Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Book Promo : Do Great Things by Aaron Broyles


It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!




You never know when I might play a wild card on you!








Today's Wild Card author is:




and the book:


Deep River Books (September 10, 2012)

***Special thanks to Shelby Stafford for sending me a review copy.***


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Aaron Broyles is an entrepreneur, author and speaker.  Aaron has launched several start-up companies and has grown them into multi-million dollar organizations.  He currently owns, manages and sells businesses in many different industries including software development, rail and transportation, technology consulting, fitness, and sales training.



Visit the author's website.




SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:


Often we are intrigued by high-profile people and entrepreneurs who have done great things. Perhaps it's a desire to experience greatness firsthand. It's easy to recognize the accomplishments of others, but have you ever considered your own capacity to Do Great Things?

Entrepreneurs excel at vision-casting and inspiring others. They're driven, efficient and passionate. They're able to overcome and to use their fears to their advantage. They have the ability to turn defeat into opportunity, and so do you!



Author and speaker Aaron Broyles points you to a foundation of self-discovery based on God's principles and truth. He shares entrepreneurial methods that will reveal your potential and unlock your ability to achieve success in everyday life.



Desire to know your purpose. Stop putting limits on your life. Your definition of great things is about to take on new meaning.  



Product Details:

List Price: $16.99

Paperback: 208 pages

Publisher: Deep River Books (September 10, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1937756505

ISBN-13: 978-1937756505

Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5




AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:





Great Things



“One of the main weaknesses of mankind is the average man’s familiarity



with the word ‘impossible.’  He knows all the rules which will not



work. He knows all the things which cannot be done.”



NAPOLEON HILL







I’ve always wondered what it would be like to do great things. I’ve watched



countless History Channel specials and biography broadcasts about famous



people in history who have done what the world generally considers to be



great things. I’ve always admired the founding fathers of the United States, like



George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton,



James Madison, and John Adams. I’m amazed at the incredible accomplishments



of these leaders, in addition to the countless others who fought for and established



the great nation of the United States.







I’m also amazed at the presidents over the years who successfully led our



country through good times and bad. Presidents like Washington, Jefferson,



Lincoln, Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Reagan have intrigued me. Our



nation continues to honor and revere these great leaders from our past, and rightfully



so.







Likewise, I am inspired by the great accomplishments of people who have



changed our world with their intelligence, talent, bravery, leadership, sacrifice,



hard work, wisdom, and resolve. I think of Mother Teresa, Thomas Edison, Albert



Einstein, Harriet Tubman, Neil Armstrong, Elvis Presley, Warren Buffett, Billy



Graham, Babe Ruth, Sir Isaac Newton, Winston Churchill, Charles Lindbergh,



Helen Keller, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, Jr., Henry Ford. How’s that for



a list of amazing people?







I have played guitar for years, and I’ve always been fascinated by Eric Clapton.



I am absolutely blown away when I see Clapton in concert. I am amazed at his outstanding



talent for songwriting and singing, and by his incredible guitar-playing



abilities. I have personally witnessed Eric Clapton doing great things as it relates



to music and artistic expression.







I’m not alone in my fascination with people like these. But why are we so



intrigued and obsessed with those who have done great things? What is it about



their amazing accomplishments that we find so compelling? Perhaps there is a



desire in each one of us that longs for greatness, something deep within our souls.



Have you ever considered your own capacity for great things? Do you believe



you have the potential, ability, and will to capitalize on life’s opportunities in order



to fulfill your purpose?







Let me ask you another question: if you knew you could do whatever your



heart was designed to do with complete fulfillment, excitement, passion, and



adventure, without the possibility of failing, would you do it? I’m referring to the



idea of living out of your true purpose, drinking from the well of real life. Keep in



mind that I’m not asking you what others think you ought to be doing. No, I’m asking



you to really ponder the idea of living life as you were designed to live it. I’m



not suggesting a life with no difficulties or trials, and I’m not implying that it’s possible



to live in perfection. I’m describing a life grounded in authentic fulfillment.



If your answer is yes, then let’s explore this idea further.







In the movie Forrest Gump, many lives were transformed because of the



impact Forrest had on them, especially Jenny and Captain Dan. I think what I love



most about the movie is that Forrest is an unlikely hero. Here’s a man who has



grown up with the odds stacked against him. He’s not intelligent, and he has no



father figure in his life. He didn’t grow up in a wealthy home, and he struggles



with several disabilities. Yet, despite all the setbacks, Forrest Gump lives an



extraordinary life. He does great things, and he makes an enormous impact on



the lives of those around him. Forrest finds himself in some devastating situations



that include war, disaster, riots, personal disabilities, and a hurricane, and yet he



emerges with incredible success while those around him can only see the negative



circumstances. What a phenomenal story!







When we consider our heroes and amazing people, we don’t typically think



of people with the profile of Forrest Gump. No, our heroes and doers of great



things should be attractive, intelligent, well educated, exciting, wealthy, privileged,



and famous. John F. Kennedy, Jr. was the epitome of this description.



Throughout his childhood and into adulthood, the press followed him, and many



speculated that he would be a great leader, possibly even president of the United



States. There are many who to this day question what amazing things JFK would



have accomplished had his life not been cut short.







Why were such incredible expectations placed on this man? I believe it had



more to do with his last name, wealth, background, and looks than it did with



anything deeper.







How could such expectations be placed on anyone for such superficial reasons



as those?







When I was growing up, there was no speculation from the media regarding



my future. Reporters did not follow me to school and discuss what great things



I might do in the future, and I would venture to say that they did not do so with



you. In fact, at the time of writing this book, I am virtually unknown by any aside



from my family and friends and acquaintances in the community where I live.



I grew up in an average, middle-class, blue-collar working family. I am a man



of average intelligence and average looks. My grade-point average in grade school,



high school, and college is not worth mentioning. I played soccer, but my athletic



ability was average at best. My parents never attended college and were very



young when they had me, so I did not have a wealth of resources at my disposal.



Yet, having stated all those facts, I consider myself every bit as qualified for success



as JFK was.







There are many in far worse situations than mine, with virtually no hope for



a future, and there are millions in between with varied backgrounds, abilities,



and potential. And then there are those with everything in the world at their disposal,



including resources, talent, intelligence, and connections. This is the category



we tend to expect the most from. The JFKs of the world. But the truth is



your potential for success has very little to do with your background and abilities.



In fact, your potential for success is determined by what you will do in the



future as opposed to where you came from in the past.







In the following paragraphs, I’m going to outline a few scenarios, with reallife



examples, of success or failure as they relate to roots and background. There



is a great lesson to be learned in carefully examining background and its potential



determination of a person’s future.







Scenario 1: A person is born into a virtually hopeless situation and yet emerges



in success.



Isn’t it fascinating when those with humble beginnings and virtually no hope for



a future go on to do amazing things? It seems like a miracle when someone comes



from such devastating circumstances and makes meaning out of his life. while



those who have everything at their fingertips amount to very little in terms of



contribution or personal fulfillment.







Abraham Lincoln is an excellent example of a man who lived an extraordinary



life despite the fact that he was born into a very poor family. Lincoln was



born in a one-room cabin in rural Kentucky in 1809, and he had a hard life growing



up. He lost his mother at the age of nine, and he was not very close to his



father. He was a self-educated man, and it goes without saying that Lincoln is



considered to be one of the great US presidents. He was an inspiring leader who



achieved great things despite many hardships and difficulties.1







Oprah Winfrey is another example of a person overcoming great obstacles.



Oprah was born into poverty, and she was passed from family member to family



member throughout her childhood. She was sexually abused multiple times by



family members. At age fourteen, Oprah became pregnant, and she delivered a



son who only lived for two weeks. Despite the terrible circumstances of her childhood,



she went on to become one of the most popular and successful media stars



in history.2 Other examples abound. Richard Branson, a multibillion-dollar entrepreneur



with over three hundred fifty companies under his control, was a highschool



dropout, and he has dyslexia.3 Michael Jordan, who many call one of the



greatest basketball players to ever live, was cut from the high-school basketball



team his sophomore year. Despite that setback, Jordan went on to win six NBA



titles, one NCAA title, and two gold medals.4







Scenario 2: A person is born into a virtually hopeless situation and never really



emerges from the difficult environment.







Some people live out a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure and defeat. They never



pull out of the environments they start from. They believe that there is no hope



for them to go beyond where they are today, and they choose a life of fear, defeat,



and emptiness.







We are typically not surprised at this situation—certainly not as surprised as



we are when someone from such a background succeeds—because it seems more



feasible that a person living in a negative environment will not have the means to



rise above it. Some believe that the power of a person’s environment is so overwhelming



that it is nearly impossible to escape it.







During my childhood, I knew a boy from grade school who lived in a very



troubling environment. He didn’t know his father, and his mother didn’t seem to



care very much about him. He would wear the same clothes for months, and he



did not bathe for days. He never did his homework, and he was always in trouble.



He really didn’t have anyone in his life who was providing him with any



direction or hope for the future.







I got to know him a bit in seventh grade. He was a good kid despite his terrible



circumstances, but unfortunately, he could no longer cope with his life, and



he ended it with a gun one evening in the summer before our eighth-grade year.



This example is one of millions that exist in the world. I’m sure you can think



of someone who has lived and possibly died in a similar fashion.







Scenario 3: A person is born into (or eventually enters) an amazing environment,



and yet chooses to squander it away.







Perhaps such people were born into a loving, caring family, or into a successful



family by the world’s standards. Despite having every opportunity and resource



at their disposal, they waste their potential by living lives of “ignoble ease,” as



Theodore Roosevelt put it. In fact, President Roosevelt once said, “I wish to



preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life.”5



I’m sure you’ve seen examples of children born into famous and wealthy



families who end up addicted to drugs or who find themselves in and out of jail.



Unfortunately, too many examples of this situation are playing out around us



every day, and it seems to be growing more common.







There are also those who attain initial success or notoriety and go on to dismantle



it later.







Whitney Houston is an example of someone who achieved a great deal early



in her life. She is the only artist to chart seven consecutive number-one Billboard



Hot 100 hits and seven consecutive multiplatinum albums. Whitney’s combined



albums, singles, and videos sold during her career with Arista Records totals 170



million. Her Bodyguard soundtrack is one of the top ten biggest-selling albums of



all time at 17X platinum in just the United States alone, and her version of Dolly



Parton’s song “I Will Always Love You” is the biggest-selling United States single



of all time. Whitney was born into an amazing musical family. Her mother was



the well-known singer Cissy Houston, and her cousins Dee Dee Warwick and



Dionne Warwick were both successful artists. All had an influential impact on



Whitney. Whitney found success as a singer in her teenage years with performances



in the 1970s and early 1980s with stars such as Chaka Khan, the Neville



Brothers, and others. When she was twenty-one, Whitney’s first album debuted



with over twelve million copies sold in the United States, and it set the record as



the biggest-selling debut album by a solo artist. Music historians say Whitney



may have had the greatest voice of our time.6







Whitney Houston was fortunate to be born into such an amazing musical



family. She was also born with an unbelievable voice, and she had the advantage



of musical connections and influences. She experienced amazing success early in



her career because she took action and capitalized on her potential. She worked



extremely hard, and she did not waste any opportunity. However, she came to a



point in her life when things began to change. Allegations of drug use and unpredictable



behavior became the headlines in the news in place of the accolades and



stunning reviews. In an unfortunate series of events, Whitney’s career and life



came to a premature end. I wonder what Whitney could have continued to do



had she not wasted such amazing potential.7







In addition, it seems like you can’t turn on the news without hearing about



a child of a celebrity going terribly wrong. Celebrity children seem to struggle



more than the rest of us with drugs, alcohol, arrest, and suicide. Marie Osmond,



Paul Newman, Art Linkletter, and many other celebrities have lost children to



drug overdoses or suicide. True, whether it’s really a benefit to be the child of



someone famous can be argued, but it’s certainly difficult to make a negative case



against a backdrop of children who are born with no family or into extreme



poverty.







Scenario 4: A person is born into a great environment with outstanding



opportunities and resources at his fingertips, and he chooses to



do great things. He decides to commit to things greater than himself.







Steve Forbes is an example of a man born into great promise and potential who



capitalized on that potential. His grandfather founded Forbes, Inc., in 1917.



Forbes was well educated and took over a flourishing business that had been



established for some time. There are many who wish for an opportunity like he



had. Others do share his advantages, yet, perhaps due to the intimidation of high



expectations, they never step to the plate and really make the attempt. Steve



Forbes, on the other hand, has done great things. Forbes’s career and accomplishments



speak volumes. Under Forbes’s leadership, his company has launched



countless publications and businesses across the world. Forbes magazine has



become the nation’s leading business magazine with an international audience in



excess of six million readers. In addition, Forbes served in the Reagan and George



W. Bush administrations as chairman of the board for international broadcasting,



he has authored several books, and serves on several prominent boards. I



recently attended a luncheon at which Steve Forbes was the guest speaker, and I



was impressed with his knowledge and perspective on capitalism, politics, and



the world in general. He has certainly done great things.8







Other examples of people born into amazing environments who go on to



accomplish great things include Peyton and Eli Manning, sons of the great football



player Archie Manning, who have become pro players as well. Michael Douglas,



son of the famous actor Kirk Douglas, went on to become a star in his own



right. Actress Kate Hudson, the daughter of Goldie Hawn and Keifer Sutherland



(himself the son of Donald Sutherland) is another example.



The point I am making in these scenarios must be understood as a foundation



for your life. It is a concept and worldview that can transform your very life



and the way you live it. Simply put, your circumstances, your background, your



experience, your intelligence, your family history, your mistakes, your accomplishments,



your education, your lack of education and so on do not and cannot



dictate what you choose to do with your future.







I don’t care if you were born into excellent circumstances or extreme poverty



or abuse, you have the potential and possibility to do great things. You have the



power to shape your future.







Many people have already made life decisions about themselves based on



bad data. They have already decided who they are and what they are capable of.



There are many who have made these decisions quite early in the lives, as if their



lives are predetermined in some way. The amazing thing about this mindset is that



most people are unaware of the fact that they have it!







Scenario 5: This is your scenario. You were born into a unique situation and



environment that is not exactly the same as anyone else’s who has



ever lived. It might be similar, but it is not exactly the same. But



even more than that, you have the potential to do great things.







Your potential for greatness has very little to do with your background



or where you came from.







My junior year in college, I had the opportunity to apply for an internship with



a large, successful, and well-respected company that was headquartered near my



school. There were two positions available, and these two positions were the



highest paying, most prestigious of all the internships available in my field. Several



of my classmates were applying, and there was a lot of discussion about who



would be chosen for these two positions. I found out that there were several hundred



applicants, and they would have the opportunity to interview over the



course of several days.







On the second-to-last day of interviewing, one of my professors approached



me on campus and asked if I would be interviewing for the internship. I was



surprised—shocked, in fact—by her question. I had no intention of subjecting



myself to the interview. I was a C student with no credentials or promise of attaining



such a position. Considering I had attended several of her classes, she should



have known that I wasn’t qualified! I had barely passed her classes in the past, and



I wasn’t doing so well in the class she was teaching at the time.







Do you see how I had already made decisions about who I was and what I



was capable of? I was only twenty years old, and I already had strong limiting



beliefs about who I was and what I could and could not do. If you’d asked me



outright about those beliefs, I would never have admitted them. I really wasn’t



fully aware I believed them, yet I was making decisions based on them.



My professor encouraged me to interview on the last day. She even wrote a



recommendation—I needed it because my grade-point average did not meet the



required standard to be accepted for the interview. I reluctantly agreed to take it.



I was reluctant because I didn’t want to put myself in an embarrassing situation.



I didn’t want to be let down. Maybe there was part of me that did not want confirmation



of what I already believed to be true.







How about you? Are you taking yourself out of the game? Are you thinking



to yourself, “You can’t lose if you don’t play”? As I look back on it now, I know



that’s what I was doing: I was taking myself out of the game as it related to my



performance academically. It was much easier to take a C grade knowing that I



hadn’t really tried that hard. You too may be taking yourself out of the game, and



you may not even realize what you are doing or why.







When you put yourself on the line and give it everything you have, then you



truly know if you have what it takes or not. I was afraid to know that answer.



On the last day of interviewing, I showed up and did the interview. I was



shocked when I was called back for a second and then a third. A week later, I



received a phone call: they had selected me to make my choice of the two positions.



I couldn’t believe it. My professor and several employees of the hiring company



believed in me more than I believed in myself. I had the internship!







My professor later shared with me that she knew I had potential, but I needed



to start trying or else that potential would be wasted. She asked me if my gradepoint



average truly reflected my abilities and potential. They did not. But my



future was not to be dictated by my past. I had established a new belief about



myself, and that is where real change and accomplishment begin.







To accomplish great things in your life, I’m not asking you to be become



someone different. Make no mistake about it. I am not encouraging you to



become someone else. How many times have you looked at someone else and



thought to yourself, “I wish I could be more like that person”? Have you ever



dreamed of changing your personality and morphing into a completely different



person? How many times have you quietly said to yourself,



• If only I were smarter



• If only I were funny



• If only I had different parents, or a different spouse, or a different job



• If only the economy were better



• If only I had more money







To do great things, you do not need to become someone you are not. Rather,



you are about to embark on an amazing journey and incredible adventure, starting



with a foundation of self-discovery that will lead to accomplishing great



things. That foundation is based on principles and truth, and while we will



explore techniques and exercises aimed at shaping your potential, our foundation



will be on truth and God’s principles. Techniques have value when they are practiced



on a solid foundation of truth; however, when used outside God’s will, they



are simply gimmicks and tricks that will ultimately fall short.







I recently purchased a 1960 Corvette. It has been my dream car since I was



a small child. I’ve spent years looking for the right combination, and during that



time, I’ve looked at a lot of 1960 Corvettes. One day I thought I had found the



perfect car. On the outside, the car was in fantastic condition. The paint was



incredible; the interior was perfect. It was a real “head turner.”







Before I would purchase the car, I had an inspection to ensure it was in good



working condition. After a thorough examination of the car, it was determined



that the frame was not solid. This car was rusting away from the inside. Even



though the exterior was flawless, the car could be dangerous on the road because



the integrity of the frame was in question.







Many in the world today are living just like that Corvette. They are great at



looking good on the outside. As far as appearances go, they’ve got everyone thinking



they’ve got it together. But while they’re occupied with appearance, status, and



what other people think, they struggle to find real meaning and purpose in their



lives. They’re living in fear of others finding out who they really are. They’re doing



just enough to get by, and they’re afraid to ever really take a chance on anything—



especially on themselves.







I could have purchased that Corvette with the rusty frame, and I might even



have made some modifications, like a new stereo system or custom interior or



different wheels, but those improvements would have been a complete waste



without a solid foundation. What difference does it make if you have an awesome



stereo system in a car that has broken in half?







So the question becomes, what is a solid foundation? (And I’m not talking



about a Corvette.) What does that even mean? Is it self-confidence? Is it a lack of



fear? Is it peace? Is it real understanding of myself? Does it mean that I’m willing



to take chances? Is it a belief in myself?







We’ll explore this question in more detail as we go, but in a nutshell, the



solid foundation for your life is a belief system based on truth and the discovery



of who you were designed to be so that you can realize your purpose, potential,



and abilities as designed by God.







I have found that the things which I learn on my own, those things which I



internalize and truly understand, revolutionize my life in a dramatic way. Why?



Because I am the one who made the discovery. Dr. Howard Hendricks, a great



professor of theology, says, “Knowledge that is self-discovered is stored in the



deepest part of the mind and remains the longest in memory. There is no jewel



more precious than that which you have mined yourself.”







I promise that if you are willing to open your mind and seek the real truth



of who you are, you will make a discovery that will dramatically change your life.



You will understand the foundation upon which an amazing life can be built.



You will go on to do great things. These things will be the fruit of that foundation,



and they will impact you and everyone around you in a dynamic way. This



will be an epiphany of enormous proportions.







Once you have the foundation, great things will flow naturally from your life.



You will not miss it if you desire to know it, though your definition of “great



things” might change as you continue to read. Let’s take a moment and define what



great things are. I’ll start first by defining what they are not. Great things are not:



• Fame



• Fortune



• Self-gratification



• Accumulation of things



• Power



• Popularity



Our culture today has confused and twisted things around. Although fame



and fortune and power are not inherently bad, they are completely irrelevant to



authentic great things. Many in history have obtained fame and fortune and power



and popularity, but they did not do great things. Adolf Hitler is one example of this



truth. I think most would agree that these things are not the ingredients to greatness,



although they are confused for greatness every day.







You currently have the potential to do amazing things in the situation where



you reside. I am talking about things of real value and meaning. I’m talking about



things that get you excited, those of great adventure, risk, and danger. I’m talking



about things that scare you to death and thrill you all at the same time.



As I already shared, I am the quintessential average person. However, I am



living an extraordinary life. I’m not doing so because I’m somehow more special



than others. I’m not a great or amazing person, but I am doing great and amazing



things. I’m fulfilled, I’m happy, and I live an adventure every day. Oh, I have



my moments and struggles like everyone else. Things do not come easily to me.



I have to work extremely hard. I’m an imperfect person with many flaws, but I



am doing great things.







I gave my life to Jesus Christ at a very young age, and I grew up going through



times of obedience and times of rebellion. I married my high-school sweetheart,



Angie, and I am more in love with her today than I ever was when we first married.



I can’t wait to get home and see her at the end of the day. I love sharing my



deepest thoughts with her, and I love hearing what she thinks.







We have four children, and I have the opportunity to be their daddy every



single day. I make a lot of mistakes, but they always forgive me. I love my family,



and I just love spending time with them. Each of my children absolutely amazes



me. They are all different in their own way.







I am blessed with many great friends. My friends stand by me even when I



mess up, and they are the first ones to point me back in the right direction.



I have the opportunity to serve in many ways at the church I belong to.



Despite my shortcomings, I am involved in people’s lives, and I love it. I have the



opportunity to teach an adult Sunday school class. I serve in various capacities



within the church where my strengths and abilities are the strongest. I thoroughly



enjoy serving even though I’m not a natural “giver.”



I also serve in my community in civic service, and I’m able to contribute back



to the wonderful city that we call home.







I’m an entrepreneur. I love to take chances. I’ve started several businesses



from scratch and built them up, and I’ve had the opportunity to sell them. There



are many people out there who are much better at business than me, but I’ve



had good success despite that fact. Although I’ve been fortunate in my business



dealings, I understand that I can fail at any time. Failure doesn’t paralyze me anymore.



My self-worth has nothing do with my successes or failures.







I’m the average Joe who’s living a life of great things. I’m blessed beyond



measure, and I wake up every day thanking God for everything he has done for



me. I’m genuinely happy, although I have my share of bad days. My circumstances



have little to do with my joy. I’m confident in myself, but that confidence



does not rest on my abilities, strength, achievements, or anything that I do. It’s



tethered to something far greater.







That something is the real foundation of success, the real foundation of a life



worth living. Take a moment and consider that God does exist. If God does exist



and he created the entire universe, including you, then he knows exactly how you



are wired. He has knowledge regarding what can truly fulfill you. He knows better



than anyone in the world, including yourself, what makes you happy and



what makes you tick. In fact, not only does he know what makes you tick, but



he’s the reason you are wired the way you are. It was his design from the very



beginning.







Think about it. Aren’t there things that you thoroughly enjoy doing today



that you never could have imagined enjoying years ago? I started playing guitar



my freshman year in college. Through the years I’ve played in a few bands, and



I have loved every minute of it. If you asked me in high school if I would enjoy



playing guitar in a band, I wouldn’t have even considered it. I had no idea at that



time in my life that I would enjoy making music or playing a musical instrument.



In fact, several years ago I really immersed myself into blues music, and I even



played in an exclusive blues band for a couple of years. I didn’t even know what



blues music was in high school, and I would never have guessed I’d be that passionate



about it. On the other hand, God knows exactly what you will love doing



in the future. He knows the very things that can fulfill you completely, even



though you are completely oblivious to those things now.







Now imagine for a moment that you could access that information. Your self discovery



would be off the charts. I’m not saying that things would be easy or perfect,



but most great things aren’t easy. I’d also like to point out that God is more



interested in your character development and who you are than he is in your



level of comfort. I can truly identify with this concept after becoming a father. I



enjoy watching my kids have a great time, but I also know that it is important that



they learn and grow and acquire the necessary skills for success. It is essential for



their future.







A few years ago, two of my sons were fighting with each other, and I stepped



in to break it up. The younger brother was doing everything he could to annoy



his older brother, and I must say he was very successful in this endeavor. I pulled



my older son to the side and gave him some advice on how to deal with it. I had



a younger brother growing up, so I had some experience in this area.







A few hour hours later another dispute broke out, and I could see the



younger brother was back in full stride. I could have stepped in immediately and



broken it up, but I waited. I wanted to see how my older son would handle the



situation now that he was armed with my advice.







God does the same sometimes. He allows us to go through a trial or difficult



situation, because he cares more about our character than our comfort.



So if God knows exactly what makes us tick, and he loves us, doesn’t it make



sense to align with his plan for our lives instead of stumbling around on our own



like a blind squirrel in search of a nut?







Stephen Covey writes, “Begin with the End in Mind means to begin each day,



task, or project with a clear vision of your desired direction and destination.”9



God will not always reveal his entire plan for us upfront, so it will not always be



possible to have clear understanding of your destination, but I guarantee you that



his plan is the only way to be fulfilled. His plan is the only one that will lead anywhere



meaningful. Significance outside of God’s plan is a myth, and you will



never know God’s plan without a relationship with God.







With that relationship as your foundation, you can use the principles of God’s



Word to live an extraordinary life—a life that only you are designed to live.



Over the last decade, I’ve spent considerable time researching the great entrepreneurs



of America. I have been fascinated by the idea that each entrepreneur



is unique and creative in his or her own specific way. Every great entrepreneur has



a unique style, background, ability, and approach. I was amazed to discover the



varied personalities, experience, and education in their stories.







As I started to look deeper, I began to discover common threads of behavior



present in the great entrepreneurs. I realized that there were certain principles or



methods that these great entrepreneurs were employing in their ventures that



were instrumental to their success, regardless of their background, experience,



education, or personality type.







I also discovered that these entrepreneurial methods could be applied and



used in one’s personal life with remarkable results. For example, the great entrepreneurs



are able to see opportunity that others don’t typically see, and they have



an ability to capitalize on those opportunities in creative and trailblazing ways.



The great entrepreneurs are excellent at creating vision and inspiring others to that



particular vision. They are driven, efficient, and passionate about what they do.



They are able to overcome their fears and actually use fear to their advantage.



They have a sense for what’s really important, and they tend to focus on the right



things. The great entrepreneurs are good at evaluating options while minimizing



risk and maximizing opportunity, and they have a sixth sense for anticipating



trends. They have resolve and persistence, and they are great at turning defeat into



opportunity.







Throughout this book, you will learn the process of applying these entrepreneurial



methods in your own personal life. You will be amazed at the potential



that you already possess when you start to apply these amazing methods.



While these entrepreneurial methods have incredible value, they are simply



a collection of contrived techniques without the foundation of Christian principles.



I can provide countless examples of great entrepreneurs who have amassed



outrageous fortunes only to find that they are not fulfilled and are living a meaningless



existence without an authentic foundation.







If you build your life on techniques and manipulation in a self-serving



approach to get as much as you can, I can assure you that a great awakening will



occur in your life at some point. Unfortunately, this happens for many people



near the end of their lives when it’s too late. The Bible says, “What good is it for



a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”10 John D. Rockefeller, perhaps



one of the wealthiest men in history, was once asked, “How much money



is enough money?” Rockefeller replied, “Just a little bit more.”11







If you have no interest in God and spiritual things, I would like to make a deal



with you as you continue reading this book. I encourage you to complete the



book on the basis of learning and applying the powerful entrepreneurial methods



that are presented. The value of these methods will pay significant dividends



in your personal life. As you encounter the references to God, consider the possibility



that these references represent an area you should perhaps reconsider.







Keep an open mind and really think through these areas of your life. You may be



surprised, and you might possibly make a discovery that could transform your



entire life. Think about it for a moment: if what you are believing or not believing



right now is not true, do you want to know the truth? If your answer really



is yes, you owe it to yourself to keep an open mind.







What you are about to read will light a fire for change in your life, because



you are about to embark on a journey. Maybe you find yourself escaping to a



world that does not resemble reality. Many people escape in their own minds



where they live out their fantasies and dreams, never knowing or realizing those



thoughts as reality. Perhaps you spend more time daydreaming about who you



want to be than really living.







Incredible opportunity exists for you as you read further, and I am excited for



what you will discover. My mission in writing this book is this: I seek to inspire,



motivate and equip you to find authentic fulfillment, passion, and meaning by



truly discovering the exact person God made you to be while applying amazing



entrepreneurial methods in your life.







I believe every person on earth has incredible value and potential, and when



a person understands his or her purpose, potential, and abilities as designed by



God, that person will accomplish and experience great things.







The amazing thing about this journey of great things is that you are the only



person in the world right now who can accomplish your purpose. There is no one



else who can step into your shoes and be you better than you can be you. At this



very moment of your life, you must decide. Who are you? What is your purpose?



What are the great things that you’ve been called to? I’m so excited about the



adventure before you.

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