PASTORVON.com (E.G. von Trutzschler) » ABOUT PASTOR VON » PHILOSOPHY AND TIPS ON LIVING LIFE » "LITTLE TIPS THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN LIFE"


HOME » ABOUT PASTOR VON » PHILOSOPHY AND TIPS ON LIVING LIFE » "LITTLE TIPS THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN LIFE" Below I've listed some helpful points that I've found to be true through my life and ministry. May I share them with you? MOST IMPORTANT: I found the most important time is the time I spend each morning meeting with God in prayer, worship and reading His Word. Being hard-working, skilled, creative, experienced, educated, competent ... whatever ... those important qualities will never do for you what God wants to do through you! Let the early morning be God's time. ORIENTATION AND PURPOSE: The first steps to progress in ministry. To know your God and relationship to Him and what He wants of you are essential priorities to an effective ministry. As soon as possible, find out who you are or better said, whose you are, where you are and what you are here for. Then get to it! PEOPLE: People are the only thing that really counts in life. People have the highest value. People are eternal. Above all else, invest in people. Investing in young people is investing in the future. Seems pretty logical to me. SEEDS!: I believe in the 'sowing of seeds' philosophy. That's the part I'm called to play, simply a seed sower. Seeds planted now in the right environment will reproduce later. Seeds will germinate according to God's touch and timing. He, and He alone, brings to life the seeds I sow, in His way, in His time, for His purpose. If someone else down the time line harvests the fruit ... that's fine with me. THE LESSON OF SEEDS: If seeds and sowing tell us anything, it's that God has multiplication in mind, not addition. DISCIPLE: Disciple others. Discipleship, We sure banter that term around. Book upon book trying to comfortably and conveniently define discipleship. It's so simple. Discipleship is teaching with example. Teaching without example is simply a Bible Study, why call it discipleship? GOD'S TRINITY!: Wisdom, understanding and knowledge. I've really tried to go after these three. Indeed these are treasures that grow through the years. Look for the way of wisdom, the attitude of understanding and the tool of knowledge. What a trinity! CALLING?: I'll be honest, I'm an opportunity taker! I head in the direction of the opportunities I see, and develop them. I'm not what we might call a planner with a big goal in mind. I'm not one who planned his life out or planned his ministry out ... I'm not one for making a long range plan and then following it. (I'm not saying that's wrong ... but it's not my way.) I took, and ran with the opportunities God gave me and grew from there. The best way I could describe the calling God gave me is to look in my rear-view mirror. I'm not one for sitting around looking for God's will when it's right in front of me. THREE GAMES IN LIFE THAT I'VE FOUND TO BE ESSENTIAL TO SUCCESS: (1) TENNIS, (2) CHESS AND (3) POKER. TENNIS ... to put the ball in the other guy's court. CHESS ... the ability to strategize successfully. POKER ... knowing how and when to bluff. Ahh, the seldom used 'art' of bluffing. NEVER TAKE ADVICE FROM A LOSER: Let's face it, in life there are winners and there are losers. Be very selective as to whom you allow to influence you toward a winning direction. LITTLE POSITIVE THINGS TILT THE SCALE IN OUR FAVOR: For those of us that are not geniuses, it's better to use every little thing we have going for us than bemoan the abilities we have never been given. Using this tip will help compensate for that. Learn when and where to compensate for your weaknesses. BE QUICK TO ADMIT A MISTAKE AND QUICKER STILL TO CORRECT IT. IF YOU DON'T FIGHT YOU'RE WEAKNESS, YOU'LL BE TAKEN BY IT: Keep honest with yourself. Know where you are weak. Keep fighting your weaknesses. Truthfully, you will have weaknesses all your life and combating these weaknesses will be an ongoing struggle. IN EVERY OCCASION LEAVE PEOPLE IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY WILL WANT YOU BACK: Orchestrate good things to happen on your watch while being careful not to have any negatives on your watch. Be eager to be the bearer of good news; leave another to tell the bad news. TRUISMS ARE INDEED TRUE: Sad to say it took me years to really believe this --- and even longer to act on it. THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE?: The best things in life aren't free and never were. In life, you get what you pay for. Indeed, there is no such thing as a "free lunch". Learn this early. Was the 'free' lunch worth the pitch or obligation? MURPHY'S LAW: Unfortunately, more often true than not... "Murphy's law" is simply ... If it's possible for things to go wrong, they probably will and at just the wrong time! O'Riley's law is that 'Murphy was an optimist'. THE DEVEL IS IN THE DETAILS: Oh so very true, in life you must read the fine print. The very important and critical details are in the very small print. CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN!: How important is appearance? While clothing may not make a man, clothing does make an impression, good or bad. Bad clothing can make a good man look bad. Appearance is very important in our society. Always dress according to the occasion. But remember, it's character that makes a man. YOU CAN'T MAKE A SECOND FIRST IMPRESSION: How true this is! This means that first impressions are very important and should be a priority in our thinking. Whatever others see, hear or feel first, tends to have a lasting quality - a very real subconscious impact. Whether it's presenting yourself, your project or your message, you can't make a second first impression. DISAPPOINTMENTS COME FROM UNREAL EXPECTATIONS: Discipline your expectations and hold them within the boundaries of reason and you won't be disappointed. TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE: Indeed if the claim seems too good to be true, it probably isn't true. Always keep this truism in the back of your mind as you evaluate the claims in life! LIFE ISN'T FAIR: The minute I accept this fact I save myself a lot of frustration and grief. While God gives each of us each a pretty good "hand;" while each hand will vary, over all, it equals out in strengths and weaknesses. Success in life is just a matter of how we use our hand. SHOW ME A GOOD LOSER AND I'LL SHOW YOU A LOSER: An individual that doesn't care if he wins or loses or has no passion for winning tends to be the loser. A poor loser has a tendency to be committed to winning! This is simply common sense. When every one is a winner it can be said that in reality, every one becomes a loser ... simply because of that philosophy. DON'T TOTAL THE SCORE UNTIL YOU HAVE ALL THE FIGURES IN: Don't feel either elated or disappointed prematurely until the bottom line is drawn and the points are in. IN THE MIDDLE SOMEWHERE: In life there will always be someone smarter than you, more talented than you, better off than you. And there is always someone you can find that's worse off than you. Be thankful that you are in the middle somewhere. Caution: Looking up may make you envious, looking down may make you proud --- look straight ahead to gain a humble balance. IF IT'S A BARGAIN, HERE'S A REASON: Always give bargains a second look. That bargain may not be a bargain at all! SMART: Part of smart is knowing what you're dumb at. Being honest and facing your weaknesses are a necessary part of a successful and balanced life. SHARING WHAT YOU KNOW: Sharing, teaching, that's what it's all about. When I worked as an aircraft mechanic at Convair, I started as an apprentice, a learner. On one occasion I was partnered with an old timer to learn from him and help him. It wasn't long before he took me aside and informed me that in no way was he going to share his experience and skills with me. He said he learned his lessons the hard way and he expected me to do it the same way. It isn't natural to share your valuable keys to success with others. EVERY EMOTIONAL HIGH, OR ENERGY HIGH, IS FOLLOWED BY A LOW: In other words, lows are often preceded by a high of some sort. Prepare and reinforce yourself to accept the low that may follow. Lows can come from a variety of causes; from hormones to sugar. Lows don't always have a spiritual source. YOUR VOICE: Your voice is the most expensive instrument you will ever own. Become skilled on this instrument of yours. Learn to use it effectively. Your voice is important to leadership. It's essential to conveying confidence and projecting authority. Your voice is important to effective communication. (Also learn to enunciate clearly.) LOWER YOUR VOICE: A lowered voice projects authority and confidence. A low voice enhances your communication. A high voice indicates /projects stress, fear, insecurity, feminism. Learn to drive your voice low, and keep it low. FRIENDSHIP: Indeed 'iron sharpens iron'. It's essential to have a few honest friends that you allow to give you counsel and if necessary criticism. Remember, in correcting a friend, correct privately. In complimenting a friend it might be nice to go public on this. NO MORE EXCUSES!: Learn early in life the difference between reasons and excuses! Find it hard to make excuses. In most cases excuses are simply lies, little white lies, or twisted truth spun in your favor. While most of us accept excuses, we really know what they are. Often EXCUSES mean you haven't thought ahead and it's your fault. Better, to be a man and say honestly, "I blew it!" Go for REASONS. People will buy a reason but only accept an excuse. Never be known as a person who makes excuses; your personal and professional integrity suffers. "Think before you accept a responsibility or say yes!" DISTRACT!: God's Word isn't here to distract me from my calling but to help me in my calling. Can God's Word be a stumbling block? Yes! (Heresy? No. Truth!) I know many good men lost in the labyrinth of rabbit trails in complex and irrelevant 'Theology'. They need to get off their academic butts and do God's Word. Teaching is for the purpose of doing. The best teaching is by combining it with doing. The means may be teaching, but the end is doing! The Bible is full of truth and indeed is truth but a truth isn't always relevant. Example: It may be true that it's raining in Florida BUT that isn't relevant to me in California. Lots of ivy covered walls in the academic world, I think of ivy, because it grows on stationary objects. TEND TO BE HARD ON YOURSELF: Be harder on yourself than on others. Feel free to turn that finger around and point it where it belongs! Always carry a mental mirror so that you can see yourself as others see you and be willing to conform to a better image. THE PROFESSIONAL ALWAYS MAKES IT LOOK EASY: Never assume it's easy by watching the professional. It's easy for him because he knows what he is doing and has done it often. BETTER TO BE EFFECTIVE THAN EFFICIENT IF YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE: Sometimes to be truly effective, efficiency must suffer. Efficiency seems to be more of a man-made concept. Jesus didn't seem at times to be very efficient, but He was always effective. ON THE STAGE: If you are ever on the stage, put on a good act or get off the stage before the tomatoes fly!! RISK IS ESSENTIAL TO OVERALL SUCCESS: When and how to risk something is a skill that needs developing. A successful life, at one time or other demands risk. Gambling is one thing. However, when and how to intelligently gamble must be learned. Questions to ask yourself: What will this risk get me? What happens if I lose? Will a win be worth the chance? COMMON SENSE IS A RARE COMMODITY AND IT IS FAR BETTER THAN CONSENSUS OPINION: Consensus opinion can lead to political correctness. Common Sense is akin to Horse Sense; something everyone is born with. Alas, common sense isn't 'common' anymore! BUY YOURSELF THE TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU NEED, AND FEEL NO GUILT: If you really need the tools, buy the best quality and always take care of them. BUY QUALITY: Tools: buy the best. Clothing: quality and conservative will last longer and be in style longer by far than cheap and fad. Cheap is often a waste of money. ARGUMENTS AND CONFRONTATIONS ARE NOT ONLY A WASTE OF TIME: They tend to alienate people and accomplish very little: It takes a few years for some of us to learn this, and unfortunately, there are some who never learn. Arguing is the passionate sport of wasting time between immature individuals. In most cases, both parties leave the argument more convinced in their original opinion than ever. I won't waste my time by arguing. USING PERSUASION AGAINST A PERSON'S WILL: it is like trying to bend a spring; you may be able to bend it temporarily but in a matter of time it will return to it's original shape as soon as the pressure is off. Don't pressure people, motivate and envision them. REAL PROBLEMS DON'T GO AWAY OR DISAPPEAR: They slowly build and often multiply. Problems need to be dealt with as soon as possible, never postponed. If they're not dealt with, they just go deeper only to resurface later in a multiple of forms. AFFLUENCE ... IN LIFE, IT'S FAR EASIER TO GO UP THAN TO COME DOWN: Coming down is always a painful experience. When you're young tighten your belt and slowly with discipline, climb the ladder of affluence so you can coast when you're old. When you're older you're automatically on a downhill slope. ONE TRIP INSTEAD OF MANY: So simple! This saves a lot of time. I'll be driving most of my life, that means I'll constantly need gas in my car. Instead of going to the pump often and buying a little gas, Each time I go, I 'fill-up' so I don't have to go as often. There are things I can buy in bulk. I'll need toilet paper, Kleenex and paper towels all my life so I buy these in bulk. I'm not always going back and forth with those little trips. TAKE CONTROL: Don't let the "professionals" ... doctors, dentists, lawyers, etc. control your time. Remember, appointments can be easily changed. Simply a matter of a phone call and negotiating a change in date. RETURNING YOUR PHONE CALL: If making a contact with a person is really important to you, NEVER wait for a return call. Call the individual back until you reach him. TAKE CONTROL: Don't let others control your time. USING YOUR INFLUENCE: Buying and selling influence. We all have opportunity to help others from time to time and it adds up. After years, it's not hard to gather a lot of IOU's and favors from others that may feel they owe you a favor. Don't pull in your IOU or favors unless it's really necessary. Always keep a good amount of them in your 'Influence bank'. Use your influence and you will always have a lot of influencing power. WAITING FOR GOD'S WILL TO APPEAR?: Rather than sit around waiting for God to call you; take a direction and start moving toward it. God can direct you when you are moving, but not until you are moving. EXAMPLE: You can't direct or steer a car until it's moving.

HOME » ABOUT PASTOR VON » PHILOSOPHY AND TIPS ON LIVING LIFE » "LITTLE TIPS THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN LIFE"

Below I've listed some helpful points that I've found to be true through my life and ministry. May I share them with you?

MOST IMPORTANT: I found the most important time is the time I spend each morning meeting with God in prayer, worship and reading His Word. Being hard-working, skilled, creative, experienced, educated, competent ... whatever ... those important qualities will never do for you what God wants to do through you! Let the early morning be God's time.
ORIENTATION AND PURPOSE: The first steps to progress in ministry. To know your God and relationship to Him and what He wants of you are essential priorities to an effective ministry. As soon as possible, find out who you are or better said, whose you are, where you are and what you are here for. Then get to it!
PEOPLE: People are the only thing that really counts in life. People have the highest value. People are eternal. Above all else, invest in people. Investing in young people is investing in the future. Seems pretty logical to me.
SEEDS!: I believe in the 'sowing of seeds' philosophy. That's the part I'm called to play, simply a seed sower. Seeds planted now in the right environment will reproduce later. Seeds will germinate according to God's touch and timing. He, and He alone, brings to life the seeds I sow, in His way, in His time, for His purpose. If someone else down the time line harvests the fruit ... that's fine with me.
THE LESSON OF SEEDS: If seeds and sowing tell us anything, it's that God has multiplication in mind, not addition.
DISCIPLE: Disciple others. Discipleship, We sure banter that term around. Book upon book trying to comfortably and conveniently define discipleship. It's so simple. Discipleship is teaching with example. Teaching without example is simply a Bible Study, why call it discipleship?
GOD'S TRINITY!: Wisdom, understanding and knowledge. I've really tried to go after these three. Indeed these are treasures that grow through the years. Look for the way of wisdom, the attitude of understanding and the tool of knowledge. What a trinity!
CALLING?: I'll be honest, I'm an opportunity taker! I head in the direction of the opportunities I see, and develop them. I'm not what we might call a planner with a big goal in mind. I'm not one who planned his life out or planned his ministry out ... I'm not one for making a long range plan and then following it. (I'm not saying that's wrong ... but it's not my way.) I took, and ran with the opportunities God gave me and grew from there. The best way I could describe the calling God gave me is to look in my rear-view mirror. I'm not one for sitting around looking for God's will when it's right in front of me.
THREE GAMES IN LIFE THAT I'VE FOUND TO BE ESSENTIAL TO SUCCESS: (1) TENNIS, (2) CHESS AND (3) POKER. TENNIS ... to put the ball in the other guy's court. CHESS ... the ability to strategize successfully. POKER ... knowing how and when to bluff. Ahh, the seldom used 'art' of bluffing.
NEVER TAKE ADVICE FROM A LOSER: Let's face it, in life there are winners and there are losers. Be very selective as to whom you allow to influence you toward a winning direction.
LITTLE POSITIVE THINGS TILT THE SCALE IN OUR FAVOR: For those of us that are not geniuses, it's better to use every little thing we have going for us than bemoan the abilities we have never been given. Using this tip will help compensate for that. Learn when and where to compensate for your weaknesses.
BE QUICK TO ADMIT A MISTAKE AND QUICKER STILL TO CORRECT IT.
IF YOU DON'T FIGHT YOU'RE WEAKNESS, YOU'LL BE TAKEN BY IT: Keep honest with yourself. Know where you are weak. Keep fighting your weaknesses. Truthfully, you will have weaknesses all your life and combating these weaknesses will be an ongoing struggle.
IN EVERY OCCASION LEAVE PEOPLE IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY WILL WANT YOU BACK: Orchestrate good things to happen on your watch while being careful not to have any negatives on your watch. Be eager to be the bearer of good news; leave another to tell the bad news.
TRUISMS ARE INDEED TRUE: Sad to say it took me years to really believe this --- and even longer to act on it.
THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE?: The best things in life aren't free and never were. In life, you get what you pay for. Indeed, there is no such thing as a "free lunch". Learn this early. Was the 'free' lunch worth the pitch or obligation?
MURPHY'S LAW: Unfortunately, more often true than not... "Murphy's law" is simply ... If it's possible for things to go wrong, they probably will and at just the wrong time! O'Riley's law is that 'Murphy was an optimist'.
THE DEVEL IS IN THE DETAILS: Oh so very true, in life you must read the fine print. The very important and critical details are in the very small print.
CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN!: How important is appearance? While clothing may not make a man, clothing does make an impression, good or bad. Bad clothing can make a good man look bad. Appearance is very important in our society. Always dress according to the occasion. But remember, it's character that makes a man.
YOU CAN'T MAKE A SECOND FIRST IMPRESSION: How true this is! This means that first impressions are very important and should be a priority in our thinking. Whatever others see, hear or feel first, tends to have a lasting quality - a very real subconscious impact. Whether it's presenting yourself, your project or your message, you can't make a second first impression.
DISAPPOINTMENTS COME FROM UNREAL EXPECTATIONS: Discipline your expectations and hold them within the boundaries of reason and you won't be disappointed.
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE: Indeed if the claim seems too good to be true, it probably isn't true. Always keep this truism in the back of your mind as you evaluate the claims in life!
LIFE ISN'T FAIR: The minute I accept this fact I save myself a lot of frustration and grief. While God gives each of us each a pretty good "hand;" while each hand will vary, over all, it equals out in strengths and weaknesses. Success in life is just a matter of how we use our hand.
SHOW ME A GOOD LOSER AND I'LL SHOW YOU A LOSER: An individual that doesn't care if he wins or loses or has no passion for winning tends to be the loser. A poor loser has a tendency to be committed to winning! This is simply common sense. When every one is a winner it can be said that in reality, every one becomes a loser ... simply because of that philosophy.
DON'T TOTAL THE SCORE UNTIL YOU HAVE ALL THE FIGURES IN: Don't feel either elated or disappointed prematurely until the bottom line is drawn and the points are in.
IN THE MIDDLE SOMEWHERE: In life there will always be someone smarter than you, more talented than you, better off than you. And there is always someone you can find that's worse off than you. Be thankful that you are in the middle somewhere. Caution: Looking up may make you envious, looking down may make you proud --- look straight ahead to gain a humble balance.
IF IT'S A BARGAIN, HERE'S A REASON: Always give bargains a second look. That bargain may not be a bargain at all!
SMART: Part of smart is knowing what you're dumb at. Being honest and facing your weaknesses are a necessary part of a successful and balanced life.
SHARING WHAT YOU KNOW: Sharing, teaching, that's what it's all about. When I worked as an aircraft mechanic at Convair, I started as an apprentice, a learner. On one occasion I was partnered with an old timer to learn from him and help him. It wasn't long before he took me aside and informed me that in no way was he going to share his experience and skills with me. He said he learned his lessons the hard way and he expected me to do it the same way. It isn't natural to share your valuable keys to success with others.
EVERY EMOTIONAL HIGH, OR ENERGY HIGH, IS FOLLOWED BY A LOW: In other words, lows are often preceded by a high of some sort. Prepare and reinforce yourself to accept the low that may follow. Lows can come from a variety of causes; from hormones to sugar. Lows don't always have a spiritual source.
YOUR VOICE: Your voice is the most expensive instrument you will ever own. Become skilled on this instrument of yours. Learn to use it effectively. Your voice is important to leadership. It's essential to conveying confidence and projecting authority. Your voice is important to effective communication. (Also learn to enunciate clearly.)
LOWER YOUR VOICE: A lowered voice projects authority and confidence. A low voice enhances your communication. A high voice indicates /projects stress, fear, insecurity, feminism. Learn to drive your voice low, and keep it low.
FRIENDSHIP: Indeed 'iron sharpens iron'. It's essential to have a few honest friends that you allow to give you counsel and if necessary criticism. Remember, in correcting a friend, correct privately. In complimenting a friend it might be nice to go public on this.
NO MORE EXCUSES!: Learn early in life the difference between reasons and excuses! Find it hard to make excuses. In most cases excuses are simply lies, little white lies, or twisted truth spun in your favor. While most of us accept excuses, we really know what they are. Often EXCUSES mean you haven't thought ahead and it's your fault. Better, to be a man and say honestly, "I blew it!" Go for REASONS. People will buy a reason but only accept an excuse. Never be known as a person who makes excuses; your personal and professional integrity suffers. "Think before you accept a responsibility or say yes!"
DISTRACT!: God's Word isn't here to distract me from my calling but to help me in my calling. Can God's Word be a stumbling block? Yes! (Heresy? No. Truth!) I know many good men lost in the labyrinth of rabbit trails in complex and irrelevant 'Theology'. They need to get off their academic butts and do God's Word. Teaching is for the purpose of doing. The best teaching is by combining it with doing. The means may be teaching, but the end is doing! The Bible is full of truth and indeed is truth but a truth isn't always relevant. Example: It may be true that it's raining in Florida BUT that isn't relevant to me in California. Lots of ivy covered walls in the academic world, I think of ivy, because it grows on stationary objects.
TEND TO BE HARD ON YOURSELF: Be harder on yourself than on others. Feel free to turn that finger around and point it where it belongs! Always carry a mental mirror so that you can see yourself as others see you and be willing to conform to a better image.
THE PROFESSIONAL ALWAYS MAKES IT LOOK EASY: Never assume it's easy by watching the professional. It's easy for him because he knows what he is doing and has done it often.
BETTER TO BE EFFECTIVE THAN EFFICIENT IF YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE: Sometimes to be truly effective, efficiency must suffer. Efficiency seems to be more of a man-made concept. Jesus didn't seem at times to be very efficient, but He was always effective.
ON THE STAGE: If you are ever on the stage, put on a good act or get off the stage before the tomatoes fly!!
RISK IS ESSENTIAL TO OVERALL SUCCESS: When and how to risk something is a skill that needs developing. A successful life, at one time or other demands risk. Gambling is one thing. However, when and how to intelligently gamble must be learned. Questions to ask yourself: What will this risk get me? What happens if I lose? Will a win be worth the chance?
COMMON SENSE IS A RARE COMMODITY AND IT IS FAR BETTER THAN CONSENSUS OPINION: Consensus opinion can lead to political correctness. Common Sense is akin to Horse Sense; something everyone is born with. Alas, common sense isn't 'common' anymore!
BUY YOURSELF THE TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU NEED, AND FEEL NO GUILT: If you really need the tools, buy the best quality and always take care of them.
BUY QUALITY: Tools: buy the best. Clothing: quality and conservative will last longer and be in style longer by far than cheap and fad. Cheap is often a waste of money.
ARGUMENTS AND CONFRONTATIONS ARE NOT ONLY A WASTE OF TIME: They tend to alienate people and accomplish very little: It takes a few years for some of us to learn this, and unfortunately, there are some who never learn. Arguing is the passionate sport of wasting time between immature individuals. In most cases, both parties leave the argument more convinced in their original opinion than ever. I won't waste my time by arguing.
USING PERSUASION AGAINST A PERSON'S WILL: it is like trying to bend a spring; you may be able to bend it temporarily but in a matter of time it will return to it's original shape as soon as the pressure is off. Don't pressure people, motivate and envision them.
REAL PROBLEMS DON'T GO AWAY OR DISAPPEAR: They slowly build and often multiply. Problems need to be dealt with as soon as possible, never postponed. If they're not dealt with, they just go deeper only to resurface later in a multiple of forms.
AFFLUENCE ... IN LIFE, IT'S FAR EASIER TO GO UP THAN TO COME DOWN: Coming down is always a painful experience. When you're young tighten your belt and slowly with discipline, climb the ladder of affluence so you can coast when you're old. When you're older you're automatically on a downhill slope.
ONE TRIP INSTEAD OF MANY: So simple! This saves a lot of time. I'll be driving most of my life, that means I'll constantly need gas in my car. Instead of going to the pump often and buying a little gas, Each time I go, I 'fill-up' so I don't have to go as often. There are things I can buy in bulk. I'll need toilet paper, Kleenex and paper towels all my life so I buy these in bulk. I'm not always going back and forth with those little trips.
TAKE CONTROL: Don't let the "professionals" ... doctors, dentists, lawyers, etc. control your time. Remember, appointments can be easily changed. Simply a matter of a phone call and negotiating a change in date.
RETURNING YOUR PHONE CALL: If making a contact with a person is really important to you, NEVER wait for a return call. Call the individual back until you reach him.
TAKE CONTROL: Don't let others control your time.
USING YOUR INFLUENCE: Buying and selling influence. We all have opportunity to help others from time to time and it adds up. After years, it's not hard to gather a lot of IOU's and favors from others that may feel they owe you a favor. Don't pull in your IOU or favors unless it's really necessary. Always keep a good amount of them in your 'Influence bank'. Use your influence and you will always have a lot of influencing power.
WAITING FOR GOD'S WILL TO APPEAR?: Rather than sit around waiting for God to call you; take a direction and start moving toward it. God can direct you when you are moving, but not until you are moving. EXAMPLE: You can't direct or steer a car until it's moving.