From the pages of

Overlooked:

BEING AND FINDING

THAT DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH  

  • CHAPTER 1

    Working hard is not easy, but when there’s a reason behind the hard work, it makes the hard work not only bearable, but meaningful. 

  • CHAPTER 2

    Being alone is scary, but at some point, every man or woman must have the courage to be alone if they truly want to achieve something meaningful in life


    If you’ve never been alone before, when it comes to time step up alone to achieve success, you won’t be prepared


    The most successful of people off tiny and early successes, thinking of them as stairs.  Stairs make you elevate; they make you get off your feet.  So, too, do these tiny and early successes.  

  • CHAPTER 3

    Believe it or not, we’ll all been here countless times in our own lives.  An opportunity arises seemingly out of nowhere.  Do you take advantage of it or let it pass by? 

  • CHAPTER 4

    Romantic relationships are built on trust.  With it, they can be long and enduring.  Without it, they will soon wither away.


    When things aren’t going well in life, you’ve got to think about that one decision that will help you get on track toward your goal.  Just know that whatever trouble you are going through,  if you can switch the momentum around and see just a speck of light at the end of the tunnel, you can start to not only walk again, but run. 


  • CHAPTER 5

    Are the most successful born with more innate talent than others? Yes and no.  To get in a position of having success, you have to be born with some amount of talent and get lucky to an extent, but the harder you work and smarter and wiser choices you make, the less than luck or being born with talent in the first-place matters.  We all run into good luck from time to time in our lives, but the key thing to remember is that if you prepare on the front end, that luck can catapult you forward in ways you would never have dreamed of.  People receive good luck all of the time, but for the most part, they aren’t prepared to take advantage of it. 


    Often times, we think of discouragement as a negative for a youngster in their quest for success, but we should all know that it can fuel the flame for someone to succeed much more than an encouraging word can.  This it is produces a sense of urgency in that person that be thwarted because it so personal.  Hearing you can’t do this or that can produce the grit that Duckworth claims is needed in her book: extreme motivation.  - CHAPTER 5

  • CHAPTER 6

    So, be brave when you are under pressure, but when there is no pressure at all, you must take that opportunity to be bold.


    When you get stung with discouragement, don’t try to push it away; let it stick around for a while to give you the motivation to not only get going, but get to the top. 


  • CHAPTER 7

    “When people’s eyebrows are raised around you, they are clearly surprised.  For the most part in people’s lives, they rarely see anything out of the ordinary, so when they do, you can be sure they will react.  On the front end, you have to put the ridiculous measure in place to get that ridiculous result, thus tranforming you from being overlooked to becoming out of the ordinary. 


    What’s more impressive? Several hundred mediocre people thinking you’ll be a success or a few stand-outs thinking you would be a success.  For me, I’ll take the latter every single time.   Here’s why: people that I have been successful themselves know first-hand what it takes to have success, while those several hundred mediocre people are only guessing. - 


  • CHAPTER 8

    “To be a friend, you have to be four things to that other person: encouraging, consistent, loyal and willing to sacrifice for that person.” 

  • CHAPTER 9

    Coasting after success is not only normal, it’s natural.  Once you’ve reached the top of the mountain, there is no more climbing to be done. But for more the most successful, there are always more mountains to climb, always more races to run, always more treasure to be found. 


    “That’s how you succeed in life: while most people are celebrating when they win, you need to be focused on your next mission, plotting strategy about how you can be better the next time.” 


  • CHAPTER 10

    “We can count on God helping us to his steer the ship, but even with Him helping you set sail, you still need to be the captain.” 


    “When you’re initially overlooked, you and others around you often times draw up the conclusion that you are not good enough.   When that happens to you, be thankful for it, because discouragement can be a good thing.  A flower needs both shade and sun to grow; too much sun can overheat the flower causing it to die.”


PURCHASE

From the pages of

Forget

Self-Help:

Re-Examining the Golden Rule

  • CHAPTER 1

    Nonetheless, when someone bears our burdens with us, often a huge weight lifts from our shoulders. Does this mean that the other person can solve the problem that the other one is going through? No. However, just knowing that someone cares enough to forget his own problems and focus on yours is reassuring. 



  • CHAPTER 2

    When people speak of having an advantage over someone, they often feel as if they have to tread on sharp glass. There is no need to do this because none of us created our own advantages. They were given to us by God. However, we do need to tread lightly on how we use our own advantages to help others. 


    Usually, when we ourselves are in a position of power, we like to look to see how we can use it to control others instead of realizing that we need to control ourselves that much more because of the position we are now in. 


    A man’s heart is only strong when it is safe, and it is only safe when it is secured in something strong. 



  • CHAPTER 3

    Since none of us will see God on Earth, we face an uphill battle to show others that God truly exists.—

  • CHAPTER 4

    One reason that we never get to know other people is because it requires us to become vulnerable to other people. To become vulnerable not only requires work but also requires courage. Many people are unwilling to admit their blind spots or flaws. However, when this happens, a whole new world is opened up because it enables both parties to be real with each other.


    Without loving oneself first, it is impossible to love others. 


  • CHAPTER 5

    Everyone can agree though that anything worthwhile, anything worth striving for, has some element of rarity to it.

  • CHAPTER 6

    When judging another person, I never look for the big moments that test their character. I look for the small ones. Big moments carry a heroic aspect to them so there is a certain selfish incentive to make sure they are carried out to fruition. Small moments, however, never get any credit. This accentuates their value. 


    We need to be extreme.  We need to be bold.  We need to go all out.  But we need to do this all for others, not ourselves. 


  • CHAPTER 7

    The best way to tell if someone is with you is to see whether a person will help you even if he knows he will get nothing in return from you. Anyone can help when there is something to gain in return; to help when there is nothing to be gained shows true love. 


    Showing mercy toward others is not an easy task. It requires patience, humility, and an inverse style of thinking that goes against our natural selfish desires. It also requires giving up a sense of control, a sense of control we often feel like we earned in the first place.  


  • CHAPTER 8

    Holding someone accountable for their actions can be one of the most delicate and awkward dealings that a human being has to do for another. But in strong relationships, this happens frequently. 


    So many times, we lash out against others when they give us advice or critique our actions. We need to realize they are doing so because they believe in us and think we are capable of greatness. 


    When we do for others, we provide more happiness for ourselves more effectively than when we try to focus only on ourselves. The reason for this is simple: putting ourselves in another’s shoes makes us forget all about our own problems. 


  • CONCLUSION

    What happens when we focus less on ourselves and instead devote that energy toward others? We benefit others and also benefit ourselves. When we reach out to someone who is in need, we fulfill the words of Christ. By following the Golden Rule in our attitude, behavior, and conduct, we make the world a better place and make our own lives better too. 


    You only love someone when you are willing to sacrifice for them; without sacrifice, there is no love.  


PURCHASE

From the pages of

tHE cRIMINAL:

tHE pOWER OF AN aPOLOGY

  • CHAPTER 1

    Nonetheless, when someone bears our burdens with us, often a huge weight lifts from our shoulders. Does this mean that the other person can solve the problem that the other one is going through? No. However, just knowing that someone cares enough to forget his own problems and focus on yours is reassuring. 



  • CHAPTER 2

    When people speak of having an advantage over someone, they often feel as if they have to tread on sharp glass. There is no need to do this because none of us created our own advantages. They were given to us by God. However, we do need to tread lightly on how we use our own advantages to help others. 


    Usually, when we ourselves are in a position of power, we like to look to see how we can use it to control others instead of realizing that we need to control ourselves that much more because of the position we are now in

  • CHAPTER 3

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  • CHAPTER 4

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  • CHAPTER 5

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  • CHAPTER 6

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  • CHAPTER 7

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  • CHAPTER 8

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  • CHAPTER 9

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  • CHAPTER 10

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PURCHASE

From the pages of

MRS. DUBOSE’S 

LAST WISH:

THE ART OF EMBRACING SUFFERING

  • CHAPTER 1

    We all suffer from time to time in our lives, some more than others.  It’s how we react to that suffering that separates the winners from the losers.  


    The strongest predictor of success is the amount of suffering one is willing to embrace. 


    To want to fight after enduring so much pain, you have to not only outlast until the final bell rings, but you also have to overcome trials and tribulations that seem like they will go on forever. 


    When we are on the ground and can’t stand up, we tend to think God has forgotten about us.  This couldn’t be further from the truth because God uses painful experiences not only to build us up, but also others around us.   


    When our complete trust is in God, we have no choice but to thank God for whatever happens, knowing firmly that He, and not we, has the best handle on our lives. 


  • CHAPTER 2

    Whatever you are going through, fear should not have a place in your heart because The Lord is by your side just as a best friend is with you through your worst times, and He is your number one cheerleader during your best times, or, in this digital age, the first one to post your success on social media.  He is not afraid to sacrifice for you, even if it means going through a painful, gruesome death on a wooden cross for you.   He’s already gone through that pain, so that you can have pain no more.   


    When someone tells you that they want you to see something, they’re telling you that because they feel as if you have not noticed something that they think would be beneficial for you to see; more than likely, something to make you grow.   


  • CHAPTER 3

    When I think of someone who is worthy of respect, I immediately think of someone who is hard on themselves.   To earn the respect of all, one must be hard on himself.  The moment he lets go of this plight, is the moment he begins to lose the respect of many, if not all.  


    I’ve realized that the most influential don’t mind suffering themselves, but if they’re even put in a position where they can alleviate another’s suffering, they’ll do so every single time, often in a hurry. 


    When we love unconditionally—without getting anything back in return—we end up getting just as much back, if not more.   The quicker others pain becomes yours is the barometer of how sensitive you are, and, contrary to popular belief, being sensitive is not a sign of weakness, but strength.   

  • CHAPTER 4

    Suffering isn’t easy and choosing to suffer is even harder.  But in life, we must choose to suffer if we ever want anything accomplished.  


    It is alright for us to pray to God to alleviate our suffering, but only if it furthers his kingdom or will.   If you can do that, you know you are on the path to a close relationship with The Lord.   


  • CHAPTER 5

    If what you’re about to attempt doesn’t scare you, what you’re attempting to do is not of insignificance.  Signs on the highway show significant landmarks such as places to eat, stay, and be entertained.  Let what you’re striving after show the signs of significance as well.  

  • CHAPTER 6

    Only when you begin to choose to suffer from time to time do you know your faith is catching on.  If you find yourself seeking pleasure all the time instead of pain, check yourself because not only do sacrifice and suffering start with the same letter, they both bring a smile to God.  


    When you’re suffering, you naturally think that first and foremost you must dig yourself out of a hole, when in actuality, digging other people out of a hole can prove to be much more effective for alleviating that suffering 


    In many ways we can’t choose the fate that God has given us.  Some of us are born tall, some of us are born short, some of us white, some of us black.  What we can do, however, is react to what God has given us because he has given us free-will.  We are not robots programmed by God; we have choices.   Whatever problems you are going through, know that in the end, you have a choice as to how you will react to it. 


    Our first inclination is look out for ourselves when we are suffering, and, when we do so, it often causes us to forget to look out for the needs of others.  Christ, on the other hand, got hurt on the cross so he could help people.  He didn’t have to do so, but he wanted to make us whole again.   


    Sometimes, the reason God wants us to suffer is to get that big part of us that is off the track back on the rails.  He does this because this is the only way we will be able to see what we are doing wrong.  Are you wise enough to realize this?   I hope so. 


    Life is very reactionary; those who react with the most bravery during the most harrowing times are the ones who are remembered.  In debates, politicians, are taught by their debate coaches not to react in a negative way even if their competitors are trying to get under their skin.  


PURCHASE

From the pages of

Listen Up:

SEEK ENOUGH ADVICE, 

SO ONE DAY YOU’LL BE GIVING IT

  • CHAPTER 1

    Too often, we are too arrogant to know that we have much to learn in this world. Too often, we assume that we have a grasp on things, when in actuality, we have no clue what is going on. 


    Why is listening and receiving advice so hard for many of us? It is as if we feel insulted when we receive help or are forced to listen. It is one thing to listen to advice from someone who is older than us, but to listen to advice from someone who are our own age or younger than us seems unfathomable. Oftentimes, the best of us feel humble enough to receive advice and listen, improving with every encounter. 


     Truly being open to guidance doesn’t mean that you don’t know the answer, it means you are humble enough to admit that there’s a possibility, as slight as it could be, that you don’t know the answer. Having that type of mentality is the only way to grow, because you only grow when you are tested, and in order to pass a test, you must listen. 


     You never do know when you might receive a lesson from someone you deem less educated than yourself however high and mighty you think you are, so rather than close your ears, keep them open and you just might find that you’ll advance. Call it wild, but you just might advance behind your wildest dreams. 


  • CHAPTER 2

    To understand someone, you’ve got to listen; you’ve got to be paying close attention to what the other is going through more than what you are going through. Environmentalists often say tread lightly and leave no trace. Understanding someone can be phrased in the opposite manner: tread heavily where they have tread, then you’ll be able to make a trace on their hearts & in their lives

  • CHAPTER 3

    Being skilled will take you far, but if you get to the point where you are so skilled that you don’t believe you can need aid to better yourself, you are in treacherous territory. 


     Whether we’d like to admit it or not, we’re drawn to people who listen to us. Usually the people who listen to us tend to be in a lower or similar status. That’s why, when someone we perceive as powerful than us takes the time and effort to listen to us, we appreciate that instance more than a normal instance. God, in his mighty power, never fails to listen to us. If God never fails to listen to us, why do we constantly fail to listen to others? 


  • CHAPTER 4

    I realize many of my writing is of a very personal tone, especially on the subject of my fight with mental illness, but when I realized that my writing was having an impact on people in a positive way, all the embarrassment and shame went away… God gave me the ability to think, be creative, and write in order to help people whether they be Christian or not. I take great pride in being part of God’s team, and it only happened because I listened to his call. 


    Listening can be oh so difficult because of our pride. We like to think that we know it all, more often than not, and to receive advice is seen as something weak, lacking true purpose. 



  • CHAPTER 5

    Our Lord our God tells us to live boldly, to take a risk, to surprise many including ourselves. How does one gain the capacity to surprise oneself? I’ve learned, that more often than not, in order to have the capacity to surprise ourselves, we must look at life as someone who is at the bottom of a swimming pool. No matter how hard we try to stay at the bottom, we seem to always come up with force. Trusting that God gave you the force to do anything seems incomprehensible is something that must always been implanted in the back of your mind

  • CHAPTER 6

     A stud’s purpose is to form a vertical structural load. It can also be non load-bearing. Studs hold in place windows, doors, interior finish, exterior sheathing or siding, insulation and utilities, but, if you ask a contractor, what the most important thing a stud does is to give shape to a building. Finding a person who shapes you is the person who God wants you to be with. 


    To be truly known by the other starts with the other listening and absorbing information to realize not only what other makes the person tick, but what moves the other person—what makes the other person not only get out of bed, but also keeps the person from going back to bed in the middle of the day.


    Gardeners and contractors may not seem like they would at all be a similar profession, but they are both building something—something that is meant to last and be used. Both professions also require listening. Not listening in the sense of hearing but listening in the sense of knowing what their admirers or habitants want. If they’re good at they’re profession, their wants begin to be innate; they naturally want to build a foundation that lasts until eternity.


  • CHAPTER 7

    When you think of a leader who is adaptable, you think of someone who is not only calm under pressure, but someone who is not naïve to different circumstances; they can assure their followers that no matter what, their plan will work whatever is thrown their way. 


     When people think of arrogance, they often judge someone based on the fact if this person brags a lot. I, on the other hand, look to see if they are humble enough to admit that they in fact do not know it all. 


  • CHAPTER 8

    Luckily, with God’s word, we have instructions on how to make every decision in life. All we have to do is listen to him and trust that even if it is the harder path, listening to His choice makes us live with purpose.

  • CHAPTER 9

     I’ve sometimes wondered why I use so many quotations in my books from others, and, at the beginning of my books have included two or three from each chapter. I’ve come to the conclusion it is because, above all, people tell us quotes and share quotes with us to encourage, to inspire. 


    Find people that challenge you. When you do this, you’ll often find the challenges you face in the future are less difficult because the training this person has put you through. The weak surround themselves with people who are too timid to stick up to them, while the strong get the feeling that no future battle should be left untested. 


    By admitting that I was not only wrong in one area of my actions but could have improved my area in another area actions, I just got a lot better. If we think about it, when someone critiques our actions, instead of our first thought being to say that they’re wrong, we might ask them for additional things we need to work on because we might feel as if they are tip-toeing around us to make sure our feelings don’t get hurt if they brought up additional issues. 


    Leaders are on the unquenchable quest to get better. The best CEO’s make performance reviews two-sided instead of the boss just focusing on the employee is performing. This way, the CEO gets better, and when the CEO gets better, he/she can lead more effectively. 


  • CHAPTER 10

    Music has a way of lifting us up in a way that nothing else quite can. It moves us, challenges us; in short, it is the both the glue and motor that binds and pushes us to pursue life in a different way we never thought was possible. We listen to music; not only to hear the instruments, but to hear the lyrics teach just as a school-teacher lectures at a podium. Will we listen to them? Are we both humble and strong enough to do just that? 


    Age is not only the exact prerequisite for wisdom, but experience. A young person can draw from experiences just as an elder can. It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, you better being willing to listen and be humble, for one of the definitions of humble is ranking low in a hierarchy or scale. Can you make yourself low to become high? 


  • CHAPTER 11

    My best contributions to the world have started with listening, while my failures have often been the direct result of an inability to listen.

  • CHAPTER 12

    You feel a void most in your life not when you cannot have the latest dress, car, or house, but when you lose something that is dear to you. This is why relationships are so much more important than things. 


     When you receive and or give meaningful advice, a bond is formed between both individuals that can’t be broken. It’s as if you become on the same team, one hand lifting up the other towards a common goal.


PURCHASE

From the pages of

ALONE AT THE LUNCH TABLE:

HOW TO RISE FROM REJECTION

  • CHAPTER 1

    You’re not accepted until you are rejected.  


    All of us in our own lives face times where we can or cannot earn admission into an institution, get the job we want to get, or be in the relationship we want to be in.   If you do get denied, we have no authority to be angry, or depressed because of one reason: we don’t know what is best for us; only God knows that. 


  • CHAPTER 2

    Sometimes, when God tells you no, he is really telling you yes, for a no to you now might mean a yes to you later on.  It all depends on the work God has in store for you.  Sometimes, what seems like a defeat is really just the start—the start of something great.  


    How awesome is it that God trusts us to do His work and doesn’t do it alone?  When you delegate, you uplift; when you feel as though you are the only person skilled enough to do the task and don’t ask for help, you discourage.   When the game is tied in the 9th inning, everyone wants to be the person the coach calls on to pinch-hit for the pitcher and get the job done.   God could do it himself, easily, but he knows everyone wants a challenge, which gives you an opportunity to shine.   With Jesus’ blood, we already shine, but God wants our life to have purpose.  Delegating leads to others shining, which leads to purpose.   Life throws curveballs at us all the time, but if your purpose is His will, you’ll break that tie.


  • CHAPTER 3

    Detaching yourself from the situation and looking at things from an objective instead of a subjective point of view is the first step to getting over your rejection.   


    I often takes things personally when I don’t get a job I wanted.   This again, forces me to step backward instead of going forward.  It sounds cliché, but whatever that thing you didn’t get was not meant for you in the first place; it turns out that it wouldn’t advance His kingdom.   It’s easier said than done but detach immediately after rejection and you’ll find that it is much easier to deal with.  


    Often times, when get rejected, we think we are being put down, when in actuality, as a result of the rejection, we could be lifted higher.


  • CHAPTER 4

    Have you thought about something in your own life that you must have?   One must make sure that what you want aligns with what God wants.   The Devil is very clever.  Wanting what seems to be a Godly thing can often become worshipping an idol.  


    How do you start winning more arguments?  I’ll give you this one tip: when you find yourself losing an argument, the faster you denounce your stance and admit you’re wrong, the more arguments you will win in the future.  The reason for this is your thinking will be sharper and you won’t find yourself making the same mistake or succumbing to the same fallacy in a future argument.  


    Aggression, in combination with a deft touch, has served many a leader well.   One could say Jesus, the ultimate leader, possessed both in abundance. 


  • CHAPTER 5

    For the commoner, they believe that people want something they can’t have.  This technically is true.  What I’ve found over the past few years though, however, is that playing hard to get rarely works out in the end.   

  • CHAPTER 6

    The biggest challenge we face as humans is the challenge to dare to be different


    When we pick up the phone and call someone, ultimately, we don’t know if they are going to pick up on the other end.   Still, in my opinion, it’s worth making that call and reaching out because you never know if that person will help you reach your dreams. 


    When you want something that another person has, show the other person you want it and more often than not, it will become yours.   Sounds pretty simple, but in our world of email, text message, and social media, it is not.   

  • CHAPTER 7

    Be careful when you look down on someone, thinking that they are behind you.   I’ve found that people who appear in your rearview mirror can enter your blind spot sooner than you think, and, while you can’t see them anymore and think that they now in your blind spot, you’ll be remiss to realizing that the positions have switched; you’re now in their blind spot because they’re ahead of you.  They’ll stay ahead of you because, unlike you, they’re not looking down on anyone and are instead, zooming ahead. 

PURCHASE

From the pages of

WHEN YOU SEE IT:

BELIEF IN THE UNCERTAINTY

  • CHAPTER 2

    “Laughter dampens our woes in a way that not only stops the pain, but gives us a chance to learn from it, thus enabling us to be stronger the next time.” 


    “Shift your reason for happiness based on other’s happiness instead of your own, and you will be more fulfilled; I guarantee it.” 


    “When you’re given something, you’ve got to pass it… pass it on, pass it around, or pass it backwards.  Not to do so is not only unappreciative, but also an insult to God.” 


    “When I look at the happiest of people, they are most happy when another succeeds, not themselves.” 

  • CHAPTER 3

    “It’s not just that when one door closes, another opens, often times you’ll see that when your door opens, you’ll have the opportunity to open that same door for others— creating an environment that never could have happened if that original door hadn’t closed.   Having a door closed only means God is going to present you with an opportunity to open more doors for others—and Him—in the future.” – CHAPTER 3


    “We are often fearful of what we don’t know because fear is often born out of ignorance; the worst part of this is that it can lead to quick judgment—most of the time that judgment being wrong.”   

        

    “How is it that we fail to see people for who they really are more often than not?   Is it pride, is it pain?   Or insecurity?   As human beings, we are all so different, but nonetheless so similar in the fact that we often succumb to the mistake of rushing judgment on one another, and even if we don’t rush that judgment, we often make the mistake of judging one another on inconsequential aspects of our life instead of things that matter.” 


    “Compromising yourself is easy in times of trouble, but ultimately, there’s always only one side that’s right in disagreement, and that side is truth; to live the truth might mean sacrificing something, but in sacrificing that something, you’ll find that you gain true honor and dignity—which could have never come without the sacrifice.” 


    “The cover—or the outside—distracts us from seeing what’s on the inside more often than not even though it contains no content—or, nothing to learn from.    When people refer to what percentage of a book they’ve read, they often describe their progress in the number of pages read.  They’re telling you how much content they have gotten through; only then can they truly judge a book.  Judge people in the same way.  Count the pages you’ve read before you start drawing conclusions.” 


    “Layers in a cake can be challenging to read because if you look from the top down, you can’t see that there are even layers in the first place; it just seems like there is consistency in whatever it is you’re looking at.  But it you see the cake at eye level, you’ll soon see a cake for what it’s really worth—the whole picture.   To see the whole picture, you must be at eye-level, meaning that you’re willing to look at the cake in the same way it glances back at you.   In the same way, humans must look at each other in the eye; they must make eye contact.   Only then can you see the other person in their true light.” 


  • CHAPTER 4

    Walking with God also means that you are willing to take a risk; sometimes that risk may involve you looking like a complete fool to others.   If that’s the case don’t sweat it, for a fool to humans is often just the person God uses most to carry out His will.”  


    “It’s interesting for me to look back on my own life and realize what has happened because certain things didn’t happen.   It reiterates to me that God had a plan for my life, and He knows not only how to shape it but direct it as well.”   


    “When we hesitate, we are telling the thing or someone that we don’t want them—that they’re not important in our life.   When we have a chance to do God’s will and don’t act on it, we are telling Him that he is not the number one priority in our life.   This disappoints God more than anything, because ultimately, He knows what’s best for us.”  


    “It was time to go into the world and see where I could leave my mark.  My depression had ended now that I had finally seen some light, but what was I to do with my light?   When you’re an occasional runner, tying your shoes to go out and run is the hardest part; for me, it was time to tie my shoes.   Learning how to tie one’s shoes is something we learn how to do as a child, but the more and more we live, often times, the more and more we forget how to do this simple act.   We’re scared of what might happen if we fail; or, are we more afraid of what will happen if we succeed?   Whatever it is, tying one’s shoes is difficult, but with the Lord’s help—and with His purpose in mind—we can do it each and every day.”   


    “I’ve learned that the outside is here today and gone tomorrow, but the inside of each one of us is what really counts, for the inside is what creates our outward actions which affect other’s insides.”  


  • CHAPTER 5

    It’s difficult to realize that God is in control, but when we do, we have a better avenue to live out His will because deep down we always know that He wants what’s best for us.   During the moment this type of thinking can be challenging to say the least.   People often say that patience is a virtue; what it is as well is a test—a test of your faith in God.” 


    “For me personally, along with my many other flaws, I admit that I might be one of the most impatient people on the planet.   Atlanta traffic drives me crazy, slow play on the golf course ahead of me is irksome, but most of all, when I want something in my life to happen and God doesn’t provide it right then and there, I’m frustrated; I think He doesn’t get it.   Little do I know that God does get—much better than I do, in fact.”  



    “It reminds me of us shooing away God in our own lives; we can tell God to go away all we want, but He has this unfathomable ability to always watch over us even when we tell him to go away.   Having God in your life is like getting super glue on your hands; He—or it—can just never seem to go away.   When we cling to God, he holds on even tighter to show us we are firmly in His grasp.”   

  • CHAPTER 6

    “It’s interesting how unselfish acts often pay dividends for us in the future; it’s almost as if God sees where our heart is, appreciates it, and rewards us for our self-denial.”    – CHAPTER 6


    “In the same vein, it’s an interesting point to wander why God made us in the first place.   An answer you might normally get to that question is that He was lonely; but that isn’t it.   Since God is all powerful, omnipotent, and perfect, he doesn’t need anything.   It’s the same choice married parents make when they decide to have children: they do so out of love—an unselfish love that transcends all understanding.   Not only did our God come down from heaven to atone for our sins, but He also created us in the first place and allows us to have a relationship with Him.” 


    “A day spent without encouraging others is a day wasted; people need you to be that agent of God in their life; there is no greater impact on your life than to impact others.”   


    “In order to start a relationship—whether it be romantic or simply friendship—there has to be a sense of permanence that will always be there.  Without that, relationships cannot form properly—or at all.” 


     “Jesus wants us to dream like we used to dream when we were children.  Only when we do so will we accomplish the will of the Father in heaven.   Early on in our childhood, all of us had dreams; many of us forget them when we grow older.  We forget them because we lose our childlike faith that anything can happen with God.  We start listening to the naysayers, we start to let the harsh world bring us down, but most of all, we become pessimistic and then start to believe, that even with God’s help, the unthinkable can’t happen.  That’s why we need children around us; that’s why we need to become like children.” 


  • CHAPTER 7

    “Entrepreneurs who make a lot of money are so successful because they are able to think outside of the box.  Thinking outside the box means the perimeter is going to bigger than simply thinking inside the box.  It’s a risk, and it ultimately takes more effort, but in the end, it’s the only way to achieve success.  When you think outside the box, and don’t judge a book by its cover, paradoxically, you are able to see within a person; you’re able to see them for who they truly are.”  


    “Beauty is found from within because our actions are ultimately the only thing we have control over.  That’s the gift of free-will.  The cross is the most important thing in Christianity, but once your sins are atoned for, God doesn’t want you just to pray all day and sing and thank Him for it, he wants you to be a man after His own heart and spread the Gospel.   He wants you to do all these things in response to that great gift you were given.”  

  • CHAPTER 8

    “The cross is the most important thing in Christianity, but once your sins are atoned for, God doesn’t want you just to pray all day and sing and thank Him for it, he wants you to be a man after His own heart and spread the Gospel.   He wants you to do all these things in response to that great gift you were given.” 


    “To truly empathize with someone, more often than not means that you want them to have a different outcome.   You want things to change for the better for them.  And you want to be part of that avenue for change.

PURCHASE

From the pages of

AFTER THE SHAMPOO:

CONDITIONED FOR EXCELLENCE

  • CHAPTER 1

    Your parents are very important. They are literally the first people that condition your future behavior. – CHAPTER 1 


    The absolute worst thing that can happen in life is to be conditioned by someone who is good or great—incorrectly thinking in the back of your mind the whole time that they were excellent. – CHAPTER 1 


    When I think of the most ingrateful people in my life, I think of people who feel like they deserve everything. – CHAPTER 1



  • CHAPTER 2

    The most arrogant people I have met in my life aren’t the ones who didn’t brag about themselves; they are the ones who were unwilling to listen and unwilling to apologize. – CHAPTER 2 


    The most successful people in life leverage off other people’s success instead of being jealous of them, knowing full well that the momentum of that other’s success will lead to them their own success. – CHAPTER 2 


    Never let someone else’s success become your own defeat. – CHAPTER 2 


    You see, the more attention we get in life, when that attention gets directed towards someone else, our first reaction is naturally to feel jealous. If this happens to you, don’t beat yourself up about it, but  realize that you must turn that jealousy into encouragement. This way it’s a win-win situation for both sides. – CHAPTER 2


     In physics, a lever amplifies an input force to provide a greater output force, which is said to provide leverage. The ratio of the output force to the input force is the mechanical advantage of the lever. The mechanical advantage of a lever is the ratio of the load the lever overcomes and the effort a person or system applies to the lever to overcome some load or resistance. In simple words and as per the formula, it’s the ratio of load and effort. Are you going to let the other person’s success push you forward or push you back? – CHAPTER 2


  • CHAPTER 3

    How do you know if someone has made a big impact on this earth? The easiest way to see if this has happened is if someone says a person—who never said the quote in the first place—said that quote. – CHAPTER 3


     There’s a reason why people have misattributed these quotes to these people: they are more famous than the person who originally said it, thus making it more powerful of a quote. – CHAPTER 3 


    Throughout this book, I encourage you, the reader, to be conditioned not by good, not by great, but by excellent role models. I’ve got a question for you, though: how much more can you grow as person and in your walk with God if you can take the advice of people you don’t like or don’t respect? True, they might not have as good of as advice as the excellent, but you still might be able to grow from them. – CHAPTER 3 


    When giving advice, keep in mind that what you are about to propose to the other person is something new, something foreign. When you give someone a new food to try, you don’t give them a whole spoonful, but only a bite. This is the way you should go about giving advice. – CHAPTER 3


     The old can teach the young and the young can teach the old. – CHAPTER 3 


    All of us, no matter how successful we become, need encouragement. – CHAPTER 3 


    To condition someone, you must both challenge and encourage at an equal rate. When one gets in front of the other, excellence never happens. – CHAPTER 3


     Oftentimes we cannot know God’s ways; we cannot see them. But, we have to always keep in mind that he can see us. It must be this way in order for Him to condition us, which in turn brings us along. – CHAPTER 3 



  • CHAPTER 4

    As human beings, we are naturally conditioned to seek the approval of fellow man. All of us like to fit in, but at the same time, all of seek to be excellent. I’ve noticed that to be excellent, you have to sacrifice your incessant desire to fit in. – CHAPTER 4 


    As Williamson says, liberate yourself from your own fear. When you do so, others will follow suit. You will raise the bar for all. Excellence has a way of causing more excellence in the same way a virus spreads; it can truly be exponential. – CHAPTER 4


     Dare to be the first one to do something; in doing so, you’ll surprise many maybe even yourself. If you do something that has already been done before, the chances of you being remembered by ages to come go down significantly. If you’re not consistently pushing yourself to be the first, you may as well not even attempt what you are doing, for it is in vain. – CHAPTER 4 


    When someone above you, with more experience and wisdom than you encourages you, it is impossible to forget it; we’re conditioned to not be taken seriously. – CHAPTER 4


  • CHAPTER 5

    Often times, when I think of my relationship with God, when he causes something to happen or not happen in my life, I realize that he has complete control of it—much more control of it then I have … Because of this, he is able to bring me along. – CHAPTER 5 


    To this day, the success I have had in writing, my technology sales career, and the education reform that I am working on currently, is due to the fact that I am not afraid to get people’s opinion on matters. I’m constantly asking for advice; that’s what my 6th book is about: being humble enough to seek advice. When you do this, you can become a subject matter expert on any topic even if you don’t technically have a PhD in it. – CHAPTER 5


    To become excellent, you must remember that if someone is critiquing you they think you are capable of something special—something to be remembered. Usually, when we don’t hear criticism, we are happy; it I as if we did nothing wrong; I encourage us to do the opposite: we must seek out criticism in order to keep getting better. When you don’t hear any, rather than be delighted, have the wherewithal to think that someone might not be taking you seriously. – CHAPTER 5 


    True, our present and future actions are dictated by our past actions, but at the same time, we have free will—we have the choice in which our destiny will be shaped. – CHAPTER 5


    To be truly excellent, we must not be afraid to decline certain things, even if that thing be our very life. – CHAPTER 5


    In order to influence, we must be influenced first. – CHAPTER 5 


    Dreaming is necessary when you’re an underdog, and because you’re forced to dream, versus knowing you’ll achieve success all along, you’re forced to outwork your competition, thus enabling to you achieve that long-awaited dream. People often forget this when analyzing the data on whether one will succeed or not. – CHAPTER 5 


    Like I said before, to achieve your dreams, you need someone to help condition you; you need someone to help bring you along. – CHAPTER 5


  • CHAPTER 6

    In the most meaningful relationships, each party must be humble enough to accept help from the other party. Without this, the type of learning and improved that is needed to become excellent can never happen. – CHAPTER 6

  • CHAPTER 7

    When you think outside the box, it not only levels the playing field for you and your competitors, it might even give you an edge to beat them. Because your competition has more talent than you to begin with, they’ve never been forced to think outside the box; they’ve never been forced to be creative. If you remember this, you might just become like David and beat Goliath. – 

    CHAPTER 7 


    As an underdog, if you already know what the person who is highly favored is going to do, use that to your advantage. As the cliché says, “knowledge is power.” If you already know what their move is going to be, you have the power then to make your move. Battle is like chess; it’s how you respond and react; can you be bold enough to make the right move? – CHAPTER 7 


    We must get outside of ourselves if we ever want to make anything of ourselves. When we look deeper into what I just said, we can discover the reason for this. A synonym for outside is exterior. When we think of the exterior of a peanut butter sandwich that is given to a child, he/she often doesn’t want to eat the crust, but our parents growing up demanded that we finish our plate. One of the ten commandments from Exodus is “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” Ultimately, Jamal honors his mother and himself by go to the new school. When we honor our parents and “finish our plate,” we can start to get outside and challenge ourselves more and more each and every day. – CHAPTER 7


    For any leader to be successful, you have to not only have energy, but provide it to others in abundance.   One way to do that, believe it or not, is to deflect attention and praise away from yourself.  This, in turn, puts the emphasis back on the people, challenging them to do the impossible.  – CHAPTER 7


  • CHAPTER 8

    To get back on your feet after calamity has struck is not easy.  But remember, with daringness comes determination, and with determination comes the possibility of the pursuit of excellence.  With unthinking sureness, what was once a possibility can become fulfilled.  But this can only happen if you take the chance to begin with.  – CHAPTER 8


    Marriage is a big deal to God—being in a dating relationship or being engaged, not so much.  Never find yourself saying to yourself, “well, if I had only been single, I might have ended up with that right person God had in store for me.” – CHAPTER 8


  • CHAPTER 9

    When people feel threatened, they attack, knowing full well that is the only way to get out of their inferior position. If you’re conditioned correctly, there’s always a way out, even if that means attempting the unthinkable and getting a little help on the way from friends. – CHAPTER 9


    To get out of trouble yourself, you have to be conditioned to be humble enough to ask for help and realize that you can’t do everything on your own. – CHAPTER 9


    When you’re the underdog, you’re only used to this because you’re conditioned to have everyone doubt you all along.  This itself can be advantageous and can cause the lowly to triumph over the mighty. – CHAPTER 9 


PURCHASE

From the pages of

INPUT-OUTPUT:

OUR FINAL PRODUCT COMES FROM OUR INITIAL ACTIONS

  • CHAPTER 11

    Running away from the work that is required in the input is often times the reason why we don’t see the output we anticipated. – CHAPTER 11


    When at war, continue to play offense even when your enemy expects you to play defensive.  It will catch them off-guard, and you will surely win.  By continuing to play offense, it will tire them to the point where they can no longer compete, which will give you the opportunity to be victorious.  – CHAPTER 11


    The initial will always produce finality. – CHAPTER 11


  • CHAPTER 2

    When you seek out the advice of others, you enable yourself to draw on the intelligence of not just yourself, but other very capable people.  The moment you deem yourself already qualified to make a decision alone is the moment you stop learning, thus resulting in an uneducated decision. – CHAPTER 2


    So many times in life, there are moments of progression we miss that are just as monumental as marked success.  If you can remember to pat yourself on the back when you accomplish these bits of success, you’ll be well on your way to achieving goals. – CHAPTER 2  


  • CHAPTER 3

    So many times people have opportunities to succeed without realizing it.  – CHAPTER 3  

    We only have so much energy we can devote to certain things. Don’t let your accomplishments become fewer because you’re spending your energy on things you can’t change. – CHAPTER 3 


    Adaption in circumstances requires not only flexibility, but a quick-thinking mind.    Those who can change in an instant last forever, while the obstinate cease to exist in all forms. – CHAPTER 3   


  • CHAPTER 4


    When you inspire confidence in others, you have the ability to lift people higher than they ever imagined.  In a sense, you give people wings to soar into the atmosphere with a continuous and permanent pace. – CHAPTER 4   


  • CHAPTER 5

    Seeing potential in yourself is one way to have success, but as I said in chapter four, in order to have continuous success, you must trick yourself into normalizing your success for it to continue on. – CHAPTER 5 


    Never realize you’re having success and you’ll continue to have it.  The moment you sense that you’ve “made it” is the moment you will slide into mediocrity.   Keep pushing and know in your heart of hearts that you have “never arrived.” – CHAPTER 5 



  • CHAPTER 9

    The best aren’t afraid of stress and often ask for more, relishing their innate ability to handle it, while the ones who sit on the sidelines will continue to sit there.  An apathetic nature guarantees one thing in life for that person: because they strive for nothing, they get nowhere. – CHAPTER 9

  • CHAPTER 10

    You’re going to face negativity from time to time if you ever attempt to do anything great.  Rather than complain about it, harness it and use it as fodder to prove them wrong.  When times are tough, try to imagine the look in your doubter’s face when you do prove them wrong. One thing you can expect them to do, however, is admit that they were discouraging in the first place. – CHAPTER 10

  • Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasize this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.
PURCHASE

From the pages of

HE SPOKE WITH AUTHORITY: 

GET, THEN GIVE THE ADVANTAGE OF CONFIDENCE 

  • CHAPTER 1

    It made me realize two things: to be happy for another person’s success doesn’t make you less of a person, it makes you more of a person. It also made me realize that the common perception that a true friend is one who is with you during the worst of times is wrong. A friend who is with you during the best of your times is truly there for you for he is not jealous, but happy for you, showing true love. - CHAPTER 1 


    All of us should have the utmost confidence in ourselves for one primary reason: what Jesus did for us on the cross. Once we realize that, indeed, we are made perfect by His actions, we can shake off all the insecurities that hold us back and start to live for Him. It’s tough for us to comprehend this because we live in such a merit-based society; luckily for, our merit was earned by Jesus’ blood on the cross. Nothing else can make us more whole or secure. – CHAPTER 1 


    People are going to doubt you if you possess the courage to do anything great. Let them do so: chances are they are jealous that you have the guts and talent to try. – CHAPTER 1 


  • CHAPTER 2

    It’s okay to think that you are capable of greatness. That’s not a sin in God’s eyes. Just make sure you are using your talents and so forth for God’s glory, not just your own. The scariest scenario for the Devil is to have a confident God-fearing human carrying out the Lord’s work. The Devil is not at all scared of insecure Christ followers; in fact, that’s who he takes advantage of the most. – CHAPTER 2 


    Don’t let others lead you down your own path; let God do that; God knew you first. – CHAPTER 2 


    We can bring heaven here on earth, but only when we display confidence in ourselves. Sitting on the sidelines is futile. – CHAPTER 2 


    Do yourself a favor: let the force of confidence get you moving. When you do, you will move others and, in the process, be moved yourself. – CHAPTER 2 


    For parents to stifle their child’s optimism is to not only stifle their own dreams, but the dreams of others. The reason for this is simple: once one achieves their own dreams, they often help others to achieve their own dreams; at least the great ones do. – CHAPTER 2 


    Protectors are able to protect us because the security they have in themselves; they refuse to be insecure because they know they have to be secure for others. - CHAPTER 2 


    The Bible tells us that to much has been given, much is expected; go into your day knowing that you have been entrusted with much and it is all for His glory, not just for your own pleasure. With this new way of thinking, you’ll find that your pleasure becomes His glory. Ultimately, you know your faith is strong when you say “thank you” to God, and God says, “no, thank you.” This means that your purpose in life and His will are one in the same. – CHAPTER 2 


  • CHAPTER 3

    There is nothing more noble than sticking up for someone else when they have been wronged. There is one characteristic that a human being must have to do this: confidence. Sticking up for yourself is easy, but to stick up for another human being shows a blend of both unselfishness and confidence which the mother and father of what Christianity is all about. – CHAPTER 3 


    You can’t always be safe and confident at the same time. And chances are if you are too confident, you are doing something that is too safe. - CHAPTER 3 


    When you’re the only one that can stick up for yourself, do so with courage and you may just find the respect of the people who have tried to trample you down. At the very least, they may find some empathy for the situation. – CHAPTER 3 


    Security in oneself leads to security in the other person. It shows that you are humble, not so much putting the weight of the world in yourself, but ultimately others. If you’re secure with yourself, you’ll find yourself reaching out to make sure other people are secure with themselves. In doing so, you’ll become that much more secure with yourself. - CHAPTER 3


    When you find yourself sticking up for people more and more, you know that you are growing more and more confident; the insecure, however, only stick up for themselves. – CHAPTER 3 


    Other’s affliction should affect all of us, and when it does, you know you’re confident in your own skin. - CHAPTER 3


    While it is noble to turn the other cheek, when another person is hurting you so much to the point where you have trouble living, it is not only okay to stick up for yourself, but God wants you to do so; he wants you to be strong so you can do His work. – CHAPTER 3 


    Getting out of abusive relationships is hard, but necessary. When you’re in an abusive relationship, it is impossible to carry out God’s will the best you can because in the back of your mind you’re filled with all the trauma of the abusive relationship. – CHAPTER 3 



  • CHAPTER 4

    Whatever seems unlikely, improbable, even if something has never happened before, it can happen through God. Is it okay to be nervous knowing that you are chosen by God to do his work? Yes, but just know that by putting your confidence in Him, you will in turn be more confident, being able to accomplish anything for Him. – CHAPTER 4


    Once we have confidence in Him, he gives us all the confidence we need to do His work. God wants you to be confident; He knows that without it, the mission he has set before us will never be accomplished. – CHAPTER 4 


    When we look out for others, our confidence shows in plain light and cannot be hidden. God gave us confidence so we could save others just as He saved us on the cross. Once this shift of perspective in your thinking happens, you will be bolder, thus changing more lives. – CHAPTER 4 


    Confidence is like centrifugal force; it is never ceasing, it always extends to the receiver and back to the giver. It doesn’t just unlock doors, it tears them down off its hinges so it will be easier for the next person walk through; or, better yet, run through. – CHAPTER 4


     Confident people often sacrifice themselves so that the rest of us cannot only live but live well; these people aren’t so bad after all, for they lived as Jesus lived.; they sacrifice just as Jesus sacrificed.- CHAPTER 4 


  • CHAPTER 5

    When you’re vulnerable with someone, there is a connection that cannot be broken. In laying down all your cards, you’ll discover that you have the winning hand. The reason you win is by allowing the other person to see you clearly for the first time—allowing them to assist you when you need assistance, cry with you when you feel you need comfort, and help you stand when you feel as if you cannot bear your own weight. – CHAPTER 5 


    To be vulnerable is to be real, and in that vulnerability, you are strong. - CHAPTER 5 


    Intimacy is like that tough conversation that you don’t want to have: you dread it, during it you’re scared and frightened, but afterwards you’re telling yourself: I can’t wait to come back for more. The next time though, you dread it less, thus enabling you to be even more intimate; once again; after you’ve experienced it, you come back for more. - CHAPTER 5


  • CHAPTER 6

    What does having a mentor say about somebody? Well, ultimately, it shows that they are both confident and humble—two words that rarely go together. It shows that you are humble enough to feel that you need to improve and confident enough that you can improve. - CHAPTER 6 


    Confidence leads to empathy because of the security you have in yourself. With that security, you can give it to others who need it. – CHAPTER 6 


  • CHAPTER 7

    To be a strong Christian, you must emit a different type of electricity to others. It’s a type of electricity that only comes from confidence. You’ll often find that once you emit that electricity toward others, you will get just as much back.

  • CHAPTER 8

    Real love is not silent; it speaks to us in a way we are not used to hearing; therefore, there is no way to mute it like we turn like we mute TV commercials. Real love is strong, bold, courageous, and confident; it teaches us to dare in its daringness. 

PURCHASE
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