25 Ways to Win with People (2005) by John C. Maxwell and Les Parrott, Book Review

 25 Ways to Win with People: How to Make Others Feel Like a Million Bucks (2005)
by John C. Maxwell and Les Parrott

I believe in God’s calling in my life. As I reflect, it is impossible for me in the past to have worked in the people business and enjoy it (previously I was working in the cinema management team) and then enter into the people-centered ministry that I’m passionately doing now. Personality-wise, I’m not a people person. I was proud, selfish, and headstrong. But only by the love and grace of God, He slowly shapes my character and continues to teach - and often discipline - me to love others. When God calls, we must respond, then He will equip us. Having said that, loving people is not automatic (in my case, I need a miracle!) but it requires humility, perspective, and practice. But the question is WHY? Why it is important to love people? As Christ-followers, this should be obvious. Look at Christ’s examples and read Christ’s words. But generally speaking, we live with each other, we work with each other, we are dependent on each other, and we always meet each other. There is no such thing as a self-made man. Even Superman needs Louis! As John Andrew Holmes puts it: “It is well to remember that the entire universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others.”

So, since we cannot avoid people, we might as well learn to love people. And when you try, you will eventually genuinely love them (Yes, some people require more grace from our part. Actually, vice versa). I brought this book back in 2010 because I saw the need for me to learn to develop relationships with my boss, colleagues, and staff to win their hearts. Besides, in the cinema business, I have to deal with many types of clients and customers. I was young and inexperienced but hungry enough to learn from my mistakes and try new things. This book together with John’s larger book Winning with People (2004) and Dale Carnegie’s classic How to Win Friends and Influence People (1936) have been a great help for me. 12 years later, as I read through this book again, I’m amazed by how relevant, important, and simply profound these twenty-five ways are to win with people. There are lots of good stories and I particularly love the “On Bringing It Home” section in every chapter designed to help the readers to put each way/lesson into action. There are lines, highlights, juicy quotes, and personal notes in my copy that bring back good memories.

Ps: One concern that I have with this kind of book is that: we must draw the line (no matter how thin the line is) between influencing and manipulating people. Use it wisely and ethically.

Truth be told, I have become slightly better in my relationships with people. Slowly yet hopeful. Some of these lessons have turned into habits; some I still have to practice; some are a bit more challenging - stubborn! - to implement. When I observe myself, people around me, and how people interact in social media and technologies like Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, etc. it reminds me that all the more we have to learn to connect with people effectively as humans, improve our interpersonal skills, breathe encouragements, be genuinely interested with others online and offline, and make the most of every opportunity to “keep winning by helping others win” said John Maxwell. I may forget my own advice or lessons that I learned from this book and realistically cannot win every people I encounter, but Lord, I pray, for me and you, to make a difference at least to one person even with a simple gesture of kindness that we meet TODAY. May he or she says, “I have become better for having known you.”

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #WinningWithPeople #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Nobody Remembers the Man Who Almost Won

The difference between accomplishment and failure and that between champions and losers is oftentimes measured with the EXTRA EFFORT. When I was in primary school, I'm one of the fastest runners. During sport's day, I got second place. And do you know how much different from the winner? Just a few seconds!

So it is in many facets of life. "Almost" is a sure sign that with a little effort, you can make it. Some adjustments and paying attention to a little more detail can take you to the top if you don’t give up. Going the extra mile will always place you ahead in life. Nobody remembers the man who almost won #ServeToLead #GrowingLeader #ExtraEffort

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You Can, You Will: 8 Undeniable Qualities of a Winner (2014) by Joel Osteen, Book Review

You Can, You Will: 8 Undeniable Qualities of a Winner (2014) by Joel Osteen

"There is a winner in you. You were created to be successful, to accomplish your goals, to leave your mark on this generation. You have greatness in you. The key is to get it out," writes Joel Osteen, a beloved smiling pastor and also a controversial preacher of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. I first encounter with Joel Osteen while listening to his sermons through Podcast a few years ago. I like it because his messages are very uplifting and encouraging. They are great to listen to during my walking exercise. With his southern slang, I can hear his sincerity, positivity and love for the people. Joel is very consistent in his speaking and writing. Because I listened to Joel on YouTube too for a couple of times, I can hear his intonations and imagine his movements when I read this book. I enjoy reading it.

Long-Note: Let me share with you what I think about Joel Osteen because there are people – both well-meaning people and pure haters alike – warned about him and labelled him as preaching the health and wealth gospel or simply known as the prosperity gospel. Is it true? YES. As Christians, we all should be alert and guard ourselves against false teachers and false teachings. I'm not in ignorance, I fully aware of it. But I have this principle in my reading: Read widely and apply critical thinking (I've read half a dozen of books on atheism, but I'm still a Christ-follower today. I learned a great deal from those books). When I read and listen to Joel Osteen, I'm not coming to him for Biblical teachings and the Word expositions. I consider him as motivational speaker, period (the Lakewood Church might call him ‘pastor' and ‘preacher' but I don't call him with these titles). Not everyone can do it, I admit, but I'm very good with compartmentalizing each book/author into categories. Joel Osteen, to me, is in the same category as Anthony Robbins, Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, Les Brown, etc. In short: Joel Osteen is a good Christian motivational speaker but a bad gospel preacher. His message is more like Napoleon Hill rather than like Andrew Murray. If you're a Christian, I would like to suggest that you treat this book as an inspirational or motivational or self-help book and I can assure you that you can learn some valuable lessons from it.

Okay, about the book, You Can You Will, Joel Osteen believes that we are all a winner. "Winning is in your DNA," he writes, "and it's about to come out in a greater way. You may have had some victories in the past, but you haven't seen anything yet." To reach your potential and achieve new levels of success in your life, he outlines Eight (8) Qualities that Every Winner Must Have, namely:

#1 Keep Your Vision in Front of You. Dare to dream big dreams. This might trigger theological alert, fairly so, but I share this quote anyway: "If you keep the vision in front of you and don't get talked out of it, but just keep honouring God, being your best, thanking Him that it's on the way, God will supersize whatever you're believing for. He'll do exceedingly abundantly above and beyond." If you keep your vision in front of you, you'll move forward.

#2 Run Your Race. Focus on your unique course and goals. "The scripture talks about those who loved the praise of people more than the praise of God. One of the tests we all have to pass is when someone in our lives that we respect and look up to – a boss, a friend, a colleague, a relative – wants us to go to one direction when we know in our hearts that we should take another path." Be secure enough in who you are that you don't live to please people says Osteen. Run your race.

#3 Expect Good Things. Anticipate great opportunities. Read this motivational quote: "Our expectations set the limits for our lives. If you expect little, you're going to receive little. If you don't anticipate things to get better, then they won't. But if you expect more favour, more good breaks, a promotion, and an increase, then you will see new levels of favour and success."

#4 Have a Positive Mindset. Take control of your thoughts and attitudes. "Daniel and Joseph were good people, but they had bad circumstances," explains Osteen. "Unfair things happened to them. They were mistreated and faced huge obstacles. If you study their lives, you'll find one common denominator: They were always positive. They had this attitude of faith… they started each day with their minds going in the right direction, knowing that our God is well able."

#5 Commit to Excellence. Do your best and maintain high standards. "When you have a spirit of excellence, you do your best whether anyone is watching or not. You go the extra mile. You do more than you have to." I love the story when Joel struggled to either pick up trash that flew about 15 feet away due to the wind or left it there. He chooses to pick it up and little that he knows that there were people watching the whole thing. "When you are excellent, your life gives praise to God. That's one of the best witnesses you can have. Some people will never go to church. They never listen to a sermon. They're not reading the Bible. Instead, they're reading your life. They are watching how you live… You're representing almighty God." 

#6 Keep Growing. Be proactive, be intentional, build on your gifts, and continually improve. This is powerful: "Young people often get caught up in trying to be popular instead of trying to be their best." Decide to grow in some way every day.

#7 Serve Others. This is one of my favourite chapters! Invest yourself in others. "Jesus pulled out His towel, bowed down and washed [the disciple's] feet one by one. He gave us His example of service to others so we would know you're never too important to be good to people. You're never too successful. You're never too high to bow down low and serve another person." Love this phrase: You're never too important to be good to people.

#8 Stay Passionate. Light the fire within and approach life with enthusiasm. "If you want to stay passionate, you have to stay productive. You have to have a reason to get out of bed in the morning. When you're not producing, you're not growing. You may retire from your job, but don't ever retire from life. Stay busy." The word passionate is similar to the word enthusiasm which comes from the Greek word ‘entheos.' ‘Theos' is a term for ‘God.' So, when you're enthusiastic, you are full of God!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

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Angelus' Quote: Three (3) Most Important Questions All Winners Ask Themselves

Actress Helen Hayes said her mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. Her mother advised her: "Achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you.

"Success is being praised by others, and that's nice too, but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success" 😊 I love success and yet, achievement is more satisfying. Don't stop learning, work hard until you know how to work smart, and do the best as you possibly can 😉 #ServeToLead #GrowingLeader

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

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Eight (8) Benefits of a Team

"One person seeking glory doesn't accomplish much," writes John C. Maxwell. "Success is the result of people pulling together to meet common goals." One leader can do only so much. To be more impactful and grow bigger, you need a team ⚡

No task is too great, no accomplishment too grand, no dream too far-fetched for a team. It takes teamwork to make the dream work. Here are Eight (8) Benefits of a Team:

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Winners Never Quit, Quitters Never Win (Angelus Leadership Video)

To give up midway is easy but to continue despite challenges is difficult. That is why only winners are remembered for a long time. They are our role models, who teach us that it pays to never quit. Success only knocks on the doors of winners because they are determined in life. On the other hand, a quitter lives most of his life in regret because of his lack of motivation and dedication 😉

Vince Lombardi, a famous American football coach, famously said, “A quitter never wins and a winner never quits" 💪⚡🔥

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My Fight / Your Fight (2015) by Ronda Rousey, Book Review

My Fight / Your Fight (2015) by Ronda Rousey with Maria Burns Ortiz

“I am a fighter,” Rousey writes as a start, “To be a fighter, you have to be passionate. I have so much passion, it’s hard to hold it all in. That passion escapes as tears from my eyes, sweat from my pores, blood from my veins. So many people assume that I’m cold and callous, but the truth is you need a big heart to fight. I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I have had it broken too. I can compete with broken toes or stitches in my foot. I can take a hit without batting an eyelash, but I will burst into tears if a sad song comes on the radio. I am vulnerable; that’s why I fight.” At first, I’m skeptic about this statement. And then after I finished reading this book, I’m repented of my sin. Truly - either you hate her or love her; you think she is a bully or a real fighter; a poor actor or a champion - no doubt her life stories are amazing, inspiring, moving, personal and broken-but-beautiful. You can’t deny her talent, determination, focus, and hard work. This is surely one of the best autobiographies (and biographies) I’ve ever read. Rousey taught me what it is to be a fighter.

“Rowdy” Ronda Jean Rousey is an Olympian, Fighter, Actress, and Wrestler. Before she became a fighter, she trained for judo and mixed martial arts. After she became a fighter, she also explores a career as an actress (she was featured in The Expendables 3, Furious 7, Entourage and recently, Miles 22). As of December 2015 when this book was first published, Rousey is ranked the #1 Female Bantamweight Fighter in the world according to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and #2 by Sherdog and Fight Matrix. Sherdog lists her as the #3 Pound for Pound Women's MMA Fighter in the world, while ESPN and Fight Matrix lists her #4 Female Pound for Pound Fighter. She was the UFC’s highest paid fighter at the age of about 28 years old. In short, don’t mess with her! She is "The Baddest Woman on the Planet"! She is now, as we all know, currently signed to WWE and holds the Raw Women's Champion title. I agree with Dana White, president of the UFC, when he writes, “Ronda is an incredible role model, empowering women and girls... [she] has changed the world of sports, and by the time she’s done, she may change the world as well.” Rousey may need to learn how to deal with the trauma of failures (ego and pride too, especially after her back-to-back losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes) but other than that - she has nothing to prove. With all of her accomplishments and wins, Rousey is, in my opinion, a legendary fighter.

Each chapter of this book begins with an anecdote that summarizes her philosophy of life. Chapter titles are quotable and if you want to get a brief summary of what this book is all about, you only need to read these awesome anecdotes. Rousey (with the help of her sister, Maria Burns) writes a book that is engaging and to my astonishing, not a single chapter is boring, as far as I can remember. She tells the stories of how she almost died due to the heart failure as an infant, how she struggles to speak when she was young, how she faced the death (suicide) of her father, how she learned to fight even in the midst of pain and suffering (there were times when she even competed with broken toes and sprained ankles), how her mom sometimes believes in her then also doubt her decisions, how she continues to train harder than anyone else, how she handles painful relationships, criticism, and discouragement from the people close to her, how she was so poor that she slept in the car many nights and have to work three part-times a day, how she rises to stardom, and many more. I read this book less than 1 week and the only reason I didn’t finish it sooner is that I have other works to do. Let me summarize this book with five (5) of my favorite anecdotes that I learned from Rousey:

#1 You Have to Be the Best on Your Worst Day. “My mom always says that to be the best in the world, you have to be good enough to win on a bad day because you never know if the Olympics are going to fall on a bad day... You have to be able to win every match twice on your worst day.”

#2 Everything Is as Easy as a Decision. “...How you feel is entirely your mind. Your mind has nothing to do with your environment. It has nothing to do with anyone around you. It is entirely your decision. Making a change in your life is as easy as making a decision and acting on it. That’s it.”  

#3 Someone Has to Be the Best in the World. Why Not You? “My mom asked me a variation of this question every day. ‘Why not you?’ she said, ‘Seriously, why not you? Somebody has to do it. They’re handling out Olympic medals. They’re literally handing them out. Why don’t you go get one?’ Her question was not rhetorical. She knew what it took to be the best in the world... Being the best in the world is not easy, but it is completely achievable - if you are willing to put in the effort. My mom taught me to expect that I could be the best.”

#4 You Will Be Tested. “I have lost tournaments. I have lost friendships. I have lost my father. I know that I can deal when things are bad. I can come back when things are at their worst. I’m not afraid of losing all my money or losing my career, because I know I’m capable of living in my car and rising up. Once you’ve conquered the worst things that could happen, there is no need to fear the unknown. You are fearless.”

#5 If It Was Easy, Everyone Would Do It. “People are always looking for the secret to success. There isn’t a secret. Success is the result of hard work, busting your ass every day for years on end without cutting corners or taking shortcuts. It was Michelangelo who said, ‘If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful at all.’ It is not hard to figure out what goes into being successful, but it’s also not easy to do.”

Like I said, every chapter and anecdote in this book is worth reading. Borrow or buy this book even if you’re not a fan. Marvin begins his comment on amazon.com with “I was a Rousey hater” and then end with “now a fan.” If you only follow her career, public impressions, and persona, you might dismiss her for her alter ego. But if you go deep into her mind (as beautiful as her beauty) as portrayed in this awesome biography, you’ll love her. In fact... I already fall in love with Ronda Rousey. Love you.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Think Like A Champion: An Informal Education in Business and Life (2009) by Donald J. Trump, Book Review

Think Like A Champion: An Informal Education in Business and Life (2009)
by Donald J. Trump with Meredith McIver

Why would I want to listen to what Trump has to say? After all, he was called ‘racist’, ‘big mouth’ and ‘bullies’ by many people. When it was announced that he will go for US presidential candidate many people like George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders and even Tun Mahathir laughed out loud during their interviews. “Donald Trump will never be a president!” they said with exactness. But in 20^th January 2017, Trump assumed office as 45^th President of the United States. Who’s laughing now? I might agree with some of the criticisms that people say about him (I also agree when he says that there are “fake news” in the media) but from the success and creative perspectives, I see that Donald Trump really practice what he wrote in this book (8 years later) by thinking like a champion – and that’s why I read this book. By the way, where are those whose laughing at him now?

Trump says on himself: “People like me because I'm blunt, people dislike me because I'm blunt.” The boss! That direct communication style works for him as he writes simply with great self-belief and without redundancy. “Working with him, I have observed him thinking, then listened to his thoughts become words and his thoughts and words become actions,” writes Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, in his foreword. “In most instances, his thoughts, words, and actions are the same. Maybe this is why he is direct and blunt, he can be blunt because his thoughts, words, and actions are integrated, congruent, operating as one.” Think Like A Champion is an example of Trump’s bluntness approach to life and business. It is full of great insights into the philosophy and mindset of one who could rise to the top from entrepreneur and businessman to the President (I should state it here: I'm not interested in what others think of Donald Trump, I'll make up my own mind on whose book to read from). It is a great source of inspiration if you need a successful business model, leadership examples and how to have a champion attitude.

I like this book because Trump wrote each chapter in short pieces that summarize his singularly successful tenets on how to live a good life, both personally and professionally. These have been personally selected by him for this book, giving his special perspective in what amounts to an “informal education” on how to succeed in business and life. The pieces are engaging, informative, and educational, presenting the clearest picture yet into the mind and heart of an extraordinary individual. He also talks openly about his mistakes and failures. Some of the essays that I like include "The More You Learn, The More You Realize What You Don’t Know"; "Sometimes We Hesitate with Good Reason"; "There Are Times When You Should Move On"; "Keep the Big Picture in Mind"; "Give Your Higher Self a Chance"; "Discover and Live Your Purpose"; "Keep It Short, Fast, and Direct"; "Strive for Wholeness"; "Go Against the Tide"; "You Can Create Your Own Luck"; and " Think Like A Genius." Of course, there are few pieces of advice that may not apply to my situations, personality, and beliefs – and that’s okay. I don’t want to be like Donald Trump, I just want to learn (and re-learn) how to think like a champion like him. “I may be successful already,” Trump admits, “But I learn something new every day.” Champions are learners.

Donald Trump on think like a champion: “[Champions] wanted to achieve something special. Ordinary wouldn’t be enough for someone who has the mindset of a champion. Champions think big. Champions work in a big-time way. Champions are focused. Champions are disciplined. Come to think about it, champions think like champions. As Jack Dempsey said, ‘A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t.’ Let’s hope that applies to you… Champions go the extra mile. We all know when we’ve done just enough and when we’ve really exerted ourselves. Make an effort to exert yourself – every day. Don’t fail because you never allowed yourself to get started! Don’t avoid success because you think the responsibility might be too much – just focus and get going! You’d be surprised at what intelligent effort can produce. Alexander Graham Bell said something that I always remember: ‘Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. That sun’s rays do not burn until brought to focus.’ Pay attention to these things and you will be on your way to thinking like a champion – and becoming one.” Yeah!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Self-Leadership #14 Build, Exhibit, and Breed Confidence

Confidence is the cornerstone of leadership. You can teach someone to be an effective problem-solver, be a better communicator, add more commitment, be passionate, and many other fundamentals of leadership. But, if a leader doesn't believe in himself or herself, true leadership will exist only in title and position. A leader that is technically qualified for the position but lack confidence will find it difficult to lead and inspired others. Francisco Dao once said, "Self-confidence is the fundamental basis from which leadership grows. Trying to teach leadership without first building confidence is like building a house on a foundation of sand. It may have a nice coat of paint, but it is ultimately shaky at best."

I once misunderstood the difference between displaying self-confidence and being aggressive in style of leadership. The truth is that they are far from the same. Those who are aggressive are better referred to as bullies, not leaders. Leaders who are with strong confidence do not have a need to be aggressive to get their goals accomplished. Being aggressive is actually a sign of lack of confidence. People like to work with leaders who are truly confident but avoid bullies. Why is this so? Because when a leader exhibits confidence, it makes it easier to trust that leader, and people want to work with leaders they trust.

Exhibiting confidence was only stage-setting, of course. The real confidence-builder was preparation. Alex Ferguson, in his book Leading, said that he prepared his players for every game, for every eventuality. Going into a football field, they believed that they would not encounter a situation that they weren't prepared to handle. Think of Julius Caesar's observation: "Without training, they lacked knowledge. Without knowledge, they lacked confidence. Without confidence, they lacked victory." Success, in turn, brought more confidence, which brought more success. You'll be surprised how much confidence a little success will bring!

Leaders who have self-confidence believe and trust in his or her team. When a leader believed in others, they came to believe in themselves. "Trust men and they will be true to you," reasoned Ralph Waldo Emerson, "treat them greatly and they will show themselves great." When a leader exhibits confidence, he can inspire others to be confident too – and convinced them that together they would succeed.

Here are three (3) things you can do to improve the confidence level in your team or organization:

#1 Exhibit Confidence: Confidence is catching, and so is a lack of confidence. If a leader being aggressive (or bullied), people will avoid him. But if a leader exudes confidence, his team will follow his lead.

#2 Success Breeds Confidence: A team that starts winning immediately increases its confidence and immediately increases its chance of winning again.

#3 Give People the Tools They Need: Training, training, training. Give people the skills and tools they need to succeed. Preparedness is the ultimate confidence builder.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Young Men and Women, Consider the Union with Jesus

“Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ?"

(1 Corinthians 6:15, NLT)

One of the most important doctrines (teachings) relating to the inner spiritual life of the believer is that of his union with Jesus Christ – we are “parts of Christ.” Indeed it could be claimed that it is our only hope of victory over sin and of triumph in the testing circumstances of life, and of abundant and prosperity of life! Yet many Christians do not know that they have been united with Christ and that Christ is in them and them in Christ. If we realize that we “are actually parts of Christ” – union with Him – everything He accomplished by His life, death and resurrection become ours.

Several figures are used in Scripture to illustrate this wonderful and mysterious union. There is the figure of marriage: “Now you are united (or married) with the one who was raised from the dead” (Romans 7:4). This is the highest and most intimate union known to man and is a picture of Christ and His Church. Marriage “is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one” (read Ephesians 5:31-33).

There is the figure of the body and the head. “…growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church” (Ephesians 4:15). This picture here is of mutual dependence through sharing the same life. The smallest member of the body shares the life of the head.

Jesus also used the figure of the vine and the branches. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches” (John 15:5). The vine and the branches are one. Neither can exist independently of the other but it is the vine that supplies the nutrients and sap to the branches for fruit-bearing. The sole responsibility of the branch is to receive from the root and stem the vital, nourishing fluid. Then fruit-bearing is automatic and inevitable!

To Hudson Taylor, the great missionary, at a time when he was heavily burdened, the fact of the union of the believer with Christ as illustrated by the vine and the branches brought a transformation of experience to him. Here are his own words: “Here I feel is the secret. Not asking how I am to get the sap out of the vine into myself, but remember that Jesus is the Vine – root, stem, branches, leaves, twigs, flowers, fruit. Let us not want to get anything out of Him, but rejoice in ourselves being in Him. I have not got to make myself a branch. The Lord tells me I am a branch. I am part of Him and have just to believe and act on it.”

We are parts of Christ.

Believe and act on it!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

John C. Maxwell on Leadership #8 To Improve Your Leadership, Improve Yourself

A danger of teaching conferences or writing books like this one is that people start to assume you’re an expert who has mastered everything you teach. Don’t believe it. Like you, I’m still working on my relational and leadership skills. There are principles that I don’t do well, so I’m still working to improve myself. And that will always be true for me. If I ever think I’ve finished growing, then I’m in trouble.

People who often experience relational difficulties are tempted to look at everyone but themselves to explain the problem. But we must always begin by examining ourselves and being willing to change whatever deficiencies we have. Critic Samuel Johnson advised that “he who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition will waste his life in fruitless efforts and multiply the grief which he purposes to remove.”

[taken from Winning With People: Discover the People Principles That Work for You Every Time (2007) by John C. Maxwell. Published by Thomas Nelson Inc.]

What must you change in yourself to become a better leader?

With Winning in Mind: The Mental Management System (2012) Book Review

With Winning in Mind: The Mental Management System (2012)
by Lanny Bassham

“In the Olympic sport that is most dependent upon effective and precise mental management (rifle shooting), Olympic gold medallist Lanny Bassham proved he was the master. Perhaps no one has thought more and taught more or better distilled the purest essence of controlling our minds to produce the results which we desire in sports or life: Turn mental shortcomings into mental strengths.”

This book is a sports philosophy that talks about the mental management system and how it works. This mental management system can be used in sports, businesses and even in daily lives. One reason why I like this book is that Lanny talks about what he felt as an Olympic shooter and how he overcame what was hard for him. Over the course of the book, he teaches all of the things that can help me physically and mentally, like what I should think when I’m in a competition. I’m not an athlete (of course) but I learned a great deal from this book. It helped me to overcome mental breakdown and show me how to manage my thinking, talking and –even writing like a winner. Overall this book is inspiring!

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus will Descend from Heaven and Proclaim "No More!"

An intriguing verse is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”

Have you ever wondered what that command will be? It will be the inaugural word of heaven. It will be the first audible message most have heard from God. It will be the word which closes one age and opens a new one.

I think I know what the command will be. I could very well be wrong, but I think the command which puts an end to the pains of the earth and initiates the joys of heaven will be two words: “No more.”

The King of kings will raise His pierced hand and proclaim, “No more.”

The angels will stand and the Father will speak, “No more.”

Every person who lives and who ever lived will turn toward the sky and hear God announce, “No more.”

No more loneliness. No more tears. No more death. No more sadness. No more crying. No more pain.

As John (the apostle) sat on the Island of Patmos surrounded by sea and separated from friends he dreamt of the day when God would say, “No more.” This same disciple who had heard Jesus speak these words of assurance over half a century before now knew what they meant. I wonder if he could hear the voice of Jesus in his memory. “The end will come.”

For those who live for this world, that’s bad news. But for those who live for the world to come, it’s an encouraging promise. You’re on a land mine, my friend, and it’s only a matter of time: “In the world you will have tribulation…” Next time you are tossed into a river as you ride the rapids of life, remember his words of assurance.

Those who endure will be saved. The Gospel will be preached. The end will come.

You can count on it.

[From And the Angels Were Silent by Max Lucado]

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus defeated the Enemy

Temptation picture illustration only.

“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him.’” Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus. (Matthew 4:10-11, NLT)

“When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came”

(Luke 4:13, NLT).

During the entire wilderness episode, Jesus endured Satan’ unrelenting temptation. He held strong, defeating Satan at every point. But when Jesus told the devil to leave, Satan “went away.” Because Jesus became human, he can be tempted. Because Jesus is God’s Son, he is greater, much greater than Satan. Jesus is Satan’s superior. Satan must do as Jesus commands.

But then the Gospel of Luke adds this ominous phrase, “[Satan] left him until the next opportunity came.” This wilderness experience was just the first of many encounters Jesus would have with Satan and his power. Jesus’ personal victory over the devil at the very beginning of his public ministry set the stage for his command over demons throughout his life on earth, but it did not keep Satan from continuing to try to sabotage Jesus’ mission. In other words, Jesus’ defeat of the devil at this time was decisive but not final. Throughout the next three years, Jesus would confront Satan in many other ways and circumstances. Satan is relentless and always looks for opportunities to exploit.

Without question, Satan is also powerful. Jesus called him “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31). So we should take Satan seriously and never fool around with occult practises and spiritual practises of false religions. And we should make no mistake about his intentions, namely – Satan is at war with God and his people and will do everything in his power to thwart God’s purposes on earth (Of course, in the end (and is) God rule the universe. Jesus win!).

Think about this: Just because we win a victory doesn’t mean the battle is over. Far from true. Satan is relentless. He always does whatever he can to mess with God’s people. Jesus has given us armour and weapons to use in this spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:10-20), but they won’t do us any good if we don’t use them. Peter the apostle reminds us, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith” (1 Peter 5:8-9). Jesus win, remember? We, in Jesus, the Victorious Saviour and Lord, also can win over the devil and his evil schemes.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

5 Characteristics of Creative People

“Do you see a man skilled [and creative] in his work?

He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men”

(Proverbs 22:29, bracket mine)

Studies of creative achievers have identified a number of characteristics they share*. The following characteristics are among the most prominent.

Creative People are Dynamic

Creative people do not allow their minds to become passive, accepting, unquestioning. They keep their curiosity burning, or at least to rekindle it. One aspect of this intellectual dynamism is playfulness. Albert Einstein saw such playfulness as “the essential feature in productive thought”.

Creative People are Daring

For creative people, thinking is an adventure. They are less inclined to accept prevailing views, less narrow in their perspectives, and less likely to conform to the thinking of those around them. They are bold in their conceptions, wiling to entertain unpopular ideas and seemingly unlikely possibilities. Daring makes them less susceptible to face-saving than others.

Creative People are Resourceful

Vincent Ryan Ruggiero writes: “Resourcefulness is the ability to act effectively and to conceptualize the approach that solves the problem – even when the problem stymies others and the resources at hand are meager.” This ability is not measured by IQ tests, yet it is one of the most important aspects of practical intelligence.

Creative People are Hardworking

“All problems,” states William Gordon, “present themselves to the mind as threats of failure.” Creative people are those who are unwilling to be intimidated by the prospect of failure, and who are determined to succeed no matter what effort is required. They are willing to make the necessary commitment. Thomas Edison said, “Genius is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration.” And George Bernard explained, “When I was a young man I observed that nine out of tem things I did were failures. I didn’t want to be a failure, so I did ten times more work.”

Creative People are Independent

Creative people are less incline to people’s acceptance and support. Instead of looking to others for approval of their ideas, they look within themselves. They are less afraid of rejection. For this reason, they too are less afraid of appearing eccentric or odd, are more self-confident, and are freer to speak and act independently. 

Be Creative because God is Creative

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

*Summary from Vincent Ryan Ruggiero, The Art of Thinking: A Guide to Critical and Creative Thought (Pearson Educatiom, Inc, 2007), Pg. 90-91.

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