Friday, April 18, 2008

deadly viper: character assassins (numero dos)

To catch up read my intro of the book here & part 1 of my takeaways from the book here.
Or better yet watch this 2 minute video of Mike & Jud telling you about it.




and for the rest of the book...


Chapter 4 – The Assassin of the Headless Sprinting Chicken
- do I feel overwhelming demands? (This assassin will jack me up!)
- * "Burnout comes when my priorities are not aligned."
- If I'm going to be a leader. I must learn how to lead myself.
- "Busy is not bad, but I must be busy about the best things."
- *take one day of rest every week. Guarantee = I will be more effective with one day of rest. [Furious rest... man this is SO true. I can vouche for this from experience.]
- Identify the things that fill me up emotionally, spiritually, etc. and do those things. *** Make these things a priority!
- Great Q to constantly ask myself = “Is my pace sustainable for the long haul?"


Chapter 5 – The Assassin of Boom Chicka Wah Wah
- treat my relationships according to how they deserve to be treated. (They have a great analogy of Porsche relationships & Ford relationships.)
- Ask the hard questions to my wife = ask her to evaluate me to help me grow character (rank me 1-10 as a husband).
- Important relationships take hard work. They are needed for success.
- *Remember, any little, tiny slip up can ruin my career, effectiveness, ministry, life.
- **I will have the opportunity for sex outside my marriage. The question is not, “If?” but “When?” -> then I have to be prepared or the BCWW assassin will beat the crap out of me! -> I must be prepared for him ahead of time. Have a plan!


Chapter 6 – The Bling Bling Assassin
- Pretty cool illustration = most martial arts weapons all come from farming tools = farmers had to be ready with whatever they had!
- Big Q = “how much is enough?/ What’s it take to be happy?”
- Hold things loosely & be more generous!
- **We spend more in the United States on trash bags than half of the world spends on all goods!
- *Give the Bling Bling Assassin a good kick in the nuts by giving stuff away & being satisfied with what I have!
- National Research Study = the more we have beyond a certain point our satisfaction actually decreases!
- [if you want to put the Bling Bling Assassin in his place then go join the junky car club or check out several of the organizations on the right side of my blog such as blood:water mission, fermi project, rwanda clean water, compassion, world vision, ONE, or simply buy a pair of TOMS shoes, etc...]


Chapter 7 – The High and Mighty Assassin
- [I MUST respond humbly to peeps who call me out on Pride issues!]
- This assassin can make me overestimate my talent, etc.
- * Appropriate Humility = "knowing who I am, where I fit, and plugging in there to make a difference."
- My role must be “Lead-servant” to those who follow me!
- Great Q = what can I do to serve so we can all win more?
- How do I beat this assassin? ask peeps I trust these questions:
o how do others perceive me?
o Do I listen to others?
o Am I open to learn something from everyone?
o Will I learn from my weaknesses?
o Do I say “I'm sorry”?
o Do I admit I made a bad decision?
- The dangerous and tricky part about this guy is that I may be the last to know! Everyone else already saw it! & I’m still oblivious.
- Make a list of the people who helped me get “here” and then constantly ask them what they “see” in me that I can do and improve. (I can’t see this stuff… I need their eyes!)
*always Remember, I’ve never arrived & need to be always learning & asking peeps to point stuff out to me, etc...


OK, now fight for your integrity & go buy the book. OR if you want to listen to it on your commute then click HERE to download a FREE copy of the audio version of the book courtesy of Mike & Jud.



(P.S. - i'm headed out for date night to Olive Garden & a movie with my smokin' hot wife. That oughta give the Assassin of Boom Chicka Wah Wah a friendly kick in the teeth.)

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