This book was recommended to me by Pastor Nathan. I enjoyed this book, although at times I thought it was a bit dry. Jack Welch has some great insights on how to create a winning organization. I really enjoyed his thoughts on differentiation, hiring, getting promoted, work/life balance, and finding the right career. For where I am in my career right now some of the chapters were over my head such as acquisitions and mergers chapter, but I’m sure I’ll be able to come back to them in years to come and have them add value to my life.

I’d recommend reading this book – especially the chapters with the concepts I’ve mentioned above. I’ll definitely be implementing a lot of those practices into my own leadership.

Final Grade: 8.5 out of 10   Buy it here

Here were some of my big takeaways:

• I didn’t invent differentiation! I learned it on the playground when I was a kid.
• I believe you are never “too nice” to implement the 20-70-10, only too cowardly.
• Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself, when you become a leader, success is all about growing others.
• As a leader, building self-confidence is probably the most important things you can do.
• You’re not a leader to win a popularity contest – you’re a leader to lead.
• Learn from everyone. Best case scenario – all your people will be smarter than you. It doesn’t mean you can’t lead them.
• A winning company does not let good people walk out the door for lack of recognition, financial, or otherwise.
• Ideally, the star will be replaced within eight hours. This sends a message that no single individual is bigger than the company.
• When it comes to strategy, ponder less and do more.
• It can feel very noble to say that you don’t care about being rich; it’s another thing to live with that decision over the years. Especially as mortgages and tuition start to pile up.
• Working for some companies is like winning an Olympic medal. For the rest of your career, you are associated with great performance.
• Every job you take is a gamble that could increase your options or shut them down.
• The first and best way to get noticed in a company is with results
• You can have all the work-life balance you want to if you deliver.

“I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols.”                                                                         Isaiah 42:8

I’ve always loved Christmas! I love the holiday season for several reasons that I’ve posted before. While it’s easy to say that Christmas and Easter are times to celebrate Jesus birth and resurrection, the reality is that we tend to celebrate Santa, reindeer, presents, and so many other things over the month of December.

As I’ve grown as a Christian I always wondered whether I’d tell my kids one day about Santa Clause. Yesterday I listened to this message by Keith Moore concerning Christmas, Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, etc. and it answered so my questions I had. Keith goes over the history of Christmas and Easter – it’s very interesting.

My big takeaway: It’s fine to have fun with the traditions of these holidays, but when we start lying to our kids about Santa, and fail to give all of the glory to God with our hearts and lives, it is not ok.

The truth is, God should be a huge part of our lives every day of the year. Christmas and Easter are times where the whole world at least at some point, thinks about God.

As Christians, we need to make God and Jesus as big as we can during this season so instead of pointing others to gifts and tradition,  point them to the Creator of the Universe who longs to have relationship with them so much that He sent is Son to be born and die on a cross in order for us to have one.

In this season – give God all the glory He deserves and Point People to Him.

Have a great Christmas – remember why we celebrate!

¹⁴ I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. . .” -Psalm 139:14

“Don’t Take Yourself too Seriously. Learn to Laugh at Yourself, Everyone else is.”

Has anyone else other than me struggled being comfortable with yourself?

When I was younger, I was not comfortable with my weight, then my intelligence, then the size of my chin/head, the list could go on and on.

After years of living that way I’ve come to realize it is nothing but a waste of time and energy.

The other day I had someone ask me if I had a chew in (because my chin sticks out) – people thought I would get offended. The truth is – it didn’t offend me at all! I’m comfortable with myself and if someone doesn’t like me for who I am, I’m not going to waste my life getting wrapped up in worrying about their opinion of me.

The truth is that we’re never going to get another life, body, set of gifts, personality, etc.

Be grateful for who you are and what you have and you’ll find yourself having a lot more confidence.

I like what Abraham Lincoln said:

“I desire so to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the end, when I come to lay down the reins of power, I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall at least have one friend left, and that friend shall be down inside of me. I do the very best I know how; the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing it to the end.”

When You Learn to Be Comfortable with Yourself You’ll:

1.) Care a Lot Less of what People Think About You

2.) Be able to take a lot more risks

3.) Be able to accomplish a lot more

4.) Be able to help a lot more people

5.) Be a lot easier to be around – People will like you!

Hope this helps!