To satisfy our deepest yearning for true meaning and purpose, people look elsewhere. Sooner or later, people find themselves engulfed in the sea of power, wealth, and pleasure in their forlorn hope to create ‘success.’

In Robert McGee’s “The Search for Significance,” he explores fundamental thoughts virtually all of us toyed with at some point in life. When I fail at something, I feel lousy about myself…When others don’t approve of me, I can’t seem to get over it…Sometimes it feels like I’ll never measure up .

McGee dismantles this universal lie that triggers self-doubt, robbing us from true joy in life. The author offers that the search for significance is about seeing your truth worth through God’s eyes. That is, “our true value is based not on our behavior or the approval of others but on what God’s Words says is true of us.”

McGee simplifies the condition many of us live in today which I’ve also been subjected to during my adolescence:

Self-worth = Performance + Other’s Opinions

Most of us believe this, at least partially.

The Search for Significance identifies four false beliefs of our day and applies accurate biblical truths to show how to correct our thinking and mindset.

The Performance Trap – “I must meet certain standards to feel good about myself.”

Those who struggle with “The Performance Trap” have a fear of failure, perfectionism, manipulating others to achieve success; they can also cowardly withdraw from healthy risks. God’s answer to “The Performance Trap” is His justification. This means God has not only forgiven me of my sins but also has granted me the righteousness of Christ, therefore I am pleasing to the Father. At my very essence, as a son of God, I am good enough. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Approval Addict - “I must be approved by certain others to feel good about myself.”

The person who is “The Approval Addict” fears rejection and is oversensitive to criticism; they will withdraw from others to avoid disapproval. God’s answer to this false belief is reconciliation. This means that although I was one time hostile toward God and alienated from Him, I am now forgiven and have been brought into an intimate relationship with Him. Consequently, I am totally accepted by God (Col 1:21-22)

The Blame Game -  “Those who fail (including myself) are unworthy of love and deserve to be punished.”

Those who suffer from the “Blame Game” fear punishment. They also try to punish others, and their drive is to avoid failure. God’s answer to this problem is propitiation which means that that by His death on the cross Christ satisfied God’s wrath; therefore, I am deeply loved by God (John 4:9-11)

Shame - “I am what I am. I cannot change. I am hopeless.”

Those who suffer from “Shame” is marked by feelings of hopelessness. Shame is also marked by inferiority, passivity, and loss of creativity, isolation, and withdrawal from others. . God’s answer for shame is regeneration, which means that when we place our faith in Christ we become a new creation.

John 3:3-6 says, “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?’ Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

The Search for Significance is a liberating book that will take lots of energy resurfacing the past baggage in life, but going through this process will be one of true inestimable healing and edification.

Question: What false beliefs have you lived with that prevented you to live a life of significance?

• My best friend’s girlfriend invites me to her graduation party. I get inside information that there will be lots of drugs and excessive drinking during the party. Should I still attend the party? I know my best friend will be very disappointed if I miss this special day.

• Tomorrow is my final exam, and I’m completely unprepared. The grade of this exam will either break or make my opportunity to graduate as an Honors student. My friend suggests creating a “cheat sheet” to use during the exam. Do I engage in this behavior?

• I compete in tennis tournament with an opponent I know whose skills are sub-par. Do I play with a mindset that I’m playing with my younger sister who doesn’t know how to play or do I take every game seriously?

These are several of the many similar ethical dilemmas I’ve faced in my 20’s. It seems rather easy to make the “right choice” by reading these examples. But we all know that it’s a lot harder when you are actually in these situations. Suddenly, things have become a lot more blurry. In these very moments, you are tested on what you stand for.

A looming epidemic that is sweeping twenty-somethings today is what I call the “CV Syndrome.”

The CV (Core Value) Syndrome is a serious lack of awareness on his/her core values that results in an inconsistent and inadequate life. The implications of not curing this disease is debilitating, resulting in a life rife with regrets and guilt.

Here are several pointers to help you create core values that will set the foundation to greater fulfillment in life:

1.    Reflect Life with a Helicopter View.

Don’t buy into the myth there will be plenty of time before you encounter the hard stop in life. Rather, start viewing life with a 30,000 ft big picture view, and find clues to how God is weaving your life story today. Here are some questions for you to consider:

• What values have been shared by my parents and family?
• What cultural values have shaped my beliefs and worldview?
• If you woke tomorrow morning and discovered you inherited $20 million, and had discovered you also had terminal disease with 10 years to live, what would be on your stop-doing list?
• What will be written on my tombstone?
• What legacy do I want to leave?

Write down these answers and see if there are any common threads that emerge from this process. Ask these questions to your family and best friends. They will enlighten you with fresh and objective feedback. Circle the top words that reflect your core values below.

 2.    Core values should be VERBS, not Nouns.

Your core values are action statements, or verbs, not nouns. It is the difference between “honesty” (noun) and “Strive to always tell the truth.” (verb). Or, instead of “innovation” you might use “look at the problem from a different angle.” This makes sense because as “honesty” or “innovation” can be a nebulous concept which leaves plenty of room for different interpretations. So, thank about which one compels you to act this way?

  3.   Make your core values punchy. Punchy is memorable. 

Punchy shows your uniqueness. This area a work in progress for me. Here’s an example of a punchy core value. Restaurants almost always have “customer service” as a core value. And they usually simply state those words as their core value.  Cactus Club, a BC based restaurant chain, has a core value “the house of yes”.   Which restaurant probably has a cooler culture? Which restaurant probably has better customer service? In fact, Cactus Club wins on both accounts (i.e., they are consistently voted one of the best companies to work for in BC)

 4.   Stay away from having too many core values.

Tony Hsieh, the founder and CEO of Zappos, a Great Place to Work company has built his company around their core values. He outlines 10 core values, but I would argue that while ten is a good number, people only remember 4, maybe 5. Choose the top five core values and think about how you can weave these values in the fabric of your life.

Here’s my top 5 core values:

1. Be Rooted in the Word of God
2. Live Life with Uncompromising Integrity  
3. Strive for Excellence in Everything I do
4. Be Intentional about Kingdom Impact
5. The Tombstone will by My Diploma

Your core values cannot and should not stand alone. It needs to be aligned and integrated with your personal mission and vision statement. Read my post on “How to Develop a Mission Statement.”

Question: What are your core values?

Another Free Book Giveaway?

You read that right! I am offering a free copy of John Maxwell’s book, The 5 Levels of Leadership.

How Do You Win?

All you have to do is to two things:

1)    SHARE this post on Facebook or Tweet this post

2)    Leave a comment on bottom of the post. (Answer the Question below) 

Why Am I Doing This?

I started this blog a year ago in an effort to help you become the salt and light.

I want to equip, empower, and transform you to be a kingdom-minded world changer by helping you:

1)     Live intentionally to fulfill your calling in life

2)     Cultivate leadership to bring kingdom impact

3)     Grow to your maximum potential

4)     Emulate the life of Jesus Christ

Here’s My Top 5 Popular Posts on Leadership:

1.  Jim Collins’ Top Ten To-Dos for Young Leaders
2.  5 Ways to Be An Exceptional Leader [Infographic]
3.  The Eight Habits of Effective Google Managers
4.  Why Every Leader should Self-Publish a Book
5.  The Love Imperative: The Best Way to Lead any Organization

My plan is to give away one book a month for the entire year.

All I am asking from you is to follow the instructions below.

This Month’s Book: John Maxwell’s The 5 Levels of Leadership

True leadership isn’t a matter of having a certain job or title. In fact, being chosen for a position is only the first of the five levels every effective leader achieves. To become more than “the boss” people follow only because they are required to, you have to master the ability to invest in people and inspire them.

To grow further in your role, you must achieve results and build a team that produces. You need to help people to develop their skills to become leaders in their own right. And if you have the skill and dedication, you can reach the pinnacle of leadership-where experience will allow you to extend your influence beyond your immediate reach and time for the benefit of others.

The 5 Levels of Leadership are: 
1. Position – People follow because they have to.
2. Permission – People follow because they want to.
3. Production – People follow because of what you have done for the organization.
4. People Development – People follow because of what you have done for them personally.
5. Pinnacle – People follow because of who you are and what you represent.

Through humor, in-depth insight, and examples, internationally recognized leadership expert John C. Maxwell describes each of these stages of leadership. He shows you how to master each level and rise up to the next to become a more influential, respected, and successful leader.

Enter the Giveaway

Follow the instructions below to enter the The 5 Levels of Leadership contest and then spread the word to others! The contest ends at midnight on Friday, June 14th midnight (PST) and the winner will be announced on Saturday, June 15th.

All you have to do is to two things:

1)    SHARE this post on Facebook or Tweet this post

2)    Leave a comment on bottom of the post. (Answer the Question below)

Question:What’s your favorite leadership lesson from John Maxwell? 

If you would like to have my blog Salt+Light delivered to your inbox, simply click here: Subscribe to Salt+Light (you will also receive a FREE copy of my eBook, He Said, She Said, and YOU?)

 **Congratulations to Lewana Harris for winning June’s Book Giveaway Contest!

It’s been a week since I launched my first e-book “He Said, She Said, and YOU?” (Click HERE for FREE Download PDF)

The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive.

Many people have asked me, “How did you come up with this idea of a quote book?”

Well, to be honest, I’ve been collecting stuff all my life.  Since my freshman year at college, I’ve started building my repository of quotes.  Strengths Finder 2.0 diagnosed this uncanny propensity as “Input” strength.

People who have a strong “Input” strength are like miners who searches for gold day after day. They continually collect new bits of knowledge. Like world travelers, those with the Input strength pick up a variety of souvenirs from reading, data, insights etc.

As my blog focuses around intentional living, leadership, personal growth, and Christian living, I wanted to offer a quote book that elicits inspiration in these four areas.

I’ve decided to choose 25 topics or pit stops that will be your wellspring of inspiration in your daily life, including “Attitude”, “Dream”, “Excellence”, “Failure”, “Humility”, “Intentional Living”, “Success”, “Serving” and many more.

Most importantly, this is not your normal quote book. It is beautifully designed by my friend and designer Sangkyu Park and includes a space where you can write your own thoughts, quotes, and ideas.

How to Use the Quote Book:

-          Start your day reviewing each topic and memorize one quote a day

-          Write your own quotes in each box for the 25 topics

-          Build your own quote book as well.

Here’s What People are Saying:

 “Beautifully designed and powerful in its message, this book is sure to EQUIP AND ENCOURAGE you as salt and light in our world.”

― Joshua Lee Henry, Young adult pastor & missional leadership coach

 “What I like best is that Paul GETS YOU, ME, AND US INVOLVED in this process. If you like to write in the margins of your books and take notes that show your feelings on paper then you are going to Love this book. Get ready to be moved to action, and be left inspired to complete your own projects. You will hear more from Paul, he is just beginning.”

―Lincoln Parks, entrepreneur, network marketer, blogger

“When you read and reflect on theses quotes I know they will POSITIVELY IMPACT YOUR LIFE. It truly is a “pit stop for inspiration.”

― Dan Black, leadership expert and blogger

“I know ANYONE WHO READS THIS BOOK WILL BE CHANGED.”

― Dr. Roger Martin, Associate Professor, Warner Pacific College

“What distinguishes this book from the rest, is that it propels the reader, by design, to not only digest the contents of its pages, but REINVENT IT INTO ONE’S WORDS, shaped by the reader’s thoughts, experiences and aspirations.”

―  Leo Fuchigami, Agnostic

To DOWNLOAD the FREE Quote book, click HERE.

If you’ve already subscribed to my blog and benefited from the quote book, I’d like to ask you a one big favor!

Please help me out by forwarding this blog post to seven friends and family or share this on your Facebook or Twitter page before Sunday, June 9th! 

The book launch will officially end on Sunday, June 9^th 11:59pm. Thank you all for your support and encouragement. 

As a TED fanatic and speaker, I often find myself analyzing the different presentation styles, techniques, and idiosyncrasies each speaker brings to his/her speech.

In June’s edition of Harvard Business Review, Chris Anderson, TED’s curator, shares five key to great presentation.

1.       Frame Your Story

According to Anderson, conceptualizing and framing is the most vital part of the preparation. Great TED talkers frame their talk as a story as if taking people on a journey. They follow a narrative structure that loosely follows a detective story where the speaker ignites the interest by presenting a vexing problem and describing the search for a solution. There’s an “a-ha” moment that comes around the conclusion.

TED talkers also restrain their desire and urge to cover all the ground – you simply cannot summarize your entire book or product within 18 minutes. Rather, you need to limit your scope of your talk and share vivid stories and examples. So, instead of sweeping broadly, dig deeper. Be specific and detailed.

2.       Plan Your Delivery

Anderson simply says, “Don’t read and never use the teleprompter.” Many of the best and most popular TED talks have been memorized verbatim. This is hard work yet very rewarding.

For instance Jill Bolte Taylor, a brain researcher who had suffered a stroke, shared her story on how she recovered for the next eight years. She spent countless hours of solo practice and rehearsed her talk dozens of times in front of audiences to ensure she had nailed it.

Initially, if you’re memorizing your talk, you may encounter what Anderson calls “valley of awkwardness.” This is when you have haphazardly memorized the talk and the audience senses awkwardness. The solution is simple: more, more, more practice. World class talent equals exceptional talent multiplied by 10,000 hours.

3.       Develop Stage Presence

Many of TED talkers aren’t professional presenters. Anderson notes that the biggest mistake he sees during rehearsals is unnatural and excessive body movement. This is a natural physical response for someone who is nervous yet very distracting for an audience. Anderson says, “It’s better to stand still and rely on hand gestures for emphasis.
 

Also make eye contact. Find five or six friendly –looking people in different parts of the audience and look them in the eye as you speak. Anderson suggests that we “think of them as friends you haven’t seen in a year, whom you’re bringing up to date on your work.”

Amy Cuddy, professor at Harvard Business School, says certain body poses affect power. Stand tall, stride around, extend bodies. These will make you feel more powerful.  Anderson says that we need to “Breathe deeply before you go on stage.” The fact of the matter is the audience expects you to be nervous. This injects energy in your presentation and keeps your mind sharp.

Case in point: Susan Cain’s famous TED talk who spoke about her book on introvert. She was terrified about giving her talk. You could feel her fragility onstage, but that made it a lot more authentic and real.

4.       Plan the Multimedia

Many people are aware of the universal rule of thumb for using Power Point slides. You need to make the slides simple. Don’t use the slides as a substitute for notes. Don’t recite what you seen on the slides. Many TED speakers don’t use slides at all, and many talks don’t require them. Artists, photographers and designers should use visuals to complement their talk.

TED uses Prezi, a storytelling tool presenting ideas on a virtual canvass, to amplify the effect of the talk. This is a good replacement to the pedestrian Power Point tools everyone uses.

Kinetic sculptor Reuben Margolin used silence in his talk, letting the work speak for itself. He wanted to give this audience a powerful experience of my work.

5.       Putting it All Together

Most TED Talks start six months prior to the actual presentation to accommodate plenty of time for practice. In many cases, you will be in many practice runs with audiences asking feedback. Often times, you’ll hear conflicting feedback making you more confusing. In this case, Anderson suggests we need to be selective in the type of feedback we hear from selective people. Those with experience are best for feedback.

Above all, there is no perfect or pro forma path to be a great presenter. Every presenter bring his/ her unique style, style, and personalities.

However, what matters most according to Anderson is that “Presentations rise or fall on the quality of the idea, the narrative, and the passion of the speaker. It’s about substance, not speaking style or multimedia pyrotechnics. It’s fairly easy to “coach out” the problems in a talk but there’s no way to “coach in” the basic story – the presenter has to have the raw material. If you have something to say, you can build a great talk. But if the central theme isn’t there, you’re better off not speaking. Decline the invitation. Go back to work, and wait until you have a compelling idea that’s really worth sharing.”

Questions:
1. If you could give a TED Talk , what would you speak on?
2. What’s Your Favorite TED Talk?

The month of May has been an unprecedented milestone in my blogging journey.

After 11 months of diligent blogging, things seem to be catching on fire.

Here are some milestone achievements. I have reached my first 1,000 views per day. Also, I have entered the realm of five digits: 10,000 total views in May. I have also earned $40 in May just by referring books to Amazon.com (not to bad for free allowance money)

Now, here’s my top ten posts in May!

Top 10 Posts in May

1. Top 30 Books Every Young Influencer Must Read
2. Living Intentionally in Your Defining Decade
3. 10 Ways to be a Life-long Learner
4. An Entrepreneur of Life: Discovering the Ultimate Why in Life
5. 6 Ways to Make Your Idea Contagious
6. How to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life in your 20′s
7. An Interview with Lusi Chien: Telling the Greatest Story Ever Told
8. Your Definitive Guide to Resume Writing (Value of $500)
9. The Paradox of Our Time
10. Nike Ad: Find Your Greatness

Site Statistics

This month’s stats are incredibly mind-boggling. I may never see this type of growth in a while.

• Visits increased 101.5%
• Pageviews increased 104.8%
• Views per Visitor increased 1.9%

It’s quite unfathomable to have far exceeded my 15^% growth rate I have anticipated. In hindsight, I attribute several factors to this exponential growth:

1. Better commenting – I’m learning from exceptional bloggers and commenters like Dan Black, Lincoln Parks, Ngina Otiende, and Joe Lalonde on leveraging this important skill. This could be time consuming – but a perfect way to really engaging and share insights with other like-minded experts.  
2. Leveraging other platforms – I use LinkedIn groups and other forums (e.g., TED Talk) to share my content. For instance, I had nearly 1,500 people from the TED community read my article on Living Intentionally in Your Defining Decade that I wrote in response to Meg Jay’s TED Talk and her book Defining Decade.
3. Connecting with bloggers– As I seek to build a genuine relationship with bloggers who have greater presence, know-how, and knowledge, I am indebted to their support. One lesson I have learned is that those who are successful never hold back – they are lavish in their praise, help, and encouragement. Their generosity has humbled me again and created me motivation as well.

New E-Book:
“He Said, She Said, and YOU: Your Pit Stop for Inspiration”.

As you may know, I’m in the midst of promoting my new e-book this week. I am giving away the e-book for FREE. To download the e-book you can simply subscribe to my blog HERE.

If you have found the material engaging, encouraging or inspiring, can I ask you one favor?

Please share the link (http://paulsohn.org/free-e-book/) of the e-book here with your friends and family. I have set a goal of having 300 downloads during this week-long book launch campaign. I hope you can join me in helping me achieve this goal. Here’s three pages of excerpts of the e-book: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

If you’re a new time visitor or subscriber to my blog, I welcome and thank you. I encourage you check out my top posts in May and comment on my blog or email me at paul.j.sohn@gmail.com

I will continue to do my best to equip, empower, and transform you as a kingdom-minded world changer through my blog.

Question: What would you like to see more in June?

D-2!

The official release of my new e-book is Saturday, June 1^st. The book is called “He said, She said, and YOU?” This is my first book I wrote and I’m truly humbled to share my passion for continuous learning and growth.

“He said, She said, and YOU?” is an interactive quote book where you’ll find twenty-five inspirational ‘pit stops’ that will guide you to live a more purposeful and intentional life. For each topic, I have left some room for you to be inspired to write your own quotes and ideas.  

If you have already subscribed to my blog, you’ll get a personal email in the next day with a free e-book attached as a token of appreciation. If you haven’t subscribed to my blog yet, I’ll be sharing a new page this Saturday on my blog where you can simply download the e-book with simple instructions.

I’m privileged to have some of my friends review my book in advance and share the following words. Here’s a few:

Paul Sohn is one of the most Kingdom-minded, intentional leaders I know. He has a genuine heart for empowering people to bring Christ-centered transformation to every sector of society. In Paul’s new book, he provides twenty-five inspirational ‘pit stops’ that will lead you into a time of reflection as well as help you plan your own course of action. Beautifully designed and powerful in its message, this book is sure to EQUIP AND ENCOURAGE you as salt and light in our world.”

- Joshua Lee Henry, missional leadership coach and blogger

“This collection of quotes will make you think, reflect, inspire, and motivate you to do something positive with your life. This book is the Pit Stop for inspiration and wisdom to GUIDE YOU to live a more purposeful and intentional life.”

- Celina Lee, author, Live Your Dream

“Paul Sohn is not an ordinary leader; he is a gifted and inspirational thinker. When you open He said, She said, YOU?, you are going to be drawn in by how Paul’s creativity shines through. This is not your ordinary quote book that is just thrown together; much thought, care, and deliberate weaving went into this book. What I like best is that Paul GETSYOU, ME, AND US INVOLVED in this process. If you like to write in the margins of your books and take notes that show your feelings on paper then you are going to Love this book. Get ready to be moved to action, and be left inspired to complete your own projects. You will hear more from Paul, he is just beginning.

 - Lincoln Parks, entrepreneur, network marketer, blogger at lincolnparks.com

If you’re a reader of my blog, this is where you come in, and where I need your help in spreading the word. I cannot do this alone. I need incredible group of people willing to lead the charge in helping us become life-long learners driven by an intentional lifestyle. I need your help in sharing the good word.

Here’s how you can help:

• Help spread the word about the book through your blog, to your existing network and beyond, starting on Saturday, June 1st and throughout the week of the book release.
• Spread the word about the book through Twitter and Facebook with at least 3 mentions the week of the book release.  
• Take a picture of the e-book printed and how you are using it. Post it on Facebook or Twitter. (don’t forget tag me!)
• Share some of the updates I’m making on my Facebook page to your wall and Twitter.  
• Any creative way you can think of that will spread the word!
• Send and share the link (which will published on my blog on Saturday) to seven people in your network. 

Will you join me for my book launch?

Truly,
Paul

1. Briefly tell me about 4Soils and the inspiration behind the genesis of 4 Soils. 

4Soils is a start-up company that produces biblically-centered and enriching digital experiences for kids that aim to “tell the greatest story ever told.” This story is about the gospel of Jesus where He came to earth to save us from our sins. We believe that the whole Bible points to Jesus as savior, so we want to provide Biblically accurate, interactive, and fun content for children. When we first started this, it wasn’t something that we had been thinking about a lot. It was more through an inspiration.

The inspiration came from a dinner with our friends and their son.  Since then, we’ve observed more and more of how children were engaging with the mobile device,  and we’ve asked parents, who have iPhones and iPads, whether they have found good Biblical contents, but the resounding answer was no. That really was our inspiration to do something about it. I’ve never imagined myself making iPad apps, but I think when God opens doors and shows you inspiration, you follow through on them. We actually joked around. My husband and I actually met at a life-size replica of Noah’s Ark in Hong Kong (Ma-Wan Park), and we were there for Christian mission’s conference for people who were doing lay ministries in China. As we reflect back when we released our first app, which was about Noah’s Ark, we just see God’s hands shaping our lives in ways that was very different than the trajectory that I was working on before.

2. Tell me about one of your greatest leadership lesson as a founder of a start-up company?

First and foremost, I learned what it really means to rely on God. Going through my life, I’ve been taught that God’s in charge and not to worry. Through college, I’ve understood that to a small extent, but I don’t think I’ve ever been on the verge of not knowing where my next meal would come from until now. While I was in college, I attended this church in the neighborhood in South End of Boston. It was church catering to a relatively poor community, and I grew a lot in my faith in my fellowship with these people who potentially could be evicted tomorrow from their apartments. But I never had to experience that first hand myself. So as I started running the organization, I was able to get this type of experience more. Currently, I’m not getting paid for my work at 4Soils but I plan to pursue this full-time. It’s a bigger leap of faith for me to do this. Also my husband and I have invested a lot of our savings to create this start-up and hired a team of passionate believers in Christ. Now, it’s not just an issue of myself getting paid for this, but also it is about being responsible for other people who are part of the team.

3. What is it like to be a Christian in Stanford and Silicon Valley?

The average person in the U.S profess they are 40% evangelicals and 20% Catholics. In the Silicon Valley, I don’t know the exact numbers, but it’s much lower. So, when I stand up in front of a room of people, I naturally assume that most of them do not identify as Christians. There are times where the atmosphere is hostile against faith and religion. So, it’s an interesting climate I’m in. This reminds me what it means to do ministry in the workplace because God created some people to be the pastors and teachers whose job is to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:12). I believe the saints are the people in the churches themselves, who may have jobs like doctors, lawyers, construction workers, etc.  That’s how you relate to people by having a context.

In the beginning when I was business school before I founded my start-up, faith didn’t necessarily come up as often in my normal, everyday conversations. But, now that as I have my start-up, I find a lot of my peers asking me about my start-up which makes it easier for me to say things like “Bible,” “Faith,” and “Christian” in a way that is not as offensive to people. In fact, many times people would find this interesting and they share something about themselves. This became an opening for me to connect with people and share the reason for my hope (1 Peter 3:15).  That’s how I learned that many of my classmates were brought up in Christian families (e.g. they attended Sunday school and church).  Yet many of them found the faith to be not relevant for them.  This just gave me even more urgency to reach the next generation (a mobile first generation) with technology, to make the love of Christ relevant to them.  

4. How has your sense of calling played in your life?

The word calling has meant different things to me in different points in my life.  After college, I went into consulting because I felt that my gift and talent was in the area of business and that’s why I also am in the business school. Before I went to business school, I spent a couple of years abroad working in international development work and I felt that my calling was to use the skills and talents God has given me to figure out ways to improve the lives of the poor. I got that influence partly from the Christian fellowship in college which had a strong emphasis on social justice and caring for the poor. Also being in places like Rwanda, India and China I saw a lot of need. Now, I think that shifted a bit because I was reminded that it’s not enough just to feed people, give them water, or give them a job if I don’t share the love of Christ with them.

When I first met my husband, I was working in China at that time in rural banking, opening up credit for small medium sizes of enterprises. He asked me “How many times have you shared Christ with the people you were helping?” I realized that it wasn’t that often. As I studied the Bible and looked into the life of Jesus, He didn’t just cure the sick and poor for the sake of their well-being but he always followed up with gospel message of the eternal well-being. I think my calling is simply not necessarily a job. I trust God in leading me whether that is 4Soils or something else. I see my calling as E-squared. Evangelism and edification. Evangelism is for non-Christians and edification is for believers. So how can I use my life to do those two things whatever form that might come from.

5. Where are you right now with your progress with 4Soils, and what goals would you like to achieve a year from now?

Currently we have 19 apps in the app store. Noah our first app was released of May 1st of 2012. We had no idea what type of traction we’d have then.  Now, a year from that first release, we’re trying to look back more and appreciate our progress. As a start-up we’re always looking ahead thinking about what we can do next. The individual apps were a beachhead for us to show different ministry partners what we could do and also learn first-hand from parents and children what they like and don’t like on designs and different elements. We’re building a platform where we will bring partner content into the digital playground which is a centralized place where parents will want their children to exposed to related to the Bible and Christian faith. Ministries can offer content to children as well through books on the mobile platform. We’d like to help ministries harvest a lot of the IP they’ve already created throughout to years to be relevant for the mobile first generation.  This doesn’t mean just creating a PDF of it and putting it up as an app, but really require great attention to design, interactivity, and hooks for retention to gain mindshare for the children of this mobile first generation.  We can provide that for the ministry partners.  If there are partners who are interested in reaching out to us to discuss what this means, they can reach us at info@4soils.com

6. How has Stanford helped you in creating your start-up?

When I see things in the larger context, I believe God has placed me here in the eco-system of Stanford and Silicon Valley to notice this trend of the rise of mobile and how children are interacting with the mobile platform very intuitively. On a specific level, I benefited a lot from the Design School, Education School, as well as the Business School.

From the Design school we’ve learned about the process of building a start-up, how to build user-centered design, and how to conduct play testing observing what users want, especially when your users are children. We are using an iterative process for testing new hypothesis. This has become part of our DNA to be a hypothesis driven company.

Second, the Business school helped how we create a business, the culture and values, leadership and management styles, and how to hire, retain, and when necessary, fire an individual.  I also benefited a lot from our mentors and advisors through Venture Studios, a co-working community that we applied to and are a part of through Stanford.

The third pillar is from the Education school. There are two aspects to this. The first is an early childhood development course that puts rigor into some of the things we’re designing. It’s been helpful learning about the development stages of a child and how they can not only learn about the Bible but also other aspects – from practical skills such as reading, to emotional and social skills that are so rich in the Bible stories.  The second aspect is the learning and design and technology curriculum which helps create different designs and technology on how children to learn.

7. What is some advice you’d like to give some Christian entrepreneurs to make kingdom-impact?

I think being an entrepreneur requires you to rely on God more which is a good thing. When I was working with a large company trying to decide between a job A or job B, I felt at the end of the day, the stakes weren’t very high.  But I think being an entrepreneur is helpful for me personally and my team to learn what it means to rely on God and to pray “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Secondly, I don’t think it matters whether you’re doing something directly related to the Bible like we are, or if you’re an entrepreneur who personally is a Christian, I think people are always watching you in terms of the way you act and how you represent Christ in everything you do and your business decisions. For example as a start-up, often times we are resource constrained, so there are temptations to cut corners because you are small and nobody knows. For example, I remember having one of my team members mocking up images for our app and he asked if he should use some copyrighted photos from the internet. We’re such a small start-up that using some of the copyright images probably no one would catch on for a really long time. But I told him as the leadership of the company, I don’t think that’s the right thing to do. So, I think a lot of times in those little things, people are watching. You can live to either reinforce your values or mock them.

Meg Jay says “30 is not the new 20.” She urges 20-somethings to live with a sense of urgency and intentionality. She says this is not a period of throwaway decade, but rather a defining decade.

Clinical psychologist Meg Jay says that those in our twenty-somethings are living in the “Defining decade.” Why? Because….

• 80% of life’s most defining moments happen by age 35.
• 70% of lifetime wage growth happens in the first 10 years of a career.
• More than half of Americans are married or living with or dating their future partner by 30.
• Our personalities changes more in our 20s than any other time.
• Our fertility peaks.
• Our brain makes the last growth spurt.

Meg Jay emphatically states in her latest TED talk that “30 is not the new 20.” Contrary to common belief, she exhorts to those in this defining decade not to squander this time as prolonged adolescence or throwaway years, but a time of being intentional with your life, setting a solid foundation for the rest of your life.

Cultivate Strong Foundations

To finish well means to start well. Twenties is a time where you either cultivate good soil or bad soil (footpath, rocky path, or thorny bush). We must start to live intentionally by creating a strong foundation that will guide us through our 70′s. Don’t be disappointed by the lack of immediate gratification. A seed takes time to bear fruit. (Matt 13:3-9)

As a twenty-something myself, I confess that this is easier said than done. Most of the 50 million twenty-somethings today are “living with a staggering, unprecedented amount of uncertainty.” No other generation has been faced with the sheer variety of choices and options one can make than today’s generation. Choices for college, choices for careers, choices for dating relationships, choices for lifestyle etc….the list goes on. 

Start with Why

The incessant chants from the world (i.e., society, media, and culture) shared with twenty-somethings don’t alleviate this uncertainty either. “Dream big!” ”Follow your dreams!” “Reach for the stars!” “Life is limitless.” Surely, these aren’t necessarily incorrect statements. The intention behind such statements are benign, that we ought to live life to the fullest, but many of us have abused such statements, rendering them devoid of real meaning. 

Perhaps the most important question we forgot to ask is “Why?” instead of “How?” and “What?”

“Why is it so important that I dream big and follow my dreams?” Why is life limitless? Why am I so eager to achieve success? Why am I doing this or that…? 

The truth is that many twenty-somethings haven’t put serious thought into these questions because it’s both uncomfortable and difficult. The “Why” questions speak to the core of who we are, revealing our worldview and philosophy in life.  It’s not easy to easily surface these thoughts and engage in a thoughtful internal discussion. 

Also, the busyness and hectic lifestyle this generation  lives today stifles an environment of asking such important, life-changing questions. Meg Jay says 20-somethings engage in “present bias,” leading us to think that if nothing happens in our twenties then everything is still possible in our thirties.” We should take heed to Soren Kierkegaard’s wisdom: “life must be lived forward, but understood backwards.”  

Intentional Living

As a follower of Jesus Christ, my number one goal in life is to glorify God or as C.S. Lewis said, “to make God smile.” To achieve this, I wholeheartedly believe that I must be intentional in how I live. I define intentional living as…

Living every moment with kingdom impact, stewarding our gifts, talents, resources, and opportunities to turn the world upside down. 

I believe there are four fundamental questions in life that one must answer with conviction in order to live with intentionality. 

• Whose am I? This question deals with the primary authority and audience for your life. Your metaphysical worldview defines whether you are a product of time, product, and chance or you were created by a Creator who has breathed you His image in you. You are a living imprint of God who has fashioned you. If the latter is true you have established a place in life that gives meaning and relevance.

• Who am I? This question deals with self-awareness. The Scripture says you are God’s workmanship created with God-given gifts, talents, and temperaments. Sadly, many grow up without knowing who they are. Our role is to discover, cultivate, and steward these resources and opportunities. At the end of our lives, God will measure what and how we have spent our lives. We will come either empty handed or multiplied resources. Learn more on how to be more self-aware here. 

• Why am I here? This question revolves around your life’s purpose. Answering the previous questions help you discover your calling in life. The first call comes from the Creator who says “Follow Me”. This marks a new beginning. A life-changing inflection born where you are born again. You are no longer enslaved by your older self replete with sin and corruption, but now you have a new identity in Christ who offers you unending love, joy, peace, and grace. The next call is more specific – that is, to learn your vocation in life. Why did God make me in such a unique way? What did he call you to be? Frederick Buechner gives a helpful suggestion: “The place God calls you is where your deep gladness and world’s deep hunger meet.” 

• Where am I going? Living intentionally is a lot like a GPS. Today marks your current location and you have a final destination you’re heading towards to. Living intentionally is about charting a course that will help you go from here to there. Answering the previous three questions will help you create an overarching vision and plan in life. The specific path is something you can’t orchestrate every time since we cannot predict the future. By relying on God with a sensitive Spirit, you do your best to live with wisdom and discernment.  

Question: If you are in your twenties, what are you doing to live intentionally? If you have graduated from your 20′s, what would you do differently if you had a chance to go back to this defining decade? 

It bewilders me that time has gone by so quickly. It was less than three years ago where the spotlight was on me as a graduate. I cannot forgot that the convocation was held in one of the coldest weather in Vancouver, BC. I remember the excitement, vibrancy, and the hope for the future. I remember thinking to myself “Okay, let’s bring it on. I’m ready to embrace the future.” 

It’s times like these that forces you take a step back and look life with a 30,000 ft view. You start asking questions, “Have I really lived life to the fullest?” “Have I discovered my calling and lived a purpose-driven life?” “Have I made a small dent into the universe?” “Am I better person now than the past?” 

I’m very excited to see my sister tomorrow. I know she has done a great job at school not just academically but also spiritually and socially. She is in the process of becoming the person she is meant to be. She is growing in her knowledge in her self and in Christ. 

My good friend Solomon Chiu shared a powerful message by George Carlin that makes you stop and ponder what matters most in life. I want to ask you to read this very slowly, carefully, and thoughtfully. Let the message percolate in your life. Let the message help you answer the questions with complete honesty: “Where am I at in life? Am I living intentionally or living aimlessly? “Am I seeking the truth or falsehood?” 

The Paradox of Our Time by George Carlin  

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete…

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only! treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.

Remember, to say, “I love you” to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments 
that take our breath away.