Mike sporting typical Social Media fashion.

It's an immense privilege to have one of South Africa's prominent and influential Entrepreneurs doing a Guest Post here on jamespreston.org.  In 2009 Mike was voted as one of the Mail & Guardian's "300 Young South Africans To Take To Lunch", is the CEO of Cerebra, a hugely successful Communications Agency, and is also a noted blogger on his website, among many other things.  

I've been a fan of Mike's work for almost 3 years now, after being pointed to his blog by a friend of mine.  Engaging with him on Social Media, it is clear Mike is passionate about life, but more than that, committed to making a difference.  Especially in this glorious land of South Africa.  It makes perfect sense to have a man like this contributing to this Blog, giving us another tool in our quiver to get on with the job of Changing The World!  

He has kindly agreed to do an Interview on the Sonic Substance Podcast later this year, which I personally can't wait for.  But until then, enjoy this great post challenging our relationship with TIME...
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Every Monday morning, on every social platform I bother looking at, it’s the same thing:

“Dear Monday, can you please die”

“Two words I hate: 1. Work. 2. Monday.”

“For once in my life I would love to wake up, turn on the news and hear “Monday has been canceled, go back to sleep.”"

“TGIF”

Sure, weekends are cool. There’s sport, and family, and parties, and lots of food. I get that not all of us have jobs we enjoy, let alone love. So I’m going to do my very best not to sound like a sanctimonious twat, but…

I think we’re getting this wrong. Horribly wrong. I feel like most of us are in a non-stop battle with time. We wish it away, and then complain that we never have any.

That’s right. It’s always those people on my timeline or newsfeed that complain most about it being Monday, or the weekend being over, or “Oh-My-Gosh-Winter-is-here” that also seem to complain about never having enough time.

To be completely honest, I think very few of us have a right to complain about not having enough time. I mean, how dare I complain about not having enough time when people like Elon Musk exist? (James note: Musk is arguably one of greatest Entrepreneurs to come out of SA) The man is changing the universe with every breath he takes, and I don’t see him tweeting about how much he wishes it were Friday. Or how he wishes he could clone himself.

He just gets stuff done.

I don’t see Richard Branson complaining either. Or Marissa Meyer. Or Bono. Or Desmond Tutu.

Why is it then that the world’s busiest, most significant and successful people, who should have more right than anyone to complain, never complain about not having enough time?

I recently started running. Because I’m running and enjoying it, I’m feeling fitter. Because I’m feeling fitter, I started swimming and going to gym more. Because I’m committed to that, I’m eating better. Eating better requires effort and time. So every day I commit at least two hours to fitness. Come evening time, I’m physically finished. So I crash at about 10, and sleep like the dead for 7 or 8 hours.

So I’ve taken 2 hours out of every day, am getting to bed earlier and sleeping longer. Logically this would spell disaster for work, but I’ve easily doubled my productivity and have never felt like I’m achieving more. And it’s also not a “I’m exercising now so life is awesome” sermon either, it’s something else…

Although it might seem like I’m DOING more, I’m not. I think I’m just doing more of the “right” things.

I think there are really only two categories of activity we can choose to spend time on. Those that add life, and those that drain life. It’s no great mystery discerning the difference between the two either – I think we inherently know. The harder part is choosing the better option. If you choose the better option enough, it becomes a habit.

I used to hate getting out of bed, spent all day procrastinating (you know – those days when you’re procrastinating SO hard you actually manually refresh your Twitter timeline – seventy times), and all week hoping for that one thing on the weekend that would possibly sustain me for the next week. And yet I still had the nerve to tell people I was “hectic” and “manic”. What a clown.

What a lame way to live.

The really weird thing is that I feel like I have more time than ever. I’m busy, yes, but because I’ve made a conscious effort to replace the things I know I shouldn’t be doing with the things I should be. I’m not playing less golf, or having less rad catch-ups with friends, or watching less movies. I’m still doing those things and it’s important that I do because in my world they ADD life.

The more time I give to things that drain life, the more I’m cheating myself. The uglier the world looks. The sadder I get. I owe it to myself to boot those things.

I don’t think we need to fight tooth and nail with time. I think you, me, and time can find a happy, mutually-beneficial middle ground. Things undoubtedly move faster every day, I think spending time doing things that matter can slow it all down a tad.

Ultimately, life’s too short to wish any of it away. So rock every day. Even Monday!
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What about YOU?  What are some of the things you could stop doing and some of the things you could start in order to be more productive in everyday life?

This Blog, and my life, is devoted to changing the world for good. This world is waiting for you and I to rise up and take our place as worldchangers in society. There is so much in need of revolutionary change. And today I want to highlight a rather unsanitary one. Literally.

This is a strange post for my Blog, and for anyone's Blog for that matter.  But it gives the perfect example of what I am talking about when I say "we need to be changing the world".  We are in a revolution in "the church", and the religious lid is being lifted and people are beginning to tap into the Creativity of Heaven within them.  From that Creativity are the solutions to the world's biggest problems.  This being one of them.  And just because it is of an "unsanitary" nature, doesn't mean it shouldn't be highlighted.

The example?  Poo.

That's correct.  Poo.  Doo Doo.  Number 2.  All I really want to do is share with you an incredible Infographic which highlights the need for how the world deals with its abundance of human waste.

Bill Gates has so recognised the problem that he has officially stated that he will give 46 million Dollars in funding to the individual or organisation who can invent a working toilet that...
a) adequately deals with the human waste without polluting the environment
b) does not use running water
c) is affordable

His premise is that the toilet engineering has remained largely unchanged since around the mid 1700's.  And with such drastic innovations in technology in the last 20 years alone, why can our sophisticated minds not develop a new toilet that doesn't waste as much water as our current ones do?

So, all I'm saying, is that this invention should come from the church.  Those who recognise they carry Heaven within them. This is the perfect opportunity for a Christian engineer to recognise a problem, tap into Heaven's resources, and find a Heavenly solution!  Because I can guarantee you, Heaven has the perfect solution to this problem!

Watch this video as an introduction to Bill Gates' offer.  Please do not be offended.  I don't mean to offend anyone at all.  But rather highlight a serious issue that this world needs to solve!  And I pray this Blog inspires someone to solve it!
But really, this is a bit of a strange Blog Post, but the truth is, no one talks about this issue because it's a bit uncomfortable, but as you will see by the Info below, this is a serious problem!  And one that needs to be spoken about!

Once you're done watching the video, go through the Infographic below.  It gives you all the Info you need to realise how much of a problem this really is.

Enjoy, and happy changing the world!




THE STINKY INFOGRAPHIC:

Today I want to encourage and remind you with a very short breakdown of your inheritance as a child of God!
Many people wonder who my influences are in light of my passion to see the World Changed.  Primarily; from revelation of Scripture.  Here is a key passage that I trust would give you similar revelation...

Hebrews 2:8 - 11 
Now in putting everything in subjection to Him, He left nothing outside His control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to Him. (9) But we see Jesus....... (11) For He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Source. That is why He is not ashamed to call them brothers.

This verse jumped at me last night, and I hope many of you are as encouraged and blessed as I was!

1.  Everything is subjected to Jesus
Everything means everything.  Everything we see and don't see has been placed under the authority of Jesus.  Absolutely everything must submit to the authority of Jesus.

2.  Not everything is obeying, yet
While Jesus has been given authority over everything, not everything is listening, just yet.  This is why we still see sickness, corruption, evil, operating in the world.  There will come a time when the authority of Jesus will be seen and experienced by everything in the Universe.  And when they do, they will love it!  As Bill Johnson says:  "Everyone wants a King like Jesus."

3.  Look to Jesus in spite of current circumstances
Despite the fact that not everything is yet subject to the authority of Jesus, keep your focus on Him.  Don't look at your circumstances, or even the circumstances of this world.  Look to Him.  When life gets you down, seeing Jesus and all He has done for you will inspire you and keep you pressing on toward claiming our inheritance.

4.  Jesus our Saviour and we who are Saved come from the same DNA
Jesus is the One who sanctifies us (makes us holy).  And we have been sanctified by Him (made holy by Him).  We share the same Source:  God.  We have the same Father as Jesus!  We are Godly not by what we do, but by our DNA!  By who our Father is!

5.  We are the brothers and sisters of Jesus
Jesus is indeed our Saviour and King.  But we are kings and queens with Him!  We have been brought into the family of God and now share the same inheritance as our Big Brother!

6.  That means everything is subjected to YOU
If you are a brother or sister of Jesus, and you share the same Father, then you share the same inheritance!  Part of that inheritance is Point 1; everything has been placed under your authority.

This promise is all over Scripture!  Most notably in Romans 8:17:
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.

All that this means is that you can get out there and not let anything stand in your way.  Because the world is your inheritance!  For the Glory of the King.

May you walk in your inheritance, brothers and sisters.

My Son & myself enjoying Bacon & Eggs!

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