In his book First Things First, Stephen Covey suggests changing the way we think about time: from the clock to the compass. Clock thinking is working out how to get more and more things done. Compass thinking is working out which things to focus on in the first place.
“Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least.” Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe. How often have you said, “I wish I had more time to get things done!” The Clock represents how well we manage our time, so we are always looking for new tools and apps that can increase our efficiency by squeezing more and more tasks and activities into our daily and weekly routines. We are doing enough of the right things that are embedded in our Compass – i.e., those first things that matter the most to us in life, like our purpose, our mission, our relationships, our values and principles, and our key priorities that were laid out so brilliantly by Stephen Covey in his best-selling book Putting First Things First.
I recall a book that was very popular years ago titled, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff.” This is rather misleading, according to Covey’s advice. The reason is that the small things, indeed, make up the BIG things! It has been said that “If you take care of the minutes, the hours will take care of themselves.” Jesus taught this principle in Luke 16:10 when he said, “He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much.” To clarify, the compass represents the BIG things, the things in your life that you value. Aspects like: family, faith, friends, and career. The clock represents the little things and how you live your daily life. So if you want to be a happy person, you must first decide what your core values are and then hold on dearly to the things you truly value. Then, you must live in a way that aligns with that decision.
The reason why many are unhappy today is because their Compass and their Watch are out of whack. There is no alignment between the BIG things (their values) and the small things (how they live).
Biblically, we see this tension in the life of our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane. Recall the setting. The disciples were asked to stay awake and pray, yet Jesus returned to find them snoozing. Remember, many will confuse your goal(s) if they do not understand your compass, which is invisible, and the watch is visible. What was important to Jesus at that time seemingly was not to His followers. You will be driven by your values more than those around you - pursue them anyway! I digress; back to the point, Jesus was in deep despair, yet we find Him praying, “Not my will, but your will be done.” Jesus was keenly aware of what was right about the corner. He understood the assignment, yet He unflinchingly bowed to the will of God for His life. Why did He do this? Better yet, HOW did he do this? It was because His highest value was found in delighting His Father. Circling back to the original quote, he found satisfaction in a worthy goal. Satisfaction is something we all pursue, so hopefully, your life follows your values, providing you with the satisfaction you are looking for.
1. Amy Simpson, ALL THE SATISFACTION WE CAN'T FIND: WHY FILLING THAT 'GOD-SHAPED HOLE' MAY NOT BE GOD'S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE.
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