The Jon Stallings’ Daily 5

I have always struggled with goals. Yes part of that is a tendency to be lazy. However, the other part is that if you listen to all the “experts,” you need goals for personal growth, goals for your career, goals for your health, goals for family etc. If you do it their way, you will wind up with more goals than you could ever accomplish. They become more of a distraction than a help.

Earlier this year I was reading a blog (I can’t remember which one) and they mentioned that they had created a Rule of 5 which they learned from John Maxwell’s rule of 5– Intrigued I thought I would take a look.

After reading several posts (just do a google search rule of 5) I began to think of what were the five activities I could do every day that would provide the greatest impact over most areas of my life.

My Rule of 5

(OK, I know I cheated a bit. I have listed 2 for some – you can report me to the rule of 5 police if you wish)

Bible Study and Prayer

• Although I am not a morning person, I try to start off each day reading from the Bible and spending time in prayer. I can’t think of a better way to start the gift that is each day. You can read about my Bible study plan here

Read and File

•  I try to read each day. I read a variety of information from both good books and blogs. I read a lot on faith and leadership. I also try and read some just for fun. When I come across great information I will store it in Evernote so I can easily find it later. The majority of my blogs and sermon ideas come from my reading.
  

Write

•  It is true my grammar is bad but I am a writer. Writing helps me reflect on and organize my thoughts. It is my creative outlet. A large portion of my writing I will never publish; it is simply a healthy exercise for my brain and emotional well being.
  

Be Generous

•  Life is best lived when we give ourselves away. Generosity is not just about giving away money. It is more about giving away my time and energy. I strive to put others first and do my best to leave behind a positive mark. Who can I encourage today? Who can I help? It could be as simple as using the cashier’s name as they ring up my groceries or spending the day with a friend as they recover from surgery.
  

Reflect at the end of each day

• This is one I need to work on more. I need to do a better job taking a look back on my day and looking forward the next. How did I do on my other four rules? What tasks did I not finish? What will be the priority for tomorrow?
  

These don’t quite cover everything (my health for one) but I feel that if I can do these five things each day I will continue to learn and grow. The impact I have as a husband, father, pastor and worker should continue to move in the right direction.

It is important to note that by doing these five activities each day I will create what Jon can produce. I must never forget, to truly succeed in this life I need to depend daily on the grace and mercy of God. – He is my source and provider. He can produce a lot more than I can.

Take time to create your own Daily Rule of 5

It is also important to note that this is my rule of 5. It is not a magic bullet for success. Your rule may be completely different. I just encourage you to create your own. Don’t right it in stone. Overtime your rule may change and evolve based on where you are in life. Create whatever works for you.

Do you have a rule of 5? Share them or your other thoughts in the comments below.

Photo Credit: Leo Reynolds via Compfight cc

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About the Author: Jon Stallings

I am enthusiastic about helping others discover their purpose and grow into a deeper relationship with Jesus. It is great to see their eyes light up at their “Ah Ha!” moment when they discover they were created for something more. My hope is that this blog will help encourage and inspire you along your way. Join the conversation and take the time to share with me your own story. I have been married to my beautiful wife Janice for over 30 years. We currently live in McDonough Georgia with our daughter. Our two boys have left the nest and we have two wonderful grand kids. Of course we cannot forget about our dog Bear.