Recently, I found myself in crisis. This crisis was incredibly similar to a crisis I found myself in a few years before…which was a lot like another I had been in a few years before.
Suddenly, I was captured by despair! Will I ever change?
This blog is titled Growth and Mission. It is committed to the belief that people can, and do change. It’s based in a belief that Jesus really meant for people to do all the things he said to do.
Jesus calls his followers to become disciples. When you view your life as discipleship you realize that all discipline is spiritual discipline.
A big part of why we don’t change is that we don’t understand how people change. All change, whether it means learning a new language or overcoming addiction is based in a simple framework. In Spirit of the Disciplines, Dallas Willard refers to this as VIM or Vision, Intention, Means.
Vision-Having a picture of what life after the change
Intention-Recognizing ways you will have to rearrange your lifestyle and personality.
Means-The tools necessary for accomplishing the vision.
Another framework comes from Goleman and Boyatzis’ method of self-learning In Primal Leadership. The “five discoveries” are a set of recursive questions and practices of a resonate leader.
- The First Discovery: My ideal self—Who do I want to be?
- The Second Discovery: My real self—Who am I? What are my strengths and gaps?
- The Third Discovery: My learning agenda—How can I build on my strengths while reducing my gaps?
- The Fourth Discovery: Experimenting with and practicing new behaviors, thought, and feelings to the point of mastery.
- The Fifth Discovrery: Developing supportive and trusting relationships.
I’m stuck living under the tyranny of what I have not learned to manage. I’m intensely disorganized. My natural emotional state tends toward depression. An utter fear of articulating my heart’s desires is behind a cycle of disasters. I write this blog, not as an expert, but as one who has become desperately aware of my need to change.
“Growth” posts are about tangible ways to live with discipline. Some of what you’ll see are:
- Examples of spiritual disciplines.
- Reflections on personal and spiritual growth.
- Lifehacks, simple ways to do important things.
I will do my best to make it thoughtful, inspiring, tangible and practical.
Enjoy.
What is the number one area of growth needed in your life?
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