KEEP IMPROVING

By:  J. Maxwell

We live in a society with destination disease. Too many people want to do enough to "arrive," and then they want to retire.

My friend Kevin Myers says it this way: "Everyone is looking for a quick fix, but what they really need is fitness. People who look for fixes stop doing what's right when pressure is relieved. People who pursue fitness do what they should no matter what the circumstances are."

People who are constantly improving themselves make three processes an ongoing cycle in their lives:

1. Preparation:

When individuals are intentional about learning something every day, then they become better prepared to handle whatever challenges they meet.

2. Contemplation:

Time alone is essential to self-improvement. It allows you to gain perspective on your failures and successes so that you can learn from them. It gives you the time and space to sharpen your personal or organizational vision. And it enables you to plan how you can improve in the future.

3. Application:

Musician Bruce Springsteen said, "A time comes when you need to stop waiting for the man you want to become and start being the man you want to be." In other words, you need to apply what you've learned.

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. - 1 Cor. 9:25 (NIV)