Food for Thought

BURN THE BRIDGE!

2011-02-21T22:42:00.002Z

“If we must wrest the best from life, we must be prepared to cast away all thoughts of ease or inertia. Grow or go. Struggle or stagnate. Resist or die.” – Robert Heap

It is human to fear when one is in dilemma. If not faced and conquered, fear (a dangerous archenemy of progress) has the capacity to rob its victim of conquests yet-to-be. When at a crossroad, should one ignore the risk(s) and forge ahead or retreat/stagnate? This write up will attempt to answer the question.

There is an age-long but potent strategy (which comes in different variations) that comes to mind – ‘burning the bridge’. The strategy was used by Hernan Cortes (1485-1547), who burned and sank his boats, so no other option was left than to advance into Aztec territory. Xiang Yu ‘broke the woks and sank the boats’ (ordered his troops to destroy all cooking utensils and boats after crossing a river into the enemy's territory) during the Battle of Julu in 207 BC to commit his small number of soldiers to a struggle to the end with the Qin forces led by Zhang Han. The Muslim commander Tariq ibn Ziyad, upon setting foot on the Iberian Peninsula in 711 AD, ordered his ships to be burnt, so that his men had no choice but to thrust forward and conquer the peninsula. The same strategy was used by Julius Caesar when he invaded (led his army across the Rubicon River in violation of law, thus making conflict inevitable) Ancient Rome on January 10, 49 BC. (Facts culled from www.wikipedia.org). Also, there are numerous instances in the Holy Bible where individuals had to ‘burn the bridge’ to carry out instructions. For instance, Elisha killed his yoke of oxen, boiled their flesh and shared to people before following Elijah. I believe he did this so as not to be tempted to return to plowing with his twelve yoke of oxen. Thus, he was able to minister to the needs of Elijah from that time till he was taken away by a whirlwind into heaven without looking back. (Read 1 Kings 19: 19 – 21, 2 Kings 2: 1 - 11). History is full of success stories borne out of this "no-retreat" strategy.

I personally use the strategy whenever I want to leap forward in an imperfect situation. I used it recently when I left Nigeria for UK with little or no preparation (I couldn’t wait to effectively prepare for the trip as I would have loved when I got the visa because I had been starved visa for too long). To succeed with the migration even with the little preparation, I decided to ‘burn all the bridges’ (I left my employer without notice and I gave away all the possessions I had in Nigeria) that could give me a soft-landing in Nigeria should I be tempted to retreat if settling down in UK got tough. Once I “crossed the Rubicon” (left Nigeria with a paltry sum of £700 and one(1) small bag - containing 70% books, 20% certificates, 10% clothes), I was left with no other option but to survive and thereafter thrive in my destination.

I got into the UK in the middle of the recession and in retrospect I must confess that I underestimated the recession. All the money I had on me was only enough to rent a studio flat for one(1) month. All I thought I knew was challenged; I was forced to unlearn and relearn. I learnt new things (like personally shaving my hair to save costs to the admiration of barbers - laughs), I also learnt better ways of doing the things I already knew; migrating to UK was indeed the beginning of my education. Eating, clothing (in the middle of winter), transportation, the next rent and other essentials were luxuries at that time (laughs). Although I didn’t get my first job immediately, I was not thrown out of the flat for inability to pay rent, I never starved neither did I die of cold. Supplies preceded my needs - new friends, old friends, family members and acquaintances offered help without begging. I never got stranded. This humbling experience reminds me of the words of William Murray, I quote:

“The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, and meetings, and material assistances which no man could have dreamed would come his way.”

In spite of all the initial gargantuan challenges I faced while settling down, quitting was never an option as there was no where else to go. It was tough, but I held on till I broke through the initial challenges. It’s all history now. Although I am not where I want to be yet, but I am certainly not where I used to be. I judge God faithful.

Have you been retreating when you should be moving ahead in life? What is your deepest fear? What is holding you back from pursuing your dreams? How many more compromises will you have to make? Still waiting for the right time?

Everyone has dreams in life, but few are prepared to take the risk(s) that can take them closer to their dreams because of the fear of failure. By tarrying, opportunities are missed, standards are lowered, capacities dwindle, destinies are destroyed/short-changed. There will never be a perfect time to take risks and there is no amount of preparation that can suffice; you may have to force yourself into the next level. Arise, go conquer some more.

Focus on that goal. Plan all you can. Burn the bridges - destroy other options. Face your fears. Leap forward. Fight while constantly keeping in mind the picture of victory. Breakthrough!

BY STRENGTH SHALL NO MAN PREVAIL.

2011-01-16T20:12:00.000Z

"Wilderness explorers hire guides, life explorers seek God."- Anonymous

There is a twist to my previous post that I must share, else my account will not be complete. Be blessed and inspired as you read on…

After several visa denials, even with the right documents and several fruitless consultations with spiritualists, my strength failed me. I knew I had to change my approach and I was willing to change but I had no idea of what to do as I had exhausted all known methods. I was humbled by the humiliating defeats (I must confess that pride had set in before then as I had succeeded in many daring pursuits in times past; I was even dwindling into paganism at some point. I believed strongly that I could succeed in any endeavour by just following the natural laws that govern our Universe.).

After a visa denial in March 2008, I decided to try God totally (Although I was born into Christianity, I was far from being a practitioner.). So, I joined a Living Church in my area to put God to test. In one of the Church services, I heard the testimony of someone who put God to test and who obviously was embarrassed with miracles. Being an adventurous lad, I decided to run with the revelation. I combed the Bible for an anchor scripture and I discovered some verses quoted below where God gave (and still gives) man the express permission to put Him to test:

"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies." Malachi 3: 10 – 12, The Holy Bible – New Living Translation.

I must add that I was paying my tithe as a religious act before then even though I did not fully know my rights. Armed with the anchor scripture quoted above, I decided to enter into a covenant with God by increasing my tithe to 20% (instead of the 10% God requires of me) of my income and paying same till I die. He has asked that I put Him to test, however I was prepared to provoke Him with my giving. In return, I asked God for the visa to explore the world He created.

I started paying the tithe as I covenanted and I reapplied for the category of visa that I was earlier denied. Behold, my application was granted. God showed Himself strong despite the fact that I was still wallowing in sin then. I was humbled. God became so real to me for the first time in my life. I was also forced to admit my folly - if wilderness explorers deem it wise to hire guides, why was I trying to explore life without seeking the help of my Creator? The humbling experience has changed the course of my life. I have further consecrated my life to my covenant-keeping God and in return He has surpassed my expectations; I judge Him faithful. (If you want to know more about my Omnipotent-God, please send me an email via: succour@ibukunolu.com. I received salvation free, and freely will I share.)

Beloved, the philosophy that “one can succeed in any endeavour by just following the natural laws that govern our Universe” is flawed with numerous limitations. Most importantly, the philosophy is often overturned by the Creator of the Universe to confound the wise. In doubt? Haven't you heard of successful people committing suicide before? Haven't you read of the mighty falls of financial giants and nations before? Haven’t you heard of educated derelicts before? Is our world not flooded with unsuccessful geniuses? The list is endless. Life is reduced to a mere guess work when the help of the Creator is not sought. To succeed in any endeavour in life, to remain successful, to die a success and to be translated into glory after death requires Divine Help.

Most successful people in the world today are not succeeding by their strength alone as they make the world believe. Most of them belong to various occults; some even trade their soul for fame and wealth. Talent and luck alone cannot suffice. There are even wicked principalities and powers that contend for the destiny of mankind and it is only with the help of a Super-Power that you can successfully wrestle against them.

Why are you struggling on your own when help is readily available? Stop short-changing yourself. The Creator of the Universe, who created you and the world you are living in, has the ‘Master Plan’ and the ‘User Manual’ of the Universe. He is willing to help if only you will acknowledge Him and seek His help. He created you for a purpose. He has a plan for your life and a path which you must take to fulfil destiny.

Don’t make needless mistakes, get it right. Go for God.

PERSISTENCE IS OMNIPOTENT.

2011-01-03T18:19:00.000Z

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and will always solve the problems of the human race.” - Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States.

I hibernated from the blogosphere exactly two years ago. I hibernated not because I did not have amazing stories to share but because I was waiting for the manifestations of more miracles before I would share to bless and to inspire as I only write proven and practicable non-fiction.

At this time of the year when new resolutions need to be pursued with tenacity, the idea to write on the subject comes as a welcoming idea. The subject also depicts the victory I had over a challenge after years of pursuit. Be inspired as you read on…

I was born in Nigeria and I had lived in the country all my life until December 2008 when I migrated to United Kingdom. Before then, I had wanted to travel abroad since I was a child (I honestly do not know where the desire for success, freedom and adventure came from, I must have been born with it.) but all my efforts were futile until then especially because I had a very humble background. My dream was not to travel abroad, rather, travelling abroad was the key to my dream and since my dream was big enough, I was prepared to do whatever it would take to attain the objective. The desire was so strong that I secretly sold some properties of my parents without their consent (and I am ashamed to share that I was prepared to sell more at the time) to elope to Europe with some daring friends via Sahara Desert at 15+! The plan did not work, but I remained undeterred. After secondary school, I proceeded to the university. While in the university, I also tried severally to travel abroad illegally but the plans were unsuccessful. I then resolved to go via the legal route. In 1998, I stepped into an embassy to apply for visa for the first time in my life and I was refused. Over the later years I tried with several other embassies in different visa categories but I was unsuccessful in all occasions. After graduation, I took up a job and I kept trying but was unsuccessful still. I went back to school for a second degree and I kept at it with no success. After my second degree, I took up another job but still wanted to travel with no success. During the trying periods, I tasted defeat firsthand, got more knowledge on how it could not work (such that I even became a ‘travelling consultant’ to many at some point), I changed strategies and improvised many a times (I promise to share some details later), amongst other experiences and lessons. And finally in year 2008, after ten(10) long years of spending incalculable resources and painful denials via the legal route, I obtained a visa to United Kingdom. I have since relocated there and many great things have happened to me as a result of the migration that would never have happened had I given up on travelling abroad. Defeat is painful, but victory soothes - I have since forgotten all the challenges I went through while trying to migrate, they are now testimonies.

What is the meaning of life without aspirations? That is the first question that comes to mind when I think of the numerous reasons why ‘success-dependent’ goal(s) should never be relinquished. Man is prone to advance by nature (otherwise he will be static and if he is static, retrogression will inevitably set in and thereafter ‘spiritual’ death - even physical death in some cases). The cause of advancement is goal(s). The picture of victory oils persistence. And the taste of victory enhances further advancement(s). Such is the cycle for progress.

Persistence is an invincible force failure cannot resist for long. One of the stories that inspired me while growing up is that of Abraham Lincoln who through doggedness maximized his potentials. I encourage you to read more about him, however find below some of his heroic statistics:

Abraham Lincoln failed in business at 22 years old;
He was defeated in legislator election at 23 years old;
He failed in business again at 24 years old;
He lost his sweetheart at 26 years old;
He had a nervous breakdown at 27 years old;
He was defeated for speaker at 29 years old;
He also got defeated for elector at 31 years old;
At 34 years old, he was defeated for congress;
At the age of 46, he was defeated for senate;
At 47 years old, he was defeated for vice presidency;
He got defeated for senate again at 49 years old;
He finally won the battle at 51 years old when he was elected as president of the United States of America.

Persistence, indeed, is omnipotent.

Have you given up on goals that matter to you in times past? I charge you to re-strategize and re-try. Are you tired of pursuing an objective without success? Hold on, your efforts will eventually pay off if you persevere. Are you scared of pursuing that objective because of the fear of failure? Face your fears and tackle that challenge, it will eventually bow to your doggedness.

Year 2011 can be likened to a new canvas, ensure you paint a masterpiece. Good luck.

PERIODICALLY ASSESS YOUR LIFE.

2008-12-30T05:59:00.000Z

I was in a courier shop yesterday to send a parcel and a conversation ensued between the cashier and I after he asked me for a tip. In less than 15 minutes, the middle-aged man had summarized his life history for me. He especially lamented bitterly about the company he presently works for. According to him, a recent assessment revealed to him that he has not achieved any worthwhile thing since he joined the company four (4) years ago. He then decided that he was going to quit the job by the end of this year because it’s certain that his story will remain the same by the end of next year if he doesn’t leave the job. I was so impressed with his realization, resolve and workable plan so much that I congratulated him as if he won a million dollar lottery. I congratulated him because he has seen the need to leave his comfort zone and he’s prepared to pay the price. With that, I’m confident that he will eventually arrive at the level of satisfaction which he desires soon if he sticks to the plan.

Anybody that doesn’t see the need for change when change is highly needed is finished - dead as a dodo. I’m of the opinion that a problem is half solved when you have identified that there is a problem; identification precedes solution. Just as this fed-up cashier, we all should equally assess our lives from time to time (especially now when a year is rounding up and another just around the corner) against our projected benchmarks and then make the necessary moves that’ll take us closer to our “expected ends”. First and foremost, it’s important that you define your expected end in life. If it’s not defined, you might be tempted to settle for anything. Once it’s defined, the expected end will serve as a benchmark which will dictate your direction and steps in life. Once you’re on the right track, it is then pertinent that you periodically assess your growth to see how you’re doing. This should be done as truthfully as possible because you cannot afford to lie to yourself. If you’re doing well, work out ways that will make you do better. If you’re not doing very well, face it and re-strategize. Ask yourself…what is success to me? What contributed to my shortcomings this year? What amends do I have to make to avert possible shortcoming(s) in the coming year? Which areas did I record unprecedented success? Can the success be sustained and improved upon? How can I improve on it? Do I need outright change of location? Do I need outright change of vocation? Do I need outright change of methods? Periodically do a thorough assessment of your individual situation and make corrections and adjustments accordingly where necessary so that the rest of your life can be the best of your life.

I wish you a success-full year 2009.

THE DANGERS OF STAGNATION.

2008-12-27T07:08:00.000Z

My personal research revealed that unsuccessful people are often stagnant; they hate change, in fact majority of them vehemently fight change because of fear of the unknown. On the other hand, the same research revealed that successful people are constantly evolving, constantly creating, constantly exploring, constantly improving, and constantly moving forward; they love change, in fact they thrive on risks and uncertainties. Thus, I postulate that another defining criterion for success is MOTION. Call it a hypothesis, but see what I mean…

It is no news that a body will remain in its state unless it is moved. Similarly, your situation will not change unless you move and you will not record further success unless you keep moving. If you’ve been doing it in a particular way and it’s not giving you the desired results, it simply means the process cannot work. A change of process might be all you need, move on. Even if it’s working, if you want to change the gear of success, you must be innovative enough to keep moving forward so that you can record more success. Constant forward movement is the secret of an ever-improving life. It’s not a one-time activity, it’s an all-time activity. So keep moving on. Keep yearning for change. Never settle for less.

Stagnation adds no value at all, rather it diminishes. When you stop developing or making progress, you will start depreciating. Other retrogressive changes will also occur. When you are stagnant:

1. You start smelling: Stagnant water smells. Insults will start coming in from all quarters because you have tarried on that particular state for too long. Disrespect will set in because people will loose their respect for you as they’ll see you as a loser. Other unpleasant and derogatory experiences will be witnessed. Indeed, stagnation stinks.

2. You start rusting and thereafter go rotten: When disused metals are exposed to water and air, rusting sets in and they consequently disintegrate. Such is the fate of stagnant people too. Inaction caused by stagnation causes rust and rottenness. The brain will no longer be active because it has not been constantly challenged/exercised. The functionalities of all other faculties would start reducing too because they have not been actively put into good use. Some unlucky ones end up loosing their minds. Some loose their health and die through the process. The ending is usually pathetic.

3. Happiness will elude you: You can’t ever be happy if you’re not living your dreams. We all have heart desires and big pictures. When they are not achieved, although you might pretend that all is well on the outside, but on the inside happiness will elude you because you’ll know in your heart of heart that you have failed. You simply trade your happiness for sorrow when you tarry in your comfort zone.

4. You will live a meaningless life: Shouldn’t life be more than living and dying? If you’re stagnant, you can’t ever function in your capacity. And when you’re not functioning in your capacity, you cannot fulfill your purpose in the land of the living. You will constantly be at the mercy of circumstances rather than riding circumstances. You will be bundled willy-nilly without your consent or despite your protests into some pitiable state. At that point, you will not only be failing yourself, you would be robbing the world of your brilliance too.

5. You will become useless: You will agree with me that a living dog will be a better guard than a dead lion. Anything that is not alive and active is dead and useless. Likewise, anything that is not useful is useless. When you’re stagnant, your usefulness reduces day by day. You won’t be able to help anybody since you’re also “limited”. You can’t even have a say in your work place, in your family meetings or anywhere for that matter. People will no longer come to you for advice because they will believe you don’t have anything to offer. You will be ignored and isolated.

6. You will start breeding unpleasant things: Stagnant water breeds mosquitoes, toads and frogs to name a few. When you’re stagnant, you will become the haven for unpleasant things. By the virtue of your level, you will start forming alliances with mediocre minds. Unhealthy thoughts and actions will follow. At that point, you will become failure personified. Calamities will keep increasing in leaps and bounds. Unsuccessful things will become your trademark.

7. You will adjust to appalling conditions: When you’re stagnant, you don’t have any other choice but to make do of what is available. It messes up the mind. If care is not taken, you might probably adjust and permanently accept the state as the norm. Creeping then becomes a routine even when you have the capacity to soar. You start managing. Your eagle will begin to eat carcass. At that point, growth stops. No one can help anyone once he/she crosses this line, such a person’s fate would have been sealed.

These are but few dangers of stagnation, the list is inexhaustible. In your own interest, vehemently resist stagnation so that you can attain a level of satisfaction in life.

“The glories we have known are as nothing compared to the glories yet to be. The mightiest achievements of the past dwindle into insignificance besides the conquests still possible.” remarked Robert Heap. You can still do better than you’re doing presently, so why settle for less? Why stand between your self and further conquests by succumbing to the destructive spirit of stagnation? Why rob your future of its potentials? Rethink.

How long have you been living in that same rented apartment? How long have you been on that job? How long have you engaged yourself in that unrewarding vocation? How long have you been celebrating the last success? Whatever the case may be, however peculiar your situation maybe, I bet you have tarried for too long in that state my friend. It’s time to leave your comfort zone. It’s time to move to a higher ground. Even if it’s your religion that’s not working for you, find a religion that works. By all means, at all cost, make a conscious effort to move ahead in life.

Don’t rest on your oars, use them to move your boat through the murky waters of life. Keep dreaming. Keep making giant strides. Keep succeeding.

BEWARE OF JEALOUS ASSOCIATES.

2008-12-19T10:49:00.000Z

This world of ours is very delicate. One has to be very careful if one will live long and live well. I have come to realize that one can get himself/herself enemies by just being oneself not to even mention when one is ambitious and excelling. These so-called enemies are relatives, friends, and colleagues that wish they had something that you have. If care is not taken, these jealous associates can hinder you from maximizing your potentials. They are selfish and mean. They use the opportunity of being close to secretly and at times openly cause harm. They can go to any length to inhibit or destroy you simply because you’re outshining them, although they will never openly admit that they are envious of you. They will say terrible things about you just to wreck you. They can even attempt to kill you so as to totally extinguish your dreams. They not only use physical powers, some fight with spiritual means. Scary and bizarre, isn’t it? But that’s just the way it is. From cradle to the grave, it’s warfare all the way. It’s not just peculiar to human beings alone or to our generation, it’s like that for all living things and it has always been like that and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. After all, fish eats fish. Chickens peck each other too. The list is endless.

Shall we then shrink so as to avoid jealousy and consequently harm? Far be it, our playing small does not profit the world. We should still strive to make an impact nevertheless. How can one then possibly escape the wicked devices of the adversaries and their antics of deception? Caution and wisdom are the keys. As the Yorubas will advise, “Bisu eni ba ta, ama n di owo bo jeni” which literally means “If one’s yam yields well, one should eat it quietly without courting attention.” Your exploits should not enter your head so much that you begin to disrespect others; you must be able to balance it. Be cautious. Never make people feel inferior, always treat people with respect and courtesy. Show interests in their affairs but know where to draw the boundary. Be humble. Learn to stomach nonsenses. Be temperate in all things at all times. Thread softly.

As the Yorubas will also say, “Ifura loogun agba” meaning “Cautiousness is the medicine of elders”. Be sensitive. Be on the alert at all times. Be ready for confrontations and most importantly arm yourself “spiritually” too so that you can wrestle successfully against principalities and powers.

I wish you the very best in this battlefield called life. Be well.

STOMACHING NONSENSES.

2008-12-12T23:49:00.000Z

Our world is full of people with different colors, different sizes, different temperaments, different upbringings, different religion, different philosophies and beliefs, different abilities, different pursuits, to name a few. Thus, disagreements, insults, careless talks, unfair judgments and hurts are inevitable on a minute basis. If you respond to every offender in a “fire-for fire” mode every time, you probably will be irate every minute which is definitely not a wise move. The inability to ‘stomach nonsenses’ have led some to the grave, it has landed some in prison, some have lost their jobs, some have been maimed, some have been demoted, many marriages have been broken, believe me the result of losing control is always dire. There’s nothing cool in losing control, ‘stomaching nonsenses’ is the solution. Call it stupidity or cowardice if you wish, but I call it wisdom.

Since you are a social being, you’ll always have issues to handle at work, at home, at the market, everywhere and misunderstanding/insults are inevitable every time. Worse still, there are some temptations that your enemies will strategically place in your way to reduce you. When you react to them, they’ll have an occasion against you to prosecute you. But when you keep your cool, you’ll inevitable win the battle. So when insults come, as they sometimes will, stomach them. Don’t just stomach them, purge them out by way of forgiving the offender immediately. Learn to keep your cool in all circumstances.

Avoidance is better than remedy. The only way tranquility can reign in your world is when you stay out of trouble, so don’t wage war against yourself; keep your temperament under control at all times. Guard your tongue. Steer clear of fights. Develop a thick skin to insults so that you can enjoy peace of mind, after all insults cannot stick on your body neither does it make you a loser (it rather makes you the wise one). Learn to stomach ‘nonsenses’ so that you can prosper in the land of the living. A word, they say, is enough for the wise.

MANAGE CRISES.

2008-11-28T08:26:00.000Z

Since the earth revolves, all inhabitants of the earth are usually exposed to different situations per time. It is no news that the rotation of the earth is responsible for day and night and even seasons. Similarly, as good times evolve, bad times unavoidably evolve too. I doubt if anyone has passed through this earth without having to deal with one issue or the other. To say the least, life is not easy. However, no situation is permanent because the earth will revolve again bringing with it another experience. The defining thing is what you do when there is a crisis situation. You can choose to just throw in the towel or manage the crisis. If you let a crisis situation overwhelm you, then you lose. However, if you manage it effectively, you can turn it around for your good. Crises separate winners from losers.

Nobody prays for crisis, but when it comes as it sometimes will, manage it. You might not be able to determine the times, but you surely can decide how you handle it and that will determine your worth. Martin Luther King Jr. rightly pointed out that “the ultimate measure of a person is not where he or she stands in moments of comfort, but where he or she stands in times of challenge and controversy.”

Experience has taught me that no crisis situation is as terrible as it first appears and that every crisis situation has its own lessons and advantages, just that you must be objective enough to discover them. When faced with a crisis situation, still keep your cool. Think clearly, objectively and optimistically and you’ll be able to find solution(s) to the seemingly dreadful situation. Shockingly, you’ll even find some good in the bad situation. So whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever the crises may be, however mighty and threatening the crises may be, don’t give in. Suicide is never an option. Crime is never an option. Crying is not an option. Effective management of the crisis situation is your best bet.

Don’t let any crisis situation rob you of your dreams. Be indomitable. Be optimistic. Be objective. Be innovative. Be patient. Be successful.

DISCIPLINE IS THE ULTIMATE PRICE OF SUCCESS.

2008-11-21T12:01:00.000Z

I have been around a little and I have seen. I’m of the opinion that nothing happens by chance. To win a prize, a price must be paid. While thinking of the several prices of success, I concluded that the ultimate price for enviable success is DISCIPLINE. Call me a moralist, but see what I mean…

The reason why majority fail to accomplish their set goals is because they are not disciplined enough to follow through. No accomplishment worthy of the name can ever be achieved and sustained without discipline (It’s one thing to attain an objective, it’s another to retain it. It’s no news that great men and women often fall because of indiscipline.). To lose weight, you must be disciplined enough to exercise regularly and probably place yourself on a diet. To succeed in your education, you must be disciplined enough to read hard and carry out assignments. To succeed in your vocation, you must be disciplined. To stay healthy, you must be disciplined. To fund a project, you must be disciplined enough to save for it. To succeed in sports generally, you must be disciplined enough to practice even when your body needs rest or when it’s not convenient. You’ll never get anywhere working for yourself if you’ve got no discipline. To even clinch a ticket for heaven (for those who believe in life after death), you must be disciplined. The list is endless. To achieve any worthwhile goal, you must be disciplined enough to stick to the plan and ideals. In a nutshell, you cannot possibly go far in life without discipline. Discipline is omnipotent.

Even animals are disciplined. Generally, all animals are disciplined enough to source for food to feed their young. Ants are disciplined enough to gather and store their food. Spiders are disciplined enough to set traps at odd hours for survival. The list is endless. If mere animals can be disciplined, you should be more disciplined for your own good. The dividends of discipline are innumerable among which are peace of mind, good health, bliss-full life and success-full life.

There are distractions and temptations everywhere and they can extinguish destinies. For instance, fashion has gone awry these days and unfortunately there are beautiful ladies in different sizes and shapes everywhere (lots of laugh). The era of wearing underpants have passed for most ladies, they’ve since migrated to the “g-strings” era. Some have even improvised, they no longer see the need to wear underpants or g-strings. Before it was only guys that sag trousers, but now ladies have joined the game. Before now, some ladies have the habit of opening some buttons to expose the cleavage, but now some don’t even wear bras anymore. You will agree with me that there are lots of distractions for men who are moved by what they see (lots of laugh). As a man, you cannot stop all ladies from indecent dressing, but you can choose to discipline your eyes, your feet and your tongue from “inviting trouble” (Word!). Distractions/temptations are adversaries, fight them. Discipline is the antidote.

You are not alone. Personally, I also have some issues to deal with. Writing has consistently exposed me to some areas of my life that needs improvement and I’m gradually becoming a better person because I don’t want to coach others to achieve a successful life while I’ll be found wanting. Discipline is a life-long struggle against self.

Discipline is everything. You don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to. You don’t have to do something that is not in your own interest. You don’t have to do anything that is morally wrong. Be disciplined.

Who’s in control of your life? What’s in control of your life? Save yourself of future regrets by resisting the “sins” that easily beset you before they destroy you. Steer clear of destiny extinguishers. Get on the driver’s seat! Take charge of your life! Partner with destiny! Succeed!

BE CONTENTED.

2008-11-14T09:18:00.001Z

Why do some civil servants collect bribe? Why do some politicians embezzle public funds? Why do some lecturers extort students? Why do some married folks commit adultery? Why do some brilliant youths involve themselves in crime? Why do some beautiful ladies from respectable families sleep around? Why are some law enforcement agents corrupt? Those were the questions that filled my thoughts earlier this week which in turn gave birth to this write-up. After some deep thinking sessions, I concluded that the chief reason why people involve themselves in despicable acts is because they are not contented with what they have. Call it another fib, but see what I mean…

A man that is not contented with what he has might be tempted to steal. A lady/woman that loves money might find it hard refusing rich men. An extravagant civil servant might be tempted to collect bribe. An impatient youth might resort to fraud/crime. A power-loving new entrant into a university might be tempted to join secret cult. The list is endless. Discontentment begets covetousness which in turn begets evils.

If you want to achieve true success and lasting peace, you must be contented with your position per time. This is not to say that you should rest on your oars, you should strive to improve your situation legitimately instead of cutting corners. Cutting corners robs you of your potentials. It can even mar your destiny. The repercussions of cutting corners are unrest, regrets and pains. Instead of using your ingenuity negatively, use it positively. Map out a workable plan that will make you independent and follow through though the heavens fall.

If your income is not enough to meet your needs, strive to leave the position for a better position where you can stand on your own without having to collect bribe, embezzle public funds or look up to anybody for favors. Be contented with your spouse, develop him/her to your standard if you have to. In any situation you find yourself, be contented. Crime is never an option. Don’t envy others. Be happy with what you have where you are and use that base to launch yourself to a higher height where you can function in your capacity. Maximize the opportunities where you are. Maximize your potentials. Be the best you can be.

Don’t throw away the glorious future ahead of you. You will eventually get all the beautiful things you covet with time if you stick to the plan. Be patient, all will be well.

CLARION CALL – a prose by Ibukunolu Ishola

2008-11-07T08:31:00.000Z

Man is Universe’s beneficiary, yet few possess their rightful possessions.
Nature is lavish, yet few live in abundance.
The laws were made for Man’s good, yet the laws work against Man.
Herbs were made for Man to heal his diseases, yet Man abuses drugs to his detriment.
The Creator endowed Man with wisdom to re-create, instead Man manufactures weapons of destruction and uses same on self.
Man is blessed with innumerable natural resources, yet many nations fail to properly utilize them for their good.
What an irony; a mockery of creation, a sheer wickedness to self.

Oh what an otiose round of pursuits we often engage ourselves in,
Oh what needless pain we bear,
Oh what peace we often forfeit,
All because we are not functioning in our capacities.

Why should the custodians of the Universe be living as tenants? It shouldn’t be.
Let’s return to the ideal situation.
Let’s accept responsibility.
Let’s seek restoration.
Let’s right the wrongs.
Let’s heal our Land.
Let’s harness our resources.
Let’s maximize our potentials.
Let’s create abundance and live in it.
Let’s love one another.
Let’s live together in perfect harmony.
Let’s emancipate ourselves.
Let’s change our world (individually and collectively).
Let’s rule our world.
The time is now.

RENEW YOUR MIND.

2008-10-31T07:56:00.000Z

I know of a gardener who earns a meager salary of N7,000.00 (approximately $60) in a month and he’s loving it (he’s not complaining). The area earmarked for only him to keep despite his age is so large that his work is tantamount to slavery especially because he uses cutlass and not lawnmower. I once advised him to leave the work and use his strength to farm instead, but he told me blatantly that he hates risks and that he prefers to wait till month end for the small thing that comes to him. He refers to himself as a poor man and he has gladly accepted his fate. His feeling of negativity is even contagious. He walks kilometers to and from work every working day. On a particular sunny afternoon, I stopped a taxi for him with the intention of paying his fare only for him to tell me that he prefers to trek. He however asked me to give him the money instead so that he could buy some cigarettes with it. I was tempted to slap him but I resisted the urge because he’s old enough to be my father. I then concluded that his mindset is his archenemy and that if I’ll ever make a positive impact in his life, I must help him renew his mind. I’m still on the mission and I won’t give up on him.

I also remember a middle aged man with four (4) kids that I tried to help sometimes ago. I observed that he had no other means of livelihood other than farming. He was really suffering and I pitied his wife and kids especially. So I approached him to discuss about his situation and to devise a way of escape from the poverty that plagued his family. I was shocked to learn that he was skilled in three (3) different vocations (auto mechanic, vulcanizing and wheel balancing/alignment). I asked him to pick any of the three vocations he could start right away if he had access to some funds and he picked vulcanizing. He told me he was even saving to fund the plan. I was so impressed with his story that I gave him a substantial sum to buy the engine he needs to start up. He thanked me wholeheartedly and promised to keep me posted with developments. Believe me, that was the last time we ever conversed because he has been avoiding me ever since. I bet he must have squandered the money because his situation has not improved and he didn’t ever start vulcanizing. The thought still rips my heart apart. I blame myself for not brainwashing him before giving him the money, it would have made a difference.

With these two instances I narrated above and others too numerous to mention on these pages, I have reasonably concluded that there’s no way one can help someone with a messed up mentality, except through brainwashing. If you give such person money or other valuable resources, chances are that they will be squandered. And that’s why I strongly believe that of all the plagues that can befall a man, the losing of one’s mind is the worst of it all. Once the mind is lost/messed up, the person’s destiny is sealed because no one can possibly go farther than his thoughts.

The mind (“the part of a person that makes them able to be aware of things, to think and to feel: the conscious/subconscious mind” OR “the particular way that somebody thinks” according to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary) is the seat of reason and creativity. The mind conceives ideas and then summons the other faculties to bring them to fruition. No one can succeed without a sound mind. As tiny as the rudder is (compared to the size of the ship), it still controls the direction of the ship. Similarly, the mind controls the whole body, actions and reactions of humans. Thus, the first step in the process of emancipation is renewing one’s mind and the need for it to be done from time to time cannot be overemphasized.

Flush out negative thoughts constantly: Refuse to believe that life is harsh. Refuse to believe that you can’t change your fortune. Refuse to believe that you can’t emancipate yourself from mediocrity. Refuse to believe that you can’t challenge the status quo. Refuse to believe that you can’t change the course of history. Refuse to believe that you do not deserve better than where you are. Vehemently reject mediocrity. Vehemently reject failure.

Let in positive and constructive thoughts constantly: Read new books. Learn new ropes. Go via uncharted waters. Rub minds with great minds to discuss ideas. You must believe that life is beautiful. You must believe that nature is lavish (All resources are in surplus: there’s plenty of land for every living human being to build on, there’s plenty of water for every living thing to drink, there are plenty of herbs to cure our diseases, there’s plenty of food [plants and animals] for all to eat to satisfaction. The list is endless). You must believe there are opportunities everywhere. You must believe in possibilities. You must believe in miracles. You must believe that dreams come true. You must believe in love. And most importantly, you must believe in yourself.

Once your mind is renewed, you’ll have clear direction and tactic, fresh energy and enthusiasm to pursue your dreams which will in turn usher in miracles. It is thus evident that to change your world, all you might simply need to do is to change your mindset.

Think change? Think mind-renewal.

THE LAWS AND MAN.

2008-10-24T09:36:00.000+01:00

Without the laws, our world would definitely be in chaos. Imagine how our world would be if it’s not unlawful to rape…women will probably be living in caves in distant islands! Imagine if it’s not unlawful to kill fellow humans…life will constantly be snuffed out of multitudes on a daily basis. Imagine if it’s not unlawful to steal…the strong would constantly take advantage of the weak, the lazy ones won’t even have to work, they’ll just wait for others to work while they’ll steal from them thereafter. The list is endless. Knowing fully well what Man is capable of, the Master Planner puts laws in place so that we may live meaningful lives. These laws are implanted in everyone as CONSCIENCE (the part of your mind that tells you whether your actions are right or wrong according to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary) to keep us in check. But still, we ignore the suggestions of the Still Voice inside us many times in order to satisfy our lust. What a farce! Whereas, the laws were made for Man’s good; the laws were made not as a punitive measure but to guide Man into his divine destiny. The obedience of the laws leads to a successful life while disobedience attracts the corresponding reward(s) called repercussion(s). Personally, I’ll be lying without conscience if I say I’m not guilty of breaking some laws in the past or that I’m still not vulnerable of breaking some even now. But I keep reminding myself that if I’m to attain and retain the great height that I covet, I MUST live right and that puts me in check. Thus, this is a call for everyone (irrespective of religion) desirous of success in this life and in the life hereafter (if you so believe) to keep the laws.

What are the laws? What are the benefits of keeping the laws? Are there punishments for not keeping the laws?

Simply put, a law is a rule for good behavior; the transgression of which is SIN (Sin is the act of breaking a religious or moral [concerned with principles of right and wrong behavior] law according to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary). Anything your conscience doesn’t judge right is wrong. As important as the subject is, law is even studied in tertiary institutions. Sadly enough, with millions of lawyers and other law enforcement agencies, even with endless sermons of religious leaders, naughty Man still transgresses against the laws to his own detriment. It’s pathetic, isn’t it?

The benefits of keeping the laws are innumerable. If I’m to summarize, I’ll say it’s the pathway to peace, happiness, good health and success-full life.

And yes, there are repercussions for not keeping the laws; some of which are eternal. For instance, the moral law says “don’t commit fornication/adultery”…but go ahead and commit fornication/adultery and you’ll be at the risk of contacting sexually transmitted diseases. For the female folks, it may even be unwanted pregnancy or worse still, it could cost you your marriage (in the case of married women). For men, whichever way you look at it, the pursuit of multiple women subtracts from you; it takes your time, funds, energy, name it…really there’s no pursuit as expensive as the pursuit of women. Another moral law says “don’t steal”…but go ahead and steal and woe betides you should you be caught by angry mobs, you might never live to tell the tales. Even if you’re eventually handed over to the law enforcement agents, you’re likely to be prosecuted and thereafter jailed. Another law says “don’t rape”... but go ahead and rape and woe betides you should you be caught, you might have to cool off for sometime in prison. Another moral law says “don’t kill”…but go ahead and kill and you’ll likely face the capital punishment. The list is endless. In a nutshell, disobedience to any law yields unpleasant dividend(s); it derails one from the success path and inevitably attracts nothing but unrest, guilt, sorrow-full life and worse still it can jeopardize where one spends his eternity. So, it’s not wise at all to indulge in breaking the laws, it’s not worth it; the pleasures of sin are not commensurate to the repercussions it attracts; it’s destructive.

So, live right if you want to be successful in this life and in the life hereafter. Let him that hath an ear hear: keep the laws and prosper OR transgress against the laws and face the repercussions thereafter. Decide your fate; it’s your call.

GOOD HEALTH IS CRUCIAL TO SUCCESS.

2008-10-17T09:31:00.000+01:00

It’s only the living that can dream, plan, act and accomplish in the land of the living, the dead can do nothing. However, it’s not all the living that can run around in the pursuit of their goals, it’s only those that are in good health that can. Thus, it is evident that good health is very crucial to success. But alas, little is often said about the importance of safeguarding one’s health in the quest for success in motivational/success books. Whereas health is EVERYTHING; when health is lost, all is lost. Hence, the need to remind the living of the importance of their health to the attainment of their dreams comes as a welcoming idea.

The human system can be likened to a machine. Although amazing in its operations, the human system is still prone to damages/break down like every other machine. To avoid down time, the human system needs to be serviced constantly. During the down time, it needs to be fixed so that it won’t pack up completely. Unfortunately, many pursue their dreams at the expense of their health. Worse still, many jeopardize their health with their reckless lifestyles. Sadly, it’s not all damages to the system that can be rectified, some are terminal. Isn’t it sheer stupidity then for anyone to behave as if life has a duplicate? The answer is affirmative.

Ill health is a threat to dreams. Worse still, death is an extinguisher of dreams. Thus, the need for you to safeguard your health in order to stay alive and healthy cannot be overemphasized because every other pursuit depends on it. By safeguarding your health, you’re simply safeguarding your dreams.

Clearly, there’s no substitute for good health. Since your body is not immune to damages, it is only wise that you steer clear of anything that can jeopardize your health or even cut short your life. Learn more about your body and do all you can to safeguard it; spiritually, physically, psychologically. Take out time to relax regularly. Sleep well. Eat well. Exercise well. And most importantly, forsake your enemies: cigarette, too much of alcohol intake, indiscriminate sex, too much of sugar intake, hard drugs, to name a few. Discipline yourself for the sake of your dreams.

It’s only when you’re alive and healthy that you can be success-bound. So, it is imperative that you adopt a healthy lifestyle if you want to feature in the future you’ve pictured. Be wise.

DIG DEEP.

2008-10-10T09:52:00.000+01:00

We are living in an all-inclusive world (All that we need to survive and thrive are embedded in our dependable world. Every material Man needs to recreate everything he needs is embedded in our world. All that Man needs to solve his problems are embedded in our world). Yet, only a fraction of the world’s population lives in abundance and dominance. While probing for the cause of the shortfall, I concluded that majority do not dig deep enough to discover and exploit the needed materials for their independence. Call it homespun philosophy, but see what I mean…

No doubt, the Architect of our world is wise. He knew that life will obviously lose its meaning if man gets all he wants without thinking or working for it. Imagine…how would our world be if crude oil were to be fetched from streams? How would our world be if gold were to be grown like maize? How would our world be if diamonds were to be plucked like apples? How would our world be if sufficient food for each day were to be delivered to our doorsteps every morning? There wouldn’t have been any reason to think, work or to be prudent. Furthermore, Man would have been robbed of the opportunity to recreate for himself what he desires from the raw materials nature has in store. So in order for Him not to spoon-feed Man, the Creator made all that Man needs in the same world where Man lives but hid them from Man (every natural resource and endowment is often concealed, although the depth of concealment may differ from resource to resource, from endowment to endowment and from location to location). It’s now left for Man to discover and utilize the hidden resources for his good or perhaps suffer amidst plenty. If Man will ever exploit the hidden resources available to him, he must dig deep.

Imagine the number of lives malaria fever must have claimed before the discovery of its cure. Imagine the number of children polio must have maimed before the vaccine was discovered. Imagine the number of lives tuberculosis must have claimed before the discovery of its cure and vaccine. Yet, the vaccine and the cure for these diseases had always been with Man, just that they were hidden from Man. When scientists and researchers eventually dug deeper, they finally came up with the vaccine and the cure for these diseases. And that’s why I firmly believe that there’ll be vaccine and total cure for Cancer, HIV/AIDS and other dreaded incurable diseases someday, just that scientists and researchers must dig deeper.

Imagine the world without crude oil. Yet, the natural resource eluded us for centuries despite the fact that we’ve always had huge reservoir of it beneath us. I reiterate that the Creator has made provision for all our needs, just that Man must find and use the provisions to “recreate” to suit his needs. For instance, the Creator only made crude oil, but Man refines it to get petrol, diesel, gas, bitumen to name a few which Man uses for different purposes. Alas, countless natural resources are yet to be discovered. Man has not even been able to maximize the usage of the ones that have been discovered. Hence, the reason for Man to dig deeper to find more answers.

To heal ourselves of our diseases, to make available our needs, to amass wealth, to fulfill our purpose, to live our dreams, we (individually and collectively) need to dig deeper than ever. Even in our personal lives, the ability to dig deeper in the pursuit of the target will eventually separate winners from losers. The quest will definitely not be easy though, it’ll call for effort, determination, patience and sacrifice. I’m of the opinion that if the reward is good enough, the problems shouldn’t matter. Besides, as the Yorubas will say, “Eni ti o ba fe je oyin inu apata kii wo enu aake.” (which literarily means “The person that wants to eat the honey in the rock does not look at the mouth of the axe”). Every achievement worthy of the name has its price.

Are you about giving up on that research? Please don’t, many destinies are tied to the discovery. Keep digging into your mind and environment, the solution which you seek is there but for discovery. Are you about giving up on finding a good job? Please don’t, keep digging for employment opportunities; jobs are always there, but for discovery. Are you about giving up on the solution to a challenge? Please don’t, the solution is there but for discovery. Whatever the pursuit maybe, keep digging till you attain. Don’t stop inches away from your breakthrough. Don’t dig amiss; dig right, dig smart.

Keep digging. Keep finding. Keep succeeding.

CONFESSION MATTERS.

2008-09-30T09:38:00.000+01:00

Confession goes a long way in determining success or failure in any undertaking. Your thoughts and the words that eventually proceed out of your mouth (which is an indication of the state of your mind) have a lot to do with how things eventually turn out for you. Many have unknowingly sentenced themselves to perpetual poverty because of their repeated affirmations. Many often remain stagnant because of their confessions. Many fail in situations where they could easily succeed because of their confessions. Thus, it is evident that the mind and the tongue can both be the enemy. Call me a self-proclaimed shrink, but see what I mean…

Naturally, you can’t plant thorns and expect to reap oranges; it contradicts the law of sowing and reaping. In the same vein, you cannot store up thoughts of failure in your mind, affirm defeat and then expect to succeed; it contradicts the natural law. Your thoughts and words are very powerful; invisible, yet potent. Once you conjure it and you eventually let it out, your words permeate your subconscious mind to impress upon it your confession. Negative thoughts and utterances snuff out life from possible situations, while positive thoughts and utterances give life and momentum to situations. So in the long run, irrespective of your religion, you’ll end up having what you’ve been thinking and confessing. Thus, it is pertinent that you think and speak positively so that you can always achieve positive results.

If you’ve been adversely affected by wrong confessions in the past, all you need to do to simply change your fortune is to change your mindset and utterances; unwind the bad thoughts and affirmations and then re-suggest and re-impress positively on your mind. When you believe you can, your subconscious mind begins to suggest solutions to the seemingly impossible task(s) and before you know it, the impossible will become possible; it’s invincible.

Our Universe favors those who think and confess positively; it’s magical. Irrespective of your situation, be positive always and you’ll be surprised at how the universe will turn around everything for your good. The result(s) may not come instantaneously, but it’ll manifest with time.

Keep saying it. Keep believing it. Keep making it.

FOCUS ON THE POSSIBILITIES, NOT THE ODDS.

2008-09-26T12:08:00.000+01:00

Focusing on the odds instead of the possibilities is undoubtedly one of the enemies of progress. Many lose momentum in the pursuit of their dreams because they focus on the odds instead of the possibilities. Worst still, many totally give up on their dreams because they focus on the odds instead of the possibilities. On the other hand, it can be safely concluded that focusing on the possibilities instead of the odds is one sure way to clinch success. Call it a desultory thought, but see what I mean…

Since there are two sides to a coin, I totally agree that it’s only natural for you as a rational human being to think of the possible outcomes of an action before taking action. However, it should be noted that you’ll totally lose out if you don’t take action at all; you’ll end up losing all (100%) the probability of winning. Besides, there’s no foolproof course of action. Even in the bid to decide something by chance using the coin, you cannot determine the side of the coin (the head or the tail) that will be facing upwards until it’s tossed. So, it’s still important that you take action even in the face of glaring odds. Stop thinking “What if it doesn’t work?”, start thinking “What if it works?”. Be optimistic at all times.

Is it that you want to start a new business and you’re scared of investing your capital because of fear of failure? Instead of concentrating on the odds, think of the possibilities…what if the business flourishes? What if it’ll liberate me from the shackles of “slavery”? What if it’ll help me achieve financial independence?

Is it that you want to launch an album and you’re scared of investing on it because you think the album might not sell well? Instead of concentrating on the odds, think of the possibilities…what if I end up selling millions of copies of the album? What if it’s the album that’ll make me a celebrity? What if it’ll open more doors for me?

Is it that you want to bid for a project and you’re scared of wasting your resources and time should you lose? Instead of concentrating on the odds, think of the possibilities…what if I win the bid for the project? Or worse still, what if I lose this particular bid and win another in the future based on the experience I must have acquired while bidding for this particular project?

Whatever your situation may be, whatever you plan to embark on, don’t give up without trying. There’ll always be reasons why you shouldn’t embark on your plans and you’ll forever limit yourself if you give in to them (playing safe will prevent you from moving to the next level). At all times, irrespective of your circumstances, concentrate only on the possibilities (blindfold yourself to the odds) and then you’ll have enough reasons to take action. And when you act, the probability of losing will no longer be 100% because you would have conquered inertia. Even when you try and you happen to lose, you would have learnt valuable lessons that will equip you for the next try.

However, your sense of judgment must be sound. Think through before embarking on any action, there are times when a retreat is not cowardice but wisdom. Caution is the watchword, be wise.

Dream well. Think well. Plan well. Focus well. Act well. Succeed well.

REINFORCE YOUR DESIRE FOR SUCCESS.

2008-09-19T11:30:00.000+01:00

It is no secret that everybody wants to succeed in life. Everybody can actually succeed, but alas, everybody can’t succeed because many will give up on their dreams. Call me a prophet of doom, but see what I mean…

Life is not easy; never was, never will. As a matter of fact, show me a man whose life is challenge-free and I’ll show you a vegetable. Every objective worthy of the name is usually attached with strings called challenges. Life itself is full of challenges and when challenges come, as they sometimes will, only a fraction of dreamers withstand them. While thinking of the reasons why many concede defeat, I concluded that the chief is the lack of an ingredient called DESIRE in the quest for actualizing the objective. Desire (“a strong wish to have or do something” according to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary) is the basis for initiating and executing any objective and once it’s lacking, the dreamer may likely relinquish the objective in the face of challenges. To pull through any challenging situation, the desire to attain the objective must be strong enough. Thus, this is a call for everyone desirous of meaningful success in life to reinforce their desires.

When faced with challenges, you need reasons why you should not give up on your objective, and it’s only your desire(s) that can give you the guts to confront and surmount the challenges. Personally, it’s too late for me to give up on my dreams in life; I’ve crossed the Rubicon. My strong desire to succeed fuels my ambition; it keeps me going even in the face of discouragements and challenges. And I have resolved that “so long as there’s a breath in me, that long I will persist till I join the caucus of successful people”. Even when my strength fails me, as it sometimes does, my strong desire won’t let me relinquish my dream still. Desire is everything; it’s omnipotent. Thus, I encourage you to reinforce your desire for success.

What is your goal and what is the challenge debarring it? Is it to proffer solution to a seemingly impossible task? Is it to save for an expensive, long-term project? Is it to attain a lofty height? Is it to attain financial independence? Is it to reach the zenith of your career? Is it to build a happy home? Or is it to sustain your marriage? Whatever it is, reinforce your desire to achieve the objective, and you’ll be amazed that from somewhere the wherewithal to pull through will be bestowed on you. You bet.

Keep dreaming. Keep desiring. Keep pursuing. Keep achieving.

SOAR, EAGLE, SOAR.

2008-09-12T09:31:00.000+01:00

While thinking of a topic to write on during the week, I remembered the theme of the just concluded youth convention of my church and that settled it. Although I couldn’t attend the convention, the theme “Soar, eagle, soar.” alone inspired me. Come with me as I decipher the theme...

The theme comprises of two words namely “eagle” and “soar”. The eagle is one of the largest and most powerful birds in the world. A magnificent creature, an eagle is characterized with speed, strength, power, majesty, boldness, dependability, courage, great vision, singleness of purpose, tenderness, faithfulness, ferocity, and great daring. This amazing bird lives in high altitudes. Practically, eagles soar (to “soar”, according to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, means to rise quickly and smoothly up into the air, OR to fly very high in the air or remain high in the air.) higher than any other bird because they understand the ways of the thermal currents and they use it to their advantage (It doesn’t waste energy unnecessarily, but moves with speed at the most appropriate time; that way it can maintain flight for lengthy periods without undue exertion.). Eagles also have the ability to use the force of the storm to their advantage. And probably the most impressive quality of the eagle is the bird’s remarkable ability to renew its youth. (To read more about eagles, I recommend Bill Newman’s book titled “Soaring with Eagles”).Thus, the eagle is an important symbol for leaders and achievers everywhere.

We human beings can be likened to eagles. Like eagles, we have wondrous capabilities that we can harness to get to the summit. But alas, many men are crawling when they have the capacity to soar. Thus, the theme “Soar, eagle, soar.” is a clarion call urging crawling eagles to utilize their prowess. And the message is clear:

1. Never give up on your dreams, never settle for less.
2. Never give in to adversity, instead harness it to your advantage.
3. Never work hard, work smart.

Sometimes, the hustling and bustling of our world overwhelm us to the extent that we forget who we really are. You are an eagle by making; don’t let your present situation cloud your reasoning. You will agree with me that no reputable manufacturer will release a defective product in its name to the market. Likewise, your Maker wouldn’t have released you into the world if you had not been implanted with all that you need to thrive (Existence will even be a mere mockery if incomplete and incompetent beings were actually created and thrown into the world to survive in a harsh environment.). The fact that you made it outside the womb is an indication that your making was a success. The fact that you’re not maximizing your potentials doesn’t negate the fact that you’ve been implanted with diverse talents. The fact that you’re not using your wings doesn’t negate the fact that the wings are there. I don’t know your height, weight, sex, race, family background, financial situation nor your geographical location but I’m persuaded that you are an amazing being. You are whole and complete – a masterpiece. In actual fact, you are a god. Your abilities are untold. You don’t have limitations except the ones you place on yourself. You can turn around any situation you find yourself. You can achieve whatever you set your mind to do.

We’re often tempted to think that we’ll do better if we have better/more talents. I contest the notion. You don’t need all the gifts in the world to make a difference, all that you need is all that you have. Use them to the fullest, be the best you can be with them. You might not be able to play basketball like Michael Jordan nor sing like Celine Dion but you sure can function in the capacity into which you’ve been called with your peculiar gift(s). So the challenge is discovering your gift(s) and your purpose. Once you discover your gift(s) and purpose, work on them tenaciously and before you know it, you’ll be caught up in the air and you’ll soar effortlessly to heights only eagles attain. I know of a minister in person of Bishop David Oyedepo who acquired a private jet many years ago without much ado. He just acquired a second private jet recently and he’s still waxing stronger financially. Yet, he’s not a bank executive neither is he a politician that usurped public funds, he’s just a minister (That’s what happens when you use your gift(s) to pursue your ordained purpose - you’ll soar effortlessly.). No doubt, Bishop David Oyedepo is an eagle and it’s apparent that he’s using his wings. You don’t have an excuse too, your wings are there for you to use. So discover your innate gifts, hone them, and use them to the full.

Isn’t it funny that we have beggars on the streets of New York? Thus, it is evident that location doesn’t confer wealth nor freedom, every individual decides his/her fate. This is a reawakening call for all and sundry. Don’t waste/underutilize your talents. The world is not benefiting from your crawling, rise! You are an eagle, so act like one.

Be reminded that, like every steward, you’ll give account of the usage of your gift(s) to your Maker someday. Thus, it is pertinent that you make the best use of them while you’re still breathing. Redefine your dreams, it’s time to move up to a higher ground. It’s time to maximize your potentials so that you can live a better, nobler and more harmonious life.

You can do it, it’s in you. Summon your powers, summon your intellect, it’s time to soar! Spread your awesome wings, leap into the air, effortlessly but powerfully flap your wings and then simply soar to the higher realm where you rightfully belong.

Soar, eagle, soar!

MOVING SLOWLY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IS BETTER THAN SPEEDING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

2008-08-29T09:29:00.000+01:00

Some people you envy today might end up being spectators tomorrow, while some that appear slow today might end up attaining and retaining lofty heights. Call it an ambiguous statement, but see what I mean…

Clearly, direction is more important than speed. If you’re heading towards the wrong direction, you might end up getting “somewhere” though, but certainly not where you ought to be if you had followed the right direction; the probability of reaching your desired destination would be slim. But if you’re heading towards the right direction, even if your pace is slow, you have a higher probability of reaching your desired destination. Thus, it is evident that life is a race and that there are different kinds of races in life. And these different kinds of races inevitably lead to different destinations. As such, before racing aimlessly in life, it is pertinent that you identify the right race to be run. It is equally important that you adhere to the track. And finishing the race is mandatory if you must receive the ultimate prize; there’s no shortcut to long-lasting success.

This behooves us to critically assess our lives. Pause. Have you been able to identify the reason for your existence (Why are you breathing? What is your purpose in the land of the living?)? What are your plans to accomplish your purpose? Is the race you’re running in line with your plan(s)? Will it lead to fulfillment and sustainable success eventually? All these demand reckoning. If you’re not on the right track, endeavor to retrace your steps. If you’re on the right track however, keep moving.

When running your race, ensure you don’t entertain distractions nor envy others. Be reminded that you are not in it with anybody; as your purpose and chosen track differs, so does your arrival time. As the Yorubas will say, “ma gun esin elesin sare” (which literally means “don’t ride another person’s horse to run”). You will eventually get to your desired destination, just stick to your race and track. Don’t be discouraged if you’re not going at the desired pace, the most important thing is that you’re on the right track; getting to the destination slow and steady via the right track is more important than speeding towards the wrong direction, so keep moving.

It is my wish that the rest of your life will be the best of your life. But I can only admonish, it’s left for you to run the race set before you (your direction, preparations, zeal, and the tenacity with which you run the race will determine the prize you’ll receive at the end) to victory or to defeat. Walk the talk, it’s all about you.

Peace and love.

FOR PROVIDENCE TO MOVE IN YOUR FAVOUR, YOU MUST COMMIT YOURSELF.

2008-08-22T09:53:00.000+01:00

You can never realize the vast opportunities and provisions available to help you further your cause until you commit yourself. Once you commit yourself, things will begin to take shape. I’m not just bluffing, I have some personal conquest experiences to back up my theory. Come with me as I prove my point…

During my NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) year, I was posted to a remote village in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area, Imo State, Nigeria for my primary assignment and I took it without fear knowing fully well that I was going to survive wherever I was posted and it turned out that I not only survived, I thrived. Weeks after my arrival, after careful appraisals (I looked for the need of my fellow corps members as well as the community and I decided to fill the need), I invested the little savings I had into digital photography to survive. Although I didn’t hit it big in Imo State, but one thing that remains significant is the fact that I never lacked bread throughout my service year. The digital photography business took me round Imo State and I was privileged to meet the crème de la crème, one of whom is the erstwhile Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Barr. Noel Agwuocha Chukwukadibia. I later got close to his family and the wife was so impressed with what I was doing that she gave me a fully furnished shop (with furniture, air conditioner, carpet, to name a few) inside Imo State University, Owerri which I used free of charge as my studio for seven (7) solid months before I left Imo State. Call it a miracle, but the truth is that I couldn’t have met the woman if I had not diverted into digital photography and she wouldn’t have released the shop to me for free if she had not seen any commitment on my part.

The same feat repeated itself in Abuja, Nigeria. When I finished my NYSC, I worked briefly for a month in Ibadan before taking off to Abuja in search of greener pastures. Initially when I got to Abuja, I was doing “my thing” in an open park - Millennium Park (believe me I had to swallow my pride). Just two weeks after my arrival in Abuja, I met an artist extraordinaire in the park who offered to share her gallery with me free of charge. As if that was not enough, barely three months after my arrival in Abuja, I got a fully furnished office space (with furniture, air conditioner, carpet, to name a few) in Lagos House ,77, Ralph Sodeinde Street, Central Business District, Abuja for free too! I used this facility for months as my studio before I took a detour out of Abuja (for “doubting Thomases”, contact me for details and I’ll be glad to give you more information). Call it another miracle, but the truth remains that I couldn’t have met the “good Samaritan” that gave me the office space for free if I had not left Ibadan for Abuja and she wouldn’t have given me the office space if she had not seen any commitment on my part.

Do you need any other evidence before you believe in the power of commitment? Verily I say unto you, there are miracles in the offing waiting for your commitment. There are free offices waiting to be occupied. There are free grants waiting to be claimed. There are sponsors looking for whom to help. There are loans waiting to be taken. There are investors looking for where to invest. There are bachelors searching for committed spinsters. There are employers looking for committed employees to enthrone. There are publishers looking for good materials to publish and market. There are banks looking for good proposals to fund. There are music producers looking for talented and committed artists to promote. The list is endless. All you need to do is to commit yourself to your goal, and then providence will take it from there.

I’m not alone on this theory, a thinker in person of William Murray said something similar. Hear him: “The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, and meetings, and material assistances which no man could have dreamed would come his way.” His words are omnipotent and it can work for you if you plug-in to its eternal precept.

Stop waiting for a miracle, initiate the miracle by committing yourself to your objective. Move providence! Succeed!

I DARE YOU – A prose by Ibukunolu Ishola

2008-08-15T10:06:00.000+01:00

You are nothing but a product of mistake.
You are an afterthought.
Your existence is meaningless.
I DARE YOU to prove me wrong.

You are an insignificant cog in some terrifying machine.
You have nothing good to offer your generation.
You are useless; a waste of resources.
I DARE YOU to prove me wrong.

You are limited by making.
You remain limited.
You can never rise above your limitations.
I DARE YOU to prove me wrong.

You are failure personified.
You can never ever succeed in life.
Your fate is sealed.
I DARE YOU to prove me wrong.

You will die unfulfilled.
You will die uncelebrated.
Your memory will fade completely after death.
I DARE YOU to prove me wrong.

I DARE YOU!

A WORD FOR STRIVERS: KEEP PUSHING!

2008-08-08T14:42:00.000+01:00

While taking stock of my life during the week, I had reasons to compare myself with some of my childhood friends. Presently, some are doing better than me while I’m also doing better than some. A probe into the cause of the variance led to a discovery and I can’t agree more with the Yoruba adage that says “Bi aba ri eni fehin ti, bi ole laari.” (which literally means “Without backing, it‘ll be as if one is lazy.”) I reasoned that some of my childhood friends would have been better than me if only they had the backing I got while growing up and I also reasoned that I would have been better than some too if only I have the backing they’re still enjoying. If truth be told, it’s not easy to strive all by oneself without receiving any support; it’s a lot easier with backing. But, the good news is that anyone can attain a lofty height even without any backing, just that it might take more effort and time. So strivers, don’t give up yet! Hold on! Keep pushing, you can achieve it!

I reiterate that “Bi aba ri eni fehin ti, bi ole laari.” Let me share an experience I had some years back that confronted me with this reality with you. I had the privilege of covering (as a photographer) the 2005 Glo-CAF Awards in International Conference Centre, Abuja, Nigeria where Samuel Eto'o Fils was awarded the African Player of the Year. At some point during the event, the erstwhile President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, was summoned to the stage to receive a Platinum Award. Also, the Executive Director of Globacom (a fast growing telecommunication firm in Africa) was summoned to the stage to present the Platinum Award to the President. As the young Executive Director of Globacom (who happens to be the son of the founder of the company) mounted the stage, the whole of my body began to shake to the extent that I couldn’t even snap him when he eventually presented the Platinum Award to the President. It suddenly dawned on me that I had a long way to go. Though we are age mates, I knew there was a big difference between the young Executive Director and I: he had already joined the caucus of successful people whereas I was just a wannabe trying to secure bread through photography. I wasn’t lazy and I bet he’s not smarter than me, yet he was ahead of me in all ramifications because of his father’s backing. To be honest, I coveted his position that night. I envied him. I felt so bad, but I didn’t allow the incident to weigh me down. Instead, the incident stirred the giant within me and it marked the beginning of another era in my life. There and then, I swore to be at par with the young Executive Director someday. I not only swore to be at par with him, I also resolved to overtake him someday. And to achieve that, I mapped out a 25 years development plan. I’m still on it and I’ll share the success story someday, just give me time.

So dear striver, you are not alone. I know your pains. I know your struggles. I feel you. I know how discouraging it can be when you have great dreams and plans but without any backing to pull them through. I know how difficult it is to survive with a meager salary, not to even mention saving to fund your plans. I know how demoralizing it can be when you can’t seem to pinpoint something tangible you’ve achieved over a period of time, especially when some of your friends are doing wonderfully well. I know how painful it is to be crawling when you have the capacity to soar. I know all about it friend; believe me, I’ve been there. But, be not dismayed! Cheer up! You may have some limitations right now but you can overcome them with careful planning, hard work and persistence. The future is there as your consolation and you can still attain and retain that lofty height you covet eventually. So, don’t loose focus. Keep pushing!

The start of a race is not as important as the end; the end matters most. Experience has taught me that someone that started well can even end up not reaching the finishing line, not to even mention winning any prize while someone with poor starting can end up clinching gold. So, there’s hope! The fact that you didn’t have a leverage to build on from the start does not mean you cannot reach the very top. Since you’re still breathing and active, you have the opportunity to finish strong. So, critically assess your situation, and then realistically map out a development plan that will serve as your blueprint for achieving your set goals. And then, be committed enough to follow through. I must warn you that it won’t be easy though, but it can be achieved if you endure.

Keep pushing, your struggles will eventually pay off someday. Be strong!

DON’T WASTE THE GOLDEN HOURS OF YOUTH.

2008-07-31T12:54:00.000+01:00

It is not uncommon to see old folks who are still actively working to make ends meet; the thought alone rips my heart apart. But, it shouldn’t be so. Old age is meant for rest and harvest, but unfortunately that is the period majority come to their senses (They’ll wish they could turn back the hands of time to right the wrongs, but unfortunately time is irrecoverable.). It is my earnest prayer that none reading this write-up will have to toil in his/her old age for bread. I bet your “amen” was loud (laugh). Be that as it may, you have to support your “amen” with action if your prayer will be answered because life will not just relinquish rest and bountiful harvest to you in your latter days, you have to earn them. And how can you earn rest and bountiful harvest in your old age? You can only earn rest and bountiful harvest in your old age if you maximize your youth.

So what is youth? Who is a youth? What is the significance? Does it lapse? Those were the questions that came to mind when I thought of the subject. According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, youth is “the time of life when a person is young”. Thus, a youth is a young person. As a youth, you have the wonderful opportunity to build the future of your dreams from the start; it’s synonymous to an artist being given a new canvass to paint on. The youthful age is characterized with newness, strength, and wisdom. And the youthful age is significant because it’s the best time to lay the foundation for success, to work, and to sow the seeds which can later be reaped in old age. And yes, it elapses; it comes but once in a lifetime.

Without being sarcastic, your future depends on how you make use of your youth. To further guide you in this adventure called life, I have painstakingly put up the “ABC” of success. They are:

A - Acknowledge your Maker.
B - Be bold. Be decisive. Be dynamic. Be efficient. Be informed. Be prepared. Be resolute.
C - Carry your cross, accept responsibility.
D - Don’t be lost in the crowd. Discover your potentials. Discover your purpose.
E - Expect more, your expectation determines what you get from life. Exceed your target.
F - Fail forward. When you fail, as you sometimes will, learn from it, re-strategize and try again!
G - Go for gold: dream big, think big, map out plans to achieve your goals and follow through.
H – Harness your resources.
I - Intensify your efforts.
J - Jink when need be, provided it’s in line with the master plan for your life.
K - Keep raising the bar.
L - Learn to say “No”.
M - Maximize your potentials. Make the best use of opportunities.
N – Never procrastinate. Never take “NO” for an answer. Never settle for less.
O - Open up to new ideas.
P – Practice, Patience and Persistence work wonders. With these three, you can achieve seemingly impossible feats.
Q - Quarantine bad friends, they can only decrease you.
R – Race against time, every second counts.
S - Spend wisely. Save and invest so that your “night” can be secured. Sow in season so that you can reap in harvest.
T – Turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones. Turn calamities into opportunities. Take risks.
U - Use help: To receive, ask. To obtain, seek. Stand on the shoulders of giants.
V - Venture into the impossible, redefine possibilities.
W – Work hard because life operates on the “no sweat, no sweet” principle.
X - X-ray people to identify great minds. Then, associate with great minds because they’ll inevitably add to you.
Y - Yield to corrections and instructions.
Z - Zero in on your strengths, therein lies your breakthrough.

If you walk and live by the statute above, success is guaranteed. I may not know your name, I may not know your location, I may not know your situation, but I know and I’m persuaded that you are important to your generation because you’ve been equipped at birth with talents with which you require to alleviate your situation and to make exploits. So, identify and make the best use of your endowments now when you have the strength because “night” cometh. Don’t also disappoint your generation; posterity will not forgive you if you die with all your potentials untapped.

Maximize your potentials. Secure your future. Fulfill your purpose. Die empty!

YOUR EXPECTATION DETERMINES WHAT YOU GET FROM LIFE.

2008-07-25T09:44:00.000+01:00

That majority are myopic is no longer news. I jokingly interviewed some people (youngsters, grown-ups and even some old people) recently and as I anticipated, I discovered that not everybody expects much from life. And this explains why everybody cannot live life to the full. It’s harsh, but it’s the sad truth.

Let me share a personal experience with you. When I took my first job some years back, my employer demanded for the salary I was expecting but I left it open because I was young and naïve. So, he just made me an offer and I took it. Six months after, another person was interviewed to assist me with the project I was handling and I was shocked that my boss agreed to pay him his expectation which was exactly double my salary as at that time. However, I summoned up courage to talk to my employer a month after the other dude was employed and I expressed my dissatisfaction with the salary difference. Guess what? He increased my salary! I was devastated because it suddenly dawned on me that I was responsible for what I was receiving all the while because I didn’t have an expectation when I joined the company.

I also recall that there were many instances when I actually intended to pay higher for some services but which I ended up paying less because the providers of the services expected and requested for less. With these reasons and many more too voluminous to write on these pages, I have reasonably concluded that one of the reasons why majority do not get the best from life is because they do not expect much from life.

Expectation matters a lot. Believe me, where you are presently is a function of the expectations you had in the past and where you’ll be in the years to come, to a large extent, will be a function of your present expectation for the years ahead. Expect big! Life, just like my former stern employer, delivers only your expectation to you. So, when you don’t have an expectation, what you are simply doing is leaving yourself at the mercy of circumstances. You’ll end up somewhere though, but definitely not where you’ll be if you had expectations. However, when your expectations are high, you won’t be able to settle for less because it’ll propel you to think big, plan big, act big and ask big. And inevitably, you’ll receive big!

What are your expectations? Are they in line with your mapped out goals and plans? Are they reasonable? Will they take you closer to your dreams or they just offer mere survival? Are they big enough to distinguish you? Can they liberate you? Think again and redefine your expectations so that you can get the best from life.

There are miracles in the offing, but you must expect them to receive them. Though you are unlimited, your expectations can still limit you. So, I urge you not to stand on your own path. Know your worth, expect big!

You have the exclusive right to dictate the occurrences in your life. Be ambitious. Be expectant. Be pro-active. Be successful!

CHOOSE YOUR PATH, CHOOSE YOUR DESTINY.

2008-07-18T09:24:00.000+01:00

Why is it that some people feed from hand to mouth? Why is it that majority live an average life? And why is it that only a fraction of the world’s population attains financial independence? Those were the questions that filled my thoughts earlier this week. With a lot of thinking and soliloquizing, I was able to conclude that “the paths we choose determine our destinies to a large extent”. Call it an ambiguous statement, but see what I mean…

While appreciating the architecture of a building some years back, I made a discovery that has since kept me on my toes. The laborers were sweating it out under the scorching sun carrying out their various duties when a young man arrived in a sleek car. The young man inspected the ongoing construction work and from the way he was dishing out instructions to the middle-aged bricklayer/foreman while making references to the plan of the building, I figured out that he was the engineer attached to the building project. Shortly afterwards, he handed over some money to the bricklayer and then he left. The middle-aged bricklayer then communicated the observations of the engineer to his men and then they continued with their various obligations. And then I pondered on the scenario. The laborers were the ones handling the hard and dirty part of the job. On the other hand, the young engineer only visits the site for inspection and to give expert advice. Upon completion of the project however, the engineer will certainly take credit for the erection of the building and he would have received multiples of whatever the laborers must have earned, even with the hard part they handled. It was at that point that I reasoned that there are two major categories of vocation, viz.:

1. The Easy Vocation: This category of vocation comprises of skilled workers. Those that fall within this category work more with their brain than with strength. The reward is usually handsome and the task is usually dignifying. Those in this category rule over those in the second category. They work in the convenience of their offices with sophisticated gadgets.

2. The Arduous Vocation: This category of vocation comprises of unskilled workers. Those that fall within this category work more with their strength than with their brain. Though they sweat more than those in the Easy Vocation, the reward is usually paltry and the task is usually demeaning. Those in this category are usually at the mercy of those that belong to the Easy Vocation. Most times, they sweat it out under the sun.

Take it or leave it, everyone falls within the two categories and this explains why we have variations in the destinies of men and women. Where do you belong? What is your vocation presently? Can it take you to the winners’ caucus? Can it make you financially independent someday? Does the remuneration give room for savings? Does it have provision for retirement? Does it give you freedom and dignity? Will it help you build the future of your dreams? Are you satisfied? If not, then it’s time to switch. Do a thorough analysis and be truthful to yourself. If you need to change vocation, do so. Get more degrees and professional certificates if you have to. Learn a new trade if you must. Change location if you have to. By all means, get yourself on the right path because your chosen path has a lot to do with what you get from life.

I also believe that not all vocations can lead to financial independence. An unrepentant gardener for instance can never be wealthy; even if he works very hard. Your path matters most, thus it is important that you choose the path that will make your dreams come true. I’m not alone on this, my theory is in conformity with a Yoruba adage that says “Ise ree, alaseje. Owo ree, alasela.” (meaning work tends to survival while business tends to wealth). Think about it, every billionaire worthy of the title sells something! Bill Gates sells software. Alhaji Aliko Dangote sells essential goods; even the poorest of the poor buys his goods. What are you selling?

Stop blaming witches and wizards for your situation, a change of vocation might be all you need. Stop playing religion. Think, think, think. Look around, find a need and fill it. Look within to identify your talent(s) and strength(s). Then, choose your path and create a niche for yourself. I tell you, Henry Thierry didn’t have to work for Exxon Mobil Corporation, yet he’s doing better than good financially. Jennifer Lopez didn’t have to work as a journalist for CNN to be famous, yet she’s a star. Wole Soyinka didn’t have to discover the cure for any disease before he came into limelight, yet he’s an international figure today. Find your path!

Don’t be forever trapped in the rat race, work out a development plan that will emancipate you from mediocrity. Partner with destiny, choose a noble path today!

LET GO OF THE PAST.

2008-07-11T09:32:00.000+01:00

While having a tête-à-tête with a lady sometime ago, I was able to pinpoint the root of her issue. According to her, she was raped while she was very young. To worsen it all, her parents died early so she had to live with an uncle of hers who continually exploited her sexually. By the time she was 21years old, she had totally lost her self-esteem. She no longer sees “sex” as a big deal. Now, she’s so bitter about men that she has vowed not to ever marry but to use men to her own advantage. She doesn’t believe in love again because it has been imprinted on her memory that her body is meant to be exploited. She’s even planning to have two children outside wedlock. Sad story, isn’t it? I tried to brainwash her but my sermon fell on deaf ears. Then, it occurred to me that most people fail in life because they refuse to let go of the past.

I certainly feel sorry for the lady in question for the inhumane treatment she received from men while growing up. But, still I hold her responsible for holding on dearly to her past. To start with, it’s pointless for her to allow the rape event that can’t be reversed to define her future. Secondly, now that she’s free from that pervert uncle of hers, and since she’s still young and beautiful, she could still find true love, build a happy home, and live happily thereafter with her family. But instead, she chose to wallow in her past. Her prime objective now is to milk all men that cross her path dry. How bad!

I don’t know what you’ve been through in the past but what I certainly know is that it cannot define your future unless you allow it to. The past is history – it’s a phase of your life that you can’t reverse; it’s like an episode of a play that has already been staged - the die is cast. You should concentrate on other episodes that are yet to be staged irrespective of the mistakes made while staging the earlier episodes so that you can finish strong.

Is it that you once served some term in prison? It’s in the past dude. You now have a second chance to make things right. You can still contribute your quota positively to the development of our dear world. It’s never too late for you to rewrite your name in gold.

Are you a victim of rape or do you feel used and useless because you have been jilted by many men? Weep no more. You’re so much better than you even know. If only those men knew what an asset you’re, they wouldn’t have treated you like trash. Believe me, they have missed the singular opportunity to be part of a grand design. Keep your head up high!

Or is it that you have a terrible past as a lady? Everybody makes mistakes my dear. Repent and forsake your old ways. Work on yourself. Change location if you have to. By all means, repackage yourself and see if good suitors won’t surface. You bet.

Or is it that you’re scared of venturing into new grounds because of past failures and betrayals? Don’t! Success eventually favors those that refuse to take “NO” for an answer. Besides, will you rather remain stagnant because of past failures and betrayals? God forbid. Learn to trust again and try again, just be careful.

Whatever the case may be, I implore you not to let your past inhibit the good you stand to gain in your future. No matter what transpired in the past, let it die; let go of all the bitter experiences in your past. Since your past is already history, I strongly suggest you grant it the rest required.

Relax, it’s not over yet. Given that the future is still ahead and considering the fact that it holds many possibilities, I suggest you focus on making the best use of the present and the future. Start anew.

TUNE IN TO THE RIGHT FREQUENCY.

2008-06-27T08:32:00.000+01:00

Let’s conduct a small experiment. Get a radio set and turn it on. Then tune between the frequencies. You will notice that as you keep tuning, you will receive different signals because each frequency is dedicated to a different station. Definitely, the broadcast received will differ from frequency to frequency.

Let’s also conduct another experiment. Get two (2) different GSM SIM Cards from different GSM providers (for instance MTN SIM Card and Celtel SIM Card for GSM users in Nigeria). Using the same phone, first insert the first SIM Card, say SIM Card A, into the phone and note the signal received. Now remove SIM Card A from the phone and insert the second SIM Card, say SIM Card B, and also note the signal received. Absolutely, the two different SIM Cards would have received the network signals of their respective service providers. It is worthy to note that the two network signals are in the air, just that having a specific SIM Card gives access to the specific network signal.

Undoubtedly, there are many radio signals in the air; that you don’t turn the radio on or that you don’t tune in to the right frequency does not negate that fact. There are many GSM network signals in the air; that you are not connected to any does not negate that fact. There are many international TV channels on DSTV; that you don’t have a DSTV dish and decoder does not negate that fact. In the same vein, there are many untapped resources in our Universe; that they remain underutilized does not negate that fact. There are some Laws (which are true and absolute) that govern our Universe that we can use to our advantage. There are many natural resources that we can exploit. There are different paths we can thread. There are many in-built talents in every individual that can be harnessed towards the attainment of worthy purposes. Indeed, our world offers endless options but we must tune in to the right frequency to achieve the target.

The level of success you will attain in life will depend, to a large extent, on your ability to fully utilize the vast resources the Creator has put in place for your sake. So, be current; be informed + be empowered. And be smart; recognize, choose right, tune in and fully harness the resources available so that you can achieve more.

Your abilities and conquests are yet untold. The world belongs to you my friend!

FIRST THING FIRST.

2008-06-20T08:55:00.000+01:00

I had an encounter with a final year university student who is rapaciously chasing money illegally at the expense of his academics during the week. From our discussion, it occurred to me that majority fail in life because they do not get their priorities right. Here’s a brilliant young man from a poor background who could be leading his class academically but who is unfortunately heading towards doom. He told me of his determination to buy a car and a mansion before he graduates and I laughed hysterically. Clearly, he lacks understanding. To me, he’s simply chasing “the end” instead of “securing the means to the end”. He’s chasing the things money can buy instead of being empowered to make money legitimately. He wants to reach the top without having to climb the ladder of success. He wants to tap palm wine without having to climb the palm wine tree. Even if he succeeds with his plan, I can bet that his accomplishment will be short-lived because lasting success with peace of mind cannot be secured with his approach. Rather, what he needs to do, considering his background, is to face his academics squarely so that he can get good grades (with his determination, I can tell that he’ll lead his class). With good grades, he’ll be able to secure a good job after school. And with a good job, he’ll be able to buy all the good things money can buy. He can even start his own company someday if he so wishes by then. But, he won’t just listen!

Tell me…what came first for a gold medalist in an Olympic tournament… the rigorous training prior to the competition or the medal and fame after the competition? Judge. What came first for a serving president of a country… the grandeur and privileges associated with the office or the years of planning and political tussle before the election? Judge.

One step at a time, first thing first – that’s how things work. If you want to build a structure for instance, ordering for roofing sheets should not be the first thing to be done. You should first acquire some piece of land where the building will be erected. After that, you can then draw the plan of the structure to be erected taking into cognizance the size and shape of the land. It is based on the plan that the requirements for the building to be erected will be calculated (the number of blocks to be used, cement, roofing sheets, iron rods, to name a few). Anything short of that will be messy.

Whatever the plan is, ensure you’re on the right rung of the ladder. Even if you have made terrible mistakes in the past, retrace your steps; swallow your pride and set things right. Prioritize right. Using the scale of preference, list your goals and map out the best plan to bring them to fruition. Then, concentrate on the most important thing and channel all your energies towards its realization. The rest will then be possible.

Deny yourself of some luxuries now so that you can enjoy them on a larger scale for much longer later. Be wise, some things can wait!

PRACTICE DOES IT.

2008-06-13T09:15:00.000+01:00

I believe there’s no limit to what we can achieve provided we are prepared to learn and practice. I also believe we can attain perfection in any task provided we are prepared to learn and practice. Too simple to be true? See what I mean…

I can’t recall the number of times I fell off a bicycle when I was learning to ride one. With repeated practice however, I mastered it. I can’t also quantify the volume of water I must have gulped while learning to swim, nor recall the many near-death experiences I had while learning to dive and float on water. Now, with repeated practice, swimming and even floating on water comes to me naturally as it does to a fish. Undoubtedly, practice works wonders.

In sports, there’s no shortcut to honing of skills without practicing. Even if you’re a genius, you can’t be a good pianist without practicing the notes. The best of orators practice before making speeches. Even a magician needs repeated practice to make tricks. Indeed, the secret of gaining mastery is to learn and practice; it’s unbeatable.

What is the challenge? What is the task? If you’re willing to learn and practice, nothing shall be impossible to thee. Keep practicing and you’re sure to win - that’s the recipe that makes champions. With repeated learning and practicing, you can be a genius in anything.

Notice however that the words “learn” and “practice” goes together. If you learn and fail to practice, chances are that you might loose/forget what you’ve learnt if it’s not yet honed. With practice comes perfection.

There are many battles that won’t be won the first time you try. Learn from toddlers: while learning to walk, they make blunders, yet they stand up again to learn and practice till they can eventually walk and run seamlessly. Whatever it is, keep at it. It certainly won’t be easy; it’ll take a lot of effort, commitment, consistency, discipline and perseverance. It might take time. It might even be painful. But, you will gain mastery if you endure.

To-be genius, I charge you, never give in to limitations. Keep learning. Keep practicing. Keep discovering. Keep mastering. Keep attaining.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS.

2008-06-06T08:31:00.000+01:00

I woke up depressed on Tuesday morning. It was such a time that the motivator needed motivation. I wasn’t too happy with myself because I fell short of some mapped out plans. I left the house shortly afterwards and I ran into a physically challenged friend of mine who was on her wheelchair trying to board a bus. I was shocked to find out that she was traveling out of town without a companion. She would require to board three different buses before she would eventually get to her destination and I imagined the stress she would go through before she gets to her destination. She would definitely be at the mercy of fellow passengers and passersby at one point or the other during her trip as she would need assistance. I wished I had some magical powers to make her walk right there and then, or at least travel with her, but alas, all I could tell her was …“God be with you”. Tears welled up in my eyes as I parted with her. It was at that point that I realized my foolishness. I have my two legs and I can walk with them unassisted. All my sense organs are functional. I’m in control of my mind; I can think. I breathe unassisted. I have food and I can eat. I have ears and I can hear. I have mouth and I can speak. I even excrete waste materials seamlessly without having to rely on a dialysis machine. The least I could do is to be grateful for the gift of life, for health, for where I am presently and for the glorious future I’ll inevitably feature in.

Can you fathom the rejection and challenges the lady in question must have had to cope with in the past and the ones she’ll have to cope with for the rest of her life? Can you fathom how dicey the future will look to her especially when it comes to finding a spouse that will marry her? It’s better imagined than experienced.

I don’t know your situation but I’m persuaded that you still have many reasons why you need to adopt the attitude of thankfulness. Some are under intensive care in hospitals at this very moment. Some have lost their minds. Worse still, some are dead as a dodo. But you are alive and sane. Count your blessings. You’re still doing better than many. I bet many will even love to trade places with you.

Be careful always with your reaction(s) to situations as the Law of Attraction also comes to play here. Since people and resources are drawn to where they are valued most, the Universe responds to gratitude by making more of everything we appreciate available to us. If you don’t appreciate what you have, there’s the probability that you can loose it. But if you appreciate what you have, you will inevitably attract what you don’t have but desire with time. Even Oprah Winfrey remarked that “If you can learn to focus on what you have, you will always see that the universe is abundant; you will have more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never have enough.” Some forethought is necessary.

All your plans will eventually materialize with time. So, wipe your tears. Cheer up! Brace your shoulders and recharge your energies. Keep pushing, water for your thirst is just ahead.

Peace be unto you.

INTENSIFY YOUR EFFORTS.

2008-05-30T13:02:00.000+01:00

I watched with curiosity how a thick wall eventually fell to the repeated blows of a sledgehammer sometimes ago and I reasoned that we can achieve whatever we set our minds to do if we’re willing to intensify our efforts.

It’s amazing what a laser beam can do if focused on an object; it can even cut through hard metals. It’s only a matter of time for a leaking tank (even if it’s trickle by trickle) to become empty. Water evaporates under intense heat. Even hard metals melt under intense heat. The significance of “intensity” to the actualization of any goal cannot be overemphasized.

Is your goal to distinguish yourself in your chosen field? You can. Those we remember today were those that distinguished themselves in their chosen fields, not drifters. So, if you must make waves, you must devote yourself to your field and conquer the field. That’s a simple recipe for recognition and success.

Is it a nagging challenge? That challenge can and will bow to you if you keep at it.

Whatever the case maybe, however small your strength maybe, victory is certain if you intensify your efforts. Don’t scatter your resources, concentrate on a worthy purpose. Don’t give up on that stumbling block yet, it’ll give way if you hit it harder. Don’t give up on that research yet, discovery awaits you. Don’t give up on that goal yet, it’ll be achieved if you intensify your efforts. You can save, little by little, to buy that dream car or house. You can fund that project. There’s no limit to what you can do if you intensify your efforts.

Rise to the calling. Achieve the seemingly impossible feats. Break forth.

PATIENCE IS ALL IT TAKES.

2008-05-23T08:36:00.000+01:00

Imagine what will happen if you plant a grain of maize and you keep bringing it out of the soil everyday to check the status of its growth. Chances are that the maize might never germinate.

Imagine that a fertilized egg is forcefully hatched just after 6 days it was put in an incubator. The output can’t certainly be a live chick because the transformation of an egg into a chick takes 21 days.

Also imagine what happens when a pregnant mother is induced to have a baby when the pregnancy is just five months old. She’ll certainly deliver a premature; that’s if the baby is even alive.

Everything must be allowed to take its course if the results will be what it ought to be. Patience is the watchword. Unfortunately, many are too much in haste in our world today. Majority have missed the good they often might have received because they did not exercise patience. Majority of would-be millionaires are cooling off in prisons just because they were too much in a haste to make money thereby resulting to crime. Many have bid the world farewell because they were too much in haste while driving. The list is endless. Indeed, the ability to exercise patience in our ever fast moving world is a virtue.

What is the rush for? Where else will you go after you get to your destination?

If you’re embarking on a journey, getting to the destination safe and sound should be your ultimate goal. If you have to get their early, leave early. By all means, avoid having to over speed. Live to enjoy the fruits of your labour.

If your goal is to attain financial independence and to retain it, then being a con should not be an option for you as it can only make you temporarily rich; that’s if you’re even lucky before you’re caught. Lasting success can only be gotten legitimately.

A careful study of the lives of successful men and women has shown that the lofty heights they attained were not overnight; it took decades of hard work, self denial, persistence and patience. Even those that inherited wealth will confess that their patriarchs once had it rough. In doubt? Interview an achiever near you.

Whatever your goal may be, learn to exercise patience. Understand that there’s an appointed time for everything. Even when you sow a seed, harvest is not usually instantaneous – there’s usually a gap between sowing time and harvest time. Tampering with the timing will not yield the desired result(s). Patience is all it takes to clinch victory.

If you’ll ever feature in the future you’ve pictured, you must learn to exercise patience. I admit that it could be depressing when all your mates are making progress and it seems that you’re stagnant. Don’t be dismayed. Once you’re convinced you’re on the right track, keep at it (If you’re however not on the right track, ensure you get yourself on the right track - the path that works, the path of honour). Don’t quit. Success will come; just don’t give up before it does. That seed will germinate, just give it time. That business will break forth; just allow it time to expand. That much coveted job will be yours, just gain more experience where you are because that will be the prerequisite for the higher ground. What is not enough today will be enough tomorrow. Things will eventually get better. All the good things you desire will come with time. You will eventually build that house. You will eventually buy that dream car. Wait for your time – patiently, strategically and intelligently.

However, you should not be idle while waiting. If you’ve sown a seed, while waiting for the harvest, endeavor to nurture the seed to maturity so that the harvest can be bountiful. If you’re waiting for the result of an application, find something worthwhile to do while you’re waiting. Whatever the case may be, apply wisdom. Ensure you don’t waste that irrecoverable piece called time.

Your future is bright. Be patient. Colorful, shinning, bright, you will get there!

TO GET THE DESIRED RESULT, DO IT THE WAY IT OUGHT TO BE DONE.

2008-05-16T08:45:00.000+01:00

Got thinking about the peculiar method in which white yam (Dioscorea Rotundata) is successfully propagated in Nigeria and I reasoned that peculiar situations demand peculiar solutions. Let’s look into the propagation of the tropical plant together…

Unlike grain crops, white yam is propagated by dividing rhizomes, tubers, corms or bulbs (however the best planting material are small tubers, resulting in improved germination percentages and in less tuber rotting). White yam is usually planted preferably at the start of the rainy season in deep, rich, permeable soil as loosed textured soil is necessary for tuber development and expansion (the plant even thrives better if ridges or mounds are made for it). After the planting of the yam sett, mulching is required as it protects the plant from excessive heat and desiccation. The plant should also be supplied with a means of support on which to twine beginning 1 month after emergence. Weed control is also important during the first 2 to 3 months after planting. If you follow the method, ceteris paribus, you can be sure of a bountiful harvest. It is worthy to note that maize (Zea Mays) cannot be propagated through this method because it has its own peculiarities and as such demands a peculiar planting method.

Similarly, malaria pills cannot cure typhoid fever. In poultry farming, you can’t feed layers birds with growers feed (instead of layers feed) and expect that productivity will increase. The student praying for retentive memory without reading is praying amiss. You can’t reverse a car with gear ‘3’. Even with the right recipe, you can’t make cake by frying (instead of baking) the dough as you would fry a pancake. Even in Chemistry, the combination of two chemical elements but in varying degrees will produce different chemical compounds [for instance, when two Oxygen atoms covalently bonds to a single Carbon atom, the product will be Carbon dioxide (CO2) but if one Carbon atom covalently bonds to one Oxygen atom, the product will be Carbon monoxide (CO) – two entirely different gases . Similarly, you can’t possibly combine Hydrogen with Oxygen and expect to have the same product you’ll have if you were to have combined it with Chlorine – the former will produce water while the later will produce acid]. That 1 + 1 = 2 is mathematically exact. The list is endless.

Thus, it is evident that one of the reasons why many fail to succeed in their undertakings in life is because they are pursuing amiss. To obtain the desired outcome, you must do it the way it ought to be done. Else, you might never get the desired result.

What have you been pursuing for sometime without success? If it’s not working the way it should, then probably it’s not being done the way it should. A change of approach is all you need. It can work. It will work, just that it has to be done the right way. Every task/challenge bows to the right solution. Every idea is achievable; else it won’t have been conceived. Do it the way it ought to be done so that it will be like it ought to be – that’s the simple recipe that makes miracles possible. If you desire success worthy of the name in any undertaking, then be prepared to think deep, seek facts and follow instructions. The impossible then becomes possible.

Victor, I charge you to embark on a conquest spree. Keep dreaming. Keep setting goals. Keep proffering solutions. Keep achieving.

DON’T BE LOST IN THE CROWD.

2008-05-09T08:28:00.000+01:00

I had the privilege to attend a private university in Nigeria and I must confess that private schools generally are not good for those that do not have a mind of their own. I had a humble beginning and suddenly I was paired with rich kids (kids of ambassadors, bank owners, CEOs of multinationals to name a few) and so it was all about competition. Every summer, my classmates traveled abroad and they came back with fascinating stories but I never even neared the airport throughout my schooling not to even mention entering an airplane. At the end of every semester, my friends traveled back home in their luxurious cars while I had to go home on public transport. Worse still, as soon as we graduated, some went straight to the best universities in Europe for their Masters Programme because their parents could afford it. Some went to the best universities in North America. Some went to other notable universities in other parts of the world. Even with bad grades, many of my friends still got fixed in telecommunication firms, banks, oil companies, to name a few because their folks could pull some strings. But as for me, it has been me, my skills and my God. From my first job to the one I’m presently occupying, my parents did not have a hand in it (although I have a father that could pull some strings, but he won’t just do it; he’ll rather have you strike gold on your own). Though I’ve not arrived yet, but my ship will certainly berth – just give me time. Unfortunately, some of my classmates are still in the “Joneses” club even as I write this; some are still unemployed/not gainfully employed when some of their classmates are already managers. Curious about what happened to the “Joneses”? Life “happened” to them! (Laugh) Time has segregated each and every one of us into the stratum into which we truly belong. Imagine I was living a lie those days in school, you bet I would have been part of the “Joneses” now.

To have a place to stand in this world of reality, you must be qualified, sponsored or recommended, QED. If you know you don’t have anyone to recommend or sponsor you, you had better be qualified. Else, you might forever remain in the category of those that watch things happen.

Are you a student? If you know you don’t have anyone to back you, you better face your academics squarely so that you can finish in record time and get good grades. Without that, you might find it difficult securing that dream job of yours.
And besides, this is your last chance to be equal with your classmates. Don’t waste the golden hours of your youth.

Are you a worker? You don’t have to invest all you earn on colognes, suits, wrist watches, jewelry, cars, to name a few like your colleagues do all in the name of competition. Know thyself. Their family situation is different from yours. And besides, they are not going to lend you a hand during your retirement, so you had better start investing in your future.

Are you a family man that is fond of hanging out with friends every evening? That portion of your income that you spend on drinks and other irrelevant pursuits can be invested in your future or the future of your children. Be wise.

The worst thing you can do to yourself is to live a lie. Peer pressure ruins and lifts; your associations with others can either make you or mar your destiny. Many student union activists have been rusticated from school because they were causing trouble without having a backbone (while some would have been reinstated because their folks could pull some strings). Many men have lost their jobs because they were fighting for a cause. Many marriages have been broken because either or both of the partners imported some foreign ideas from their peers into their home. Many have lost their health to bad habits just because of peer pressure. Abortion might not hurt your friend, but it might dim your own hope of having children. The list is endless.

Verily, anyone that can’t stand out in the crowd might find it difficult succeeding in this world of ours. Your assignment in this world is different from that of others in your peer and so are your gifts. Your health - the strength of your organs (lungs, heart, kidney, liver to name a few) differs from that of your peers. Your dreams and aspirations differ from that of your peers. Your background differs from that of your peers. Your finances differ from that of your peers. Even your life span on this earth differs from that of your peers. So, why follow the crowd?

As the Yorubas will say, “20 friends cannot be friends for 20 years”. That friend you’re imitating might fade into oblivion someday and when he does, you will be left alone to tackle the mess you must have created. Be real. Don’t behave like others. Don’t be lost in the crowd because in the final analysis, it’s usually “all man for himself”. Don’t forget the son or daughter of whom you are. Don’t do more than your capability. Don’t spend more than your income. Don’t move in the same direction with drifters.

Be original. Be decisive. Be focused. Be successful.

DESTINY DEMYSTIFIED.

2008-04-25T16:46:00.000+01:00

A lot of myths are identified with the word “destiny” which often suggests that Man’s destiny is already settled at birth. But, I dare to disagree with the myths. Won’t the world be a cruel place to live if some people are destined to live in abject poverty while some are destined to be great? The answer is affirmative. Without gainsay, nature will be so unkind if people’s fates are sealed at birth. The Creator being so fair, He deposits in everyone all that we need to make exploits and thrive at birth. He also gives everyone a fair play ground, the liberty to choose our paths and the opportunity to take part in the molding of our destinies. By the Creator’s making, everyone is destined to be great but unfortunately, our choices, actions and reactions alter the Creator’s plan for our lives. We unconsciously choose our paths and later blame it on destiny.

So what is destiny? Is it definite and unchangeable? Or can it be altered or cheated?

According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, “destiny is what happens to somebody or what will happen to them in the future, especially things that they cannot change or avoid.” Contrary to the general view that our destinies are enforced on us, from my own viewpoint, the definition suggests that we are responsible for our destinies since it’s an undeniable universal law that our choices and actions inevitably attracts proportionate results. For instance, if you fail to prepare adequately for an examination, the probability that you will fail the examination is high. In this scenario, it can be said that you are doomed to fail the examination. However, if you prepare adequately for the examination, ceteris paribus, success cannot elude you. In this case, it can also be rightly said that you are meant to pass the examination.

Life is like a race where everybody is given the opportunity to start at the starting point at the zero hour. How the race is finished now depends on the racer’s strength, skills, discipline, choices, actions, work ethics, character, habits, amongst other things. Destiny is the dividend you earn from your investments in your yesteryears, yesterdays, today, and tomorrows.

Destiny is not definite and unchangeable; it can be altered or cheated. I know of a civil servant turned musician in Nigeria who had an accident in the course of his duty. The accident left him paralyzed and instead of begging for alms like most people do, he decided to turn his destiny around with the disability. First, he organized a fundraising for his initial treatment abroad where he launched his album (he recorded his ordeal as a song). He was in the showbiz before the incident and so he enjoyed much publicity for his album. That aroused people’s emotions, and they bought his album massively. He did not only make enough money through the sale of his album, several organizations also donated money for his treatment. Though he cannot still walk with his two legs unassisted as I write this, but he’s now riding a customized jeep that he drives himself even with his disability. Today, people pay him huge some of money just for him to sing at ceremonies. He is now an international musician as he has organized several shows successfully abroad. His name is Yinka Ayefele and I doff my hat for him.

When Yinka Ayefele was plagued with paralysis, he could have accepted it as his destiny to beg for alms. But instead he decided to use the disability to launch himself to limelight and affluence. He has turned his woe into success. He has not only emancipated himself from mediocrity, he has also succeeded in liberating his family from poverty. What will you call his destiny? To get paralysed only to be launched? Whichever way you think of it, I bet you’re wrong. Yinka Ayefele took charge of his destiny! He altered the plans of the adversary over his life. He beat circumstances to it. He carved out his destiny on the anvil of courage. He demystified destiny.

I don’t know your situation but if Yinka Ayefele can do it, so can you! You are not stuck with a bad destiny. You might not be able to control certain occurrences in your life, but you sure can control the way you react to them. You can turn around any situation you find yourself. You can work out your destiny. You can challenge the status quo. You can picture a future and feature in it.

Your fate is not sealed, there’s still remedy. Spend every passing minute judiciously. Before embarking on any action, think right, choose right, plan right, prepare right and act right so that you can attain a glorious destiny.

I can only admonish, it’s up to you to work out your destiny in life’s reality show. Walk the talk. Recreate your world. Finish strong!

THERE’S HOPE!

2008-04-18T12:24:00.000+01:00

Admittedly, life is not without challenges and these challenges could be so overwhelming at times that one might doubt the possibility of ever finding solutions. But even so, I have come to realize that “no situation is as terrible as it appears and that every challenge has a solution”. Call it a propaganda, but see what I mean…

After dusk comes dawn; it’s irrefutable. No matter how difficult a challenge might be, it can’t last forever; it must surrender to time or solution. Interestingly, when challenges are surmounted, then comes victory, newness, liberty, and promotion. Even when a challenge overwhelms you, you can decide to still take advantage of the defeat. No situation is hopeless.

The word “solution” in itself was coined to indirectly mean “hope” because the dictionary meaning of solution is “dealing with a difficult situation”. The fact that a difficult situation can be dealt with means there’s hope! Everything is possible to those that believe in possibilities. So, I charge you not to loose hope in any situation under any circumstance. What is the challenge?

Are you in debt? Suicide is not your best option. If you hang in there, with hard work and perseverance, you will not only repay your debt, you will also make more money than you ever imagined (it has happened before).

Is it unwanted pregnancy? Don’t abort, that child might turn out to be your only hope later in life (it has happened before).

Have you failed the same examination over and over again? Don’t give up, there’s hope! Do it again!

Even if you’re HIV/AIDS positive, there’s still hope. Apart from the fact that cure is on its way, having a premonition of death even gives you the opportunity to prepare for life after death. Besides, anti-retroviral drugs can still buy you some extra years and it’s not impossible that a miracle will happen whereby the virus will just disappear of its own accord if you have faith (it has happened before).

Whatever the situation may be, your breakthrough is certain if you endure. In actual fact, life will be meaningless (a bad joke) without the hope of a better tomorrow. And life can’t possibly be a huge joke because it’s real; all you have to do to give meaning to your life is to fully understand life’s laws and its applications so that you can use them to your advantage. Life is not without hope. Even ordinarily, every challenge comes with its solution, just that it’ll take thinkers to decipher the solution. No matter the situation, you can rise! Your latter end can be better. The outcome of that challenging situation can even make you a better person. I know so because I have seen a victim becoming a victor before. I have also seen a loser becoming a winner before. I have also seen a disadvantage turning into an advantage before.

Since there’s hope for a tree that was cut down to sprout again because it’s still rooted in the soil, because you are still alive, there’s hope for you in this life, and even beyond the grave. So whoever you are, whatever you’re going through, I implore you not to loose hope. Be resolute. Be innovative. Be receptive. Be optimistic. Think right. Plan right. Act right.

Hope it. See it. Work it. Live it.

LIVE EVERY MINUTE AS IF IT WERE YOUR LAST.

2008-04-11T10:29:00.000+01:00

I lost a colleague to death’s cold hands three days ago and it dawned on me that anyone can die at anytime. This was a guy who walked into the hospital with his two legs. Gradually, the sickness deteriorated and he later fell into coma. Now, he’s six feet below the surface of the earth. Such is life…so uncertain.

Perhaps the saddest truth in the whole wide world is that everybody will die one day. I have come to realize that life is a stage where you are only permitted to act your part. When your part is over, you will leave the stage for others to play their parts. Since we are not going to be on life’s stage forever, it is important that we live every minute as if it were the last so that we can achieve something meaningful before we eventually leave the stage.

If your heart stops beating right now, where do you think you will spend your eternity? Will people feel sad about your exit or will they rejoice? What will you be remembered for? Will it be said that a soul benefited from your life or will it be said that you affected the world adversely? Will it be said that you contributed your quota to the development of our world or will it be said that you ended up leaving the world worse than you met it? Will your footprints be left on the sand of time or will your memory fade in no time? It calls for sober reflection.

If you do a thorough analysis, you will realize that you can do better than you’re doing. Beloved, it’s time to make amends. Go back to your drawing board and re-strategize. Map out goals and the plans to realize them. By all means, endeavor to fulfill your purpose before you join your ancestors.

You came to this world alone and you’ll leave alone, so start taking life personal. Start taking life serious. Always see the dawning of a new day as another opportunity to make a difference. Don’t postpone the good you can do now for the morrow. Finish that project. Conclude that assignment. Help that soul. Today’s all you’ve got to make a difference, tomorrow may be too late.

TURN STUMBLING BLOCKS INTO STEPPING STONES.

2008-04-04T08:58:00.000+01:00

If life is without stumbling blocks, everyone will definitely attain greatness. If everyone becomes great, the world will loose its meaning because there will be no one to serve. Nature being so kind, the Universe often punctuates our paths with stumbling blocks so that the world’s population can be segregated into different strata; those that surmount the stumbling blocks will succeed in attaining their goals, while those that give in to them will not only fail in attaining their goals, they will also be compelled to serve the successful to survive. Amazing, isn’t it?

I know of a fast growing telecommunication firm in Africa that lost out of the bid for GSM license some years ago. Despite the huge some of money the firm lost to the bid, the management of the firm was undeterred. The firm repackaged itself and later bided for a more comprehensive telecommunication license and interestingly the firm won the bid. Today, the firm is a success story having literally turned the stumbling block into a stepping stone. The firm has not only spread its tentacles across many countries in Africa, it has also succeeded in competing with other telecommunication firms that had been in existence decades before the firm was even incorporated. You will agree with me that if the management of the firm had given up with the pursuit of the telecommunication license when faced with the stumbling block, the feat wouldn’t have been realized. Therefore, I postulate that “To give in to a stumbling block is to trade impending success for defeat.” Call it a hypothesis, but see what I mean…

Our Universe is a testing ground; a place where everyone is tested before qualifying. Since you cannot retain nor value what you obtain cheaply, life demands that you qualify for every objective before it is relinquished to you. So, to qualify for success in life, you must pass the tests that life brings your way; you must scale the hurdles. Unfortunately, majority give up when stumbling blocks cross their paths which explains why only a fraction of the world’s population succeeds. Thus, it is pertinent for everyone desirous of success to always turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones.

So what is a stumbling block? How can it be converted into a stepping stone?

A stumbling block can be said to be a test of your desire and faith to attain an objective. It disguises in form of a challenge to discourage one from pursuing the objective. Interestingly, success is usually at the other side of a stumbling block.

Despite its cunning, you can beat the masquerade called stumbling block to it by using it as a stepping stone. When faced with a stumbling block, first analyze it properly to discover the loophole(s); there must be other ways and better ways the hurdle can be scaled. Then, re-strategize and reposition yourself to scale the hurdle. If you can’t go over the stumbling block, go around it. Change plan or technique if you have to. By all means, ensure that it doesn’t hinder you from achieving the set objective.

Since your ability to surmount stumbling blocks will determine the stratum into which the Universe will segregate you, it is advisable that you always overcome challenges instead of giving in to them. Never, never, never take “NO” for an answer. Be innovative. Be resolute. Be forceful. Be indomitable. Be triumphant.

TO BE LUCKY, BE PREPARED.

2008-03-28T07:25:00.000Z

Many attribute their failure in life to the absence of luck and then refer to the winners in the society as the lucky ones. Whereas, opportunity presents itself to everyone at some point or the other, just that when it does, it meets some unprepared while it meets some fully prepared – the unprepared inevitably cannot make use of the opportunity while the fully prepared make the best use of it. Even in sports generally, winners don’t just emerge without having worked for the trophy; it’s usually the endless hours they must have put into training that pays off. Thus, I dare to disagree with the dictionary meaning of “luck” (good things that happen to you by chance, not because of your own efforts or abilities). To me, a man can only be said to be lucky when he emerges victorious in an endeavor because of his preparedness and readiness at the time an opportunity presented itself. Call me a controversial writer, but see what I mean…

Tell me, if a sprinter that has been training everyday for over a year emerges as the winner in a competition, will you attribute the success to luck or adequate preparation? If a student that has been preparing hard for an examination eventually gets a distinction, will you attribute the success to luck or adequate preparation? If a contractor wins a contract because he submitted a detailed proposal and made an impressive presentation to the client, will you attribute the success to luck or adequate preparation? Judge.

In life, as it is in sports, victory usually goes to the most prepared. If you don’t prepare adequately for an endeavor, you will inevitably fail. Thus, for you to excel triumphantly in life’s battlefield, you must be prepared at all times for opportunities; that’s simply the recipe for luck. To get WHATEVER you want from life, make adequate preparations, be ready to make sacrifices, persevere and most importantly be smart enough to plug-in to opportunities at the nick of time.

If you’re aiming for gold in a sporting event, you better be fully prepared, else you might just fumble. Before you sit for that examination, you better be fully prepared, else you might just waste your time and money. Before you submit that application, you better ensure that you submit all the requirements with it, else you might just waste your time and money. If you’re vying for an exalted position, you had better be prepared, else you might be disgraced out of the contest. Preparation is the key.

Lucky designate, I charge you to influence your destiny by preparing adequately for the set tasks before you. Overpower the wild horse called LIFE and ride her gallantly till you are rewarded someday with a crown. Ride her to stardom. Ride her to opulence. Ride her to fulfillment.

BE DYNAMIC

2008-03-21T11:37:00.000Z

Despite the fact that opportunities abound everywhere, only few dynamic individuals maximize them which explains why only a fraction of the world’s population make it to the winner’s caucus. Frankly, not all professions can even make you financially independent. But if you’re dynamic, you can achieve it irrespective of your vocation. Thus, dynamism is the key to survival in our ever changing world. Call it another ambiguous statement, but see what I mean…

Since human wants are insatiable, you can’t even take care of your pressing needs not to even talk of saving or investing for the future if your resources are defined and limited. Thus, the need for you to add to your means cannot be overemphasized if you are to achieve more. Being dynamic is one of the ways you can add to your means. So what is dynamism? How can a person be dynamic? How can being dynamic help one succeed?

According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, “dynamism is the energy and enthusiasm to make new things happen or to make things succeed.” A dynamic person is always changing and making progress. Unfortunately, many are too rigid and lazy; which explains why they are static. I know of a Home Economics teacher who is an expert in making anything with flour: meat pie, fish pie, doughnut, sausage, cake, name it. She’s also skilled in interior decorations. But instead of her to use her skills to augment her meager salary since she closes from work as early as 2pm, she goes home to sleep after school when some of her colleagues even use the time to coach students for extra cash. She could even bake cakes, pies, and other snacks to sell in schools, or she could even own a small shop to sell after school hours for extra cash but instead she’s waiting for a big raise to come from heaven so that she can open a big eatery. She could also collect interior decoration jobs for a fee, but instead she’s waiting for the time she’ll have all the money to buy all the accessories needed before she would start. Is she not the enemy of herself? Judge.

Unfortunately, majority are in the category of this Home Economics teacher in our world today. They cry for breakthrough when all they need to do to alleviate their situation is to utilize the opportunities around them. You don’t necessarily have to get a job with an oil company before you achieve financial independence, all you have to do is to maximize the opportunities around you irrespective of your vocation. Even a messenger can take part in network marketing like GNLD, Tianshi, to name a few and eventually become a millionaire. A cyber café attendant can take part in FOREX trading and eventually make more money than the owner of the cyber cafe in a month. The list is endless.

Thus, this is a call for all and sundry that desires a higher ground to be dynamic. Don’t be stiff, always be on the look-out for opportunities and move with the trend. Use your present ground as a means to attain a higher ground. Find the advantages within your vocation and fully utilize them to your betterment. Even convert the disadvantages into advantages. By all means, add more means to your means.

Success does not come in a vacuum; you have to earn it. The breakthrough you’re looking for is not far-fetched, just that it’s tied to your ability to think and work out solutions. Whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever your vocation may be, you can succeed. Financial independence is not a birthright of the few neither is it a mirage, it can be attained. So, I charge you to assess your vocation thoroughly and think of opportunities you can tap into and then act on them because your success depends on them.

Don’t rest on your oars. Keep progressing. Keep evolving. Keep attaining.

KEEP RAISING THE BAR.

2008-03-14T07:38:00.000Z

I know of a driver who prides in being a driver for over 30 years but who doesn’t have anything to show for it. He brags that he has driven to virtually every part of the country but unfortunately success isn’t measured by the mileage a man has covered. Sadly enough, the present salary of the driver in question (who’s unfortunately a widower with many children to cater for) is less than $150 in a month (30 working days) even after he has worked as a driver for over 30 years in different establishments. He doesn’t listen to corrections neither does he want to change his methods as he believes he knows it all. Since he’s a talkative, he keeps broadcasting his sad story and at any slight opportunity he’ll make you see reasons why he needs some tip to augment his meager salary. He even refers to himself as a poor, unhappy man. I once asked him why he didn’t make a conscious effort to climb higher than the position of a driver and he told me that he had nowhere else he could fit in. How wrong! Many are in the category of this man in our world today - they are stagnant and poor, not because there are no better opportunities, but because they have refused to raise the bar. At the time the man in question got the job as a driver when he was a bachelor, it was not a bad idea. But instead of him using the job as a platform to launch himself, he CHOSE to remain there. No wonder why he has been a driver for that long without having anything to show for it. No wonder why he’s poor. No wonder why he’s unhappy. No wonder why he’ll spend his retirement in uncertainty. Can you call this man a success? Do you think he can adequately provide for his children? What kind of role model do you think he will be as a father? What kind of ideas do you think he would have inculcated in the minds of his children? What will become of our world if everybody were to be like him? Judge.

Whereas, I also know of a man in my lineage that joined the civil service as a Messenger but who retired as a Director General when majority of his friends that he joined the service with retired still as Messengers. How come he started from the least rank and ended in a high rank? Did God decide to smile on him alone? Was life unkind to the rest by restricting their growth? Certainly not! When his mates were spending their meager salaries on clothes, women, drinks, and other side attractions that could wait then, he chose to save for his future. When his contemporaries were sleeping and partying, he was busy studying. With his savings, he was able to educate himself through school. He went for courses upon courses, seminars upon seminars. And then, the promotions came, obviously not on a platter of gold, but through years of hard work, dedication, self denial, and determination. This man retired fulfilled.

Life’s all about being ambitious. Life’s all about planning. Life’s all about sacrifices. Life’s all about choices. People often remain in mediocrity not because they can’t leave the level but because they are not doing what it takes to leave the status for a higher status. The reason why many are where they are today is because they stopped growing as soon as they got a place to stand. That’s why I love High Jump - a sporting event in which people try to jump over a high bar that is gradually raised higher and higher. Once you scale a height, the bar is usually raised higher till you can scale no further. Life should be approached in this manner. Once you achieve an objective, you should set another higher objective. Once the higher objective is achieved, a higher one should be set again. And this should continue till you breathe your last. From one objective to another, little by little, you’ll eventually climb the height you never imagined you could climb.

Your today shouldn’t tie down your tomorrow. There’s nothing wrong in a man having to start climbing the ladder of success from the status of a driver, messenger or even a lower rank, but everything is wrong in him remaining in that status till he retires from active work. Your ultimate goal should be to scale the utmost height and your present position should be used as a launch pad to propel you to a much higher ground. You don’t have to be glued to a vocation for so long if it won’t take you to the caucus of successful people. Once you attain a position, you should start planning of moving to the next level. If it means adding more qualifications or learning more trade, do so. By all means, empower yourself for the next phase because the crown usually goes to whom it’ll fit; higher responsibilities cannot be entrusted in your hands if you can’t handle them.

Are you satisfied with your present position? Can your present position make you financially independent someday? Are you happy with where you are? Is your retirement secure? If not, then it’s time to raise the bar so that you can fly higher. It’s time to plan for the future. It’s time to dream bigger dreams. It’s time to map out goals that will make your dreams a reality. It’s time to act.

There are still higher grounds than the one you’re presently occupying and you can get there. You can do better than you’re doing presently. You can make a change. So, never settle for less. Be ambitious. Be empowered. Be determined. Kiss mediocrity goodbye!

YOU CAN’T PLEASE THE WORLD.

2008-03-07T08:20:00.000Z

As interesting as our world is to live in, you cannot possibly please the inhabitants. If you are meek, the world might mistake it for slackness. If you always have answers to questions, your colleagues might take it as a ploy to outshine them. If a leader is tender, he will be regarded as weak. If his methods are harsh, he will be regarded as a tyrant. No matter how laudable a government’s reforms might be, some will still complain. If a president is prudent in awarding contracts, he will be regarded as a miser. If however he is generous in awarding contracts, he will be regarded as a squanderer. If you are an introvert, it might be mistaken for pride. If you are an extrovert, the world will still complain. If you are honest, the world will take you for a fool. If however you are not, the world will dub you corrupt. Human beings will always have an adjective to qualify every deed, no wonder why every language (English, French, name it) has an antonym for every adjective. Funny, isn’t it?

Human beings are selfish. Once an action or decision is not in their favour, they vehemently condemn it no matter how laudable and timely it might be. For instance, a government might decide to stop the importation of rice into the country to encourage local production. Such a laudable decision will definitely be condemned by the cartel of rice importers as it means the end of their business. Nevertheless, if the government is committed to the growth of the economy, the importation of rice should still be stopped without minding the reaction of the cartel. It’s always a two-way thing, every decision must affect some positively while it will affect some negatively but that does not imply that the right decision shouldn’t be taken. If you are to please everybody, you will never carry out any decision or action. Thus, if you are to make a meaningful impact in life, you must be able to act without minding whose ox is goad.

I have reasoned that one of the mistakes people make in life is that they try to please everybody. Show me a man that is trying to please the world, and I’ll show you a potential failure. An attempt to please the world will inevitably lead to failure because no matter what you do, you can’t possibly satisfy everybody. So, it behoves you to be decisive. Never consent to do things against your will, nor be influenced by what people might say. Before taking any action or decision, ensure you think it through - weigh the pros and cons. Once you judge it right and it aligns with the values you live by, go for it no matter what people will say. Just ensure that the right thing is done and leave the whiners to whine. However, care should be taken so as not to become too insensitive. Your sense of judgment must be sound.

Be independent. Be a visionary. Be a go-getter. Be tactful. Be decisive. Be victorious.

ABOUT YOU.

2008-02-29T08:49:00.000Z

Some years ago, one (1) lucky sperm cell from your biological father fertilized the ovum from your biological mother and then a zygote was formed. Your sex was determined at fertilization by the chromosome from your biological father’s sperm. At 21 days after conception, your heart began to beat. At 25 days, your body started developing – your head and trunk appeared and tiny arm buds began to form, followed by leg buds. At 30 days, your brain, eyes, ears, mouth, kidneys, liver, and umbilical cord were all in place. Then, the you as a zygote later developed into a foetus after eight (8) weeks. Several other astonishing growth and development took place and then all your glands and organs were formed one after the other and then eventually you were made whole. When the womb could no longer contain you, you were delivered.

Your making was a success. At birth, you came out a masterpiece - as an amazing being containing several organs with fantastic works and capabilities. You were implanted with talents. You are whole and complete. You are an epitome of life. You were built to last. By reason of your birth as a Homo sapiens, you are an heir to the Universe. You were made to subdue the earth, so you don’t have limitations except the ones you place on yourself. You are a survivor - even when you had not come into consciousness, you still survived in the womb, and so now that you are conscious, you can survive in any situation. You can turn around any situation you find yourself. You can achieve whatever you set your mind to do.

You are not a coincidence, there’s a reason for your existence. That you’re still breathing is an indication that you are yet to fulfill your mission, else you would have been dead as a dodo. You were commissioned for exploits. For your sake, several sperm cells perished just to allow the sperm that fertilized that single ovum to form you. You were not aborted during the pregnancy stage neither were you consumed by all the diseases that plagued children. Season after season, you have been spared from all manner of accidents that had claimed the life of many. You have been groomed to glow.

Your sojourn on this earth is but for a short time. Someday, the breath of life will depart from you but before it does, you should make good use of the endowments entrusted in you. The Universe is waiting for the manifestation of the glory within you, so, find your purpose and fulfill your mission because it is in so doing that you can attain greatness. Consciously take your fate out of the hands of chance by building the future of your dreams. Make your life count!

WISDOM WILL DEFEAT STRENGTH ANYTIME.

2008-02-22T08:53:00.000Z

Here’s the story of a man who tried to get his goat into his compound by force. He chased the goat back and forth but the goat won’t just enter the compound. When his daughter saw how the dad was sweating it out just to get the goat into the compound, she decided to intervene. And so she took some maize from the house, gave some to the goat and continued to feed the goat till she entered the compound. As soon as the goat entered the compound with her, she closed the gate and that settled it – she was able to lure the goat into the compound without sweating. The goat had maize to eat and she also got the goat inside the compound - what a win-win situation! Verily I say unto thee, wisdom can suffice where strength cannot help. Call it another bogus statement, but see what I mean…

Wisdom is more potent than strength. Off course strength has its place, but the application of strength without wisdom leads nowhere. If you’re conversant with troubleshooting devices, you will know what I mean (if you’ve never been stuck, you probably won’t understand though). To proffer the best solution to any issue, you must first thoroughly understand the issue. Else, your effort(s) might be in vain. For instance, you don’t need to fight with darkness to chase it away; all you have to do is to turn on the light because darkness cannot handle light – that simple. If you’re to achieve an excellent result, you have to do it the best way it ought to be done; the smart way.

The disparity between wisdom and strength is very wide. According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, wisdom is the ability to make sensible decisions and give good advice because of the experience and knowledge that you have while strength is the quality of being physically strong. Even from the two definitions alone, you can easily deduce that the former is based on reason while the latter on might. Strength might not help you untie a secure knot, but wisdom can. The effectiveness of a team is not dependent on the numbers that makes up the team but the process in place. More often than naught, winners in wrestling matches are not usually the strongest, but those with skills. You can use your strength to pursue a cause without success while wisdom can get you results without you having to expend any energy. A sensible suggestion can bring about a radical change that hours of toiling cannot. Strength can get you results, but wisdom can get you better results faster. You can get yourself out of trouble by applying wisdom. You can even prevent a major catastrophe by applying wisdom. You can attract the desired by applying wisdom. The list is endless.

We’re living in a complex world full of questions and only those that can answer life’s questions will obtain life’s treasures. Successful living is an art and only the wise will excel. In this world full of tasks, challenges, endless options, traps, evils, to name a few, wisdom is all you need to sail through, not strength; you cannot possibly excel distinctly in life without applying wisdom in all areas of your life. So, I charge you to wise up: apply wisdom in all your undertakings (at home, at work, in your relationships, etc.) so that you can achieve good results.

Don’t sweat it, go the wisdom way - the easy way. Seek knowledge. Seek counsel. Think. Plan right. Act right. Triumph!

BE EFFICIENT.

2008-02-15T07:51:00.000Z

I once visited a government ministry to get some papers and I met the officers breaking melon and chit-chatting. When I finally met the officer that was supposed to handle my request, she told me to wait for her; and sit I did for two (2) good hours. While treating my request, she was busy chit-chatting till the officer that was supposed to finally sign my documents closed for the day and so I had no choice than to go back the next day to collect my documents when she could have attended to me promptly. Although I was affected by her inefficiency that particular day, but I can conclude from her lackadaisical approach to life that the reason she is still on the level of a ‘messenger’ is because she is not efficient even in her personal life. And so it is for many today. Since the result we get is a function of our input, majority fail in their endeavors because they are not efficient. I might not have been to other parts of the world, but I sure can talk authoritatively about my motherland and I bet it’s the same everywhere; I stand to be corrected.

Many people are busy doing nothing. It’s not how busy you are that counts, but what you are busy doing. Thus, the need for you to be efficient in all your undertakings cannot be overemphasized if you are to live a meaningful life. What is efficiency? How can you be efficient? What do you stand to gain by being efficient?

Efficiency, according to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary is, “the quality of doing something well with no waste of time or money OR the relationship between the amount of energy that goes into a machine or an engine, and the amount that it produces.” In my own words, as it relates to human beings, efficiency is the ability to maximize resources (time, skills, equipment, human resources etc.) to achieve set task(s) at the appropriate time. A way of ensuring that you get all tasks completed is by listing all set tasks (it could be on a sheet of paper, your phone, computer, or anywhere that’ll keep you abreast of what needs to be done within a specified timeframe) in the order of priority. That way, you won’t even have the time to engage in some unproductive pursuits because the time available will not even be enough for you to complete your set tasks. That way, you can work with precision while measuring your progress. That way, you can achieve what you want to achieve.

How much time do you use in chatting with friends and colleagues on non-related work issues during working hours when you could use the time productively? How often do you digress from doing the most important things by doing the unimportant things? If you want to achieve much in life, then you had better start mapping out goals, effectively plan your time, and then maximize your resources. Else, life might just hand you whatever it pleases.

Prayer has its place, but I tell you that hard work and efficiency also has theirs. Your desires are not far-fetched, but you will have to earn them; there’s no such thing as having something for nothing. Whether you waste away your time on some unworthy pursuits or you use it productively, time will still tick; time and tide, they say, waits for no man. So, it behooves you to use your resources judiciously so that you can achieve your goals in life.

Do more than exist, thrive!

LEARN TO SAY “NO”.

2008-02-08T07:44:00.000Z

I recall with nostalgia how I failed a particular course in my university days. It happened that a friend invited me to trip to a neighboring institution with him and I obliged even though I had an examination the next day in a course I was not grounded in. Even though I had a feeling that I should revise a particular topic, I didn’t because I couldn’t resist the trip. Unfortunately for me, that particular topic I failed to revise dominated the examination questions and so I got the straight “E” grade that I deserved in the examination. This experience and many others too private to mention that I’ve had, coupled with some other people’s nasty experiences that I’ve heard of, have proved to me beyond reasonable doubt that those that cannot say “NO” when they ought to might have a difficult time succeeding in this world of ours.

We are all susceptible to making wrong decisions. Even great men and religious leaders say “YES” at times when they ought to say “NO”. Personally, I’m still grappling with my choices in so much that I doubt if I have the locus standi to write on this subject. But still, the truth must be propagated so that the wise can be guided.

That majority cannot say “NO” when they ought to is one of the maladies of our world today: Many marriages have been broken because either one or both of the partners didn’t say “NO” to infidelity. Many restless youths have met their untimely deaths while some have been jailed because they couldn’t say “NO” to crime. Lots of business men and women have been duped because they could not resist some business opportunities. Many have been sacked from their jobs because they could not say “NO” when they ought to. A lot of teenage girls have been impregnated because they could not say “NO” to premarital sex. Many people are living with HIV/AIDS today because they couldn’t say “NO” to sex. Everywhere is full of “had I known” stories. But it doesn’t have to be so! Your weak flesh shouldn’t toss you wherever it wills. You don’t have to be your own enemy. You don’t have to watch helplessly while your decisions and actions ruin you. You have a say!

The ability to say “NO” in this world full of temptations is a virtue. Before embarking on any plan of action, always lay out your options and their consequences in relation to your goal(s). If your decision(s) or action(s) will adversely affect you, there is no point embarking on the suicidal mission(s). If you’ve embarked on some suicidal mission(s) already, it’s time to abort. Redefine your goals and vehemently resist the temptation(s) of taking the wrong step(s) that will take you off target.

The laws that govern our universe will not change because of you. That your decisions will affect your actions and your actions the outcome is absolute and eternal, so make a conscious effort to always make good decisions so that you can always create the desired outcome. To save yourself from regrets and to be successful, you’ve got to learn to say “NO” when you ought to. Always calculate, with precision, the end from the beginning before taking action so that you can fulfill your purpose in the land of the living. He that hath an ear, let him hear.

TO RECEIVE, ASK.

2008-01-31T08:04:00.000Z

While returning to the office on a hot afternoon with some colleagues, we drove past a young man who was trekking. Though he was sweating profusely, he didn’t ask for a ride when our car was approaching. On a second thought, I told the driver to reverse so that we could pick up the young man. Surprisingly, he walked past our car again. Not until we beckoned on him did he even come closer to the car. We then asked him to join us in the car since we were all heading in the same direction and so he did. He later told us that he was even going to our office to resolve some issues. When we got to the office, he was so full of thanks that I then had to ask him why he was slack in asking for a lift in the first place when he saw an opportunity to escape the scorching sun. As expected, he had no solid explanation to back up his lackadaisical attitude. It was at this point that I reasoned that one of the reasons why many fail in life is because they refuse to ask for help - majority fail in business, academics and in life generally because they refuse to ask for guidance. Many starve because they refuse to ask for assistance. Countless opportunities have been lost by many because they failed to ask for help at the appropriate time. The list is endless.

A closed mind never receives. We often miss out of the good things that could easily be obtained because we refuse to ask. We wait endlessly for miracles when all we might have to do is to just ask for the miracles to come to pass. I can’t however guarantee that you will get all the help you require by asking just once. Many a times, you might need to ask several times before you receive the desired. So, be determined. Learn from babies: even when they cannot yet talk, they still cry to protest - and they won’t stop crying till they get what they want. How much more you that can communicate! How often do you compromise your standard because you fail to ask? Why suffer in silence when succor beckons? Why live a frustrated life when help is available? Even though it’s not certain that you’ll receive help each time you ask, but at least asking increases the possibilities of receiving. So why not take the shot! I also agree that asking for help can be humiliating at times, but what do you do when you still need the help anyway? You ask. It doesn’t mean you have to be lazy though, you have to play your part before asking for help (remember that the universe is not structured to favor the indolent). Likewise, tact should be employed: you should know when to ask, how to ask, where to ask, and from whom to ask. Else, your requests and efforts might be in vain.

“If there’s something to gain and nothing to lose by asking, by all means ask” advised W. Clement Stone. Beloved, you’ll definitely need the help of others for one thing or the other and the only way you can get the required help is by asking because mortal men cannot see through your mind to ascertain whether you need help or not. For doors to open, you might have to voice out. So do not hesitate to ask for help whenever you need one. Come out of your shell before you die inside your shell. Swallow your pride before your pride swallows you.

Nothing is impossible; everything is doable. The help you require for that challenging situation has always been there, but for the asking; help is often available, but you might have to ask to receive. So key-in to the vast provisions available to make unprecedented progress in all areas of your life. Be expectant. Be receptive. Be proactive. Be ready. Be determined. Be successful.

YOU NEED GOOD FRIENDS.

2008-01-25T08:00:00.000Z

Since you are a social being, you cannot do without mingling with friends. Interestingly, who you mingle with will determine your reasoning, your reasoning will determine your actions, and your actions in turn will determine the results you get from life. Thus, your friends can be assets to you, while they can also be liabilities. Your friends can get you jobs, while they can also get you sacked. Your friends can help you inculcate good habits, while they can also introduce you to bad habits. Your friends can recommend you for a lifting, while they can also fish you out for destruction. Your friends can support you, while they can also demote you. Your friends can give you a new lease of life, while they can also kill you. Isn’t it just wise then that you choose only good friends to roll with? The answer is affirmative.

Sadly, good friends are rare to come by in times like these because selfishness is the order of the day. Who then is a good friend? A true friend, in Richard Exley’s words, “is one who hears and understands when you share your deepest feelings. He supports you when you are struggling; he corrects you, gently and with love, when you err; and he forgives you when you fail. A true friend prods you to personal growth, stretches you to your full potential. And most amazing of all, he celebrates your successes as if they were his own.” How many of your friends fit into that definition? Do a thorough assessment and be truthful to yourself. Since anyone that can’t increase you will decrease you, keeping bad friends is tantamount to wickedness to self. So purge them out! Let go of them before they ruin you! Flee from the bad ones! If however you’ve got some good ones, cultivate the relationships; hold on to them tightly, they’ll inevitably add to you. If you haven’t got some good ones, then it’s time to search for some; it’ll help - you can win with people.

It doesn’t matter the quantity of friends you have, it’s the quality that counts. So, reshuffle; discard the bad ones, keep only the good ones, even add more good ones. It is also worthy to note that the Law of Attraction comes to play here as you can only attract good friends to yourself only if you are one, so by all means make yourself one so that you can network your way to success.

Team up with great minds so that you can scale the utmost height. Soar with the eagles!

CARRY YOUR CROSS.

2008-01-18T07:24:00.000Z

While growing up, I literally looked unto some acquaintances of mine for help but was mostly disappointed with the way things turned out. In fact, not until when I started working did I forgive some of my relations and friends that I thought could have helped me up when I needed it most, but who didn’t. Now that some are looking up to me, in as much as I would have loved to, I can’t help as many as I wish because I also have issues to deal with - I have to think of my personal needs, my immediate family, plan for my future before I can now think of assisting others. My wants have remained insatiable while my resources are limited for now, and that limits my might. I’m even sure that I must have disappointed some loved ones that looked up to me for one help or the other at some point or the other too. I can now see why I didn’t get all the help I needed then. Should those that have let me down in the past be condemned? Or should I be condemned? Certainly not, everybody is just trying to make ends meet.

After series of experiences time and again during my few years of sojourn on earth, I have reasonably concluded that if anyone desires to succeed in this world of reality, such a person will have to personally carry his cross. Show me a man dependent on his fellow men, and I’ll show you a man that’ll soon be disappointed. Fellow, human beings will ever fail you, not because they are selfish, but because they are also limited to some degree. So resolve to face your challenges squarely. If help comes along the line, fair enough; grab it and be grateful. If not, there should still be no deterrent. Decide to breakthrough anyhow.

Your best hands are yours. Never resolve to waiting endlessly for help, the time and effort you put into pursuing and expecting help from others can be used creatively in proffering solutions to your set undertakings. And besides, some undertakings are not transferable, you have to do it yourself if you must get the desired result. So be ready to always carry your cross at all times. Stop trading blames; accept the responsibilities that are yours.

Now, pause to re-evaluate your situation and then re-strategize. There must be a way around your situation without you having to depend on others, so start thinking of solutions. I can’t promise you that it’ll be easy though, there’ll come a time when your strength will fail you. When it does, just hang in there; don’t give up! Whatever the situation may be, however hopeless the odds are, you can make it. It’ll call for careful planning, sacrifice and determination though, but it’s achievable.

Be it known to you that those you’re looking up to for help are also looking unto others for help, so avail yourself of disappointments. Close your eyes to those around you that you feel could help but are not helping; be prepared to go it all alone and you’ll be surprised at how providence will move to your aid. You can be independent and yet make waves. You can even outshine your contemporaries. You can achieve excellence without being a pest.

Heed the words of wisdom and prosper. Be reminded that you’ve only got but one shot at life, so it’s up to you to paint a masterpiece or a meaningless daub out of it. After all, it’s your life!

TO OBTAIN, SEEK.

2008-01-09T09:17:00.000Z

Our world is all-inclusive; Mother Nature has provision for all our needs. All that living things (plants, animals, human beings) needs to survive has been deposited in this same world of ours, all we have to do is to find it and use it – that simple! Is it water? Apart from rivers, streams, you can also find water below the surface of the earth. It even falls as rain. Is it food? We have numerous plants and animals that are edible. Is it herbs? Many plants are medicinal, even their roots are not useless. Is it energy? Crude oil, charcoal, to name a few, are always there for us to convert to suit our purpose. Is it shelter? Trees, limestone, sharp sand, rocks are always there for us to utilize to build for ourselves the shelter that we desire. No doubt, the Master Architect of the universe had envisioned all our needs and made provision for them all. As generous as nature is, it is however sad that many lack. I have reasonably concluded that one of the reasons why men lack is because they fail to tap from the vast provision; they fail to seek what they require. Thus, they dine and wine with poverty when all they require to flourish and lavish has been provided. What a pity!

A careful study of nature shows that our universe is not structured to favor the indolent; you have to seek to obtain. Food does not get to birds in their nests; they go out to find food. As tiny as ants are, they also search for their food. Even the king of the jungle does not enjoy the largesse of animals having to stroll into his den, he goes out to hunt! Yet, we wait for destiny to smile on us when all we need to do is to seek! Funny, isn’t it?

The secret of obtaining is seeking; it is omnipotent.

Good things sometimes elude us because we seek amiss; how you seek, when you seek, where you seek, and from whom you seek matters. Thus, it is important that you get your facts right before taking action. Can a fisherman find fish in the desert? Likewise, a trained petroleum engineer will be wasting his time in a desert; he needs to be where his services are needed before he can be gainfully employed. You can obtain whatever you want if you seek right. Do you want a change of job? Then, roll out your resume in numbers to establishments in need of your services. Do you need contracts? Send out proposals to all prospective clients; they need to know what you can offer. The list is endless. To get the desired result(s), you must do it the way it ought to be done.

It’s alright to manage while you’re working out a solution, but it’s a sin in a world of plenty to keep managing till the end of your days. So, do something! Take a step. Even if you have to seek greener pastures in another continent, do so! By all means, ensure you part ways with poverty. As we begin another year, it is imperative that you seek out your wants so that you can finish strong. You deserve nothing but the very best, so go for gold! Whatever you want can be yours if you seek for it; it might not come easily though, but it can be yours with effort and perseverance. Why settle for less then when all that you require can be obtained?

Universe’s heir, it’s time to exercise your rights; seek the fortune that you are entitled to. It’s time to possess your possessions! It’s time to prosper!

FORGIVENESS.

2007-12-29T10:12:00.000Z

Since we are social beings that cannot do without interacting, our interests are bound to conflict with other people’s interest once in a while and when it does, whether consciously or unconsciously, we hurt others - even those we love. In fact, I doubt if it is possible to live life without hurting someone. Since we are all susceptible to hurting others, it is important that we forgive people when they hurt us because we will also need others to forgive us too when we hurt them. Else, prospering in this world of ours will be difficult. No wonder why George Herbert concluded that “he who cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself.”

Truth be told, forgiving others is not an easy task especially when it hurts badly; you have to be strong to forgive. Be that as it may, shall we always severe our relationship with everyone that hurts us? Shall we obstruct the good we often might receive because of past hurts? Shall we hurt our health because of mere events or talks? Obviously, that will be the beginning of insanity!

Holding on to past hurt(s) clouds your reasoning - which invariably affects your decisions and your decisions in turn affect the results you get - which explains why unforgiving people are often stagnant. So learn to forgive others if you desire growth. Likewise, you should never resort to revenge in any situation because if you do, given that the law of sowing and reaping is true and absolute, others too will have revenge on you when you hurt them. Instead of having to carry the heavy baggage of past hurts, you can transfer the guilt to the offender by letting out the grievances and forgiving the fellow(s) concerned.

As we conclude another year, it is advisable that you forgive all those that have offended you no matter how grave the offence(s) might be so that you can usher in the New Year with peace of mind. With peace of mind, you will be able to think straight – and if you can think straight, your breakthrough is certain. With peace of mind, you will also enjoy good health which will give you the opportunity to achieve the desired increase because health, they say, is wealth. Most importantly, forgiving others will win you more allies who will assist you in achieving your goals.

Employ forgiveness as a tool to your advancement. Alleviate your situation, let go and let God.

BOOST YOUR SELF ESTEEM.

2007-12-21T09:19:00.000Z

Self esteem, according to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, is a feeling of being happy with your own character and abilities. You can’t possibly achieve much if you are not happy with yourself. Many fail in the battle of life because they believe they are not good enough for success. Most youths involve themselves in drugs because of low self esteem. The major reason behind suicides in our world today is as a result of low self esteem. Majority involve themselves in ludicrous habits as a result of low self esteem. The list is endless. As dangerous as the consequences of low self-esteem are, it is however sad that our schools’ curricula are filled with teachings on ethics but fails to teach Men how to boost their self esteem. What a sham!

Life is not without stress; never was, never will. You’ll always have issues to deal with and you’re definitely going to feel down once in a while, but you must be quick to get yourself up when you do. Always be conscious of who you are. No matter the situation, don’t ever forget your makeup: You are an amazing being full of intricate systems. Think of your magnificent body mechanism. Think of your tireless pumping machine called the heart that is responsible for pumping blood through your blood vessels. Think of the fluid of life called the blood that constantly flows through your vessels, delivering essential elements, and removing harmful wastes. Think of the paired organs in your chest called the lungs that perform respiration. Think of the most complex organ in your body called the brain that regulates virtually all your activities. More curiosity about your body and how it functions will definitely lead to understanding and respect for self. All the organs deposited in your body by the Creator could not have been put in place for show-off, they were deposited in you to give you the life needed to carry out your divine assignment. I say, and reiterate, that you are not an afterthought. You were made to redefine possibilities. You are unique. You have abilities yet untold. You can do whatever you set your mind to do. So, refuse to believe that you are good for nothing.

Whoever you are, however ugly you are, however fat you are, however short you are, however dumb you are, however broke you are, however deformed you are, whatever colour your skin may be, however hopeless the odds may be, I implore you to believe in yourself. If you’re alive as you read this, there’s hope. So, purge yourself of the limiting thoughts! Look yourself up in the mirror and assess your self. Whatever you see in the mirror is you and the earlier you accept it, the better for you. Beauty is skin deep, so don’t worry about your looks. What matters is that you are part of the Infinite and that your abilities are limitless. So, never, never, ever relinquish your dreams! Never give up on yourself. Since power comes from within, it is important that you recourse to your inner strength for solutions to your challenges. Look within and identify your endowments and then use them to the full to further your cause. You are not useless, there’s something special in you. You have something special to contribute to this world of ours. You are a torch bearer. You can change the course of history. You can beat circumstances to it.

According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.” So, enough of the cruelty to yourself! It’s time to regain your dignity. On your feet soldier! Draw your sword, and then launch an attack on the adversary called low self-esteem with all your might before it ruins you. Pursue, overtake, recover!

BE INFORMED.

2007-12-14T07:50:00.001Z

I once heard of an entrepreneur who veered into cat fish farming (with artificial plastic tanks) without being properly informed. He was made to believe that the dirtier the water, the better for the cat fish (whereas modern research has shown that constant changing of water helps because feed leftovers, excreta and ammonia from the water invites diseases and also slows down the growth of the fish) and so he didn’t change the water often. He also fed the fish with the wrong feed concentrate he was prescribed. To add to that, he overstocked the pond based on the information he got. Since the environment was not right for the fish, and the feed does not supply them with the nutrients which they require to flourish, majority of the fish died while the survivors didn’t grow up to the anticipated size. Hence, the venture culminated in loss. That’s what happens when one is misinformed or not informed at all.

We rob ourselves of success by being in the dark - good things elude us because we do not have the right information. If the methodology is not right, the output cannot be right. Wrong information in business, academics, or in any area of our lives will inevitably lead to failure – you can’t beat it! A sure way of escaping from failure is by being informed and acting on the information to further your cause. If you are rightly informed (if you know where to get what you want, how to get it, recognize it when you get it and maximize its utility), you will be able to achieve more. Thus, the right Information is very vital to the success of any endeavor because the input, to a large extent, determines the output.

How often do you search for information in the wrong place? How often do you act on information that has not been ascertained to be true? Don’t be deceived, if the information is not right, the output will definitely not be what it should be; failure is inevitable if the fundamentals are not right. Many feats we consider impossible are possible with the right information. To the fellow who wants to study abroad but does not have enough funds, do you know that tuition is totally free in Scandinavian countries? Find out. To the frustrated researcher who’s incapacitated by funds, do you know that many research grants go unclaimed every year? Find out. Do you know that you can source for about any information on the Internet to help with whatever project you embark on? Find out. The list is endless. Whatever you want, however you want it, wherever you want it, you can have it; all it takes is the right information. And the good news is that all the information you require is in the air, all you have to do is source for it in the appropriate place.

Ignorance limits; it even kills. Whereas, having the right information saves you a lot of time and stress, and then helps you to achieve the desired. As such, it is important that you get your facts right before venturing into anything. Whatever the vocation you’re in, whatever your location, the right information can catapult you into greatness. So, seek it. Secure it. Utilize it. Preserve it.

Information, they say, is power. Thus, it is important that you commit yourself to the sourcing of correct information from time to time so that you can always do the right thing so that you can always get the right result(s). Having the right information gives you the winning edge, so key-in into the vast information available to improve your lot. You can do the impossible. You can achieve your desires. You can even set the pace. You can excel.

Do more than exist, flourish!

THE LAW OF ATTRACTION.

2007-12-07T12:03:00.000Z

Have you ever wondered how ants locate sugar? Isn’t it funny that bees will always locate nectar no matter how remote the location of the flower might be? Ever fathomed how maggots get inside sealed tombs? How bizarre!

All of nature (all the plants, animals and things that exist in the universe that are not made by people according to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary) obeys the law of attraction. This law is true to the latter. It states that every action attracts a reaction. It is inescapable. The law can work for you or against you. It is eternal. However, as absolute as the law is, Man, unlike animals that can only adapt to their environment, can influence it to his advantage by altering his actions which in turn attracts the desired results. What a relief!

Whether you accept it or not, you are responsible for all the circumstances that befalls you. An indolent person will attract nothing but poverty, demotion and frustration while a hardworking person will attract increase, success and consequently fulfillment. This behooves us to critically assess our lives. Who are you? What do you attract...success or failure? What caliber of people do you pull to yourself? If you are a spinster and all your suitors are usually riff-raffs, then it’s time to check yourself; there must be something about you that attracts them! If all the jobs you’ve ever been offered have been odd all your life, then think again; there must be something about your personality that suggests to the employers that you’re only good for odd jobs! The list is endless. You are where you are today because you attracted the conditions and your tomorrow is also dependent on what you attract. Your work ethics, attitude, level of education, mindset, character, amongst other things, will inevitably attract success or failure to you. Isn’t it wise then that you control what you attract so that only the desired will come to pass? The answer is affirmative.

Since you are not exempt from the law of attraction, it is imperative that you use the law to your advantage. As complicated as nature is, you can manipulate it to suit your purpose; you can control the effect by altering the cause. You can get the best from life by attracting only the desired. You can attract abundance. You can recreate your world by consciously creating the causes. You can woo success.

It’s time for conquest, so take on your armour of resistance, and utilize your weapon of change; vehemently resist life from pushing you willy-nilly, dictate for it. Unlimited Man, it’s time to exhibit your limitless abilities. It’s time to dominate!

ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING.

2007-11-30T08:17:00.000Z

Here’s a story of two men who were stranded on an unidentified island after their ship capsized. One resigned to fate but the other saw the island as an opportunity to go wherever he chooses - North, South, East or West. As expected, the former died on the island while the latter sailed to the shore of a land flowing with milk and honey. Such is the power of attitude.

According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, “attitude is the way that you think and feel about somebody or something”. Your attitude towards somebody or something will inevitably affect the results you get because bad begets bad, while good begets good. Our attitude affects our vision, our vision affects our reactions, our reactions affect our actions and our actions affect the results we get; you can’t beat it. This explains why only the positive minded excel. Believe me, no situation ever defines the outcome, your attitude does. When you have the right attitude, when others see impending setbacks, you’ll see only opportunities. For instance, Thomas Edison at age 67 in 1914 lost his factory to fire. As he watched his lifetime effort go up in smoke, he was quoted to have said “... there is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burnt up. Thank God we can start anew.” What an attitude! In spite of the deadly blow he received, he still invented the phonograph three weeks later! What other evidence do you need that a right attitude works? Why fail when all you need is a change of attitude?

In Thomas Jefferson’s words, “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” Thus, I implore you to assess your attitude and be truthful to yourself. If your attitude needs to be changed, do not hesitate because a right attitude will inevitably increase you while a bad attitude will always decrease you. Since attitude comes from within, no one can help you make the necessary changes. So, pull yourself up by your bootstraps! No matter how gloomy the situation may be, be positive always. Whatever the challenges may be, you can surmount them if you change your attitude. Change your mindset - recondition yourself to see only the positive sides of every situation and see if providence won’t move in your favor. You bet.

You’ll have nobody but yourself to blame if after your sojourn on this earth you fail to achieve a meaningful goal. Your approach counts, so brainwash yourself. You can influence the outcome of any situation because you are at liberty to entertain the kind of thoughts you choose. You are also at liberty to decide how you feel about any situation, which gives you the advantage to influence the results you get from life. You can turn around your situation. You can win!

RETRACE YOUR STEPS.

2007-11-23T07:34:00.001Z

None is perfect, so no one can possibly go through life without making mistakes. Life itself is so full of temptations that derailing from the path of success is very easy. We’ll always have decisions to make and our decisions will often determine our actions and our actions in turn will determine the results we get from life. Since we are not infallible, we are bound to make wrong decisions at times. However, the crime is not in ever fumbling, the crime lies in not retracing one’s steps after making blunders. Most times, our destinies are not sealed after erring, we still have chances to retrace our steps and make corrections. Alas, majority do not retrace their steps after fumbling and in so doing they seal their fate. Whereas, should they have taken a conscious effort to retrace their steps, they would have had another opportunity to right the wrong(s). Therefore, the need for a constant re-evaluation of our lives and the retracing of our steps whenever we err cannot be overemphasized if we are to live a meaningful life.

No matter how terrible your mistakes in the past might be, you can still start afresh because you are alive. To the dismayed teenage mother… who says you cannot still succeed in life because you got pregnant in high school? To the drug addict… who says you cannot still live a normal life if you stay off drugs? To the prisoner…who says you cannot make impact even while in prison and after your release from the prison? Whatever the case, however peculiar and hopeless the odds might be, there’s still hope! You are not doomed yet, you can still retrace your steps. You can rise.

Where are you heading...towards ruin or success? Re-examine your life. Don’t be stuck on the wrong direction. Don’t recklessly pass through life when there is remedy. No matter how messy the situation might be, you can still bounce back, but for daring. Swallow your pride, identify your mistakes and refrain from repeating them, re-strategize, dedicate yourself to the newly-hatched goals, and then bring the desired into fruition. You can do it. Just like the automobile, you have been endowed with an engine that powers your being called the brain, eyes to discern with hands and legs as steering with which you can steer your future, and the heart with which you can will which acts like the gear that controls your acceleration through life. What is there to trounce you?

Victor, I charge you to slug it out with life to take back that which rightfully belongs to you. Success is your heritage, take it!

GRATITUDE UNLOCKS BARRIERS.

2007-11-16T07:53:00.000Z

Appreciation is to man what sacrifice is to the gods. It is in appreciation that more gets revealed. You can dissolve a fight with it. Appreciation even unlocks barriers. In Robert Heap’s words, “Appreciation may be called ‘human oil’. It lubricates the wheels of all human relationships. No one can do without it. We all need it and should give it to others in return.”

One of the reasons why some fail or retard their growth is because they have not fully acquainted themselves with an important science in living – expressing gratitude. Face it, there’s nothing anyone can do in this Universe that doesn’t involve people; from making purchases, to selling, name it. To get the best from people, you must understand and meet their deep needs – the craving to be appreciated. Everyone hungers for applause, thus it is imperative that anyone desirous of achieving more should learn how to accede to people’s demands – by way of appreciation.

Our wants are insatiable and we tend to focus more on the things we lack instead of appreciating what we have. And that creates barriers. The easiest way to have more is by appreciating what you have - the more you appreciate what you have, the more you get. Appreciate the Great Architect and Creator of the Universe (if not for anything, at least be thankful for the gift of life) for making you part of His grand design and see whether He won’t smile on you by granting unto you your heart’s desires. However poor your parents may be, appreciate them (remember, you couldn’t have possibly come to this world without them) and see whether the blessings that come with obedience of one’s parents won’t be yours. Appreciate your colleagues and see if they won’t go out of their way to support you. Appreciate everyone that helps you in one way or the other and see if they won’t go miles to further help. You bet!

Appreciation works wonders. According to Melody Beattie, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.” Despite the fact that human beings are proud and difficult by nature, people are still your best assets. Don’t be deceived, God will not come down physically to help you, He will still use people. Since you cannot do without people, it is only wise that you learn how to deal with them (by massaging their ego) to better your lot. Employ tact. Swallow your pride. I implore you to dish out words and deeds of appreciation generously so that doors will continually open for you. A word, they say, is enough for the wise.

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE!

2007-11-06T10:20:00.000Z

I’m certain that countless of to-be-inventions never saw the light of the day because the ideas got extinguished by inaction and negative thoughts; not that the Great Transmitter didn’t broadcast the ideas, just that the receivers failed to utilize that which was broadcasted. Really, millions of talented people had cheated this world of ours of their brilliance by dying without leaving anything behind for posterity. Even now, the world is flooded with brains who will never apply their talents till they inevitably join their ancestors. What a waste!

Truth be told, it’s not easy to make a difference – never was, never will. The world is so full of obstacles, temptations, challenges, uncertainties, pestilence, to name a few that attaining a great height can be said to be tough. However, the fact that few reached the zenith, despite having undergone the same harsh conditions, is a testimony to the fact that everyone desirous of greatness can ultimately reach it. If some can make it, everyone can! Thus, this is a wake up call for all and sundry: LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE!

Everyone has something to offer the world; irrespective of geographical location, height, race, disposition or sex. Don’t be pessimistic about your situation, always look for the bright side. If you are partially or totally blind, you still have a reason to the thankful because you will have little distractions. Some blind fellows like Stevie Wonder, Helen Keller, to name a few still made waves despite their predicament and so can you. Who says a disabled cannot be the president of a country? Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), often known as the Wheel Chair President, set the pace for all disabled when he was elected as the thirty-second (32nd) President of the United States of America! Elected to four terms in office, he served from 1933 to 1945, and is the only U.S. president to have served more than two terms. A central figure of the 20th century during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war, he has consistently been ranked as one of the three greatest U.S. presidents in scholarly surveys. FDR’s successful leadership proves for all time that it's ability, not disability, that counts. The list of men and women who lived exemplary lives, despite overwhelming limitations, is endless. You have no excuse, what are you waiting for?

Isn’t it amazing that the same number of hours available in a day to the world’s richest is the same available to the world’s poorest? Yet, the former lives in abundance while the latter in abject poverty. What makes the difference is what each man does with his time; the thoughts that each man thinks, and the steps each man takes to actualize his thoughts. Concentrate on the target - give it all it takes and you are sure to win – that’s the recipe that makes miracles possible! You can rise above any limitation. You too can change the course of history, if you so desire. The results won’t come on a platter of gold though, but through hard work, concentration and perseverance.

You have been endowed for exploits. Don’t disappoint the Creator and the created, let your light shine. Identify the area of your calling and then harness the powers of your intellect towards the attainment of some worthy goal(s). To-be champ, I charge you to arouse your creative powers; rekindle the fire in you! Redefine possibilities! Unleash your potentials!

THE LAW OF SOWING AND REAPING.

2007-10-26T08:40:00.000+01:00

One of the compensations of life is that we can partake in the molding of our future. Day by day, season by season, we are given the opportunity to invest in our future. Alas, few key-in to this provision which explains why majority feed from hand to mouth.

That we reap what we sow is an undeniable, universal law put in place by Mother Nature to reward the diligent or curse the indolent as the case may be. Nature is even so kind that, more often than naught, the output is often in geometric progression to the seed sown. Isn’t life beautiful?

However, the law doesn’t work in vacuum; there can’t be an increase if no seed is sown. It doesn’t matter how little you can sow at any given time, what matters is that you sow. I’m yet to come across a man that doesn’t want to be comfortable, but not all men will succeed in the quest for comfort because only few can make the required sacrifice(s). Millionaires worthy of the name understand and employ the law of sowing and reaping to their advantage which explains why they succeed where others fail. Even if you inherit wealth, without constant sowing, the wealth will diminish. This law also applies to our dealings with our fellow men - no deed goes unrewarded as our actions attract the corresponding reward(s). Thus, it’s advisable that you refrain from sowing into other people’s lives anything you cannot pray to reap because you will inevitably reap whatever you sow.

Care must however be taken so as not to sow in vain. You should plant right because a seed yields its kind (You cannot plant cassava and expect to harvest legume; it contradicts the law of sowing and reaping). Also, there’s time apportioned for sowing and reaping respectively (Sowing during the wrong season could be tantamount to not sowing at all). Be informed, watch what you sow.

The little details we often overlook matters. Can you distinguish between an asset and a liability? How much of your earnings do you set aside as savings? Do you invest? Don’t be deceived, there is no exception to the law of sowing and reaping - if you sow bountifully, you will reap bountifully. And if you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly.

Beloved, some things can wait! Deny yourself of some luxuries now so that you can secure a glorious future. The future is now, make hay while the sun shines.

THE IRONY OF LIFE.

2007-10-19T10:10:00.000+01:00

Sometimes I question existence. I ask myself…. Why does the world exist? Why were some born into the world blind? Why will anyone be plagued with leprosy? Why do some have to be crowned kings right from their mother’s womb when some will lack till the end of their days? Why is the world flooded with pestilence? Why do we have a sizeable portion of the world’s population living below poverty level when the world is lavish in nature? Why were some born into aristocratic families while some were born by paupers? Why can’t we choose our parents? Why can’t we be given the chance to at least choose the country into which we are born? Why must our sexes be forced on us? What’s the reason for existence when Man’s sojourn on earth is but temporary? Why do we have to toil to achieve only to leave everything behind?

If I have to be pessimistic, I’ll say that life stinks. But then I remind myself that as unfair as life can be, the world cannot still be said to be a fluke; the Architect of the Universe programmed everything to work for our good. Imagine how rowdy the world would have been but for death which keeps our population in check (Believe me, life would have lost its meaning if there are no exits and entries into the world.) Won’t nature be cruel if we have carnivores but no flesh for them to eat? (It’s bad news for antelopes and other helpless games in the forest, but it’s good news for a carnivore like the lion.) The rainy season can be inconvenient at times, but won’t the world starve without it?

Events will always occur. There are some laws that govern our Universe and there’s nothing anyone can do about them, they are as constant as the Northern Star. No one can stop the sun from shinning nor stop the moon from doing what it was programmed to do by the Creator. Instead of whining, you should align yourself with the precepts that control the Universe and harness its forces to your advantage. Even Aristotle commented that “the ideal person bears the accidents of life with dignity and grace, making the best of circumstances.”

We might not be able to do anything about the length of our lives, but we sure can do something about how we live it. Though dead, history remembers some today because they triumphed in the art of living despite all odds. People like Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Obafemi Awolowo, Martin Luther King Jr., Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, Mother Theresa to mention a few have long decomposed, yet they live because we still celebrate them and history will always reckon with them. No wonder why Henry Longfellow summarized that:

“Lives of great men all remind us;
That we can make our lives sublime;
And departing leaves behinds us;
Footprints on the sand of time.”

Life is full of battles and you can either be a victor or a victim. If you’re dogged, irrespective of your circumstance(s), you can live a meaningful life. If you fight the good fight, you won’t die unimportant, but great. Though death is sure, you can still cheat it by leaving your footprints on the sand of time.

Have you ever pondered on what will be written on your epitaph when you die? Will posterity curse you or extol you? Think again. Face it, nature won’t compromise its laws for your sake, you have to defy circumstances if you must live a meaningful life. Therefore, I charge you to redefine your goals and strategies so that you can take your place amongst the world’s greatest achievers.

Immortality is yours, take it!

RULE YOUR EMOTIONS.

2007-10-11T15:17:00.000+01:00

No man is an island; man cannot do without socializing. In the course of socializing, events occur. It is man’s nature to react to events by acting, thus circumstances will always crop up that will warrant man to deal with his emotions. How many times have you said something that you wished you had not said? How many times have you acted on impulse that you wished you had not? What is emotion? Can it affect productivity? Can it ruin? Everybody ought to know!

According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, “emotion is a strong feeling such as love, fear, or anger: the part of a person’s character that consists of feelings”. Since blood runs in our veins, everyone has the propensity to be emotional; no one is exempted. More often than naught, we allow our emotions to rule us thereby acting irrationally. Our irrational action(s) in turn gives us bitter product(s). Shall we then give in to emotions at our expense? Shall we consciously fall into an abysmal pit with our eyes open?

Emotions can put you in trouble. It can even ruin you, but for control. Without exaggerating, the ability to control emotions will separate the strong from the weak, the winners from the losers. According to Bruce Lee, “Emotion can be the enemy; if you give in to your emotion, you lose yourself. You must be at one with your emotion, because the body always follows the mind.”

There’s nothing cool in you loosing control over any issue. Vehemently resist the urge whenever nature calls, don’t let emotions cloud your reasoning so much that it’ll affect your decision(s) and action(s) thereby sealing your destiny. Tackle nature, rule your emotions!

CHANGE OR WASTE.

2007-10-05T09:23:00.001+01:00

The cosmos is so complex that even our disposition can affect our destiny. Everybody’s looking for something. Alas, not everyone will get the desired. Unlike in Physics, like terms attract in the real world. Life compensates us in accordance to what we attract; what we deserve. Some will succeed with ease, while failure will inevitably be the portion of some. You may ask...why the inequality? Why not! Action and reaction, they say, are equal and opposite! Have you ever seen anyone reap banana when he planted maize? Impossible; it contradicts the law of sowing and reaping! You can’t simply be threading on the wrong path and then expect that grace will abound. There are principles that work, and there are some that doesn’t. To attract the desired, you must be in tune with the desirable.

According to John C. Maxwell, “You cannot have growth without change.” If you want a different result from life, change is inevitable. Be truthful to yourself; critically examine yourself, and sincerely make the necessary amendments required. Whoever you are, wherever you live, whatever the situation may be, I have hope for you…

To the frustrated spinster who needs a fiancé, look no further: You don’t need to do some cosmetic surgery or wear the most expensive jewelry before you attract the right spouse, all you need to do is to be the right person. Face it, a potential king is looking out for a potential queen and not some liability! Change your attitude; your approach to life. Drop habits that are not in your interests. Develop yourself to the full and see if great blokes won’t come seeking for your hand in marriage. You bet!

To the frustrated job seeker, have you ever considered what employers are looking for? What kind of job do you want? Do you have the right mindset for the desired job? Have you got the required skills and temperament? What can a potential employer assume from conversing with you in just ten (10) minutes? All these demand reckoning.

To the success-starved, have you ever considered changing course? A change of career could be all you need and not some deliverance! Are you sure you’re gifted for the vocation you’re in? Look within and identify your talents and then express them.

To the down-trodden…is it that you’re due for promotion but you’re always skipped? Have you ever asked yourself why others get promoted? Do you have the requisite skills and charisma for the coveted position? Or is it that you don’t get to win the juicy contracts? Think, there must be something you’re getting wrong. Study the trend and change your methodology accordingly.

The need for change traverses through every situation; there are no exceptions. Why drown when you can swim? Why waste when you can succeed? Wake up from your slumber; make a u-turn for the good. Don’t retard your growth, right the wrongs. Partner with destiny by contributing your quota.

Think success? Think change.

CONQUER SELF.

2007-09-28T08:19:00.000+01:00

We all have issues that we deal with in our individual lives. Habits creep into our world without us noticing till they become addiction and they irrefutably affect our being; adversely or positively. Bad habits (addiction to drugs, alcohol, cigarette, the pursuit of women, to name a few) can deter your dreams, affect your finances, affect your health, and even reduce your lifespan. Even if you attain greatness, bad habits can bring you down. Good habits on the other hand will add to you, improve your efficiency and will even catapult you to greatness. Hence, it is imperative that we take on only good habits if we must triumph in this adventure called life. Unfortunately, our physical frame is susceptible to wrongdoing. Thus, it’s evident that the greatest enemy anyone can have is self. How can we then possibly win the battle against self?

Isn’t it amazing that many are still trapped despite the fact that the wages of bad habits are well known? That’s the power of habit in action! To win the battle against self, everyone needs to constantly place self in check. It’s not a one-time battle; it’s a continuous battle until we bid the world goodbye. It calls for self denial. It calls for sacrifice. Really, the task is Herculean, but it must be undertaken if you want your existence to be meaningful.

When last did you do a self appraisal? Do you know yourself? Are you addicted to some habits? Are they good or bad? Are your habits threatening your dreams? Will they take you closer to your dreams or lead you to your grave? Who’s in charge of your life: you or your habits? Examine your life. If you’re headed in the wrong direction, make a conscious effort to break yourself loose from the shackles of bad habits. If you’re stuck, get professional help. Even seek spiritual help if you must. At any rate, set yourself free!

You cannot achieve much in life if you allow self to rule you. In J. Paul Getty’s words, “The individual who wants to reach the top in business must appreciate the might of the force of habit – and must understand that practices are what create habits. He must be quick to break those habits that can break him – and hasten to adopt those practices that will become the habits that help him achieve the success he desires.” The longer you indulge yourself in destructive habits, the more difficult it’ll be to break them. Conquer self. In your own interest, break those bad habits now; break it completely before it ruins you. Remember, “A stitch in time saves nine.”

DIALOGUE WORKS.

2007-09-21T11:04:00.000+01:00

Man is a social being; he cannot do without interacting with his fellows. In the course of his daily interactions, because of each man’s uniqueness, disputes are inevitable. These disputes can either make him, or mar his destiny. Call it an exaggeration, but see what I mean…

Many countries have fallen apart and gone to war because they could not settle their differences amicably and as a result countless of destinies have been ruined - many killed, many maimed, and economies disrupted. Most people find themselves in trouble today because of their inability to make peace; many have been killed or imprisoned because they could not control their temper to deal with situations. Many destinies have gone downhill because the owners opted for violence instead of dialogue. Without being cynical, the world is doomed without dialogue.

From eternity to eternity, disputes will always arise. Since disputes will always arise, resolution should first come to mind each time it does without selfishness or prejudice. Even a one-time war General, Ulysses S. Grant, declared that “There never was a time, in my opinion, some way could not be found to prevent the drawing of a sword.” Much of the trouble we find ourselves today could have been avoided if we had embraced dialogue. Fellows, no matter the complexity of any issue, you need not go to war or even have a brawl; there’s no issue that can’t be resolved.

Avoidance is always better than confrontation. Dialogue pays; it saves you a lot of time and stress. According to Mahatma Gandhi “Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.” You don’t have to win all the time, you can negotiate. It doesn’t necessarily mean compromising your values, it’s creating a win-win situation where both parties meet in the middle to find a common ground.

If you want peace to reign in your life, you must apply wisdom in all your dealings. Improve your lot, embrace dialogue.

GO INTO THE HIGH COUNTRY OF THE MIND.

2007-09-14T12:13:00.000+01:00

One of the major problems militating against the destinies of many today is their closed minds. How far you can see determines how far you will go, yet majority cannot see the big picture not to even talk of fathoming how to get there. Instead of simply playing their parts, they blame circumstances for their woes. The fact remains that a man's altitude is a function of how best he thinks. Verily I say unto you, to usher in a new life, you need to go into the high country of the mind.

Our universe is so intricate in its operations. Our thoughts induce our actions and our actions produce results. Many lack today because their minds are enslaved. Many unconsciously retard their growth as a result of their low expectations from life. Believe me, the cart would have still been the fastest means of transportation if the other means of transportation were not thought of. Barbers would have still been stuck with manual clippers if the idea of having clippers that work with electricity were not thought of. We would have still been stuck with the traditional snail mail but for the advent of Electronic Mail. All what it takes is a man that can see things in a different perspective, and to see things in a different perspective, you must go into the high country of the mind!

You'll agree with me that it sucks for one to crawl when he has the capacity to soar! If you're conscious of who you are, you won't take whatever life brings your way. Knowing your potentials and where you are heading gives you the nerve to thrust into heights unimagined. No wonder why Leonardo Da Vinci said that "If you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you'll long to return." If you've ever taken a trip into the high country of the mind, you won't ever consent to creep!

What do you want from life? Have you painted the big picture in your mind? Do you have the desire to join the caucus of successful people and you seem not to be getting closer to your dreams? Don't despair, irrespective of your sex, age, and location, your desires are still attainable, but you must go into the high country of the mind!

Don't settle for an average life when you can reach the summit! Take the trip! Emancipate yourself from mediocrity, soar with the eagles!

REAL SUCCESS DEFINED.

2007-09-06T08:14:00.000+01:00

Success is relative; it means different things to different people. To majority, it means achieving financial independence. To some, having a happy home is considered to be success. Attaining old age is considered to be success by some. Be that as it may, real success can still be defined.

Everyone has an inevitable end – death. No matter how successful a man can be in his lifetime, irrespective of the definition of success, he cannot take anything with him to the grave. What good is it then if a man succeeds in life only to leave everything behind?

I totally agree with the definition of success by Ralph Waldo Emerson, I quote "To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

What are your dreams and aspirations? Does it have provision for the edification of another man? Are you living outside yourself? Do you invest in people? What would be said of you when you leave this world? All these demand reckoning.

True success is not reserved for the few, it's everyone's birthright but for the taking. Whoever you are, whatever you do, wherever you live, you can choose to succeed. Decide to make a difference, live forever!

STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS.

2007-08-31T09:32:00.000+01:00

The world runs in a cycle. When some are being born into the world, some will be exiting. When some are in their youth, some will be in their old age. This invariably presents a wonderful opportunity for the younger ones to learn from those that have succeeded in life; a chance to consolidate on the achievements of pioneers to make much more giant strides. Beloved, attaining great heights in life will be a lot easier if you learn from those that have triumphed.

The world has witnessed many great inventions, but none of these inventions came in isolation; inventions are often interdependent. For instance, the inventor of the Internet didn't have to produce any other wonder machine like computer, all he had to do to make a difference was to make computers inter-connect! Similarly, manufacturers of electrical appliances do not worry themselves about finding a substitute for electricity, they just go ahead to make appliances that use electricity! Consolidating certainly yields faster results.

"If I can see farther than others, it is because I stand on the shoulders of giants." said Isaac Newton. If such a great scientist could confess that he still had to stand on the shoulders of some giants, how much more you! You don't necessarily have to start from the scratch to make a meaningful impact in this world, you can ride on the wings of gurus!

What do you desire? Is there an earlier discovery that can help you further your cause? Do you need to undergo the tutelage of a mentor? Save yourself a lot of stress and time, look around you and identify where to plug-in to fully utilize your potentials. Be informed. Think deeply. Apply the knowledge. Achieve!!!

DRIFTERS TO NOWHERE.

2007-08-24T13:54:00.000+01:00

Imagine that a ship set out for a defined destination drifts from its route on the sea. Chances are that the ship might never get to its destination, and even if it does, it would take more time and more circumnavigation. Similarly, Man’s chances of succeeding in life might be slim if he keeps drifting.

Life is full of tempting choices. Our choice(s) determines our action(s) and our action(s) determines the result(s) we get from life. Many potential world changers have derailed from the path of success because they could not concentrate on their target. Without mincing words, drifters may never taste the sublime gratification of success.

What are your aspirations? Are you on the right path to their attainments? Do you have the fortitude to stick to your cause in stormy situations? Should provision be made for a detour? All these demand reckoning. However, wisdom should be applied. If it’s not working, and it’s apparent that it cannot work, changing course might be the best plan. Don’t be stuck in the wrong direction.

Life is a journey. Before you embark on life’s journey, it is imperative that you define your destination. It is also wise that you investigate the best route to get to your destination. Once the route is ascertained, it will be best to follow the route without drifting. Make pact with destiny - Think big. Plan right. Be focused. Be committed. Be consistent.

Spread your wings, it’s time to fly!

TRIALS MAKETH A MAN.

2007-08-17T08:32:00.000+01:00

Crude oil in its raw form is not usable; it has to be refined before it becomes useful. When refined, petrol, kerosene, diesel, gas, bitumen and other by-products are produced. Similarly, gold, diamond and other minerals in their crude form does not appear brilliant, they all have to be refined before their beauty is revealed.

In the same vein, Man in his natural form is crude; he has to be refined before he can function at his maximum capacity. One of the ways the Creator refines Man is through trials. Unfortunately, people do not want to endure trials, thus they remain crude – unprocessed and underdeveloped. Great men are often those that have been refined by trials over and over. Even Confucius commented that "the gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials".

You will only be free from trials when you’re six (6) feet below the surface of the earth, so perish the thought that you’re going to have it rosy all the way. Instead of avoiding trials, endure it because the trial(s) will leave you stronger, brilliant, and better. No matter what you’re going through, keep your head up high. Stay focused, the trial(s) will pass. Don’t cower when trials come, combat. You can win!

OPPORTUNITIES.

2007-08-10T09:15:00.000+01:00

Even in war torn zones, opportunities still abound. There are opportunities everywhere, but only few see them. Out of the few that see them, only a fraction utilizes them. Yet, the world keeps complaining that the world is not fair. Whereas the sun has never failed to rise nor set at its appointed time, seasons have never seized, rain does not discriminate where it pours, all men still have the same number of brain cells and the number of hours available in a day to all men irrespective of their race is still uniform. What else does insatiable Man want from the world?

Life is an adventure; it unfolds stage by stage. As each stage unfolds, so does opportunities. Unfortunately, these opportunities are often masked; it takes an individual with a third eye to identify them. No wonder why Thomas Edison said that ‘opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work’. The need to fully utilize opportunities cannot be overemphasized as this ability will contribute to one’s level of success in life. Thus, it is imperative that everyone seize the period of time when the circumstances are right for doing something(s).

You don’t need all the opportunities in this world to make a difference in life, all you need might just be a single opportunity. Be vigilant and act when it’s time because, according to Sir Winston Churchill, “there comes a special moment in everyone’s life, a moment for which that person was born. That special opportunity, when he seizes it will fulfill his mission – a mission for which he is uniquely qualified. In that moment, he finds greatness. It is his finest hour”. Don’t miss that special opportunity, it might just come but once.

However, it is worthy to note that not all opportunities are meant to be utilized. If you take all opportunities that come your way, chances are that you might be taken off your course. Be guided; only seize opportunities that are part of the master plan for your life. Whenever an opportunity presents itself, analyze the pros and cons before taking a decision. Remember, not all that glitters is gold.

Count your blessings; it’s still a beautiful world even with all its sham and drudgery. Stop running from coast to coast in search of opportunities, look around you and identify some. You can even make opportunities out of calamities if you have the right mindset. If there are none where you are, create some. Don’t just sit back and let life happen to you, play your part. Rule your world!

RISKS.

2007-07-27T08:14:00.000+01:00

There’s nothing worth doing in this world that does not involve any form of risk(s). Many have slipped and died in their bathrooms while taking their baths but that does not mean we would stop having our baths. Many have died of auto accidents in the process of finding their daily bread but that is not an excuse for remaining indoors. That people die in their sleep is no news but we must sleep. Many businessmen have gone bankrupt because they wanted to enlarge their estates. Many have lost their lives as a result of failed surgical operations. Many scientists have lost their lives in some laudable exploits. Countless number of individuals have lost so much money to credit cards/ATM cards fraudsters but that does not negate the fact that the cards makes life easier. Shall we then remain stagnant for the fear of the unknown without taking a conscious effort to better our lot? Shall we shrink without putting up a fight? Certainly not a wise thing to do.

Consciously or unconsciously, we all take one form of risk or the other in the course of fulfilling our daily obligation(s). Life is all about risks. Unfortunately, many cower when they realize they have to take a risk to proceed to the next level and as such they limit themselves. Without gainsay, the ability to take calculated risk(s), amongst other things, will determine the level of success an individual will attain in life.

Our splendid universe is always partial to the bold. As unfair as life can be, a destiny can still be enhanced by a single act of boldness. Amazing things happen when one decides to leave his comfort zone. You loose all the probability of winning if you do not take a risk when an opportunity presents itself. Dare to take a risk. “Great enterprises are only achieved by adventurous spirits. They who calculate with too great nicety every difficulty and obstacle which is likely to lie in their way, lose that time in hesitation, which the more daring seize and render available to the loftiest purposes.” said Jean De la Fontaine.

Care should however be taken not to take foolish risks, the risk(s) must be carefully calculated putting into consideration the worst scenario in mind should the plan fail. Face it, some mountains cannot be easily climbed, but you can certainly maneuver your way around them. Be flexible. Analyze properly and think through. Look before you leap.

Stagnation, frustration, and mediocrity are often the portion of those that do not take risks. Are you tired of your status? Do you need an enlargement of coast? Then, it’s time to take a risk! How can you ever discover new islands if you don’t have the courage to lose sight of the shore? Go on a journey via uncharted route. Take a gargantuan step. Say ‘yes’ to progression, break the jinx!

EVERY SECOND COUNTS.

2007-07-19T08:56:00.000+01:00

The same number of seconds is available to all men in a day but what each man does with his time varies. Give ten (10) individuals the same talents, put them in the same environment, and give them time. Check after the test period and you’ll be shocked that their level of success will differ. Since the output in life is determined mostly by our input, the ability to manage time effectively will, to a large extent, contribute to the level of success we will achieve in life.

It is no news that every day is blessed with twenty-four (24) hours, and every hour with sixty (60) minutes and every minute with sixty (60) seconds; and this cycle runs day in, day out, year in, year out. In an average lifetime, say seventy (70) years, we have 2,207,520,000 seconds (60 seconds x 60 minutes x 24 hours x 365 days x 70 years). In our daily living, it’s very easy to waste time on silly things without even realizing it. Think of the time you spend sleeping in a day, deduct it from the available seconds and recalculate. Think of the time you spend watching films, deduct it from the available seconds and recalculate. Think of the time you spend in the beer parlor, deduct it from the available seconds and recalculate. Think of the time you spend in the pursuit of women, deduct it from the available seconds and recalculate. Think of the time you spend on other unproductive pursuits, deduct it from the available seconds and recalculate. If you do a thorough analysis, and you’re truthful to yourself, you’ll be shocked of the number of seconds left for you to do something worthwhile in this world. Alas, not everyone will even live as long as seventy years of age before their inevitable end, so that practically reduces the chances of having 2,207,520,000 seconds to live! Even if you’re prudent with every second, the 24 hours available in a day may not even be enough to do all what you have to do; which leaves no time to be spent on some useless pursuits. Unfortunately, many men still recklessly spend their time on irrelevancies.

“Space we can recover, time never” remarked Napoleon Bonaparte. Once it ticks, time is irrecoverable. Don’t let your daily routine(s) ruin you, make every second count! Be the custodian of your life by determining how you spend your time. Drop some habits and add some. Be honest, are you investing your time on worthwhile pursuits? Will your present engagement(s) lead you to a glorious end? Re-evaluate your life and re-strategize.

There should be more to life than living and dying. Decide to make a difference. Don’t just pass through life unnoticed and uncelebrated, strive to leave indelible footprints on the sand of time. Your future is what you make of every passing second, don’t take it with levity. Use to the full every moment; constructively, intelligently, nobly.

Death is inevitable; it will come when it will come. If death comes knocking, are you going to die smiling (with the satisfaction that you’ve fought the good fight)? Or are you going to die with regrets (with the consciousness that you could have achieved more if you had lived a different lifestyle)? Time will tell.

SYNERGY TO THE RESCUE.

2007-07-12T08:45:00.000+01:00

No matter how gifted you are, you cannot possibly succeed without the help of others. Imagine what it would be like if you have to solely make your cloths, solely plant your food, solely build your house, solely fix your car, solely provide electricity for your household, solely manufacture your shoe, solely make your furniture, to name a few. If you have to do it all alone, I kid you not, your lifespan will be reduced even if you’re a super human! Since we cannot possibly do everything all by ourselves, how then can we achieve more while conserving energy? How can others come in handy to further our cause? Synergy is to the rescue.

Though we might not have taken cognizance of it, but the fact remains that in the course of achieving a task worthy of the name, we often synergize in one way or the other. Even the creator knows the importance of synergy, no wonder why He made two hands (comprising of an average of 5 fingers each), two ears, two eyes, two legs (comprising of an average of 5 toes each), two eyes, two lungs, two breasts (in the case of women for breastfeeding), two kidneys, to name a few to help and complement each other. In entirety, man himself can be said to be a product of synergy; the fusion of sperm and ovum.

I have come to a reasonable conclusion that selfishness and pride are the reasons why majority want to go it all alone; asking for help hurts their ego and they always want to take all the glory! It will interest you to know that you can achieve so much more in so little time if you accept the fact that you cannot possibly be skilled in all areas and if it doesn’t matter who takes the credit. A writer might not be able to design graphics, he may not even know the basics of printing, yet he can have his book in fine prints if he synergizes with a good graphics artist and printer. Truly, it’s a lot easier working as a team than slugging-it-out individually; it saves time, energy, and most importantly it brings better results.

As limitless as man’s abilities are, he’s still not all-inclusive. A social being by making, man needs the help of others to thrive. No wonder why John Maxwell remarked that “One is too small a number to achieve greatness.” It behooves us to swallow our pride and embrace synergy so we can achieve more. Be wise: don’t work harder, work smarter.

PLANNING.

2007-07-05T09:47:00.000+01:00

There’s nothing worth pursuing in this world that does not need careful planning. From space adventure to building an edifice, to name a few, every task worthy of the name needs careful planning. I’m yet to come across a man who does not want to prosper. Alas, not all men will succeed in life. Call me a prophet of doom, but see what I mean…

Let’s look at the erection of a building, as it should be, together. Before a block is ever laid on a site, a surveyor does the survey of the land. Afterwards, based on the intention of the owner and upon consultations with an architect, the architect comes up with a plan for the house. Not until after the plan is finished can construction commence on the site as even the digging for the foundation requires consultations with the plan. From a detailed plan of a building, you can tell where the toilet will be on the site without seeing two blocks on each other. Simply put, the plan guides the erection of the building from the foundation to the finishing. Imagine there’s no plan to work with, though the house may be built anyway, but it won’t be what it should be if it was properly planned. As it is for the erection of a building, so it is in our individual lives. If you fail to plan ahead, you might forever be at the mercy of the future; life will toss you wherever it wills. However, having a plan for your life gives you the opportunity to take charge of your life. Thus, it is imperative for those that desire to thrive to have an effective plan for the future.

The axiom “If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail” cannot be truer. The universe was not structured to favour the frivolous. From time immemorial, human wants has always been insatiable and the resources for satisfying them has always been limited which brings about the need for effective planning. To wrest the best from life, you must learn how to plan your resources; time, money, name it. Some things can wait till your dreams and aspirations come to fruition! You must learn to say ‘no’ to some luxuries for the sake of your future. No matter how little you earn, learn to save or invest to fund your plan. Learn to always distinguish between an asset and a liability. Be wise enough to secure your future.

In as much as you should carefully plan your steps ahead, care should however be taken not to be too resolute. You must know when to strike a balance; when to act on instinct when an opportunity presents itself. As Robert Greene advised “your plan must include alternatives and have a degree of flexibility. If you are locked into a plan too rigidly, you will be unable to deal with sudden shifts of fortune.”

If you don’t take charge of your life, who will? Take a break to reflect on your life. Are you satisfied with where you are? Where are you going from where you are presently? What do you desire from life? Are your dreams attainable? What plans do you have of achieving your dreams? Are you prepared to pay the price? Are you committed to follow through if checkered by failure? All these demand reckoning.

Whatever your situation may be, however tight your schedule may be, however little your pay may be, however hopeless the odds are, I have good news for you: it’s not over yet! That higher ground you covet so much is still attainable, but you must accept responsibility. Stop living a lie. Fix a goal, devise a plan and follow through. Challenge fate to it; redefine your destiny!

I conclude with the words of Robert Greene, I quote “The ending is everything. Plan all the way to it, taking into account all the possible consequences, obstacles, and twists of fortune that might reverse your hard work and give the glory to others. By planning to the end you will not be overwhelmed by circumstances and you will know when to stop. Gently guide fortune and help determine the future by thinking far ahead.”

THE SUPERNATURAL.

2007-06-28T12:06:00.000+01:00

If you probably think that this universe (the whole of space and everything in it, including the earth, the planets and the stars) of ours just came into existence, then you should think again. There are mysteries in this world and it will be a huge joke that all things came into being as explained by scientists through the Big Bang Theory (an idea which states that everything around us was once condensed in a state of massive density and temperature. As space expands, so does our universe. Over the course of billions of years, the planets and galaxies we know of and the ones we don’t have been slowly moving outward). I believe that the universe was created and controlled by the supernatural because the complex processes of nature cannot be comprehended by any mortal. Call me a religious fanatic, but see what I mean…

It cannot be a coincidence that the human brain contains some one hundred billion neurons which are capable of electrical and chemical communication with tens of thousands of other nerve cells. It cannot be a coincidence that there are more than one hundred billion galaxies (the system of stars that contains our sun and its planets, seen as a bright band in the night sky) in our universe. It cannot be a coincidence that the human heart beats more than two and a half billion times in an average lifetime without ever pausing to rest. That we have seasons and that they have never ceased cannot be an accident.

Now let’s narrow it down to the sun. What can we ever do without the star called sun? The movement of the earth around the sun is responsible for day and night. Water is indispensable but even the water cycle cannot be complete without the help of the sun. We cannot even feed without the sun as plants get their food through photosynthesis (the process by which green plants turn carbon dioxide and water into food using energy from sunlight). Sunlight is now used to generate solar energy. Sun is also universally used as a drying agent. The innumerable uses of the sun cannot all be mentioned. And yet the sun cannot be said to be a happenstance; an amazing architect must have intelligently put it in place.

Face it, the existence of the universe is too complicated for the Big Bang Theory. I need no soothsayer to conclude that someone must have orchestrated the universe; it has to be God! Call him the Absentee Landlord. Call Him the Supreme Being. Call Him the Sun God if you wish. Call Him Allah if it pleases you. I call Him Jehovah; the God of Abraham. There is no searching of His understanding. He is the Rose of Sharon, the Lion of Judah, the Lord of Lords, and the Prince of Peace. My God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He is the pillar that holds my life. He’s the source of my wisdom, my strength. Without Him, I can do nothing. He is a covenant-keeping God; I judge Him faithful.

It’s amazing how we consult a user manual when we purchase any new equipment but often fail to acknowledge the Creator talk less of consulting Him for direction in our dealings. You are not an afterthought; the Creator has a plan for your life and it’s wise to seek his counsel in your sojourn on this earth so that your life can be meaningful. Nothing is guaranteed in this world of ours without the permission and help of the supernatural. You need a backbone; a helper, a shelter in the time of storm. You may be a genius with dreams and aspirations; you may even be hardworking and full of purpose but verily I say unto you, you cannot succeed in life’s tempestuous sea without the supernatural help.

Who do you believe in? Is it working for you? Whatever God means to you, acknowledge Him. Stop struggling on your own, ask for His help. Connect to the source of life so you can enjoy a guided and blissful life. Good it is to listen.

PURPOSE.

2007-06-19T11:05:00.001+01:00

Have you ever wondered why a pick-up van and an 18-seater bus are different in their constructions? Simply put, the difference in purpose necessitated the variance in their construction; the purpose for the construction of the pick-up van is to carry goods while the purpose for the construction of the 18-seater bus is to convey at least 18 passengers.

A closer look at the human body and how it functions will give you a better understanding of this subject. The human body is an amazing machine, full of intricate systems that keep us going. Different organs in the human body have different purposes and they function simultaneously. Without blood, the human body would stop working. The average adult has about five liters of blood living inside of their body, coursing through their vessels, delivering essential elements, and removing harmful wastes. The heart sends blood around the body. From the moment it begins beating (at 21 days after conception; the human heart begins beating at 70 to 80 beats per minute and accelerates linearly for the first month of beating) until the moment it stops, the human heart works tirelessly [In an average lifetime, the heart beats more than two and a half billion times, without ever pausing to rest]. The lung is man's essential respiratory organ. Its principal function is to transport oxygen from the atmosphere (which brings almost 10,000 quarts of air into the lungs daily in about 23,000 breaths) into the bloodstream, and to excrete carbon dioxide from the bloodstream into the atmosphere. The human brain is the most complex organ in the human body. It controls the central nervous system, by way of the cranial nerves and spinal cord, the peripheral nervous system and regulates virtually all human activity. Involuntary actions such as heart rate, respiration and digestion are unconsciously governed by the brain, specifically through the autonomic nervous system while complex mental activity, such as thought, reason and abstraction is consciously controlled. (Facts culled from Britannica Concise Encyclopedia - Britannica.com) We could go on and on. All the organs have not been put in place by the creator as decorations; they’ve been specifically designed to carry out specific functions so that you and I can live.

The nose cannot suffice for the eyes; the two organs have different purposes. You’ve been built and equipped for a special purpose; which is informed by the gift(s) you’ve been endowed with. You can only excel in the area of your strength(s); where you can shine effortlessly. If you are gifted in sports, you may fail woefully should you consider a career in medicine. A born philosopher may not shine being a civil engineer. “A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What one can be, one must be.” remarked Abraham Maslow.

Alas, majority who are even conscious of their talents are using it wrongly because they don’t know why they’ve been endowed. Truth be told, as Myles Munroe rightly said “When purpose is unknown, abuse is inevitable”. Don’t abuse the talents that you’ve been endowed with. If you have oratory skills, don’t use it to slander your fellow men, rather use it for the good of mankind. If you’re vast in science, don’t use your skills to the detriment of man; rather use it for man’s development. You have been created to function in a particular capacity so that you can contribute your quota to the development of man.

A life without purpose is like a ship at sea without a set destination. The level of success you will attain in life, ceteris paribus, will be a function of how you can harness your talent(s) to fulfill your purpose. Stop playing religion. Look within and discover your gift(s). Find a worthy purpose that will match your gift(s) and then follow through, though the heavens fall.

Stand up and be counted, the world is waiting for the manifestation of your latent gift(s). Arise and shine!

SELF REALIZATION

2007-06-11T10:40:00.000+01:00

Imagine how impoverished the people of Niger-Delta in Nigeria were for ages before the discovery of crude oil in their land! For centuries, the people lived and died in penury when all they needed to lavish was beneath them. Such is the fate of all those that won’t realize self! Your story will not change until you realize the latent deposits in you.

Treasures will not be worthy of the name if it can be sourced easily. Treasures are often hidden; talk about gold, crude oil, name it. Trees had always been with man but it was only when man saw a chair in the tree that wooden chairs came to being. Animals have always been with us but only when man saw that hides and skin could be sourced from animals did we have leather. There was no such thing like hydro-electric power supply until man learned to harness the power of the flow of water to his advantage. The list is endless.

Man cannot progress without self-realization; the importance of self-realization to the development of man cannot be overemphasized. All that man needs to thrive in this world has been made available to him by the creator, only that they are hidden. What’s left is for each individual to discover self and harness the available resources for his good. As Ralph Waldo Emerson rightly said “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” We have illimitable deposits within us. We’ve been equipped to flourish.

Don’t be confused, you’re not an afterthought. You are not useless; you are so much better than you even know. You don’t have limitations except the ones you deliberately place on yourself. You might not be able to write like Shakespeare nor paint like Michelangelo, but you surely can do what you were born to do! Look within and identify your talents. You are a masterpiece. You are capable. “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” remarked Marianne Williamson.

Majority are crawling today despite the fact that they’ve been provided with wings to soar. If it is your desire to leave your footprints on the sand of time, then you must wake up from your slumber! You must discover your latent gifts and use them to the full.

The glorious future is yours, take it! Live your dreams!!!

Failure

2007-06-04T11:39:00.000+01:00

Countless number of lives have been ruined because of the fear of failure; majority of potential world changers have deprived themselves of their glorious destinies. The fear of failure should not stop us from daring. As Theodore Roosevelt remarked, “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.” It is far better to fail gallantly while pursuing a noble cause than not to attempt.

Nobody wants to embark on a mission only to fail at the end; it sure hurts to fail. But sometimes, failure is inevitable if we must grow. If you don’t risk trying, you lose all the probability of winning. If you dare to try, you cannot fail totally. And even if you do fail, as you sometimes will, you would have learnt some valuable lessons that will prevent you from failing in the future, and besides without disappointments, you can’t really appreciate victory. Don’t give-in to any situation. There are always lessons to learn from failure(s). As Henry Ford put it, “Failure is an opportunity to a more intelligently begin again”. When you fail, you should learn from your mistakes, improve on the concept and then try again.

Truth be told, if it’s not done right, it will definitely result in failure. It is often said that Thomas Edison failed a thousand and one times in trying to invent the electric bulb, yet he persisted till he got it right. When asked how it felt to fail a thousand and one times before getting it right, it was told that Thomas Edison said that he never failed, but that he only learnt a thousand and one ways in which it simply could not work. Thomas Edison was indomitable and that was why he was able to have several patents to his name.

You may not win every battle, but you shouldn’t raise the white flag without putting up a fight. Even if you fail, try again. You might not be able to decide the outcome of your efforts, but you sure can decide how you react to it; you can either learn from it and progress or you give-in to it and retrogress. The choice is yours; your future is in your hands.

The Will

2007-05-22T11:36:00.000+01:00

Perhaps one of the most important tools to take when traveling on the road to success is the will. You can have tall dreams, and even have a great plan, but if you don’t have the will to pull through, the desired cannot be achieved. When discouragement comes and failure looms, as it sometimes will, all that will make the difference is the inner will. Certainly not a thing that can be bought neither is it transferable from person to person, the importance of a strong will to the success of any venture or situation cannot be overemphasized.

As Farrah Gray rightly said, “It’s not the size of the dog in a fight that matters, but the size of the fight in a dog”. It’s a thing that comes from within; an unconquerable consciousness that dares the impossible. Doctors have proven that most survivors from cancer are often those that have the will to live. Even in sports, victory does not often go to the physically strong, but to the strong-willed. In Muhammad Ali’s words, “Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill, and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.”

One of the greatest men that ever ruled the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, was a man of strong will so much that when he died in his sleep on January 6, 1919, the then Vice President Marshall said, “Death had to take him sleeping, for if Roosevelt had been awake, there would have been a fight.” What a testimony to his die-hard lifestyle! Roosevelt had the strong will to conquer. He was an ultimate man of action. Not only was he an effective leader, but he was the most flamboyant of all U.S. presidents. British historian Hugh Brogan described him as “the ablest man to sit in the White House since Lincoln; the most vigorous since Jackson; the most bookish since John Quincy Adams”. No wonder why he made it to the most exalted seat in the United States in the first place!

If you desire to win any battle whatsoever, resolve to follow through though the heavens fall. Are you facing a seemingly difficult situation today? Do you have health challenges? Say no to defeat! It’s not over until you surrender. You can redefine your destiny by willing your way to good health, wealth and success. You can challenge fate to it. You can win!

Don’t Quit.

2007-05-15T11:34:00.000+01:00

Should there be a set of commandments for successful living, ‘Don’t Quit’ will certainly make the list. At one point or the other, we all must have succumbed to situations we deem to be above our control, whereas, should we hold on a little further, our desires would have been fulfilled. If the going gets tough, as it sometimes will, quitting should not be an option. As Martin Luther King Jr. advised, “If you can't fly, run. If you can't run, walk. If you can't walk, crawl. Just keep moving.”

America was discovered by Christopher Columbus because he didn’t quit. Despite the fact that his men were sick, and the voyage seems to be a fruitless effort after unending weeks of sailing in the vast open Atlantic Ocean, he only exclaimed the two words ‘Sail on’ till something was discovered. If you’re going to get that dream job, or the contract you so much covet, whatsoever you desire, hold on to it no matter the trials. Trials are the universe’s way of eliminating the weaker ones. Even in the academic world, you must pass the examination before you are promoted to the next level. Those that persevere are often those that win the crown. No wonder why Abraham Lincoln remarked that “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”

It is not enough to dream, we must strive to attain our goal. As the popular musician Raymond Usher remarked: “Strivers achieve what dreamers believe.” If you must wrest the best from life, you must cast away all thoughts of ease or inertia. You either struggle or you stagnate; no two ways to it. Edgar A. Guest’s poem “Don’t Quit” below did justice to this subject:

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you are trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must – but don’t quit!

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometime learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don’t give up, though the pace seems slow –
You might succeed with another blow…

Success is failure turned inside out –
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt –
And you can never tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you are hardest hit –
It’s when things get worse that you mustn’t quit!

No matter the intensity of the famine in the jungle, the lion will never eat grass; a lion does not quit until it gets a game even if it means waiting for days. If the dream is big enough, the problems shouldn’t matter. Have you written several bank tests without success? Or is yours ICAN? Have you applied for visa several times without success? Whatever the case may be, don’t quit trying. Don’t quit on your dreams no matter the odds. Or will you rather consent to creep when you’ve got the impulse to soar? God forbid.

Finally, I leave you with the words of Robert Heap; I quote “The human will falters only when it gives up hope. It is invincible while we go on fighting; we fail only when we give up. As we continue to fight, no matter how hopeless the odds, from somewhere we are given new strength; as our efforts increase, so does our strength, our hope, our certainty of victory. Keep fighting and we are sure to win. That is the truth that makes miracles possible. We can only lose if we lose hope. We are bound to succeed if we carry on.”

Thoughts are Things

2007-05-08T11:26:00.000+01:00

Sometime ago, a TV commercial in Nigeria goes like this “…someday, cars will run on water. At Bank PHB, we’re already thinking like that.” What a thought! Believe me, before the end of our generation, cars will indeed run on water. You bet.

The thinking process is the first step in creation; all that exists are products of deep thinking. In my humble opinion, there are no impossibilities in our splendid universe. A thing could be impossible at a time, but once someone thinks of it, and dares to act on the thought(s), the impossible becomes possible. There was a time there was no such thing like electric bulb, but Thomas Edison later turned darkness into daylight. There was a time only birds ruled the skies, but the Wright brothers challenged the status quo (Though they were carpenters, they flew the first airplane!) Ever wondered why Neil Armstrong remarked that “This is a step for humanity, a great leap for mankind” after he landed on the moon? Apparently, it was impossible for man to fathom reaching the moon talk less of stepping on it at that time, but it happened anyway. Thanks to thinkers, none of these milestones would have been reached without them.

Of a truth, civilization could be said to have come a long way. But still, there is still so much to do, such things to be. An automobile cannot still drive itself. There’s still no alternative to water. There’s still no vacation package to planet Mars yet. A five star hotel is yet to be constructed on the moon. Till date, there’s still no cure for AIDS. The list is endless. “The glories we have known are as nothing to the glories yet to be. The mightiest achievements of the past dwindle into insignificance besides the conquests still possible” remarked Robert Heap. There’s still more to be achieved. The best book is yet to be written. The best song is yet to be composed. Man’s abilities are limitless.

Men and women who think deeply are the architects of the future. To advance, we must think. We must not only think; we must act on our thoughts. We live comfortably today with the luxury of having to travel kilometers in minutes with an automobile or airplane because some people thought of inventing the incredible machines. We’re not naked today because some thought of clothing. Our tomorrow is in our hands for us to create.
Our personal lives are no exception. To achieve our dreams, we must think. The importance of constructive thinking cannot be overemphasized as one cannot feature in a future he can’t picture. Allow your mind to roam. Think big. Act on your thoughts and nurture them into maturity.

Your thinking is the ruder which guides your ship over life’s tempestuous sea. So, think constructively, confidently, wholesomely and healthfully. Ideas, they say, rule the world. Would you rather think and rule the world or will you prefer to cheat the world of your brilliance and die with your potentials? Think twice.

Hard Work

2007-05-02T11:24:00.000+01:00

As it is in computing, life operates on the garbage-in, garbage-out principle. The output of our lives is dependent on our input. If you were not born into a wealthy, royal, or influential family, then you are probably stuck like me - the only legitimate route available to attain greatness will be through hard work; there is no other shortcut!

History has it that all men are born equal – mostly with the same number of hands, legs, brain; name it. With the same abundant grace available to all, men can however work out their future – either decide to remain ordinary or become great. If you examine the life of successful people, you probably will marvel at their determination to succeed and the sacrifices they had to make on a daily basis to attain those lofty heights and to retain it. For instance, the basketball legend Larry Bird became an outstanding free-throw shooter by practicing five hundred shots each morning before he went to school. Demosthenes of ancient Greece became the greatest orator by reciting verses with pebbles in his mouth and speaking over the roar of the waves at the seashore – and he did it despite having been born with a speech impairment! No wonder why Henry Wadsworth Longfellow summarized that

“The heights by great men reached and kept,
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night.”

Your profession does not matter; you can make waves in your chosen career if you work hard. Are you an artist? If you work hard, you can paint a masterpiece that will challenge that of Michelangelo! If you are into music, who says you cannot compose better than Beethoven? Are you a software programmer? You can compete with Microsoft Corporation and give Bill Gates a heart attack if you work very hard! The list is endless. The impossible becomes possible once you are prepared to pay the price. There is no such thing like overnight success. In our modern world, an elevator could take you several floors in seconds, but when it comes to success, you will have to climb the stairs – one step at a time!

Perish the thought that success is going to come to you on a platter of gold without toiling. Successful men are those that have paid their dues – they worked harder than their contemporaries! According to an achiever, B.C. Forbes, “A price has to be paid for success. Almost invariably those who have reached the summits worked harder and longer, studied and planned more assiduously, practiced more self denial, overcame more difficulties than those of us who have not risen so far.” Forbes’ judgment is true to the latter, there are no gains without pains.
Do you need any other evidence that the solution to your problems is not spiritual? As the Yorubas will say, ‘Work is the cure for poverty.’ If I’m to put it the Obafemi Awolowo way, I’ll say that ‘The gospel of heaven may be rest, but the gospel of earth is work.’

Greatness beckons. Heed the clarion call by working your way to the top. Don’t cut corners, endure the due process. Savor the arduous process, therein lies your breakthrough.

What it Takes

2007-04-24T10:44:00.000+01:00

Have you ever wondered why some people attain greatness and some do not? Ever pondered on what it takes to live life fully? Ever searched for the principles to live by to win in this adventure called life? Perhaps the poem ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling below can give you an idea of what it takes:

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream – and not make your dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the will which says to them: “hold on;”
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run –

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And-which is more- you’ll be a man my son!

Kipling’s philosophy is hard to live by, isn’t it? Alas, that is why only few people leave their indelible footprints on the sand of time. The candid truth is that life is difficult. Perish the thought that things are going to be easy as you journey through life. So long as you are alive, you will always have challenges to deal with; it is the way you react and solve them that matters. Adopt the mindset of an average Chinese who believe that it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. Do you have lemon today? Don’t complain, improvise; make lemonade with it. Harness the negative circumstances to your advantage.

If some men and women could triumph in the art of living despite the tribulations they had to face, you do not have an excuse. With a clear-cut goal, hard work, enthusiasm, confidence, flexibility, tact and persistence, there is little you cannot accomplish. Brace up your shoulders then, and recharge your energies. Beat the world to it! Take charge of your destiny!

Action

2007-04-18T10:42:00.000+01:00

As Isaac Newton rightly postulated, a body will continue to be in its state of rest or uniform motion unless acted upon by a force. As it is in Physics, so it is in the real world. Some things can wait, but certainly not our dreams. Our dreams and aspirations will not come to fruition if we fail to act. It is not enough to have a brilliant plan or idea without acting; it robs our tomorrow of its potentials. It is not enough to sound tough, we must walk our talk if we must achieve our goals. It is not enough to have a blueprint of the future, action sets the ball rolling.

“The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, and meetings and material assistances which no man would have dreamed could come his way.” said William Murray. As it can be deduced from the words of the sage, it will interest you to know that our universe has ample provisions in stock to help us in our pursuits; all the universe requires of us is that we conquer inertia by way of committing ourselves to a cause. You bet.

In pursuing your target, ensure that you do not entertain doubt as our doubts, according to William Shakespeare, are traitors; they make us lose the good we often might win, by fearing to attempt.

Conclusively, as Von Goethe advised, I reiterate that “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it”.

Persistence.

2007-04-10T18:36:00.000+01:00

Persistence, according to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, is the fact of continuing to try to do something in spite of difficulties. The ability to persevere does not come naturally at birth. It is an attribute that an individual develops at will over time. It is very difficult to persevere though; it requires an enormous amount of inner resolve to stick to a course despite failures. It is however interesting to note that our universe eventually ‘smiles’ on those that persevere in the end. A good example of a man that was persistent in his resolve to attain great heights and who eventually won the battle is Abraham Lincoln. Find below some statistics of this all-time hero:

Abraham Lincoln failed in business at 22 years old
He was defeated in legislator election at 23 years old;
He failed in business again at 24 years old;
He lost his sweetheart at 26 years old;
He had a nervous breakdown at 27 years old;
He was defeated for speaker at 29 years old;
He also got defeated for elector at 31 years old;
At 34 years old, he was defeated for congress;
At the age of 46, he was defeated for senate;
This indomitable man also got defeated for vice presidency at 47 years old;
He got defeated for senate again at 49 years old;
He finally won the battle at 51 years old when he was elected as president of the United States of America.

Abraham Lincoln’s life confirmed the words of the 30th president of the United States, Calvin Coolidge; I quote “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will the problems of the human race.”

If Abraham Lincoln could eventually win, you too can win any battle if you are persistent enough. What is there to daunt you? Refuse to be discouraged. Never, never, ever give up on your dreams!

Procrastination is the Thief of Time.

2007-04-04T10:33:00.000+01:00

In our daily living, we are often tempted to procrastinate; giving one excuse or the other to justify our actions. We tend to wait for the 'appropriate time’ when we will have the resources and be in the right place to do things. However, history has it that successful men never had an 'ordained time' to do a thing. Like all of us, they're constantly faced with challenges, yet they chose to 'sail on' anyway and in the end they triumphed despite all odds.

From cradle to the grave, there is NEVER going to be an ‘appropriate time’ to do anything; so cast away all thoughts of ease or inertia. The appropriate time is NOW. It is impossible to fail totally if you try, but remember that you will always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.

I conclude with the words of Theodore Roosevelt: 'Do what you can with what you have where you are.'