Releasing Average to Become Great

What are you great at?

I would wager that most people don’t have a clear answer. 

Because most people are trained to be and strive to be average. 

To fit in with the crowd. 

To be just good enough. 

To live within their means. 

Average. It is such a deceptive term when applied to humans. 

What does it mean to be average in your life?

Typically that is going to be based on who you surround yourself with and the influences you have. 

Average would look very different in another social circle or part of the world. 

Which immediately breaks down the concept that average by any definition even exists. It is not a fact but a mere perception. 

So why strive to be average?

I know of no reason. 

That’s why I’m bringing it up with you today — to challenge the way you are thinking — if you find yourself here. 

Instead learn how to answer the question I opened this message with: 

What are you great at? 

Where do you excel?

We are all made differently, uniquely, and positioned where we are, when we are in history, for a reason. God has a plan for each person’s life. 

Are you discovering your’s?

Are you embracing and leaning in to creating from your area of greatness? 

I remember years ago a man coming to speak at our church. He was filling one of the open Sunday slots as our church actively searched for a new pastor. 

He delivered his message so well that the church asked him to come back. 

Over and over he started to become a regular speaker. 

And when the conversation amongst church members drifted to who would be our new pastor, his name came to the top of the list. 

It was clear he had a gift to preach. 

But he was young by the typical standards of a church pastor. 

Especially one of such a large church. 

People questioned his maturity to lead the church. 

His ability to run the organization. 

And all these other responsibilities a pastor would need to fulfill. 

I share this because it makes me think how we recognize a person’s exceptional talent but then instead of embracing it and allowing it to expand more, we try to fit that person into a defined role. To qualify them on other factors we expect them to be equally talented at. 

I did this to myself for a very long time. 

Throughout my two decades in marketing roles, I have been the person handling anything and everything that call fall under marketing except direct sales. That’s a lot of things. And although proficient, I was never given the opportunity to excel any one thing because my attention was pulled in so many different directions. 

I was good but I was average. 

And I never manifested a better career or income because I never moved beyond average qualifications. 

But something in me keep pressing forward. 

Because something in me desired more than average. 

I was tired of being stuck. 

So I focused a few years on just teaching. 

Teaching is one of my core gifts and something I delight in. 

But I approached teaching in a pre-defined container — under the expectations of college professor. I had to teach on a particular topic, do it a certain way, follow the protocol of the school. 

Now none of this is bad, but do you see how it prevents true greatness?

It is conforming to the established parameters. 

It is average for the point of our discussion. 

I’m sharing all this because I’m tired of average. 

I am not here to just live day by day, fitting into society in the traditional roles, just being enough and having enough to get by. 

Where do you stand on this position?

Are you okay with how things are or do you desire to break out of average living and be more? 

What others call more, could just be you stepping into your greatness to be who God designed you to be. 

This year, I have exited the university life and have stepped into my role as teacher, but in a unique way. I am teaching through my writings and workshops the way I feel lead to share God’s word to women — through this podcast, my books, and trainings under the umbrella of Life Changing Manifestations. I am talking about topics that light me up and can change the lives of women. 

That is creating greatness by using my strengths. 

I have also eliminated all the other tasks and roles I previously filled in the marketing space to embrace and serve using only one skillset — my greatest one — writing. I love to write and to write and create content and books for clients to promote their business is my greatest delight. 

This lights me up more than all the other roles I have ever done. 

So what are you great at?

And is your current setup in your life allowing you to fully excel in your greatness or is it hampering you, keeping you average?

The scripture to meditate on for this lesson comes from Galatians chapter 6. 

Verses: 4 and 5

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.

For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

You see there is no benefit in even trying to compete for an average way of living because there is s no need to compare yourself to anyone else when you focus on what you have to do. Doing it to the best of your ability because it brings you delight and satisfaction. 

Own this for yourself. 

That pastor I referred to earlier in the message did get the role as lead pastor after the  church body voted him in. I don’t know what became of the various responsibilities he had to do in addition to preaching but in this role he rose to the challenge and excelled in his gifts. God empowered his message to reach beyond our church walls and he wrote a book that became a best seller and impacted the lives of many. He created a movement and ministry beyond the church that still thrives today. And I am delighted that he is still preaching very boldly from an even larger platform — reaching even more people to this day. 

What will it be for you?

What greatness will you manifest?

Will you allow this for yourself? 

Or will you remain average? 

Big questions to close out our session together. 

Thank you for letting me share with you. 

Blessings.