They might look something like this:
You could list twenty-five or more, but that’s not practical.
What five character traits would those who follow you say you most exemplify? Would they match the ones you most hope is the real you?
3. Pre-Make Lifestyle Decisions.
When you go to the grocery store you probably make a list so you don’t wander up and down the isles temped to pick up stuff you don’t need or want. That’s a simple example of pre-making decisions. In this case, of what you will or won’t buy.
The practice of pre-making important lifestyle decisions can radically alter the trajectory and outcomes of your life.
If you wait until you’re at the moment of decision, when the pressure is on and perhaps your discipline or willpower is low, it almost always results in a less than ideal outcome and regret kicks in.
You can pre-make decisions about:
- Your budget
- How you treat people
- Your physical health and regular exercise
- How you demonstrate generosity
- Your prayer life
The point is not to make a long list.
What 3-5 lifestyle decisions can you pre-make so that when you come to them daily, weekly, or monthly, you waste no time deliberating toward success or failure, you just do the smart thing?
4. Practice Delayed Gratification.
We live in an instant culture where if we wait more than five seconds for a website to load or an app to fully open, frustration kicks in.
If we text someone and they don’t respond in minutes we might be tempted to wonder why. Today business makes it possible to have nearly anything delivered to your doorstep in a day or two.
None of this helps us in our ability to wait for the things we want in life. That’s not an excuse, it’s just being honest about the world we live in.
Delayed gratification is the ability to resist the temptation for immediate enjoyment in hopes of gaining a more valuable and long-lasting reward.
My leadership mentor says it this way:
“Pay now, play later.” John Maxwell
The ultimate idea in a Christian worldview is that we exchange a lifestyle of personal agenda and life apart from Christ, for the eternal reward of heaven.
The same principle holds true for the daily life we live in the here and now.
Character is built by learning the ability to set aside the smaller and faster rewards for the deeper, more meaningful and lasting rewards.
