Kent Sanders

Reflections on Writing & Creativity

Podcast 080: Taking Control of Your Destiny (with Eric Elder, Author & Entrepreneur)

March 28, 2019 by Kent Sanders | Leave a Comment

What does it mean to be an entrepreneur? At its core, it’s all about taking control. For artists and creatives, that can be a scary concept since we are often more comfortable creating things than making decisions or thinking about the big picture. Today’s guest is the perfect person to help us think through what it means to be a creative entrepreneur. His thoughts on some complex issues will empower and inspire you to begin taking more control of your destiny.

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I’m excited to bring you my conversation with my great friend Eric Elder, who is an author, speaker, and contemporary pianist with a passion for sharing Christ with others. Eric is a pioneer in online ministry, has written for numerous publications, and has spoken internationally at conferences and retreats. He has also produced a wealth of books and music for his own ministry, which is an online spiritual retreat center called The Ranch.

Eric is the perfect person to help us think through this idea of creative entrepreneurship because he is an original thinker who created a worldwide-impacting ministry from scratch. In our conversation, we tackle tough issues such as what entrepreneurship is all about, why it’s OK to disappoint people, why ambition is a good thing if handled in the right way, and how to discern if you are called to something.

This is a great conversation that addresses many issues you are probably wrestling with as a creative entrepreneur. By the way, we also featured Eric in a conversation just a couple of months ago, on Jan. 10, 2019, talking about why you should write a book. That conversation is a great companion episode to this one, so please check it out.

Note: This session was recorded live at a men’s retreat back in October 2018, but the conversation will apply to both men and women. We also feature a brief question and answer session at the end.

Episode Highlights

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • Eric’s journey of becoming an entrepreneur, and what appeals to him about that lifestyle and approach.
  • The importance of having control of your life and destiny.
  • Why being an employee doesn’t eliminate risk.
  • What sales is all about: helping other people meet their goals.
  • How to be OK with disappointing people when you’re chasing your dreams and goals.
  • Why it’s OK to be ambitious as a Christian, but it must be for the right reasons.
  • 3 practical ways to discern if you are called to something.
  • A powerful story of God giving Eric confirmation for a recent transition in his ministry.
  • What to do if you don’t feel like you have a big dream.
  • Why it’s important to make the right move at the right time.

Key Takeaways

1. Take control of your own destiny.

It may feel like working for an employer is the safest option, but that’s not necessarily the case. The only true safety that any of us has is in our own ability to add value to others. Job security does not lie in the job itself—it lies in the person who has the job.

I’m saying all this to make a point: If you don’t control your destiny, someone else will. Your life is too valuable to leave to chance. I love Eric’s emphasis on taking control of your direction and destiny. You can start out small with a side hustle or side business and build it from there. You can learn business and entrepreneurial skills. Don’t leave your destiny to chance.

2. Use the wisdom of others when you make a big decision.

Eric mentioned that when it comes to big decisions, he gets the input of others. Many years ago, when he was considering whether to take a trip to Israel, he put the decision in the hands of a men’s group from his church.

This showed a lot of wisdom and maturity, and it illustrates the value of having other people weigh in on big decisions.

3. Remember that your first calling is to your family.

This takeaway is especially for those who are married or have children. We artists and creatives are passionate about our work, but that work must take second place to our primary calling, which is to lead and love our spouses and kids.

We have all heard of people, or perhaps known them, who have put their work first and lost their families as a result. A relationship crisis is almost never the result of one single decision. It’s the result of a thousand tiny decisions over the years.

I’m speaking directly to guys here: Spend time with your wife and kids. Don’t put your dreams first. I’d encourage you to go back and listen to my conversation with Zech Newman, from Dec. 20, 2018, on putting your family first while chasing your dreams.

Resources

Download my free ebook: 21 Time Hacks for Writers.

I want to thank Eric for taking the time out of his busy schedule to share this amazing conversation!