While many of us were busy eating chips and salsa and buffalo wings while watching the Super Bowl and the Super Bowl commercials, Eli Manning and the New York Giants were busy doing what they’ve become so good at…

Winning against the odds.

When asked at the beginning of the season if he was an elite quarterback, Eli Manning responded with confidence. After losing 4 games in a row earlier in the year, Eli and the Giants were able to bounce back in a big way.

They’ve been the underdogs for much of the year.
Eli’s been the underdog for much of his life.

Sure, Eli was always highly regarded as a QB, but has always lived under his brother’s shadow.

He’s an underdog.

But he gets it done. In fact, he now has one more Super Bowl ring than his more talked about and hyped brother.

Why?

Because he doesn’t listen to the people that say he can’t…
He just does.
He believes.

He wins.

Hoping you and I can learn from it.

Don’t let people tell you what you can’t do, work hard to be sure you show them what you are capable of doing!

Your thoughts? Did you watch the game? Heck, share your favorite commercial.

#Eli the Underdog & The Giants #SuperBowl Champs is a post from: JonathanPearson.net

The difference is Jesus. He’s the unifying element.

Your thoughts?

The Secret to #Unity in the Church is a post from: JonathanPearson.net

1. What’s the temperature where you are?

2. What’s something you need help with right now?

3. What’s your favorite fast food place?

4. If you had to describe yourself in one word, what would it be?

4 Questions is a post from: JonathanPearson.net

Growing up, my family used to have a lot of animals that would wonder into our yard. These animals would often come around for a few days and vanish the next week. Occasionally, though, a dog or a cat would wonder into the yard and stay around a little while. When this happened, our family had to make decision whether to keep the animal or take it to a shelter.

When I was about 10 years old, a dog came around that I just couldn’t leave alone. Within a few weeks, I had taught this stray dog to sit, shake hands, and lay down on command. I had nurtured this dog from a homeless mutt into a well-trained family pet.

In leadership, sometimes we’re faced with the decision to nurture or dismiss -
a person, a project, a volunteer, a task, or an idea.

To nurture one of these things means that we still believe that it has potential, that we believe it’s worth our time, that we still see it’s value in the future.

It takes time to nurture something….

To take special time and gentle attention to help someone or something reach its full potential.
To develop an idea to its action step and think it out to its completion.

Sometimes, though, we need to dismiss the person, project, task, or idea.

Sometimes, it’s not worth our time to work on a task that isn’t going anywhere productive.
Some ideas, no matter how long they’re nurtured, aren’t going to develop into solid processes or creations.
Some people are going to be beyond or outside our area of expertise and need us to dismiss them so that someone else can develop them.

Don’t dismiss when you can nurture.

Lean towards being willing to nurture long before you consider dismissing.

After all,

That task could lead to something earth shaking.
That idea could change your organization or the world.
That person could be nurtured into a powerful leader.

Nurture Or Dismiss is a post from: JonathanPearson.net

Fear.

You have an idea, you think it’s a good one, but you fear what it will take to get there.

You have a goal, but you’re scared of the effort and sacrifices you’ll have to make to accomplish it.

You have a conviction, but you’re nervous about what other people will say if you start or stop because of it.

The great part about acknowledging that fear is the thing holding you back?

You can begin to move past it.

Do. Not. Fear.

Rise Above It.

What holds you back?

1 Thing Holding You Back is a post from: JonathanPearson.net

Fill in the blank: I’m A __________.

#ImA is a post from: JonathanPearson.net

In case you didn’t hear, yesterday a legend in the sports world passed away.

Joe Paterno was the head coach for the Penn St Nittany Lions for 46 years… 46 very successful years.
He was with the university for a total of 61 years.

Joe Pa wasn’t perfect (none of us are) , but there are still things we can glean from his life…

1. Dedication is essential to success.

Joe Paterno was dedicated to the Penn St football program. His 40+ years proved that he believed commitment was important if he wanted to win. He was committed to building excellence and being a part of it… He never quit.

2. Be careful who you place around you.

Joe Paterno’s greatest tragedy was having people around him that would eventually ruin his reputation. Did Joe Pa handle him perfectly? Probably not, but he allowed Jerry Sandusky to stick around and have his name attached. Those around you will help or hurt you… Guaranteed!

3. Invest in others.

Joe Pa invested in other people. He sought to make the people around him better. The student athletes that he coached in his 40+ years will vouch for the fact that he made a difference in them… even beyond their time on his team.

What other things can we learn from Joe Pa?

3 Lessons From the Life of #JoePa is a post from: JonathanPearson.net

1. Your current place is draining you rather than fulfilling you.

We all have those days. Those days when we wanna just go home and give up. Those times when where we are and what we do seems to cause more stress than good. Usually, though, in the middle of these times, we still know we’re being fulfilled. That we’re doing what we were created to do. It’s fulfilling us. When where you are quits fulfilling you, you may need to find somewhere or something else. That’s no good way to live.

2. You’re giving your current place only half effort.

Whatever you do deserves your best. Whether it be a place you like or dislike, it should still get your full effort. Sure, there will be days that you don’t feel well or that something else is causing you to get off track, but you should still want to give it full effort. If you find yourself only wanting to give half effort day after day, it may be time to find a new place.

3. Your current place is effecting your family life.

It’s really easy to take work home. Even if your job is strictly a 9-5 kinda job, the frustrations can still make you be different at home. It happens… we all have those times with where we are or what we are doing. But it shouldn’t be a constant or consistent thing. If where you are is changing who you are (for the worse… listen to those around you), then it may be time to find a new place.

OK, those are my 3. Any more ideas? What have you learned from your experience?

3 Signs You Need to Find Another Place is a post from: JonathanPearson.net

Thanks to Sandy Bowers for today’s 8 on 8′s.

See all of the 8 on 8 posts here.

8 on 8′s – GOSPEL is a post from: JonathanPearson.net

No matter what you and I do or what we want to accomplish, if it’s worth while and is going to produce results, they’ll come a time when it gets hard.

They’ll come a time when we have to decide.

Will we…

Bow Out or Push Through

The people that live mediocre lives bow out,
the people that accomplish things and reshape the world push through.

They find the motivation and determination to push through the “I wanna quit” moments.
They believe their mission is worth times of uncomfortable surroundings, depressing results, and tough people.

So, what will you do?
What will I do?

Bow Out or Push Through?

Bow Out or Push Through is a post from: JonathanPearson.net