Do you feel like quitting?

I had just met Jennie , and one of the first things she said to me was- “ I want to quit!”

She was serious.

This was not some false humility moment here, she meant every word.

The irony was, here we were about to start a 2 day film shoot.  She was about to teach a Bible study, like a boat-load of sessions, to a room full of women, and the first thing she said was....” I want to quit”.

I knew at that moment, I liked her.

Can you relate?

Let’s look at the outside.  Here she was a published author, filming on this gorgeous film set, being attended to by a personal make-up artist and hairstylist, and she would rather not, thank- you very much.

Not because she didn’t care about the women in the room.

Not because she didn’t appreciate the opportunity before her.

Not because she was lazy, or any other thing other than the cold hard truth……... obeying God requires a lot from us. No, not a lot- our EVERYTHING!

We can sometimes glaze over the sacrifice part of our relationship with God.  We gloss over the loss and pain of “giving up” those things we want to desperately hold on to.

For so long we have fought to claim “our lives”, “ our place in this world”.  Then God steps in and rocks our world.

His ways are not our ways.  He thinks long-term, short-term, and all in-between.  And we can barely see past the end of our nose.

So, yes- sometimes following His lead makes us want to quit.  We don’t always get it.  We don’t always understand.  We think we know a better way.  And all of that makes us want to just..... quit!

But, we know deep down, that’s not really what we want.

From time to time, we’re just plain tired and overwhelmed with the pursuit. But here’s the good news, God get’s that.

He promised to never ask or require more of us than we can handle.

Duet. 31:6 It’s a promise.

So, if you’re feeling the urge to quit.

I feel you.

I get it!

You’re not the only one.

And most importantly, God understands that feeling - deeply and intimately.

Jennie ,made an incredible turn around that day.  Once she opened up and shared her feelings, we prayed together as a group, and we committed to  follow hard after God - together.

So if you feel like quitting.

1. Admit it.  Say it out loud. It’s okay.

2. Pray to God for strength to be faithful to all that He is asking of you

3. Find some friends who are committed to doing the same, and do life together.

 

What about you?- Ever felt like quitting?

 

Quick 10 list

When I complete a class session.  While I’m still at the desk and before I shut down the computer to re-join the family, there’s something I like to do.  I’m calling it my quick 10 list.

I quickly write down 5 things that I want to add and 5 things I want to delete from the course content and overall experience.

For example:

Add

  1. Scripted opening statement to welcome the class
  2. A new slide to illustrate a point
  3. Fun poll as an ice-breaker
  4. A USB microphone to ensure better sound
  5. Reminder note to smile when speaking, it makes my voice sound more friendly

Delete

  1. Long story in class #1
  2. Unclear example, find a replacement ? or skip it?
  3. Too many references to the chat room, caused the class to get off topic
  4. Ringing phone, remember to mute all phones
  5. Mispronunciation of class member’s name

Insert these notes into a class folder that contains all of your notes, handouts, ideas, and future plans.  Then, the next time you’re planning this class.  Crack open this memo and use your quick 10 to make improvements.

The quick 10 will help you to immediately identify practical ways to make your online class the best ever.  Every.single.time.

The #1 Enemy to Launching Your Online Course

When you are considering doing an online course, there are plenty of things to stop you.

There are a ton of decisions to make when creating and delivering a course.  But even those who’ve been through my training course, which gives them tons of practical information on how to launch a stellar online course, some still haven’t set the date for the very first one.

Why?

There’s a sneaky enemy among you, that’s throwing you off your ‘A’ game.  And if you continue to listen to this tricky,yet relentless voice, you might not ever launch.

The voice sounds like this:

I’m not sure I know enough yet.

I need to do more research.

Maybe spring is better than the fall for a class.

Maybe summer is better than the spring.

Maybe fall really is best and now it’s too late.  I’ll just wait until next fall.

I need to practice more with the technology.

Sound familiar?

Each time you take the time to answer one of these comments, you delay.

Delay…..delay……delay.

We need to Beat This Enemy For Good

But, before we go into battle we must first identify the enemy by name. That voice is the voice of perfection.Perfection makes you feel that what you are doing is never enough.Perfection will always cause you to doubt who you are, what you know, and what you are doing.

When it comes to your online class, I want you to win this battle.

Here’s a simple, but powerful game plan.

I want you to do 2 things:

  1. Pick a date AND
  2. Stick to it

Short of a major catastrophe - you’re In a car wreck and injured or a major unforeseen opportunity like you are invited to be on national TV and can get incredible exposure, do NOT change this date.

Stick.with.the.plan.

That enemy, perfection, will test you.  He will push you to the edge of what you believe to be possible.  But in the end, you can do more than you think with less than you can ever imagine.

Don’t quit.

Don’t count yourself out.

You can do this.

The world needs you to step up and deliver.