The Disrupted Life: A Pathway to Influence

Change is always disrupting our lives. Whether it’s daylight savings or a road construction detour, change can break are routine and throw us off sometimes. But in the world we live in, everything is constantly changing. Education, work, marriage, money, relationships… life changes all around us. How we handle change determines our ability to influence the people around us.

Every day, we make choices about how to navigate the constant disruptions in life. What we sometimes fail to consider, is the influence of these simple choices.

In a recent soccer game, I had a small choice to either lie or tell truth about a goal I scored by admitting that the ball hit my arm. Lying meant making my team happy. Telling the truth meant making the opposing team happy. I chose to tell the truth. It was a hard 2nd half. Later, my rambunctious teammate, who’s always good for a yellow card, approached me and told me she respected the fact that I was honest.

How do you respond in tough situations? When your coworkers or classmates encourage you to blur the lines, do you compromise or stand your ground? It’s in these small moments that you have the greatest influence. Honesty disrupts our desire to conform. Honesty is the pathway to influence.

A good and honest life is a blessed memorial; a wicked life leaves a rotten stench.

Proverbs 10:7 The Message

Often the biggest truths are the one’s we need to tell ourselves. Truths like: “I have an eating disorder.” Or: “I have an anger problem,” “I need to see a mental health specialist,” “I am afraid of intimacy.” Being honest about things like this lead to the pathway of positive, lasting influence. Who’s waiting to be influenced by you? Make a decision to be honest and start disrupting lives today.