No one has anything in this world that has not been given to them. It is true that success and other great things are not necessarily given to anyone on a platter of gold, but they are still given. Behind the successes and achievements of most of the wonderful people we know are stories of enabling connections, collaboration, and the involvement of others. You have also probably benefitted from the advice, recommendation, tutelage, sponsorship, support, or benevolence of someone else. We do not get to great places or achieve great feats by being an island of our own. The leverage we enjoy when we are carried by others is very significant. Meanwhile, this message is not about you and me enjoying benefits from others, but about us becoming the lever for others. It is about carrying others as they try to reach their destination. We must not downplay the significance of the sponsorship, support, or recommendation we provide to people who are serious about their future. You and I may hold the key that opens the door to the blessings and breakthroughs of those around us. In fact, sometimes, what someone needs to succeed may be an introduction to someone else, a recommendation for an opportunity or providing direction. As simple as those sound, they require a genuine and deliberate effort on our part. The question is whether we accept the responsibility or not. Here is the call to carry someone else and participate in their journey to great achievements. If you look around, you will find many who need what you have. You have probably been brought into a place of honour, repute, and grace so that you can be a blessing to others. Someone may say, “but I also need help. I am not there yet”. You are right, everyone needs help. That is the reason we must spread help around and carry one another. Who do you carry? Actions for the week
A quote to remember “I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” – Maya Angelou Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books
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Whenever I look on a busy street and see people passing, going about their regular business, I try to imagine what they are thinking. They are probably thinking about their work, family, favorite sport, friends, personal progress, how to make ends meet or even how to survive. People are preoccupied with the ups and downs of life. Although there are some that are busy working on evil schemes, most people are inherently seeking good things, just minding their own business, and trying to make life work. Yet we are generally inclined to think less of others, either seeing them on the other side of the societal divide or making unproven assumptions about who they are. What and how we think about others matters. We usually get what we expect. Our perception of others is determined mostly by the way we think. Most times we conclude who people are before we even meet them. It is not so much about what others do or where they come from. It is more about how we think about what they do and who they are. We let our minds take the shortcut of tricking us to assume people are who they are not, instead of trying to know them better. Don’t we see people the way we want to see them? We need to do better. We need to start seeing others in a better light. Here is where I am going. It is better to expect good things from those around us, because we get what we expect. If you expect good things from someone you will probably find good things from them. The converse is also true. If you expect less or expect bad things from those around you, you will always see bad things in them. It may not even matter how much good they do; you will focus on the bad side instead. The light you throw on people determines how you see them. What light do you throw on others? Actions for the week
A quote to remember “Persons appear to us according to the light we throw upon them from our own minds.” – Laura Ingalls Wilder Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books Have you ever wondered when you will be paid back for all the good things you have done? Do you feel discouraged, thinking you have contributed a lot but have not received much? You are not alone. You are among other millions of “good doers” who spend their energy and resources to build other people and society. Without a proper understanding of the purpose of doing good, one may be weary and feel like discontinuing their effort. Genuine “good doers” do not really expect much in return, especially at the beginning. They do good for the sake of “good”. They found purpose, a greater purpose, in doing good even if there will be no recompense. Meanwhile, it is important to note that doing good is also like sowing a seed. In that case, expecting something good from doing good is okay. Depending on the species of the plant, seeds have different lengths of time for germinating and the plant takes different lengths of time to become fully grown. If you are expecting a harvest from what you sow, you will need to wait for the length of time it takes. It is also important to note that whatsoever anyone sows are what they will reap. If you planted corn, you would harvest corn, maybe in a couple of months, and only once. If you planted a cocoa tree, you may wait a few years to begin harvesting but will reap the reward for several years. When we do good, we feel a sense of accomplishment. We feel the joy of sowing something for which a harvest may be expected whether we benefit from it or not. Doing good may come in different forms and shapes. You may spend your time and resources helping others. You may be a good parent to your children. You may provide training and mentoring for the next generation. You may be a positive and resourceful contributor at work. You may work to be a model of character and sound moral judgement for others. You may spend your life serving humanity. Whatsoever is the case or your reason for doing good, doing good is good business. Actions for the week
A quote to remember “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.” – The Bible (Matt 12:33 NLT) Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books It’s been two full years of weekly publishing of the Prowezz Leadership Newsletter. This milestone is worth celebrating. We learnt a lot of lessons along the way. Although there is much to celebrate and reflect on, the focus is on the future. As I wrote in my book Pursuit of Personal Leadership, success can get in the way of success. The reason some are unable to achieve greater success is because they settled into their previous success. They became complacent; getting off the bus at a bus stop that is still a long way before their destination. They told themselves they had arrived, even though they were just starting the journey. You have probably heard that life is a marathon and not a sprint. Completing a marathon requires endurance, focus and courage. You and I must keep moving forward. We must keep the fire burning. Success comes by forward movement, not by stagnation. We may have milestone achievements to celebrate along the way, but we must not lose sight of the future. Sometimes, we may not even have much to show for a lot of effort, but we must keep pressing forward. Whatsoever is our experience, our eyes must be on the finish line; on the goal that lies ahead. As we celebrate two years of this weekly newsletter, I would like to encourage you to stay committed to your dreams and aspirations. I am also making the same commitment and more. We are all on a journey, with each one of us in their own lane. Let the thought of reaching your future goals keep you awake to the tasks you need to complete to get there. Do not settle for anything small in your career and life. Do not let the success you have attained becloud you from seeing the greater things ahead. Stay on course. Continue to be productive. Keep the fire burning. Actions for the week
A quote to remember “Those who move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.” – Gordon B. Hinkley Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books I am yet to see anyone do anything great without courage. Courage is an ability; the ability to do something challenging or difficult. It is also the ability to go through a tough time without breaking. Incidentally, we face mountains and challenges in life. We encounter difficult situations at work. Some of the hard times are related to decision making while others relate to dealing with people. We also press against barriers as we forge our way into success. We are carried by the wind of change that requires that we brace up and brave the situations. Whatever is the case, we all need courage to succeed. One may ask: how do I secure courage? Well, courage is not something that can be given. It is more like an attitude that we must personally develop. Although one may be encouraged by someone else, one must learn to receive the courage. Being courageous is something internal. We get better at being courageous by practice. Our level of courage is tested by difficulties and challenges. If you “chicken out” in the face of oppositions, lack, set-backs, pain, or roadblocks, you may need to check your courage level. Developing courage helps to weather the storm. It makes you stand when your circumstance suggests that you should fall. I am not sure what your current experience may be at home, work, community, or society. Whatever is the case, you and I need courage. You need courage to make that leap. You need courage to overcome that situation. You need courage to make progress. You need courage to sort out the relationship issue. You need courage to be the top performer at work. In fact, we all need courage to navigate the complexities of the world we live in. As times change so do we need courage to adapt to change. Do not let your situation weigh you down. Do not let anyone despise you. Secure the courage to stay atop; to keep moving forward. Actions for the week
A quote to remember "Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy." – Dale Carnegie Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books Sometimes when I see people go all the way to do something important, I usually wonder where the energy, the driving force comes from. You may have team members that go the extra mile to ensure that things are done appropriately and acceptably. Those who give their best, who are selfless in their approach to progress are usually inspiring. One thing I have realized is that we all do what we do for a reason. Some do things because of personal and selfish gains, but I have seen people who do spectacular things without expecting anything. Then I realized the real reason anyone would do anything. When we share a true connection and we have genuine respect for one another, we would find it easier to step forward and give our best. A relationship, and especially one based on trust, cannot be underestimated. People will go to whatever extent possible to do remarkable things for those they truly care about. In that case, the reason they do it is not because of the thing itself, but because of the relationship. A quick test for you: have you had a situation where you did something good for someone just because you liked them; the same thing you wouldn’t have done for someone else? That is exactly what I am saying. The real reason you do what you do is because of your love for someone else. Otherwise, you will be doing it for a selfish reason. Imagine how much your team would achieve if there were a true connection between the members. People thrive and make meaningful contributions when they work with those they love and care about. It should be the intention of any leader to build relationships, respect, and trust among those they lead. Relationships provide a reason for anyone to do anything for anyone else. Actions for the week
A quote to remember "What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" — George Eliot Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books We live in a world where people, especially those who have some kind of influence over you, expect you to behave in a certain way, do or don’t do certain things, and just fit in a certain mold. Every one seems to have an expectation of you, which you don’t have of yourself. It seems like others want you to be who you are not. Our societies are structured such that we learn to think in some particular ways. What we learn in school, at work, on the media and elsewhere tend to make us think in a certain way about ourselves. The worst part of it is that those who choose to be different may not be popular or, in fact, may be punished for not fitting in the mold. Yet, fitting the mold is the reason most people are unhappy, unfulfilled, unaccomplished and miserable. The reason is simple. We are naturally endowed with gifts and talents, and our true visions and dreams would align with our natural abilities. Unfortunately, most people are unable to express themselves and unable to fulfil their dreams because they are trying to conform to what others think about them. They are fitting in the mold, controlled by what others dictate. Until we become free from the bondage of conformity, we will continue to lack the happiness and fulfillment we deserve. It’s time to start thinking for ourselves and living our lives deliberately, even if it means disagreeing with some people. I will rather be authentic than fit in the mold. I will rather be true to myself than become a conformist. What about you? Would you let the opinions of others, what they think about you, dictate the course of your life? Would you not rather decided for yourself where your life shall go and then journey on to your destination? Those who live authentic lives find joy and fulfillment at the end of their lives. I have decided to do what I really want to do in life and I hope to get better at it. And you? Don’t fit into anyone’s mold. Actions for the week
A quote to remember “No one man can, for any considerable time, wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which is the true one.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books Light trumps darkness in every situation. No matter how dark it may be, light always overcomes. You cannot put out light with more darkness but you can get rid of darkness with light. Meanwhile, we need to understand the real meanings of light and darkness. One way to define darkness is the absence of light. That got me thinking about our lives, success and fulfillment in the context of light and darkness. Ignorance seems to work like darkness. An ignorant mind is full of blackness; devoid of light. You may wonder what is light then. The answer is not far fetched. To undo ignorance is to learn and acquire the knowledge that illuminates the mind. Those who constantly succeed in life have their minds flooded with the right information. Knowledge is the antidote for ignorance. Ignorance is the absence of knowledge just like darkness is the absence of light. Anyone that will break free from ignorance must be humble and willing to learn and grow. In this day and age, there is no excuse for ignorance. We have access to an immense amount of information. Anyone can access knowledge, mostly freely, as they desire. I also noticed a trap - people who are ignorant without knowing it. They think they know but they don’t. They lead people, run businesses and make decisions for society without knowledge. How can anyone lead or operate what they do not know? In whatsoever we do, we must be willing to operate in light, learning what we need to learn. Ignorance is not a virtue. Ignorance is a kind of blindfold. You don’t know what you don’t know. Get rid of the darkness. Walk in light so you don’t stumble as you continue your journey in life. Actions for the week
A quote to remember It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness - Author Unknown Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books The extent of one’s ability to perform well and achieve success may be likened to the range of travel of an automobile. It doesn’t matter if your car is fueled by gasoline or diesel, or yours is powered by electricity or hydrogen fuel cell, all vehicles have their range of travel. Some travel 400 miles on full charge or full tank while others travel less or more. The range of your car is the maximum distance your car can travel on a full tank or full charge. It is like the distance capacity of your car. Meanwhile, your car will not travel the full range if you do not fully charge it or fully fill the tank. A half tank will only give you a half of the range. We too have an enormous capacity or potential to achieve great things, just like the range of the automobile. Unfortunately, many people do not go very far because they drive with only a quarter tank or a half level of the battery charge. There are many ways we fuel our tanks. The skills, experience, life lessons, time investments and whatever we do to become better all fill our tanks. They provide the driving force for our journey through life. People get stalled when they run out of fuel, or when their battery becomes discharged. Your skills, experience, and strengths of yesterday may not be enough to take you into your future. You may need to refresh, refill, and rejuvenate to go further. The challenge for most of us is not about capacity or range. We surely do have the capacity, the potential to do incredibly big things and travel a very long road. The challenge is about preparing for the journey by getting fully charged or travelling with a full tank. Some people may need to go back to the basics and learn what it takes to travel the road they are aiming for, while others will need to stop by the gas station of further learning to refuel and continue. Whatever is your case, your true range in life is not determined by your capacity but by your fuel. Determine to maximize your range with a full tank. Actions for the week
A quote for the week “The swiftest way to triple your success is to double your investment in personal development.” - Robin Sharma Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books Change is good. Every one of us is looking for something better. We like our situations to improve. We want things to change for better. However, change is a process. For example, we like to use tomato in its paste form, but it takes crushing of tomatoes to get the paste. Similarly, iron ore goes through a process that includes heating to high temperatures to extract steel. If your better state is like tomato paste, you may need to go through the crushing. Likewise, if your improved situation is like steel, then you may need to go through the furnace. Every significant improvement is achieved by a change process that usually includes some form of hardship. When the change we wished for begins to happen, we may not see or feel the result immediately. Sometimes we only see the crushing – the challenges, difficulties, hardships, or the hard work needed for the change. And that can be a serious matter. The way to stay in the process is to keep focus on the expected results or outcomes. The process is always worth it, and we must accept the challenge and get positivity engrained in our subconscious minds. We need courage and, in most cases, we must develop strength from within. Strength within helps to drive actions without. I am not sure what stage you are at in your change. You may be starting something significant, attempting to improve a situation, working on a financial goal, or navigating a career change. You may be at the crushing stage, feeling discouraged or worried that things may not work out well. I have a word for you. Be courageous. Encourage yourself in your change. Think about the joy of fulfilling your vision, accomplishing your goal, reaching your destination, or becoming successful in whatsoever you are working on. You need courage to move forward, and you are the best person to encourage yourself. Let strength rise within you. Get courage. You can do what you think you cannot do. Actions for the week
A quote to remember "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." ― Nelson Mandela Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books One of the most difficulty aspects of leadership is to intentionally invest in others and be consistent until they grow into maturity. This is especially challenging when we must start with people who are far behind. For example, you may have a new employee who is just starting to learn the technical skills in their profession. You may need to start with handholding, watching them miss the marks on many occasions, repeatedly suggesting improvements to their work and becoming patient for them to learn. I have seen many leaders shrug off their responsibility to invest in others. They want to work with ready-made high-flying champions only. While it is important to select our team members carefully, especially in terms of their ability, it is more profitable to pay attention to attitudes. Those who possess the right attitude will learn and grow. They will become competent with time because of their can-do mindset. Whereas, you may have a rocket scientist who is not that useful because of a negative attitude. In all my experiences, I have found that people who are given to learning will grow with time and will in turn become great within the team. Unfortunately, many so-called leaders are not patient enough to recognize those who have the potential to become great and are too hasty to dismiss the starter or someone struggling as incompetent. As leaders, we should not give up on those we lead. We should consistently look for the opportunity to be the source of knowledge, inspiration, and courage to those who work with us. One more thing: people differ widely in their pace of learning and growth. We do not place everyone on the same scale. If people are willing to learn and grow, it is the responsibility of the leader to provide the atmosphere, tools and support needed for them to succeed. Those who were not useful for you today may become the superstars in your team tomorrow. Don’t give up on anyone. They too will grow. Actions for the week
A quote to remember "Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others." – Jack Welch Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books One of the values that I have learnt to embrace in my leadership journey is to stay at the front, showing my team an example of committed leadership. Many leaders only want to boss people around. They want to tell others what to do without them lifting a finger to carry anything. They sit in big offices, calling the shots, issuing policies and commands, without proper understanding of what their followers feel or experience. Yet the most important things happen at the grassroots. Those who work daily at the frontline have a better perspective of situations than those who sit on their thrones in large suites overlooking the cityscape. What kind of a leader are you? Do you feel the heartbeat of those you lead? When your followers or team members take a position on an issue, do you care to understand their perspective. Do you even know what those you lead daily? Great leaders are not disconnected from their team but rather get engaged. Leadership is not just about vision and direction. It is also about thoughtfulness, engagement, trust in the followers and direct support for the team. Anytime I see a team fall apart, I question the leadership. This week, I challenge you to be a frontline leader. Your success in leadership hinges on how well you can carry your team from one level to another. Leadership is a hands-on endeavour. Leadership is service delivered with compassion, commitment, and trust. Decide to get to the heart of your leadership by getting involved; by taking the frontline position, showing the way, providing support, and empowering your team to succeed. Stop bossing people around. Be a leader instead. Actions for the week
A quote to remember “Servant leadership is all about making the goals clear and then rolling your sleeves up and doing whatever it takes to help people win. In that situation, they don’t work for you; you work for them.” ― Ken Blanchard Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books I dedicated a full chapter in my new book “Rip Off Your Blindfold” to encouraging people who are going through challenging situations. I titled it “Hitting rock bottom is a good thing”. How can an unpleasant experience be a good thing? When we go through situations that are difficult for us to handle, we experience stress, and sometimes apprehension. In many cases we are not sure what the result will be. Imagine someone who loses their job, or a loved one, or who becomes bankrupt or homeless, or gets betrayed by someone trusted. How would you explain to such a person that the situation is good? Through my journey in life, I have realized that we usually don’t see our situations correctly when we are under pressure or in trouble. We tend to look only from the perspective of our problems and challenges. And that beclouds our understanding of reality. Here is the truth. The experiences we go through prepare us for bigger things. When we think the situation is breaking us, it is making us. We become stronger not because someone tells us to be strong but because we go through circumstances that build strength and resilience in us. Most of the time when we think things are falling apart, they are falling into place. Just think about grapes. Grapes need to go through a long process that includes crushing and squeezing before becoming wine. A seed that will grow into a plant needs to become planted in the soil first. When you think you are being buried, you are just being planted and you will grow into a tree that produces great fruits. You are being submerged so that you can emerge. During challenging times, focus on the lesson. Let the hard times do the complete work of transforming you into a better version of yourself. You are on a journey with purpose. Stay on course and be an overcomer. Things are falling into place, not falling apart. Actions for the week
A quote to remember “The greater the destiny, the greater obstacles you’ll have to overcome. No great destiny comes without great challenges and sacrifices.” ― Jeanette Coron Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books Of all the creatures in the wild, the eagle is quite spectacular. The eagle is physically strong and has a sharp-focus, long-range vision. More importantly, it possesses a mental attitude that guarantees success. The eagle never loses sight of its prey. It keeps the focus, directs its full energy to its target and holds tightly to its catch until it becomes fully secured. We have lots to learn from the eagle. Let us first consider what we have in common. It seems like we also have some strength, although differing only in magnitude. We generally have both the physical sight and an ability to mentally envision. May be a missing piece is the attitude that would always guarantee success – we tend to lose sight of our target. There are many different reasons one may lose sight of the target. Distraction, challenges, repeated failure, oppositions, and lack of enthusiasm are examples. I sometimes wonder if the eagle has its own challenges too. I believe so. It takes a mental attitude that is totally committed to reaching a set goal and achieving a definite feat to succeed. Those who lose focus, shifting their gaze away from their aim in life do not have much to show for their effort. Putting in effort and expending our energy is not enough. We must direct that energy to something specific and never lose sight of it. In fact, the issue with most of us is that we do not stay focused on the target. The challenge is that most people lose focus, majoring in the minor. Whatever you are, and whatever you do, you must develop your sight like that of the eagle. It is not about having a superior vision but about focusing on what you must do and getting it done. It is an attitude of the mind. If you are aiming for something, keep your eyes on it and direct your energy toward it. Hold tight to it until it is fully secured for you. Don’t ever lose sight of your target. Actions for the week
A quote to remember “Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.”- Alexander Graham Bell Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books Ting-a-ling… ding-dong…jingle-jangle… So does the bell sound from every corner. I have one question for you. How are you doing with your goals for this year? Oh yes, we will talk about goals again. Half of the year has almost passed, meaning that we should be half-way through achieving what we set out to do at the beginning of the year. Some of us may be nailing it, putting check marks on the items we wrote down as we realize the achievements. Some may be behind schedule, with the year passing so quickly and wondering where all the time has gone. Yet, some of us may be having the rollercoaster experience, winning some and losing some as we press forward. Whatever is the case, it is time for us to review the year; to review the goals that we set at the beginning of the year. Remember that goals can be shaped, updated, and refined. You do not need to get fixed to the plan in a religious way. If a change of direction is needed, here is the time to decide. What is important is that we are making progress toward a worthwhile destination, such that we become fulfilled at the end of the year. I also want to remind you that those who target nothing will always hit it. We cannot afford to let life happen to us. We must be deliberate and determined in our approach to life. There is a lot of satisfaction and fulfilment in reaching one’s goals. If you have ever set a big goal and achieved it, you probably know what I am talking about. We find fulfilment through what we do, especially when it is done intentionally and for the greater good – something beyond just our personal consumption and comfort. As you review your goals, ask yourself if what you are aiming for will bring joy to you and blessings to others. Now is the moment of truth; a time to decide if you will make a difference or just live like every other average person. Actions for the week
A quote to remember "The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score." –Bill Copeland Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books Nature has hidden something from all of us. Without trying to sound religious, maybe I should state that God has set everything in motion in time but has hidden the future from us. We can remember what happened in the past and relate well with what is happening in the present. However, no one can tell us exactly what will happen in the next moment. We live only one moment at a time, and we are mostly oblivious of what will happen next. Sometimes we sum up our experience and define our lives based on what we have gone through. We settle into the order of life that our circumstances have thrown at us. But I have good news. What is in our past cannot be all that there is to life. Every one of us can shape our own future. We cannot wait for the future to happen to us. We must forge it, just like you would forge iron into a specific shape. It doesn’t matter how much your past challenges have been. The hard times, disappointments, disgrace, failures, rejections, and all other challenges are only in your past. Similarly, your past successes, achievements, and exploits are in the past. You cannot afford to let your past success or failure stand in the way of your future escapade. Your better days are coming. At any point in our lives, we must be able to say, “better days are coming”. We need to constantly remind ourselves that the best things are those that are yet to come. Anyone that would experience good things in their future must start from the way they think. Then put their thoughts into action. Are you going through a challenging or disappointing situation now? Or you are riding on the wave of success and good experiences. Whatever is your situation, know that your better days are coming. It can only get better. Actions for the week
A quote to remember Hope… Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope! In the end, that is God’s greatest gift to us...A belief in things not seen. A belief that there are better days ahead. – Barack Obama Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books Every one of us has been given “life” generally at roughly the same order of magnitude. If you live long, maybe you will clock 100 years. Think about it. That is not really a very long time. The time of life is not as extensive as we think. Therefore, it is important to spend our time here doing what matters. Meanwhile, we tend to define what matters in different ways. Some believe that what matters the most is “family”. Others devote their lives to serving their communities. Yet others spend their lifetime innovating, designing, and building things and products for the future. I have also seen those who believe in developing other people and pouring their lives into future leaders. Whichever is your view, you are right. All those pursuits are worthwhile. In fact, we probably have a long list of worthwhile causes. But there is just one thing that truly matters. When you and I get to the end of our lives and we look back, that only one thing will matter. The money we owned, our fleets of exotic vehicles, the positions of authority we held, the power we possessed, our houses and lands, and our silver and gold will not matter. The only thing that will matter is “Did I do my best?” Doing our very best to live for truth, to impact others positively, to build people, and to leave a positive memory in the hearts of people – that’s what matters. It is all about the lives you touched; the people whose lives became better because of you. In all our endeavours, we must remember that there is just one thing that matters. The difference between those who enjoy fulfilment at the end of their lives and those who experience regrets is what they lived for. This message is a charge to each one of us to focus on what really matters – to focus on doing our best to leave positive memories in the minds and hearts of people. That is the only thing that matters. Actions for the week
A quote to remember Life laughs at you when you are unhappy; Life smiles at you when you are happy; But life salutes you when you make other happy. – Charlie Chaplin Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books If you are attempting to do anything significant, you will surely encounter obstacles. Things that are too easy to get or achieve are those with less value. If it was easy, then everyone should be able to do it. Most of the great ideas that eventually made it to success passed through the valley of death. They were tested and tried by problems and obstacles. The valley of death of ideas is the place where ideas perish, where great intentions disappear, and the dreamer decides to chicken out. One of the characteristics of this valley is that it occurs closer to the beginning of the journey. Sometimes it shows up as an abyss that we need to jump across or a brick wall that we need to break down. I observed that the majority are unable to make it to the other side of the brick wall because they do not approach it with the right strategies and tools. When you face a brick wall, you have some options: (a) you can climb the wall and cross over if you choose to, (b) you can break down the wall should you have the right tool, (c) you can change direction and look for an alternative route to the other side, and (d) you can just stand there, do nothing, and become the victim of the brick wall. Which of the options would you choose? The main point is that we should not abandon our journey into something great or significant when we face challenges or obstacles. We must ask ourselves what we need to do to overcome the problems and then act. Sometimes the sledgehammer that we need to break down the wall is our attitude. In other cases, we need to become resilient and rise above the situation, as in climbing the wall. In yet other instances we need to think of alternative ways of moving forward. And, in most cases, we need to allow other people to help in the process. When you face a brick wall, approach it with determination to overcome. Actions for the week
A quote to remember You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do. —Eleanor Roosevelt Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books Our societies are built such that we are expected to think and behave in a certain way. We are somewhat conditioned to accept the opinions of others as important to our undertakings. And there are lots of those opinions. In fact, in our world today, if you do not fit in the mold, you are either ignored or belittled. It seems like you need other people’s permission to succeed. If you have a dream or ambition, and people get to know about it, they may tell you 1001 ways things won’t work. Unfortunately, many people have fallen into the trap, thinking that the opinions of the majority matter to their own conceived ideas. It is the reason a lot of dreams are aborted; why many visions are abandoned. While it is true that we need to work with others to achieve something significant, every individual is still responsible for the fulfilment of their dreams. When your big dream or lofty aspiration does not make sense to those whose minds are myopic, do not let them talk you out of it. Most of the groundbreaking achievements in our world did not make sense at first, but someone decided to spearhead the unknown to do what others think impossible. After all, Napoleon Bonaparte told us that impossible is a word only to be found in the dictionary of fools. Here is the key. You do not need to explain your dream, vision, ambition, or aspiration for the whole world to accept. If it is big enough or seems incredible, they will reject it. Nevertheless, the dream is yours and not theirs, and only you are accountable for fulfilling that for which you are here in this world. If you truly believe in what you are doing, then you owe nobody an apology. Those who believe with you will gravitate toward you and become part of your journey, while scoffers will continue to grapple with reality. Actions for the week
A quote to remember Don't waste your energy trying to change opinions ... do your thing, and don't care if they like it – Tina Fey Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books I do not want to underestimate what many people are experiencing. We all have our share of challenges related to work, home, and other areas of life. If you own a business, you probably have real business challenges that keep you alert. If you are working in a team or whatever your workplace looks like, there are usually problems you face. Sometimes we even personally face failures, setbacks, rejection, roadblocks, hurdles, and similar seemingly negative situations. However, we also have moments of success, fulfilment and laughter and the sense of enjoyment that comes with positive things. Our days go in successions of brightness and darkness. Life is like a sandwich with meat, vegetables and bread all layered together. If you are on a rollercoaster, there will be high points and low points. When one person is at the hill crest, another person may be crestfallen. Life goes in cycles. Meanwhile, those who continue to experience success and fulfilment have one thing in common. They expect better things out of life than the bad things; they focus on the brighter side. If you and I are to live a fulfilling life, we must understand that success is fabricated from several raw materials, and that the challenges we face in life are part of the equation. When we overcome challenges, we learn and become stronger. We must focus on the positive things and draw strength from our desire to reach our goals. No one told you the road will be easy. It has not been an easy road for those before us, but it is a worthwhile journey. Let us do what achievers do. They look at the brighter side of things. They have expectations of good things. They believe passionately that they will achieve their goals and become successful. In most cases, achievers inspire other people along the way. Do not allow your challenges to get you inundated. Always look at the brighter side and you will be on top of your circumstances. You are blessed. You are loaded with talents. You can do whatever you believe you can do. Actions for the week
A quote to remember Sometimes, when things are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place – Author Unknown Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books |
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September 2023
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