From the book “God is in the Small Stuff” Bruce & Stan shared:
Humans are funny beings. It used to be that many of us wanted every material thing we could get our hands on, and we wanted whatever it was to be bigger, better, faster. Then we discovered that outward, material things don’t make us happy. So over the last few years we’ve turned inward. We’ve decided that it’s what’s inside that counts. Consequently, many of us have embarked on an inward journey, seeking to simplify our lifestyles while increasing our joy. At least that’s the goal because that’s what the simplicity gurus are telling us in books like Simple Abundance and Living the Simple Life.
The idea of simplifying your life is a good one. . . The problem is that we are attacking the goal with the same unbridled zest we used to collect all that stuff in the first place. Like a crazy pendulum, we swing from one extreme to the other with gusto, somehow feeling empty at both places.
So how do you find the satisfaction you’ve been looking for? The key is balance, consistency, and perseverance, all of which come from one thing and one thing only: discipline.
Here’s our dilemma. We want it all, and we want it now, whether it’s an abundance of possessions or an abundance of simplicity. But nothing worth while comes quickly, and nothing worth while comes without discipline. Over life’s long haul, discipline works in every dimension of your life: financial, physical, mental, and spiritual. If you’ve ever tried to get rich quick, tried to lose weight by taking a pill, tried to get knowledge by cramming at the last minute, or attempted to get close to God by asking for a miracle, you know what we’re talking about. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of quick results when you focus on the results rather than the journey. The truth is that the joy is in the journey, in the daily discipline of growing in the details of your mind, body, and spirit. The only way to bring abundance to your life—the kind of abundance that gives you joy—is to bring discipline into your life.
. . . IN the SMALL STUFF
- Discipline begins with small things done daily.
- The secret behind most success stories? Discipline
- Every morning you choose your attitude for the day.
- The first step on the path to commitment is making up your mind.
- You can plan to succeed or you can plan to fail. The choice is yours.
- Motivation increases when we assume large responsibilities with a short deadline.
- Develop a cause for your life. Whatever it is, dedicate yourself to it daily.
- Don’t be good at making excuses.
- Discipline is at the heart of discipleship.
- Before diving into anything, step back and view the big picture.
- Acquire good habits, abandon bad habits.
- Move from involvement to commitment.
- Use your free time productively.
- Your dreams won’t come true if you allow them to languish.
- Your dreams won’t come true if you’re sleeping.
- If you want to achieve excellence, begin with discipline.
- Worthwhile activities may be tough in the short term but rewarding in the long term.
- People will be more impressed by what you finish than by what you start.
- Motivation can fade. Habits prevail.
~Bruce Bickel & Stan Jantz, God is in the Small Stuff, and it all matters (Promised Press, an imprint of Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, 1998), 82-87
(* Posts with a preamble asterisk * are for a more general audience and not specific to teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)
