Your One Shot

The Lesson – Your One Shot

“All around the world every boy, every girl’s, got one shot to prove what they’re all about.”

That’s a verse from the Newsboys song, “One Shot.” I first heard the song a couple of weeks ago, and since then I have been meditating on the blatant reality of those lyrics.

After sharing those lyrics with a good friend of mine, he sent me a link to a blogpost written by Michael Hyatt, What Will They Say When You Are Dead? The post contained a “write your own eulogy” type of exercise. While it might sound morbid, eulogy-type exercises are popular tools that some life coaches use to help clients put things in perspective and to help identify areas and relationships that require attention. For some people, the excercise can be a powerful, and sometimes sobering, wake up call.

The fact of the matter is, someday we are going to die. There will be a funeral. People will share their thoughts. We will leave an impression. That impression will largely depend on the impact we have on other people, the example we set for others, and the accomplishments we leave behind. It will be heavily influenced by how closely our walk matches our talk–and our values for that matter.

Someone who wants to be remembered for being a giver cannot live life as a taker. Someone who wants to be known as a reliable friend, won’t be if he or she is constantly breaking promises. Someone who wants to be known as a “family man” has to invest the time and energy doing “family man” activities. You get the picture.

The Challenge

Set aside an hour this week to look at your life through the eyes of at least two of the following people:

• Parent
• Spouse
• Sibling
• Child
• Friend
• Coworker

Then, take out a piece of paper and write an answer to Hyatt’s question: What will they say when you are dead?

To help get the ball rolling, reflect on these three probing questions:

1. What qualities and values will they remember most?
2. What will they say were my greatest moments?
3. How will they say I influenced their life?

Remember, you only get one shot to prove what you’re all about!

The Reflection

1. What did you learn about yourself this week as a result of completing this challenge?
2. How can you continue to benefit from this challenge in the future?
3. What was your biggest takeaway?
4. What positive changes could you make going forward in order to maximize the benefit of this challenge?

Prove it!

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor
editor@collectormentor.com

To download companion worksheets to use with The collector mentor Challenge™, please visit www.collectormentor.com/thechallenge.

About collector mentor
Published bimonthly, collector mentor is a quick-read publication dedicated entirely to delivering articles and practical advice that teaches credit and collection professionals how to increase collection results, enhance productivity, improve teamwork, and become better stewards of the industry.