January 27. Common Needs When In The Zone.

As leader, what is your mindset as you start the day? Do you have a practice or habit that you use to set it daily? Our mindset is important, and our focus on it is difficult to maintain. As an example, you have probably heard that athletes can be in the zone. Does that sound like a mindset to you?

Their performance seems to be enhanced because of the zone. Somehow, they were better at that moment than at other times because of the mind. But we know that we do not hold that zone mindset continuously or else there would be no zone identified.

Could it really be that simple that we can be a better leader and have better team results just by setting our mind? Research shows that the answer is a resounding yes. We might want to perform a mindset intervention for ourselves and for our teams.

I have a project that I take groups through to show the power of mindset. In it, the participants see the power of an intentional mindset versus one that is distracted. Without a proper mindset, activities can likely fail to be completed efficiently or even at all.

It can take over ten times the amount of time to complete an activity just because of the mindset. Without an intention mindset we might be caught up with fires and activities that will somehow seek us out. What are your mindset tools you have used in the past? What are you using now?

How might you and your team benefit by having an intentional mindset in the next seven days?

Do you remember in the book of Matthew of the Bible, that Jesus was asked by the disciples why they could not heal the boy? We read, "“You do not have enough faith,” Jesus told them.

“I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”” Matthew 17:20 NLT. Sounds to me like their mindset was not correct.

Let us be aware today, to have the mindset o f possibilities in place of expectations. A curious mindset could look to see and ask what others do to keep a better mindset so that we might improve our ability to be in the zone with Christ.

How awesome would it be for the church and its people to be in the zone? We all are capable of being in the zone with Jesus when we have claimed to follow him. What is the first thing that you can do to get there and maybe bring someone there with you?

Let us pray, Jesus, we want to walk with you. We want to be your faithful followers, but we allow our sin to get in the way. Our distractions move us away from you, but we recognize that it is we who allow it to happen.

Help us today to learn how we might improve our ability to stay in the Jesus zone. It is the connection zone we want with you because we know that we can love deeper, forgive sooner, and glorify the Father through our word, actions, and love. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen,