What would you do or think if at the age of 46 – at the prime of your life – you got burned beyond recognition in a terrible motorcycle accident and just 4 years afterwards became paralyzed in an airplane crash?
I am sure you would think there was no other reason to stay alive anymore. I’m even more convinced that you would never imagine yourself becoming a millionaire, respected public speaker, a happy newly wed and a successful business person.
You would never even think along the lines of running for political office or engaging in dangerous sports like white-water rafting or even sky – diving.
His name is W. Mitchell. He was able to achieve all of the great feats mentioned earlier on. He was involved in an accident that left his face deformed. After several surgeries, he was left fingerless and his legs so thin and motionless that he was confined to a wheelchair. The accident also left him unable to pick up a fork, dial a telephone or go to the bathroom without help. You can just imagine how hopeless his situation seemed at that time. But Mitchell, a former marine officer never believed he was defeated.
Hear what he said “I am in charge of my own spaceship. I could choose to see this situation as a setback or a starting point.”
6 months after the accident, he was piloting a plane again. He later went ahead to buy himself a Victorian home in Colorado, some real estate, a plane and a bar.
Then he teamed up with 2 friends and co-founded a wood-burning stove company that grew to be a major employer of labour. After recovering from another plane crash, he as elected major of his community.
Mitchell later ran for congress turning his odd appearance into an advantage for him with slogans such as “Not just another pretty face.”
Despite his shocking looks and physical challenges, Mitchell began white-water rafting, he fell in love and got married, earned a master’s degree in Public administration and continued flying and very active in public speaking.
Mitchell’s strong positive mental attitude has made it possible for him to appear on popular TV shows making him a superstar even in the midst of his troubles. He was quoted to have said “I tell people that I had 2 big bumps in my life. If I have chosen not to use them as excuse to quit, then maybe some of the experiences you are having which are pulling you back can be put into new perspective. You can step back, take a wider view and have a chance to say “May be that isn’t such a big deal after all.
What an amazing story!
Dear listener, its not what happens to you, its what you do about it that counts. Please consider the man in our story who despite his daunting challenges rose high and accomplished greatness. What are you currently going through? You can rise above it and succeed.
This man lost most parts of his body yet overcame his problems and succeeded. There are millions out there who have every part of their bodies functioning yet are failures. There are blessings in those challenges.
I want you to think about this for the rest of today.
And then…we will continue tomorrow.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
You are more than this - Part 3
Today, we shall continue what we started on Wednesday.
I hope you have enjoyed it and learnt a lot as well.
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In Disney’s animated classic – The Lion king, Simba who did not know his worth, was living in exile until he was confounded by a vision of his father, King Mufusa. He said to Simba; “Simba, you have forgotten who you are. Look inside yourself. You are more than what you have become”
My friend, congratulations on your new job! It’s exciting that you are going to be paid N2m per annum! But wait a minute, is that your total worth? Don’t you think you could get more than that on the discovery of your actual worth?
You are more than that abusive relationship. No one has the right to treat you so shabbily. Get out of that relationship before you kill yourself!
A wise man once said and I quote: “We don’t need more strength or more ability or greater opportunity. What we need is the strength to use what we already have.
Please note this: You are rich or poor according to what you are.
“It’s not what you pay a man. But what he costs you that counts.”
In his book, “understanding your potential”, Myles Munroe said “All men are sent to the world with limitless credit, but seldom draw to their full extent” he added, “there are many selves within you that lie dormant, untapped and used.”
You need to also know how to increase your current value. The following are ways by which you can increase your value:
1. Acknowledge what is good in you. A lot of us only acknowledge what is good in others while we neglect our strong points. Remember people will always treat you exactly the way you treat yourself.
2. Read: Only readers become leaders.
3. Learn all you can about your chosen field. You need to learn chosen field. You need to learn or you will be lean in your purse.
4. Walk with the wise: your company is the proof of your content. That age – old saying; “Birds of a feather flock together” is true.
5. Keep pushing and praying until something happens. It is only in the place of prayer that you can discover fully who you are and what you are worth.
It is a new day for you. You are more than this.
I wish you a grace filled day!
Tunde Afe
I hope you have enjoyed it and learnt a lot as well.
--------------------------------------
In Disney’s animated classic – The Lion king, Simba who did not know his worth, was living in exile until he was confounded by a vision of his father, King Mufusa. He said to Simba; “Simba, you have forgotten who you are. Look inside yourself. You are more than what you have become”
My friend, congratulations on your new job! It’s exciting that you are going to be paid N2m per annum! But wait a minute, is that your total worth? Don’t you think you could get more than that on the discovery of your actual worth?
You are more than that abusive relationship. No one has the right to treat you so shabbily. Get out of that relationship before you kill yourself!
A wise man once said and I quote: “We don’t need more strength or more ability or greater opportunity. What we need is the strength to use what we already have.
Please note this: You are rich or poor according to what you are.
“It’s not what you pay a man. But what he costs you that counts.”
In his book, “understanding your potential”, Myles Munroe said “All men are sent to the world with limitless credit, but seldom draw to their full extent” he added, “there are many selves within you that lie dormant, untapped and used.”
You need to also know how to increase your current value. The following are ways by which you can increase your value:
1. Acknowledge what is good in you. A lot of us only acknowledge what is good in others while we neglect our strong points. Remember people will always treat you exactly the way you treat yourself.
2. Read: Only readers become leaders.
3. Learn all you can about your chosen field. You need to learn chosen field. You need to learn or you will be lean in your purse.
4. Walk with the wise: your company is the proof of your content. That age – old saying; “Birds of a feather flock together” is true.
5. Keep pushing and praying until something happens. It is only in the place of prayer that you can discover fully who you are and what you are worth.
It is a new day for you. You are more than this.
I wish you a grace filled day!
Tunde Afe
Thursday, February 26, 2009
You are more than this - Part 2
When the character became such a sensation, Jerry and Joe asked DC comics for a share of the profits. They got fired. They not only lost superman, they also lost their jobs! After a series of lawsuits to recover their creative property failed, the men lived out the rest of their lives in near poverty.
Jerry worked as a typist in
In 1978, after the first Superman movie became a box office hit, DC Comics bowed to public pressure and gave each man a $20, 000 per year annuity. In their final years, the 2 childhood friends lived within blocks of each other in
These 2 friends could have become some of the richest men of their time if they had only recognised the value of their creative property. Jerry and Joe would not have sold their rights to the Superman character for as little as $130 if they had fully understood their real worth.
It is sad and pathetic to see many people exploited because they, too, are under-utilising their assets, underestimating their market value and selling themselves too cheap.
My dear reader, you must recognise that this story is a pointer to the fact that there’s more to you than you have discovered of yourself. This is the time to go on a full-scale journey of self-discovery so that you will come to terms with your actual worth. This way, no one will ever be able to sell you cheap.
A wise man once remarked: “what lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us”. Find out what is inside of you and every other factor- behind and before- will give way. Yet another one observed and I quote “the most delightful surprise in life is to suddenly discover your own worth”.
It is shame to go through life and at the end of your time on earth, there would still be a large part of you that you haven’t come to terms with. It’s never too late to start. If you are able to discover your actual worth, I suggest that you go ahead and give it all it takes.
You need to know that you are more than what you see in the mirror everyday. There’s much to you than good looks and phonetics.
ENJOY!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
You are more than this - Part 2
Jerry and Joe were bosom friends who went to the same high school several years ago.
These two friends were experiencing rejection in their lives at this time. Jerry had been having some day dreams and he confided his best friend – Joe.
Joe didn’t have Jerry’s talent for story telling but he was a very good artist. He could draw just about anything and make it look like it was just about to walk off the page.
Together, the 2 friends spent a lot of time thinking up fantastic stories, and Joe would illustrate them with vivid drawings. They went on this way for some time after graduating from high school until finally, the complete picture of what the boys had been working on emerged.
The character possessed super human powers. Jerry imagined the character was being born on the doomed planet – Krypton, arriving in a spaceship as an infant and being discovered and raised by a childless couple.
When the boy grew up, he hid his super powers from others by working as a mild-mannered newspaper reporter.
Joe sketched out the character as fast as Jerry wrote about his adventures. After sometime, the character emerged as SUPERMAN. They became excited about their creation and began to send proposals and the illustrated story of superman to publishers.
But, they were disappointed as the publishers only sent back a pile of rejection letters.
In 1983, the superman stories landed on the desk of the publisher of DC comics who was impressed, he bought the exclusive rights to the superman character on the spot and then gave both young men jobs at the company. Jerry and Joe felt on top of the world! Here they were, only 23 years, employed full time with the leading publisher of comic books. It was a dream come true.
As we all know, the super man character became a huge hit with the American public. Since its debut, Superman has generated untold profits from comic books sales, licensing deals, television series feature films, and more. The first superman movie alone made more than $100m.
The monetary value of the superman character since its inception in 1938 must be in the billions of dollars.
But the painful thing is that Jerry and Joe were paid only $130. why? Because they underestimated their value signed away their rights to the superman character worth billions for a measly $130. That’s $65 per person!
That is painful, very painful.
Don’t ever underestimate your value. That is the summary of today.
We will continue on this topic in the next edition of fresh motivation.
ENJOY!
These two friends were experiencing rejection in their lives at this time. Jerry had been having some day dreams and he confided his best friend – Joe.
Joe didn’t have Jerry’s talent for story telling but he was a very good artist. He could draw just about anything and make it look like it was just about to walk off the page.
Together, the 2 friends spent a lot of time thinking up fantastic stories, and Joe would illustrate them with vivid drawings. They went on this way for some time after graduating from high school until finally, the complete picture of what the boys had been working on emerged.
The character possessed super human powers. Jerry imagined the character was being born on the doomed planet – Krypton, arriving in a spaceship as an infant and being discovered and raised by a childless couple.
When the boy grew up, he hid his super powers from others by working as a mild-mannered newspaper reporter.
Joe sketched out the character as fast as Jerry wrote about his adventures. After sometime, the character emerged as SUPERMAN. They became excited about their creation and began to send proposals and the illustrated story of superman to publishers.
But, they were disappointed as the publishers only sent back a pile of rejection letters.
In 1983, the superman stories landed on the desk of the publisher of DC comics who was impressed, he bought the exclusive rights to the superman character on the spot and then gave both young men jobs at the company. Jerry and Joe felt on top of the world! Here they were, only 23 years, employed full time with the leading publisher of comic books. It was a dream come true.
As we all know, the super man character became a huge hit with the American public. Since its debut, Superman has generated untold profits from comic books sales, licensing deals, television series feature films, and more. The first superman movie alone made more than $100m.
The monetary value of the superman character since its inception in 1938 must be in the billions of dollars.
But the painful thing is that Jerry and Joe were paid only $130. why? Because they underestimated their value signed away their rights to the superman character worth billions for a measly $130. That’s $65 per person!
That is painful, very painful.
Don’t ever underestimate your value. That is the summary of today.
We will continue on this topic in the next edition of fresh motivation.
ENJOY!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Take your life out of neutral - Part 2
Now, I want you to know that there is a big difference between taking risks and taking foolish chances. The reality however, is that everything in life is risky. According to John Maxwell, if you want to avoid risk, then don’t do any of the following:
1. don’t ride in any vehicle because they cause 20% of all fatal accidents.
2. don’t travel by air, rail or water – 16 percent of all accidents results from these activities.
3. don’t walk in the street-15% of all accidents occur there.
4. even when you stay at home, you are still taking a risk because 17% of all accidents occur at home.
In life, there are no risk free zones or activities. Helen Keller, a blind woman that achieved greatness once asserted that security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than out right exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.
People who have put their lives in neutral are experts at giving excuses. A Jew out there. A Jewish’s proverb states that “the lazy person is full of excuses, saying, I can’t go outside because there might be a lion on the road. Yes, I am sure there is a lion out there.
Everyone who is going nowhere and with no plan for moving forward always has a bag-full of reasons to explain why. Giving excuses to explain why one is not doing much in life is a chronic disease and the best way to be free from this disease is never to see reasons strong enough to prevent you from making progress. One other mark of people who have put their lives in neutral is procrastination.
A Jewish proverb says that if you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done. The most important time of your life is now. Procrastination is a robber of destiny. Stop waiting for perfect conditions. Create your own condition.
Please note that as long as your life is in neutral, you end up becoming a spectator in life. It is time for you to attempt something significant. When you die, I wonder what will be written about you. You must live your life in such a way that when you die, people will cry not because they have lost a breadwinner but because they have lost someone who has made maximum impact.
Before I go, let me remind you that the greatest decision is to make a decision not to give up on your dreams.
It is well with you today.
Have a good day!
1. don’t ride in any vehicle because they cause 20% of all fatal accidents.
2. don’t travel by air, rail or water – 16 percent of all accidents results from these activities.
3. don’t walk in the street-15% of all accidents occur there.
4. even when you stay at home, you are still taking a risk because 17% of all accidents occur at home.
In life, there are no risk free zones or activities. Helen Keller, a blind woman that achieved greatness once asserted that security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than out right exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.
People who have put their lives in neutral are experts at giving excuses. A Jew out there. A Jewish’s proverb states that “the lazy person is full of excuses, saying, I can’t go outside because there might be a lion on the road. Yes, I am sure there is a lion out there.
Everyone who is going nowhere and with no plan for moving forward always has a bag-full of reasons to explain why. Giving excuses to explain why one is not doing much in life is a chronic disease and the best way to be free from this disease is never to see reasons strong enough to prevent you from making progress. One other mark of people who have put their lives in neutral is procrastination.
A Jewish proverb says that if you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done. The most important time of your life is now. Procrastination is a robber of destiny. Stop waiting for perfect conditions. Create your own condition.
Please note that as long as your life is in neutral, you end up becoming a spectator in life. It is time for you to attempt something significant. When you die, I wonder what will be written about you. You must live your life in such a way that when you die, people will cry not because they have lost a breadwinner but because they have lost someone who has made maximum impact.
Before I go, let me remind you that the greatest decision is to make a decision not to give up on your dreams.
It is well with you today.
Have a good day!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Take your life out of neutral - Part 1
Several years ago, on a bright Saturday afternoon, a group of excited, energetic and intelligent undergraduates were returning from a birthday party. They chatted, laughed and danced to the music coming from the car stereo system. All of a sudden, the car in which they were riding stopped. They thought it was a small problem. The car was examined and re-examined to detect the fault but to no avail.
Finally, they decided to jump start the car. They pushed and pushed. At a point, they removed their jackets, ties and rolled up their sleeves. While they were doing all of these, rain started. After two hours of rigorous pushing in the heavy rainfall, they resolved to get a technician. The technician fiddled with one or two things and told them to push again, yet no result. All of a sudden, the technician started laughing. He laughed uncontrollably. When they asked him why he was laughing, he replied “the man trying to jump start the car kept the gear in neutral all the while. What a waste of time and energy. Two hours of rigorous pushing inside the rain and the gear was in neutral. That is the same problem a lot of people have with their lives.
Some have been pushing for over twenty years but the gear of their life is in neutral. No wonder a Jewish proverb says that the labour of the foolish will weary them because he does not even know how to get into the city. It does not matter how hard you accelerate in life, as long as the gear of your life is in neutral, you will make no progress.
So many have also put their lives in the wrong gear. Just as it is when you drive a car, if you try to move the car with gear five, you will make no progress. Life is all about moving from one phase to the other. If you engage your car in the reverse gear, you can’t move forward. It has been said that people can be divided into 3 groups:
1. those who make things happen
2. those who watch things happen
3. those who wonder what is happening
You have sat for too long watching and wondering what is happening. It is time for you to make something worthwhile happen.
There are also those who make the wrong things happen. In life, you will be remembered either for the problems you created or the ones you solved.
Millions of people on earth merely exist because they have put their lives in neutral. Has it ever occurred to you that when your life is in neutral, all you get is what others allow to come to you? I want to appeal to you today to attempt something so fantastic that unless God is in it, it is destined to be a failure.
Your life is too precious to be left to chance. It is time for you to start living by design and not by chance. Stop saying I know things will get better one day.
Listen, in order for things to get better, you need to engage your life in the right gear. So many have put their lives in the neutral by running away from taking risks. Anyone who risks nothing achieves nothing. Risk is the fuel that makes it possible for anyone to conquer new territories.
We will continue on this tomorrow.
Have a blessed day!
Finally, they decided to jump start the car. They pushed and pushed. At a point, they removed their jackets, ties and rolled up their sleeves. While they were doing all of these, rain started. After two hours of rigorous pushing in the heavy rainfall, they resolved to get a technician. The technician fiddled with one or two things and told them to push again, yet no result. All of a sudden, the technician started laughing. He laughed uncontrollably. When they asked him why he was laughing, he replied “the man trying to jump start the car kept the gear in neutral all the while. What a waste of time and energy. Two hours of rigorous pushing inside the rain and the gear was in neutral. That is the same problem a lot of people have with their lives.
Some have been pushing for over twenty years but the gear of their life is in neutral. No wonder a Jewish proverb says that the labour of the foolish will weary them because he does not even know how to get into the city. It does not matter how hard you accelerate in life, as long as the gear of your life is in neutral, you will make no progress.
So many have also put their lives in the wrong gear. Just as it is when you drive a car, if you try to move the car with gear five, you will make no progress. Life is all about moving from one phase to the other. If you engage your car in the reverse gear, you can’t move forward. It has been said that people can be divided into 3 groups:
1. those who make things happen
2. those who watch things happen
3. those who wonder what is happening
You have sat for too long watching and wondering what is happening. It is time for you to make something worthwhile happen.
There are also those who make the wrong things happen. In life, you will be remembered either for the problems you created or the ones you solved.
Millions of people on earth merely exist because they have put their lives in neutral. Has it ever occurred to you that when your life is in neutral, all you get is what others allow to come to you? I want to appeal to you today to attempt something so fantastic that unless God is in it, it is destined to be a failure.
Your life is too precious to be left to chance. It is time for you to start living by design and not by chance. Stop saying I know things will get better one day.
Listen, in order for things to get better, you need to engage your life in the right gear. So many have put their lives in the neutral by running away from taking risks. Anyone who risks nothing achieves nothing. Risk is the fuel that makes it possible for anyone to conquer new territories.
We will continue on this tomorrow.
Have a blessed day!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
The Power Of Little Things - Part 2
Let's continue on the topic we started yesterday on
the power of little things.
---------------------------------------------------------
In reality, great increase often comes as a result
of faithfully doing things that might seem small
or insignificant.
The big things in life are normally found in the
middle of the little things. A wise man once said
“whatever your hands find to do, do it with all
your might” this is another way of urging us to
be faithful in little things.
It is also been said that little drops of water
will eventually make a mighty ocean. Another
wise man further emphasized the power of little
things when he said that we should not despise
the days of little beginnings
Are you currently working at a job that is below
your qualification?
Stay faithful there and your promotion will soon come.
Faithfulness is not a gift but a learned behaviour.
It is the one habit that makes a whole lot of difference
between achievers and losers.
If you are indeed faithful in little things,
you will also be faithful in big things.
For example, every success story always starts with
little steps. It has even been proven that if an
aircraft deviates from its course by as little as
one degree, it will surely arrive in another destination.
That job may be little but it carries in it, the potential
for greatness. The mustard seed is probably the tiniest
seed known but hidden in that small seed is a big tree
that eventually gives shade to lots of birds.
Stay faithfully in little things and your promotion
will surely come.
the power of little things.
---------------------------------------------------------
In reality, great increase often comes as a result
of faithfully doing things that might seem small
or insignificant.
The big things in life are normally found in the
middle of the little things. A wise man once said
“whatever your hands find to do, do it with all
your might” this is another way of urging us to
be faithful in little things.
It is also been said that little drops of water
will eventually make a mighty ocean. Another
wise man further emphasized the power of little
things when he said that we should not despise
the days of little beginnings
Are you currently working at a job that is below
your qualification?
Stay faithful there and your promotion will soon come.
Faithfulness is not a gift but a learned behaviour.
It is the one habit that makes a whole lot of difference
between achievers and losers.
If you are indeed faithful in little things,
you will also be faithful in big things.
For example, every success story always starts with
little steps. It has even been proven that if an
aircraft deviates from its course by as little as
one degree, it will surely arrive in another destination.
That job may be little but it carries in it, the potential
for greatness. The mustard seed is probably the tiniest
seed known but hidden in that small seed is a big tree
that eventually gives shade to lots of birds.
Stay faithfully in little things and your promotion
will surely come.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
The Power Of Little Things
Several years ago, there was an American man who revealed that he makes money while jogging. As he runs, he picks up coins lying on the sidewalks and streets. At a point he discovered that he had found over $5000 in loose change. He also revealed that he used some of the money to pay for a vacation in Hawaii for his wife and himself. What a way to raise money but really, life works exactly that way. The big things are normally found in the middle of little things.
A Jewish proverb says “anyone who is faithful in small things will also be faithful in big things.” I also read the story of a young man who used to press clothes and buy food for a Christian group. He was diligent, faithful and always did the best he could.
One day, this Youngman was walking through the lobby of a hotel and a nationally renowned minister spotted him and called him over to visit. The minister was so impressed with the young man’s attitude and apparent good work ethic that he hired him. Soon he was traveling around the world as this minister’s personal assistant.
On one particular trip, the minister could not make it to one of his overseas meetings. He called this Young man to represent him at the event. The Young
man found himself addressing a crowd of over 18,000 people.
Today, this young man travels all over world and is greatly impacting our generation. His name is Tim Storey. Many people believe that to experience increase, they must discover, do, or win something big.
--------------------------------------------
Watch out for tomorrow's continuation on small beginnings.
Take care!
A Jewish proverb says “anyone who is faithful in small things will also be faithful in big things.” I also read the story of a young man who used to press clothes and buy food for a Christian group. He was diligent, faithful and always did the best he could.
One day, this Youngman was walking through the lobby of a hotel and a nationally renowned minister spotted him and called him over to visit. The minister was so impressed with the young man’s attitude and apparent good work ethic that he hired him. Soon he was traveling around the world as this minister’s personal assistant.
On one particular trip, the minister could not make it to one of his overseas meetings. He called this Young man to represent him at the event. The Young
man found himself addressing a crowd of over 18,000 people.
Today, this young man travels all over world and is greatly impacting our generation. His name is Tim Storey. Many people believe that to experience increase, they must discover, do, or win something big.
--------------------------------------------
Watch out for tomorrow's continuation on small beginnings.
Take care!
Friday, February 20, 2009
What level of opposition can you dare!
Several years ago a man named Mel Fisher stumbled on a piece of information that changed the course of his life. He was a chicken farmer from the Midwest who looked absolutely ordinary. He got hold of the information that a Spanish ship, the atocha sank in a storm more than 350 years ago.
Mel fisher also had evidence that the treasure on that one vessel was worth several millions of dollars.Armed with this information, Mel decided to search for this great treasure.
He was aware that the ocean is expansive and that the vessel could have gone down anywhere over hundreds of square miles away from his standing point.
With his little boats and a crew that he could only afford to pay fifty dollars a week, he spent years searching for the lost vessel.
He went through series of disappointments, disasters and setbacks. He had very little encouragement from people outside his immediate family members but he was determined to find the lost ship. He invested all that he owned on this one project. He didn’t have a plan B if he failed.
He had determination, patience and courage. One of Mel Fisher greatest trials came after one of the team’s most encouraging finds. They recovered a silver bar that matched the bill of lading from the Atocha. Their excitement was obviously great, but it seemed that the entire world rose up against them. The government stepped in to confiscate what Mel Fisher’s crew had found and further ruled that any other discovery by Mel belong to the government.
What a great blow after so many years of struggles in the great ocean. He had spent several millions of dollars mostly borrowed. This man refused to give up despite the challenges. He kept searching. He also resolved to fight the government in court. Mel fisher’s challenges rose. He had the expansive ocean to contend with.
The government confiscated his little discovery and he had a debt of several millions of dollars hanging on his neck. Then one day his first son found some ancient Spanish cannons. They checked the serial numbers and verified that they were not far from the lost vessels. The team was ecstatic. Their joy was however short lived because two nights later, the sea struck killing his first son and wife. The team was devastated but still they refused to give up.
Finally an encouraging victory did come. After years of bitter fighting in the courts, Mel Fisher won his case. He had to go all the way to the U.S Supreme Court, which gave a five to four decision in his favour. In spite of his victory in court, Mel Fisher still had nothing to show for his years of hard work. This man refused to give up. He continued with his team day after day.
After spending nearly twelve millions dollars Mel fisher’s barely had enough money to meet his payroll for two more weeks. Everyone knew that the end was certainly near. Then to the astonishment of people all over the world, the announcement came with voices cracked over the radio from his little boat, Mel Fisher and his team had found the Atocha, the lost ocean vessel.
With it they found mountains of silver, gold bars, precious jewels, silver and gold plates all valued at more than $400m. What may have been the biggest treasure hunt in history resulted in one of the greatest discoveries. I am sure, the morale of the story is clear to you. Don’t give up. I know you have been on that business for many years without much progress, don’t give up, your breakthrough is around the corner.
I know there is so much opposition on your way to the top, don’t give up, that’s not the end, its only a bend. I know you’ve been working hard at making your marriage work but things are getting worse, don’t give up, if you hold on, you will hold it. I leave a word of encouragement for you today, the storm is over. The roaring has seized remember, when the cloud is thickest, its about to rain, darkness is darkest because it would soon be morning. It’s a new day for you.
Remember, the cloud may be thick and darkness gross, God is with you. Arise shine because your light has come. If you hold on, you will hold it.
Mel fisher also had evidence that the treasure on that one vessel was worth several millions of dollars.Armed with this information, Mel decided to search for this great treasure.
He was aware that the ocean is expansive and that the vessel could have gone down anywhere over hundreds of square miles away from his standing point.
With his little boats and a crew that he could only afford to pay fifty dollars a week, he spent years searching for the lost vessel.
He went through series of disappointments, disasters and setbacks. He had very little encouragement from people outside his immediate family members but he was determined to find the lost ship. He invested all that he owned on this one project. He didn’t have a plan B if he failed.
He had determination, patience and courage. One of Mel Fisher greatest trials came after one of the team’s most encouraging finds. They recovered a silver bar that matched the bill of lading from the Atocha. Their excitement was obviously great, but it seemed that the entire world rose up against them. The government stepped in to confiscate what Mel Fisher’s crew had found and further ruled that any other discovery by Mel belong to the government.
What a great blow after so many years of struggles in the great ocean. He had spent several millions of dollars mostly borrowed. This man refused to give up despite the challenges. He kept searching. He also resolved to fight the government in court. Mel fisher’s challenges rose. He had the expansive ocean to contend with.
The government confiscated his little discovery and he had a debt of several millions of dollars hanging on his neck. Then one day his first son found some ancient Spanish cannons. They checked the serial numbers and verified that they were not far from the lost vessels. The team was ecstatic. Their joy was however short lived because two nights later, the sea struck killing his first son and wife. The team was devastated but still they refused to give up.
Finally an encouraging victory did come. After years of bitter fighting in the courts, Mel Fisher won his case. He had to go all the way to the U.S Supreme Court, which gave a five to four decision in his favour. In spite of his victory in court, Mel Fisher still had nothing to show for his years of hard work. This man refused to give up. He continued with his team day after day.
After spending nearly twelve millions dollars Mel fisher’s barely had enough money to meet his payroll for two more weeks. Everyone knew that the end was certainly near. Then to the astonishment of people all over the world, the announcement came with voices cracked over the radio from his little boat, Mel Fisher and his team had found the Atocha, the lost ocean vessel.
With it they found mountains of silver, gold bars, precious jewels, silver and gold plates all valued at more than $400m. What may have been the biggest treasure hunt in history resulted in one of the greatest discoveries. I am sure, the morale of the story is clear to you. Don’t give up. I know you have been on that business for many years without much progress, don’t give up, your breakthrough is around the corner.
I know there is so much opposition on your way to the top, don’t give up, that’s not the end, its only a bend. I know you’ve been working hard at making your marriage work but things are getting worse, don’t give up, if you hold on, you will hold it. I leave a word of encouragement for you today, the storm is over. The roaring has seized remember, when the cloud is thickest, its about to rain, darkness is darkest because it would soon be morning. It’s a new day for you.
Remember, the cloud may be thick and darkness gross, God is with you. Arise shine because your light has come. If you hold on, you will hold it.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
FIVE SIMPLE STEPS TO ORGANIZE EACH DAY
As someone desirous of success, the way you spend your time is crucial.
While the choice is yours in how to spend your day, the best way to maximize your time is by organizing it. You must imbibe the discipline of starting each day in an organized way and you will achieve more results than you can imagine.
Here are five simple steps for achieving an organized and result-oriented day.
Make A To Do List: Make a list the evening before of things you have to do tomorrow. Don’t fall into the habit of waking up in the morning not knowing the direction of your day. It is possible to lose the direction for ones entire life if you keep loosing direction for each day because your life is the sum total of each day you spend on earth. Prioritize every item in the sequence it should be accomplished. When you wake up in the morning, you will have a clear-cut guide for everything that must be done.
Be Wary of Distraction: Very often a plan or schedule gets abandoned and you go off track because of distraction. Now, if you find that you constantly get off track by distraction, you can set a timer to help you monitor your time. For example you can set an alarm to go off every 30 minutes. Every time it sounds, be sure you are working on what you originally planned. If you are not, stop what you are doing and get back on schedule. Most distractions are unnecessary.
Always Re-confirm your Appointments: if you have an appointment during the day, always call to confirm before you leave your office. This will ensure that the person you are meeting did not forget about the appointment. In addition, if there is going to be a long waiting time you can occupy that with reading, listening to self development materials. Just make sure that the waiting time is occupied with a productive activity.
Strike off Completed Task: Every time you finish something, cross it off in your-to-do-list. This gives you a sense of accomplishment throughout the day.
Do a Final Check: At the end of the day, take one final look at your list. How many items were you able to accomplish? Are there only one or two things left undone or many? If there were just a few undone, simply move them to tomorrow’s list. If there were many undone, and you worked diligently on everything all day, then you probably had too many things on your list to begin with.
Do a re-think of how many things you can possibly do in a given day. Remember you only have 24 hours and you should be able to maximize them.
It is well.
While the choice is yours in how to spend your day, the best way to maximize your time is by organizing it. You must imbibe the discipline of starting each day in an organized way and you will achieve more results than you can imagine.
Here are five simple steps for achieving an organized and result-oriented day.
Make A To Do List: Make a list the evening before of things you have to do tomorrow. Don’t fall into the habit of waking up in the morning not knowing the direction of your day. It is possible to lose the direction for ones entire life if you keep loosing direction for each day because your life is the sum total of each day you spend on earth. Prioritize every item in the sequence it should be accomplished. When you wake up in the morning, you will have a clear-cut guide for everything that must be done.
Be Wary of Distraction: Very often a plan or schedule gets abandoned and you go off track because of distraction. Now, if you find that you constantly get off track by distraction, you can set a timer to help you monitor your time. For example you can set an alarm to go off every 30 minutes. Every time it sounds, be sure you are working on what you originally planned. If you are not, stop what you are doing and get back on schedule. Most distractions are unnecessary.
Always Re-confirm your Appointments: if you have an appointment during the day, always call to confirm before you leave your office. This will ensure that the person you are meeting did not forget about the appointment. In addition, if there is going to be a long waiting time you can occupy that with reading, listening to self development materials. Just make sure that the waiting time is occupied with a productive activity.
Strike off Completed Task: Every time you finish something, cross it off in your-to-do-list. This gives you a sense of accomplishment throughout the day.
Do a Final Check: At the end of the day, take one final look at your list. How many items were you able to accomplish? Are there only one or two things left undone or many? If there were just a few undone, simply move them to tomorrow’s list. If there were many undone, and you worked diligently on everything all day, then you probably had too many things on your list to begin with.
Do a re-think of how many things you can possibly do in a given day. Remember you only have 24 hours and you should be able to maximize them.
It is well.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Do you set goals? - Part 3
Hello friends,
Today's message will not be too long. It is to finish
what I was talking about yesterday before we launch
into something else.
-----------------------------------------------------
If you create a mental picture of who you want to become
in life and set concrete goals on how to get it done, you
will surely achieve your plan.
After you have done all that, that is, your goals are
written and you have decided on the price to pay and
you have created a mental picture of those goals, you
need to WORK HARD.
A wise king once said and I quote “ work hard and
become a leader, be lazy and become a slave”.
One very powerful component of making your dreams
a reality is hard work. You can’t get you’re your goals
actualized without hard work.
Tomorrow I will be given you five simple steps to
organize each day.
Till then, stay motivated.
Today's message will not be too long. It is to finish
what I was talking about yesterday before we launch
into something else.
-----------------------------------------------------
If you create a mental picture of who you want to become
in life and set concrete goals on how to get it done, you
will surely achieve your plan.
After you have done all that, that is, your goals are
written and you have decided on the price to pay and
you have created a mental picture of those goals, you
need to WORK HARD.
A wise king once said and I quote “ work hard and
become a leader, be lazy and become a slave”.
One very powerful component of making your dreams
a reality is hard work. You can’t get you’re your goals
actualized without hard work.
Tomorrow I will be given you five simple steps to
organize each day.
Till then, stay motivated.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Lets continue today on the topic we started yesterday on
setting.
------------------------------------------------------
Having provided answers by writing down your goals on paper,you need to ask yourself; what must I do to achieve those things I have written down?
You need to know at this point that for everything you want in life, there is a price to pay.
You must decide to pay the price for productive years ahead. Any worthwhile human achievement requires sacrifice risk, effort and perseverance. Nothing in life is free. This is how life works. If a fruitful productive, enviable and fulfilled life is your desire, then you must DECIDE to pay the full price in advance.
For example to earn more income next month or next years, you will have to work harder, smarter and invest more, learn new skills and make new friends. After you want to achieve, set definite time you want to get them achieved. A goal is simply a place that has a time frame for accomplishment. Without setting definite time, you won’t be able to measure your performance.
At this junction, I want to suggest that you go a step further to classify your goals into the following groups:
Personal spiritual goals
Family goals
Financial goals
Health and physical goals
Academic and career goals
Relationship goals
For example, if you want to set financial goals for a particular year, you need to be able to ascertain and project how much you will need in order to end the year with a surplus.
Now that you have your goals, written down and you have decided to pay the required price for their achievement, you need to go a step further and create a mental picture of those things you have written down. You must begin to see those things you have written down in your mind – that is your mental picture.
I want you to meditate and think on these things today. It is a great day for you. Enjoy!
setting.
------------------------------------------------------
Having provided answers by writing down your goals on paper,you need to ask yourself; what must I do to achieve those things I have written down?
You need to know at this point that for everything you want in life, there is a price to pay.
You must decide to pay the price for productive years ahead. Any worthwhile human achievement requires sacrifice risk, effort and perseverance. Nothing in life is free. This is how life works. If a fruitful productive, enviable and fulfilled life is your desire, then you must DECIDE to pay the full price in advance.
For example to earn more income next month or next years, you will have to work harder, smarter and invest more, learn new skills and make new friends. After you want to achieve, set definite time you want to get them achieved. A goal is simply a place that has a time frame for accomplishment. Without setting definite time, you won’t be able to measure your performance.
At this junction, I want to suggest that you go a step further to classify your goals into the following groups:
Personal spiritual goals
Family goals
Financial goals
Health and physical goals
Academic and career goals
Relationship goals
For example, if you want to set financial goals for a particular year, you need to be able to ascertain and project how much you will need in order to end the year with a surplus.
Now that you have your goals, written down and you have decided to pay the required price for their achievement, you need to go a step further and create a mental picture of those things you have written down. You must begin to see those things you have written down in your mind – that is your mental picture.
I want you to meditate and think on these things today. It is a great day for you. Enjoy!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Do you set goals? - Part 1
A study was conducted with the Yale graduating class of 1953. they surveyed all students asking them if they had written goals for their lives.
The following amazing results were gotten:
30% had put their goals in writing
97% had not written them down or had none at all!
Twenty years later, these same people were interviewed and it was discovered that the 3% who had written goals had 10 times the incomes of the other 97% who had no written goals combined. There is no doubt about it. Goal setting works. May it interest you that no dream can become reality except it is written . A dream is merely a wish until it is converted to a goal.
Having said that, what is a goal? A goal is the documented ongoing pursuit of a worthy objective until accomplished. Goals keep you focused and helps in making your vision a reality. Success in life is impossible without you developing the discipline and habit of setting goals. You must also couple your goal-setting habit with putting in place machineries that will enhance the actualization of your goals.
Goal setting helps you to make a wise use of your time. We all know that footballers, for example will waste all of their time and effort if they decide to play without goal posts. A lot of people in life have been playing the game of life without goal posts, no wonder only a few who set goals have been scoring goals.
It is possible to change the course of your life in the coming months and get your dreams actualized if you act on what you are reading now.
In order to set realistic and worthwhile goals, you need to ask yourself the following questions;
What do I want in life?
What is my reason for living?
How well do I want to live my life?
How much money do I want to make?
How much am I ready to save and invest?
These are some examples of questions you need to ask yourself at the beginning of the goal setting exercise. Now you need to provide answers to those questions.
Having provided answers to the questions, we will now talk on the next thing to do in the next edition of this daily motivation.
So, pick up your pen and paper right now and do that and then we can continue.
It is well.
The following amazing results were gotten:
30% had put their goals in writing
97% had not written them down or had none at all!
Twenty years later, these same people were interviewed and it was discovered that the 3% who had written goals had 10 times the incomes of the other 97% who had no written goals combined. There is no doubt about it. Goal setting works. May it interest you that no dream can become reality except it is written . A dream is merely a wish until it is converted to a goal.
Having said that, what is a goal? A goal is the documented ongoing pursuit of a worthy objective until accomplished. Goals keep you focused and helps in making your vision a reality. Success in life is impossible without you developing the discipline and habit of setting goals. You must also couple your goal-setting habit with putting in place machineries that will enhance the actualization of your goals.
Goal setting helps you to make a wise use of your time. We all know that footballers, for example will waste all of their time and effort if they decide to play without goal posts. A lot of people in life have been playing the game of life without goal posts, no wonder only a few who set goals have been scoring goals.
It is possible to change the course of your life in the coming months and get your dreams actualized if you act on what you are reading now.
In order to set realistic and worthwhile goals, you need to ask yourself the following questions;
What do I want in life?
What is my reason for living?
How well do I want to live my life?
How much money do I want to make?
How much am I ready to save and invest?
These are some examples of questions you need to ask yourself at the beginning of the goal setting exercise. Now you need to provide answers to those questions.
Having provided answers to the questions, we will now talk on the next thing to do in the next edition of this daily motivation.
So, pick up your pen and paper right now and do that and then we can continue.
It is well.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Almost Too Late
Twenty years ago, a young man that I will call Jack got to a cross road in his life. He knew that he was going to die after his severe asthmatic attack had greatly deteriorated.
Simply put, his lungs had completely seized just like a car engine when it finally runs out of oil.
The last thing remembered that night was the hospital floor rushing up to meet him, then total darkness. He was in a coma for fifteen days, during which time his weight had dropped considerably. When he finally awoke, he was unable to speak for another two weeks. That was good because for the first time in years, it gave him time to think and reflect on the course of his life.
Jack was able, at this point asked himself why at only twenty years of age, his life had almost evaporated. After a longtime of reflection, he came to this all-important conclusion: “I brought this on myself through years of bad choices. Jack there and then resolved that never again will he make such bad choices. He also resolved to live and make the most of his life just like a jewish proverb says “Act like people with good sense and not like fools.
Jack therefore decided to live wisely and not like a fool. He also decided to make every minute of his life count from that onward.
He gradually became stronger and was eventually released from the hospital. Soon after, Jack mapped out a positive game plan to improve the quality of his life.
First, he enrolled in a fitness programme. Three years later, he was teaching aerobics. The momentum was building up. Five years after that, he completed in the National Aerobics championship. Along the way, he decided to further his education- first completing his high school and then successfully working his way through university.
Next, he and a friend started their own manufacturing business, specializing in producing apparels for retail outlets. Starting with only four employees, the company as at the time of writing this story has grown into a multi-million dollar enterprise with sixty people and an international distribution network.
By deciding to make better choices, and create better habits, Jack turned his life around. With great determination, you too can turn your life around.
You can move from where you are today to that enviable height that you have always wanted to be. You can move zero today and become the hero tomorrow.
Thanks to the asthmatic attack that kept jack thinking about the course of his life. The best time to think is when you are down. It is possible that all your effort at succeeding over the years might not have yielded any results, you can start again and even do things better.
As I conclude today, I want to encourage to face the day with fresh motivation because I know that your life is about to take a new turn. Just like the object of our story, Jack, you too can start again on a better note and map out a positive game plan to improve the quality of your life.
--------------------------
Happy Val.
Simply put, his lungs had completely seized just like a car engine when it finally runs out of oil.
The last thing remembered that night was the hospital floor rushing up to meet him, then total darkness. He was in a coma for fifteen days, during which time his weight had dropped considerably. When he finally awoke, he was unable to speak for another two weeks. That was good because for the first time in years, it gave him time to think and reflect on the course of his life.
Jack was able, at this point asked himself why at only twenty years of age, his life had almost evaporated. After a longtime of reflection, he came to this all-important conclusion: “I brought this on myself through years of bad choices. Jack there and then resolved that never again will he make such bad choices. He also resolved to live and make the most of his life just like a jewish proverb says “Act like people with good sense and not like fools.
Jack therefore decided to live wisely and not like a fool. He also decided to make every minute of his life count from that onward.
He gradually became stronger and was eventually released from the hospital. Soon after, Jack mapped out a positive game plan to improve the quality of his life.
First, he enrolled in a fitness programme. Three years later, he was teaching aerobics. The momentum was building up. Five years after that, he completed in the National Aerobics championship. Along the way, he decided to further his education- first completing his high school and then successfully working his way through university.
Next, he and a friend started their own manufacturing business, specializing in producing apparels for retail outlets. Starting with only four employees, the company as at the time of writing this story has grown into a multi-million dollar enterprise with sixty people and an international distribution network.
By deciding to make better choices, and create better habits, Jack turned his life around. With great determination, you too can turn your life around.
You can move from where you are today to that enviable height that you have always wanted to be. You can move zero today and become the hero tomorrow.
Thanks to the asthmatic attack that kept jack thinking about the course of his life. The best time to think is when you are down. It is possible that all your effort at succeeding over the years might not have yielded any results, you can start again and even do things better.
As I conclude today, I want to encourage to face the day with fresh motivation because I know that your life is about to take a new turn. Just like the object of our story, Jack, you too can start again on a better note and map out a positive game plan to improve the quality of your life.
--------------------------
Happy Val.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Power of Courage - Part 3
Let’s continue on the power of courage.
----------------------------------------
Today’s message is to get you going
I know the storms of life has been roaring at your marriage for long, please know that his roaring is empty. He can not bite you. Take courage and move against the storm. You are more than a conqueror. You are an overcomer, you are above and not beneath, you are the head and not the tail.
I know you lost all that money. Take courage, there is a reason why you did not lose your life. You might even be down to nothing and even be down to nothing and you are contemplating suicide, don’t be a coward, only cowards die by committing suicide. You don’t have to kill yourself over a little incident. You can start all over again and succeed.
Note this, if you are down flat on your back, look up, the best position for up ward looking is when you are down on your back. Every position in life is conducive for progress. When you are down on your knees, you can pray. When you are face down, you can think.
Step out boldly to confront the opposition. Move against that opposition, whatever it is, your strong position will make you overcome. There is a provision for you today. Hey, don’t close that business.
You are so close to your breakthrough. Move on with your breakthrough. Move on with your life. Go ahead, contest the election again.
It is a new day for you.
I wish you greatness in life.
----------------------------------------
Today’s message is to get you going
I know the storms of life has been roaring at your marriage for long, please know that his roaring is empty. He can not bite you. Take courage and move against the storm. You are more than a conqueror. You are an overcomer, you are above and not beneath, you are the head and not the tail.
I know you lost all that money. Take courage, there is a reason why you did not lose your life. You might even be down to nothing and even be down to nothing and you are contemplating suicide, don’t be a coward, only cowards die by committing suicide. You don’t have to kill yourself over a little incident. You can start all over again and succeed.
Note this, if you are down flat on your back, look up, the best position for up ward looking is when you are down on your back. Every position in life is conducive for progress. When you are down on your knees, you can pray. When you are face down, you can think.
Step out boldly to confront the opposition. Move against that opposition, whatever it is, your strong position will make you overcome. There is a provision for you today. Hey, don’t close that business.
You are so close to your breakthrough. Move on with your breakthrough. Move on with your life. Go ahead, contest the election again.
It is a new day for you.
I wish you greatness in life.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
The power of courage – Part 2
Let’s continue from where we stopped yesterday;
I was talking about the power of courage, courage that will enhance the fulfillment of your destiny.
You need to be courageous and brave to live out your dream. Think about this – Just like the father who saved his son’s life, many destinies are hanging on your act of courage. There fore, be courageous. You will save more than your own life if you can brave the storms and step out in boldness against oppositions to claim your possessions.
You need courage in order to ignore the negative things around and step out in optimism.
It has been said that when the outlook is dark and the in-look is discouraging, just try the up-look. It is always encouraging. You need courage to dare the worst and reach out for the best. Courage is a force that comes from within.
If you are in business, you need courage to succeed. If you are a sportsperson, you need courage to win. Everyone needs courage. Faith and courage work hand in hand. Without courage, a man’s faith will not produce good reports. Without courage, a man’s vision and dreams will never be fulfilled. You need to arise today and dare that situation. When Thomas Edison’s desk was opened years after his death, a card was found among his papers that reads: “When you are down in the mouth of trouble, remember Jonah, he came out alright”
Another wise man once said “Don’t be discouraged. It may be the last key in the bunch that opens the door”
I know it might have been tough for you over the years. Don’t quit trying because trying time is not the time to quit trying.
I know you have invested so much money on that project and nothing seems forthcoming, press on, it is not the end. It is just a bend.
It is well with you this day.
Take courage with you everywhere you go and apply it to everything you do.
We will still continue with this topic tomorrow.
I was talking about the power of courage, courage that will enhance the fulfillment of your destiny.
You need to be courageous and brave to live out your dream. Think about this – Just like the father who saved his son’s life, many destinies are hanging on your act of courage. There fore, be courageous. You will save more than your own life if you can brave the storms and step out in boldness against oppositions to claim your possessions.
You need courage in order to ignore the negative things around and step out in optimism.
It has been said that when the outlook is dark and the in-look is discouraging, just try the up-look. It is always encouraging. You need courage to dare the worst and reach out for the best. Courage is a force that comes from within.
If you are in business, you need courage to succeed. If you are a sportsperson, you need courage to win. Everyone needs courage. Faith and courage work hand in hand. Without courage, a man’s faith will not produce good reports. Without courage, a man’s vision and dreams will never be fulfilled. You need to arise today and dare that situation. When Thomas Edison’s desk was opened years after his death, a card was found among his papers that reads: “When you are down in the mouth of trouble, remember Jonah, he came out alright”
Another wise man once said “Don’t be discouraged. It may be the last key in the bunch that opens the door”
I know it might have been tough for you over the years. Don’t quit trying because trying time is not the time to quit trying.
I know you have invested so much money on that project and nothing seems forthcoming, press on, it is not the end. It is just a bend.
It is well with you this day.
Take courage with you everywhere you go and apply it to everything you do.
We will still continue with this topic tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The power of courage
Here is today's fresh motivation message, enjoy it
-------------------------------------------------
An amazing thing happened some years ago when there was an earthquake that killed over 30,000 people in less than 4 minutes.
A most loving and courageous father in the midst of this, was able to save his sons and other kids through sheer courage.
When other people thought it was impossible to save anyone from the debris, he courageously stood his ground. When this loving father got to the school where he had walked his son in the morning, he was shocked to see everywhere in ruins.
There and then, he decided not to give up on his son. He remembered the level of confidence that his son had come to have in his ability to always be there for him. He even remembered that he told his son that fateful day that he would always be there for him.
This decision prompted him to dig for his son in the pile of debris. Having made up his mind not to give up until he found his son, he dug on. In the face of stiff oppositions from other parents who had also come to pick their children, he persevered.
Policemen and firemen who knew more than this loving father about such situations also encouraged him to give up digging for his son. With such determination and unbending courage he kept on digging, stone after stone for hours on end-8 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 36 hours – He kept on digging.
But then in the 38th hour, his courage and determination paid off. He heard his son’s voice shouting out to him, having enough confidence in his father to know that he would come to get him out.
In this confidence, the young boy had motivated 14 other kids not to give up because his father was coming to get them out and that he did. He braved the worst to save not only his son but 14 other kids.
This is a story of great courage. I want to encourage you today not to give up. It does not matter what the odds are against you, take courage and don’t give up.
Be bold and take hold of your destiny, it is in your own hands. Let me also assure you that even as doubts and discouragements constantly attack your mind with the aim of stealing your destiny, great courage is available for you.
As you go out this day, walk tall with your heads high.
We shall continue with this topic tomorrow.
-------------------------------------------------
An amazing thing happened some years ago when there was an earthquake that killed over 30,000 people in less than 4 minutes.
A most loving and courageous father in the midst of this, was able to save his sons and other kids through sheer courage.
When other people thought it was impossible to save anyone from the debris, he courageously stood his ground. When this loving father got to the school where he had walked his son in the morning, he was shocked to see everywhere in ruins.
There and then, he decided not to give up on his son. He remembered the level of confidence that his son had come to have in his ability to always be there for him. He even remembered that he told his son that fateful day that he would always be there for him.
This decision prompted him to dig for his son in the pile of debris. Having made up his mind not to give up until he found his son, he dug on. In the face of stiff oppositions from other parents who had also come to pick their children, he persevered.
Policemen and firemen who knew more than this loving father about such situations also encouraged him to give up digging for his son. With such determination and unbending courage he kept on digging, stone after stone for hours on end-8 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 36 hours – He kept on digging.
But then in the 38th hour, his courage and determination paid off. He heard his son’s voice shouting out to him, having enough confidence in his father to know that he would come to get him out.
In this confidence, the young boy had motivated 14 other kids not to give up because his father was coming to get them out and that he did. He braved the worst to save not only his son but 14 other kids.
This is a story of great courage. I want to encourage you today not to give up. It does not matter what the odds are against you, take courage and don’t give up.
Be bold and take hold of your destiny, it is in your own hands. Let me also assure you that even as doubts and discouragements constantly attack your mind with the aim of stealing your destiny, great courage is available for you.
As you go out this day, walk tall with your heads high.
We shall continue with this topic tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Don’t stand in your own way.
Here is the conversation between God and a young man
several years ago. God told the young man to build a
better world. “How can this be, God, knowing that the
world is such a vast place and so complicated.
I am so small where could I possibly start? God in his wisdom
replied: “start by building a better you because charity
begins at home”
Dear reader, please know that your biggest enemy is you.
Dwilight L. moody once said “I have never met a man who
has given me as much trouble as myself” the first and
greater victory is to conquer you.
I have discovered that very often, a change of self is needed
more than a change of situation. Please hear this; the only
person who can hold you back in life is you. You are the
only one who can stand in your way.
A wise man says that a man’s enemies are members of his
own household. People who want to shy away from their
responsibilities will always misinterpret that proverb.
That word of wisdom simply says that you are your own enemy.
If you can get yourself out of your own way, everything else will move.
The greatest battle in life are the ones we fight internally.
There are always two forces warring against each other inside you.
One says you can’t while the other says you can.
One says “it is impossible while the other says all things are possible.
Choose to go with that force within you that keeps saying you can.
Choose to obey that voice that keeps urging you to take a step of faith.
Dear readers, stop building a case against yourself.
A wise man once commented that you are simply a
reflection of your dominant thoughts.
Therefore, stop putting water in your own boat.
The greatest deceit in life is self-deceit. I know it is in
your heart to make the world a better place. Start by
making yourself the best you can possibly be. Reach as
far as you can possibly go. Live your life in such a way
that others are compelled to emulate you.
Together we can build a better world by building better selves.
Work on your character, your attitude and your relationships.
If you want to live in a better world, then , change YOU.
As you go out today, make sure you do not build a case
against yourself. Do not stand in your own way. Keep working
on yourself and see everything around you begin to respond
accordingly.
It is well with you.
several years ago. God told the young man to build a
better world. “How can this be, God, knowing that the
world is such a vast place and so complicated.
I am so small where could I possibly start? God in his wisdom
replied: “start by building a better you because charity
begins at home”
Dear reader, please know that your biggest enemy is you.
Dwilight L. moody once said “I have never met a man who
has given me as much trouble as myself” the first and
greater victory is to conquer you.
I have discovered that very often, a change of self is needed
more than a change of situation. Please hear this; the only
person who can hold you back in life is you. You are the
only one who can stand in your way.
A wise man says that a man’s enemies are members of his
own household. People who want to shy away from their
responsibilities will always misinterpret that proverb.
That word of wisdom simply says that you are your own enemy.
If you can get yourself out of your own way, everything else will move.
The greatest battle in life are the ones we fight internally.
There are always two forces warring against each other inside you.
One says you can’t while the other says you can.
One says “it is impossible while the other says all things are possible.
Choose to go with that force within you that keeps saying you can.
Choose to obey that voice that keeps urging you to take a step of faith.
Dear readers, stop building a case against yourself.
A wise man once commented that you are simply a
reflection of your dominant thoughts.
Therefore, stop putting water in your own boat.
The greatest deceit in life is self-deceit. I know it is in
your heart to make the world a better place. Start by
making yourself the best you can possibly be. Reach as
far as you can possibly go. Live your life in such a way
that others are compelled to emulate you.
Together we can build a better world by building better selves.
Work on your character, your attitude and your relationships.
If you want to live in a better world, then , change YOU.
As you go out today, make sure you do not build a case
against yourself. Do not stand in your own way. Keep working
on yourself and see everything around you begin to respond
accordingly.
It is well with you.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Never Say You Can’t - Part 2
Let’s continue;
Psychologists have even discovered that each time anyone says I can’t, his brain cells stop trying to find solutions. But every time you say I can, your brain automatically starts to find ways of solving the problem.
Everyman was designed with unlimited possibilities. There lies within each of us the potential and opportunity and opportunity for success. I will like you to decide today that you will make a success of your life no matter what.
Don’t say if things were different, I would do something. Go ahead and do something with them as they are. Face your life as it is now and succeed. Stop saying “I can’t” because I know you can. Never say again that it can be done, it can be done. It is time for you to see farther than where you are.
You have dwelt for too long on the same spot. Shake yourself up and go forward. Don’t even allow your current level of success to keep you bound, become creative and move on.
Do you know that it takes as much effort to lead a bad life as it does a good life? Still, millions lead aimless lives in their own prisons simply because they think they can’t do any better. Take this to heart. Winners find ways to make the work but losers find excuses why things won’t work. It is time for you to bury all the “I cant’s in your life”
If God says something. Consider it done. As a matter of fact, God won’t ask you to start what He has not already completed. That’s the way he operates.
You can overcome that problem, you can win in that situation, you can make that marriage work again, that business can succeed, don’t write off that child. He can succeed. Don’t write off your friend, he can succeed.
You can!
I say it again. You can!
It is a new day for you.
Psychologists have even discovered that each time anyone says I can’t, his brain cells stop trying to find solutions. But every time you say I can, your brain automatically starts to find ways of solving the problem.
Everyman was designed with unlimited possibilities. There lies within each of us the potential and opportunity and opportunity for success. I will like you to decide today that you will make a success of your life no matter what.
Don’t say if things were different, I would do something. Go ahead and do something with them as they are. Face your life as it is now and succeed. Stop saying “I can’t” because I know you can. Never say again that it can be done, it can be done. It is time for you to see farther than where you are.
You have dwelt for too long on the same spot. Shake yourself up and go forward. Don’t even allow your current level of success to keep you bound, become creative and move on.
Do you know that it takes as much effort to lead a bad life as it does a good life? Still, millions lead aimless lives in their own prisons simply because they think they can’t do any better. Take this to heart. Winners find ways to make the work but losers find excuses why things won’t work. It is time for you to bury all the “I cant’s in your life”
If God says something. Consider it done. As a matter of fact, God won’t ask you to start what He has not already completed. That’s the way he operates.
You can overcome that problem, you can win in that situation, you can make that marriage work again, that business can succeed, don’t write off that child. He can succeed. Don’t write off your friend, he can succeed.
You can!
I say it again. You can!
It is a new day for you.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Never Say You Can’t - Part 1
How many times have you told yourself that you can’t do one thing or the other? What good has that negative affirmation done to you?
None I’m sure. But there is a sure way to achieve your goals in life without the intrusion of negative thoughts? What is that sure way? Conduct a funeral service for your I can’ts.
I am sure you are wondering “What is this guy up to again? Read on and you will soon find out.
A teacher of a third grade school after having spent most years of her life teaching recently went through an empowerment training programme. She decided to do an exercise with her students so as to apply one of the principles she learnt at the training. She got to class one morning and asked her students to bring out a sheet of notebook papers each and write out a list of things they can not do with sentences starting with I can’t.
Soon everyone including the teachers started on this task. Sentences like the following were written; I can’t pass the examination, I can’t solve the mathematical problem, I can’t have straight ‘As’, I can’t do long division with more than 3 numerals and on and on they went. Everyone kept writing like this for a while. After everyone had filled their sheets, they were asked by the teacher to drop them in a box with the teacher’s list too.
Someone was sent to get shovels as they left the classroom. Everyone gathered in the school’s playground and started digging a grave,
Everyone took turns at digging and after they were satisfied with the depth of the grave, they dumped the box of I can’ts list in there and covered it back with the earth they had dug in a procession just like they do in funerals.
Then the teacher asked the students to join their hands together and bow their heads as they formed a circle around the grave.
The students compiled and afterwards, the teacher delivered the eulogy as follows: “friends we gather today to honour the memory of I can’t. While he was with us on earth, he touched the lives of everyone, some more than others. His name unfortunately, has been spoken in every public building, schools, city halls, states and even by presidents. We have provided I can’t with a final resting place and a headstone that contains his epitaph. He is survived by his brothers and sisters I can, I will, I must, and I am going to right away. They are not as well known as their famous relative and are certainly not as strong and powerful yet.”
“Perhaps someday, with your help i.e. by saying and using them often, they will make an even bigger mark on the world. May “I can not” rest in peace and may everyone present pick up their lives an move forward in his absence. Amen”
After this eulogy, the teacher took the students back into the classroom to celebrate the passing away of I can’t with cookies, popcorn and fruit juices. Afterwards, the teacher cut up a paper headstone with ‘I cant’ at the top and RIP in the middle. The date was added at the bottom. They all followed this through with action on their part.
Any student who forgot himself/herself and said the word I can’t was reminded of his death. This practical step, even if not followed religiously, can be applied to your own life.
I think you also need to celebrate the passing away of every “I can’t” in your life. Dig a grave today and bury every I can’t in there. This way you will be able to experience endless possibilities.
To be continued tommorrow.
---------------------------------------------------------
None I’m sure. But there is a sure way to achieve your goals in life without the intrusion of negative thoughts? What is that sure way? Conduct a funeral service for your I can’ts.
I am sure you are wondering “What is this guy up to again? Read on and you will soon find out.
A teacher of a third grade school after having spent most years of her life teaching recently went through an empowerment training programme. She decided to do an exercise with her students so as to apply one of the principles she learnt at the training. She got to class one morning and asked her students to bring out a sheet of notebook papers each and write out a list of things they can not do with sentences starting with I can’t.
Soon everyone including the teachers started on this task. Sentences like the following were written; I can’t pass the examination, I can’t solve the mathematical problem, I can’t have straight ‘As’, I can’t do long division with more than 3 numerals and on and on they went. Everyone kept writing like this for a while. After everyone had filled their sheets, they were asked by the teacher to drop them in a box with the teacher’s list too.
Someone was sent to get shovels as they left the classroom. Everyone gathered in the school’s playground and started digging a grave,
Everyone took turns at digging and after they were satisfied with the depth of the grave, they dumped the box of I can’ts list in there and covered it back with the earth they had dug in a procession just like they do in funerals.
Then the teacher asked the students to join their hands together and bow their heads as they formed a circle around the grave.
The students compiled and afterwards, the teacher delivered the eulogy as follows: “friends we gather today to honour the memory of I can’t. While he was with us on earth, he touched the lives of everyone, some more than others. His name unfortunately, has been spoken in every public building, schools, city halls, states and even by presidents. We have provided I can’t with a final resting place and a headstone that contains his epitaph. He is survived by his brothers and sisters I can, I will, I must, and I am going to right away. They are not as well known as their famous relative and are certainly not as strong and powerful yet.”
“Perhaps someday, with your help i.e. by saying and using them often, they will make an even bigger mark on the world. May “I can not” rest in peace and may everyone present pick up their lives an move forward in his absence. Amen”
After this eulogy, the teacher took the students back into the classroom to celebrate the passing away of I can’t with cookies, popcorn and fruit juices. Afterwards, the teacher cut up a paper headstone with ‘I cant’ at the top and RIP in the middle. The date was added at the bottom. They all followed this through with action on their part.
Any student who forgot himself/herself and said the word I can’t was reminded of his death. This practical step, even if not followed religiously, can be applied to your own life.
I think you also need to celebrate the passing away of every “I can’t” in your life. Dig a grave today and bury every I can’t in there. This way you will be able to experience endless possibilities.
To be continued tommorrow.
---------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, February 5, 2009
There are treasures in those difficulties.
In ancient times, a king had a big rock placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the kingdom’s wealthiest merchants and chiefs came by and simply walked around it.
Many of them loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear but none did anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then a poor farmer came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the huge rock, the farmer laid down his load of vegetables and tried to move the stone to the side of the road.
After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the farmer picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the roadway where the huge rock 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 rock from the roadway.
The poor farmer learned what many others never understood. This is it that every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition and that there are always treasures in difficulties.
Dear listener, you must wake up today and solve those problems.
We must never see problems as intruders into our lives but we must welcome them as friends and work with them.
Brace up today and do something about what you are going through. You can’t just sit down and expect things to change without you doing something for example, a man who had spent his life devoted to supporting his family was told he had only a few weeks to live.
He feared his family would soon be in trouble without his financial assistance. Then he prayed “Please God let me win the lottery to help my family”
Day after day, he prayed but nothing came out of it. Finally he was near death. “Why, God did you not help me? There was silence for a while. Then great voice from above replied “To win the lottery, you must first buy the ticket. May be that looks like you.
You’ve prayed and prayed for God to remove the obstacles and nothing has happened. Wait a minute, God wants to move the obstacle but he wants to do it with and through you. Do something about that problem. Take a step of faith today.
Write the application letter for that job. Send in the quotation for the business contract.
Give God something to work with.
It is a new day for you.
Many of them loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear but none did anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then a poor farmer came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the huge rock, the farmer laid down his load of vegetables and tried to move the stone to the side of the road.
After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the farmer picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the roadway where the huge rock 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 rock from the roadway.
The poor farmer learned what many others never understood. This is it that every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition and that there are always treasures in difficulties.
Dear listener, you must wake up today and solve those problems.
We must never see problems as intruders into our lives but we must welcome them as friends and work with them.
Brace up today and do something about what you are going through. You can’t just sit down and expect things to change without you doing something for example, a man who had spent his life devoted to supporting his family was told he had only a few weeks to live.
He feared his family would soon be in trouble without his financial assistance. Then he prayed “Please God let me win the lottery to help my family”
Day after day, he prayed but nothing came out of it. Finally he was near death. “Why, God did you not help me? There was silence for a while. Then great voice from above replied “To win the lottery, you must first buy the ticket. May be that looks like you.
You’ve prayed and prayed for God to remove the obstacles and nothing has happened. Wait a minute, God wants to move the obstacle but he wants to do it with and through you. Do something about that problem. Take a step of faith today.
Write the application letter for that job. Send in the quotation for the business contract.
Give God something to work with.
It is a new day for you.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Are You Afraid Of Failure?
I have observed with keen interest how most people tremble at the sound of the seven-letter word called FAILURE.
Failure as a word seems to torment people so much that its sound spells disaster to many. And because of the above, some fear failure and see it as their enemy therefore they avoid it as much as possible and do everything strategically possible not to ever come in contact with failure.
Some misunderstand failure. They see failure as an event. They see it as final while some other see it as a stigma. That is to say that they think once they fail, it marks them permanently.
May I let you know that failure is not a permanent marker. It doesn’t stick with you forever.
You might have failed at attempting certain things but then when success or victory comes, your past failures will be totally forgotten that reminds me of a story I read years back. It was an incident that took place in Lebanon, a desert country.
There was a great drought and getting water to drink and take care of their animals became a Herculean task but a young man named Musa dared all odds and decided to provide water for his people.
The only option he had was to dig dip into the earth to find water. Musa assembled a group of like minded young people and they began to dig. This adventure continued for over six months and yet this group of determined young men still had not found water.
They were ridiculed, called all sorts of names and the elders told them they were practicing juvenile madness. They were undaunted and they continued with the adventure.
And the faithfully day came after bought eight months of rigorous digging that water began to gush out.
Guess what happened? Everyone who had called Musa and his all sorts of names began to cheer them. One elder in particular who spear headed their criticism remarked “Musa, I know you would succeed the way you were going and I had always believed you are a young man capable of making great things happen”
You see, it doesn’t matter how many times you have failed in life, failure can not permanently mark you except you allow it.
Stop running from failure. Is it not better for you to make all the mistakes you have to right now so that you can become better?
As I close today, I want you to know that failure is not too bad if you don’t allow it to attack your heart and success too is great if you don’t allow it to attack your head.
Go out today and give that project another trial.
Don’t ever give up.
Failure as a word seems to torment people so much that its sound spells disaster to many. And because of the above, some fear failure and see it as their enemy therefore they avoid it as much as possible and do everything strategically possible not to ever come in contact with failure.
Some misunderstand failure. They see failure as an event. They see it as final while some other see it as a stigma. That is to say that they think once they fail, it marks them permanently.
May I let you know that failure is not a permanent marker. It doesn’t stick with you forever.
You might have failed at attempting certain things but then when success or victory comes, your past failures will be totally forgotten that reminds me of a story I read years back. It was an incident that took place in Lebanon, a desert country.
There was a great drought and getting water to drink and take care of their animals became a Herculean task but a young man named Musa dared all odds and decided to provide water for his people.
The only option he had was to dig dip into the earth to find water. Musa assembled a group of like minded young people and they began to dig. This adventure continued for over six months and yet this group of determined young men still had not found water.
They were ridiculed, called all sorts of names and the elders told them they were practicing juvenile madness. They were undaunted and they continued with the adventure.
And the faithfully day came after bought eight months of rigorous digging that water began to gush out.
Guess what happened? Everyone who had called Musa and his all sorts of names began to cheer them. One elder in particular who spear headed their criticism remarked “Musa, I know you would succeed the way you were going and I had always believed you are a young man capable of making great things happen”
You see, it doesn’t matter how many times you have failed in life, failure can not permanently mark you except you allow it.
Stop running from failure. Is it not better for you to make all the mistakes you have to right now so that you can become better?
As I close today, I want you to know that failure is not too bad if you don’t allow it to attack your heart and success too is great if you don’t allow it to attack your head.
Go out today and give that project another trial.
Don’t ever give up.
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