Success Now: Take the Initiative

They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself. – Andy Warhol (Philosopher)

In the most popular, I think, story Jesus told to illustrate life issues, he spoke of a king who distributed gifts of money to three of his most trusted servants. The first and second invested their monies and acquired profits. The third, which was given least, hid the money and returned it without profit. While the first two were praised and given more the third was rebuked and punished.

One interesting thing to note in that story is that though the monies were given to them, they were not told what to do with them. The king did not hint exactly in what areas they were to multiply what was given. No bar was set to determine a standard for success. They were left on their own to take initiative and multiply what they had. It is of this I write.

To succeed in life you must develop the habit of taking initiative. Resist the temptation of waiting for instructions from someone else before you take all actions. Do not be afraid of taking the blame of trying and failing. Rather dread the failure that comes to a cause due to your inaction – irrespective of if others see you as the cause of failure or not.

All leaders take initiative. They think for themselves, identify what need be done in a situation and take the necessary action. It is this attitude of taking initiative that stand them out of the crowd of mediocre folks and anoint them leaders.

To develop the attitude of taking initiative you must develop a healthy self-esteem. If you think you can’t, you probably can’t. If you think that the solution of a problem cannot come from you, you will fold your hands and watch. If instead you think that you have the capacity to solve a problem you will rise up to the occasion.

Also, you must see yourself as responsible. When there is a task at hand, have an attitude that says, it is not somebody’s responsibility, it is my responsibility. The work at hand must be done even if it means you add it to yours. When responsibilities are assigned to people it should be to enhance effectiveness. When we insist on keeping strictly to segments, not considering if one part of the work is pulling the whole lot down, we are not taking initiative.

Knowing Where You Are Headed

We are all in journeys. It does not matter if you know it or not, or whether you accept it or not. What matters is that you are headed somewhere. The question then is, "Where are you headed?" 

Not many folks, though I reckon it simple, can answer that question. I say it is simple to answer because all you really need to check is your actions. The decisions you make and the things you do are a precise prophecy of where you are headed. The student that invests his or her most productive hours gaming rather than studying is prophesying failure already.

Nonetheless, it is not ideal to identify your destination only from your actions. I advice that you define your destination even before you turn-on the ignition. 

In normal circumstances, before anyone sets out on any journey they have an idea of where they are headed. As it is with journeys so should it be with our success. What exactly are you trying to achieve? Where exactly do you want to get to? Would you recognise it when you arrive there? Clearly define what your dream is. Many have vague dreams. You do not get anywhere with vagueness and ambiguity. You must be able to state categorically what you desire to achieve.

Set dream-fulfilling goals. Set goals that take you steps closer to living your dreams. Ensure that every goal you set and pursue is important to the final destination.

Take a step daily. Make sure you do something daily that takes you closer to your dream. It does not matter the size of what you do. What matters is that you do it. Because of my dream to be a best selling author, I post an article I my blog daily. It is very difficult for me and seems small compared to my dream but it is a step toward it.

No matter the storms and difficulties that come your way, never, never, never give up!

How to Love What You Do

Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might… - Solomon (King of Israel)   

It is popularly proclaimed that you must do what you love if you are to do it well. While that is certainly true, I would like to bring to your attention the flip side of this, namely, you must love what you do if you are to have a chance of succeeding in it. Steve Jobs once said, "Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do a great work is to love what you do."

                For many of us our jobs are not necessarily that “thing” that does it for us. We dreamed we will be somewhere else doing something else other than what we are. Because of this we do not see anything but stress and frustration in carrying out our duties.

                If this is your state some change in paradigm may help. First, realize that your success journey is a JOURNEY. That word means that you are in a process and you are not yet there. Every step you take edges you closer to your destination. It is important that you handle your present job with respect and commitment so that it pushes you further in your journey.

                Also, you should believe that every phase in life is like a strand of thread in a large tapestry. Your success is by far bigger than any of your phases, and that includes the present, but it is each phase that builds up the end game just the way each seemingly insignificant thread is very important to the beautiful tapestry.

                Understand that ultimately the dots will connect. If you are like me you would have wondered why the dots in your life seem to stand chaotically. Do not let it get to you because you will eventually be able to connect the dots. No knowledge gotten in our success journey is a waste. If that is true then every experience at the moment is important for your progress.

                So, your attitude should be that of complete commitment to the thing you are presently involved in. pour your heart and energy into it. Do it with all your might, all your mind, all your knowledge, indeed all of you!

Developing Great Habits

                  Habits are cobwebs at first, cables at last. – Chinese Proverb

  Bukassa, Samora, Toby, Chyna, are some of the dogs we grew up with. A visit to our house was surely a visit to the family with a dog.

  Of all the dogs we had there was George which I fondly remember because of his rather strange habit of jumping over fences.

  It started when George struggled a little but eventually began jumping over our four-foot-tall fence. Soon it was second nature to him. We didn’t like it and wanted to stop him so we increased the height of the fence another three and a half feet. Within a few days George was high over it! For George, jumping over fences was now an irresistible habit.

  As it was for our dog, so it is with people. We are all creatures of habits. Habits are those little actions you take so often that they become a part of you. Though initially small, our habits eventually become big, sometimes to a point we can no longer control. Your life is a testament of habits- you were not born the way you are today- who you are is a result of the habits you practiced.

  So, the question is not whether you have habits or not. The question is whether your habits are positive or negative.

  We are the same with George in that we all adopt habits. We are the same in that habits once adopted are difficult to stop, even if it means raising the fences. Nonetheless we, unlike George, are not dogs. We can change our negative habits. To do this we need to keep three things in mind.
    Today is in your hands: every morning keep in mind that it is a brand new day. When faced with a decision know that whatever choice you make will influence your habits, strengthening or weakening them. Choose to strengthen the positive ones and not the negative.

  Start small: ALL things start small and grow big. All negative habits started that way. Building positive ones in their place will also have to start that way. Take small steps in the positive direction. When you succeed (and you will), celebrate it. If you later act otherwise, don’t sweat it, it happens. Simply start small again and keep at it.

   Believe God: God has the ability to “keep you from falling,” (Jude 1:24). Hang your faith on this and enjoy a “fall-less” life of positive habits!