Operating Systems: The Power of Be

Your operating system is more than a mindset or worldview. It’s a foundational way at which you function, look at life, and solve problems. Choosing an empowering operating system sets the stage for you to walk into God’s fullness and live with purpose in retirement. Taking action and playing offense in retirement is good, but it’s not as powerful as becoming.

Characteristics of an empowering “operating system”

The biggest differentiator between disempowering and empowering operating systems is CHOICE. Functioning out of need or want is reactionary and controlled by circumstances and feelings – which are fluid and change often. However, a person functioning from an empowering operating system understands they can select their attitude and reaction to outside influences. Famous psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, Victor Frankl wrote in his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Furthermore, people that have choose an empowering operating system are creative, growing, forward-thinking, take ownership and responsibility, don’t live in the past, don’t blame and rise above their feelings or circumstances.

Examples of offensive “operating systems”

DO: Instead of being a bi-product of circumstances, one can take action, i.e. doing something about it. Simple examples would include a person that wants or needs to be healthier. Simply desiring is powerless until action is taken – proper diet, activity and exercise. A man that wants to be a better husband can read books like The 5 Love Languages®, attend marriage conferences, give more compliments or help out more around the house. The business owner that wants to grow his company can create a more engaging website, hire more staff or launch a new product or service.

BE: Doing is great, but it’s not as powerful as being. Being is functioning the way God created you to exist. To be, you must understand who you are, your gifting, your purpose, and your assignment. However, you don’t just do them, you become them. Here are some examples of the power of be. Statistically speaking 80% of all diets fail. The truth is EVERY diet works, but the success rate of dieting is very low. Why? One could argue that dieters over time focus purely on the doing – eating right and exercising – but never truly become a person of good health. Willpower fades. Unmotivated feelings and circumstances takeover and old unhealthy habits prevail. Let’s use the marriage example. Does a wife want her husband to do loving things or become a loving husband? How about God? Does He want you to pray, worship and give to merely check it off the list? Or does He want you to become a prayer, become a worshiper and become a giver?

Operating from a place of being is more powerful and will radically change the way you function. Many retirees underestimate the importance of this season of life. Retirement is the time for you to continue to walk into God’s fullness. This notion is baked into the cover design of Repurposed: The Untold Story of Retirement in America. Notice the logo is a series of moon phases that progressively end with a full moon. The design was no accident. Functioning from a disempowering operating system will prevent you from performing at the highest level at which God created you to live.

The good news is you have the ability to choose the system by which you operate.

Choose wisely.

Retired Repurposed Available on Apple Podcasts

Jerrid Sebesta

Co-Founder of Retire Repurposed

Co-Founder of Retire Repurposed Jerrid Sebesta

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