Recently, I read an article by Polina Marinova Pompliano at Value.App. The article, entitled, “How Exceptional People Think” delves into what distinguishes “great” people from “the truly exceptional.” The author wrote her findings after studying how “the most successful and interesting people in the world reason their way through problems, rise up in times of hardship, and perform under extreme pressure.”

The article contains insightful information. However, as I was reading, I found myself (as I do many articles) thinking about how these principles apply to Christians.

Pompliano points out five ways exceptional people think:

1. They start from first principles.

2. They focus on process over outcome.

3. They create alter egos when they have to perform.

4. They develop mental resilience.

5. They understand that the biggest successes can come from the most devastating failures.

The article is well written and worth reading. The author notes that in her experience, the “highest performers don’t use ‘tricks’ or ‘hacks’ to achieve greatness. They use mental frameworks that fundamentally change the way they see the world.”

As I was reading the article, I couldn’t help but note that Christians, too, have mental frameworks that change the way they see the world—and when we develop our worldview based on these frameworks—and live them out—we, too, become exceptional in our walk with Christ.

Here are the five frameworks that I believe if we, as Christians, get right, can lead to exceptional lives:

1. They live according to the principle that life isn’t about them—it is about God. If we get this right, the rest is easy. They try to see God’s hand in what is taking place and what they must do to fulfill God’s purpose—in that situation.

2. They focus on the ultimate outcome — we know in the end, if we believe in Jesus, we live with God forever. With that in mind, we seek to introduce others to Jesus so they have the opportunity to hear His call on their lives. And, we seek to help others mature in their faith so they, too, are equipped to serve.

3. They know the source of their strength—when things get tough or stressful, Christians know that the “great pause” is needed. What is the “great pause”? It is the time that you decide to act, not to react, and you step back to take a few moments, at least, to think and to choose how to act. You center yourself in God’s presence. You feel His strength. You pray. And then, you move forward knowing that God is with you. Rather than an imagined alter ego, Christians get fully in touch with the real presence of God.

4. They develop the habits to stay strong—for Christians, resiliency is based in the knowledge that we are not in charge. It is viewing bad times as being in God’s hand and under His control. It comes from knowing that we don’t hold the world on our shoulders, we play our part according to His guidance. And, we find inner peace knowing that we serve a good God—that bad times don’t last, and they, too, can work toward our ultimate good by strengthening us.

5. They look at difficult times as times of endurance — the Bible has a great deal to say about endurance. This includes:

   - Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1: 2-3)

   - I can do all this through Him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)

   - …being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience. (Colossians 1:11)

Look intently into God’s word each day. You will be blessed! And, that is what Exceptional Christians do!

But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. (James 1:25)

(All passages from NIV).