Today's Post: Impress or Impact

Why do you do what you do? Is your ultimate goal or reason to impress or impact? What causes you to want to throw back the covers each day? Who or what is pulling you forward? Are you working towards receiving that pat on the back, 15 minutes of shine, celebratory recognition, the opportunity to stick your chest out and march in front of your haters? Or, is the time your spend and energy exert in what you do because you desire to make an impact?

If you are truthful with yourself you would say it's both? The question is what has the highest percentage or influence? Where is your motivation coming from? 

I pose these questions because so often what people say their why is, isn't always accurate. And, in time their actions begin to show their real motivation. 

For me, I will admit there was a time I did what I did to impress. I wanted to impress my boss, who I knew couldn't use me. I wanted to show her up, impress her boss and my colleagues and win over our clients. I had impressive motives that were birthed out of fear of failure and from getting bit by the corporate bug of competition or the "every one for themselves" disease. It was so unhealthy and I knew it wasn't me. How? Because slowly but surely, I began to dislike my job, dreaded making the hour and 30 minute or more commute from Maryland to Northern Virginia and loss enthusiasm for the client's message and mission. So, after 2 years of resisting the revelation, I finally said, "its time to make an impact and I don't care who I impress." In quitting my job, what I failed to realize is that in those final years there I had actually made an impact. Clients expressed how I was consistent, respectful, flexible and capable and they had much confidence in me. They learned a lot from how I managed the highs and lows and appreciated the hard work. Wow, here I was trying to impress, but I actually made an impact. 

Well, fast forward 9 years and I am at this proverbial fork in the road again. As a business owner, you have to admit you work hard to impress folks. You want the respect as CEO, you want the recognition for a success, and you always are looking to impress that next new client. The motivating factor is, and with some truth income (need to eat) and respect (need to feed the ego). But, again the desire to impress has been lessening for over 2 years now, and the desire to impact is increasing ever so greatly with each new day. Each time another young person is killed, misunderstood, abused, labeled for life because of a mistake, taken advantage of, ignored and discarded, goes missing, the desire to impact overpowers the desire to impress more and more. 

This desire to impact is filtering into my professional doings too. The antenna is peaked to spot out those who are looking to impress or impact. This filter is also influencing what projects I desire to pick up no matter the financial influence it could have. Bottom-line I am seeing there is more to life and more to give life than impressing those who don't really care and will move on like the wind. Now, don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with being ambitious, goal-oriented and focused. Many are walking out their destiny. I applaud them and far from judging. I am just sharing (full transparency) the nudge in me, in case you have been feeling something similar.  

You know and I know where this is all coming from. When I felt the shift over 9 years ago, I had grown stronger in my faith walk and became more active in my church. Serving God and allowing Him to speak to me through reading His word created a deeper level of discernment and focus. So, this impress vs. impact is not new. And, the funny thing is, it will happen again. As you and I grow in our relationship with God through serving, giving and loving it is bound to impact our filter and clean our lens. We will be able to see who's coming at us with more clarity - someone looking to impress or impact. But, don't forget to flip it, we will also be able to look at ourself and be able to determine if we see someone looking to impress or impact. 

Which one are you today? Aim to make an impact that doesn't impress man, but rather pleases God. #joinme

Walk in faith. Live in love.