Extreme Ownership
Support Raising: 11 Principles to Get Funded
Principle #5 Ownership is Everything
One of the best books I have read in 2020 is “Extreme Ownership”. It's fantastic, insightful and I'd recommend it to anyone who is fundraising. Also, it contains some of the most incredible stories you'll ever read. So, if you haven’t read it yet, go and get it today.
A major takeaway from the book is what separates all successful people from the rest, they take extreme ownership. Successful people are willing to accept that they are in control of their destiny. When something goes wrong, they are willing to take responsibility and ask tough questions like, “what went wrong?”, “what did I do wrong?”, and “how can I fix it?”.
I think this outstanding quality is also crucial to support raising. If you are unwilling to take extreme ownership of your support raising process, then you will never be successful. You should own your choices and take responsibility for your actions. As a minority, we must refuse to live as a victim of systems and the injustices that exist in support raising.
There are times when I had to say this to myself, ”Nobody forced you to raise support. It is a choice you’ve made. Therefore, you need to accept it and be willing to do whatever is necessary to be victorious throughout the process.”
Also, if you are committed to raising support because the Lord has called you to it, then you must take ownership of your responsibility. Remember that you serve a mighty and all-powerful God who can do anything. He said that He will not put you through anything that you cannot handle. He also said that if you ask, you shall receive. Therefore, own this spiritual process and do whatever it requires of you.
Support raising takes a lot of time. I tell people that if you are not willing to put in 30 to 70 hours a week, you will not likely reach the goal. You must be willing to see support raising as an opportunity and not a sacrifice. Sacrifice is giving up something to gain another thing. In bringing your dreams to life, there is no sacrifice; instead, what exists are opportunities to experience something greater.
I knew that if I chose support raising, there would be things I’d have to say no to, and risks I’d be willing to take to stay true to the process in which I believe God has called me to. Sometimes I’ve had to say no to stuff I enjoy, like going to the gym, hanging out with friends on a weekend because I have to meet with my support group, or refusing to go to the movie theater so that I can save more money to buy gas to get me to the next meeting. These things are not sacrifices, rather they are opportunities for me to meet my goal.
When I’m fully funded, I’m able to live by my mission. Therefore, I need to have extreme ownership of this process. I chose to raise funds, and as a minority leader, I knew I was going to be at a disadvantage and I accepted this fact, even if it meant working ten times harder than my white counterparts. I’ve owned my process. It is what it is if I’ve chosen this journey.
So, if you choose to raise support, be willing to commit to the process wholeheartedly. There’s no room for turning back. I remember reading about Hernán Cortés in the history books, who in 1519, led about 600 men to Mexico to destroy the Aztec Empire. I’m not endorsing what he did. However, there is something striking about the story. Several accounts report he burned the ships and told his men that they had a right to the land and there was no turning back. It’s either they succeeded or failed.
I think this story portrays a wonderful example of extreme ownership, taking responsibility for something to the point of being willing to die for it. While I’m not implying that we should be people who are trying to conquer lands, I am stating that if you truly believe that God has called you on a mission to take the Gospel somewhere, you need to own it 100 percent. No reserve, no turning back, and be fully in. No excuses, no playing the victim or blaming others for what you are going through.
If the Lord has guided you to this place, then He will provide for you here. You just need to believe and do whatever is needed to be successful.
