The Importance Of People In Your Journey To Success.

“All of us, at certain moments of our lives, need to take advice and to receive help from other people” – Alexix Carrel

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. People always do that, but the really great make you feel that you too, can become great.” – Mark Twain

“A tree cannot make a forest” – Yoruba Proverb, Western Nigeria
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Human beings are social animals and the essence of our living is premised on purposeful and quality interaction with one another vis-à-vis the environment we live in. No human being can exist in isolation, no matter how talented you might be. It doesn’t matter your ingenuity, you need other people to express your talent and achieve your life purpose. Any attempt to go solo usually result in frustration and failure is inevitable which might even lead to confinement in a psychiatric home!

Our association with others determines who we are; where we are; and what we have. We can’t rise above the collective thinking and belief of our associations.

Consequently, your achievement or success this year 2007 would be determined by the kind of people you hang out with. What do they do? What do they belief in? What do they confess with their mouths? Are they negative or positive thinkers? Is their belief ingrained in impossibilities? Are they a bunch of mediocre? Are they inconsistently consistent in their thinking and actions? Who are their friends? What goals do they set for themselves? Do they belief in their own abilities? What are their philosophies of life? what do they wear? And so on.

Brian Tracy once said that: "you cannot scratch with turkey and fly with eagles"; you cannot relate with mediocre, uninspired and unfocused people and expect yourself to be different from them. It is either you associate with people that can lift you up or you go out with those that would drag you into mud.

Consequently, as you take the bold step toward success this year 2007 you must be very selective of the people you are going to associate with. You should hang out only with those people that share similar ideals, belief and opinions with you. Any friendship or association that cannot take you to your Cannan land must be done away with. You must, as a matter of fact, evaluate your present crops of friends or associates. What have they contributed to your life in the previous years? Are you progressing or retrogressing as a result of your association with them? What opportunity has your association with them brought your way? Do they motivate or demotivate you? How many of your dreams do they belief in? what has been their contributions in achieveing any of your dreams? If you answer to all these questions is negative then let go of such friends. You don’t need them!

Since you are spending some time out with your friends and associates, then it is expedient that you, from time to time, audit your friends and associates to determine the continuity or otherwise of your friendship or association with them. This is very important because the time you spend with them is taken out of your life and cannot be recouped, it is therefore absolutely necessary that you to spend it meaningfully and wisely; it must be with the right people.

True friendship and association is one that is based on win/win. It is a kind of friendship or association where everyone benefits. People assist one another to move ahead in life and business. It is this kind of association that form the basis of the master mind group that Napoleon Hill mentioned in Think And Grow Rich as one of those things that would ensure your success in any endeavour you found yourself.

It, therefore, follows that you must avoid any association that is based on win/lose and or lose/lose situation. Such is a parasitic friendship and it is a plague that you must be far away from; run as far as you legs could carry you!

Finally, the kind of people that would be attracted into your life will be determined by your attitude, dominant thoughts and your way of interaction.
Like attracts likes; if you are ambitious, goals-oriented, purposeful, possibility and positive thinker etc, then you are bound to attract people of similar qualities into your life. The bottom line is that you must work on yourself to become the person you want to see in others.

How To Turn Problems And Failure To Your Springboard For Success!

“To succeed you’ve to be open to problems. You’ve to be open to failure. And as you go up the ladder, you gain the right to get more problems” --- Dave Anderson

“Problems create situations in which we can grow. The very things we want to avoid in life are the things that shape us into the persons we should be”

“Yesterday’s problems beget today’s comforts and inventions” --- Taye Adamo

Many of us have come to regard problems and failures as plagues that are to be avoided at all cost. They are simply undesirable and we tend to shy away from our problems rather than confronting them or embracing them. Some even held the belief that problems and failures are bestowed on them by their real and imagined enemies or some unseen (spiritual) forces.

While such belief might be true in certain regions (especially in some part of Africa – even though a white man might call it mere superstition- we know there are unseen forces which could be evil or good), often times, it is wrongly held belief. No wonder many are poor.

We cannot be separated from failures and problems if we must succeed and excel in whatever we do. They provide litmus tests for our intellectual capability and creativity as higher mammals and if we fail to exercise it for whatever reason then we won’t be different from animals or other lower mammals!

Problems and failures are meant to challenge our thoughts about the undesirable situations we are in to the point we are able to create a desirable one. It is inside out. And unless we confront it, we won’t be able to turn it inside out. Failure, they say, is success inside out.

Yesterday’s Problems Produced Today’s Comforts And Inventions

My maternal grandfather used to narrate a story of how they had to travel long distance in those darkest days of pre-civilization. Journeys of about 1000 km usually took those days to accomplish and they must travel in groups. It was a major problem then that got certain people thinking as the generations of human beings pass by. Then somebody stumbled on the situation through his incessant thought of devising a solution to the problem and automobiles came into being. Short after another problem of saving time by travelling faster arose and aeroplanes were invented as a result.
Now do you think there would have been these inventions if the initial problems were not confronted and turned around to bring about a desired situation?

Similarly the problem of high rate of mortality recorded in the early century of human history led to unimaginable discovery of improved medical facilities and practice.

In essence, wise men have been producing one invention or the other to alleviate problems in their lives and the society which accounted for the level of civilization and technological advancement in the world today and the world is done yet.

You Must Confront Your Problems.

I strongly belief that as you are reading this article now, you have one or two problems going on in your life or business, and so are many of us.

But while it might seem to you that others have no problems as you do is because you have not learnt, as they do, to confront your problems and turn them to spring boards for your success.

Do you have cash flow problem? Then what are you doing about? Folding your arms, I suppose? You are probably hoping manna would fall from heaven. No more manna from heaven, it only happened during the biblical days and not ever since. Hence you must wake up from your slumber and confront your problems.

You Must Have The Right Perspective About The Problem.

You must know the problem inside out and it is only when you are able to diagnose the problem you won’t be able to know what solution to come up with.

I normally tell people that you cannot confront physical problems with spiritual solutions. For instance somebody that was involved in an accident and had his leg chopped off and resorted to prayers that the leg be replaced!

Or a student who refused so burn the mid-night oil but rather keep on praying that he/she pass his/her exams would definitely fail.

The problem of low-paid salaried job might get you thinking in the right direction of starting your own problem or generate ideas to solve other people’s problems and charged them for consulting fees. It might even lead you to find a part business that you could engage in to generate additional income. And in the long run the cash flow problem would vanish.

In other to turn the problem to spring board for your success, your level of thinking in terns of problem perception and analysis as well as solution generation must be higher than the level of your thought or action that created the problem in the first place.

You must gather all information you could, from whatever source you could think of, and also seek the assistance of those that had experience relating to such problem or failure.

Finally, tap into your intuition and follow your guts. Sit down quietly and meditate over the problem with a singular intention of finding lasting and best solution to the problem.

The Way You Perceive The Problem Counts.

The way you see the problem in your mind eye would determine your ability to come up with solution. You might belief you have the power or innate ability to solve the problem. You could otherwise held the belief that the problem is beyond you, that you could never came up with any solution. In either case, you are very much correct. As you think in your heart, so you are.

Two individuals looking at the same problem would definitely perceive it differently and each would be right in his/her own and would react to the problem according to the nature and level of his/her perception.

The Right Perception Is Not Enough!

You might have the right perception of the problem or situation and you might even analyse it accurately but until you act or do something about the situation, nothing happens and the problem won’t just go away. Your thought won’t solve the problem, your actions would do.

In conclusion, you should never allow the fear of unknown or the uncertainties of the outcome of the solution you have in mind to forestall your taking action on your intention toward solving the problem.

That problem you are passing through now is just a shield to your success, GET UP, GRAB IT AND REMOVE IT NOW!

Beware of These Goal Killers If You Must Succeed This Year!

I am sure by now you already have your year 2007 goals well set and your actions towards achieving them have been adequately planned out. In other words, you must have put in place all necessary structures and strategies to ensure you succeed and attain your goals this year. Right? Fine.

But Don’t Be…

Ignorance of the devices of the trio of Fear, Inaction and Procrastination, because you are not up against their mere existence but against their destructive and deadly powers that could render your dreams stillborn and goals unrealised. They possess the subtle effects of stifling your success.

Fear, Inaction and Procrastination have been the major causes of failure in many lives and business.

In this article, I will be discussing how they could affect your plans to attain your goals this year and I will also provide you with antidotes to counter their vision killing and dream shattering effects.

1. Inaction.

How many times have you made up your mind to do something without eventually getting round to do it? How often have you postponed starting your own (part time) business but never pull yourself together to begin? What about the training or academic pursuits you promised yourself about two years ago but never got started even up till now? And on and on like that. The list could be limitless.

There is definitely a gap between where you are now and where you want to be in a month’s time, a year, five years and so on.

For instance, if you are overweight and you want to become slimmer and elegant. Then shedding or losing weight represents the gap between your being overweight and slim and elegant.

In essence, you are at point A- overweight and point B- slim and elegant, is your destination. Point B stands for the attainment of your success and the achievement/realisation of your goals and vision.

However, like many people, you will discover to your utmost dismay that you never leave point A? Why? Inaction.

...Nothing Moves Until You move.

If you don’t take actions that would move you from point A to point B, then it evident you will definitely not be there. Period!

The following are the causes of why often times, you fail to act:
· Laziness – you simply don’t want to do anything or take action
· Incompetence – you lack the skills and experience to take off or act,
· Confusion – you just don’t know what to do which could be as a result of inadequate information or information overload on what you must do to reach your goals.
· Lack of Motivation In order to get out of inaction cobweb, and set you on the path to act your plans and achieve your goals this year.

You must generate a clear mental picture of your destination (your point B) on a daily basis. Visualize the benefits that would accrue to you when you get there and begin to comport and conduct yourself in manners that are congruent and consistent with that mental picture of what you want to have at your destination.

Initially, this approach might seem absurd, impracticable and probably stupid but never mind and don’t give. If you don’t give it would come to a point that your subconscious mind would get the message and spur you to begin to act on your plans.

2. Fear

“The most danger we face is the danger of being paralysed by doubts and FEARS …” – Anonymous

Some people are not lazy, incompetent, confused and neither are they not motivated but still they never leave their point A in life and business. And this could be attributed to one thing in their lives: FEAR.

As Dr. J. Allan has rightly said and I quote:
“Everyone at one time or another has felt like a complete failure. Many have allowed the fear of failure to destroy them. Actually fear is more destructive than failure in any area of life. Fear of failure can defeat you before you get started.”

Fear of failure, rejection and criticism are holding many people back on what they could do to achieve the dreams of their lives.

Many times I have people saying:
“I can’t start my own business because it might not work out…so and so did it and failed”
“I don’t want to enrol for any degree or professional exams now because I don’t have the time to study and pass”

…and so on

When you begin to worry yourself about what others (people) would say about your decision, action or inaction then you are beginning to lose grip on your own life. You are simply giving the control of your life to such people.

Fear of success is another crippling force in the life of many that could have been celebrated as success today. They are some people that are afraid of getting to their point B because they can’t imagine themselves coping with the demands of success up there!

Ask many people out there what they would if they come into one million Dollar/Naira/Pound Sterling today and you would be confronted with many bewildered and confused faces!

Similarly, the inability to cope/accept the fame and publicity that accompany success in certain fields of endeavour such as the entertainment industry has been the sole reason many would have been world-acclaimed artist, writer, singer etc are languishing in obscurity.

…then how do you conquer this enemy?

In the first instance, simply walk through your fear, confront that which you are afraid to do headlong. Do exactly that which you are afraid of doing. Once you have made up your mind on what to do, don’t sit back and begin to figure out whether it would work or not or how many people have done it and fail. Such line of thought would only ensure you never got started.

Simply take the courage and do something in the direction you want to go. Courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to go ahead in spite of the fear. Even if you do something for the first and experience a kind of setback (note: I didn’t say Fail, because your choice of words too matter a lot and it could spur or stifle your efforts to begin again), don’t give up. Remember, failure is success inside out and at the point you are experiencing one set back or the other, you are definitely better than those that are afraid to begin.

…But Don’t Be Insane!

Because insanity is doing things the same way over and over again and still expect to get different results. Commit to learn from your mistakes and set backs and use them to spring ahead.

In the second instance, simply break, whenever you are visualizing, your goals into manageable chunks of success or achievement that would not intimidate you. And concentrate on attain one manageable piece at a time until you have achieved and comfortable with your new level of such achievement or success.

For instance, if the mere thought of having a millionaire dollar/naira/pound sterling scares you now. Then try and envisage yourself having and actually spending five hundred thousand dollar/naira/pound sterling until you are comfortably in such position and by then you can up the scale to probably seven fifty or a million depending on how comfortable you are now to manage the impending success/achievement based on your previous experience.

Similarly, aim first to become a local champion in your community, after that move to be one in your state, country and the world in general..

3. Procrastination

“Procrastination is a thief of time and killer of destiny” – Taye Adamo

When you put off every time what you are supposed to do or you are in the habit of postponing things that requires your immediate attention or action. Then you are courting failure and stillborn of your dreams.

By postponement, you are chipping away your fixed asset, which is time. And don’t you ever think you are only wasting away the time it would have taken you to achieve your goals and dreams. It goes beyond that. Because in actual fact it is the time you could have spent to enjoy the success or achievement that you have wasted or chipped away.

If you don’t take action, you don’t succeed or achieve and if you don’t succeed you won’t enjoy.

The best you could do to stop procrastinating is to divide your tasks and activities into bits that could get done at a time and resolve to do them when they should be done.

Success Kit For Year 2007!

Thank God you survived year 2006. It is worth celebrating but then here lies before you year 2007 with its yet to be tapped potentials, opportunities, comforts, and what have you. The question is how do you equip yourself and be well positioned to ensure that you are part of year 2007 success story? To help you achieve this, I have put together a success kit that would see you through year 2007 and place you among the winners in this Year.
If you really follow the simple steps am going to analyze here to the letter then you will really be successful this year but if you allow their simplicity to fool you and you ignore them or follow them half-heartedly, then your guess is as good as mine!

Gratitude
The first place to take off is to examine year 2006 and review your achievements and activities and you will definitely found one or two things to be grateful for. Probably you want to say you have nothing to be grateful for. What about your life? Life is a gift and for this you must show gratitude. Whatever you might have in mind to achieve in year 2007 would only be possible when you still have that gift of life. You have it this very moment, you ought to be grateful.
When you show gratitude for what you already have, it connects you with greater things and brings them your way. Your mind would be free of any clog and you will be in a receptive state of mind for creativity and breakthrough ideas that would bring success your way.
But most importantly is the fact that it is spiritual, it connects you with higher power and makes your journey to success hitch-free. This fact has nothing to do with your religious inclination, showing gratitude in life for things you have, no matter how small, brings you at peace with the higher power.
The point I am explaining here could be likened to a situation where you did something for somebody and s/he came back to thank you, showing gratitude for that little hand of kindness you extended to him/her. Won’t you be encouraged to be more compassionate on such person next time? I bet you will!

Planning

“Failure to plan is planning to fail”

After gratitude, the next thing you must do to achieve success in year 2007 is to set goals in four critical areas of your life; Spiritual –for inner peace, Social – your relationship and association with the right people as well as your family will ensure success in your life and business, Financial empowerment-your career and business that would bring you comforts of life and peace of mind and Physical/Mental Fitness-. The exercise of your body will keep you fit and ensure you are around to enjoy your success while the exercise of your mind through reading and studying would keep you at the top, far above your peers and among the winners.

You will need to pick your pen and notebook and go to a quiet place where you will not be disturbed or you could wake up in the middle of the night, as I usually do, when everybody is sleeping and go to your computer and open up the word processor. Open a page or document for each of these four critical areas in your life and write down or type all you want to achieve with each of them in the next twelve months. You should further break them down to weekly and consequently daily goals. Then draw up a daily do to list that would detail series of activities you must do that would bring you closer on daily basis to achieving your set goals.

Every goal you set here must be big enough to motivate you and not too big to de-motivate you. When you set unrealistic goals you will be de-motivated hence, you must strike a balance between these two ends. Rome, they say, was not built in a day. The goals must be set in achievable segments. For instance, if your present monthly income is N40,000:00; it would be unrealistic to set a goal of N500,000:00 monthly when you have no intention of robbing a bank. The most realistic thing to do, in this circumstances, is to set a goal of say N80,000:00 or N100,000:00 and you then look for a job that would fetch you this monthly income or you morally and legally expand your sources of income. You would begin to engage in business that would fetch you monthly income within the set range.

Probably you are overweight. It would be unrealistic to set a goal of losing about fifty pounds a week. You can begin with losing ten or lesser pounds and when you achieve this, you can then begin to raise the level up each time you reach previously set one until you finally reach your target of fifty pounds or N500,000:00 as in the case of the income goal set above.

Another instance is where you have the goal to set up your own business and you really have little or no money as capital and you went ahead and resign from your job. This is pure foolishness. The frustration you will face will make such goal or dream very unrealistic.
You could however, start your business on part time while you still keep your job for sustenance and balancing. By doing this you won’t have to dip hands into your capital, especially in your business formative years. Such business is even easier these days on the internet where you can start a business on a shoestring budget. Then the moment you are beginning to make profits or income in excess of your monthly salary, you can then conveniently kiss your job goodbye and sack your boss!

Your plan must state clearly how you intend to achieve your set goals in the four critical areas of your life. It must contain your action plan, it must state in clear terms what exactly you want to achieve. More so, you must state how long it would take you to achieve your goals. How would you know when you have arrived at your goal? With some goals such as the income target set above, the moment you have the N500,000:00 naira in your account you will know you have achieved your set goal in that respect. Similarly, when you lose the exact weight you set for yourself you will know.

Take Immediate Action
This is where most people are missing it; it is the dividing line between winners and wannabes! Many people set laudable goals backed them up with adequate plans but sadly enough, they never went beyond this point. They allow the power of inertia to prevent them from attaining their goals and they are consequently been denied of any success.

Once you have drawn up your to do list and the daily activities you have to engage yourself in. Take action immediately, don’t wait for any perfect situation or condition before you could act. Then as you beginning acting on your plans and moving towards your goals, you will have to constantly reviewing your goals on daily basis and adjust your plans as the situation demands. You must be flexible if you really want to reach your destination.

Be Determined
And getting to your destination won’t be on a roller coaster, the earlier you realize that the better. There are lots of challenges and obstacles on the way and it is only your determination to succeed as well as your perseverance that will see you through. You must constantly see the destination in your mind eye and ensure that you never give up at instance of any difficulty or problem. If it has been all that easy everyone would have been successful. Always remember that winners never quit and quitters never win.
There might be a time it would be as if you have reached a dead end in the pursuits of your goals and the first thing you want to do is to give up and abandon your goals. This is not un-usual but you should never succumb to the temptation to give up.
All you have to do is to stop and evaluate all your activities so far, adjust your plans accordingly and re-energize and set off on your journey once again. One more thing, don’t allow much time between the evaluation period and your taking off again.

You Must Be Patient
You should never be in a hurry to get results, you must exercise patient and remain focused on your goal. Most people are so much in a hurry that they want to walk before they crawl. Once they are working on an idea they never exercise enough patience before they abandon it and go to try something else. It takes time and hard work to achieve true success. It doesn’t come easy.

Take for instance, you probably set up an online business and you expect to make lots of money in the first month. You are really setting up yourself for great disappoint because it is very unrealistic. You will need time to build up the traffic that will generate revenue for you and if you are not patient, you will be jumping from one business/scheme to another and you will finally become easy prey for all the scam-related businesses on the net.

Celebrate

You must take time off to celebrate as you continue to move toward the realization of those goals that you have set for yourself. Take a break, relax and give yourself a treat once in a while. It is a means to revitalize your energy. Every little or major achievement on your way should be celebrated. And this would get you set and prepared to continue with the rest of the journey in full force and new vigor.