Confidence For Life And Work
Confidence For Life And Work
Confidence For Life And Work
Confidence For Life And Work
Confidence is derived from predictability. When you know the end result, you are able to perform your duties with complete confidence. You can even learn, grow and get better in the face of certain victory.
Confidence is derived from predictability. When you know the end result, you are able to perform your duties with complete confidence. You can even learn, grow and get better in the face of certain victory. Just ask Nick Saban. Many of the football games that the University of Alabama plays are certain victories by halftime; however, that does not stop Coach Saban from expecting the very best from each player on every play. Coach Saban believes players can get better even when the victory is not in doubt. Alabama led 28-3 at halftime, yet here is what he said after the blowout win: “I think we got off to a little slow start. The energy, the intensity, the attention to detail early on in the game was not what we wanted it to be, but I think we played better and better and better as the game went on.” Nick Saban is right, and his approach applies to something much bigger than football. Learning, growing and getting better even in the face of certain victory applies to all of life.
What Game Are You Playing?
In Olympic Games, football games, volleyball matches, golf matches, and even in Tic-Tac-Toe there are are winners and losers. Games played with rules for a finite set of time have winners and losers. Many people see their life and work as a series of wining and losing. Likewise, people tend to evaluate their life and work on short term “wins" and “losses”. Let’s face it; falling into the trap of believing we are defined by short term “wins” or “losses” makes us miserable.
Simon Sinek talks about the differences between finite games and and infinite games in his book The Infinite Game. Simon says, “When we lead with a finite mindset in an infinite game, it leads to all kinds of problems, the most common of which include the decline of trust, cooperation and innovation. Leading with an infinite mindset in an infinite game, in contrast, really does move us in a better direction. Groups that adopt an infinite mindset enjoy vastly higher levels of trust, cooperation and innovation and all the subsequent benefits. If we are all, at various times, players in infinite games, then it is in our interest to learn how to recognize the game we are in and what it takes to lead with an infinite mindset. It is equally important for us to learn to recognize the clues when finite thinking exists so that we can make adjustments before real damage is done.” Simon makes a great point about how short term (or finite) thinking leads people to think that they must win now. When we think we must win now we tend to exploit people and circumstances for our own good. This causes an increase in the competitive environment and is destructive to the world.
The Infinite Game Is Already Won
Sinek’s The Infinite Game is worth reading and is helpful to demonstrate how businesses and individuals should think beyond short-term results and, rather, contribute to something bigger than themselves by serving others. Unfortunately, The Infinite Game falls far short of being a guide for how to live. Even more importantly it misses the fact that there is true victory. Simon says, “Our lives are finite, but life is infinite. We are the finite players in the infinite game of life.” This is still short-term thinking!
God’s word makes it clear that we will live forever if we trust is in His Son Jesus (John 3:15-16). When we follow Jesus, we can be assured of eternal life — “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28). Jesus has fought the battle and won. He declared on the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30).
Eternal life for all who believe and follow Jesus is spent in victory. Paul shares this mystery as God reveals to him in his letter to the Corinthian church:
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 15:51-57
If Victory Is Assured, How Do We Live Now?
The very next verse in Paul’s letter explains how we should live and work in victory everyday, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 5:17). God tells us through His servant Paul that life is infinite and that victory has already been achieved, but that we still have a very important role to play. Our purpose is to be a confident witness for both earthy and heavenly rulers to the victory that Jesus has already achieved (Ephesians 3:10-12). We can do our best work now, knowing we are victorious. We work in faith; not to earn victory or eternal life, but to know God better and to become more like our Savior, Jesus, as we love and serve others in every part of our life (2 Corinthians 3:18). Unlike football and other finite games, we show others the eternal victory and the light of Jesus by surrendering the need to win every finite game now.
This article is part of our series on winning.
Winners are gifted people who are focused on specific goals that they pursue with relentless passion, intentional discipline and detailed preparation. Confident in the outcome, they understand the cost of their pursuit and humbly surrender that which is not necessary to the mission as they look forward to their reward.
7 Attributes Of Winners
The Bible has a lot to say about winning including what it takes to compete and finish in victory. Here are seven attributes of winners with links to the articles already written to guide you on the path to victory:
- Gifted - possess specific talents and abilities (See Talent Use It Or Lose It) “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” - 1 Peter 4:10-11.
- Focused - goal oriented, with vision to see possibilities (See The Gift Of Vision) “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” - Acts 2:17
- Passionate - strong desire to accomplish the mission (See Winners Passionately Surrender) “I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.” - Philippians 1:23
- Dependent - humility to know it can’t be done alone (see Winning Is Completely Dependent) “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” - Philippians 2:13
- Disciplined - pursuit of goals with relentless intentionality and detailed preparation (see Disciplined To Win) “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” - 1 Corinthians 9:25
- Surrendered - fully understanding the cost of the pursuit (see Winners Passionately Surrender) “And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” - Luke 14:27-28
- Confident - sure of the outcome, looking forward to the reward “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Corinthians 15:57
Confidence is derived from predictability. When you know the end result, you are able to perform your duties with complete confidence. You can even learn, grow and get better in the face of certain victory. Just ask Nick Saban. Many of the football games that the University of Alabama plays are certain victories by halftime; however, that does not stop Coach Saban from expecting the very best from each player on every play. Coach Saban believes players can get better even when the victory is not in doubt. Alabama led 28-3 at halftime, yet here is what he said after the blowout win: “I think we got off to a little slow start. The energy, the intensity, the attention to detail early on in the game was not what we wanted it to be, but I think we played better and better and better as the game went on.” Nick Saban is right, and his approach applies to something much bigger than football. Learning, growing and getting better even in the face of certain victory applies to all of life.
What Game Are You Playing?
In Olympic Games, football games, volleyball matches, golf matches, and even in Tic-Tac-Toe there are are winners and losers. Games played with rules for a finite set of time have winners and losers. Many people see their life and work as a series of wining and losing. Likewise, people tend to evaluate their life and work on short term “wins" and “losses”. Let’s face it; falling into the trap of believing we are defined by short term “wins” or “losses” makes us miserable.
Simon Sinek talks about the differences between finite games and and infinite games in his book The Infinite Game. Simon says, “When we lead with a finite mindset in an infinite game, it leads to all kinds of problems, the most common of which include the decline of trust, cooperation and innovation. Leading with an infinite mindset in an infinite game, in contrast, really does move us in a better direction. Groups that adopt an infinite mindset enjoy vastly higher levels of trust, cooperation and innovation and all the subsequent benefits. If we are all, at various times, players in infinite games, then it is in our interest to learn how to recognize the game we are in and what it takes to lead with an infinite mindset. It is equally important for us to learn to recognize the clues when finite thinking exists so that we can make adjustments before real damage is done.” Simon makes a great point about how short term (or finite) thinking leads people to think that they must win now. When we think we must win now we tend to exploit people and circumstances for our own good. This causes an increase in the competitive environment and is destructive to the world.
The Infinite Game Is Already Won
Sinek’s The Infinite Game is worth reading and is helpful to demonstrate how businesses and individuals should think beyond short-term results and, rather, contribute to something bigger than themselves by serving others. Unfortunately, The Infinite Game falls far short of being a guide for how to live. Even more importantly it misses the fact that there is true victory. Simon says, “Our lives are finite, but life is infinite. We are the finite players in the infinite game of life.” This is still short-term thinking!
God’s word makes it clear that we will live forever if we trust is in His Son Jesus (John 3:15-16). When we follow Jesus, we can be assured of eternal life — “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28). Jesus has fought the battle and won. He declared on the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30).
Eternal life for all who believe and follow Jesus is spent in victory. Paul shares this mystery as God reveals to him in his letter to the Corinthian church:
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 15:51-57
If Victory Is Assured, How Do We Live Now?
The very next verse in Paul’s letter explains how we should live and work in victory everyday, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 5:17). God tells us through His servant Paul that life is infinite and that victory has already been achieved, but that we still have a very important role to play. Our purpose is to be a confident witness for both earthy and heavenly rulers to the victory that Jesus has already achieved (Ephesians 3:10-12). We can do our best work now, knowing we are victorious. We work in faith; not to earn victory or eternal life, but to know God better and to become more like our Savior, Jesus, as we love and serve others in every part of our life (2 Corinthians 3:18). Unlike football and other finite games, we show others the eternal victory and the light of Jesus by surrendering the need to win every finite game now.
This article is part of our series on winning.
Winners are gifted people who are focused on specific goals that they pursue with relentless passion, intentional discipline and detailed preparation. Confident in the outcome, they understand the cost of their pursuit and humbly surrender that which is not necessary to the mission as they look forward to their reward.
7 Attributes Of Winners
The Bible has a lot to say about winning including what it takes to compete and finish in victory. Here are seven attributes of winners with links to the articles already written to guide you on the path to victory:
- Gifted - possess specific talents and abilities (See Talent Use It Or Lose It) “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” - 1 Peter 4:10-11.
- Focused - goal oriented, with vision to see possibilities (See The Gift Of Vision) “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” - Acts 2:17
- Passionate - strong desire to accomplish the mission (See Winners Passionately Surrender) “I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.” - Philippians 1:23
- Dependent - humility to know it can’t be done alone (see Winning Is Completely Dependent) “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” - Philippians 2:13
- Disciplined - pursuit of goals with relentless intentionality and detailed preparation (see Disciplined To Win) “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” - 1 Corinthians 9:25
- Surrendered - fully understanding the cost of the pursuit (see Winners Passionately Surrender) “And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” - Luke 14:27-28
- Confident - sure of the outcome, looking forward to the reward “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Corinthians 15:57