Underestimated

How many people set a goal to be underestimated? In today’s culture, evidently not too many. To be underestimated means to be smaller or less important than you actually are. On the contrary, it seems like the “unsilent majority” are consumed by being bigger, louder and more important than they are.

• Being underestimated is not thinking less of yourself, but rather thinking of yourself less and others more.
• Being underestimated is exhibiting inner strength, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
• Being underestimated is understanding your value is intrinsically linked to who you are in God’s eyes, not what you do, not what status role you achieve in life. Sadly, many of us succumb to the temptation of allowing ourselves to be influenced by a culture that places greater value on the latter.

The best leaders are those who are underestimated. They live a common life in an uncommon way. Such an easy thing to say, but so hard to do. It’s like the difference between “book smart” and “street smart.” What good is knowing something in your head without putting it into practice? If you desire to be underestimated, then you need to start living your life that way. You have to swim against the cultural current. You have to be a cultural contrarian.

The difference between your success and failure is 18 inches. That’s about the distance between your mind and your heart. The consequences are meaningful. It’s the difference between feeling empty and being fulfilled. It requires that you live convinced of the overwhelming ability of God to move and work in your life.

I’ve developed a system to help. It’s called The Fordriven System^®. It will teach you to become underestimated.

• You will learn to love yourself and your “neighbor.”
• You will learn to forgive and move on.
• You will learn to be strong by bearing the failings of the weak and not being consumed with pleasing yourself.
• You will learn to please your neighbor for their good, to build them up.
• You will learn to bear the brunt of the insults from others that insult them.

You will learn to lead by being underestimated.