Shedding the Image
Savvy Saturdays - 10/10/20
Hello friends,
Greetings from Austin!👋
When I lead, many times I feel like I need to uphold an image.
I feel I need to be more cunning, more resourceful, and more knowledgeable in order to combat many different problems and obstacles that arise as a leader.
The image I have created for a leader is based on pieces of lofty ideals different figures I look up to uphold.
I find myself wanting to convey passion in faith to the level of John Piper. 🙏
Or imitate the concise speaking style of Simon Sinek. 🎤
Or speak in logical paths like Jordan Peterson. 🏫
Or hold the attention of an audience like Steve Jobs. 🍎
Or be compelling for others to follow my crazy visions like Elon Musk. 🚀
Pastors, inspirational leaders, famous entrepreneurs; all these people influenced me through their words, achievements, and lives.
Recently though, I’ve been trying to let go of that image of perfection and try to be real rather than try to be always right.
I recognize that perfection is impossible to achieve. 🚫
Though it is fun playing around with the idea of becoming like these leaders, the problem with chasing after so many different ideals was that I easily lose myself and forget who I am.
Though I aspired to one day become like “Steve Jobs” or “Elon Musk”, I ended up becoming someone I was not. 🤔
I lost the aspect of wanting to be real and express myself, and try to conform myself to the image of people I aspire to become. Though there’s nothing wrong with trying to aim towards learning the public speaking patterns of Simon Sinek, or take note of the passion and conviction John Piper had, when imitation becomes an unhealthy obsession, I found myself leading a different life.
I found myself humbled and needing to face truth. Learning to accept who God had specifically made me, and let go of my dream of trying to be who I’m not.
As I processed my image and learned to let go what I built up, I started to focus on the things I could improve. The small steps I could take to be like the many people I valued without the unrealistic expectations.
Things like integrity. The truth I spoke. Discipline. How I utilized my time & money. How I used my words to bless and empower others.
Values & characteristics that would take a lifetime to work on, but would be more conducive to living. The moment I distinguished what I could and couldn’t do, I found peace. Not that I had it all figured out, but I had clarity and direction of what I needed to focus and grow.
To rebuild a real transparent image of who I am.
Thanks for checking in y’all! 10/10/2020 is a pretty crazy date to hit. We’ll never have it ever again (unless you create a time machine). 🧐
My personal portion is going to be short this week. 😬 (at least that’s what I like to call the part of the newsletter where I share photos and mini updates) I didn’t have too much time to take pictures cause I was so busy focused on reflecting and living life. Kind of enjoyed that.
I had a project I was working on that I missed a deadline for. 😳 Fortunately my manager was willing to communicate on my behalf for it, so I’m blessed to have him support me in that way. Makes me not want to ever miss a deadline, and learn from it! 😅
On a more food-related note, I did make some amazing meat-fall-off-the-bone ribs for my roommates! 🤤 Unfortunately they were so good, we ate them before we could even take a picture, so you’re going to have to trust me on this one. 😬
Anyways, I hope y’all are pushing through in life. Please let me know if there’s any way I can be praying for y’all!
With that, please stay safe, keep it savvy, and I’ll see y’all in the next update 😊
Eric
Weekly Collections
Faith
Denying Yourself is Loving Yourself
“In a society that prizes individualism as much as ours does, perhaps one fear looms largest when we hear “deny yourself”: the fear that we will lose ourselves. We will be deprived of everything that makes me me. Our dreams will be trashed, our desires blunted, our personality erased. We will become one more drop in a sea of endless gray.
To which Jesus responds, “No, find yourself — your true self.” He says, “Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:35). The kingdom of heaven holds secrets of which the devil knows nothing. Where Jesus reigns, the way up is down, the first are last, and the only way to save your life is to lose it for his sake.
The life we find on the other side of self-denial may look far different from the life we’ve always known. But it will not — it cannot — be worse. It is a life where we gain a hundredfold more than we ever give up (Mark 10:30). It is a life where we are no longer a broken note in the symphony of the universe, but are rather sounding the part God created us for. It is a life with Jesus: maker of all beauty, redeemer of all brokenness, fountain of all joy.
When you deny yourself, you will not lose yourself — not ultimately. You will find yourself.
We come now to perhaps the most surprising promise of self-denial. If you deny yourself, you will not only find yourself, defy the devil, and join heaven’s side;
You will be happy.
For, as Jonathan Edwards once preached,
“Self-denial destroys the very root and foundation of sorrow.”
—Denying Yourself is Loving Yourself | Scott Hubbard
Entrepreneurship
“To be a successful creator you don’t need millions.
You don’t need millions of dollars or millions of customers, millions of clients or millions of fans.
To make a living as a craftsperson, photographer, musician, designer, author, animator, app maker, entrepreneur, or inventor you need only thousands of true fans…
1,000 true fans is an alternative path to success other than stardom.
Instead of trying to reach the narrow and unlikely peaks of platinum bestseller hits, blockbusters, and celebrity status, you can aim for direct connection with a thousand true fans.
On your way, no matter how many fans you actually succeed in gaining, you’ll be surrounded not by faddish infatuation, but by genuine and true appreciation.
It’s a much saner destiny to hope for. And you are much more likely to actually arrive there.”
Productivity
When your top priority is to be liked all the time, you aren't in touch with what you need."You are going to find it very, very difficult to do what you need to do for you"
Four takeaways from NPR’s podcast on how to say no as a people pleaser:
Understand your bandwidth — and learn to respect it
Learn the difference between desire and obligation
Before you say yes, pause
Learn the art of the soft no
—How to Say No, For the People Pleaser Who Always Says Yes | NPR
Weekly Reflections
Verse of the Week
“Fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
—Isaiah 41:10
Challenging Quote
"The reality is, my prayers don't change God.
But, I am convinced prayer changes me.
Praying boldly boots me out of that stale place of religious habit into authentic connection with God Himself."
—Lysa TerKeurst
If you guys have found the newsletter to be helpful, I would love to hear from you on what’s been good, any suggestions for improvement, and anything else you’d like to see!
Please don’t be shy to let me know and thanks in advance!