BUILD WHAT YOU GOT

A lot of emerging leaders want what other leaders have. However, they haven’t done anything to deserve what those leaders have done. They complain about their surroundings, budgets, facilities, and teams, but my new advice has become BUILD WHAT YOU GOT. Don’t build what you don’t have. Don't build what others have built. BUILD WHAT YOU GOT.

What has God given you? Build that. Don’t build on your weaknesses. Build on your strengths.

Too many leaders today are not willing to pay the price or to push the hard yards. They want it now. They want it easy. They want what you built! Oh, let me say that again, they want what you built. I am gonna say it a million times. BUILD WHAT YOU GOT!

"I want to be like John Maxwell." Well, are you going to continue to wake up and work at 3:30am every day, even at 77 years old.

"I want to be the next Mark Cuban." He didn't take a vacation for 7 years. Are you willing to do that?

You see, I have found that when you try and build what others were called to build you will face plant every single time. But when you build what you are called to do and do what you were designed to do you will find a measure of success that will blow your mind. That's why you must BUILD WHAT YOU GOT.

So, how do you build? Or, how do you get your "name in the lights"? Or, how do you use your gifts and talents to build something great? Basically, how do you BUILD WHAT YOU GOT.

ENJOY THE PROCESS

Some leaders want to rush ahead. But here's something I know, your preparation leads to your elevation. Some of you may need to read that again. You see, most people today want elevation without preparation, but God's system is preparation first. Just look throughout Scripture and you easily see that God used seasons of preparation to create a lifetime of elevation. Don't rush the process - be patient in the process. God is preparing you for what He designed for you. Enjoy the process.

PUT IN THE WORK

You have to work harder than the average person. If you only do the bare minimum you will experience the bare minimum but when you work hard you will experience the results you are working for. Don't be lazy. Grind it out. Scripture declares, "You will definitely enjoy what you’ve worked hard for — you’ll be happy; and things will go well for you" (Psalm 128:2). Here's the reality: God rewards hard work. Put in the work and do it with everything you got.

BRING OTHERS WITH YOU

Hey, you don't find success on your own. It takes a team to build a dream. Be very careful not to just enjoy your success. Make your success your team's success. At our church, Church Unleashed, we discourage using the words "I or me," instead we use "Us or we." Why? It's pretty simple - my wife and I could not do what we do without an incredible team. No one is a "self made leader." No one. So, bring the people with you.

GIVE GOD THE CREDIT

At the end of the day God put all the gifts and abilities in you. They are hardwired in your DNA. Make sure you give God the credit for helping your build. Because what you build you must maintain and the only person that will help you continue to build is God. Period.

BUILD WHAT YOU GOT. If God gave you a small warehouse for your company - build. If God gave you a home office - build. If God gave you 250 followers on social media - build. If God gave you 50 people in your church - build. If you only have 300,000 in annual revenue in your business - build. What's the point? BUILD WHAT YOU GOT. Because I believe if you BUILD WHAT YOU GOT you will grow that business, church, company, or non-profit.

Ok, now some simple homework:

1. What gifts, talents, and abilities has God given you? Write them down.

2. What resources has God put in your hands? Write them down.

3. What vision has God given you for your life? Write it down.

Now, get out there and BUILD WHAT YOU GOT.