No, Sam is not a secret crush that I have been keeping to myself. SAM is actually a part of my true love - learning!
I love school! I love my major, my classes, my professors, my fellow students, and I'm even starting to like my minor a little - thanks to my Intro to Human Resources class. My professor is obsessed with the Strategic Alignment Model (SAM). Her TAs call it her baby, and it's starting to grow on me. I feel that it applies to many facets of life. The strategic alignment model is basically something to make sure your actions are aligned with your goals. A company has a purpose. HR takes that purpose and thinks about what types of people they will need to fulfill that purpose. Then it looks at what types of recruiting activities and such they should participate in to fulfill that purpose. The SAM model is also great because you can go backwards, making sure that you are not wasting any time on activities that are not helping you achieve your purpose.
Today during Relief Society I had a light bulb moment. I should use SAM in my life. My purpose is to become like Christ, to obtain eternal life. In order to do that I need to come to know Christ, keep the commandments, and love everyone. Now, do my every day actions help me to achieve my purpose? Is checking Facebook or Pinterest helping me to become like Christ? It made me re-think some of my daily activities. As I am more able to be a focused and dedicated disciple of Jesus Christ, I will be able to look at my daily activities and know that they are making me more Christlike.
As I think about all of the things that I could/should change, it is a little overwhelming. That's where the atonement is so awesome. If I can learn to recognize those things I need to change, I can pray for the enabling power of the atonement in my life. I am so grateful that I am not alone in the process of perfection. Through Christ all things are possible.
So. If I make cookies today and share a few of them with my neighbors and roommates - then this activity is helping me to fulfill my purpose - right?
