FORGIVENESS.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.'