Living Intentionally - Spend It All Today

Living Intentionally - Spend It All Today

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, “I used everything you gave me.” —Erma Bombeck

WHAT’S IN YOUR ACCOUNT? Spend it all, every last penny. Today.

I can hear the shrieks of financial advisors from coast to coast. But I’m not talking about your bank account. I want to explore the more important things that we hide, hoard, and ignore—our talent, our network, and the impact we have on others.

I am a marketing gal. I’m not a writer or a motivational speaker. These are not what I consider my core strengths. So how did I end up writing a blog and speaking? I (finally) recognized that my talent is encouraging women through my ability to share my life experiences. Coupled with my courage to examine tough topics, I began writing my Truth Nuggets and speaking to inspire women to achieve balance and live intentionally. Never in a million years did I think these two somewhat nebulous talents would emerge in the form of a biweekly newsletter to thousands or this book. But they did. And I do not take these gifts for granted, nor will I waste them.

But what other talents should I be utilizing? According to the test I took after reading Marcus Buckingham’s Now, Discover Your Strengths, I have the following gifts:

1. WOO (Winning Others Over)—I make a good first impression.

2. Relator—I naturally empathize with others.

3. Positivity—My glass is never half-empty.

4. Maximizer—I can get the most out of my projects and my team.

5. Activator—I don’t procrastinate; I can get projects started quickly.^a

Knowing what comes naturally to me has helped me clarify achievable goals. And understanding how I am hardwired has allowed me to leverage my talents in both my business and personal pursuits. God presents us with opportunities every single day to make a difference on this earth. Like Erma, I don’t want to stand before him and whine, “Well, I wasn’t sure if I could really do that. . . .” Yuk.

You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. (Matthew 5:14-16)

Can you articulate your top five talents? Are you sharing them? Or are you hiding your light under a bushel? “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine . . . let it shine, let it shine.”

Spend your talent today. You might not get a tomorrow.

^a Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton, Now, Discover Your Strengths (New York: Free Press, 2001), 208.