BUILDING YOURSELF FOR GREATNESS

Friday, October 25, 2013

Hi lovelies, I trust you all had a great week. It's been a while I wrote a success-inspirational article and today I'm going to share with you on a topic I've been meditating on for a very long time from my pastor's message - Building Yourself for Greatness. 

Success is NOT an accident and anybody can be a success but you have to prepare for it because the future belongs to those who prepare for it. We all have dreams and goals, but it's not enough to be a dreamer because there are lots of dreamers who never achieved their dreams. It's good to dream, but don't get lost in the dream; get up and make it happen. Life has made provisions for everyone to achieve their dreams if you follow the right principles. Never blame anybody for failure cos it's just NOT an option for you. Make up your mind to be a key player not a spectator; don't live on the sidewalks...be the one to make things happen. 

Some people want it to happen

Some wish it could happen

Others make it happen

-Michael Jordan-

We all have a seed of greatness deposited inside of us from the point of conception; what you do with that seed is up to you - whether to grow it into greatness or to let it lie

dormant inside you while you blame everyone for your situation. Explore your mind and bring out the best in you; there's more to your life than you can ever imagine cos you were destined for greatness. There are few tings you need to do to prepare and build yourself for greatness; these are:

1. Cultivate a discontent with mundanity and mediocrity in your life: Refuse to be satisfied with anything that is not excellent (it doesn't make you an extremist, it just makes you someone of excellence).  Never mind critics - they are only spectators who sit on the sidewalks and watch the players; they will definitely talk about you and say things to pull you down. Please pay them no attention and no matter what you do, BE THE BEST.
2. Drive yourself to improve your mind and abilities: Seek ways to improve yourself; come out of your comfort zone and do things differently. Sometimes you have to stretch yourself beyond your limits; if you have decided to be the best then you have to work towards it and make a decision to keep doing it until you become the best. Cultivate/sharpen/harness your skills, invest in your mind-start reading the right materials - do things differently. Make sacrifices if the need be and run with the right crowd. To live a positive life, you need to surround yourself with positive people.
3. The "unseen you" is the one to make you a success - train that man/woman: The real you is the inner man where your thoughts are processed  and this is where your greatness lies so don't let that "you" be intimidated no matter what. You may have grown up in an environment where you were ridiculed, mocked and as a result you never thought you could become great. Truth is, it doesn't matter what happened in your past - if your past does not inspire you; drop it and focus on creating a beautiful future ahead. Reprogram your mind and thinking from that shy, quiet, timid young boy/girl to a bold, strong and courageous man/woman.
4.  Don't let the memory of the past stop you: If your past does not inspire you, dump it. If you feel terrible, cry or have regrets anytime you remember your past, let it go cos it's not good enough for your future. Don't be a slave to your past - focus on what lies ahead. 
5. Don't let anything stop you: Your journey to greatness will bring you to many obstacles/roadblocks but don't let them stop you. If you ever encounter a road without obstacles, it's probably cos it's leading nowhere. A road that leads to greatness will have some walls to challenge you; this will test and try you. It could come in different forms - negative words from critics, you may fail the first time, betrayal, etc. However it comes, don't let it get to you - fight the fight of faith and keep trying. If you fail seven times, rise up eight times and keep at it.

Obstacles don't have to stop you. 

If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it or work through it - Michael Jordan

I see greatness in you, wake up and run with your dreams till you achieve your desired goal. Have a great weekend

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PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS - How to Survive The Stages and Phases of Life

Saturday, May 4, 2013

So many devices need to be upgraded, it's natural that we want to use the newest version of phones, laptops, cars etc. It is normal that we crave for a higher desire after one has been met. Eg. upgrade from BB bold to a BB Z10 or an upgrade from a mac book to a mac pro for Apple lovers. Same is with cars..when the Toyota 2011 model is outgrown, there's a craving to drive the latest 2013 model. Yeah that's life for you.. how can I forget the upgrade from Darling Yakis to Brazillian hair, and then Indian, next Peruvian, Cambodian, Mongolian (loll...I'm guilty of this one*covers face*). Don't get me wrong...upgrade is very necessary; the issue is that we have upgraded a lot of things we possess but always forget to upgrade our lives. Have you ever sat to reflect on your life, how things have happened over the years? Have you ever said things like, "if I knew then what I know now, maybe I would have done things differently"? That's because at that time, you did not have the  updated software your brain operated on until now that a new application has been installed for you to think the way you do now.You don't expect to continue thinking the same way you were thinking 5 years ago and expect something new to happen in your life. You do the same things you've been doing 10 years ago and expect a different result...NAH BRUV, that aint gonna happen. Even God said "I'm doing a new thing" (Isaiah 43:19) so what are you waiting for???  

An upgraded software/programme/app usually comes with better features than the previous. I upgraded my iOS (the Apple operating software) sometime last month and I'm enjoying some new things I see. An upgrade does not only come with better features but also helps the company to boost sales and attract new customers...(sorry, I'm reasoning like a business analyst, I'll break it down) In simple terms, when your life is upgraded, you are a better person with a better character and this naturally attracts people to you because you'll always have solutions to problems, people will seek your advice and confide in you. 

Life is in stages and phases; you have to go from nursery school into primary school, then Secondary, University, then (MA, M.Sc &Ph.D). Life hands us lemons in each phase of life and our ability to step up and make it into lemonades is what pushes us to the next phase in life. The same way you have to write an exam to move from JSS 1 to JSS 2, same thing happens when you need to move to the next phase of your life. There will always be obstacles to stop you, so many things will happen to try to keep you at that level; whenever you face some kinda challenges...it's usually a sign that there is a promotion for you. To survive these challenges life will throw at you, you need to upgrade your life at each stage...if not, you will feel the whole world is on your shoulder. The question is "How do you upgrade your life"? 

While at Zenith bank, I gave a presentation on Personal Effectiveness and Professionalism in my branch. I used Steven Covey's 7 habits of highly effective people. I'll share with you some of the major things I spoke about. To be effective means to accomplish a purpose or produce an expected result. When God made you, He made you for a purpose and in Jeremiah 29:11, he tells you that His thoughts towards you are to give you an expected end. To achieve your purpose in life & to reach that desired success, you'll need PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS a.k.a PERSONAL UPGRADE. You'll need to be effective at every stage of your life. Personal Effectiveness therefore means making the most of all personal resources at your disposal - your personal talents, energy and time. Steven Covey gave 7 habits we should adopt but I'll focus on 6 of them; these habits will give your life a constant upgrade and reprogramming to always keep up ahead in the journey of life. 

1) Pro-Activity: Being PROACTIVE simply means assessing the situation and developing a positive response for it. Proactive people are driven by values , they use their resourcefulness and initiative to find solutions rather than just reporting problems and waiting for other people to solve them. Our response to what happens to us affects us more than what actually happened so we can choose to use difficult situations to build our character & develop the ability to handle such situations in the future.

2) Begin With The End In Mind (the habit of personal leadership): The end represents the purpose of your life. Until you can say what that purpose is with assurance, then you just cannot direct your focus in the manner that would bring you the greatest satisfaction. To engage in this habit, you need to have a dream, define your own vision and get into the practice of setting goals which will allow you to make measurable progress towards the dream.

3) First Things First (the habit of personal management): I’ll also call this setting our priorities right. It has 4 categories:

Important & Urgent: these are things which must be done because they contribute to your purpose and have a deadline. Give more attention to these things.

Important but not urgent:these activities are key to getting your results. Concentrating on them is absolutely fundamental to achieving results and spending  appropriate time on them will help you gain control over circumstances of life. Eg relationship-building, improving your professional knowledge.

Not important but urgent:these are activities that consume your time but do not contribute to your goals, they are called interruptions. 

Not important & not urgent:these activities take your time and add no value. Much time shouldn't be spent on them. Eg gossiping

4) Seek First To Understand, Then Be Understood: This habit is an important key to inter-personal relationships. It is about understanding that our natural habit of mind is to misunderstand people & simply make our own meaning based on our own experiences and understanding of life; and frequently we make the wrong meaning. First, make efforts to understand what is being said because if both parties are trying to be understood, neither of them is really listening. People become more open, more teachable & more interested in what you may have to say with the mutual understanding that flows from this habit.

5) Synergize (the habit of creative co-operation):  This habit involves putting your head together with another person in order to find a solution which contains a win-win benefit. I have this notion that no man is an island; two heads are always better than one- so collaboration is necessary. Harness the power of creative co-operation. See the good, and the potential, in the contributions of others. It includes appreciating people, inspiring and encouraging them for contributions made.

6) Sharpen The Saw (the habit of self renewal): This is the backdrop of all other habits, enabling and encouraging them to happen and grow. Here, you are the saw; and to sharpen the saw is to become better, keener and more effective.  It is in four parts:

 Spiritual: Notice this is first in the steps to sharpen yourself. YOU NEED GOD in this journey…I tell people that life is more spiritual than physical and to survive the obstacles you’ll face, you need spiritual back-up. In that realm, I advise you stick with the Big-G cos he has the greatest power to take through every stumbling block that stands in your way. Grow spiritually, grow your relationship with God, don’t forsake the assembly of the brethren and lastly – PRAY (a lot).

Mental: Learn to read, don’t get too comfortable with being in a particular position. Improve your knowledge, harness your skills. Invest in your building yourself, upgrade your qualifications depending on  how high you want to climb in your profession – depending on whichever career path you have chosen. Just don’t stay in one spot, keep moving.

Physical: You cannot keep the inside and upstairs running without building the outside as well. Take care of your body,  exercise, rest when you should. Don’t over-work yourself (something I should learn -blogging at 4:55am when I should be sleeping), eat healthy…in one word, JUST LOOK GOOD.

Social/emotional: Build your relationship with people, guard your emotions. Don’t allow anything spoil your mood; don’t allow negative things affect you. Don’t allow somebody’s bad attitude affect the good in you, don’t venge your frustrations on other people. Don’t hurt people…learn to uplift instead of casting down. Speak good of people, see the good in others, speak positive words. In a nutshell…Live a life of LOVE. Love is all that matters, give it without expecting anything in return. 

By applying these habits  to the way we operate in our day-to-day lives, there is great potential to harness personal effectiveness and upgrade our way of life. So press that UPGRADE button and take control of your life…Nothing moves until you move and Things don’t change until you change.  READY FOR AN UPGRADE???

PS: Excerpt from Steven Covey's 7 habits of highly effective people; but the explanations are from my medula oblongata through constant re-programming and continuous upgrade :). I hope this article inspired you, pls share your thoughts below in the comment box.

XX

Lynn

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TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A DISADVANTAGE... Cobhams Asuquo

Monday, February 11, 2013

The first time I saw his face was on a blog; it was the entertainment stories as usual so I just played through the blog and read nothing about him. The second time was that same blog...this time it was his wedding pictures. Yet again, I did not bother to read anything about him so I just satisfied my sense of sight and enjoyed the beautiful wedding pictures. The third time I saw him was also on the internet; this time it was the arrival of his baby. I just muttered "congrats to them" in my mind and went onto the next post. I knew he was well recognized, I knew the name and I also knew he was passionate about what he was doing but one thing I never knew until yesterday was that Cobhams Asuquo was.....BLIND. 

My very close friends know I usually don't go to bed early (like today again); I search the web for more knowledge and to keep abreast with what's going on in the world. Yesterday was not an exception. While browsing through the internet, I noticed a TEDx video and scrolled past it without even blinking. It was like a disease that had gone viral because almost every site I visit regularly had the same video uploaded; what was this video? The Gift of Blindness by Cobhams Asuquo. I was wondering what he will be saying about blindness so finally I decided to watch the video (1st time I opened a post about him after ignoring him so many times). How glad I was that I watched that video because it stirred up something in me, I just couldn't stop saying "WOW". It was one of such videos that you have a re-think about yourself, such times when you ask yourself "so what is limiting me"? What is the challenge? Why can't I achieve this goal? Infact so many where, what, how, when and why questions just sprang up in my head. And next thing I thought about YOU, yes you reading this article now. I thought someone would benefit from this video as I did. For Cobhams, he saw an ability in a disability; he took advantage of a disadvantage; he turned an excuse into a determination to succeed. He chose to break the limitations of blindness, He chose to Maximise His Potentials, He chose to succeed. See the video below.

From the topic to the composure, to the sense of humour, to the vocal eloquency with which Cobhams spoke; everything was just superb. I was so impressed by the title he chose "The Gift of Blindness", he saw it as a gift. AH!!! Some people have their five senses functioning well with both hands and legs very strong and yet have chosen to tag themselves as beggars on the streets. But here is someone who had every reason to give an excuse for failure but chose not to. Life throws so many challenges at us at different stages in our life; but I can imagine being born blind and how he started facing his own challenge right from birth. If you ever find a path in life without challenges, it probably means that the path leads nowhere; only paths leading somewhere has challenges. Cobhams found that path and conquered every limitation that stood in his way; he is a proof that it is not about what happens to you but what matters is how you see it and what you do after that. These challenges appear to be limitations (notice I used the word appear, which means they're there to shake you up/to put fear in you/to discourage you; but in reality they're stepping stones to your success) in your path; your determination to break these limitations is what propels you closer to achieving your goal. Every time you rise above a limitation, you're taking giant strides, climbing up, riding on eagles wings and soaring higher. In our society, the blind, lame, deaf, are usually objects of sympathy; people have pity on them because it looks like they cannot function to maximum potentiality because of the impairment of one of the five senses. There is an "eh ya" or "sorry" when you hear he/she is blind; literally meaning he cannot function normal but with Cobhams, the story is different (in his words "pesin wey we dey feel sorry for no dey feel sorry for himself"). He never for once felt he was disadvantaged, he saw it as an advantage and today he is s an award-winning musician, producer, and songwriter. So today, be encouraged; be inspired, be motivated, let something stir up in you, be challenged, break every limitation in your way, NEVER make excuses (read my article on Excuses Are Life's Predators HERE) cos they rob you of your vision and focus. DON'T loose focus, set your eyes on the goal, be blind to every distraction, be determined to keep pressing on irrespective of anything that stands in your way. Choose to be a LIMIT BREAKER, Conquer your world and Succeed aaaaaaalllllllll the way :)

XX
Lynn

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BE THE BEST MAN

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Just few days ago, a friend posted a picture of Denzel Washington on Facebook and I admired the swag and poise of the gentleman. The 57 year old two-time Oscar winner and box-office giant sure knows how to give his audience a reason to look forward to his movies…he’s too good.  So Denzel is featured in the October edition of GQ Magazine; he granted GQ an interview where he spoke extensively about himself, family, work etc. There was a part of his interview which I found really inspiring and thought to share it with my readers.. 

GQ: Do you have any code you live by?

Denzel: I read from the Bible every day, and I read my Daily Word. I read something great yesterday. It said, "Don't aspire to make a living. Aspire to make a difference."

GQ: If you had one thing to say to African-American readers of GQ, what would you say?

Denzel: Take responsibility. One of the things that saddens me the most about my people is fathers that don't take care of their sons and daughters. And you can't blame that on The Man or getting frisked. Take responsibility. Look in the mirror and say, "What can I do better?" There is opportunity; you can make it. Whatever it is that you choose, be the best at it. You have an African-American president. You can do it. But take responsibility. Put your slippers way under your bed so when you get up in the morning, you have to get on your knees to find them. And while you're down there, start your day with prayer. Ask for wisdom. Ask for understanding. I'm not telling you what religion to be, but work on your spirit. You know, mind, body, and spirit. Imagine—work the brain muscle. Keep the body in tune—it's your temple. All things in moderation. Continue to search. That's the best part of life for me—continue to try to be the best man.

After reading these lines, I was like…WOW! Sometimes you see a celebrity or a famous person and all you can see at that time is the expensive clothes they wear, posh cars they ride and the luxurious homes they live in. And then some people go on to say so many nasty things about them. But in reality, most of these people did not teleport from zeros to heroes in a twinkling of an eye. They did not just sleep one night and wake up the other day to become Oscar winners, a thousand times NO.  Some people actually want to be spoon-fed from toddler stage till when they get to 30 years. Even at that age, some people still don’t know their left from their right. They blame mum, dad, government, or something else for where they are today cos they don't want to take responsibility for themselves. 

What am I trying to say? Decide to be THE BEST version of YOU in whatever field you find yourself. If you want to be a mechanic-be a mechanic with a difference; be a plumber with a difference; a lawyer, banker, doctor, engineer, accountant with a difference. Wake up in the morning and decide that you’ll head out to be productive irrespective of what may come your way. And, YES…it’s not easy. Wake Up! Life is not a bed of roses, you gotta make your bed the way you want to lie on it. Think of the kinda life you want to live in the future and start digging your foundation today. Challenges will come, obstacles will stand in your way, not everyone will be there for you, you may not always get what you want; but just keep doing what you know how to do best. Keep at it and with time, it could be our face on GQ magazine someday. Who knows?

I like the part where he said “Put your slippers way under your bed so when you get up in the morning, you have to get on your knees to find them. And while you're down there, start your day with prayer”. That is a habit I practice. What Denzel’s trying to say is “step out of your comfort zone”. Sometimes you need to give yourself a lil’ push. If you put your slippers right in front of your bed, you know it’ll be easy for u to just slip your feet inside. But when it’s under the bed, you’ll have to bend down and bring it out before slipping it on. And while you're down there, start your day with prayer. When you step out of your comfort zone, there’s always an uncertainty and fear of what will happen but while in that position…PRAY. Don't say you're waiting for God to do something; He's waiting for you to start something and He'll bless you. He has said He'll bless the works of your hands; if you don't want to do any work then there's nothing for Him to bless. 

Dare to be the best in your job, school, business. Work with excellence and diligence; decide to do more than you’re required of, go the extra mile, add a lil’ touch of class to everything you do, leave a mark and let the world know that YOU’RE THE BEST THAT CAN EVER EXIST.

You can read the rest of the interview through this link http://www.gq.com/entertainment/celebrities/201210/denzel-washington-interview-gq-october-2012#ixzz27i3PXFXI

Here are some of his pictures from the interview.

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GUEST POST: LIFE IS NOT A COMPETITION

Friday, August 17, 2012

I was jogging one day and I noticed a person in front of me, about 1/4 of mile. I could tell he was running a little slower than me and I thought, good, I shall try to catch him. I had about a mile to go my path before I needed to turn off. so I started running faster and faster. Every block, I was gaining on him just a little bit. After just a few minutes I was only about 100 yards behind him, so I really picked up the pace and push myself. You would have thought I was running in the last leg of London Olympic competition. I was determined to catch him.

Finally, I did it! I caught and passed him by. On the inside I felt so good. "I beat him" of course, he didn't even know we were racing. After I passed him, I realized I had been so focused on competing against him that I had missed my turn. I had gone nearly six blocks past it. I had to turn around and go all back.

Isn't that what happens in life when we focus on competing with co-workers, neighbours, friends, trying to outdo them or trying to prove that we are more successful or more important?

We spend our time and energy running after them and we miss out on our own paths to our God given destinies. The problem with unhealthy competition is that it’s a never ending cycle. There will always be somebody ahead of you, someone with better job, nicer car, more money in the bank. I can be the best that I can be, I am not competing with no one. Some people are insecure because they pay too much attention to what others are doing, where they are going, what they are wearing and driving. Take what God has given you, the height, the weight, the personality, dress well and wear it proudly. May God in His awesomeness bless you all with Wisdom to see His plans for you.

Guest post by:Barr. Franca John

MY VIEWS (Lynn)

We should understand that there are different phases in life. When a child is born, the child first crawls, then tries to stand. In that stage, he/she will need support by holding onto things; finally the child gets to walk alone and finally starts to run. Such is life.  

There is a stage where you are still growing and God will give you what you need/require to be the best in that stage. When you move to the next level, He also equips you for that stage while gradually leading you to your purpose through the path that He has destined for you.

When you see someone else who is in his/her walking stage while you are still crawling (I don't mean crawl literally) you find yourself trying to compete with that person; thus veering off the path God has placed you in. While you're busy focusing your attention on trying to walk, you may break a leg because your bones aren't strong enough to support such stress on it. So instead of competing with others, choose to out-do your past, compete with your greatest achievements and desire to do more. That person's path of life may be different from yours; you may not even be well equipped to face the challenges on that route. You'll end up stressing yourself and find out that you have missed your turn. Trust God and His plans, take one step at a time; focus on where He is taking you to and walk with Him all the way.

Have a lovely weekend.

Lynn

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THE NIGERIAN WHO BOUGHT GATWICK AIRPORT

Sunday, August 5, 2012

I was in the salon yesterday when I got this news and my eyes lit up...this is the kinda news I love to hear. I just had to blog about it, not because it is the latest gist but because I love to identify with and celebrate SUCCESS. I'm going to buy up companies (don't look at me now...in the future you'll remember this story). I'm sure Mr. Ogunlesi said stuff like this some years back and here it is. 

It really matters how you see and how far you can see. Don't be myopic with life, see beyond your horizon and someday you'll be big enough to acquire as much wealth as possible. I'm greatly inspired, hence the reason for this post. I hope it inspires you too. 

Up until February 2010, very few people had heard about Adebayo Ogunlesi. The Nigerian-born investment banker and money manager made international headlines when he led the acquisition of London’s Gatwick Airport from the British Airports Authority in a recorded £1.51 billion deal. The acquisition instantly propelled Ogunlesi, 58, into the global spotlight and earned him a place in history as the man who acquired London’s second largest international airport.

Adebayo Ogunlesi is the chairman and managing partner of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a New York-based independent private equity fund focused primarily on infrastructural investments, with over $5.6 billion under management. The purchase of Gatwick Airport may have grabbed all the headlines, but GIP has some other noteworthy assets in its portfolio including a 75% stake in London City Airport, and Biffa Limited, a UK based waste management company.

Gatwick suffered deep losses over the years, and all the turnaround efforts made by its former managers, the British Airport Authority (BAA), failed to halt the downward spiral. In the first nine months of 2009, the airport reportedly recorded a pre-tax loss of over £780 million, prompting the British government to actively shop for buyers. BAA also reportedly lost £225 million on Gatwick after it was compelled to sell the airport by the Competition Commission.

 While Ogunlesi’s acquisition might have brought him international acclaim and made him something of an overnight private equity rock star, pundits kept their fingers crossed to see what he will make out of the ailing airport. But Ogunlesi believed strongly in the future of the airport so much that he invested some of his own personal funds into the acquisition. He promised to make Gatwick a truly first class international airline and substantially improve the customer experience. Judging from his antecedents, he is likely to deliver on those promises.

Culled from:Ventures Africa 

Have a great week ahead.

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WHAT MATTERS MOST IS HOW YOU SEE YOURSELF

Monday, June 11, 2012

Who do you see when you look at yourself in the mirror? He answered, “I see a bad guy, a confused fellow who’s probably tired of life”.

That was the answer I got from Kamsi, a 2^nd year engineering student who was drowning away his sorrows with a bottle of vodka on the valediction night. From afar, I watched him gulp down more than half the content of the bottle. I just stared at him from upstairs wondering what pains he must be trying so hard to drown, wondering if everything was okay with him. Should I take the risk and go talk to him? What if the vodka bottle finally lands on my head? (lol). I finally summoned the courage and walked up to have a chat with him; after he spoke to me, I felt his pains. He was supposed to graduate from the university that day with his course mates, but he couldn’t because he repeated a class twice – still didn’t pass and then he had to change to another department (computer science) where he was still having problems passing his tests. I can imagine how painful it is to watch people you started a race with get to the finish line while you haven’t even taken a step.

As I listened to him speak, I noticed all the negative comments he made about himself; how he thinks he is a disappointment to his parents, about not being good enough and not being intelligent. He had this sad look on his face that has now formed a shape making him look like he was always angry 24/7. From his looks and actions, he was a typical example of those classified as “the bad guys" in school then. After listening to him, I could see someone who had given up on himself and has seen himself not to amount to any good. He asked me why I came to interrupt his drink, and why I wasn’t taken back by his looks. My answer to him was quite different from what he expected, I told him I saw a great man who had a very bright future but doesn’t want to see it. He asked me how I knew and I said “everyone was born with a seed of greatness in them; you just have to realise its inside of you and harness it till it blossoms.” He was surprised, he said no one has ever told him those words and that he has never seen himself that way cos everything he tried to do has failed.

Kamsi saw himself as a failure because he couldn’t make it through his 1^st year in school. Have you tagged yourself with a negative word because people have called you names you didn’t like but somehow they got stuck in your brain? They said you’re slow/dull/laid-back, bad guy/girl, failure, ugly, fat etc; I want you to know that all those things do not matter. What matters is how you see yourself. If you want people to see an intelligent, brave, hardworking, beautiful YOU, you’ve got to start seeing those things in yourself. What do you see when you look at yourself in the mirror? Do you see the guy/girl you’ve always dreamed to be or the one you never want to be? When you start appreciating the good things about you and see yourself from a positive angle, people will see those good things in you cos that side of you will become magnified automatically reflecting the real YOU to people. As you keep up the positive approach to always say good things about yourself, they’ll gradually begin to fall into place. With time, those attitudes and attributes will become a part of you. Things you initially thought you couldn’t do before somehow become simplified because you have decided to look within and see possibilities instead of limitations.

That year, Kamsi passed his exams and moved on till he got to final year and graduated with honours. He continued to excel in everything he did and his parents who he thought were disappointed in him are now very proud of him. To support him, they helped him start his own company and now he is an employer of labour. It did not all happen in one day; it took determination and focus on his part to get him to that level. I took it as an assignment to send him an encouraging text everyday telling him things I saw in him, things like – you’re the best in your class, your future is bright, you’ll make an impact in your world etc. He started seeing himself that way and gradually became the man he is today. There may not be anyone to tell you these things; you just have to look in the mirror and see the giant inside of you. If you can see it, others will be able to see it through you.

I’ll ask you the same question I asked Kamsi… “Who do you see when you look at yourself in the mirror?”

True Story but a  different name.

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IMPRESSIVE! Nigerian Student Receives 7 Awards at his Graduation from City University of New York

Monday, June 4, 2012

Olu Onemona, a Nigerian in diaspora has made us proud once again. It is always a thing of joy to see fellow Nigerians shine so brightly amidst the disgrace and bad names some have brought our great country. In the past  few months, there have been stories about Nigerians involved in unruly behaviour outside the country and it is with great joy that LynnVille celebrates with Olu for bringing a smile to our face. I believe good things should always be celebrated and I also believe this post will inspire every young Nigerian both students and non students; hardwork and diligence pays. 

Olu Onemola, a Nigerian graduate at the Lehman College, theCity University of New York (CUNY), United States of America who received seven awards at the university’s 2012 graduation ceremony. He received the awards during the graduation ceremony held on Saturday in New York.

Olu is the son of Bukun-olu Onemola, Nigeria’s Deputy Ambassador at the United Nations in New York. He studied Polititical Science at Lehman and received the distinguished “Golden Key’’ award, otherwise referred to as International Honour Society which is an academic honour society for high-achieving scholars. Other awards are the Pi Sigma Alpha, National Honour Society in Political Science, and The Jacob Hammer Memorial Prize in English which is awarded to a student leading in theatre performance. He also won the Edgar Dawson Prize in Political and Legal Theory which is an award to the outstanding Political Science graduate with the strongest portfolio of political and legal essays. Onemola also received the CUNY Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence in Leadership Award, and the Cum Laude Award. This is a Latin term that signifies “With Honours”, a distinction bestowed on graduates that fall within a 3.4 to a 3.59 GPA on a four-point scale.

Speaking on the awards, the elated Onemola said they had inspired him to continue to thrive in all his endeavours, regardless of any obstacles that might stand on his way.

“My impression is that hard work definitely pays off. Being able to achieve such feats, while serving as the President of the Student Government, is a testament to hard work,’’ he said.

Congrats Ola, 7 awards is definitely worth celebrating. 

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SUCCESS IS A PROCESS

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Success, a common word we hear everyday. A word that stirs and scares people, some are stirred up by the thought of being successful while others are scared of success because of the challenges and tough decisions involved. Some parents have even named their kids ‘Success’ so that the child can be successful in future (can’t say if it works or not) and some people have success stickers on their cars, doors, and other places with the belief that it guarantees success (not so sure about this too but it depends on how strong your faith is in what you believe in).  Everybody wants to succeed in life but how you reach that goal depends on what success means to you. What really is SUCCESS? There are different definitions and explanations of what success is. But I've come to realize that success means different things to different people and this also forms the basis of their drive towards achieving success. I conducted a research and I got a few details about what different people think about success.

Okechukwu Ofili (Motivational speaker, success coach and author) says... Success is doing what you love and making a living out of it. That is success to me. What drives me is the fact that many people are not tapping into their hidden potentials. And my goal is to help them realize their hidden talent either via my words or speaking. Also I am driven to help make the world a better place. I feel that too many people are too focused on getting to heaven, so much so they forget that for some people earth is like hell. My goal is to help (to the best of my ability) alleviate the sufferings of the environment around me.

Myne Whitman (author and founder of the Naija Stories community for Nigerian writers) says... my definition of success is contentment. It means being able to make a business of what you love doing and being happy doing it. It is equally important that you can touch other lives and positively affect the dreams of those coming after you. One thing I have learned in the time since my first book is that, it is essential to be able to balance work and life, and keep your feet on the ground even after success comes.

Bisi Onasanya (CEO/GMB First Bank Nigeria) says...Success is not getting a good job or the promotion but majorly what you do with the opportunity given to you.

Samuel Ekundayo a.k.a Le dynamique professeur (Motivational speaker & life coach) says... Success to me in simple terms means fulfillment. It is not a destination but a journey. It is not an attainment but a consistent effort all through a man's life. It is not limited to an event; it is a life-style. As such, only those with a sense of purpose can be successful, because they are the only ones who know what fulfillment means.

From my research, I found something they all had in common which is affecting other people positively. As individuals, we have different goals and dreams. Achieving these goals becomes the driving force for success but when we have achieved all these things without affecting one person positively, then the success is incomplete. This goes to show that success is not just about yourself but about making the world a better place while enjoying life. Unfortunately, many people have defined success as having wealth and fame; some think it’s about acquiring luxury and letting people know you have arrived. Success goes beyond money and material acquisitions; it is not just about what you can do for yourself alone but what you can do to make the world a better place. We should think of leaving a mark on the face of the earth as a result of our accomplishments, making use of opportunities to cause positive impact in the lives of other people. To succeed you need to have a bigger picture, you should have a farther view of life and think globally not locally. Have a mindset that envisions greatness, a heart that can reach out to others and a goal to remain focused on the things that matter.

You need to understand what it really means and know how to get there. There must be a personal conviction that motivates you to do the things you do. If you dream about success and do not have a drive or a force that compels you to move towards achieving it, then you need to redefine what success really means to you.

Success is a process, it will take you through different stages in life; from one level to another and slowly you’ll climb to the peak. Don’t be scared of the challenges you’ll face in the process instead let it motivate you to do greater things. Always believe you can do it. Nina Ijere, (business success coach & International speaker) says… Believing in yourself is a vital ingredient in the pursuit of good success. Don't wait for anyone to do it for you, do yourself a favor and start today to believe in yourself cos the only thing that can limit you is yourself. Follow these steps on HOW TO LIVE A SUCCESSFUL LIFE

Finally, you are not successful until you have added value to someone’s life.

PS: You can visit the sites of these success motivators  from the links below:

Le dynamique professeur - http://dynamiqueprofesseur.blogspot.co.uk

Okechukwu ofili - http://ofilispeaks.com

Myne Whitman - http://www.mynewhitman.com/

Nina Ijere - http://www.ninaijere.com

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YOU CAN ONLY FEATURE IN THE FUTURE YOU PICTURE

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

My pastor always says, ‘if you can see it, then you can have it’ and no doubt; this is absolutely true. Before anything can become, you must first give birth to it within for it to manifest on the outside. While going through LIB, I came across a letter Oprah Winfrey wrote to her 19 year-old-self titled “The beautiful brown-skinned girl”. It was really inspiring that at 19 she could picture the kind of future she wanted and even though she faced tough times, she still had a clear picture of being a successful woman. Read the letter below.

Dear beautiful brown-skinned girl,

I look into your eyes and see the light and hope of myself. In this photo you are just about to turn 20, posing outside the television station where you were recently hired as a reporter. You’re proud of yourself for getting the job, but uncertain you’ll be able to manage all your college classes before 1 and arrive at the station by 1:30 for a full day’s work. Even so, your biggest concern is how to manage your love life with Bubba. Yes, you are dating someone named Bubba

Oprah & her 19-year-old-self

On this day you’ve brought him to the station to see where you work, hoping he’ll be proud, too. He seems less than impressed. The truth is, he’s intimidated. You don’t know this, though, because you can see yourself only through his eyes. A lesson you will have to learn again and again: to see yourself with your own eyes, to love yourself from your own heart.You’ve spent too many days and years trying to please others and be what they wanted you to be. You will have to learn that the wounds of your past—rape, molestation, whippings for “stepping out of place,” and not being allowed to show anger or cry afterward—damaged your self-esteem. Yet through it all, you’ve held on to a belief in God and God’s belief in you.That will be your single greatest gift: knowing there is a power greater than yourself and trusting that Force to guide you.

The trajectory of your life changed the day you answered the call from Chris Clark, the news director at WLAC-TV. Your response was ignited by the words of your then-favorite Bible verse, Philippians 3:14. “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Knowing there is a “high calling” is what will sustain and fulfill you. From where I sit now, viewing your journey, there are few regrets. Only months before this picture was taken, you wrote a poem about a “woman becoming.” Even then you understood that success was a process and that moving with the flow of life and not against it would be your greatest achievement.

Love you deeply,

Oprah

Now, the question is what future can you picture? I like the part she said “knowing that there is a high calling”. Have you realised that there is a higher calling for you? Or do you think this is all there is to life? Our lives should be upward and forward, pressing on to greater goals and making an impact in our generation. A common interview question that is always asked is “where do you see yourself in 5 years?” What would you be doing 1825 days from now? What improvements and changes would have happened in your life? Would there be positive impacts from you to affect your environment positively? What future have you pictured for yourself? Just before writing this article I was challenged by a friend who just registered an NGO MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE FOR AFRICA; I was mostly impressed that she was not focusing on Nigeria but on Africa as a whole and I can only imagine how big she will be in 5 years or more.

Some people say it’s best to take the days as they come but I think you need to plan for the days or else things will take you by surprise when you least expect it. The day opportunity knocks on your doorstep, will you be prepared to make use of it? On the day of opportunity, it will be too late to prepare. That is why you need to position yourself for what lies ahead. Project yourself into the future and start seeing a picture of who you want to be and what you want to do. Don’t think it’s too late to start, NO…wherever you may be in life you can decide to make a change starting from today. No one can live your life better than you can, so decide to live it to the fullest and take a hold of your future. I know a guy who has a picture of his Dream Home on his office wall and people asked him…Why is it there? What is it for? Do you think you can afford that? And this was his reply, “I just smile…I smile because that picture motivates me to work harder at my OFILISPEAKS business and every time I stare at that picture, I can visualize my future family relaxing and enjoying LIFE to the fullest and I keep going and I stay motivated”.

You can also have a picture of where you want to be and put it on your wall. I did that too, I write out my visions and place them on my bedside so that once I wake up every morning I read it and picture myself in that future and also pray with it cos God will only take you as far as you are willing to go. Another quote by my pastor, “the extent of your vision is the boundary of your blessing”. This means that how far you can see will determine how far God can take you. So I’ll ask you again….WHAT FUTURE CAN YOU PICTURE? WHAT TYPE OF FUTURE DO YOU WANT TO FEATURE IN?


PS: Pls click HERE to LIKE the Mental Health Initiative for Africa page on Facebook. 

XX

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KEEP AT IT....don't stop now

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

It was early in the morning and in my usual manner, I opened the message and broadcasted to all my contacts. This had become a daily routine and a necessary one before setting off for the day. I made sure I sent the broadcast even though some of my contacts were getting tired of the frequent ping sounds waking them up early in the morning. On the other hand, some will call my phone countless times screaming “where’s the word for today?” or ping me 10 times requesting for the daily dose of morning devotion if mistakenly send it late. Once someone asked if I overslept (lol)…It felt good to know that there were also people who the message affected positively. While using BB, I felt I could affect my world if I can connect to people all over the world and that was why I decided to start the morning broadcasts.

Somehow, after almost 3years of practising a habit which; I had to give up my blackberry smart phone L. It was a tough decision but a necessary one to make.  I decided to let go of the BB and that would mean ending my daily messages. I thought for a while and knew that there could be a remedy somehow; “whatsapp” became the new bbm to me and I tried to get as many people as possible to add me to their phone. It felt good to know that I could still reach out to people from my little corner. So this very morning, about an hour after I sent the messages I received the chat below.

I was so grateful to God that I didn’t give up on my daily routine. I was glad I didn’t let it go with my BB, there was this joy inside that I couldn’t explain. Many of us have not come to that point in life when you don’t feel like living anymore, but whoever that lady was I knew what she was talking about and only the word of consolation from God can have such power to give one hope to live again.

What am I trying to say? Lives are affected by the little things we do and most times we never know. Whatever it is that you do to impact lives, KEEP AT IT, don’t stop now. It doesn’t matter that people don’t notice the good deeds you have done; maybe you haven’t received the kind of approval or commendation that you desire from people…don’t stop doing it. Don’t stop helping people, don’t stop doing good; go the extra mile to help someone, live everyday with the thought of putting a smile on someone’s face. You never know what life you may preserve tomorrow. You are God’s outstretched arm to your world and He sees and knows what you do; you should seek His approval and only Him can give you the kind of reward you desire.

DON’T GROW WEARY IN WELL DOING…IN DUE SEASONYOU WILL GET YOUR REWARD

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