day no. 15,029: coulds and shoulds; oughts and options

TWO RULES:
Accrue coulds
Pursue shoulds

ACCRUE COULDS
As you grow in wisdom, stature and favor with both God and man, you will also grow in opportunity and influence. You will have more outlets offered to you. In other words, the number of things you could do grows. Growing influence means growing things you could do. But having options doesn't mean you must take advantage of each and every one of them.

PURSUE SHOULDS
As your options increase, the need to do what only you can do increases. The more influence you have, the more you should opt to do things that only you can do rather than things anybody could do. Some things can be done by anyone while some things can only be done by you and can only be done at particular times.

For example, no one can be my wife's husband except me. No one can be my children's father except me. If I don't husband my wife or father my children, they do not have another husband or father they can look to. Additionally, I must father my children now while they are young. I could write a book or record a podcast now, but if the time I take to do it comes from time I could have been fathering my kids, I cannot father them later. I can always write a book or record a podcast later, but the time to father is now. If I miss it, I can't do it later.

So grow in influence and the number of things you could do. The man of God lacks no opportunity and the godlier, the more opportunities he is qualified for. But as that bank of opportunity grows, the discernment to invest intentionally where only you can grows with it.

Know your shoulds and pursue them wholeheartedly. Only you can love God with your whole heart, mind, soul and strength. They are yours to steward. Lead them to the Lord. After that, know what is an ought and what is an option. Oughts are responsibilities you must fulfill. Options are opportunities you could fill in for if it complements your overall mission without subtracting from your primary mission.

One must know their lead goals in order to accomplish their lag goals without becoming overly interested in secondary assignments.