Manage Your Life Better With These Three Steps

Sometimes I need to be slapped in the head to know how good I have it.  This time it hit me while running atop a bluff, catching glances of the Pacific Ocean bathed in patchy grey fog, the water occasionally lit from above by focused rays of sunlight sneaking through openings in the clouds.  It was like the Creator himself was shining spotlights on the Pacific saying, “Look!  Over here!  Look at this beauty I’ve given you!  Are you enjoying it?!”   

You see, I take much for granted, just like the guy in the parable of the Shrewd Manager.  In this story, the main character is a Manager employed by a wealthy Owner to manage his vast holdings.   In his job, the Manager wastes the wealthy Owner’s money and, when the Owner finds out, he tells the Manager he’s going to be fired.

When the Manager hears that he is going to loose his job, he panics.  Then he gets his act together and schemes a clever plan by cutting shrewd deals with people in the community who were in debt to the wealthy Owner.  Moreover, the Manager cunningly shortchanges the wealthy Owner, and garners future favors for himself. The Manager feathers his own nest while collecting debts for the wealthy Owner.  

Surprisingly, the story ends with the wealthy Owner commending the Manager for his shrewdness.

As I read this story I thought, “That Manager really blew it.  He had a good gig – he worked for a rich guy, was gainfully employed, and enjoyed a powerful position. “

But then a little voice in my head challenged me, “Greg, you’re missing the point.”

BOOM! The power of the parable hit me hard as I realized that it was a story about me, and you.  Aren’t we all like the Manager in the story?  Don’t we daily mismanage: 

• our gifts,
• our opportunities,
• our relationships, and 
• the resources that have been given to us?

Aren’t we all misusing our time? Time that we’ve been given to make the world a better place?

Shouldn’t we all be more grateful and appreciative for what he have, instead of looking over the fence and constantly wanting more?

This realization stung, and I’m now aware that my friends, siblings, immediate and extended family, clients, employees, business deals, and serving opportunities deserve much more of me.  

Although convicted that I’ve fallen short, I feel tremendous hope.  Because, despite the Manager’s blunders, the wealthy Owner still praised the Manager for taking vigorous action to rectify his mistakes.  In fact, the worst thing the Manager could have done was to walk away, to quit the job, without doing anything for the wealthy Owner.   We can certainly learn from the Manager’s actions! 

First, the Manager became AWARE that he had gone wrong.

Second, the Manager crafted a PLAN to fix the problem.  

Third, he took ACTION on his plan.

“The wise man looks ahead. The fool attempts to fool himself and won’t face facts.” (Proverbs 14:8 TLB).

Like you, I manage a lot of things in my life, and it can feel overwhelming at times.  But that shouldn’t stop me from being appreciative of all that I’ve been entrusted to oversee, and from being the best Manager I can be.

Be Wise & Successful…

1. Aware.  Write down 20 things you want to make better.  Don’t self-edit, and don’t stop until there are 20 items on the page.

2. Plan.  Choose 5 items from the above list, and make a plan to be more intentional about making the most out of each of those items.

3. Act.  Put your plan into action by scheduling it in your calendar and to-do list.