YOU: the Genius...

Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over… - Jesus (The Christ).

Have you wondered what makes some people geniuses in their chosen fields? They seem to know what to do to wow everybody that watches. They do what they do with such ease and precision that many find it difficult to believe they act only with their human abilities. Such people are found in virtually every field – sports, politics, clergy, - of human endeavor.

It is easy to fall to the thought that they are simply more talented than their peers and so their excellence but the truth is far from that. In every field, talent is never all it takes. It is one thing to be talented while it is a completely different thing to harness your talent to genius status.

The difference lies in a simple thought – the genius gives himself or herself to the field while the “normal” folk do not. Because the genius gives himself totally to field, the field gives back to him, hence the birth of genius.

To give yourself to a field may mean a thousand and one things but I will highlight three. First, you give yourself to a field by practice, practice and practice. There is no genius that has not invested thousands of hours to practice.  Many would-have-been geniuses are too lazy to invest their time and energy to such high demand for practice and so end up falling short.

Second, understand that many have trodden the path you are on right now. Get them to help you. You need guidance, counsel, mentorship. King Solomon once advised that, “…victory is won through many advisers.” Never think you can go it all alone and that advisers will lead you to ruin. There is something about having done something in the past that helps you see the pitfalls way ahead of any other person on the same path. Seek for and enjoy mentorship on your path to genius.

In addition, you need to – for lack of a better phrase - give room for instincts. There are things that practice or classes or the best mentorship won’t give you. They lie deep within you and only you can unleash it when it beckons. I am talking about those thoughts that flash in and out urging you to get out of convention. Harken to them and act immediately.

Succeeding With People

I love mankind, it's people I can't understand. - Charles M. Schulz (Author)

We live in a world of associations. To succeed in life is to succeed with people because people are the most important resource on earth. Without other people our lives would be meaningless. That is why it is of the utmost importance that we get well along with people in our journey of success. It is possible to have relationships that are not filled with anger, envy, dissatisfaction and distrust. It is possible to relate with people effectively and productively.

To achieve this I strongly suggest you go for a win-win occurrence when dealing with others. Drop the competitive spirit and seek how to get the other person to win as you win also. A win-win situation only comes when you understand the person – his or her desires, goals, future ambitions – you are relating with. You then take advantage of this understanding to ensure that they win as you win.

Also, it is of great importance that you develop the habit of listening to understand. Many times folks talk without communicating because they set out to make their own point irrespective of what the other person has to say. This is evidenced by the fact that they interrupt their colleague with every sustained breath-break. If you would succeed with people you must be able to listen to understand. This means that you listen long enough and attentively enough until you completely understand the point of view of your colleague.

In addition the person that will succeed with people must make obvious the respect he or she has for the other person and his or her point of view. People have dignity and they respond positively to people that recognize it. Status in life does not remove human dignity. This means no matter how highly placed you are your security guard and that waiter in the restaurant and the transport conductor all has human dignity. Handle this dignity appropriately by showing respect for that everybody’s humanity.

If you would seek a win-win occurrence all the time and listen to understand others, and respect the human dignity of folks, the sky will be but a starting point for you. This is so because people are indeed the most important resource in the world. 

How To Stand Out of the Bunch

I will praise you (God) because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful and I know that very well. - David (king of Israel)

We all believe that we are special. We all think that there is something about us that sets us apart from the bunch. The fact that our DNA and finger prints are completely unique further deepens our conviction of this thought. This feeling is inherent because God put it there. You are indeed different! There is a lot that sets you out from the rest of us but if you are confused about what that is then it will be safe for me to say that you have not discovered much about yourself yet.
A couple of things leave people in this trap of uncertainty, among which is the fact that most of us simply conform. We adapt, look like, copy, and imitate the bunch. We act like chameleons - taking the color of our environment. Conformity is the best way to not stand out. It is you telling the world that, "There is nothing special about me, I am just another zebra in the pack of a thousand zebras." If you will stand out in life, stop conforming and start creating your life.
Another situation we play ourselves into is competition. A lot of folks take the competitive mindset away from the sports field into life field. When life becomes a competition for you, you will never really stand out of the crowd. Life is beyond making others look bad. Nobody needs to lose for you to win. In competitions there is always a loser. If you need to compete with someone then compete with you. Define your destination and set out to achieve it by outdoing yourself again and again.
Many other people simply shortchange themselves. They are gifted, talented, skilled and trained to do some things in outstanding ways but do not let themselves do them to the fullest. They can act but will not. They can sing but their voice will not heard. They can write but it is meant for them and them alone. This way they remain locked in a world of generalities and fall short of standing out of the crowd.
Liberate yourself from these three prisons and you would have set yourself up for unique success.

Taking a Step in the Right Direction

Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hours a day. - Zig Zigler 

It is popularly said that, "A Journey of a thousand miles begins with a step." I believe that that, though true, is incomplete. I would rather agree that, "A Journey of a thousand miles begins with a step in the right direction."   You see, it does not matter how long you take a journey as long as you are travelling in the wrong direction you will end up in the wrong destination.
To ensure that you take steps only in the right direction, you must know where it is you are headed in the first place. You destination must be clearly defined. A traveller without a destination is lost even before he begins. Many overlook the importance of this and instead set out without a clearly defined destination. They soon find out how grossly insufficient that stand is.
Consider all it takes to make it successfully to the end. The right direction can become the wrong one if the traveller is met by insurmountable obstacles. This happens when you do not anticipate the things you will face and if you have what it takes to overcome them. Jesus (the Christ) advised: "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?"
Also, you should make reference to the milestones. The milestones along the way tell you the distance you are yet to cover. They also tell you if the town ahead is the town you want to be headed toward. The milestones of your success journey are the small and medium term goals you set. No matter what you do, set goals.
If after some time and distance covered you discover that you have been travelling in the wrong direction what do you do? This can be very disheartening as you consider the distance already covered, the time wasted and the energy exerted. Do not be ashamed. Retrace your steps backwards. Get yourself back to a point that you can refer to. Trace your way back to where you know you can get back on the right track. Only a foolish person will recognize he is on the wrong track and continue therein.

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!