Don’t Quit – Project 365: Day 167

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OK, so the title doesn’t have much to do with this image.  And I’ve broken a few photographic rules by centering my subject and shooting a flower from above.  But you know what?  Rules were meant to be broken, ignored and changed.

I just completed day 1 of the Global Leadership Summit today and I have to say it was awesome!  Even better than I had anticipated.  I listened to lectures by Bill Hybels the founding pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois. Then the inspirational business thinker Jim Collins who wrote the book Good to Great and more recently How the Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In.

Christine Caine the founder of the A21 Campaign, an organization dedicated to the care and healing of victims of human trafficking gave a motivational talk on living your passion.  We heard from Tony Dungy the former professional football player turned coach who went on to win the 2007 Super Bowl.  He talked about being a leader by being a mentor.

Then there was an interesting speech by Dr. Peter Zhao Xiao a prominent Chinese economist who talked about the role of China as a world leader and some of the challenges China faces over the next several years as they step into this role of leadership on the world stage.

The day finally concluded with Andy Stanley the senior pastor of North Point Church in Alpharetta Georgia who gave a fantastic lecture on how there are some things that are problems that cannot be solved, rather they are tensions that must be managed.  Progress isn’t about solving it’s about managing.

So I thought I would list out some key points that I got out of todays session (I’ll be back for more awesomeness tomorrow).

1. Associate yourself with fantastic people.  I’ve met a lot of cool people online like Sean Ogle, Joel Runyon and Chris Guillebeau who have all added value to my life and I hope that I have been able to do the same for them.  And there are many others as well out there that I admire and respect.  Develop relationships with people and be yourself.
2. Refill your vision bucket.  When we are moving forward toward a goal it’s easy to lose sight of it after awhile.  Refill that vision by reaffirming what it is you want.  Check out this great post by Joel Runyon on The Power of Why. Keep answering why you are doing what you do and your vision bucket will never run dry.
3. Don’t live out a script someone else has for your life.
4. Take the risk…Don’t ever quit!
5. Greatness is a matter of conscious choice and dedication
6. Greatness is a cumulative process.
7. If you gauge your success by money you will always fail
8. Be true to your purpose and core values
9. Count your blessings
10. Don’t make a list of things to do; instead make a list of things to stop doing.  You may have to think about this one a bit like I did but it makes total sense.
11. Make BHAG’s (Big Hairy Audacious Goals)
12. Never ever give in.  Never capitulate.
13. Do what you do out of passion
14. You need hope to step out and take risks
15. Stubbornness is a virtue if you are right
16. Don’t mistake hours worked for productivity. Be smart about what you do and how you do it.
17. Why would you let anyone keep you from what you enjoy?
18. It is in giving that we receive
19. Remember who you are.
20. Our biggest fear is change
21. There are some things that cannot be solved; they are tensions that must be managed
22. Progress isn’t about solving, it’s about managing
23. Don’t allow strong personalities to win the day
24. Don’t think in terms of fairness or balance; think in terms of rhythm. There is a time and place for things.

I’m really looking forward to what day 2 brings.  I think the biggest thing for me today was the realization that we are here for a purpose.  We can make a difference in the lives of others and we can create a better world.  We can’t give up on this.  We need to take risks to overcome the fear of change.  We need to keep our hope.