How many of you know the Parable of Talents in the book of Matthew? Like many stories from the Bible, this one is applicable to our everyday lives and is a powerful story for anyone looking to make a change. As the parable goes, there is a master who is leaving where he resides for, as the Bible says, “a long time”; we’ll say a number of years to be better-able to conceptualize what is going on. Anyways, before he leaves for this journey, he gives his three servants a portion of his savings, with each receiving based on his performance while on duty. One servant received five talents, one received two talents, and one received one talent. At the time of the parable, a talent was a large sum of money, often times amounting to more than a servant would earn in ten years. So, relative to what they were earning, the servants were dealing with some serious money.
The parable goes on to say that the servant who received five talents invested the money and made five more talents. Similarly, the servant who received two talents invested the money and made two more talents. However, the servant who received one talent buried the money, scared to lose it and ultimately choosing not to put it to use. When the master returned, he was, as expected, very pleased with the first two servants. When he found out what the third servant had done, though, he ordered him to give his one talent to the servant who now had ten and then to be imprisoned in the dungeon. Harsh.
Okay, so that’s an overview of the parable, but what does it mean? How can it be applied to this moment and help us to make lifestyle changes? The way I see it, the reason we don’t do what we want to do, or do what is ultimately in our best interest, is because we don’t have enough of something, and that scares us. We don’t have enough money; we don’t have enough time; we don’t have enough energy. What we do have are preconceived notions of what we should have in order to get what we want to have, but does this make sense? To a degree, yes. It makes sense to have some idea of what you are getting yourself into before you start, but that knowledge should be used to empower instead of discourage.
What if, instead of fretting about what we don’t have, we shifted our focus and put to use what we do have. You may not have enough time, but do you have some time? You may not have enough money, but do you have some money? And you may not have enough energy, but do you have some energy? The conditions may not be perfect, but are they usable? Can you put to use what you do have and make more of it?
One thing I would encourage you to do is to think outside of yourself and your immediate circle. Who can you connect with that can help you accomplish your goals? In addition, I would also strongly encourage you to write your 90-Day Wonder. If you did not receive the March 2010 issue of The Source, you can find the feature article, “The Power of the Pen”, on the articles page of my website, which will take you through how to write your 90-Day Wonder. Once you have it written down, I would strongly encourage posting what you want to have accomplished on your bathroom mirror or somewhere of the sort. Just this past Sunday I bought two whiteboards, which are now on the wall next to my desk. On one, I have written down my business goals for the quarter. On the other, I have written down my training goals. Seeing these every day keeps me reminded of what I am working for in the short term. It is very easy to remember where you want to go in the long term; however, remembering the steps you are trying to take to get there has proven more difficult for me. If this is something that works for you, great, utilize it to its fullest capacity. I know I have been significantly more productive since I put these two boards up. If you are someone who isn’t stimulated by that, for whatever reason, find something that works for you.
We all have been given certain talents in this world. What often proves difficult is being able to combine our talents with what we truly enjoy in such a way that we are still able to survive and provide for others. But, whatever your story, have faith that if you use the talents you have been given in such a way so as to better the world around you, and if your motives and your heart are pure, not having enough will no longer be an issue. Trust in your talents, believe you are worthy of greatness, and act on your fear.
Here’s to faith, strength, and passion.
Charlie Cates, CSCS
Self Made®, Owner
Charlie Cates is a strength and conditioning specialist and the owner of Self Made® (http://selfmadefitness.com/) in Chicago, IL. He has worked with competitive and everyday athletes of all ages and ability levels, from 9-year-old kids to NFL MVP's. He can be reached via e-mail at charlie@selfmadefitness.com.
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