What Will I Do With Today?

WHAT WILL I DO WITH TODAY?

“Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember?” (Mark 8:18)

Just as the disciples focused on the relatively minor problems of having no bread and, in their concern about it, demonstrated a lack of faith–particularly in light of the great miracle they had just witnessed– followers today (myself included) often lose focus, forget past victories, and give in to fear and uncertainty.

A leader must refocus, remind, and reassure followers.

In every kind of endeavor, from coaching a team to building a business to running a church, the leader must guard against a lack of focus. A leader must begin this vigilance with himself. When a leader loses focus, the enterprise suffers. Too often, this lack of focus leads to collapse and total failure.

So, how do I keep focus? I believe it requires strategic thinking. The following questions help keep my mind on what is important.

• What things do I need to do today that no one but I can do effectively?
• What things on my list could be done better by someone else?
• What problems have I been putting off because I don’t want to deal with them?
• What steps–however small–could I take today that will lead my family or church into the future?
• What should I do today that will make me glad when today becomes yesterday?
• How can I encourage the people around me today in what they have to do?

Questions like these are vital because they force me to think about my priorities and help me stay focused. If I lose my focus, the people around me will soon lose theirs.