Category Archives: Leadership

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LYH23: Elevate Your Life with a Smarter Yes [Podcast]

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Resources Mentioned In this Episode:

Featured Presentation: Elevating Your Life With a Smarter Yes

Click HERE to find the full blog post on this topic.

When presented with a decision, we often fall into the trap of thinking that our only option is to say “Yes” or “No”.

Saying “no” often feels like we are closing a door of opportunity or making us feel like we aren’t a team player.

Saying “yes” often burdens us with additional responsibilities for which we don’t have an answer.

For many situations, the better choice is to give a “smarter yes”.

What is a “smarter yes”?

A “smart yes” is an engaging and helpful response to one’s core problem or question.  Rather than the dismissiveness often implied with a “No” or the obligation connoted by a “Yes” response, a “smart yes” does four things:

  • Prioritizes engagement (says that this relationship matters to me)
  • Seeks understanding (listens for the core problem or need)
  • Takes ownership (seeks to be solution-oriented)
  • Offers options (leverages resources to give viable direction)

Click HERE to see some practical examples of using a “smarter yes” at work and at home.

When presented with a question or concern, (rather than simply saying “yes” or “no”) here are three tips on how to take your life to the next level with a “smarter yes”

  • Listen carefully to discern the fundamental problem that is behind the question (what does this person need?) – remember that the need may be psychological and/or physical
  • Look for effective solutions that empower the person
  • List 2-3 options, if at all possible (while identifying which one you recommend and why)

Leave a comment and give me some examples of how you have successfully used the “smarter yes” in your own journey. What makes it difficult?

Click HERE to subscribe to this Podcast in iTunes. Also, I’d really appreciate if you would leave a rating and/or review on iTunes. That will help me tremendously.

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How To Elevate Your Life with a “Smarter Yes”

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We live in a noisy world. Everywhere you turn there it is. Noise vying for your attention. Noise at home as the spouse and children place demands on you. Noise at work as the co-workers and supervisors push you to the brink. Noise at church as ministry commitments progressively encroach on your discretionary time. You want to be great at home, work, church, and in your community commitments. But, it feels overwhelming. You thought it was just going to be for a season. But, one season just rolls into another one. Now, you’re burning out physically and emotionally. You feel depleted—not sure how much longer you can keep going. People think you’re superhuman. But, you know you need better boundaries. It’s hard though because it’s hard to say ‘No’ out of a visceral fear of what might be lost. Your answer may simply lie in learning a smarter yes.

The noise is a direct outgrowth of our busyness. Busyness has been, in fact, the status symbol of the 21st century—particularly among the baby boom generation. We wear it like a badge of honor. We behave as if the person with the busiest calendar must be the most important—the most valued. My calendar is fuller than yours—with each engagement feeling like an affirmation to our ego or bank account.

You can see it even in our standard greetings as we add ‘…just crazy busy’ to whatever status we report. Despite the fatigue we may feel physically, our minds tell us that to be busy is to be needed and important. We feel like our life is counting for something. So, we live in this ironic conundrum—pursuing busyness while seeking shelter from the noise.

Yes, I’m guilty!

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LYH22: My Vegetarian Breakthrough: 12 Months, 12 Lessons, 1 Answer (Part 2) [PODCAST]

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Show Agenda

  • Featured Presentation: My Vegetarian Breakthrough  – Part 2

Featured Presentation

In Part I, I outlined the six lessons I learned for my own personal development.

In Part II, I address the final final six lessons as well as some spiritual insights I’ve gained.

My big lesson is that “Breakthrough is an attitude.” So, in a very real way my 12 months as a vegetarian was really about my own attitude adjustment.

This adjustment started with three spiritual insights that I have to internalize into my core fabric, not just head knowledge. I’m still working on these. But, I’m trying.

Spiritual Insights for Breakthrough Influence

  • Trust wholeheartedly that God is working everything together on my behalf even when I can’t see or feel it
  • God is not impressed (or moved) by many of the things that impress me
  • The more I do, the less room I leave for God

Resources referenced in this Episode

  • John Quincy Adams quote “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
  • Zig Ziglar quote, “You can get everything you want in life if you help enough others get what they want.”
  • Ancient Chinese proverb, “when the student is ready, the teacher will come”.
  • Michael Hyatt book, Platform: How to get noticed in a noisy word (affiliate link)

The Final Six Lessons For Breakthrough

  • Lesson #7: Expand Your Platform
  • Lesson #8: Give More Away
  • Lesson #9: Offer Exceptional Value
  • Lesson #10: Follow the Experts
  • Lesson #11: Think Like a Business
  • Lesson #12: Be the Breakthrough

Blessings on your own efforts to “Be the Breakthrough”. I look forward to hearing about your journey and successes.

I would love to hear your thoughts about these 12 steps. Which one best resonates with you? 

How can I pray for your breakthrough?

Ignite Promo: If you’re looking for an opportunity to join with other ministry leaders at a private, intimate 3 day, 2 night retreat that promises to elevate your ministry and your marriage to the next level, visit HaroldArnold.com/ignite to learn more

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes. This will tremendously help me.

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My Vegetarian Breakthrough: 12 Months, 12 Lessons, 1 Answer (Part 2)

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I wanted a breakthrough in my life. But, how desperate was I? This was the question that I faced 12 months ago. While I had been praying for open doors, honestly, they seemed elusive. Yes, I experienced successes on many levels. For that I’m grateful. But, I still felt  trapped—unable to spread my wings. I felt I was putting out a lot of effort. But, the returns were somewhat disappointing. I longed to know what would it take to unlock the door? In Part I of “My Vegetarian Breakthrough”, I explained how this desperation led to my resolution to become a vegetarian as a way of consecration and focusing on what God desires for my life. Over the past 12 months, I’ve learned that breakthrough is not a place. It’s an attitude of commitment for personal and platform development.

In Part I, I outlined the six lessons I learned for my own personal development. In Part II, I address the final final six lessons as well as some spiritual insights I’ve gained.

When the fast began I had expectations about what breakthrough would look like. I expected more invitations to speak. I hoped for a windfall of creative ideas to create new products. I looked for new relationships that might be mutually beneficial. After 12 months, some of these desires came to fruition. But, I realized that none of them really define breakthrough for me or anyone else.

I’ll say it again “Breakthrough is an attitude.” So, in a very real way my 12 months as a vegetarian was really about my own attitude adjustment. This adjustment started with three spiritual insights that I have to internalize into my core fabric, not just head knowledge. I’m still working on these. But, I’m trying.

Spiritual Insights for Breakthrough Influence

  • Trust wholeheartedly that God is working everything together on my behalf even when I can’t see or feel it
  • God is not impressed (or moved) by many of the things that impress me
  • The more I do, the less room I leave for God

With these spiritual insights as a backdrop, we can now examine the final six lessons for breakthrough influence. These lessons orient around the unique purpose that I (and you) have on this earth—the reason why we were created.  You and I were created for influence. In this sense, we are each leaders.

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LYH21: My Vegetarian Breakthrough: 12 Months, 12 Lessons, 1 Answer [Podcast]

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Show Agenda

  • Vacation Week in Trinidad and Tobago
  • Featured Presentation: My Vegetarian Breakthrough  – Part I

Vacation Week

Featured Presentation

You can find the full blog post on this topic at haroldarnold.com/veggiebreakthrough

For years, I felt dissatisfied with the trajectory of pursuing what I was built to do. But, now I felt I was at a psychological and emotional impasse. The time for change was now. But, only if God would show me the way. I felt called to a what is called a “fast”—a biblical tradition of consecrating oneself by sacrificing elements of one’s regular diet. For me, the message felt clear. Give up what you like most—meat. All of it. Yes, even fish/seafood. So, on August 19, 2013 it began with a simple prayer to God, “Please show me my breakthrough“.

Over these twelve months as a vegetarian, I learned twelve seminal lessons about my vision, my voice, and my value.

I believe, in fact, that these twelve lessons are, in many ways, critical for anyone wanting to live a life of influence.  Is that you?