insakanet

Blog

  • You Cannot Change the Past

    “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift, that is why they call it present”- Unknown origins.

    You cannot do anything to change your past neither can you delete it. But you can do something with the present to help shape your future.

    Look, we all have closets and in those closets are skeletons. I mean, “Some of those skeletons would even refuse to be shown to people.” 

    Well, if you do not have skeletons, with time you will surely have them. Whether you want to share them with the world or not is entirely up to you. Simply put, there is no one with a perfect past.

    Even the most successful and humblest of people have skeletons in their closets.

    I have done some things in the past that am not proud of. Really, some of the stuff I did, if I could go back in time, equipped with the knowledge I have acquired, I would change them.

    Unfortunately, I cannot, and neither can you. I am here and doing what am doing mostly because of my past.

    Your past experience helped to shape your present. You, therefore, need to learn to live and appreciate your past, good or bad.

    What you should be preoccupied with is trying your level best to lay a better foundation for the future.

    You cannot make progress by dwelling on your past. The past is history. It’s gone, let go of it. You cannot continue crying over spilt milk.

    You can only embrace and accept the past. Learn from it and move on. There are lessons you can take from your past, that can be taken into the future.

    To achieve growth, life demands that you learn from the mistakes you made and from the people around us.

    Human beings tend to be wiser as they grow older. They say experience is the greatest teacher.

    If you cannot learn from your past experiences, well then you must be untrainable. But I believe that all human beings are trainable. 

    The Importance of Learning from Your Past

    You cannot expect different results if you keep doing the same things over and over. You cannot expect to succeed if there is nothing you are doing about it.

    If you believe that practice makes perfect; you need to change your belief system. I grew up believing that practice makes perfect until I learned that practice only makes room for improvement which leads to improved results.

    Learning from the past is what gives us wisdom. It is what makes us grow as human beings. 

    Sometimes am left wondering what is wrong with our current generation. We want to start climbing the tree of success from the top.

    We want to experience success without going through the mill. No wonder we have people who can not achieve real success. 

    When things go wrong, do not go with them. Make a decision to go the opposite direction.

    You will agree with me that wisdom comes from experience and experience comes with age.

    Every little positive change that you make in life is important. It takes you closer to your goals.

    You must realise that change is not sudden and that it is not easy. Just because you made a mistake at your last job and got fired does not mean you must give up.

    Get up and accept your mistakes and take responsibility for them. Learn from them and stop blaming your boss for having you fired, he was merely doing his job.

    I know it’s not easy when you lose a job, especially in the current economic situation. But I believe that God allows such things to happen so as to position you for better things to come.

    Learning from our past experiences cannot be over-emphasised. It is of paramount importance that we all learn from our past experiences.

    It all begins by first knowing ourselves better. Over the last few years, I have become an ardent student of myself.

    Yes, you heard me right a student of myself. You will be amazed to learn that most of us do not know ourselves very well.

    The fact that I now understand myself better than before is very helpful in my everyday life. I know when to do things more efficiently and what conditions I will thrive in at any particular time.

    I have learned over time what sort of music will motivate me to write articles and will influence my working mood. All this has come by seriously paying attention to myself.

    Live Life in the Present

    Well, it is good to reminiscence about the past. But, this should not be your preoccupation because no matter how good your past was,  it is history. It belongs to the annals of history.

    Yes, it was good while it lasted, but life has moved on. Life dictates that we also move forward with it.

    If you are not moving forward then you are moving backwards. With time you will realise that all your juniors will have progressed.

    Life is never static. Charles Haanel in his book the Master Key says “Opportunity follows perception, action follows inspiration, growth follows knowledge, eminence flows progress.”

    My understanding is that if your life is not moving forward or you are not taking action, the opportunity will surely pass you by.

    There comes a time in one’s life when things seem to be impossible. That is when we are required to show our strength and tenacity.

    I have a very good friend of mine, I won’t mention his name for now. Actually his my childhood friend.

    This is a very intelligent and brilliant guy but has failed to progress because he still lives in the past.

    He has literally failed to move on in life. Every time we meet our discussions are mostly centred on the past and he never seems to focus on the future.

    This is a guy that has gone from being one of the most promising talents in his field to be one of the most unreliable employee.

    All this simply, because of not accepting his previous mistakes and not learning from them, and as a result opportunities have passed him by because he still lives in his past glory.

    What I am trying to say is that we must learn to live in the present. Enjoy today. Remember today is called present. It is your present from God Almighty.

    Make sure you do the right things. Do not take things for granted. Take every opportunity that comes your way with both hands and live your life.

    Conclusion

    I would like to leave you with one of my favourite prayers.

    “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference” – Serenity Prayer.

    For me, this prayer summarises what we need to do in life. It recognises the fact that we cannot change the past and that a bright future belongs to the courageous. Have a wonderful and successful life.

  • Nothing Feels As Good As When You Give Willingly

    “It is more blessed to give than to receive” – The Bible. “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give” – Winston Churchill.

    Giving just like receiving generally makes you feel happy. There are many studies and researches that have been conducted to prove that giving is a happiness antidote. So if you want to be happy there you go just start giving.

    There is even more joy when you give, not because you have to, but because you want to. I believe that giving should not be done under duress or under any external pressure.

    Giving is also Biblical. The Bible says “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” – NLT.

    This is powerful. We are told that when you give you will receive it back in full. I love this, on top of the happiness and joy you feel, your gift is given back to you in full, not half or quarter but in full measure and in fact pressed down to make room for more, WOW.

    The Bible also says that “God loves a cheerful giver.”  To me, a cheerful giver is one that is giving out of his own free will and volition; one that has not been coerced. I know that some people will not like what am about to say. Especially some Pentecostal preachers.

    There is so much preaching about financial prosperity to the extent that you begin to feel as if the preacher is talking about you.

    I have heard stories of people who have given their pension to churches, yes you read right PENSION, all in the name of prosperity.

    Look this is crazy, I mean who does that? I have been to churches and have felt like demanding back my money after being coerced into giving. Thank God I belong to a very good church Miracle Life Family Church.  If you happen to be in Lusaka, Zambia please pay us a visit. I can guarantee you will feel at home.

    Provide For Your Family

    If you are a parent like me, it is your responsibility to provide for your family. Not only financial support but also in many aspects of your children’s lives.

    One of the biggest mistakes we make as parents especially us fathers is to think that we only need to provide financial support.

    We have a tendency of leaving the mothers to do rest. Yes, financial provision is important but your children need you in every aspect of their lives. Get involved in knowing them better not just by name. Create time off your busy schedule and spend some quality time with them.

    The relationship I had with my father was more or less strictly Dad, Son relationship. At no time did my Dad get involved with helping me with my school work. He only got involved when it was time to get my report card.

    Well, I don’t blame him and am not complaining. Maybe that is the way he was brought up. However, am trying to change the narrative for my kids. I try as much as possible to know how they are doing at school and help them where I can. Am not perfect and there is still a lot of room for improvement in this area.

    It’s also time-consuming but it’s worthwhile. The benefits of spending more time with my family outweighs the benefits of chasing after that extra income. Not that I do not need the extra finances, I need it, neither am saying you should not work hard, but you need to strike a balance between family and work.

    Remember parenting is a one-time shot. You either get it right or wrong and before you know it the kids would have grown and you would have missed out in influencing their development at the right time.

    I believe that family is more important than money. Look, how many people do you know that have a lot of money and are divorced? This goes to show you that money is not everything. I do not subscribe to the notion that money is the answer to all your problems.

    Money should be regarded as a tool just like any other that you use to help alleviate your life. Do not love money. I believe that it is good to have a healthy bank account “but the love for money is the root of all evil.” – the Bible.

    Giving Is An Expression of Gratitude

    When you give you are expressing gratitude. You are blessing someone with your earthly possessions. I have also learned that when you give, you create more room for receiving.

    Giving does not necessarily have to be material items. You will be shocked that even just emotional support is very much appreciated. You could give your time as well.

    I was elated by some of my church members from our cell group when they visited me during my young brother’s funeral. Their visit just made me feel that I belong to a supportive family because I never expected them to visit.

    If you look around your home you will realise that you have so many things that you no longer need or have use for, that can be useful to some people. It could be old books, old toys, old clothes and anything else. Give them away.

    There is always someone who is in need. It could just be someone in your neighbourhood or even a close friend or relative. Where I come from there is always someone in need. There is always an opportunity to give back.

    It is just natural that if you have to be more you need to be more. You cannot experience extraordinary personal growth by doing ordinary things. Leave the ordinary to ordinary people. Do the extraordinary and see if you will not be an achiever.

    If you have to wake up at 04:00 am in the morning do it. If you have to stay late at the office go ahead and give it your best shot.

    Just like at school, you cannot get good results if you are not putting in extra hours of study. Look school is hard work. Those who achieve more are those who have developed an attitude of going the extra mile.

    If you spend most of your time fooling around and expect to get good results you are in for a rude shock. The bible says “you reap what you sow.” If you think that by sleeping 10hrs a day you will achieve your goals, well good luck.

    The joy of giving is multiplied because we know the joy of receiving. Put yourself on the receiving end every time you give something out. Am always happy when I see the expression of happiness on my children’s faces when I give them something. Also, learn to give without expecting anything back.

    Give because you are happy to do it.

    Giving Encourages Social Connection

    Being generous promotes and encourages social connections. When you give you are more likely to get back. If you belong to any social group you will agree with me that you are more likely to help those that are more generous.

    Nature requires us to create social connections in order to have a better life. I have observed that even in family circles there is always one who receives more attention when they are in need. This is usually because of their giving stature.

    The more you give the more connected you become. This exchange of gifts usually promotes a sense of trust and cooperation that strengthens our ties to other people it takes away loneliness.

    The most important thing is that when we give to others we make them feel closer or rather we draw them closer to us and this usually opens up other avenues for mutual understanding and cooperation.

    Social connections are very important in our lives.

    Conclusion

    Perhaps giving is one of the most important acts of expressing gratitude. It is also a source of joy and happiness. When you give always make sure you do not give under any pressure but out of your own free will.

    Lastly “give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give the world your best anyway” – Mother Theresa. Let us continue to give freely and willingly to help one another and make the world a better place for all.

  • When You Have the Will, the Sky is the Limit

    The capability of conscious choice, decision and intention; is called the will; “the exercise of their volition we construe as revolt”– George Meredith.

    In other words, we all exercise the will to do things at our own volition. Every one of us has the power and will to do something.

    The power of choosing; the faculty or endowment of the soul by which it is capable of choosing; the faculty or power of the mind by which we decide to do or not to do; the power or faculty of preferring or selecting one of two or more objects; is the will.

    If you want to achieve something meaningful with your life, develop a strong desire for it. If you want money, develop a strong desire for money.

    When you have the will to achieve something, nothing can stop you. Nothing can stand in your way; only the sky is the limit.

    God gave each and every one of us the determination to succeed.

    To succeed you need to have the desire; the determination; the resolve and the will to take action. The will is what powers you. It is what drives you to continue taking action, that is why they call it willpower.

    The strength of your mind should always be kept at an optimum level. To achieve this you need to feed your mind with the right material.

    You need to have the right mental attitude for every situation that you encounter. If you want peace in your life, your mind must always be thinking peace.

    The most common mistake most people make is not possessing what they want, in their mind. You will not achieve personal development if your mind is not thinking about personal development.

    Your mind is the centre of all creation. You are who you are because of what you think about most of the time.

    How can you enjoy happiness if your mind is always thinking negatively? Change your mind and you will surely experience change.

    Do Not Limit Yourself

    The biggest obstacle to your progress is yourself. Often times we obstruct ourselves from reaching our full potential. We give up when we are faced with challenges. But do you realise that the darkest hour is just before dawn?

    When you are about to hit Gold that’s the time when things look like they are crumbling down. It is usually the darkest of periods. But I have learned that that is actually the time to hold on even more. It is time to persevere.

    Look, to reach your full potential you must move from the bottom to going up. You must move from being a doubter to being a believer.

    Personal growth demands that you learn the ropes from the bottom up. You do not start climbing a tree from the top.

    If you climb from the top, the only other way to go is either sideways or down. If you are going sideways it means there is no growth taking place and of course, downs means you are falling.

    I have learned that before every growth level there are challenges to be overcome. These challenges are a test of your character and the will to persist. They are building you for what is coming next. However, you need to know how to navigate through them.

    In my life, I have struggled with so many things, but I have not allowed my struggles to hold me down from pursuing my personal objectives. I have pledged to do everything I can to achieve my personal objectives.

    In dark times I always ask God to help me change the things I can change. This way I concentrate my energies on what I can change and allow God to do the rest and he is always faithful.

    “The men who succeed are the efficient few. They are the few who have the ambition and will power to develop themselves” – Herbert N. Casson.

    Celebrate Your Small Victories

    We all have experienced success in one thing or the other. The key to staying focused on your goals, which is the bigger picture, is to celebrate your small victories. If possible document them and make a reference to them every now and again.

    This will always help you stay motivated and encouraged to work extra hard to experience the feeling of success again.

    I have found that completing a task on time is very fulfilling for me. Am very happy and proud of myself every time I produce an article for this website.

    That nice feeling of having to complete a task drives me to even do more. Yes, I know that sometimes I get bogged down with other things, but I always look forward to being inspired to writing again.

    Success is made up of the small victories that we pick up along the way. You should learn to give yourself a pat on the back when you have achieved or completed a task that you set out to do. Completing the small tasks leads you to your main goal.

    Conclusion

    “If I had to select one quality and one personal characteristic that I regard as being most highly correlated with success, whatever the field, I would pick persistence and determination.

    The will to endure to the end, to get knocked down seventy times and get up off the floor saying, Here comes number seventy-one” – Richard M. Devos.

    Always remember that when you have the will, the sky is the limit.

  • Your Health is Your Wealth

    “Within each of us lies the power of our consent to health and sickness, to riches and poverty, to freedom and to slavery. It is we who control these, and not another” – Richard Bach.

    Most of us are living life good or bad without paying much attention to our health and well-being.

    We mostly do not pay attention to it because we think it is a given, that everyone is enjoying good health.

    During the earlier years of my life, I did not pay so much attention to what I ate neither did I pay attention to many little things that affected my health and well-being.

    This was because my immunity could handle many ailments without much difficulty.

    Now that am in my mid-forties and even though am still at the peak of my well-being, I have noticed a lot of changes in my body.

    One particular observation I have made is the slow digestion of food. What has really helped me is the regime of exercising on a regular basis.

    I encourage you to take exercising seriously and recommend at least twice a week as a minimum.

    Now, am not an expert on health issues but I only write my personal experiences.

    You may not realise it or agree with me that maintaining a good healthy and balanced body is very key to your personal growth and success. I believe it is very difficult to achieve success when you have to worry so much about the state of your health.

    Therefore, I encourage you to maintain a healthy and balanced behaviour. I know for a fact that most of the common illnesses are as a result of personal neglect and not just taking good care of our bodies.

    If you are blessed with good health please ensure that you develop a deliberate personal habit to prolong your good health. I also know that it is never too late to change and develop good healthy habits.

    Watch What You Eat and Drink

    As I mentioned before that in the earlier stages of my life I did not care so much about my health habits. I ate whatever came my way and fortunately my body was doing quite well and did not put on so much weight. But I have problems with my teeth.

    Now in my mid-forties, I have to watch what I eat. This is because at this stage in my life my digestion system is beginning to slow down.

    One of the habits that I have totally discontinued is the consumption of alcoholic beverages. I have also greatly reduced the intake of carbonated drinks.

    “The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like, and do what you’d rather not” – Mark Twain.

    I may not recommend exactly what you should eat but I believe that we must all ensure to eat a good healthy and balanced diet, full of natural foods and less processed foods.

    Try as much as possible to incorporate a lot of green vegetables and fruits in your daily diet. Remember to also drink lots of water. The recommended is six glasses of water per day.

    Reduce on the intake of red meat and processed sugar. Especially if you are hitting your forties, red meat takes a long time to digest.

    Physical Exercising is Very Important

    “It is not good for all our wishes to be filled; through sickness we recognize the value of health; through evil, the value of good; through hunger, the value of food; through exertion, the value of rest” – Greek Proverb.

    I know that we human beings do not like making our bodies sweat. Eating a good diet alone will not necessarily help you achieve optimum good health.

    Coupled with your good eating habits should be a good exercising regime. To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.

    I personally have a routine for exercising on a regular basis. The thing with exercising is that the first few days when you embark on it, it is quite daunting and tiring. But after a few times, you get used and it becomes interesting.

    Do not punish yourself but start slowly. Do what suits you. Your body was meant to work. I go for a road run three times a week. When not running I try by all means to walk as much as I can.

    It is very refreshing for me. Over time I have discovered that exercising in the morning works well for me. It keeps my mind alert and my body is full of energy the whole day.

    Physical exercising helps me increase my water consumption. It also helps me unwind my mind.

    Ever since I embarked on regular jogging my digestion system has greatly improved. I have also learned over the years not to take my good health for granted. That is why I try by all means to do the right things.

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

    Conclusion

    There are many ways to keep our bodies in good health and shape. Remember that the longer you enjoy good health the more you will concentrate on enjoying your life. They say your health is your wealth.

    “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver” – Mohandas Gandhi.

    Good health does not stay forever you need to ensure that you prolong it as much as possible.

    Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

    I believe that life is worth living healthily. If you do not have a healthy living habit I encourage you to develop one that works for you. Bye and remember to stay safe and healthy.

    For further reading on health issues please visit Health Tips for healthy Living.

  • Do Not Underestimate the Power of Your Actions

    There is power in your actions just as there is power in your tongue. The two are synonymous. You should always be mindful of what you say or do.

    Most people underestimate the power that God has deposited in each and every one of us. Within you, there is more than sufficient energy and willpower to achieve anything that you set your mind on.

    “Once you have mastered time, you will understand how true it is that most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year – and underestimate what they can achieve in a decade!” – Tony Robbins.

    It is, therefore, important that you realise it and stop underrating yourself. One of the reasons why we do not progress and achieve our goals is because we underestimate ourselves.

    People think they cannot achieve certain things because they do not have such and such. If you are thinking like that, it is a sign of inferiority complex. Please get rid of it.

    God created us equal and it does not matter whether you are black or white; rich or poor. Remove the colour of your skin and we all have the same blood running through our veins.

    I have never seen anyone with white or black blood. We all have red blood in our veins.

    We all breathe the same air. The sun shines on all humanity regardless of the locality and colour of your skin.

    Darkness falls on both the rich and the poor. Everyone enjoys the same seasons depending on your locality. There are 24hrs in a day for all. Someday each and every one of us will die. Why then do you underestimate the power of your actions?

    Every great man or woman knows that every action they take leads to something. That is why it is important that you learn to take decisive actions with your life.

    Yes, I know that sometimes our actions may seem not to be right with everyone at the time. But nature requires us to do the right things.

    Some of the things I learned from my late Dad seemed very harsh then. But fast forward I realise that they are now very useful for my survival.

    I learned at an early age in life to be independent. My Dad taught me to be more independent. Well, back then it looked like punishment.

    Of course, as a young man, I would have loved to be a little bit more spoiled.

    But equipped with more knowledge now, I think It would have been a challenge for me to be a more responsible person if I was spoiled.

    Your Every Action Builds Your Character

    Society will always judge you by your actions, simply because this is what they see. They are not preview of your thoughts and feelings.

    Most of the time they will misunderstand your actions. But always remember that for every action you make there is an equal reaction.

    Some will be positive and others will be negative reactions. Stay your course and do what you think is right. I always tell my children that when they do the right things no one is going to bother them. They will be at peace with everyone.

    No matter how small your deeds may be, do not underestimate the power they carry. It may just be saying thank you to a stranger for helping you.

    That one small deed can go a long way to making someone happy and feel appreciated.

    I remember one time at church as I was on duty, I offered one of my team members a cup of coffee. For me, it was just extending a good gesture to a teammate.

    I was very touched to find out a few weeks later that it was the only meal he had for that particular day.

    You are a sum total of the small things that you do. Your character is built and formed by the little things you do on a daily basis. So matter how small or insignificant you think your actions are, do not underestimate them. You never know who is watching.

    Life is Work In Progress

    My life is a continuous work in progress. I don’t think there will ever be a time when things will just happen on auto pilot. I have to constantly keep pushing myself and find ways of improving.

    Everyday of my life, it dawns on me that am aging and I have to learn how to do certain things as am aging. When I look at people who are really advanced in age and cannot do the very things they used to do when they were much younger. I realise that actually life is a work in progress.

    At every stage you have to learn, just when you think you have mastered one thing another challenge comes along.

    That is why you must quickly learn to become a student of yourself. You may not have the same energy to achieve your goals in the next few years.

    They say make hay when its summer because you cannot make it when winter comes. In order to move in tandem with this world you must learn to evolve.

    Develop ideas on how you can change your way of life and remain relevant to the core. The more relevant you are the more you can contribute positively to humanity.

    For as long as am able to, it is my intention to continue contributing in my own small way to the cause of personal development and self growth.

    I will try and write on topics that are relevant and will continue learning and finding more ways of delivering my messages. I will simply not give up. Not just yet.

    Confidence Comes From Experience

    You can overcome your fears and flaws by gaining experience. Experience is gained through practice.

    Take the example of driving a car. The first time you do it, you are gripped with fear and are nervous. You are lacking in confidence and make a lot of mistakes on the road.

    The more you practice the more confident you get. After a number of times driving, you are so much confident that you do not even think about it. Even when you make mistakes you are not bothered that much.

    Before you gain confidence you will fall and sometimes bruise your self. But if you persist you will soon get the hang of it and your confidence will soon be more than your fear.

    To apply the principle of improving your confidence the following could be of great use. Identify the areas of your life that are outside your comfort zone.

    Take a step by ensuring that you venture into your un comfortable zone. The first time will feel very awkward.

    It will not be easy the first time and believe me it will not be perfect either. Go on and continue doing it and you will eventually get the hang of it.

    Remember that it is not practice that makes perfect but, imperfect practice that results in perfectness.

    Conclusion

    “Never underestimate the potential and power of the human spirit”.

    Your actions are responsible for shaping your character. If you want to build a good reputation you need to guard your heart jealously as this is the source of your actions.

    The bible says “as a man thinketh so is he in his heart”.  It is also says “you shall know them by their fruits”. We do not just act from without. We react with what we have. Remember to “never underestimate the power of your actions”.

  • 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.

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