Who's steering YOUR ship?

     There's this business book by Noel Tichy and Stratford Sherman called Control Your Destiny or Someone Else Will. That's quite a title. Is it true though? You bet it is.
     We've all heard it before: nature abhors a vacuum. And it is true, as well. If you don't make the decisions as to how your life goes, someone else will. It makes sense because somebody has to make the decisions. And if you abdicate that responsibility somebody will. That somebody just won't be you.
     I used to go to church a lot, and I can't tell you how many times I heard things like: "Partner with us in our ministry." "Be a part of all God's doing here at the church." "Get in the game and partner with us." "You too can be a part of the exciting things God's doing."
     And I would be like, 'Well, sorry, but I've got a ministry of my own.' Or 'Why can't God be doing something in my life.' (They make it seem like they've got this special, exclusive connection with God that ordinary people like you and me can't possibly have.) So yeah, people are just waiting to suck you in to further their plans. But is that really what you want your one and only life to be about?
     The following is from a really good book (don't let the title throw you) called Wealth 101 by John-Roger & Peter McWilliams.

     Yes, people will do everything they can to involve you in their goals, dreams, and desires. It is important to keep in mind that those are theirs. 

     Naturally, we will feel guilty. We say "naturally" not because guilt is a natural reaction, but because that's what other people expect us to do. Stay on your path. Remain aligned to your dream. Use the energy of the guilt (the energy for change) to make the changes that will get you  closer to your goal. Uses the anxiety ("If I don't do what they want, they won't like me anymore,") as free energy, and use it toward your goal.

     It's not that other people's dreams, goals, and desires are not worthwhile—frequently they are. It's not that we don't care about what people want us to become involved in—often we do. It's just that we don't care about them as much as we care about our own dream.

     The world is simply too full of worthwhile projects, injustices in need of justice, and unfairness in general for each of us to conquer them all. Now that we've decided what is important in our lives, it's a good idea to keep focused on that, and not to scatter our energies—either emotional, mental or physical—in directions not directly on our path.

     And that's it. God made you to be an individual like no one else. He put desires and dreams inside you. Be yourself. Follow your dreams. Steer your ship.