Search results for "leadership"

As Christian entrepreneurs, our hearts are shaped from before we were born to hurt for a particular wrong in this world. We don't know it from birth, we uncover it along the way. Entrepreneurship (God's way) is taking a risk to launch a venture that will solve that specific problem you were created to pain over. But with so many avenues to take and so many people we can help, how do we know the exact pain we were born to pour into? I've always been in the business of launching businesses, either for myself or for my clients. Before knowing anything about Christ, I've had a marketing and branding agency. But something weird happened when I started my relationship with God 5 years after launching my company. I began to "feel bad" for entrepreneurs that were coming to launch their business that I knew deep down the venture wasn't going to work out for them. Before knowing God, if you had an idea for a business, I would take your deposit and start working on whatever you had come to me asking to be done. But after knowing God, I began to question the client, "Are you sure this is the business you were born to do?" My relationship with God revealed to me a pain that I couldn't shake off: there are people launching businesses that they have no business launching. Furthermore, if this isn't the right business, then what exactly is the business he or she is supposed to be in. When we start our relationship with Christ and couple that with our vocation of entrepreneurship, God begins to shape our hearts to pain for the same things He pains for. God gives us a NEW heart-shaped like His. The Bible says "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." (EZEKIEL 36:26 NIV) The first clue to deciding on a niche is carefully analyzing how when certain problems come up; your heart is moved. The movement of your new heart is one way God teaches you what is your "thing" in the marketplace. Business books call it your unique selling proposition (USP): what you and your company uniquely solve, different from every other company on the planet. Your heart is made to notice, to care, to move more for certain people (target market) and particular needs (niche problem to solve): when their needs meet, your heart is satisfied; when they aren’t, your heart hurts with their heart. For me, it would pain me to see an entrepreneur try to be everything for everyone. It wouldn't sit right if the person launching the business were doing it off of a whim, or because there's "money" to be made. When I got my new heart, I grew a passion for helping people discover what they were born to do BEFORE launching their business. We can all become conscientious of the feelings our God-first heart gives off, and begin to meet the true needs or the people we're called to help so that we can not only find their joy but ours too. Also, take note that you're not moved by the same thing I'm moved for. It means you and I were uniquely created, and not all of us are shaped to solve the same thing. A second clue to deciding on a niche is understanding that although all of us Christian entrepreneurs are created for good works, as individuals, we're not created for EVERY work. We're all called to help those in need in our marketplaces, but as individual companies, we're not called to meet EVERY need. It is especially difficult for realtors to grasp their heads around. They think because they have a license to service the entire state of Florida, that everyone is their target market. But that's impossible. I have to help them see that they were created to solve a particular niche need, and the process of deciding on a niche makes the difference between top earners and those that struggle. I have discovered my thing to do here in this world, and my prayer is that CHRIST teaches you what is yours! Don't look for your niche at a seminar or a YouTube video or because you saw someone else succeeding. Your niche will come from a heart after God's heart. Imagine if we all detached ourselves from our selfish desires and considered only our hearts. What specific group of people can we help with a particular need that uniquely moves us? That's our niche. #NewEntrepreneurs #FindMyCalling Deciding On A Niche In 4 Steps to Deciding on a Niche for your Business, join Alex Miranda as he guides you to launch a brand with intention and purpose and decide on a niche already. Heard of the Godpreneur Academy? Grow Your Business, God’s Way! Bible-Based Video Courses for Entrepreneurs Putting God First In their Businesses Click here to create a Free Account

As Christian, is it possible to have fame and fortune, yet still, be rooted in Christ? Can I be the exception to the rule that “its hard for a rich man to get into heaven?” I struggled with this because I wouldn’t mind being rich and famous, but I don’t want to miss out on heaven! So, what does PROPER AMBITION actually look like? Yes, rich business owners go to heaven all the time. The issue isn’t how much money we have, the test comes to where our heart is at. Yesterday I talked about improper ambition and using my work as a means of making a name for myself. When the Babylonians tried to build their fame and fortune, God “scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city” (Genesis 11:8). To God, the motives behind my ambition obviously matter a great deal. The bible says: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23 NIV 1 Corinthian also echoes how our ambitions should be set: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV Imagine a marketplace where people aren’t out for themselves and not using their creations to glorify themselves, but instead, they are laying their creations down as an offering of worship to God. Godpreneurs are called to be ambitious, to work hard, and to be good stewards of the talents God has given us. But we are called to own businesses, not for our own glory, but to “do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). When our entrepreneurship is motivated by a desire to glorify God, serve others, and create products and services laid down as an offering to God, then we have the proper ambition to create with everything we’ve got. #StrengthenIntegrity #EnhanceFocus

One thing is for certain:  in my business, I deal with a lot of uncertainty. Uncertain where the next client will come from. Uncertain how long this new economy will last. Uncertain of the next step to take. My wife hates uncertainty, she needs to be in control. We all experience uncertainty and we all process it differently. Some of us are less affected by it than others, but we’re all under its reality. As entrepreneurs, we agonize over decisions because we are afraid of making a mistake, but God doesn’t promise to give us absolute certainty. He invites us Godpreneurs to know and trust Him in the midst of uncertainty. That’s what faith is all about, and entrepreneurs have to learn how to manage, live with, and use uncertainty to their advantage.  Let it strengthen your faith and testimony of how God works in and through your business. The book of Proverbs says: Trust in the lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3 5-6) How comfortable are you with uncertainty? Imagine if we entrepreneurs could just trust that, after doing our best possible job, we left it in God’s hands and moved on to the next most important task for moving your business further. If you constantly worry about your business, surrender your fears to God. Instead of being determined to figure out what God wants you to do, focus instead on who He is. As human beings with finite minds, we do not always understand the eternal purposes behind hiring, firing, changing product and service offerings, bringing on new clients, and everything else that comes with uncertainty. Faith is trusting that our story will fit perfectly into His story. This is His business. He’s asked us to do something, He’ll do the rest so we can move on. Godpreneur Rule #61:  Trust God’s character in the midst of business uncertainty and embrace the wisdom and goodness of God working in and through our lives. #GainConfidence

As entrepreneurs, it’s easy to have a ‘successful’ week and want to reward ourselves. It’s so simple to look at last week’s amazing numbers and say “let’s go out for a steak dinner.” Rewarding yourself and going out for a steak dinner takes you off the vision you’ve set for yourself. One of the most important positions in medieval times was the night guard, protecting the castle at night in case of an invasion.  It required his vision to be clear, unadulterated by his phone, social media games, sleepiness, etc.  If he closed his eyes for a second, that’s when the enemy could attack. Just when you think everything is fine, and the reports are coming back that the cancer is gone, the weight you wanted to reach is here, the contract you’ve been waiting for was signed, don’t rest.  Stay alert. How many books are you reading this month? How many blog posts have you read about your specific industry? When you get on the phone with a new vendor or prospect today, what NEW information are you going to bring to the table? What will make you look like “Man, this dude is up-to-date on everything!”? Staying alert means keep up with the trends. Staying alert is knowing your competition is on your tail. Staying alert is realizing that your clients are always looking for a better deal, better service, better quality. Why stay alert?  Because not staying alert will produce HURT. Hurt your pocket, hurt your relationships, hurt your reputation, and hurt your ability to succeed. Stay alert….don’t get hurt. #EnhanceFocus

I can’t tell you how many of my tasks are overdue. You wouldn’t believe how many things are on my plate to get out. I’m not even sure how many balls are on my side of the court that are holding initiatives in my business up. I have campaigns to launch, client deadlines to meet, new business opportunities to create plans for, and prospects to follow up with. Oh, and not to mention, I have a personal life – you know… a wife, kids, working out, friends, and all of that. And I forgot – I have a spiritual life that, at times, takes a back seat to all of the other priorities and deadlines I have to meet. And putting God on the back-burner is precisely the problem with the hurry and rush of being a business owner. All of us Christian entrepreneurs have an enemy in our life that wants to rob our businesses blind. This enemy disguises himself to steal our love, our joy, and our peace. If this enemy can distract us long enough, we can all-together forget about leading a God-First business. The enemy is RUSH. I’ve heard it said before that if the devil can’t make you sin, he’ll make you busy. Busyness in business causes almost everything to be in “rush mode". Rushing is precisely where the enemy gets us to fail because it cuts off our relationship with God, other people, and our own Spirit. The ruthless elimination of rush will be one of the most significant challenges and accomplishments a Godpreneur can tackle so that the journey isn’t as burdensome as it feels right now. But how can we eliminate rush when people are relying on us, the bank accounts don’t just fill themselves up, and millions of our dreams still haven’t come to fruition? How can we slow down enough to lead emotionally rich and spiritually healthy and vibrant business lives? One of my favorite illustrations of the “chill” nature of Jesus was when a synagogue leader tells Jesus that his daughter had just died, and to come and lay hands on her so she could be revived. Jesus got up and started heading toward the leader’s house, but not before helping someone else on the way there. The story goes: While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples. Just then, a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment. When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread through all that region. (Matthew 9:18‭-‬26 NIV) What if Jesus would have RUSHED to the leader’s house? Certainly, someone’s death would qualify as a “rush job,” right? When an ambulance responds to an emergency, traffic moves aside, cars stop, and the petal is to the floor to react as fast as possible. And yet Jesus had the confidence about his Spirit that made it seem like even saving a little girl’s life can be done in a calm, cool, and collected way. Jesus’ unrushed nature gave him the capacity to meet a need on the way to meeting another need. Do you see the two-for-one that happened there? In the same amount of time, Jesus did double the miracles. Look, there’s a way to be busy that’s healthy. When you have purpose and passion, you’re going to have a lot on your plate. Jesus was a very busy man traveling city to city. The problem isn’t when you have a lot to do in your business; the problems come when you rush because you have too much on your to-do list. The problem is thinking the only way to keep up with the demands of entrepreneurship is to rush everything. The reality is if the enemy always wants us to be in a hurry and disconnect us from God, then rushing things is entirely incompatible to leading a God-First business. We can’t be led by Spirit and speed. Slowing Down Let’s try slowing down today. The evidence of rush will show up in our bodies, our stress level, at meetings, and any sense of hurry or irritation. The evidence of this rush will all but eliminate our ability to be present in love so we can respond to the Spirit’s calling for the moment. Imagine if we were too busy to not pick up a phone call from a friend asking us to pray for him. Right now, and a few more times through the day, take a deep breath on, imagine God’s loving presence enveloping you, and thank God for slowing you down. #DifferentiatingMyself #WorkLifeBalance

As I’ve written many times in the past, I feel a deep call to rid the world of an identity crisis. There are business owners who are running businesses they shouldn’t be running and have a whole different passion for something else, yet are stuck. I know this because I was one of them. Since I’ve chosen such a “worldwide” view of my deep desire, I’ve been able to re-shape the way I operate my business of doing logos and websites. It has helped me reveal my talent as a Brand Strategist. I’ve been able to focus on specific expertise. It’s helped me eliminate distractions from around me and discern what ideas I should pursue and which ones need to go in the icebox (for later). What I’ve discovered about myself, now I bring in as a methodology to my clients. There are three major areas I consider when looking to discover what my clients are born to do. Today I’ll show you one: the needs of the world. The business God calls you to is where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet. The single strongest indicator of the business mindset God wants you to be in is probably your awareness of what needs to be done to make the world more like what God intends. For me, I would see businesses fail constantly. Remember, I’m the guy doing the logo and website so I’m seeing people BEFORE the start. In 2014 I started to realize a trend: the successful ones were doing it out of a passion as if they were born to do it. The others were following a trend or doing it because there’s money in it. The Bible says: "Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need". Ephesians 4:28 NIV I’m in a position to take their money and run with whatever their idea is, or I can guide them to see how their product or service will impact the world as a whole. If we can’t find it, then we need to dig deeper. This doesn’t necessarily mean all of my clients solve world hunger or other huge, global problems. Working to serve the good of the larger society doesn’t have to be one of the obvious bigger issues. I can’t meet every need in the world, so I narrowed it down to helping people discover their true identity, their purpose, their passion. This set me apart from logo and web guys and helped me see my business in a way in which I’m helping meet the world’s needs. Questions I ask my clients to discover their world solution: What do you observe or notice that needs to change in the world? What do you feel strongly about? What people do you care about? What do you think God has called you to? Once we’ve identified areas, I ask them to consider needs that they are in a good position to meet, that few other people are willing to address, or that they find especially pressing. God has given me the ability to recognize something of what the world needs. There is no biblical formula for translating the needs of the world into a precise business to pursue. I didn’t hear God audibly say “Alex, rid the world of an identity crisis.” Instead, God expects me to notice it and get to work, rather than waiting for a special call from him. I noticed my call while participating in a Bible study at my church. I pray to God to please continue to open my eyes to ways (big or small) that may be inviting me to partner with Him to care for the world’s needs. As I experience more of God’s love, I love others as He loves me. This is how I stay in my ‘born to do’ zone. #BusinessBibleStudy #FindingMyBrand

I'm encouraging you today to step out and be bold enough to follow the leadership of God in your business However, we´re cowardly when we let fear control us rather than continuing to follow the leadership of You have to keep your heart safe and free, and if you’re not following the leadership of God for you,

When there are problems in my business, I’ve learned that playing the blame game is the worst thing you can do. We blame the economy, the employees, the clients, the landlord, etc. Here is what I’ve learned: Trials in business expose our entrepreneurial weaknesses and challenge us to grow… spiritually. Could it be that the purpose of problems in our business is to expose OUR OWN shortcomings? When a problem arises, is the first question out of your mind “what could I have done differently?” If not, then you’re missing out on the lessons that will propel you and your company to heights you couldn’t have imagined….visions that God has for your entrepreneurial life. #GainConfidence #IncreaseEnergy

There’s a lot of decision making when you’re an entrepreneur. I’m constantly making decisions: what’s my next move, who do I contract, who do I call next, what’s most important on my to do, how do I close this deal, where can I get a better deal? And if you’re like me, you’re probably making these decisions alone. This is dangerous for me and you. One IS the loneliest number when it comes to business. The bible talks about there being wise counsel in the multitude. So I have a couple of coaches that I rely on. But the bible also says that if I rely on God and His wisdoms for my business, its like building a house on a rock. When the problems come, I’ll still be left standing. Years ago I made a commitment to strengthen my relationship with God. In making that commitment, I was entering into a partnership that would allow me to have wise counsel whenever I pleased. Are you making business decisions based on what YOU think is good to do, or are you praying and talking to God and reading His Word to find out what HE wants you to do? So that’s what we need to start doing. My commitment in 2015 is to know God better by spending a set time each morning in prayer and meditation, to LISTEN to God’s vision for me, and to FOLLOW THROUGH with what He tells me. #FindMyCalling #ArticulatingMyIdeas

I can’t remember the last time I said “Thank you God, for blessing me with the gift of entrepreneurism.” As Godpreneurs, we believe we’re on this earth to accomplish a duty and obligation God has set before we were born. But our hearts are still deceitful. It helps to ask ourselves, “Why do I serve the Lord?” Is it to gain His favor, earn His blessings, impress others with our “godliness”, or avoid His wrath? Or is it because He commands me to do it? As entrepreneurs are bombarded with the demands of life on earth, mainly financial demands, we often lose sight of the eternal perspective. I started a new routine in the mornings to help keep me aligned. Start your work day by recognizing who He is and what He has done in your business. This will help you obey Him not from a robotic sense of duty, but from the overflow of thankfulness that is in your heart. Be a Godpreneur because you love God above all things…even over the financial gains. #StrengthenIntegrity #SharpenLeadership

One of the most frustrating concepts in my business is “waiting on God’s timing.” I’m always hearing ‘strike while it’s hot’ and ‘there’s never going to be a time like now’ and ‘do it before someone else’s does’. I recognize some of this as hyped up sales talk, but it could also be God speaking through someone else to me, right? It’s a mystery to me…the concept that there’s a time to grow and a time to act. I’ve seen it play out over and over in my business.  Sometimes I feel like I made the right decision, sometimes I bombed the timing and failed miserably. I’ve started businesses that I shouldn’t have just because one day I woke up and had a vision. The same has happened to me with marketing campaigns and releasing new products. I’ve let visions of the future deter my current daily duties, taking me off track. But even amidst the mystery of God’s timing, I do know that one concept is fact: action before preparation usually spells disaster. We entrepreneurs want to shoot first and ask questions later. We want to live the dream that if you build it, they will come. We don’t like writing business plans. We want to throw up the vision on our team and hope they got it and have it done by next week. But this isn’t how God wants us to react as Godpreneurs. In the case of what we were born to do, God wants to prepare us for what he knows lies ahead. We may urgently feel the need to act on a business idea or a new email blast that seems foolish to wait on, but God has bigger plans we don’t understand. The Bible says, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose". Philippians 2:13 NIV God’s timing is perfect, and our visions are simply a small part of His bigger vision. This is why God wants to work INSIDE of us, to prepare us to act on what we were born to do.  And when we’re ready, that’s when He’s ready for us to act…it will be on His timetable. God’s timing can be hard to hear for you, right? I know, that’s the struggle. This is the biggest thing I hear about from entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs. You think that once the vision is clear, we must be ready, otherwise, why would we have the vision? All I have to say is don’t be impatient. We shouldn’t move before God leads. We accept his training and his timing. Meanwhile, what we were born to do, though it may burn inside of us, will enable us to endure the wait, because we know it’s worth it to get it right. We know that having a vision will come BEFORE the preparation. LeBron James had the vision of being the best in the world BEFORE his preparation.  It was the vision that gave him the strength to endure the preparation: all the practicing and hard work. Visions will always be bigger than us.  That’s the point!  Within that tension is where we always want to live because then we know God is always working on us. Godpreneur Rule #29: Our visions are meant to prepare us, they aren’t to be acted on. The preparation will lead to the vision coming to life. #WorkLifeBalance #DifferentiatingMyself

A few years ago I received a letter in the mail from a law firm. The firm was representing Getty Images, a website that sells stock photography asking us to prove that we purchased a certain image that was on our website. But we couldn’t provide the proof because, as the law firm suspected, we had used the image without purchasing it. We had to pay a hefty fine. From that day forward, we became extremely cautious with the imagery we use on our website and our clients as well. Now we follow the rules and pay for our stock photography. The fear of having to pay another fine keeps me on the straight path, even though there have been plenty of other opportunities to save money and just grab a free image I find on Google. We all have opportunities in our businesses to lie, cheat and steal.  We have ways to twist the truth, while covering it by making others think we are angelic. How can we CHANGE our ways? For me, a letter in the mail threatening a lawsuit if I didn’t pay fines helped me to change. But do we need a lawsuit, bankruptcy or a breakup to reach us a lesson? Well, actually, God will use whatever He can to get your attention and change your ways. In the book of Acts, we come across an event that makes my point. A husband and wife sold their land and donated the proceeds to the early church.  They told everyone that they gave ALL of the proceeds, but they lied, and only gave a portion. "Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” (Acts 5:4 NIV) That same day, they both died. The amazing part of this incident is that everyone else who heard about this stopped cheating. They saw that God doesn’t play. You can be told that downloading pirated movies is illigal. You can be warned by your accountant that using your company credit card for personal expenses is cheating on your taxes. You can cut corners on delivering the service or product that your customers purchased. But you can’t stop God from knowing your ways, and doing something to correct it. Knowing God is there to love us so much to want us to be better, we have two choices: 1) we can know that God expects more from us, and stop our ways, or 2) we can accept the consequences when the lawyer sends the letter and let it be a lesson for the future. We should be so lucky that God loves us so much to send us a lawsuit so that we can grow to be the best representative of Him in this world. Godpreneur Rules #74: Godpreneurs have a healthy fear of God that helps us grow. #StrengthenIntegrity #WorkLifeBalance

The other day my coordinator followed up with a lead I had spoken to back in March about a branding and website package.  My first conversation with this prospect was awesome!  Seemed like he was going to buy on the spot.  I sent him the email follow up with a payment and scheduling link. When my coordinator gets on the phone with him, he angrily complains that we never followed up and it’s too late now and he’s already gone with another firm and to not call anymore. When I heard this I was very surprised. I had a great conversation and everything seemed like the start of something awesome. My surprised attitude quickly turned to an anger inside because I was now insulted at the claim we never followed up. As entrepreneurs we are constantly being angered and insulted and pushed around. Sometimes from clients, sometimes from our own employees. So what do you do when that anger boils up and you feel like telling that person off? In Proverbs 15:1 we read A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. God says hold your tongue. God says to show love. When I got back to my desk I went straight to the email I had originally sent following up and I replied to the email and calmly explained that I was sorry he may have missed my follow up email and if there was anything we could do in the future to help we are here to serve. I even wished him good luck on his new venture! He replied that he was sorry that he didn’t see the first email and that he’s busy now and will get back to us. I could have replied angirly. But instead it was a gentle reply that opened the relationship back up. #SharpenLeadership

Back when we were a graphic design fulfillment company, I would send artwork on canvas to my clients every year.  It was an awesome way of showing how much I appreciate their business.  They would hang it up in their offices, and I would make sure it was a piece they would be proud to show off. It’s easy to give gifts to our current clients….they’s paid us! But should we be giving gifts to those that aren’t our clients yet?  They haven’t paid us any money, doesn’t make sense! The bible says: Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people!” (Proverbs 18:16 NLT) Gifts are totally unexpected, undeserved, and given from a heart that wants to strengthen a relationship. CURRENT CLIENT GIFT IDEAS For current clients, I recommend getting on SUBSCRIPTION GIFT GIVING.  Subscription gifting is the perfect way to show appreciation and stay on your client’s mind. The best part? As the on-the-go gifter, you have the ability to ‘set it and forget it! It still requires thoughtfulness to find the perfect fit for a client, because if he or she is going to be receiving something from you once a month, it had better be something well-liked!   So you sign your client up to Dollar Shave Club Birchbox Sock 101 BarkBox Graze PROSPECT GIFT IDEAS God has shown us gift-giving, so what can you be doing in your business to give gifts to PROSPECTS? A book or ebook that you wrote (this is major authority builder) Cupcakes, candy (any food really) A sample of your service (this is a little lame, but it could work) Something 3D in the mail, like a stress ball Do you have any ideas that have worked for you?  Share below! #SharpenLeadership #MakingMoreSales

These are the ones that take up a lot more time, need more hand holding, are more stubborn in their ways, think their ideas are the best, and change directions multiple times during the branding process. This used to make me irritated. So much so that after a while, my attitude and heart changed towards that client, and what started out as a great relationship became toxic and confrontational. What I’m describing to you are the emotions I personally went through.  Maybe the client felt the same way, or maybe that’s just the way the client is and his or her expectations are that I need to handle those twists and turns because it’s my job. As I’ve grown closer to God and given more of my heart and passion to him, I’ve become a lot more graceful in my dealings with clients.  This has helped me, once again, appreciate the process of branding and show more love to my more challenging clients. Mastering my passion doesn’t mean mastering my craft. I get better at branding each job that I do, but my passion gets its exercise elsewhere. The bible says "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil." Proverbs 4:23‭-‬27 NLT My emotions are a powerful force. I control them, not my clients. My passions can be the source of much of the evil way I would end up treating problem clients. Instead, I choose to accomplish great things by properly directing my heart’s focus. God has given me a set of perfect and reliable guidelines in His Word that will direct my business life when place my passions under their authority. But it requires a practiced decision I must make in theory, well ahead of the practical test.  This isn’t a switch I turn on and off.  This isn’t light that stays on all the time. Prayer plays an important role in helping me to predetermine my behavior as I face the challenges of entrepreneurship. You contain your emotions through your will and intellect if you are wise. This is accomplished by thinking through your values and priorities before the adrenaline starts to pump. Many a client relationships have turned south in seconds because behavior had not been considered before the tension rose. I have lost my reputation and moral authority in the snap of the finger. I can destroy something I have built up over a long time in a matter of seconds if I let my passions get the better of me. Godpreneur Rule: Godpreneurs Give our heart to God and channel our passions toward personal growth. #WorkLifeBalance #BecomeDisciplined