There’s a line in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet that says, “Know thine self and to thine own self be true.” One of the benefits of age and maturity is we tend to gain a deeper understanding of who God created us to be as individuals and how we can be most useful to His purposes. I’ve always worked to focus on the abilities I’m strong at, vs feeling guilty about the many things I don’t do as well as someone else does. A few months ago, I hired a coach to help me understand my Unique Ability more deeply. I’ve always been a pretty laser-focused person, but I wanted to take my understanding of my unique giftedness to new levels. So far, I’ve had five 2-hour sessions and I have learned a ton about myself. This coaching journey has come at an interesting time of year. This December, I’m reading the Gospel of Luke. There are 24 chapters. So, reading one chapter per day starting on the 1 st brings me through the entire Gospel account by Christmas Eve. I’m always amazed at the intentionality of Jesus. From the time He was a young boy getting left behind at the temple, because He was so engrossed in the teaching environment that He didn’t even know His parents had left … to the purposefulness of His public ministry. Jesus clearly knew who He was and what He was destined to accomplish. This was evident right up until the time He resolutely turned His face toward Jerusalem, fully knowing what was ahead. He didn’t have need for a unique ability coach to clarify God’s call on His life. From my perspective, purpose in life is really about who you are as opposed to what you do. In other words, who are you when no one is around? Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” After exiting my financial services firm in 2010, I found myself in a career transition. I was trying to decide what God wanted me to do in the next chapter of my life. I spent six months fasting, praying, and petitioning God. I desperately wanted to know His direction for my life and what He wanted me to do . When I finally heard His voice, it was short and sweet. He said, “Jeff, I don’t care what you do, I care what you become.” This profoundly impacted me. So, I set out to identify the kind of man I wanted to become in the next season of life. What characteristics did I want to expand? What habits did I want to leave behind? Zig Ziglar said, “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” God showed me that what I become is reflective of my purpose in life. It’s true for me and it is also true for you. A few years back, I met with a couple of young men. They are brothers and they live in the Pacific Northwest. They asked me questions about personal development, career decisions, and life in general. I really appreciated their interest in gaining wisdom and insight. The fact that they asked great questions was impressive to me. One of them asked, “what are the keys to being successful in the real estate business?” When the question was asked, I think they expected me to talk about it being financially lucrative, how you can utilize leverage, how it is tax efficient, etc. However, that is not the track I went down. I started with another quote from Zig Ziglar, “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” So many times, people focus on themselves. What’s in it for them? The most successful people in life are more focused on how they can help others. I know when I’m focused on how I can help others, I’m more likely to be in the right place and time. This is when God can fully use me and my unique abilities. Jesus was a master at this. The first step to accomplishing this is to shift your focus outward. When Dennis, Gabe, and I started acquiring real estate, we took time to speak with other landlords and real estate investors to see what we could learn from them. There was one person we met that said something we found quite offensive. He referred to his tenants as “his animals.” As we drove away from that meeting, we made a pact. If we ever started thinking that way, we agreed to sell everything and get out the business. We believe that every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of their economic position in life. Again, it comes back to the mindset of focusing on other people and helping them get what they want. It’s not a give-to-get thing. It’s your purpose, it’s who you are — as a human being, as a man, as a woman, as a God follower. It makes no difference whether you’re a real estate investor, business owner, employee, homemaker, or retired. Whatever you choose to do, do it through the grid of Loving God and Loving People. You can never go wrong with that mindset. When Jesus was asked in Matthew 22, “What it the greatest commandment?” He gave the following answer, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” My email tag line originates from these verses. It’s the mantra of my life… Love God, Love People, Do Cool Stuff! I’m not sure how it works, but I know that it does work. When I start with Loving God and add a healthy dose of Loving People … Cool Stuff seems to come my way! Jim Rohn said, “There are some things you don’t have to know how it works. The main thing is that it works. While some people are studying the roots, others are picking the fruit. It just depends on which end you want to get in on.” Pick the Fruit this Christmas season that comes from the tree of Loving God and Loving People. I guarantee you’ll love the gift it gives! Merry Christmas Brothers and Sisters! Jeff Huston and the 3D Money Team invest@3dmoney.com 320-905-3306