Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Book Reflection: The Richest Man Who Ever Lived by Steven K. Scott

My very good friend Andrew Munroe was kind enough to purchased a personal development book for me named The Richest Man Who Ever Lived, King Solomon's Secrets to Success, Wealth, and Happiness written by Mr. Steven K. Scott.  I informed Andrew that it most likely would be a long time before I would ever even begin the thought of reading the book as I already had so many other reading materials on hand.  I thought I would take a quick peek at the first chapter of the book just to get an idea of what the author had in mind and before I knew it I was hooked.  My curiously and thirst to understand how Mr. Scott had become a multi-millionaire many times over utilizing Solomon's advice was unstoppable. 




The following action words are the key to mega success according to Mr. Scott's interpretation of Solomon's writings: 
diligent action 
visionary  
holds hope 
effective communication 
effective counselors/partners   
joyful heart 
speaks truth 
and is kind
gracious personality  
peace maker 
embrace criticism
is at peace 
chooses discernment 
is content 
a heart of humility 
seeks wisdom

The following twenty-five statements are thoughts I would like to highlight in my memory and/or are habits I would like to incorporate on a daily basis:

Just as there are physical laws that govern the universe, there are laws of living that are just as sure and true.  It doesn't matter if you love them or hate them, they still exist, and they will govern your life.  page 3

I'd prefer to use the phrase "smart-working".  If I need to cut down a tree and try to cut it down with a hammer, that would be hard-working, but it certainly would not be diligent.   page 11

Diligence is a learnable skill that combines: creative persistence, a smart-working effort rightly planned and rightly performed in a timely, efficient, and effective manner to attain a result that is purse and of the highest quality of excellence. page 12

The diligent take all the time they need to plan and prepare, so that they can perform with excellence.  Those who aren't diligent fail to take the time they need to plan, prepare, or perform.  They tend to "shoot from the hip," and their haste ultimately results in failure.  Solom says, "The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage.   But everyone who is hasty [comes] surely to poverty' (Proverbs 21:5).

There are four root causes of laziness... self-centeredness, conceit (arrogance), ignorance, and irresponsibility.  (He often combines these last two into single category he calls foolishness.)  page 21

...we act without seeking the advice or counsel of others.  It's much easier to act first and seek advice later.  And since we think we know more than others anyway, we simply take the action that we want to take.  page 21

To educate ourselves take time and effort. page 22

Throughout history, no one has achieved any worthwhile goal, significant project, or impossible dream without effectively partnering and seeking outside counsel.  page 26

Whether at work or at home, most ideas are ignored or rejected not because they're bad ideas but because they're ineffectively or unpersuasively communicated.  According to a survey of business owners and corporate CEOs, ineffective communication is the number-one problem in business... page 42 

Manipulation uses any means possible, including deceit, to convince someome to do something that is not in their best interest.  Persuaion, on the other hand, allows you to present your point of view in a clear and compelling way to motivate someone to do what you believe to be in their best interest or for the common good.  page 62

...being truly happy produces wonderful health benefits.  page 95

"You can't stop a bird from landing on your head, but you can stop him from building a nest on it."  We cannot prevent envious thoughts from entering our hearts, but we can keep from taking root.   page 99

"Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write the on the tablet of your heart." page 107

But dishonesty never starts in a corporate boardroom.  It starts in the hearts and minds of individual men and women.  By making honesty the cornerstone of your personality, you can avoid...consequences.  page 113

Solomon promises that those who are generous will never lack for anything-every true need will be provided-and that you will prosper, and your prosperity will always increase.   page 114

Winning becomes no longer a matter of getting "my way", or persuading someone to do what I want them to do; rather, it becomes a way of achieving what's best for all.  page 127

When people push you to hurry, a red flag should go up.  Put on the brakes; DON'T let anyone push you to make an important decision in haste.  Insist on taking the time to dig deep, seek counsel, and perform the level of diligence necessary to make a wise decision.  page 183

Diligence is like a giant floodlight: turn it on, and naivete's darkness disappears.  page 185

Greed is a deep longing for something that creates a willingness to do whatever it takes to acquire it...  A person can be greedy in just about any imaginable area: the pursuit of power or recognition, the pursuit of love, the pursuit of sexual fulfillment, the pursuit of leisure or a hobby.  page 194

...when desire becomes our focus, or causes us to set aside our priorities, values, or ethics, it has become greed.  page 198 

Do not wear yourself out to get riches; have the wisdom to show restraint.  page 203

The fastest way to eliminate greed from your life is to make a concentrated effort to give to others.  You don't have to wait until you're rich to become generous.  page 203

Whether he needs a solution in a time of trouble or wisdom to capitalize on an opportunity, he'll always have plenty of knowledge to draw upon.  Not so for the foolish.   page 227

According to Gary Smalley, the number-one desire of a man is to be admired.  And everyone - man, woman, boy, girl - wants to feel valued.   page 228  


enclosure

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