Humility, Hunger, Hustle

Last week, I wished you a week of observation. What did you see and hear from people in this generation? In your opinion, how are these young people impacting our world both in a positive way and in a way that we may question. I also asked that you pay attention to YOUR words. Remember, words contain tremendous power. My hope is that these questions of reflection for the week may be a point of awareness and “ah ha” moments for you.

In continuing with the ideas and thoughts from the sermon I heard a couple weeks ago, this week I wanted to go into more detail about not only the millennials but also part of our own development as we get older.

We spend a lot of time in our 20’s and 30’s trying to figure out our purpose in life; what is God calling me to do? Maybe, according to Heather in her sermon, the real question is, “Who does God want me to become?” What if we focus our time, effort, and energy on developing our character? She refers to three areas to look at in more detail; humility, hunger, and hustle.

Humility. According to Heather, this does not mean to have low self-esteem. What it does mean is to have an accurate level of self-esteem. Each of us needs to take an accurate view of ourselves NOT trying to be someone we are not and not downplaying who we are. It’s not thinking less of ourselves it’s thinking of ourselves less. Read that last line again. It’s powerful…It’s not thinking less of ourselves, it’s thinking of ourselves less.

How often have you compared yourself to others, thought less of yourself because you didn’t have some of the skill sets others had which you admired? That’s part of that journey in our 20’s and 30’s where we are constantly comparing ourselves and feeling less. Focusing on our own feeling of self- worth and where our particular strengths may be is a different mindset and would move us forward in a positive way on our life journey.

That issue of self-esteem seems to be an issue throughout all of life but it takes a different form in each decade. Why do we need the acceptance of others to feel that our life has value? What if we had the mindset that that we are here on earth with a journey that God has planned, and we are a valuable human being?

Hunger. This addresses the question of “Where am I going?” Heather suggests that we be an example for others to follow, and we need to be in offense with our life. “The trick is to play offense without giving into offense.” In other words, we need to move forward taking control in a positive way versus lowering our behavior, words, actions to an offensive level. She cautions millennials, in particular, to not give in to every difficulty, not give in to every barrier, every lost opportunity. There is the impression that millennials lack a strong work ethic, they give up when the going gets tough, and they don’t know how to handle disappointment.

“Some of you have not been paid what you are worth, you haven’t gotten the promotion or the opportunity that you may deserve simply because someone thinks you are too young.” This is not new and not reserved just for the millennials. We all had that same barrier to cross at some point early in our careers. It really comes down to learning and growing with each situation both positive and challenging versus using these barriers as an excuse without taking any responsibility for what is happening.

The challenge for all young people is to “keep your head down and walk with humility.” Learn all you can to be better at the job you are doing. With the right mindset, there is learning in every situation. There is no learning if you quit.

“What if you thought about these not as setbacks? It may be that you need to recognize that you have been given a small stage and dim spotlight right now so you can take risks, make mistakes, and experience some colossal failures when no one is watching. It’s a lot better to fail in your 20’s when no one is watching versus in your 40’s and 50’s and the world is watching.” Heather suggests that “anonymity can be an incredible blessing in your 20’s, so take advantage of it.” I love her perspective.

Hustle. This refers to, “How am I going to get there?” I love watching the young people who show up early, they go past the “normal” expectations, they go that extra mile, they do the extra things, they do things that no one else is willing to do and all without demanding to be seen or demanding to be rewarded/recognized. Have you seen this in the young people around you?

Entitlement is a people issue but seems to be quite prevalent with millennials. How do we get past that? Gratitude will always kill entitlement. Curiosity, service, communication etc. will all kill entitlement. We need to be present, make the most of every opportunity, and live in wisdom.

I think “living in wisdom” refers to the fact that some things are not necessarily wrong but may not be wise. We all need to get in the habit of asking ourselves more questions, “Is it wise to spend my time with people who are not studying, who are only partying all weekend? Is it wise to make a specific purchase knowing that I don’t have the money? Is it wise to be in a relationship with someone who’s turning me into a bad version of myself? Is it wise to get into a relationship with someone who doesn’t share my values? Is it wise to go to that party where I know alcohol and drugs are going to be there, and I’m an athlete on scholarship?” The point here is to “walk in wisdom.” We all can be an example, at any age, of how to live life walking in wisdom. It’s asking ourselves the tough questions and being willing to accept the tougher answer rather than the “easy way out.”

I wish you a week of reflection on how you are living your life through these three areas: humility, hunger, and hustle.