THINK BIG

T: TALENT

Learn to recognize and accept your God-given talents (and we all have them). Develop those talents and use them in the career you choose. Remembering T for talent puts you far ahead of the game if you take advantage of what God gives you.

 

T also – TIME

Learn the importance of time. When you are always on time, people can depend on you. You prove trustworthiness. Learn not to waste time because time is money and time is effort. Time usage is also a talent. God gives some people the ability to manage time. The rest of us have to learn how, and we can.

H: HOPE

Don’t go around with a long face, expecting something bad to happen. Anticipate good things; watch for them.

H also – HONESTY

When you do anything dishonest, you must do something else dishonest to cover up and your life becomes hopelessly complex. The same with telling lies. If you are honest, you don’t have to remember what you said the last time. Speaking the truth each time makes life amazingly simple.

I: INSIGHT

Listen and learn from people who have already been where you want to go. Benefit from their mistakes instead of repeating them. Read good books like the bible because they open up new worlds of understanding.

N: NICE

Be nice to people – all people. If you’re nice to people, they‘ll be nice to you. It takes much less energy to be nice than it does to be mean. Being kind, friendly and helpful takes less energy and relieves much of the pressure.

K: KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge is the key to independent living, the key to all your dreams, hopes and aspirations. If you’re knowledgeable particularly more knowledgeable than anybody else in a field, you become invaluable and write your own ticket.

B: BOOKS

I emphasize that active learning from reading is better than passive learning such as listening to lectures or watching television. When you read, your mind must work by taking in letters and connecting them to form words. Words make themselves into thoughts and concept.

I: INDEPTH LEARNING

Superficial learners cram for exams but know nothing two weeks later. In-depth learners find that the acquired knowledge becomes a part of them. They understand more about themselves and their world. They keep building on prior understanding by piling on new information.

G: GOD

Never get too big for God. Never drop God out of your life. I usually conclude my talks by telling young people, “if you can remember these things, if you can learn to THINK BIG, nothing on earth will keep you from being successful in whatever you choose to do”

Culled from GIFTED HANDS

By Ben Carson