The consequences of relational disconnection extend far beyond the individual leader.
Without strong personal relationships, leaders may struggle to understand themselves deeply, impacting their ability to guide others effectively.
The consequences of relational disconnection extend far beyond the individual leader.
Without strong personal relationships, leaders may struggle to understand themselves deeply, impacting their ability to guide others effectively.
Ever feel like life throws you a curveball, and you're left pondering your next career move? Is it a mid-life crisis or a divine nudge into the next chapter? Join author and spiritual mentor Brian J. Plachta as he shares his half-time story. Discover the tools he used to transition from success to significance.
From learning to walk to battling chronic illness, discover how embracing life's challenging seasons can lead to profound personal growth and unshakeable resilience.
How are you embracing the tumble?
Discover how saying 'no' can revolutionize your life, freeing you from overwhelming commitments and enhancing your well-being. What happens when you prioritize yourself?
In this post, we are challenged to step back from the frenetic pace of life and prioritize our identity as God's beloved children. We are reminded that our productivity and accomplishments do not define our worth, and we are encouraged to implement specific practices and rhythms to cultivate self-awareness and soul care. The post concludes by inspiring readers to embrace the freedom of living from a place of being and to let our purposeful actions flow from that deep well of identity and belonging.
This post addresses the severe issue of burnout among leaders dedicated to high-pressure roles, emphasizing the necessity of proactive soul care to prevent it.
Explore the concept of leading from within and how it shapes a meaningful path to personal growth and leadership effectiveness. This post delves into the essence of purposeful leadership and its impact on creating a flourishing life for oneself and others.
In this post, I explore the temptations of performance, possessions, and popularity and how they can lead us away from true fulfillment. I also offer tips for overcoming the false self and living more authentically.
Do you have the keys to purposeful leadership? In this blog post, I discuss the 3 ABCs in more detail and share some tips for developing them in your life.
Craft a well-orchestrated life rhythm with three secrets that help leaders overcome the "I'm too busy" excuse, revealing a path to balance and success.
Chasing the "next big thing" leads to dissatisfaction. Find fulfillment in your local communities. I share my struggles with this mindset and emphasize the importance of building roots, meeting the needs of those around us, and finding purpose in everyday life. Join me on the journey of embracing the ordinary.
Are you yearning for a deeper sense of purpose? Sometimes, our search for spiritual awakening leads us to expect dramatic moments of revelation.
More often, purpose is quietly interwoven into the fabric of our daily lives.
Through simple spiritual practices like silence and journaling, I realized our most profound purpose isn’t found in earth-shattering events but in the subtle dawn of everyday enlightenment.
In this post, I unpack spiritual rhythms by considering a myth and a truth.
Knowing your life vision is not a luxury, not an option to be debated - it's a necessity. It is an invisible thread tying together the random beads of our daily experiences into a meaningful necklace of personal growth and fulfillment.
A life vision is an essential component of personal growth and fulfillment. It operates as the compass guiding your journey, ensuring that each step you take, no matter how small, is in the direction of your ultimate life goals.
Are you teachable? How would the people in your world respond to this question?
Life is an endless classroom where a commitment to learning molds us, equipping us to pursue excellence in various realms of life.
In this diverse natural learning environment, against the backdrop of an ever-changing world, we must wholeheartedly embrace our roles as lifelong learners, always eager to absorb new knowledge and experiences.
As we navigate this continuously evolving world, embracing our roles as lifelong learners becomes increasingly crucial. We must always be eager to absorb new knowledge, experiences, and perspectives.
We'll understand how having an open mind and being receptive to learning can significantly upgrade one's personal and professional lives, enhance interpersonal relationships, and fuel the engine of personal growth and self-improvement.
Every leader should go on a personal retreat quarterly. It may only be for a couple of days; it may be for a week.
Hurry is the great enemy. We live in a fast-paced society. Retreating is slowing down, moving away from the distractions of life, and essential for the leader's soul.
In this reflection, I offer four insights I keep in mind each time I retreat. These insights point us toward a deeper connection with our personhood and God.
Lifelong learning isn't just about accumulating information; it's about staying relevant and adaptable in a dynamic world. By keeping our minds actively engaged in continuous learning, we ensure that we're always equipped with the latest information and skills necessary to thrive in our personal and professional lives. It empowers us to embrace change, overcome challenges, and seize new opportunities. It broadens our horizons, expands our perspectives, and nurtures our intellectual curiosity. Lifelong learning enables us to unlock our true potential and lead fulfilling and successful lives.
Soul care doesn’t just mean spiritual care. It means tending to our inner psychospiritual life, which affects our whole self. The Hebrew understanding of the self is holistic, with the body, soul, and spirit being interdependent. We are complex intertwined beings, with our soul, body, mind, and emotions all amazingly interconnected.
Leadership is not an easy job. It requires skill, dedication, and a lot of hard work. Leaders are responsible for their well-being and the well-being of their team, organization, and family. Leaders must build a rhythm of life that allows them to thrive personally and professionally. A rhythm of life is a set of daily habits and practices that help you stay centered and focused. Rhythm is crucial for maintaining your overall well-being.
I’ve learned a few things along my journey, personally and professionally. Implement these five life lessons built over the last 40 years and you will accelerate your life. By reading this post, you will unlock hard-earned, experience-based wisdom.
Rambling about the societal pressures of multitasking and high-strung productivity misses the point of living. We're human 'beings,’ not human 'doings.’ Instead of admiring those who juggle numerous tasks at once, we should appreciate those who immerse themselves fully in a project, being present and producing quality work.
Imagine, for a moment, a life where your personal and professional worlds coexist harmoniously.
Picture a world where you're not just surviving but genuinely thriving and not just keeping your head above water but cruising along.
Sounds like some fantastical dream?
Well, buckle up because we're about to embark on a journey to transform that dream into reality.
Building character is like crafting a diamond. It's a process that involves pressure, heat, and time.
But what if I told you there's a more surprising and unconventional path to creating your personal diamond?
Let's not kid ourselves. It's a challenging road ahead, full of self-reflection and pushing boundaries.
It's about facing the uncomfortable truths, solitude, failure, lifelong learning, and generosity. Sounds intriguing, right?
A strong personal character is like having an inner torch that lights your path even in the darkest times. It is what defines you beyond your job title or your social status. It's the real, unfiltered you.
Imagine the impact of leaders in your organization who possess the superpowers of empathy and emotional intelligence.
They effortlessly connect with their teams, inspire greatness, and foster a culture of learning and growth.
It's the kind of leadership that ignites passion and propels organizations to new heights.
Are you a seasoned leader who has built a successful career but secretly wonders what legacy you leave behind for your family and close associates? Do you worry that your hard work and accomplishments will soon be forgotten and that your impact on the world will be limited to your LinkedIn profile and a few kind words from former colleagues? It's natural to want to leave a lasting impression on the world, to be remembered for the good you've done and the people you've touched. Here I show you steps to take toward leaving a legacy that will stand the test of time.
In today's fast-paced world, getting caught up in the demands of work, family, and other obligations is easy. Prioritizing your health and well-being will lead to a fulfilling and happy life. It is a common misconception among leaders that self-care is an indulgence. Instead, it is fundamentally necessary for a healthy lifestyle and essential to your leadership. In this blog post, I explore why self-care should be your top priority, four ways self-care can benefit your life, and best practices to build on each benefit.
In my life in leadership, I’ve found starting strong to be easy. I begin with a vision, a dream, and a desire to be known for something good when I am done.
Leaders must start strong and finish well. Finishing well requires self-care, intentionality, focus and dedication, and support. Give attention to these four areas, and you can leave a lasting legacy you can be proud of.
Servant leadership focuses on serving others and placing the needs of those we lead ahead of our own. It is a powerful tool that can be employed to transform communities and bring about lasting positive change. It emphasizes empathy, listening, awareness, persuasion, and foresight as essential qualities for developing relationships with those we serve. Together, we’ll consider some well-known Christian leaders who have exemplified these qualities and explore how we can use their examples to become better servant leaders in our own lives.
Frustration is a common emotion we all experience at some point. For personal or professional reasons, frustration can significantly hinder our success and happiness. As a seasoned leader, I've faced my fair share of frustrations over the years, and I'd like to share my perspective on overcoming them.
If my previous two life seasons taught me any lessons, this is it: life is unpredictable, and obstacles are an inevitable part of the journey. I’ve faced several challenges in my personal and professional life during my first two life seasons. However, I have learned that setbacks are not failures but opportunities for growth and transformation. In what follows, I’ll share five keys to overcoming life difficulties from my journey.
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity and maintain balance in the face of challenges. It is an essential quality for success in all areas of life, including spiritual, physical, emotional, and relational. Developing resilience requires consistent practice and the formation of healthy habits and rituals. In this blog post, we will discuss four key areas of developing resilience: spiritual fitness, physical fitness, emotional fitness, and relational fitness.
Reflecting on my personal and professional journey, I’ve realized the importance of alignment, boldness, and conviction in pursuing one's vocation (I've written on this previously in a different season of my life. You can find that post here). These three factors have played a significant role in my life.
What is an extraordinary life, and are you living one?
Our stay was the occasional extraordinary mountaintop experience that we love to have in our life together.While most of life is lived in the ordinary, I’ll suggest three critical ways that living well in the ordinary can lead to an extraordinary life.
I have a base of learning and wisdom built over the 30 years since I was twenty-six. I have overcome obstacles, learned, and accomplished many things. All this learning and experience has taught me much about what matters in life and what doesn’t. A lot of the things I used to care about, I don’t anymore. And things I used not to care very much about are now important to me. Here are my four rules for my 26-year-old self. These rules will help you toward your best life.
From over two decades of spiritual leadership, I understand self-care boils down to four pillars. These four pillars have kept me healthy and centered emotionally and spiritually. I have lived through the challenges of being a leader charged with the care of others. I’ve done this in the most challenging of places. No matter where you are along your leadership journey, I’m convinced that if you put the following principles into practice, you will reap dividends. You will avoid burnout and be better in your relationships, personally and professionally. You and your organization will reap untold rewards because you have chosen to take the self-leadership path of strategic self-care.
Challenging times are part of life. Pursuing growth in connection, clarity, confidence, and congruence will lead you toward living a fulfilled life. When you have the 4 C’s, your path will be straighter, your journey forward will be more precise, and your focus will narrow. You can say no to the wrong things and yes to the best things.
The challenging seasons of our life sometimes result in the messy middle. Challenging seasons open space for finding clarity in our life. We need not shy away from seasons of uncertainty, rather we should see them as opportunities for gaining clarity and perspective in our life.
Three ABCs lead you toward your best life. They are: Alignment, Boldness, and Conviction. In this post, I unpack what it means to live according to these three concepts.
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