Count others, then count you!

You may have noticed I added this to my quotes at the top of my blog page. It’s not that I want to quote myself, because that actually looks a little strange on your own blog. In fact, I debated even adding it, because it looked like self-promotion, but it’s a concept I believe in and wanted to have at the forefront of my blog.

My blog started off just talking about fails in my life or fails that I have seen in others lives or in business. I still share those things, but I want to make sure that what I share impacts others and not just to draw attention to me.

Thus the title and concept…I briefly dealt with this in a post a week or so ago...Leadership is you?

Count others…

Life is not about me, but sometimes I fail, in that, I get focused on my dreams, and my goals, and my desires, and my plans, and my thoughts, and my needs, and...you get the point.

It hit me the other day that I don’t always care about others and their needs. I have to change that. I have to put others in front of me.

Count - it has three definitions to think about…

1. Determine the total number. 

This makes you pause. When you count, you have to take a minute. Some have said that you should count to ten before you react to a situation that could make you angry. We should apply this to others too. After pausing for them, help them.

When we meet someone, start counting… 

• Count their needs - did you notice something you could help them with?
• Count their trials - did you hear something you could pray for? Or encourage them through?
• Count ways to help them - maybe you have a way that you could help them grow?

2. Take into account; include.

The concept here, is to include others in your life. We are a very connected society and we have many people we know, at least casually. We should take into account, just how we’re impacting them. We need to have others as part of our plans each day. No matter what your role, in life is each day, you need to include others. The Lord didn’t put us here for us. He put us here to change people around us. 

When connecting to someone, include them…

• In conversation - especially new people coming into your sphere of influence.
• In focus - take time to specifically focus on at least one other person and their needs daily.
• In prayer - we all need prayer and putting others first in prayer can help them more than we may know.

3. Be significant.

I love this part of counting, not because I need to be significant, but because when you count someone else, you impact their lives and be come significant to their future. By counting others first, they get to be motivated and developed and changed for whatever their lives have to offer.

When your involved in other’s lives, be significant to others…

• Motivate them - take their dreams to the next level.
• Develop them - take their raw material and mold it into something better - for them.
• Change them - walk away from time with others knowing that they are changed for the better.

I wrote so much about others, that I didn’t have much space left for you.

You are important, but if you count others first, then count you, you will impact many, and you will be impacted too...in fact you may be blessed more that if you just focused on you.

Lessons Learned: Don’t count how others can help you. Count how you can help them!

Thoughts: Are you counting the right way?

#failalot