Showing posts with label Success. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Success. Show all posts

Monday, 2 January 2017

WRITE THE VISION, AND MAKE IT PLAIN UPON TABLES

This new year 2017, never forget that 'It's impossible to achieve goals you don't have, so do the first thing which is setting them'. ~Celeb
#NewYear

Habakkuk 2: 2 And the LORD answered me, and said, WRITE THE VISION, AND MAKE IT PLAIN UPON TABLES, THAT HE MAY RUN THAT READETH IT. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, WAIT FOR IT; BECAUSE IT WILL SURELY COME, IT WILL NOT TARRY.

This is one of the vital lessons I learnt last year- though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come just as long as you have the vision, and it's written down in plain letters where you can easily see and read it.

 There's something that works with writing things down, having set goals and reviewing them regularly and all I knew about it before was all what I heard from the messages but 2016 just made me a witness to that truth too.

 I hope someone else can be a part of this experience with me again this year.

Sunday, 23 October 2016

The Difference That Makes All The Difference: Part 3

BE AMERICAN?


So here's a topic some people are quite shy to talk about while some wish to talk about it but only few people have a good understanding of the subject. The subject of financial success appears to be so extensive and difficult to understand to most people but the truth is that it's quite simple to comprehend and achieve if you are willing to follow some simple set rules. The absolute understanding and the application of these rules is another factor that differentiates the successful from others, and by this, I mean this is the difference that makes the difference. Today, I want to share with you one of those things financially successful people know and do.

   Financial success for some set of people simply means to be free from debt while for some others, asides being free from debt, it means to be able to save some money for retirement. On the other hand, it means yet more for another set; it means to have enough to pass over to their unborn generations. However, the fact is that it doesn't matter which category you belong to because it's totally up to you to decide. In the meantime, the question remains, "how do we achieve this?".

   I once read an article online that says "if you want to be billionaire, then Be American. Design software. Sell luxury baubles. Brew beer. Open a shop. Make chocolate ... But don't be British- they are rubbish at becoming billionaires."

   This made me wonder what those that are British or those, like me, who are from some part of Africa should do. You might be from another part of this world; perhaps from Asia, Russia or France and you aspire to be financially successful, what then should you do? "Does that mean we don't stand a chance of being financially successful?". After thinking about this for some time, I concluded, using myself as an example, I believe that I can still design software, sell luxury baubles, brew beer or open a shop; I might even make chocolates or do any other form of Business and investments if I desire to be financially successful but I don't have to be American. And the same applies to all my non-American audience in Africa, Europe, Asia and the rest of the world.

   The good news is, if you are American like my amazing audience from the United States, then good for you. And if you're not, then good for you also because this is as simple for you as it is for our American brothers.

   You might ask, 'now you're saying I don't have to be American before I can achieve financial success, what then should I do?'. The answer is quite simple, although it requires a lot to bring to a successful issue.
In this case, the distinguishing factor between the financially successful people of the world and the rest is the fact that they 'Do Business'. They provide goods and services to the rest of the world, they offer value and they are rewarded based on the value they offer. This is yet another difference that makes all the difference.

   Mind you, you too can be a part of that group 'if you're willing to pay the price'. And to do achieve that, you will have to set out to Invest in yourself first'.


You will have to:
1- Discover and develop your talent: Find what you're good at, what you're talented at doing and develop that talent. Work and learn to be the best of yourself or you can learn a skill.


2- Find a need: The reason some people get frustrated while starting a business is because they are not seeking to meet a need. People go into Business most times just because they want to make money. This shouldn't apply to you if you are willing to be financially successful. You must seek to meet the needs of the people if you want to be indeed successful in business. Find a need and look for how you can use your talent or skill to meet such need.


3- Do your market research: Research on the nature of market you want to go into, research on the location and culture of your targeted costumers and get familiar with the statistics.


4- Write and setup a rock solid business plan: Write down your business plan and get the necessary things you need to start.


5- Brand your business: This is important. You have to give your business a name and register it for trademark.


6- Get your finances in order: This is not the same as loaning a huge sum of money to start your business. This is simply to understand the financial statistics of your business which should be made very clear in your business plan. Know your estimated income and expenditures and work in line with it.


7- Market your business & Launch: Now you're good to go, get the word out and let people know about your business then start operations. (You might want to inform the press too and invite them over on your launch day. You need the awareness).


8- Lastly, don't be afraid to start small. Great things usually have small beginnings. Never despise those days of little beginnings.
"Dream big, start small but most of all start".     -Simon Sinek
Simple isn't it?


   I like to share at least a little bit of fact in my articles, and this time, we'll be taking a quick look at some interesting statistics. And just incase you're still thinking you need to be American before you can achieve the financial success you desire, then you should take a closer look at this.

   Leading the list of indeed financially successful non-Americans is 80 years old Spanish retail magnate, Amancio Ortega. He is the C.E.O of Zara, a fashion retail business which he started in 1963. Amancio Ortega is the second richest man in the world with a Forbes estimated net-worth of 67 billion as at the time of publication of this article.
You should know that Amancio Ortega is not the only non-American citizen who is financially successful. Included on the list are notable people like Carlos Slim Helu from Mexico, Liliane Bettencourt from France, Jack ma from China, Aliko Dangote from Nigeria, Roman Abramovich from Russia to mention but a few.

   So here's a secret, 'the difference that makes all the difference'.
Along with the fact that this men are 'passionate' people, 'Optimistic' and have set out to add value to the world is the fact that all these men are businessmen. This affirms the fact that the key to financial success is not to 'be American' but to 'do business', and that financial success can be achieved irrespective of what part of this world you're from.

   In the light of this, I must say that It's not by power nor wisdom, nor nationality but God that makes all this things possible. And with this in mind, it is up to you and I (non-Americans) to justify the fact that we don't have to be American to achieve financial success.

Tuesday, 11 October 2016

THE DIFFERENCE THAT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE: Part 2

RESHAPE YOUR THINKING


   Ever wonder why some people are so successful in life while others struggle so much with hardly nothing to show for their efforts? Well, I also used to wonder until I discovered this amazing answer which I've chosen to share with you today. I have to warn you, this might sound strikingly odd and complicated to some of you while it might just sound so simple and insignificant to others but this simple reason is what causes a great deal of difference between the successful and unsuccessful people. In other words, this is the difference that makes all the difference. This simple reason is-  'Successful people think differently than unsuccessful people.'

   Think? Yes Think. This is something you must have heard of at one time or the other in your life. And either consciously or unconsciously, thinking is an activity we all engage in everyday of our lives be it morning, noon or night, whether we be black or white, old or young and irrespective of our shapes and sizes. And the good thing about this is that you don't have to be a genius in order to think. Speaking of which, you have approximately 70,000 thoughts per day, although most are similar thoughts revolving around in the cranial highway. Which is why you have to consciously make sure that you don't spend the larger part of that number (i.e 40,000 - 50,000) nurturing negative thoughts.



To accomplish great things,
we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.  ~Anatole France

  
Perhaps, you might be wondering how the way you think affects your level of success in life.
The fact remains that your beliefs have the power to unlock your inner genius or keep you from fully achieving your greatest potential. Hence, the nature of the larger percentage of thoughts you spend your day dwelling on (including the unconscious ones) is what makes up your life and determines who you are. This makes believing in negative thoughts the single greatest obstruction to success. And the common thing about all successful people is that they know this fact which is why they consciously think positively, they think success, they think possibilities (i.e they spend the larger part of their day nurturing positive thoughts).
   Coupled with that, Successful people mostly know what they want in life and they are able to channel not only their thoughts but also their actions towards the accomplishment of that goal.

  
You have to think positively if you want to go to the top. Mainly because:


1- "Life consists of what a man is thinking about all day." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
The interesting thing about this world is that it's not fixed, it turns out for you the way you see it and the successful people know this. The truth is that you are literally what you think about. I.e, the quality of your life can't be better than the quality of your thoughts.
Uniquely, this was emphasized to us in the book of Romans 12:2 which says that -   Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, 'but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.' Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (NLT VERSION) It is seen here that the way to changing a man is by changing his thoughts first.


The moment you begin to consciously think success, you position your subconscious mind to do likewise and that will in turn make you see the world as a place where success is achievable, and this will programme you by default to take positive actions to achieve that. It is important to know that Life is simple, and the way you see it is the way it turns out for you. In other words, how you choose to see your circumstances has a powerful influence on what your circumstances will be. Equally important is the fact that it is impossible to reach success with a scheme of failure thoughts in your mind.
Our mind is the most valuable possession that we have.
The quality of our lives is, and will be, a reflection of how well we develop, train, and utilize this precious gift. - Brian Tracy



2- "You are today where your thoughts have brought you. You will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you." ~ James Allen
You have to think success to achieve success. Think prosperity to achieve prosperity. Most importantly, if you don't like the way your life is right now, you don't just have to desire a change; you have to consciously take steps to achieve that change starting with the conscious renewal of your thoughts.



"In order to create a better tomorrow than today, you must first create better thoughts today than you did yesterday."    ~ Celeb



When you consciously think positively, you develop an optimistic mindset and that increases your chances of seeing life opportunities that can propel you up for success. Comparatively, the major difference between a poor man and a rich man is the way they think. Rich people thinks abundance while poor people think scarcity. The unsuccessful man thinks 'If I can' while the successful man believes 'I can'. The unsuccessful man thinks and wait for opportunities to make impact while the successful man thinks and creates opportunities to do that.

   In order to become successful in whatever you do or aspire to do, you need to develop a success mentality. Determine to consciously think success always and these right thoughts will create the right attitude that creates the right actions which gives the right result.



On a final note,
"The kind of thoughts you mostly nurture is a great determinant of the kinds of words you speak, which in turn affects your attitude and actions and eventually, the kind of person you become." Change your thoughts, and you'll see your life change."   ~ Celeb


By: Olaniran Olalekan (Celeb)

Saturday, 1 October 2016

The difference that makes all the difference Part 1

LET'S TALK ABOUT PASSION

   Powerful words come with powerful intent. Where you have passion, strength, courage, and determination you can accomplish anything! ~K.L. Toth

Passionate people are almost always ambitious, and when it comes to passion – a strong emotion of desire – there is a need to be brave enough to both acknowledge and embrace it. But the truth is that not everyone has the bravery or the opportunity to embrace their passion. Recently, while chatting with a friend, I noticed something very captivating about him; something that seems to make all the difference, And at that instant, I felt the need to share this with you. His action and words reminds me of the many lessons I've learnt and still learning from books, podcasts and videos: Lessons on the common attributes of successful people.

I have observed over time that all successful people, in their different spheres of life, have a lot in common ranging from how they think to how they work and relate with others. And starting with their passion for life, I'm looking forward to sharing some facts about this attributes with you in the series that I title 'The difference that makes all the difference'. In the course of this series, we'll be learning about those distinguishing attributes of successful people.

To start with, the main distinguishing quality of successful people is the passion they have for life and what they do in general. The drive and energy they exert in their everyday life while at work and in their relationship with men is what makes them special and outstanding in life. Their passion for the course they pursue is what keeps them going and stirs them up to greatness.

Passion which is defined as a very strong feeling about a person or thing, is an intense emotion, a compelling enthusiasm or desire for something. Passion may be a friendly or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, discovery, activity or love – to a feeling of unusual excitement, enthusiasm or compelling emotion, a positive affinity or love, towards a subject.

If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you.” — T. Alan Armstrong

American businessman, author, and philanthropist speaker Anthony Robbins once said that 'there is no greatness without a passion to be great, whether it’s the aspiration of an athlete or an artist, a scientist, a parent, or a businessperson.' And that is very true because great people are passionate people. They all have a strong desire; a desire to see their dreams become reality even when they don't know how. They are people of action. They study and work hard in the pursuit of their goals. They are fearless in times of trial. They don't become weary at work and neither do they become tired of speaking about what they do or aspire to do. They are not discouraged when people try to dissuade them from pursuing their dreams, on the contrary they allow their passion to motivate them to achieve it.

The one thing that everyone could agree on about passion is that it is closely associated with drive, enthusiasm, limitless energy, motivation etc. It is impossible to be successful without passion because passion is what is being transformed into raw enthusiasm which is then processed into an internal drive that keeps you going at anything.

If you ever want to be great, the major thing you need is passion because without it, it becomes easy for you to be weary, discouraged or even dissuaded from achieving your dreams by smaller minds and that will make achieving greatness difficult. If perhaps you belong to that category, why don't you pick up that abandoned project you got tired of or you get back to that skill acquisition class you ran away from because it was 'boring and stressful'; or maybe you're a student and wouldn't go to class because you find the subject boring and difficult or because you probable don't like the teacher's face. How about you decide to embrace that course again, and this time around, with passion because it is passion that gives you strength to walk through when you hit a wall.
And if you haven't begun anything whatsoever at this moment, I'll urge you today to find out what you're passionate about, what you would do for free anytime, and embrace it with passion.

Another amazing thing about passion is that it gives satisfaction to the individual. Passion guarantees long lasting satisfaction. They (Passion and satisfaction) both go hand in hand, and without them, any happiness that results from it is only temporary because there's nothing to make it last. It's no wonder Nicholas Sparks concluded that 'The saddest people I've ever met in life are the ones who don't care deeply about anything at all."

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” —Mark Twain

To strive for your passion is to be different others who don't. Do you have the same level of bravery to embrace your passion. Whatever your passion is, keep doing it. Don't waste time chasing after success or comparing yourself to others. Every flower blooms at a different pace. Excel at doing what your passion is and focus only on perfecting it. 'Eventually people will see what you are great at doing, and if you are truly great, success will come chasing after you.' ~Suzy Kassem

On a final note,
'Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.'
— Howard Thurman,
Author and Philosopher

Monday, 26 September 2016

The difference that makes all the difference

I'll be sharing with you on some important lessons/ facts that everyone who desires all round success should and must know in a series I title 'The difference that makes all the difference'
We'll be looking into the lives of successful people in numerous fields around us and learning about some distinguishing attributes in their lives that we can also use in improving our individual lives and achieving our respective 'big dreams'.
In an article I'll be posting this week, I want us to start by looking into one of the major attributes that gives and maintains all round success: Passion
  WATCH OUT!!!
By Celeb



In the mean time,
Here are 21 inspiring quotes on passion for you:
  
Passion and purpose go hand in hand. When you discover your purpose, you will normally find it’s something you’re tremendously passionate about.”. — Steve Pavlina, Blogger and Author


Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.” — Denis Diderot, French Philosopher


One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested.” — E. M. Forster, English Novelist


Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson, American Philosopher


Purpose may point you in the right direction but it’s passion that propels you.” — Travis McAshan, Entrepreneur and Web Strategist


My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style. Maya Angelou


If you don't have passion for that cause, it's going to go nowhere in the long run.


Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.  Harriet Tubman


Follow your passion, be prepared to work hard and sacrifice, and, above all, don't let anyone limit your dreams.  Donovan Bailey


You can do anything as long as you have the passion, the drive, the focus, and the support.  Sabrina Bryan


Let me define a leader. He must have vision and passion and not be afraid of any problem. Instead, he should know how to defeat it. Most importantly, he must work with integrity.  A. P. J. Abdul Kalam


Passion is one great force that unleashes creativity, because if you're passionate about something, then you're more willing to take risks.  Yo-Yo Ma


With out passion you don't have energy, with out energy you have nothing.  Donald Trump


There is no fulfillment in things whatsoever. And I think one of the reasons that depression reigns supreme amongst the rich and famous is some of them thought that maybe those things would bring them happiness. But what, in fact, does is having a cause, having a passion. And that's really what gives life's true meaning.  Ben Carson


My ambition comes from my passion: finding what I love and then expanding on that.  Miranda Kerr


Whatever you want to do, do with full passion and work really hard towards it. Don't look anywhere else. There will be a few distractions, but if you can be true to yourself, you will be successful for sure.  Virat Kohli


"Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.". -Oprah Winfrey


"You have to be burning with an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If you're not passionate enough from the start, you'll never stick it out.". Steve Jobs


"If you feel like there's something out there that you're supposed to be doing, if you have a passion for it, then stop wishing and just do it.". -Wanda Skyes


"If you don't love what you do, you won't do it with much conviction or passion."  -Mia Hamm


"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." -Albert Einstein

Tuesday, 20 September 2016

Whatever your passion is, keep doing it. Don't waste time chasing after success or comparing yourself to others. Every flower blooms at a different pace. Excel at doing what your passion is and only focus on perfecting it. Eventually people will see what you are great at doing, and if you are truly great, success will come chasing after you. ~Suzy Kassem ,Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem

Wednesday, 31 August 2016

When at first you don't succeed



"The test of success is not what you do when you are on top. Success is how high you bounce when you hit the bottom."   ~ George S. Patton Jr.


   What do you do When at first you don't succeed? Do you decide to try something else? Maybe your response is to just sit down and carefully look for who to blame for the failures. Do you blame others for your failure? Rather still, you might be careful enough not to blame others but instead choose to go about sulking over your failed attempt at doing something good. Or maybe you don't sulk over unsuccessful attempts to succeed but instead decide not to try any further and choose to sit back, to give up, and quit trying.
   We all respond to failure in various ways and in the process of working on our dreams, we are going to encounter a lot of difficulties, disappointments, pain and  setbacks at some particular point in our lives. Some of you, like me, might have experienced this more than once in your life. Some of you might have been nurturing the thought of tagging yourselves a 'failure' because of the tangible number of times you've failed at one thing or the other. Well, its high time you had a change of perspective.
   I'm glad to tell you that what you perceive as failure today may actually be a crucial step towards the success you seek. So never give up because there is no failure except in no longer trying. 'One of the things I've realized about success is that the ones who make it are the ones who keep trying until they do.' Mario Andretti once said that "desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek." As we seek to change our perception of failure and success, let me enlighten you on something I find quite fascinating which I believe will help us to see disappointments, setbacks or failure in a new light. I'll like to start with a short story, a popular one at that; and just in case you are familiar with this story, I would implore you to open your mind and read it like it were your first time so that you can hopefully learn something new.



"It's failure that gives you the proper perspective on success." ~Ellen DeGeneres.


  This was the story of a great man who was faced by a similar challenge (failure) in the pursuit of his dream. Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He invented many devices like the phonograph, the motion picture camera and developed the electric light bulb that affects our lives greatly; but Thomas Edison's life wasn't all about success. While growing up, Thomas Edison's teachers concluded that he was ''too stupid to learn anything''. Asides that, he was fired from his first two jobs for being "non-productive" but as an inventor, Edison showed a great deal of perseverance when he recorded 1000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb i.e he failed 1000 times and kept on trying until he finally  achieved his goal.
   This tells me that success in life is not determined by the number of times one fails. Rather, it is determined by your reaction every time you fail. Your attitude and the actions you take when at first you don't succeed is what determines if you are going to remain at that point where you failed or succeed eventually. No wonder Denis Waitley said that "Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. FAILURE IS DELAY, NOT DEFEAT. IT IS A TEMPORARY DETOUR, NOT A DEAD END. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing." When at first you don't succeed, analyze the cause of failure, learn from the experience, then try again. When a reporter asked him, "How did it feel to fail 1000 times?" Edison replied, "I didn’t fail 1000 times. I have successfully discovered 1000 ways to NOT make a light bulb. What a reply that was!. You've got to develop a positive mindset that sees every setbacks as a chance to learn something new and an opportunity to begin again, more intelligently.
   Some say “When at first you don’t succeed, just sit down and eat cake . . . then try again.” It might sound funny but it's true and I totally agree with that as long as you don't forget while eating cake to get back up and try again. It really doesn't matter how many times you've tried without success, you just have to get back up and try again and again believing in yourself even if you are the only one that believes in you. You also have to believe that "it's not over until you win". Even the famous Henry Ford failed and went broke two times before he successfully created the Ford Motor Company. That moment when at first you don't succeed is not the time to lose hope in that dream, instead you have to believe much more that it can be done. Like David J. Schwartz said in his book 'The Magic of Thinking Big' that "Believe it can be done. When you believe something can be done, really believe, your mind will find the ways to do it. Believing a solution paves the way to solution."



"Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortune;
but great minds rise above them"
~ Washington Irving



   We can't always be winners the first time around and we sometimes get frustrated; you may even entertain giving up because of the idea of failing. The good news is you can always go back and try again, better this time because in the process of doing that, you'll discover some things about yourself than you don't know right now. "The true measure of success is how many times you can bounce back from failure". ~Stephen Richards. As the saying goes, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." You have to be tough in the pursuit of your dream, you have to stay hungry for that course, don't get discouraged to try over and over again until you get it right and can celebrate your success.


"I don't believe I have special talents, I have persistence … After the first failure, second failure, third failure, I kept trying."
~ Carlo Rubbia, Prize winning Physicist



   Now, how about you think through these: The popular Harry Potter story book was rejected by twelve publishers before it was finally published a year after but more than 400 million copies of the book have been sold today. Walt Disney was turned down 302 times before he got financing for creating Disney World. Micheal Jordan was dropped from his high school basketball team but he turned out to be the greatest basketball player. Bill Gates failed at his first business with Paul Gilbert, and Paul Allen but wasn't discouraged from trying again; he went ahead to cofound Microsoft with Paul Allen which turned out to be a major success. Colonel Sanders (the founder of KFC) had his fried chicken recipe rejected 1009 times before it was finally accepted by a restaurant. Steven Spielberg was
denied two times to the prestigious University of Southern California film school but he went on to direct some of the biggest movie blockbusters in history and in 1994 got an honorary degree from the film school that rejected him twice. And of course Thomas Alva Edison ended up as the greatest innovator of all time with 1,093 US patents to his name, along with several others in the UK, and Canada.


"There is something to be said for keeping at a thing, isn't there?"
~ Frank Sinatra

Monday, 15 August 2016

Whatever your passion is, keep doing it. Don't waste time chasing after success or comparing yourself to others. Every flower blooms at a different pace. Excel at doing what your passion is and only focus on perfecting it. Eventually people will see what you are great at doing, and if you are truly great, success will come chasing after you. ~Suzy Kassem ,Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem

Wednesday, 15 June 2016

NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!

No matter how old you are now. You are never too young or too old for success or going after what you want. Here's a short list of people who accomplished great things at different ages:

 Helen Keller, at the age of 19 months, became deaf and blind. But that didn’t stop her. She was the first deaf and blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Mozart was already competent on keyboard and violin; he composed from the age of 5.

Shirley Temple was 6 when she became a movie star on “Bright Eyes.”

Magnus Carlsen became a chess Grandmaster at the age of 13.


Nadia Comăneci was a gymnast from Romania that scored seven perfect 10.0 and won three gold medals at the Olympics at age 14.

Pele, a soccer superstar, was 17 years old when he won the world cup in 1958 with Brazil.

Jesse Owens was 22 when he won 4 gold medals in Berlin 1936.

Beethoven was a piano virtuoso by age 23.

Issac Newton wrote PhilosophiƦ Naturalis Principia Mathematica at age 24.


Roger Bannister was 25 when he broke the 4 minute mile record.


Albert Einstein was 26 when he wrote the theory of relativity.


Alexander the Great, by age 29, had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world.


J.K. Rowling was 30 years old when she finished the first manuscript of Harry Potter.


Amelia Earhart was 31 years old when she became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.


Oprah was 32 when she started her talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind.


Edmund Hillary was 33 when he became the first man to reach Mount Everest.

Martin Luther King Jr. was 34 when he wrote the speech “I Have a Dream.


Marie Curie was 35 years old when she got nominated for a Nobel Prize in Physics.


The Wright brothers, Orville (32) and Wilbur (36) invented and built the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight.


Neil Armstrong was 38 when he became the first man to set foot on the moon.


Rosa Parks was 42 when she refused to obey the bus driver’s order to give up her seat to make room for a white passenger.


John F. Kennedy was 43 years old when he became President of the United States.

Henry Ford Was 45 when the Ford T came out.


Suzanne Collins was 46 when she wrote "The Hunger Games"


Abraham Lincoln was 52 when he became president.


Ray Kroc Was 53 when he bought the McDonalds Franchise and took it to unprecedented levels.


Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger III was 57 years old when he successfully ditched US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in 2009. All of the 155 passengers aboard the aircraft survived.


Colonel Sanders was 61 when he started the KFC Franchise.


Ronald Reagan was 69 when he became President of the US.


Nelson Mandela was 76 when he became President ~Pablo.

Tuesday, 31 May 2016

The Key Word For Success

Don’t forget: the magic word that makes the world go around is "ACTION"!
You could read thousands of books or attend numerous classes while learning something, but nothing will change in your life until you actually start moving. Everything will stay the same as long as you don’t act. Start something, don’t wait to be perfect, do it now! It’s the key word for success: ACTION!

Wednesday, 25 May 2016

PERSEVERE, DON’T QUIT!


It’s easy to try things out, it’s easy to check new ideas. It’s easy to go to the gym once. It's easy to attend a days' class. Everything is easy when you do it just once. But success lies in doing something consistently, in continuing and persevering. Otherwise your goal will never be reached, and you will become disappointed. Success lies in following through. You will get where you want to be, if you are consistent in your effort.

Saturday, 30 April 2016

How Small is "Too Small"?

How small is "too small"?. In life, we make a lot of decisions and set goals like the kind of assets we want to own, places we want to go to, our physical appearance, the kind of relationships we want to have, what we do for fun, the type of job we want to have, our annual income, and milestones we want to achieve. Obviously while doing that, we are faced with the task of determining how much of that thing we would like to have, give, do, take, or accomplish.


 Knowing fully well that our decisions affect our future, then it's not enough to just set goals. Rather we should set goals that are challenging, that commands our thoughts, liberates our energy, inspire our hopes, goals that demands more from us, requires us to improve on ourself before they can be accomplished, goals that puts us on the edge of our comfort zone and push us towards what we want in our life.
 
   In other to achieve this, we must then ask ourselves some sincere personal questions like:
Do my goals feel creative enough?
Do they scare me?
Do they end up making me a better person at the end?
If our goals don’t feel creative, they’re probably too small and when they don't make us to think “How am I going to do that?” then they are probably too small and doesn't require much from us to achieve them and this kind of goals end up adding little or no significant improvement to our lives.

   Keeping your goals small keeps you small as well. Rathee than having small goals, set your sights just a bit higher than you think you should, and go for it! Improve on the thoughts you think, the images you visualize, and the actions you take. You have to decide to do more, aim for more, look for more information you need to be well prepared, put in more effort, listen more, study more, exercise more. Execute that plan with passion and enthusiasm. Decide how fast you want to go, how much you want to achieve; decide to write a better book, to score a higher grade, to give more, and to be more.


If you limit your choices only to what seem possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that Is left is a compromise. ~ Robert Fritz


   Everything you think, say, and do needs to become intentionally bigger and aligned with your purpose, and your goals. If you don't like your outcome, you have to change your response because if you keep on doing what you've always done, you'll keep on getting what you've always got. Do more of what is working, do less of what isn't, try new behaviors, set a bigger goal, take on a bigger task, dare to be more than you already are and stop settling for less than you want.

   You have to quit worrying what other people think and follow your heart, You have to quit worrying what challenges you'll face and prepare to overcome them, You have to quit worrying if anybody will ever believe in you and instead believe in yourself, you have to quit worrying if you are ever going to achieve that big goal and start working towards achieving it as well as believing that you can because that's what makes you a winner.

The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it. ~ Michelangelo


   Thoughts of failure, disease, loneliness and fear only push you into a behavior which leads you directly to fail, become ill, feel lonely and fearful. You shouldn't let fear keep you from walking around terrified of dying every moment of every day; you shouldn't let the fear of failure keep you from dreaming big dreams and setting bigger goals; you shouldn't let the fear of the unknown keep you from taking up new tasks; you shouldn't be limited to doing only things that seem possible.

   John F.Kennedy dreamed of putting a man on the moon. Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed of a country free of prejudice and injustice. Bill Gates dreams of a world in which every home has a computer that is connected to the Internet.

   When Monty Roberts, the author of The man who listens to horses was in high school, his teacher gave the class the assignment to write about what they wanted to do when they grow up. Monty wrote that he wanted to own his own 200-acre ranch and raise thoroughbred racehorses. His teacher gave him an F and explained that his dream was unrealistic because no boy who was living in a camper on the back of a pickup truck would ever be able to amass enough money to buy a ranch, purchase breeding stock, and pay the necessary salaries for ranch hands. When he offered Monty the chance of rewriting his paper for a higher grade, Monty told him, "You keep the F; I'm keeping my dream."
Today Monty's 154-acre flag is Up Farms in Solvang, California, raises thoroughbred racehorses and trains hundreds of horse trainers to train horses.

   Just as Bob Proctor- Self made millionaire, radio and TV personality, and success trainer once said "We come this way once. We can either tiptoe through life and hope that we get to death without being too badly bruised or we can live a full, complete life achieving our goals and realizing our wildest dreams." So the next time you want to set a goal, write a book, seat for an exam, start a project, compete in a sport, give to charity, or simply gain/ lose weight, take a moment to sincerely ask yourself the question; how small is "too small"?.
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Saturday, 9 April 2016

IS INFLUENCE REALLY POWERFUL?

HOW TO INFLUENCE

   In the first part of this article, we  shared with ourselves  about the power of influence. We also learned about the benefits of influencing or becoming a person of influence and some areas where influence works. But the question remains  "how do we influence or become a person of influence?". So in this concluding part, we are going to be sharing the basic influencing techniques and how they work.

   Firstly, I want us to bear in mind that becoming a person of influence or the act of influencing others effectively is not a day's work. It can only be perfected  by continuous practice or application of the influencing techniques. It is also important for us to know that there is no 'one fits all' influencing technique because of the difference in people's personality and of course the situation whereby we might find ourselves.

   Also, one can influence others or be influenced by the same either positively or negatively, consciously or unconsciously depending on the influencing technique used. The act of influencing is not only practiced by leaders on their subordinates but followers as well can have a great deal of influence on the decisions of their leaders without going against ethical and moral principles.

   There are several influencing techniques varying in the level of their effectiveness and the frequency in which they are applied among individuals, organizations and cultures of the world while the basic ones are mainly of four different approaches which include:



THE RATIONAL APPROACH

LOGICAL PERSUADING  - This is done by using logic to explain what you believe or what you want. This is the most frequently used and effective influence technique in the world but it does not work with everyone and will not work at all in some circumstances.

LEGITIMIZING  - The act of appealing to authority. This works with some people most of the time and most people some of the time.

EXCHANGING  - Negotiating or trading for cooperation.

STATING  - Asserting what you believe or want.



THE SOCIAL APPROACH

SOCIALIZING  - Getting to know the other person and finding common ground. This is the act of complimenting people and making them feel good about themselves.

APPEALING TO RELATIONSHIP  - Gaining cooperation with people you already know well. The effectiveness of this approach is based on the length and strength of your existing relationships.

CONSULTING  - Engaging people by asking questions; involving them in the problem or solution. This works well with smart, self-confident people who have a strong need to contribute ideas.

ALLIANCE BUILDING  - Finding supporters to help influence someone else.



THE EMOTIONAL APPROACH

APPEALING TO VALUES  - Making an emotional appeal to the heart. This is one of the principal ways to influence many people at once and the best technique for gaining commitment.

MODELING  - Behaving in ways you want others to behave; Parents, leaders, managers and public figures influence others through modeling all the time positively or negatively whether consciously or not.



THE NEGATIVE INFLUENCE TACTICS

MANIPULATING
INTIMIDATING
AVOIDING
THREATENING.



Let him that will move the world first move himself. Socrates



   America's leadership expert John C. Maxwell once said that "You can't light  another's path without casting light on your own." Thus emphasizing the fact that one must first influence himself and also equip himself with the right qualities of a good influencer such as a sound mind, confidence and a strong desire to influence and achieve great results before he can be able to influence others positively and effectively. This is because people normally follow leaders stronger than themselves.

   Once you have found your own voice, the choice to expand your influence, to increase your contribution is the choice to inspire others to find their voice. We live in a world which is full of misery and ignorance, and the plain duty of each and all of us is to try to make the little corner he can influence somewhat less miserable and somewhat less ignorant than it was before he entered it. Note that while you can't do much about the past, you can influence the future enormously.

SELF ESTEEM

   Self esteem is merely an opinion of how you see yourself. Jack Canfield in his book "How to get from where you are to where you want to be; The 25 principles of success" defines self esteem as a deep-seated belief that you have what it takes - the abilities, inner resources, talents and skills to create your desired results. They are of two types namely: High self esteem and Low self esteem.

   It is better to have a high self esteem because it enables you to love yourself for who you are and it also helps you see life positively whereas low self esteem does not make you grow as a person and makes achieving success difficult if not impossible.

   Where does self esteem come from? Well, the type of self esteem you develop in childhood is mainly affected by your parents. If they raised you right and praised you for your little achievements, there is a greater chance that you will have a positive view of yourself and life in general. Whereas, if you happen to be raised by parents who are not very caring, then you tend not to see the good qualities you have and end up having a negative view of life.

   Your friends and immediate environment is another factor that affects or determines your self esteem as a person because how we feel about ourselves is often based on the perception of others. Although, if you are able to ignore the negative sentiments then you are okay because then you do not let such affect you.

   Most importantly, self esteem comes from within you. To determine what type of self esteem you have, you can ask yourself some simple questions like:
Do I like who I am?
Am I happy?
Do I think I am a good person?
Most times, the answer is 'Yes' even if you sometimes have doubts about yourself.

   To get rid of these doubts, you should first accept your faults and realize that you are not the only one that has this problem. Everyone has a few flaws that they want to get rid of so you too must have the willingness to change in order to improve yourself.

   Another thing you should accept is that you are different from the others. This is not only in terms of your physical attributes but also in terms of your personality just like each person has his/her own set of fingerprints that can never be duplicated by anyone else.

   Likewise, you can write down on a piece of paper the things you like about yourself and cherish the list. Since we all grow and change every day, try to write down at least one good thing you did daily because this helps you to realize that you are not a bad person after all.

   With a high self esteem, you are less likely to do anything destructive to yourself or to others because you will most likely see the positive sides of life and be optimistic about the future. It also becomes easier for you to believe in yourself and your God given abilities but remember not to confuse it with being overconfident because they are two different things.

   Finally, high self esteem helps you to have an easier time handling problems and resisting negative pressures. But do not forget that it is something you develop over time and not what you are born with. This can change with time if you allow and work towards it.

   Hence, people who feel good about themselves produce good results. Hopefully, you can be better than who you were before rather than the opposite.

Tuesday, 20 October 2015

Is Influence Really Powerful?


The Power of Influence


"If you want to build a ship, don't drum the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea" -Antonie de Saint- Expury



Yes, the key to successful leadership is influence, not authority. The best leaders don't force people to do what they want, they persuade them and gain voluntary followers.