Preparing or Repairing?

Last Friday, I had the awesome privilege of photographing The Chick-Fil-A Leadercast via live-feed. Hosted by the Central Oregon Coast Association, this conference featured dynamic speakers such as Andy Stanley, Tim Tebow, & John Maxwell, among many other world renown speakers. As the Official Photographer, I thought I was only going to work that day and didn't realize I was actually going to participate in this event. I can't even begin to describe the personal breakthroughs I've experienced which has me re-evaluating not only my business but my role as a christian, wife, mother, & business owner. Here are a few key notes that spoke most to me:

ARE YOU PREPARING OR REPAIRING?

That's one of the many introspective questions asked during the day. And it was a question that made me shrug in my chair. Following that, came the statement: The secret to your success is determining your daily agenda. You can imagine how I felt when I realized that I don't even have a daily agenda. Aside from the everyday get up, get the kids ready for school, check the facebook & other social media, I don't have a set dinner time or even set devotional time. The truth is: the only times that are set in my house are the time we wake the kids up for school, the time they get home & the their bed time... and of course their scheduled practices and game times. Everything else falls into the "get it done when you can" category. Which brings me to the next key:

IF YOU RAN YOUR BUSINESS LIKE YOU RAN YOUR HOUSE, 

WOULD YOU BE SUCCESSFUL?

You just read my above schedule, do you really need me to elaborate?
Short Anwer: No

Long Answer: No, really.

THE CHOICE YOU MAKE, MAKES YOU

We all know this, right? But do we really know it?! Like, the choice to walk away from jobs that compromise the core values of our beliefs? Or how about the time we spend cultivating our skills, growing our network, and expanding our business at the cost of our family? These are not just business decisions. They directly reflect our character. And I want mine to be that of a well-balanced and authentic woman, devoted wife, and the baseball team mom who runs a successful business. In that order. 

Needless to say, this conference has given me a lot to think about. And on that note, I will leave you with my favorite quote of that day:

IF YOU CAN RAISE THE INTEGRITY & CHARACTER AROUND YOU,

THEN YOU ARE A TRUE LEADER.