stay At Their Jobs included “I feel connected to the organization.”  A person feels connected when they know someone cares.  Find a way to tell and show your followers how much you care.

7. Serve.  Many people believe leading is all about being a boss.  As a leader, your first goal and responsibility should be to serve.  We serve our followers.  We serve our customers.  Leadership is all about serving.  Let your followers know that you are here to serve them.

8. Forgive.  Not only will you make mistakes, but also your followers and customers will make mistakes.  If you want others to accept your mistakes and move on, leaders must do the same with those who wrong them.  One of the biggest downfalls of a leader is pride and ego.  If you have any of these destructive characteristics, remove these traits and forgive.

Words carry power.  What type of words are you using?  If you will consistently practice using these kinds of words, you will notice an improvement in your leadership skills and an increase in the number of people that will follow you.

 

Question: How do you use words?  Are you taking every opportunity to powerfully lead and influence others with your words?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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Build Your Ark

Most people have dreams and goals.  With those dreams and goals, are you working on making your dreams a reality or your goals an achievable accomplishment?

As a child, I once questioned many of the stories in the Bible.  And still to this day, I have questions about certain stories.  However, I believe.  One of my studies this week was Noah and the ark.  I was blown away by Noah and his leadership.

During my meditation time, I discovered Noah’s ark represents our life and leadership.  We are flooded with countless responsibilities daily, but our leadership is the ark that will get us to our dry land.  The dry land is our dreams, goals, and aspiration.

Our dreams and goals will suffer without sufficient time and work on nurturing them.

What are you doing to build you ark?

When I was studying Noah and the ark, I noticed Noah had three leadership qualities that any leader should have.

1. Noah believed.  When you look at the story of Noah, he built an ark when it seemed foolish to most.  He did not have any good reasons to build an ark looking at the geographical and meteorological conditions during that time, but Noah believed in the instruction and vision God placed on his heart.  There are times when your aspirations will seem foolish.  To be honest, there will be times when others will think your thoughts, ideas, and actions are quite bogus.  But don’t worry or panic, just continue building your ark.  Keep believing, keep building your leadership, and watch your dreams and goals come true.

2. Noah was disciplined.  Noah wasn’t concerned about the drought they were experiencing or that no one believed him.  He was on a mission.  His focus was to build the ark.  When we recognize the importance of our dreams and goals, we will develop a focused-discipline about improving our lives.  How important are your dreams and goals?  Take time to nourish and care for your dreams and goals.

3. Noah was diligent.  When Noah was instructed to build the ark, he did not have the material.  In fact, Noah had to create tools to manage the materials needed to build the ark.  Frequently, I hear some entrepreneurs say they don’t have the resources, but that is the time when you should be resourceful.  Other times, I have seen people wanting something for nothing.  Noah worked hard.  To make our dreams and goals a reality, it will take hard work.

No one can build your life like you.   So wait no longer, your life and leadership is waiting for you to act.  If you incorporate these three leadership qualities Noah practiced, you will build a reliable ark that will get you to all the personal and business success you will need.

 

Question: What are your dreams and goals?  How are you currently preparing to make them a reality?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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How to Enjoy Your Success

Success is a term we use loosely.  There are some people who spend their entire lives searching for success, but are unaware of what defines success.

I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t want to be successful, but what defines success?

I have heard so many people speak of success in terms of money or materialistic possessions.  I believe success will take care of itself if we are able to develop successful practices.  Forbes describes these practices in The Most Successful Leaders Do 15 Things Automatically, Everyday.

I believe success is greater than the money or material items one can possess, but I think those things will come with successful practices.

How do you define success?

However you may define success, if you do these three things you will discover how to enjoy your success.

1. Prepare.  The most successful people on our planet prepare.  It is not say that they will get it right every time, but they are prepared for the good and bad.  Some people may consider successful people “lucky.”  Successful people may even consider it luck.  It was Lucius Annaeus Seneca that said, “Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity.”  Whether you consider success being “lucky” or not, if you prepare you will soon enjoy success.

2. Practice.  With any sport, athletes have to practice to be the best.  Leadership is no different.  To improve your leadership skills, you have to discover ways of practicing what we desire to be.  As leaders, we must practice making good decisions, communicating effectively, leading by example, etc.  Our consistent practice of being a successful leader will lead form good successful habits.

3. Progress.  Leaders prepare, practice, but more importantly they progress their leadership.   When we are able to prepare and practice the right way, it naturally successfully positions our leadership.

Preparation, practice, and progress will help you enjoy your success.  Matter fact, you will discover unimaginable success with your leadership.

 

Question: How are you enjoying your success as a leader?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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Pour Out Your Life

We all have been blessed with unique gifts, but what are you doing with your gifts?

One of my life goals is to be blessing to everyone who enters my space.  I want to serve and assist as many people while I have life.  So I try to take every opportunity to first serve, and then look to be served.

Is it possible for us to go through life daily and take for granted our gifts?

I believe our lives are like cups and we should be pouring our lives into others.  Good leaders lead with integrity and live pouring these five gifts into others.

1. Positive Attitude.  One of the biggest tools you can someone is the ability to be positive.  A positive attitude can make a big difference.  It will turn an inopportune situation into an opportunity.

2. Belief.  There’s nothing better than helping someone to believe.  When the chips are down, we all need affirmation to believe that things can get better.

3. Confidence.  One common denominator of the successful is confidence, not arrogance.  Yes, you may run into some successful people that are arrogant.  However, you need and must be able to inspire confidence in those following you.

4. Humility.  There’s nothing wrong with being confident so you can be at your best, but it needs to be coupled with humility.  Humility keeps away arrogance.  The last thing anyone needs is arrogance because arrogance can destroy a person.

5. Compassion.  When it comes to gift of compassion, it all boils down to three words - Good leaders care!

As a leader, we should be pouring these gifts into any and every one who enters our lives.  If we do not have these gifts to give, then we must find a way to surround ourselves with leaders with these gifts.

 

Question: How are you pouring out your life?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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The Rewards of Thanking the Lord

“Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.  I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and will glorify Your name forever.  For Your lovingkindness toward me is great, and you have delivered my soul…”  ~ Psalm 86:12

Once a week, I share one of my bible studies with you because it will help you an your leadership.

Two of the most important words we can ever use is - Thank You!

When we use these words, it is usually because we want to acknowledge how immensely grateful we are.

Each day I live, I have to say these two words to show my appreciation to the Lord.  Before I do anything in the morning, I have to say thank you Lord.  I don’t start thinking about anything before I say the words, thank you Lord.

No one is perfect.  I am well aware that God has carried me throughout my life.  Matter fact, I wouldn’t be where I am without Him.

No matter how great we are as leaders, we need God.  If there was ever a time when we needed the Lord, it is now. When we show a grateful heart, the Lord will bless us with 3 of His rewards.

1. The Lord is the greatest mentor.  There is nothing like being taught by the ultimate expert.  God is the ultimate mentor.  He has been around since the creation of the world and knows all things.  Who wouldn’t want the Lord for a mentor?  The Lord will also reveal the right mentors you need to progress your life and business.

2. The Lord doesn’t lie.  I rather have someone tell me the truth, instead of having me guessing with lies.  It’s hard to advance your life with lies.  Choose the Lord because He always speaks truth.  In John 8:32 it says, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

3. The Lord always delivers.  God cares!  He never wants to see us fail.  He wants your life, business, and career to grow.  When we acknowledge God, He will always find a way to lift us up.  And if He cannot deliver us one way, He will do it another way.  “God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear…He will also provide a way of escape that you may be able to endure.” ~ 1 Corinthians 10:13

Don’t miss out on any of your blessings from God because of lack of appreciation.  I believe we are all thankful to the Lord, but find a way to speak these three simple words frequent and often - Thank You LORD!

 

Question: What are you thankful for?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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Simply Structure Your Life

Life can be full of instability because of its unpredictable nature.  Things around us are always changing, but more importantly we are always changing.

Are you changing for the best?

I never expected to rupture my Achilles at the end of 2013, but it happened.  Aside from the physical change I experienced from the repair I underwent, I also experienced transformation change with my perspective.  I had a lot of time to think and reflect on the person and leader I want to be.

Much of my solace came from having a simple structure, which gave me stability during a highly unstable time in my life.

Without structure, unfortunate situations have the possibility to consume our lives.  You will discover ways to make it through any misfortunes if you choose the simple structuring I will share with you today.

The process of building a house is a perfect example of why we need simple structuring in our lives.

A house cannot stand without a good foundation.  Keys to building a great building of any kind begin with a firm base and a fitting framework.

1. Firm Base.  A firm base is key to future strength.  My base begins with my belief in God.  However, it doesn’t stop with God.  When we are able to believe it increases our confidence with all areas of our lives.  We don’t have to settle for not feeling good enough.  With a firm base, we BELIEVE.  We believe we can and will achieve the impossible.  Extraordinary things happen when we believe, especially if our belief is in God.

2. Fitting Framework.  We need a good base, but having a great framework is just as important to our foundation.  The framework deals with the connections and relationships we develop.  Many people say they believe, but then they abuse and take for granted the various relationships in their life.  It is hard to be successful without the help of others.  The greatest dreams known to man have become realities because of great teams.  So it’s time to start focusing on improving the relationships in your life.

Just remember, structure holds our lives together.

“Whether we choose to simply structure our lives or not, we have already made a choice.”

 

Choose structure and elevate the level of your life’s success.

 

Question: How is your foundation?  Do you need to take some time to build a stronger and more effective foundation to be more success in your life?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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Lead with Class

Believe it or not, you are a leader.  The question is - How are you leading?

We all would like to think we are effective leaders, but what makes us effective?  Is there a right or wrong way to lead?

There are so many different leadership styles these days.  And I believe certain situations require a specific type of leadership.  There are no “cook book” resolutions when it comes to effectively leading.

The fascinating thing about leadership is there really isn’t a right or wrong way to lead.  There are good and bad decisions, but who determines whether your decision is good or bad?

I choose to consult with other leaders, but my greatest advisor is God.

With that said, I am always looking for ways to grow my leadership skills.  I want to stay relevant, effective, and compassionate as a leader.

There are certain leadership skills effective leaders should possess no matter their style of leadership.  In my constant quest for growth as a leader, I discovered this wonderful infographic below I think you will enjoy.

CMOE

Discover ways to work these leadership qualities into your leadership because quality leadership is valuable leadership.

 

Question: What leadership qualities do you possess and what other qualities could you possess to further your success?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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Pursuing Joy in Everything

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” ~ James 1:2-5

The presence of blessings doesn’t mean an absence of problems.

When I first read this scripture as a child, I thought I needed to be happy all the time.  As I matured, I discovered joy was less about happiness and more about contentment.

Personally, I had a hard time believing I should be happy when my grandmother died.  She was having intolerable pain from the progressive nature of her bone cancer, so she was ready for the suffering to end.  However, being happy was the last thing on my mind.

What difficult times have you experienced?

Your situation may be different, but I think we all have found it hard to be happy during tragic situations such as tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, mudslides, tsunamis, murders, kidnappings, child abuse, racism, etc.

During these times we need joy.

Instead of pursuing happiness, you will benefit tremendously from pursuing joy.

Why joy?

In the scripture above, joy is defined as being calm.  It may be difficult to be calm in some situations, but there are three reasons why being calm will help your life.

1. Helps with Self-Control,

 

2. Helps with Decision-Making, and

 

 3. Helps with Stress.

 

Don’t let the circumstances of this life break you down, rather pursue joy in everything you do.  Be calm and discover ways of making your life more successful.

 

Question: How would your life look with more joy?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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Work with Purpose

There is nothing worse than working without a purpose.  Job loyalty and purposeful working has lost importance in today’s workplace.

Work has become just another way to make money for many people.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with working to pay your bills, put food on the table, or to have a little spending money.  But there has to be more of a reason for why we work.  Right?

I have seen many people in the work industry only concerned with clocking in and out.  They work their 8 hours a day, but that’s all it is - work.  For these people, work has no meaning or purpose.

I’m not saying these people are bad people or ineffective workers, but it may not help with building a strong work ethic.

Have you ever found yourself working without purpose?

Working without purpose interferes with our success.  Practically speaking, most of us spend most of our waking time at work.  That means if we are going to be successful we need to work with purpose.

It may be tough to approach everyday with this attitude of working with a purpose, but these ten tactics should help you work with a purpose and power your success.

1. Focus and do one thing at a time.  How we handle our current tasks and responsibilities determines our future success.  We must discover purpose in every task we decide to perform at work.

2. Know the challenge.  Before we can work with purpose, we have to know our difficulties.  What challenges are holding us back from working with purpose?  Is it lack of sleep?  Is it an attitude problem?  Once you find any possible challenges to you working with purpose, don’t let anything stop you from purposefully working in order to achieve your success.

3. Listen carefully.  Success comes in different ways and we can sometimes miss our opportunities to succeed if we are not listening actively.

4. Ask the right questions.  None of us knows it all.  When we don’t know something, the best thing to do is to ask the right questions.  Asking the wrong question can cause you to run in circles, so ask the right questions to discover different ways of working with purpose.

5. Be Sensible.  The more realistic you can be the better.  Don’t set high expectation with your working goals.  Set good balance goals and set out to achieve them.

6. Accept Change.  Nothing in life stays the same.  Whether we are moving forward or backward, accept the change by adapting to challenges at hand.  It will add more purpose to your work.

7. Admit Mistakes.  One of the keys to working or living with purpose is taking onus.  Taking onus stops us from blaming others and allows us to learn from our mistakes.  When you have experienced success, you will be able to look back and see a track history of personal accountability.

8. Make it simple.  Most of us are appreciative of simplicity.  It hard to work or live with purpose if we are making things more complicated than they should be.

9. Be Calm.  You are headed for a more purposeful and successful life if you can be calm in the various situations you will encounter.  When we are patient and calm, it gives us a better opportunity to effectively work and be productive.

10. Smile more.  It may be hard to believe, but smiling more will help give your work and life more purpose.  Smiling sets the right tone.  It will allow you to maintain positive energy and the right attitude.

I believe we all want to work and live with purpose.  In our constant search for purpose, daily live lives of significance.

People who are able to perform meaningful actions daily will experience an abundance of success.

 

Question: Are you daily working and living with purpose?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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Make the Most of Your Day

Life stops for no one.  Whether we enjoy life or not, it will still go on without us.

Life has a way being a great teacher.  The lesson usually comes when you least expect it and usually in an unconventional way.

One of the many ways life has decided to share lessons with me is through parenting.  I have three spirit-filled boys who have greatly blessed me ever since their arrival to the Earth.

Frequently, my wife and I have to remind our boys of this phrase - “Don’t rush life.”  Like us all, they get excited about future fun events.  These words are simple enough, but isn’t as easy as it sounds.

When the weekend has come to an end and it’s Monday all over again, it can be hard to remember the phrase - “Don’t rush life.”

I have been guilty of this many times.  It’s no secret that we as humans look forward to weekends, holidays, vacations, new job opportunities, or any other special dates.

But why only enjoy these days?

Make the most of every day.

How to Make the Most of Your Day

 

1. Live in the Moment.  Carpe Diem.  Carpe Diem is a Latin aphorism, commonly translated “seize the day.”  Don’t worry about the past or look to the future, enjoy the blessing of today.

2. Learn from the Tough Days.  Everyday you have the privilege to live is a good day.  However, some days will be better than others.  Discover what made the tough days difficult.  Once we figure out what made our tough days a challenge, then we will have an opportunity to change our tough day into better days.

3. Love Your Calling.  Each of us has been gifted with a specific calling.  Do you know your calling?  Once we understand our calling, it allows us to capitalize on the various opportunities to make our day the very best it can be.

Don’t rush life and make the most of every day.

 

Question: How do you make the most of your days?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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The Power of Prayer

It’s always a good time to pray!

I don’t know how you feel about this subject matter, but I am always in need of prayer.

There have been many situations that the power of prayer has helped me.  I have been “at a loss,” but somehow someway I made it through.

Our successes are dependent on things such as preparation, hard work, determination, experience, and character.  However, the key to extraordinary success is consulting with God through prayer.

Whether you believe in prayer or not, I think you will be surprised what the research says about prayer.  In the religion section of the Huff Post, an article titled Why People Who Pray Are Healthier Than Those Who Don’t explained “that people who pray and meditate trend to be statistically more healthy and live longer than those who do not.”

How would you feel about improve health?  What do you think about extending your life?

Aside from the benefits from the above-mentioned article, there are many other reasons to pray.

4 Reasons to Pray

 

1. I need to give thanks.  I am nothing without the Lord.  All I have and will receive is a direct result of God’s favoring my life.  Once we acknowledge this fact, we remove ourselves from the equation and give God more room to operate in our lives to do what He does best.  God is in the blessing business.  Give thanks to God for running such a great business.

2. I need help.  I pray because I need help.  Some people will peg this point as being selfish.  Just remember, you can’t help or pray for anyone else without asking for God’s help or praying for you.  There’s a reason why adults are to don their oxygen masks first in the result of plane malfunction.  We need help in order to help others.

3. I need to help others.  In the grand scheme of things, the entire prayer process isn’t about me.  It’s bigger than me.  It’s about God and praying for others.  This is why I like the phrase by Aristotle, “The whole is more than the sum of its parts.”

4. I need to release my negativity.  I am an optimist, but I am also a realist.  The reality of all of our lives is unfortunately we all will experience our fair share of negativity.  Instead of unloading my negativity on anyone else, I rather vent release my negativity to someone who can fix all things.

Call to Pray

 

So if you are reading this blog, please take a few minutes to pray after reading.

What are we praying for?

I received several emails, text messages, direct messages on Twitter, and personal request in daily one-on-one conversations for prayer.

Please join us in prayer.  It’s simple, just pray for these things on this list to bless someone else.  There is no need to mention names because God knows the heart.

Please pray for the following:

- God’s guidance,

- Loss of a love one,

- Purchasing car insurance,

- Personal Health,

- Health of others,

- Car needs,

- Challenges with finishing college education,

- Marriages,

- Professional promotions, and

- Entrepreneur business adventures.

I believe James 5:16, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

Again, I’m pleading with you to join me in prayer to help someone with these serious issues previously mentioned.

I would love to add your desires to the prayer list, so we can cover them with the power of prayer.  Please email, tweet, Facebook, or leave a comment below.

 

Question: What desires of your heart are in need of the power of prayer?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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How to Avoid Living on Fumes

As long as we have life in our bodies, we will face challenges daily.  Quite frankly, that’s what makes us human.

Our challenges include responsibilities such as helping others, educating ourselves, making sound decisions, respecting self/others, standing up for what’s right, and loving all.  These are grave responsibilities that require consistent attention.

It’s easy to get caught up focusing on these responsibilities and neglect yourself.  When we neglect ourselves too many times, we will find ourselves living on fumes.  We will continue to tend to our daily responsibilities, but with little to no energy.

Have you ever felt like you were living on fumes?

Let me give you a great example of a common responsibility that can cause us to live on fumes.

I am so fascinated with how many emails I receive a day.  Some are legit, but most are junk mail.  I was once concerned with keeping my email perfectly clean and it bothered me to have any junk emails in my inbox.

A mentor of mine once told me, “Your inbox will never be empty.”  I believe the same applies with our lives.

Our lives will always have challenges or some form of chaos.  So instead of figuring out ways of emptying your inbox or managing your life perfectly, just come to a realization about a few truths in your life.

I have come to the realization of three truths that helps me avoid living life on fumes.  It will also help you in your life’s journey.

3 Truths to Remember to Avoid Living on Fumes

 

1. I will never have a perfect life.  We weren’t created to be perfect, but we were created to follow He who is perfect.  No family, church, or business is perfect.  I will strive for perfection, but I know life isn’t over when I discover my imperfections.  I don’t focus on living a perfect life, but instead my focus is to live a progressive life.  A progressive life is one that constantly moves forward.

2. I will make mistakes.  When God created us.  He created us with free will, which means everyday we have a choice.  When I have a choice, this means I will make a mistake.  No one gets it right all the time, but it is our mistakes that give us our greatest lessons.

3. I will have to say “NO.”  No one can do it all.  Sometimes we feel that we are superheroes.  Whether you are a mother, business owner, or any kind of leader; you will never be able to say yes to everything.  It’s important to have boundaries, so you can avoid living life on fumes.

Discover ways of holding to these three truths and you will uncover a great deal of success with your life.

 

Question: Are you living on fumes?  How are you planning on re-energizing your life?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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A Prison Without Walls

No one would willingly volunteer to go to prison, so why would anyone live like a prisoner when they have the privilege of living free?

There are some situations that may seem impossible to figure out, but it just takes a little creativity and imagination.

As children, we believe anything is possible.  As we age and become adults, we then start creating boundaries and limits.  In other words, we begin to create invisible walls of impossibilities that lock up our dreams and aspirations.

What’s holding your dreams back?

Step Outside the Box

 

Don’t let anything put you in a box.  Whenever you feel you are being limited or held back from accomplishing your goals, just assess your situation and step outside the box.

The box can be anything from a person to a thing that keeps us from growing.  Boxes are meant to contain things.  In reality, nothing is actually holding us back but ourselves.

The God I serve told me in Psalm 139:14, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”  So break free of whatever is holding you back and live in the freedom in which you were created.

3 Ways to Step Outside of the Box

 

1. Understand Your Gift.  Without knowing your gift, it makes it hard to be the best person you can be.  You will still be able to live and possibly prosper, but you may never reach your maximal potential unless you understand your gift.

2. Act on Your Gift.  Once you have discovered your gift, then you must put some action behind your gift.  Don’t be afraid to live out the gift you have been blessed with and move forward with that gift by stepping outside of the box.

3. Grow Your Gift.  Once you have understood your gift and acted on your gift, then you should grow gift.  It’s hard to grow your gift inside the box, so you will need to be outside the box to grow.

Don’t let any of your dreams, goals, aspirations, or future accomplishments suffer from any limitations.  Find a way to step outside of the box and capitalize on your gift.

 

Question: What are your dreams or future aspirations?  What’s holding your dreams or aspirations back?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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Why Growth is Inevitable

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” ~ Galatians 6:7

 

Everyday we plant seeds.  Seeds of encouragement, seeds of inspiration, seeds of motivation, seeds of anger, seeds of bitterness, seeds of happiness, seeds of contentment, etc.

Everything we decide to do or say in a day is a way of planting a seed.  It’s always good to remember someone is always watching us.

My wife and I may be shopping or dining at a restaurant, but I always take time to watch the behaviors of people.  We have always heard, “Kids say and do the darnedest things.”  I would say, “Kids say and do what they see from adults.”  If you just look around when you are out, you will see some interesting human exchanges.

First let me say, I believe great customer service needs to be a priority no matter the situation.  However, I’ve witnessed mistreatment of many waiters.  Sometimes customers feel they can do any thing they want to do and ninety percent of the times these customers still expect excellent customer service.

Whatever we expect out of others, we must expect the same thing out of ourselves.

Your Seeds Will Grow

 

What seeds are you planting?

If you plant apple seeds, you would expect an apple tree to grow.  If you plant orange seeds, you would expect an orange tree.

This same principle applies with the things we say and do.  Whatever we plant in our lives will become a realization.

If you feel like things aren’t going your way in life, stop and reflect for a minute.  Ask yourself the question - What seeds am I planting in my life?

If we are asking for our children to do things the right way, we must do things the right way.  If we are asking a group we are leading at work to perform things a certain way, as leaders we better make sure we leading by example.

When we are happy, we are planting seeds of happiness and will reap a harvest of happiness in all areas of our lives.  The complete opposite of that statement is true as well.  When we are sad, we end up planting the seed of sadness in all areas of our life.

Whatever seed you decide to plant, just know that seed will eventually have to produce or bring forth some type of result or outcome.  It’s inevitable!

Whether your seed is good or bad, it has to grow.  So start planting good seeds and grow your life in a positive way.

 

Question: What kind of seeds are you planting?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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Remembering the Fallen

Freedom is a precious commodity.  Many people have sacrificed their lives for the freedom we experience in the United States of America.

I am reminded of this freedom everyday I am able to vote, worship with freedom of choice, and express freedom of speech.  I am grateful for all those who have served in our country’s armed forces.

Are you grateful for your freedom?

Whether you visit a memorial or not, please remember the fallen men and women of who died in military service to give us the freedom and safety we have in America.

Along with remembering our fallen heroes, keep the families they left behind in your prayers.

 

Question: How grateful are you for our fallen heroes?  Leave your comments below.

 

Peace and Prosperity,

Bryant Hall

MTN Universal, LLC

 

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