Our company, Building Champions, has five convictions that act as filters for our decisions and clarify what our teammates belong to. One of those convictions is as follows: “We are lifelong learners. We can only give away what we possess.”

I think most of you would agree that at the end of the day — or at the end of your life — you want to have led a life of contribution. You want to have made a significant difference in the lives of those around you at home, at work, and in your community.

My encouragement to you is to get off the fast-moving treadmill once in a while. Make sure that you are continually challenging yourself to learn and grow in the areas of your life that are most important to you. This is where having a Life Plan can really make a difference.

Be proactive and create a development plan that is so specific with how and when you will grow that your actions are schedulable. Don’t just hope that you will lead a life and business of value. Instead, be one of the very few who are clear on this conviction of lifelong learning, so that you can give away more as the result of possessing more.

At this year’s Experience, our theme is Contribution. We all have more to give, and if you are serious about developing yourself so that you can contribute more, consider joining us in September.

Here’s to living and leading proactively and intentionally, and to ultimately making a greater difference!

Are you hearing and believing any of the following?

• I am just trying to survive, I have nothing left over to give.
• I am slammed, way too busy to add anyone or anything else to my plate.
• The best is behind me. I used to think I could contribute but my mistakes have taken me out.
• What does it matter? Who cares anyway?
• I have nothing special to contribute.

I can tell you that I know that these are not true! They are lies and must be fought with vigor.

I am not trying to discount your situation in any way. What I want to communicate is that no matter what your situation, you can still contribute and make a difference and others are counting on you to do so.

For some it is to parent and train up future leaders or good hearted servants; for some it is to apply your skill to your trade of passion; and for some it is to serve and lead your teams and organizations.

Sometimes we lose our way, but we can always find our path back if we know our WHY.

Hopefully many of you are already familiar with the Life Planning process we use at Building Champions. This is a process I have been benefitting from and coaching others on for many years. I am a firm believer in its ability to aid us with making better proactive and intentional decisions in life and business.

Your Life Plan should be a dynamic and living document that is continually being reviewed, lived out and adjusted where and when needed. One of the ways you might want to improve upon your plan is to assess how you see yourself contributing to each of your accounts.

Look at where you are doing well and where you think you could contribute more. Then, map out a plan to make sure you are making the greatest impact you can in your life, your business and your community. We believe so strongly in this theme of contribution that it will be a central part of our Building Champions Experience this fall.

The truth is that we all have the ability to make a greater difference in the lives of those around us.

On behalf of those lives you will touch, thank you for your contribution.

Most of you are probably familiar with a part of Truett’s story. You may have read that his company started in 1946 with one restaurant. You might know that they have more than 1300 restaurants, run by some of the most service-minded leaders in business today. You might be aware that he lives and leads according to his faith.

What you may not know is just how big his story is.

For the past decade, I have been impacted by his team and his mission. I observed at his party that there are thousands — if not millions — of people who have been directly or indirectly affected by this man’s life.

Truett’s life story both challenges and inspires me.

As a guy who gets to coach so many wonderful leaders, I am constantly being blown away and inspired by the life stories of many of you.

Just today, I coached Dan Trinidad, who is the owner of a mortgage banking firm in California and has been a friend and client of ours for more than a decade.

In our session today, we discussed his desire to make his life’s story bigger. He wants to make sure he is using his experiences, gifts, and talents to make the greatest possible difference in the lives of those around him.

Mindy and Dan Trinidad

Just two years ago, Dan lost his beautiful bride and best friend to cancer. This significant life-altering tragedy is fueling the next chapter in his story.

Dan and his company have partnered with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training.  This organization is all about raising awareness and money to help fight the awful disease of cancer. The way they do it is pretty cool.

Over the years I have run four marathons. In each city, the biggest team has been the purple Team in Training crew. You will see them at all the major swimming, cycling, running, and triathlon events. They engage the hearts and bodies of athletes who want to make a difference.

Dan and several of his teammates are getting themselves in shape to run, hike, and bike in honor of Mindy Trinidad. They will raise money to cure the disease that took another beautiful life, in hopes that some other family will be spared this heartache.

Truett’s story is a 90-year tale about how one life can impact so many others. Dan’s story shows that even in the midst of catastrophe we can write a new chapter that touches the lives of others.

So I would challenge you:  is your life story big enough? Who are you pouring into? Where are you giving of yourself and of your resources? How is your life’s story impacting those around you?

Make your story bigger and make it count,

The event kicked off last night, with about 3600 of their team members in attendance. It was a powerful opening, with music by Israel Houghton and a great message by Bill Hybels. Bill is the Sr. Pastor of Willow Creek Church in Chicago, and he founded the Leadership Summit which impacts thousands of leaders every year from around the world.

What struck me last night was the theme. I’m not sure whether Israel and Bill had synched up prior to that night, but their message was clear.

Each of us can be used to forever impact the life of one person.

Bill’s message was much broader, but this one point really hit home for me. Israel sang many songs, but the song that really resonated with me was entitled “The Power of One.”

By selflessly investing in one person who has a real need, we can change the trajectory of their life. That person can be a family member, a team member, a customer, a neighbor, or a stranger. They might have a physical need, a financial need, a relational need, or a spiritual need.

We have the ability to stop the busyness of our lives and to come alongside them for their good. So many times we are just too busy to see the need. But if we slow down and look around, we will see opportunities to be true difference makers. We can give of ourselves for the benefit of others.

Now, I know many of you are already doing this, and doing it in abundance. You are making a difference, and lives are already being changed. Keep it up.

As for the rest of us, my question is “Who?”

Who in your life today needs what you have to give? Do they need the phone call, the lunch, the note, the check, the hug, the listening ear? Look for them. They are all around you.

What we have been teaching our kids is true: it really is better to give than to receive. You may be just one person, but you have within you the ability to share something that could forever change someone’s life.

The Power of One,