Achieving a life of Purpose and Influence

As you look at each statement, determine the degree to which you focus on it, i.e. the degree to which it is on your radar screen and it is true of you.  Most of us rate ourselves higher than others. 

Take this into consideration as you respond to each statement. Be bluntly honest with yourself. 

1 – Strongly disagree  

2 – Disagree  

3 – Uncertain                        

4 – Agree

5 – Strongly agree

1	I have often asked myself if there is more to life than my current situation.
2	I am very clear in what I consider eternally significant and I can give you all my answers.
3	This season of my life right now is packed with fun, growth, and fulfillment.
4	I don’t have a desperate need to look back and take stock, to look forward and dream and then to chart a new course together.
5	My life is meaningful and I know what gives life to that meaning.
6	I felt a growing desire to make a difference in the world.
7	I have a longing for more meaning in life.
8	I have reached a point in my life where I questioned my purpose and began to search for something more.
9	Something nagging inside says that my successes and life so far have not delivered everything I want.
10	I don’t need a time in solitude and introspection right now.
11	I know exactly what am I really passionate about.
12	I know my greatest strengths and core values.
13	My calling is clear and I live according to that.
14	I and my spouse do have a vision together.
15	I  know exactly what I am really passionate about
16	I know what makes me come alive
17	I know what my personal mission statement is and live according to that.
18	I am not bored right now.
19	I find myself thinking about something that would bring more excitement and adventure into my life.
20	I feel trapped - I’m stuck in a career that pays really well but is unfulfilling. I spend most of my time on things that don’t really matter.
21	I am in mid-life panic - I’ve spent my whole life getting good at this one thing, but I wonder if there’s something else I was created to do, and I might miss it. Time is slipping by.
22	I’ve lost my platform.
23	I am finding myself living a disintegrating life
24	I feel disconnected from God’s purpose for me in the world.
25	I am satisfied with the direction my life is taking
26	I have a clear picture of where I want to go
27	I find myself confused or frustrated trying to stay on track
28	I have been focused on being a good provider, responsible business person, husband, father, neighbour and friend.
29	I have had a growing sense that there is a new calling in this next season, and I need to take time to listen, and then develop a plan to live it out.
30	I’m comfortable - From my perspective life is good the way it is, so don’t mess with it.
31	I have not taken the time to really get close to God personally, much less understand what He has in mind for me in this life.
32	In the light of my unique design I know what is my  highest and best” contribution in advancing the cause of Christ on this earth
33	I am not  wrestling with anything in this season of  my life
34	My personal mission statement says what, in the end, I want to be remembered for.
35	My personal mission statement is dynamic.
36	My personal mission statement articulates what I believe God is calling me to do and it assists me in making life choices in alignment with my mission.
37	My passion remains buried as unfortunately, the challenges and busyness of life have hindered me from identifying the burdens and passion(s) that God has put on my heart.
38	Passion is the fuel of my life. It is the great source of my energy and drive. I am fully aware of my deepest inner drives and motivations.
39	I have clear understanding of my God-ordained, distinctive contribution.
40	I am living and achieving a life of purpose and influence

Be a reformer

Greetings to you

We have met when you came to India.

You gave me a set of DVD full of PowerPoint’s. I am still using it. Kindly please check my Facebook. I have attached lot of pictures based on your notes I have conducted classes. Now by the grace of God I have a famous preacher in my town. Thank you for your kindness and notes.

I need more from you

With regards

John

Good Planning and Hard Work lead to Prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to Poverty" - Proverbs 21:5 (NLT

Dearest Mario,

Thank you so much for your support, integrity, insight, humility, compassion, wisdom and servant-leadership. When I think of how honored and privileged I have been to come to know you through your training, equipping, mentorship and friendship over years since May 2009 when I had participated in business by the book study group and your Kingdom Economy seminar at Rosebank Church facility, a seed was planted through God’s Grace.

Your life as a man, father, husband and Grandfather has been such an inspiration and blessing. We can only benefit from your mentorship and friendship. You walk with God through Jesus by Holy Spirit.

“If I can see further, it’s by standing on the shoulders of giants” Sir Thomas Edison

I look forward to a life long journey.

 Kindest Regards,

  

Frank Agliotti                       

My LEWE IS VERRYK VERRYK VERRYK.

Hallo Mario en Mariene

Ek skryf (tik) vinnig.  My LEWE IS VERRYK VERRYK VERRYK. 

Ek het eers vandag tyd gekry om die flash drive te gebesigtig. Ek het die hele dag gesit en gelees en gelees  en ingeneem. Dis n baie baie groot pasella. Nog N groot dankie.  Ek weet Mario sal sê  “ die implementer van al die kennis is die eintlike ding”. Ek sal nog daar kom. Ek het n boek by die kurus  gekry “business God’s way”.  My man is ‘n lui leser, hy haat lees om die minste daarvan te sê, maar hy het die boek amper klaar gelees. Ek is baie opgewonde, nou moet hy implementer. (ha ha). Dis kosbaar.

Wou net laat weet ek voel skatryk en baie bevoorreg.

Groete

Heleen

Dear Mario and Meriene and the team!

Wow! As I have traveled home I have been trying to find the words to express my deep and heartfelt thanks and gratitude for this amazing training! My life has been irrevocably changed, challenged and impacted!

Conference feedback from Ghana Training

Dr. Mario Denton

As David said “Is There Not A Cause” and indeed it was made clear at the end of his visit, so it is that i am asking myself “is there not a cause” for me to be honored to listen to your rich ideas and experience? 

Listening to your introduction and reading the materials given us, indeed it is a blessing to be part of the program and I pray that my eyes of understanding will be illuminated in the directions he is giving me for his kingdom to come here on earth. 

May the Almighty God use you like never before to impact into us His wisdom and may you know no limitation in your presentations.  Speak it out! as directed to usher us into our God given destinies. God richly bless you for being humble and selfless.

Martha Anang

Cape Coast Technical School (Counsellor) 

Vakkeuses- Pyn of Plesier?

Ek wil net baie dankie sê vir die voorreg om gister saam met jou, ons seun se vakkeuses te bespreek. Ek voel ek het nie woorde om opreg my waardering uit te spreek nie, en wat dit vir my beteken het nie. Ek weet nie of onsseun besef watter voorreg dit was nie, maar eendag sal hy hopelik terugkyk en dankbaar wees vir die geleentheid.

Dink aan mekaar en tree in vir mekaar

Het jou epos gekry  op my Selfoon, maar probeer so min as moontlik van daar op eposse reageer. Hou daarvan om rekord van al my koms te hou. Dit was die regte dag vir jou om dit vir my te stuur.

Discover your God-Given Identity and Purpose

Dear Mario and Mariene

Thank you for providing us both with the opportunity to do a Career Direct assessment and to also be trained to take this amazing product to others who we come in contact with.  What we appreciated most was the way in which the training was conducted.  We could sense that what you shared with us came from your hearts much more than from your heads.  That is important because we can easily impress people with what is in our heads and all the knowledge we have, but it is when that which is in the heart is communicated that great things happen.  And we witnessed something great happen when we saw a lost and hopeless young man come in for report back on his assessment.  He came in as an uncertain boy with nothing going for him in life, and he left with a bag full of possibilities.  Most importantly he heard the message that God was for him and God has plans for his life.  He was touched, because he received more than answers to a few questions he answered about himself.  He learned about God’s design for him and was blessed through that.

In the seminars we conduct we see people rediscover (or discover for the first time) their God-given identity and destiny.  It is great to see people lift up their heads after receiving revelation from God about themselves.  Career Direct does something similar.  It sheds light on who we are and what we were destined to become.  It not only helps people to make career choices, but confirms to them that those things they were interested in as young children, were not silly ideas but actually have something to do with how they were put together by Creator God.

Don’t give up − keep on sowing and be a reformer and difference maker

I have been to Ghana five times, namely in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 and now 2014. I was invited by Crown Financial Ministies and visited Ghana together with Jan Strydom during my first visits. In 2011 I said to Rev Sam Oppong that I was not coming back again unless I saw some results. At that stage I had provided Rev Sam Oppong with all the relevant material and I waited to see what would happen. Late in 2013 I received an email from Rev Sam, saying that was the right time to come and that they would print the relevant material on their side.

The world is faced with huge challenges – among them are corruption, political and economical instability, difficult and unfair labour practices, lack of integrity, unethical and even destructive leadership, over-exposure to knowledge, continuous change and turmoil, unemployment, poverty and hunger, HIV/Aids, environmental degradation. Many business people have a huge potential to play an important role but are often part of the problem, enriching the fortunate few but exploiting many others. However, a lot of conscientious business people want to make the difference but don’t know how. On the other hand there is a market-place explosion and revival. Individuals, companies, churches and marketplace ministries desperately need some further training and support. The Institute will serve from a "unique serving point" addressing real needs in the workplace

Our VISION:

·         To encourage leaders in Africa to operate in their organisations by biblical principles  

·         To train and equip leaders who acts as catalysts to mobilise Christians in the marketplace to commit to as God’s ambassadors, aligning their lives and work to kingdom principles.

Our MISSION is to:

• Provide relevant and high impact training materials, programmes and processes and specialised curricula will be made available to as many as possible marketplace Christians and leaders.
• Liaise with other training institutes and marketplace ministries and develop training material as needs dictate.

The credibility and momentum of the Institute will be supported by strategic kingdom partnerships and alliances. The desire is to work closely with all Christian Churches as well as organisations such as FCCI, Walk Thru the Bible, Haggai Institute, Marketplace Alliance, Crown Financial Ministries,  Call2All, ITN, Global Day of Prayer, Unashamedly Ethical,  CBMC, Call 42 and Compass 1 to name a few.

The Institute will, according to formal partnership agreements, make use of existing infrastructures and resources, but also create new infrastructures and resources for specific needs. Input and help from credible leaders in different fields will be acquired to build the network.

The VALUES

We thought very hard on this one but being part of the Compass team, the institute also fully subscribe to the following values:

·         Christ Centered. The Lord owns the institute and is the only One who knows the direction we should take. He alone produces transformed lives.

·         Spirit Led. In the same way that Jesus depended on the Holy Spirit to reveal the will of the Father, we too, are completely dependent on Him to reveal God’s will for the Institute and for each of us as individuals.

·         Bible Based. Everything the institute teaches and does must be based on the Word of God.

·         Prayer Driven. Prayer is essential. Seeking the Lord’s direction, provision, and protection through prayer must be a constant focus for us individually and throughout the entire ministry.

·         Discipleship Focused. Jesus commanded us to “go and make disciples of all nations.” This was His priority, and it will be ours.

PRAYER REQUESTS: Make a difference wherever you go? Be significant –stand out. Pray that God will continue to open doors for us even in “closed countries” in Africa. The most important thing is that whatever is done must be done well with a heart of serving others Our source of encouragement… “…for I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.” Acts 13:41b 

Closing comments

Be a multiplier. Get involved. Let us train your leaders to make a difference in the workplace

Ek sien uit na die pad wat ek gaan stap in His Design.

Ek sien uit na die pad wat ek gaan stap in His Design.

Soos jy weet Mario het ek reeds vroeer in 2009 die opleiding gekry, maar a.g.v. persoonlike omstandighede dit nie gebruik nie.

Met die onlangse opleiding het die groter prentjie en moontlikhede van Career Direct vir my oop gegaan. Die Living by His Design deel was heeltemal nuut vir my. Jy het ons lekker deel gemaak van die opleiding en my opgewonde gemaak oor hierdie "tool".

Wat my verder beindruk het was die opleidingshanleiding en job sampler. Alles bymekaar en volledig vir verdere naslaan. Die "persoonlike" gevalle studies was baie waardevol. Om die persoon voor jou te sien en na hulle profiel te kyk was 'n baie praktiese manier van leer.

Career Direct has added so much value to our training program

Equipping young people for live is what the TiCs 180* Gap Year training program is all about. Since 1993 we have been training leaders of character that bring hope to cities and nations.

Many young people do not know what they want to do with their lives and don't have an idea of how God has designed them. Society places great emphasis on WHAT you do BUT we have experienced that they first need to know WHO they are before they can start dreaming about the WHAT. I firmly believe this is one of the primary reasons why the drop out statistics of Universities is so high.

5 Ways to Make the Second Half of Your Life Count

Many mountaineers have lost their lives on the Swiss Matterhorn and are buried nearby in a Catholic church cemetery outside the small town of Zermatt. A recent study by a historian found 2/3 of the climbers in this graveyard made it to the Matterhorn peak, but died on the way back down.  They started strong but could not finish, mainly because they were not adequately prepared.

All of us are susceptible to this danger; if not on a mountain, then in life.  It’s easy to go full out in the beginning, but it’s much harder to finish well.  That takes diligent planning and preparation. 

Granted, it’s pretty much impossible to know for certain if you’re in the second half of your life. The definitive information isn’t available until you really don’t need it anymore. However, there is something undeniably pivotal about arriving at your 40’s and 50’s, and hearing, “It’s all downhill from here” (or something like that).

Regardless of exactly when “The second half of your life” begins, there’s absolutely no reason for any All Pro Dad to fail to live with enthusiasm, resolve, and passion. Here are 5 ways to make the second half of your life count.

Business redefined seminar

Research Uncovers 8 Mistakes People Make that Lead to Unsatisfying Work

"It's time for serious evaluation through tools like Career Direct so that students don't drown in debt while struggling with unemployment," said Crown's Robert Dickie III.


 A fine-tuned tool based on years of research could make a difference for anyone trying to decide, "What should I do when I grow up?" For students choosing a course of study or for those considering what kind of work will stand the test of time, Crown Financial Ministries spent more than 10 years developing and fine tuning the newly re-launched Career Direct ® using standard psychometric principles of testing and measurement and putting those to work in 17 languages. Career Direct is a game changer for job seekers and prospective students.

So far, more than 120,000 adults and students worldwide have gone through the program. It asks up front the basic question of life – who are you? – before telling you how to spend your 100,000 hours of working life. And with that much science and personal testing behind it, Crown Financial Ministries has learned that some career mistakes can be avoided, beginning with too little time spent in considering what are a person's best skills and talents.
"Finding out your unique skills should be the first thing any job seeker or student does before changing your life for your job or investing your hard-earned, even borrowed, money in education," said Crown's President Robert Dickie III.

In an article featured in Fox News this week Dickie noted: "More than half of all students change majors at least once, and a recent survey found that the average American man changes jobs every four and one-half years, the average woman every three years. The model of employee and employer forming a lifelong relationship no longer fits.
"Today choosing a career is generally not a one-time decision; it's a series of decisions, made through different stages of life, experience, and responsibility. But with more than 60 percent of Americans saying they are not satisfied with their current jobs, it seems obvious that it's time to consider new patterns for choosing a profession."
Career Direct ® is a program that provides personal analysis, testing and even counseling to identify the kind of skills that will lead to a successful career.

Through research, Crown also identified 8 common errors people make when taking a job and when trying to find a career that will satisfy.

Business Redefined.. Re-engineering your business for the future

I am back from a Conference in Los Angeles where I did a presentation on the 18 inches towards real transformation from the head to the heart. At the conference I had the opportunity to listen to some outstanding wisdom and legacy leaders of the world. One such session was with Ken Blanchard.

Ken Blanchard is an accomplished speaker, consultant and one of Amazon’s top 25 best-selling authors of all time. As a world-renowned expert in leadership and business, Ken is generally regarded as one of the most insightful, powerful and compassionate men in the business arena today. His best-selling books include The One Minute Manager® (13 million copies sold worldwide) and the trilogy: Raving Fans, Gung Ho!®, and Big Bucks®. His seminal work, Leadership by the Book, has given new meaning to “servant leadership”.

Ken talked about trust as the basis for every relationship and about defining trust busters and trust boosters, as well as rebuilding trust. I personally liked the assessment tool Ken discussed with us that uses 35 statements based on the following:

                                   

1, When you demonstrate competence and skill, you are ABLE, which builds trust.

2. When you act with integrity, you are BELIEVABLE, which builds trust.

3. When you care about others, you are CONNECTED, which builds trust.

4. When you remain reliable, you are DEPENDABLE, which builds trust.

Other speakers included:

·         Luis Palau, Astonishing Impact of one Consecrated Business Leader

·         Dr. John Townsend, Boundaries and Leadership: How Successful Leaders Guard Their Time and Energy

·         Kevin Palau, City Transformation: The Portland Story, Is it possible to see cities transformed by the Gospel?

·         Kent Humphreys, What is Next for You?

·         Dr. Paul White, Authentic Appreciation: Communicating True Value to Your Employees for Kingdom-based Relationships

·         Rick Warren: Sharing and inspiring us to be the true ambassadors of God’s Kingdom

What a great moment to reconnect, to share, to pray and also to have fun together! It was great meeting the FCCI delegates again. This conference was different as there was a strong emphasis on how to do it versus just talking and listening. For me personally, the conference was a time of learning new things from God regarding a fresh re-engineering approach to our FCCI calling in Africa. I have been emotionally recharged, spiritually renewed and again equipped for the challenges we are facing in the market-place in Africa.

Let’s change the market-place story. Also see the link that I prepared for the conference: http://www.changeyourstorytoday.com/#!home/mainPage

Be a life-long learner and allow God to use you mightily in the position for which He has called you in. Make a difference wherever you go!

Blessings. Dr Mario Denton E: marden@mweb.co.za