You may not have uncovered it yet, but there is undoubtedly an answer to that question.  It is worth searching for, because the answer reveals your purpose.  And in this purpose you can find your true place, or what I like to call your Genius.

When you arrive in your true place, you will know it.  You will feel a sense of destiny as what you most love to do mergers with what you do best.  This is where you will spend your life in your own way, making the difference that you are uniquely equipped to make.

You will also enjoy invigorating surges of self-worth, as there will no longer be a need to compare yourself with anyone else.  While each of us has many areas where we can do well, there is but one Genius.  God had one particular thing in mind when he made you.

You might initially recognize this one particular thing as your ultimate vision or dream.  For some, this dream will shake the entire world.  For others, it will soothe just one tiny home.  In either case, the world will be left a better place.

Throughout your life, you will be changing constantly and becoming someone new, either slightly or extensively different from the previous version of yourself.  With each change, you will either move closer to your true place or move further away.  But no matter how far you may have strayed from your true place, you can always find it again.  Your true place is always waiting for you because no one but you can fill it!

Accept that you have been custom-made by God to serve an exclusive function in this world, even if that role and a plan to fulfill it are not yet clear to you.  This is your true place.  It is up to you to find it, and you will find it if you wholeheartedly look for it.

A clear vision for the future is a key prerequisite for reaching our full potential.  Without such vision, individuals, couples, families, organizations, and entire civilizations drift and meander, squandering opportunities for growth.

Don’t let the word visualization intimidate you.  It simply refers to seeing future possibilities.  Young baseball players visualize playing in the big leagues someday.  Many brides-to-be visualize the details of their wedding day long before it happens.  Business leaders visualize and rehearse important presentations before delivering them to their clients.

We all have the capability to envision a wonderful future or an improved condition in our lives.  Our responsibility is to deliberately feed our mind crisp, vivid pictures.  What is a simple way to get started?

Set aside four or five minutes every day to visualize yourself, in as much detail as possible, living a joy-filled life.  See yourself fully alive, loving your work and having a strong, positive impact.  Envision yourself completely engaged and energized at home with your family.  Rehearse these and other ideal scenarios frequently with as much clarity as possible.

Visualization is a skill that can be learned and mastered.  Constantly exposing our mind to a multisensory image of the end result we are striving for is the most effective way to expand our potential.

As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Don’t be fooled…, ‘bad company corrupts good character’” (NLT).  The individuals we habitually choose to associate with will influence who we become as a person more than any other single factor.  We will inevitable take on the habits, attitudes, beliefs, and even the mannerisms of the people we surround ourselves with.

If we hang around people who have no real vision or who limit God with their own caustic attitudes, we will eventually become just like them.  Negative people poison our outlook, exhaust our energy, and chip away at our potential for joy.  If we associate on a regular basis with people who whine, gossip, condemn, and commiserate, then the inescapable fact is that sooner or later we will resemble them.

It’s highly unlikely that we will even notice this evolution because changes in character happen so gradually.  People do not punch, kick, and drag us off course; if that were the case, we would fight back and protect ourselves.  Rather, they nudge us just a little bit, then a little bit more, then a hair more, until we finally fall under their complete influence.  When people with different values hang out together, somebody ultimately changes.

We must make the shift to investing time with the right people–individuals who lift us up and produce a godly return in our lives.  How exactly do we determine which people are the right ones to invite into our inner circle?  I suggest to invest more time with people who look like this:

• Their character and integrity are equal to or greater than our own.
• They share our faith, or even better, they are further along in their relationship with God.
• Their lives demonstrate the joy-filled fruit of their faith.
• We would like our children to grow up and be similar to them.
• They hold us accountable and ask us the tough questions that are avoided by the majority.
• The draw the best out of us and remind us that God is doing exciting things through us.
• They are sincerely committed to being positively sharpened by their exposure to us!

For example, imagine you’ve been thirty pounds overweight for most of your adult life.  Even though you’ve worked really hard to lose the excess fat, it just hasn’t happened yet.  Now think about being in your car at a traffic light when an extremely fit jogger passes by.  Would seeing that super lean and fit athlete motivate you to increase your exercise routine and drastically improve your diet?  Most likely it would not.  Why is this?

The gap between where you are now (overweight and out of shape) and where you want to go (becoming lean, strong, and fit) is beyond your mind’s believability.  Your mind just would not accept the idea that you could be trim and healthy because it has no recent or consistent prior experiences or beliefs on which to base such an idea.

This does not mean there’s no hope for you!  Rather, it means that you need to set some intermediate goals that will act as stepping stones to gradually raise your beliefs and self-concept to that of someone who is in great physical condition.  You could first set a goal to drop one belt notch or dress size, and then set another goal to lose ten pounds.  Step by step, you could be as lean and healthy as you desire!

The point is to get your mind working with you, not against you.  Set goals that push the envelope, that are just slightly outside what you currently believe about yourself.  Then make and take the intermediate steps that will in turn motivate you to reach your goals.  Your confidence will grow and your belief in yourself will be strengthened.

–We are heavily influenced by our physical surroundings, especially the things we read, watch, and listen to, as well as the words and images that consistently capture our attention.

–We will gradually take on the habits, attitudes, convictions, worldview, and sometimes even the body language and mannerisms of the people we habitually spend time with.

–When we invest time with the right people, we are protected from spending time with the wrong people.  When we say yes to the right inputs, we are by default saying no to the wrong inputs.

–All inputs contribute to who we become.  Nothing is neutral.  Every exposure either overtly or discreetly influences our personality, character, and the choices we make during the day, even though we are consciously unaware of most of them.

–Over time, we will draw into our life the conditions, events, people, and possibilities that correspond with our thinking.  Our visible life on the outside is a mirror- image reflection of our invisible thought life, most of which has been shaped by our consistent inputs.

With these principles in mind, establish ground rules for what you will allow into your heart and mind.  Become intentional in this area.  This will help you decide in advance what you are going to fill your life with on an ongoing basis.

If we don’t make this decision ahead of time, it is very easy to be swept along by cultural mores and conformed to what is current, trendy, and convenient, rather than being transformed by the renewing of our mind.

Our fast paced culture demands a lot from us.  Often, it is more convenient to drink a source of energy each day than it is to examine our lifestyle.  But long-term vitality can come naturally when we implement some key causes of energy into our lives.

1.  Write down a goal for how long you want to live healthfully and productively.  Obviously, your life is in God’s hands.  However, you do have control over many choices that can significantly affect your life expectancy and overall health.  Start a list of the healthy habits you will need to put into practice to reach your goal.

2.  Develop an ultra-positive attitude.  The more positive you are, the more energy you will have!  A maximum-energy lifestyle requires that you choose a positive mental attitude.  This is not something that happens to you; it is a deliberate choice that ultimately becomes a habit.

3.  Control stress.  Ask yourself this question:  “Have I ever been stressed-out when I wasn’t thinking stressful thoughts?”  The meaning you place on a certain event makes it stressful, not the event itself.  In other words, stress doesn’t really exist except to the degree to which you allow it.  Finding a positive angle on a negative situation goes a long way toward minimizing stress.

4.  Exercise effectively.  If you want maximum levels of energy, take responsibility for becoming a mini-expert on exercise and fitness.  To get started, become well educated on the benefits of aerobic exercise, strength training, and stretching such as yoga, Pilates, or some type of martial arts.  These lay a sound foundation for developing an excellent fitness program.

5.  Eat nutrient dense foods.  Most Americans find themselves in such a constant rush that what they eat is based on convenience rather than nutrition.  The foods you choose to eat exert a powerful impact on your level of physical, mental, and emotional energy.

6.  Sleep.  Sufficient, refreshing sleep is essential to a high-energy lifestyle.  Your body needs sleep to function properly and repair itself.  Without sufficient sleep, the body is more likely to break down.

7.  Schedule ample time to revitalize your mind.  Optimum creativity and productivity require mental rest.  This means that your brain, like your body, needs sufficient recovery and renewal to operate at its peak.

More than any other factor, a lack of energy will cause you to underachieve and underperform.  When you are run down, drained, or otherwise out of balance, your choices suffer.  You become more oriented around the short term; you think more about what is expedient than what is in your long-term best interest.  Without enough energy, even a modest goal can seem like an insurmountable challenge.

When you manage your body wisely–by eating right, avoiding harmful substances, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly–you will have better health and more energy.  Abundant levels of energy are the indispensable prerequisite for individual achievement, success, and peace of mind.

Fortunately, becoming a high-energy, high-output human being need not be a gamble!  The causes of vigorous energy have been thoroughly researched and well documented.  It is your personal responsibility to seek out and make the best health choices for your life.

It is my hope that you will start putting into practice a healthier lifestyle.  When you do, you will experience an amazing increase in the levels of energy that fuel your mind, body, and spirit, as you continue to follow God’s purpose and plan for your life.

Research indicates that the average person thinks approximately fifty thousand thoughts per day.  This is either good or bad news because every thought moves you either toward your God-given potential or away from it.  No thoughts are neutral.

Approximately 90 percent of the thoughts you have today are repeats from yesterday and the day before.  This is the primary reason why effecting permanent, positive life improvements tends to be met with such stiff resistance in most people.  It may be challenging at first, but you can make the shift from random, reactive thinking to deliberate, purpose-driven thinking.

If your aim is to maximize your potential, you must first discipline yourself mentally.  This is your responsibility, something for which you must immediately take ownership.  In Romans 12:2, we are taught that transformation is the result of a renewed mind.  The idea is that you have to retrain your thoughts and feelings if you want to experience God’s ideal for your life.

God designed our minds to be immensely powerful.  This is one of the most wonderful blessings from our Creator!  The secret to living an exceptional life tomorrow is purely a matter of thinking strong, joyful thoughts today.   It is the net result of programming your mind with the kind of high-quality ideas and boundless possibilities that will set you free and allow you to soar and thrive as God intends.

I am working on a manuscript for a “sequel” to The 4:8 Principle. It is due out next fall, but I will be finishing my writing in just the next few weeks.

I am looking for and would like to include your best ideas for applying The 4:8 Principle in this new book.

Would you consider contributing an idea or story or illustration for how you [or a family member or friend] have used the 4:8 principle to experience more joy and fulfillment in your [their] life, marriage, family, etc? By reading or being exposed to your idea or particular method, I want future readers to see additional opportunities to “Activate 4:8″ in their own life.

I am looking for any or all of the following:

• A specific example of how you have personally used and benefited from the 4:8 concept
• A method or practice involving 4:8 thinking that has been helpful to you, either personally or professionally
• How your family has used the 4:8 mindset to create more joyful family culture

Not to worry, your contribution can be rough or polished, but preferably no more than a paragraph or two. Bullet points are fine too. We can change your name or drop your name for privacy if you prefer. [please indicate your preference; my default will be to change your name unless you indicate otherwise]

If you would like to be a part of this new 4:8 project, please submit your contribution to me at the48principle@gmail.com before January 12th.

Your ideas can be a real blessing to others! I encourage you to share what has worked for you!

Thanks much!

-Coach

PS. If I use your contribution, I will send you a case of this new book to share with your friends and family! Remember, the deadline is January 12, 2012.

Whatever you dwell upon becomes increasingly prominent in your own mind.  For example, the more we stay mindful of the positive qualities in our spouse, the closer and stronger our relationship will become.  The more attention we give our kids, the more influence we will have in their lives.  The more we mull over God’s promises, the greater our spiritual convictions become.  Alternatively, the more we mentally replay a particular injustice, the more frustrated we will become.

Whatever we stop thinking about or turn our attention away from tends to atrophy and drop out of our lives.  So let us starve worry, fear, and doubt by no longer feeding them with our attention.  We must shift our attention to our blessings, to our strengths, and to the aspects of our lives that are working.

You can do away with a negative thought only when you replace it with a positive thought.  Let me tell you what does not work:  We cannot eliminate a thought by fighting it or trying to block it out.  Instead, we must shift our attention to something else completely.  We can exert far greater control over our thinking and our life by replacing negative, counterproductive thoughts with positive, empowering thoughts.

You produce feelings as a result of deliberate behavior.  One of the most effective and least utilized methods for upgrading our emotional life is acting our way into the feelings we most desire.  Once we have decided that fulfilling our full potential dictates a particular choice, then “acting our way into feelings” is simply the discipline that will align our behavior with our values.

Any new behavior feels a bit unnatural until we grow accustomed to it.  Think of a time when you initially didn’t feel like doing something.  Take exercise.  Almost everyone has experienced the intention to exercise without an accompanying feeling of enthusiasm!  But we put ourselves out there and do it because we know of its benefits.  We force ourselves to act in a manner consistent with our values, not in a manner consistent with our feelings at that particular moment.

Recognizing these three laws is a great first step on the journey to emotional strength and well-being.  When we operate in harmony with these laws, we naturally produce a satisfying emotional climate.