by Clarence E. Stowers | Dec 7, 2015 | Empowerment, Money and Finance, Self-Leadership, Success, Vision
In 2016, our country will elect a new president, and many speculate what America will look like after President Obama’s term expires.
Since I can’t predict the future, the one thing I know for sure is that economic power comes through business ownership, and pride in ownership of property and neighborhoods. Everyone wins when this happens. That’s why I’m compelled to share one of the most amazing TED talks I’ve ever heard by Margarita Anderson.
My Black Year: Margarita Anderson
Margarita Anderson and her family were featured in national headlines as they lived exclusively off Black businesses, professionals, and products for an entire year. Her stand, chronicled in her book, “Our Black Year,” was called The Empowerment Experiment.
Now, she tours the country to increase awareness about economic inequalities that starve Black neighborhoods and deny Black businesses, and how proactive support of these businesses can create jobs and curb crime in America. Check out her video explaining her family’s experience supporting black businesses.
[youtube id=”nFBEoIQutSc”]
Many believe the next Civil Rights Movement will be one of economic empowerment. What do you think?
by Clarence E. Stowers | Nov 16, 2015 | Empowerment, Encouragement, Excellence, Goals, Self-Leadership, Success, Vision
We all do it: we look at what others are doing and wish we were doing that too.
Truth be told, you cannot be happy and envious at the same time. In fact, one of the greatest secrets of having happiness in your life is learning how to eliminate comparisons.
Why Do We Make Comparisons
Our brains have a natural tendency to make comparisons as a system of developing logic and reasoning. And all the ways we compare ourselves to others are the same ways we find value in our lives. The answer isn’t to stop making comparisons, but to remember what God thinks about us.
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:13-14
[shareable]You cannot be happy and envious at the same time.[/shareable]
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
David, the author of this Psalm, declared that God is present at conception and birth. Since we are made in the image of God and God has a special purpose for each person who is born. We live in and with our bodies all our lives, and we know how amazing they are. God formed us as He wants us to be, and we must accept His will no matter how we feel about our genetic structure, our looks, or our abilities.
[shareable]Since we are made in the Image of God, He has a special purpose for us.[/shareable]
Made in the Image of God
God’s character goes into the creation of every person. When you feel worthless or even begin to hate yourself, remember that God’s Spirit is ready and willing to work within you. We should have as much respect for ourselves as our Maker has for us.
Check out today’s #MotivationalMoment: The Real Reason Why Comparisons are Dangerous and Useless.
[youtube id=”udZSNNPlrLs”]
by Clarence E. Stowers | Oct 5, 2015 | Empowerment, Leadership, Motivation, Networking, Self-Leadership, Servant Leadership, Social Media, Success, Vision
I love adding value to church leaders, pastors, and marketplace leaders.
In an effort to add value to their lives, I decided to attend Pastor E. Dewey Smith’s One Day Leadership Summit in Atlanta, GA.
It’s no secret that I’m a HUGE fan of John Maxwell. In fact, his 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, along with Bill Hybels’ Leadership Axioms travel with me everywhere I go. Attending conferences that equip me to influence the influencer fulfills John Maxwell’s 15th Law – The Law of Contribution – Growing Yourself Enables You to Grow Others.
I must confess that in the beginning, my motivation for personal growth was selfish. I wanted to grow, so I could be successful. There were goals I wanted to accomplish and milestones I wanted to achieve. But along the way, I made a life-changing discovery. My progress in personal growth also opened the doors for others.
Therefore, I’d like to share the top leadership lessons from one of the greatest leadership minds in Christianity, Dr. E. Dewey Smith, Jr. (more…)
by Clarence E. Stowers | Sep 9, 2015 | Decisions, Empowerment, Encouragement, Motivation, Self-Leadership, Success, Tools, Vision
Time is an unrenewable commodity. Once it’s gone, you can never replace it.
The real question is what are you doing with your time?
Each day the average American spends between one and two hours driving to and from work. Yearly we spend well over 300 hours of our lives in our car. It’s the equivalent of 38 work days of driving. Another way to look at it is 13 straight 24 hour days.
[shareable]Time is an unrenewable commodity. Once it’s gone, you can never replace it.[/shareable]
We Spend a Lot of Time Commuting
The average commute in the U.S is 45 minutes, with New Yorkers having the longest trek to work with an average 73-minute commute. Chicagoans came in second spending 64 minutes a day commuting, followed by San Francisco residents with 56 minutes, while those in Los Angeles have an average 55-minute commute, according to CNN Money. (more…)
by Clarence E. Stowers | Aug 12, 2015 | Decisions, Empowerment, Self-Leadership, Success, Vision
How do you profit from your struggle?
What comes to mind when you hear the word, “Struggle?”
It’s a touchy subject that one rarely wants to discuss, let alone dwell on. If you’re breathing, at some point in life, you will inevitably have to confront it, deal with it, get through it and learn from it.
In every struggle, there’s a lesson and we must learn how to leverage it and profit from our struggles. “When God wants to send you a gift, He wraps it up in a problem. The bigger the gift – the bigger the problem,” according to Norman Vincent Peale.
It’s no secret I’m a huge fan of TED Talks and it’s not uncommon to come across a life-changing message. Zain Asher, national business and personal finance correspondent for CNN, challenged listeners to “Trust Your Struggle.” Check it out:
[youtube id=”BT2XlI8oeh0″]
After watching Zain’s talk, I came away with two valuable lessons:
- Seek the valuable lesson in every problem or difficulty. Every setback you face contains 1-2 lessons that have been sent to you to help you become more successful. Failures feel sorry for themselves when things go wrong. Successful people look for the valuable lesson they can learn.
- Focus on what can be done now (solutions) instead of who’s to blame. Ask: “What’s the good in this situation?”
[shareable]Failures feel sorry for themselves when things go wrong. Successful people look for the valuable lesson they can learn.[/shareable]
When you look for something good, you’ll always find something good. Like Zain said, “I don’t believe in competing for what I want, I believe in creating what I want”
Are you trusting your struggle?
[shareable]Focus on what can be done now (solutions) instead of who’s to blame. [/shareable]
by Clarence E. Stowers | Jul 15, 2015 | Christian, Christianity, Decisions, Empowerment, Leadership, Self-Leadership, Success, Vision
Rejection is powerful.
When I counsel people, sometimes I hear them say, “I don’t care if people like me, as long as they respect me.” When they say that, it’s an “emotional wall they use to block the hurt of rejection,” according to psychologist Marcia Reynolds.
God created us to be social, and if we’re honest, all of us care if people like us. “The feeling of love, affection, and belonging is necessary before we can reach the highest levels of consciousness and wisdom,” according to psychologist Abraham Maslow. Maslow is saying we all need people to survive. So, how do keep from withdrawing when dealing with someone who doesn’t like you?
Fortunately, you’re not the only one who’s had to deal with this problem. After Nathan had anointed David as the future King of Israel, Saul became his bitter enemy. Like David, all of us, at one time or another deal with people we don’t like and who don’t like us. Perhaps you have people who want to do you harm and see you fail. This is where David found himself in 1 Samuel Chapter 24. (more…)
