It only takes a small pebble hitting the surface of water to create a large ripple effect. What is the pebble you are willing to throw? During the Olympic Games of 1992 in the Barcelona, Derek Redmond’s quest for gold was so close he could taste it. With thousands packing the stands and millions viewing around the world, the unforgettable happened. What he thought was his pursuit of gold sent shock waves throughout the world. Projected to win gold the fans waited in anticipation for the gun to sound. Derek stretched his hands and placed them on the starting line. The shot rang across the stadium and Derek blasted out like a thorough bread horse asserting his dominance. The race was promising, and all went according to plan. As he entered the first turn and in command of the race, Derek pulled up lame after his hamstring was torn. The fans rose around the stadium as he pulled up lame grabbing the back of his leg and hobbling in pain.
The world will never remember who won gold in that particular Olympics, but Derricks actions left a lasting legacy. Refusing to quit the race and despite officials discouraging him to continue he hobbled across the track with a cheering crowd behind him. Bursting on to the field was his father who faced resistance from officials; just as a lion protects his cubs, his father would not be denied. Derek, never bending to defeat, continued to will himself to the finish line arm in arm with his father, every step of the way. Why is this so significant? The ripple that Redmond left has impacted millions of lives as the story has gone viral and has been written about in countless magazine and newspapers. His act of bravery to finish the race regardless of not obtaining gold has given hope to millions as it continues to this day to reverberate around the globe. Today examine what pebble of greatness you hold in your hand. Is it in the arts, music, acts of service or the way you inspire others to dream? Pull it all the way back and launch it…observe as the ripples touch those around the world today.
As small as your pebble may be, the act of throwing it can cause ripples in the lives of others. You may shoot for gold but realize it is your commitment that leaves an impact for others to follow. The fact that Derek showed up to the stadium, ensured his opportunity to finish. You never know who you will touch or how far the wave you send will travel when you complete what you started. Even if you limp to the finish line the most important thing is you finished. Today I want to provide you with practical steps to help you finish your race. It’s important to plan your work, then work your plan. “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5). If you don’t have a plan for your day, the day will have a plan for you. According to inc.com, “a staggering 92 percent of people that set New Year’s goals never actually achieve them? That’s according to research by the University of Scranton. It’s time you finish! Go find the pebble you always wanted to throw and begin to live a life of significance and completion.
Every accomplishment starts with one pebble at a time. Your focus must be from start to finish. According to Luke 14:28 it reveals, “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” Planning is essential to consider your goals. For some reason this step is skipped over, yet it’s important to map out dates to accomplish your task. “Every day you’re juggling multiple balls to keep your business and personal life going, but sometimes you need to focus on one task at a time to see it through to completion or risk having many incomplete things, “this according to entrepreneurs.com.
- Decide to finish. The first step of finishing is to make the decision that no matter what, the task or project will no longer be postponed. Sometimes this will mean saying no to more things up front, so they never make it on the to-do list to begin with, making it easier to eliminate unnecessary busy work (1). Noah, when directed by God made a decision to build the ark as God instructed, “Noah did everything just as God commanded him” (Genesis 6:22), He chose in the middle of the doubters to commit to completing the goal. Let’s process several negative questions that could have detracted Noah. He could have thought, “Where is the flood coming from? How many years will it take and for what purpose?” Sound familiar with your dreams? We can be self-defeating by asking, “Why are we working so hard when the results are not in plain view?” I could imagine Noah hammering away and having the jeers of his neighbors whispering behind him like a shadow that will not go away, “How long will it take, isn’t that a waste of time?” Let’s have a Noah resolution, “decide to finish what you started.”
- Make a plan. What’s the plan? “Consider where you are headed before you start the journey.” It’s like taking a family trip to the beach without planning what you are bringing or how you will arrive at your destination. “…All things should be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). “Break down each task into doable, daily action steps, or if it’s something you can finish in a day, into an hour-by-hour plan to completion.” Often what this means is to carve out time and make others aware that this time is off limits. I have missed the mark often in this area because of not writing it down on a calendar. I would overbook myself which resulted in built up anxiety and frustration. I have now reached the point I only book one major meeting or appointment daily and limit how many per week. Within the planning process create long range and short-range goals. Learn to stack the short-range goals and knock those out There is a two-minute rule that ensures more efficiency, for example when things come across your plate that you can complete in two minutes, don’t delay it. Don’t allow them to linger because small snowballs lead to large avalanches.
- Start. “You’ve made a plan and broken it down into actionable steps to help you attack and complete the project. The next most important step is to start.” “Eat the frog,” is a concept based on attacking the hardest and most avoided task first. For example, if you hate to budget and mailing out the bills, then this is the first thing you attack. If you have been distracted from writing the book you have always wanted, completing a project, then allot time first thing in the morning.
In addition to getting started first thing in the morning, you can implement a tool I developed called 30/30. The way it works is to utilize a stopwatch or timer and cycle out 30 minutes for an individual task. When time is up, switch to another activity which provides freshness to the prior task. I will provide and example, if I am creating a video, I will separate thirty minutes to engage in the activity. Once the thirty minutes are up I will transition to a house chore or if I’m at work transition to another activity, perhaps checking emails. It’s important to stay to the time because it creates that feel good chemical dopamine and it maximizes total concentration over a shorter periods time. The longer you spend on a task or goal, studies have shown we are prone to more distractions and encounter more disruptions.
- Make your deadlines. By all means, avoid excuses. Commit to finish no matter what. According to entrepreneur.com, “Some days you may have to stay late, skip lunch or come in early to push through to complete the steps of your action plan.” Noah stayed late to build the Ark. In fact, it was roughly 40 years. It was Noah’s commitment that saved his family’s life.
- Don’t just finish, complete. “You’ve made the decision, made the plan and carried on seeing the project through. It feels great to get a huge task off your plate, but there’s one last important step to finishing: completion. When the task is done, make sure it’s complete by ensuring it’s stored, shared or saved appropriately.” Noah completed his task, as floods came to wash every living soul away, his family was spared. The boat he built was his legacy. In fact, archeologists using 3-D imaging believed to located, in eastern Turkey, located on Mount Ararat (3)
As we close our lesson today note the importance of just finishing. It doesn’t matter if you hobble or limp across the finish line act of completion; even the smallest task will build momentum that will propel you forward. Climb each step by first deciding to finish by speaking it into existence. Create a plan of action and start. Each day push through one wave at a time bringing you closer to your goal. Once you have your goal, identify the dates you would like to complete them. Don’t get discouraged with setbacks, because each wave that pushes you back will make you more resilient. And finally, don’t just finish it, but complete it by drawing back and launching your pebble in the ocean of life, for all to see.
Dive Deep:
- What have you been postponing that you need to complete?
- What attitude should you when a task becomes difficult, and you want to give up?
- What are the 5 steps you will ensure to use to finish your tasks or projects?
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