Impulsiveness

07.02.10

On Impulsiveness

As I journey through life, I am always floored when I objectively reveal a personality trait of mine that requires “extra grace.” I am not perfect. Nobody is. The goal is not to BE perfect, as nobody will ever be (except one man who moved up North 2000 years ago). If I had to rank my most challenging traits, right up at the top would be this one:

Impulsiveness. …. (reconcile that to Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.)

Now, I didn’t say “quick decision making.” I said impulsiveness. Webster’s defines impulsiveness as follows: Acting or doing without forethought.

What can I say? I’m an idea guy. I love dreaming up ways to improve things, motivate others, develop the team, or create a product that nobody else has yet. If my brain had a pedometer attached, it would probably clock somewhere between 50 and 100 business related ideas per day, all of which ABSOLUTELY MAKE SENSE in the moment.

I am EXCELLENT at selling myself on anything!

Its probably a good thing I don’t have unlimited financing available! Otherwise I’d probably have a garage full of “super watt rental generators for power storms” or “large propane kettles for kettle corn” or any of a million other venture ideas that I’ve thought up in recent hours.

Knowing that ideas are my blessing (and curse…) it would be simply irresponsible to allow impulsiveness to poison them. God did not intend for my ideas to be ignored. He did not intend for them to ALL be implemented. He intended for me to honor him through them, even if that means slowing down and inviting wisdom to help refine them.

My mentor encourages me to:
1. Pray over any idea/decision to invite God’s wisdom and guidance
2. Fast.
3. Seek wise counsel from spiritual authority in my life.

I’d also like to add to this one more:
4. Search the scriptures. Logas (written word of God) will never change or be contradicted by Rhema (inspired/spoken word of God).

He’s also given me some amazing tools for processing calling and opportunities. Some day I will write about them, because they are incredible…

I heard a wise man say this tongue twister once:
“You don’t know what you don’t know, because if you knew what you knew… you’d have!
To know and not to do… is NOT TO KNOW.”

Do you KNOW what your personality challenges are?

Can you take an objective look at them, so as to not be personally offended or fall victim to “excuse-itis” (a common disease)?

If you KNOW… What are you DOing about it?

James 2:17 (New International Version)
17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

I praise God for mentors in my life, that help me identify my areas of challenge and give me mechanisms to fortify my areas of weakness, and control the potential resulting damage (or expense).

Proverbs 27:17 (New Living Translation)
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so a friend sharpens a friend.