My first career after college was in radio advertising and in my initial visit with a perspective advertising client, I tried to get them to tell me their one competitive advantage – the one single area where they believed they decisively beat their competition. I say “tried to get them to tell me” because it was much more difficult to isolate this “one thing” than you would think.
I’d start with a very short list of basic areas in which common retail business compete.
Selection
Service
Price
Expertise
Location
I’d give the decision-maker the list above and ask them to pick one… at least narrow it down to two. Most of the business owners couldn’t narrow it down to four. Instead, in all sincerity, they would confidently declare they won in every category.
You know those businessmen (and women) were lying to themselves more than to me. In truth, they probably wanted to win in every category, but you really can’t open a business in the best location, carrying the largest selection at the lowest price and pay for a staff that can excel at both service and expertise. Something’s got to give. And it does.
I was reminded of this little exercise as I was thinking of idealistic college students looking to the future with all the sincerity of the aforementioned business owners.
If I were to hit a Christian college campus and gave students a very short list of basic goals and asked them to identify which one they wanted to reach more than any other, what would it be?
Meaningful Career
Impressive Income
Impactful Ministry
Fulfilling Social Life
Amazing Marriage
What about you? Which would you pick… if you could only pick one?
Of course, everyone wants to have that meaningful career that yields an impressive income and still yields enough hours in the day for ministry, social life and marriage. But, at critical crossroads in life, something’s got to give. And it will. At the end of the day, choosing where you most want to win determines where you least want to loose. Where do you least want to loose?
If an amazing marriage is in your TOP3, you’re in the right place. We want to help you prepare for your future marriage… ahead of time.
You can start by checking out the full session series from our first seminar back in November. You’ll find them here: “Getting Marriage” Seminar Sessions.
Then you can talk to the leader of your College & Career ministry about having Julie and me speak at your school or church. Click here for seminar topics. That page actually features the chapter summaries of our future tome, Besides Sex & Salvation, but we have done small group studies and seminar sessions on every chapter. If interested, e-mail us info@MarriageEdForSingles.org or call 615-595-7184.
Hope you’re having a great Summer, but don’t miss the opportunity to plan for where you want to be next Summer… or seven summers from now.
MJ
