Tue 21 Aug 2007
A friend just sent me a link to Clark Mitchell’s review of my book. Totally unreasonable. Thank you, Clark
August 21, 2007
Be Unreasonable
Several weeks ago I told you I would share some thoughts from different books I read over my break this year. One of the best is a book called, “Be Unreasonable” by Paul Lemberg. God used this book to really speak to me and confirm some of the things He was saying. The greatest temptation in our life is to be reasonable or to settle for average. The problem is there is nothing average about our God!
I’ll share some thoughts over the next few days, so here we go:
- Expect the best from your team! As unreasonable as it seems, expect the best from those around you. Expect them to be successful! Count on it. Plan for it. Budget for it. Expecting the best give you the highest liklihood of getting it. Begin with the optimal scenario and truly grasp how to ensure it happens. Expecting the worst has a similar, but opposite effect.
- The great thing about being backed into the corner is the only place to go is forward. Don’t be afraid of the corner! Don’t let the corner defeat you!
- A conservative model produces conservative results! That doesn’t mean not to use wisdom, but wisdom isn’t always reasonable!
- Be afraid. If you’re not a little scared, you’re not doing anything worthwhile. All great ventures contain within them an element of risk and the promise of failure as well as success. If your not at least a little afraid, you’re probably not doing anything that will ever be called great! (Ouch!)
- It is only when things to cease to go well that we are forced to switch gears and look for solutions in unreasonable places. If only we could get ahead of the curve instead.
Man, that last statement puts into words my last year! God has done so much in me, but it has probably been more painful than necessary, the problem is I wouldn’t of switched without some of the pain! God wants to do great things in your life, but it takes risk, faith, failure, pain, prospering, etc. Allow God to use all aspects of life to help you become the person He desires for you to become.
http://clarkmitchell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/08/be-unreasonable.html
August 22nd, 2007 at 10:29 am
Hi…I have just received an e-mail promoting the book “Be Unreasonable” and I couldn’t resist reading the excerpt, and I couldn’t resist posting on this blog. The title strongly resonated within me… I have frequently been told throughout my life that what I want to do, what I plan to do, is totally unreasonable. I’m a psychologist and have been for over 25 years. But what makes much of what I do in my life “unreasonable” is that because of a congenital condition, I can physically do very little for myself. I have always been in a wheelchair but have always pushed myself to the limit both in terms of work and personal pursuits. I guess the most profound “unreasonable” experience for me was when I went to Outer Mongolia 12 years ago. I stuck to my “unreasonable” desire and went. Fortunately, I had four friends who also had elements of being “unreasonable” who came with me.
I can really see how beneficial being “unreasonable” is in the business sector… but I would take the practice of being “unreasonable” into all realms of living. I encourage my clients to uncover their dreams to work out what it is they really want in their life, no matter how “unreasonable” or unattainable it may seem. Because I know, from first-hand experience, that being “unreasonable” really gets you where you want to be.
Take care… and thank you. Jeanne