Your Message Is More Than What You Portray…

Posted by parkejladd on Oct 29, 2009 in Featured {Article} | 0 comments

…It’s who you are.

There is a perpetual, internal struggle between what is genuinely important in life and what we have chosen to prioritize instead. This struggle exists because somewhere deep within us we are convinced, at some moment in time, even if only slightly, that there must be something more to life other than what we have currently accepted as the norm, the status quo, the dream come true.

No matter who you are, or what you claim to be, you have a story to tell, and your story is enormously important. Each one of us has a message to share, and whether we know it or not, if we truly believe in our message, we implement it into everything we say and do. Your message usually parallels that which you believe most strongly in, and the stronger, more deeply rooted your belief is, the stronger more deeply affecting and apparent your message is. It’s easy to identify those with a strong, firmly planted message because their response to what they claim to believe is confident, robust, knowledgeable, trustworthy and powerful. Their message relays the characteristics of their beliefs in an extremely efficient and effective way.

In light of what is considered normal in this present age, that which is considered the safe, responsible path of least resistance, there must absolutely be something more. There must be something more than simply accomplishing what everyone else thinks you’re supposed to accomplish in order to maintain a good, fair and rich lifestyle. There must be something more than a “checklist life” which demands you follow the rules of American normality and simply fall into line; in to your fairy tale house; in to your dog and three kids; in to your 8am-6pm job; in to your BMW; in to your annual family vacation to the beach; in to your once-a-week-Sunday-morning-be-a-Christian-church-ritual; in to your 401K retirement package; in to your live a long life composed of luke-warm commitments instead of a full life characterized by passionate relevance and faithful hope, always willing to serve others ahead of your own self, loving people more than you love even your own life. There must be something more than this epidemic normality.

The definition of normality, what we are supposed to do, is vitally and intrinsically flawed. It is so flipped, skewed and slanted that we have lost site of what genuinely matters in life, of what is truly critical during our few, short, fleeting days here on earth. We have lost our vision. We have forgotten our first love. We have forgotten what is important in the end. We have forgotten that opportunities come and go and some day so will we. We have forgotten what it means to live, to really, passionately, live.

There are 2 points to consider:

1. What do you believe above and beyond everything else? Found your life and your message on that. Come to a fuller understanding of what you believe and why you believe it. Develop your message around it, devising an effective plan of communicating and spreading that message so that everyone you know has an opportunity to hear, understand, and support that message. Don’t allow your own shortcomings in communication to hinder your great message; make sure it’s clear, concise and understandable.
2. People are what matter. If you’re thinking about spreading a message or building a product or innovating from an idea that doesn’t in some way involve serving others, you are wasting your time. People, and the authentic relationships that you have with them, are paramount to any other endeavor.