Are You Doing it for God or Yourself? A Simple Filter.

Recently, I had Brad Lomenick on the ‘Win at Home First’ podcast. I’ve received great feedback from what Brad shared! You can check out the podcast episode here.

Brad Lomenick is a big deal.

He has shared the stage with some of the greatest thought leaders in the world, launched a popular national conference called, Catalyst, coached elite leaders, and the list goes on!

I have been fortunate to talk with him on two different occasions. In both of those conversations, he displayed a unique superpower - a curiosity that made me feel like the most important person on the call!

He can run circles around me in the keynote speaking space, yet, he made me feel as if I mattered.

Thus, his posture on our calls allowed me to talk freely and ask him questions, which is why the podcast was so fun to do.

Brad was even kind enough to keep talking for another 20 minutes after we stopped recording! I am grateful he did because that part of our call is what inspired this blog.

As mentioned earlier, Brad is a great conversationalist, so I felt safe asking any question. So during this unrecorded part, I asked him about ambition.

Since Brad runs in big circles, he has become friends with Jon Gordon who has written 28 books, and John Maxwell who has written 65 books!

Meanwhile, Brad has written only 2. (BTW - they are great!)

Many of his colleagues have courses, books, and the list goes on.

Since Brad does not have courses or tons of books, I asked how he knows when to go after books or other content.

He said he controls his comparison and his ambition, by asking himself one simple question, “For what?”

Should he write another book? “For what?”

Is it to make more money, bragging rights, or to keep up with the competition?

Or is it to be obedient to what God is calling him to do?

Yes, we can try to lie to ourselves and justify our answer to make it sound good and God serving, but David addresses this similar thought in the bible.

David talks about this in Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

David is praying to God to search his heart to see if he has any grievous ways or bad ways, or even bad motivations.

We need to do the same. We need to use the filter of “For what?” to answer our motivations, and then take it to God to search our hearts. Is our answer true or are we just justifying our position?

Ever since I learned this phrase, I have used it on myself as well as clients. I encourage you to do the same.

-Cory