One of the lessons I have taught my children repeatedly is that there is no problem with being different. Whether it is about their background, which they have no control over, or their beliefs and choices, it is okay to be different. I see lots of people try to fit in, conforming themselves to their environment like a chameleon and seeking acceptance from the people they are supposed to enlighten. They forget that we are where we are at any point in time for a reason, usually for the purpose of bringing positive change and adding value based on our unique abilities. Each one of us has something to offer which is unique to us. We can share perspectives that are rooted in our own convictions based on positive character. 

Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where popular opinions are not the solution to the issues at hand. However, we tend to go with the flow because of fear of rejection or retribution. In some other cases, we hold back and keep our perspectives to ourselves because we are unsure if we would be accepted. The truth is that our silence may not serve the greater good. There are people waiting for us to be the light that will illuminate the dark places. We can be the voice for those who cannot speak for themselves and be the advocate of good courses for society. Our involvement can bring the needed change, a change of direction from misinformed choices and poor judgements.
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The question is whether we will lend our voices and be the light in the room or fold our arms and watch the world go by. Meanwhile, being the light is not about activism or promoting disunity. It is about learning what is right and true, and bringing it to light. It is about bringing perspectives backed by character, positivity and sound judgment to the table where decisions are made. It is about the greater good of society done in good faith and integrity. When you are the light in the room, you will illuminate other people’s hearts in a way that brings true freedom and solutions to society.

I am a believer in hard work. I think no one deserves anything unless they are willing to work for it. Most of the things of value carry with them an equivalent amount of effort that went into creating them. That is why we should not be deceived when we see a display of excellence or someone around us doing something seemingly effortlessly. There is always a vast amount of effort, real labour, that goes into achieving great feats. That said, the reason something is successful is not necessarily because of the exertion of energy. If working harder means getting more, then those who labour like oxen should be the most successful and the wealthiest. However, you and I know that is not the case.

I feel bad when I see people work so hard, labouring night and day, just to get less. If you do not really understand how things work, you will think this life is unfair to those in that category. Nevertheless, I have learnt that each person is rewarded based on what their effort is worth and that has nothing to do with the size of the effort but the value of the effort. Have you ever wondered why employers prefer to pay people based on time? It is because everyone’s effort per unit time is not worth the same. You and I are paid differently per hour because the value of our effort in the marketplace is not the same.
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You probably wonder where this discussion is going. Instead of working harder and harder, perhaps we should sit back and ask how we can increase the value of our effort in time. If your effort is worth more, you will not need to labour so hard. How well we do in the marketplace depends on how valuable we are. Gaining much has less to do with exertion. It has more to do with how much our effort is worth, and your effort is worth only as much as the marketplace is willing to pay for it. When we become more valuable, our time becomes an expensive commodity for others to buy. Before increasing your energy level, ask if it is worth the exertion.

I don’t know about you, but as for me, I like to see some results when I put in my effort. You and I know that there are lots of wasted efforts in this world. I have watched people labour, working hard with good intentions, but with results that are not commensurate with the effort used. For some, it is as if they are collecting water in a basket and yet expecting it to become full. Every labour and time put into an endeavour matters so much. In fact, although we may have an unlimited pool of ideas, our ability to expend energy is limited. So also is our precious time that cannot be regained once it is spent. That leaves us with an option – our effort must count for something significant.

Among many possible factors for having less to show for a lot of effort, lack of intentionality is chief. Anyone that does a thing haphazardly without putting much thought into it may not expect a big result. Reaping a bountiful harvest would mean that the farmer planted a good seed in good soil, which requires intentionality. Before doing anything worth doing, each one of us must sit back and ask ourselves what we really want to get out of the adventure. We must answer the question, “why am I doing what I am doing?” Unless we answer that question honestly, we are bound to travel in a direction that does not lead to our destination.
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It is time for us to start working for results; to start putting our effort in the direction that leads to the expected end. We must use our energy and time where they matter the most. The converse is also true. We must restrain from putting our labour and time is what doesn’t count. As a good steward of the ability, talent and opportunities that come our way, it is our duty to become intentional in how we approach life. We must lead for results. We must position our effort in such a way that we guarantee a bountiful harvest for our labor.

My family made some traditional dresses a few weeks ago. We hired a designer to make the dresses with our choice of fabrics. As you would imagine, we took measurements for each piece of the dresses. We cross-checked to be sure they were accurate. We then sent them over to the designer alongside the specific designs we wanted. The project was completed after a few weeks. However, I was grossly disappointed. My pants were not the right size, and the top had a very tight neck opening. We later found that the dresses did not conform to the measurements we sent. The designer, for whatever reason, made dresses that didn’t meet requirements. We will never patronize that tailor again. Is that not a conclusion you too would have made?

Well, as it is with making dresses, so it is with each of our businesses, careers or vocations. Each of us is required to work to certain specifications. The requirements may be set by your customer, supervisor, employer, student, or the public. Whatever you produce in your job is expected to meet certain requirements. Your ability to meet the requirements becomes the basis of your performance. Those who fail to meet the requirements are said to perform below expectations. Those who go above and beyond to meet the requirements are said to perform above expectations. It turns out that each of us can determine where we want to belong – those who perform below expectations or those who go above expectations. The choice is for each person to make.
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Meanwhile, just like I fired the dress designer, remember that those you serve have the choice whether to keep patronizing you or not. The reason many are unable to keep their customers or hold a job is because of lack of diligence. Those that you serve do not want a sloppy job. Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well. Don’t let your customers fire you. It should be your goal and my goal to add a touch of excellence to our work. Where is your excellence? 

There are five ways to conquer a mountain but only four that are effective: you can climb it, tunnel through it, dig below it, or remove it. The fifth way is to go around it, to avoid it. That may be the easiest way too, but you will get nothing in return for going around it. Life is full of challenges, but they exist so they can be overcome. A landscape where great achievements are made is not a level field. It is a landscape full of obstacles and barriers. If you have a mountain in your way, you need to conquer it. A successful person has a positive attitude toward removing obstacles, an attitude conducive to breaking barriers.

It is not a matter of whether we will face challenges or not, but a matter of what we will do when challenges come. If your victory is at the top of the mountain, then climb the mountain. There is always a price to pay to reach the summit, but nothing equates to the achievement found on the mountaintop. No one finds themselves on the top of the mountain because they drifted onto it. Climbing a mountain is difficult but worth it. If you and I would keep our eyes on the prize at the top, paying the price to get there becomes a doable task. The reason most people do not strive to overcome is that they lost sight of the prize.
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One of the greatest attributes of achievers is that they are consistently persistent. They do not give up in the face of difficulty and adversity. To make strides, become successful, and make a difference, we must develop the mindset of an overcomer. Then we can climb the mountain, cross the river, jump the hurdle, and navigate the complex landscape of life. We must maintain a positive can-do attitude when the going gets tough. I do not know what lies ahead of you but I do know that you can keep pushing through, even when it is not going the way you want.