Re-Defining My Role in the Market– The Halftime Institute

By Matt Levy, Halftime Alum

There’s been a lot blogged about discovering our purpose in life. While our function may be repaired throughout our time here on earth, how it plays out as we move along can change. A minimum of that’s how it has worked for me. The good news is I have found my purpose, and that drives me every day to live it out and to be deliberate in doing so.Living Out

My Faith in the Organisation Sector

At my core, I believe I have always been a business owner. That’s simply the way God wired me.When my partners and I launched our company, Credera, back in 1998, we did what all entrepreneurs do: We dreamed huge, we took risks and we jumped out into the deep waters. Yes, there were the occasional storms out there, however for the most part, it has actually been pretty smooth sailing. Effort and sweat equity have actually yielded a flourishing consulting business that is making a difference on the planet. I take pride in that.I have actually been called to be a Christian in business world. I’ve found that when I really think that and apply scripture to what I do every day, it changes everything.For one thing,

it eliminates the worry that can be so much a part of beginning a new endeavor. Fear is a powerful hurdle, and I have actually found that it’s easy to let the voice that whispers in my ear encourage me that I’m not up to the task. But believing I am called and led by a God who enjoys me, assists muffle the lie that says I shouldn’t be here in the very first place.Secondly, it has

changed the method I see individuals both inside and outside my company. They are sent out from God to be in my life for a reason. No relationship is trivial, and everyone matters. When dispute occurs (as it undoubtedly will), the way we fix it alters. I have actually discovered how to solve things while permitting individuals to keep their self-respect– even if we both disagree. There are no nuclear choices in these sort of relationships. The design template of love works everywhere, so it stays in business, too.My relationship with and understanding of money has moved too.

In Matthew 6, Jesus states that we can not serve both Him and money. That makes a great deal of sense to me. He doesn’t desire me to take out my spreadsheets or do a feasibility research study when He calls me. He desires me to follow– period– and leave the rest to Him. It is easy to say however tough to live. I think that’s why He goes on to say He takes care of the lilies of the field. I’m advised that He loves us a lot more than those same lilies. If all of that holds true, then He is my source. Constantly. They don’t teach that in business school, however it has actually been one of my most extensive knowings as a business owner and believer.So, with these and other godly principles in mind, my partners and I have run our company for 2 years with increasing success.Sensing The Required To Rotate Success brings its own concerns that can not– or at least need to not– be overlooked.

For something, your calendar

fills quickly with meetings and tasks. When we began this business some 2 years earlier, all of us hoped there would be a day when there was so much activity that we would have problem staying up to date with all of it. That’s an excellent indication of a flourishing service, right?To be sincere, there belonged to the organisation that I was doing that I didn’t enjoy. I did them anyway. As we grew, we began to have more options.I started to reassess my priorities– not just with my company however in all areas of my life.Things had altered for me. My children were aging. Like many kids, they had great deals of activities and I found myself missing out on those events regularly than I would have liked. I could not neglect the conspiracy of

events in my life that were bringing me to make some tough options about the method I designated my time, energy and talents.At initially, it was a peaceful whisper, a’smoldering discontent’ as my pals at the Halftime Institute call it. Ultimately, I could not ignore it. I remained in halftime. And, I remained in my early forties.I had actually remained in a high impact leadership role for years and we were succeeding in many ways. The very idea of scaling back or changing things seemed daunting.How would I explain what I was proposing, whatever that ended up being? Whatever the result, I knew I needed to figure it out.A Shift For

Greater Flexibility and Purpose In some ways, it’s most likely simpler to disregard the whisper and keep moving on. Discovering what’s next needs that we step out in faith.

We need to be intentional about the search.Like a lot of individuals I had lots of questions. Where will this halftime journey take me? What will it indicate

for my household? For my business?Thankfully, I enrolled in a Halftime program

and started working carefully with an insightful and appealing Halftime Licensed ™ coach, Jeff Spadafora, who guided me through the process.Just knowing that there were others who were experiencing this phenomenon confirmed that I

wasn’t crazy, instead this was a part of living a deliberate life and focusing and appreciating what I should be carrying out in all elements of my life.During the course

of that year, I made some firm decisions.I chose to downsize. I dedicated to do(as much as possible) only those things that I liked and was truly passionate about. This came out of a procedure of self-discovery and after that a coaching process that helped me turn those findings into an action plan.For example, I came to understand that at my core is a passion for winning. I am increasingly competitive. I like the chase. The brief two-to-three-month cycle of planning and rallying the team to find out how to win a new customer offers me such joy and complete satisfaction. However, that procedure is type of like a dog chasing after a bus. What’s he going to finish with it if he captures it? In the consulting service those wins develop into long term relationships with great deals of details and work that, quite honestly, others are better at than me. I desired to hand that part of my work off to people who liked it. And that took a bit of surrender, which wasn’t simple. I dealt with head-on the problem with my ego in deciding like this. I had to leave my own way and be humble sufficient to confess that I could not do everything which my delivering at least a few of the spotlight to others was the very best thing for everybody involved.Once I determined what I wanted, I approached my Board of Directors and engaged them in next actions. They are remarkable individuals, so I didn’t need to stress about their response. They understood completely, and I set about reorganizing my work day and responsibilities to have more time with my partner and kids. I even co-wrote a book around my enthusiasm for being a Christian in the service world– another endeavor at the heart of my passions.Halftime for me had to do with avoiding burnout. It was a mid-life renewal. It has actually provided me the chance to be more present in the locations of my life I care most about.It has actually required me to be more simple. To slow down and take stock.But here’s what I’ve gained: I’m still able to lead and attain, but I’m doing it selectively. I’m going to bed each night with more peace and delight, understanding that my skills are in play in the market. But I’m also more present than I’ve ever been in the everyday elements of our household– and that is just as important.Matt Levy is a Halftime Alum. He is the co-founder and handling director of Credera, a management consulting, user experience, and technology services firm based in Dallas, Texas. He is also the co-author of” Business of Faith: How to Lead Yourself, Unify Your Team, and Create

an Impressive Company.”