Do You Keep Score?

How do you measure success?

We all know it’s important to create our own targets. Nothing’s more self-defeating than constantly trying to meet others’ expectations.

But even when you define success on your own terms, it’s tempting to succumb to the cultural obsession with scorekeeping. We need to be careful about what we count, because what we measure soon becomes the center of attention.

What gets inspected gets respected.

For the past couple of weeks I’ve been contacting groups along the route of Taos to Tucson 2013 about possible speaking opportunities. It’s an interesting process, explaining the project briefly while making it enticing enough to prompt an invitation. But a funny thing happened when I sent those emails.

The speaking calendar became a scoreboard. Suddenly, my internal measure of success morphed into “the number of people who respond by inviting us to speak.” I started checking my inbox for replies, and my mood rose and fell based on what appeared.

Note to self: when you tie your happiness to the contents of your inbox, it’s time to go outside and play. When you come inside, re-evaluate your mission.

• Demonstrate that it’s possible to overcome adversity and accomplish big dreams.
• Express our message of hope, possibility, and God’s faithfulness.
• Partner with organizations that offer compassion, justice, and hope by raising funds and awareness to support their work.

Speaking to groups in communities along the route is one way we advance our mission, but success isn’t measured by counting events.

The numbers we use as ‘measurables” rarely reflect the true purpose of what we’re doing.

Where do you fall into this trap? Ever use quality time as a measure of commitment to a relationship? How about events attended as a measure of parental involvement? Minutes spent praying as a measure of faith?

I think we hide behind numbers because they’re easy and because you can twist them to paint different pictures.

The stuff that matters is a lot more involved than a number. It’s not about keeping score.

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With all of that, we are looking for opportunities to share our story as we crank from Taos to Tucson.

If you know someone in one of these areas, would you ask if they’ll be a local advocate who’ll make a personal contact and help us “get our foot in the door”?

• Taos                              Sept 30-Oct 1
• Santa Fe                       Oct 2
• Albuquerque               weekend of Oct 6
• Flagstaff                       weekend of Oct 13
• Phoenix                        weekend of Oct 20
• Tucson                         weekend of Oct 27

We’re seeking connections with schools, churches, community service clubs, and support groups. We’re especially interested in community outreach groups like Salvation Army, Teen Challenge, rehab centers, homeless shelters, disability awareness/adjustment groups, and/or the local detention center.

After that initial contact, please send us the group’s contact info. We’ll follow up, explore possibilities, and work out details.

It’s not about numbers. It’s about expanding the circle and sharing the message that HOPE changes what’s possible.

It’s about all of us, Together on a journey of HOPE.

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