THE DISTRACTION OF PROGRESS

While distraction can massively hinder progress, I've found that Progress is often my greatest distraction.

Progress is often my greatest distraction.

Here are two key ways that progress can distract us:

1. Progress can distract from the vision

If we're not careful our longterm vision can get distracted by today's progress. Today's progress is a poor substitute for the full purpose that God has for you. If we stop too long to enjoy today's progress it can distract us from the long-range calling God has for us. Enjoy today and all the favor God is brining your way, but today's goodness isn't designed to be everything, He has more for you tomorrow, and the day after that!

2. Progress can distract us from changes that need to be made

Progress has the ability to distract us from areas of our life and leadership that need to be adjusted. My pastor, Kevin Gerald, taught an incredible session at our Team Church Conference, where he said, "Nothing fails like success." How true is that, it's incredible how easily blinded and distracted we can be during times of success. I've noticed in leading at home, in youth ministry or as the college director how easy it is to just keep moving forward without addressing unhealthy areas of my team because the overall team was still experiencing progress. But if I didn't deal with the issues during progress, I was forced to deal with it during a setback caused by the very thing I chose to ignore.The key to fighting this tendency is to keep a good habit of evaluation during progress or failure. Whether things go poorly or brilliantly, ask these two questions:

• Why are we doing what we're doing?

• How can we do what we're doing more effectively?