Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do,

and he will show you which path to take.

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

In 10 years of studying success, neuroscience, positive and performance therapy, and the Bible, I have learned that most people are average thinkers, which indirectly and directly limits their ability to reach their God-given potential.

I don’t mean to be crass when I say “average” thinkers. Instead, I hope to provide insight and responsibility to you. I can’t speak for you, but I want to reach my God-given potential, enter my promised land, and hear “Well done, my thankful servant,” the day Jesus brings me home. Don’t you? Let me know in the comments.

In the last year, I have mainly been studying the differences between the average thinker and their brain compared to the world-class or winning thinker and their brain.

Believe it or not, there are differences not only conceptually but also neurologically. In my research, I have learned that 95% of the world’s population comprises average thinkers. YIKES! That means 5% of the world is world-class, champions, or winner thinkers. To be honest, I personally believe the number is less than that. However, the one thing I know for sure is that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, was a World-Class Champion or Winner thinker.

In my ten years of coaching secular and Christian high performers, I have learned that average thinkers suffer from delusion regarding their efforts and competencies. Remember, the easiest person you can lie to is yourself. Let me ask you this: Where do we see Jesus lying to Himself? Nowhere.

The reality is most people lie to themselves. They tell themselves they are working harder than they are and that they are more competent than they are. How can you ever improve if you maintain this biased lens?

Research shows that most professionals learn how to do their jobs in their first year and then never work to improve their skill set. Their first year will be their plateau. Such research makes sense, considering that the average adult reads less than one nonfiction book a year.

I have also learned that average thinkers desire to operate at the world-class level, reaping the benefits that winners experience. However, average thinkers spend more time in wishful thinking because, ultimately, they are unwilling to pay the price to transform into world-class thinkers. Since this reality is too harsh and painful for them to accept, they delude themselves into thinking they are doing everything in their power to get ahead. It’s easier to tell yourself what you need to hear so you can stay in the place of familiarity as opposed to courageously venturing out and growing.

Therefore, they keep themselves busy – doing work that mentally feels productive but, in reality, produces no fruit. I call this “mental masturbation.” Many average thinkers are terrific at keeping themselves busy and believing they are human doings versus human beings. In my experience and my decade of research, I have learned that world-class thinkers prioritize developing their character and intentional work versus the quick win of checking something off the to-do list.

Additionally, the average thinker will tell everyone, but primarily themselves, that they are doing the work to get to their goal, but in reality, they are not. They think they are putting in the time, energy, focus, and effort, but in fact, they are lying to themselves.

Most people find it difficult to take responsibility and objectively examine where they are lying to themselves because of the mental anguish that can result. It takes self-discipline, an objective perspective, a core belief of “I’m always learning,” and taking responsibility for your actions to honestly analyze your choices and see if they are yielding fruit and growth or just feeling good.

Average thinkers will tell you they are intentionally focusing on their goals, but when push comes to shove, they are not. In comparison, a world-class thinker is deliberately and strategically engaging with their goals every day. They don’t see it as a chore. They understand that success boils down to personal responsibility, trusting God, and consistent work. Therefore, winners interact with their vision daily and entrust it to God. The elite excels in aligning their habits, actions, and behaviors with the magnitude of their ultimate vision, which is what distinguishes them as champions. Winners, unlike average thinkers, understand that there is little in their control, but what is in their control is worth controlling and taking responsibility for. The rest they must surrender to God.

The bottom line is that world-class thinkers are brutally honest with themselves. James echoes this in James 1:23-25. God provides believers with a spiritual mirror that highlights what needs to be corrected within us. They accept responsibility for their actions and ask God and the Holy Spirit to help them see what they cannot see, and most importantly, they correct their flaws.

Winners, unlike average thinkers, err on the side of over-practicing and over-preparing, not over-planning. There is a difference. Champions, the world’s greatest athletes, must learn to love the process of practicing and preparation, even when it’s challenging. They understand that learning to love practicing and preparation is entirely in their control. Yet, average people do not like to practice. They just want the action.

In closing, winners understand that for them to ascend to the top and reach their God-given goals, they must first operate from a mindset of objective reality, choosing to trust God more than their own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). Basically, winners have a healthy sense of distrust within themselves, which prevents them from lying to themselves.

Winners understand that operating from the mind of Christ is critical to entering the promised land.

The bottom line is self-deception and delusion have enough place in the high performer’s consciousness, but they most definitely have no place for the Christian high performer who entrusts their life to the Godhead.

While Jesus may not have explicitly said, “Do not lie to yourself,” His teachings emphasize the importance of truthfulness, sincerity, and integrity in one’s thoughts, words, and actions.

ACTION PLAN: Where are you lying to yourself? Where do you need to increase your competency? Pray about this, asking for God’s help and insight.