Inspire, Don't Lecture

If you are close to someone that is 30 and below, ask them these questions: How often do you consider the future? When you consider the future and what lies before you, are you anticipating what is going to happen to you? Or are you considering what you can and would like to accomplish?

Young folks can often take what I call the black pill.

"It's impossible to succeed these days."

"There is no way I will get ahead."

"The system is rigged against me and I am hopeless."

Their concerns and pains are not without warrant. The purchasing power of the dollar continues to fall. Federal regulation has ballooned over the past century. Buying a home for the first time is increasingly difficult and the average homebuyer is now 40.

The youth are looking around and wondering where their inheritance is. They were supposed to inherit better than their parents, but it doesn't appear that is the case as we exit a golden-age economy of America. With that, there is a growing frustration across the board and there is a strong temptation to throw in the towel and walk away from the frustrations altogether.

You may read this and go, "well, they just need to suck it up and work hard. We all have are problems and always have had our own problems to deal with." While true, the problem with this is that there is no vision set. Times are obviously tougher and it would be silly to dispute. To simply say the times aren't that tougher is to lie, which is a sin. What makes the times tougher now is that there is no greater vision to help the youth through the hard times.

As I've said before, we are a narrative driven people. We do not respond and operate on bare-facts and statistics alone. Society and civilization is built on mythos and mission. We have stories that unite us and drive us to greater and greater heights.

The question is not, "should I try my best and work hard?" The question is, "to what end should I try my best and work hard?"

The former is a bare-faced yes or no question. The latter is a vision-setting question.

Now is the time to dream big and think big. What is the end that you see? What is the end that you desire and would most glorify God? How can you play your part in this? If I told you that you could accomplish it, how would you go about doing so?

Imagine you are a general. You have been fighting a war for years and years and have been winning it for years and years. But over time you have been losing battle after battle. Your army is growing weaker in number and in strength. Your back is against the wall at the present battle which may decide utter and total defeat or a continuing chance at victory. The battlefield is cold, the fighting rages, casualties rise, and your army is hanging on by a thread. You see the despair and despondence of your troops who have faithfully served you well, but it is very clear that they are weary and desire rest. They long for peace. As their leader, they look up to you. They admire you and need you in the darkest hour. How will you inspire them to fight against all odds and reach for the golden crown of victory?

Or will you merely lecture them?

"You've just got to keep working hard," will not work. You have to set a vision. You have to inspire. Anything less is lazy and unacceptable.