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  • Taking the Giant Step of Growth

    “All growth is from within” ~ Master Key.

    “Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life” ~ Herbert Otto.

    I know and believe that every normal thinking person has a dream, at least I have one.

    We all want to believe deep down in our souls that we have a special gift, that we can make a difference, that we can touch others in a special way, and that we can help make society and the world at large a better place.

    The biggest challenge to this belief is ones-self. You are responsible for making it and living your dream life. No one but you alone, are the master of your destiny.

    Your thoughts and the actions you take come from within you and hence determine the course of your life’s direction.

    In this article, I try and help you take a leap of personal development by accepting that you play a major role in determining the course of your future.

    There are three decisions that you make every moment of your life that shape and control your destiny. These three decisions will control what you will notice, what you will feel, what you will do, and finally what you will contribute and who you will become.

    I believe that if you do not control these decisions it becomes very difficult to take the giant step of growth. It also means to me, that you are not in control of your life.

    Firstly you must understand that all growth comes from within; growth is embedded within the inside of you. Jesus gives us the example of the mastered seed in the bible.

    Out of a small seed grows a huge tree. Where does the tree come from? Of course, the external environment plays a part but it is hugely what is inside that determines the extent of growth.

    If you have very little faith in what you are doing then you might as well stop it and grow the faith before continuing. When you control these three decisions then you begin to shape your destiny.

    What Is Your Focus in Life?

    “Most people have no idea of the giant capacity we can immediately command when we focus all of our resources on mastering a single area of our lives” ~Tony Robbins.

    The first step of growth for me to take is deciding on what to focus on. You see, it’s not what is happening to you right now or what happened to you in the past that determines who you want to become.

    But rather it’s your decision on what to focus on that will help determine your personal growth and self-development.

    Do you want to dwell on the negative past and want to focus on the negative results that you have archived?

    What you decide to focus on largely determines what results you will accomplish. Focus on negativity and believe me you will reap just that.

    It is very important that you learn to focus on the positive aspects of life even in trying movements.

    Here is a lesson I have learned in life it is much easier to walk out when things are not going on well. This I tell you is the easiest decision you can make in life and believe me it is not usually the best one available. Walking away is a sign of cowardice.

    Luckily we all have the ability to make decisions to focus; we all have the same power and consciousness to focus.

    When you focus this power through attention or concentration on any single purpose for a considerable length of time nothing becomes impossible.

    If you have ever looked through the viewfinder of a camera, you will find that when the object is not in focus, the impression was indistinct and possibly blurred, but when the proper focus is obtained the picture is clear and distinct.

    This illustrates the power of concentration. Unless you can focus and concentrate upon the object which you have in view, you will have but a hazy, indifferent, vague, indistinct, and blurred outline of your ideal and the results will be in accordance with your mental picture.

    We, therefore, have no excuse to fail to make better decisions when we concentrate our focus.

    By making the decision to focus on the right things in life we are taking a giant step of growth.

    Remember that growth will not come all at once or like manna from heaven. You need to make the right decisions and actions.

    I want to believe that if you have a written down life’s intended purpose then you have a plan to focus on.

    The first thing to do before you make the decision to focus is to have a written down life’s purpose as mentioned before.

    This will give you a better reason to focus and achieve your goals in a more organised and efficient manner.

    What Do Things Mean to You?

    “My definition of success is to live your life in a way that causes you to feel a ton of pleasure and very little pain – and because of your lifestyle, have the people around you feel a lot more pleasure than they do pain” ~ Tony Robbins.

    My second step of growth is the decision about what things mean to you?

    Well, you may want to ask yourself what does life means to you; why do you exist? These are just but some of the questions that you may have to know the answers to.

    The decision to know about what things mean to you is a huge one that you cannot afford not to make if you have to make the second giant step of growth.

    Remember you need to know what things mean to you in order to have greater control of your life.

    After you have made the decision to focus ask yourself what does the thing(s) you are focusing on mean to you; what is the value of it?

    If it can be quantified put a monetary value on it. They say your heart is where your money is. Where is your heart?

    In life, we come across so many things and most of them are actually useful for a short while and then become meaningless after some time.

    Therefore, it is very important that you know when something is of value and when to let go of it. Many of the time we keep holding on even to things that have no more value.

    We carry a lot of garbage along with us. Know that if you carry garbage it is of no value to you. This applies even to people that we come across.

    Some of them have no value per se in our lives. Yet we continuously spend more time with them. I am not saying you should create enemies but try to spend more time with the people that add value to your life If you have to grow.

    If you have to grow stop taking responsibility for people’s actions. Remember you are accountable for your own actions.

    I have seen people who want to take responsibility for someone’s actions in the name of pleasing them. This is very wrong, and please know that the best recipe for failure is to try to please everyone.

    You should attach value to Personal growth and development. To do this you first need to have spelled out your intended life’s purpose.

    Believe me, if you do not have a written down LIFE’S INTENDED PURPOSE, you are just chasing after the wind. You are flowing with the wind. You have no control of your life’s destiny.

    What Do You Want to Do?

    “I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.” —THOMAS EDISON.

    Lastly, the decision to know what you want to do to achieve your goal is very cardinal. This still brings me back to the idea of having a written down life’s intended purpose.

    Without which you cannot make the decision to know what to do to achieve it. If you went ahead and made the decision, it would be like getting in a car and driving off without a known destination.

    In other words, you would be driving aimlessly. In this case, you are living life aimlessly without a written down life’s intended purpose.

    Many of us are scared to make decisions of what we want to do or rather how we want to go about achieving our intended life’s purpose, for fear of making the wrong decisions.

    Believe me, we all have made wrong decisions in our lives and we are all going to make wrong ones in the future. The key is to be flexible enough to override our earlier decisions and replace them.

    We do not have to allow the past wrong decisions we made to control our future. Remember your future is affected by the decisions you make now.

    Always try your level best to think through and possibly delay your decisions so as to make better judgment of what you want to achieve.

    The best time to make some of these hard decisions is in the night when you are alone and reflecting on your day. I have made far much better decisions when not rushed.

    Remember, Success truly is the result of good judgment. Good judgment is the result of experience, and experience is often the result of your judgment!

    Conclusion

    Too many of us don’t make the majority of our decisions consciously, especially these three absolutely crucial ones; in so doing, we pay a major price.

    To avoid making wrong decisions’ we must commit to learning from the earlier mistakes. This is the only way we can improve on our decision-making process and start to make better judgments of what decisions are to be made in the future.

    Personal development is a continuous process and does not come without effort.

  • 3 Reasons Why You Cannot Succeed Without Failure

    It is not a secret that the greatest fear we have is failure. Perhaps it is one of the greatest fears that anyone has ever experienced. Unfortunately, you cannot detach failure from success.

    Ask even the most successful people if they have ever failed the answer will be a resounding yes. This just goes to show you how important it is to learn from failure.

    In my years of being a student of personal development and self-growth, the fear of failure has played a major part of my progress. Fear can also be a very big hindrance to one’s progress.

    The fear of failure to achieve my dreams; the fear of failure to succeed academically; the fear of failure to provide for my family; are some of the things that have motivated me to work even harder.

    Am sure that you can relate to the fear of failure with your own life. But, what if I told you that actually failure was a good thing? Albeit Einstein once said that “failure is success in progress.”

    Failure has a way of bringing out the best in you. Encountering failure is one of the best ways to help achieve your success. I have discovered that the more you fail the more prepared you are for success.

    Look, am not saying that you must be happy when you fail. But you must make sure that you learn from your failures to achieve your success. Take time to analyse what made you fail before moving forward.

    Here are a few things that failure can do to you to help you on your road to success.

    Failure Keeps You in Check

    There is a tendency to raise our egos when we are experiencing success. Often times we look down on people that we think are not achieving as much as we are.

    Well, guess what, failure brings you down to earth from cloud nine and makes you realise that you are not a super human. It helps you be in touch with reality. Failure makes you humble when you are in desperate need of humbleness.

    I have come to appreciate that being kept in check is very important as you are climbing the ladder of success. When you are experiencing constant success there is a tendency of being enslaved by success, before you know it you will be doing anything, even wrong things, to just make you stay at the top.

    But nature has a way of keeping us in check. When you experience failure you realise that life is about ups and downs and that success should not be taken for granted. Failure is a good teacher.

    Failure Creates Extraordinary Change

    Failure could be a catalyst for both positive or negative change. What grows out of the initial experience with failure is entirely up to what lessons were learned.

    In life, it is easy to become demotivated and downcast when we experience failure. Instead, we must learn to use failure as a springboard to propel and motivate us to succeed. Learn to reset your mind and create the much-needed mental change.

    Adversity can make even the most talented people refine the roadmap of their destiny, while other equally talented individuals could allow it to derail and kill their dreams.

    Most of us know the story of Steve Jobs, that he was fired by Apple in 1985 and many of us know that Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. Yet they were both able to bounce back and are considered legends.

    I would like to think that if both Steve and Michael had not failed at some point in their lives they would not have gone to achieve what they did. I am sure they learned a lot from their failures as they pursued their different careers. They did not give up.

    In other words, failure is necessary to shake things up in our lives. Without which we would be comfortable and not make the much-needed quantum leaps.

    When you want to make it life you must realise that you will always encounter adversity. The way you handle life’s challenges will determine your level of success.

    Failure Can be Informative

    One of the best sources of information in my life is in the failures that I have experienced. Look, the fact that you have encountered adversity does not necessarily mean you are a failure. Get up and continue on your journey of life.

    In life, you must take lessons from every result that does not go your way. Never throw in the towel when things are not going as expected. Instead, sit down and learn from them.

    Get as much information as you possibly can from your negative results. They are simply telling you, what should be avoided in the future. I normally take failure as a learning tool.

    If I fail to achieve a goal I list down what I think led to the failure and try as much as possible to work on correcting the mistake. In doing this I also discover new methods or processes that I had no idea existed. I end up enriching my skills.

    Yes, sometimes in the process of making corrections I fail even more. I know that this can be very demotivating and discouraging most of the time, but that’s what life is all about. If you have to be an achiever you need to have patience, persistence, and perseverance.

    The value of information and lessons learned from your failure is immeasurable.

    Conclusion

    I know that many of us do not want to be associated with failure. We only want to be associated with success. But I can guarantee you that success does not come without challenges. If you are looking to succeed be least assured that you will encounter failure. Failing is a way of preparing us for what lies ahead. Failure is the seed of growth and success.

  • The 5 Benefits of Doing Right that Everyone Should Know About

    Life demands that we grow, that we move from one point to another, and so on. In this vein, we are expected to carry on with life in a manner that is acceptable.

    “There is not less wit, not less invention, in applying rightly a thought one finds in a book, than in being the first author of that book.”  Pierre Boyle.

    In a manner that edifies the people that we come into contact with. As this ought to be the right thing to do.

    God expects each one of us to play our part in helping to make this world a better place than we found it. We owe it to ourselves and to future generations to ensure that everything we do is done right and for the benefit of humankind.

    Doing right is not a sign of weakness, it is however a sign of maturity and responsibility. It’s only mature and responsible people that are always doing what is right.

    Doing the right things in every situation has many benefits. Here are the five benefits that are associated with doing things right.

    It Gives You Peace of Mind

    Doing the right thing gives you peace of mind. When you are on the right side of the law you are at peace with yourself.

    You go to sleep knowing that all is well with you. Knowing that you do not expect the unexpected.

    There is nothing more uncomfortable than going to bed with an unsettled mind. You see everything you do has a way of catching up with you.

    What goes around comes around. You cheat on your taxes and you end up paying more when caught.

    Those that acquire property dubiously are not free to enjoy their wealth. They are always expecting the law enforcement agencies to visit them.

    Wealth, that is acquired genuinely is better than that which is questionable. If you are a sane person who has a conscience, I am sure that when you are alone you acknowledge your wrongdoing.

    You are Trustworthy

    If you are in business you should understand better what being trustworthy is. You can easily lose business if you are not trusted. People want to deal with people they can trust.

    Developing trust takes time and is usually the difference between getting a new client and losing one, especially in this competitive world where maintaining clients is more important for repeat business.

    Being trustworthy can open up many other opportunities. If people can trust you to deliver a quality service they pass on words of recommendation to others. Of course, this entails more business for you.

    Look, you cannot deny the fact that you are more comfortable dealing with a person you know is trustworthy, especially with sensitive matters.

    Trust is also the basis for good personal relationships. The more trusted you are, the better your relationships with other people.

    The better relationships you have the more opportunities and recommendations you receive. Let’s be honest, we all want to be associated with trustworthy people.

    Trust is earned by your deeds and it takes time to build credibility. Try your level best to build a good reputation and endeavour to maintain it.

    You are Respected

    Doing the right things earns you respect. People will always respect a person who is morally upright. This is a person who is truthful and honest.

    If you cannot manage to help out it does not hurt, to be honest, and excuse yourself. Do not make commitments when you know you will be unavailable.

    You earn more respect for being honest than for wasting people’s time.

    To be respected you need to be of good character. Let your no be no and your yes be yes. If you promise that you will deliver at a particular time, ensure you keep the promise. If you cannot meet your target, communicate in good time.

    I know that sometimes, it does not look cool to do the right thing. People may perceive you to be old-fashioned and even call you names, but just do it anyway. Posterity will judge you.

    Know that whatever you do on earth echoes in eternity. Your life is a reflection of your beliefs. You will be remembered for what you did on earth when your curtain of life comes down.

    You Create an Opportunity for Others

    Being an upright person creates opportunities for other people. One of the reasons why we do not get opportunities is because the people who were there before did not do the right things.

    Equally, opportunities come because the people who were in front laid a good foundation for you and l. If you are given an opportunity to lay a foundation please ensure that you do a better job so the generations to come can benefit as well.

    Many of the time people do not think about the next generation and end up closing the door for everyone because of not doing the right things.

    I was working in an institution where we had many credit facilities with retail outlets. We could go and get stuff without paying immediately. This went on very well for some time.

    But then people began to abuse the facilities by not paying on time and some even skipped payments altogether. In the end, the facilities were cancelled because of the abuse of a few individuals.

    This meant that those who came after us could not enjoy the facilities only because a few people did not think about the future.

    There are many examples out there of situations where facilities are canceled because of abuse by a few individuals. Unfortunately, this is very common in many African countries.

    It Helps Improve Society

    Society benefits from one act of goodness. If we have to change the world we need to do more good things.

    Imagine what the world would be if we all committed to being of good character? We could end all these unnecessary fighting and petty squabbles.

    Conclusion

    We all have a part to play in this world. Our diversity as a human species is what makes us stronger. If we could all commit to being of good character the world would be a better place. Play your part and leave the rest to God.

  • Do More Things That Make You Happy

    This is my first article for this year and I thought that I should write an article that will help you stay happy for the rest of the year.

    “A man is successful if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do” ~ Bob Dylan.

    Perhaps this is the best description of success for me. The key factor is enjoying what you are doing. Sometimes the obvious escapes us.

    Have you noticed that whenever you are enjoying what you are doing, you do a better and outstanding job, you have more fun, and feel a certain sense of ease, delight and mastery.

    We become better at something because of the time we spend doing it. In other words the saying practice makes perfect is true.

    Scientists say if you spend only two hours a day doing something that you choose to do that makes you happy, within five years you can become an expert.

    That is why it is very important to have a job that you enjoy. A job that makes you happy. One that you always look forward to every morning. There is no joy in doing a job that does not make you happy. Happiness bring out the best in you.

    The Challenge

    Every day presents a new opportunity to discover something that brings you joy. If you find yourself feeling dissatisfied with your work, take a moment before considering a drastic change.

    Instead, focus on how you can enhance your current situation. Embrace this challenge as a chance to learn, grow, and transform your experience into something fulfilling. Seek out the positives, and let them inspire you!

    Life is too short to live worrying every day. Besides most of us spend a lot of our time at our work places, why not make them a happy place. Your work place must and should be a happy place.

    I have been in employment before that I dreaded going for work every day and I know what am talking about. The best solution is to make the best out of it.

    Remember it is essential that you learn to enjoy life there is much more to enjoyment than to sadness. I know for sure that happiness makes you look younger.

    You and only you alone are in charge of discovering and deciding what you want to do with your life. The more you do what makes you happy the more productive you become.

    There are certain things that have to be done.  To achieve happiness, make a commitment to making the best out of every situation.

    Work with pride do your job as if there is no tomorrow. Challenge yourself to always go the extra mile if you are in employment. This will certainly make you stand out from your fellow co-workers and earn you accolades.

    If you always do what interests you, at least one person is pleased and that is you.

    Happiness is Infectious

    Marcus Aurelius concluded that “very little is needed to make a happy life.” Indeed happiness is a state of mind.

    Embrace the power of positivity! A happy person radiates a positive mental attitude that can transform their life. Make it your mission to choose happiness every single day. Let this decision empower you to face challenges with a smile and inspire those around you. Remember, happiness is a choice—commit to it, and watch your life flourish!

    I know that you will come across trials and tribulations but the more you practice doing the things that make you happy the more relaxed and the more inner peace you will have.

    Happiness has a tendency of spilling over to the others around you. I have a friend who is always happy. There are very few times I have seen him sad and he is such a huge source of inspiration for me.

    Every time we meet up you feel like you just want to be with this guy more and more. I asked him what his secret to happiness was and he simply said I make a decision every morning to be happy and try to do more of the things that make me happy.

    This to me is one of the best formulas to happiness. Turn your sad moments to into learning moments and reflect on them.

    Many of the times we are sad because you’ve allowed others to do so. There are times in all of our lives when we have to focus on sad and painful situations.

    But in the bigger picture, when life is running more smoothly, we have to remember to get back in the habit of making choices that will provide opportunities for us to do more and more things that make us happy.

    Happiness In Service

    I believe that some of the happiest people are those in the service industry. If you are in this industry and are not happy please quit.

    I know that some of the people join the service industry for the sake of a pay cheque. These are the ones that should leave the industry and allow people with a natural inclination for serving humanity to do it with dignity and honor.

    I have experienced some of the worst treatment by some medical personal yet this is a noble profession with a calling to serving lives. Now, I know that there are some very very good medical practitioners that are dedicated to the cause.

    In reality it feels very nice and pleasant and you feel useful after giving a helping hand.

    I have noticed that, even with my little kids they enjoy giving a hand in whatever I am doing. When they take this opportunity they are very joyful and happy.

    I want to believe that we all have a part to play in making the world a better place and it all starts with you and I being a happy people.

    Service is honourable. When we continue to do more things that make us happy, we will become happier.

    The gift of well-being is the greatest reward of embracing a fulfilling life. Each of us holds the power to express our love for the world in our own extraordinary way.

    “I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves…The ideals that have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth” ~ Albert Einstein.

    Conclusion

    “Laughter is the best medicine” ~ Unknown. Every day of your life make a decision to be happy. Wake up and declare happiness to be a part of your day.

    Yes, you shall encounter sad moments but treat them as stepping stones. Wouldn’t it be nice to live in a happy world where everyone is playing there part and are happily doing it?

    I believe it can be done if we all played our part honestly and happily.

  • The Value of Self-Discipline in Our Lives

    What is self-discipline? Self-discipline is “the ability to control one’s feelings and overcome one’s weaknesses; the ability to pursue what one thinks is right despite temptations to abandon it.”

    Behind every great achievement in anyone’s life lies self-discipline. We see this in every human endeavour. Be it in the field of sports, business, academics, and any other human venture.

    In the field of sports, for example, we see that many great sportsmen and women spend an awful lot of time practising.

    They adhere to strict programs that many ordinary people easily give up. They make a lot of sacrifices that many of us are not willing to make.

    These sportsmen and women are so disciplined that even when the body is not willing they go for practice anyway.

    This is also true for people in the business world and the music industry. We only see what they have achieved but when we go behind the scenes only then, do we get to appreciate how disciplined and the many sacrifices they have made to achieve their success.

    Whatever, your definition for success is, perhaps the single most important principle is self-discipline without which you cannot achieve your success.

    You can have all the best plans and might even be the most talented in your field of expertise, but without the discipline to do what you have to do when you have to do it, you will not be successful.

    The single most reason why we fail is a lack of self-discipline. If you look carefully at the periods of failure in your life, you will see that on almost every occasion when you failed it was due to a lack of self-discipline.

    Hence, both in the areas of success through self-discipline and the lack of success through lack of self-discipline.

    We lack the self-discipline to work up early in the morning to exercise or prepare ourselves for the day. Most of us want to do things when we feel like, and not when it has to be done.

    We fail because we postpone doing the things that have to be done now, to a later time. We want to do the easier things and not the difficult things that matter the most.

    It Brings Out the Best in You

    Self-discipline allows you to be the best version of yourself. It brings sanity into your life. You are more focused on achieving your goals.

    Self-discipline is like a muscle, the more you practice, the better and stronger you become. Lack of self-discipline can also cause low self-esteem.

    You will agree with me that those who, are considered more disciplined are better individuals than those who are not. They live a much more focused life than individuals who are not. In other words, they are go-getters.

    When you know what you want to do with your life, and are armed with self-discipline, nothing can stop you from achieving your goals, you will fly high like an eagle.

    You will be more focused on doing the right things that will give you long-lasting results. You will concentrate on getting things done correctly and not cutting corners because you know that lasting success cannot be achieved with shortcuts. Those who achieve success cutting corners enjoy short-lived success.

    Have you ever wondered why many people who win the lottery go broke after a few months or years? Winning a lottery is cutting corners to financial freedom.

    Most of the time they have no idea what to do with the winnings, hence they just spend it on lavish materials. Before they realise it the money is all gone and they are back to square one. As the saying goes easy comes easy goes.

    Self Discipline Helps Create Habits

    “Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.” – Frank Outlaw.

    “We are what we repeatedly do; excellence then is not an act but a habit.” – ARISTOTLE.

    Your character is a summation of your habits. If you are of good character it simply means you have good habits, consequently, if your character is bad then you have bad habits.

    Our character is basically judged by the habits that we form. We must then be conscious of our thoughts and control our actions.

    Continuous practice or application of self-discipline helps to build habits that translate into character.

    Usually, those who are considered to be of good character are synonymous with self-discipline.

    Successful people are disciplined to work hard and stay consistent, and hard work becomes a habit that attracts success in their lives.

    It Boosts Your Self Esteem

    Success comes to those who believe in themselves. Those who are willing to pay the full price for success and it takes self-discipline to achieve.

    Self-discipline helps to boost your self-esteem and work habits.  When you feel good about yourself because you are achieving or meeting your goals your self-esteem goes up. The more you feel good about yourself the more productive you are.

    Through self-discipline, you nurture your path and navigate through life with much ease, and in this way, your self-esteem is increased.

    Having higher self-esteem can go a long way in helping to achieve your goals. I find it very important that I keep a higher self-esteem by celebrating the small goals I achieve on a daily basis. This motivates me to even work harder for greater accomplishments.

    Having positive self-esteem helps to get your priorities and needs in balance. It also just feels good to have positive self-esteem. It means you appreciate your being.

    If you feel that you have low self-esteem find ways of improving it.

    It Enhances Your Personality

    Self-discipline enhances your personality. When you are disciplined you do things in a systematic and orderly manner. You plan your tasks and align them with your overall objectives. This means that you will be more productive with your time and effectively achieve a lot.

    Conclusion

    The value of self-discipline cannot be over-emphasised. Discipline is the key to your success. Without discipline, it is very difficult to achieve your ultimate goals.

  • There is Satisfaction in Doing the Right Thing

    “Happiness does not consist in pastimes and amusements but in virtuous activities.” ~ Aristotle.

    “When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That is my religion.” ~ Abraham Lincoln.

    There is a natural rebound of contentment and a profound sense of accomplishment when you consistently choose to do the right thing in each and every situation you encounter.

    You have the power to make the right choices. It might not always be the easiest path, but when we confront reality and take the right action, we build our character.

    Take whatever pains necessary to do what ought to be done because this is the way to living a good, decent and honorable life. With free will, each and every one of us must be responsible for our clear conscience.

    When you accept the challenge to do the morally correct thing, to show compassion, and to stay the course, oftentimes you are rewarded just by having done the right thing.

    Every day we have a fresh opportunity to make good choices that will reward us in the act of doing what is appropriate. You many not be rewarded immediately but be rest assured that you will be.

    Always aim to make good choices in both big and small aspects of your life. Keep in mind that you are shaping your character every day, and your choices play a significant role in that.

    When you consistently strive to do good, you create a life filled with purpose and fulfillment. Embrace this journey, for it leads to a truly satisfying existence. I believe that in this pursuit, you can find genuine happiness and joy.

    I am not writing to condemn anyone but to encourage you to make a choice of doing the right thing even when it does not suit your current situation.

    This does not mean that I am perfect but I try as much as possible to make the right choices. I have realized that every time I think that I have made the correct choice there is a great sense of satisfaction and general happiness.

    Maybe you are like me who was always in the habit of making wrong decisions and choices, some of them deliberate just to suit me or get me out in a difficult situation.

    Well, there is always a beginning to turn things around. You see, the choices and decisions we make have a direct bearing on your character.

    “We are weaving character every day, and the way to weave the best character is to be kind and to be useful. Think right, act right; it is what we think and do that makes us what we are.” ~ Elbert Hubbard.

    Every one of us holds immense value, and the rewards life offers are indeed something we must strive for. Embracing the journey towards these rewards fosters a profound sense of integrity within us. Let’s harness that drive and pursue our goals with determination!

    You feel humbled, blessed, and glad when you choose right and did such a good job. We feel stronger, more self-reliant, and more dignified when we bravely face what we must do.

    We should take great satisfaction in doing the right things for our family and friends. But the most important thing to keep in mind is to be sure we make wise and wonderful choices for ourselves.

    Life is meant to be enjoyed and sometimes this comes with a little sacrifice. As the saying goes there is no gain without sweat. No gain without pain.

    Your choices and decisions must not only suit your family and friends but must be the correct ones. They must be decisions that have been made in good faith and based on love.

    Together, you and I can help change the world for the better by the choices we make and the decisions we make and follow. Change starts with your mind and is transformed into reality.

    Conclusion

    Be the change you want the world to see and strive to make the right choices and decisions for your life. Making the right and correct decisions can be a source of happiness and refreshing to your mind and soul.

    We should choose to never bend the truth. The choices we make through rigorous discipline expand us, elevate us, and confirm all the good that is our essence.

    “I will follow the right even to the fire but avoiding the fire if possible” ~ Montaigne.  

    When you follow the right to the end, you’ll always feel satisfied and you’ll be in good company.

  • How to Maintain Self-Discipline

    Self-discipline is the ability to control one’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviours to achieve specific goals or to maintain a particular standard of behaviour. 

    It involves making choices and taking actions that support one’s goals, even when it may be easier or more tempting to do something else.

    Self-discipline is often associated with willpower, but it’s more than just the ability to resist temptation. It also involves taking consistent action towards your goals, even when you don’t feel motivated or inspired.

    The benefits of being Self-disciplined are immeasurable and can help you develop good habits, overcome procrastination, and improve your productivity.

    It can also help you stay focused on your goals and make progress towards achieving them, even when faced with challenges or obstacles.

    I believe that self-discipline is key to all aspects of our lives. Without it, there can be no meaningful success in personal development. Overall, self-discipline is an essential skill for achieving long-term success and personal growth.

    However, just as with every good thing, developing and maintaining self-discipline can be a very challenging task. There is never a time when one can safely say that they have mastered self-discipline.

    We keep trying and pushing ourselves every single day for the betterment of our lives, here are some tips that may help:

    Set Clear Goals

    Goals are what differentiate successful people from those that are struggling to make it. Without goals, one just wonders through life. With goals, you shoot through life like an arrow.

    Identify what you want to achieve and why. Write down your goals and create a plan of action to achieve them. Having a clear direction can help you stay focused and motivated.

    Make sure you set goals that are clear, measurable and achievable. There is no point in setting targets that you will not achieve. It is a waste of time and resources.

    Your targets should be in line with your life’s purpose and objectives. They should not depart from your strengths otherwise you may find it difficult to pursue them especially when things become challenging.

    Create a Routine

    Establish daily, weekly and monthly routines that include time for work, exercise, relaxation, and other activities that are important to you. Stick to your routine as much as possible to develop habits that support your goals.

    Having a routine in place will save you lots of time and help improve your daily habits. I know that sometimes routines can be monotonous. Make them interesting to keep you motivated.

    Draw a list of things that you want to accomplish on a daily basis if possible dedicate time to each so that you know exactly at what time you will be doing something.

    At first, of course, you will struggle with your routines, but with time and persistence, you will be able to undertake them with relative ease. Believe me, sometimes it may feel like they are an inconvenience but do them anyway.

    Eliminate Distractions

    Life has many distractions, identify and eliminate the things that distract you from your goals. For example, if social media is a distraction and it can be a big one for sure, limit your time on it or delete the app from your phone.

    Or if indeed the phone is your distraction limit the time you have access to it. Switch it off or put it on silent, only attend to it at specific times.

    There is a rule that if you miss a call the person will call again or they will send you a message if it’s important. Believe me, the amount of time people spend on phones, especially on social media is way too much.

    Practice Good Self-care

    Self-care involves taking deliberate actions to support your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Self-care is basically your overall health.

    Take care of your physical and emotional health. Eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and practice stress management techniques such as meditation or deep breathing.

    The following may help with practising good self-care:-

    Physical Well-being – Take care of your body by getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, drinking enough water, and engaging in regular exercise.

    Emotional Needs – Pay attention to your emotions and take steps to manage stress, anxiety, or other difficult emotions. This might include practising mindfulness, journaling, or seeking support from friends, family, or a mental health professional.

    Social Connections – Connect with others and build supportive relationships. This might involve spending time with friends or family, joining a community group or club, or volunteering.

    Mental Activities – Engage in activities that stimulate your mind and promote personal growth, such as reading, learning a new skill, or pursuing a hobby.

    The world today is full of educational materials that you can find online. Today there should be no excuse for lacking knowledge. 

    Spirituality – Take time to reflect on your values, beliefs, and sense of purpose. This might include practising meditation, attending religious or spiritual services, or spending time in nature.

    Self-care is individual, so what works for me may not necessarily work for you. It is, therefore, important to experiment with different activities and find what works best for you. 

    You must practice self-care, regularly rather than something done only occasionally or in response to a crisis. Remember your health is your wealth. 

    Hold Yourself Accountable

    You need to be accountable for your actions. Set up a system of accountability that works for you. Find ways that will help you to keep tracking your progress, such as sharing your goals with a trusted friend, or working with a coach or mentor.

    This way you will know that at any given time you will have to be answerable to someone. Always give an honest opinion about your progress when doing a review.

    There is a tendency to be economical with the truth when we are doing a personal review. Be as truthful as you can with your self assessment.

    Celebrate Your Successes

    Recognize and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small. This will help you stay motivated and build momentum towards your goals.

    It’s the small things that make up the big things. You will not just jump from nowhere to succeed. If it was that simple every one of us would be successful.

    If you succeed in a small way then you can succeed in a double way. You keep building on your previous success to achieve your goals. 

    Conclusion

    Remember that self-discipline is a skill that can be developed over time. Start small and be patient with yourself as you work towards your goals. Develop a never give up mentality if you have to achieve your goals.

  • How to Recognise Opportunities for Growth When they Come Through

    Most people are always crying that there are no opportunities for self-improvement. Real opportunities that will help us excel or express ourselves in a specific endeavour. 

    We are always complaining about the lack of opportunities to do something, that will help advance our cause. Something that we can use to express our desires.

    The reality is that there is no lack of opportunities. There are opportunities all over the place. There are opportunities begging to be unlocked.

    One of the biggest problems we have is that we are not ready to take them on when they present themselves and sometimes we are not able to see them. 

    Simply because we are busy looking in the wrong places and most of the time opportunities come laced with challenges. 

    In fact, I have found that the best opportunities are those that present themselves with challenges.

    That is why it is important to look for the positives in every situation. God created us to be problem solvers. The challenges of life are there to be resolved.

    When the world is faced with a challenge it is an opportunity for you and me to provide solutions. No matter how small you think your contribution is, it matters. 

    Stop Complaining and Be the Solution

    Complaining will not provide any solution. It will probably make it worse. Complaining will close the open opportunities. When you complain you are sending negative vibrations. You are simply attracting negative results.

    Sometimes we want things to be perfect before we launch. But life does not work like that. There is no such thing as a “perfect opportunity.” Every opportunity that comes your way brings forth another one. Therefore, the only way to access the next opportunity is to make sure you work on the current one. 

    You take the opportunity to make out what it has to give to you. If you do not work it out it will pass on to the next person. Meanwhile, you will have remained and not progressed with your life. 

    You may be waiting for something to present itself right, yet you are doing nothing about it yourself. If you want things to happen you need to make them happen, be prepared for them.

    Opportunities are presented to those who are ready. If you are not ready you will miss it. Or it will pass you by. The worst is seeing an opportunity pass you by because you are not prepared for it. 

    Make a habit of preparing yourself for even the slightest of opportunities that come your way. Do not resent what looks like a small window, it could just be what you need to get you started.

    Don’t just stare and wait for the so-called right time. Start with what you have and more opportunities will come your way. Appreciate the small things you are doing and make sure you do them right.

    To every challenge that is presented, there is a begging opportunity to provide solutions. If only you can look deep into the challenge you will find the opportunity waiting to be explored.

    Open Your Eyes

    Like I said before, most of the time opportunities come with challenges. It is important to have an open mind.

    When faced with challenges just know that you have an opportunity to provide a solution. Personal growth is measured by the obstacles that you overcome. The more you overcome the more growth you experience. 

    Don’t miss out on such opportunities as the more you provide solutions the more opportunities come your way.

    Stop being in the habit of always looking for the negatives in every situation but rather look for the solutions you can provide. Believe me, you have more to give than you can imagine.

    Having an open mind allows you to think beyond the problem at hand. Look at the current COVID situation. In as much as it is a challenge for humanity. Other people have excelled and made a fortune out of it.

    Where we are seeing a problem, the pharmaceutical companies have made a fortune by the manufacturing and provision of drugs to help fight the pandemic. 

    Thinking beyond the current problem does not necessarily mean ignoring it but rather helps to focus on finding a solution. 

    Don’t get distracted by the problem at hand but rather accept it and find a way out. God always makes a way where there seems to be no way. Look at challenge as a get way to provide solutions.

    Embrace Change

    Sometimes change comes at a huge cost. But when you have to change, just change otherwise you will never move forward.

    Change is what makes us move from one point to another.  The lack of change is stagnation and it makes you stay in the same place. 

    It is important to make changes that will have a positive impact on your life. You owe yourself a better life. Believe me, no one owes you a living, yes you heard me right no one owes you a living.

    I know that change can be a little bit uncomfortable sometimes. However, positive change can have a lot of benefits. Without change, there can never be meaningful personal development. 

    Do not fear to make the changes that will help propel you in the right direction. Life has taught me that it is never too late to make the right adjustments in life.

    Embracing change can see you move a step forward and it also gives you an opportunity to learn new things. Remember that we live in an ever-changing world.

    If you look at where you are right now you will agree with me that you had to make some changes in your life and that is why you are here. 

    The question of whether the changes you made were positive or not is for another day. That remains your challenge. The fact is change took place. 

    To remain relevant you need to move with the time. You cannot keep doing the same things and expect to produce different results.

    Whatever worked 5, or 10 years ago may not be as efficient as it was back then. So if you keep obsolete equipment or ideas you may just be left behind.

    Conclusion

    In life, you can only make it if you are able to recognise the presence of opportunities for growth and take full advantage of them. Every problem that you face gives you a chance to express yourself.

  • How to Face the Giants in Your Life and Remain Focused

    Life, as it is, presents us with many challenges. These are the giants that have to be overcome every day.

    From the time of your birth to the time of your death you are always overcoming challenges. You are continuously facing the giants of life.

    These giants come in many forms and at different stages of life. Some small and yet some present themselves as big ones.

    The ability to handle and overcome challenges is the difference between success and failure. It is what differentiates and transforms people’s lives.

    People who are more successful have learned how to face and overcome their giants more effectively than those who are less successful.

    You cannot achieve success without facing and overcoming the giants that lie ahead, that’s just the way life is.

    The road to success is not an easy one. It is full of challenges that need to be overcome. However, do not be afraid of challenges, they are the things that help bring out the best in you.

    Even when you are successful you will still be facing giants. You will still be required to overcome them. It does mean that those who are successful are excluded from facing their giants.

    Make no mistake thinking that when you are successful you will rest, no no. It’s actually even harder to stay successful. No one is excluded from being faced with challenges.

    Have the Courage to Do

    “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – the Bible.

    Challenges are there to be overcome. Having courage is not the absence of fear. Successful people are not cowards. They have developed the courage to face their giants head-on.

    Our paths are marred with a lot of thorny issues that are holding us back from our destinies.

    There is no easy way or path to accomplishing your destiny. If you want to achieve more you need a serious dose of courage.

    Hiding or postponing to face and confront a thorny issue only delays and prolongs the pain. It is better to gather the courage to face the issue head-on and move forward than to delay it.

    The more you delay the more pain you experience and the worse the situation becomes. The worse the situation the more difficult it becomes to resolve.

    Courage is what fuels and pushes you. It is what makes you take action. Without courage, there is very little or no action.

    Without action, there can never be any meaningful progress to be registered. Without action, you are stagnated. Life does not move without taking meaningful action.

    Develop the courage and willpower to take action on your plans. Remember the bible commands us to be strong and courageous.

    Be Open-Minded

    To navigate through life you need to have an open mind. An open mind allows you to look at challenges differently.

    It allows you to be critical and not just look at the current situation but also look at the future.

    An open mind allows you to look through the current challenge. Some people see opportunities in the challenges they face and some will dwell on the problem.

    The truth of the matter is that with every problem that comes there is an opportunity to be explored if not many.

    Some opportunities are disguised with challenges. The problem is that some of us are more focused on the problem at hand and don’t look beyond.

    If you take time to analyse and look beyond your current challenges you will clearly see the opportunities with it.

    Look currently, we are still faced with the COVID-19 pandemic. It is obviously a challenge to all but some people have seen an opportunity to make money.

    In the midst of losing people for various reasons, others are benefiting from the open opportunities being presented.

    Don’t take me wrong, just like everyone else, I am equally affected by the pandemic and I sympathise especially with those that have lost loved ones.

    But the truth of the matter is that the pandemic itself has brought or opened up opportunities that would not have been there before.

    Who would have thought that a face mask would be an essential commodity?

    Am very sure that the people who sell face masks have seen a sharp increase in revenues than say, people who sell lipsticks.

    I want to believe that the whole pharmaceutical industry has really seen an unprecedented increase in medical supplies than before.

    Improve Your Skills

    Having a good set of skills will definitely give you an added advantage to easily overcome the adversities that lie ahead.

    It is, therefore, important that one keeps improving their skills to meet the ever-changing environment.

    The world we live in today requires that we are constantly keeping up to date with what is going on. There is so much information that needs to be gathered and processed.

    If you do not take responsibility to improve yourself chances are that you will remain stagnant and you will find it difficult to face and navigate through life.

    Search yourself, and take stock of your skills. Where do you need to make improvements? What do you need to change?

    If you are in business you need to expand your knowledge and management skills to advance to the next level.

    The level of your skills could be the key to advancing you to the next level. Whatever area of your life that you think is lagging behind, makes room for improvement.

    Take action, don’t just live your life on autopilot. Always be in control of your life. If you are not in control of your life I can guarantee you that someone else is in control of it.

    Don’t allow people to be in charge of your life. What you want is to be the one driving your life. Be the one to drive and make decisions for yourself.

    Take control of the things that are within your grasp and leave the rest to God Almighty.

    Appreciate What You Have

    Being thankful is showing humility and it is what makes us human. Before you look elsewhere, look within yourself and appreciate what you have.

    If you want to know what you have, take a piece of paper and list them down. Include all the things you think are less important, you will be amazed.

    Most of the time we are quick to seek outside help without making an effort to search within. Appreciating what you have gives you a better understanding of what you need to improve on.

    Besides, it is always good practice to just appreciate what you can see and control before venturing out.

    Develop the habit of being appreciative. It will help motivate you to face your giants. Above all have faith in what you are doing.

    When all things have failed faith is what keeps you going. The level of faith you have will determine the level of your success.

    Conclusion

    Life will always present us with giants. How we navigate through these is what determines how successful we become.

    The more giants you overcome the more successful you are. Do not let other people’s opinions deter you from achieving your destiny.

  • Your Attitude and Self Application Determines Your Success

    We all want to be successful. Don’t we? If you are an ambitious person, am confident that you are determined to achieve your success; that you are working round the clock to achieving your success.

    But being successful is not an easy fit. Because if it was, everyone one of us would have achieved our success.

    The world would have been a totally different place than it is today. It would have been teeming with successful people. I can only imagine what it would have been like.

    There are so many theories and formulas on how to become successful. Well,  I have not found an answer that is a one-size-fits-all.

    However, reading and researching on the subject has helped me realise that there is no short cut and substitute for hard work and self-application.

    Yes, you may have the desire; and that is very important; you may have the best tools at your disposal, but without the correct mental attitude and without taking action.

    Believe me, you will not achieve your success. Why? Because you will not have taken action. It is taking action that is very important.

    To achieve your success, you need to have the right mental attitude; you need to apply yourself because along the way you will be met with temporal setbacks.

    Things will not always go according to your expectations or plans. You will fall down and your attitude towards these temporal failures will largely determine how well you will achieve your success.

    Your tenacity and willingness to learn from your mistakes; to know when to make adjustments; to take corrective measures where necessary will surely give you an advantage as you pursue your success. You will learn that to achieve success you will need to be a good leader of yourself. One who knows when to make drastic changes.

    If you don’t apply your self you are certainly headed for failure. Sometimes, when we are faced with challenges, we always look for the easy way out.

    There are times I have felt like am dreaming and hope that when I wake up, boom the problems would have disappeared.

    But guess what, if you do not attend to the challenges you encounter they are surely doing more damage and will surface back to haunt you.

    I know for sure, that some challenges we face can be difficult to handle, but that does not mean you should turn a blind eye to them. Wake up from your slumber and face them head-on.

    Keep Your Faith and Hopes Alive

    The bible says “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” When feeling frustrated because of your inability to achieve your goals, there is no need to lose faith and hope. Never lose your faith and hope when faced with frustrations.

    Frustrations are a part of life. They are part of the learning process. It is very important to continue persisting and keep your faith and hopes alive. Focus on the bigger picture.

    Develop a mental attitude that will motivate you to achieve your goals.

    The frustrations and challenges we go through are merely a way of building us up.

    They help prepare us to handle even bigger responsibilities. You should know that being successful comes with responsibilities.

    The more successful you are, the more responsibilities you carry on your shoulders.

    Keep in mind the joy, feeling and benefits that accrue with accomplishing your success.

    I know that it is not easy to keep focused when things are not going your way. But this is the time when we should exercise our faith and hope in God Almighty.

    The Bible encourages us to put our plans in God’s hands. Believe me, he is faithful to those who are faithful to him.

    One of the biggest mistakes people make is having faith without works. Yes, it is good to have faith, but the bible says that “faith without works is dead.” Faith alone cannot save you.

    You need to take action on your faith to produce results. To achieve your success you need to take action on your faith.

    How then do you develop this faith? Well, the bible says “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” The preceding statement is very loud and clear. You cannot develop faith without hearing about it.

    Now, with so many tools at our disposal, we have no excuse to not have heard about the word of God.

    The Bible is a source of inspiration for me. I encourage you to develop a habit of spending time reading and practicing the word of God.

    Do Not be Afraid of Your Failures

    “Failure is blindness to the strategic element in events; success is readiness for instant action when the opportune moment arrives” so says Newell D. Hillis. “Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go” – William Feather.

    If you want to be successful you should not be afraid of failing. Failure is synonymous with success.

    Those who have succeeded have failed before. The more you fail the greater the chance of success. Well, you may not agree with all these statements.

    But the truth of the matter is you will never succeed without failure. So you might as well get used to the fact that being afraid will only prolong or indeed deter you from your success. Get over with being afraid of the unknown.

    It is time for you to put your plans to action; to begin to realise those dreams. The more you act on your plans the more fearless you become.

    Sometimes I feel fear is just a state of mind or rather laziness. Yes, laziness. I believe that it is better to die trying than not to try at all. “I failed my way to success” – Thomas Edison.

    Conclusion

    How far you go in life is largely determined by how far you are willing to go. In other words, you determine the level of your success by the actions you take.

    I found this article on how to increase your success chances very helpful check it out. Unit next time remember that “your action and self-application determines your success.”

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