Top o’ the Mornin’ to Ya!
TLDR: Explore the transformative journey from being in “effect” (victim mentality) to taking “cause” (responsibility) in your life. Through a personal story about a missed podcast opportunity, I show how to recognize when you’re stuck in the passenger seat of life and how to intentionally move into the driver’s seat, taking ownership of your circumstances instead of being controlled by them.
What?
This morning I had a moment where I felt like the Apostle Paul – doing the things I don’t want to do and not doing the things I want to do. I had a podcast interview scheduled with a host on the other side of the world, requiring me to wake up early. I experienced internal conflict: I wanted to spread the word about Kingdom Family Leader and help men thrive, but I didn’t want to get up early. After pushing through this resistance, getting myself fired up and ready to talk about internal/external struggles and Kingdom leadership, the host didn’t show up. My initial reaction was to wonder if I somehow caused this with my negative thoughts. Later I found out they were swimming in Africa and simply mixed up the schedule.
Why?
I’m sharing this story because we all experience moments where we feel like victims of our circumstances – what I call being “in effect.” It’s that place where everything feels like it’s happening TO us rather than being influenced BY us. This morning, I caught myself wallowing in self-pity: “Poor me, I got up early and fired myself up for nothing.” Recognizing this victim mentality is the first crucial step toward change.
Lesson
The key lesson is understanding the difference between living “in effect” versus living “in cause.” When you’re in effect, you’re in the passenger seat of life – being carried along, reacting to what happens to you, feeling powerless. When you move into cause, you climb into the driver’s seat – taking responsibility, influencing outcomes, and focusing on what’s within your control. The transformation starts with awareness – recognizing when you’re wallowing in the passenger seat, even when “the ride isn’t terribly rough.” From there, you can ask empowering questions: “What is in my control? How do I get into the driver’s seat?”
Apply
Take a moment right now to write down a story or situation where you were “in effect” – feeling like a victim of your circumstances. It doesn’t matter whether you successfully moved from effect to cause in that situation. Simply recognizing when you’re in effect is the crucial first step. The more specific you can be about this experience, the better. Taking this action step will generate far more results than just nodding along with the concept.
You Be Blessed.
From Effect to Cause: Shifting from Passenger to Driver in Your Life
