Dennis R. Deaton is co-founder of Quma Learning Systems and a nationally known corporate educator and popular convention speaker on Mind Management, Human Productivity, Visioneering and The Ownership Spirit. He has taught numerous adult education classes for the Church Education System and was a regular speaker at BYU Campus Education Week for 22 years. Dennis received his BA degree from the University of Utah and his doctorate from Washington University in St. Louis, and has authored several books including his capstone work, Looking Unto Christ in Every Thought: Defeating Fear, Doubt and Discouragement, which was released this year. Dennis served a full-time mission to Italy and has held numerous leadership positions in the Church: elders quorum president, branch president, bishop, high councilor, stake Young Men president, and counselor in a stake presidency. He and his wife, Susan, reside in Queen Creek, Arizona, and are the parents of nine children and thirty grandchildren. He currently serves as stake patriarch and as a temple worker in the Gilbert Arizona temple. Highlights 01:15 Introduction to Dennis Deaton 03:00 Dennis’ journey started in dentistry but ended up in teaching. 06:30 Dennis talks about his leadership experience and his training company. 11:40 What is mind management? How can leaders apply it? 22:15 We are responsible for our state of mind. Remember that attitude is a choice. You are in charge of the states of mind that you dwell in. 25:25 We all receive temptations but we get to choose the intensity and duration of those temptations. We need to intercept those thoughts. 28:15 How can leaders help those they lead with mind management and dealing with negative thoughts and temptations? A great leader is a great teacher Validate their feelings first and then teach them about their feelings and where those thoughts are coming from 31:00 Are the negative thoughts coming from ourselves or our enemy? Start questioning your thoughts and where they are coming from. 35:00 Righteousness is being enticed to do evil and not going there. 36:20 There is an aggressive force that is against our eternal progression. Satan interjects thoughts into our heads so subtly that we think they are our own. We have to push back against these thoughts and turn to God. 39:00 How do we look unto Christ in every thought? 44:00 Satan uses fear to paralyze us and prevent us from acting on possibilities. He wants to prevent us from even starting. 48:00 Satan uses discouragement to get us to quit. There is no magic solution except to keep going and keep praying. 49:45 Always have a pad and pencil close by when you pray. Be ready to listen. 51:40 Dennis speaks about his experience as a Patriarch and what he does to prepare for giving blessings. Links Looking Unto Christ in Every Thought: Defeating Fear, Doubt and Discouragement Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library The Leading Saints Podcast gets over 300,000 listens each month and has nearly 10 million total downloads as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' mission to help latter-day saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, J. Devn Cornish, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, DeAnna Murphy, Michael Goodman, Richard Ostler and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.