"How are your meetings?"

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 I read a survey recently about meetings—are they mostly productive or unproductive? Some interesting thoughts and trends emerged…

…most of the business people surveyed said at least half of the meetings they attend are “a waste of time.” But when asked about the meetings that they conduct, most indicated those meetings were productive.

So I guess it makes a difference who leads the meeting as to whether or not you see it as productive or not.

Somewhat like the difference between major and minor surgery—if it’s me they’re operating on, it’s major. If it’s you, it’s minor.

I liked one respondent’s statement: “Some years ago, I was assigned to the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon. The Army two-star general used to have stand-up meetings—no one, including him, sat down. Those meetings never dragged on or were a waste.”

The most productive meeting you’ll have today—standing or sitting—is your meeting with God. Listen to life with God and make a productive life today.

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"What's going on with you?"

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Life is tough sometimes, isn’t it? Some days are worse than others. And some days are better than others.

Have you ever had one of those days when something went wrong first-thing in the morning? You spilled coffee on your favorite dress. Or, an irate customer greeted you on the phone with something that wasn’t your fault? Or, the dog wet the floor just as you were leaving?

Did you find yourself saying, because this happened first thing in the morning, “Great! It’s gonna be one of those days.”?

Sure life is tough sometimes, but you can avoid letting one incident like this mess up your day…which can lead to a messed-up week, month, year, and life. Instead ask yourself, “Okay Self, in five years, will this matter?”

If you answer, “No,” then smile and go on.

If you answer, “Yes,” then stop what you’re doing, pray to God and ask for strength and courage and peace and love because life is really tough, and go on.

Then listen to your life and make a life, not just a living.

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"What are you facing?"

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 Our younger daughter is now a high school senior. How her mother is old enough for her “baby girl” to be a high school senior, I’m not sure, but it’s a new reality for all of us. Now we’ve been here before with her older sister. Nonetheless, we’re facing another life transition.

This life transition was never clearer than a couple of weeks when my wife and I were talking with a friend of our daughter’s. “Congratulations!” I said. “You’re now a senior.”

“Yea, I know,” the friend said. “But I’m not so sure about being a senior.”

“What do you mean?” I said.

“Well,” she said, “I’m not so sure I’m ready to go to college, but it’s getting time to go.”

I can relate, can’t you? I’ve faced some life transitions—and still do—and not been so sure I was ready. Fear fuzzes up my focus because I’ve not been in this situation before. When I’m in these situations, I remind myself—Faith in God gets rid of fear. God has faced all situations. God faces ours with us.

So listen to your life and keep the faith as you make a life, not just a living.

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"Do you listen?"

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 I started a new coaching group recently. I like to begin a new group by our getting to know one another better, primarily as people first—human beings—and then we talk about what we do and why we do it.

I began this new group in this usual way. Sometimes I have to ask lots of questions until the depth of sharing moves into a meaningful level. I do this so we can become comfortable with each other, and then real learning takes place.

Well, with this particular group, I didn’t have to ask too many questions. I simply asked a few of the first person and he started talking. Then we moved on to the other participants and they were more than ready. I really didn’t ask any more questions because they had become comfortable and wanted to share.

The group finished sharing and before I shared some of my story, someone in the group said, “I can’t remember the last time I talked about myself so much. Usually no one wants to listen to me!”

Ask God to lead you to someone to whom you can give the gift of listening today as you make a life, not just a living.

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"What motivates you at work?"

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 Yes, today is Monday. Yes, you probably had to go to work today. Speaking of work, what primarily motivates you at work? Why do you do your best?

Are you primarily motivated by money? Or, respect? Or getting a promotion? Or, are you primarily motivated by your own personal satisfaction with a job well done?

Monster.com recently did a survey of over 6,000 people who work and discovered that their primary motivator is personal satisfaction. Nearly half of the people surveyed responded in this way.

So what does this mean? It means making a life, and not just a living is really important to us. Making a life involves being personally satisfied with your work, that what you do makes a difference in other people’s lives; that your work is the unique contribution God gave you to make to the world.

Want to make a life and be personally satisfied at work? Then listen to life today for what God has to say.

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