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  • The Dawn of a Season

    “Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending” ~ Carl Bard.

    Take heart and give way to the new season. This is my first article for this New Year since my website was hacked.

    Time flies and waits for no one. Whether you like it or not time will not wait for you.

    We have just been ushered into a new season and it is still the right time to start afresh or build up on the gains achieved from the past season. 

    If you are like me and like to set new goals please go ahead and set them. Set this season as the turning point that will see you grow your weakest areas of your life.

    In order to grow you must obtain what is necessary for your growth but, as you are at all time a complete thought entity, this completeness makes it possible for you to receive only as you give; growth is therefore conditioned on reciprocal action just the same as like attracts like.

    The challenge for you this year is to obtain what is necessary for your growth; to stop those detrimental habits; to build on your business skills; to improve on interpersonal relationships and to grow spiritually.

    The Challenge

    “How you respond to the challenge in the second half will determine what you will become after the game, whether you are a winner or loser” ~ Lou Holtz.

    Think for a moment, what you would be if you were not a husband or wife, father or mother, or brother or sister, if you were not interested in the social, economical, political or religious world.

    What then would you be? Think about what you were last year; how much you achieved; and how much more you did not achieve; do you want to stay in the same position or do you want to climb the ladder of self-improvement or would you rather take a few steps backwards?

    The challenge therefore, for is to find the right combination and balance of tools or rather characteristics for a more fulfilling personality.

    The target should be to find the right ingredient’s necessary for growth. In order to grow you must then, obtain what is essential for growth.

    Your growth then is dependent on what you take in. Remember first that all growth is from within and that you are the source of that growth. Note that you are also the source of your own growth. 

    To ensure that you reach the optimum growth levels for this year you must make sure that you develop the right mental attitude. This will mean a constant renewal of the mind. One must make a deliberate policy to buy and read self-improvement and development books. It also means that you need to focus more on the positive things in life.

    Manage Your Thoughts

    It is very amazing to know that all things in the world began as a thought. Even at creation I believe that, God must have first thought before speaking.

    The saying “as a man thinks so is he in is heart” holds water for me. You always produce what you think. Your outside world is a true reflection of your inside world.

    If you think cheap you come out cheap. If you set your mind on mediocrity you get exactly that and vice versa.

    I can challenge you that nothing in this world has ever been invented without first being conceived as a thought or an idea by someone.

    Noticed that the world has a way of giving us back what we predominantly harbour as thoughts.

    This then makes me realize that one of the most important tool we have as human beings is the mind which is the thinking organ.

    If you can master the thoughts you hold, believe me, you are destined for greatness. In this new season, challenge yourself to begin mastering and managing your mind.

    Be Proactive and not Reactive

    The human nature is that of being reactive. Meaning we always wait for the situation to happen and then react after wards.

    This means that most of the time we are firefighting. That is the difference between successful individuals and those of us that are struggling with life.

    If you want to be ahead you must be proactive and not reactive. I used to be like this and I can confess that this firefighting syndrome has not completely gone away.

    The best way to handle life is to be prepared for every eventuality. To be proactive is to take measures in advance for an event that will occur including the unexpected.

    Like I said this is a new season and with it comes a new tide of everything. The challenge this season is to build on the little gains achieved for being proactive and not reactive. Being reactive is a sign of laziness and no lazy person can be successful.

    Conclusion

    As per tradition for me every New Year is a new season and I always make resolutions and set goals for it.  This is one of the best tools I use to measure my progress towards reaching my personal development goals.

    I hope and trust that you have formulated one for yourself to keep you going.

  • 5 Personal Success Questions

    “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will” ~ Vince Lombardi.

    All normal human beings want to have personal success at whatever they are doing.

    Any normal and ambitious being will pride themselves in whatever endeavours they are pursuing.

    I believe that no one wants to reveal their failures before achieving success.

    Usually, we boast and talk about our failures only after success has been realized or achieved.

    In my quest to achieve my personal intended goals I have asked myself some questions and these I hope will help guide you as well.

    Simple though they may seem, these questions can literally change your life they could help accelerate to achieve your personal success.

    Have I Neglected a Fundamental Skill?

    Before you answer this question ask yourself if you even have the basic skill.

    Regardless of what you do for a living, you cannot succeed if you’re failing to master the basics.

    In every area and aspect of our lives, there are basics. You do not expect a baby to start running before it learns how to sit and walk for example.

    You need to identify the basic requirements for whatever endeavours you are involved with and ensure that you have the basic skill set.

    Many times people set out to do something without the necessary fundamental skill set.

    For example, to succeed in any business you need to gather the needed basic skill set before you even venture out.

    If you want to own and run a home business, say an affiliate marketing program. You will of course need to do market research and understand the niche you are venturing into.

    You must acquire the basic knowledge and apply it in your business for better results and success. The same applies if you are involved with personal development and coaching.

    The lesson here is simply to learn and do the basics of your job. Unless you’re doing that, you can forget about success, because it’s just not going to happen.

    It is better not to reinvent the wheel but improve on the wheel.

    Is There a Bad Habit I Should Stop?

    Great! You’re doing the basics, so now it’s time to look at the stuff that’s getting in your way.

    Look at your daily routine, your weekly activities, your monthly commitments.

    If you’re like most people, you’re probably doing things that aren’t just useless, but counterproductive. You are doing business as usual.

    Stop and check your daily activities and start doing “business unusual.”

    Yes even for me there are a lot of bad habits I am working to improve on that are very detrimental to my progress.

    Things like computer games, web surfing, and more, these I find very destructive to my progress.

    I am slowly learning how to use the web for my growth and not otherwise. Take care with how you use the internet, it can be destructive if not properly used especially social media.

    Whatever it is for you, you’ll experience a significant surge in productivity when you limit (or stop) these behavioural impediments to your success.

    Do I Need to Upgrade My Basic Skills?

    Now it’s time to examine the basic skills required for your job and identify any that need improvement.

    For example, if you’re in sales, maybe you’re good at asking questions and presenting solutions, but tend to hem and haw when it’s time to close the deal. If so, work on your closing skill.

    There are many ways you can use to improve your skillset. The one I use most is reading relevant materials.

    You could pursue further training if you want to have a recognized qualification depending on what your demands are with your current situation.

    Upgrading your basic skill set will definitely give you an edge over your competition. I encourage you to have an open mind and always embrace change.

    If you are a manager be a good listener to your subordinates. Do not feel threatened if you have a member who has more knowledge than you.

    Instead, embrace them and learn from them and use them to get better results.

    Besides, it does not mean that when you are the manager you are the most intelligent no no no neither do you have the monopoly of knowledge.

    What Extra Skill Will Bring Me the Greatest Success?

    It’s time to take a big step in your endeavours. From this perspective, identify a skill or habit that today is totally foreign to you but which, if mastered, could also help propel you to a level of success far beyond your current situation.

    Do not remain stagnant or content with your current skills set. Find a new skill to propel you even further with your personal success.

    For example, suppose you’re a brilliant innovator and have mastered all the basics of engineering. What would happen if you mastered the ability to sell your ideas to someone?

    Similarly, suppose you’re making a decent living in Sales. How much more successful would you become if you mastered business accounting?

    Conclusion

    There are many more questions you can ask yourself that will help propel you to even greater heights if you have to achieve your personal success.

    Make sure that you answer them honestly and always improve on them. It is always better to have a written down life’s mission that should be read on a daily basis and used to monitor your success progress.

  • 5 Tools for a Successful Business

    We all want to have a successful business, don’t we? But, what tools do you need to have for a successful business?

    Many of us focus too much on the money part and neglect other important ingredients of a successful business.

    Yes, I know and understand that money is important so are the tools you use to generate it. There is no business that can generate enough revenue without tools.

    Lets discuss a list of key tools for a business to succeed. These are proven and I think they will be helpful to you, especially if you are just starting out in business.

    Time

    You must understand that time is money and it is of the essence. Time is an important tool in anything we do. In business, your main objective is to make money.

    How do you make money? You utilize time accordingly. But the question is how do you productively convert your time into money?

    Are you making full use of your time or do you just let the time pass you by? Time is a commodity that once lost it cannot be recovered.

    How much money you make depends on how good you are at converting time to money. The less time you spend the more money you can generate.

    If you are already productive, then you may want to ask; what are the things you can do to improve further. Remember time is the most valuable asset and once it’s gone, it cannot be recovered.

    Time is the most equal resource we all have in life. It’s something that God has graciously given every person in the same amount, regardless of their circumstances.

    Everybody on earth experiences the same hours of day and night; The same seasons in a particular area. I have never heard of anyone saying that they enjoy more time than 24 hrs per day.

    Human Resource or Human Capital

    The second tool for me is human resources or human capital. To be successful in business, you must have people connections.

    I mean you must have the right people working with you. People consist of customers, suppliers, partners, staff, and associates.

    I cannot imagine a business that is successful without people. If there are no people connected to your business I can guarantee you that you are wasting your time.

    One thing that you must not leave out is your mentor or coach. Having genuine mentors or coaches is very important and it can make a very big difference in your business.

    What a mentor does is that they will help you grow through your business. You will gain valuable knowledge if you have a good mentor.

    You should also have a mentor not just for your business but for your personal growth as well.

    A mentor does not necessarily have to be a person you know. You may not even be in a position to meet them physically. A mentor is someone you look up to.

    To make sure that you have more profit, you must serve people well. Organize your database of people connections. By simply knowing who does what, who supplies what, who needs what, where to get what takes you miles ahead of your competition.

    Even if you are doing affiliate marketing you need to know the needs of your affiliates.

    Knowledge and Skills

    The third tool you need is a combination of a set of knowledge and skills.

    When I talk about knowledge and skills, I am not referring to academic knowledge that you find in schools or colleges including universities.

    What’s more important to you is knowledge and skills that can bring you the kind of results you want and usually these are not found in schools.

    How many MBA holders, do you know of, that have become business owners and have made tons of money or are running successful businesses?

    That shows you that getting the right knowledge and skills is important. Don’t blindly go after the knowledge that will not add value to your skillset.

    Go for knowledge and skills that are universally tested and proven. Get knowledge that is relevant to your business. Study what other related businesses are doing and do it better.

    Examples of the right knowledge and skills are where to get what from who, money-making trends, marketing strategies, the art of dealing with people, negotiating skills, selling skills, skills of managing and growing money, investment skills, universal laws of success, and more.

    Don’t waste time on unnecessary knowledge. There’s only so much that you need to know and learn. Be sharp and focused when you acquire knowledge and skills.

    Don’t follow what normal people do. Above all put your knowledge and skillset to practice. Knowledge without action is equal to zero results.

    Personal Health

    You cannot make money when you are in bad health. My number 4 tool is good personal health. In fact, this is the most important tool of all.

    How can you run a business without a healthy body? In order to maintain optimum health, you have to provide your body with proper nutrition and sufficient exercise.

    And also don’t forget about your emotional well-being don’t let anger and other negative emotions control you.

    This is where positive and empowering attitudes come into play. Maintaining your body is just like maintaining your car. If you send your car to a workshop for regular service and pump petrol regularly, why don’t you do the same for your body?

    Go for medical check ups atleast once a year. Have a deliberate healthy living habit.

    It’s something for you to think about. Don’t be stingy over spending money for your own health because physical and mental health can cost you a lot of money in the long run if your body is not taken care of properly.

    Financial Resources

    Let’s face it. It takes money to make money even if all you need is a little. But you might not need a lot of money to start a business because there are many ways to start one with low capital, I recommend affiliate marketing programs.

    I meet a lot of people who want to be rich but are not willing to invest time and money. You must invest in something in order for you to get something out.

    The law of sowing and reaping is at work. Don’t expect something without investing anything. Money is one of the investments you need to make.

    Even though you don’t need to have a huge capital for your business, but at least you must be able to cover your expenses while building your business, and this costs money.

    You also need resources to buy products to stock up and other stuff. So, you must at least come up with whatever amount that you have to start a business.

    Conclusion

    These are the five basic tools you need for business success. I call them tools because you need to use them in order for your business to succeed.

    Do your best to acquire or grow or invest in these personal tools. These tools have worked for me even in the area of personal development.

    But the good thing is you don’t need to have a perfect combination of tools to get started. You can still perfect the tools along the way.

  • Business Unusual

    “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand” ~ Vince Lombardi.

    I am sure that most of us have heard the saying “business as usual,” am also pretty sure that the heading to this article does not make much sense to some of you.

    Maybe you are thinking the title should have been “unusual business” or something related or maybe you think it is a mistake, NO!!!.

    The title is perfect and suits the article very well as you will see. The quote by Vince Lombardi basically sums up the activities of what, successful people do.

    On the contrary, though I would like to disagree with the phrase “business as usual” to me it simply means business without improvement.

    If you are in the habit of the business-as-usual syndrome, then chances are that you are stagnant and not improving in whatever you are doing. You need to change.

    Do Things Differently

    To succeed in life you need to do things differently and in a smart way. If you are in business making an improvement on a frequent basis is what will distinguish you from others.

    Especially if you are in the service industry improvement is very cardinal. Well, I have learnt that some things cannot be changed and thus are better left like that.

    But most of the things we do in life can be improved upon. Improving on the smallest of things in your life will result in a total change in your outlook.

    An improvement in your waking up could result in you having more time for other things; an improvement in your eating habits will result in a healthy life.

    These small changes when put together result in big changes. And this is what distinguishes success from failure.

    To do things in an unusual ways means to have a heart and love for what we are doing. If you have a love and passion for whatever business or work you are doing believe me you will always try to improve on it.

    I will give an example of the computer industry; see how computers have evolved from big mainframes to miniature computers with so much power and flexibility.

    This of course is as a result of the passion and dedication the men and women in this industry have put in. The notion that “business as usual” should not be the one for you if you want to be a success in life. Your business should not be as usual it should be different and smartly done.

    Learn the Tricks of the Trade

    “If money is your hope for independence, you will never have it. The only real security that a man can have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience and ability” ~ Henry Ford.

    You cannot improve on anything without learning the ropes. By this I mean you cannot improve your business or your personal goes without learning and knowing how things are done.

    Learning is perhaps one quality that needs to be improved upon on a very regular basis. I learn a new thing on a daily basis. Never stop learning. The moment you stop learning you will have closed the door to growth.

    You need to have an open mind for learning new things and tricks of the trade. In every niche there are norms, “the dos and the don’ts” learn them and improve on them. This will be your guide to success.

    Even in your quest to succeed I believe that you have a written down life’s purpose, use it as your guide and keep improving on it. There is no limit in acquiring knowledge but, also know that it must be put to use. Knowledge without action is useless. Learning must be followed with action.

    There is no point in learning how say, foreclosure is done in real estate and not put it to practice. Imagine how much time would have been invested in the learning process just to be wasted without being put to use.

    If you have to learn ensure that you will put to use what you have learned. Napoleon Hill says “KNOWLEDGE will not attract money, unless it is organized, and intelligently directed, through practical PLANS OF ACTION.” This is how important action is. Action is the most important of all success principles.

    Having a mentality and doing “business unusual” has many more positive credits than negatives. Just the fact that you are motivated to do something differently gives you an added advantage against your fellow employees if you are in employment.

    Your boss or supervisor will be very pleased with you when he sees the effort of improvement being exhibited. It also goes the same for people running their own businesses. The little efforts being applied will definitely be noticed and appreciated by both would-be customers and current ones.

    Conclusion

    “Business is a combination of war and sport” ~ Andrea Maurois. I would like to encourage you to have a mentality of doing things differently.

    It may be difficult at the beginning but remember that Rome was not built in one day. Start with the small little things that are easy to do and continue on that path for say 3 weeks and see if you will not make a difference.

  • It Pays to Start Small

    “Do not despise the days of your small beginnings” ~ the Bible. “Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still” ~ Chinese proverb.

    Some translations of the Bible say “humble” beginnings. I am sure that we all want to succeed in all areas of our lives more especially in the financial area.

    It is only normal and nature permits it. I believe that all normal human beings have the desire to want to do something that will make them excel and succeed in all endevours’ of life.

    The biggest problem, however, lies in the desire to climb the tree starting from the very top. It is the wish to enjoy the fruit before even taking the necessary step of planting the tree.

    It is like wanting to eat dessert before having the main meal, rushing to experience the rewards without putting in the essential groundwork first.

    We always want to ignore the basics. Many of us do not want to build a solid foundation for our success, be it in business or personal development. We want the easy way out.

    We would rather start reaping from what we have not fully sowed. However, what we do not realise is that ignorance and avoidance of basics is one of the major contributors to our failures.

    Yes, you may experience temporal success but the end is very catastrophic. Cutting corners may just prolong your journey to success.

    Starting small gives you the opportunity to learn the trade. You grow slowly but steadily learning and avoiding big losses.

    This gives you motivation, as you are able to see the small achievements that you are scoring along the way and you keep building on them.

    The Building Blocks

    To succeed at anything you need to have the building blocks put together. In fact, you must first acquire the building materials and then put them together in the right order.

    Most of us have acquired the building blocks and I can assure you that a good number of us have better building materials than successful people.

    The major difference is that we want to jump the gun. We want to start building the house from the roof.

    Simply put we do not appreciate our small beginnings. I like this Chinese proverb that says “a journey of three thousand miles beginnings with one step.”

    For sure every step taken simply means that you have covered a distance. In this case, your building blocks are the steps you are taking.

    As an individual, I have learned to appreciate that for anything that I want to succeed at, the small efforts and inputs that I put in are greatly appreciated and treasured.

    For I know that it is these small little things that give birth to big things. Know that Rome was not built in one day.

    Remember if you are planning to start running your own business do not be discouraged at the amount of startup capital you have.

    Just start and grow with your business. The more you learn how to handle small amounts of money, the more you are training yourself to handle large amounts of money.

    They say “it is the cents that make the dollars.” Put the cents together and you have a dollar. The more cents you put together the more dollars you have. The more dollars you have the more money you accumulate.

    It’s just like the human body; it is made up of small cells. These small cells when put together make each and every tissue, organ, and finally, the whole body is complete.

    When you focus on the composition and makeup of the human body you will appreciate that all growth comes from within; you will appreciate that those small things when put together they add up to something big.

    Start Small

    I know we all want to start big and quickly move in the comfort zone.

    The reality is that even the biggest corporations of today started small.

    A lesson learned from starting small is that you grow with the business and develop a discipline for managing it.

    Nature is such that you will hold dear what you have worked for and have seen grow from scratch. You become emotionally attached to it.

    It is very different to be given a lot of money that you have never handled before in your life, the likely hood of mismanaging the funds is higher than when you have toiled and sweated for the same money.

    They say easy come easy go. Have you ever wondered that most of those who win the lottery quickly become bankrupt?

    Starting small and ensuring steady growth also gives you a sense of pride and satisfaction.

    I am not against anyone who starts big, experience has shown that those who grow their businesses from a small scale are more likely to succeed than those who start big.

    I feel more comfortable starting with something I can handle and improving on it as it grows. It is much easier to handle small things and learn from them.

    Even in the area of personal development, change will not come like manna from heaven. The change will come through the small everyday efforts that you put in.

    Conclusion

    In order to succeed, we must appreciate the days of our humble beginnings. We also appreciate that all forms of living things are made of small components and remember that it is the cents that make the dollars.

    Learn to cherish those days and thank your creator for them. The days of your small beginnings are your learning curve and building blocks for your success.

  • The Secret Source of Power

     

    “The possibilities of thought training are infinite, its consequence eternal, and yet few take the pains to direct their thinking into channels that will do them good, but instead leave all to chance” ~ Marden.

    Before we go further let’s define the word power “it is the ability to do something or act in a particular way, especially as a faculty or quality.”

    We all possess the unique ability to take various actions. Each of us holds the power to make choices, whether those choices are positive or negative in nature.

    Everyone has some unique ability or talent; no one can truly claim they can’t do anything meaningful at all in life.

    Since all human beings have the ability and quality to do something one would then expect all of us to lead very successful and fulfilling lives.

    This is not meant to happen; the key is understanding the secret and where it comes from: POWER. It’s about how to use this power, apply it, and truly realize its potential.

    The Source of Power

    The question to ask then is, what is the true source of this power? As you read along, you will begin to understand the concept of the source of power more clearly.

    The mind and its attitudes are by far the most important elements of achieving success and fostering personal development.

    What your mind thinks about most of the time, is what you eventually become. In other words, you are in your current position because of the thoughts you entertained.

    The thoughts you harbour in your mind are key to your success. If you want to make lots of money, have the money consciousness.

    The ability to eliminate imperfect conditions depends upon your mental action, and mental action depends upon consciousness of power.

    The more aware we become of our deep connection to the source of all power, the more effectively we will be able to manage and positively influence every situation we encounter.

    This mental attitude is our personality and is composed of the thoughts which we have been creating in our own minds. You see the mind is such a powerful tool.

    Therefore, if we desire a significant change in our current conditions, all that is necessary is to actively change our thoughts and mindset.

    This will, in turn, change our mental attitude, which will, in turn, change our personality, which in turn, changes the person, things, and conditions, or, the experiences with which we meet in life.

    This, however, is no easy matter, but with persistent effort, it may be accomplished.

    The source of all this power is the universal mind, from which all things proceed and which is one and is invisible.

    The Secret of Power

    Now that you understand the source of power, the next crucial step is to learn the deeper secrets behind harnessing that power effectively.

    Like I always say knowledge without action is useless. You need to be conscious of power because whatever we become conscious of is invariably manifested in the objective world; it is brought forth into tangible expression.

    Put simply your thoughts are transmuted into reality. Have you ever realized that even the earth was first a thought according to the bible? “In the beginning, GOD created the heavens and the earth.”

    Correct me if I am wrong but, I believe that GOD thought and visualized what the earth would like before creating it.

    The secret of power is in the consciousness of it. The secret of success is one of the methods of organizing victory, one of the accomplishments of the Master-Mind.

    A person who thinks big possesses a creative mind and often finds it significantly easier to manage and tackle big challenges effectively.

    The mind is just as much present in the infinitely large cosmos as it is in the infinitely small particles of matter that compose our universe.

    Conclusion

    There is a wealth of information available on this blog, and I would highly encourage you to explore various topics that may pique your interest.

  • Communication is Key to Success

    In any relationship be it business or intimate, communication is cardinal to making it work.

    You will agree with me that many relationships especially intimate ones break up mostly due to a lack of communication.

    I am not sure of the statistics but I am very certain that most relationships lack proper and good communication.

    Many times our messages are misinterpreted or misunderstood.

    I have found myself in situations where I needed to apologize because my message was misunderstood, either due to the words I chose or the tone of my voice.

    I must admit my admiration for people who know how to put across what they want with clarity.

    Over the years, I have learned to use clear and straightforward language, especially when communicating or giving instructions, to improve my life.

    If you are a devoted follower or regular reader of this blog, you will agree that the language is straightforward and easy to understand.

    I try as much as possible to use everyday words that are straightforward. I also want to believe that most of these world conflicts are due to a lack of proper communication.

    In work or business environments, it is very important to have a precise and clear-cut communication strategy to avoid conflicts.

    If you are in leadership the following tips may help you pass on whatever it is you want to be achieved.

    Desired Outcome

    As a leader, you need to decide what the desired outcome should be. Have a vision and ensure that you put yourself in the shoes of your subordinates when giving instructions.

    You may need to repeat and structure your words in simple everyday language for all your subordinates to understand.

    Sometimes it helps to explain what your vision is to a smaller group or better still on an individual basis to your desired target group.

    Some people may not be free to ask as many questions as needed when in a large group. If you are to succeed at anything your desired outcome should be understood and taken seriously.

    Goals and Expectations

    When setting the stage for discussing what is currently happening, it is always a good idea to start the conversation with your goals and expectations.

    It is very important that each and every member of your team knows what is expected of them and the overall goals to be achieved by them.

    I would once again strongly emphasize the immense importance of conducting a thorough one-to-one briefing, as this personalized approach often uncovers even the most critical and underlying issues that might otherwise remain unnoticed.

    One-to-one discussions are more fruitful than group ones. Most of us are not very comfortable with large group discussions.

    There is often a tendency to feel intimidated, which can hinder effective communication. As a leader, it is important to take the time to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each group member individually.

    Current Happenings

    The next important tip is to explain what is and is not currently happening.

    This will help send a message to the group about what you think is currently obtaining on the ground.

    If your communication levels are at the right pace your team members will let you know exactly what is on the ground if they feel you are misinformed.

    You as the leader, spell out in detail what you think is happening and what is not happening. Remember always that the backstops at you.

    Your responsibility is to provide guidance and encouragement which can only be achieved by proper and good communication.

    The Input

    The next and final tip is what I call the input. You can have all the brilliant ideas in the world but without the final act of implementation, nothing can be achieved.

    After all the hard work and brainstorming. A proper, concise and clear communication strategy has to be implored.

    As a leader, it is very important that you devise a simple and clear communication strategy outlining what input is expected from each and every member of your team.  

    This way all members will have a clear understanding and deliver accordingly.

    Conclusion

    Communication is perhaps the key to success. Good communication ensures that every member the team knows exactly what they are supposed to do.

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  • How to Learn From Failure

    One of the major reasons why we do not succeed is the refusal to learn from our mistakes and challenges.

    People do not realise that failure can be a very powerful tool to assess your performance and find meaningful ways to improve yourself.

    Ask yourself about the day’s failures and successes and what can be gleaned, then hold yourself accountable.

    Take note of those factors that contributed to your day’s failure they surely will not go away without you taking action.

    “I don’t know the key to success but the key to failure is to try to please everyone.”  – Bill Cosby.

    The above quote just summarises everything about our failures.

    Many of us have never attempted to venture out in business or indeed pursue something that we have always longed to do, held back by the fear of failing.

    I know that failing is part of life. The difference between successful people and the average guy is the way failure is handled.

    The successful guys always make it a point to learn from their mistakes and failures, whereas most of us just stop at failure.

    If you don’t make it point to sit down and analyse the causes of your failure you will not succeed at whatever you do.

    Learning from failure is therefore an important aspect of being successful so is taking time to analyse your daily failures (no matter how small).

    The following tips may help you learn from your failures and help to improve on them.

    Ask Yourself Questions

    I encourage you to take a few minutes each day to reflect on your day. This simple habit is highly beneficial and requires just about 15 minutes.

    If you can, get a piece of paper and a pen and write down the points. You will realise that most or some of the important decisions are made in the serenity of your home or just before bedtime.

    When your mind is relaxed. Some useful questions to ask yourself would be:-

    • what failures did I experience today?
    • what are the lessons to be learned from them?
    • how do I change them or improve on them?
    • is there any need for me to have external help?

    At first, it may seem cumbersome to review your day but you will agree with me that every time you have an important decision to make, you will usually sleep over it, and in most cases, decisions are made just before sleeping and reviewed in the morning.

    That’s just how the mind works. You may also want to take note of your successes made during the day.

    Have a Plan and be Accountable

    Draw a plan of action. Remember that those attributes that contributed to your failure will not go away until action is taken.

    If there is one thing I believe in, it is making decisions. They have to be made wrong or right and action taken.

    By taking action you are moving a step closer to successfully achieving your intended goal or purpose.

    In your plan include what behaviours you think you need to improve on or change.

    Secondly, be accountable. If you are in business find a very responsible partner and be accountable to them.

    In my years of work experience, I have observed that accountability is lacking in many individuals.

    You can also be accountable to yourself but please be honest.

    One of the best ways to be accountable to yourself is to put yourself on the other side.

    Imagine that you are the leader and expect results from your subordinate. What quality of results do you want from your junior?

    How would you react if the results are not as you expected and what would you have done?

    Answering these questions may help you be more accountable.

    Let Your Plan Guide You

    Stick to your plan. Let your plan be the guide. If you have a partner you are accountable to, ensure that he is strict on you until you change your daily patterns that contribute to your failures.  

    It takes time patience and repetition to improve. One of the best ways to succeed is by sticking to your plan. Ensure that you have a good plan and keep improving on it.

    Do not be rigid as to not realise that plans can be revised to make improvements.

    Conclusion

    We all fail a little every day. We can learn from those small failures as well as daily successes when we reflect.

    I know that there can never be success without failure. I have not come across a successful person who has never failed.

    Do not feel discouraged when you fail the first time, after all, success is synonymous with failure.

    We all have failed at some point in life and will keep failing every day but always be accountable for your actions and above all “standout be counted.”

  • Is Knowledge Key to Success?

    “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” ~ The Bible. “If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest” ~ Benjamin Franklin.

    The fact is that knowledge is married to success and that there is no success without knowledge.

    I like to compare the co-relationship between knowledge and success with a mobile phone and a sim card they are inseparable.

    In my endeavour to achieve my life’s intended goals, I have discovered that I need to acquire knowledge to achieve them.

    I have also come to understand that knowledge is the key to success. Without knowledge chances of you achieving your intended life’s purpose(s) are very slim if not bleak.

    In this article, I outline why knowledge is key to achieving your success.

    What is Knowledge?

    “The result of man’s ability to think is knowledge” ~ the master key system.

    Put in another way “man’s ability to think is as a result of his awareness; know-how; understanding and intelligence.”

    The Oxford English dictionary defines knowledge as “the information and skills acquired through experience or education; the sum of what is known; awareness or familiarity gained by experience.”

    According to the definitions given above knowledge is gained through experience and education.

    By the way, education does not need to be formal you can be educated informally.

    I believe that not all successful people are “educated.” They have just acquired the right knowledge and experience needed to achieve their personal objectives.

    “There are no secrets to success it is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure” ~ Colin Powell.

    Using Knowledge as a Yardstick

    Knowledge helps us prepare ourselves for the oncoming obstacles as we move towards achieving our objectives.

    It is therefore imperative that you continuously acquire knowledge and improve on your skillset.

    As I have mentioned before in my previous articles that success is a journey and not a destination you will come across many obstacles on your journey.

    The difference between successful people and the rest is that they prevail over obstacles. They have developed the tenacity to overcome obstacles.

    They never give up even when they fail the first time around.

    I am pretty sure that the knowledge and experience gained when faced with different challenges comes in handy at some stage in life.

    I want to encourage you to acquire as much knowledge as you can as you go about working through to achieve your intended life’s purpose. You just never know when you will need to call upon it for help.

    Knowledge can then be best acquired through reading books and experience. These two are some of my best ways of acquiring knowledge.

    You could also attend seminars, listen to recorded messages, and many other ways that are available to you.

    When it comes to acquiring knowledge do not limit yourself. Remember that one of the very few possessions that can never be grabbed away from you even in your death is knowledge.

    I have never heard anything like they downloaded his knowledge to a storage media before he died, never before.

    How Does Knowledge Fit In?

    If knowledge is the awareness gained by experience, I would be right to say that success is achieved by experience and this takes time.

    Clearly, from the definitions of knowledge described above, I can safely say that without knowledge; experience; awareness, or education there is no success. Experience does not come overnight, it takes time to come.

    In my opinion, knowledge is the driving force to success without which it is very difficult to walk down the road of success.

    If you have to succeed in life you will need to spend good quality time acquiring knowledge and skills needed for your intended purpose.

    If it is the driving force, then you must therefore learn to put it to good use. Knowledge acquired without being used is a waste of time.

    Knowledge is acquired for a purpose and not just for the sake of it.

    Conclusion

    In whatever, endevours one may be engaged in, it is impossible to succeed without sufficient knowledge.

    It is therefore key that you strive to acquire the right knowledge for you to pursue your life’s intended purpose.

    Knowledge does not necessarily have to be acquired through established learning institutions such as schools.

    There are various ways and the main one being reading. I will end here and hope you have enjoyed the article.

  • Motivation, the Heart of Self Improvement

    “Have your heart in your life’s work, and be stout-hearted. Do something, act always, and do it now. Don’t be afraid. Many a man has been defeated by his doubts—lack of confidence. Take your risks —you cannot eliminate them, you cannot escape them. You can diminish them by dominating them.” ~ Batten’s Wedge

    This article is an excerpt from the book “believe it and you will achieve it.”

    Pain may sometimes be the reason why people change. Getting flunked grades makes us realize that we need to study. Debts remind us of our inability to look for a source of income.

    Being humiliated gives us the ‘push’ to speak up and fight for ourselves to save our face from the next embarrassment.

    It may be a bitter experience, a friend’s tragic story, a great movie, or an inspiring book that will help us get up and get just the right amount of motivation we need in order to improve ourselves.

    With the countless negativities the world brings about, how do we keep motivated? Try on the tips prepared from A to Z.

    A – Achieve your dreams. Avoid negative people, things, and places. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

    B – Believe in yourself, and in what you can do. You are the only obstacle to you success.

    C – Consider things from every angle and aspect. Motivation comes from determination. To be able to understand life, you should feel the sun from both sides.

    D – Don’t give up and don’t give in. Thomas Edison failed once, twice, more than thrice before he came up with his invention and perfected the incandescent light bulb. Make motivation your steering wheel.

    E – Enjoy. Work as if you don’t need money. Dance as if nobody’s watching. Love as if you never cried. Learn as if you’ll live forever. Motivation takes place when people are happy.

    F – Family and Friends – are life’s greatest ‘F’ treasures. Don’t lose sight of them. Embrace and enjoy their presence.

    G – Give more than what is expected. Motivation and self-improvement happen everywhere—at work, at home, and at school. True growth occurs when you put in extra effort and go beyond the minimum required.

    H – Hang on to your dreams. They may dangle in there for a moment, but these little stars will be your driving force. Your dreams will define the kind of legacy you want to leave behind.

    I – Ignore those who try to destroy you. Don’t let other people get the best of you. Stay out of toxic people – the kind of friends who hate to hear about your success.

    J – Just be yourself. The key to success is to be yourself. And the key to failure is to try to please everyone. The more you try to please everyone the more frustrated you will get.

    K – keep trying no matter how hard life may seem. When a person is motivated, eventually he sees a harsh life finally clearing out, paving the way for self-improvement.

    L – Learn to love yourself. Now isn’t that easy? Probable the easiest thing to do.

    M – Make things happen. Motivation is when your dreams are put into work clothes. Things do not happen without effort.

    N – Never lie, cheat or steal. Always play a fair game. The truth will always set you free. Build trust by being truthful.

    O – Open your eyes. People should learn the horse’s attitude and sense. They see things in 2 ways – how they want things to be, and how they should be.

    P – Practice makes perfect. Practice is about motivation. It lets us learn repertoire and ways on how can we recover from our mistakes.

    Q – Quitters never win. And winners never quit. So, choose your fate – are you going to be a quitter or a winner?

    R – Ready yourself. Motivation is also about preparation. We must hear the little voice within, telling us to get started before others will get on their feet and try to push us around. Remember, it wasn’t raining when Noah build the ark.

    S – Stop procrastinating immediately and take decisive action without delay. Procrastination only hinders your progress and prevents you from reaching your full potential. By overcoming the habit of putting things off, you can increase your productivity, reduce stress, and achieve your goals more efficiently.

    T – Take control of your life. Discipline or self-control jives synonymously with motivation. Both are key factors in self-improvement.

    U – Understand others. If you know very well how to talk, you should also learn how to listen. Yearn to understand first, and to be understood the second. Communication is very key your wellbeing.

    V – Visualize it clearly in your mind. Motivation without vision is like a boat stranded on dry land, unable to move forward or reach its destination.

    W – Want it more than anything. Dreaming means believing. And to believe is something that is rooted out from the roots of motivation and self-improvement.

    X – X-Factor is what will make you different from others. When you are motivated, you tend to put on “extras” in your life like extra time for family, extra help at work, extra care for friends, and so on.

    Y – You are unique. No one in this world looks acts or talks like you. Value your life and existence, because you’re just going to spend it once.

    Z – Zero in with absolute focus on your dream and confidently go for it with determination and passion!!!

    Conclusion

    Zelda Fitzgerald once said “Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold”. That is why when you put your heart to something it stands out.

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