Sarah Dugger’s Coaching Focus
Make a Degree of Difference
What difference does a degree make? It is a scientific fact that water boils at 212°F. What about 211°? If you were to feel water at 211° and then at 212° you probably couldn"t tell a difference between the two. The water is hot at 211°. Hot enough to warm up a hot dog, slowly steep a weak cup of tea, or wash some clothes. With one degree of difference; however, water boils. With boiling water a great cup of tea can be made, pasta can be cooked, dishes can be sanitized, and (most importantly) steam is produced. Steam is able to power an enormous locomotive. How amazing is it that one degree can make such a difference! One degree makes the difference between heat and magnificent power. Isn"t this true in our journey as women? We can go through life doing what we always do, or we can choose to increase the heat of our efforts and make a degree of difference with our lives. By doing this we will maximize the impact we have in our circles of influence. What steps can we take to pump up our influence by a degree?
1.Step back so you can step it up. Have you ever tried to climb a rock wall? They can be very intimidating. If you are standing close to the wall looking up, the thought of climbing it is daunting to say the least. How do you approach the climb? You step back and get a new perspective on the climb. You observe the wall, all of the handholds and footholds, and plan your climb. We need to do this in life as well. Without a proper perspective our lives are filled with many wrong steps, much backtracking, and our degree of influence is greatly diminished. If we step back and get a new perspective on our lives then we can step up our efforts and have a significant degree of influence in our world.
2.Eliminate, Consolidate, Delegate. Climbers make sure they are completely unencumbered by loose clothing, heavy packs, or excessive equipment. They climb with the bare minimum. Is there anything in your life hindering your efforts at making a degree of difference? Eliminate things in your schedule that are not necessary. Consolidate tasks into more efficient chunks of time. Delegate tasks that are necessary, but to which you aren"t able to give your best. God didn"t create us to be superwomen. He gave us relationships and resources to enable us to be the most effective and influential women we can be. Shake off all of the extra stuff of life and prepare to reach the extra degree.
3.Start climbing! With each step, give your best. Go the extra step when possible. Make each of your steps purposeful. Make small changes along the way to increase your effectiveness and degree of influence.
These changes don"t sound like much alone, but when applied to our lives in all areas they result in a greater degree of influence. How can you apply these steps in your everyday life? At your place of employment, go the extra degree by helping a coworker without expecting anything in return. Or, maybe anonymously bring in a treat for your coworkers every now and then. The key to going the extra degree is the idea of giving of yourself without any expectation of return.
What about in your home life? Try spending an extra fifteen minutes a day with your spouse and with your children. If you were to do that every day for a year you would spend approximately ninety-two extra hours or almost four extra days with your spouse and children. Take my family for example. I have a spouse and six children. Fifteen extra minutes a day invested in each one is one and a half extra hours a day, 26.6 extra days out of a year. Isn"t your family worth 26.6 days? I know mine is to me! Now you are beginning to have a 212° difference in your family. Where can you find this "extra" time? Be creative! Turn off the T.V.! Do things together. Eat dinner together. The list could go on and on.
What about in your spiritual life? Is your relationship with God worth fifteen extra minutes a day? How can you go the extra degree in this relationship? Spend fifteen more minutes reading your Bible, or fifteen more minutes in prayer. How about fifteen more minutes over the course of a day memorizing some Scripture or singing praise songs? Commit to make any changes necessary to "up the heat" in your spiritual life.
Look at your physical well-being? Are you making a degree of difference in your physical life? Did you realize that an added fifteen minutes of brisk walking twice a day would result in your exercising three and a half hours every week? Your heart, lungs, and brain will thank you for that! To make a degree of difference in the physical area of your life you may need a change of pace. Try joining your local YMCA, taking an organized exercise class, getting a walking buddy, or enlisting a personal trainer. You will feel better and your entire life will be positively affected. Do you need to step up a degree in the way you eat? Are you feeding your body what it needs to be healthy and fit? If you don"t know how there is a vast array of free information available through places such as the YMCA and the internet. Your doctor is another great resource. The point is, make the changes necessary to make a degree of difference in your health.
There are many other areas in which we can make a degree of difference. Relationships, church, social groups, and volunteer work are just a few. Strive to make every step count in every area of your life and you will find yourself being a 212° woman, making a degree of difference in your world!!!
You may visit Sarah Dugger on the web at: http://sarahdugger.212connection.com or by email: Sarah.Dugger@212connection.com. For mom-tips, personal coaching services, or information on scheduling Sarah to speak, contact Sarah from 212mom at the above email address. To sign up for our free newsletter simply use the above email address and put the word "newsletter" in the subject line.
