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Slay Your Giant

Make Your Move to New Home Now!

Rhino Nation Publishing


Allen, Texas

Copyright © 2006 by Tim Darnell


All Rights Reserved. Reproduction except for quotes no longer than a single
paragraph requires written permission from the publisher.
E-Book owners are registered with publisher, and are allowed one printed copy for personal
use only.
Subsequent copies require purchase. Intellectual property rights and copyright laws apply for
the protection of author – substantial legal penalties are applicable and will be enforced in the
event of misuse of this license.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW
INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible
Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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Contents
Introduction 3

Dedications 4

Chapters

1 New Home 9

2 Identifying Your Giant 29

3 Recognizing Proper and Improper Targets 61

4 Ample Reason 80

5 New Eyes 93

6 The Battlefield 101

7 The Battle 112

8 Your Giant’s Weakness 134

9 Slaying Your Giant 162

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Slay Your Giant
Tim Darnell
©2006 All Rights Reserved

This book is based on 1 Samuel 17.


Please take the time to carefully read this single chapter
found in the Bible before reading this book.

Introduction

A solitary Giant faces you. Looming, menacing - his delight is to


rob you of your joy and forward progress. Sneering, defiantly
blocking your way, he dares you to come closer.

You may have been ignoring Your Giant for some time, but at
this moment you are clear that there is no other alternative than
to stand and face him.

You know within your heart of hearts that this is a crucial


confrontation – the moment of truth…

As intimidating as your Giant may appear to be, there is no need


to fear - he can be beaten. This is your battle. It will be your
victory.

It is time to…

Slay Your Giant!

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Dedications:

This book is dedicated to my Father and Mother, David & Sarah Darnell, without whose
unconditional love and support this book and much of my professional career would not be
possible. Thank you, Dad, for passing down your love of the Bible, language, and words.
Thank you, Mom, for passing down your love of music. Thank you both for the joy you have
never failed to exude, and the love and service for your fellow man regardless of race, religion,
or any other factor whatsoever – truly a Christ-like love for all. I love you both with all my
heart.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
To my wife, Cathy, for sticking with me for more than twenty years and especially during the
days when Giants were numerous and solutions were not as clear. Thanks for loving me and
letting me realize my dream of inspiring and encouraging others. Thanks for the best kids God
could ever have entrusted us with! You are the love of my life.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
To Laura Porter, who stuck with me and believed in me when few else did. Thank you for
the hard work, the intuition, and the joyful heart in spite of the toughest of times. My
constant love to you and your family.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
To Jim Wald. If it weren’t for you, the wonderful market-place ministry we now know as
Advantage Conferences would have been an unfulfilled vision. Thank you for your loyalty,
support and friendship. I will never forget your role in my life. Your persistency and positive
faith has been and still is playing a pivotal role in the AC dream that now reaches thousands.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
To Jack Weinzierl – a true Champion who epitomizes what being a Christian in the business
world really means. For your incredible talent, tenacity, humble heart, and love for Jesus, I am
a better man.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

To Pastor John Mark Caton – a great student and teacher of the Bible, and my beloved
Pastor. May you prosper in every way – thank you for all your inspiration and belief in me,
brother!

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Tenacity: tough-minded persistency. Non-yielding and tireless
effort regardless of obstacles, opposition and/or
others’ opinions

Resolve: Unwavering, committed mindset adhering to a bold


decision and strategy

Truly great rewards accompany change. This book is all about


challenging you, inspiring you, and encouraging you to embrace
change – the single change that has kept you in Old Home far
too long. Slay Your Giant provides powerful secrets and insights
that will realistically help you fulfill your greatest God-given
dreams.

You - the Champion

Think back to the greatest victory in your life. Stop for just a
moment - close your eyes and picture that accomplishment. Feel
the excellence and re-live the goose-bumps that came with that
victory. It may have been an athletic award, an academic honor,
or a business accomplishment. Your memory is truly a treasured
moment - one that makes you feel powerful and positive about
yourself.

Isn’t that the way you should feel all the time?

It is time that you feel that way again. In fact it is time for you
to feel victorious, even euphoric, on a regular basis. Here is my
message to you. That victor, that Champion isn’t just the “past”
you. You are still that same Champion!

You have residing within you your personal “Inner Champion”,


the real you – brave and daring, certain, confident and steely-
eyed. The Champion within you has been waiting to re-emerge,
pounding on the inside, begging to be released. Now is the time
to set Your Champion free.

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Truth:

There is a Single, Decisive Action


You Can Take in the Next Few Days and Weeks
That Will Dramatically and Tangibly
Improve Your Life

Instead of thinking of change in your life as unlikely or even


impossible, I want you to understand with absolute clarity that
you have the power to make that significant change in your life –
beginning now. You not only have the power to move forward,
you will experience truly profound rewards by doing so.

You can simplify that process by identifying One Single Thing –


the solitary Giant that stands in your way. Ridding yourself of
that Giant is what this book is all about. Narrowing down your
obstacles, singling your attention to one single opponent greatly
simplifies the task at hand, providing clarity as to how you will
move into your new world, your new life, a new place in your
life’s journey I call, “New Home”.

Within each of us is a dream and deep desire to have meaning in


our life – to accomplish more and to contribute more. Each of us
wants to be remembered as the person who left behind a legacy
of impactful, positive marks on our family and even all of society.
We want to look back and know that we didn’t waste our lives,
but rather that we accomplished good and even great things.

You can do that. You will accomplish great things. It is your


destiny – and yes, it is your obligation to do great things with the
one life that God has given you.

But, first, there is a Giant standing in your way. You are less
likely to accomplish your dream with him blocking your path.
The fact is: Your Giant has got to go.

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Your Giant is very likely something you created. In most cases,
he’s something you’ve invited into your life of your own volition,
your own choice. The good news is that he’s also someone you
can invite “out” of your life. Although he easily wedged his way
into your life, he will not be escorted out as easily. Whether easy
or not, Your Giant is a problem, a huge hindrance; and once you
decide that he absolutely does not need to be around, you must
take decisive action.

In order to Slay Your Giant, you are not going to continue


making decisions based on what is “easy”. The media and
virtually every message we ever hear today contains a subliminal
message, “do what is easiest – follow the path of least
resistance.”

“Easy” is not the condition or premise by which Champions base


their decisions. “Easy” rarely takes us to where we really want to
go. In this book, we’ll talk about simple changes in thinking you
are going to make that will begin shaping your Giant Slaying
prowess. You will find that your character and will is going to
develop into a more powerful, new reality – a robust Giant
Slaying physique and mentality. Small tweaks in your thinking
will begin sculpting a muscular, powerful, toned Champion
against which your Giant simply cannot prevail.

The Past has Passed

One of the first things to understand is that your past is gone.


Understand that your past is over. No matter what your past has
been, let it go and resolve right now that you are capable of
creating a substantially improved life for you, your family, and
those around you, regardless of the bumps and bruises you’ve
sustained. Those injuries and mistakes don’t matter unless
you’re clinging to them. LET THEM GO – LET YOUR PAST GO!

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This book is going to help you discover what that one “thing” that
will seriously change your life is – and how you are going to
conquer this single issue in your life that needs immediate
attention. What you are about to accomplish is BIG. Indeed,
you are going to dramatically improve not just your life, but also
the lives of those around you. And I predict that you will begin
feeling better and stronger than you have in a long time.
Regardless of your age, your future is extremely bright by virtue
of your reading this book and wrestling with the concepts I am
about to share with you. With Your Giant vanquished and the
addition of several new perspectives and tools for living, your
future days will be much brighter than your past has ever been.

Listen closely. Even though what you are about to accomplish


may not be easy, it will in fact bring rewards of gigantic
proportion. What I am saying is that this change will certainly be
worth the effort. Though not easy, dealing with the One Issue
that needs to resolved and dealt with in your life will be Simple
and Doable. You are going to be victorious! So, get ready.
Let’s decisively move forward with resolve and excitement. It’s
time to Slay Your Giant!

How to Get the Most Out of this Book: The book is interactive, so
get a pen and a highlighter. It is not meant to be entertaining,
although our beta readers have reported that they found themselves
“empowered almost immediately”, and “not wanting to put the book
down.” Although some of the concepts are going to be quite
challenging for you, it is your introspection and personal willingness to
dig deep that will make the words come alive and have meaning for
your life. Indeed, your careful interaction is the most important part
of the content. Don’t rush over each sentence, but rather take the
time to truly contemplate and reflect on each thought.

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Chapter 1

New Home

There is a very special place within your heart of hearts and your
inmost being. It is a place that is known to you, though you may
have dismissed the thought of going there for years. This is truly
your personal dream place; and yet, it is as real as the words in
front of you at this very moment. It is the place of your destiny.
Your Inner Champion has longed to go there for many years,
simply because it is your rightful, God-given destination.

I call that place New Home. New Home is the true place you
deserve to inhabit, the place you belong – that special, personal
place of greater freedom, independence, fulfillment, effectiveness
and autonomy. It is a place full of greater rewards than you’ve
ever experienced in your life. New Home is the intuitive ideal of
what your perfect life can and should look like.

New Home is not just a possibility, it is a very real life and


lifestyle that can, should, and will become your reality when you
are ready. You have a choice as to whether you want to go there
or not, to claim your rightful ownership and move in, or reject
the notion that life could really be that good. Frankly, the latter
is not a legitimate option. In reality, your only truthful
alternative is that you decide to make the bold move. I am so
glad you are reading this book, because it is specifically designed
to help you move in to New Home!

But we need to take the idea of New Home a step further. You
not only deserve to live in New Home; it is indeed your obligation
to live there.

In order to discover New Home you must first be open to


exploring the truth about your past and current life. You must be

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willing to probe deeply and be more introspective than you may
ever have been. Slaying Your Giant will be more readily
accomplished once you are willing to be totally open and honest
with yourself. I want you to be open to the tremendous
possibility of how much better your life is going to be; and at the
same time, I encourage you to be very candid with yourself.
Truth is of paramount importance. Indeed, the truth will set you
free.

Take the time to ask yourself the following questions, and write
down your thoughts. Go ahead. Slaying Your Giant requires
action, and this is the first step…

1. What is my fondest memory of ‘success’? Why was


that such a great moment for me? How did I feel about it
then, and how does it make me feel now?

___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

2. Where am I currently? At this point in my life, how


would I describe my progress and my life in general?

___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________

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___________________________________________

3. What do I dislike and truly want to change about my


life?

___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________

We then will explore what your personal Giant truly is, and
descriptively what he looks like. But, before we go too much
farther, I am going to ask you a very important question.

4. Are you ready to embark on my challenge to change


your life for the better, and why?

__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________

When we deal with these issues, you’ll begin to gain clarity about
who you are and what you want to accomplish in life. You will
begin to gain clarity about New Home, the obstacle standing in
your way, and the path that will take you to New Home. Take
the time to answer these questions:

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5. Where in life do I really prefer to be? Who should I
be and what should I be doing?

__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________

6. What kind of person have I always wanted to be?

__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________

7. Who are the three people that I respect and admire


the most – people I would like to emulate. What
specifically about them do I admire?

Person A: __________________________________
__________________________________________
Person B: __________________________________
__________________________________________
Person C: __________________________________
__________________________________________

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8. What makes the people I admire stand out? What do
I see changing about myself in order to be more like
my heroes or heroines?

__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________

9. What do I see as a deficiency in my current approach


to life? And what area of my life would I like to
change most?

__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________

10. What skill or expertise do I have that could be


developed further, perhaps as a new career, side
business, or hobby?

__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________

11. At this point, I perceive My Giant to be:

__________________________________________

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__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________

A Life-Changing Incident

Understanding a little bit about me will help you know why the
concept, Slay Your Giant, is so very important to me, how it has
changed my life, and why I know you can Slay Your Giant.

When I was a child, I loved to play all kinds of sports. I was the
initiator and organizer of games, contests, and teams – football,
dodge-ball, kick-ball, basketball and baseball. I loved to
compete and test myself athletically. In high-school, I
discovered wrestling, and learned what it takes to be competitive
in that highly demanding and wonderful sport.

Wrestling is an independent sport – one on one, mano a mano.


Although matches were determined by overall team scores,
wrestling is an individualist’s competition, an intense competition
where you can only rely on one person, yourself. No one can
come to your aid, unlike the (ugh, give-me-a-break) “tag-team”
professional “entertainment” wrestling you’ve seen on television.

By the way, high-school and college wrestling are nothing like TV


wrestling – the latter being scripted, choreographed, and
rehearsed. High-school and collegiate wrestling requires
dedicated preparation and discipline that certainly taught me
many important life lessons which have carried over into
adulthood. I believe all athletics provide excellent preparation
for latter accomplishments as an adult. Wrestling and competing
to win had a great impact on my early life and has helped shape
my adult life as well.

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I grew up the son of a minister Father, and a musician Mother,
which as you can imagine, meant I was in church regularly. I am
very thankful for that. One of the most profound events in my
younger years took place at church camp at the age of 13. The
two counselors that led the seven boys and seven girls who met
twice a day for Bible study and discussion decided that they were
going to use a less traditional, more psychological approach that
week designed to “break down” each camper. What I mean by
that is they came in and asked some of the questions I just
asked you and more. The two counselors got to the
introspective, hidden core of each camper to the point that we
bared our souls, our insecurities, emotional wounds, bad habits,
fears, pride, prejudices, etc. The experience was very emotional
to the point of almost being traumatic; yet, it turned out to be
one of the most profound moments of my life. It opened my
eyes and truly changed my perspective about so many things.
They allowed us to see ourselves at the very core amidst the
façade that so many teenagers present.

That weekend, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and


dedicated my life, as a very young man, to serving God the rest
of my life. If I hadn’t been “broken down,” to experience deep
introspection about who I was and what I was all about, I would
not have made that decision way back then, and perhaps never.
The break-down sessions forced me to “get real” with Tim, which
re-shaped my perspective and allowed me to adjust my life in a
very positive way.

If you are open to it, you can readjust your life as well. I believe
you are serious about change in your life – positive, empowering
change or you wouldn’t be reading this book. I should add a few
more stories in order to set the book up even more…

I graduated in 1972 from Terry Sanford Senior High School in


Fayetteville, NC. I not only wrestled and was active in Church
work, I also decided to start a band (a “combo” as they were

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called in the sixties and seventies) in my Sophomore year, where
I was the drummer and singer. What was at first a hobby, after
High School, became a serious and professional
entertainment/musical group. After four years on the road with
my first band, I decided to back off the road for a while in order
to finish a college degree, which I did accomplish at Texas Tech
University in Lubbock, Texas in 1980 in Sociology/Psychology
(Magna Cum Laude). That degree and about $3.50 will buy you
a cup of coffee these days! I never used the degree to get a job
or explore those fields further, but the discipline of studying,
getting good grades and finishing what I had set out to do was a
great precursor for later accomplishments.

I’ve been a life-long entrepreneur. Beginning with door-to-door


greeting card sales in the sixth grade, to being a professional
singer and musician, and to now owning an entrepreneurial adult
education business formed from the ground-up, with
international sales, I’ve worked for someone else for a
cumulative total of no longer than more than a year over my
entire life. Those odd jobs didn’t last long and all they really
represented was “tiding me over” in between businesses.

The fact is, I’ve never pictured myself working for someone else.
My thinking and the way I’m wired have always disposed me to
being psychologically unemployable. I believe in personal
independence as a way of life, and have always treasured being
my own boss, being in charge of my time, and having the ability
to create an unceilinged income based on my production. It
makes no sense to me to put myself in a position where someone
else tells me what to do, when to do it, and how much I’m worth.
Why build another man’s dream when God gives each of us our
own dream? The only reason would be fear of not being able to
make something happen, not being able to be paid for the value
I added to the community – I’ve never responded to that fear.

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You don’t have to share those same entrepreneurial values, but it
will help you to relate to me more, and to what you are about to
read. Knowing my values may also inspire you to become more
independent - more in charge of your life. I truly believe this
book will help you see yourself in that light.

I have owned businesses in two distinct industries simultaneously


all my adult life, which has made for quite a diverse and
interesting experience. Although there is some overlap, the two
businesses have different demands and require separate sets of
skills.

As mentioned before, I started my first band in High School, and


have been singing and performing ever since. The music
business has given me the opportunity to meet dozens of top,
internationally known celebrities, record 23 albums, and in turn
sell those recordings, as well as performance-related
paraphernalia and apparel (fancy word for t-shirts) for many
years. The down side of that business is the travel and the fact
that my product is my voice and live presence. Although residual
income has occurred with record sales to some extent, the
majority of income derived from this business requires getting on
an airplane and traveling to some city other than my own. It
requires my presence. My product is my appearance. Indeed,
the nature of entertainment and the music business requires
extensive travel – being gone a whole lot.

The other industry has been in the marketing arena. I learned


marketing, first as an independent contractor, selling products
for other companies, and progressing that knowledge and skill
into being the founder and owner of my present Company that
publishes educational and inspirational products. Most of those
are self-authored - written, or recorded. That process also
entails hiring and training a substantially large marketing team to
distribute those products. As creative as the music business has

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allowed me to be, marketing training and educational products of
my own creation is also a creative and fulfilling life work.

Relative to the content of the educational products my company


produces, personal success and accomplishment has been of
utmost intrigue to me. It is fascinating to study in depth why
only a small percentage of people become extraordinarily
successful, and conversely why the majority of people don’t. I’ve
had the opportunity to know many very successful people, both
personally and impersonally (those I’ve observed and admired
from a distance) and have learned valuable lessons from every
single one.

In my opinion, the qualities that separate highly successful


people from the “maddening crowds” is extremely valuable and
important information. I’ve made a career out of gathering and
learning that information, implementing that content in my own
life, and teaching it to those who want to create greater success
and more meaning in their life as well.

The Role of Failure

One of the first powerful lessons I learned from every highly


successful individual is that their journey always included MAJOR
FAILURES. You may be thinking it was just you who was prone
to failure. You also may fear failure to the extent that you avoid
it by simply “not trying” business, inventions, talents, creations,
trips, or whatever you’ve thought about doing.

My observation, and a major statement that I want you to hear,


is that avoiding failure is a big mistake – fearing failure is a
major mistake. Failure is actually an extremely important and
necessary component of success. Failure, and more accurately,
the willingness to risk failure - is a very important idea for you to
understand and even embrace! Failure is essential to the idea of
success. I reserve the right to fail! Each failure has been

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extremely educational for me and others who care to listen to my
story.

You can actually learn to enjoy failure and welcome it into your
life! Tim, are you nuts? Not at all. What I’m teaching you now
is the Champion mentality.

Champions compete to win. But they also know they are


not always going to win. There will be heartbreaking
losses along the way. Champions refuse to avoid the
game in order to avoid loss or failure!

What I’m saying to you is that substantial failures are simply a


fact for every success story I know. In fact, the more successful
a person is, the greater and more numerous failures they have
experienced along their journey. Most successful people have
experienced much greater failure than you may have ever
thought possible. Is that a clue as to what success is all about?

You better believe it is! It is a fact that failure necessarily


accompanies success.

As you probably know, the failure rate for business is very high –
some 40 percent plus of all businesses fail within the first five
years according to the US Census Bureau. Other sources show
that rate to be much higher than 40 percent. In any event,
deciding to own and operate a business includes a substantial
chance of failing.

So do we not open a business because others have failed? Do


we avoid business because we have experienced a failure or two
in our past? A Champion sneers at the thought of avoiding
getting into the game because a statistic says many will lose.
We replace the fear of loss with the strategy to win. I consider
myself more of a “strategist” than I do a business man. It’s the
strategy that sets you up for the win!

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I have become tuned in to, and somewhat obsessed with
changing these perennial business failure statistics to reflect
more successes and less failures in the business world at large. I
believe that those statistics not only need to change, they
certainly can change for the better. And I know I can make a
difference in making that change. The difference in winning and
losing is the conditioning of the Enterprising Leader and their
Team’s Mindset, a carefully thought-out Strategy, and tenacious
Execution. Changing statistics in the business community at
large is a monumental thought and an incredible goal, but it can
and should be done – it will happen.

Please understand that I’m not making a sales pitch here for my
company or products, but I do think it is important for you to get
a sense of where I spend the majority of my time, thoughts, and
energy. And I KNOW I have come up with very real answers. I
am indeed in the “CHANGE” business. Our company’s products
are an ongoing drive to change those business failure statistics
through practical education and enlightenment for business
owners. Proper information can change the planet! Improper or
insufficient information can cause a major train wreck in business
and in life.

Business Giants

Most businesses fail due to the lack of understanding by company


owners regarding the multifarious pitfalls and traps that can and
do occur in all industries. Although I’ve certainly experienced the
blessings of business success, I also intimately know about
business failure due to a ‘whopper’ that occurred not too long
ago.

Several years back I entered into and ‘endured’ a business


partnership that fairly quickly included fraud, collusion, and
embezzlement by two partners. Isn’t that a pleasant thought?
Without going into detail, the disastrous outcome was the loss of

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the business I had founded, including the loss of my income for
approximately a year and a half. Thank God I was blessed to
have been able to maintain my family and home, although many
of my fellow entrepreneurs facing similar circumstances have not
been as fortunate.

What a challenging time for my family, my employees, my


Representatives (mostly very good friends), and many others
who were distressed to see the business and me go through such
an arduous ordeal.

Losing a business takes no small toll on a person. I wouldn’t


wish what I and my family went through on anyone. A failed
business affects a person mentally, emotionally, and even
physically. Non-stop, intense stress will actually make you look
different, and not for the better. I vividly remember looking into
the bathroom mirror and being startled to see a significantly
aged, gaunt, ashen face of a man I barely recognized. Was that
Tim Darnell in the mirror? Whoa!

But there were other signs of the stress I was facing. A business
failure can cause you to start losing things. For instance, after
looking at that remarkably changed face in the mirror that
particular morning, I glanced around the bathroom to discover
we were out of body wash, deodorant, toothpaste, and lo and
behold – toilet paper! How low could we go? It’s rather funny
now, but it was anything but humorous then.

The fact is most Business Giants as well as personal Giants


appear suddenly. They catch us off-guard. Rarely are they
expected, but rather are a big surprise to well-meaning, hard
working business owner. When entrepreneurs are better
informed and more aware as to what these giants look like; and
when, where, and how they are likely to appear, they can
become more adept and agile at avoiding “surprises” and how to
handle them in a more timely and cost-effective manner. It is

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critical that this knowledge reaches well-meaning and hard
working business owners for them to avoid problems and even
business failures.

Internal Change

Throughout the business embezzlement and loss turmoil I


experienced, the one thing I did right was that I remained faithful
to God. In fact, the almost two-year ordeal was a season in
which I fully and consistently turned to God by being on my
knees in prayer and reading the Bible. I told Him in all sincerity
that I would do anything at all that He wanted me to – anything,
and I meant it. I had lost virtually everything with nowhere to
go. I also had absolutely very little else to lose. What would
appear to the natural world as a time of devastation and loss,
amazingly turned into a phenomenal time of my life due to a
powerful new-found depth of my convictions, belief, vision, trust,
and faith in God.

That time of dealing with a monstrous Giant in my life turned me


into a better person, as well as a stronger and more savvy man.
I still turn my life over to God every waking moment, every
sleeping moment. I am open to His voice and fully trust in His
leading me in every decision, indeed in every step I take.
Whatever God will have me do today and tomorrow, I will do,
without reservation. The awareness of Jesus Christ, and my
personal relationship with Him is the one thing that I would not
trade for any amount of money or worldly pleasure of any
amount or any kind. And that awareness became much more
real during my duress – a major positive amidst the negative
circumstances.

I became a deeper and more convicted believer during that


valley in my life. I believed in God in a more profound way than
ever before, and I also knew without question that I would
experience restoration. I believed that I could and would win. I

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became more convinced than ever that “all things work for good
for those who believe” Romans 8:28, and that God is the God of
restoration. See Joel 2:25

Over time, by God’s grace we were restored. Due to God’s


faithfulness, my wife and I are now able to see the incredible
good that has emerged as a result of what, at the time, could
only be termed a horrific experience.

I can truly relate to the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis.


Joseph is a very important character in the Bible. An amazing
fourteen chapters at the end of the first book of the Bible,
Genesis, are devoted to his story. Briefly, Joseph’s 10 older
brothers in a jealous rage, conspired to kill him. They almost
succeeded, throwing him into a well to die.

Joseph miraculously survived and would eventually become the


second most powerful person in Egypt next to Pharaoh. To make
an incredible story short, Joseph could have imprisoned or even
had his brothers killed. But he didn’t do that. He reconciled with
his brothers and forgave them. He is quoted as saying to them,
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to
accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
Genesis 50:20

After realizing that my status in the company where I was the


President, CEO, and Founder had been negated by the nefarious
collusion of my “partners,” I determined that my best solution
was to resign my position and immediately start a new company
with a much improved business model. I also decided to put
Christ at the very center of my new business, boldly and without
compromise or apology, something I frankly had not done with
the former company. It was, at the time, a new experience for
me. All choices I made during that transitional season of my life
turned out to be the best possible, right moves I could ever have
made.

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I mentioned that a business failure causes one to lose things. I
lost all of my credit. And I lost a very nice automobile when the
constable came by my house and said the bank would like to
have it back. At least the wrecker driver, with bright flashing
lights, was semi-polite as he towed my main means of
transportation out of my driveway. Of course, every neighbor
happened to be home at the time and came out of their homes to
see what all the commotion was about! I had “humble pie” for
breakfast that morning!

With the wisdom of hindsight, I am actually glad that that


incident and many more like it occurred, because they helped me
learn perspective and to mature in many ways. I realized how
non-essential and unimportant “stuff” is. It became clear from a
first-hand point of view that “things” do not define who you are.
I began to realize during the financial and emotional carnage of
losing my business, that what had been intended for harm
actually could, and did, turn into phenomenal blessings for my
family and me.

I found out I could lose almost everything and maintain my


dignity and sense of pride. Having lots of things or losing lots of
things are two totally different realities, but they didn’t detract
from “who” I am. When you define yourself as a servant and
child of Christ, anything of the like that falls under the category
of “stuff”, money, bank accounts, possessions, or net worth are
inconsequential.

A great aspect of “Bad” times is you will know, after the fact, that
you can survive them! I had no income – yet, God sustained us
for a much longer period than I would ever have thought
possible. I had no toiletries, but after borrowing from a
neighbor, we were able to stay clean. I lost a very nice car in the
most humiliating way possible, yet not too much later paid for
two late model vehicles with cash! I had bill collectors calling
non-stop, Sunday through Saturday for well over a year, but we

24
finally erased more than $200,000.00 in credit card debt! How
nice to be able to answer your phone and it’s not a bill
collector!!!

We came out of the torment intact. We survived. Survivors are


tougher. They know that they can endure. God won’t give you
what you can’t handle. So, if you are going through rough times,
you are simply learning how to be tough – tough enough to be a
powerful Giant Slayer!

Starting the new business was slow going (to put it mildly) and
we barely cash-flowed at all for over a full year and a half. But
eventually, around the start of 2005, our new company,
Advantage Conferences began to become quite successful.
Today, and in a relatively short period of time, the new company,
Advantage Conferences has become a multi-million dollar
company that is reaching thousands of people across the globe,
changing lives through the power of faith and financial education.

NOT QUITTING!

One key component that I want you to learn from my story was
that the second that I resigned from my own Company, I
immediately announced the opening of my new Company. My
resignation and transition to the new company had been carefully
planned. I knew I could not miss a beat. I knew I couldn’t
spend a single second having any kind of pity party. I knew I
could not hesitate in the least.

One of the key components for Slaying My Giant at that


devastating point, and in the overall story of my life, was the
powerful, yet simple idea of NOT QUITTING. If you have had
adversaries in your life and circumstances that seem daunting
and overly-difficult, I will tell you now – don’t quit. Never quit.
Don’t even falter. Don’t hesitate. Keep going. Stay very
focused. It’s one of the certain ways of Slaying Your Giant

25
known to man! This is not a suggestion. It is critically important
for your life and success to Not Quit. Giant Slaying requires
consistency and persistency, and not giving up!

“Plan A” – “Plan B”

“Plan A” (the business I lost) had been very important to me.


But “Plan A” was simply not working. Collusion, in layman’s
terms means that partners become antagonists who conspire
together and against you. They proceed to out-vote you so that
you have no say-so or power. I was blocked and out-
maneuvered on every initiative or idea I had, in essence making
me a “lame-duck” President. I had no more power than the
janitor (which, in a small company was another one of my many
job descriptions ☺).

Collusion can even take the form of pirating money out of a


company and putting that money anywhere the majority
conspirators decided it should go. For instance, operating
capital, with no more than a phone call between the two
colluders could by vote be designated as salaries for the
conspiring parties. That is exactly what happened in my
situation. English translation? “They stole hundreds of
thousands of dollars in operating capital” simply because they
could out-vote me.

God is the God of “Plan B”

So, when I came to grips with the fact that “Plan A” was not
working and I was going to have to let my baby (my business)
go, I immediately embarked on finding out what “Plan B” would
be. Thankfully, I did the right thing. I got down on my knees
and told God I would let Him tell me what “Plan B” was to be,
and that I would faithfully act on that plan. In fact, God is the
God of “Plan B”. He is the God of second chances and the God of
new beginnings.

26
Will God really provide “Plan B”? Yes, He absolutely will when
you completely TRUST that He will. We’ll talk more about this
very important subject later, but you will be comforted to know
that God loves you very much and is waiting to clearly lead you
the second you turn that authority over to Him.

In the seventies, a popular bumper sticker stated, “God is my


Co-pilot.” That was a strong statement for the seventies, but I,
and several of my closest business associates, have taken that
phrase much farther. We now say, “God is my Pilot!” He’s flying
the plane while I’m huddled (figuratively) somewhere in the
airplane’s rear bathroom awaiting direction and orders. I am
now so keenly aware of His sovereignty that I am not willing to
interfere or get in the way of His active involvement in my life.
He has the master plan. I simply follow. Even as the
quintessential “Type A” personality, I find that the journey works
much, much better when Tim (self) is out of the way and God is
in control. I am now a “Plan B” personality, meaning, “if my
natural instincts led me to “Plan A”, but God gives me “Plan B”,
the latter is the plan I’m going with without questions.

I strive every day to walk how the Apostle Paul in the book of
Romans describes father Abraham’s walk. He refers to
Abraham’s life journey as “Footsteps of the Faith.” For Abraham,
the Saints, and you and I – our journey happens one step at a
time with God leading the way. Instead of being terrified of the
future, the changes, the battles, and the unknown, you can walk
with God in full confidence, trust, and joy. That’s the way to
undertake and sustain the journey – one simple Footstep of Faith
at a time.

Those steps are taking you to New Home. Am I talking about a


new house? Possibly, but more importantly, I’m talking about a
place that is unencumbered by Your Giant – the place where your
abilities, talents and full potential can fully emerge and brightly
shine!

27
What we’ve learned:

“Easy” is not the guideline for Giant Slaying or


accomplishment
Your Champion self is ready to be unleashed, and with
God’s guidance is fully adequate to Slay Your Giant
Failure necessarily accompanies all great accomplishment.
Champions boldly and confidently move forward anyway
“Not Quitting” is essential for moving in to New Home
God will grant you a better route if you will ask Him. In
fact, he is the God of “Plan B” when our human “Plan A”
fails to work
New Home becomes more imminent One Footstep of Faith
at a Time

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Chapter 2

Identifying Your Giant

I am excited for you. The simple fact is, your life is about to
change. Giant Slaying begins with identifying your Giant.

Here is an important question for you. Which Giant do you want


to “take out”? Which Giant, when eliminated, will allow you to
proceed to your personal destiny – New Home?

After teaching the Slay Your Giant information for some time
now, it’s clear to me that most people don’t need psychoanalysis
to reveal who or what their Giant is. No, most folks know
immediately what their Giant is within seconds of mentioning the
phrase, Slay Your Giant. You, very likely wrote the answer to
that question (#11 above in chapter one) without much
hesitation.

Here are some of the many Giants that people tell me have been
in their life:

Common Giants

A. Fear of Speaking
B. Not Enough Money
C. Being Overweight
D. D-o-u-b-t
E. A Non-fulfilling, Abusive, or Bad Marriage
F. A Personal Enemy
G. Smoking
H. Disobedient Child(ren)
I. Fear of Starting Your Own Business
J. Procrastination
K. Poor Self Image
L. Alcohol

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M. Drugs
N. Pornography or Sex Obsession
O. Shopping
P. Reluctance to Exercise
Q. Illness
R. Impotence
S. Promiscuity
T. A Job
U. A Boss
V. No or Little Retirement
W.Debt
X. Same Sex Attraction
Y. Fear of Success
Z. Need for Approval
AA. _______________
BB. _______________

The list can go on for several days. Perhaps you’ve spotted


several Giants on this list that apply to you. If that is the case,
don’t be overwhelmed. Remember, we are going to simplify the
battle by taking on one and only one of these Giants. Let’s
keep it simple and accomplish one Giant Slaying at a time.

Know Your Enemy – a Warning

Many, many people avoid Giant Slaying. Worse - they don’t even
know certain Giants exist. Those who are not accomplishing
much in life don’t have to worry about Giants. If you are not
moving forward and not purposely realizing your dream of New
Home, you aren’t threatening to anybody physically or spiritually.
But when you do decide to make the move to New Home (the
best decision you can make), you will find plenty of enemies that
will purposely ‘square off’ against you. In fact, your odds of
having enemies are 100 percent. Some of your Giants may not
be a habit or vice, and they may also take human form as was

30
the case with David and his Goliath, and as is listed above (letter
“F”).

FACT: Whether you are a business owner, a leader of an


organization, or an employee moving forward in your career, you
are going to have enemies. One of the biggest mistakes you can
make is not recognizing who those enemies are – and
recognizing them as quickly as possible. Your Giant loves for you
to not recognize him. He can more easily wreak havoc in your
life if you’re not willing to admit he exists.

Giants (enemies) can be some of your closest acquaintances who


have publicly and to you personally avowed allegiance and
support. But beware: behind your back, their intentions, words,
and actions can be anything but supportive. The reality of the
matter is that they in no way are looking out for your best
interest, and actually intend to do you harm. This syndrome
occurs in the corporate world, in church work, and even in
families. I am not encouraging paranoia, but you can be overly
trusting by opening the door for the enemy to gain an advantage
over you and do you harm. Naïveté can cost you plenty. Don’t
assume that everyone is here to speed you on your way to New
Home.

I grew up in a family that loved and trusted everyone – in most


respects that is a great attitude and approach to life. But I’ve
also learned to be more savvy and discerning – especially after
being slandered, lied to, stolen from, taken advantage of, and
intentionally harmed on multiple occasions. I am sure this has
happened to you as well.

Surround yourself with a team that is loyal to you and each other
– people who will ‘watch your back.’ Trust people, but watch
being too open with just anyone regarding details about your
family, private life, business, financial situation, and your past. I
am a transparent person in many ways, but I am also well aware

31
that there are those who purposely plot to abuse friendships and
good intentions. Those acquaintances may seem to be friends,
but they can also have their own agendas diametrically opposed
to you, your beliefs, and your mission.

Toward the end of His life, Jesus issued a similar warning to His
disciples. When He first sent them out, He told His disciples to
go without purse, bag, or sandals, and they lacked for nothing.
But as the opposition became more intense, He said to them,
“But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you
don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.” Luke 22:36 As
you take on more responsibilities and become more vocal with
your message, Jesus’ statement is clear – you will need money,
and you will also need to be prepared to fight your enemies. Go
forward confidently, with the full intention to help and serve
others, but also recognize the very real eventuality of Giants and
enemies entering your life.

Disgust and Outrage

I truly hope you not only recognize Your Giant, but that you are
utterly disgusted with your Giant. I really pray that you are
outraged about what this Giant has caused you to miss in your
life.

Disgust and outrage are actually God-given indicators that need


to be heeded. These powerful emotions are not unlike the
sensation of pain. Pain indicates when something is wrong,
warning us to pay attention to a certain area of our physical
body. Pain is a warning signal, and it is also a gift.

The disease known as leprosy is where nerve endings don’t


convey warnings regarding malfunctions to the brain. Lepers can
experience injury and never even know they’ve been hurt
because they have no pain. Lepers, according to one millionaire
friend of mine who spent years ministering in a leper colony, ask

32
for one thing - the ability to feel again. The absence of pain
often causes a leper to not be alerted to an injury to a limb, for
example, and thereby lose that limb. Pain is a sensation that
may not be pleasant at the time, but serves the very real
purpose of directing you to a need in your physical being. It is a
useful alert and warning system.

Outrage, though stressful, can serve the same purpose of


alerting you to things that need changing. If you are outraged
about some aspect of your life, God is telling you that you should
deal with that circumstance. Outrage and disgust can help you
clearly identify the very Giant that needs slaying.

12. What am I disgusted about in my life?


______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

13. What am I outraged about in my life?


______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

No Negotiation

It may come as a surprise to you, but the Giant you’ve identified


may have been very dear to you at one time. For instance, if
smoking is a Giant you have identified, when you first started,
you enjoyed the process of buying the cigarettes and “lighting
up,” etc. But after a while, you noticed not so pleasant physical
reactions and symptoms, such as shortness of breath, coughing,

33
and foul smelling clothes that you knew weren’t positive for your
life.

But smoking was your conscious choice. You decided to try it


and keep doing it. You’ve paid a staggering amount of money to
purchase cigarettes. You’ve spent untold hours traveling to find
more cigarettes. You went out of your way to feed the Smoking
Giant and keep him around.

Whether Your Giant is smoking or the one you’ve already


identified, the fact is you’ve been attached to that Giant for quite
some time. You may have really liked him at one point, but now
I believe that you are fully disgusted with him. You are going to
want to recognize and even dwell on the disgust, while at the
same time you must consciously relinquish your former fond
feelings for him. In fact, you’ve got to decide to disassociate and
sever your relationship with the formerly friendly Giant once and
for all. You’ve got to get used to the idea of Slaying Your Giant.

When you firmly and finally decide that you are going to Slay
Your Giant, you are not going to negotiate with him. A dead
Giant can’t be talked to or reasoned with. You’re not going to
argue with or debate him. No, you’ve got to be much more
emphatic and much more severe than you ever have been in the
past regarding separating yourself from this particular Giant.
You are going to begin picturing your life without him once and
for all. You must be firmly resolute in this decision. No more
Giant, period.

Are you ready? The word we’ve been using is “Slay.” There is
no equivocation or ambiguity about the word, Slay. The word,
Slay denotes “final.” David didn’t go out on the battlefield to ask
the Goliath a few questions. He didn’t go out there to reason
with him. They didn’t shake hands. There was no arbitration.
There was ONLY the very firm decision to be “rid” of David and
Israel’s obstacle, Goliath.

34
You have got to totally cut ties with Your Giant. We’re not
compromising or playing patty-cake with your Giant. You’ve
done enough of that type of approach with this issue in the past.
With smoking as an example, you’ve toyed with the idea of
quitting. In fact, you may have tried to quit on several
occasions, but you continued to allow your Giant back into your
life. Not being decisive, firm and emphatic about ending the
relationship hasn’t worked for you, has it? No, it hasn’t. You
kept coming back to Your Giant. Frankly and realistically - Your
Giant must Die.

Shocking? It is even more shocking that you’ve kept Your Giant


around for so long. It is important that you recognize that YOU
have been keeping Your Giant around of your own choosing. In
fact, the only reason Your Giant has become so big is because
you’ve been purposely keeping him around and even feeding
him. You once found him to be quite attractive, but now you
realize that you’ve spent way too long pampering him and
offering him free reign in Old Home (your past and current life).

Whether you want to admit it or not, you have been emotionally


attached to Your Giant, and you have actually been reluctant to
let him go. That must change into a rock-solid commitment to
letting him go – to never see him again. You’ve got to have a full
commitment to orchestrate his departure, and more correctly, his
death.

Now, I know those of you whose Giant is another person are


asking, “Do I have to kill that person?” Obviously the answer to
that is, “NO, not at all!” We’re talking about eliminating the One
Single Thing, the Giant, the issue or obstacle in your life with a
powerful solution, not killing a person. We’re talking about
distancing your self from the obstacle once and for all. Only if
you are in the military, on the police-force, or in a life or death
situation would murder ever be the regrettable, distasteful, yet

35
possibly appropriate choice. That would only be resorted to in
desperate, “last case”, highly unusual situation.

The point is that we’ve got to toughen our minds to Slay Our
Giants. You must now be bolder than you’ve ever been. Slaying
Giants can indeed pertain to a drastic solution where physical
defense is your only option. There are rare contingencies that
should be worked out in your mind beforehand, such as someone
breaking into your home, where you or your family are clearly
and physically threatened. God forbid that something like that
ever occurs, but circumstances that require Giant Slaying might
require you to act decisively and with force.

However, do not get read into this paragraph or get stuck on


thinking I’m telling you to hurt or murder someone. Again, that
solution would only be appropriate in extremely rare
circumstances where you or your family’s safety was a matter of
life or death. If you believe your physical safety is in danger,
then you need to consult experts in self-defense and/or your
local law enforcement.

Inside Job

NEWS FLASH: As I mentioned before, not only have you been


keeping Your Giant around of your own volition, Your Giant is in
many instances likely to be one of YOUR OWN CREATION. That’s
right – you created Your Giant, and he resides in you. The most
exciting news of all is that if you created him, you can also Slay
him! Creating Your Giant was either an active or passive choice
– you either purposely acquired him, or he more or less slipped
in the back door. Slaying Your Giant must occur in both the
conscious and the subconscious – particularly through the
choices you make! Ninety-nine percent of all Giant Slaying
happens inside you – in your THINKING.

36
Since Your Giant is one of your own creations, you will be dealing
with and slaying your own perceptions, habits and thoughts.

99 Percent of All Giant Slaying


is an “Inside Job”

You’ve got to toughen up. You’ve got to face reality. You’ve got
to decide that Your Giant must be eliminated, period, with no
exceptions. Allowing Your Giant to be part of your life can no
longer be an option. You must take charge, and you must plan
to GET HIM OUT OF YOUR LIFE once and for all. There is no
room for gray. This is only black and white here. Your Giant
must go. It is the most important action required for your move
into New Home.

Total Freedom

As you begin to contemplate New Home, take a deep breath and


begin to picture your life without Your Giant. STOP – don’t just
gloss over taking a moment to envision life without Your Giant.
Take the time to picture how much better things will be without
him. Notice how much more powerful you begin to feel
immediately. Notice how much more control you have, how
much better your self-image is already becoming. When Your
Giant disappears, the excuses and rationalizations you’ve lived
with, in many cases for long periods of time, will go away as well.
You are looking at freedom and liberation versus confinement
and frustration. Once Your Giant has been slain, the mental
commitment to multiple excuses you have created and clung to
are no longer necessary and will free up your time to dwell on
positive and more productive thoughts.

Give yourself permission to be free – to experience true freedom


in your life. You do not have to ask anybody else for permission
to Slay Your Giant. Your decision to Slay Your Giant and move
into New Home is YOUR DECISION, and no one else’s.

37
Web of Rationalization

Most People (MPs) will never get to the Giant Slaying phase due
to the complicated web of excuses they subconsciously spin prior
to any attempt to change. Whenever MPs (Most People) sense
the disgust and outrage that we just talked about, powerful
inhibitors that defy change begin to go to work. The “reasons I
can’t” mental process kicks in with very little effort.
Rationalization works subconsciously, meaning it takes place
automatically and without conscious analysis. Excuse making is
an internal, insidious, and powerfully prohibitive process – a fully
systematized mechanism that relies on default, erroneous
thought processing. Each excuse adds a strand to what I call the
Web of Rationalization that our subconscious builds and builds
over the years.

An excuse is a falsehood. The Web of Rationalization is an


intricate maze of one falsehood added to another until an entire
fortress of falsehoods exists.

The Web of Rationalization is stronger than a real spider’s web.


It is almost impenetrable, and it is virtually impossible to break
through without a dedicated, purposed effort. Once that web is
woven, a person can easily be held captive (stuck) in that web
for life.

You are going to start becoming more aware of how your internal
dialogue and thought processes engage to stop your positive
forward motion. Again, this mechanism kicks in automatically at
the point the idea of “change” enters your thoughts. That
mechanism is very real and has quite effectively halted you from
attempting, advancing and accomplishing that which you know
you should be accomplishing.

38
MPs build their web of rationalization one strand at a time. Once
a single excuse appears in their brain, there is a very good
chance that it will become a default part of their thinking –
“default” meaning it is mindless mental processing. That single
excuse, regardless of its lack of substance or reality, becomes a
factor for all future thoughts unless it is consciously banished,
negated, and replaced by the more appropriate truthful thought.

Truthful thinking is web-proof. Learning and acting on truthful


thoughts will clear away an entire Web or Rationalization from an
MP’s brain, which also clears the way for a former MP to actually
become a Champion!

Could I be referring to brain washing? Unapologetically, YES!


Web-clearing is closely akin to brain washing, and our brains
NEED IT! Our brains – our thinking becomes cluttered with
useless and incorrect thoughts that can derail our success with
no conscious awareness. As our Champion emerges, we must be
more aware and more discerning about how we are processing
thoughts. Too often, we are our own worst enemy by
subconsciously standing in the way of our own success.

Excuse making – constructing your Web of Rationalization is a


defense mechanism that denies reality and shuts down
constructive advancement WITHOUT YOUR KNOWING IT.
Unfortunately, one excuse leads to another. And just like the
spider’s intricate web-making ability, we can easily get caught up
in building and reinforcing a stronger and stronger Web of
Rationalization that gloms up our ability to think positively and
arrive at powerful, go-ahead solutions. The web of
rationalization inhibits and impedes for no other reason than we
didn’t detect and delete a few wrong thoughts long ago.

39
One Erroneous Thought

One erroneous strand (rationalization or excuse) can stop many


other aspects of your life. I just had lunch with a business
woman who was telling me what was going on in her life. She
was completely overcome by her financial situation. Things
seemed bleak for her, and she was quite confused about what
direction she needed to go. She wasn’t sure if she could pay her
bills. I asked about her business and she replied that she was
not having success in her business. In fact she was not doing a
single bit of marketing to promote her business.

I asked her if she had any resources with which to market and
advertise her business. She said, “Well, I had planned to sell my
house and use a portion of the equity from the sale to market
her business.” I asked her if she felt good about doing that, and
she gave me several reasons why selling her house was really
the best thing for her life at this point.

When I asked her why she didn’t go ahead and do that, she said,
“because I’m not sure whether my daughter is coming to visit me
for the summer or not. If she does, I would prefer that I have
the house. I’m waiting on her to decide.”

Selling the house was indeed a great idea. It would be a go-


ahead, resourceful move. But, my friend had allowed the
indecision on her daughter’s part to stop that positive move, and
virtually all other positive moves that would have taken care of
the angst and financial problems she perceived to be reality in
her life. I told her she should go ahead with her inclination to
sell her house and use the proceeds to start a successful
marketing campaign.

As most business people know, if you have a business, you MUST


market your business. You must believe and fully trust that
marketing will pay dividends. You must put money in before you

40
can take money out. Instead of allowing the daughter’s
indecision to stop all other aspects of her life, I told her that if
her daughter did decide to come, she would be fine visiting at
her (the mother’s) newly acquired apartment or rented house. If
the daughter didn’t decide to visit, the mother would have
wasted months in waiting for something that didn’t even happen!

The real problem is that the mother needs to make firm and
positive decisions for her (the mother’s) own good. Her daughter
would be fine either way – she is already independent, living on
her own. One bad thought, in this case, letting the daughter
control her life, worked its way strand by strand into the
perceived quandary of not being able to pay her bills, and to the
point that her entire life was clouded.

#1 Strand: I need to be a good mother, which means pleasing


my daughter

#2 Strand: I’ll let my daughter vacillate about coming to visit,


because I might offend her if I do what’s best for me

#3 Strand: I won’t sell the house because it would be better to


have the house in the event my daughter decides to come

#4 Strand: Since I’m not selling the house, I don’t have money
to market

#5 Strand: Since I can’t market, I can’t build my business

#6 Strand: Since I can’t build my business, I don’t have any


money to pay my bills

#7 Strand: Since I can’t pay my bills, I’m worried and depressed

#8 Strand: I’m a failure

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This is a great example of how one single erroneous thought can
affect virtually all other facets of a person’s life. We spoke later,
and she was so thankful that someone cared to point the
erroneous thinking out to her. She “got it,” and has already put
her house on the market.

Hidden Giants

Underlying all of the indecision is another major culprit and that


is the worst word in the entire English language: d-o-u-b-t.
Going back to the Hesitant Mother example, there was more
complexity – another erroneous thought woven into that scenario
that I had to help her see.

There was another factor at work: the mother was dubious as to


whether her marketing dollars would really turn into profits.
Insecurities about whether or not her business really would work
stopped virtually every other aspect of her life, causing
depressing inertia. Instead of positive movement based on
making a timely decision as to what was good for her life, she
opted to wait on her daughter’s decision. For a while, the
mother was literally paralyzed by indecision and d-o-u-b-t.

This business woman also tells me she doesn’t d-o-u-b-t, and


doesn’t like to hear training on d-o-u-b-t or hear anybody else
even talking about d-o-u-b-t. Why? Because d-o-u-b-t rules her
life. We often refuse to talk about or listen to our Hidden Giants.
We’ll talk later on in the book about “things we avoid” and things
we too quickly “dismiss.” When you find things that you avoid
and dismiss, that thing or things may very well be the Giant in
your life. Like “pain” and “disgust”, avoidance and dismissal can
be powerful indicators of a Hidden Giant lurking in the shadows
of your life. Hidden Giants are just as troublesome, and often
less likely to be dealt with as their more obvious cousins. For
that reason, they can stick around for decades, all the while
wreaking havoc in your life.

42
This woman is no different from you or me. I’m guilty of basing
major components of my life on one single incorrect thought. We
all are susceptible to allowing one erroneous strand into our
thinking that leads to an entire sequence of subsequent, sticky
strands. Eventually, the strands form an entire Web of
Rationalization that effectively blocks our ability to move forward.

Hidden Giants leave clues as to their presence in our use of


language. Resistance to or rejection of ideas, concepts, and
change appear audibly in our speech. Here are a few red-flag
phrases indicating you are building a web of rationalization rather
than moving forward.

I can’t…

I would, BUT…

…it’s just that…

Dah, dah dah, BUT…

You want to know the truth? The phrase, “I can’t” is a total lie.
It is erroneous. It is wrong. Satan loves for you to believe this
oldest of lies. It is time to recognize your “I can’ts” and other
erroneous strands, and quit falling for these damaging
falsehoods.

I CAN is much more accurate. Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, if
you have faith and do not d-o-u-b-t, not only can you do what
was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain,
‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you
believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew
21:21

43
“Can” is of God. “Can’t” is of the enemy. Your Giant is praying
you believe in “can’t.” So, you have to decide, which is it going
to be? Who are you believing in, Christ or Your Giant?

The word “BUT” is the most obvious indicator of resistance to


change. I urge you to be aware of the use of the word, “but”,
and commit to getting your “buts” out of the way. Check
yourself closely – are you using the word, “but” often? Does
each possibility or solution in your life elicit the word, “but” in
your vocabulary? That word is a big indicator that you are
rejecting success! It is an indicator that you are resistant to
change. “But” is the word used most often by MPs who insist on
staying in Old Home.

Start analyzing your e-mail messages and your conversations. If


they contain several “but’s”, then you may be in need of, get
ready - “BUT” surgery. I am prescribing that you sign up for a
“BUT-ectomy!” Yes, that is a painful operation, because you
have staunchly defended your desire to remain in Old Home
residence primarily through your excuses as evidenced by the
use of the word “BUT!” “BUT” is the most “go to” word when an
MP needs to quickly dismiss positive solutions.

14. What excuses have I been creating and relying


on as a matter of habit?

_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

15. How does my own self-talk defeat my forward


steps?

_____________________________________________

44
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

Procrastination

One of the most common Giants reported among my audiences is


procrastination. The self-created Web of Rationalization is
responsible for procrastination. My students report being
stymied, stuck, and totally frustrated at not being able to move
forward, and not knowing why or what to do about it.

Procrastination occurs when a person has not yet reached the


point of Ample Reason, a very powerful concept we’ll discuss in
Chapter 4. Part of the solution for overcoming procrastination is
to identify and extract those strands of erroneous thinking one by
one. I know a student has accomplished the removal of a
significant strand when I receive an excited call saying, “I get it
now!” It’s an “aha” moment when you finally find a strand that
you didn’t even know existed.

As with our approach to Slaying Your Giant, we can accomplish


significant advancement when we are able to deal with and
change a single erroneous thought. If your Giant is
procrastination, you are going to choose to inspect your ability to
make decisions in a more timely fashion. Fear of making a bad
decision can create anxiety and worry that prolongs the choice
needed to be made. The longer a decision is avoided, the deeper
the anxiety can become. You become stuck in “no-man’s land”
or purgatory – in between heaven and hell. Making a decision on
a timely basis averts that anxiety, and puts you squarely on one

45
side of the fence. Sitting on a fence is a very awkward, tenuous
place to live.

Awareness and truth overcome fear. Truth sheds light on the


error of excuses and rationalizations. Truth trumps erroneous
thinking. But some of the strands of our Web are deeply
ingrained. Like tree stumps that have to be removed from the
place where you prefer to have a garden, habits and long-held
beliefs must be located and specifically extracted. If you’ve ever
tried to get rid of a tree stump, you know that they are not
removed easily. They’ve been there a long time, and they are
not about to be moved without massive effort.

But remember, “easy” is no longer the guiding factor for our


choices. Easy is not the criterion for stump removal, strand
extraction or Giant Slaying. All three are things that we can do.
We simply have to have the will and understanding to make
them happen. I suggest you find a tree stump removal expert
when faced with that task. And I suggest you become obsessed
with finding only blatant truth to wipe away your Web of
Rationalization. The truth is difficult to accept when you’ve lived
in Old Home for too long, but it is the very thing to kick-start and
sustain your journey to New Home.

The Web of Rationalization will paralyze a person. It is


unquestionably the single most detrimental element standing in
the way of your success. Introspectively analyzing your beliefs,
as well as thinking back to events that occurred in the past that
may be affecting you even now are excellent ways to uncover
and eliminate individual strands of your web.

For example, a single comment made to you by a significant


person in your life in the eighth grade could be a factor that has
affected your self-image to this day. One of our excellent
instructors, Debbie Lantz, teaches Advantage Conferences
audiences how seemingly insignificant events that happened in

46
early childhood can easily steer a person’s thought process and
decision making throughout their life. Debbie teaches seminars
on discovering and uncovering those events and putting closure
to them. Doing so will take stubborn strands out of your web,
which in turn will lead to the extraction of other strands that
developed as a result of the first one.

New Age Solutions?

We are going to be talking about what truth really is and where it


comes from throughout this book. I will caution you to be aware
of the preponderance of what I call “New Age babble” that exists
in regard to the subjects of self-improvement and personal
development. The talk show hosts, authors, and even entirely
new religions that have emerged dealing with these subjects
spend lots of time talking about personal empowerment and
breakthroughs. I applaud them to an extent for the fact that
they do help some folks become more aware of issues about
which they may not have been aware. But the New Age
approach always leave its devotees short of real answers. They
are good at helping someone identify various strands of their
web, which I believe to be important, but they never bring to the
table the most important aspect of Giant Slaying – Jesus Christ.

In order to be politically correct, and because they are not in a


committed relationship with Christ, they fail to recognize, or at
least fail to enunciate God’s role in their life and the lives of their
students. How can you ignore the reality of the Creator? How
could you ignore the role of faith? How could Jesus Christ not be
central to the subject of Giant Slaying and New Home?

My question is, “do you believe that God is alive and working in
our lives or not?” The bottom line is – He is All Important, omni-
present, all-knowing, and totally in control. How can we learn
from people who miss and don’t even know about this crucial and

47
hugely important aspect of our lives? Your Giant would love for
you to think you can battle Him without God on your team.

A hint that you are listening to a New Age instructor is the


absence of the name, Jesus Christ. If the name does come up, it
will be in the context of the great “teacher.” They may even call
Him “master.” But you’ll never hear them call Him, “Savior” or
“the Lord Jesus Christ.” In order to not have to show partiality to
Christianity and to not offend anybody, they choose to refer to
God as the “universe.”

Folks, if a so-called teacher can’t or won’t distinguish the Creator


from that which is created, then what can they teach you about
anything else? With New Age discussions, you will find that there
are no real answers, just ethereal discussion and opinion. If you
fail to enunciate the Name above all Names, Jesus Christ, you
are negating God and His role in our life.

Paul says to the church at Colossi, “See to it that no one takes


you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which
depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world
rather than on Christ.” Colossians 2:8

Christ is the answer, not New Age babble, which offers no


solutions other than mantras, crystals, and numerology.

One other point which is as problematic as not recognizing the


presence, importance, and power of God, those authors often fail
to write their own books. They hire professional “ghost-writers.”
This is accepted methodology for many of the famous authors
that you’ll see on book-store shelves. In my opinion, that
concept is disingenuous at best. In my opinion, it is simply
fraudulent. As we look for truth in all that we do, knowing these
facts make many authors and gurus suspect in their approach.

48
This book may not be as well written as it could be had I hired a
ghost writer, but every word was written and edited by me on
my word processor. This is not said pridefully, I simply believe
that when you buy an author’s work, you ought to expect that
they wrote every word, or it tends to invalidate the content. For
good or bad, this book was written by the author’s name you see
on the cover.

Old Home
“20
Early in the morning David left the flock with a shepherd,
loaded up and set out…” 1 Samuel 17:20

Do you love your home? It could be an apartment, a


manufactured home, a modest bungalow, or a multi-million dollar
mansion. I hope you love your residence and I’m sure there are
things about your home that are comfortable and familiar.

When I talk about Old Home, I’m not only talking about the
physical structure you’re living in. I’m talking more about life as
you have experienced it in the past - life as you have known it
up until now. As much as you may like your circumstances, the
fact is, Old Home is not your God given destination. As I
mentioned before, we must recognize that the past has passed.
Old Home is your “past” residence. Now, it is time to move
forward toward your truthful destiny. As with David, it’s time to
“load up and set out…”

“Load Up and Set Out”

The fact is: that better place we are envisioning, New Home, very
certainly exists. It is real. Excellent, unexpected rewards await
your arrival. A refreshing world of new options and delights will
open up to you. You will be able to accomplish more, contribute
more, and become a better and more respected leader.

49
An incredible transition into leadership coupled with massive
rewards certainly occurred for David. David went from tending
sheep to leading a Nation as its king. His “coming out party” was
the decisive confrontation he had with a very large, frightening
obstacle – a Giant named Goliath. By facing the nine foot tall
warrior and slaying him, David established wealth, power and
leadership in a single moment. You, too, can make a significant
quantum leap by decisively Slaying Your Giant.

What does the idea of leadership have to do with Slaying Your


Giant? The fact is, you are about to take charge of your life (lead
yourself) like you have not done in the past. And that could very
well lead to your taking leadership in situations and organizations
you never thought possible.

The very process of Slaying Your Giant will create an influential


presence for you in the eyes of other people. Leaders become
long-term, effective leaders due not to charisma, physical
strength, or good looks. Leaders are leaders because they have
their personal lives together. They are willing to embrace change
and make crucial, if not unpopular decisions. They recognize the
power of change and creatively construct transition strategies for
their own life and the lives of others! They Slay Their own Giants
and help others Slay Their Giants as well!

Leaders start out with few or no followers, but they eventually


attract others by virtue of their intent, plans, resolve, action, and
steadfast integrity, as well as their willingness and courage to do
battle. Once you’ve shown that you can Slay Your Giant, you will
become a hero or heroine in your own eyes. You will respect
yourself to a degree you didn’t know possible. And those same
leadership qualities will begin to seep into your environment so
much so that others will also notice. They will admire what you
are doing in your own life, and they will gradually and steadily
begin looking up to you. Their old picture of you will become a

50
new, more respected image. You will become a leader of others
by virtue of triumphing over Your Giant.

As a younger man, I had the opportunity to chauffer a billionaire


to the airport after he had spoken at a conference where I was
the featured singer. I rather nervously asked the simple
question, “Bill, what is the difference between you and all the
others out there who can’t seem to do a fraction of what you’ve
done?”

His simple and quick reply was, “self-image.” He did not


elaborate. That was all he said, and he said a mouthful! I never
forgot that brief exchange. As years have passed, it is very clear
to me how very few great things are accomplished without a
healthy self-image. I’ve connected the dots by understanding
that self-image is the reward for self-discipline. Healthy self-
image is necessary for becoming a leader. Self-image develops
when you learn how to lead yourself first, the first stepping stone
that paves the way for leadership with others.

You’ve Got to Move

In order to enter New Home, you will be consciously and


purposely letting go of your past, both physically and
emotionally. You are going to cease going along with the
standards of Most People (MPs) and begin identifying, striving for
and achieving higher standards. You are going to trade Old
Home for New Home – the true place your Inner Champion
deserves to reside.

We need to be a little more personal by asking an important


question. You need to be honest with yourself regarding your
answer.

16. Are you fully resolved to let go of Old Home?


______________

51
17. Are you committed to moving forward? ____
Describe what New Home looks like to you.

(Take a moment to answer these questions)

My vision of New Home – five things that will be better in


New Home as compared to Old Home:

A. ___________________________________________

B. ___________________________________________

C. ___________________________________________

D. ___________________________________________

E. ___________________________________________

You should be thankful for all the good in your life – who you are,
your past accomplishments, your past contributions, your family,
your friends, the “stuff” you currently have, your title, your
knowledge, your current residence, your salary or current
income. But you’ve got to move away from what has been your
comfort zone - away from inaction, indecision, and old habits,
and anything else that has been destructive. You must recognize
and begin extracting strand after strand in your Web of
Rationalizations. You will want to identify and discontinue
inhibiting thoughts, habits, words, and actions.

Anything that stands in the way of your move to New Home must
be carefully considered, with the idea that you may have to “let
go” of one or more of those aspects of your life. You must

52
consciously prepare to move “out” of Old Home, the detrimental
aspects of your current life, and not look back.

Dynamic Future

The next few months are going to be a wonderfully dynamic


season in your life. The word “dynamic” describes a condition of
positive, significant, and rewarding changes. You are going to
find new resolve in your life that brings you and those closest to
you greater purpose and meaning. You are going to enter New
Home, where you will find your life to be more stimulating, more
productive, and more rewarding. New Home is that better place
you’ve dreamed about that can only be inhabited AFTER Slaying
Your Giant.

Abundance

Most people (MPs) won’t do what you are about to do, so there’s
virtually no competition from others. In fact, you’ll rarely have
to be concerned about competition. Seeing life in terms of
competition is a truly invalid “scarcity” concept. I see my so-
called competitors, as fellow sojourners who have similar
interests as me, which places us in a common niche. I am in no
way threatened by them. I constantly seek ways to work
together with my competitors, and enhance their businesses and
lives, rather than making them out to be enemies. I even
congratulate them genuinely when they succeed.

When you choose to live in an Abundance Model, rather than a


Scarcity Model (Scared City), you will find incredible new options
are available. There is more than enough abundance, supplies,
and business for everyone to thrive. I don’t think in terms of
competition, but rather in terms of synergies that can be
discovered and developed.

53
Abundance is the reality of the world, and yet Most People (MPs)
see the world as “barely getting by.” They reject the idea of new
Home. MPs are MPs by virtue of their complacency about,
acceptance of, and default thinking regarding Old Home. They
would never dare to venture out to Slay Their Giant. You cease
being an MP when you genuinely resolve to make your move into
New Home, where wealth and fulfillment abounds!

Risk

When deciding about our future, we do quick intellectual and


emotional calculations in our heads as to whether or not a
particular decision is more likely to incur “risk”, or more likely to
incur “reward.” The insurance industry bases its products on
very detailed, mathematical probabilities called actuarial tables.
They know what the odds of a male or female’s chances for
survival are at any given age. They have extensive statistical
probabilities figured out in a scientific fashion that gives them a
very good probability of making money on a given demographic
(group of people).

What most people do not include when calculating the future is


the most important aspect of our past, present, and future, and
that is Almighty God, present and active in our life. David
fighting Goliath without God would have been a totally different
story. It would never have made the pages of the 1st book of
Samuel. In fact, David would have been the one to lose his
head.

With God in your life, risk takes on a totally different dimension.


I’ve come to a “knowing” that God holds both my present and my
future in His hands fully and completely. I also know that He is
alive, watching me, caring for me, empowering me every second
of every day. That makes my equation for risk calculation quite
different.

54
Nights and days? He’s got those covered. Waking and sleeping?
Yes, He’s in there, too. Being at peace in a hammock on a beach
or fully engaged in the battle of my life? He’s there.

How about this? “I have learned to be content whatever the


circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what
it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in
any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether
living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who
gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13

Paul “gets it.” He can do everything. I can do everything. You


can do everything through Him. Not on your own – through
Him.

The future is not as risky as you may perceive it to be. Change


is not as risky as you may perceive it to be. On the other hand,
not changing, especially if God has spoken to you telling you that
you need to change, is a risky proposition. If God is nudging you
to change, then opting to remain in Old Home is by far more
risky than making the move to New Home. By the same token, if
God is telling you to get rid of a certain aspect of your life, then
Slaying Your Giant is by far less risky than keeping him around.

Making changes and taking risks are important concepts for


Champions to embrace. Risk resides in an area outside your
comfort zone, and is really no more than unexplored territory
that is less familiar to you. Most People (MPs) avoid areas where
they’ve never been or can’t visually see. MPs avoid risk.
Champions know that no significant rewards occur without risk -
without venturing out of their comfort zone. They also know that
“the greater the risk, the greater the reward.”

Kelly Stevens is the owner of Florida Utility Trailers, Inc. in


Apopka, Florida. Kelly owns five profitable corporations and is a
Godly, devout believer in and servant of Jesus Christ. Kelly

55
shared with us at a recent Millionaire Mindset Conference a major
decision he made several years back. It was the decision to
close his highly profitable bank and vault construction company
in order to start a trailer company. The new company took six
full years to reach profitability, but when it did, it became very
profitable! When asked how he could just give up a successful
company based on the thought that the new idea would be a
better move, he simply said, “I had fully prayed about the
decision and knew it was the right move for my career and the
long-term, and I was willing to take the risk.”

Today with the wisdom of hindsight, we can see that Kelly did
indeed make the right move – one that made him a millionaire
many times over!

MPs avoid risk like the plague. I say that you’re not doing much
for God or yourself if you’re not willing to step out in faith and do
something bigger than you ever have before. AND that
something absolutely should have an element of risk to it. The
excitement, the exhilaration, the sense of being alive will never
be so real for you until you learn to act on belief and faith, rather
than calculating how to avoid risk. Your dreams and New Home
should be God-sized visions, one that can only happen with God’s
help and involvement – “through Him.”

Who are your heroes and heroines? Mine are all people who
have had tremendous courage; who have faced overwhelming
odds; and who have taken on risks that the common man never
would. All the great heroes/heroines of the Bible were faith-filled
and courageous risk-takers. Jesus Christ was and is the greatest
hero of all time. Incorrectly, He is often pictured as a meek and
mild, milk-toast pacifist. If you see Him that way, you need to
re-read the gospels to understand His true nature.

Yes, He was loving, compassionate, and servant-minded. I love


those qualities about Jesus. But He also courageously and

56
defiantly stood up to the ruling powers of the day, especially the
Pharisees. He openly criticized them for their dishonesty,
hypocrisy, and greed, not behind the veiled safety of an
anonymous statement or e-mail – no, he confronted them
directly to their faces. His statements on many occasions were
incendiary and insulting. I love it! Jesus dared to get in the
faces of those in authority to whom everyone else cowered-
down. He didn’t run from confrontation, he chose to be in the
fight, like his ancestor, David did.

Personally, I’m sickened by cowardice and political correctness.


I’m saddened by those who don’t stand up for their belief in
Jesus Christ. Listen to these words of Jesus and see if you think
He was anything less than totally truthful without pulling any
punches. In John 8:42-47 he speaks to the authorities…

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would
love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not
come on my own; but He sent me. Why is my language not
clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry
out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the
beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in
him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is
a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell you the
truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me
guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you
believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says.
The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to
God.”

Those are fighting words! “You belong to your father, the devil…”
And this is only one of many examples of his incredible courage.

Jesus openly and defiantly healed a man on the Sabbath. He


spoke to a Samaritan woman, and dined with tax collectors and

57
sinners - acts of insolence in the eyes of those in positions of
power. His acts and questionable associations with the poor and
social outcasts upset Jewish customs and norms. He turned over
the money-changer’s table in the Temple, and answered directly
when the Roman soldiers asked Him if He was Jesus, knowing
they were about to arrest Him. “I told you that I am He.” John 18:8
He knew that his disciples would be in for a dangerous future – in
the service of Jesus. In Luke 22:36 He told them to “sell your
cloak, and buy a sword.” That sword he told his disciples to
acquire was not for aesthetic purposes. We know now that all
but one of His original disciples died martyr deaths.

Jesus went to the cross, knowing the extremely torturous and


cruel pain that awaited Him. He willingly endured some of the
most inhumane acts to a person in all of history - literally
“skinning” a sizeable portion of his body by the horrific cat-of-
nine-tails until He was virtually unrecognizable. How cruelly was
he treated; and yet, how brave our Savior was – all for you and
for me.

That is the man I follow and to whom I dedicate my life. We


should follow His lead by standing up for our beliefs and doing
what is right because it is right. Bravery and courage are
uncommon in today’s society, but you have the option to
summon those qualities and live a power-filled life. When you do
so you will never feel more alive!

To live in fear is “not to live.” To not take on risk in your life is to


take up space on the planet. Likewise, to live in fear of Your
Giant is “not to live.” William Wallace, the famed Scottish
liberator said just before his death, “all men die, few truly live.”
I will go with Brave Heart’s William Wallace into battle. I’ll listen
to those who dare to enunciate truth in spite of the negative
consequences.

58
Don’t take up space on the planet, change the planet. Life must
have a significant element of adventure, and even danger, or it is
wasted. If there is not some element of danger and risk in your
life, I believe you are short-changing your very existence and the
purpose for which God gave you birth. You are not believing and
acting – “through Him.” Stand up for the courage of your
convictions. Speak up and be counted. Raise your hand when it
is time to volunteer to go out onto the battlefield. Don’t ignore
Your Giant – Slay Your Giant! Be strong like David and Jesus
Christ. Put on William Wallace’s blue war paint and go meet Your
Giant. If you will do that, then I am with you – let’s go!

I will follow you into that battle when you show the uncommon
courage that Champion risk-takers display. They choose to live
their lives based on principles and truth rather than what is
“easy.” And because of that, their lives take on meaning and
value. You take on greater purpose when you dare to stand up
and speak up – you’ll begin living the kind of courageous life that
God wants you to have. You’ve got one life – be used of God and
live that life to the full – “through Him!”

What we’ve learned:

Disgust and outrage point to the Giant you need to Slay


Slaying does not mean negotiate or “toy with” Your Giant
There is nothing that blocks our journey to New Home more
so than our self-created Web of Rationalization
“d-o-u-b-t” is a Giant that Champions defeat through
complete trust, belief, and faith
The Web of Rationalization and d-o-u-b-t are destroyed
only by being directly confronted with truth
Procrastination and “but’s are common enemies that are
conquered by decisiveness and action
Beware of New Age babbling – it offers no true solution or
answer

59
Discipline leads to Healthy Self Image which opens the door
to Leadership
Risk rewards – fear stops you dead in your tracks
Live life as a valiant warrior – “through Him”

Notes:

60
Chapter 3

Recognizing Proper and Improper Targets

Old Home is comfortable due to the fact that it is what you know.
You are familiar with your old way of life, but Old Home offers
only the lifestyle you have experienced in the past.

An important distinction between Champions and Most People


(MPs) is their choice of targets. While MPs have “Seeking
Comfort” as a default target in their life, Champions recognize
“comfort” as a deceptive, erroneous target. Already, on several
occasions, I have mentioned that “easy” is not the standard for a
life that includes New Home. Neither is “comfort.”

“Seeking comfort” is simply not compatible with accomplishment.


It will never lead to the autonomy or fulfillment for which
Champions fight. Listen carefully –

“Comfort” is NOT the Goal

You will discover New Home only when you realize that Comfort
as a targeted goal will keep you firmly locked into Old Home.

We all have targets, whether they are intended targets or default


targets. When I use the word, default, I am referring to
thoughts and activities that you are thinking and doing that occur
without discernment, careful consideration, and without the input
from successful Christian Mentors.

Champions purposely and carefully think about and aim at what I


call the Proper Targets, while MPs unconsciously shoot for
Improper Targets. Champions don’t choose “being comfortable”
as a target. The journey to New Home via Slaying Your Giant is
not about comfort, although ironically, achieving entry into New

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Home often affords greater comfort than was ever available in
Old Home.

Merri-Jo Hillaker is an incredible person - a powerful


entrepreneur and deeply convicted Christian. Another of our
Millionaire Mentors at a past Millionaire Mindset Conference,
Merri-Jo made an impact on me like few people on earth have,
and she did it all within an hour and a half. Wow, what a great
individual! Merri-Jo says this, “You will find very few highly
successful people who haven’t fallen in love with being
uncomfortable!”

That’s it – that is the gospel truth, my friend. When it boils down


to how to be a Champion, we’re going to come to grips with, get
down to basics, and accept the truth that some discomfort, and
even some pain is the only way that true progress can be made.
Truthfully, that discomfort and pain may be manifested at
greater levels than the word, “some” indicates. Are you ready
and willing to accept some pain? Be assured, that whatever level
of pain you may be called to endure, you will be able to
withstand it. Your pain threshold – the amount of discomfort and
pain you can withstand, is much higher than you give yourself
credit. No, I’m not masochistic. Champions simply know that
some degree of pain is necessary, and thankfully, that pain will
be temporary.

Seeking Proper, rather than Improper Targets, only happens with


maturity. The content of our prayers is a good indication of our
maturity. If we find that our prayer life is centered on requests
for “comfort,” that is a good indication we haven’t climbed very
high up the spiritual ladder. Comfort is a self-centered concept,
and has little to do with building God’s Kingdom or helping
others. I often teach Christian business people that we can reach
higher levels of maturity in our life when we seriously and
carefully consider the content of our prayers.

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One of the great truths that Champions understand is this:
Comfort makes a lousy target. It is an entirely deceptive and
unfruitful purpose or goal - one of the more infamous…

Improper Targets

MPs are also, by default and unconsciously, focused on “fitting


in”, with the central desire being to be just like everybody else.
The problem is this, and please forgive me if I’m sounding
judgmental or rude, but I’m saying this to help you see clearly:

MPs are categorically broke, overweight, mildly productive, and


not genuinely concerned about making the most of their life.
They are creatures of old habits, trends, trying rather than
producing, television, compromise, the media, and mediocrity.
In general, the masses are simply spectators in life. They are
only interested in “getting by” one day at a time.

Champion or Chameleon?

Is “fitting in” an honorable goal? No, “fitting in” is a fear-based


goal, one that keeps MPs firmly wedged into Old Home. This was
an area I really had to overcome in my own life – not the ‘desire’
to fit in so much as the ‘ability’ to fit in. I’ve been a person who
could adapt to almost any environment – not at all threatened by
new or ambiguous situations.

Being a “social chameleon”, able to feel at home in almost any


scenario, from church to a biker-bar, I realized that, even though
I could get along in almost any scenario, I needed to discover the
person I actually wanted to be and make choices accordingly.
Being a person who is good at “fitting in” is actually detrimental
to becoming a Champion.

What would happen is that, like a chameleon that changes its


colors to fit in with its environment, I too could adapt to different

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types of people, knowing I could easily “fit in” to their crowd. I
could pick up and emulate their attitudes, language, and
sometimes even their accents in a brief period of time.

But upon further inspection, I realized that by “fitting in”, I was


taking on their characteristics and not maintaining the integrity
of who I really was and what I really stood for. I was there to be
liked, rather than being “on purpose” to live a life of integrity
according to Christ-centered beliefs and values.

“Fitting in” actually means “becoming one of the crowd.” I’ve


always considered myself pretty social and fun, but being social,
fun, and always wanting to “fit in” can seriously detract from
being the person God wants you to be. Leaders are individuals
who set the bar high, rather than wanting to be like MPs who
allow the bar to be set comfortably low. Being like everybody
else is the antithesis, that is the opposite, of leadership. It is
also the opposite of being a Champion.

Now, don’t get the idea that moving to New Home is all about
being serious, constantly winning, and living life in a stress-filled,
pressure cooker. Nor should you surmise that being a leader, a
Champion, and a Christian is not fun. Relaxation time should
regularly be included in your schedule. I believe there is nothing
more fun than accomplishing great things; and that you can have
humor, relaxation and levity in the midst of doing your best!

However, when you do take a stand, when you do set the bar
higher and the pace a little quicker, you will find that you’ll be
doing anything but “fitting in”. You will stand out in the crowd
rather than blend into the crowd.

On a lighter note, there are times when a little compromise can


be a good thing. For instance, as mentioned before, I am a
graduate of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. The Red
Raider colors are black and red. TTU is my alma mater - where I

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maintain my collegiate allegiance. But I also know that if I go to
a Texas A&M (Aggies) game and wear a maroon jersey, then I
will be pleasing my wife and her family who are all Aggies. So,
when I go to their game and don their beloved maroon colors,
that’s a time when fitting in to the - oh, let’s say, ‘fanatic’ Aggie
environment could be a positive!

I do have twinges of Benedict Arnold on those outings. But


during those moments where I’m attempting to be a good family
member, I’m not representing who I really am. I’m a Red
Raider! Going to an Aggie game, and wearing maroon is just a
way of “fitting in” with my wife’s family – a short-term, necessary
adjustment for a smoother marriage ☺!

As regards ethics, principles and Proper Targets in our life, we


must decide to take a stand as to what jersey we are going to
wear. If you really are a person of accomplishment, you’ll not
feel comfortable wearing MP jerseys – The University of Excuses,
Dabbling State, Inconsistency Tech, Rationalizing U., or
Complaining College!

As you introspectively look at what you’re really doing in life, is


your direction too often steered by the Improper Target of
“Fitting In”? Ask yourself, am I actually just looking to do the
easiest, least painful, day-to-day activities I can get by with? If
so, you will want to begin consciously replacing Improper Targets
with more productive, Proper Targets.

More Improper Targets

There are many Improper Targets that need to be identified,


some of which may come as a surprise to you. Having Improper
Targets is a major stumbling block that will delay you from
effectively Slaying Your Giant and moving into New Home. They
are diversions that can derail your desired forward movement.

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When I was a younger man, if you asked me what I wanted to be
in life, I would have told you, “Oh, I just want to be happy.” My
Dad asked me that once when I was in my twenties and I
answered that way. I’m sure he was impressed…

But I’ve learned a great lesson - “happiness” is another lousy


target. If your target is happiness, you will find the outcome to
be elusive and unsatisfying. Happiness is a wonderful “by-
product” of aiming at Proper Targets, but not a good Target in
and of itself.

Another improper target is “money”. Money has the same


illusory property as the targets of “fitting in”, “comfort”, and
“happiness” have. They all make lousy targets.

But, Tim, I thought you were a business man. Isn’t money all
you business people think about? That actually is a common
myth about business people that is rarely even close to correct.
The answer is “rarely do I think about money as a target.” You’ll
see why that is true later.

I never make “money” a target. I make the creation of an


exceptional product, great service and trusting relationships my
business targets. When you do that, money becomes the by-
product of doing that which is right and valuable for others.

We’ll find out what it is that makes a better target in life, and
that the by-product, and indeed the IRONY of setting our sites
on Proper Targets is often “comfort”, “happiness”, and, yes,
“money”! These are the by-products, but not the worthy
Targets.

Notice which Improper Target was not a by-product of Proper


Targets - “fitting in”. Though you as a Champion will always be
able to find genuine friends, “fitting in” with MPs is one concept
that will rarely, if ever, happen for Champions.

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We may be respected by MPs, but we’re not looking to be like
MPs or even hang out with MPs. No, we’re not better than them,
nor do we put them down. But traits, emotions, and the
language of those with whom we choose to associate tend to rub
off and influence all of us, including Champions. We are all
susceptible to the influence of people we spend time with.

We can actually quantify this phenomenon. For example, it has


been observed both casually and scientifically that your income
will be affected by your closest associations. For example, pick
the five families you hang out with most often. Take their annual
household incomes and add them all together. Now divide that
sum by 5. You will be amazed at how close that number will
resemble your actual annual income. People subconsciously
begin to think like those with whom they associate. In this case,
they often land in the same socio-economic class that their
closest associates belong to.

That actually is good news for you if you’re looking to advance


financially. If you want to change your annual income, then you
would do well to associate with people who make the income that
you are wanting to achieve. It is probably obvious to you at this
point in your life that it would be a very good idea to increase
your income, to begin shifting up to a higher strata or level of
income in your life. Uh oh – I brought up “money” - now here’s a
subject that MPs hate to talk about!

Silly Myths

Speaking of myths – one ridiculous myth is that you should be


limited in your income. Let’s see, we serve an unlimited God
who says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to
the full”, John 10:10b, yet we choose to struggle financially because
we choose small, limited incomes as a life choice. Can you see
the incongruence of those two concepts?

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Your income is a result of your thinking, plain and simple; and it
can and should be much greater than what you have experienced
in the past. Stated another way, your thinking, perceptions and
mindset have placed you squarely in the income bracket you now
find yourself. There’s nothing magical about where you are now.
You’ve thought your way to that level.

The good news is that you can think your way to a much higher,
more productive level. If you reject that statement, then you
can look forward to maintaining Old Home income. But I
encourage you to think differently.

Here’s a very important concept regarding your choice of income


brackets:

Choosing limited income is an extremely selfish concept.

Limited income is a greedy concept. It makes the statement loud


and clear that all you are concerned with is “you” just getting by.
That thinking is born of the impression that you live in a
condition of “lack.” It means you choose to not be resourceful
for the needs of a hurting world, but only want to take care of
your own needs. It is a wrong and totally erroneous
misconception.

When you accept the statement that you can think your way to
higher income levels, then you will progressively think your way
into the reality of a greatly improved, New Home financial
condition. Improving your finances now means you can give
more. You can fill in the gaps experienced by your own family
and those around you more effectively and powerfully. You can
begin being a part of the solution, versus shrinking from those
solutions or situations that need funding. You can start
controlling finances, rather than finances controlling you.

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Scared City

Regarding money, Your Giant is not your circumstances, your


talent, your education, your boss, or any other factor. Your
Giant is simply your thinking. You’ve got to be willing to trade
ridiculously erroneous and perfectly backward views about
money and income for more productive (and more stewardly)
concepts. MPs don’t even like to talk about the subjects of
income, finances and money. They become serious, secretive,
and fearful when someone brings up the subject. The reason is
that they live in a town I call, “Scared City” (scarcity).

The fact is that we don’t live in Scared City. We live in the


unlimited world of abundance that God has given us. We have
no reason at all to be afraid of money, especially when we have
Proper Targets. MPs assume that money is all about greed.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. Money is about the exact opposite of
greed. It is about giving.

You can be much more effective in ministry and helping others


when you deal with larger amounts of money, and also when you
are not spending every waking hour trying to earn a buck. When
you learn to quit fearing money and learn to create it intelligently
and wisely, you can build orphanages, fund schools for the
needy, establish ministries, support widows and impact a
multitude of causes that are desperate for finances. Most
charitable organizations and ministries I know about are always
pinching pennies. It simply doesn’t have to be like that. We
must take charge of our own financial conditions and, in turn,
help others maximize theirs as well.

Society paints an absolutely warped picture of those who have


money as “Scrooges” and misers. Do you remember the
character Thurston Howell III on Gilligan’s Island, the hit TV
show of the sixties? How about the banker, Mr. Drysdale on the
TV show, The Beverly Hillbillies – another hilarious comedy

69
popular during that same time frame? Both were truly funny
characters, but unfortunately, they insidiously shaped an entire
generation’s concept of what we would term, “the wealthy” are
like. They shaped peoples’ perceptions about money and wealth
in a skewed, non-truthful distortion. Although everyone knew
this was comedy, both character I just referred to were greedy,
penny pinching, unprincipled ego-maniacs.

The millionaires I know are like anything but those depictions –


in fact they are the exact opposite. They are excellent givers,
and I’m talking well beyond any measly ten percent. They never
worry about money. They know that all of the money on earth
belongs to God, and that having money is simply a test for each
of us as to how we handle it during our lifetime.

Well, enough about money for now. We’ll talk about that
important, yet often “touchy” subject a little bit more later. It is
a subject about which I’m passionate and one of the top ten
Giants on the list. My next book is called, “Ten Talent Man,” and
is based on Jesus’ parable of the talents found in Matthew 25. I
hope you will become a Ten Talent Man or Ten Talent Woman
and learn to be much more effective for God’s Kingdom!

Avoiding the Battlefield

MPs refuse to enter the battlefield. They are not about Slaying
Their Giant, nor are they serious about moving into New Home.
They don’t even consider the move as an option. All of those
differences mean Champions will never “fit in” with MPs. We can
love them, be compassionate with them, and be willing to offer
help to them when needed. We can also be role models and
examples for MPs. But can we “fit in” with most people? No, we
likely will never be able to fit in with MPs. Not me – not you; not

70
true Champions. No, “fitting in” rarely exists in the world of
Champions.

This is not to be rude, judgmental, or arrogant. However, stating


that we’re simply not going to be fitting in with MPs, is to be
truthful, and it is the price we pay when we draw the line in the
sand. Not fitting in is a portion of the price Champions pay to
enter New Home.

Language of Success

You’ll find much more fulfillment in life by not acting or talking


like everybody else. MPs love to complain, gossip, and
rationalize. Misery loves company and those subjects seem to
always come up each time I’m in the presence of MPs. I don’t
know about you, but holiday get-togethers are not a lot of fun if
they are comprised of hours of inane, fruitless, complaining,
criticizing and/or mindless conversation! About an hour of that
goes a long way for me!

Champions don’t curse, and you must understand why. The


language you use and the words you choose are the very devices
that construct your environment. When you curse, you create a
cursed environment. That may be OK for some people to do to
themselves (not really), but it also creates that same
environment for other persons around them. Cursing will cause
others to experience a cursed environment as well.

Is that what we want for our families? Of course we don’t. If


you have allowed cursing and foul language into your vocabulary,
you can change your life immensely by getting rid of that
language. Language is a direct manifestation of what you are
thinking. You should choose noble thoughts on a regular basis.
Dwell on positive thoughts habitually. You want your
environment to be clean and pure so that God will come in and
fill your home with blessings.

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Paul says in the wonderful book of Philippians, “…brothers,
whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever
is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is
excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” 4:8 What
incredibly accurate and important advise for us to implement.

Words are very powerful and should always be considered very


carefully. Words are how God made the universe. God spoke
the heavens, the seas, the animals, the stars - everything
including you and me into existence. We have the same ability
within us to create at least a portion of our environment when we
speak God’s Words in total faith. I believe that the magnitude of
good we can accomplish through our words is greatly
underestimated.

On the flip side of the coin, our words also can carry the power of
destruction as well. Entire lives can be damaged extensively with
the careless uttering of one negative sentence. A single negative
statement spoken to a young person can stay with them into
adulthood and diminish their self-image, which has so much to
do with the quality of their life and the choices they make.

So, be very aware of how and what you speak. Since speech is
preceded by thought, it is critical that you keep your thoughts
clean and pure. Let God’s Words come into your heart through
faithful Bible reading, and in turn Godly thoughts and words will
come out of your mouth. Stay away from anything that even
resembles negative words of destruction. MPs often speak words
that lead to negative consequences. Don’t fall victim to
carelessness regarding your choice of thoughts and words.

That’s why you want to associate with people who watch their
tongue and use their voice for powerful, positive language that
builds up rather than tears down. Champions watch their
language and choose to speak words of healing and

72
encouragement. They in turn flourish because those around
them are infused with power by their presence, words, and
actions.

So, don’t expect “fitting in” to be part of New Home. You’re


leaving behind “fitting in” for higher ground and better, more
productive targets. You will find New Home and the “Land of
Accomplishment” to be fantastic, although that choice will
sometimes cause you to feel like an alien. Champions know what
feeling like an alien, being different from MPs, is all about.

In 1 Peter 2:11-12, the apostle Peter addresses this very


issue. He states, “11Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and
strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which
war against your soul. 12Live such good lives among the
pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they
may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He
visits us.”

Living Your Beliefs – “Being” Who You Really Are

Being a follower of Christ is the very best decision of my life. If


you have not made that decision yet, it will be the best decision
for your life as well. I urge you to do that soon. Take care of
that issue today, or as soon as you find an opening. It will be
the greatest decision you ever made, certainly as a budding
Giant Slayer! If you would like to accept Jesus as your Lord and
Savior, I encourage you to go to this link and pray a prayer with
me. It’s called the prayer of salvation. You will be taking care of
where you spend eternity and full forgiveness of the sin that you
have had and will have in your life. Here’s the link:

www.TimDarnell.org.

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Following Christ is the most empowering thing you will ever do,
although as has been mentioned, it carries the price-tag of not
fitting in and often feeling like an alien. If your goal is to “fit in”,
you’ll find that being a believer in Christ is mutually incompatible
with being like everybody else. You will be able to handle a little
alienation, especially when you begin finding new friends who are
also believers. I simply don’t view fitting in, nor do I recommend
fitting in, as a priority or goal in my life. We have a much more
important and higher calling than trying to be like, or be liked by,
everybody else.

Proper Target

Now, let’s identify the proper target. Doing what is right, not
what is expedient or comfortable will make you very different in
today’s society. Although you wouldn’t think so, focusing on
success oriented activities will alienate you from most people. In
fact you will often find yourself the target of mockery and
derision when you dedicate yourself to doing what is right and
leading others in the direction of success.

Following Christ and being obedient to God’s Holy Word is the


ultimate and truly proper target for our life. Everything comes
together when we include God 24/7 in the small, medium, and
large decisions of our life. When we live to glorify Him and not
ourselves, we are in solid Champion territory.

A Champion must be mindful of anything that stands in the way


of New Home. “Fitting in” entails compromise. It all too often
entails joining into the sin in which MPs mindlessly partake.
Peter says, “abstain from sinful desires…”

The Erroneous Targets:

a. Easy
b. Fitting In

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c. Comfort
d. Happiness
e. Personal Desires
f. Money

The Proper Targets:

a. Obedience to Jesus Christ


b. Following Jesus Christ
c. Trusting Jesus Christ
d. Glorifying Jesus Christ
e. Living for Jesus Christ
f. Helping Others
g. Serving Others
h. Being Productive
i. Slaying Your Giants
j. Doing What is Right for the simple reason that what
you’ve chosen to do is right
k. ___________________
l. ___________________

When you rid yourself of inappropriate targets, you can go about


the task of Slaying Your Giant in unencumbered fashion, with a
non-blocked path. Shooting at erroneous targets may be easier
and more natural to do, but if you make Improper and Erroneous
targets a way of life, you’ll always wonder why you never seem
to be satisfied. Even when hitting an erroneous target, you’ll find
only short-term pleasure, if any true pleasure at all.

Shooting for the Proper Targets will allow you to do what is right.
And it will be your most rewarding course of action for now and
eternity. You will find true fulfillment when hitting the Proper
Targets.

Ready – Aim – Live a Fulfilling Life

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Integrity

Being a person of unshakeable integrity pulls you off the MP


bandwagon, and puts you behind the wheel of a fast-moving
vehicle destined for New Home. MPs want to know what
everybody else is doing, in order to decide what they are going
to do. They ask the questions, “What type of home is everybody
else living in?” “What is everybody else driving?” “How does
everybody else talk?” The answer to these questions is the
compass that guides their life. But in a mixed-up, upside down
society, conforming to be like the masses is the path that leads
to mediocrity and non-accomplishment. Read this next
statement closely - Champions routinely think and do
exactly the opposite of what MPs are thinking and doing.

For Champions, assessing what the masses do, say, and think is
a good indicator of what NOT to do, say, and think. In virtually
every category, the masses reject Godly principles, which means
they are also not following success principles. No, they are on a
collision course with disaster. God’s Book, the Bible, is the
instruction manual that leads to the greatest success possible for
now and for eternity. Society’s example leads to mediocrity at
best.

Think the Opposite

Are the concepts of “not fitting in,” “pain,” and “discomfort” bad
things – bad ideas to avoid? Not to a Champion. Champions do
what it takes to Slay Their Giant, and they don’t disavow that
there is likely to be pain in the process. MPs avoid pain.
Champions don’t. Champions recognize that pain is often
followed by reward, and therefore not a condition to be avoided
in their life’s journey. In fact, pain is to be expected.

Further, reward is virtually always preceded by pain. You will not


Slay Your Giant short of taking a new path in your life. And you

76
cannot take a new path until you change the default thinking that
“seemed” to be right to you during your tenure at Old Home. It’s
Old Home thinking that keeps MPs solidly locked into Old Home.
And it is your changed thinking that will propel you into New
Home. MPs avoid change. They avoid Giants. They avoid even
the mention of pain. They avoid new paths. Champions don’t.

The Giant that fills the chasm in between your old and new
residences is the one thing we must take care of – and you can
do it! I’m looking at you squarely in the eyes to tell you – “YOU
CAN DO IT!”

So, Tim, you’re telling me to think the opposite from how MPs
think? Are you kidding, Tim? No, not at all. You’ll find more
rewards in life by thinking and doing almost exactly the opposite
of what Most People are thinking and doing.

Those who are more mature in their faith, that is, those who
have learned the importance of living by faith, principled values,
and vision rather than taking their cues from the world, see that
the world has most things turned completely backward and
upside down. The world always turns what is right upside down.
We must be wise and discerning enough so that we are not
deceived by what the world is embracing.

Centuries ago the prophet Isaiah said, “Woe to those who call
evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for
darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to
those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own
sight.” Isaiah 5:20-21

That woe is a woe for MPs today, but as you can see by this
powerful scripture, the confusion has been going on for a long
time. Today, society’s confusion is compounded by the myths,
half-truths, and lies that are universally perpetuated as fact.
Erroneous thinking is extolled by the media every single day.

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One of the funniest and most apparent examples of this
syndrome was the live television report from the Iraqi Minister of
Defense during the US invasion. He was confidently announcing
that Iraqi forces had soundly defeated US troops as the cameras
showed American troops and tanks pouring into the streets of
Baghdad virtually unimpeded. Saturday Night Live and late-night
talk-show hosts had a field day reenacting that obvious error.

Unfortunately, there are much deeper, more pervasive error


messages that delude the public into anything but the truth.
Society loves to honor that which is not honorable, promoting the
importance of looks and the sinful exploits of glamorous, but
Godless people. This kind of thinking creates chaos and
confusion for those who buy into it. Champions see through the
babble and fog, and are willing to search for and live by the truth
that is found in God’s word, the Bible and through Jesus Christ,
the author of life and truth.

Don’t be afraid to question and even buck conventional wisdom.


What society portrays as smart is rarely the wisdom derived
through obedience to God’s word. Society’s thinking will derail
your vehicle on the journey to New Home.

It’s Your Giant

Your Giant is Your Giant. Slaying Your Giant is something you


and you alone must do. Although you will find help and
encouragement along the way, that final action is not contingent
on others. No, the move to face and Slay Your Giant is your
decision and your action. It is your obligation and your
responsibility. It will also be followed by your reward. Slaying
Your Giant is indeed your destiny!

Get your mind in motion. A Dynamic Season of life - a time full


of energy is about to occur. Energy is influence. It is
contagious. Moving to New Home is one of the most exciting

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decisions you will ever make and one of the most exciting
activities in which you will ever engage. You will receive
newfound energy and invigorating hope when you resolve to
move - to make the transition. It is an excitement that naturally
results with a solid resolve to move from Old Home to New
Home.

****************

What we’ve learned:

Comfort is not the goal


We must identify Improper Targets and replace them with
Proper, Productive Targets
Fitting In is not the goal – Champions Stand Out
Happiness and Money make lousy targets
Scared City is Old Home, not New Home
The Battlefield is to be Desired, not avoided
Knowing and Following Christ is the single, most
empowering target
Pain is part of the process and not to be feared

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Chapter 4

Ample Reason

You would not be reading this book if there wasn’t something


about Old Home that needed changing. There has to be one, if
not many things about Old Home that you know are not right.

However, you won’t take the steps necessary to Slay Your Giant
until you’ve reached what I call, Ample Reason - the point in
your life when you decide once and for all that it is time to move.
If you’ve reached the point where sufficient facts and feelings
add up to one choice – “I WILL Slay My Giant and I WILL move
into New Home”, then you reached the point of transition called,
“Ample Reason”.

When you do reach the point of Ample Reason, you will have
total clarity and conviction that the move to New Home is the
right, necessary, and mandatory thing to do.

I define Ample Reason as the following:

The sum of feelings and facts needed for a person to initiate


and accomplish change

The condition required to go into motion, focused on solving


a single problem

The realization that Old Home is no longer acceptable

The point where a person truly commits to changing their


life

The line that is crossed from inaction to action

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We could identify each fact and feeling that prompts you to
change your environment and indeed, your life; but I’ve found
that exercise rarely to be necessary. The fact that you are
reading this book speaks loudly to your serious concern about
one or more aspects of your life that need to be dealt with now.

I know this: you will know the time has come to change when
your heart tells you it’s time. Trust your intuition – trust your
heart speaking to you. It is saying, “let’s do the right thing” –
let’s “Slay Our Giant and make the move to New Home!”

Ample Reason
Action

Disgust
+ Outrage

Inaction = Decision

Old Home Outrage

The story of the old hound dog lying on the farmer’s front porch
comes to mind. The dog would let out a mournful wail once
every ten minutes or so and then fall back to sleep. After the
third time hearing the sorrowful moans, a visitor sitting on the

81
porch swing asked the farmer why “Old Blue” kept making that
woeful sound.

“Is she sick?” the visitor asked?

“No, she’s just lying on a nail, and she’s just too lazy to move.”

If Old Blue had more pain, she would get up and find a better
place. The pain had not reached the point of Ample Reason for
Old Blue. She would rather let out a mournful wail every once in
a while than expend the energy to find a new place to lie down.
MPs normally won’t move until the pain of Old Home is greater
than the perceived pain of Slaying Their Giant and moving to
New Home. They prefer to complain, and complain some more,
but never take the initiative to move.

I say, “take the time to envision what can be better about your
life and determine to make that new vision your reality.” Make
the move not only because you’ve experienced ample pain, but
because it is simply the right thing to do. You’re moving on to a
place where God, your Creator wants you to go. It is your Godly
destiny, the place of potential that you must not resist.

Like Old Blue, Old Home may be a bit uncomfortable for you, but
it may not be causing enough disgust or outrage to move. If you
are experiencing disgust and outrage in Old Home, then I am
happy for you. Disgust and outrage can be powerful, catalytic,
change-inducing emotions for you. You should be thankful for
these signals of distress and unrest.

Outrage is a gift that can expedite change. Unfortunately, too


many people become immune to unpleasant and unproductive
conditions. As a society, we have experienced what some have
called, “the death of outrage”. Incrementally, we have allowed
ourselves to accept things that twenty years ago were considered
gross and taboo. Like Old Blue, we’ve accepted that things are

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bad, but we’re just not serious enough about moving to do
something about the non-acceptable condition of Old Home.

MPs become complacent and have an “anything goes” mentality.


They are content to live with mediocre, and often, miserable and
disgusting conditions. It’s that complacent mentality that keeps
them solidly locked in Old Home. They rationalize day by day
that things are “just the way they are” – oh, well; c’est la vie,
that’s life.

The Web of Rationalization is reinforced by phrases such as, “it’s


all good.” While saying this seems like a positive thing to say
and think, it could be a mask or shield that ignores the fact that
we can do things to make “it” better. “It’s all good” could be a
strand in the Web of Rationalization that excuses their moving on
with their life, Slaying Their Giant, and getting on the road to
New Home. Any talk that is supporting Old Home and ignoring
New Home is rationalization. “It” is not all good, but rather can
be much, much better. And why not?

Complacency is not Godly. In the book of Philippians, Paul talks


about being “content” regardless of any circumstance. But there
is a big difference in being content and being complacent. No,
Paul was on the move all of his life. He was always on purpose
and accomplished great, even historical, things for God’s
kingdom. His legacy and profound influence is vibrant still today.

You don’t have to accept mediocrity. You don’t have to be


complacent. No, you can change your life amazingly for the
better if you’ll recognize the limitations of Old Home and the joy
and reward of moving to New Home!!!

The Right Thing

Old Home Outrage is one reason to move to New Home – the


“negative conditions” reason. But there are also positive reasons

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to move as well. Champions are accomplishment oriented and
sensitive to doing the right thing for their life, simply because it
is right. They are excited about making changes because they
live their life guided by their personal Godly mission and God-
directed purpose – a recognition that should be taking place in
your life as you read these words. I believe that you already
know instinctively and intrinsically what that mission and purpose
is.

18. My Godly mission and God-directed purpose is:

_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

MPs do only what is comfortable, expedient or most immediately


profitable. Like the Champion I know you are, you’ve got to
decide what is right for your life and then stand up for that
cause, and in the process, be willing to Slay Your Giant!

Don’t ignore outrage. Don’t feel guilty about being outraged.


It’s time we men and women recognize and respond to outrage
in our lives. Did I mention I hate political correctness? Political
correctness gives credence and acceptance to any idea, whim,
sin, lifestyle, or behavior, whether it is in God’s will or not. It’s
time to draw the line. There are unacceptable things in your life
and my life, as well as in society that are simply “outrageous”. It
is time to stand up and be counted as someone who is outraged
by those conditions. It’s time your bold voice is heard. It is time
to Slay Your Giant!

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Am I being judgmental? No, if you knew me and followed my
week, you would know that I regularly work with prisoners,
homosexuals, drug users, prostitutes, white-collar criminals,
skeptics – you name it – showing them the Word and love of
Christ through scripture. I am in no way their judge. I show
them support, hope, and encouragement. I am in no way better
than they are, and it is why I love and empathize with them. I
am a sinner like they are. But I am also very clear on what the
Word of God says in scripture, and I am committed to
enunciating that Word in public through my enterprise, products,
life, and teaching.

Take an assessment of your life and if you’re not where you want
to be, instead of just moaning, move off your nail. Move out of
Old Home. New Home is where you belong!

18. What is outrageous in my life that I am willing to


oppose, fight, and eliminate?

______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

“d-o-u-b-t”

I rarely say the word “d-o-u-b-t”. What a negative, dastardly


concept. I choose to only spell the word. I won’t capitalize it
either. This word doesn’t deserve any credit or credence. It only
deserves avoidance and a bad reputation. It is the single most

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destructive thing that will strip a Champion of his/her power. It
has caused more people to stay in Old Home than any other
concept. And it may be the very Giant that you’ll fight first.

“d-o-u-b-t” is, at best, excess baggage for your journey. Not


only that, there is not a closet, a wing or any space available in
New Home for that debilitating concept. Just as you must
“police” yourself regarding many of the areas of introspection
that we have already discussed, you must keep careful watch for
the occasions when d-o-u-b-t begins to enter your mind. You
must understand how deadly and defeating this single concept is
for you; and how it dramatically and negatively impacts your
ability to move into New Home. My fellow Champion, leave d-o-
u-b-t behind. Let it go.

“d-o-u-b-t”, closely akin to f-e-a-r (False Expectations Appearing


Real; Faith & Expectations Aren’t Real; or Future Events aren’t
Rewarding) is something we are going to replace with the
powerful concepts of Faith, Belief and Trust. We are going to
begin fully trusting in God, that He is in charge of everything -
our present, our future, and our future battles. And He wants to
reward your obedience and total trust in Him.

David, the consummate Giant Slayer, followed this exact


prescription. David never d-o-u-b-t-e-d his victory for a second.
He believed in, obeyed, and followed the Creator of Victory – God
Almighty.

Listen to these words David shouted as he entered the battle:

“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin,


but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty,
the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
This is the day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll
strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give
the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air

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and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know
that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will
know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves;
for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give all of you into
our hands.” 1 Samuel 17: 45-47

As he stepped onto the battlefield, the Champion, David did not


d-o-u-b-t. Oh no, he was empowered fully by Holy God. He was
confident of victory prior to slinging the stone. When you fully
believe in God, there is no room for anything other than courage
and action! You will only triumph when you join God’s team and
confidently march forth onto the battlefield.

Get rid of d-o-u-b-t once and for all. Quit giving in to this
insidious device of destruction. D-o-u-b-t is no good. As we
embark on a path where choices and decisions are based on what
is right all the time, that word and thought (d-o-u-b-t) is one
concept we simply don’t need. We are going to consciously and
decisively leave d-o-u-b-t back at Old Home. Say good-bye to d-
o-u-b-t. GOOD RIDDANCE!

Faith Preceded by Wisdom

You are stepping into rarified air – the atmosphere of


accomplishment – the strata reserved for Champions,
Conquerors, Victors, and New Home dwellers. You are now
committing to better lead yourself, whereupon you will be
qualified to begin leading others. New associations will develop
when others recognize that you are resolutely moving to New
Home. And once you’ve Slain Your Giant, you will also inspire
others to Slay Their Giant! Successful Giant Slaying sets off a
chain reaction that Slays More Giants!

Leadership requires the elimination of d-o-u-b-t, simultaneously


coupled with the acquisition of greater and deeper wisdom in
your life. You will be much more apt to decisively move forward

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when you are certain that your decisions are based on wisdom.
You can lead yourself more resolutely and with much greater
confidence when your choices are built on the rock of Jesus
Christ. He is “the way, the truth, and the life,” John 14:6 and it is
through and with Him that you will find wisdom – and much,
much more.

Think about this - do you think people will follow an un-wise


leader? Unfortunately, in a misdirected society, people often do,
though usually only for a short time. No, leaders become leaders
due to their confidence, action and wisdom – Godly wisdom.

Teaming with the Creator

As you move into New Home, you’ll realize that what you are
doing is creating a new environment. Note that word -
“creating”. To be optimally involved in the creation process, you
must team up with the Creator Himself.

Teaming up with the Creator is exactly what David did when


battling Goliath. He knew God was intrinsically involved with his
physical battles. When God is involved, you tap into
supernatural power many times greater than your human, limited
power. My fellow Champion, you must have your Creator
intimately involved with you in your decision making process,
your upcoming battle, and all aspects of transitioning from Old
Home to New Home. Living life without the Creator is like
choosing to power your life with a rusty, used 9-volt battery.

What if you had the choice for powering all your future needs
with a rusty 9-volt battery, or plugging directly into the Hoover
Dam? Obviously, there is no comparison between a rusty, 9-volt
battery and the Hoover Dam – just as there is no comparison
between the Hoover Dam and God’s power. God’s power makes

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the Hoover Dam look totally insignificant – and it is available to
you every day.

I Know I Need Wisdom…

But where is wisdom found, how can you receive it, and what
relationship does wisdom have with d-o-u-b-t?

I take my cues and base my decisions on God’s word. If you are


not doing that, I strongly urge you to pick up the most
inspirational and perfectly useful book you’ll ever find. Begin
delving into the resplendent riches found within its covers. The
book I am referring to is far and away the best selling book of all
time – the Holy Bible. More importantly, it is unquestionably the
most important and empowering book as well.

Sound old fashioned? If you even thought that for a second, that
thought is a false strand in your Web of Rationalization. The
Bible is anything but old fashioned. This one, single book is
incredibly up to date – even futuristic (eternal) and has
everything to do with your ability to acquire wisdom and what
your New Home will look like. The Bible is the living word of God
that speaks to us with the perfect words for what we are facing
right now – every single time you pick it up. And it is exactly the
place where wisdom can be found.

Listen to the words of James, the brother of Jesus.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives
generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to
him. 6But he must believe and not doubt, because he who
doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the
wind.” James 1:5-6

Underline that word “generously”. You can and will have


sufficient wisdom, and even generous amounts of it when you

89
ask for it. What we’re talking about here is going to God in
prayer and asking for wisdom. We’re talking about reading the
Word of God (the Bible) on a regular, disciplined basis. When
you humbly do these things, God will speak to you and will reveal
to you all the wisdom you need for your current situations and
your journey to New Home. He will show you how to Slay Your
Giant when you ask Him how to Slay Your Giant. And He will
fight the battle with and for you!

As you can see from this powerful scripture in James (I have that
one memorized and I recommend you do, too), d-o-u-b-t has
absolutely no place in the journey to which you are committing.
Wisdom is yours for the taking in ABUNDANCE, but she (wisdom)
refuses to share the stage with d-o-u-b-t. The two terms,
wisdom and d-o-u-b-t are mutually incompatible. God will not
bless a d-o-u-b-t-e-r with wisdom. James goes on to warn the
d-o-u-b-t-e-r:

“That man should not think he will receive anything from the
Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”
James 7-8

With that profound truth, you will want to permanently exchange


the d-o-u-b-t in your life for belief, faith, and trust. That
exchange will allow you to get rid of several negative and
truthfully ugly Giants that have kept your Champion hidden.

What are those other Giants? Keep reading – this is going to be


a huge breakthrough for you.

Off the Sidelines

MPs stand on the sidelines, especially when there is danger.


They will never be Conquerors or Champions because they want
someone else to handle their problems for them.

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Notice the entire army of Israel was paralyzed by the intimidating
threats of the Giant. They were dismayed as they ‘cowered’ in
fear. Who ‘cowers’ in fear? “Cowards” cower in fear.

The last thing on any of the Israeli soldiers’ mind was, “I’ll face
the giant. I’ll be the one to fight Goliath.” Why not? Because
they couldn’t figure out “HOW” to Slay the Giant!

The Israelite soldiers could only see the fight in human terms –
making quick, shallow calculations based on past experience.
They couldn’t imagine that they could beat Goliath because,
again, they were only thinking in human terms. They saw only
ominous circumstances. It never occurred to them that Goliath
could be beaten. The truth is: their fear-filled and negative
predictions were correct. MPs resort to human calculations - not
God’s equation, the latter being: God’s will infusing man’s
beliefs and actions = Victory!

Without faith and belief, you’ll find it very difficult to envision


victory. Without faith, you won’t even venture onto the
battlefield. Without faith, you simply cannot and, I predict, will
not win.

The shepherd boy, David, knew different. David knew better.


David was no MP. He knew that he could and would be victorious
with God’s help. The sidelines were not appropriate for David,
nor is the sideline appropriate for you. David confidently figured
he belonged in the fight. He never considered any option other
than the fact that the victory was assured. The victory was
assured well before the battle was fought. Your victory is
assured as well!

What we have learned so far:

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I. Be prepared to leave Old Home – in preparation for the
battle, you must not cling to your “things” or the comfort
to which you’ve grown accustomed

II. Get rid of d-o-u-b-t. It is the great inhibitor to victory.


It may be the first Giant for you to slay

III. Replace d-o-u-b-t with faith that comes from acquiring


wisdom and trust in God

IV. Involve God fully in your battle and your transition to


New Home. He is the true ingredient and secret to
Slaying Your Giant!

Notes:

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Chapter 5

New Eyes

“8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you


come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are
you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come
down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become
your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will
become our subjects and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said,
“This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us
fight each other.” 11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and
all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.” 1 Samuel 17:8-11

The fact is: if you haven’t conquered your Giant, you have been
serving your Giant. You may have never thought there was any
other way to live your life other than being in submission to Your
Giant, but there is a better way. It’s time you toughen your
stance on Your Giant. It’s time your Giant is eradicated. You
aren’t going to negotiate or compromise your way out of the fight
and finality of KILLING YOUR GIANT!

MPs look at their giants through the eyes of fear. Champions


look at their giant through God’s eyes. Notice the difference in
these two sentences. MPs also calculate and analyze virtually all
circumstances through the eyes of fear. Analysis of size and
numbers through human eyes almost always brings about
hesitation, dismay and terror. With those emotions, you’ll never
dare to go onto the battlefield.

In the natural, we measure and calculate – “Giant big; me small.


Fighting that Giant would be impossible; I can’t win, so it would
be ridiculous for me to even consider fighting him”.

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WRONG!

Champions have a totally different perspective. Like kids on a


playground, they know “my Daddy is bigger than your daddy”.
God the Almighty, as the name accurately declares, was bigger
than the Israelites’ opponent. He’s alive and well today, and
much, much bigger than your opponent. Champions know that
God can and will defeat their Giant. There is no question about
the outcome in their mind. In fact, they see a dead giant before
the battle even begins, and simply look for God to reveal the
exact method He will give you to Slay Their Giant.

Champions don’t resort to the “Giant big; me small” equation.


It’s the wrong calculation – the wrong perspective. It’s surveying
the current landscape and the future through the wrong eyes.

David could have taken on the “me small” demeanor. He was


just a young shepherd boy who was left to tend the sheep while
his older brothers were doing more manly things. In fact, his
father, Jesse, had David delivering grain and cheeses to his
brothers and the commander of their military unit – not a very
dignified or respectable role relative to that of the soldiers.

You must begin seeing yourself through God’s eyes. You must
see yourself as a person of much greater capacity than your past
or current roles have indicated. You are a Champion - a Giant
Slayer! And the way you are going to do that is by first
recognizing that God is in total control. Indeed, in Christ you are
not only a Champion, scripture tells us we are “more than
conquerors.” Romans 8:37

Read Romans 8:28-39 – pick up your Bible and take the time to
reflect on this powerful scripture.

“35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble
or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or

94
sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day
long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in
all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who
loved us.”

What does this mean for your life? Everything, including victory
over the Giant you are about to Slay. Rewards are great when
you are a Conqueror. Rewards are even greater when you are
more than a conqueror!

Regardless of the size of the Giant, or the lowliness of our past


station in life, you and I can and will win the battle. That which
is created – Your Giant - is no match for Your Creator.

Whom do You Fear?

Fear is seldom good, other than in a few instances. One of the


times that fear is good is when it points us to and reveals the
Giants in our lives. Fear, much like pain and outrage, is the
needle point on the compass that identifies our Goliath. That
which we fear is most likely to be the very thing that needs to be
dealt with in our life - NOW.

Another indication of where, who or what our Giant is can be


discovered by asking the question, “what in my life have I
been avoiding?” You may have never made the connection,
but we instinctively, and often subconsciously avoid that which
we fear. Seldom are we introspective enough to connect that
which we avoid with being something we fear. Ironically, it’s due
to our avoidance of certain issues that we don’t have clarity as to
what or who our Giant really is.

Remember the mother who didn’t want to hear about the subject
of “d-o-u-b-t?” She didn’t like other people talking about it, but
we found out rather quickly that d-o-u-b-t was the fundamental
Giant in her life! Her bringing up the subject on several

95
occasions was the tip-off. She was avoiding the very subject that
needed attack.

There are many doors that lead to New Home. If you sense that
you have trepidation about opening one of those doors, it may be
that that door is the very door you need to open.

Public Speaking

A dear friend of mine who is highly respected and a strong


Christian shared with me the greatest fear he ever had
throughout his life was the fear of speaking. Though he doesn’t
remember the exact statement, he knows that his fear was born
of some comment that was made about something he said when
he was a child. Someone, possibly a parent or relative made him
feel inferior over something he said.

It was a fear that never went away and actually directed many
aspects of his adult life. He even chose his college major,
Mechanical Engineering, because it was one of the few majors
that didn’t require speech class. In his senior year and to his
horror, the Mechanical Engineering Department changed the
requirements to include a one-hour speech class. He was
absolutely panicked by the new development and even
contemplated dropping out of school altogether. Fortunately, he
discovered that Electrical Engineering had not yet adopted the
speech requirement policy, and so my buddy, in the last
semester of his senior year changed his major to Electrical
Engineering – all as a result of his life-long fear of getting up in
front of people and speaking!

My friend as an older adult finally entered a Dale Carnegie course


and a local Toastmasters Club. Both helped him confront his fear
of speaking and overcome his life-long dread. He had to face His
Giant head on, implement a strategy, and work his way through

96
his anxiety. Today he speaks effortlessly and eloquently in front
of large crowds.

What have you avoided most of your life?

19. All my life I have avoided (identify and explain):

_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

20. The one thing I have feared about success and


accomplishing more in my life is (explain why):

_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

Fear is extremely good and useful for life in one other context.
In fact, it is the one instance where fear is not only good, but
also absolutely necessary. And that is…

The Healthy Fear of God

The proper fear of God replaces and negates all other fears.
When we recognize God's awesome power we take on a healthy
fear for Him, an all-encompassing respect that properly
prioritizes all aspects of our life. It is the fear of God that allows
us to have full confidence to fight and Slay Our Giant! That fear
is a very healthy perspective and lifestyle, not only empowering

97
us, but also providing us inner peace and serenity.

David had the right perspective. He says in Psalm 27:1, “The


Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The Lord is
the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?”

The healthy and genuine fear of God amazingly allows us to not


have to fear anyone or anything else, including death itself.
Through Jesus, we have even taken the fear of death out of the
equation. Through Him, we have eternal life, meaning we have
transcended death itself. When you are not afraid of death, you
will not be afraid of the battle – you will not be afraid of Your
Giant! If I were you, I would underline and highlight that last
sentence.

Proper fear illuminates improper activities that can slow us down


and even halt our forward progress. The Bible calls those
improper activities, “sin.” I fear sin and I fear the results of sin.
Sin is when we miss the mark – not being accurate and on target
for God’s will and purpose in our life. We know that sin does
nothing for us and leads to death. Romans 6:23 tells us very
plainly that “the wages of sin is death.” It thwarts our plans and
diminishes our abilities. It separates us from God, the very last
and worst thing a Champion would ever want to happen.

Proper fear that replaces irrational, unnecessary and debilitating


fears is extremely empowering as you dedicate yourself to
Slaying Your Giant. Fearlessness is the powerful perspective that
allows us to pack up, leave our “stuff” behind, Slay a Giant, and
move on to New Home. David’s son, Solomon said in Proverbs
14:27, "The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a man
from the snares of death." Fearing God is what brings us life. It
brings the victory – it IS the victory. It eliminates the ridiculous,
needless, vaporous fears by which MPs are burdened and often
consumed.

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I'll say it again, "when you fear God, there is no need to fear
anything else." That's right, I said "anything" else.

Fears Eliminated

Imagine total release from past, consuming fears. Imagine no


fear whatsoever in your life. Can you sense new-found
independence! Take a deep breath. Go ahead. Breaking free
from fear will dramatically expand everything about your life,
opening up new doors of accomplishment and the ability to
contribute to society and God’s kingdom! Life without fear is one
of the true rewards in New Home - a truly fulfilling, abundant
way to live life. My friend, life without fear is the ONLY way to
live.

Imagine how many times you have allowed yourself to be


stopped by unfounded fears – missed opportunities that fear
laughingly stole from you. Imagine the confidence that you will
develop in the absence of fear. With Christ, our past fears are
unfounded and unnecessary. The roles and rewards that eluded
you in the past can now become reality with the deep confidence
we experience in Christ. It is a powerful confidence that replaces
fear!

It's time to bow down at the altar of Almighty God, rather than
bowing down at the altar of fear. By bowing down to the
authority and sovereignty of God, you allow your Champion to
rise up and fully triumph!

Can fear be a good thing? Absolutely, but only if it is the proper


fear of God. Respectful fear for Christ, accompanied with
steadfast love, obedience and trust for Him is the sign of a
genuine Champion. Now, we’re ready to do battle!

Now that we see the battle through the eyes of God, the eyes of
victory, we can relinquish the fear of doing battle. Let’s go!

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****************

What we have learned so far:

The eyes of Old Home must be exchanged for the sight and
vision of Godly eyes
Fear is not necessary. Exchange fear for confidence in the
Creator of the Universe, not the created things made by
God
The only healthy fear is the healthy fear of God Almighty
Your Giant is no match for God

Notes:

100
Chapter 6

The Battlefield

“The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with
the valley between them.” 1 Samuel 17:3

In the story of David and Goliath, as in many military


confrontations, the battle takes place in a valley. It is no
coincidence that the battle takes place in between two hills, a
strategic flat place where armies and opponents can more readily
square off.

Is it not interesting that we sometimes use the term “valley” to


describe a low point in our life? We all have seasons where
things simply don’t go as smoothly as expected – Champions
included. If things go too wrong for too long, then we’ll
sometimes find that the only way out of the valley is to fight our
way out, and this business of Giant Slaying becomes necessary -
our only alternative.

At first glance, being in a low point, a valley may not seem to be


desirable. Being in a fight to Slay Your Giant is not what most
people consider “desirable”. But the fact is - a battle yields
results. It brings about change. The battlefield is the place
where we confront, fight, and remove oppressive opposition that
has previously held us down – held us captive.

The prophet, Joel in Joel 3:14b, calls the battlefield the “valley
of decision”. The battlefield is where a decision is rendered. As
with a boxing ring where two competitors meet and a decision
takes place as to whom the victor will be, the battlefield is the
venue where life-changing decisions can take place.

Decision means “the final resolution of a quandary or question”.


Champions look at the battlefield as an excellent place to be. We

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look at the fight as the way to bring about that decision, that
resolution. Until resolution is reached in a person’s life, they
bounce around in a nebulous world of indecision. If you’ve ever
avoided making a choice, you know that the land of indecision is
a chaotic, stressful, and unproductive place to be.

As we’ve discussed before, wisdom must accompany our


decisions. Wisdom must accompany us in battle. Without it, a
single move in the wrong direction can be fatal. However, with
wisdom and God’s power, a single move in the right direction will
produce sweet victory!

‘Decision’ occurs at two critical junctures in Giant Slaying:

a. a decision is required to venture onto the battlefield, and

b. the final resolution and outcome –a decision, takes place as


a result of the battle.

Our Low Place

Can you relate to all of this talk using “battle”, “fighting”, and
“slaying” imagery? I am sure you know what I’m talking about
or you wouldn’t have read this far. How often have we found
ourselves in a low place, and we knew we had to change. We
knew we had to escape that low place. Many of us will never
fight our Giant or strive for higher ground until we find ourselves
in that low, oftentimes desperate place.

Sometimes we find ourselves in the valley and thrust into the


battlefield whether we purposely chose to be there or not. But
regardless of whether we choose to cease being an MP and
decisively go out on the battlefield; or by default we find
ourselves thrust smack dab in the middle of the battle fighting
for our lives, it is a place where wise decisions must be made.

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People whose Giant has been alcohol or drugs talk about their
low point, where they were in a valley so low that they were
looking at death from their addiction, suicide, or Slaying Their
Giant. Unfortunately, the first two options have claimed way too
many lives. The best choice is to deal with the Giant.

In the case of alcohol and drugs, as I’ve stated already, you must
not negotiate with these Giants. You’ve got to totally kill this
breed – so that you are resolutely certain they will never live
again. They took control of your life, literally all but ruining your
life. You served Your Giant, but now he MUST be terminated for
good. That Slaying starts with a resolute decision that is
accompanied by supernatural power. These Giants, as with most
of our Giants, can and will fall, but only with God’s intervention.
This entire book, indeed every page must be scrutinized for the
Giant Slaying tips that will be extremely important in gaining the
victory.

Prayer

Linda Castor, in her powerful book, Undeniable Destiny, says that


building her and her husband, Sam’s multi-million dollar business
has been constant spiritual warfare. She owes their success to
much needed spiritual discernment of God’s direction gained
through prayer. Her story amazingly parallels my life story and
so I truly relate to that book. Though I’ve yet to meet this
couple, I love Linda and Sam as fellow Christ-dependent and
Christ-centered successful business people.

Linda is a powerful prayer warrior. Prayer is the secret, yet


essential practice that Champions know to consistently
implement. I totally agree with Linda that business and life in
general are both a spiritual battle.

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Linda makes it clear that prayer has been their single most
important weapon – their weapon of choice. I could not agree
more. In my experience, building a business is a matter of faith
and belief. Owning a business requires constant Giant Slaying,
one after another on a consistent basis, and requires all the
resources we can muster. God is the provider of all our strength
and all our wisdom. To involve Him, to reach Him, we simply
speak and even ‘cry out’ to Him in our prayers. And when we do,
we must then trust Him explicitly without any trace of d-o-u-b-t
whatsoever - and the battle will be won!

We all find ourselves in low places at times. If you are in that


spot now, this is the very time you will want to become a prayer
warrior, speaking to and sharing your heart, life, and concerns
with God. Prayer is essential for effective Giant Slaying; and
once we get in the habit of going to God, rather than avoiding
Him, we will be given more and more solutions. These are
divinely sent solutions and answers that would have never been
apparent or available without prayer.

At our most recent Millionaire Mindset Treasures for the Kingdom


Conference in Orlando, Florida, where we invite six Christian
Millionaires and Multi-Millionaires to bare their souls through their
story, wisdom and advice, a single commonality became clearly
apparent. The greatest mistakes that each of these highly
successful individuals had made in their entrepreneurial journeys
were all the result of NOT PRAYING about the specific issue that
later wreaked havoc in their business life.

In the Type-A world of entrepreneurs, we (and I certainly have


been guilty of this) can forget our greatest strength and wisdom
comes, not from us, but from prayer – from God’s direction in
our lives. It is easy to breeze through our own agendas,
telephone calls, hundreds of e-mails a day, and crucial decisions
without taking time to refresh and regroup through the calming,
powerful elixir of prayer and the Holy Spirit.

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Similarly reported, the greatest breakthroughs and
advancements that had occurred in our Millionaire Mentors’
business lives were all the result of fervent prayer prior to the
manifestation of the incredible miracles they all have witnessed.
There is unquestionably a direct correlation between prayer and
success – lack of prayer and failure. It was evident that prayer
has been and is the greatest weapon for all of our Millionaire
Mentors.

The Apostle Paul tells us to “pray continually” 1 Thessalonians 5:17. I


believe you should pray over everything, even the smallest
things; but especially we should pray for our larger issues –
Giant Slaying certainly falling into that category.

Don’t leave your life up to chance. Don’t leave your life up to


your own savvy, even though you may be an intelligent person
by the world’s standards. No, you’re bound to make major
mistakes and wrong moves on your own. I’ve made colossal
errors when I was making decisions on my own without prayer.

I’ve learned my lesson. Involve God, the Creator of your life on


big and small issues, and every point in between. Involve and
depend on God for your daily walk, your business, your
relationships, your choices – your everything. Dependence on
anything less is like relying on that rusty 9-volt battery, a bad
idea for the choice of your power source when there is so much
at stake.

Think about some of these axioms:

Personal Wisdom amplifies as our prayer life and reliance


on the Word of God becomes consistent

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Personal Responsibility and Life-tasks expand in dimension
as our trust in God deepens and as we place our focus and
emphasis on Him solely, rather than focusing on “I – me”

Personal courage intensifies as our reliance and dependence


upon the Holy Spirit intensifies

Solutions become more apparent and come more often as


we learn to trust God completely for those solutions

MPs observe Champions who coolly take on menacing Giants and


wonder how they do it. They are baffled, but rarely will they
analyze or talk to Champions to find out their secrets. They,
unfortunately reject counsel rather than actively and purposely
seek it. All the Champions I know are powerful believers in God,
which in turn allows them full confidence in their own ability, the
battles’ outcome, and every aspect of their future.

Champions rarely notice or care that MPs are filled with


incredulity or that they are unwilling to Slay Their Giant. No,
Champions are too busy on their own battlefields in the midst of
their own fights. I certainly recognize the ineffective
perspectives and ways of MPs. My educational materials are all
about helping MPs change their thinking for the better. And
although I’m quite up front in discussing flawed thinking and
unproductive lifestyles, never do I judge people.

At the same time, you won’t see me taking my cues from their
actions, thoughts or words. I simply want to encourage them. If
I do take any cues from MPs, it’s to see what they do or say,
which will often lead me to consider the exact opposite choice.

My Personal Giant

It was only when I was in the valley, hanging by a thread, that I


finally came to the place where I recognized that true power is

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not from me, but rather totally and solely from God. I finally
came to the conclusion that the fight was not about me, and that
the size of my opponent, the Giant, simply did not matter. I
realized that when I am aligned with God’s Word, the outcome of
the battle is in God’s hands, not mine.

I finally woke up to the understanding that New Home could be


moved into (inhabited) whenever God wanted me to move - if I
was willing to turn my decisions and my battles COMPLETELY
over to Him.

My Decisions and Battles are His


in the First Place, in the Midst, and in the End

I finally figured out that the exact directions on how to fight the
battle were available through the wisdom given me by the Holy
Spirit. I may be slow, but I finally figured out that details of
what New Home looked like are details provided by God. I finally
figured out that complete directions to New Home are always
provided by Him when seeking His direction for my life. And I
also finally figured out that the timing of the fight and the move
into New Home was all on God’s time clock, not mine.

Directions God Provides

How to Fight the Battle


When to Fight the Battle
Complete Picture of New Home
Wisdom for All Decisions
The Path Itself

I finally woke up to the fact that if “it” was all God’s, then the
best thing I could do was get out of the way and let God make all
the decisions. What I am saying is, “I turned it all over to Him”.
It is all rightfully His anyway. It was at this point that I

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discovered Tim Darnell’s true problem - not relinquishing to God
His proper position in my life.

Not Surrendering Everything


to Jesus Christ Was My Giant!

That’s right. I’ll say it again: I finally figured out that I, and
my not allowing God to fully take control of my life, was
my own Giant. The “Tim Darnell of the past” mistake is very
likely your Giant as well. Regardless of what you consider Your
Giant to be, this is your answer, the very powerful Giant Slaying
solution:
Turn Your Battle Over to God
and Step Onto the Battlefield To Win

I would never step out onto the battlefield without asking for and
being armed with Godly wisdom. I would never go into the fight
without prayer and being fully immersed in God’s word. And
when I do prepare and enter the battle properly, I have
absolutely no fear or worry about the outcome. I know, without
a moment’s hesitancy that my victory, God’s victory, is
imminent, and that there is absolutely no risk.

The Analysis Trap

Are you beginning to see why our human measurements, our


analyses, and our calculations are absurd measurements on
which to rely? As humans, it is almost impossible to not fall back
on trying to figure things out on our own. We all want to be Tom
Cruise and the team from Mission Impossible (Peter Graves for
those of you who are my age). We want to be our own master-
genius at engineering every incredible, minute detail imaginable.
We humans are prone to analyze and calculate using our own
thinking. We’re totally disposed to “counting” to determine the
outcome. We want “black and white” answers.

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But God wants us to trust in Him. Numbers and analysis are
man-made devices that pale in comparison to God’s awesome
power. Not only that, counting and measuring can be the most
deceiving devices we can implement, yet we depend on these
way too often, when we should rely and depend on God.
Imagine thinking that our counting and measuring is more
accurate that God’s power, wisdom and direction! This is where
we can really go wrong. Thinking we can “out-figure” God is
absurd.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:20, “Where is the wise man? Where


is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not
God made foolish the wisdom of the world?... 25 For the
foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the
weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.”

We are deceiving ourselves if we think we know more than God,


or that our accomplishments are a result of our own strength.

Even King David fell into the “Counting and Analysis Trap” years
AFTER his famous Giant Slaying of Goliath and countless other
battlefield victories and heroics. Toward the end of his life, David
went to his trusted commander, Joab, and commanded him to
“enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there
are.” 2 Samuel 24:2b

God was greatly angered by David’s sin of counting and


calculating the “numbers” of fighting men and horses he had,
rather than recognizing that the battle is indeed in God’s hands
REGARDLESS of the numbers. God punished David for his sin by
sending a plague on the land.

The answer – your answer, is turning the battle, the fight,


and the outcome completely over to God Almighty. This is not
only the answer, not only the secret – it is the only way to

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Slay Your Giant. It is the only way to know what New Home
looks like and the only way to know how to get there.

David Slew His Giant not by his own might or savvy. God won
the battle for David. “David said to the Philistine, “You come
against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against
you in the name of the Lord Almighty…” 1 Samuel 17:45

Goliath’s size, years of experience, ferocity, and belligerent trash


talking were no match for a fight with God Almighty. His sword,
spear, javelin, and armor were all meaningless.

True Champions are dedicated to spiritual empowerment through


God’s word and are dependent upon His Holy Spirit to accompany
them in planning and in fighting their battles. When you arm
yourself in this manner, knowing that that is where you derive
your true power, the outcome is guaranteed. You will Slay Your
Giant.

Read 2 Samuel chapter 24. How does this apply to your life?
What are you “counting and calculating”, and then even worse,
“depending upon,” other than God? Are you relying on the
“number” of dollars you have coming in, or the size of your
investment portfolio more so than God? If so, you need to turn
your trust over to Him and not some “accounting” you believe
will save you. That is offensive to God and unproductive relative
to relying totally on Him for your strength and power.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and
lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways
acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.”

*****************

What we have learned so far:

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The battlefield is an excellent place to be – it is where
decisions are made and quandaries solved
Your biggest Giant is YOU thinking you are god and not
giving the true God supreme command of your life
Battles may occur in the valley, a low place in your life –
not to fear, with God you will triumph
Counting your physical and financial assets is not basis for
Slaying Your Giant – total and absolute trust in God is the
basis for your strength and victory

Notes:

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Chapter 7

The Battle

Armed with courage and a simple sling


Face the Giant to become a king
Step out in faith on the battlefield
God will be your sword and shield
Your Giant is as good as dead
The warrior holds the Giant’s head

David chose a sling-shot to deliver the fatal blow to Goliath.


David was obviously a master of his weapon of choice – a simple
sling-shot. It is also apparent that his past successes bolstered
his confidence in God’s delivering him from the “paw of the lion
and the paw of the bear.” 1 Samuel 17:34-37 Those struggles and
victories were memories that elicited a healthy self-image and
confidence for David, and served to empower his well-founded
notion that he could win future fights.

In the opening question to you, I asked you to remember a time


when you were a champion – when you had success that won
you accolades from others and made you feel good about
yourself.

It is crucial that you see yourself now as that same winning


person. If you can have one victory, you can have multiple
victories. Yes, you’ve had defeats, as have I had many defeats.
On top of multiple defeats, I’ve made many, many mistakes. But
those are not the images to draw upon when it is time to Slay
Your Giant. No, thoughts of the negative times can stymie your
forward progress. They can interfere with your vision of New
Home, and keep you stuck on the porch of Old Home mediocrity.

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Treasure your successes and remember them often, but don’t get
stuck in the past. You have more victories ahead of you.
Remember, we are always moving into New Home and Giants will
inevitably raise their monstrous heads to defy our positive
decisions and resolve.

Scripture says in 1Samuel 17 verse 32: “David said to Saul, ‘Let


no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will
go and fight him.”

As you picture your Giant, you too can and should say the same
sentence – “Let no one lose heart on account of (insert Your
Giant’s name), your servant will go and fight him.”

Currently, everything I have discussed is not only pertinent to


your present situation, it will be applicable for you the rest of
your life. Recognizing and Slaying Your Giant will continue to be
pertinent as long as you are committed to New Home. Indeed,
as long as you are living and as long as you choose to be a
Champion, this information will be crucially necessary for the fact
that Champions live more often in the land of Giants than not!

For instance, I have recently had to file a law suit against an


agency that falsely and erroneously made statements about my
company. The statements were ridiculously false, yet they
somewhat tarnished my company and me personally to those
who don’t really know who I am and what we do. The
statements were verifiably false and the defendant admitted
under oath that his statement was made based on no experience
of my industry. He stated that he was ignorant of my industry
and had no knowledge of the very laws he thought I was
breaking. Amazing! And yet they stood by their statement,
refusing to retract their posting. What has been a sterling
reputation was made questionable by their statements.

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Without going into great detail, I find it truly predictable that I
would face a formidable Giant the moment I began writing a
book called, “Slay Your Giant”. That had to happen, would you
not agree?

But look at the positive aspect of this seemingly negative


circumstance. How perfect the timing – a gift of first-hand,
experiential data that would do nothing but give me greater
insight into this important subject matter of Slaying Your Giant!
I must tell you that I’m actually thankful and excited about this
challenge. What better way to put Godly insight and advice into
action! What I am sharing with you is actually serving to coach
me through this battle.

Frankly, I have never had more confidence in all my life. I am


calm in Christ! I know that, by the time this book goes to press
or shortly thereafter, I will have conquered this particular Giant,
and I will begin gearing up for the next one who will inevitably
appear.

And so for me, I say, “Let no one lose heart on account of this
‘agency’, your servant will go and fight them.” I have decisively
entered the battlefield. I have calmly and resolutely committed
to the fight. And I am completely confident of the victory, with
God as my guide, companion and fellow warrior. Insert Your
Giant’s name in this phrase and let it be your firm conviction to
prevail, as well.

What Weapon Should I Use?

We know that David was adept at the sling – his weapon of


choice. Others, including King Saul, tried to make him wear
armor that was too big for him, restricted his movement, was
uncomfortable, and would actually have been a hindrance to his
fight due to its cumbersome weight. David stated, “’I cannot go

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1
in these,’ he said to Saul, ‘because I am not used to them.’”
Samuel 17:39b
– a wise choice.

God has given you all the weaponry you need. Weapons come in
a variety of forms. One of those weapons may be professional
allies, people who aid and support you in the battle. I personally
employ and contract many people who are better at certain,
necessary aspects of my business than I am. Certainly my
attorneys are trusted and capable allies as I fight business
issues. My data people are more adept at keeping and finding
statistics and documents than I could ever be. My financial
people understand issues that I don’t even recognize as issues!
And my website expert keeps me from having to constantly learn
new, involved web technology. And the list goes on.

I also have people all over the world that pray for me on a
regular basis – intercessory prayers are weapons in my arsenal
for which I am so very thankful, and for which I wouldn’t trade
any amount of money. One of your weapons that you now have
is my daily prayer for you and each reader of this book. You
have my word on the consistency of that important and effective
commitment to you, my friend. Yes, “The prayer of a righteous
man is powerful and effective”. James 5:16b Am I a righteous man?
Woefully inept in human terms, but optimally empowered
through the Holy Spirit!

Father, I pray for the person reading these words right now
– that you may strengthen him or her and give them the
very weapons that will Slay Their Giant! I thank you in
advance for the new insight that you are providing the
reader now and in your timing. In the name of Jesus I
pray, Amen.

Graphic artists, public relations experts, data handlers,


government document preparers, CPAs, professional printers,
etc. These are “slings and stones” I use every day.

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Your weapon may be well-thought-out, careful wording as you
Slay Your Giant with powerful thoughts and verbiage. Kindness
and caring can win many a fight - “pre-battle”, thereby not
inflicting potential scarring from direct conflict. The way in which
you phrase your verbiage to others is a powerful, positive
weapon. Your inflections and tone of voice are powerful weapons
when used correctly. Gentleness and kindness are two ways of
dealing with people that have solved many a conflict before it got
out of hand.

In the event of conflict, I always prefer reasoning and peaceful


options first. In my experience, however, after all the diplomacy
and genuine kindness has failed to resolve the pressing issue,
there are times when direct conflict is necessary. Whether I like
it or not, I may have to be more confrontational and resort to
more than just kind words. You may have to face the fact that
an unpleasant battle is looming. Don’t be discouraged – the
confrontation will elevate you to new heights!

It is significant that David declined to use the sophisticated


armor and weapons that were offered to him. They simply
weren’t “him”. In verse 40, David “chose five smooth stones
from the stream.” I picture a Rocky Mountain stream at 11,000
feet altitude, where rocks that have been naturally tumbled for
centuries, eventually becoming almost perfectly smooth and
rounded. Although I’m not a sling-shot expert, I can imagine
choosing one pound to three pound rocks, light enough to
launch, yet heavy enough to inflict severe damage. When
launched at 130 miles an hour, small rocks of that weight would
be tremendously effective.

David was amply prepared with five stones. If the first shot
didn’t find its mark, he would have four more chances. As this
wonderful story unfolds, we see that, with God’s help, he only
needed one stone.

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Preparation

Though David could have chosen other weapons, I believe he


chose the right weapon, for the fact that it is one with which he
had experience. That is a clue for us. If we begin to venture
outside of our area of expertise, trying to be something or
someone we really aren’t, then our odds of being effective
diminish. You are going to fight Your Giant with your particular
resources, skills, and talents, not someone else’s.

The sling, or sling-shot, was a weapon with which David would


have been quite familiar and likely used thousands of times prior
to his confrontation with Goliath. Virtually every Israeli boy
would be quite familiar with the sling. David, possibly the Tiger
Woods of the “sling-shot world”, likely had several variations of
shots and the ability to create different effects with his missiles.
We know David was a skilled musician, something that occurs
only as a result of diligence and practice. I believe he applied
himself to his shepherding and defensive skills with the same
diligence as well.

How Do You Prepare to Slay Your Giant? Your mind and


mindset must be in great condition. Mindset – your thought life
coupled with your attitude and perspective, has everything to do
with your ability to transcend dicey situations.

1. Prayer is the primary preparatory activity. Confident,


believing, trusting prayers in private and with other
believers is the most important prerequisite that brings
God into the preparation, the solution, the decisions, the
timing – indeed the very battle itself. Prayer puts you in
direct communication with God. This is where your game-
plan, tactics and solutions will emerge, becoming more and
more clear.

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2. Bible Study brings out God’s thoughts and God speaking
to you with words that will be highly impactful and ‘dead
on target’ for your battle. I currently read the Bible every
morning, and in addition I lead or attend four different
Bible studies per week. Quite often the very answer I’m
needing for a particular dilemma will jump out at me
during the discussion or the prayer-time afterward. This is
nothing less than the voice of God providing me with
perfect directions and wisdom. If you are not currently
reading the Bible daily, I strongly suggest you start your
day being fed from the living Word of God. If you are not
in at least one Bible study with a good teacher, I strongly
suggest you join one immediately.

3. Information Acquisition and Assimilation is also


essential. Being informed is a powerful foundation for your
battle. Reading – let me repeat, READING, and I am
referring to non-fiction, about your vocation, Your Giant
and the particular subject matter surrounding applicable
issues you are facing is mandatory! We talked about the
analysis trap, meaning we don’t rely totally on our
measurements and analysis. But at the same time, we
don’t choose to be dumb about the subject matters at
hand.

You should be reading Christian books, journals,


magazines, and newsletters about the subject matter that
pertains to your quest. Be informed! Listen carefully to
what qualified authors have to say about the areas of life
in which you are involved.

I’ve read books in the past that changed my entire


perspective and thinking about critical areas of my life.
Many years ago I read Robert Schuller’s, “Move Ahead
Through Possibility Thinking”. What a profound, simple-to-
read book. Wow, I owe much of my entrepreneurial

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thought and accomplishment to the encouragement I
received in that one little book.

4. Workshops, Presentations, and Conferences from


Expert Giant Slayers are all extremely important means
of preparing our minds and hearts for winning our battles
and journey to New Home. A single idea taken from an
expert can mean all the difference in how you approach
Your Giant. A single conference or seminar experience can
stimulate your mind to commit to a new, more correct,
efficient, and profitable path.

My company, Advantage Conferences, was founded and


built on the premise that slight changes in thinking make
all the difference in being able to Slay Your Giant and
accomplishing greater good. Being a part of stimulating,
energetic crowds of like-minded Christian Champions can
provide the spring-board for definitive action and massive
accomplishment.

NEM Giant

For instance, if constant financial pressure is Your Giant (the Not


Enough Money Giant), I have good news for you – you can create
a much larger income and be much more productive in your
financial life than ever before. You simply need to be taught
how. When you consciously choose to be mentored by people
who are accomplished “money people”, millionaires in their own
right, or experts in the particular field in which you are working,
you can find out how they think and act. Modeling their thoughts
and lives will allow you to do the same things, and accomplish
even greater things than they have!

Most of us are woefully educated in money matters. In 17 years


of public schooling, I was never once even taught to balance a

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check-book. Whenever I mention that fact in public speeches, I
receive near unanimous agreement each time.

If you want to be a great singer, you’ve got to think and act like
a great singer. You’ve got to rehearse and learn music like great
singers do. If you want to be a great coach, you need to study
the lives of great coaches. You’ve got to learn their mindset and
their language.

If you want to be a hundred thousandaire or a millionaire, you’ve


got to think like people who are in that position. Be creative, use
your ingenuity, but also spend time finding and scrutinizing
successful mentors’ paths. You will want to inspect details about
their successes; and you can also learn extremely important
pointers from the mistakes that they have made.

Your thinking brought you to your current financial situation. It


wasn’t your circumstances, your parents, or misfortune that is to
blame. No, it’s all your responsibility. The good news is that
your thinking can take you to a new, more abundant financial
situation. One of our central premises is that you should be
more resourceful in your life. You shouldn’t just “get by.” That
is a very selfish way to look at life.

If you want to be a millionaire, then you must learn to think and


act like a millionaire. Your thinking will eventually manifest into
reality. If you change your thinking, you can change your reality
– You Can Change Your Life!

God is infinite. He is unlimited. He is abundant. That is why you


don’t want to short-change your life by thinking it’s all you. We
humans are finite, limited, and “Scared City” thinkers without
God. With God in our life, we are empowered to do more, be
more, give more, and serve more.

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5. Exercise – One of the greatest improvements you can
make in your overall life is to exercise. Regular exercise
affects your attitude, which in turn ties in to all aspects of
your life! When you feel sluggish and tired, you’re not
going to be in much shape mentally, emotionally, or
physically to undertake the battle. I recommend walking if
you haven’t been exercising for a while. Walking can lead
to faster-paced and longer distance walking, jogging, and
eventually running. Even if you never get to the jogging or
running stage, walking is excellent for your overall well-
being.

Jack Weinzierl, a business partner of mine I think of every


time I say or write the word, Champion, genuinely puts God
first in his life in all aspects of his life. He is also currently
the top income earner at Advantage Conferences. Jack
embodies all of the positive attributes that you’ve been
reading about in this book. Jack is a runner and uses
running to keep his mind clear and his energy level high.

Jack likes to use running as a metaphor for business. In his


trainings, he teaches that life is a marathon. He
encourages others to stay hydrated while running, drinking
water regularly to replace lost body fluids. In business,
that principle translates into being mentored and trained by
successful Christian business people on a consistent basis.
He sees business as a marathon, not a sprint. He commits
to the principles of the Bible with diligence and regards
every aspect of his life to be worthy of prayer. He views
mindset training and Bible study as spiritual and
educational “watering holes” as he builds his business – a
great visual for understanding the importance of keeping
our minds refreshed.

Among many, one of the wonderful character traits of Jack


and so many millionaires I know is their genuine humility.

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Jack recognizes that he is no more than just a regular guy,
but he also knows that through Christ he can do anything –
he believes in being “more than a conqueror.” I know in
my heart of hearts that Christ is proud of productive, men
and women of excellence, the Jack Weinzierl’s of the world.

Back to the subject of exercise - weight lifting is also great


for “mind-clearing.” You don’t have to lift very heavy
weights, especially if you are just getting used to being
active. The use of your muscles allows your entire body to
work better, including your skeletal structure and your
digestive, circulatory, and immune systems, among others.

A physically healthy you is much more likely to have the


self-image of a Champion. Couch potatoes are less likely to
see themselves going into battle than someone who is
physically fit. People who exercise regularly experience
chemical and mental advantages that sedentary people
don’t – a clear edge for performance in all areas of life.

6. Diet – Your Giant may be obesity. You are not alone.


More people are now obese than not. I’m sure you already
know this, but it took years for you to put on the weight
that you now carry. Amazingly, changing one single
dietary habit you’ve fallen into in the past can be
tremendously rewarding for your weight and shape.

Remember, we are taking on a single Giant. Diet is not the


Giant. Weight is not the Giant. I suggest that we break the
challenge down even further and find a single aspect of
your diet that is problematic. For instance, you may be
addicted to sodas (colas) or chips while watching (too
much) television in the evenings. The elimination of one
item alone will help your weight and overall health
immensely. Sodas may be Your Giant. Sorry, soda
industry, the evidence points to the fact that you may not

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be healthy for your clients. Eliminating colas (whether diet
or regular) and replacing them with a healthy substitute will
gradually, but certainly, help you shed pounds and perhaps
even feel more coherent, less foggy.

In this case, you should find all the information you can
about colas from diet and nutrition experts. If chips are the
issue, you don’t have to be too deep into nutrition to
understand the needless calories that habitual snacking can
add, and add, and add.

Begin building your understanding as to why colas, or any


other “Eating Giant” foods that you’ve been ingesting
regularly, is not an appropriate choice for your life.
Consider replacing colas with another pleasing, but more
healthy drink, such as green tea, water, fruit juice, etc.
There are many better choices that will have a positive
effect on your body and health.

You may say, Tim, you are not an expert on diet and
weight-loss. You may be right, but I care very much about
health, diet and nutrition. I may be more of an example
than an expert. I have a 32 inch waist, the same waist size
I had as a freshman in college. I run, lift weights, and golf
regularly. I avoid sugars and deserts and drink a single
cola a month, if any. If I sense that I’m getting a little
pudgy, I’ll cut back on food consumption for a few days and
step up the exercise. I’ve never allowed my weight to get
out of control. It’s an ongoing, watchful process, not a
“one-time” dramatic program to correct days, months, and
years of bad choices.

To Eat

The word, diet, means “to eat”. Again, our society has
another concept upside down. Most people think “diet”

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means to “not” eat. What I’ve done personally, and
encourage my audiences to do, is to recognize that we are
meant to eat regularly and not starve ourselves in an
attempt to get the weight off. It simply doesn’t work.
Eating regularly in reasonable, satisfying quantities is the
true meaning of “to diet”.

It’s really quite simple. Don’t quit eating. Don’t opt for
another fad diet. Don’t starve yourself. Just make good
choices when you eat. Eat healthy foods in non-excessive
helpings. Choose foods that don’t add needless fat. It’s
really simple and intuitive – skip deserts, avoid colas, don’t
eat pastries (doughnuts) and cakes. I also don’t sit around
snacking on chips or candy. It’s in sensible dieting (eating)
that we Slay the Weight Giant. It’s in eating nutritional
foods in moderation for the rest of our lives – what we do
eat, that allows us to drop excess weight and experience
overall health.

Beautiful Foods

I’ve noticed that the foods that are best for us are often
visually beautiful. God gives us simple clues as to what we
should eat. Colorful fruits and beautiful vegetables are much
better for us than meats (bloody and brown). I’m not saying
you need to go “vegan” (full vegetarian), although many of
you could turn the corner more rapidly with this approach.
But colorful foods are more likely to be rich in nutrients and
anti-oxidants, substances that support your immune system,
sound organ function, and your overall sense of well being.

Eat Breakfast

I start the day with fruit for breakfast. And by the way, you
should eat breakfast. I have not seen a dietary report yet
that won’t tell you to eat breakfast. That meal helps

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increase your metabolism. The right breakfast helps your
alertness and ability to focus. Fruits are also digested much
more easily than bacon, sausage, or breads. Energy that is
required to digest sausage or bacon can be used rather for
thinking and muscular activity. Although I love the taste, I
consciously avoid ingesting meats like bacon and sausage in
the morning.

That last paragraph can be highly important for your weight,


and more importantly, for your overall health. Eat your
breakfast, fellow Champion!

What I am saying is that you can begin making better


choices as regards food in general. Choose whole wheat
bread rather than ‘white’ bread - a much better choice.
Drink more filtered or bottled water instead of automatically
opening a soda. You’ll find that drinking water is also a lot
less expensive than a cola habit, and so much healthier. We
don’t know it to be scientifically true, but most of the friends
I have who suffer from chronic or migraine headaches ingest
a lot of diet sodas. Can I say for sure that there is a
correlation? Not definitively, but there are many who agree
with me about this little discussed subject. I can’t say for
sure, but I certainly suspect that relationship. You are
putting chemicals into your body that are bound to result in
manifestations that aren’t all healthy.

Make small changes in the choices you make – quality “life


choices”, and over time, you’ll be able to see small changes
that will lead to your experiencing a gradual “thinning and
firming” effect. Your self-image will grow in direct
proportion to the weight you lose! You will look better and
feel better. And when you are better in one area of your
life, other areas are more likely to become better as well.

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Don’t look for the quick fix. Look for a diet that you can live
with for a lifetime. Look for healthy ways of living your life,
not gimmicks, not something you’ll only do for a brief
season, or in a “one-time shot”. Those approaches cure
nothing, and usually put you further back than you were
when you started.

Don’t be tempted to go on some ‘latest craze’ diet. The low


carb diets that were so popular over the past several years
have run their course. With few exceptions, the reason they
don’t work is that a person can’t make that regimen a long-
term habit. It’s unrealistic to maintain those dietary habits
over the long haul. No, we need to “eat”, to “diet” in a way
that can become routine for a lifetime.

Diet / Exercise go Hand in Hand

Regular exercise helps you to be more successful with your


dieting (eating habits). Walking or running a single mile or
more 3 – 4 times a week creates an attitudinal atmosphere
where you are less likely to go munch down on unhealthy
foods. Mindless eating is inconsistent with the thoughtful
dedication and effort that goes into running. Each time you
ingest too much food, you’ll find that running is more
difficult and the will to run becomes weaker. Diet and
exercise synergistically influence each other. More exercise
– better diet. Better diet – more exercise.

Fresh, Inspired Mind

Information from experts, and in particular people who have


accomplished what it is you want to accomplish can be
tremendously catalytic and will help you mature in your thinking.
Our “wrong” thinking must be identified and eliminated; while
“right,” productive thinking begins to take precedence. New
ideas, methods, and strategies are weapons in your arsenal that

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you will be able to draw upon at just the right moment,
especially in the thick of battle.

We must constantly be sharp. We must be focused. We must be


inspired. We can relax, but we must never let down our
defenses. Fighting battles is not for dullards. We must have our
wits about us. We must be invigorated at all times.

It is in the midst of challenge and accomplishment that our faith


becomes tremendously relevant for us. Our belief in God helps
keep us fresh and inspired. Keeping Jesus uppermost as our
focus keeps us enthused and renewed.

Paul said, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;


the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

As we just mentioned, the way to be “in Christ” is to be in


humble prayer and scripture reading daily. To be “in Christ” is to
be empowered and renewed. You will have that fresh and aware
spirit that allows adept coordination of thoughts, muscles, and
senses – the readied state of a Champion!

Cover to Cover Campaign

In early 2005, we launched the “Cover to Cover Campaign” that


encourages people to read through the entire Bible from Genesis
1:1 to Revelation 22:21. The wisdom, knowledge, and enriching
perceptions derived from taking on and accomplishing this one
task is amazingly empowering. The commitment to following
through and completing this task is rewarding in ways that are
beyond my ability to describe. I highly recommend you commit
to reading the Bible Cover to Cover and that you also encourage
others to do the same. We read slowly, taking bite-size portions,
and yet accomplish the task over a year and a half

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(approximately 15 – 20 minutes a day). You can read at a much
quicker clip, or more slowly, but regardless of the time frame,
your rewards will be immense.

Reading the Bible from front to back affords even greater insight
into God’s word than just picking out a single book and reading
it. Although any Bible reading is a great thing to do, you’ll
experience even greater insight into who God is; who the
Prophets are and what their role in the overall scope of history
has been; the amazing significance of who Jesus is and what His
willingness to die on a cross and rise again accomplished here;
who the Holy Spirit is; and a host of other powerful “gleanings”
to which you were not fully privy in the past.

Imagine picking up a novel and choosing to start in chapter 9.


Then later, you decide to read chapter 14. Later you read
chapter 2. Your reading might be enjoyable, but by jumping
from chapter to chapter, how much sense would the whole book
make? How much of the overall plot would you comprehend?
Your understanding of the overall plot would be jumbled.

Reading the Bible book by book, in order, allows new


comprehension that puts many aspects of the Christian faith in
perspective like no other approach can. I highly recommend you
commit to this pleasing and rewarding task.

The Cover to Cover Campaign is one of the few intellectual


trademarks that I could copyright, but have purposely chosen not
to. Why? I want every person on earth to steal this idea. It’s
really not my idea. I’m just a small voice that supports and
markets it globally. Oh, by the way, I don’t profit on this effort,
or our weekly Footsteps of Faith Messenger (weekly scriptural
lessons). I simply believe in the importance of accomplishing
this task, and the power afforded to each individual who goes on
this spiritual journey. Take the Cover to Cover challenge and run

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with it! I’ll support you 100 percent and pray for you on an
ongoing basis!

If you would like to enroll in the Cover to Cover Campaign, it’s


totally free. You won’t receive any advertising, nor will your
name or information be sold to any company whatsoever. You
can enroll in the Cover to Cover Campaign by signing up for the
Footsteps of Faith Messenger weekly E-message. That’s really
two simple, life-changing decisions in one. Take a moment to
subscribe:
Click here: COVER TO COVER LINK

Land Mines

It is also crucial to study the mistakes of others who have gone


before you. Studying success stories of people who have gone
before you allows you to find out what they did wrong so that
you don’t fall victim to the same costly problems. I would rather
hear or read about a land-mine – its description and location,
than have to discover and experience each land-mine on my
own. Finding land mines by experience or trial and error is a
costly way to go through life. Most of the land-mines I’ve faced
in business caught me completely by surprise, and they were
anything but pleasant.

Imagine jogging on a trail. Everything is going fine and you’re


making good time. All of a sudden, without warning and out of
nowhere, a person twice your size throws a full-speed body slam
on you from behind. The force of the hit knocks you into a
boggy, muddy swamp alongside the path. You had no idea
someone was waiting on you, or for that matter, that people
would ever do something like that - especially to you! “Why, I’m
such a nice person!”

In business and in life, you’re bound to have some full-speed,


body slams that catch you totally off-guard. You’ll be gasping for

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air in the muddy bog with a dropped jaw and surprised
expression on your face, going “what was that all about?” One
minute, everything is fine. The next, your life is turned upside
down and you have a new enemy you never knew existed.

David was not ignorant. Even though David was young, he had
many experiences that prepared him for the battlefield. God will
fight our battles with us and, although He could win even without
our developed skills, He doesn’t need an ignorant, or unprepared
Champion representing Him on the battlefield. Indeed our
experiences and purposeful, daily preparation allow us to be
eligible and more prepared to participate in the battle - to fight,
and be a much more effective Champion on the battlefield!

Unsolicited Advice & Nay-Sayers

“28When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with


the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you
come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep
in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked
your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” 1 Samuel
17:28

Can you detect the jealousy in Eliab’s voice? When you get
ready to do battle – when you pass the point of Ample Reason
and others find out you are thinking about Slaying Your Giant,
everybody around you will be offering advice – mostly telling you
not to do what you are thinking about doing. If you are new to
Slaying Giants, you will be tempted to listen to the non-qualified
roars of advice from the maddening crowd. But think about it, if
those offering the advice were so knowledgeable, why are they
not on the battlefield accomplishing the rewarding thing you are
accomplishing?

David’s brothers ridiculed him for thinking he could fight Goliath.


I can tell you with absolute certainty that, as you go to Slay Your

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Giant and move ever closer to New Home, you will have a
multitude of people, some who genuinely care about you, tell you
how stupid you are for even thinking you qualify to Slay Your
Giant. They will tell you that New Home is a ridiculous notion – a
figment of your naïve optimism. Loved ones (I’m talking close
family members) will lovingly tell you that you would be better
off not starting that new business, or not attempting an endeavor
that you truly feel and know is God’s calling in your life.

If you have been accustomed to listening to friends, relatives, or


associates to determine your own opinions and/or to make your
decisions, you must understand that those voices can be much
more detrimental to your life than they can be helpful. You
should begin consciously evaluating the voices you are listening
to and be willing to not listen to unqualified and unproductive
advice. You can’t put stock in unqualified peoples’ opinions, even
if they are a beloved family member or someone you have
respected in the past.

Qualified Voices

If a person is in a position in life that you want to be in, then


they may be someone worth paying attention to. Whom you
choose to be mentored by is a crucial choice. Discretion is
extremely important. What you will receive most often will be
casual, non-qualified opinions. You must consciously filter out the
barrage of opinions and messages that come your way.

As you become a Master Giant Slayer, do not let Nay-Sayers


dissuade you. In fact, you can appreciate their good intentions,
and you can allow their advice to encounter your pleasant,
smiling face. Just make sure their advice encounters your totally
deaf ears! My very best advice to you is simple: DON’T LISTEN
TO THEM.

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Unsolicited advice is pervasive, and will lead you down anything
but the right path. If you want to be a millionaire, then listen to
millionaires who have your best interest in mind. If you want to
be a concert pianist, listen to accomplished pianists and those
who believe in you and your specific dream. If you want to lose
weight and get in better shape, listen to someone who is an
expert in nutrition, bariatrics, and body toning – and who is
personally in great physical shape. Find out what these experts
know about the particular Giants that are likely to be lurking
between you and New Home.

Read this book once and then I encourage you to read it again.
Read other powerful books that can change your thinking and
thereby change your life! I recommend “The Purpose Driven
Life” by Rick Warren; “Your Best Life Now” by Joel Osteen; “The
Wonderful Spirit Filled Life” by Charles Stanley, and one I just
read called, “Wild at Heart” by John Eldredge. Each of these
brilliant authors will provide an intellectual and spiritual workout
for your mind and will that will help your Giant Slaying mindset
immensely.

There are many others who can help you ‘figure it out’. Be a
student who soaks in goodness, truth and inspiration through
reading. In order to compete with the barrage of ridiculous and
truly satanic voices that come at us from all directions every
single day, we must consciously and proactively pour “goodness”
into our lives!

What we have learned so far:

Seek council from Christian people you know have your


best interests in mind - preferably someone who has fought
the same or similar battle you are about to fight

Trust your intuition as to what weapon to use. You know


what you are good at. And you have surmised the

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upcoming battle with your own intellect and heart. That
‘still small voice’ is telling you the answers you need to
hear.

Notes:

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Chapter 8

Your Giant’s Weakness

Your Giant is vulnerable. David didn’t let trash talking, an


intimidating presence and fear stop him from believing that
victory was his. He had courage, a single skill with an effective
weapon, and a giant sized faith in God. He sensibly knew
Goliath’s weakness, and had a simple plan to capitalize on that
weakness.

I love high school football. It never ceases to amaze me that,


when I’m in the stands on crisp Autumn Friday nights, I can
count on hearing at least one person make the observation about
the other team, “those guys are huge”. It never matters which
team we are opposing – the opponents are always “huge.”

MPs think this way. They see their obstacles and problems as
bigger than they are, and without thinking the solution through,
they will resign themselves to not being able to handle the
problem. No, your problem, Your Giant can be defeated.

I have heard about the proverbial 80/20 rule all my life. Twenty
percent of the people produce 80 percent of the results. I
believe the mathematical calculation of that folk-lore is incorrect.
It’s actually more like 83.4/16.6. “OK, Darnell, where did you
get that?” My answer? It’s Biblical!

When Moses sent spies into the Promised Land to scout it out
and come back with a report, only two in twelve were able to see
the conquest as achievable. Ten spies said, “We went into the
land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey!
Here is its fruit. But, the people who live there are powerful, and
the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendents
of Anak there.” Numbers 13:27-28

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Never mind that this was God’s “Promised” Land. We’re talking
God’s Promised Land. The Israelites rejected their reward, their
promise, their destiny because they heard a report
(rumor/opinions) that Anakites were there. Guess who the
descendents of Anakites were – that’s right, supposed giants!

Only two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua, perceived the situation
correctly. Rather than relying on the fear-filled calculations that
non-faithful, rebellious men always come up with, Caleb and
Joshua rightly relied on God’s promise. God’s promises, plans
and provision are not to be taken lightly, nor are they to be
rejected or compromised. God’s promises will be fulfilled – but
we have to be willing to take Him up on His promises! We have
to be willing to receive. And we have to be willing to fight!

God was very angry that ten out of twelve (83.4%) failed to
believe in His Promise to Israel. Israel paid the price for thinking
this way, by not being allowed to enter the Promised Land for
forty more years. Can you see why it is so costly and non-
rewarding to listen to negative reports?

It is YOUR privilege and duty TODAY to listen to what God has


planned for you and what He has promised to you. It is your
obligation to courageously occupy the land regardless of how big
or fortified your initial reports may say that land is. God wants
you to take the land – receive your Promised Land! That’s
exactly what I’m talking about when I talk about New Home. It’s
waiting for you for the taking. You are at the same time greatly
privileged AND OBLIGATED to enter New Home – your promised
land!

Will there be a fight? Yes, of course. The Israelites had to battle


their way into their Promised Land. You will have to fight your
way to New Home. You must be a warrior. You must see
yourself as a Champion not afraid of the fight! You must
disregard the rumors and opinions of the 83.4 percent who will

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issue a fear-filled, negative report. Listen, it’s time to wake up to
the fact that the majority of people, MPs, are dead wrong. You
can’t listen to their fear. You must follow the voice and direction
of God Almighty. He will lead you all the way!

Fire by Night – Cloud by Day!

Listen to what Moses tells the people in Deuteronomy 1:29-33,


“Then I said to you, ‘Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of
them. The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for
you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the
desert. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a
father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this
place.’ In spite of this, you did not trust in the Lord your God,
who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a
cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show
you the way you should go.”

God will show you the way. He will carry you like a father carries
his son! You will have God showing up in the elements – a Fire
by Night and a Cloud by Day – to prepare the battlefield and
overcome the giants of the land. Anakites, Shanakites –
whatever kind of “ites,” your God will take them down. Your
Giants are no match for the team of You and God! Beware, you
Giants of the land. You are defeated before the battle begins.

Negative assessment and dooms-day reports are common


perceptions born of fear – “My enemy is bigger than I can
handle.” WRONG! Sometimes the opposition is big and
intimidating, but usually their sizeable dimensions are a figment
of the fearful crowds’ imagination. Even if they truthfully are
bigger, they have flaws and vulnerabilities. They can and will be
beaten! They will be defeated!

David didn’t give heed to the fact that Goliath was grotesquely
huge and intimidating; because he was aware that size was not

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the issue. MPs tend to delegate even greater credence to their
fears, giving their opponents an inappropriate advantage in, of all
places, their own mind! What a crazy thing to do to yourself,
allowing fear based perceptions to occupy the very mind you
must use to beat the opponent. Allowing fear and dooms-day
into your life in any way is an extremely bad choice.

Champions don’t think that way. Champions enter the battle to


win, and one of the best ways to do so is to exploit the
opponents’ weakness. One of the reasons I bring experts into
every area of my business is that they know, and can focus on,
their particular subject matter. They know about my opponents
from having faced similar opponents in the past. They have
working knowledge of how certain strategies have worked or
failed in the past.

When you have knowledge derived from experience, as well as


valuable information and advice from seasoned experts, you can
go onto the battlefield with much greater confidence.

Your Giant is smaller than you think he is. Your Giant is more
vulnerable than you think he is. Your Giant can and will fall,
more readily than you think he will. He is capable of being
beaten, and you are the one who will beat him.

NEM Giant Revisited

For example, let’s say that you have struggled with finances all
your life. Remember the NEM (Not Enough Money) Giant. You
may never seem to have enough money, especially at the end of
the month. Because of your “scarcity” mindset, your shopping
and buying habits have always been determined by one factor
more than others: price – specifically the cheapest price!

For instance, when you go to a restaurant, you make your order


based on the right-hand column more so than getting what you

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really want from the item description found in the left-hand
column. You’ve always approached purchase decisions as, “well,
we just can’t afford the pricier items”, even though you are
aware that they have more long term value and would often be
more enjoyable and appropriate for your life.

Strand by strand you have subconsciously woven a web that


supports Scared City. I’ve got news for you – Scared City is a
figment of your fearful imagination.

I have experienced this NEM syndrome over a portion of my life,


and really grew to understand the false economy of making
decisions based predominately on price. NEM is not a condition
that happens to people. NEM is a mentality that Most People are
taught and subconsciously choose to accept. They choose to
look at income and money as scarce and almost all purchase
prices as high or unaffordable. ‘Price’ and ‘paying the price’
subconsciously become associated with fear. They are two
concepts that may co-exist in your Web of Rationalization - but
they don’t have to be there. They don’t have to run your life.

The NEM Giant is one of those giants of our own making. It is


important to recognize this Giant and begin to change our
thinking. When we change our thinking from always choosing
“cheap” and “cheapest” to choosing “value”; from being afraid to
pay the price to enjoying paying the price, we will have made an
important stride in combating and Slaying the NEM Giant.

Years ago I began studying how other people became successful.


A big portion of their success had to do with the way they looked
at and thought about money, and especially in relation to this
concept of ‘paying the price.’ While MPs fear ‘paying the price’,
Champions are willing and eager to pay the price! Champions
are more open to money flowing out and flowing in. MPs
don’t realize it, but their fear of money, their fear of paying the
price causes them to subconsciously reject money flow.

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Understanding these seemingly minor, yet functionally HUGE
concepts will enable you to begin eliminating the “Not Enough
Money” Giant.

Paying the price and fighting the battle are closely related to
each other. Learn to expect to pay the price; and PREFER to pay
the price. Learn to expect and prefer to fight the battle.
Although society teaches just the opposite, Champions know that
there is reward in doing what most people won’t do.

I began reading about and interviewing millionaires in my


conferences where Attendees and I (I’m still learning too!) could,
find out exactly where we were “off-track” in our thinking. What
I learned from that process has been nothing short of amazing. I
put these powerful lessons to work and voila! - money begin to
appear in larger amounts and more frequently than ever before.
All of a sudden, money ceased to be a limiting factor in my life;
but rather, became an excellent tool to be able to do what I
regarded as ultimately important.

MPs have the perception that they will never be able to do the
things millionaires do. The word “never” is quintessential “Old
Home” vocabulary. They don’t think of themselves in terms of
wealth, but rather in terms of need, lack, and scarcity. As long
as they have that perception, they will be right. They will have
limited their finances and virtually everything about their life,
especially as regards “contributing” back to God’s Kingdom.

New Home thinking by Champions goes more like, “I can and will
conquer the “NEM” Giant and start being more productive. I can
and will work smarter rather than giving in to the lie that harder
work is the only way to make more money.

You will begin to discover how you can add substantive value into
peoples’ lives, and then how to duplicate that value to hundreds,
thousands, and possibly even millions of people – genuine value

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for which the masses will gladly pay. That productivity will give
your more choices and give your family more solid financial
footing. When you begin establishing excellence in your
finances, you will see more clearly how to contribute more to
your church, synagogue, and/or special ministries, charities and
causes that are in need of funding!

Your Thinking Got You Here

Think about the dollar amount of your current monthly income.


That dollar amount varies substantially from one person to the
next. Why? The reason that people differ in monthly and annual
income amounts is because each person “thinks their way” to
different dollar amounts. As I said earlier, you are experiencing
your current monthly income because you thought your way to
the very amount you are now making.

If you are arguing with me right now, saying, my income is that


way due to (blame anything you want to here), then you’ll be
conforming perfectly with the MPs of the world. Champions take
full responsibility for their current situation. They don’t blame
anyone or anything else. They fully shoulder their lifestyle as
that of their own making. They also realize that “their reality”
has everything to do with “their own thinking!”

If you can make that realization – that you are totally


responsible for your current situation - then you can become
the Champion that I’ve been referencing throughout this book. It
is your “thinking” and subsequent “actions” based on that
thinking that got you to where you are currently – to the fault of
nobody else. You may say, “Tim, you don’t understand - my
husband left me with three kids and no money.” “I’m the victim
of lay-offs,” or “racism has limited my ability to get ahead.”

While I empathize with any trial you are going through, you
MUST NOT see your life through the “poor, pitiful me” lens.

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Champions don’t play the blame game, regardless of their
circumstances. Your problems, your Giants may seem huge, but
you can overcome them. Your GIANTS are not in charge of your
life! YOU are in charge of your life.

The very second that unexpected things happen in your life is the
very time for you to courageously make solid decisions that will
allow you to fight your way out. Let’s say that your spouse
decided to leave you. That would certainly qualify as a Giant – a
traumatic, highly unfortunate event. If such an event occurs,
you’re going to have to make the best of the situation and not let
circumstances defeat you. You can bemoan the fact and have a
pity party; and you certainly should experience the natural grief
and pain of that situation. But even amidst the tears and hurt,
you must come out strong, come out fighting, to deal effectively
with the situation you find yourself in. Remember, Giants often
come suddenly and unexpectedly, and whether it is “fair” or not,
you are called to rally your emotions and resources to make the
best of whatever situation in which you find yourself.

“Hey, Tim, how about a little empathy or consolation?” OK, I’m


truly sorry about what happened. I don’t like what your spouse
did, or whatever situation has knocked you off the trail. I don’t
like the fact that two people embezzled a very substantial
amount of money from under my nose. But for either of us to
harbor (hold on to) resentment, blame, and hatred for your
spouse or my ex-partners is to do nothing but hold us back.

Thinking about how unfair your lot in life is, is a totally


unproductive waste of time. If you are in a valley, this is the
time for positive reconstruction and redirection. It is a time for
you to take leadership of your life by maintaining a cool head and
creating the new strategy that you are about to implement. You
will want to pray about and take time to develop that Plan B that
we talked about earlier.

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Plan A is past history; and whether you think you’ve been treated
fairly or not, Plan A is not the plan you can now implement. God
is the God of Plan B and will help you regroup and reorganize.
Plan B will lead you to New Home! Another ironic aspect of how
your story is going to unfold is that quite often Plan B will likely
get you to New Home more efficiently than Plan A ever could!
Plan B will actually deliver as many or more rewards than Plan A
ever could.

In the event of a divorce or separation, it is time to Slay Your


Giant of unanticipated pain. Your Giant is not your irresponsible
spouse. No, that situation has happened, as unfortunate as it
may be, and it is now in the past. Slaying Your Giant requires
you to hold yourself together emotionally and financially. It is
time to draw on God’s strength. You can emerge victorious with
God’s help. He cares about you and will see you through.

One of our first premises is that “easy” is not even to be


expected. If anything, “pain” is actually to be expected, and so
we must be strong enough to accept that the fact that the reality
of expected pain has arrived and we’re going to maturely deal
with it. And we can get through it. You can get through the
desert. The desert, the valley is only temporary. God won’t give
you more than you can handle, although your Giant will seem
overwhelming for a while. Soon enough, the pain will subside.

Jesus tells us not to worry. He says,

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you
will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more important than food, and the body more
important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they
do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more
valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a
single hour to his life?” Matthew 6:25-27

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Focus on Gratitude

Instead of dwelling on the brokenness of your marriage, or the


failed disaster of Plan A, it’s time to think in terms of healing,
restoration, and establishing solid mental, emotional, and
financial footing. What you continually pray for and focus on will
begin to manifest itself in your life. Healing is happening even
now. Be thankful for what you have, not what you’ve lost. Think
about New Home rather than Old Home and New Home will begin
to become your reality.

This is an appropriate time to seek professional counsel that can


be found at many churches and ministries. Ask God for friends
and allies who are willing to help you during your time in the
valley. Ask God for wisdom and know that His perfect wisdom
will be given to you in abundance.

The NEM Giant is a common Giant after relationship break-ups.


He can appear due to a variety of other conditions as well, like
the loss of a job, too much credit card debt, a change in the
economy, illness, the loss of a job, or your company going out of
business.

MAJOR POINT The NEM Giant most often appears not due to
the calamity that occurred. The NEM Giant appears due to your
acceptance of and settling for an income amount that is simply
not enough.

Small income is a “settle for” mindset that correlates to a poorly


developed self-image. It’s time to see yourself creating more
money. See yourself as deserving and able to create double or
triple what you are now making. The money is there – billions of
dollars are floating all around you every day. The right business
or the right job is there, and those mechanisms are anxiously
awaiting your resourcefulness that will lead you to that job or

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business. You should develop a mindset that is receptive to
aligning with new, more rewarding realities of income and
opportunity. Pray for the right situation to emerge, thanking God
in advance for His answer to His child’s (your) situation.

Money is a very good and important thing to have in times of


calamity. Those who were hurt the most in tragedies like
Hurricane Katrina were those who had not been resourceful
enough to have savings that allowed them to relocate and
reestablish housing and new income. Be thankful for, not fearful
of, new money resources coming into your life.

Thinking Abundance

The fact of the matter is, you can begin “thinking your
way” to much more substantial monthly incomes, just as
assuredly as you have successfully thought your way to
your current amount. People who live in your same town and
state in which you are now living make twice, three times, ten
times, one hundred times the amount you make and more, due
to a few small modifications in the way they think relative to how
you think.

The NEM Giant is a Giant that pervades our society. Correct


financial and money thinking is required to replace the many
money myths that pervade our society. The good news is that
your thinking can Slay the NEM Giant and take you to a
significantly elevated financial reality. One of the ways to change
your thinking about money is to begin thinking in terms of the
monthly income dollar amount at which you prefer to be. Begin
focusing on what you would do with that amount and why it
would be a better reality for your life.

For instance, imagine your monthly income with an extra zero at


the end of your current monthly amount. Would that make an
impact on your life? You bet it will. It won’t take long at that

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income amount to pay off all your debt and make some of those
long overdue purchases of items, services or repairs you’ve
needed for some time. You will begin putting money away for
retirement and/or a college education for the kids in no time. You
will also start ‘blessing’ a whole lot of people who are in dire need
right now, like the woman whose husband left her, or the victims
of a natural disaster.

With an extra zero at the end of your current monthly income,


you will begin giving more to ministries - much more than any
measly ten percent. Imagine giving to God’s kingdom ten times
the amount of money you’ve been giving. You will begin truly
making a substantial difference all around you in quantifiable,
real terms.

But I thought Money was the Root of All Evil!

MPs have the concepts of money, income, and wealth solidly


enveloped in totally erroneous perceptions. Indeed, absurd
misconceptions about money are pervasive throughout society.
Entire countries take on “poverty” mentalities. Families take on
“ceilinged” financial ideas that establish finite money conditions
that change very little for generations. Entire economies are
dictated by “get by” and “scarcity” perceptions that unconsciously
establish minimalistic, struggling lifestyles for the majority of
their people. Perceptions and lifestyles can be changed with
proper knowledge and education from those who know differently
and are willing to teach new money and resourcefulness ideas.

By the way, a single verse from the Bible referring to money and
evil in the same phrase is more commonly misquoted than not.
The scripture says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of
evil”. 1 Timothy 6:10

Read carefully. It’s not ‘money’ that is evil. It is the ‘love’ of


money that is a root of all kinds of evil. Love God and His people

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and use money, not the other way around. Remember our
discussion about “Improper Targets?” Money is indeed an
Improper Target. You should never chase money. But you
should also not run away from or avoid money! No, run toward
fulfilling your God-given purpose and work to fulfill your mission
here on earth. Money is simply an inanimate object, and yes, it
certainly can be used for evil. But it can also be used powerfully
for good and Godly purposes. I consider money to be God’s
wonderful gift and an important resource for building His
Kingdom on earth - not something to be feared or avoided.

I also view money as a test. Listen to this truth: money is simply


not ours. It is one hundred percent God’s. The prophet, Haggai
in his powerful two-chapter book says, “‘The silver is mine and
the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” Haggai 2:8

When we treat our money with the full knowledge that ALL of it is
God’s money and all we are doing is “handling” it, then we
begin to take on the proper perspective of this thing called
“money”. The test is whether we will use it for our own greed
and desires; or rather, use it appropriately for building God’s
Kingdom. Will we ‘hoard’ it and ‘clench’ it, or will we amplify it
for His purposes? When you choose the latter, God will allow you
to handle and be responsible with greater amounts of money.

Money is the very thing that builds hospitals, orphanages,


missions and ministries. Is that bad? Due to erroneous thinking
about money, Christians often clam up when the subject of
money or income comes up. The old adage says, “one should
never talk about religion, politics, or money in polite society.”

I say, let’s talk about it a whole lot more and let’s get excited
about being more productive and resourceful with our finances.
Let’s get our heads on straight about money by Slaying the NEM
Giant once and for all, and use our new-found resources to build

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God’s Kingdom! I’ve dedicated my life to doing just that and I
challenge you to go to work with me!

The Fundraising Advantage

We will be raising $250,000,000.00 for qualified ministries thru


2010. I project substantially more - 1 Billion dollars from 2011 –
2015, all for ministries that are truly doing God’s work. How,
you might ask? God has given us powerful techniques that raise
huge amounts of money without our having to ask a single
person to donate a dime. Yes, you heard me right. God gave
me the job of raising millions of dollars for His glory and for the
help of His children.

When I was given this mandate and vision called The Fundraising
Advantage, I was on board without having a clue as to how this
was going to be accomplished. When God tells me to do
something (I hear the skeptics right now – Darnell you’re a nut),
I don’t ask questions and I simply trust God that He will show me
the path. I know that in His time, his mission for me will be fully
explained. And that He has done. I have been patient and calm,
knowing that the whole project was God’s. It was and is totally
in His hands.

The techniques are beyond anything I could ever have imagined,


and most people can hardly believe it when I explain the power
and rapidity with which we can put hundreds of thousands and
millions of dollars into the ministry’s coffers. Again, we call the
program, The Fundraising Advantage.

Why would I tell you about this? Because the ministries you
know that are truly doing God’s work need funding. Money is a
very good thing when it is used for Godly purposes and not for
greed. I am humbled that God would choose me to serve in this
way, and I am also very, very excited to share this with those of
you who aren’t too skeptical to understand it.

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If you don’t have substantial amounts of money right now, it’s
because you haven’t yet successfully passed that test I just
mentioned. You think money is yours to cling to. Nope, sorry,
it’s all God’s and when you get that single, HUGE concept, you
will have discovered one of the greatest secrets of life.

James, Jesus’ brother, has an extremely insightful instruction


regarding money that opens up a whole new world of
understanding. He says, “You do not have, because you do not
ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask
with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your
pleasures.” James 4:2b-3

So, number one, we should absolutely involve God in our


financial life, asking Him for monetary wisdom and blessing, but
number two, we should only ask for blessings in this area with
the proper motive in mind. If there are selfish, greed-based
reasons for asking for money, then James says you simply won’t
get it. Establishing proper priorities and motives allows us to
experience the “test of handling” greater amounts of money.

Ten Talent Servant

My conception of money is greatly influenced by the parable of


the talents found in Matthew 25:14-30. This is a profound
parable told by Jesus Himself.

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called


together his servants and entrusted his property to them.
To one he gave five talents of money, to another two
talents, and to another one talent, each according to his
ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had
received the five talents went at once and put his money to
work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two
talents gained two more. But the man who had received

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the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid
his master’s money.”

“After a long time the master of those servants returned


and settled accounts with them. The man who had
received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’
he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have
gained five more.’”

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!


You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in
charge of many things. Come and share your master’s
happiness!’”

“The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said,
‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two
more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful
servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put
you in charge of many things. Come and share your
master’s happiness!’”

“Then the man who had received the one talent came.
‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man,
harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where
you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out
and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what
belongs to you.’”

“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you


knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather
where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should
have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that
when I returned I would have received it back with
interest.’”

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“‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has
the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more,
and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have,
even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that
worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there
will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

Money is not to be ignored, nor is the idea of increasing that with


which you have been entrusted to be ignored. Money is not to
be buried. It is to be put into proper areas where it can become
even more valuable.

Law of Circulation

Money is to be put into circulation. The Master’s desire for us is


to take his resources and multiply them for HIM. The Ten Talent
Servant amplified that with which he was entrusted. Note – he
also gave it all back to his master. But his faithfulness (his
test) proved that he could be trusted with his Master’s resources.
When you prove your trustworthiness and your willingness to
produce with what you are already given, you will be entrusted
with more responsibility. You can learn to become a Ten Talent
Man.

I mentioned that entire countries and economies have incorrect,


erroneous views of money. When you have erroneous views
about money, you’ll rarely have it, and what you do have will be
menial. You’ll find yourself living in Scared City. Even when you
do get some amount, you won’t be able to keep it. Evidence the
shape of lottery winners five years or less after winning millions.
Most are broke within a very short period of time, all the result of
erroneous thinking.

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Giving

Many of the clients my Company does business with come from


third world countries. These countries are constantly struggling
with financial problems. They are always in a struggle for
money. Why? One of the reasons is that they see money
incorrectly. They even have policies that disallow money from
leaving the country. If you missed the last sentence, I
recommend you read that again. It is true. They are totally on
board with receiving, but actually mandate by law that it can’t go
out! Is it any wonder why they don’t have money.

By doing so, they are breaking a simple, yet little known principle
and secret about money and having money. One must first GIVE
in order to GET. I call this the Law of Circulation. You have to
put money into circulation, rather than keeping it clinched to
yourself. Money is not you. It is not a body part. And again, it
is not even yours.

Here is a huge misconception. “Money should be given to me,


and I’m going to keep it.” Amazingly, most people think like this.
Is it any wonder that “money” gets a bad name? We will begin
disliking money when it is treated in this manner. But it is not
“money’s” fault that people erroneously look at it this way!

These and many other “money” concepts needs to be articulated


and taught. Money is to be put into circulation. Money is not
you. It is not meant to be grabbed and clinched like it was part
of your body. You’ve got to learn to let go of it first before it will
come back to you. If you think of money as being “mine”
(talking about you the reader), then you’ve missed the power of
money completely. Remember, money is God’s. He’s waiting to
see what you’ll do with it. If you are dedicated to building His
Kingdom, you’ll never want for a single penny. If you will make
God, God, and not put money on what should be His throne, then
you will have figured out a simple, yet universally misconstrued

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truth. And that truth will set you free! Don’t worship money,
worship God. At the same time, don’t fear money. Simply use it
for God’s kingdom.

Money is much like electricity. Currents are circuitous (circular)


in nature. By that I mean that an electrical charge goes out from
a power generator to an appliance, and returns from the
appliance back to the generator – the source. If that circuit is
broken at any point, regardless of whether the break is in the
sending or the receiving of the current, then the electricity can’t
do its job – it fails and the appliance won’t work.

You are like a power generator. A generator sends current out to


accomplish its task – say, burning a filament in a light. If the
electrical line is broken on its way to the light, the light won’t
turn on. In the same way, if the electricity doesn’t make its way
from the light back to the generator, the light won’t turn on. The
task fails. The circuit must be complete with no breaks anywhere
in the sending or the receiving.

MPs want the light without sending out the current. Rather than
doing anything about solving the dilemma of having too little
light, they just sit on their porch and moan. Is that Ole Blue I
hear in the background?

Entrepreneurs understand this Law of Circulation well - that by


putting money into a business project, they can also receive
money back. Notice again the order of sending and receiving.
Sending precedes receiving - always. The entrepreneur sends
money out accomplishing the task of setting up an infrastructure
and purchasing inventory – in essence investing in a commodity
that will add genuine value into peoples’ lives. Some time later,
an increased amount makes its way back to the enterprising
individual. At any point that the circuit breaks down, the whole
process fails – the business fails.

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So, entrepreneurs understand the value, indeed the necessity of
putting money into the circuit (circulation). Without doing that,
their project doesn’t work. When they do send it out, and
consistently continue to send it out, they set up a process
whereby the money comes back, actually in multiples of what
was originally sent out.

If you put ten cents into an investment vehicle and receive a


dollar back, how often would you put ten cents in? The
entrepreneur says, “I believe I’ll do that as often as I possibly
can. In fact, at that kind of return, I believe I’ll figure out how to
put $20,000.00 or $250,000.00 into that process!”

When it comes to business, MPs are not entrepreneurial. They


prefer to work for someone else. They can’t start a business
because they are stymied by the fear of paying the price. They
cling to the money they do have thinking that’s the only money
they’ll ever have. In Scared City, they are right.

“Mine” Myth

Non-entrepreneurs (MPs) think that money is theirs to keep.


They think of it in terms of “mine.” This is really a greed-based
principle I call the “Mine Myth” that they haven’t learned to
dispel.

Let go of money. Quit being so attached to it. This is what I’m


talking about when I say money is not you. MPs are so attached
to the little amount they have that they really are attaching it to
themselves as if it was a body part. Quit fearing money and
thinking of it as dirty or evil. Be open to creating large amounts
of money in order to help more people by giving to churches,
ministries, synagogues, Christian charities and missions!

The same rules that apply to an electrical circuit apply to God’s


Kingdom. Blessings come from God and go to His children (you

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and me). It is our obligation to thank Him in return and send
blessings to others on an ongoing basis – putting it into constant
circulation. You should be giving and giving, even without
thinking about the return. That’s the kind of thinking that keeps
the circuit functioning. The laws of physics kick in and cannot be
denied. As long as the circuit stays intact, your giving will come
back in multiplied amounts and in ways that transcend mere
dollars.

It is the taking your mind off of money (an Improper Target),


and placing your mind and efforts on Proper Targets, doing what
is right regardless of your chance at reward, that money will
begin to appear. Jesus said, “But seek first His kingdom and His
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Matthew 6:33
This verse, probably more than any other in the Bible
states clearly what our optimal, Proper Target is, and should
always be.

Proverbs 21:21 says, “He who pursues righteousness and love


finds life, prosperity and honor.” Righteousness, love, and the
Kingdom of God are Proper, Powerful targets at which to be
aiming in your journey to New Home.

Assessing and Insisting on a Level Playing Field

If you are going out onto the battlefield, and feel like you’ve been
losing the battle for a long time, it is imperative that you analyze
the shape of the battlefield itself. It is possible that your
battlefield was created to your disadvantage.

For instance, I’ve spent the better part of thirty years active in
the fields of marketing and advertising. Closely related to those
fields is the seriously important, yet boring subject of
“compensation structures.” Most people don’t think
compensation plans and numbers are important and therefore

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pay little if any attention to them. Many people find
compensation structures to just be too complicated.

I am totally convinced that pay structures (compensation plans)


are not only extremely important, they are the very area where
most people are fighting a losing battle in their personal financial
world.

If the NEM Giant is your next conquest, you should take the
necessary time to scrutinize the compensation structure on which
you have been relying. It may be the case that your
compensation structure is seriously flawed. My experience shows
that to be exactly the case for the majority of people in the
corporate world and even for those who own their own business.

I call bad compensation structures “Uneven Playing Fields.” If


you are fighting a battle on an uneven playing field, then you’ve
been trying to create wealth via a mechanism that will never pay
you appropriately. Many are actually purposely designed to
“not” pay you well. Few compensation plans pay fairly and in
large enough amounts. Your Giant in this case is difficult to Slay,
because you are trying to traverse ground that has you
permanently bogged down.

Imagine trying to run a race in thick, gooey mud. You’ve


become frustrated because you simply can’t make any headway.
It’s not because you don’t have the desire or willingness to move
forward. It’s not because you are not in physical shape. And it’s
not because you are not making the effort. It’s because the
ground you’re running on will forever prohibit you from running
the speed or length of race that you know you are capable of
running.

Unfortunately, as regards your ability to move ahead financially,


Uneven Playing Fields are the rule rather than the exception.
You will either have to find a compensation structure that is built

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to your advantage, or you’ll have to create your own
compensation structure – your own “playing field”.

I could cite dozens of examples of this. Here are a few that will
illustrate what I’m talking about:

Case Study:

Paul is an accomplished highway engineer with a respected


degree from a well known engineering university, as well as
possessing extensive experience involving high profile,
metropolitan projects. Although he’s made decent income for
the past several years, he has watched in dismay as projects
with attached bonuses approaching almost six digits go to less
qualified engineers in the office - handed down in a “good ole
boy” fashion not based on ability (corporate politics is a great
example of a Non-Level Playing Field). This has occurred
several times, and so Paul is tired of it and has been putting
together plans to start his own business.

Paul has a co-worker that is of minority ethnic origin, which


enables him to receive work that Paul would not be able to
receive as a Caucasian. Government guidelines in this area
can create a bonanza for minority entrepreneurs.

In their initial arrangement, amidst months of logistical


planning about all kinds of aspects of the business, the co-
worker has a 50% stake in the business and Paul will have
49%. Their corporate attorney will have a 1% vote.

Paul is unfortunately leaving one “Un-level Playing Field” for


another. Although there is always some euphoria when leaving
Old Home and starting a new business, there needs to be
mentoring and advice regarding business structures and
percentage allocations. Along with being a “lame duck” partner

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(not in voting control), Paul is entering a position where he could
be overruled consistently, and even be voted out of the business.

If you recall my story, that is the essence of what happened to


me after devoting my life to the creation of a business I founded
and was well underway. Calling and inviting partners to join me
was a serious mistake. In Paul’s case, he’s entering the business
with a serious flaw and disability built into the initial structure –
although he doesn’t see it.

Fortunately, I was able to get to Paul and point out the


problematic nature of his business structure and why he should
renegotiate or simply bow out of the business prior to the launch
or prior to his putting any capital into the project. Can you see
how a little experience from a seasoned Mentor could make all
the difference in the unsuspecting, new entrepreneur’s life? I
applaud Paul considering starting his own business, but he could
actually have ended up in worse shape by not knowing what a
level playing field looks like.

Indeed, in my personal experience and after consulting with and


interviewing many life-long entrepreneurs and millionaires, one
of the most problematic areas of business revolves around bad
partnerships. The fact is: business partnerships are almost
always highly problematic. Think about marriage/divorce
statistics. More than one of two marriages ends in divorce. If
marriage is so problematic, where there are vows, love, intimacy
benefits (that was nicely worded, wouldn’t you agree☺), and
often children, then what about two or more people who have
only the bond of wanting to grow a successful business together?
But for the lack of space, we could touch on reasons why
partnerships are so volatile, but let’s explore those issues in
another book.

My advice has always been: Own your business outright. Be sure


you have total control (policy creation, voting, and sole signatory

157
on the bank account) regarding all issues of your business. Hire
employees or independent contractors for services your company
needs, rather than partner with someone who possesses those
talents.

Although there are a few exceptions, in way too many instances,


creating a partnership creates headaches far worse than those of
your being an employee. You will find story after story of
partnerships gone bad, undoubtedly a significant contributing
factor to the overall high business failure rate. As much as I
believe in Free Enterprise and Personal Business Ownership, I am
not in favor of partnerships. There are better ways for you to
structure your business, leading to much more positive
ramifications for the quality of your life. Get advice from
Christian Mentors who have many years of business experience
before making non-advised moves.

Dear Reader: Yes, you reading right now. Are you listening to
what I just said? If a million people read this book and only one
pays heed to the previous paragraphs regarding advice on
partnerships, then the effort to write this book will have been
worth it. You just avoided a major Giant without having to step
on a non-level battlefield!

Case Study 2:

Lavonne has tried for years to build a home-based marketing


company but can never seem to find the success she’s been
looking for.

We could go into more detail, but this brief description suffices to


make the point. It applies to literally millions of people who have
tried home-based businesses but were never compensated in any
meaningful way. The fact of the matter is, what is required for
someone to become successful in many of those businesses does

158
not fall under the domain of “a Level Playing Field”. It doesn’t
even fall in the domain of “possible.” In my opinion, what it
takes to make decent money with many of these “opportunities”
is simply not doable for the vast majority of people.

After analyzing in detail hundreds of compensation plans, I can


tell you that in many, many plans you would do better betting
against your success than betting for it. Without your knowing it,
plans are mechanically structured and stacked against the
independent contractor in the field, in favor of the company. In
reality and truth, what are touted as the benefits and rewards of
a particular opportunity are feasibly available to only a handful of
individuals.

Again, as pro Free Enterprise as I am, it is also extremely


important that people understand the reality of what it takes in
any given business to become successful. Compensation plans
receive little, if any attention, and yet they can be the very Giant
that will make success anything but probable.

Get on a level playing field. You’re not giving yourself a chance


when the odds are stacked so unfairly against you. This is simply
a matter of being informed and knowledgeable about one subject
that few deem important – compensation plans. Their rules and
composition are different – and those differences are
monumental as to whether or not you’re fighting a ‘winnable’
fight on a fair battlefield.

Right Giant, Right Weapon, Right Playing Field

In spending the time it will take to Slay Your Giant, it is crucial


that you choose the appropriate Giant, the appropriate weapon,
AND the proper playing field that, when all three are combined,
gives you the best advantage. This is why scrutiny of the right
information is so crucial for your success in battle. Your Giant,
your weapon, and your battlefield must “match.”

159
David was fighting the right Giant, but had David’s battlefield
been for instance, in a forest or on a boat, his sling-shot might
not have been the best weapon. If Goliath had a helmet that
included protection between his eyes, David would have had to
resort to another game plan that found another of the Giant’s
vulnerabilities. It is not unusual that Giant Slayers have to
regroup and consider all the angles. That doesn’t mean the job
won’t get done, it simply means that, based on a savvy
assessment, the first choice of weapons and battlefield location
may necessarily need to change.

Know Your Playing Field

Be sure to get this message - Know Your Playing Field.


Scrutinize the battleground – make sure it is level and playable
and that it will work to your advantage. Seek as much sage
council about the battlefield, your choice of weapon(s), and Your
Giant from experienced Giant Slayers as you can possibly get.
Advice from Mentors, Champions and Experts who have been on
the battlefield and achieved victory in similar circumstances is
worth the price, whatever that price might be! I know I’ll be
seeking this type of advice for as long as I’m alive!

Proverbs 13:20a says, “He who walks with the wise grows wise…”

**************

What we’ve learned so far:

1. Your Giant is vulnerable. We’re past the point of


negotiating and we must Slay Your Giant in specific
consideration of his vulnerabilities

2. Know your Playing Field. If it is not level, you’re going to


have to find a better battlefield or create a new one.

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Notes:

161
Chapter 9

Slaying Your Giant

“25The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He
will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his
father’s family from taxes in Israel.”
26
David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for
the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from
Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy
the armies of the living God?” 27They repeated to him what they
had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the
man who kills him.” 1 Samuel 17:25b-27

“30He then turned away to someone else and brought up the


same matter, and the men answered him as before.” 1 Samuel 17:30

Clear Picture of New Home

As the time draws near to Slay Your Giant, you will want to
clearly understand exactly why you are going to the effort of
Slaying Your Giant. David asked about and was told three times
what the rewards for his Slaying Goliath would be. He may not
have known it, but this was David’s Ample Reason check list. I
can just hear David engaged in the following thoughts…

David: “Did you say, ‘great wealth?’”

David: “Did I hear you say, the king’s daughter - the really good-
looking one over there?’”

David: “And do you really mean that my father’s entire family will
be tax exempt?”

162
David: “That’s what I thought I heard - I’m in, let’s get on with
the fight!”

It is empowering to clarify your rewards – vividly, distinctly


imagining them in your head on an ongoing basis. That way you
can be totally clear as to your “why” – the reason you are about
to go into battle. It is a subject that you will want to keep
uppermost in your psyche for the duration of the fight. This
image will keep you enthused and stimulated, and fully engaged
in the confrontation with Your Giant. Review the rewards that
await your bold move. This is especially important when fighting
a longer, protracted battle. Not all battles are concluded with the
rapidity of David’s fight.

New Home’s Rewards - A reassessment of why am I doing


this? Take a moment to review the benefits and rewards of New
Home:

1. __________________________________________

2. __________________________________________

3. __________________________________________

4. __________________________________________

5. __________________________________________

Sustained Unwavering Belief (SUB)

I am now conferring on you a gift that I absolutely KNOW is one


of the single most important qualities you can ever possess in
Giant Slaying. It is the gift of SUB, Sustained Unwavering Belief.
Once you truly receive and incorporate SUB into your fight, you
will truly be ready for Professional Giant Slaying! This one gift

163
alone is responsible for the creation of more Champions than
talent, mechanics, preparation, or skills combined.

SUB keeps you on the battlefield until the battle has been
decided. It keeps you on the path to New Home, ensuring you
won’t slow up or give up until you’ve entered New Home’s gates.
The power of belief supersedes any opponent you have ever
faced. Belief is the most powerful trump card you will ever carry.
Sustaining that belief and never wavering is the posture that true
Champions take with them on to the battlefield.

I’m not talking about just believing in yourself, although that is


essential. I’m not talking about some Pollyanna optimism,
although you should be fully optimistic. I’m not talking rah-rah
or feel-good, motivational rallies. No, I’m talking about full,
rock-solid belief in God Almighty which allows you to prevail.
SUB is the underlying fundamental secret to carrying yourself to
the battlefield, launching your attack, fighting the fight, sealing
your victory, and accomplishing your perfect, God ordained
future!

I know few individuals who genuinely have SUB. It is an


extremely rare commodity. Those who do have it are wildly
successful. And you can have SUB if you so choose. Wrap your
mind around the idea of Sustained, Unwavering Belief. You can
commit to your Creator not just for the moment, but for the
duration of your life here on earth and life ever after. SUB
provides unimaginable power. With SUB, you are a leader
through and through – from head to toe, and from heart to soul.
Now you cannot be denied. You are victorious even before the
battle begins. You are totally sold out to the fight, the win, and
New Home.

Believe, my friend, believe. God will know He can trust you when
you choose Sustained, Unwavering Belief. Believe - sustain that
belief and never waver. You are unquestionably a Champion

164
Giant Slayer. SUB is what separates Champions from MPs. SUB
is what fuels your journey to New Home. SUB is your crowning
possession, greater than any other thing you can own or hold. It
allows you to confidently enter and stay on the battlefield.

Congruence

When a man or woman’s beliefs, words, actions, and their firm


vision of the future lines up with the Word of God, they are in a
very powerful state known as “congruence.” Congruence means:
“lined up; conforming; in agreement.” This is how you want to
enter the battlefield. Congruence is the optimal state for Slaying
Your Giant.

The opposite condition is “incongruence”: not matching; not lined


up, etc. An incongruent person has conflicting components
within their makeup that war against each other. An individual
can actually be a “house divided” in their physical and mental
being, causing their ability to lead and/or accomplish great things
to be diminished.

An example of incongruence is the person who attends church


and recognizes Christ and Christian values, but doesn’t live
according to those values during the week. The Sunday morning
Christian shows up, but the way he/she lives her life during
business hours and after-business hours throughout the week
reflects little “congruence” with their avowed beliefs.

Psychologists have a fancy term for the results of incongruence


called, “cognitive dissonance” – where a person has residing
within their thinking two conflicting, incompatible thoughts. We
mentioned in Chapter 3 the idea of living our beliefs – where
thoughts and actions are in line with each other. Slaying Your
Giant requires congruence of all thoughts, beliefs and actions.
The components of your life should align in such a way that you
are not having to deal with internal conflicts. We have enough to

165
handle with the Giant we are about to Slay without having other
battles going on within our self.

A Champion is the same on and off the field of battle. A


Champion is willing to live their beliefs, and they are willing to
correct incongruities in their character. A Christian Champion is
a Christian on Friday night, Tuesday afternoon and all points in
between - not just on Sunday morning.

If you are living a life of incongruity, you are having to cope with
the conflict within yourself in one of two ways. The first way
most commonly implemented by MPs is to add new strands to
their ever-growing Web of Rationalization. They have to make
even more excuses for the incongruities in their life. They have
to say, well, I’m not perfect; and I really like to do such and such
(too often that such and such is simply sin), and it’s really not
hurting anybody anyway. Sadly, three new strands have just
been added to their already carefully constructed web, condoning
and strengthening the inappropriate lifestyle – the more strands
and the stronger the web of rationalization, the weaker the
person. Adding strands is the first method of coping – a totally
bad way of dealing with character flaws and sin.

The second way to deal with incongruence, and what this book is
all about, is to Slay the errant behavior. The sin, character
flaws, bad habit, or bad behavior has to go. Unfortunately, MPs
often prefer to delete the positive behavior in order to make
room for the sin. They’ll quit going to church or quit reading the
Bible in order to cut down on their “cognitive dissonance.” What
they are doing is rejecting the reality and need for God in their
life. That unfortunate choice is the opposite of Slaying Your
Giant – it is actually the feeding and growing of Your Giant.

No, we must Slay the Giant – that is, eradicate the sin in our life,
the errant ways that we have allowed to enter our lifestyle.
Living an incongruent lifestyle serves to pamper Your Giant. It

166
grows the Giant and keeps him around. It is a lifestyle choice of
compromise that will effectively trap and lock you solidly in the
confines of Old Home.

Living a congruent lifestyle entails firmly and decisively ridding


yourself of the Giant that should not be there. There can be no
compromise. Your Giant (in this case, sin) has to die. You will
be so much better for making that decision and acting on it
permanently. Note that I’m not saying all Giants are sin or sin
related, but in many cases the Giant that needs to be slain is
indeed sinful behavior and habits – choices we have made that
are simply wrong for our life.

When we are in congruence with the Word of God – in humble


and trusting relationship with Jesus Christ, and couple our
integrity with the Sustained Unwavering Belief we just discussed,
we gain supernatural power to be more than conquerors over
sinful habits. Listen to the words of Jesus.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do


what I have been doing. He will do even greater things
than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do
whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring
glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my
name, and I will do it.” John 14:12-14

The words of Jesus are clear. Faith in Jesus is power here on


earth. With that faith in Him we can do greater things than He
did! Can you believe that? That is not just Tim Darnell telling
you that. What I say means very little. What the Bible and
specifically Jesus Christ, the King of Kings is telling you means
everything! Can you see why faith in Jesus is integral to doing
great things?

Submit your request and desire in prayer to Slay Your Giant. Ask
in the name of Jesus, and He will do it! I can feel your

167
excitement. I know that your unquestioning faith will bring about
the death of your Giant - end of story.

Done Deal

We have spent several paragraphs in this book on the


importance of prayer, and we need to review that vital subject in
order to be clear as to how you are to effectively pray. Here’s
the bottom line.

You Must Begin Praying


in Total Faith
and Total Positive Expectancy!

Did you get that? You should pray from now on knowing your
requests will be answered. “And I will do whatever you ask in
my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You
may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14:13-14

As your faith amplifies, you will come to a place in your prayer


life where your confidence and faith is so strong that you’ll be
thankful for your request being perfectly answered prior to even
finishing the prayer. You will be thankful knowing that the
answer to your request glorifies the Father! Jesus proactively
tells us that He will do whatever we ask “in His name.”

I find myself oftentimes in prayer concluding with the words, “it’s


a done deal.” I didn’t even realize I was saying that until several
people with whom I had prayed said they loved the way I ended
my prayers with them. It was somewhat of a surprise to realize
that I had been using that verbiage, but isn’t that what faith is all
about? Absolutely! Paul says, “Now faith is being sure of what
we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

168
Your requests are certain to be heard. They are certain to be
answered. That makes the prayer of a true believer a “done
deal.”

We can be certain. We can be sure. We can be confident. We


can be hope-filled. We can be resolute and assured. We can
have full positive expectancy. We can and will be Champions. It
is our rightful destiny.

Remember what James said, “But when he asks, he must believe


and not doubt…” James 1:6

My friend, you have God on your side when you are living your
life to please Him, aligning your thoughts, actions, and will with
His. So ask for that which you wish to have happen in your life.
Be sure that what you are asking for is in God’s will and to His
glory. When you do this humbly and sincerely – what you ask for
and believe for will happen. It is a done deal!

It is Time

Take a deep breath.

Now, let it out.

Are you ready? You’re going out to Fight Your Giant. More
accurately, you are going to Slay Your Giant. You’ve made the
decision. You’re geared up. You’re on deck. It’s time to step
out onto the battlefield. You and I have been having this
discussion for one reason – to win the battle. In fact, there are
no other options. It’s a done deal.

Before we begin, let’s be sure of what our Giant is. Be specific.

My Giant is: ________________________________________

169
The Battlefield Location is: ___________________________

My Weapon is: (describe precisely)_______________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

Now, I am determining a time to begin the battle. I’ve made the


decision to Slay My Giant. The time for action begins at:

Day: ____________________________

Hour: ___________________________

Minute: __________________________

Congratulations, you have scheduled the fight. You have


determined that you have Ample Reason to accept the challenge.
The Battlefield has been chosen. Your Giant is clearly defined.
New Home is vividly imagined in detail. Your perfect weapon has
been selected. You’ve prayed for victory in full faith, without any
d-o-u-b-t. You have reviewed the rewards and reasons you are
Slaying Your Giant. You are fully committed. You have
Sustained Unwavering Belief. Your mind, body and soul are in
congruence. You are ready. I applaud you! Let’s get busy.

Length of the Battle

How long will this battle take? David’s fight lasted only a few
moments. Depending on Your Giant, he may take years to fully
Slay. The real answer to the question, “how long will it take to
Slay My Giant,” is…

170
Until Your Giant is Dead

Until you are holding the (get ready) decapitated head proudly in
your hand. That is when you will know you’ve been victorious.
50
“So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a
stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine
and killed him.”
51
“David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s
sword and drew it form the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut
off his head with the sword.”

“When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned
and ran. 52 Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward
with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath
and to the gates of Ekron. Their dead were strewn along the
Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. 53 When the Israelites
returned from chasing the Philistines, they plundered their
camp.”
54
“David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem,
and he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent.”
55
“As Saul watched David going out to meet the Philistine, he
said to Abner, commander of the army, ‘Abner, whose son is that
young man?’”

“Abner replied, ‘As surley as you live, O king, I don’t know.’”


56
“The king said, ‘Find out whose son this young man is.’”

171
“As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took
him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the
Philistine’s head.”
58
“ ‘Whose son are you, young man?’ Saul asked him.”

“David said, ‘I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.’”


1 Samuel 17: 50-58

David emerged from obscurity to fame and fortune. His rewards


were colossal. Yours will be as well.

You have chosen to Slay Your Giant and you are not going to
stop until he is a non-breathing, eradicated, beheaded, dead
Giant. David picked up the decapitated head of Goliath and held
onto it for some time – the trophy symbolizing the finalization
and victory of his battle.

I suggest you have a ceremony commemorating the death of


Your Giant as well. You WILL BE THE VICTOR!

Once Your Giant is dead, I encourage you to fill out and enlarge
the Giant Death Certificate included at the end of this book. You
may want to frame this important document, because it
represents a fresh beginning for you.

Let’s determine the anticipated Slaying date and put that in


writing as well. Putting a time-table on the death of Your Giant is
a great way for you to avoid procrastination. For instance, if
your Giant is your weight, you’ve got to quantify the number of
pounds you want to lose and the date by which you are going to
lose them. If you’re approaching weight loss correctly, you
should shoot for practical, healthy weight loss of no more than 4
– 15 pounds your first month, and 1-3 pounds per month
thereafter.

172
If Your Giant is the fear of starting a business, you can
accomplish that much more quickly and definitively. You can
have a new business up and running in as soon as two to three
months without sacrificing sufficient due diligence and
preparation.

If Your Giant is a bad habit of your own creation (90 percent of


all Giants are your habits), then you can accomplish the task
quickly. You can go “cold-turkey” with the understanding that
you will want to have planned a substitute behavior to replace
the eliminated behavior. I have several friends who have quit
smoking simply by finding all the cigarettes in their possession
and dumping them down the toilet. The first days without
nicotine were difficult, but it got easier with each passing day.
Today, they are nauseated by the smell of cigarettes or cigarette
smoke, even the thought of smoke, and are now crusaders to
help others quit.

You will have to know that quitting habits or behaviors, especially


those that have been an integral part of your life, require a
substitute behavior to take the ousted behavior’s place. The
replacement can’t be a gimmick. It has to be a serious
substitute. You must bring the presence and power of Christ into
your life every day. This is a discipline that will pay great
dividends to you.

Bad habit/behavior replacements, indeed all Giant Slaying,


require prayer and scripture every single morning. Start your
day correctly and you’ll have set a highly conducive environment
and stage for success. This daily discipline will be crucial to your
success. Every day you go without the past habit or behavior
adds to completely and fully eradicating that behavior.

Upon rising early, I read the Bible, pray, exercise, shower, eat
fruit with a cup of coffee, and jot down my three top priorities of
action for that day. It’s a fantastic way to start the day and will

173
help you replace the non-productive habits that have crept into
your life. You’ll soon be amazed at how good your day can be
and how you could ever have had another, less productive
agenda like that of your former lifestyle.

********************

Epilogue

You are strong. You must now take on total determination to


Slay Your Giant. You must behead Your Giant. What that means
is that you must eliminate the Giant once and for all. There can
be no compromise. Your decision must be final.

If Your Giant is a debilitating or cancerous relationship that has


been detrimental and destructive amidst extended efforts to
correct the problems, yet very little change has been
accomplished, you are in a serious situation that will demand a
great amount of prayer and listening for God’s direction.

If you believe God is leading you out of that relationship, then


your decision may be to disassociate with that person for good. I
highly recommend you get Christian counseling from a
professional counselor before making a decision of that
magnitude. Do not just terminate a relationship without
extended sessions of professional, Christian counseling.

If leaving a person is the “easier” way out, then leaving is


probably not the right answer. In my experience, the more
difficult choice is usually the more appropriate choice.
Remember our discussion about “easy.” MPs make wrong choices
habitually because they choose the easiest route. Champions
choose the route that includes paying the price, plenty of
patience, and plenty of prayer.

174
If you are Slaying the Fear of Speaking Giant, you need to start
speaking more, rather than avoiding talking. Most fear is
overcome by doing the thing you fear. Action is a powerful Giant
Slayer!

Tackle your speech deficiencies with the concepts talked about in


this book and see yourself as a great communicator with
important ideas and thoughts to share with those to whom you
are speaking. Join Toastmasters and/or a Dale Carnegie course.
Have confidence utilizing the training in this book. You can speak
without fear and say important things that will truly be of value
to your listeners!

***********************

Well, my friend, I’ve taken you as far as I can. At this point Your
Giant awaits you on the battlefield. He’s looking for you, but he’s
not going to know what hit him. Don’t feel sorry for him. He’s
as good as already dead. I know without question that you have
the full wherewithal and mindset to actually Slay Your Giant. My
question to you now is, “Will You Slay Your Giant?”

I would go do it for you if I could – but really, this needs to be


your fight. You don’t need me. You have something much
greater, and that is Ample Reason, Your Will, a distinct picture of
New Home, and God Himself who is about to join you in your
great victory when you invite Him on board. You are ready and
I’ll tell you in advance, before the Giant Death Certificate is even
signed that…

I am extremely proud of you!

***********************

175
Let us pray:

Dear Lord, I uplift the glorious name of Jesus as Lord and


Saviour of my life, and I put my Giant totally in Your Hands. I
want this Giant to be Slain, and ask that Your will be fully done
here, Father. I ask you specifically to help me Slay My Giant. I
trust and believe in You totally. I believe in Your great and
awesome power. My belief is unconditional. It is sustained, and
it is unwavering. I know that You alone hold the key to my
victory. I thank You in advance for Slaying My Giant. It is truly
a done deal by Your grace, Your love, Your might, and Your
power. Thank You for helping me change my life. I commit my
life, my battle, My Giant, my future, and the complete victory
into Your hands, and it is in the name of Jesus I pray – it’s a
done deal, Amen.

Would you do me a favor and give me your feedback? Tell me


about Your Giant, what God is doing for you, and how reading
this book has helped you Slay Your Giant. I want you to win. I
know that you surely can, and surely will experience a powerful
victory. God bless you, and I congratulate you in advance for
your new-found success!

Tim, this book helped me to:

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

God is working with me. I know that to be true because:

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

176
_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

The Beginning

177
Thank you so much for studying Slay Your Giant. Please E-mail your
response to the question above and/or comments to:
TimD@AdvantageConferences.com

*****************

If you would like to know more about accepting Jesus Christ into your
heart as your personal Lord and Savior: www.TimDarnell.org

*****************

If you would like to know more about Mr. Darnell’s Company, Advantage
Conferences, you can go to this website: www.7KOverNOver.com

*****************

If you would like information on Tim Darnell’s newest Praise and Worship
Album, The Heart of Worship: www.RhinoNationPublishing.com

*****************

For more information about The Fundraising Advantage:


http://www.advantageconferences.com/Eric/fundraising.asp

*****************

For information about the Treasures for the Kingdom Foundation:


www.AdvantageConferences.com/VIP/Treasures

****************

To recommend people you know to read Slay Your Giant by sending them a
link to the e-book or printed version: www.SlayYourGiant.com

178
Giant Death Certificate
______________________________________________
(Your Former Giant)

Officially Deceased on:

____ AM/PM the ___ day of _______, 2____

______________________
Giant Slayer

______________________
Signature

179
About the author…

Tim Darnell is an entrepreneur and founder of Advantage


Conferences, LLC, The Fundraising AdvantageSM, The Treasures
for the Kingdom Foundation, The Cover to Cover Campaign, The
Gift of Service Project, and The Footsteps of Faith Messenger.
He is also the creator of the compensation plan known as
Reverse Margin™.

He is an accomplished, professional singer with 23 albums to his


credit; twenty one of which were recorded with his singing group,
Dreamer. His latest two albums are solo projects; the most
recent called Heart of Worship.

Tim has been active in Christian fundraising for many years, and
over the past years, along with his group, Dreamer, has
particularly focused on The God’s Child Project of Antigua,
Guatemala. He attends Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church in
Allen, Texas where he enjoys participating in the Worship and
Arts Ministry, and teaching Bible study on a backup basis. As a
Gideon, he also teaches Bible study at a local prison on a weekly
basis.

Tim and his wife, Cathy have been married for twenty years and
have three children:
Lindy - 16, Hannah – 14, and Timothy Caleb – 7
Slay Your Giant is Tim’s first book.

For speaking appearances, please call: 1-888-832-7635.

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The Darnells
Hannah, Lindy, Cathy, Caleb, and Tim

Lindy, Caleb, Hannah

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