Rule No. 24: GROWTH TAKES PLACE OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE
Growth doesn’t happen in safety — it happens in surrender.
In Rule No. 24 of The Playbook, Daniel C. Haynes explores what he calls “growth’s rubric”: the way God measures who we are while we’re still becoming. From Abraham’s obedience to late-night lessons at St. John’s, this reflection reminds us that every stretch is preparation, not punishment.
Rule No. 23: BRING YOUR OWN BALL
We’ve all lived this rule before—when the game ended because the person who owned the ball had to leave. I learned early: if I had my own ball, I could keep playing.
As adults, the arena changes, but the truth remains. God has already placed everything you need in your hands. It may look small, but when you use it faithfully, He multiplies it. Don’t wait for someone else’s opportunity or approval—play with what you’ve been given.
Because in the Kingdom, the game never ends when others leave—it begins when you bring what’s in your hands to God.
Rule No. 22: CONTROL YOUR THINKING
What we think about most is what we march toward and become. Our mind determines our direction, shaping what we see and what we build. Rule No. 22: Control Your Thinking reminds us that true positive thinking is rooted in faith—acknowledging pain but believing everything can still be redeemed.
Rule No. 20: EMOTIONS ARE THE WORST ADVISORS
Emotions are not the problem—it’s what happens when we let them steer our decisions. Feelings can serve as signals, like dashboard lights flashing warnings, but they were never meant to grab the wheel. Anger, sadness, or even joy can cloud judgment and leave us cleaning up consequences long after the moment has passed.
Rule No. 19: MISTAKES ARE INEVITABLE BUT DON’T LET THEM DEFINE YOU
Mistakes are inevitable, but they don’t define you. They sting, they humble, and sometimes they leave cracks in the mirror—but grace has the final word. In this week’s Rule, I share lessons from my own missteps, a poem on the courage of restraint, and the reminder that your story is still being written by the One who never puts down His pen.
Rule No. 18: NEVER BE AFRAID TO GET FIRED
No one wants to be fired, laid off, or rejected. But sometimes being forced out is the only way God calls us up. Rule No. 18 reminds us that closed doors can become open ones, and detours can lead straight to destiny—if we trust Him enough to let go and step forward.
Rule No. 17: YOUR GREATEST WEAKNESS CAN BECOME YOUR GREATEST STRENGTH
Your greatest weakness doesn’t have to be your downfall. Through God’s grace, even weakness can become the foundation of your greatest strength.
Rule No. 13: THE UNDERDOG ATTACK
What do you do when preparation isn’t enough? Rule No. 13 is about the moment the storm hits—and how underdogs fight back with holy confidence, spiritual clarity, and relentless faith, even when the odds are stacked against them.
How to Prepare for the Worst Without Living in Fear: Rule No. 12
Some storms don’t give warnings. They arrive without thunder—just a shift in the air. The silence feels… off.
I’ve learned the hard way: positive thinking is not a substitute for spiritual preparation. True peace isn’t found in the forecast.
It’s found in your foundation.
Preparation is a spiritual rhythm. It’s not fear. It’s wisdom. Because strength isn’t about how perfect your plans are—it’s about how rooted you remain when they fall apart.
If I Could Speak to My Younger Self
Dear Daniel,
I’m writing to you as you stand at the airport at the age of five, trying to understand what’s happening around you. You’re watching someone else leave, someone you love, someone who promised not to leave, and you’re wondering—‘Why do people always leave? What’s wrong with me?’ You don’t realize it yet, but that curious mind of yours is already leaping to places it doesn’t need to go, trying to piece together a world that feels broken.
Twenty-three years later, I’m here to tell you this: You’ll be okay. You’ll endure, you’ll thrive, and you’ll find a strength you didn’t know you had