More and more I get asked to endorse products.
Don’t be impressed…you do too.
Sometimes it’s official; I get a soon-to-be-released book in the mail.
Other times, I get asked to promo a website, idea, or movement.
After 8 years of this I finally realized a pattern…
“I believe in people not products.”
Again…you do too.
You love a certain band, director, author, or innovator.
You trust them.
You’ll buy their most recent product simply because you believe in them.
You might not even know much about their new CD, movie, book, or initiative.
That’s OK.
You still back it because you back them.
There are some people out there that I’ll get behind simply because I know them.
And likewise, I know that they’ll bring their character into their product.
There are other people that I won’t promote, regardless of how slick their idea is, simply because of who they are.
Simply put, I don’t trust these people and so I don’t trust their product.
Remember…You attract who you are and if you don’t have the goods then your goods will reflect it.
There’s nothing mean or cruel about it.
It’s simply the truth.
The MASTER himself modeled this in the Gospel of Luke.
One guy (a scribe) said he had the goods, but Jesus refused to endorse his product (or in this case his production).
Jesus knew this guy was simply blowing smoke even though he said he’d follow him anywhere.
Yet regarding another guy, a guy who probably lacked confidence, Jesus seemed to say that he believed in him.
Jesus actually wanted this guy on his team.
Whereas he prohibited the scribe from following him, he actually told this other guy to follow him.
Jesus believed in this guy and therefore his product (or in this case his personhood).
Too bad this guy didn’t believe in himself.
So I leave you with a couple questions:
What product are you trying to sell?
Realize you’re not selling a product, you’re selling yourself. So are you worth believing?
If not you’re not believable, what changes in your character do you need to initiate?
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He said to another man, “Follow me.” Luke 9:57-59
A couple resources/blogs that regularly stretch my leadership muscle:
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