CONTEXT
Def: 1. The part of a text or statement that surrounds a particular word or passage and determines its meaning. 2. The circumstances in which an event occurs; a setting.
I want to focus particularly on these words in the definition of CONTEXT … surrounds, meaning, circumstances…a TRUE LEADER exercises CONTEXT when he has a framework for how he lives his life, for how he does what he does and understands how this will allow HIM to leave a legacy. Make no mistake, we will all leave a legacy. There are three distinct paths that legacy can follow: 1) a continuation on a positive path set before us by our fathers, mentors, et. al 2) turning a negative path bestowed upon us by our fathers or society into a positive trajectory or 3) abdicate that trajectory to societies unquenchable thirst for consumerism, for Me and for a “this is as good as it gets” attitude.
This morning in a discipleship group that I am a part of, Big Pharm made this profound statement: “Society has made it common to be Inconsistent, Aimless, Secular and Prideful.” If we don’t TRULY LEAD by some sort of CONTEXT, framework, guardrails, ethos our legacy will be doomed to either a) follow in societies footsteps or b) put in the hard work we should have shouldered.
Quick review from last week on CLARITY: clear overall priorities to give CONTEXT to your life.
“Most people surveying the world around them today see only chaos. They suffer a sense of personal powerlessness and pointlessness. Individuals need life structure. A life lacking in comprehensive structure is an aimless wreck. The absence of structure breeds breakdown. Structure provides the relatively fixed points of reference we need.”
Alvin Toffler
I firmly believe that the word structure in the above quote can very easily be substituted for CONTEXT.
“Without CONTEXT, every decision that confronts us, every situation we encounter, call for unnecessary and unproductive conflict. Which, in turn, makes our lives much more challenging than they need to be.”
Pat Lencioni
Think about that in terms of something as simple as whether or not to post in the morning. Timely example, I was out with a buddy on Wednesday night, had a few more beers than normal for a Wednesday, got in bed much later than normal for a Wednesday but still got up at the appointed time my alarm went off for The Standard on Thursday. Why is that? I had already worked out three times this week plus some double downs, I am scheduled to Ruck the Scorpion on Saturday, surely I could take one day off. I posted on Thursday because I had already committed, I knew HIM were expecting me and I knew that if I didn’t I would regret not being there. So, my alarms, my clothes set out, are my CONTEXT for not Fartsacking.
That’s not to say that CONTEXT is some sort of magic potion to keep things smooth, easy and Osteen. More like CONTEXT allows us to stay focused on our mission at hand knowing that we will encounter challenges along the way but if we know our Why, What, How and Who we can be prepared for the unexpected.
“A man must have a battle to fight, a great mission to his life that involves and yet transcends even home and family. He must have a cause to which he is devoted even unto death, for this is written into the fabric of his being.”
John Eldredge
If that statement is true, if we all agree to it then what happens next? Do we nod our heads, say “Hell Yeah” but then go back to our NCAA brackets, our fantasy baseball leagues and bullshitting with each other? Or do we ask what’s next? Do we put on the full armor of God and move out into the world boldly? Yes, yes we do but not without a battle plan or CONTEXT for why we are in the Arena. What battle looks like today? What we are here to protect so we can stay in the game?
What tactics will you rely upon to accomplish the mission? Tactic as defined by Merriam Webster
“A procedure or set of maneuvers engaged in to achieve an end, an aim or a goal.”
Those tactics are the CONTEXT of how you live your life. The procedures, the steps to accomplish an end.
Some of the HIM of F3 that we know have a CONTEXT by which they step into battle, this is what I have learned…
PAX: Grisham
In full disclosure, I pulled this from an email that Grisham sent me earlier this year in which he got very specific on his goals broken down to the day and as far out as the next 10 years. I have redacted that document and will share now what he refers to as his daily goals but that I see as his CONTEXT for living his life. This is the CONTEXT by which he accomplishes his weekly, monthly and annual goals: His relationship with his Maker, his M, Family, Health, Work, Chores, Finances, Personal Growth and Friends. You see, Grisham can’t step out into battle on a daily basis if the CONTEXT of his life isn’t in alignment. I can’t speak specifically for Grisham but empirical data would suggest that if all of those puzzle pieces aren’t connected he won’t win the day.
PAX: DREDD
The Nation’s Nantan, DREDD, often talks about CONTEXT in the 43 Feet podcast, in the book Freed to Lead as well as in other mediums. While DREDD uses the terminology Guardrails, I would argue that we are talking about the same thing, CONTEXT.
In episode 4 of the 43 Feet podcast, DREDD introduces the concept of Get Right with the podPaxers, as in get upright, the righting of a ship and orienting it properly towards the correct port. Without being upright in relation to the world you won’t have any perspective that something is off kilter (Red Pill). Now that you are properly aligned you can begin to put up what DREDD refers to as Guardrails that are to give CONTEXT to your life. Once that is in place, you can now accelerate and head as fast as we want to towards that ultimate goal at the end of the line. There will be waypoints along your route, time hacks to celebrate along the way…in the same way you will hit potholes, run into roadblocks and you will need to adjust so that your CONTEXT is in place.
In an abbreviated study of DREDD, his CONTEXT starts with his relationship with his Maker. If the guardrail of proper sleep isn’t up, he misses that quiet time and in his words, the rest of his day doesn’t align properly. In the same way, if he isn’t texting his LBZ to his shieldlock on a daily basis, he knows he is on the boat to fat guy island.
A final leadership lesson on CONTEXT from DREDD comes from his admission of knowing his JESTER of anger, realizing that there are seven specific situations he needs to avoid in order to not get angry. Certainly there are other daily things that can trip him up but these seven are the ones he avoids at all costs. He does that as a highly regimented (CONTEXT) man.
At times, I think of CONTEXT as a rudder on the ship. In that parlance, a ship without a rudder will get exactly where it is going…by happenstance and chance. That is not how a TRUE LEADER lives his life, without a rudder.
By no means do I have the determination and dedication that Grisham and DREDD have but I would like to share with you some of the ways I am trying to become a better leader by adding CONTEXT into my life.
With Jesus:
Reading two chapters per day in the New Testament. CONTEXT: I keep my Bible at the ready and it is one of the first things I touch when I get up in the morning. This doesn’t make me any better than anyone else or any less susceptible to sinning than anyone else. What it does for me is that with that under my belt, no matter how my day goes, how many times I fail or how many nut shots I take I started my day with the most important relationship I have.
Goal: is that I have a deeper relationship with Jesus
Leslie:
If Les and I aren’t sympatico then no other earthly relationship will be as fruitful. CONTEXT: Leslie and I have a meeting scheduled every Monday morning after the kids are on the bus. In our meeting we review the week past, look at calendars that need to be synced, go over the activities for the week and I check in with Leslie on how she is and what she needs. This forces me to be intentional about my most important earthly relationship, my marriage. Check out the most recent 43 Feet podcast and listen to DREDD and Dark Helmet’s thoughts.
Goal in this relationship is to have a deep, meaningful marriage with the added desire to emulate for my boys how to love their wife well and for my daughter to show her what it looks like to be loved well by her husband.
Physical Fitness:
“Ladies and Gentlemen, in the case of a sudden cabin depressurization, oxygen masks will drop from the ceiling. Please place the mask over your face first before you help anyone traveling with you.” Odd concept of the servant leader to help HIMself first, but the point is that you must first take care of yourself before you can take care of others. CONTEXT I set my alarms on my phone and rarely if ever turn them off. I also have an alarm set on my watch. Lastly, purely by coincidence my push notification for the Bible verse of the day hits at 0445. I am not immune to kids getting sick, to early morning meetings and being down range, too much bourbon and life happening but I have CONTEXT in place to minimize those intrusions. I am controlling what I can control through CONTEXT. Goal in this part of my life is fitness, fellowship, sticking around a long time for the kids and being a part of the F3 movement to reinvigorate male leadership in our communities.
Parting Shot:
As I write this, I am realizing there are other areas of my life where I am not accelerating…maybe it is time for me to own those areas as well and add some CONTEXT to these areas I claim are important. Fiscal responsibility, my Queen, my relationship with my dad are the three that come to mind right off the bat. By way of writing this out, I am inviting all of yall that are reading this to ask me what I am doing in those areas as well.
Where do you need CONTEXT in your life?
