Living the Maximized Life: How to Win No Matter Where You're Starting From

by I.V. Hilliard

Overview

Learn how to create a life full of the peace, financial stability, and happiness that God eagerly desires to give.

Quality of life is mostly a matter of choice, not birth.

If we want to receive the abundant life God wants for us, believers must actively participate.

In Living the Maximized Life, Dr. I. V. Hilliard acts as a personal coach, guiding you step-by-step through the process of making the most of your life, regardless of where you start. Learn how to work with the cards you are dealt instead of folding your hand.

By delving into Scripture and sharing his own life experiences, this easy-to-follow blueprint features new methods, meditations, and mindsets for maximizing your life and overcoming setbacks.

This book is straightforward teaching — perfect for fans of T.D. Jakes, John Bevere, and Van Moody!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781400209002
Publisher:	Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:	03/20/2018
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.45(w) x 8.35(h) x 0.65(d)

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

The Belief in Maximized Living

It's the end of another counseling session, and I never cease to be amazed at the misguided expectations of most people concerning the quality of life in Christ. Quality of life is mostly a matter of choice and not always a matter of birth. Many people have a misconception that those who succeed and do well in life do so because they faced no challenges. The truth is just the opposite. Most people who succeed and experience a high quality of life do so by overcoming tremendous odds. Most of the people we admire have an extraordinary story, a narrative of maximizing life.

Maximizing life is a disciplined and quality choice to approach life with a positive, progressive, persistent attitude. Doing so allows one to overcome handicaps, hardships, and setbacks without bitterness, by choosing to embrace God's best. I have studied high achievers and observed successful people around me. There are common denominators among those I call "maximizers." Maximizers are individuals who possess the strength of character that enables them to keep believing, keep planning, keep thinking, and keep working to experience their full potential despite difficult conditions.

Another amazing misunderstanding many Christians and non-Christians have is about trouble, tragedy, and misfortune. Some believe God sends the troubles, trials, and tribulations we face. Still others believe that if you are a Christian you should be exempt from all trouble. Unfortunately, a small group is in denial about the trouble issue and will say it does not exist. Oddly enough, these "extremes" are the majority, and very few people understand the true meaning of trouble.

The myths surrounding the trouble issue continue because of the religious taboo about questioning God. It is often said that one should never question God, but I believe that if I can ask God a question that He cannot answer, He can't be God. It is unfortunate that most well-meaning believers in the Christian faith think God is mysterious and operates on earth in mysterious ways. I hold to the position that God is not mysterious and He desires for man to know Him. If God wanted to be shrouded in mystery, why would He have allowed the Bible to be written, a document which tells His plans for the ages? No, my friend, God wants us to understand that He is a God of order. He even submits Himself to the order He has established. Therefore, our relationship with God should be full of confidence and predictability.

The Bible clearly addresses the "trouble in life" and the "adversity" questions. One of the greatest breakthroughs I had in my search to understand life was when I discovered that the will of God is not executed automatically on the earth. It requires man's invitation and participation. That's right! In order for the will of God to come to pass, mankind must be an active participant. Again, traditional religious thinking has been a barrier to sound knowledge, since it has deviated from Scripture. We are taught in the Scripture to reason, to study, and to understand the Word of God.

Here is a simple reasoning exercise to prove that the will of God does not automatically come to pass on the earth:

The Bible teaches in 2 Peter 3:9 that God does not want any people to perish and that all should repent. Further, the Bible teaches in John 3:16 that God sent Jesus to give His life for the whole world so that everyone might be saved. Based on these two passages of Scripture, it is the established and undeniable will of God for every person to be saved. But, will everyone be saved and no one be lost? The Bible clearly teaches that even though it is the will of God for all to be saved, some will not be saved and will unfortunately spend eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). Those who will be lost will only be lost because they refused to receive the salvation and redemption that is so freely offered.

I rest my case. It is the will of God for all to be saved, but all will not be saved unless they do what is necessary to receive salvation. God's will only comes to pass with man's permission and man's participation.

Let's address the issue of adversity, trials, and troubles from a reasonable Scriptural perspective. As we search the pages of the Bible, we discover quickly that facing times of trouble is simply a part of human existence. The Bible is filled with passages, which demonstrate clearly that all are meant to face trouble in life.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

Since trouble seems inescapable, preparation for trouble is extremely important. Being a Christian is not an automatic exemption from trouble, but it is an assurance that we can expect divine help to get us through our trouble. So many biblical characters who lived faithful and righteous lives still faced times of trouble and adversity. But because of their decisions to overcome the difficulties, they received supernatural (though not always spectacular) help and assistance from God. The following passages show us that God is committed to help His covenant people when trouble comes:

Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. (Psalm 34:19)

Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Psalm 50:14-15)

Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. (Psalm 107:19-20)

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. (3 John 2)

Christians must face the scriptural reality that life in Christ is not an automatic exemption from difficulties, hardships, and handicaps. When we face difficult, distasteful, disastrous times, we must choose to overcome them through faith in God. The maximized life is the life of the "overcomer." This is one who faces the less-than-optimal situations in life, and instead of throwing in the towel or buckling under and quitting, works through them to realize his dreams and full potential.

Careful study of those whom we admire in life reveals their success in overcoming tough situations. The biblical characters whom we hold in high esteem are those who maximized life's circumstances and lived life to the fullest.

Moses, the great leader of the Hebrews, had to overcome mistakes in judgment that could have derailed his destiny, but he had the strength of character to work through life's difficulties.

David, the hero and King of Israel, was indeed a maximizer. His life was filled with times of misfortune, disappointment, betrayal, and personal failure, yet he is still admired because he had the strength of character to work through life's difficulties.

Peter, the famous disciple of Jesus Christ, failed many times and faced what could have been disastrous situations, but he chose to persevere.

The list of biblical characters who faced troubled times — times that could have meant their demise — goes on and on. This is what makes the Bible so exciting — it is human; it is real.

The great apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth to remind them that trouble is a part of life. More importantly, he tells them there is no trouble that they will face that someone else has not already encountered and overcome. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13). This ancient text continues to inspire the people of God and encourages us on our journey. Trouble never takes God by surprise, and for every troubled situation, God himself has devised a victorious plan of action.

If you study those in contemporary life who excel in their careers, you will always find underlying stories of their strength of character, which enabled them to overcome the less-than-optimal situations they faced. This reality along with the testimony of Scripture encourages us. It tells us that maximizing life is a critical choice we must all make.

Somehow, without a deep understanding of the Scripture at the time but with a resolve to do well in life, I adopted this maximizing mentality and attitude toward life. Though I grew up in a society that treated African Americans as second-class citizens and swam through the undercurrents of prejudices, I was determined to succeed. I had a marvelous opportunity extended to me when I was hired as a computer operator trainee. This was long before the days of desktop and laptop computers, a time when most computer work was done on large "mainframes."

These mainframe computers were about the size of small automobiles and were housed in large heavily air-conditioned rooms. A Hispanic friend of mine recommended me for the job, and I was hired and given this opportunity even though I had no formal electronic data processing training. Most of the computer operators were either Hispanic or white and had graduated from a vocational school; I was the first African American employee the company hired. I really wanted to do well because I appreciated the opportunity. I did not want to embarrass my friend who recommended me, and I felt I represented the African American work ethic.

I took the position with the understanding that I would be evaluated after the ninety-day probationary period. If I could not show proficiency in operating the computer, then I would be let go. It was a risk, but coming from a manual labor job at a hardware supply company, I thought it was a risk worth taking. At least this job held future opportunities.

Unfortunately, my assigned supervisor did not share my enthusiasm or my dream of advancement in the computer industry. He was assigned to train me on the second shift, which ran from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. My future, my livelihood, and my family depended on my success. But instead of teaching me the principles of data processing and training me on the operation of the computer, my supervisor assigned me to decollate the carbon sheets from the multipart paper. It was a tedious, nonskilled task in a little room, out of sight and away from the mainframe computer. To make matters worse, after several weeks he began to misrepresent me to the Data Processing Manager, saying that I was incompetent, slow, and not "catching on." That's right! He was not training me. He would hardly let me touch the computer. Yet he was misrepresenting my work. My dream was quickly turning into a nightmare.

I tried to be extra nice to my supervisor. I would work through my lunch break to finish my decollating chores before quitting time so that I could stand in the computer room, thinking that maybe he would explain something. I would ask questions, but I only received muttered responses. Wow! It sure looked like I was in a pickle. The clock was still ticking, counting down toward the end of my ninety-day probationary period. What was I to do? I could cry foul and prejudice, but that would only make me look like a troublemaker and I would be out the door for sure. I could just quit and save myself the embarrassment of not being able to pass the test at the end of the probationary period. I could go back to the warehouse job; maybe they would hire me back. After all, I was a very good employee and they did not want me to leave their employment. Somehow, quitting was not an option. I did not know how I would overcome this obstacle to my success, but I knew something had to give. I prayed for guidance and kept doing my menial task. I kept my attitude positive and continued to be a good employee.

A few weeks into my probationary period, the late-night supervisor, who worked the 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. shift, pulled me aside and told me he wanted to talk. He told me in that very private conversation that he saw what was going on. He knew I was not being trained on the computer systems, and I was being misrepresented by my supervisor. He made an offer to help me, and it was one of the turning points in my data processing career. I probably would have never become a systems analyst if this opportunity had not been extended to me.

The late night supervisor offered to train me on his shift if I was willing to put forth the extra effort. I would have to work my regular shift from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. and then go to the coffee shop just down the street from the company until shift change was completed. After the shift change, I could come back to work, not clock in, and learn. He would teach me the "ins and outs" of computer operations. It meant that I would work two shifts, but only get paid for one. Well, I saw this as God's answer to my dilemma. All I needed was the strength of character to organize my life and to discipline my thoughts. Only then could I see this as an opportunity to invest in myself.

A few of the other operators found out about what I was doing and attempted to talk me out of it. They told me I should tell management about my supervisor. Remember that this all happened in the early 1970s when laws were not so favorable for the worker who cried foul. I ignored my comrades and persevered. In fact, I was enjoying the experience. The late-night supervisor gave me his books from the vocational school he attended. He would highlight the significant chapters to accelerate my learning. It was fun — I have always loved learning.

On the day of reckoning at the end of the ninety-day probationary period, my supervisor — who had no knowledge of my late-night training program — told management how I was slow and unable to catch on. As we all stood around the computer, the faces of the managers were very grim as they began to prepare me for the exit speech, saying, "Not everyone has what it takes, but that doesn't mean that you can't succeed at something else." I should mention that my supervisor did not represent the attitude of the company at all. Well, the test was about to be administered. The test was straightforward: I would be given a sample job to run that would cover the full gambit of computer skills necessary to be an asset to the company.

The manager handed me the job. In those days we used punched cards. (Now that really dates me!) All eyes in the computer room were on me, but with confidence I stepped forward, read the instructions, made the necessary corrections to the control card, and began to run the job. You should have seen the look on my supervisor's face. I couldn't help but wink at him in his astonishment. The manager looked perplexedly at him as if to say, But I thought you said he was incompetent? I not only completed the task accurately and efficiently, but in record time. I was good, and I knew it! I had paid the price to maximize my situation!

I was praised by management. My supervisor finally came around and treated me with the respect that I deserved, and I was applauded by all of my coworkers. I thoroughly enjoyed working for that company, but I eventually moved to another firm and continued my career in data processing. With this same never-say-quit, do-what-it-takes-to-win attitude, I ultimately became a computer programmer and systems analyst without formal classroom instruction.

Remember who maximizers are.

This is the simple hallmark of those who choose to succeed in life, whether that success is in business, in academic achievement, in ministry, or in relationships. In this life when you face less-than-optimal conditions and situations, you will either become a criticizer, a traumatizer, or a maximizer. The choice is all yours.

Criticizers choose to blame others for their own inability to succeed, finding fault with everything from their own upbringing to the government. Traumatizers are like criticizers with the added trait of trying to make everybody else's life miserable and unbearable by whining and complaining. They carry on this way with the misguided expectation that someone owes them something and, therefore, someone else should fix their problem. Maximizers, in contrast, bear down under pressure. Although they may feel like quitting, they persevere with innovation until they achieve. Although maximizing career opportunities afforded me great pleasure, learning to optimize and maximize my marriage has given me the greatest satisfaction.

My wife and I had to make a decision to maximize our marriage instead of allowing the problems we faced to end in divorce. As of this writing, our marriage is thirty years strong, and we are both enjoying it to the fullest. Even though all is well today, it was not several years into our marriage. Far from it. We were both very young and immature when we married, and we each had our selfish reasons for marrying, hidden reasons that would later surface and become the catalyst for severe disappointment.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Living the Maximized Life"
by .
Copyright © 2006 Dr. I.V. Hilliard.
Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Introduction, v,
SECTION ONE The Methods for Maximizing Life,
Chapter 1 • The Belief in Maximized Living, 3,
Chapter 2 • The Blessing from Maximizers, 19,
Chapter 3 • The Blueprint for Maximized Living, 33,
Chapter 4 • The Barriers to Maximized Living, 49,
SECTION TWO The Meditation for Maximizing Life,
Chapter 5 • Realizing Your Potential for Maximized Living, 59,
Chapter 6 • Releasing Your Potential for Maximized Living, 71,
SECTION THREE The Mentality for Maximizing Life,
Chapter 7 • The Foundation for Maximized Thinking, 85,
Chapter 8 • The Fundamentals of Maximized Thinking, 111,
Chapter 9 • Functioning as a Maximized Thinker, 123,
SECTION FOUR The Mechanics for Maximizing Life,
Chapter 10 • How to Maximize Your Mouth, 145,
Chapter 11 • How to Maximize Your Mistakes, 157,
Chapter 12 • How to Maximize Your Money, 165,
Conclusion, 177,
Acknowledgments, 183,