Keys to success

The secret of our success is greatly determined by our daily agenda. Good decisions today will give you a better tomorrow. In John Maxwell’s book, Today Matters, he suggests 12 principles we should manage on a daily basis and which will help us lead a fulfilled, balanced life. We look at three of these principles here and feature the rest in forthcoming issues.

1. Today’s attitude gives me possibilities (Phil. 2:5)

Your attitude at the beginning of a task or project affects its outcome more than anything else. Fix your mind on the facts and not the feelings, and focus on the possibilities, not the problems. Your attitude, not your achievements, gives you joy. The thoughts in your mind will always be more important than the things in your life. Moreover, your attitude towards others often determines their attitude towards you. Your attitude is also contagious.

Decision:

I will keep a positive attitude and use it to influence others. Every day I will make the adjustments necessary to keep my attitude right and in line with God’s Word.
Take responsibility for your attitude and change the way you look at things.
Decide to change your bad attitude areas.
Think, act, talk and conduct yourself like the person you know God wants you to be.
Place a high value on people.
Develop a high appreciation of life.
Start to appreciate little things in life; then you will appreciate the big things and everything in-between.
Recognise that your attitude needs daily adjustment.
Find something positive in everything, in every situation, in every conversation.
Remove negative words from your vocabulary and speak the Word of God.
Express gratitude to others daily.

2. Today’s priorities give me focus (Mat. 6:33; Eph. 5:16)

Devoting a little of yourself to everything means committing a great deal of yourself to nothing (Michael LeBoef).

Focused concentration is one of the keys to success. To have focus, you must understand priorities, as your priorities determine how you spend your time. Time is our most precious commodity and is much more important than how we spend our money. Money mistakes can often be corrected, but when we lose time, it is gone forever. We cannot change time, only our priorities. Since you cannot change time, you must instead change your approach to it. Focus your attention on the top 20% of all your priorities and you will get an 80% return on your efforts. The art of being wise is also the art of knowing what to overlook.

Decision:

I will prioritise my life and give focus and energy to those things that give the highest return for God’s Kingdom.
Evaluate priorities daily, as conditions continually change.
Plan your time and day carefully and follow your plan.
Delegate whenever possible.
Have a purpose worth living for.
Do work you enjoy.

3. Today’s health gives me strength (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

Your health impacts you emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. Health often determines the quality as well as quantity of life. It is easier to maintain good health than to regain it. The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you are still a rat ... rather find your pace in life and keep the balance. Not too slow, as it may result in laziness; not too fast, as you may experience a burnout.

Decision:

I will take good care of my body by exercising and eating healthily. My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.
Eat right and exercise right.
Laugh a lot!
Handle stress effectively.
Remember that age does not matter.

John Maxwell, Today Matters

Strengthened by solid Biblical teaching

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