At last Friday’s NYC Coaching Network we began by talking about “Anchors” we need in our life to keep us grounded. Anchors are set activities that keep our priorities in order.

There are many different kinds of anchors: family anchors, spiritual anchors, personal growth anchors, etc.

Spiritual anchors are daily, weekly, yearly or occasional activities that we do to celebrate our faith or keep us grounded in faith.

Family anchors are things you do with your family to keep your priorities in order.

Let me give you some examples from our group discussion:

SPIRITUAL ANCHORS
– Daily time with God
– Practicing a weekly Sabbath

FAMILY ANCHORS
– Regular date night with your spouse
– Monthly son/daughter lunch or dinner

PERSONAL GROWTH ANCHORS
– Reading one book a month
– A monthly mentoring or coaching relationship

Some are very systematic…do this every week or every month. Others can be occasional. Here are a few of my favorite occasional anchors:

– Visit my dad each year on his birthday (I made this decision when he turned 70).

– Take my son anywhere in the USA he wants to go when he turns 10 (and anywhere in the world he wants to go when he turns 16).

– Donate any clothes I haven’t worn in a year or more to the Salvation Army each spring.

I hope you are getting the picture. Anchors keep us grounded; they are guide stones we allow in our life so that when things gets hectic we are stay on course.

What are the anchors in your life?

How are you helping the members of your church build anchors?

Nelson

P.S. For more on Personal Growth anchors, see my resource Developing A One Year Personal Growth Plan (I give you the top four anchors for personal growth). If you are read for a monthly mentoring/coaching relationship, check out my new Tele-Coaching Network for Senior Pastors (it starts in less than a month, so click here to apply now).

Photo Courtesy of Flickr

© Nelson Searcy. All Rights Reserved.

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.