To guarantee the success of everyone on earth, God established very many principles. Application of one or few of these principles will make you to achieve any goal you set for yourself.
One of these principles is the one I would call, the Golden Principle. It is golden because it is fundamental to your success, happiness, fulfilment, and sound health.
Though fundamental, the Golden Principle is the most neglected principle. And that is why we have unhealthy competition, enmity, frustration, disappointment, and man’s inhumanity to man; and that is why we are unsuccessful in life.
I travelled from Abuja to Ibadan sometime ago. At Utako Motor Park, Abuja, we waited for the passengers to come in and take up seats. While we were waiting, a slim, fair complexion woman (one of the passengers in the mini bus) was busy quarrelling with a small girl hawking food around. The fact of the matter was that the woman ate out of the food the girl was selling and then went straight to take her seat in the vehicle. When the girl asked her to pay the money and take the portion of the food she ate out of, the quarrel began: “E, e, e, I know people like you. If I don’t pay for this food today, you will never allow me to sleep in the night today. Yes, I know. I am a deliverance minister. I know what people like you can do. Now, take your money and give me the food.” That was how the matter ended.
Now, the focus here is not whether the woman is a deliverance minister, or whether the girl is a witch. The focus here is the failure on the part of the woman to apply the golden principle. If she had applied the golden principle, there would not have been any need to enter into tango with the girl in the first place.
What the woman would have done was to put herself in the position of the girl and say: “If I were this little girl and someone ate out of the portions of food I am selling, and the person refuses to buy that portion of food, would I be happy?” This is what the Golden Principle is all about: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. If you cannot tolerate an act, why must you do the same act to another person?
That is the cause of the troubles we are having in the world today. If everyone would apply the golden principle in everything one does, or in relation to other, the world would be a better and peaceful place to live in, and every person would enjoy a richer, happier, and more fulfilling life.
Give No Room to Sentiments
When some people are bitten and battered, they tend to transfer their frustrations on others. Psychologists call this behaviour “transfer of aggression.” People, who behave that way, don’t normally enjoy peace, happiness, and prosperity. The same measure you mete out to people is the measure they will mete out to you. That is the golden principle at work.
Learn to control your emotion. When you are despondent or feeling bad, try to remain calm. Don’t act, take crucial decision, or speak when you are sad, because the tendency to err is very high. “Be angry, but sin not.”
Face Issues Squarely
Many problems and troubles we have in the society today are caused by our inability to face issues squarely. Instead of facing issues squarely, we digress. Digression means talking about something that is not connected with the main point of what you are saying. Many of us are fond of hiding under the cover of religion, politics, denomination, ethnicity, etc to perpetrate atrocity. You don’t solve societal problem by doing acts which may constitute more problems to the society.
If you want to be a problem solver, learn to face issues squarely. You solve problems by facing issues squarely.
It is an act of frustration and cowardice to abandon the main problem you set out to solve and raise issues that have nothing to do with the main problem.
The world is looking for men and women, boys and girls who are courageous enough to identify and face societal problems squarely.
Do What You Think is Right
Two “wrongs”, they say, cannot make a “right.” The “wrong” committed by a person should not lead you to commission of another “wrong.” You owe yourself a duty to be good all the time. One good turn deserves another. If you want to be rewarded with good, do that which is good. That is what the golden principle is all about. It is a principle of nature. You cannot change it. No person can change it.
I notice that many people are compelled to do what is right not because of fear of God, but because of nemesis or because of what the person they offended will do to them.
The reason many people are feeling insecure and fearful is that they don’t fear God. If you fear God, you will do what is right. And in doing what is right, you will not be afraid of anything or what any person can do to you. Clear conscience fears no accusation.
If you fear God and you do the right thing, you become indomitable, because the Creator of the heaven and earth, the God of vengeance will always be on your side to protect you and fight on your behalf.
Think Before You Do
In anything you want to do, try to slow down in your speech and action. Think before you speak and act. Try to weigh the consequences of your actions and utterances. You need to ask yourself: “Does God frowns on my actions and utterances? Will this person be hurt or offended by my actions and utterances?”
Instead of thinking before acting, what most of us do is the opposite. We act first before thinking. And in the course of thinking, we realise that we have hurt somebody. And even when our conscience pricks us, we still insist that what we did was right.
If you think before you do, you will learn to do the right thing and when you do the right thing, you invoke the Golden Principle to work for your good.
Fix the Fault Properly
Here lies the solution to broken relationship, broken marriage, and unfaithfulness. The solution is: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. It is the golden principle enacted by God. And Jesus emphasized this about 2 000 years ago. The principle has not changed and it cannot change. It is because it cannot change that we call it “principle.”
This golden principle is also the panacea to all the problems of mankind.
You can enjoy marital bliss, excellent human relationship, respect, and dignity if you apply the golden principle: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.
It is not possible to be rewarded with good when you are dishing out evil to others. No way! The golden principle cannot be reversed. It is either you comply with it and be richly rewarded or you violate it and be punished.
Fix the fault properly by applying the golden principle: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.
This principle is fundamental to your success, prosperity, happiness, and fulfilment.
Accept the Blame
One essential ingredient of the application of the golden principle is the acceptance of blame. When you know or your conscience pricks you that what you have done is wrong, or is something you yourself cannot tolerate, you need to accept the blame.
The reason we are having too many cases coming to court daily is because none of the parties to the cases are willing to accept their own share of blame. Both parties want to claim that they are right, and wouldn’t mind spending their time and fortune seeking court’s declaration that they are the ones that are right.
Realising the folly and the futility therein, Nigerian courts always advise parties to settle matters between themselves; and if they cannot settle the matter, then, they can come back to court and reopen their case.
What we do, more often than not, is shift the blame to another, even when it is glaring that we are the ones that should be blamed. This habit portrays us as insecure persons. When you are insincere to yourself, you are already working against your progress in life.
Accept the blame if you know you acted wrongly. Don’t transfer the blame to another. Examine yourself to know if you are right or wrong. Self-examination is the path to reaping the benefit of the Golden Principle.
You are a victor!
Friday 4 November 2011
Greater Success Lies Ahead
Greater success lies beyond our present scope of reasoning, imagination, and lifestyle. But because we do not take note of this fact, we make little or no progress in life.
To make progress in life, we must start looking beyond our present way of life, reasoning, and imagination.
Sometime ago, I was privileged to read the success story of Adi Dassler. Adi Dassler is the founder of Adidas Corporation, manufacturer of sportswear and equipment.
Dassler was a trained baker by qualification. In order to begin a lucrative career in bakery, he went round applying for bakery job, but he could not nail a job. All his effort to get a job proved abortive.
Out of frustration, he set up a small, insignificant shoe making business. Things did not turn out the way he expected. The turnout of customers was nothing to write home about. But he kept on with the business.
With patience and perseverance, he grew the tiny business into a large corporation, manufacturing all kinds of sportswear and equipment, including soccer balls, soccer boots, jerseys and shorts, hose, sports canvas, and a host of others.
Today, Adidas is a household name in the world!
Look beyond
Dear reader, greater success lies beyond your present reasoning, imagination, and way of life. Greater success lies beyond your present condition and field of discipline.
There is great sense in specialisation. There is great sense in carving a niche for yourself in a particular profession. But, then, it is important to note that greater success lies beyond these. You can be better than what you are now. You can achieve greater success than you have at the moment. You can also achieve greater success outside your field of discipline.
By qualification, Dassler was a baker, but when he could not get a job, he went beyond his field of discipline. He employed himself by becoming a shoe maker. He did not keep waiting endlessly to be employed as a baker.
It is a grave mistake to think that it is only in your area of discipline that you can succeed in life. While it is essential that you fit into your field of training, where the opportunity is not yet available, don’t sit down and fold your arms.
You can look beyond your present field while waiting to bounce back into your main field. On the other hand, you may even remain outside your field and turn things around for your own good, just as Dassler did. When he could not get a job, Dassler looked beyond his field of discipline and found goldmine in shoe making. His passion for the shoe making business gave him the strength to go on even when things looked difficult.
Like Dassler, you also can achieve great success in life, if you learn to look beyond your present condition, reasoning, imagination, and field of specialisation.
Don’t Follow the Crowd
You get easily lost in the crowd when you follow the crowd. On Saturday July 12, 2008 to be precise, there was a nationwide recruitment into the Nigerian Immigration Board. Thousands of candidates trooped out for the recruitment exercise. In Kwara State alone, about 9 000 candidates participated in the exercise, and eventually, only 50 candidates were recruited to fill the 50 vacant posts. The same situation applies to the rest of the 35 states of the federation and Abuja.
Now, that is not all, in the course of undergoing the physical fitness test, several candidates lost their lives; while many others fainted, sustained injuries, and were rushed to hospitals.
“Is that madness?” you may ask. Well, that is the reality. Now that we are in 2011, it may get worse, unless something drastic is done. Thousands of candidates will be chasing 50 vacant posts!
In this type of situation, what are the chances of the thousands of the candidates applying for these jobs? Slim, very slim.
In this situation of unemployment when hundreds of thousands of people are pursuing, at most, a hundred jobs, it is very easy to get lost in the crowd.
But you can avoid getting lost in the crowd by simply refusing to follow the crowd. The mentality of the crowd has not changed.
They want to be employed and work for others. They believe that is the only way they can enjoy their life. As a result of this, many people spend several years doing nothing but waiting to be gainfully employed.
Dear reader, if you want to make positive impact in life, you must run away from the “crowd mentality”. It is not true that it is only when you are employed to work for others that you can enjoy a richer and better life.
I think the reason most unemployed people prefer working under people is because it is the easiest way out of problem of employment. It is, however, certainly not the best way of enjoying a richer life. The truth is, even if you are making millions for your employer daily or weekly, the employer may not like to pay you millions of naira for your input. The employer pays you only enough to meet your basic needs; he won’t pay you to make you richer than you are.
If you want to stand out in life, you must be ready to stand out of the crowd. This does not mean you should stop looking for employment, rather, it means you should stop tying yourself down to getting a job.
You can think the other way round, for instance, you can think of being self-employed. There are many businesses or jobs you can do to make your life more meaningful and richly rewarding. Think as an individual; don’t think the way the crowd do. Think your own thoughts. Be original. You are more likely to succeed when you follow your own line of thinking than when you follow the crowd.
Swallow Your Pride
You become successful in life not by starting from the top, but from the bottom.
If success in life requires starting from the top, then, many successful people you see today would not have been where they are. Most of them started with little or nothing. For Dassler, the story is not different. Apart from the shoe maker’s tools and the tiny shop, he had no other resources. If he had waited to be employed as a baker or waited until he got millions of Deutschmark, probably you would not hear the name, Adidas Corporation.
The reason many unemployed graduates are suffering untold hardship is because they feel they cannot descend so low as to start a business of their own from the scratch; or because they feel ashamed to do menial jobs to earn some income.
Dear reader, life is not stagnant. Why should you remain stagnant? Things will get better, if only you can humble yourself to start something now, no matter how little. It is the work of your hands that God will bless, not the folding of arms. A radio preacher once said; “Praying and fasting alone will not make you to prosper. You must find something to do.”
Find something to do. Just start with what you have and from where you are. Swallow your pride today and you will be amazed at the level of success you will achieve in a short time.
Take the Risk
One of the greatest qualities of successful entrepreneurs is the ability to take risks.
Every idea or decision you take is laden with risks. There are risks involved in any business you embark upon. The important point is not how you can avoid or dodge the risks. Some risks are unavoidable. The important point is your ability to take risks. It takes courage to take risk. Do you have the courage?
Like any other business, shoe making also has its risks, but these did not deter Dassler. He ventured into the business and took the risks involved. The rest is now history.
On the secret of his success, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, chairman of DAAR Communications Plc said: “A good manager must be courageous and capable of taking decisions. He must be able to take calculated risks and to LOOK AHEAD, not behind. There is no born manager or administrator. You acquire the skills. You just have to be in a position to be courageous, to have foresight, take calculated risks and go ahead. When I set up Ray Power FM Radio, people thought I was crazy, but today, I am a super hero. That is simply a calculated risk that turned out right.”
The greater the risk you take, the greater your chances of success. Take the risk today.
Handling Frustration
Whether you are looking for a job or you wish to set up your own business, one skill you need to master in order to succeed is your ability to handle frustration.
In anything you wish to accomplish, you may encounter setback, disappointment, and failure. Sometimes, they come in large numbers, but it is your ability to handle them without breaking down that determines your success.
When Dassler started his small shoe making business, he did not have a smooth sale. He encountered setbacks, disappointments, and failures. It was his ability to handle these frustrations that enabled him to overcome them and grow the little business into a large corporation.
If you can handle frustrations, there is nothing you cannot achieve on planet earth. People fail in life not because they don’t have what it takes, but because they cannot handle frustration.
Take frustrations as those things you will encounter on your way to success. Learn to handle frustrations by refusing to bow out whenever you encounter one.
Create Wealth by Creating Jobs
Although Dassler did not venture into shoe making business for the purpose of creating jobs and employing people, he ended up doing so. And by employing others to work for him in his factory, he ended up creating wealth for himself and for shareholders of the corporation.
If you want to be wealthy, change your mindset from that of a job seeker to that of a job creator.
Yes, you can go ahead and look for the job you wish, but note that great wealth is achieved by creating jobs and employing people to work for you. It all starts from just an idea: self-employment. You employ yourself by setting up your business. As you progress in the business, you begin to expand and employ workers.
You Win by Patience
B.C. Forbes said: “History has demonstrated that the most notable winners encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats.”
Patience is the determining factor in anything you wish to achieve in life. Patience is the ability to remain focused when everything seems to go wrong.
Rome was not built in a day. Just as it takes time to build a city, so it takes time to build wealth. You, therefore, need to exercise patience in anything you set out to achieve. Don’t expect to be rich overnight. A proverb says:” “He who desires to be rich in a day will be hanged in a year.”
You are a victor!
To make progress in life, we must start looking beyond our present way of life, reasoning, and imagination.
Sometime ago, I was privileged to read the success story of Adi Dassler. Adi Dassler is the founder of Adidas Corporation, manufacturer of sportswear and equipment.
Dassler was a trained baker by qualification. In order to begin a lucrative career in bakery, he went round applying for bakery job, but he could not nail a job. All his effort to get a job proved abortive.
Out of frustration, he set up a small, insignificant shoe making business. Things did not turn out the way he expected. The turnout of customers was nothing to write home about. But he kept on with the business.
With patience and perseverance, he grew the tiny business into a large corporation, manufacturing all kinds of sportswear and equipment, including soccer balls, soccer boots, jerseys and shorts, hose, sports canvas, and a host of others.
Today, Adidas is a household name in the world!
Look beyond
Dear reader, greater success lies beyond your present reasoning, imagination, and way of life. Greater success lies beyond your present condition and field of discipline.
There is great sense in specialisation. There is great sense in carving a niche for yourself in a particular profession. But, then, it is important to note that greater success lies beyond these. You can be better than what you are now. You can achieve greater success than you have at the moment. You can also achieve greater success outside your field of discipline.
By qualification, Dassler was a baker, but when he could not get a job, he went beyond his field of discipline. He employed himself by becoming a shoe maker. He did not keep waiting endlessly to be employed as a baker.
It is a grave mistake to think that it is only in your area of discipline that you can succeed in life. While it is essential that you fit into your field of training, where the opportunity is not yet available, don’t sit down and fold your arms.
You can look beyond your present field while waiting to bounce back into your main field. On the other hand, you may even remain outside your field and turn things around for your own good, just as Dassler did. When he could not get a job, Dassler looked beyond his field of discipline and found goldmine in shoe making. His passion for the shoe making business gave him the strength to go on even when things looked difficult.
Like Dassler, you also can achieve great success in life, if you learn to look beyond your present condition, reasoning, imagination, and field of specialisation.
Don’t Follow the Crowd
You get easily lost in the crowd when you follow the crowd. On Saturday July 12, 2008 to be precise, there was a nationwide recruitment into the Nigerian Immigration Board. Thousands of candidates trooped out for the recruitment exercise. In Kwara State alone, about 9 000 candidates participated in the exercise, and eventually, only 50 candidates were recruited to fill the 50 vacant posts. The same situation applies to the rest of the 35 states of the federation and Abuja.
Now, that is not all, in the course of undergoing the physical fitness test, several candidates lost their lives; while many others fainted, sustained injuries, and were rushed to hospitals.
“Is that madness?” you may ask. Well, that is the reality. Now that we are in 2011, it may get worse, unless something drastic is done. Thousands of candidates will be chasing 50 vacant posts!
In this type of situation, what are the chances of the thousands of the candidates applying for these jobs? Slim, very slim.
In this situation of unemployment when hundreds of thousands of people are pursuing, at most, a hundred jobs, it is very easy to get lost in the crowd.
But you can avoid getting lost in the crowd by simply refusing to follow the crowd. The mentality of the crowd has not changed.
They want to be employed and work for others. They believe that is the only way they can enjoy their life. As a result of this, many people spend several years doing nothing but waiting to be gainfully employed.
Dear reader, if you want to make positive impact in life, you must run away from the “crowd mentality”. It is not true that it is only when you are employed to work for others that you can enjoy a richer and better life.
I think the reason most unemployed people prefer working under people is because it is the easiest way out of problem of employment. It is, however, certainly not the best way of enjoying a richer life. The truth is, even if you are making millions for your employer daily or weekly, the employer may not like to pay you millions of naira for your input. The employer pays you only enough to meet your basic needs; he won’t pay you to make you richer than you are.
If you want to stand out in life, you must be ready to stand out of the crowd. This does not mean you should stop looking for employment, rather, it means you should stop tying yourself down to getting a job.
You can think the other way round, for instance, you can think of being self-employed. There are many businesses or jobs you can do to make your life more meaningful and richly rewarding. Think as an individual; don’t think the way the crowd do. Think your own thoughts. Be original. You are more likely to succeed when you follow your own line of thinking than when you follow the crowd.
Swallow Your Pride
You become successful in life not by starting from the top, but from the bottom.
If success in life requires starting from the top, then, many successful people you see today would not have been where they are. Most of them started with little or nothing. For Dassler, the story is not different. Apart from the shoe maker’s tools and the tiny shop, he had no other resources. If he had waited to be employed as a baker or waited until he got millions of Deutschmark, probably you would not hear the name, Adidas Corporation.
The reason many unemployed graduates are suffering untold hardship is because they feel they cannot descend so low as to start a business of their own from the scratch; or because they feel ashamed to do menial jobs to earn some income.
Dear reader, life is not stagnant. Why should you remain stagnant? Things will get better, if only you can humble yourself to start something now, no matter how little. It is the work of your hands that God will bless, not the folding of arms. A radio preacher once said; “Praying and fasting alone will not make you to prosper. You must find something to do.”
Find something to do. Just start with what you have and from where you are. Swallow your pride today and you will be amazed at the level of success you will achieve in a short time.
Take the Risk
One of the greatest qualities of successful entrepreneurs is the ability to take risks.
Every idea or decision you take is laden with risks. There are risks involved in any business you embark upon. The important point is not how you can avoid or dodge the risks. Some risks are unavoidable. The important point is your ability to take risks. It takes courage to take risk. Do you have the courage?
Like any other business, shoe making also has its risks, but these did not deter Dassler. He ventured into the business and took the risks involved. The rest is now history.
On the secret of his success, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, chairman of DAAR Communications Plc said: “A good manager must be courageous and capable of taking decisions. He must be able to take calculated risks and to LOOK AHEAD, not behind. There is no born manager or administrator. You acquire the skills. You just have to be in a position to be courageous, to have foresight, take calculated risks and go ahead. When I set up Ray Power FM Radio, people thought I was crazy, but today, I am a super hero. That is simply a calculated risk that turned out right.”
The greater the risk you take, the greater your chances of success. Take the risk today.
Handling Frustration
Whether you are looking for a job or you wish to set up your own business, one skill you need to master in order to succeed is your ability to handle frustration.
In anything you wish to accomplish, you may encounter setback, disappointment, and failure. Sometimes, they come in large numbers, but it is your ability to handle them without breaking down that determines your success.
When Dassler started his small shoe making business, he did not have a smooth sale. He encountered setbacks, disappointments, and failures. It was his ability to handle these frustrations that enabled him to overcome them and grow the little business into a large corporation.
If you can handle frustrations, there is nothing you cannot achieve on planet earth. People fail in life not because they don’t have what it takes, but because they cannot handle frustration.
Take frustrations as those things you will encounter on your way to success. Learn to handle frustrations by refusing to bow out whenever you encounter one.
Create Wealth by Creating Jobs
Although Dassler did not venture into shoe making business for the purpose of creating jobs and employing people, he ended up doing so. And by employing others to work for him in his factory, he ended up creating wealth for himself and for shareholders of the corporation.
If you want to be wealthy, change your mindset from that of a job seeker to that of a job creator.
Yes, you can go ahead and look for the job you wish, but note that great wealth is achieved by creating jobs and employing people to work for you. It all starts from just an idea: self-employment. You employ yourself by setting up your business. As you progress in the business, you begin to expand and employ workers.
You Win by Patience
B.C. Forbes said: “History has demonstrated that the most notable winners encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats.”
Patience is the determining factor in anything you wish to achieve in life. Patience is the ability to remain focused when everything seems to go wrong.
Rome was not built in a day. Just as it takes time to build a city, so it takes time to build wealth. You, therefore, need to exercise patience in anything you set out to achieve. Don’t expect to be rich overnight. A proverb says:” “He who desires to be rich in a day will be hanged in a year.”
You are a victor!
Monday 10 October 2011
You Can Rewrite Your Story
Many years ago, there lived a boy of humble parentage in Britain. This boy had only 4 years of schooling, because his parents could not sponsor him any further.
The family sold their properties in order to find money to survive.
In the course of time, he was employed to paste label on bottles. Out of the money he was paid, he rented a room. In spite of the little education he had, he opted to educate himself. He therefore worked hard to achieve the goal he set for himself. He bought lots and lots of books.
The enlightenment and inspiration he received from this self-education led him into the world of writing. However, his writing career was not a smooth sale. Initially, the popular magazines and newspapers in his country rejected his articles, but he kept on writing and polishing his writing skills.
A day came when one of the magazines published an article of his. He was not paid for the article, but he was excited because they acceptance of his article gave him the impetus. His first 8 articles were published, though he was not paid a penny. His 9th article, however, fetched him one pound.
Waxing stronger and stronger, the boy published a booklet titled: Christmas Carol. The booklet was an instant success. He sold 15, 000 copies within two weeks. His fortune changed overnight when J.P. Morgan, a multi-millionaire, bought the manuscript with huge sums of money.
The writer wrote17 novels before he died and all the novels were best sellers. He became the most highly paid author to have walked on the face of the earth.
With his writing, he rewrote the story of his life. This author is no other person than the one and only Charles Dickens.
Dear reader, do you know that you too can rewrite the story of your life? Do you understand what it takes to rewrite your own story?
Background is not Relevant
The first thing to note if you want to rewrite your own story is that your background does not determine your success in life. Charles Dickens came from a humble background. He had little education, but this did not stop him from achieving fame and fortune.
There is a great deception among our youths and even some adults today. Many of them believe that because of the humble family they came from, they are not successful and cannot succeed in life. Others believe that because of the little education they have, they can never amount to anything in life. Some hold the belief that because of their past, they cannot succeed in life.
I have had someone say: “If my father were alive, my life would not have been like this.” I don’t think this is completely true. Although the death of a person’s father may seriously affect that person, it cannot stop the person from reaching the height he has set for himself. The late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) lost his father while studying Law in London. This affected him seriously to the point that he had to wash plates to earn money to continue his education.
Although his father’s death seriously affected his life and academics, he did not allow it to stop him from becoming what he planned to become.
The point being made here is: the family you come from, your level of education, your little experience, or your “ugly” past does not determine your success in life, unless you allow them to.
A Sorneo proverb says: “Where the heart is unwilling, it will find a thousand excuses; but where the heart is willing, it will find a thousand ways.”
Self-development: Your Best Education
The second thing to take note and practise is self-education. Charles had only 4 years schooling, but he embarked on self-study. It is self-study that made Charles great. Herbert Spencer said: “The great aim of education is not knowledge, but action.” In life, the certificates, degrees, or knowledge a person possesses does not guarantee the person great success. What guarantees great success in life is action. It is what you do with the knowledge or skill you have that determine your level of success.
In Charles’ case, not having the money or any assistance to finance his education, he used the little money he had to buy books and study on his own. That took him a lot of hard work, but it paid off eventually.
Self-development is the foundation for your success in life. Your present level of education is enough for a good start in life. J.C. Roberts said: “No one needs despair of receiving an education as long as books and magazines are available.”
Unlike in the past era, we have more facilities and more resources which we can use to develop and educate ourselves. The Internet is fast becoming a primary source of information; we have more libraries today than we have in the past; we have wider media coverage than before- more TV and radio stations, more magazines and newspapers.
But it is, however, unfortunate that our youths have failed to avail themselves of these means of self-development. You need to move around to observe what I am saying. Our youths are more interested in playing video games, watching European soccer league matches, and movies. Though it is not a crime engaging in any of these, they are merely for entertainment, and as such, they tend to waste time, resources, and life generally.
What a success seeker needs to do to advance in life is maximisation of time. Time is money. Use your time to educate and develop yourself. Many people are not aware of what is happening around them, not even to talk of what is happening in the world. “To be uninformed is to be deformed and to be informed is to be transformed.”
In what areas do you want to develop yourself? The Internet is there; the media is there; we have libraries around as well as skill acquisition training centres. There is no information or type of education you wish to acquire that you cannot get from these sources. You can also buy books which deal with the area of your interest and read. That is the way to develop yourself. As Dr. Mrs. Obi Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education said: “A society that does not read is a society that does not develop.”
Begin to read now!
Find Your Passion
One of the benefits of self-development is that by exposing your mind to various fields of human endeavour, you begin to find your passion. For Charles, he exposed his mind to reading lots of books. In the process, he found his passion, which is writing.
Have you found your passion? If you have, I say “congratulations!” but if you have not, I urge you to embark on self education today. Passion is what builds a successful career. Passion is what builds an enviable home. Passion is what you need to rewrite your own story.
Handle Rejection
More often than not, life will say “no”. But how you react to it goes a long way in determining your destiny.
It was in the news sometime ago that a man committed suicide because his wife divorced him. In the Bible, Ahitophel, the wisest counsellor in Israel, committed suicide after his counsel was ignored.
From time immemorial, rejection has always been the major peril causing casualty on the road to stardom.
In Charles’ case, the story is not different. He encountered lots and lots of rejections from magazines and newspapers, which refused to publish his articles. He was sorrowful, he experienced the feeling of hopelessness, helplessness, despair, but he did not allow these to discourage him. He kept on writing and sending his articles to magazines and newspapers until one of the magazines finally started publishing his articles. That was the breakthrough which inspired him to make an indelible mark on the planet.
Dear reader, always remember that on your way to stardom, people will say “no”, you will encounter rejection; but never give up. Keep on ploughing and keep on sowing. The Good Lord will send the rain in its season. Wait patiently and you will have a bumper harvest.
Never Settle for Less
We all have the tendency to remain in our comfort zone. We don’t want to stir the hornet’s nest. We don’t want to take risks. But if we must rewrite our own story, we should never try to settle for less.
Charles Dickens moved himself from the state of scarcity to state of abundance. He started life in penury; he began his writing career as a freelancer; and later went into book writing, churning out 17 bestselling novels before he died.
Life is not meant to be static. We should move ourselves from the state of scarcity to the state of abundance. By doing so, we are rewriting our own story.
In conclusion, I must reiterate that regardless of your background or present situation, you can rewrite your story. What it takes to do so are:
Don’t use your background as an excuse for not succeeding in life. Your background has nothing to do with your success in life;
Embark on self-development and self-education;
Find your passion;
Handle rejection; and
Never settle for less.
You are a victor!
The family sold their properties in order to find money to survive.
In the course of time, he was employed to paste label on bottles. Out of the money he was paid, he rented a room. In spite of the little education he had, he opted to educate himself. He therefore worked hard to achieve the goal he set for himself. He bought lots and lots of books.
The enlightenment and inspiration he received from this self-education led him into the world of writing. However, his writing career was not a smooth sale. Initially, the popular magazines and newspapers in his country rejected his articles, but he kept on writing and polishing his writing skills.
A day came when one of the magazines published an article of his. He was not paid for the article, but he was excited because they acceptance of his article gave him the impetus. His first 8 articles were published, though he was not paid a penny. His 9th article, however, fetched him one pound.
Waxing stronger and stronger, the boy published a booklet titled: Christmas Carol. The booklet was an instant success. He sold 15, 000 copies within two weeks. His fortune changed overnight when J.P. Morgan, a multi-millionaire, bought the manuscript with huge sums of money.
The writer wrote17 novels before he died and all the novels were best sellers. He became the most highly paid author to have walked on the face of the earth.
With his writing, he rewrote the story of his life. This author is no other person than the one and only Charles Dickens.
Dear reader, do you know that you too can rewrite the story of your life? Do you understand what it takes to rewrite your own story?
Background is not Relevant
The first thing to note if you want to rewrite your own story is that your background does not determine your success in life. Charles Dickens came from a humble background. He had little education, but this did not stop him from achieving fame and fortune.
There is a great deception among our youths and even some adults today. Many of them believe that because of the humble family they came from, they are not successful and cannot succeed in life. Others believe that because of the little education they have, they can never amount to anything in life. Some hold the belief that because of their past, they cannot succeed in life.
I have had someone say: “If my father were alive, my life would not have been like this.” I don’t think this is completely true. Although the death of a person’s father may seriously affect that person, it cannot stop the person from reaching the height he has set for himself. The late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) lost his father while studying Law in London. This affected him seriously to the point that he had to wash plates to earn money to continue his education.
Although his father’s death seriously affected his life and academics, he did not allow it to stop him from becoming what he planned to become.
The point being made here is: the family you come from, your level of education, your little experience, or your “ugly” past does not determine your success in life, unless you allow them to.
A Sorneo proverb says: “Where the heart is unwilling, it will find a thousand excuses; but where the heart is willing, it will find a thousand ways.”
Self-development: Your Best Education
The second thing to take note and practise is self-education. Charles had only 4 years schooling, but he embarked on self-study. It is self-study that made Charles great. Herbert Spencer said: “The great aim of education is not knowledge, but action.” In life, the certificates, degrees, or knowledge a person possesses does not guarantee the person great success. What guarantees great success in life is action. It is what you do with the knowledge or skill you have that determine your level of success.
In Charles’ case, not having the money or any assistance to finance his education, he used the little money he had to buy books and study on his own. That took him a lot of hard work, but it paid off eventually.
Self-development is the foundation for your success in life. Your present level of education is enough for a good start in life. J.C. Roberts said: “No one needs despair of receiving an education as long as books and magazines are available.”
Unlike in the past era, we have more facilities and more resources which we can use to develop and educate ourselves. The Internet is fast becoming a primary source of information; we have more libraries today than we have in the past; we have wider media coverage than before- more TV and radio stations, more magazines and newspapers.
But it is, however, unfortunate that our youths have failed to avail themselves of these means of self-development. You need to move around to observe what I am saying. Our youths are more interested in playing video games, watching European soccer league matches, and movies. Though it is not a crime engaging in any of these, they are merely for entertainment, and as such, they tend to waste time, resources, and life generally.
What a success seeker needs to do to advance in life is maximisation of time. Time is money. Use your time to educate and develop yourself. Many people are not aware of what is happening around them, not even to talk of what is happening in the world. “To be uninformed is to be deformed and to be informed is to be transformed.”
In what areas do you want to develop yourself? The Internet is there; the media is there; we have libraries around as well as skill acquisition training centres. There is no information or type of education you wish to acquire that you cannot get from these sources. You can also buy books which deal with the area of your interest and read. That is the way to develop yourself. As Dr. Mrs. Obi Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education said: “A society that does not read is a society that does not develop.”
Begin to read now!
Find Your Passion
One of the benefits of self-development is that by exposing your mind to various fields of human endeavour, you begin to find your passion. For Charles, he exposed his mind to reading lots of books. In the process, he found his passion, which is writing.
Have you found your passion? If you have, I say “congratulations!” but if you have not, I urge you to embark on self education today. Passion is what builds a successful career. Passion is what builds an enviable home. Passion is what you need to rewrite your own story.
Handle Rejection
More often than not, life will say “no”. But how you react to it goes a long way in determining your destiny.
It was in the news sometime ago that a man committed suicide because his wife divorced him. In the Bible, Ahitophel, the wisest counsellor in Israel, committed suicide after his counsel was ignored.
From time immemorial, rejection has always been the major peril causing casualty on the road to stardom.
In Charles’ case, the story is not different. He encountered lots and lots of rejections from magazines and newspapers, which refused to publish his articles. He was sorrowful, he experienced the feeling of hopelessness, helplessness, despair, but he did not allow these to discourage him. He kept on writing and sending his articles to magazines and newspapers until one of the magazines finally started publishing his articles. That was the breakthrough which inspired him to make an indelible mark on the planet.
Dear reader, always remember that on your way to stardom, people will say “no”, you will encounter rejection; but never give up. Keep on ploughing and keep on sowing. The Good Lord will send the rain in its season. Wait patiently and you will have a bumper harvest.
Never Settle for Less
We all have the tendency to remain in our comfort zone. We don’t want to stir the hornet’s nest. We don’t want to take risks. But if we must rewrite our own story, we should never try to settle for less.
Charles Dickens moved himself from the state of scarcity to state of abundance. He started life in penury; he began his writing career as a freelancer; and later went into book writing, churning out 17 bestselling novels before he died.
Life is not meant to be static. We should move ourselves from the state of scarcity to the state of abundance. By doing so, we are rewriting our own story.
In conclusion, I must reiterate that regardless of your background or present situation, you can rewrite your story. What it takes to do so are:
Don’t use your background as an excuse for not succeeding in life. Your background has nothing to do with your success in life;
Embark on self-development and self-education;
Find your passion;
Handle rejection; and
Never settle for less.
You are a victor!
Sunday 9 October 2011
Triumph of the Indomitable: The Coscharis Inspiration
In a world where most people remain at the lowest rung of the ladder because of the flimsy excuse of lack of capital, the super achievers are bracing the odds and climbing the ladder to the pinnacle of success, using the very little at their disposal.
I bring to you today one Nigerian who has demonstrated practically that anyone can rise from any seemingly worst situation to become a super successful person, provided such a person is determined to fight his way through.
He is no other person than Dr. Cosmas Maduka, the Chief Executive Officer of Coscharis Motors Group, a conglomerate with over 15 billion naira in shareholders’ fund.
Cosmas began life as an apprentice with the aim of becoming an auto parts dealer. The beauty of the apprenticeship agreement is that on completion of the apprenticeship, apprentices were rewarded with hundreds of thousands of naira. This enables them to take off their auto parts business on a sound note.
However, when Cosmas completed his apprenticeship, he was given only #200 (two hundred naira).
It was a big blow, a big disappointment. What could #200 naira do? Well, instead of throwing his hands up in despair and quit, he boldly decided to launch his auto parts business with the #200.
Within six months, he was able to grow his capital to the point of renting his own shop.
His transaction with Leventis Motors (the giant in the automobile business at that time), fired his vision of the type of enterprise he hoped to build.
He caught the vision, held on to it, kept working hard towards actualising the vision. Today, he sits atop Coscharis Group of companies.
With just #200, Cosmas started a one-man auto parts business and turned it into a large conglomerate!
How did he manage to accomplish this feat and how can you apply the same technique to achieve your own goal in life?
Learn the Rope
The major step you need to take in order to accomplish great things in life is to learn and study to become an authority in your area of pursuit. Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
Once you have identified your specialty or area of interest, endeavour to give it all you have got. Humble yourself to learn the rope. Go for the necessary training. The reason we have many quacks in various fields of human endeavour is that people are impatient. They are not patient enough to complete or undergo thorough training. Cosmas began as an apprentice and took time to learn all he needed to know about auto parts trade. He knew everything about auto parts business like the back of his hands, and this gave him the leverage.
To aspire to greater height in your chosen field, you must learn and keep learning. Master all you need to know. Don’t be a quack, be a professional. Be competent so that you can be relevant in your field.
Become indomitable
Chris Kwakpovwe, the writer and publisher of the devotional booklet: Our Daily Manna said: “The same adversity that causes some people to break down causes others to break record.”
In life, the unexpected happens often, but how do you react to it?
Your ability to handle disappointment, despair, and discouragement is the determining factor for your success in life. In times of adversity, some people chose to remain on wheel chair or take to crutches; while others develop wings.
Marshal Foch said: “There are no hopeless situations. There are only men and women who have grown hopeless about them.”
After completing his apprenticeship, Cosmas was paid only #200 instead of hundreds of thousands of naira. Though disappointed, he refused to break down. Instead of using the disappointment as an excuse for his failure in life, he rose from the ashes of disappointment and worked his way gradually into greatness.
You need strength to become indomitable. That strength is your determination. Resolve that regardless of any circumstances, you will work your way to the top. A man who is determined to succeed is indomitable. He is ready to confront anything that stands on his way to success, and he is ready to do all that is necessary to guarantee his success.
Be a Man of Vision
A man of vision is a person who sees what others cannot see. Learn to see opportunities in every situation no matter how ugly it may be. Be an optimist. Sir Winston Churchill said: “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
In any situation, there are opportunities. It is these opportunities that you should be looking for.
In their book, From Trial to Triumph, co-written by Dr. Maduka and his wife, Dr Cosmas Maduka said: “The way one does business in this 21st Century is by seeing things before they happen. You must visualise the business; you must see what others are not seeing.”
Dear reader, in your own chosen field, can you see what others cannot see? Can you see great opportunities in your field? Be a man of action. If you see what others cannot see, you will get to the height that others cannot get to.
Be Known for Quality
Quality should be your watchword. Whether you are rendering service, producing or supplying product, ensure that it is the best quality. This is one of the success secrets of Dr. Maduka. Coscharis is a popular brand in the automobile industry because of the best quality products they deal with.
According to Cosmas, “it is impossible to sell an inferior product and hope for substantial success.”
Aggressive Marketing
Whether you are a business man or a professional, your ability to market yourself, business or service goes a long way towards enhancing your business.
If your products or service are meant for the masses, then the masses must be informed and educated about it. In his word Maduka said: “To have revenues and profits, you first need to have customers. To get customers, you must be able to successfully market your business.”
I bring to you today one Nigerian who has demonstrated practically that anyone can rise from any seemingly worst situation to become a super successful person, provided such a person is determined to fight his way through.
He is no other person than Dr. Cosmas Maduka, the Chief Executive Officer of Coscharis Motors Group, a conglomerate with over 15 billion naira in shareholders’ fund.
Cosmas began life as an apprentice with the aim of becoming an auto parts dealer. The beauty of the apprenticeship agreement is that on completion of the apprenticeship, apprentices were rewarded with hundreds of thousands of naira. This enables them to take off their auto parts business on a sound note.
However, when Cosmas completed his apprenticeship, he was given only #200 (two hundred naira).
It was a big blow, a big disappointment. What could #200 naira do? Well, instead of throwing his hands up in despair and quit, he boldly decided to launch his auto parts business with the #200.
Within six months, he was able to grow his capital to the point of renting his own shop.
His transaction with Leventis Motors (the giant in the automobile business at that time), fired his vision of the type of enterprise he hoped to build.
He caught the vision, held on to it, kept working hard towards actualising the vision. Today, he sits atop Coscharis Group of companies.
With just #200, Cosmas started a one-man auto parts business and turned it into a large conglomerate!
How did he manage to accomplish this feat and how can you apply the same technique to achieve your own goal in life?
Learn the Rope
The major step you need to take in order to accomplish great things in life is to learn and study to become an authority in your area of pursuit. Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
Once you have identified your specialty or area of interest, endeavour to give it all you have got. Humble yourself to learn the rope. Go for the necessary training. The reason we have many quacks in various fields of human endeavour is that people are impatient. They are not patient enough to complete or undergo thorough training. Cosmas began as an apprentice and took time to learn all he needed to know about auto parts trade. He knew everything about auto parts business like the back of his hands, and this gave him the leverage.
To aspire to greater height in your chosen field, you must learn and keep learning. Master all you need to know. Don’t be a quack, be a professional. Be competent so that you can be relevant in your field.
Become indomitable
Chris Kwakpovwe, the writer and publisher of the devotional booklet: Our Daily Manna said: “The same adversity that causes some people to break down causes others to break record.”
In life, the unexpected happens often, but how do you react to it?
Your ability to handle disappointment, despair, and discouragement is the determining factor for your success in life. In times of adversity, some people chose to remain on wheel chair or take to crutches; while others develop wings.
Marshal Foch said: “There are no hopeless situations. There are only men and women who have grown hopeless about them.”
After completing his apprenticeship, Cosmas was paid only #200 instead of hundreds of thousands of naira. Though disappointed, he refused to break down. Instead of using the disappointment as an excuse for his failure in life, he rose from the ashes of disappointment and worked his way gradually into greatness.
You need strength to become indomitable. That strength is your determination. Resolve that regardless of any circumstances, you will work your way to the top. A man who is determined to succeed is indomitable. He is ready to confront anything that stands on his way to success, and he is ready to do all that is necessary to guarantee his success.
Be a Man of Vision
A man of vision is a person who sees what others cannot see. Learn to see opportunities in every situation no matter how ugly it may be. Be an optimist. Sir Winston Churchill said: “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
In any situation, there are opportunities. It is these opportunities that you should be looking for.
In their book, From Trial to Triumph, co-written by Dr. Maduka and his wife, Dr Cosmas Maduka said: “The way one does business in this 21st Century is by seeing things before they happen. You must visualise the business; you must see what others are not seeing.”
Dear reader, in your own chosen field, can you see what others cannot see? Can you see great opportunities in your field? Be a man of action. If you see what others cannot see, you will get to the height that others cannot get to.
Be Known for Quality
Quality should be your watchword. Whether you are rendering service, producing or supplying product, ensure that it is the best quality. This is one of the success secrets of Dr. Maduka. Coscharis is a popular brand in the automobile industry because of the best quality products they deal with.
According to Cosmas, “it is impossible to sell an inferior product and hope for substantial success.”
Aggressive Marketing
Whether you are a business man or a professional, your ability to market yourself, business or service goes a long way towards enhancing your business.
If your products or service are meant for the masses, then the masses must be informed and educated about it. In his word Maduka said: “To have revenues and profits, you first need to have customers. To get customers, you must be able to successfully market your business.”
In Search of a Role Model
Who is your role model? This is a question that has generated a lot of response among cross sections of people. I have a friend who even says he does not have a role model. Well, I wonder whether he is actually being honest.
However, for me, I have a role model. I found my role model way back in my secondary school days. He has been an inspiration to me and will always be.
Before I proceed, let us first examine what a role model means. A role model is any person you admire or try to copy.
Who then is my role model and what is his profile?
Well, I will give you his profile first, and thereafter, I will give you his name.
My model enrolled at Holborn College of Law, University of London, to study Law in 1961.
While there, his father died. This greatly affected his financial and academic life. To survive and to ensure he completed his course of study, he did menial jobs like washing of plates in a hotel. This was his first-hand encounter with poverty, and probably what gingered him to venture into the “life-threatening human rights activism, pro-democracy struggles,” and philanthropy, fighting for the welfare of the poor masses.
When he completed his course of study and returned to Nigeria, he came with only a pair of suit, two pairs of shoes, and a small luggage.
He started his legal practice from the scratch and commenced his one-man rioting squad, in defence of the underprivileged, the weak, the poor, and the oppressed. For oppressing the corrupt, oppressive, and tyrannical regimes, he was jailed several times. But these did not deter him. All his life, he stood for a pure and just course.
His practice of philanthropy was also aimed at empowering the poor and the underprivileged. He has been awarding scholarship to indigent students for over 35 years. In 2009, his university scholarship went to 39 indigent students, male and female, Christians and Muslims from all over the country.
In 2001, he was awarded the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), a rank given only to lawyers who have distinguished themselves as advocates and have made significant contribution to the development of legal profession in Nigeria.
In 1984 alone, he handled over 5, 000 cases in court free of charge for the indigent people who could not afford to pay legal practitioner’s fee.
His law office is one of the most successful law offices in the country. In addition, he has a flourishing publishing company called Nigerian Law Publication Ltd. Established in 1985, his company publishes Nigerian Weekly Law Reports (NWLR), a very popular law report in the country. He splashed about 600 million naira building his new premises at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State.
He went into human rights activism not because he wanted to make money. In fact, at the time he started his human rights struggle, it was not lucrative, but a dangerous venture. It is even on record that if he had none gone into human rights activism, he would have been richer.
He made his money not from government contracts, appointments, or politics. He even hated having contact with the evil and oppressive regimes of the past. He made his money from his legal practice and from his publishing company.
Public money meant little to him; what matters to him is social reform for the welfare of the poor masses. In 2008, he rejected an award of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), the highest award in the land.
On the international scene, he has been accorded great recognition for his commitment to fighting social injustice, corruption, maladministration, and all vices. Bernard Simmons’ award to him in Canada is one of such recognition.
My role model passed on Saturday September 5, 2009, at a time I was writing my project as an undergraduate. I had earlier hoped I would, one day, do my Chamber Attachment or work directly under him, to acquire more practical experience in legal practice.
I pay glowing tribute to this legal icon, human rights activist, and philanthropist.
To me and millions of his of his fans, he is not dead but lives. As Shakespeare said, “Those who live in the hearts of men never die.”
My role model is no other person than Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who is not only a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), but also the Senior Advocate of the Masses (SAM).
Are you looking for a role model?
For anyone looking for a role model, Gani’s life is a shining example of what you should expect of your own role model.
In your search for a role model, look for the following qualities:
Quality of Greatness
A great man is not necessarily one who amasses millions for himself; many do so at the expense of others.
Francis Bacon defines a great man as “one who makes great opportunities out of the commonest situations.” Gani built his wealth from the scratch. He took his legal practice from relative obscurity to a super successful one. True greatness lies not in corruption and embezzlement of public funds, but in the ability to transform commonest situation into great opportunities
A true role model should be one whose life inspires noble deeds. Do you draw positive inspiration from your role model?
Selflessness
One major aspect of Gani’s life that is worthy of emulation is the selfless life he lived. All he stood and fought for was not for his own interest, but for the interest of the masses.
In the course of his struggle for the welfare of the underprivileged, the poor, and the downtrodden, he was imprisoned several times. His legal practice was flourishing enough to sustain him and his family, but his consuming passion was the enthronement of an egalitarian society where the poor masses are adequately and equally catered for.
Gani used his legal practice as a weapon of social transformation, it is on record that in 1984 alone, he handled over 5 000 cases in court free of charge for the indigent. And for over 35 years, he kept awarding scholarships to the underprivileged.
I think a true role model should be one who lives a selfless life. We live in a world where many people strive to grab everything for themselves. Some people cheat, steal, lie, and kill in order to be rich. Thank God, there are still people who do none of these to get rich. And these are the people we should look up to as our role model.
Think about it. If everybody is to be selfish, the world would be a terrible place to live in. The poor around us are our responsibility. God will not give us wealth if we are selfish. Wealth is given to those who will use it to better the lives of others and theirs.
Worrying about wealth is not the issue; the issue is using the little you have at the moment to better the lives of others. That is the way to trigger wealth. And that is the way a true role model should go about getting true wealth.
Indefatigability
Gani remained an indefatigable defender of human rights. He was jailed several times, his life was threatened. They did all these to him in order to silence him, but he remained undaunted. Others could be silenced, but not Gani fawehinmi.
A true role model should be one who is committed to fighting a pure and just cause.
Industry
Gani was a hardworking professional and did not tolerate laziness in his law office. Lawyers who have worked under him admitted that he does not tolerate laziness.
On the secret of his success in the legal profession, Gani said: “To succeed, you must work hard. You must read and read. That is what I do. When money comes, I plough it back into buying books. 80% of the money we make will be ploughed back into enlarging the Chambers. I do not take loans from anybody. My management style is: work hard and suffer hard. Why should a person who aspires to be a future leader report to work at 9am and leave at 5pm? You can’t face the challenge of the future that way. My staff must resume 7am or 7.30am and cannot leave until late in the evening. How they make it at 7am is their business. If you like, live your house at 4am, but in our Chambers, there is no room for laziness.
Hard work is one essential quality you should be looking for in a role model. True success comes by dint of hard work. Hard work does not kill; it is laziness that kills.
These are the qualities I admire in Chief Gani Fawehinmi, and that is why I say, he is my role model.
I also think these are the qualities you should be looking for in your own role model.
Look for a role model. Draw inspiration from him and start making your own contribution to the betterment of the society.
You too can also become a role model for the coming generation.
You are a victor!
However, for me, I have a role model. I found my role model way back in my secondary school days. He has been an inspiration to me and will always be.
Before I proceed, let us first examine what a role model means. A role model is any person you admire or try to copy.
Who then is my role model and what is his profile?
Well, I will give you his profile first, and thereafter, I will give you his name.
My model enrolled at Holborn College of Law, University of London, to study Law in 1961.
While there, his father died. This greatly affected his financial and academic life. To survive and to ensure he completed his course of study, he did menial jobs like washing of plates in a hotel. This was his first-hand encounter with poverty, and probably what gingered him to venture into the “life-threatening human rights activism, pro-democracy struggles,” and philanthropy, fighting for the welfare of the poor masses.
When he completed his course of study and returned to Nigeria, he came with only a pair of suit, two pairs of shoes, and a small luggage.
He started his legal practice from the scratch and commenced his one-man rioting squad, in defence of the underprivileged, the weak, the poor, and the oppressed. For oppressing the corrupt, oppressive, and tyrannical regimes, he was jailed several times. But these did not deter him. All his life, he stood for a pure and just course.
His practice of philanthropy was also aimed at empowering the poor and the underprivileged. He has been awarding scholarship to indigent students for over 35 years. In 2009, his university scholarship went to 39 indigent students, male and female, Christians and Muslims from all over the country.
In 2001, he was awarded the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), a rank given only to lawyers who have distinguished themselves as advocates and have made significant contribution to the development of legal profession in Nigeria.
In 1984 alone, he handled over 5, 000 cases in court free of charge for the indigent people who could not afford to pay legal practitioner’s fee.
His law office is one of the most successful law offices in the country. In addition, he has a flourishing publishing company called Nigerian Law Publication Ltd. Established in 1985, his company publishes Nigerian Weekly Law Reports (NWLR), a very popular law report in the country. He splashed about 600 million naira building his new premises at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State.
He went into human rights activism not because he wanted to make money. In fact, at the time he started his human rights struggle, it was not lucrative, but a dangerous venture. It is even on record that if he had none gone into human rights activism, he would have been richer.
He made his money not from government contracts, appointments, or politics. He even hated having contact with the evil and oppressive regimes of the past. He made his money from his legal practice and from his publishing company.
Public money meant little to him; what matters to him is social reform for the welfare of the poor masses. In 2008, he rejected an award of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), the highest award in the land.
On the international scene, he has been accorded great recognition for his commitment to fighting social injustice, corruption, maladministration, and all vices. Bernard Simmons’ award to him in Canada is one of such recognition.
My role model passed on Saturday September 5, 2009, at a time I was writing my project as an undergraduate. I had earlier hoped I would, one day, do my Chamber Attachment or work directly under him, to acquire more practical experience in legal practice.
I pay glowing tribute to this legal icon, human rights activist, and philanthropist.
To me and millions of his of his fans, he is not dead but lives. As Shakespeare said, “Those who live in the hearts of men never die.”
My role model is no other person than Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who is not only a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), but also the Senior Advocate of the Masses (SAM).
Are you looking for a role model?
For anyone looking for a role model, Gani’s life is a shining example of what you should expect of your own role model.
In your search for a role model, look for the following qualities:
Quality of Greatness
A great man is not necessarily one who amasses millions for himself; many do so at the expense of others.
Francis Bacon defines a great man as “one who makes great opportunities out of the commonest situations.” Gani built his wealth from the scratch. He took his legal practice from relative obscurity to a super successful one. True greatness lies not in corruption and embezzlement of public funds, but in the ability to transform commonest situation into great opportunities
A true role model should be one whose life inspires noble deeds. Do you draw positive inspiration from your role model?
Selflessness
One major aspect of Gani’s life that is worthy of emulation is the selfless life he lived. All he stood and fought for was not for his own interest, but for the interest of the masses.
In the course of his struggle for the welfare of the underprivileged, the poor, and the downtrodden, he was imprisoned several times. His legal practice was flourishing enough to sustain him and his family, but his consuming passion was the enthronement of an egalitarian society where the poor masses are adequately and equally catered for.
Gani used his legal practice as a weapon of social transformation, it is on record that in 1984 alone, he handled over 5 000 cases in court free of charge for the indigent. And for over 35 years, he kept awarding scholarships to the underprivileged.
I think a true role model should be one who lives a selfless life. We live in a world where many people strive to grab everything for themselves. Some people cheat, steal, lie, and kill in order to be rich. Thank God, there are still people who do none of these to get rich. And these are the people we should look up to as our role model.
Think about it. If everybody is to be selfish, the world would be a terrible place to live in. The poor around us are our responsibility. God will not give us wealth if we are selfish. Wealth is given to those who will use it to better the lives of others and theirs.
Worrying about wealth is not the issue; the issue is using the little you have at the moment to better the lives of others. That is the way to trigger wealth. And that is the way a true role model should go about getting true wealth.
Indefatigability
Gani remained an indefatigable defender of human rights. He was jailed several times, his life was threatened. They did all these to him in order to silence him, but he remained undaunted. Others could be silenced, but not Gani fawehinmi.
A true role model should be one who is committed to fighting a pure and just cause.
Industry
Gani was a hardworking professional and did not tolerate laziness in his law office. Lawyers who have worked under him admitted that he does not tolerate laziness.
On the secret of his success in the legal profession, Gani said: “To succeed, you must work hard. You must read and read. That is what I do. When money comes, I plough it back into buying books. 80% of the money we make will be ploughed back into enlarging the Chambers. I do not take loans from anybody. My management style is: work hard and suffer hard. Why should a person who aspires to be a future leader report to work at 9am and leave at 5pm? You can’t face the challenge of the future that way. My staff must resume 7am or 7.30am and cannot leave until late in the evening. How they make it at 7am is their business. If you like, live your house at 4am, but in our Chambers, there is no room for laziness.
Hard work is one essential quality you should be looking for in a role model. True success comes by dint of hard work. Hard work does not kill; it is laziness that kills.
These are the qualities I admire in Chief Gani Fawehinmi, and that is why I say, he is my role model.
I also think these are the qualities you should be looking for in your own role model.
Look for a role model. Draw inspiration from him and start making your own contribution to the betterment of the society.
You too can also become a role model for the coming generation.
You are a victor!
Hope: Your Anchor in the Storms of Life
Sometime in February 2011, I had the privilege of listening to an interview programme conducted by Kapital FM Radio Station, Abuja, in which Infinity, a popular group of Nigerian singers were featured.
In the course of the interview, they revealed how they sang their way from relative obscurity to stardom. When they started, life was very difficult for them. There was no producer to sponsor them. They were on their own, struggling to make both ends meet.
Things were so bad for them that on a Christmas day, they drank only Gari (a staple African food), but they never lost hope. They kept hoping that things will change, that the situation will not remain the same.
They also said they knew they were going somewhere greater. They kept their hope alive and eventually they released their block-buster album titled: “Olori Oko”. The album was shut with #1.5 million naira.
Talk about success, this group of singers has made their mark on Nigeria’s landscape.
Life is not Static
Do you desire great success in life? Then you must understand this basic fact: life is not static. Every problem has a lifespan. There is nothing that has a beginning that does not have an end. Things will change. There is a classic saying: “the only thing that is constant is change.” The earth and the other planetary bodies are not static; they revolve and rotate round and round the sun, non-stop. You are not expected to be static in life. Similarly, the unpleasant situation of your life is not meant to last forever. The unpleasant situation is just a phase in your life. The tide will turn.
But often, before you experience the turn-around, things may get worse; life may become more difficult; feeling of hopelessness may make you to throw your hands up in despair; you may experience excruciating pain of disappointments, etc. nevertheless, know for sure that no condition is permanent. Things often get worse before they get better.
Hope, Your Anchor
Will your anchor hold in the time of storm?
Tough times can be compared to life on a stormy sea. Every ship on the sea has anchors. Anchors are meant to keep the ship from drifting away. To safeguard ships, anchors are let down.
However, the weight or strength of the anchor matters. A light or weak anchor cannot guarantee safety of the ship. For safety of the ship and of the passengers on board, the anchor must be strong enough to keep the ship from drifting.
Similarly, in the storms of life, you need an anchor. That anchor must be strong enough to keep you from drifting away into oblivion. That anchor is hope, and that is what you need not only to survive but to triumph over life’s storms.
In the time of storm, some fall by the wayside because their anchor (hope) cannot hold; while others don’t even have the anchor, so they are tossed mercilessly by the storm to nowhere in particular.
Dear reader, the storm will come. There is nothing you can do to prevent the storm from reaching you. But the important question is: “Do you have the anchor that will safeguard you in the storms of life? Will your anchor holds in the time of storms”.
The Bible says: “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.” Hope is the anchor you need to survive and triumph over adversity. Hope is the strength you need to live a victorious life. Like the Infinity, whose story you read above, you must keep hope alive. Never lose hope in life, never despair. Things may get worse before they get better.
Hold unto your belief and sooner than later your dream will come true.
Know Where You are Going
In the midst of the storm it is very easy to lose focus. It is easier to quit when the wind is contrary, but when you know where you are going, the storm will give way for you to pass. There is a saying: “The world will stand aside to let you pass, if you know where you are going.”
The Infinity had no problem keeping their hope alive, because they knew where they were going. According to them: “We kept hoping that things would change; and that, the situation would not remain the same. We knew we were going somewhere greater.”
If you know where you are going, you will keep your hope aglow, and soon, the storm will pass, ushering you into a richer, more fulfilling life.
Great Idea Attracts Money
Attracting big money is easy, if you know how. The infinity has revealed the secret of attracting big money, and this secret is: have a great idea. If you need big money, you must have a great idea. Great idea attracts big money. For these struggling artistes then, earning a million naira is a mirage, but they had a great idea. That idea is their debut album: “Olori Oko.” It is this album that attracted the sum of #1.5 million naira, which was used to shoot the album. It is this album that catapulted them to stardom.
In a country where up and coming artistes are finding it difficult to make an impact, what the Infinity needed to come to limelight was a great album.
Do you need big money? Then you need to have a great idea. The quality or greatness of the idea is what will attract the big money you need. Get an idea. Make sure it is a great idea. Polish the idea. Package it well. Then go and look for reliable sponsors who will buy into the idea. It is the greatness of your idea that will attract the big money you desire.
You are a victor!
In the course of the interview, they revealed how they sang their way from relative obscurity to stardom. When they started, life was very difficult for them. There was no producer to sponsor them. They were on their own, struggling to make both ends meet.
Things were so bad for them that on a Christmas day, they drank only Gari (a staple African food), but they never lost hope. They kept hoping that things will change, that the situation will not remain the same.
They also said they knew they were going somewhere greater. They kept their hope alive and eventually they released their block-buster album titled: “Olori Oko”. The album was shut with #1.5 million naira.
Talk about success, this group of singers has made their mark on Nigeria’s landscape.
Life is not Static
Do you desire great success in life? Then you must understand this basic fact: life is not static. Every problem has a lifespan. There is nothing that has a beginning that does not have an end. Things will change. There is a classic saying: “the only thing that is constant is change.” The earth and the other planetary bodies are not static; they revolve and rotate round and round the sun, non-stop. You are not expected to be static in life. Similarly, the unpleasant situation of your life is not meant to last forever. The unpleasant situation is just a phase in your life. The tide will turn.
But often, before you experience the turn-around, things may get worse; life may become more difficult; feeling of hopelessness may make you to throw your hands up in despair; you may experience excruciating pain of disappointments, etc. nevertheless, know for sure that no condition is permanent. Things often get worse before they get better.
Hope, Your Anchor
Will your anchor hold in the time of storm?
Tough times can be compared to life on a stormy sea. Every ship on the sea has anchors. Anchors are meant to keep the ship from drifting away. To safeguard ships, anchors are let down.
However, the weight or strength of the anchor matters. A light or weak anchor cannot guarantee safety of the ship. For safety of the ship and of the passengers on board, the anchor must be strong enough to keep the ship from drifting.
Similarly, in the storms of life, you need an anchor. That anchor must be strong enough to keep you from drifting away into oblivion. That anchor is hope, and that is what you need not only to survive but to triumph over life’s storms.
In the time of storm, some fall by the wayside because their anchor (hope) cannot hold; while others don’t even have the anchor, so they are tossed mercilessly by the storm to nowhere in particular.
Dear reader, the storm will come. There is nothing you can do to prevent the storm from reaching you. But the important question is: “Do you have the anchor that will safeguard you in the storms of life? Will your anchor holds in the time of storms”.
The Bible says: “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.” Hope is the anchor you need to survive and triumph over adversity. Hope is the strength you need to live a victorious life. Like the Infinity, whose story you read above, you must keep hope alive. Never lose hope in life, never despair. Things may get worse before they get better.
Hold unto your belief and sooner than later your dream will come true.
Know Where You are Going
In the midst of the storm it is very easy to lose focus. It is easier to quit when the wind is contrary, but when you know where you are going, the storm will give way for you to pass. There is a saying: “The world will stand aside to let you pass, if you know where you are going.”
The Infinity had no problem keeping their hope alive, because they knew where they were going. According to them: “We kept hoping that things would change; and that, the situation would not remain the same. We knew we were going somewhere greater.”
If you know where you are going, you will keep your hope aglow, and soon, the storm will pass, ushering you into a richer, more fulfilling life.
Great Idea Attracts Money
Attracting big money is easy, if you know how. The infinity has revealed the secret of attracting big money, and this secret is: have a great idea. If you need big money, you must have a great idea. Great idea attracts big money. For these struggling artistes then, earning a million naira is a mirage, but they had a great idea. That idea is their debut album: “Olori Oko.” It is this album that attracted the sum of #1.5 million naira, which was used to shoot the album. It is this album that catapulted them to stardom.
In a country where up and coming artistes are finding it difficult to make an impact, what the Infinity needed to come to limelight was a great album.
Do you need big money? Then you need to have a great idea. The quality or greatness of the idea is what will attract the big money you need. Get an idea. Make sure it is a great idea. Polish the idea. Package it well. Then go and look for reliable sponsors who will buy into the idea. It is the greatness of your idea that will attract the big money you desire.
You are a victor!
Thursday 8 September 2011
Every Groaning Contains The Seed of Glory
The starting point to making your dream come true is realising that success is not achieved on a platter of silver. You work to achieve your goal. You take it upon yourself to doing all that is necessary to arrive at your success destination.
To expect success without making any effort towards achieving it is mere wishful thinking. A person wishing to become a soccer super star, but is not willing to undergo the rigorous physical and mental training involved, may never become one. Wishing alone will not make you great. An English proverb says: “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.”
The difference between the super achiever and the underachiever is that the super achiever does not just “wish;” he goes out to make the necessary sacrifice required to achieving his goal. The under achiever, on the other hand, keeps expecting to attain greatness, but is not willing to make the necessary sacrifice to become what he wishes to become.
Unfortunately, this is the mentality of most people in every land and clime. We expect to be paid more than we are inputting. We have little knowledge and experience, but we expect to be paid handsomely for that little knowledge and experience of ours. We wish to become successful professionals, doctor, lawyer, engineer, teacher, journalist, athlete, etc, but we don’t want to undergo thorough training. No wonder, we have many quacks in various fields of human endeavour today.
See, you cannot reap where you did not sow. To expect greatness without working for it is tantamount to reaping without sowing. There is no greater deception than that.
The path to glory is groaning. A successful Nigerian lawyer, while advising two law students on chamber attachment said that one can study law in poverty, but one cannot practise law in poverty.
The same thing applies to every pursuit in life.
Whatever your pursuit in life, you must be ready to undergo hardship, discomfort, and stress. These are the groaning you must undergo to be crowned with glory. Benjamin Franklin said: “No man was ever glorious who was not laborious.”
Dear reader, your glory is in your groaning. If you desire glory, don’t expect something for nothing. If you think of glory, consider groaning also, because you cannot enjoy a glorious life without first tasting of the groaning that leads to the glory.
Yes, you can make massive impact on earth. You can get what you want. You can attain the height you set for yourself, if and only if, you are ready to do all that is necessary to take you to that height.
Truly, the path to glory is filled with thorns and thistles which may cause you to groan, but the joy and the beauty of it all is that every groaning you undergo contain a seed of glory.
Are you willing to tread the path that leads to glory?
To expect success without making any effort towards achieving it is mere wishful thinking. A person wishing to become a soccer super star, but is not willing to undergo the rigorous physical and mental training involved, may never become one. Wishing alone will not make you great. An English proverb says: “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.”
The difference between the super achiever and the underachiever is that the super achiever does not just “wish;” he goes out to make the necessary sacrifice required to achieving his goal. The under achiever, on the other hand, keeps expecting to attain greatness, but is not willing to make the necessary sacrifice to become what he wishes to become.
Unfortunately, this is the mentality of most people in every land and clime. We expect to be paid more than we are inputting. We have little knowledge and experience, but we expect to be paid handsomely for that little knowledge and experience of ours. We wish to become successful professionals, doctor, lawyer, engineer, teacher, journalist, athlete, etc, but we don’t want to undergo thorough training. No wonder, we have many quacks in various fields of human endeavour today.
See, you cannot reap where you did not sow. To expect greatness without working for it is tantamount to reaping without sowing. There is no greater deception than that.
The path to glory is groaning. A successful Nigerian lawyer, while advising two law students on chamber attachment said that one can study law in poverty, but one cannot practise law in poverty.
The same thing applies to every pursuit in life.
Whatever your pursuit in life, you must be ready to undergo hardship, discomfort, and stress. These are the groaning you must undergo to be crowned with glory. Benjamin Franklin said: “No man was ever glorious who was not laborious.”
Dear reader, your glory is in your groaning. If you desire glory, don’t expect something for nothing. If you think of glory, consider groaning also, because you cannot enjoy a glorious life without first tasting of the groaning that leads to the glory.
Yes, you can make massive impact on earth. You can get what you want. You can attain the height you set for yourself, if and only if, you are ready to do all that is necessary to take you to that height.
Truly, the path to glory is filled with thorns and thistles which may cause you to groan, but the joy and the beauty of it all is that every groaning you undergo contain a seed of glory.
Are you willing to tread the path that leads to glory?
Monday 29 August 2011
Positive Lifestyle for Victorious Living
Your victory or failure in any sphere of life is anchored on your lifestyle.
You are either living a positive lifestyle or a negative lifestyle.
The lifestyle that guarantees victory is the positive lifestyle. Negative lifestyle, on the other hand, denies us the victory that is ours by birth.
Negative lifestyle has to do with the harmful and destructive perspective we have about others, about present circumstances, and about ourselves. Negative lifestyle also has to do with the harmful and negative way we speak about everything and about ourselves.
Positive lifestyle, on the other hand, has to do with the fantastic perspective we have about others, about present circumstances, about life generally, and about ourselves. Positive lifestyle also has to do with the fantastic way we speak about everything and about ourselves.
Positive lifestyle entails living by faith. When you live by faith, you see things not from the way things are, but from the way you want things to be; when you live by faith, you are not pushed around by negative circumstances, you are in firm control of your life.
When you live by faith, you make yourself “blind” to the present unfavourable circumstances.
Unfortunately, many of us live by sight, rather than by faith. The problem with living by sight is that we tend to believe that the way things are is the way we are destined to live. And as we continue to hold unto that belief, we get stuck to that negative lifestyle, hence victory remains elusive.
But when you live a positive lifestyle or you live by faith, you live and speak the way you want your life to be, and not the way your life is at the moment.
Sometime ago, a preacher went about preaching prosperity as part of the Gospel of Christ. People refused to reckon with him, because they said he was preaching prosperity and he was poor. Though discouraged, he refused to see himself as poor. He kept on preaching and seeing himself as a prosperous preacher. Today, the preacher is one of the wealthiest people in the US. He has jets which he uses for his evangelical work.
Dear reader, your success in life is not dependent on the present circumstance. That a person does not have money today does not mean he will not have it tomorrow. The important thing to note, if you want to live a victorious life, is that the circumstances or difficult situation you are passing through now is not the determining factor for your success in life. The determining factor for your victory in life is the positive image you hold about yourself and about life generally.
Never allow the present unfavourable circumstances to affect your life negatively. Keep focusing on the way you want your life to be. Life is what you make of it, not what the circumstances dictate.
Also, the positive image you hold about yourself and about life is more important than the opinion of any “expert” or person. You can be victorious when nobody believes you can; but you can never be victorious if you don’t believe in yourself.
History is replete with individuals who emerged victorious after people have written them off and said they could never succeed.
Thomas Edison was written off as too stupid to learn as a school boy. Today, he is remembered for inventing the electric bulb; when an aeronautical engineer saw Bill Lear’s design for a Jet, he said: “It’s a huge risk, and it will never fly;” but jets are still flying till today; when Sorchio HONDA set out to manufacture motorcycle many years ago, he was told never to do so, as it would not work, but today, motorcycles are still being used worldwide.
Your victory in life is not determined by people’s perspective about you, but by the positive image you hold about yourself and your ability. That is why you should believe in yourself when no one does. When you triumph at last, people will have no choice than to believe in you.
You don’t argue with results. You know?
Rules for Victorious Living
In the game of life, you must play by the rules, if you want to be victorious. Below are the basic rules that any person wishing to be a victor must observe.
1. Affirm the Positive
You use your tongue to either bless or curse. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
We all want to be victorious, but indirectly we use our tongue to drive victory far away from us.
Negative confession brings negative results; while positive confession brings positive results. This is the number one principle for victorious living, and this principle has its foundation the Book of God, the Bible. The Bible says: ‘Let the weak say, “I am strong.”’ This implies that you are to affirm the positive and disregard the negative.
The positive way you want your life to be is what you should affirm; not the way you are the moment.
Winners in the game of life have an unflinching focus on victory and that is why they affirm and talk about victory all the time. If you are weak, affirm that you are strong; if you are sick, affirm that you are healed, affirm that you are healthy; if you are poor, affirm that you are rich, affirm that you are prosperous.
Here are some positive affirmations you can consider. Copy them on a card or paper. Repeat them 10 times in the morning and also in the evening. Keep repeating them and soon you will start believing in the truth they contain. And once your mind (conscious and subconscious) are saturated with them, you become indomitable.
The positive affirmations are –
a) It is well with my soul, it is well with my mind, it is well with my body, it is well with my finances and job/business;
b) I am more than a conqueror. I succeed in anything I lay my hands upon to do; and
c) I am blessed, I am healthy, I am prosperous.
2. Feed Your Mind With Champion’s Food
Just as you feed your body with food in order to stay alive, healthy, and active, you need to feed your mind with food. However the type of food you feed your mind with, determines the kind of life you live. An Igala proverb says: “It is what the bird eats that he uses to fly.”
This is the second rules for victorious living: Feed your mind constantly with champions’ food, and you will have the strength of a champion.
Champions’ food includes anything that motivates, inspires, builds, and empowers you to live a victorious life. Among champions’ food are books on motivation, success, personal development, and most importantly, the Book of God, the Bible which is the foundation for victorious living.
Reading makes the man. Readers are leaders. Read inspirational and motivational books. Soak your mind with them. I mean, read and digest the contents therein. And to do that, you read at a “slow-and-steady pace to enable you understand and digest thoroughly.
Also attend seminars and go to places where positive messages are delivered, and listen attentively to the messages.
Dear reader, this week, I am giving out a power-packed motivational eBook written by one of the greatest motivational writer of all times. You cannot afford to miss this eBook. To get a copy, just email or text me:
Email: conqueror.adaji30@gmail.com
Phone: +2347061016859
You are either living a positive lifestyle or a negative lifestyle.
The lifestyle that guarantees victory is the positive lifestyle. Negative lifestyle, on the other hand, denies us the victory that is ours by birth.
Negative lifestyle has to do with the harmful and destructive perspective we have about others, about present circumstances, and about ourselves. Negative lifestyle also has to do with the harmful and negative way we speak about everything and about ourselves.
Positive lifestyle, on the other hand, has to do with the fantastic perspective we have about others, about present circumstances, about life generally, and about ourselves. Positive lifestyle also has to do with the fantastic way we speak about everything and about ourselves.
Positive lifestyle entails living by faith. When you live by faith, you see things not from the way things are, but from the way you want things to be; when you live by faith, you are not pushed around by negative circumstances, you are in firm control of your life.
When you live by faith, you make yourself “blind” to the present unfavourable circumstances.
Unfortunately, many of us live by sight, rather than by faith. The problem with living by sight is that we tend to believe that the way things are is the way we are destined to live. And as we continue to hold unto that belief, we get stuck to that negative lifestyle, hence victory remains elusive.
But when you live a positive lifestyle or you live by faith, you live and speak the way you want your life to be, and not the way your life is at the moment.
Sometime ago, a preacher went about preaching prosperity as part of the Gospel of Christ. People refused to reckon with him, because they said he was preaching prosperity and he was poor. Though discouraged, he refused to see himself as poor. He kept on preaching and seeing himself as a prosperous preacher. Today, the preacher is one of the wealthiest people in the US. He has jets which he uses for his evangelical work.
Dear reader, your success in life is not dependent on the present circumstance. That a person does not have money today does not mean he will not have it tomorrow. The important thing to note, if you want to live a victorious life, is that the circumstances or difficult situation you are passing through now is not the determining factor for your success in life. The determining factor for your victory in life is the positive image you hold about yourself and about life generally.
Never allow the present unfavourable circumstances to affect your life negatively. Keep focusing on the way you want your life to be. Life is what you make of it, not what the circumstances dictate.
Also, the positive image you hold about yourself and about life is more important than the opinion of any “expert” or person. You can be victorious when nobody believes you can; but you can never be victorious if you don’t believe in yourself.
History is replete with individuals who emerged victorious after people have written them off and said they could never succeed.
Thomas Edison was written off as too stupid to learn as a school boy. Today, he is remembered for inventing the electric bulb; when an aeronautical engineer saw Bill Lear’s design for a Jet, he said: “It’s a huge risk, and it will never fly;” but jets are still flying till today; when Sorchio HONDA set out to manufacture motorcycle many years ago, he was told never to do so, as it would not work, but today, motorcycles are still being used worldwide.
Your victory in life is not determined by people’s perspective about you, but by the positive image you hold about yourself and your ability. That is why you should believe in yourself when no one does. When you triumph at last, people will have no choice than to believe in you.
You don’t argue with results. You know?
Rules for Victorious Living
In the game of life, you must play by the rules, if you want to be victorious. Below are the basic rules that any person wishing to be a victor must observe.
1. Affirm the Positive
You use your tongue to either bless or curse. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
We all want to be victorious, but indirectly we use our tongue to drive victory far away from us.
Negative confession brings negative results; while positive confession brings positive results. This is the number one principle for victorious living, and this principle has its foundation the Book of God, the Bible. The Bible says: ‘Let the weak say, “I am strong.”’ This implies that you are to affirm the positive and disregard the negative.
The positive way you want your life to be is what you should affirm; not the way you are the moment.
Winners in the game of life have an unflinching focus on victory and that is why they affirm and talk about victory all the time. If you are weak, affirm that you are strong; if you are sick, affirm that you are healed, affirm that you are healthy; if you are poor, affirm that you are rich, affirm that you are prosperous.
Here are some positive affirmations you can consider. Copy them on a card or paper. Repeat them 10 times in the morning and also in the evening. Keep repeating them and soon you will start believing in the truth they contain. And once your mind (conscious and subconscious) are saturated with them, you become indomitable.
The positive affirmations are –
a) It is well with my soul, it is well with my mind, it is well with my body, it is well with my finances and job/business;
b) I am more than a conqueror. I succeed in anything I lay my hands upon to do; and
c) I am blessed, I am healthy, I am prosperous.
2. Feed Your Mind With Champion’s Food
Just as you feed your body with food in order to stay alive, healthy, and active, you need to feed your mind with food. However the type of food you feed your mind with, determines the kind of life you live. An Igala proverb says: “It is what the bird eats that he uses to fly.”
This is the second rules for victorious living: Feed your mind constantly with champions’ food, and you will have the strength of a champion.
Champions’ food includes anything that motivates, inspires, builds, and empowers you to live a victorious life. Among champions’ food are books on motivation, success, personal development, and most importantly, the Book of God, the Bible which is the foundation for victorious living.
Reading makes the man. Readers are leaders. Read inspirational and motivational books. Soak your mind with them. I mean, read and digest the contents therein. And to do that, you read at a “slow-and-steady pace to enable you understand and digest thoroughly.
Also attend seminars and go to places where positive messages are delivered, and listen attentively to the messages.
Dear reader, this week, I am giving out a power-packed motivational eBook written by one of the greatest motivational writer of all times. You cannot afford to miss this eBook. To get a copy, just email or text me:
Email: conqueror.adaji30@gmail.com
Phone: +2347061016859
How to Reap the Benefit of Positive Thinking for Your Prosperity
Positive thinking offers no immunity from problems, frustration, and disappointment. That you are a positive thinker does not mean problems and discouragement will not come.
However, what positive thinking does for you is that it helps you to see opportunities in the midst of problems, frustration, and disappointments. People miss opportunities in life, not because of anything order than the fact that they fail to see opportunities inherent in the “ugly” situation they find themselves.
In his book, A Year of Growing Rich, Napoleon Hill, the author of the famous motivational book, Think and Grow Rich, narrated a story that really impacted my life positively. In the story, a man put up advert for the sale of his large plot of land. Only two persons bid for it. One of the bidders opted to pay low price for the land because the land was covered by bamboo, which he thought made the land practically worthless. The other bidder made an offer twice as high and bought the land. He cut the bamboo into fishing poles and sold them for enough money to pay the price of the land!
One of the benefits of positive thinking is that it places you in a position to see opportunities in any seemingly unpleasant situations. Where others see worthlessness, you see significance; where others see impossibilities, you see possibilities; where they see failure, you see victory; and where they see ugly situation, you see great opportunities.
Positive thinking also helps you to focus on the good, while ignoring the bad. Sometime ago, during my Chamber Attachment, I used to experience problem of getting back home late at night because of scarcity of vehicle plying Banex to Mpape- all in Abuja. Now, as close as Banex is to Mpape, you would not find a vehicle from there to Mpape, and most times, I would wait on the road from 6pm to 10pm or thereabout to find vehicle going to Mpape.
On one occasion, as I was discussing this “bitter” experience with another passenger waiting for Mpape vehicle, I struck an idea which I shared with the man. “Look”, I said: “One lucrative business I am going to invest in here is transport business. If I start with a mini bus, I would make a lot of money within a short time.”
Without giving thought to what I said, the man reacted on impulse: “You cannot make money from transport business. It is the driver that will be siphoning your income.” He then cited the case of a transporter in his neighbourhood who complained that his driver had not given him a kobo for the last two weeks and that it was after the two weeks had passed that he informed him that the vehicle had not been in order since that two weeks, and so did not use the vehicle since then.
It is really sad that many people have so trained their mind to focus on the bad aspect of anything, idea, or situation, that they forget to see the good side of it. The effect of looking at the ugly side of any situation or idea is that by focusing on the negative aspects, you ignore the great opportunities embedded in the situation or idea.
If you must look at the bad side of anything, do so with the aim of finding concrete solution to it. But don’t let that makes you to ignore the good aspect.
Positive thinking helps you to succeed where others fail. Success will always be a mirage to those who fail to see opportunities in adversity.
Look for the Good
The surest way to prosperity is to look for the good in any situation you find yourself.
Are you unemployed or is your income so low that it cannot sustain you? Then, remember the advice of Richard Branson, the British Billionaire: “The best thing to happen to any young person is to be in the business of his own.”
I don’t know the situation you are in today, but I can assure you that right in the midst of that situation, there are great opportunities that will lift you up beyond your wildest imagination.
Every cloud has a silver lining. Yes, there is a silver lining behind that cloud of despair you are experiencing now. You need to look for it. Ask yourself: “what good can I find in this situation? How can I deal with this situation? What money making idea can I generate to overcome my present predicament? What opportunities are embedded in this situation I am in?
As you ask yourself these questions, endeavour to write down ideas that come to your mind. Write any ideas that occur to you. When you have gathered enough ideas, take time to examine them critically. Select one or more of these ideas to start with, taking cognizance of the one that holds greater prospect. Work hard at bringing these ideas into reality.
Think Positively
As you work hard at bringing these ideas into reality, things may not turn out the way you think. There may be obstacles, difficulties, or disappointments. But all these need not stop you on your way to prosperity. Remember, a positive thinker does not give up, because he can always positively think his way out of any situation. Keep fighting. Keep working hard until you succeed.
A positive thinker is one who uses obstacles, difficulties, and disappointments as steppingstones to greatness.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you must succeed at first attempt. At times, life may demand much more from you. In that case, you may have to try and keep trying until you succeed.
Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Nigerian nationalist and political leader said: “The glory is not in never falling, but in rising each time you fall.”
However, what positive thinking does for you is that it helps you to see opportunities in the midst of problems, frustration, and disappointments. People miss opportunities in life, not because of anything order than the fact that they fail to see opportunities inherent in the “ugly” situation they find themselves.
In his book, A Year of Growing Rich, Napoleon Hill, the author of the famous motivational book, Think and Grow Rich, narrated a story that really impacted my life positively. In the story, a man put up advert for the sale of his large plot of land. Only two persons bid for it. One of the bidders opted to pay low price for the land because the land was covered by bamboo, which he thought made the land practically worthless. The other bidder made an offer twice as high and bought the land. He cut the bamboo into fishing poles and sold them for enough money to pay the price of the land!
One of the benefits of positive thinking is that it places you in a position to see opportunities in any seemingly unpleasant situations. Where others see worthlessness, you see significance; where others see impossibilities, you see possibilities; where they see failure, you see victory; and where they see ugly situation, you see great opportunities.
Positive thinking also helps you to focus on the good, while ignoring the bad. Sometime ago, during my Chamber Attachment, I used to experience problem of getting back home late at night because of scarcity of vehicle plying Banex to Mpape- all in Abuja. Now, as close as Banex is to Mpape, you would not find a vehicle from there to Mpape, and most times, I would wait on the road from 6pm to 10pm or thereabout to find vehicle going to Mpape.
On one occasion, as I was discussing this “bitter” experience with another passenger waiting for Mpape vehicle, I struck an idea which I shared with the man. “Look”, I said: “One lucrative business I am going to invest in here is transport business. If I start with a mini bus, I would make a lot of money within a short time.”
Without giving thought to what I said, the man reacted on impulse: “You cannot make money from transport business. It is the driver that will be siphoning your income.” He then cited the case of a transporter in his neighbourhood who complained that his driver had not given him a kobo for the last two weeks and that it was after the two weeks had passed that he informed him that the vehicle had not been in order since that two weeks, and so did not use the vehicle since then.
It is really sad that many people have so trained their mind to focus on the bad aspect of anything, idea, or situation, that they forget to see the good side of it. The effect of looking at the ugly side of any situation or idea is that by focusing on the negative aspects, you ignore the great opportunities embedded in the situation or idea.
If you must look at the bad side of anything, do so with the aim of finding concrete solution to it. But don’t let that makes you to ignore the good aspect.
Positive thinking helps you to succeed where others fail. Success will always be a mirage to those who fail to see opportunities in adversity.
Look for the Good
The surest way to prosperity is to look for the good in any situation you find yourself.
Are you unemployed or is your income so low that it cannot sustain you? Then, remember the advice of Richard Branson, the British Billionaire: “The best thing to happen to any young person is to be in the business of his own.”
I don’t know the situation you are in today, but I can assure you that right in the midst of that situation, there are great opportunities that will lift you up beyond your wildest imagination.
Every cloud has a silver lining. Yes, there is a silver lining behind that cloud of despair you are experiencing now. You need to look for it. Ask yourself: “what good can I find in this situation? How can I deal with this situation? What money making idea can I generate to overcome my present predicament? What opportunities are embedded in this situation I am in?
As you ask yourself these questions, endeavour to write down ideas that come to your mind. Write any ideas that occur to you. When you have gathered enough ideas, take time to examine them critically. Select one or more of these ideas to start with, taking cognizance of the one that holds greater prospect. Work hard at bringing these ideas into reality.
Think Positively
As you work hard at bringing these ideas into reality, things may not turn out the way you think. There may be obstacles, difficulties, or disappointments. But all these need not stop you on your way to prosperity. Remember, a positive thinker does not give up, because he can always positively think his way out of any situation. Keep fighting. Keep working hard until you succeed.
A positive thinker is one who uses obstacles, difficulties, and disappointments as steppingstones to greatness.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you must succeed at first attempt. At times, life may demand much more from you. In that case, you may have to try and keep trying until you succeed.
Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Nigerian nationalist and political leader said: “The glory is not in never falling, but in rising each time you fall.”
Service: Your Key to Prosperity
The problem of the society is not that there are no jobs or works to do. Rather, the problem is: the people to do these jobs or works are few.
Mankind is faced with the problem of satisfying its needs. These needs are insatiable. We all need food, clothing, and shelter. In addition, we need other items including luxuries, entertainment, education, etc
Now, the human resources required to meet these needs are inadequate. No nation is completely self-sufficient. Similarly, no person is self-sufficient. We all need each other’s services. Even if you can do everything for yourself, you will still need the services of others, because you cannot do everything for yourself at the same time. In addition, employing others to perform certain services relieves you the burden of doing it yourself; and this gives you ample opportunity to face other meaningful tasks.
The population explosion worldwide necessitates the need for more product and services to meet the demand of the populace.
Maximum success is anchored on your ability to produce or supply products or render service to meet the need of the people. In return for providing the products or service, the society rewards you all the time.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “It is one the most beautiful compensation of life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.”
“Give first” is the prerequisite for receiving. Unfortunately, many people want to receive and keep receiving without thinking of giving something to the society.
I know a graduate who clings to this mentality of “receiving” and not giving. This graduate keeps telling people: “I like keeping friends that I can benefit from. What is the essence of friendship if I cannot gain anything from friends?” And you know what? The more he holds tenaciously to this philosophy, the more disappointed he becomes. People soon get tired of him and dump him.
Perhaps, this is one reason many people are complaining of unemployment. They expect the government or an employer to come and give them job.
Granted, there is problem of unemployment. But what we are saying here is that if you are willing to serve humanity, you will never lack what to do. You don’t need to be an employee before you can render service to humanity. And service to humanity is your key to prosperity.
Put others first. The “what- is- in- it- for- me” (WIIIFM) mentality should not be your priority. Your focus should be what others stand to benefit from you – your service or product.
Can you provide quality service or product? Can you sincerely say that people will benefit from your service or product? Just as you hate trash, so also others hate paying for poor quality service or product. Don’t expect to be highly rewarded for poor service or product you provide. People don’t pay for service or product, but for the quality.
You need to examine the product or service you are rendering. Can you also say that you value or derive any benefit from it? Compare your service or product with similar ones provided by other persons. Is yours better? Does it measure up? Or is it below standard?
What can you do to add value to your product or service? What improvement can you bring to bear on your service or product?
Service is the key to Jesus’ success in his ministry. All his life, Jesus did not live for himself, but for others. Everything he did was not for the benefit of himself, but for the benefit of others. He taught his disciples that their greatness in life is anchored on service they render to humanity.
You cannot achieve greatness if you are not willing to serve humanity, because true greatness lies in service to humanity.
Many people lived and died with their knowledge, skill, experience and talents (gifts) buried with them. It is either they never valued these gifts of theirs to the point of sharing or blessing mankind with them or they are being selfish, or they think there are not many people yearning to know or acquire what they have got.
The road to prosperity begins with what you have and what you do with what you have. It does not matter whether what you have is big or little. It is what you do with what you have that matters. Prosperity begins from the moment you start to think of what you can do with the little that you have to benefit the life of others.
Your knowledge, skill, experience, and talents are money spinning diadem. They can launch you into prosperity if you are willing to serve humanity with them.
You need to value what you have. There are thousands of people, if not millions, who are yearning to have what you have and are ready to pay to get them. That is why you must value what you have. Until you do, you may never see any need to share it with others or serve others with it.
There are many people who may not be as smart as you are, but are making millions from their gift. I have bought and read some booklets written by people who, I may say, cannot be called authorities in their fields, yet, they are making money selling their little knowledge and skills which they put down in the booklets.
Are people not buying the booklets? They are, because they want to acquire the knowledge and skill embedded in the booklets. These authors are making money from their booklets because they do not conceal their gifts. They use them to serve humanity.
Life is “give and take”. You give first before you take. And this is the major distinguishing characteristic of a successful person. A successful person is one who sees the need of the masses and devotes his entire life providing this need.
If the likes of Gates, Dell, Dangote, Ibrahim, Adenuga, etc, decide to keep their products and service for their own use, they would be as poor as the church rat.
We should take a cue from them. Your focus should be how you can serve the masses starting with what you have.
Your gift is like a seed. While the seed is with you, it remains of little significance; when you till the land and plant it, it germinates, grow and produce fruits in hundred folds.
The same thing applies to your knowledge, skill, experience, and talents. While they remain with you, they serve little purpose; but when you share or use them to serve humanity, you will be richly rewarded. There is no service to humanity that will go unrewarded.
Below are steps you can take to serve humanity with what you have –
1. Examine yourself. Identify the knowledge, skill, and experience you have acquired over the years. Identify the talents you have.
2. Think of people who desire what you have or who can be assisted with your gifts. Think of how you can use your talents to serve mankind. Can you sing, write, speak in public effectively, and entertain audience like the actors/actresses do? What about sports? Can you run, play football, lawn tennis, table tennis, hockey, handball, etc? What are those things you are passionate about? Are you passionate about politics, leadership, impacting lives, or entrepreneurship?
3. Pick up a pen and paper and start jotting down the knowledge, skill, and talents that you have. Also jot down those things you are passionate about. Jot down as many as come to your mind.
4. Select one or more from your jottings, especially the knowledge, skill, experience and talents that you have mastered so well; that you are most passionate about; and that you feel the masses need most.
5. After making your selection, place them in the order of priorities. Then, take the first one first. Polish the knowledge, skill, or talent. If it means going for training or attending seminar in order to polish it, don’t hesitate to do so. Your knowledge, skill, or talent cannot be delivered to the masses raw. They have to be processed, diligently packaged, and presented to the masses at an affordable price.
6. You can package your knowledge, skill, and experience as a product, book, eBook, audio or video in CD/DVD; you can also package them for seminar or for practical training class; you can also make yourself available where your talent is needed or use your talent to meet the need the masses.
Mankind is faced with the problem of satisfying its needs. These needs are insatiable. We all need food, clothing, and shelter. In addition, we need other items including luxuries, entertainment, education, etc
Now, the human resources required to meet these needs are inadequate. No nation is completely self-sufficient. Similarly, no person is self-sufficient. We all need each other’s services. Even if you can do everything for yourself, you will still need the services of others, because you cannot do everything for yourself at the same time. In addition, employing others to perform certain services relieves you the burden of doing it yourself; and this gives you ample opportunity to face other meaningful tasks.
The population explosion worldwide necessitates the need for more product and services to meet the demand of the populace.
Maximum success is anchored on your ability to produce or supply products or render service to meet the need of the people. In return for providing the products or service, the society rewards you all the time.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “It is one the most beautiful compensation of life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.”
“Give first” is the prerequisite for receiving. Unfortunately, many people want to receive and keep receiving without thinking of giving something to the society.
I know a graduate who clings to this mentality of “receiving” and not giving. This graduate keeps telling people: “I like keeping friends that I can benefit from. What is the essence of friendship if I cannot gain anything from friends?” And you know what? The more he holds tenaciously to this philosophy, the more disappointed he becomes. People soon get tired of him and dump him.
Perhaps, this is one reason many people are complaining of unemployment. They expect the government or an employer to come and give them job.
Granted, there is problem of unemployment. But what we are saying here is that if you are willing to serve humanity, you will never lack what to do. You don’t need to be an employee before you can render service to humanity. And service to humanity is your key to prosperity.
Put others first. The “what- is- in- it- for- me” (WIIIFM) mentality should not be your priority. Your focus should be what others stand to benefit from you – your service or product.
Can you provide quality service or product? Can you sincerely say that people will benefit from your service or product? Just as you hate trash, so also others hate paying for poor quality service or product. Don’t expect to be highly rewarded for poor service or product you provide. People don’t pay for service or product, but for the quality.
You need to examine the product or service you are rendering. Can you also say that you value or derive any benefit from it? Compare your service or product with similar ones provided by other persons. Is yours better? Does it measure up? Or is it below standard?
What can you do to add value to your product or service? What improvement can you bring to bear on your service or product?
Service is the key to Jesus’ success in his ministry. All his life, Jesus did not live for himself, but for others. Everything he did was not for the benefit of himself, but for the benefit of others. He taught his disciples that their greatness in life is anchored on service they render to humanity.
You cannot achieve greatness if you are not willing to serve humanity, because true greatness lies in service to humanity.
Many people lived and died with their knowledge, skill, experience and talents (gifts) buried with them. It is either they never valued these gifts of theirs to the point of sharing or blessing mankind with them or they are being selfish, or they think there are not many people yearning to know or acquire what they have got.
The road to prosperity begins with what you have and what you do with what you have. It does not matter whether what you have is big or little. It is what you do with what you have that matters. Prosperity begins from the moment you start to think of what you can do with the little that you have to benefit the life of others.
Your knowledge, skill, experience, and talents are money spinning diadem. They can launch you into prosperity if you are willing to serve humanity with them.
You need to value what you have. There are thousands of people, if not millions, who are yearning to have what you have and are ready to pay to get them. That is why you must value what you have. Until you do, you may never see any need to share it with others or serve others with it.
There are many people who may not be as smart as you are, but are making millions from their gift. I have bought and read some booklets written by people who, I may say, cannot be called authorities in their fields, yet, they are making money selling their little knowledge and skills which they put down in the booklets.
Are people not buying the booklets? They are, because they want to acquire the knowledge and skill embedded in the booklets. These authors are making money from their booklets because they do not conceal their gifts. They use them to serve humanity.
Life is “give and take”. You give first before you take. And this is the major distinguishing characteristic of a successful person. A successful person is one who sees the need of the masses and devotes his entire life providing this need.
If the likes of Gates, Dell, Dangote, Ibrahim, Adenuga, etc, decide to keep their products and service for their own use, they would be as poor as the church rat.
We should take a cue from them. Your focus should be how you can serve the masses starting with what you have.
Your gift is like a seed. While the seed is with you, it remains of little significance; when you till the land and plant it, it germinates, grow and produce fruits in hundred folds.
The same thing applies to your knowledge, skill, experience, and talents. While they remain with you, they serve little purpose; but when you share or use them to serve humanity, you will be richly rewarded. There is no service to humanity that will go unrewarded.
Below are steps you can take to serve humanity with what you have –
1. Examine yourself. Identify the knowledge, skill, and experience you have acquired over the years. Identify the talents you have.
2. Think of people who desire what you have or who can be assisted with your gifts. Think of how you can use your talents to serve mankind. Can you sing, write, speak in public effectively, and entertain audience like the actors/actresses do? What about sports? Can you run, play football, lawn tennis, table tennis, hockey, handball, etc? What are those things you are passionate about? Are you passionate about politics, leadership, impacting lives, or entrepreneurship?
3. Pick up a pen and paper and start jotting down the knowledge, skill, and talents that you have. Also jot down those things you are passionate about. Jot down as many as come to your mind.
4. Select one or more from your jottings, especially the knowledge, skill, experience and talents that you have mastered so well; that you are most passionate about; and that you feel the masses need most.
5. After making your selection, place them in the order of priorities. Then, take the first one first. Polish the knowledge, skill, or talent. If it means going for training or attending seminar in order to polish it, don’t hesitate to do so. Your knowledge, skill, or talent cannot be delivered to the masses raw. They have to be processed, diligently packaged, and presented to the masses at an affordable price.
6. You can package your knowledge, skill, and experience as a product, book, eBook, audio or video in CD/DVD; you can also package them for seminar or for practical training class; you can also make yourself available where your talent is needed or use your talent to meet the need the masses.
Monday 25 July 2011
The Truth about Prosperity
Prosperity is a Latin word, and it means “to be in the flow.”
The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (6th edition) defines prosperity as “the state of being successful, especially financially.”
The two definitions above are saying the same thing, though in different wording.
When you are “in the flow”, you are lively, vibrant, and strong financially, materially, physically, spiritually, and mentally. But one who is not in the flow is like stagnant water, and is as good as dead. Anything that is not in a state of motion is stagnant. For a river to be of great significance to man, it must be “in the state of the flow.” Similarly, one cannot be of great significance to mankind and to oneself, unless one is in the flow.
Prosperity is God’s Will
The truth about prosperity is that it is God's will that you should prosper.
Some time ago, I was discussing with my tribe man who assisted me in finding an apartment to rent in Abuja. In the course of our discussion, he said: “God has done greatly for Abuja city. The resources needed to develop it are readily available. Look at rocks all around. It is these rocks that construction companies are breaking down and crushing into granites for construction of roads and building of houses.” Of course, my tribe man is right. In addition, it is relevant to note that it is not only Abuja that is blessed with resources. Every geographical region of the world is blessed with one resource or the other. Israel, though a desert land, is blessed with human resources. It is these resources that it used to transform its desert (barren land) into fertile land for agriculture.
Similarly, every person is loaded with resources, which he can use to prosper. When God created you, he deposited within you potentialities, abilities, talents, and the brain to enable you “exercise dominion over the earth.” To exercise dominion over the earth is to prosper.
If it is not God’s will that you should prosper, He would not have empowered you to have dominion over the earth.
We are poor not because God created us to be poor. We are poor because we are either ignorant of God’s rich endowment on us, or we fail to harness our God-given resources for our prosperity.
God will not send you millions from heaven, because he has given you the resources to generate the millions. Someone once said; “God will not do for you what He has given you the ability to do.”
Stop running around; all you need to prosper are already deposited within you. You only need to look inward and discover your potentialities and talents.
Prosperity is a question of Choice
The truth about prosperity is that prosperity is a question of choice. Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of Living Faith Church (A.K.A Winners’ Chapel) said: “Success is not an issue of chance, but an issue of Choice.” This simply means if you make up your mind to prosper, you will prosper; but if you decide otherwise, there is nothing any person can do to help you out.
When a person chooses to remain poor, no amount of money given to him will make him rich. A Nigerian proverb says: “You can lead a horse to the stream; but you cannot force it to drink.”
It is the choice you make that determines your destiny. God on your side, there is no Jupiter that can trip you on your way to prosperity.
Choose prosperity today and watch yourself bulldoze your way to prosperity.
Believe You Can, and You Will Prosper
The truth about prosperity is that if you believe you can make it, you will make it.
Prosperity opens its door to those who believe; but shuts its door to the doubting Thomases.
Once upon a time, there was grievous famine in the land of Samaria. There came a man of God who prophesied that there would be surplus food the next day. Someone who had him prophesy doubted the prophecy. He said even if God opened the windows of heaven, that it could not happen. Well, the man of God replied that he would see the surplus, but he would never partake of it. The next day, it happened just as the man of God said. There was abundance. The doubting Thomas saw it, but unfortunately, he did not partake of it because he was trampled upon by the multitude.
In times of difficulties, people find it hard to believe things will turn out better. Some don’t even believe in their ability to weather the storm.
See, affliction is for a while. Anything that has a beginning must have an end. Do not despair. Never give up. Robert Schuller, president of Crystal Cathedral said: “Tough times never last, but tough people do.”
You don't need a fortune teller to tell you how your future will be. You are your own prophet. Begin to prophesy prosperity to yourself today. In the midst of poverty, see prosperity and believe in prosperity. If you hold unto your belief, soon, you will begin to swim in prosperity.
Prosperity Has a Price Tag
The fact about prosperity is that prosperity has a price tag. You must pay the price to enjoy it.
A renowned publisher and importer once recanted how a man bought a copy of a manual he wrote on import business. After some time, the buyer of the manual started abusing the publisher and asked him to refund his money. A sincere and kind man, the publisher promised to refund his money, but told the man to first return the copy of the manual he bought from him. The man refused to return the manual.
Many of us behave like the buyer of the manual. We want success, but we don’t want to pay the price. Everything the man needed to succeed as an importer is already in the manual. There is nothing wrong with the manual. It is on record that of the thousands of people that bought the manual, nobody complained about the manual nor ask for refund of money, except the man.
The problem of some people is that they always blame others for their own laziness. All that the buyer of the manual needed to do to succeed as an importer was to follow the instructions in the manual – contact the suppliers, place his order, make payment for the goods, and the goods would be shipped to him. But alas! He never did that, but turned back to blame the publisher for his own laziness.
Success has a price. The price is hard work. The greatest deception is to think that you can achieve greatness by doing little or nothing. It is either you work or you starve. There is no food for lazy man.
The road to prosperity is not an easy one. That is the bitter truth. There is no guarantee of automatic success.
The road to prosperity is filled with thorns and thistles. There are giant obstacles on the road; there are also detractors who will do everything they can to frustrate you from getting there. That is why many people fall by the way side.
But you can decide never to allow any of these obstacles to trip you. He who desires success must be ready to bulldoze his way to success. You win by violence, not by gentility.
A successful person is likened to a bulldozer. Just as bulldozer clears off anything that stands on its way, so also a successful person clears off obstacles that stand on its way.
Remember that you are greater than all obstacles that stand on your way to prosperity, because God has given you all you need to conquer. Believe in God; believe in your ability to do great exploits. Get up and pay the price by giving it all it takes. Crush the rocks on your way and turn them to granites for greater accomplishment.
A Greek proverb says: “God will send us all good things at the price of labour.”
The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (6th edition) defines prosperity as “the state of being successful, especially financially.”
The two definitions above are saying the same thing, though in different wording.
When you are “in the flow”, you are lively, vibrant, and strong financially, materially, physically, spiritually, and mentally. But one who is not in the flow is like stagnant water, and is as good as dead. Anything that is not in a state of motion is stagnant. For a river to be of great significance to man, it must be “in the state of the flow.” Similarly, one cannot be of great significance to mankind and to oneself, unless one is in the flow.
Prosperity is God’s Will
The truth about prosperity is that it is God's will that you should prosper.
Some time ago, I was discussing with my tribe man who assisted me in finding an apartment to rent in Abuja. In the course of our discussion, he said: “God has done greatly for Abuja city. The resources needed to develop it are readily available. Look at rocks all around. It is these rocks that construction companies are breaking down and crushing into granites for construction of roads and building of houses.” Of course, my tribe man is right. In addition, it is relevant to note that it is not only Abuja that is blessed with resources. Every geographical region of the world is blessed with one resource or the other. Israel, though a desert land, is blessed with human resources. It is these resources that it used to transform its desert (barren land) into fertile land for agriculture.
Similarly, every person is loaded with resources, which he can use to prosper. When God created you, he deposited within you potentialities, abilities, talents, and the brain to enable you “exercise dominion over the earth.” To exercise dominion over the earth is to prosper.
If it is not God’s will that you should prosper, He would not have empowered you to have dominion over the earth.
We are poor not because God created us to be poor. We are poor because we are either ignorant of God’s rich endowment on us, or we fail to harness our God-given resources for our prosperity.
God will not send you millions from heaven, because he has given you the resources to generate the millions. Someone once said; “God will not do for you what He has given you the ability to do.”
Stop running around; all you need to prosper are already deposited within you. You only need to look inward and discover your potentialities and talents.
Prosperity is a question of Choice
The truth about prosperity is that prosperity is a question of choice. Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of Living Faith Church (A.K.A Winners’ Chapel) said: “Success is not an issue of chance, but an issue of Choice.” This simply means if you make up your mind to prosper, you will prosper; but if you decide otherwise, there is nothing any person can do to help you out.
When a person chooses to remain poor, no amount of money given to him will make him rich. A Nigerian proverb says: “You can lead a horse to the stream; but you cannot force it to drink.”
It is the choice you make that determines your destiny. God on your side, there is no Jupiter that can trip you on your way to prosperity.
Choose prosperity today and watch yourself bulldoze your way to prosperity.
Believe You Can, and You Will Prosper
The truth about prosperity is that if you believe you can make it, you will make it.
Prosperity opens its door to those who believe; but shuts its door to the doubting Thomases.
Once upon a time, there was grievous famine in the land of Samaria. There came a man of God who prophesied that there would be surplus food the next day. Someone who had him prophesy doubted the prophecy. He said even if God opened the windows of heaven, that it could not happen. Well, the man of God replied that he would see the surplus, but he would never partake of it. The next day, it happened just as the man of God said. There was abundance. The doubting Thomas saw it, but unfortunately, he did not partake of it because he was trampled upon by the multitude.
In times of difficulties, people find it hard to believe things will turn out better. Some don’t even believe in their ability to weather the storm.
See, affliction is for a while. Anything that has a beginning must have an end. Do not despair. Never give up. Robert Schuller, president of Crystal Cathedral said: “Tough times never last, but tough people do.”
You don't need a fortune teller to tell you how your future will be. You are your own prophet. Begin to prophesy prosperity to yourself today. In the midst of poverty, see prosperity and believe in prosperity. If you hold unto your belief, soon, you will begin to swim in prosperity.
Prosperity Has a Price Tag
The fact about prosperity is that prosperity has a price tag. You must pay the price to enjoy it.
A renowned publisher and importer once recanted how a man bought a copy of a manual he wrote on import business. After some time, the buyer of the manual started abusing the publisher and asked him to refund his money. A sincere and kind man, the publisher promised to refund his money, but told the man to first return the copy of the manual he bought from him. The man refused to return the manual.
Many of us behave like the buyer of the manual. We want success, but we don’t want to pay the price. Everything the man needed to succeed as an importer is already in the manual. There is nothing wrong with the manual. It is on record that of the thousands of people that bought the manual, nobody complained about the manual nor ask for refund of money, except the man.
The problem of some people is that they always blame others for their own laziness. All that the buyer of the manual needed to do to succeed as an importer was to follow the instructions in the manual – contact the suppliers, place his order, make payment for the goods, and the goods would be shipped to him. But alas! He never did that, but turned back to blame the publisher for his own laziness.
Success has a price. The price is hard work. The greatest deception is to think that you can achieve greatness by doing little or nothing. It is either you work or you starve. There is no food for lazy man.
The road to prosperity is not an easy one. That is the bitter truth. There is no guarantee of automatic success.
The road to prosperity is filled with thorns and thistles. There are giant obstacles on the road; there are also detractors who will do everything they can to frustrate you from getting there. That is why many people fall by the way side.
But you can decide never to allow any of these obstacles to trip you. He who desires success must be ready to bulldoze his way to success. You win by violence, not by gentility.
A successful person is likened to a bulldozer. Just as bulldozer clears off anything that stands on its way, so also a successful person clears off obstacles that stand on its way.
Remember that you are greater than all obstacles that stand on your way to prosperity, because God has given you all you need to conquer. Believe in God; believe in your ability to do great exploits. Get up and pay the price by giving it all it takes. Crush the rocks on your way and turn them to granites for greater accomplishment.
A Greek proverb says: “God will send us all good things at the price of labour.”
Thursday 21 July 2011
Jessica Cox: Four Lessons from a Champion in the Game of Life
In the game of life, we have three categories of people. We have the champions, the losers, and the spectators.
Champions are those who overcome and achieve outstanding success.
Losers are not necessarily those who fail or are defeated, or those who encounter setbacks. Even champions at one point in time or the other do fail, suffer defeat, or encounter setbacks. What distinguishes a champion from a loser is that while a champion never quits whenever he loses, a loser quits as soon as he loses or encounters setbacks.
Losers are, therefore, those who quit, and because they quit, they have no record of great achievement.
Spectators, on the other hand, are those who neither belong to the category of champions nor to the losers. They are simply watchers. They are there to watch the champions and the losers. When a person wins, they chant:”Hosanna! Hosanna!” and when a person quits, they chant: “crucify him! Crucify him! That is the spectators’ stock-in-trade.
The category you belong to determines your status in life. Yes, everybody wants to be a champion and the truth is, everybody can become a champion, provided everyone is willing to do what they champion do to win in the game of life.
Recently, in the course of my research into the lives of champions, I had cause to draw inspiration from the story of Jessica Cox, the first pilot without arms. What she uses to fly plane is her legs.
Jessica was born without arms. It was a “rare congenital disease”, though before her birth, her mother did series of tests which showed that there was nothing wrong with her.
In the midst of this disability, Jessica refused to yield to frustration and discouragement. She refused to become a spectator in the game of life; she also refused to quit.
And because she refused to quit, she recorded remarkable achievements, which many able-bodied men cannot achieve.
Below is a record of her exploits –
She writes with her feet;
She types 25 words per minute;
She drives her car with her feet;
She brushes her hair with her feet;
She talks on her phone using her feet;
She was a former dancer;
She has a double black belt in Tai Kwon-Do;
She has a no-restrictions driving licence;
She is a psychology graduate;
She is the first pilot with no arms; and
Many more.
Here are two comments made about Jessica on the Internet –
1. “Wow what a warrior. She is amazing!”
2. “I thought we men we’re the ones with balls. She puts us to shame. Good on u girl.”
What lessons can we learn from this champion in the game of life?
Conquer the Wars within
To be a champion in the game of life, you must first conquer the wars within. The wars within are your feeling of helplessness, self-pity, despair, fear, feeling of inferiority, etc.
Jessica was faced with all these and more, yet she refused to surrender. Giving up is the easiest thing to do. This is the lot of losers, not champions.
You need to work on yourself. Cultivate your ability to handle your negative emotions. This is what emotional intelligence is all about. Stop complaining, stop pitying yourself, and stop giving excuses. Start looking inward to discover your potentialities and talents. These are what you should focus on. These are what you need to triumph in the game of life.
Have a Sense of Pride
People who have sense of pride never allow themselves to be pushed around to do what would lower their self-esteem.
I have seen able-bodied individual (persons who have arms and legs) ask for alms on the streets and motor parks. I have also seen youths who have taken to crimes. It is not the circumstances that make them to opt for criminal activities. They choose to become what they are, as an easy way out of their predicament.
Anthony Robbins, the great motivational speaker and writer, said: “People who succeed do not have fewer problems than people who fail.”
As a matter of fact, successful people have more problems to contend with than the unsuccessful ones. The bigger the problems or challenges, the bigger the success ahead. But it is your ability to overcome these problems or challenges that makes you a champion
Don’t surrender to problems or challenges, confront them. Draw upon your God-given abilities, potentialities, and talents. Have a sense of pride. Run away from anyting that will cause you to live a wretched, hopeless, and inglorious life.
Strive for noble deeds. Refuse to be a mediocre. Set great goals for yourself and strive to achieve them. When you have sense of pride, you will not place yourself beneath to be trodden upon by people.
Empower Yourself
In the game of life, you cannot win laurels unless you are well-prepared for the tournament.
Jessica became a champion in the game of life because she was fully prepared and contested in the game.
The starting point to becoming a champion in the game of life is empowerment. The more you empower yourself, the grater your chances of success. You can empower yourself by going to school to bag a degree in the course of your choice. If you already possess a bachelor’s degree, go for your Masters; if you are a Master’s degree holder, go for your PHD.
You can also empower yourself by going for skill acquisition training. In this ICT age, you cannot afford not to be computer literate. There are many institutes al over the placer running ICT courses. Consider computer engineering, software engineering, graphic design, web design and development. There are many other skills you can learn, depending on your area of interest, and how lucrative such skills are in your locality. So, when choosing skill to learn, consider what you are passionate about and how lucrative the skill is in your locality.
No Limitations except the Ones You Set for Yourself
Every loser in the game of life has one excuse or the other to give for his failure in life.
A champion does not give excuse for any failure or setback he suffers, because he does not believe anything can hinder him from winning in the game.
Jessica has proved that there are no limitations in the game of life. The only limitations are the ones you set for yourself. No wonder, Epictetus said: “Men are not disturbed by things but by their view of things.”
If there are limitations on your way to success, it is because of your perspective about those things that you call limitations. In practical terms, there are no limitations in the game of life. If you are limited, it is because you allow yourself to be limited by the thing you call limitation.
There is ability in disability! Jessica has proved it! The ability in you is a thousand times greater than any disability or any “limitations.”
What are those things you think are disabilities or limitations restricting you from winning in the game of life? Take a pen and a sheet of paper and write them down. Then, speak to the paper as follows: ‘From today, you are no longer limitations to my success in life. There are no such things as “limitations.” My God-given ability is a thousand times greater than you.’ After this, you tear the paper to pieces or burn it. Whenever the thought or feeling of these “limitations” comes, just ignore and refuse to believe them.
And finally, keep focusing on the thousands of things you can do and ignore the rest. Believe in your abilities and use them to the maximum.
Champions are those who overcome and achieve outstanding success.
Losers are not necessarily those who fail or are defeated, or those who encounter setbacks. Even champions at one point in time or the other do fail, suffer defeat, or encounter setbacks. What distinguishes a champion from a loser is that while a champion never quits whenever he loses, a loser quits as soon as he loses or encounters setbacks.
Losers are, therefore, those who quit, and because they quit, they have no record of great achievement.
Spectators, on the other hand, are those who neither belong to the category of champions nor to the losers. They are simply watchers. They are there to watch the champions and the losers. When a person wins, they chant:”Hosanna! Hosanna!” and when a person quits, they chant: “crucify him! Crucify him! That is the spectators’ stock-in-trade.
The category you belong to determines your status in life. Yes, everybody wants to be a champion and the truth is, everybody can become a champion, provided everyone is willing to do what they champion do to win in the game of life.
Recently, in the course of my research into the lives of champions, I had cause to draw inspiration from the story of Jessica Cox, the first pilot without arms. What she uses to fly plane is her legs.
Jessica was born without arms. It was a “rare congenital disease”, though before her birth, her mother did series of tests which showed that there was nothing wrong with her.
In the midst of this disability, Jessica refused to yield to frustration and discouragement. She refused to become a spectator in the game of life; she also refused to quit.
And because she refused to quit, she recorded remarkable achievements, which many able-bodied men cannot achieve.
Below is a record of her exploits –
She writes with her feet;
She types 25 words per minute;
She drives her car with her feet;
She brushes her hair with her feet;
She talks on her phone using her feet;
She was a former dancer;
She has a double black belt in Tai Kwon-Do;
She has a no-restrictions driving licence;
She is a psychology graduate;
She is the first pilot with no arms; and
Many more.
Here are two comments made about Jessica on the Internet –
1. “Wow what a warrior. She is amazing!”
2. “I thought we men we’re the ones with balls. She puts us to shame. Good on u girl.”
What lessons can we learn from this champion in the game of life?
Conquer the Wars within
To be a champion in the game of life, you must first conquer the wars within. The wars within are your feeling of helplessness, self-pity, despair, fear, feeling of inferiority, etc.
Jessica was faced with all these and more, yet she refused to surrender. Giving up is the easiest thing to do. This is the lot of losers, not champions.
You need to work on yourself. Cultivate your ability to handle your negative emotions. This is what emotional intelligence is all about. Stop complaining, stop pitying yourself, and stop giving excuses. Start looking inward to discover your potentialities and talents. These are what you should focus on. These are what you need to triumph in the game of life.
Have a Sense of Pride
People who have sense of pride never allow themselves to be pushed around to do what would lower their self-esteem.
I have seen able-bodied individual (persons who have arms and legs) ask for alms on the streets and motor parks. I have also seen youths who have taken to crimes. It is not the circumstances that make them to opt for criminal activities. They choose to become what they are, as an easy way out of their predicament.
Anthony Robbins, the great motivational speaker and writer, said: “People who succeed do not have fewer problems than people who fail.”
As a matter of fact, successful people have more problems to contend with than the unsuccessful ones. The bigger the problems or challenges, the bigger the success ahead. But it is your ability to overcome these problems or challenges that makes you a champion
Don’t surrender to problems or challenges, confront them. Draw upon your God-given abilities, potentialities, and talents. Have a sense of pride. Run away from anyting that will cause you to live a wretched, hopeless, and inglorious life.
Strive for noble deeds. Refuse to be a mediocre. Set great goals for yourself and strive to achieve them. When you have sense of pride, you will not place yourself beneath to be trodden upon by people.
Empower Yourself
In the game of life, you cannot win laurels unless you are well-prepared for the tournament.
Jessica became a champion in the game of life because she was fully prepared and contested in the game.
The starting point to becoming a champion in the game of life is empowerment. The more you empower yourself, the grater your chances of success. You can empower yourself by going to school to bag a degree in the course of your choice. If you already possess a bachelor’s degree, go for your Masters; if you are a Master’s degree holder, go for your PHD.
You can also empower yourself by going for skill acquisition training. In this ICT age, you cannot afford not to be computer literate. There are many institutes al over the placer running ICT courses. Consider computer engineering, software engineering, graphic design, web design and development. There are many other skills you can learn, depending on your area of interest, and how lucrative such skills are in your locality. So, when choosing skill to learn, consider what you are passionate about and how lucrative the skill is in your locality.
No Limitations except the Ones You Set for Yourself
Every loser in the game of life has one excuse or the other to give for his failure in life.
A champion does not give excuse for any failure or setback he suffers, because he does not believe anything can hinder him from winning in the game.
Jessica has proved that there are no limitations in the game of life. The only limitations are the ones you set for yourself. No wonder, Epictetus said: “Men are not disturbed by things but by their view of things.”
If there are limitations on your way to success, it is because of your perspective about those things that you call limitations. In practical terms, there are no limitations in the game of life. If you are limited, it is because you allow yourself to be limited by the thing you call limitation.
There is ability in disability! Jessica has proved it! The ability in you is a thousand times greater than any disability or any “limitations.”
What are those things you think are disabilities or limitations restricting you from winning in the game of life? Take a pen and a sheet of paper and write them down. Then, speak to the paper as follows: ‘From today, you are no longer limitations to my success in life. There are no such things as “limitations.” My God-given ability is a thousand times greater than you.’ After this, you tear the paper to pieces or burn it. Whenever the thought or feeling of these “limitations” comes, just ignore and refuse to believe them.
And finally, keep focusing on the thousands of things you can do and ignore the rest. Believe in your abilities and use them to the maximum.
Start Small, End Big
A Chinese proverb says: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
Unfortunately, the desire of many is to start big and make the journey overnight. That is the reason many people who want to set up their businesses always complain of lack of capital.
Granted, there are businesses that require huge capital outlay. But even then, you can still start from somewhere. You need not amass or look for all the money you can before embarking on your project. People who wait to have enough resources before commencing their project always end up waiting endlessly, and in the end, they end up achieving nothing.
The truth is, if you cannot start with the little you have, even if you have millions at your disposal, you may still not be able to efficiently utilise it. Your ability to judiciously mange the little resources at your disposal is what will distinguish you from the underachievers.
To get to the top, you must start from the bottom. You must climb from the low rung of the ladder.
Starting small is not a crime; it is the normal way of starting a worthwhile venture.
When you take a quick peep at the Nollywood (Nigeria’s film industry), you will find new stars there. Now, you will be tempted to think that these new stars arrived there overnight. But that is not true. When you read their profile, interview them, or get accurate story of their life, you will realise that they did not get there overnight. They started small, they started from somewhere. They made series of effort – participated in school or church drama; went for training; applied and made themselves available for audition, role plays, and spend much time rehearsing their roles, until they finally had a breakthrough.
History is replete with stories of super achievers who started practically from the scratch, and climbed their way to the top.
Bill Gates of the Microsoft fame started from his parents’ garage. Michael Dell commenced his Dell Computer Corporation from his dorm room at the University of Texas. The power-packed booklet: “Our Daily Manna” was commenced with only 200 copies. Coca-cola Corporation, maker of the popular brand of the soft drink, Coca-cola, began with only one man, who used kettle to produce it.
Have you been waiting for favourable or have you been waiting for enough cash to embark on your project? The fact is, the favourable moment you are waiting for may not come. The big cash may not come readily, or may come too late.
Now is the right time to start. You can start from where you are. You can start with the little that you have. Your destiny is hinged on the little resources at your disposal. The resources could be money, knowledge, skill, experience, talents, material things, etc. these are all you need to climb your way to the top.
These resources are the seeds you need to sow before you can expect bountiful harvests; and not just sitting down waiting for bigger resources. Make do with what you have. That is what management principle is all about.
To start small and end big, you can practise the following instructions –
1. Stop waiting for miracle to happen; or rather while waiting, don’t sit down and fold your arms doing nothing. Even if you are expecting big money, just start with the little you have. A bird in hand is worth a million in the bush. Just get yourself busy doing something, no matter how little, to move you up gradually towards reaching your goal.
2. You need high level of discipline to start small and end big. One benefit of starting small is that it is very easy, because your overhead expenses and other expenses are minimal. The sacrifices you need to make are little; but at the same time, if you don’t exercise discipline, it very easy to call it quit, because progress may not be as fast as you may contemplate. It takes and patience to build wealth. Wealth is built the way house is built. First, you lay the foundation. The foundation must be rock-solid, or else it will collapse; after the foundation, you start building the wall, pillar, and do the decking, plumbing, roofing, wiring, etc. all these require discipline. Discipline yourself to stay put until you finish big.
Often, things may not turn out the way you plan it; you may experience disappointment, frustration, or disaster, but keep holding on. Winners never quit and quitters never win.
Unfortunately, the desire of many is to start big and make the journey overnight. That is the reason many people who want to set up their businesses always complain of lack of capital.
Granted, there are businesses that require huge capital outlay. But even then, you can still start from somewhere. You need not amass or look for all the money you can before embarking on your project. People who wait to have enough resources before commencing their project always end up waiting endlessly, and in the end, they end up achieving nothing.
The truth is, if you cannot start with the little you have, even if you have millions at your disposal, you may still not be able to efficiently utilise it. Your ability to judiciously mange the little resources at your disposal is what will distinguish you from the underachievers.
To get to the top, you must start from the bottom. You must climb from the low rung of the ladder.
Starting small is not a crime; it is the normal way of starting a worthwhile venture.
When you take a quick peep at the Nollywood (Nigeria’s film industry), you will find new stars there. Now, you will be tempted to think that these new stars arrived there overnight. But that is not true. When you read their profile, interview them, or get accurate story of their life, you will realise that they did not get there overnight. They started small, they started from somewhere. They made series of effort – participated in school or church drama; went for training; applied and made themselves available for audition, role plays, and spend much time rehearsing their roles, until they finally had a breakthrough.
History is replete with stories of super achievers who started practically from the scratch, and climbed their way to the top.
Bill Gates of the Microsoft fame started from his parents’ garage. Michael Dell commenced his Dell Computer Corporation from his dorm room at the University of Texas. The power-packed booklet: “Our Daily Manna” was commenced with only 200 copies. Coca-cola Corporation, maker of the popular brand of the soft drink, Coca-cola, began with only one man, who used kettle to produce it.
Have you been waiting for favourable or have you been waiting for enough cash to embark on your project? The fact is, the favourable moment you are waiting for may not come. The big cash may not come readily, or may come too late.
Now is the right time to start. You can start from where you are. You can start with the little that you have. Your destiny is hinged on the little resources at your disposal. The resources could be money, knowledge, skill, experience, talents, material things, etc. these are all you need to climb your way to the top.
These resources are the seeds you need to sow before you can expect bountiful harvests; and not just sitting down waiting for bigger resources. Make do with what you have. That is what management principle is all about.
To start small and end big, you can practise the following instructions –
1. Stop waiting for miracle to happen; or rather while waiting, don’t sit down and fold your arms doing nothing. Even if you are expecting big money, just start with the little you have. A bird in hand is worth a million in the bush. Just get yourself busy doing something, no matter how little, to move you up gradually towards reaching your goal.
2. You need high level of discipline to start small and end big. One benefit of starting small is that it is very easy, because your overhead expenses and other expenses are minimal. The sacrifices you need to make are little; but at the same time, if you don’t exercise discipline, it very easy to call it quit, because progress may not be as fast as you may contemplate. It takes and patience to build wealth. Wealth is built the way house is built. First, you lay the foundation. The foundation must be rock-solid, or else it will collapse; after the foundation, you start building the wall, pillar, and do the decking, plumbing, roofing, wiring, etc. all these require discipline. Discipline yourself to stay put until you finish big.
Often, things may not turn out the way you plan it; you may experience disappointment, frustration, or disaster, but keep holding on. Winners never quit and quitters never win.
Thursday 14 July 2011
HOW TO MAKE A FORTUNE FROM PRINTING STARTING WITH LITTLE OR NO CAPITAL
Gone are the days when people spent 5-7 years learning printing business before they started making money from this lucrative trade.
In this jet age, it is tantamount to waste of precious time devoting such a length of time learning the trade before making money from it.
Printers of this era have reduced the number of years used in learning printing business. The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has also given its trainees two years to acquire printing skills.
But, that notwithstanding, spending two years learning printing, is still a waste of precious time. Why spend long time learning printing before making money from it when you can start making money from printing by spending just 60 minutes learning the skills required for making money from it?
The truth is that you can make millions from printing business starting with little or no capital. You don’t need to know how to operate printing machines before you can make money from printing. You don’t even need to buy printing machines before you start making money from the business. It takes millions of naira to buy printing machines. You may not have the money now, but even then, you don’t need the machines to start raking in cash.
What you need now is to acquire the basic knowledge of printing and the secret of making huge income from it constantly.
Knowledge, they say, is power. What you know that others don’t know is what will give you an edge. You can make a fortune from printing business. Any person can do printing business. Whether you are jobless, employed, or a student, you can start your own printing business right away.
All you need do is grab a copy of my eBook titled: Hot to Make a Fortune from Printing Starting with Little or No Capital.
Below are highlights of what you stand to benefit from the eBook –
The prospect in printing business and how to position yourself for financial harvest
The secret of starting printing business without capital
The simple method of calculating printing costs
How to charge for any printing job
How to locate big printing jobs and how to corner them for yourself
How to distinguish yourself as a professional printer and begin your climb to the top
How to set up your own printing press
The secrets of success in printing business which many printers don’t know
The price of this eBook is #3, 995 (naira), but if you decide to buy within 21 days, you will pay only #1, 500 (naira).
Bonus
If you pay within 21 days, you will be entitled to two of the greatest motivational books ever written. They are –
1. Think and Grow Rich
By Napoleon Hill
Valued $44.99 USD
2. The Science of Getting Rich
By W.D. Wattles
Valued $47.95 USD
How to Pay –
Pay the sum of #1, 500 naira into:
Bank: UBA Plc
Account Name: Adaji Sunday
Account NO: 00080520160309
OR
Bank: Zenith Bank Plc
Account Name: Adaji Sunday
Acoount NO: 4111944640
After payment, text your name, email, and teller number to 07061016859. On confirmation of your payment, the eBook and the two bonuses will be sent to your mailbox.
P S: Be informed that we can revert to the original price of #3, 000 naira anytime and the bonuses can also be withdrawn anytime.
In this jet age, it is tantamount to waste of precious time devoting such a length of time learning the trade before making money from it.
Printers of this era have reduced the number of years used in learning printing business. The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has also given its trainees two years to acquire printing skills.
But, that notwithstanding, spending two years learning printing, is still a waste of precious time. Why spend long time learning printing before making money from it when you can start making money from printing by spending just 60 minutes learning the skills required for making money from it?
The truth is that you can make millions from printing business starting with little or no capital. You don’t need to know how to operate printing machines before you can make money from printing. You don’t even need to buy printing machines before you start making money from the business. It takes millions of naira to buy printing machines. You may not have the money now, but even then, you don’t need the machines to start raking in cash.
What you need now is to acquire the basic knowledge of printing and the secret of making huge income from it constantly.
Knowledge, they say, is power. What you know that others don’t know is what will give you an edge. You can make a fortune from printing business. Any person can do printing business. Whether you are jobless, employed, or a student, you can start your own printing business right away.
All you need do is grab a copy of my eBook titled: Hot to Make a Fortune from Printing Starting with Little or No Capital.
Below are highlights of what you stand to benefit from the eBook –
The prospect in printing business and how to position yourself for financial harvest
The secret of starting printing business without capital
The simple method of calculating printing costs
How to charge for any printing job
How to locate big printing jobs and how to corner them for yourself
How to distinguish yourself as a professional printer and begin your climb to the top
How to set up your own printing press
The secrets of success in printing business which many printers don’t know
The price of this eBook is #3, 995 (naira), but if you decide to buy within 21 days, you will pay only #1, 500 (naira).
Bonus
If you pay within 21 days, you will be entitled to two of the greatest motivational books ever written. They are –
1. Think and Grow Rich
By Napoleon Hill
Valued $44.99 USD
2. The Science of Getting Rich
By W.D. Wattles
Valued $47.95 USD
How to Pay –
Pay the sum of #1, 500 naira into:
Bank: UBA Plc
Account Name: Adaji Sunday
Account NO: 00080520160309
OR
Bank: Zenith Bank Plc
Account Name: Adaji Sunday
Acoount NO: 4111944640
After payment, text your name, email, and teller number to 07061016859. On confirmation of your payment, the eBook and the two bonuses will be sent to your mailbox.
P S: Be informed that we can revert to the original price of #3, 000 naira anytime and the bonuses can also be withdrawn anytime.
When One Door Closes, another Opens
The uncanny hand of fate has a way of reorganizing and rearranging our lives for good, though initially this reorganization may look like a big disappointment.
Sometime ago, The News, a Nigerian weekly magazine featured the story of one of Nigeria’s greatest musician, NICE. Nice got admission to University of Lagos to study Law, but along the way, he pulled out of school due to financial constraint. In the midst of this setback, he discovered and polished his music talent. To make both ends meet, he wrote and composed songs for great musicians.
When he was ready to release his block-buster album, there were rejections here and there. However, the same uncanny hand of fate that denied him the opportunity of studying Law, opened a door of greater opportunity for him in music.
Today, Nice has amassed wealth, fame and fortune for himself the way probably he would never have been able to do if he had become a lawyer.
Dear reader, are you experiencing frustration, or disappointment at the moment? Let the success story of Nice inspire you. There is light at the end of the tunnel. What may look like disappointment is not really disappointment. It may be a blessing in disguise. There is a saying that any disappointment from God is a blessing. What this implies is that any disappointment or frustration you encounter; any seeming disaster or difficulty you face today can turn out to be a blessing tomorrow.
True, no condition is permanent. Every problem, every disappointment has a lifespan. There is a time for your lifting, and when it is your time to shine, no Jupiter can hold you back.
But before your time of lifting and during the period of disappointment, how do you comport yourself? How do you handle disappointment and rejection?
It is easy to be discouraged and give up hope in despair. But when you do that, you kill your destiny.
A man who is desirous of achieving success in life should not be discouraged by the disappointment at the moment.
Be optimistic. You are destined for success. Success is your birthright. God does not create a failure. You are not created to be overwhelmed by unpleasant situations. God creates you to weather every storm in the sea of life, to be a problem solver.
The disappointment you face today is temporary. Bigger appointments, bigger opportunities and greater successes are coming your way.
That is why you must not fold your arms. Stretch out your arms for greater opportunities. Look ahead for greater success.
Always be on the look out for big problems, they disguise big opportunities. In short, big problems bring along big opportunities. And what it takes to grab bigger opportunities is your mindset.
As Reginald Mansel said: “An optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.”
And finally, I leave you with this quote: “On your way up, always remember that rejection comes before elevation.”
Sometime ago, The News, a Nigerian weekly magazine featured the story of one of Nigeria’s greatest musician, NICE. Nice got admission to University of Lagos to study Law, but along the way, he pulled out of school due to financial constraint. In the midst of this setback, he discovered and polished his music talent. To make both ends meet, he wrote and composed songs for great musicians.
When he was ready to release his block-buster album, there were rejections here and there. However, the same uncanny hand of fate that denied him the opportunity of studying Law, opened a door of greater opportunity for him in music.
Today, Nice has amassed wealth, fame and fortune for himself the way probably he would never have been able to do if he had become a lawyer.
Dear reader, are you experiencing frustration, or disappointment at the moment? Let the success story of Nice inspire you. There is light at the end of the tunnel. What may look like disappointment is not really disappointment. It may be a blessing in disguise. There is a saying that any disappointment from God is a blessing. What this implies is that any disappointment or frustration you encounter; any seeming disaster or difficulty you face today can turn out to be a blessing tomorrow.
True, no condition is permanent. Every problem, every disappointment has a lifespan. There is a time for your lifting, and when it is your time to shine, no Jupiter can hold you back.
But before your time of lifting and during the period of disappointment, how do you comport yourself? How do you handle disappointment and rejection?
It is easy to be discouraged and give up hope in despair. But when you do that, you kill your destiny.
A man who is desirous of achieving success in life should not be discouraged by the disappointment at the moment.
Be optimistic. You are destined for success. Success is your birthright. God does not create a failure. You are not created to be overwhelmed by unpleasant situations. God creates you to weather every storm in the sea of life, to be a problem solver.
The disappointment you face today is temporary. Bigger appointments, bigger opportunities and greater successes are coming your way.
That is why you must not fold your arms. Stretch out your arms for greater opportunities. Look ahead for greater success.
Always be on the look out for big problems, they disguise big opportunities. In short, big problems bring along big opportunities. And what it takes to grab bigger opportunities is your mindset.
As Reginald Mansel said: “An optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.”
And finally, I leave you with this quote: “On your way up, always remember that rejection comes before elevation.”
New Year, New Resolution
The year 2010 has come and gone but its memories will linger in our minds for some time to come.
Yes, the momories of successes we achieved and the failures we recorded.
Obviously, there were certain things we intended to achieve last year, 2010 but which we could not achieve. There may be certain habits you intended to break which you could not break over the years.
Well, those years have gone by and it is of no use crying over spilt milk. Thank God you are alive to witness another new year. That you are alive to see this New Year 2011is an indication that you still have another opportunity to achieve your desired goal or break that habit you always wanted to break.
You see, life is a product of the choice you make. There is a saying that life is what you make of it. as you make your bed, so you lie on it.
What is it you want to achieve in life? What changes do you want to make in your life? What are the resolutions you want to make this year 2011? Or you have not given thought to any of these?
Well, the year 2011 has come and it is high time you examined yourself. The great Philosopher, Socrates said: “an unexamined life is not worth living.”
Making Resolutions and getting the Results You Desire
This year 2011 must not go by without you making plans to turn around your life for the better.
Below are six steps you must take to make concrete resolutions and achieving the results you desire.
1. Take Stock of Your Life
Taking stock of your life involves you sitting down and calmly analysing every aspect of your life and taking concrete decisions that will lead to the actualisation of your yearning.
There are many issues to take stock of – unemployment, financial problem, university admission, alcoholism, smoking, laziness and what have you.
2. Write Down Your Goals
Having taken stock of your life, the next step to take is to reduce into writing what you intend to achieve. You are not yet set to achieving any great accomplishment in life until you are ready to put into writing what you wish to achieve. By writing down your goal, you are making a commitment gingers you to do all that is necessary to reach your goal.
Writing down your goals helps you achieve them faster than you ever imagine. A research was conducted in a US university some time ago. This research was carried out among groups of students. One group consisted of those who did not set goal for themselves; another group is made up of those who had a handful of goals; while the third group consisted of those who reduced all their goals into writing. After 20 years, the researchers confirmed that the group that wrote down their goals, accomplished over 90% of their goals; the group that set goals but did not put them into writing achieved about 50% of their goals; the third group that did not set goals, did not measure up to the other two groups.
What does these go to show?
There is power in goal-setting and there is greater power in writing down goals you wish to accomplish. There is determination, there is persistence, and there is in writing down goals.
3. Write Down the Steps You Will Take to Achieve Your Goal
Success is a function of calculated plan and strategy. Just as the architect cannot build a mansion without a master plan, success cannot be achieved without a concrete plan of how to go about achieving it.
It is not enough to write down your goals. Writing down your goals alone will not avail you much. You must also sit down and think of the things you need to put in place and the steps you need to take to get to your desired goal. As you brainstorm on these, endeavour to write them down.
4. Constantly Review Your Goals and the Plans for Achieving them
It is necessary to constantly review your goals and plan for achieving them to remind you of the commitment you have made. Those constant reminders are meant to ginger you to action. Reviewing your goals also affords you the opportunity of amending your strategy or adding more strategies for achieving your goals.
5. Take Action Immediately
The major problem of prospective entrepreneurs and success seekers is not really lack of knowledge of what to do. They might have acquired the necessary skills, knowledge and technical know-how. Many have attended seminars, workshops, and practical training while others have read books and manuals written by experts in the field they want to venture into, but putting into practice what they have learnt becomes difficult.
Knowledge acquired cannot put food on your table. It is what you do with the knowledge or skill you acquired that matters. Of course, there is nothing wrong in seeking knowledge. There is nothing wrong in acquiring skills in various fields. But if you want to profit from the knowledge and skill you acquired, you must be ready to put them into practice. It is possible to have an idea that can fetch you hundreds of millions of naira and still be starving, but you can never starve when you put the idea to work.
If you have written down your goals and the strategies for achieving them, I say, well done. You are very much on the right track. You are not far from achieving your goals. But you need do one thing - just one thing. And that thing is action. Take action. Do what is required to accomplish your goal. Be a man of action.
6. Never Give Up Until You Get What You Desire
That you have tried previous times without success does not mean you are a failure. God does not create a failure. A failure is a successful person who has gone off the right track. If you have failed before, you can still bounce back to the right track.
All you need do is change your orientation. As a man thinks, so is he. Begin to think of yourself as a successful person. Many are defeated most times not because they don’t have what it takes to conquer, but because of the negative opinion they have about themselves. Henry Ford, the great inventor, said: “if you think you can, you are right; if you can’t, you are right.”
All depends on you. The choice is yours. You can begin this year 2011 by making up your mind that you will never give up until you accomplish your goal. When you do this, I assure you, this year 2011 will become a memorable year. Remember: nothing can defeat a person who has made up his mind that he will never give up until he succeeds in achieving his heart’s desire.
Once again, I wish you a happy, glorious, fruitful and memorable year.
Yes, the momories of successes we achieved and the failures we recorded.
Obviously, there were certain things we intended to achieve last year, 2010 but which we could not achieve. There may be certain habits you intended to break which you could not break over the years.
Well, those years have gone by and it is of no use crying over spilt milk. Thank God you are alive to witness another new year. That you are alive to see this New Year 2011is an indication that you still have another opportunity to achieve your desired goal or break that habit you always wanted to break.
You see, life is a product of the choice you make. There is a saying that life is what you make of it. as you make your bed, so you lie on it.
What is it you want to achieve in life? What changes do you want to make in your life? What are the resolutions you want to make this year 2011? Or you have not given thought to any of these?
Well, the year 2011 has come and it is high time you examined yourself. The great Philosopher, Socrates said: “an unexamined life is not worth living.”
Making Resolutions and getting the Results You Desire
This year 2011 must not go by without you making plans to turn around your life for the better.
Below are six steps you must take to make concrete resolutions and achieving the results you desire.
1. Take Stock of Your Life
Taking stock of your life involves you sitting down and calmly analysing every aspect of your life and taking concrete decisions that will lead to the actualisation of your yearning.
There are many issues to take stock of – unemployment, financial problem, university admission, alcoholism, smoking, laziness and what have you.
2. Write Down Your Goals
Having taken stock of your life, the next step to take is to reduce into writing what you intend to achieve. You are not yet set to achieving any great accomplishment in life until you are ready to put into writing what you wish to achieve. By writing down your goal, you are making a commitment gingers you to do all that is necessary to reach your goal.
Writing down your goals helps you achieve them faster than you ever imagine. A research was conducted in a US university some time ago. This research was carried out among groups of students. One group consisted of those who did not set goal for themselves; another group is made up of those who had a handful of goals; while the third group consisted of those who reduced all their goals into writing. After 20 years, the researchers confirmed that the group that wrote down their goals, accomplished over 90% of their goals; the group that set goals but did not put them into writing achieved about 50% of their goals; the third group that did not set goals, did not measure up to the other two groups.
What does these go to show?
There is power in goal-setting and there is greater power in writing down goals you wish to accomplish. There is determination, there is persistence, and there is in writing down goals.
3. Write Down the Steps You Will Take to Achieve Your Goal
Success is a function of calculated plan and strategy. Just as the architect cannot build a mansion without a master plan, success cannot be achieved without a concrete plan of how to go about achieving it.
It is not enough to write down your goals. Writing down your goals alone will not avail you much. You must also sit down and think of the things you need to put in place and the steps you need to take to get to your desired goal. As you brainstorm on these, endeavour to write them down.
4. Constantly Review Your Goals and the Plans for Achieving them
It is necessary to constantly review your goals and plan for achieving them to remind you of the commitment you have made. Those constant reminders are meant to ginger you to action. Reviewing your goals also affords you the opportunity of amending your strategy or adding more strategies for achieving your goals.
5. Take Action Immediately
The major problem of prospective entrepreneurs and success seekers is not really lack of knowledge of what to do. They might have acquired the necessary skills, knowledge and technical know-how. Many have attended seminars, workshops, and practical training while others have read books and manuals written by experts in the field they want to venture into, but putting into practice what they have learnt becomes difficult.
Knowledge acquired cannot put food on your table. It is what you do with the knowledge or skill you acquired that matters. Of course, there is nothing wrong in seeking knowledge. There is nothing wrong in acquiring skills in various fields. But if you want to profit from the knowledge and skill you acquired, you must be ready to put them into practice. It is possible to have an idea that can fetch you hundreds of millions of naira and still be starving, but you can never starve when you put the idea to work.
If you have written down your goals and the strategies for achieving them, I say, well done. You are very much on the right track. You are not far from achieving your goals. But you need do one thing - just one thing. And that thing is action. Take action. Do what is required to accomplish your goal. Be a man of action.
6. Never Give Up Until You Get What You Desire
That you have tried previous times without success does not mean you are a failure. God does not create a failure. A failure is a successful person who has gone off the right track. If you have failed before, you can still bounce back to the right track.
All you need do is change your orientation. As a man thinks, so is he. Begin to think of yourself as a successful person. Many are defeated most times not because they don’t have what it takes to conquer, but because of the negative opinion they have about themselves. Henry Ford, the great inventor, said: “if you think you can, you are right; if you can’t, you are right.”
All depends on you. The choice is yours. You can begin this year 2011 by making up your mind that you will never give up until you accomplish your goal. When you do this, I assure you, this year 2011 will become a memorable year. Remember: nothing can defeat a person who has made up his mind that he will never give up until he succeeds in achieving his heart’s desire.
Once again, I wish you a happy, glorious, fruitful and memorable year.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)