insakanet

Blog

  • Start With What You Have

    Everything that you want to be or achieve in life, begins with what you have. You cannot give what you do not have.

    “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them” – Henry David Thoreau.

    The biggest challenge the average person has is starting with what they have. Most of the time we want to wait until we have accumulated a certain amount of money before we invest in an idea; we want to wait until we start earning a certain amount of money before we can start saving.

    But here is the thing, distractions will always be there. Worse still the opportunity may just pass you by.

    Yes, you may not succeed on the first attempt. But the experience, you will have gained is very valuable for your next project or idea.

    Most people who succeed start with the little they have and grow their resources as they progress. In fact, some of the people that have gone on to be successful started with nothing.

    If you want to start a business, resources do not necessarily mean finances. Resources could just be the skills you have or even the idea you are harbouring.

    One of the biggest resources that is overlooked by start-up entrepreneurs’  is human capital.

    Most of the time we always want to justify our fears. We are scared of failure; embarrassment and rejection.

    Justifying our fears is having a poverty mentality. Yes, I call it justifying, our poverty mentality because this is most common among poor people.

    I cannot start this business because its time consuming; who says being in business does not require your time? Stop giving excuses and get on with your life.

    Success is time consuming. A business needs all your time especially when starting out.

    Just Get Started

    The company Nike has a very good motto that I like so much “just do it.”  Stop justifying your poverty mentality and get started with whatever, that is what you want to achieve.

    Look, before starting this website, I had so many excuses. What will people think about me; I am not sure if I can generate enough writing ideas, were some of the lame excuses I was giving.

    Well, a few years down the line am still writing. This site has over 120 original articles published with an average of about 1000 words per posting.

    I now have even discovered more ways to keep generating new ideas. Yes, am aware that for now this site may not be as popular as I would want, but slowly and with time it will achieve the intended goals.

    When you start, things begin to fall in place. Your mind begins to direct you in a certain way. By doing what you love every day, you attract the right resources.

    It is entirely up to you to harness them. It is the beginning that is always difficult, but as you go on you grow in confidence. As you grow in confidence, you grow in stature and this gives you even more confidence. Do not be afraid to change your methods.

    With every article, I publish my confidence is growing and I believe that even my writing skills are being sharpened. My thinking is much more clearer and my plans for this website are even more refined and clearer. Developing ideas has become even more easier than before.

    Today as I write this article I have more than 20 ideas that need to be actualised.

    Every day, I keep adding to this list. My ideas are ahead of my writing skills and ability. It was not like this, a few years ago when I was starting this website. It was a struggle and even when ideas would pop up writing them was still a challenge. But, over time writing has become more easier.

    One Day You Will be Proud

    Sometimes it seems not fashionable to start small.  The bible says do not despise the days of your humble beginnings. We only admire business empire’s when they are big.

    When they become household names. Yet, we forget that Rome was not built in one day. These same big corporations that are now flourishing started small.

    Some of them started in backyards and garages. Alas, the owners are now proud when they sit back and look at how far they have come.

    It takes time and hard work to build something worthwhile. Imagine the joy you get when you see something of your creation flourishing.

    I cannot wait to see this site grow to those levels. Am still very proud of it and proud of myself. For now, my job is to continue doing what am currently doing.

    Improve on Your Skills Set

    Once you start and get going with whatever, you intend to do, make time to improve your skillset. This is important. Devote your time and energy to ensure that you achieve your dreams.

    If your intention is financial freedom, improve your financial management skills. If it means taking further education just do it. With the advent of the internet and advancement in technology, education today has become more accessible than ever before.

    Improving your skillset could be the difference between earning more income and moving up the ladder quickly. Now, improving your skillset does not necessarily mean acquiring formal education.

    I know that it is important to be formally educated. But you can improve your skillset in many ways. You could find materials such as books, audios, and videos on the internet.

    Currently am reading materials on how to improve my writing skills am not formally enrolled in any college or university.

    It is safe for me to say am getting an education. I know for sure that reading more will enhance my writing skills and of course this will have more benefits for my readers.

    The sharper my skill set the more quality articles I generate. This obviously translates to enjoying my life even more.

    Conclusion

    “You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you” – Brian Tracy.

    Successful people start with what they have. They do not wait for the so-called right time. They strike when the iron is still hot. I guess the right time to take your first step is now. You never know what the morrow will bring forth.

  • At the Heart of Every Obstacle Lies an Opportunity

    “There is no shortcut. Victory lies in overcoming obstacles every day.”

    When life takes a turn and brings about unexpected obstacles, we react with our emotions. One may face fear, resentment, anger, and doubt. It is absolutely humane to react in this manner.

    Sometimes the obstacles may seem impossible to overcome. They may seem bigger than we can handle. They seem as if it’s the end of the world.

    The bigger the problem the more the rewards. I read a story that changed my perspective on the way I view challenges. This story illustrates the opportunities that lie at the heart of every obstacle.

    In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock.

    Some of the King’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. This sounds like most of us, we like to blame the authorities for not providing proper social amenities.  

    We blame them for not providing and enabling opportunity or environment.

    Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road.

    After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying on the road where the boulder had been.

    The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.

    The peasant learned what many of us never understand! That every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition. He could have acted like anyone else before him but he chose to make a difference and was rewarded for his efforts. 

    Change Your Attitude

    “On the path to success always lies big O’s. Some read them as Obstacles, and others read them as Opportunities.”

    Of course, the peasant in the story had to remove the boulder to clear his way, but in doing so he got rewarded.

    Going around it was the easy way out. But, then this would not have solved anything and he would have missed out on the unseen reward.

    He decided to confront the obstacle head-on and got his reward. You, see apart from just the gold that he received he also demonstrated responsibility. Just the act of him removing the boulder benefited more people than just him.

    Now, we all know that responsibility is a big part of personal development. It is one of the key areas of personal growth and self-improvement.

    The other lesson learned from the story is that nature is neutral and it pays you for your efforts. Am very sure that if the king had mentioned the reward, the peasant would not have been the one to receive it as they were other people before him.

    I guess the peasant’s positive attitude towards problem-solving was more at play than anything.

    Most of the time we miss out on opportunities that could be life-changing, all because of our negative attitude.

    Usually, the hindrances, presented, are telling us something. If only we can pay attention and focus on providing solutions to the problems at hand.

    If you take time and analyse the problem, if you look at it with a positive mindset, it could be pointing you in the right direction for your much-needed breakthrough. 

    Change your attitude, and start looking at challenges with a more positive mental attitude. Overcoming challenges in life is what constitutes personal development. It is what you were designed to do.

    Whatever problems you are facing right now, there is a lesson that life is trying to teach you and they will not get fixed until you learn that lesson. If you turn a blind eye the problem will grow even bigger.

    Learn from Your Current Obstacle(s)

    To reach full potential one must continuously be learning from life. Every day is an opportunity to improve your life.

    The small things that you do are adding up to your lives. You must make a deliberate habit of learning from your daily challenges. It is the small things that make up the big things.

    You may not be where you want to be in life right now. Life may have turned out to be what you did not expect. Well, know that you are not alone, there are people in much more difficult situations than you.

    However, the good news is that you have built up a wealth of knowledge and skills from your current situation. Armed with it you can change the course of your life, it is never too late.

    You have gained valuable experiences that have shown you the results of the choices and decisions you have previously made.

    If you want to make a positive change, you now know what not to do based on your life’s understanding.

    I believe you are more and better equipped than before. The hurdles we face in life merely give us a chance to look at things differently.

    Sometimes, we are so fixed on one thing and do not look at the other side, and then bang, we are faced with an obstacle and realise that there is another way of looking at things.

    The most important thing is not to lose focus and never give up when faced with adversities. But, rather use them as a learning base.

    Conclusion

    “Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage” – Victor Kiam.

    The classic story in this article is really an eye-opener. It is worth learning from. The story tells many stories and I know that if analysed even further, you will be able to deduce much more from it than I have.

    You must always try to solve problems than going around them. This is the only way we can help make the world a better place. Standout and always see the opportunity in the obstacles that lie ahead.

  • The Most Important Change Begins With You

    The fact that you are still alive and still on this earth, going through what you are going through, I want you to know that God has a plan for you.

    Look around and dig deep inside yourself and begin to work on the inner you. If you have to succeed you have to know that the most important change begins with you. You possess all that you need to achieve your goals.

    Stop complaining about how overweight you are, when you are eating anything that comes around and not going to the gym.

    Don’t complain about the quality of your life if you are not doing anything to improve it. You have no right to complain about your pay when you are not doing a thing to improve your skills.

    Change your mind and begin living a life of happiness.

    Living happily is not just an opportunity or a privilege. You have a responsibility to enjoy happiness. Decide and determine your own happiness.

    You hold the key to change your life. Why are you complaining about how bad things are around you If you are surrounding yourself with them?

    Begin by changing your mind and the way you look at things. Why are you complaining about the quality of friends you have when all along you entertain them?

    Just because you have been invited doesn’t mean you have to attend. Just because someone has called you doesn’t mean you have to call them back.

    If you are in a pub and someone is offering you alcohol doesn’t mean you have to consume it. You have the power to say yes or no. Quit giving those lame excuses, you have the willpower to do the right things.

    Just because your homey’s are partying doesn’t mean you have to party. You have a responsibility to your own life. Just because you are down doesn’t mean you cannot get up. You will fall many times before you succeed.

    Just like a baby falls many times when learning how to walk. Just because you have made mistakes in life doesn’t mean that’s the end of the world. Who does not make mistakes?

    Change Your Mind and Change Your Life

    If you are down, get up. It’s time to make that important change and move your life to another level. Stop feeling pity for yourself.

    Yes, you are the reason why you are not employed. You are the one in that unhealthy relationship. But, what are you doing about it? You can change the way you feel by changing the way you think.

    Self-pity will only make you more miserable and sad. Self-pity will not change anything; complaining will even compound your situation.

    Get a grip on your life by changing the way you think. Look, if you are not in control of your life someone else is. Someone else is making decisions for you; someone else is determining how much you should be paid.

    When you change your mindset new doors begin to open up. You begin to write a whole new better chapter of your life. You begin to possess the very things that you long for in your life.

    The talents, ideas, gifts and imaginations you have all begin to come to life. Do not let your poverty mentality determine your destiny.

    You begin to attract the very things that have eluded you before.  Look, God created you to succeed.

    Even before he created this world he had you in mind. Don’t allow your mind to be a stumbling block to your destiny. Do not be afraid of the unknown.

    If you can see the invisible you can do the impossible. Venture out into the unknown and stop being afraid of the unfamiliar.

    Your mind is the biggest asset and tool for improving your well-being. It is in your mind that change is cultivated, nurtured, and birthed.

    “Everything changes when you change” – Jim Rohn.

    Why Important Change is Valuable

    Change makes you break your cycle. It motivates you to look beyond your comfort zone. Change makes you venture into new dimensions of your life.

    It exposes you to things that you would never have experienced. With change, you begin to look at life from a different perspective. Positive change makes you feel in control of your life.

    I believe that positive transformation is a huge sign of one’s personal growth. Not many people embrace change easily.

    It, therefore, means that we must all strive to make positive transformations if we have to have an impact in our lives.

    If you do not take the right steps to adapt, the world will leave you behind. After all, we live in an ever changing environment.

    Those who succeed are those who embrace and harness change. Do not be shy from making positive changes in your life.

    The only way to keep improving your life is to keep on making positive changes. Those who succeed are those who are not scared to make and take bold decisions.

    The world is not what it used to be 15 years ago. For example, technology has tremendously evolved over the last decades. Take mobile phones, they have rapidly moved from analogue to digital. Now we have smartphones.

    Gone are the days when a phone was just used for voice calls only. Imagine how difficult it is for people who have resisted change.

    Conclusion

    “The truth is that we can learn to condition our minds, bodies, and emotions to link pain or pleasure to whatever we choose. By changing what we link pain and pleasure to, we will instantly change our behaviours” – Tony Robbins.

    Be the change you would like to see in the world. Fear, not your inadequacies. Learn from your past experiences above all take steps to make the change when necessary.

    I know that sudden change can make you lose your focus, always put your trust and faith in God Almighty he is a great shepherd.

    “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” – Proverbs.

  • 5 Goal Setting Tips That Will Change Your Life

    In order to achieve success, you need to set your goals. Goal setting is a very important factor that determines your path to success.

    Success is determined and measured by the goals you have accomplished. Goal setting gives direction to your life and boosts your motivation and self-confidence.

    According to the Webster’s Dictionary, the definition for goal is “The final purpose or aim; the end to which a design tends or which a person aims to reach or attain.”

    As can be seen from the above definition, you can deduce that one of the main reasons why people do not achieve what they want, is that they do not have clear goals.

    Without a clear goal or purpose, you will not have a clear sense of purpose for your life. You will be moving with the wind and believe me, it can be very frustrating and brings a lot of unhappiness.

    The other thing that can be can be seen from the definition is that a goal is the final purpose of an aim. If your final aim is not clear enough, you will surely have an unclear and unsatisfactory end result.

    When you want to achieve good results, it is better to be more specific with what you want to achieve with your life, your goal must be clear.

    If its finances you want, rather put an amount of money you want to earn say, $10,000 per month by a specific date and not just say I want to earn a lot of money.

    The more specific and precise you are, the easier it is to measure your progress towards your set targets.

    Here are 5 simple tips that you can use when setting your goals:-

    Write Down Your Targets

    Why should you write down your goals? There is power in writing. Writing down your life’s objectives helps create a vision in your mind that constantly reminds you of what you want to achieve with your life.

    They say you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down.

    You become what think about every day. What you think about becomes what you see every day.

    Make a list of your goals by writing them down. This will also serve as your commitment to the goals that you have set. Studies have shown that goals are more motivating when you put them into writing rather than just enumerating them in your mind.

    Read them every day until they become embedded in your mind. Know your goals by heart they are yours after all.

    When writing your goals, be sure to include your action plan and put a timeframe. This will help you work hard knowing that you have a timed target to meet.

    Make a Regular Check of Your Goals

    Assess yourself regularly based on the progress you are making towards the achievement of your ambitions and intentions.

    Evaluate how many goals you have achieved. Also, assess yourself if you were able to accomplish your action plans within the set timeframe.

    Be honest with yourself when evaluating your progress. The good thing about checking on your progress is that it gives you an idea of how far you are from achieving your overall objectives.

    I evaluate my progress on a monthly basis. I also have a quarterly review that I use to make major adjustments and changes to both the processes and the plans.

    You should not be afraid to make changes when necessary. Change is important and should be embraced.

    Regular review of your goals is very important as it gives you the motivation to know what you can do better or what should be done to improve on your progress.

    This also gives you an overall idea of whether you are in tandem with your life’s purpose or not.

    Take Action

    Perhaps the most important tip is taking action. You can have all the beautiful goals in the world but without taking action they are just but a dream.

    A goal is nothing but a dream if you do not do something to accomplish it.

    Based on your assessment, you can either continue or change your action plans.

    If one was not effective, then find other ways on how you can achieve your goals.

    The most important thing in all our endeavours is taking action. Do not let procrastination or anything else stop you from acting on your set objectives.

    Do something, anything, every day that will help you move closer to your objectives. The more positive action the closer you move towards your success.

    I have come to understand that the small things I do every day help me move closer to my goals.

    I do not put them off instead I make sure that I tick off most of my daily tasks on my daily to-do list. Yes, I know that sometimes I just feel like not doing anything, but I do them anyway.

    Review your action list on a daily basis. You see over time I have learned to carry a small personal notebook. I call it my ideas notebook.

    This is where I write my ideas and all things that have to be done on a daily basis. This book has become so important to me that I cannot leave home without it.

    Constantly taking action creates a positive cycle that helps you move confidently towards your desired success.

    Taking action also allows you to overcome the fears of life. We fail mainly because of fear. Those who succeed are those who act on their dreams.

    Be Motivated

    You may want to share your goals and aspirations with your family or close friends. Your family and friends can help motivate and support you in achieving your goals.

    They can also help you in your action plans and even remind you whenever you tend to forget the goals you have set.

    Sharing your life’s objectives with your family is helpful. You need people you can trust, who can help you achieve your goals and your family is the perfect fit.

    They may not help you financially but the moral support and love they give you can help to keep you motivated.

    When you know that you are loved and that you have the support of your family it gives you peace of mind.

    It motivates you to work even harder. You concentrate on the things that matter to ensure that you do not let your family and friends down.

    Look, at the end of the day, we all work so that we can provide a better life for our families. They are the number one reason why you wake up early in the morning, every day.

    If you are a parent you will agree with me that your number one priority are your spouse and children.

    Be Determined

    Always be confident that you can achieve the goals that you have set. However, it is important that you set goals that are realistic and can be achieved in a specific timeframe.

    If you set unachievable goals, they may only cause you frustrations.

    Conclusion

    To me, a winner is someone who recognizes their God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses those skills to accomplish his goals. Even when I lost, I learned what my weaknesses were and I went out the next day to turn those weaknesses into strengths. – Larry Bird.

    Goal setting can change the way you look at your life. I encourage you to develop a habit of goal setting.

    Listed on Top Blog Feeds

  • Take Responsibility for Your Attitude

    “Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation” – Brian Tracy.

    What is attitude? It is “the way that you think, feel or behave” – Oxford Dictionary. Attitude is a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in a certain way.

    We all have attitudes. Your attitude is usually the reaction you exhibit towards external stimuli. This is your response to an event or circumstance. How you react is totally dependent on the mental state of your mind, emotional feelings, and values you hold.

    Your attitude towards life reflects the values you hold. This also reflects the way you live your life. If you have a positive mental attitude, you are more likely to live a very fulfilling and happy life. The opposite is also true if you have a negative mental attitude.

    It is your responsibility to have a great attitude and maintain it. Know that you have the power and control over the things that have a direct influence on your attitude. Do not think that your attitude runs on autopilot? A big NO. You are responsible for it.

    It’s amazing to note that many of us are always giving excuses for our wrong or bad attitudes. Excuses, like I woke up on the wrong side, should never be entertained.

    If you have to have a positive and successful life you should create a positive mental attitude towards life because life gives you back what you give it.

    Like I have said before, life will always give you surprises, what is important is the way you react to them. If you resolve to take a positive preposition, you will definitely triumph over any situation that may come your way.

    I know, that sometimes it may be difficult to stay positive, but that’s what life entails, being able to overcome adversities.

    We all fall down but very few get up. Even those that get up, very few rise quickly and strong enough to continue on the positive side of life.

    You cannot control what happens around you, but you can consciously control your reactions and emotions. Attitude is everything, it governs the way you perceive the world and the way the world perceives you.

    Here are a few strategies to help improve your attitude.

    Lightening Up Life With Humor

    They say laughter is medicinal. The more humour and laughter in your life the less stress you have. Try as much as possible to see the funny side of life every day. God created you to live a happy life but he also gave you a choice.

    It is next to impossible to feel stressed, angry, anxious, or depressed when you laugh. Laughter not only provides pleasure, but it also serves to:

    • reduce stress and other forms of emotional misery such as anxiety and fear.
    • bond us with our fellow humorists, which in turn give us even more pleasure.
    • boosts your immune system, lowers your blood pressure, oxygenates your blood, relaxes your muscles, and increases your pain tolerance, all of which gives you much more energy for more future laughter, pleasure, and happiness. 

    As can be seen from the above when you choose to be happy; when you choose to laugh, you have less stress in your life.

    You may not realise it, but the truth of the matter is that you have more power than you may know. The power to choose is a tool that is at everyone’s disposal all the time.

    Ever since I took on the journey of personal development I have discovered that the power to choose lies squarely within my rights.

    I have also learned to choose wisely and stick with my decisions. This is also something that I teach my children.

    That they have the power to make their own choices and they should be responsible for the consequences of the choices they make.

    Physical Exercising

    One of the best ways to relieve stress is taking physical exercise. I have noticed that creating a regular routine of exercise not only gives me energy but also helps to unwind my mind. Exercising is also a source of motivation.

    I normally go for my running routine early in the morning before I do anything. After the morning run, I have more than enough energy to see me through the day.

    I encourage you to exercise regularly. Not only is exercising healthy for your body but also your mind and soul. You feel very refreshed after a workout. Your mind is more focused and your body is kept in optimum tune.

    Any form of exercise that suits you is good enough. Although it could be necessary that you consulted a physiotherapist if you have any underlying health conditions to help you devise a suitable routine for exercising.

    Being Enthusiastic

    Being enthusiastic means showing interest in the things that you do and getting pleasure from them. It means having an active and motivated attitude instead of a passive one. Keywords getting pleasure.

    If you do not get pleasure from your daily work it might just mean that you are in the wrong field. Believe me, the main source of de-motivation is waking up every day and doing something that is not enjoyable. Hey, I have been there before.

    I am one who is very much enthusiastic about what I do. Especially, writing articles for this blog site. I find that am at peace and at home when I sit down to write.

    I know that there are still a lot of areas that need to be improved, but I take pride in my work so far.

    Being enthusiastic allows me to draw the much-needed energy to continue with my work. Enthusiasm is very key to taking responsibility for your attitude.

    It is the burning desire that communicates commitment, determination, and spirit.

    Enthusiasm is one of the most empowering and attractive characteristics you could ever have. Being enthusiastic speaks volumes about your attitude.

    The Attitude of Positive Affirmations

    “You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you” – Brian Tracy.

    Affirmations are statements that reinforce positive thoughts and attitudes. Am sure you have noticed that there are some quotes on the right bar of this website. I also deliberately try as much as possible to include positive quotes in my articles.

    I find that frequently reading or reciting positive quotes can help lift my mood and therefore, increase my attitude towards life in general.

    There are many sources for finding positive affirmations. I have a book full of them. I also recommend the Bible.

    Positive affirmations can help you re-focus your mind when you are feeling downtrodden. That’s why it’s important that before you begin your day read a verse from the Bible. The Bible is the greatest source of encouragement. It is the book of life.

    When you develop the habit of making positive affirmations you will realise that there is a quote for almost every situation and circumstance.

    Pay close attention to what you are saying to yourself it could just change your attitude.

    Conclusion

    Taking responsibility for your attitude could just help you accelerate your personal development and self-improvement attributes. It’s, therefore, important that you realise as an individual that you are solely responsible for your attitude.

    You have the right and power to decide how you are going to react to a particular situation. Having control of your attitude can also enhance the quality of your life.

  • Responsibility is a Measure for Your Personal Development

    “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today” – Abraham Lincoln.

    The more you grow the more responsibilities you take on. Life demands that we grow and take on more meaningful challenges and be a little bit more responsible. An adult shoulders more responsibility than a toddler.

    Every step of growth you take comes with a measured amount of responsibility. Given an opportunity, human beings, especially us men, do not want to take up many responsibilities.

    We would rather shy away and be content with the little things around us. But that’s not what life brings forth. If you do not change, life will pass you by.

    Personal development and growth can be measured by how many responsibilities you are shouldering and how well you are handling them. Yes, you may grow physically yet, be very irresponsible.

    If you want to accelerate your personal development and growth be prepared to take on more responsibilities. You need to expand your capacity for being responsible.

    God blesses us to be a blessing to other people. Always remember that whatever you accumulate is not just for you. Be it wealth, knowledge, or anything else. It is meant to be shared.

    God could have easily blessed someone else but he chose you because he knows what you are capable of. You like it or not, he is your creator.

    He has given you an opportunity to show the world what you are made of. Please be responsible and take it with both hands. Make good use of it for the benefit of the people.

    Let’s not take our blessings for granted. Let’s use our resources and talents to help change this world and make it a better place for all.

    Take Keen Interest in Your Life

    Be interested in your life. You are the driver and master of your destiny. What you do with your life today will determine your future.

    If you want more you need to give more. You need to be prepared to take on more. Make sure you are totally in charge of your well-being. I know that many of us are not in control of our own lives.

    Be quick to realise and correct your mistakes. Do not be shy or too proud to admit when you have errored. It is human to error.

    If you leave the mistakes hanging thinking they will sort themselves out, you will leave to regret them, because they will come back to bite you in future.

    No one is more interested in your well-being than yourself. Look, people are busy with their own lives. Stop feeling pity, stop waiting for help. You are the help you need. You are more than enough to achieve your goals.

    The more interested you are in your life the more you will work to improve it. If you are young this is not time to fool around. It is time to ensure that you lock in and secure your future. What you do now echoes in eternity.

    Find what you are called to do and do it diligently. Work hard and smart to achieve your goals. I know that sometimes hard work is not a guarantee for success, but it is the only chance you have.

    If there is any other way to succeed apart from working hard I would really love to know it.

    Time is of the Essence

    “Time and health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted.” Denis Waitle.

    Time is one scarce commodity that is more valuable. You may have millions of dollars in your bank account, that is a given, but you have no idea how much time you have remaining in your life.

    You cannot manage commodity of time. That is impossible. Time is one commodity that is beyond anyone’s management.

    But we can learn to utilise time properly. As time waits for no one. Time respects no one. Whether you are a King or President, rich or poor, yellow or black every one of us at some point the curtain will fall.

    Make good with the time you have. Do what you have to do when you still have it on your side. Do not live to regret what you should have done.

    If you are still young, make sure you do the right things now whilst you are still full of energy a time will come when even getting out bed will be a challenge.

    Responsibility is a Sign of Good Leadership

    “Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.” Tony Robbins.

    The level of your personal leadership determines how far you will go in life. It takes good personal leadership to achieve success.

    Leadership comes with responsibilities. A good leader is responsible for properly leading his constituents. A responsible leader leads from the front and not from behind.

    He leads by example and not just by word of mouth. A good leader inspires confidence in the people he is leading. Above all he takes responsibility even when things fail and takes a leading role in finding and implementing solutions.

    Even though we are all responsible for our lives, that does not mean we are all good leaders. If you want to know if someone is a good leader or not just look at their personal lives.

    Evaluate them based on how well they have conducted their own personal affairs, especially if they are aspiring for public office. Small things like how well they have maintained their own family are important.

    Conclusion

    The more responsible you are, the more personal development and self-growth you achieve. There is a direct relationship between responsibility and the advancement of self-improvement.

  • Stepping Into the Unknown

    Stepping up to start a new challenge can be a very daunting task at first but life demands that we make that move.

    To make meaningful progress in life you need to do things that you have never done before. Sometimes you need to do things that have never been done by anyone before.

    If you are like me who is tired of living a mediocre life, you need to change your approach to life.

    It cannot always be business as usual. It has to change radically. It has to be business unusual. The only reason you keep getting the same results is that you keep doing the same things.

    Over the past few months, I have been busy rearranging my life. I have been preparing to take a big step into the unknown or rather into unfamiliar territory.

    This is the territory of starting a farming business. I have always had a passion for farming and the desire to get started has never been this intense.

    And so I have decided that over the next couple of months, I will be sharing my progress in the new adventure that I have embarked on.

    I hope to encourage and inspire many of you who share a similar passion or any other ideas and have been held up for various reasons.

    You see, life is what you make it. If you want to succeed you need to take action. If you do not act you will remain in the same position. Life will pass you by.

    This is what has been my case. I have taken too long to act on my passion. Mainly because I have lacked the courage to face failure.

    I know that I am not alone on this sphere that is why I have decided to share my intentions.

    I am hoping that by sharing I will be held accountable at the end of the year to talk about the progress made.

    Have the Courage to Do

    “Be courageous. I have seen many depressions in business. Always America has emerged from these stronger and more prosperous. Be brave as your fathers before you. Have faith! Go forward!” Thomas A. Edison.

    Courage is what you need to get started. It is difficult to get started without having to gunner enough courage.

    But again there is never a time when you have enough courage. For as long as you do not commit you will never have the courage to do something. So make a commitment to doing something and stick with it.

    The thing to do is to just get started. As you go along you will develop even more courage to face your challenges. You will grow out of your fears.

    My fear has always been about how to provide for my family if the farming business does not work out. To overcome this fear I have had to start working on my passion as a side hustle.

    It is my intention to run my farm business on a full-time basis in the near future.

    It’s tough but what has been happening is that I have been getting more confident and learning the dos and don’ts of the business.

    There is nothing much to show for it now but I can see some progress and some encouraging results.

    At least things are taking shape. I hope that by the end of the year there will be some meaningful development to talk about.

    Start With What You Have

    One of the biggest mistakes we make in life is wanting to start with what we don’t have. Usually, we want to start on an ideal footing. If things were ideal you would not be compelled to work harder.

    Look, you cannot keep postponing doing something you love because you do not have enough resources. There will never be a time when everything is in place.

    Start where you are and the resources you need will start falling in place. I guess you already have enough resources to just get you started.

    Break down what you intend to do into smaller manageable pieces and start working on them.

    The more you overcome the little obstacles the more encouragement and motivation you get to continue.

    If you wait until everything is in place they will never be and you will end up dying without realising your dream.

    It’s more or less like building a house. Those that have undertaken such projects know that you start with one brick then the other and so on and so forth until the whole project is complete.

    Along the way, they will have overcome many challenges including financial constraints but they never give up until the house is completed.

    Keep the Faith

    “Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.” – Buddh.

    Have faith in what you want to do. You will definitely need faith to keep you going. When things are not going according to your plan only faith will keep you moving forward.

    I have my faith in God Almighty and I believe that he is always on my side. The more faith you have the more courage and motivation you generate.

    Now let me be clear, faith does not make things any easier nor does it make them any lighter, but faith makes it possible for you to advance your cause.

    Don’t sit back just because you have faith. The Bible says “faith without action is dead.” Let your works speak for you.

    Be a Good Student of Your Journey

    The journey of life is a process and a very complex process, by the way, the only way you can improve the process is by continuously learning the process.

    To learn the process keep a diary of your activities and review them every now and again. Take time to analyse and understand why things have happened that way.

    Isolate the events or things that you can directly influence and control from those that are beyond your control.

    I personally carry around a small notebook where I write stuff. This book has helped me remember things that I would not have remembered.

    It has also been key to my personal progress. Save for social gatherings I rarely attend meetings without writing down what was discussed.

    Along this journey called life, you will make mistakes. Do not despair it is part of the process. When you are challenged learn from your mistakes and failures.

    Be an ardent student of yourself. You will be surprised at how much you do not know yourself.

    Conclusion

    If you want growth in your life you need to move from the shores and step into the deeper waters. You cannot catch big fish in shallow waters.

    Yes, the deep waters might be scary, but that’s where real growth and more rewards are. Besides deep waters are less crowded yet more rewarding.

  • Turn Your Dreams into Reality

    We all have dreams, aspirations, ideas, fantasies, and goals that we would like to achieve. Unless you are not ambitious, I know that you dream of achieving things in your life.

    Whatever the dreams that you harbour and whether you will achieve them, entirely depends on you.

    You are in charge of transforming your dreams into reality. You are the CEO, the Leader, and the Boss of “yourself incorporated.” 

    Everything that we see that is man-made was first conceived as a dream. It took someone to work diligently to turn them into reality.

    This though does not come without failure. Even, the greatest of inventors worked hard and never gave up on their dreams because they wanted to actualise them.

    They were passionate about them. Never give up on something you really want. It may be difficult to wait, but way more difficult to regret.

    The secret to getting ahead is getting started. So stop delaying and get started! Start working on your dreams today, no excuses.

    Turning your dreams into reality is very challenging, it takes a lot of effort and time. I have never heard of anyone who has achieved success that says “it was a walk in the park.”

    However, I believe that if your dream is centred on your life’s purpose it should be fun working to actualise it.

    Believe in Your Aspirations

    The most important person to believe in is always yourself. If you think you can achieve your dreams then you can, if you think you cannot achieve them then you wont.

    Sometimes the people who are closest to you can be very discouraging because they cannot see what you see.

    You own your dreams. Yes, it is important to seek guidance and second opinions. But the fact that someone says you cannot achieve such and such or you cannot be this or that, does not necessarily mean you cannot be. If you can see it then you can be it.

    Believe that you will succeed and it will come to pass. At the end of the day, it is your life. You will be held accountable for not utilising your talents and adding positively to humanity. Do what you have to do to add positively to humanity.

    If you don’t believe in your dreams, who will? The journey to realising our dreams involves people. How can the people you are involved, with help you have confidence in your dreams if you the owner do not believe in your own aspirations?

    Failure Should Be Embraced

    “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.“ – Michael Jordan.

    Your dreams, aspirations, and ideas are your projects. You must stay committed to them. Life, as it may be, is full of challenges.

    Not everything you set out to do will go according to your will and plans. Along the way, things will happen that you never expected.

    Just like in any other project you will fail many times and you will succeed many times. The key is achieving your goals. Failure is part of the process of realising your dreams.

    Perhaps failure happens so that we learn how to handle success. I believe that there are lessons to be learned from failing.

    Failure does not necessarily mean you are dull nor does it mean you cannot succeed. It simply means you have learned another way to avoid in future.

    When you fall down, get up, dust yourself, and move on. You are not the first nor will you be the last person to fail.

    Ask any successful person, whether they have not failed before, you will be amazed at their stories. The difference is that they have learned to embrace failure.

    Don’t allow failure to scare you, have the courage and motivation to look beyond it and focus on the bigger picture. People will always fail.

    Failure sharpens you. It makes you grow and be well prepared for your destiny.

    When you are shaped by the challenges thrown your way and your despair for failure, this makes you grow into a better person.

    A person who knows how it feels to fail will always be better prepared for what they do. They say experience is the best teacher, I say failure is the better teacher.

    Take Your Dreams Seriously

    If you want to be independent in life, you must make, realising your dreams one of your key priorities.

    If you do not build your ideas someone else will hire you to help them realise their dreams.

    Am not saying that its bad to work for someone. But you are never in control if you work for someone.

    What you want, is to be in the driving seat of your life. You want to determine how much you earn. This is what makes you happy.

    You want to do things the way you want them done. If you are currently working for someone am not suggesting that you quit your job without a plan.

    Your dreams are the blueprint for your goals and success. They say your imagination and your dreams are a preview of things to come.

    The good thing about having dreams is that you are the only one who has seen them. Only you will know when you have achieved them.

    I know that at first, our dreams can be scary. They can be intimidating. But once you get started they begin to take shape.

    Most of the time you will be guided on how to move, what to do, depending on the outcomes and circumstances of your achievements.

    When I was setting out to start this website. It was a daunting idea. I had no clue as to what content I would be writing and where it would be coming from.

    Yes, I know that the growth has not been what it should be, but believe me, it is surely moving in the right direction. Besides am not in any competition with anyone.

    I guess the growth of the website in terms of content is directly influenced by my personal growth as well.

    As you may know, you cannot give what do not have. You only give from what you have. Sometimes I would want to write but have nothing to talk about.

    Conclusion

    Dreams are there to be pursued. If you have dreams pursue them relentlessly until you have accomplished them.

    You do not want to regret and look back at what you should have done. The time to start is now.

    There is never a better time and place to start following your dreams than today. Your dreams minus your doubts equal your true worth. Never let your fears be the boundaries of your dreams.

  • The 7 Principles for Successful Self-Improvement

    Life is full of challenges, many of which are beyond our control. But, when it comes to personal behaviour, and how we react to situations we have no excuses and this is where self-improvement and personal growth come into play.

    I know that Self-improvement is one of the most important of all human virtues. If there is something that should be undertaken by everyone it is “personal development.” Self-improvement is the “advancement of one’s knowledge, status, or character by one’s own efforts.”

    It takes one’s willingness and one’s own efforts to reach self-actualisation. No one can be successful or reach greater heights, without first improving themselves. That’s how important the subject of self-improvement is to our lives.

    If you keep doing the same things you will continue getting the same results. If you want to improve and grow, you must change what you do and do it differently, the choice is entirely yours.

    “You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily agenda.”  – John C. Maxwell.

    Very true, if you want to change your life and start living a better life you need to change the way you do things. You need to make self-improvement and personal growth the primary focus for your life.

    Learning how to make self-improvement a priority and primary focus for your life, will help you move forward with confidence and strength toward your goals.

    It will ease the pressures of life. You will enjoy your life’s journey even more.

    In my many years of consciously practising self-improvement, I have summed up the many principles into 7 that have been very beneficial to me.

    Know Your Purpose

    The number one principle is knowing your purpose. What is your God-given purpose on earth? What is it that you were designed to give the world?

    Look, you like it or not, you have a purpose why you are on earth. It is, therefore, your responsibility to know and discover what your purpose is in life.

    Are you wandering through life with little or no direction, hoping that you’ll find happiness, health and prosperity? Find your life’s purpose and write down your mission statement and you will have your own unique compass that will lead you to your success every time.

    Knowing your purpose in life makes you live your life with integrity. It helps you make the right choices and decisions knowing that they will help you achieve your goals.

    When you know your purpose you will stick to your lane. Yes, you will be faced with challenges, but they will only serve to make you a better person.

    “There’s no greater gift than to honour your life’s calling. It’s why you were born. And how you become most truly alive.”  – Oprah Winfrey.

    Knowing your life’s purpose helps you find your true passion and this becomes an important factor for you to achieve something extraordinary.

    Whether it is a dream you have had from childhood or a newly found way of life, the passion will drive you to reach your goals.

    Your life’s purpose is the compass for your life. There is no wrong purpose if it’s what you were created for it is the right one. God created each one of us to contribute positively to the improvement of the world.

    Know Your Values

    What do you value most? Make a list of your top 5 values. Some examples are security, freedom, family, spiritual development and learning.

    As you set your goals, check your goals against your values. If the goal doesn’t align with any of your top five values, you may want to reconsider it or revise it.

    Look we all have values. Values “are the principles that give our lives meaning and allow us to persevere through adversity.”

    We live our lives according to our values. The values you hold determines the quality of life you lead.

    Know Your Needs

    My number 3 principle is knowing your needs. What are your needs? Needs are the things that are necessary for making your life easy, without which life would be impossible for you.

    Unmet needs can keep you from living authentically. Take care of yourself. Do you have a need to be acknowledged, to be right, to be in control, to be loved? Make sure you address these needs before anything else.

    There are so many people who live their lives without realizing their dreams and most of them end up being stressed or even depressed for that matter. List your top four needs and get them met before it’s too late!

    Knowing and meeting your needs is a fundamental human right. It is your responsibility to ensure that you know your basic needs.

    Life is much easier to navigate through when you know your needs. Generally, your lives revolve around your needs.

    Once your basic needs are identified and are met with satisfaction, life opens up more opportunities for self-improvement; opportunities to grow beyond just your needs.

    You focus on how best you can contribute to humanity without worrying about yourself.

    Know Your Passions

    You know who you are and what you truly enjoy in life. Obstacles like doubt and lack of enthusiasm will only hinder you, but will not derail your chance to become the person you ought to be.

    Express yourself and honour the people who have inspired you to become the very person you wanted to be.

    Embracing your passions brings back some simplicity in your life that can lead to new freedoms in your everyday life.

    There are many benefits that come with knowing your passions. When you are fully aware of your passions you live an authentic life free from the pressures of other people.

    You follow what your soul is telling you. You become the original you, that you were designed to be. Knowing your passions brings greater self-awareness and confidence which in turn improves your productivity levels.

    Often times when we follow our passions we make a career of out of them. We get paid doing what we love.

    There is a difference between an artist whose main driver is making money and one whose main purpose is appreciating and enjoying their work.

    Live From the Inside Out

    Increase your awareness of your inner wisdom by regularly reflecting in silence. Commune with nature. Breathe deeply to quiet your distracted mind.

    For most of us city slickers, it’s hard to even find the peace and quiet we want even in our own homes. In my case, I often just sit and play some classical music. There’s sound, yes, but music does soothe the soul.

    They say all growth comes from within. What we are outside is a reflection of what we are inside. When we live from the inside out, we live from a sense of our own worthiness.

    Honour Your Strengths

    What are your positive traits? What special talents do you have? List five, if you get stuck, ask those closest to you to help identify them.

    Are you imaginative, witty, and good with your hands? Find ways to express your authentic self through your strengths. You can increase your self-confidence when you share what you know with others.

    “Make the best use of what is in your power and take the rest as it happens.” – Epictetus.

    When you work from your strengths you work with confidence and with less effort.

    Being of Service to Others

    When you live authentically, you may find that you develop an interconnected sense of being. When you are true to who you are, living your purpose and giving of your talents to the world around you, you give back in service what you came to share with others; your spirit; your essence.

    The rewards for sharing your gift with those close to you is indeed worthwhile, much more if it were to be the eyes of a stranger who can appreciate what you have done to them.

    Being of service is really a joy because that is what humanity was designed for.

    Conclusion

    Self-improvement is indeed one type of work that is worth it. It shouldn’t always be within the confines of an office building, or maybe in the four corners of your own room.

    The difference lies within ourselves and how much we want to change for the better. Self-improvement is a personal choice and decision.

  • How to Do More With Your Life Than Just Give Up

    This story was inspired by Mandy Harvey. I watched Mandy on America’s Got Talent a television program that searches and gives an opportunity to people to showcase their talent.

    She was a contestant in the music category and got a golden buzzer for her outstanding performance during the auditions. Although Mandy did not go on to win the competition she is a successful songwriter, singer, and motivational speaker.

    I find her life’s journey very inspiring and motivating. She lost her sense of hearing due to illness at the age of eighteen and, she almost gave up on her life.

    I can only imagine what she went through at the news of losing her hearing and that science and doctors cannot help recover her lost sense of hearing.

    But after some time and with hard work she discovered that she could actually continue singing, by using muscle memory and trusting her pitch and feeling the vibrations of the beat and temple through her feet. This is amazing.

    Today Mandy is a success in the music industry and inspires people not only with her music but also with her life’s story to never give up.

    Life can be tough and it is not easy to live especially when such “calamity” as Mandy’s be fore’s on you. Imagine the pain and the disillusionment the whole family went through when they learned that their daughter had become deaf.

    The thought that she will never hear their voices again is not nice at all. That the mode of communication with her would be changed forever.

    To me, Mandy’s life story is one of faith and courage. Look, to go up on stage and sing in front of so many people, without hearing your own voice but just trusting your pitch, takes a lot of faith and courage.

    There are very few people who can do that. Most of us are scared to even just stand in front of a small group of people and speak.

    It is a lesson to all of us who take life for granted and just want to give up when we encounter a few setbacks.

    Stop giving excuses and start making something worthwhile with your life. Yes, life will always throw things at you. But, I believe that everything that happens to us happens for a reason. There is always good that comes out of what is seeming a bad thing.

    Have a Never Give Up Mentality

    One would have understood if Mandy had given up on her life. At least she would have had an excuse for it, and a good one for that matter.

    But she did not, she decided to make use of her life and be a blessing to the world. Now instead of just singing and writing songs she also inspires and motivates people with her story.

    Who knows, she probably would not have been successful without going through what she went through.

    She realised that in order for her to be happy in life she must continue doing more of what makes her happy and that is singing.  Hence her doing everything in her power to achieve her dream.

    Do you realise that if she had not done anything about it, she might probably have been complaining all her life about her situation.

    She would have been another statistic, but instead, she is not, she is flying high like an eagle with what she is doing. Thank God for her life. She is such a blessing.

    You see to be more you need to have more and never give up on your dreams. To achieve greatness you need to do things differently. You need to change the way you do things and adopt methods that will bring out the best in you.

    If you sleep at 8:00 pm and wake up at 07:00 am you may need to adjust. Successful people spend most of their time working hard and not sleeping.

    When you are faced with adversity, look for the good in it. There is always something that you can get from your troubles.

    Most of the time when we are faced with challenges it means that God wants to move us to the next level. He is preparing us to handle what is coming our way. But it will never come until you are ready for it and usually it is something much more than our current situation.

    If you keep your trust in God, he always makes a way where there seems to be no way. When one door is shut God opens up many more doors. Mandy’s hearing door was shut but God opened up other doors to help her continue with her music.

    Be Prepared For What is Coming

    Like I said before when adversity comes it is usually a sign that good things are yet to follow. Because after the storm there is calmness. You must always be prepared to take on the next challenge. Be ready when the heavens have opened up for you.

    Look, don’t just sit and give excuses that you cannot do anything because you have no opportunities. Do not live life by chance or by luck. Luck finds those who are prepared and are ready. In our country, we have a tendency of complaining about how successful foreigners are than the local majority.

    We must actually be ashamed of ourselves. We have people who came in as refugees and now they are doing well in business yet we complain that there are no opportunities.

    This is a person who came with nothing and now he has a successful business in your own back yard and you say there are no opportunities, come on guys, we can do better than that.

    If you have dreams and do not take action they will always be but dreams. Those who succeed are those who put their dreams into action.

    Preparation can take many forms and it is usually not easy. Take sportsmen and women, for example, the time and sacrifice they take in preparation is something I really admire.

    How can you attract opportunities if you are not prepared for them? You attract opportunities by the things that you do every day.

    Sometimes opportunities come in disguise. They come in the most unexpected manner. But you need to be prepared when they come around otherwise you will miss them and call yourself cursed or something like “I have bad luck.” No, man you were just not ready.

    If it’s a job you are looking for get the necessary qualifications, and go out there and knock on every door for the opportunities. Don’t just sit at home expecting that a job will come on a silver platter, do something about it, anything that will keep you busy.

    In everything that we do, preparation is key to success. If you want to achieve anything meaningful with your life, you need to continuously upgrade your skills set. Believe me, opportunities are always there to be pursued. I have personally missed out on many good opportunities because of not being fully prepared for them.

    And equally I have embraced many opportunities when am prepared for them.

    Conclusion

    You have more to offer and give than what you are currently doing. If you are going through a rough period in your life fight until you make things right simply do not give up.

    The fact that you have seen the break of dawn means you still have a chance to fight and win. Trust God in everything you do and he will surely come through for you.

Powered by
►
Necessary cookies enable essential site features like secure log-ins and consent preference adjustments. They do not store personal data.
None
►
Functional cookies support features like content sharing on social media, collecting feedback, and enabling third-party tools.
None
►
Analytical cookies track visitor interactions, providing insights on metrics like visitor count, bounce rate, and traffic sources.
None
►
Advertisement cookies deliver personalized ads based on your previous visits and analyze the effectiveness of ad campaigns.
None
Powered by