My Three Words for 2012

I've spent the past week thinking, praying, and writing about the year that was and the year that is now 2012. It's an opportunity if you think about it. How blessed am I to have a job I love, a wonderful family and friends to call my own?

As the San Francisco 49er football team says in the locker room, "who's got it better than we do?"

Taking a cue from social media thought leaders, I decided to skip the resolutions (like Jeff Goins, writer) and work with three (yes, only three) words for inspiration:

-community
-brand
-discipline

I'll explain more about these in upcoming posts but I'd like to hear what your points of motivation will be in 2012. Feel free to connect via Twitter (@thedailysaint) or via the comments section below.

The Reason Why People Read Your Blog

Mike Vardy's interview with Cal Newport got me thinking- are we really post-productivity?  When so many voices in the productivity space have gone philosophical, it gets you wondering.

Leo from Zen Habits has moved beyond "life hacks" to a more spiritual approach to work.  He's not alone.  Merlin Mann did this years ago and occasionally shows up on his 5X5 show, Back to Work. I guess they're too cool for school.

Yet, if we really are "beyond tips and tricks", why do the grocery store magazines still sell?  If beauty is more about perspective than weight loss, why do so many people still buy the magazines with "5 Steps Towards 6 Pack Abs"?

The answer is simple- life is about simple steps to getting things done.  Philosophy is of value, no doubt and my undergaduate major is in philosophy.  Yet, I've never cleaned out a closet or hammered out a blog post because I've been more or less philosophical.  Last I checked, my abs aren't getting worse because of something I think but because of the behavior I practice.  (Damn you, late night ice cream!)

This is why people read The Daily Saint and any blog for that matter- they want to hear your voice on the subject.  I could watch some guy in his basement on YouTube unbox the Kindle Fire but it seems a lot more interesting if someone I know is doing it.  This is why Michael Sliwinski of Nozbe is of interest to people when he demonstrates a workout plan for when you're on the go.  The plan isn't that clever but his perspective is.  Folks will always need practical advice for their simple problems.

People follow those that provide helpful content and those that they form a relationship with.  That's why people read your blog.

*Happy New Year to all and thanks for reading my blog for the past six years!

Time for a Blogging Sabbatical

I'll be taking some time off between now and New Year's.  The past six weeks have been hectic and I've learned from past years that the best thing for my blogging is surprisingly, to step away from blogging.  I always want to give readers of The Daily Saint my very best and quite frankly, my tank just hasn't been full in several weeks.  Time to hit the pause button and work on some new content offline.

Here's to Sabbath-keeping and I'll see you soon.

Where the World and the Church Intersect

What kind of Church do you have?

It's easy for the Church to bow to the alluring callings of the world.  It feels cool to have a Church that is staying up with the times.

I'll be the first to admit that I'd like to go to a Church with a coffee shop in the lobby and an ATM machine just outside the door.  I wouldn't mind a Church that helped me with car repair or a Church that actually took the poor seriously.  It would be nice to see a Church that valued preaching every week and not just at Christmas.  Imagine a Church that had great music all the time and not just when the choir really prepares extra hard.

This wish-list sounds lavish, I know.

God created the world and it's our job to help Him redeem and co-create it.  Whenever I hear someone rail against secularism, I try to listen carefully to see if they see the world as a totally barren place or one with the capacity for renewal. (I know, this is not a habit of normal people.)  This world-or-church paradigm is, I think, somewhat of a false dichotomy.

There is a soft spot for where the world intersects with the Church.  This just might be the place where the Gospel is needed the most.  Isn't that what it means to be "in but not of the world" as St. Paul preached?

Worldliness has been part of my own Advent journey this year.  Instead of letting the stuff of the world stress me out (be honest, when you see your neighbor putting up his Christmas lights, don't you feel a nudge to do the same?), I've gone with the flow and tried to take things more slowly.  It's not that I'm shunning the world but rather trying to respond appropriately.

My lights won't go up until this weekend.  I don't plan on sending out Christmas cards.  My co-worker gifts are all getting the same  gift (I ordered 10 copies of Jim Collins' book, Great by Choice).  I'm going to a Mass on Christmas eve at a place that I know will have inspiring music.

And guess what?  I feel great about all of this.  I think Christmas will be meaningful this year because our family has been intentional about Advent and how we see the intersection of the world and the Church.

It doesn't have to be an either/or proposition.

The Difference Between Good and Great Leaders

Leaders have to manage change.  Think of your favorite sports team- players get hurt, new challenges crop up and the dynamics of team work are always in play.  The key is to manage the changes like it's an artform.

We usually lean into those leaders who are change-agents rather than change managers.  The latter have a deft hand and demonstrate wisdom above and beyond raw energy. Change managers are like the guys who paint around the windows before the rest of the crew comes in and blazes a trail with their rollers and spray guns.  The spray gun is fun and loud and fast.  The guy who "cuts in" the window- that's my kind of leader.

I see new school leaders and new church leaders come into their positions with gusto and new ideas.  If you didn't see gusto, you'd be worried.  What I don't see though is an appreciation for the management of change.

A good leader wants to make a difference.

A great leader wants to make a difference over the long haul.

A good leader likes to change things.

A great leader knows the right things to change.

A good leader thinks everything is open to evaluation.

A great leader recognizes that some events/traditions/mores are part of the very ethos of the community (and therefore not worth changing).