Over the last few weeks, I've had the opportunity to talk on the phone with a number of consulting clients. I was startled to hear virtually the same phrase come out of each of their mouths: "I need clarity on what I'm supposed to be doing, and help focusing on it."

Why do we feel we lack clarity? And why do we have trouble focusing? Most importantly, how can we get clear and focused? I've got an answer for you in today's episode.

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Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking:

• JV Alert, July 26-28
• NAMS Conference, August 9-11
• SCORRE Conference, October 14-17
• Platform Conference, November 3-5

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Tip Of The Week

GoodReader for iPad allows you to markup PDF documents using a stylus. This is great for editing, proofreading, and notetaking.

Lifestyle Business Segment

Featuring Stu McLaren of Wishlist Products and Rhino Support. This week:  creating more meaning in your work.

Spiritual Foundations

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
Romans 8:1

Have you ever made a big mistake, and been filled with regret? Recently I made a major decision without consulting my wife. I gave the appearance of consulting her, by writing a highly persuasive, highly logical justification of my decision and presenting it to her and asking, in essence, "you agree with me don't you?" In other words, I blindsided and bulldozed her. How she supposed to respond? I hurt her feelings. The decision may have been right, that the way I presented it was all wrong. I felt like a creep. How could I do that to the person I loved most in the world?

Pause… that feeling that I experienced, right there, is called condemnation. It's the feeling that we need to be punished for something we have done. My example is just one from real-life. You could substitute your own. Maybe you have had an angry thought, shaded the truth, cut the corners on the business deal, delivered less than your best, spoken words in anger, had a lustful or greedy thought, been inpatient or intolerant of a family member… I'm sure you can come up with your own examples. The Bible calls these things sin (which means to "fall short of the target"), and left on our own, our sin condemns us.

But, as those who follow Christ, our sins have been forgiven. Past, present, and future. Condemnation is a tool of Satan uses against us to disempower us. If he can get us thinking, "what kind of Christian are you anyway? If people knew what you are really like, they would be shocked…" Then he can get us to become isolated from others, and ineffective in our calling and our mission.

There is now no condemnation… it's in the present tense. The next time you feel tempted to do something you know is wrong, repeat this verse out loud. Use it as a "fighter verse". It's the Word of God, and the Bible tells us that even the Angels "heed the voice of His word". That His word "will not return to Him void" (in other words, it will not be ineffective).

And if you realize after the fact that you've done something wrong, remind yourself of the same thing… there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  As Pastor Joseph Prince writes:

The power of Jesus to overcome every temptation kicks in when you remain conscious that even at the point of temptation, Jesus is still with you and that you are righteous in Him apart from your works (Romans 4:6)! When you do that, you reject the condemnation for the temptation that you are facing. You are now able to rest in your righteous identity in Christ apart from your works, and release the power of Christ in you to rise above the temptation.

Feature Segment: How To Get Clarity And Focus

1. Know your reason WHY.
2. Think through WHAT outcome you want.
3. Plan HOW to achieve the outcome.
4. Have SMARTER goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Bound, Evaluate, Re-Evaluate… November 1981 issue of Management Review by George T. Doran.)
5. Build systems that run without you.
6. Create margin.
7. Sharpen the saw.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• Michael Hyatt's free ebook, Creating Your Personal Lifeplan
• Work the System by Sam Carpenter
• Margin by Richard Swensen
• 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Dr. Stephen R. Covey

Question: How do you get clarity and focus? Click here to leave your comments.