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1) No matter the task, Christ first. I have found that the busier I am, the harder it is to stay close to Christ. I make excuse as to not to read my Bible but no matter how busy I am, the closer I have to be to Jesus. I don’t function well if I’m not. 

2) Reaction is never an acceptable response when proactivity is always there. This and the next are very close in relation but the first deals with me. Planning ahead allows me to see out far enough that I have thought through all scenarios where surprises are met with anticipation instead of defeat.

3) Procrastination on my part, doesn’t deem an emergency on someone else’s.  This deals with other people. When I have put something off or forgotten about something, I can’t expect that everyone will drop what they are doing to help me. I have to accept the natural consequence and work within my current scenario and not create a scenario that only works for me.

4) Saying “Thank You!” and “Good job!” OFTEN makes correcting mistakes later, easier. If a leader only plays the role of a disciplinarian (teaching and correcting at will), the leader will teach their student only to fear the leader. If grace and commendation doesn’t out-weigh everything else, trust will never be established and the student will always be wondering when their next “teachable” moment may be. A “teaching and correcting” type of leadership also doesn’t allow for creative, out-side-of-the-box thinking. It’s a modeling form of leadership that only says, “do it this way and don’t question me.”

5) The team is your biggest source of accountability. To not have a team is just plain stupid. I have learned that if I don’t have a team that I am regularly interaction with, I tend to get a superiority complex. A team keeps you humble and allows you to be creative.

6) When at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again. You’re never going to get it completely right the first time. So keep changing until it’s right!

7) Speak truth about all situations. Live in reality. This is something that I think more people need to live their life by. I think we get deceived by our own “great” ideas that we tend to be blind to what reality is. Even if we tend to be right most of the time, that still isn’t an excuse for not listening to the people around you telling you you’re wrong.

If it ain’t broke, break it. And then break it again! This has to do with the previous two principles but something can always be improved. After running a program or process the same way for a long time may continue to work, but could be ineffective. Doing something because “that’s what we’ve always done,” is a lazy excuse for not planning better a head of time. 

9) Choose who you’re going to be, cater toward, and then pursue them with all that you have. Its hard to pursue what you want to be when you keep wrestling with who you use to be. You lie to yourself and to those around you if you can’t be honest with your reality. 

10) Serving in the local church should be championed! No matter the job, your job should never be a replacement to your involvement in a local church. If you’re to busy to go to your small group, mentor a student, or even play a kazoo in the praise band, your priorities are not in order and I believe in sin. The Bible talks time and time again about how you are a member of a body. Don’t be a dead member who’s best use is to be amputated. Do something!