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In January I started the habit of writing down three lessons learned or ‘ah-ha moments’ at the end of each week. This is the compiled list for 2018 sorted into general categories.
Spiritual
- All things that work together for good includes my mistakes (Romans 8:28).
- God has given me enough now.
- God prioritizes trust and faith in Him over performance.
- God wants to strengthen me.
- God’s deep love for me.
- God’s desire to bless me and have my heart.
- The reality of how short life is, souls dying without Christ, and the importance of preaching the gospel.
- There is a difference between ministry to men and men’s ministry.
- Jonathan’s humility toward David (I Samuel).
- Love people like Christ.
- Love people instead of trying to impress them.
- God has an eternal plan for me. God didn’t just save me from something, He saved me for something (His eternal purpose).
- God doesn’t like you more what you succeed or less when you fail.
- Loving God and our neighbors are an inseparable mandate.
- Don’t tell people all your opinions, give them your love.
- If I make it all about me, it won’t be about Jesus.
- How is my life working for the people around me?
Personal Development
- I must be before I can do.
- Writing my goals is a powerful tool.
- A friend told me I had a positive impact their life, I am making a difference.
- Writing it down helps make it happen.
- Enjoy this stage of my life now.
- How much money would I pay to come back to these moments with family at the end of my life?
- Life is short.
- I control my schedule, my schedule does not control me.
- Growth takes time; be patient and trust God.
- Live with less. The joy of living with less. Minimalism.
- More understanding of the importance of my role as a father.
- Don’t say what comes naturally.
- I need to daydream and have big hopes.
- Reading without thinking is wasted.
- Read to have fellowship with great minds.
- What matters is the quality of person I become.
- Write in order to leave an impact.
- Be curious.
- Success depends on the person I become.
- Superior people are clear about who they are and what they believe.
- I must develop clarity about what I want in life.
- I should (and want to) invest 3% of my target income in myself.
- A 1000% increase in income by improving 1/10th of 1% in a working day, every day, for 10 years.
- Advice is common; expertise is not.
- An answer is only as good as the question.
- Think about the right questions to ask.
- Saving money and the law of attraction.
- Hurrying is a lack of control.
- There is never enough time to do everything, but always enough time to do the most important things.
- You rise in life to the height of problems you are capable of solving.
- Happiness is a byproduct.
- I used to be afraid of failing at things that matter, now I am afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.
- Less but better.
- Avoid going a mile wide and a millimeter deep.
- I want to go a foot wide and a mile deep in my impact on people.
- Doing less can produce more.
- Play and sleep are essential.
- The law of the vital few.
- Schedule time to think.
- Sleep is for high performers.
- People are effective because they say no.
- The 90% rule of scoring opportunities.
- Be clear about my essential intent.
- Admit failure to begin success.
- No is a complete sentence.
- Zero based budgeting in my life.
- Subtraction is important.
- What’s important now? (The WIN question)
- Focus on small wins. Example: write 4 minutes.
- Execution is easy if you work hard at it and hard if you work easy at it.
- Fight or Flight reaction versus Pause and Plan.
- The domino effect. (from The ONE Thing)
- The focusing question.
- Think big and specific.
- Elite performers have coaches.
- Switching ladders.
- It is often easier to improve by 10x than by 10%.
- Connecting requires energy.
- The ability to connect begins with understanding the value of people.
- You are the message you communicate to others.
- The power of connection is found in long-term relationships.
- Connecting is about becoming the kind of person others want to connect with.
- Just show up every day. Do this for 2 years and you will be shocked at the results.
- Be bold in connecting with new people.
- We will be remembered for our love.
- Most people underestimate the enjoyment of exercise.
- Being a perfectionist is the enemy of actually completing things.
Philosophy or Psychology
- Who dares wins.
- Spiritual leaders are not annoyed at the mistakes of others.
- We must conquer the self before the world.
- Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much; wisdom is humble that he knows no more.
- Happiness depends on the internal.
- Nine masks men wear.
- The most important part of self-ideal is clarity.
- Listen more, talk less.
- My thoughts create the conditions of my life.
- Know-it-all mask, I struggle with this one.
- Empowered versus dis-empowered alpha.
- Never outshine the master.
- No effective leader lacks self-mastery.
- Power depends on social interaction.
- Becoming a great man takes persistence and time, do not be in a hurry.
- The joy of being present in the moment.
- Joy is internal.
- Forgiveness increases self-control.
- I must move past my fear of chaos.
- Abundance creates energy.
- It is better to know how to learn than to know.
- Trying to become someone people will love is a waste.
- Few times do we know the impact of a moment in the moment itself.
- If you don’t know your purpose, just be you.
- The poor choose now; the rich choose balance.
- Enthusiasm is contagious.
- What will make a good and lasting impact a decade from now?
Management
- The most talented people cannot be forced to work.
- An employee I was having conflict with has a completely opposite personality (PI) test to mine, understanding this has helped me work better with that person.
- How would people describe my feedback?
- Be a professional.
- Empathy absorbs tension.
- People do not behave rationally.
- What is the win?
- It is foolish to scold.
- People’s desire to be appreciated.
- People do not say what they mean.
- Don’t feel the need to correct people.
- Point out my own faults before correcting.
General Knowledge
- Repeated reading does not always improve memory and retention.
- Amazon started as a drop-ship business with no inventory.
- Difficulty in learning improves retention.
- Work ethic of Lyndon B. Johnson.
- Power and corruption in politics from Lyndon Johnson biography, buying votes, ballot stuffing, etc.
- Influence tactics commonly used such as scarcity, authority, etc.
- Only 3% of adults have written goals.
- Michael Jordan’s work ethic.
- Exercise and meditation grow the brain.
- Self-control is like a muscle, it can be strengthened with practice.
- A culture that doesn’t share your values can use up willpower.
- Be patient in low return markets. (Investing)
Most of these lessons learned are from books in my 2018 Reading List.