Sick Cool

Now that's what I call Doing Church....Hillsong NYC style!

Ohhh...yeah I almost forgot; that's the very first service too! Boom

Simply put: It's an amazing movement of God!

Hillsong NYC...

Just got back from NYC where one of the world's best churches just launched!

Hillsong is now in NYC baby!

What an amazing movement from God....when was the last time there was thousands of people standing and waiting in line to go to your local church? For Hillsong NYC, it was there very first service. Yes that's right. The very first service had a line of thousands waiting to attend Hillsong Church.

Hillsong is an awesome example of things we talk about in our speeches....starting with Leaders who love to Dream Huge God sized Dreams (and ignore the outside negative opinions.) And then flat out Go For It! And that's the problem for most people is it takes both...The Dream plus the Execution!

Hillsong NYC....what's it like?

• Fresh and Hip
• High positive energy
• Depth...no wadding in the kiddie pool allowed
• Teamwork...leaders serving ....yes the leaders leading by serving...servant hearts!
• Awesome Leadership...Well Done Carl!
• Big Huge Dreams
• Challenging and pushing to get uncomfortable...no comfort zones allowed

This is a movement from God....and boom...it was incredible. As I told my awesome pastor Mac Richard from Lake Hills Church in Austin (and LHC is on fire too), I have to put this positive energy to work and leverage it!

Just watch Hillsong NYC...because years and years from now, it will stand huge and tall!

Pain provides Clarity

One of the most important lessons I have learned is CLARITY!

To do greater things, I have to be crystal clear on my purpose and vision. I can't accomplish what I need to if it's not very clear. In others words, I will never achieve "it" if I don't' know what "it" is.

How do I get clarity of purpose? So many times it comes from a source that we dislike....it often comes from pain. Pain provides clarity. That doesn't mean it feels good or is fun to go through but it is so needed. So if you, like me, are going through adversity, it's OK....we are growing and getting clarity so we can take these experiences and leverage them for the good!

Got Pain?

Pain... the gift for clarity!

(my son Teddy having a bad day but his pain provided clarity...like.... I'm Hungry!)

Proud of my Pup!

The comments below are from Teddy's teacher:

Please give Teddy compliments. Your son is such a gentleman. Grace had a lot of stuff to carry in her backpack. It was so heavy she didn't think she could carry it to the gym after school. Teddy volunteered to carry it for her. It was a very sweet, thoughtful gesture. It touched my heart.

I tell my kids all the time that they can't be too nice. But guess what? It starts with me as their Dad. And totally imperfect as I am, I need to work on this and get better so I can set a better example for them to follow.

My test: Do my kids see Jesus through my actions and behavior?

Good day and Goodnight: Wow...lot's of room for improvement...back to work!

Moments

The only thing better than Amy's ice cream is FREE Amy's ice cream. I had a certificate for free Amy's ice cream given to me some time ago. And you know how life can be where we forget things and put off things. So a couple days ago, it felt like an Amy's ice cream day...just one of those days where I had to get me some Amy's Mexican Vanilla. I remembered my gift certificate. The only problem: It was expired.

I missed my moment. And that got me thinking about my life:

• Pay Attention
• Take Inventory
• Don't Ever Miss My Moment!
• Step up when it's my turn

What about you? Are you maximising all your moments? If not, it's time.

For me (and maybe you too)

The British government created this poster in 1939 at the beginning of WWII. In case of an invasion, the government wanted a message to rally around and unite.

I don't know about you, but today, I need this!

NFL Picks

My Superbowl Picks:

AFC Colts defeat Dolphins

NFC Packers defeat Giants

Superbowl Colts defeat Packers

No Set Backs...Just Set Ups!

Sometimes our set backs become set ups!

One of the lessons I have learned (and still learning) is to take my adversity and use it for positive purposes. And to do this, I have to change the way I look at my set backs. When I change the way I look at things, the things I look at change. So instead of having a pity party and seeing my adversity as a set back, I choose a different path. And that path is to view my tough times as a Set Up for something amazing...A Miracle!

My tough times are an huge opportunity for a Miracle! My pain is setting me up for something truly amazing. My crisis is just a season that will pass and bloom into the beautiful.

No set backs for me....just set ups for something amazing!

Artwork: by me. (sadly I admit...by me)

One Sentence

The following is an abbreviated transcript from a phone call today.

Q: Chris, in one sentence, tell me about your motivational seminar.

A: I talk about things that matter to people who care.

Hello and Goodnight.

On the radar screen

I have been asked by so many people if I would do a book. Timing is everything. I took me a long time to think through this...things like:

• What would I have to say that anyone would care about?
• When?
• How?
• What purpose?
• What audience?

After two years, I have worked through most of these and I am ready to start this journey.

So a book is coming...buckle up.

Activities

There are only two activities:

1. Ones that make you money

2. Ones that don't make you money

Not being very smart, I vote to only do the ones that make us money!

Question:

• Do you know what activities make you money? (intentionality to this process)
• Do you only do those and discard all the rest?

TT

My oldest son Teddy started kindergarten yesterday!

The journey has begun....speaking of the journey here is what I have found about my own journey:

• The destination is so secondary to the lessons learned as you stroll down the path of life

Sometimes very painful. Sometimes they sting. Always uncomfortable. But critical in our growth and development in character and as people.

What lessons are you learning now?

Dumpster Fire

One of the critical areas I have been working on for the last few years is this:

• Throw away non productive activities!

My time is a limited and valuable resource. So is my focus. So is my energy. I have to maximize all of these and I can't do it with non-productive wasters. I need to throw those in the dumpster.

So every week I audit my behaviors and time to make sure I throw away all non productive activities. You will be amazed when you audit your time and behaviors on how much waste and energy sucking activities we allow. Throw those in the dumpster today!

Teddy at Yankee Stadium

I just wish Teddy and I had more fun at the Yankees Stadium...joking of course.

But this is the reason why I own a business so we can enjoy these types of times where we mix work and play together...but it's really not work because I love what I do. Win-Win!

And doesn't it make sense to have a career and absolutely love what you do for a living?

As one of my mentors taught me: Find what you love and you will never work another day in your life. That made so much sense I followed that advice with everything I had. We have hosted 7 events in the last 10 days...that's 42 hours of speaking...a ton...but not once did it ever feel like work. That's called the hitting the sweet spot in life!

How about you? Do you love what you do? Are you following your passions? Are you living by default or design? Are you making your dream job a reality?

If not, why not? What are you waiting for?

The future is coming one way or another...so in two years doesn't it make sense to do what you love? So start today and start making that a reality!

Invisible and Visible

It's our invisible the leads to our visible.

Where are you at today with your invisible?

• Dreams
• Desires
• Vision
• Good Ol' Fashion Guts
• Attitude
• Emotional Fortitude

Do you have a raging burning fire deep in your guts driving your behavior towards something very specific?...or just going through the motions.

If not, what are you waiting for?

If so...rock on!

Winning

Winning Matters.

I am in NYC and heading to the Yankees game tonight. I can't help but think of George Steinbrenner who died recently when I think of winning.

Possibly the best medicine for the human spirit is winning.

Are you winning today?

If not, why not?

And what are you going to do about it?

Self Motivation!

The best motivation is self motivation.

In my life journey, I have found this to be true: When you know what you want, and you really want it, you will find a way to get it.

• How about you today?
• Are you self motivated?
• Do you really know what you want?
• Do you love your job?
• Do you love where you live?
• Do you go for it in life?

If not, what are you waiting for?

Positive Reactions

I have been really working on putting problems into proper perspective.

At the core, we only have two options with an event:

• Positive Reaction
• Negative Reaction

With only a limited amount of time and energy I have been gifted, doesn't it make sense to really focus on only positive reactions? What good comes from negative reactions?

So with my energy and time here are my choices:

• Productive Use: faith, family, love, serve others, help, care, make a difference, have an impact
• Non-Productive: drama, fight, resistance, over reactions, focus on small meaningless details

My work is to take events and react positively by using my limited time and energy in a productive manner. Easier said than done....but then again, when it's all said and done for me, I want it to be said: Chris did more than he said...

Missing vs Messing

Messing Up = So What

Missing Out = Not an Option!

There are two regrets:

1. Regret of Inaction
2. Regret of Action

When it's all said and done for me, which one do you think will sting? Yes!...regret of inaction will heat blister my soul.

So I step out to step up! After all Chris, what are you waiting for?

Be Different

• Stand out
• Different
• Be Dramatically Different
• Ultimately Unique
• Separation from the others
• Why you?
• Opposite of what everyone else does and says
• Take road never traveled or at minimum road less traveled
• Go Chic and Unique
• Don't do cliques
• Avoid cliche at all costs
• How exciting is predictable? Jokes aren't funny when you know the punch line