100 - Go Big or Go Home
Full Transcript:
Courage Cast Podcast - Faith, Inspiration and Motivation for Today
Eric Nordhoff - Christian entrepreneur, encourager and leader of the Courageous Community
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Lessons Learned From Overcoming Failure
When I was in college, my college roommate and I were dreaming big about writing a hit song and making it big in the music business one day. We weren’t believers. We had no faith in God whatsoever at the time, but we did have an incredible attitude and belief that we would do great things one day - that we would Go Big or Go Home. So much so, that we titled our mix CDs of the songs we wrote (which I will never play for you, by the way – it’s so bad) Why Not? and Take The Chance.
And, even though our path didn’t go exactly the way I had planned (and it never does), it did instill in me a vision and a belief that I could do it. And that was very important to me at that time. My passion and belief led me here to Nashville and pursue my music career. God had other plans for me – things changed when I encountered God. I realized I desired to get my spiritual life in order first. Then, as I put my focus on Him, He began to lead me in other directions. I haven’t always been adhering to what He says, as most of us can attest to in our own lives, BUT, I did, overtime have a persistent faith that He would lead me in the right direction as I learned more and more to listen to the Holy Spirit.
And with the journey I’ve been on – having taken greater risks, experienced greater rewards and somefailures. I see that the failures weren’t so bad. I survived.
And I also see that the rewards were worth the risk I took. Now, I took some bad risks, and lost lots and lots of money. But it didn’t kill me. It didn’t ruin my marriage and it made me smarter and wiser.
Go Big or Go Home
So, now, I’m at a place where more often than not the phrase – GO BIG is coming up for me. Why shouldn't I be going big? Why shouldn't I be going big on everything I believe in?
And the same is true for you! Why shouldn’t you be going big? Whatever it is that you dream about – whatever it is that you’re passionate about? Why shouldn’t you give yourself place to believe that it is possible for you and for your life?! Here on this earth.
Dreams are a vital thing for your life. Dreams are a sure sign of your hopefulness. Do you believe in your dream? What’s stopping you? What limits are you putting on yourself? What limits have you been believing that others have spoken over you.
The truth is that God made you unique, special and with a purpose! You have meaning. You have assurance that He doesn’t give you dreams just to tease you and mock you and show you how ridiculous you are. That’s what the enemy spends his time doing.
Don’t listen to the lie that you are a fool. You aren’t a fool. You are courageous. You dare to dream big. Now, it’s time to do more than dream. It’s time to fulfill what it is that God has given you. It’s time to pursue it with your whole heart!
Motivation To Get Going
You and I are not getting younger. We have limited time left here on this earth. What if you got a diagnosis of terminal disease? If it was all going to end for you in one year, two years, 5 years? Would that motivate you to finally live? Or would it make you stay stuck in feeling sorry for yourself?
I want to have you believe that you are not going to stay in that place very long. You can’t afford to. You are made with a purpose, with a dream in mind by your creator God.
Baby Steps Lead To Success
What it is it going to take for you to start going BIG?! Going Big actually means starting with small daily steps. Small daily actions that lead to something big. Keeping your eye on the next steps in front of you and not the mountain that’s a few miles in front of you. Every day, just a few steps.
There is a trick a runner-friend taught me when running up a big hill. Focus on a point a few yards in front of me and commit to just getting there. Once you reached that point, celebrate! Celebrate in your mind as you run.
The same goes for you in your pursuit of Going Big. Celebrate your small victories along the way. Believe for the daily and weekly achievements. We often make the mistake of thinking we can get far more done than we really can in one year, but we often also make the mistake of thinking that we won’t get enough done in 10 years.
It’s my hope that you’ll do what I’m going to do. You’ve heard this expression before…I’m sure. I'm going to go big or go home! We've got to make investments now to do great things for the future.
How To Overcome Fear
And Forget about fear. Don't be afraid! Take more risks. No more regrets. I got to write that down big on my vision board ... I need to see that. I need to see that every single day. Go big or go home. Come on! Who’s with me? You got this! Go big or go home! We need to start thinking bigger. We need to start doing bigger.
If there was no chance I could fail, what would I do? Let’s leave it all on the table! Go for it! Why not? What have you really got to lose? What are you afraid of? Afraid of looking stupid? You afraid of looking silly? Afraid of what other people will think?
You were made by your creator. You were made with a purpose. You were made for a purpose. you living your life that way? Be honest…
You have a holy inheritance, a heavenly inheritance that is assured.
Encouraging Bible Verses
Ephesians 1:11-14 says "In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."
The Question is do you believe it? How much do you believe it? If you knew you couldn't fail, and ultimately this world can't get you. There's nothing this world can do to you. Nothing anybody can do, nothing anyone can say. They can take your life, but they can't take your inheritance, your purpose, your reason for being. If you absolutely knew you couldn’t fail…what would you really do?
How To Live Without Fear
Imagine living your life as if there is nothing that could happen to you, nothing that could touch you, nothing that could harm you, nothing that could hurt you, nothing to be afraid of, nothing that could affect you in any way whatsoever. How differently would you live your life? How differently would you choose choices that you make every day of your life?
Because that's what the Gospel says ... The Truth is, it's assured. Your place in the kingdom of heaven as a child of God is assured ... Right? Do you believe it or not?
What would I do? I'd live my life completely differently. I'd live my life with boldness. I'd be going for things that no ordinary person would go for, because we are not ordinary. We are going to look weird to people. The more weird the better. Embrace your weirdness!
You know what – the bottomline is…You are extraordinary. You are extraordinary in Christ. You are surrendered to him, and you can follow his lead, and you're free.
Shine Like Christ
There's no levels or ranks. No one's better than you. No one's worse than you, but when you recognize and realize who you are in Christ and what he's done for you, the freedom that he's purchased for you so that you may glorify him once again more fully, and you make his name great. You make his name great by stepping out and not giving in to fear. You make his name great by loving others with abandon because you know that there's nothing that that person can hurt you with. Your enemies, just like your friends, you can love them! You're going to blow people away when you catch wind of this ...They will see a whole new you – more and more the new you – the you that Christ bought and purchased on the cross – that person will shine and make his name great.
Remind yourself today of who he is and what he says about you, that you've got this, you've been given a special purpose and a special place in his life and in his heart. It's time to embrace it and run the race that you've been given.
I hope you enjoyed this podcast - now Go Big or Go Home!