Success Lessons From 2014 - Part II - Make a Decision

Dear loving people,

Having talked about lesson one which was asking you to stop avoiding failure, one of the ways to do that is to start making decisions that move you forward.

Lesson II:  Make a decision.

As we move through life’s gigantic stage, we are bombarded with lots of options and thus, we make hundreds, if not millions, of micro-decisions every day – from what to focus our energy on, to how to respond to an email, to what to eat for lunch. However, people often find it hard to make decisions - inevitably we all have to make decisions all the time, even if some are more important than others. 

Some people put off making decisions by endlessly searching for more information or getting other people to offer their recommendations.  Others resort to decision making by taking a vote, sticking a pin in a list or tossing a coin.

Colin Powell, a man I admire so much for his prowess says, “At some point, before we can have every possible fact in hand, we have to decide. After you have acquired 40 to 70 percent of information about a situation, go with your gut.”

Why not, you want to be remembered, and so the decisions you MUST make each day whether you like it or not will determine the legacy you leave behind. That comes up in our next post….

Contribute to Your Unbelievable Turn Around

Deal loving people,

Nothing happens is this world that does not take effort. History, until our present time, has been shaped and molded by the efforts of men and women of both renown and obscurity.

Songo is a guy with MBA (Masters in Business Administration). One day he came home so tired and dejected after he had searched for a job to no avail for well over 7 years. He decided to change his strategy and to start somewhere with anything and so got a job as a Gatekeeper at a prestigious company in town.

One Sunday after church service, he was chatting with his Pastor and the Pastor at one moment told him specifically that God will turn his life around sooner than he could imagine. Songo was quick with all conviction to say ‘AMEN’.

Shortly afterwards, the management of his company decided for some unexplained reasons to review all the credentials and job descriptions of all its personnel. That is how they came to discover who their Gatekeeper actually was with regards to education and behold! He was named Deputy General Manager a few days later with all advantages included such as service car, a driver, a company house, a comfortable salary etc.

I know many people will be quick to say a miracle had happen to Songo or that God had suddenly blessed him. Very true but guess what? His blessings did not come out of nothing; it was not just some stroke of luck. He actually worked for it.

Remember that he searched earnestly for a job; irrespective of his education, he humbled himself and started somewhere with as little a job as a Gatekeeper and seeking God’s blessings in church. Summarily, God blessed his efforts.

The Point! God can only bless your efforts or actions that you are taking earnestly towards growth. If you fold your arms and sit waiting for some blessing to change your life out of nothing, Trust me! nothing will ever happen even if you pray all the days of your life. Start doing something, and then you can ask and receive God’s unfailing support.

I read with passion 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV) which states clearly that “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Do what you can earnestly and leave the rest to God.

Use Your Subconscious!

Dear loving People,

Let’s take a look at some short and straight facts from Earl Nightingale, an inspiring speaker.

1.    "We become what we think about." Can you think of a more powerful quote than that? If you want to become a success that is what you have to obsessed with because truly, what you concentrate on is what you become.

2.    "Our attitude towards others determines their attitude towards us." Remember the golden rule? What you will not want others to do to you, just make sure you don’t do it on to others. Most people erroneously show hatred towards others and expect love in return. There are those who so selfish they can’t give a dim to anybody but always expect philanthropic gestures from others.

3. "People with goals succeed because they know where they're going." Goals are like pointers, they show you the way. It’s difficult to be found on a flight to Hawaii if you have nothing to do there. If you have a burning desire in you and a supreme objective in life and stick to it, you get there.

4.   "Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become a reality." The subconscious is so powerful it keeps working for us even when we think we are onto other things. If you can get your success plan registered into your subconscious mind, then you’ve build for yourself a powerful success mechanism. It will govern even your reflexes and drive you steadily towards success

If you enjoyed these, I encourage you remain glued to Living Lectures and more will be yours.

Enjoy,

You are Your Own CEO!

Dear loving people,

Have you noticed that when you have such a burning desire to get something, you easily figure out how to get it? Friedrich Nietzsche says “He who has a strong enough why can bear almost any how.”

It is only when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your own life, that you must take charge and take control of your own fate, will you begin to shape your destiny. John Atkinson says “if you don't run your own life, somebody else will.”

At one point in my life, I had to decide like William Blake Plan states that “I must create a system, or be enslaved by another man's.” Today, life goes easy for iPhone owners because Steve Jobs (1955-2001) had a burning desire to take a paradigm shift in mobile phone technology. He said “Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do. - Steve Jobs,

Fortunately or unfortunately, it has to be clear when you take upon the task of shaping your life that there is no free lunch, there is no reward without sweat and as a matter of fact, Vidal Sassoon says “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.”

Everybody wants things from and for their lives. Various forms of abundance, financial wealth, building a great house, starting a successful business or charitable foundation, creating a family are a few of many possibilities. Effective CEOs take the time to identify what they truly want.

Excellent CEOs make vision attainment appear to be almost effortless ventures. This is because the decision has been made that their life and causes are so important to them and their families that effort represents a very minor price to pay. You can do same, you have to do same.

Only you can make or mare after all, what you become in life largely depends on you because and as I always say, only you are the CEO of your own life.