How to fail consistently …

What is one of the most crucial elements to:

• • Having a great marriage?
  • Being content?
  • Being fulfilled?
  • Being an awesome parent?
  • Being an effective business leader?
  • Being an effective church leader?
  • Being an authentic, obedient, and faithful follower of Christ?
  • Being …

Execution.

Some may need additional growth, equipping, training, etc., but in any of the items listed above — or other things we would like to accomplish — often the single greatest factor between succeeding and failing is execution.

Many of us know what we need to do to be a great husband or wife, we just fail to execute what we already know. The same goes with the rest of the list.

I can’t count the number of times in the past I’ve sat across from someone seeking spiritual guidance or clinical counseling, and they already knew what they needed to do; their anxiety and angst was actually about having to do just that! Often, good counsel is to confirm there are no shortcuts, there are no routes around truth. To do what you need to do, you have to do what needs to be done.

You must execute.

Not just think about it. And, yes, not just pray about it. At some point, you have to get off your knees, out of your prayer closet, and execute.

Do you really want to be an awesome husband? Then start loving your wife self-sacrificially, the same way Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it (Eph. 5:25-28).

Do you really want to be an awesome wife? Then start respecting your husband the same way you respect Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:22-24).

Do you really want to know God? Then do what that takes.

Execute!

“I have!” some respond.

Not consistently.

Taking three steps and then expecting the outcome from what 100 steps takes to accomplish is irrational. But it’s an irrationality a lot of people nurture. They use it as a cover for choosing to fail; they can say, “I’ve done X, Y and Z, I just don’t know why things haven’t turned out for me …”

Things haven’t turned out for them because they stopped executing three steps in on something they knew takes 100 steps.

To accomplish something in life, you must execute consistently (and often persistently) until you reach the desired or possible result.

What do you want to do? Who do you want to be? What steps will it take to get from where you are, to those desired conclusions? Now that you know them, go execute them!

Consistently!

And stick with it until you achieve the desired results.

If you’re not willing to do that, then it’s time to get honest with yourself: you don’t really want what you say you want. In that case, you might need to return to your prayer closet, get back down on your knees, and stay there until you come to a mutual conclusion with your Creator about who you should be and what you should be doing.

Once you’ve gotten honest with yourself and God and have a new clarity … go execute!

Scotty