Last week our senior leader shared with us on the topic of "Seven Reminders of Life Journey."

God has only one calling in your life: come follow me
Just do the thing you are good at
Never rely on yesterday's success
Big thing always starts from small
Always look out for the interest of the others
Learn to rest in God's working hand (rest, have assurance, depending on God, a sense of focus)
Never give up (Philippians 3:14 press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus)

It was a good talk. I was touched by both the content and the intentional preparation of the message. As I listened to the carefully carved sermon with tailor-fitted analogies to go with each point, I know there was thoughtful planning that went in behind-the-scene. I am encouraged to see a senior leader, whose preaching skill is already widely recognized, willing to put in this level of preparation. It is especially precious given the audience was only a small group of staff, compare with the thousands of congregation members on a typical Sunday morning.

Couple days ago I was listening to the audio book: H3 Leadership: Be Humble. Stay Hungry. Always Hustle by Brad Lomenick, the longtime president of Catalyst.

In the book, Brad describes an off-stage encounter with Hillsong United Band. Here is what Brad observed in the green room, a picture of true leadership.

The music at Catalyst events is always interspersed with first-rate speakers sharing groundbreaking and insightful content. Normally, when a band finishes a set, they go back to the green room behind the stage to relax, have a cup of coffee, and goof off a little bit before they have to go back out. They aren’t typically engaged in the speakers. And who would blame them? These bands play dozens of conferences each year. They’ve heard much of this content before.

When I walked into the green room and encountered the Hillsong United band after their first set, I was nearly knocked off my feet. The band members were huddled together around a tiny television with a closed-loop feed of the first speakers. Then they watched the second presentation. Then, the third. Many of them had moleskin pads, and were furiously scribbling notes. No one was talking. No one was checking text messages.

You could have knocked me over with a cough.

Observing Hillsong United band in that moment, I had uncovered one of the secrets to their success. They have never let fame go to their heads and have instead maintained a habit of curiosity. Rather than transition from the role of student to the role of teacher—as most accomplished people do—they remained pliable, always maturing and improving.

Brad went on to describe a common trajectory of a leader.

Most leaders follow a particular trajectory. The early stages of one’s life and career are often marked by unbridled curiosity. The leader amasses college diplomas, graduate school degrees, and specialized certifications. She will often attend conferences and read books within her field and accept low-paying or unpaid internships just for the benefit of learning something. After some time, the leader’s curiosity begins to pay off. People notice her effort and respect her industry knowledge. Promotions and raises follow, and soon she may be asked to present in meetings or speak at conferences herself. But as a leader’s career surges, her curiosity often sinks. She has all the degrees she needs, and who can afford to take an internship at this stage of the game? Her busy schedule doesn’t allow time to read much, and she wouldn’t be caught dead sitting in a conference crowd after being onstage. If the leader’s life were a movie, this is where it moves from feel-good flick to tragedy.

May we take heart to fight against that tragic trajectory. Stay humble and hungry, develop a life-long habit of curiosity. Indeed, it is our attitude, not aptitude, that determine our altitude. As Pastor Craig Groeschel puts it, "Often it's the small things that no one sees that result in the big impact that everyone wants." Let's cheer each other on.

If you are interested to read more about Brad's thought on this topic, here is the article on "Seven Ways To Develop A Habit Of Curiosity." http://orangeblogs.org/orangeleaders/2015/09/21/develop-a-habit-of-curiosity-keep-learning/