This week I began to listen to Steven R. Covey’s Six Events. It’s a great book and I highly recommend it.

As seems his standard he doesn’t get too far into writing a book without mentioning shifting your paradigm, and rightly so. Without elevating the way you think, any meaningful changes you hope to make in your life will be stunted. As I have thought about my paradigm, I realized that in some of the basic elements of my  commitment-to-gospel-living paradigm need to be adjusted.

For example, I often remind myself, “James, you need to be better at praying.” The addresses the behavior, which is only a symptom of a deeper issue. Shifting the paradigm, I find myself saying to myself, “James, you can benefit from a closer relationship with your Father in Heaven.”

That’s really simple, but it completely changed how I approached my prayers and the entire spirit of my effort.  For example,

• I need to read my scriptures becomes, What can I learn about Jesus Christ today? 
• Going to church becomes an opportunity to renew my covenants and fellowship others.