Welcome to Chris Brady's Blog

"The only way to be happy, is to give happy."

More about Chris Brady 👈

Recent Posts:

Chris Brady Books 📚

The Main Thing

One of my favorite Pat Riley quotes is, "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."  SuccessWaves_of_inspiration_by_frozen_in_3 is largely a result of the leader’s ability to focus, and to maintain that focus over time.

There are so many GOOD things that we can do in our lives, and these opportunities plead for our attention all the time.  But there are only a few, and sometimes only one, GREAT thing that we should be doing.  As the saying goes, GOOD is the enemy of GREAT.

For many, many people, maintaining focus is a major challenge.  They have plenty of talent, they are extremely motivated, they are empassioned by a cause, but they fall victim to their own lack of focus.  Distractions are like shiny objects on the side of the road, and some leaders never reach their potential because they are always scampering off to investigate some new fancy. When comparing two equally capable leaders, the one who maintains his or her focus the longest and most consistently will post results far in excess of the one who couldn’t.

There is another point in Riley’s quote: not only is it important to keep the main thing the main thing, but it is fundamental that we have a main thing.  How many people do you know who don’t really have a main thing?  There is nothing about their life anyone could point to and say, "That is what they stand for," or, "This is what their life is all about."  Sadly, this is true for many, many people.  In most cases, the main thing worthy of comment in many lives is insign ificant at best.  "Video games, fantasy football, golf, washing his sports car, etc." are the types of answers one might hear.  How about Mother Theresa?  Ministering to the poor.  George Washington?  Winning independence for the colonies.  Frederick Douglass?  Freeing the slaves.  Notice the contrast? 

One of our main goals in life should be to discover what God has built us to do, and then get about doing it with all our heart.  This will require pruning away some of the GOOD things to do, and focusing on the GREAT things.  We must discover what our main thing is.  Then we must work to make sure it remains our main thing.  And when someone brings up our name, and inquires as to what our main thing is, let’s make sure there is an answer.  And let’s be sure that the answer is a main thing worthy of the blessing we’ve been given!      

Posted in

11 responses to “The Main Thing”

  1. Jen Lish Avatar
    Jen Lish

    Chris,
    First off, thank you and Terri for coming to Idaho this last weekend. We appreciated your words and teaching.
    My husband and I came home saturday night and we couldn’t sleep. We stayed up talking about how we loved who the Brady’s were. It was clear that you are what you say and nothing can make a man more inluential than that. We realized that changes really are just choices- that are easily made when based upon your one “main thing.”
    We do our planning on sunday evenings but this sunday we did something different. We decided that our planning would be more effective if we had a reason to do it (I know- it seems kind of obvious but at least we figured it out). We brainstormed for about half an hour and just thought of reasons why we were doing what we were doing. Why plan and not just go about our day doing whatever comes up? Why do we want to touch a million lives? Why are we developing ourselves and helping others develop themseleves as well? It was fun to think through these questions. We also tried to think of one phrase that would embody what we want out of life. Charity, love, passion for a cause, hope, to help others.. the list goes on and on. I am sure others have gone through this process and been faced with these same questions- How does one thing say everything we want to be and do? Well, we came up with 5 simple words that say exactly what we are aspiring towards. These words give us vison and drive in every action we take whether it be reaching a million people or respecting the gift of a body that God gave us and sitting up straight. Thanks for helping us find out what our main thing is.
    Jen and Landen
    p.s. the five words? leading a CHRIST centered life

    Like

    Reply
  2. Matt Franks Avatar
    Matt Franks

    Chris,
    That is such a great post and really helped me understand the importance of knowing the main thing. I once heard someone say “successful people make important decisions early in their life and spend the rest of their managing those decisions.” I thought that was an amazing statement on how to keep the main thing the main thing. However I will say that at the beginning of my leadership walk I confused success with the rewards of success. I learned that success is a daily thing, it is not a destination thing! Doing the right thing compounds over time. Doing the wrong thing compounds over time. We either have the “main thing” daily habits or we don’t. Our daily habits either propel us towards that “main thing” or they don’t. I think sometimes that is why people get so frustrated with their success journey. They are giving great effort, but their habits counter act that effort and for every one step forward their effort takes them, their habits take them back one step or sometimes two.
    As my leadership has progressed I have discovered that the trick to knowing if one has made that important decision of finding a “main thing” is hidden in their daily agenda. As John Wooden graciously said “make everyday your masterpiece”, I learned the most you can give to your “main thing” is 100% and nothing more. The idea of giving 150% does not exist becasue you can only possibly give 100%. I call that destination disease! Most people over-exagerate yesterday and over-estimate tomorrow. But most people underestimate that importance of today! Tomorrow’s scorecard is hidden in what someone did today. As John Maxwell said “Each day you are either prepairing or repairing.”
    I remember exactly where I was the moment I figured out what the main thing was I wanted to accomplish in my life.
    It happened September 14th 2005 in Atlanta, GA. I had best selling author, John C. Maxwell, in to speak at a conference I was putting on and throughout that day I got a chance to spend 2 hours of one on one time with him.
    Prior to that session I spent about 4 weeks preparing what I thought would be detailed questions to ask him if the opportunity presented itself. After getting my questions answered I was in awe of his servant leadership example. I just became fixated on how he treated everyone at the conference regardless of their “position” in society, but also how he treated a young 25 year old kid with a limited leadership lid. He didn’t just talk or see me as what I was, he talked and saw me as what I could become if I chose to grow.
    At that very moment I made a commitment that I wanted to study and read everything I could about leadership, exemplify leadership, write about leadership, be a lifter / contributor to others in their leadership walk, add value to people, and serve people with no strings attached or hidden agenda!
    Thanks Chris for allowing people the opportunity to post their thoughts on your blog! I look forward to shaking hands with you again soon!
    Sorry for the long post 🙂
    Best,
    Matt

    Like

    Reply
  3. Chris Brady Avatar
    Chris Brady

    Jen Lish:
    What a great exercise you and your husband went through on Sunday night. I am glad the information got you thinking. It’s not so much that we need to be instructed as we need to be reminded. All of us know that the reason WHY is predominate, but it is so easy to fall away from staying in touch with our purpose!
    I love the five words you and your husband settled upon, I am certain people would say that of you as your main thing!
    Lead on, for Christ’s glory!
    Chris

    Like

    Reply
  4. Chris Brady Avatar
    Chris Brady

    Matt:
    Wow! I hope everyone is reading these comments below the original posting, in many cases, what the readers are contributing is way better than what I am trying to say! That is totally true in this case! You are spot on, exactly right! Thanks for sharing on this blog where everyone can benefit from your experience!
    Chris

    Like

    Reply
  5. kalli Avatar
    kalli

    Chris and Teri,
    Thanks for coming to Idaho Falls, in the winter! I am so thankful for the leadership of this great TEAM. You both have helped me to see furher into the heart of the people around me. And to bring me back to the core of what God has planned for our lives. A while ago all I could think about was a new house, a new car, new clothes, exotic vacations…..But for the past few months it is almost as if my eyes have been opened to see what I couldn’t or wouldn’t see before. Someone told me of a verse in the Bible that says, where your heart is there so also your treasure is. I wanted my treasure to be in CHRIST but it was in things, and how I could look to those around me. Now looking from this new perspective, I see some of those close to me that I want to pull out of that same show and tell game I was in. I believe in this vision and look forward to seeing you both again. Montana is nice in the summer!
    Be Blessed,
    Kalli and Kelly

    Like

    Reply
  6. DaveC Avatar
    DaveC

    Chris,
    To echo you, “Wow,” The name of Matt Franks is on the list of TEAM leaders I look forward to meeting and hanging around with some day. This young man show great understanding and communication ability in his comments both here and on Orrin’s Blog. And he might be one of the most notable contributors here and there, but he is only one of many as you say, Chris. To all of you out there keep on keeping on.
    DaveC

    Like

    Reply
  7. Nikki Stratton Avatar
    Nikki Stratton

    WOW!!! We sure appreciate you and Terri coming to Idaho in Dec. What a blessing for our two oldest children to hear your words and to see the difference and gift it was for them. Thank you for signing their books and encouraging them on their journey to greatness. I recently read from a church talk and it is entitled “Oh Remember, Remember me”. It was so touching I have felt to share it here. This good man said that he would write down daily of how he has seen the hand of God blessing his family and that was so wonderful that it is amazing when we recognize more and more of His love and that is comes through others. Thank you for impacting our lives. Montana is wonderful in the summer and we are greatful, Grant and Nikki Stratton

    Like

    Reply
  8. June G. Avatar
    June G.

    Chris,Thanks for the main thing!My husbsnd and I have been down the road of not the main thing in the past.Listening to great men like yourself,Orrin,Dean and the great books that come down thru the system have helped us to define what we realy want out of life.We had a house at one time that was’nt for us to have.For one thing we never realy prepared for it. So we Know all about the repairing end of things that Matt talked about.John Maxwell has opened our eyes to so many things.We just went thru the Coach book by-Paul J. Myer in our book study he talked about slowing down to speed up.Thats right where we’er at.And it is working out very well.That book has helped us with the main thing thing !!We have 4 wonderful kids so we know what one of our main things are.We do have a great future ahead of us.One of the things of keeping the main thing is that we do have so much to look forward to.Thanks Chris for giving us all an oppurtunity to glean and grow from your wisdom and experiance.June G.

    Like

    Reply
  9. Themusicmother Avatar
    Themusicmother

    Thank you for this continuing piece of “keeping the main thing, the main thing!”
    I give thanks to God for your creativity. It resonates with me as I am an artist or rather musician 😉 The creativity must have been much more interesting when you were six LOL but thanks for not losing it but rather holding on to your inner child!
    Thank you too for your book: I have referenced it in my blog post. I hope I have your permission and blessing to do that – otherwise I will remove the reference if you wish. Please let me know.
    http://spiritsingingsoul.blogspot.ca/2012/08/holiness-time-travel-and-gospel-reading.html
    Blessings on all you do and thanksgiving for all you are!
    Heidi Jury, Online Prayer and Communications Officer
    http://www.worldofprayer.com

    Like

    Reply
  10. Chris Brady Avatar
    Chris Brady

    The Music Mother:
    Thanks for mentioning the A Month of Italy book in your blog posting! I am glad you liked the book and were inspired by the reminder about the life of St. Francis. He was truly a Rascal!
    God bless and thanks for reading!
    Chris

    Like

    Reply
  11. Robby Palmer Avatar
    Robby Palmer

    If you were to recommend to someone how to decide what the main thing is, what would you recommend? How do you help someone find that?

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment