The Enemy in the Bush: Five Life Principles for Navigating the Landmines of Fear, Personal Roadblocks and Perceived Mental Limitations

By Derrick C. Darden PhD

VETERAN/LEADERSHIP/EMPOWERMENT

The Enemy in the Bush is a book that takes you through an adventure and journey of one’s man’s life from growing up in the ghetto of Newark, New Jersey to becoming a decorated military veteran of more than 22 years. In it, he shares how he navigated a multitude of life challenges and consciously determined what direction his life would take and how he was going to be purposeful on this earth: how he would discover and fulfill his destiny.

Derrick, has always believed that you determine your destiny on this earth. And that, it is our determination to overcome life’s challenges that dictates how we live our lives—how we conduct ourselves in every situation. Unfortunately, many of us have not developed the discipline and life skills that are required to overcome adversity thereby limiting our ability to accomplish our major life goals. He, however, has learned that when we are willing to look within ourselves for answers rather than becoming fixated on our current circumstances and areas in which there appears to be a lack, we automatically empower ourselves to find greater inner strength and hope. Most importantly, we get to a place where it is impossible for us to find excuses for not achieving our goals due to external factors. Instead, we begin to see that the true “Enemy in the Bush” is our internal demons, negative thinking, and other limitations that we place on our ourselves.

By sharing his life story and Five Key Principles that have helped him successfully navigate life’s challenges and accomplish many of his major life goals, his hope is that this book will equip you with the ability to identify and conquer the “Enemy in the Bush” at every stage of your life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9781664206878

Derrick C. Darden PhD

Dr. Derrick C Darden, PhD is a 22 year Army Veteran and a Retired Senior Chief Warrant Officer, who served in the Gulf War and various Humanitarian Relief Efforts around the world www.dcdardentalks.com thecarolyledestinygroup.com

Book preview

THE ENEMY

IN THE

BUSH

Five Life Principles for Navigating the Landmines of Fear,

Personal Roadblocks and Perceived Mental Limitations

Derrick C. Darden, PhD

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Copyright © 2020 Derrick C. Darden, PhD.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

WestBow Press

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Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture marked (KJV or AKJV) taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked (NIrV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe NIrV and New International Reader’s Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

o Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-0686-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-0688-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-0687-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020918681

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/06/2020

Contents

Foreword

Introduction

Chapter 1: In the beginning…Who Am I?

Chapter 2: Joining the Military

Chapter 3: Finding a New Mission: A Career vs. a Job

Chapter 4: Principle #1

Your attitude determines your behavior, your direction and your ability to successfully navigate any situation.

Chapter 5: Principle #2

Invest in others, not just yourself.

Chapter 6: Principle #3

Success is the continuous realization of a favorable outcome or accomplishment. This requires steadfast belief in your ability and disciplined commitment to engage in continuous personal growth. With this dogged determination you can accomplish your set goals and anything you put your mind to.

Chapter 7: Principle #4

Hard work is not only essential for earning an honest living; it reflects your character.

Chapter 8: Principle #5

Surround yourself with like-minded, positive people who shape your life and environment in the way you want to shape it.

Chapter 9: The Next Chapter of My Life

Chapter 10: Finish the Good Fight of Faith

References

Classes of Supply

About the Author

Foreword

Life threw Dr. Derrick C. Darden lemons; he made lemonade. Growing up in poverty and in a racially segregated community was one of the earliest enemies in the bush Derrick had to contend with…labeling the condition an oppressive mindset. This is an exceedingly difficult mind-barrier to overcome because the barrier is at the core of one’s subconscious thinking and habits. Whatever is at the core of your subconscious thinking, drives your actions and enhances or stunts your growth. In John Maxwell’s book, 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, he clearly states, You must know yourself to grow yourself. Hence, The Laws of Awareness. In other words, no one can produce great things who is not thoroughly sincere in dealing with himself. Change your thinking, change your mind, change your mind, change your habits, change your habits, change your life. Derrick made lemonade extremely well. I celebrate his accomplishments and this book it is a testament of his dedication towards excellence.

Once you are aware of who you and WHO’S you are, a child of God, the Enemy cannot get a foothold in your mind, body, or spirit. Derrick removed that invisible controlling barrier (oppressive mindset) with a growth mindset. Carol Dweck in her book Mindset said, In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work, - brains and talent are just the starting point. This view can create a love for learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. He we are today; Derrick is still on a mission to be an awesome role model of what God can do once you make up your mind.

It is amazing how our lives have very common themes. We both grew up in poverty, Derrick was an urbanite (concrete kid) and I grew up in the farming community (lots of dirt) of East Texas. Derrick’s father struggled with substance abuse and my father died from kidney failure caused by excessive consumption of alcohol. Our growing up in poverty is one of the main reasons we are resiliency brothers, growth minded brothers, make no excuse brothers, whatever it takes brothers, military veteran brothers, college professor brothers, John Maxwell Team brothers, and most importantly, we are brothers in Christ Jesus. God is divine and He adds people in your life based on the season in your life. And Derrick is God’s Divine connection in the season in my life.

You are in for a phenomenal treat as you read Enemy in the Bush. Consider the definition of leadership: Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. Derrick has led at Level Four on the leadership ladder. Level Four is about people development. Once you understand the leadership levels, you will begin to appreciate the leadership impact Derrick had during his twenty-two years in the United States Army. Level One is a positional leader; a person with the title but no influence with the people. At this level, people are only motivated to perform at the minimal level to maintain their employment or working because they have to. Level Two is a Permission Leader, where one must establish relationships with the people. By doing so, people are willing to do as you ask because of your relationship with them. A Level Three Leader is a Production Leader, one who influences and produces results. Not only did Derrick excel at those levels, he rose above level three and became a People Developer (Level Four). Level Four Leaders become great not because of their power but because of empowering others. As a Senior Logistic Manager Leader in the United States Army, Derrick’s staff grew as leaders because he invested in their personal and professional development. As a Level Four Leader, you succeed because your people are successful.

Derrick is not only successful, he is also significant, making a difference in the lives of many. Derrick was a participant in my five-week As A Man Thinketh Mastermind. He added so much insight, wisdom, and value for the other participants. Afterwards, Derrick asked me to become his business coach…a special privilege and honor for me to work with my brother at multiple levels of our relationship. We are even enrolled in a speaking class, becoming better speakers, so we can become better leaders. Leadership is rewarding and never ending. Do not just take my word, read this book inspired by a great leader, my friend, my brother, Dr. Derrick C. Darden.

Professor Jeff Willie (United States Air Force retired)

Owner/CEO, Jeff Willie Leadership

Executive Director, John Maxwell Team

Introduction

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33 (KJV)

"No! In all these things we are more than winners! We owe it all to Christ, who has loved us." Romans 8:37 (NIRV)

Inspiration is a natural element of life that is needed by every individual. It can be found in others as well as within ourselves. However, too frequently, because of our current obstacles and circumstances, we lose our sense of inspiration; we lose faith in our ability to create a better life for ourselves.

The Enemy in the Bush is a book that was written with the primary purpose of inspiring and challenging you to see beyond the current challenges and obstacles in your life. To realize and discover that you have the ability and the power to determine your destiny. You just have to learn how to tap into it. This book, then, can be viewed as a tool for learning how to develop the right mindset and attitude for accomplishing any goal you have in life.

The ultimate theme of this book is that you determine your destiny; you determine the direction and outcome of your life. This is true regardless of where you start out in life. It does not matter if you grew up in poverty, come from a single parent home, just like I did, or you’re not the smartest or most talented person. You can overcome any and all obstacles to create the life you want.

The reality, however, is that nothing is easy. Nothing is given. There is a saying, Everything nice comes with a price. This means that in life there is a price that must be paid to walk through the door of success.

With patience and faith, I believe all things are possible. My life story is an illustration of this fact. I grew up in a very rough neighborhood of Newark, New Jersey in the sixties to a single mother of ten children. The statistics regarding Black boys who came from that community were daunting. Many died, ended up in jail, or remained in a dilapidated state in the community. Repeating the same cycle of living in poverty and producing more children, who also would repeat the same pattern. Yet, I was one of the few who was able to breakthrough and find a way to create a better life for myself and my family. Through this book, I want to use my life story to show you that you, too, can defy the odds and make the impossible possible. By the end of reading this book, my hope is that you will have more confidence in yourself and in your ability to manifest whatever you want to create in life—even if it takes ten or twenty years to bring to fruition.

So, what was the difference for me? For one, it was an amazing mother who instilled in me a belief that I was not defined by all the negative influences of the ghetto. Secondly, it was amazing mentors who appeared in my life and went out of their way to teach me critical life skills, while also encouraging me to explore and take advantage of resources and opportunities that provided me with greater exposure to careers and life outside of my community. Thirdly, it was the 5 Essential Life Principles that I held on to and diligently practiced living by.

This book is autobiographical. However, it intentionally is divided into two parts. The first half of the book takes you through my life journey from childhood through my more than twenty-year career in the military. In the second half of the book, I devote specific chapters to each of the 5 Essential Life Principles, illustrating through additional life stories, how they sustained me and enabled me to accomplish every major life goal I have ever set for myself. Not only accomplishing financial and material goals, it also is discovering a sense of life purpose, fulfillment and inner peace. Here is a summary of the 5 Essential Life Principles that we will review in greater detail later in the book:

• Principle #1: Your attitude determines your behavior, your direction, and your ability to successfully navigate any situation.

• Principle #2: Invest in others, not just yourself.

• Principle #3: Success is the continuous realization of a favorable outcome or accomplishment. This requires steadfast belief in your ability and disciplined commitment to engage in continuous personal growth. With this dogged determination you can accomplish your set goals and anything you put your mind to.

• Principle #4: Hard work is not just essential for earning a good living; it reflects your character.

• Principle #5: Surround yourself with like-minded, positive people who shape your life and environment in the way you want to shape it.

From the time that I was born, there was always a limitation attached to my life. I was always at a disadvantage. But, when I learned the principles that are outlined in this book and how to apply them to my life, I became an overcomer instead of an underdog. Yes, hard work and perseverance were essential ingredients. But, the most fundamental factor for enabling me to accomplish the majority of my major life goals was committing myself to the process of retraining my mind to always have a positive mindset, no matter the circumstances I am faced with or confronted with in life.

On a final note, the second major purpose of this book is for me to be able to leave a legacy. In turning sixty this year, I intuitively have found myself looking back on my life. Or, should I say examining the journey of my life. As a result, I have discovered a new sense of purpose. That is, what is most important to me in my remaining years on this planet. This is what compelled me to write and publish my life story; my burning desire to leave a legacy.

My burning desire to leave a legacy is not just for my children but for many others who feel stuck and do not know how to move past major obstacles in their life. These are the countless individuals who have big dreams and big goals but just do not know how to get there. Or, simply put, they lack faith and belief in themselves and in their dreams.

What I have learned from personal experience is that we automatically empower ourselves to find greater inner strength and hope, when we are willing to look within ourselves for answers. This is how we begin to break the cycle of allowing ourselves to become overly fixated on external factors and our current circumstances, including areas of our life in which there appears to be a lack. Most importantly, the real breakthrough occurs in our life when we get to a place where it is no longer possible for us to find excuses for not achieving our goals due to external factors. This is when we begin to discover and claim our true power. It is our sense of personal responsibility, level of self-awareness and willingness to be fully honest with ourselves that enables us to see that the true enemy in the bush lies within. It is our internal demons, our negative thinking, and other limitations that we place on ourselves.

Oppressive Mindset

Growing up in poverty and a racially segregated community, one of the earliest enemies in the bush I had to contend with was overcoming an oppressive mindset. This was a difficult barrier to overcome because it was an invisible barrier. It was hidden in my thoughts and my beliefs. However, it manifested itself in me, early in life, placing limitations on what I could achieve in life without anyone else having to say or do anything to place those limitations on me. Below the surface, for years, I undervalued myself. Deep down I believed that people of other races and people who were more educated, or had more money, were better than me.