By Bob Holmes
Columba International University alumnus Beach Loveland (Class of 2009), the owner of the popular Columbia-area Loveland Coffee shop, took a morning away from his business to see how he could be even more effective as a leader by attending CIU’s nineth annual Leadership Summit led by nationally known motivational speaker Jon Gordon.
Gordon is an influential and highly sought after author and speaker. He is a consultant to numerous leaders, CEOs and professional sports teams and has helped millions of people have a more positive mindset. He is also the author of 32 books including 18 bestsellers and five children’s books.
Loveland found Gordon’s encouragement on developing a positive outlook personally helpful.
“Typically, the negative thing about business seems to have more weight, and I’m trying to flip that around, and lean more on the positive things that are around me all the time instead of the very few negative things,” Loveland said.
In his presentation, Gordon focused on his latest book, “The 7 Commitments of a Great Team,” which includes an admonition from Gordon to “talk to yourself rather than listen to yourself.”
“Remember this, you are not the thoughts you think, you are the thoughts you believe. It is essential to speak words of life — words of encouragement to yourself.”
Gordon then focused on the spiritual aspect of that theme.
“Where are negative thoughts coming from? I can say it, this is a Chrisian university … there is an enemy,” Gordon said. “There is a spiritual battle going on. Negative thoughts are always coming in. They come into our soul … It is essential to speak words of life, words of encouragement to yourself.”
Calling the negative thoughts lies, Gordon advocated memorizing Scripture “to speak truth to those lies.”
That resonated with CIU alumna Amy Reeves (Class of 2001), the chief executive director of Mission Lexington in nearby Lexington, South Carolina which serves the needy of her community. She says Jon Gordon reminded her to believe great things can come her way.
“I learned to talk to myself instead of simply listening to myself, when negative thoughts enter in, to replace them with the power of a purposeful second thought of positiveness,” Reeves said. “The thoughts we think and the words we say become who we are.”
Knowing that there were groups of teams and team leaders from various organizations in the audience, Gordon wrapped up his hour-long presentation by encouraging everyone to be committed to their team by serving and sacrificing for one another.
“As a Christian we know Jesus committed to us,” Gordon began. “He showed us what that looks like. He shows us and models that for us. He knew that He had to commit and sacrifice for us, so we could ultimately win … we sacrifice for our team and truly give to each other.”
(Above: Jon Gordon speaks in CIU’s Shortess Chapel. Photo by Jonathan McGaha)
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