The Message of LeadershipSample

LITTLE IS MUCH WHEN GOD IS IN IT

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant."
-Robert Stevenson

Success does not happen overnight. It is the result of faithfulness in little things over a lifetime. The small unnoticed things can add up to great achievement and a crescendo of success—if you are persistent. You can build your life on a consistent body of small achievements, not just a single giant success.

I met Jim Ryun in 1980 in California. As the world record holder in the mile run for many years, he knew what it meant to reap the benefits of multitudes of hours invested over a long period of time. You do not become a world-class runner without a lot of practice and self-discipline. As I listened to his story, I was amazed because his personal life paralleled his running career. It is rare for anything of great worth to come easily, even to the very gifted.

The day came when Jim’s record was finally broken by an eighteen-year-old from Virginia. What if all Jim Ryun had to be proud of was a thirty-six-year-old running record that now had been broken
by a high school senior? He would never recover; his running career would be over as well as his feeling of accomplishment. But Jim Ryun has something more—a body of service to the Lord and his community that has spanned a lifetime. Yes, his fame gave him a platform, but it could have been a very dangerous place to stand if it was all he had ever accomplished. Now he is on much firmer and safer ground surrounded by a lifetime of achievement. You reap what you sow. Sow generously and you will reap generously. Sow sparingly and you will find yourself impoverished when you meet the grim reaper.

Essential Insight 28: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Sow many acts of value over your lifetime, and you will be amazed at the harvest when you are old.