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Anthony Fisher
12Mar

Run you race as to win

March 12, 2020 Anthony Fisher Faith, Gifts and Talent, Leadership, Rise Up! 79

Each of us has a story to tell. Our stories serve as the connection of our past towards our future. Our stories serve as the fuel and potential of our greatest impact to influence those around us. If I had to sum up my life’s story at this point and time of my life, I would have say it feels and looks much like a race. A running race.

I titled this article “Run Your Race as to Win” because I believe too many of us run life’s race to lose. We are in the race physically, but our minds are far from the expectation of competing with purpose and significance.

Realize it or not, you are in a race of life and only you can determine how you will end up at the finish line.

My question to you is:

How are you running your life’s race?

Many people run life’s race without strategy or goals. They simply run here and there without structure or a plan of action to accomplish what they want out of life. Some people have all the talent & natural ability in the world but lack self-confidence to break through the limits of negative thinking. Others run life’s race is if they are on autopilot. They have low expectations and do not expect much of themselves, therefore, handing over their rights and authority to someone else who will ultimately abuse them. And let’s not forget about the individuals who are running someone else’s race. These are individuals who are living life for the sole objective of gaining approval from family, friends, or co-workers. Their identity is wrapped up in what other people think about them. They lack self worth and look upon themselves with no-value. Lastly, there are individuals who have committed themselves to run with passion, with a clear sense of purpose and a road map to accomplish their goals.

My question to you is:

Who’s race are you running?

I believe we must run the race to win. Running the race has to do with an attitude of winning and serves as the framework for your success. As a high school, collegiate, and professional runner for many years, I have learned a few truths about running and how it relates to life. I encourage you to share in this experience with me as I’m confident your experiences may be similar. My goal is to give you a glimpse of what it takes to run your life’s race with success and fulfillment.

Stay in your lane
If you have ever watched the 100meter, 200meter or 400meter races in the Olympics, you may have noticed that there are lanes assigned to each runner. Each lane is defined by white lines that are equally distributed from left to right. The lane you are in represents the area that only you are allowed to run within. If you step outside your lane, you are disqualified and are no longer able to compete or complete the race. So how does this relate to you? Your lane represents your path to your finish line (your future and fulfillment of your purpose). The runner (which is you) represents your gifts and your talents. Only you can run the race according to what you have been given and if you step out or into someone else’s lane, you will be disqualified because you cannot reach the finish line using their gifts or talents. In other words:

“The greatest achievement you will have in your life is when you begin to utilize your God given gifts and abilities”.

You cannot win your race with someone else’s gift or ability.
Don’t look at your competition. Don’t compare yourself with others. When running, the goal is not so much that you are trying to beat the other runners, but you are trying to reach the finish line first. There is a difference! When running a race, you are so focused on sticking to your strategy that your efforts and energies should not be determined by what other people are doing. Running your race is absolutely critical to your success. Have you ever seen a race where a runner gains the lead quickly and shortly after begins to fade back towards the end of the race? Well, that happens for many reasons.

It could be strategic, but often, it’s not. It’s only strategic if the person who starts the race fast can maintain a certain level of speed to complete the race strong. Most runners simply cannot do this. The runner is so excited about running the race and competing with others that their initial strategy of running smart has been thrown out the window. These types of runners are like loose cannons. Their intentions may be good, but their execution is poor. They run too hard the first lap but their training could not sustain a level of consistency.

The race of life should not be about competing with your fellow man, but with yourself. Too many times we compete with others trying to do what they do or get what they have. Once you try to run their race, you will end up in total destruction. I have seen too many people; including myself at times, trying to be like someone else. Trying to be like someone else does two things really well.

It will cause you to forfeit your dreams because you are so focused on becoming someone else. You’ve put someone or something up on a pedestal and have made them your idol and measuring stick for success. That’s a wrong move.
It causes you to disregard, devalue, and not look within your own gifts and talents. This too is a wrong move. So many people look at what they don’t have that they miss out on opportunities that are available to them for which their own uniqueness fits like a hand in glove.

Be prepared to surge
If a runner is so focused on their competition he may allow the other runner to dictate the speed. In long distance running there is a term called “a surge”. A surge is a sudden burst of speed that can last from 10 seconds to one-minute. After the surge, the leader of the pack relaxes to the normal pace again. This can happen 4 or 5 times in a race depending on the event. The purpose of a surge is to not only frustrate your competitor but to tire them out quickly. Surges test and prove one’s conditioning level and strategic awareness within the race. Typically, those who do not run with the surge will be left behind.

There are times in our life where we need to surge. The type of surge that I’m referring to is when you’ve made up your mind that you are going to run the race in a competitive manner. It’s about making a committed decision and making the initiative. Your surge could be as simple as purchasing your first book in order to educate yourself on a certain business franchise or an how-to book that will guide you in starting your own business. It could be a phone call to your spouse saying I’m sorry and that I forgive you that will lead to a reconciliation of your marriage. It could also be something as simple as recognizing within yourself that you are not living to your full potential due to fear or anxiety and are now willing to step out of the boat to live the life you’ve always wanted. Whatever it may be, a surge is a good thing. Your surge may just be the spark you need to get back on your path and fulfill your life’s purpose.

Believe in Yourself
No person can truly run the race to win unless they believe they can. As mentioned above, running the race of life has nothing to do with others, but everything to do with self. Once you master who you are, where you are going and how you are going to get there, the chances of you succeeding are very high. Your success begins and ends with you. When pursuing a goal, (whatever it may be) it requires that you become a self-motivated individual. Self motivation cannot be taught. It must be birthed out of a passion. Self motivators don’t need much of anything to get them excited about pursuing their goal and taking action. They simply are that way because the desire of achieving outweighs the thought of failure.

Believing in yourself requires that you stay focused on the task at hand, but it also requires that you focus on your strengths. We are all born with different gifts and talents and it’s much easier to accomplish the goals we set for ourselves when we operate within our natural abilities. Finding success in what you do well will naturally breed confidence in you. It is this confidence that catapults you to another level of appreciation and success.

Believing in yourself is about attitude. Attitude is like a muscle. It needs to be developed over and over again, and there is always room for growth. Your attitude determines your altitude. Belief in yourself is also about perspective. Individuals who believe in themselves are a different kind of breed. A believer’s perspective is about self-confidence and making the decision that they want the best for themselves. They’ve put aside the negative talk, negative thinking, and the lackluster environment and instead surround themselves with people who are like-minded and are willing to share in their experience.

I encourage you to stay in your lane, do not compare yourself with others, be prepared to make a surge and have confidence in yourself. Do these things and be sure to know that your life race will carry you to the finish line with winning results.

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07Jan

What is a Champion?

January 7, 2020 Anthony Fisher Manhood, Rise Up! 53

Every man wants to be a champion. He wants to be the top dog, numero uno, alpha male and head honcho. There’s something in our culture and DNA as men that draws us to climb to the top of the mountain and be the last one standing to receive the accolades, the clapping of hands, the handshakes and the pat on the back. I don’t know any man who doesn’t want or appreciate the status that comes with the position of standing above the rest. Would you agree?

Every man wants to be a champion. He wants to feel like he is on top of the world and can accomplish anything. Men will also do just about anything to protect his champion position and status so he can stroke his ego and pride just to feel like he is important and relevant. I don’t think it is too far fetched for me to say that most men hunger and thirst to be a champion, but the question I ask myself and also ask you is “what exactly is a champion”?

Many men believe that a champion is someone who wins. Someone who ranks first and attains the prize possession because he is the best of the best. He is the big dog. Some men say that winning and being a champion is the same thing and that the words are synonymous with each other. However, upon closer research and insight, the words do have definitions in which they differ.

My slogan is “Building Champion Men”. My mission is to lift men up by encouraging and teaching men how to build a winning attitude in the priority areas of life and how to become a champion man and live life like a champion man on a consistent basis.

So what is the definition of a champion according to me? A champion is a man who leads well. He is aware of who he is and the influence he has at home, work, business and in society. He is a man who is confident in who God made him to be. He does not settle for less, but he makes room in his life to prioritize the importance of being king, priest and leader. A champion is also a man who champions something. In other words, he has found his reason for his existence and is leading and advocating for something much bigger than himself. A champion is a man who has found something to fight for and has taken the necessary steps to improve the wellbeing of others.

I advocate for the leadership potential of men; especially men who are under the lordship of Jesus Christ and want to live the abundant life that John 10:10 speaks of. A life that is full of joy, peace, strength and crazy favor on his life and everything that is influenced by his presence.

So the questions I have for you is?

  • What are you championing?
  • Who are you championing?
  • How are you championing?

Being a branded man requires that you answer these questions with clarity and conviction. Your clarity and conviction of who you are and what you are fighting for is what allows you to step into your purpose and live out your God-given assignment and calling for your life.


Okay, so what do we do?

First off. If you haven’t yet decided to become a champion and Branded Man, I encourage you to Subscribe to Branding Community so you can receive frequent updates from us. Updates that will challenge you, encourage you and grow you.

If you want to learn more about what a champion looks like, take time to look at the champions in your own life. Better yet, (if possible) spend time with them and ask them about their life stories that made them the leader and champion they are today. Most importantly, look at the life of Paul and Jesus Christ in the New Testament. They were great examples of what it meant to be true champions who advocated for people based on their purpose and calling.

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus –
Philippians 3:14

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith –
2 Timothy 4:7

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01Jan

Rise Up! A Declaration for Men

January 1, 2020 Anthony Fisher God, Living, Manhood, Rise Up! 69

Rise Up is a commitment to self. I created this declaration for myself with the intentions of being able to communicate the desire and cry in my own life. If you can relate to the statements below, I encourage you to make this your declaration for your life from this point moving forward.

Rise Up is the audacious commitment to yourself to live life in a passionate and purposeful way by exercising your gifts and abilities to the fullest and showcasing them most powerfully to the world.

Rise Up is your life’s statement that says “This is Who I Am”,”This is What I Do” and “This is What I Offer”.

Rise Up is the commitment to create a body of work with focus and intention so that people know who you are and what you stand for.

Rise Up is the understanding and personal conviction that you were placed upon this earth by God to create something, to communicate something, to execute something, to make a difference in someone’s life and to express that commitment in everything you say and do. Rise Up is turning your spark into a flame, your flame into a torch and your torch into a burning call to action for your life.

Rise Up is “You accepting you” and taking the initiative and responsibility to get your voice and message heard and make an impact in the world.

Rise Up is you not settling for less, but expecting more from yourself. It’s about leading yourself to the potential that lives within you.

Men, It’s time to RISE UP!

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22Oct

It’s time to put your purpose into action

October 22, 2019 Anthony Fisher Business, Faith, Purpose, Rise Up! 63

There comes a point in time in a man’s life where he must decide on the type of man he wants to be.

There also comes a point in time in a man’s life where he must decide if he is going to pursue and live out the call that God has put in his heart or settle for mediocre living, which is living without faith and without a strategy.

Every believing man has experienced the tug of war of being obedient to the call of Christ or pursuing his own way and his own actions.

The calling on our life as Godly men is great. We are to be awesome husbands and fathers, obedient kings and priests in our homes, leaders in our vocations and leaders as business owners and entrepreneurs. Everything we do is established by how we see ourselves and how we see our King.

Many of you right now are stuck in your mind between your job and your purpose. You’re trying to determine what’s more important in your life and I’m here to tell you that your purpose is priority. Now here me out, I’m not saying that your job is not important. As a matter of fact, it’s very important and you need to have one to the best of your ability. But think about this, Jesus was a carpenter, Matthew was a tax collector. Peter, Andrew and John were fisherman, but at a point in time Jesus called them to follow Him and told them they would become Fishers of Men. It was at this time that they received their call and purpose for their life. Who revealed it to them? Jesus did.

Here is the great thing about your life’s call and purpose. It is not what you say it is. It’s what God says it is. You don’t need to fulfill it alone. You are not required to. You are not called to force things to happen in your life as you cannot determine the results and success of your efforts. You are required to trust God and allow Him to reveal His purpose for you. You simply need to be willing, available and obedient to do what God is telling you and will continue to tell you throughout your life. You must be willing and available to allow the Lord to use you. And you must be obedient – to follow through on His direction for your life.

Every man must come to the realization of who he is, why he exists and his purpose on earth. You my friend, have a purpose. Your purpose can only come from the creator of heaven and earth. The creator who formed you and knows everything about you before you were ever born. The creator who has given you specific gifts, talents, abilities with unique experiences and a unique personality all your own. Your existence is not an accident. You are here on this earth to make a difference and to solve a problem in someone’s life. You are the solution to a need. It’s time to give God space in your life for the first time or once again. It’s time to acknowledge God in your life. It’s time to Rise Up and live life as if you have a purpose. Give yourself a chance. Give God a chance and make a decision to achieve greatness by following the Lord who Will Provide and reveal Himself to you.

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