Vantage Point

Dear loving people,

Literally, vantage point means a position that affords a broad overall view or perspective, as of a place or situation. To me, it equally denotes a higher level of success you attain as a cumulative result of painstaking actions meticulously taken over time such that you have an overview of what it takes to get there and can point out the pitfall to others because you are now at a higher level and can see all around you the struggles of others.

During the very early days of my career, I had a boss who gave me a “Lacks ambition” rating on my performance review. Despite the fact that my second supervisor opposed the rating, it did not calm me because I knew fully well that when it comes to work, employees who lack ambition seldom rise to the top of an organization. Without a strong desire to achieve something, nothing is accomplished.

Today when I look back, I thank that boss because that rating he gave me, set me on a new path, I decided that I will stop at nothing to get the highest performance rating possible and a few years later, I repeatedly achieved the “consistently exceeds expectation” rating.

But I must however caution that in a world where ambition often compels people to do whatever it takes to rise to positions of power over others, God calls His people to a new way of living. We are to do nothing out of selfish ambition (Phil. 2:3) and to lay aside the weight of sin that ensnares us (Heb. 12:1).

If you want to be someone who truly “rises up,” make it your ambition to humbly love and serve God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). This frame of mind did changed the way I regarded myself when I was rated a high performer, I was in shock—I had entered the cherished circle of high performers.

It’s the oddest feeling when something you’ve been working towards finally comes to fruition. For me, I had constantly done my auto-evaluation, adjusting my strategies for so long, so reading it my new rating in the performance report seemed surreal. Success can be surreal like that.

It got me thinking about victories. So often people talk about their worries and struggles to rise to prominence but seldom do we talk about success when it comes. When success happens to us, sometimes we aren’t sure how to embrace it because we’ve been struggling for so long. Or we overlook our achievements.

Many of us undermine the good things that happen in our lives. So it is vital to learn how to let the positive things really sink in and benefit us. A starting point that can assist you get the most out of your achievements are the following!

Visualize your achievements. For me, holding my performance report with such good rating was similar to the way that parents cuddle a newborn child. Shortly after reading the report, though, I put it aside and moved on to other things I had to do during the day. But then I picked the report back up. Too often, we don’t let the good stuff sink in—so I felt and touched and examined this report for what is was. I now reread the successive reports regularly and keep them at a hands’ stretch where I can get to it at any moment and relive the good feelings each time. Did you receive a certificate of appreciation? Display it in your home or in your office so you can see what you received each time you look at it. This is a simple way to be reminded constantly that you’ve done well.

Mention, don’t brag. You may not want to talk up your accomplishments out of fear that others will think you’re bragging. If you have this mindset, you probably aren’t a bragger anyway. So go ahead and tell your friend that you’ve landed a big account. Tell your family members about all of the interesting appreciation you’ve received. Tell them about your good news and listen to theirs. I would be careful of the way you talk to others in your industry, though. Only my close friends know that when I share good news I’m not boasting—others may not have the capacity to understand. But it’s good to discuss your successes, and listen to others’ accomplishments. It shows support and a sound relationship with someone that you can mention successes and not be jealous or vindictive. Find friends that support you and share the goodness.

Publicize your career bonuses. When you complete a project to a client’s utmost satisfaction, this is the kind of thing that you should publicize. And remember that publicizing doesn’t mean bragging: it’s more about using a success as a stepping stone toward more accomplishments. Use a knockout clip in your portfolio. These are simple things to do that will help you leverage one success into more achievements. I always tell friends of the huge projects that got realized because I played a major role in their implementation. In a similar sense, it’s okay to mention that you’re an “award-winning” professional if you’ve won an award in your organization. It’s not boasting—it’s marketing your professional status and all of us need to celebrate the good.

Good happens. Let’s all try focusing on the good things, too. Securing a new client, creating a masterpiece…these are things that you should celebrate in your own way. And if you’re lucky enough to have a support system, you can raise a glass to yourself every once in a while.

At this vantage point, you don’t hope to roll off to the bottom of the hill again, exhale, live and let others live.

Make Excellence a Habit

Dear loving people,

Join me this morning as I adapt this write-up from Jef Poskanzer

A habit is a routine behavior done on a regular basis. It is a recurrent and often unconscious pattern of behavior and is acquired through frequent repetition. Most of it is unconscious as you don’t even realize you are doing them. Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines habits as “an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary”

This definition ties exactly with Aristotle’s words “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

This practically means that you should give your 100% into EVERYTHING you do if you want to make it big. This is what the ancient Yogis believed was the key to success. If you want to be good at football then you should not only apply yourself to your football training but also to ordinary day-to-day activities. By doing so you cultivate the habit of excellence.

The media has made it easy for people especially in some third world countries like Cameroon to have an idea of how life these days in the western world can be really easy for a lot of people. While people there complain about the weather, traffic etc. but compared to many people in the third world, those in the west seem to have it easy. They don’t have to work hard in fact, there are those who have never had to worry about starving to death, some have never been in a war or some of the calamities we witness every day.

The truth is that you can get by in life these days without putting 100% into it. You can probably cruise through at around 80% and be fine. But the quality of your life will reflect what you put into it. You put in less, you get less back. I personally can’t sail along with the 80% majority and so I strive to give in my 100%.

Popular culture in the world today does not encourage us to strive for excellence. In fact it probably encourages the opposite. When I was in school the kids who worked hard at their homework got teased, and sometimes this attitude still prevails in the adult world. Think about your work colleagues, your friends and family: how many of them are putting 100% into everything they do? Sadly excellence is not a common thing. If you are someone who strives for excellence in all things then you are a rare breed.

Be the exception. Wash the dishes to the very best of your ability, clean the toilet to the very best of your ability. It might not seem like much but by doing this you begin to establish the habit of excellence in everything that you do. As it becomes more entrenched, this habit will spill over into your relationships, work, finances, health…

It’s rather like physical fitness. It takes effort, but the more you do it the easier it becomes. At first you have to train yourself and push yourself towards excellence even when you don’t feel like it. But start with the little things and you’ll soon see it spread across all aspects of your life. If you practice this approach even for a week you’ll see what I’m getting at.

Changing your habits is generally easier said than done but not in this case. If you simply do the next task you do to the very best of your ability then you’re already on your way.

Sail Through Your Storms

Dear loving people,

May your life always be Counterpoint to the Clamor of the World.
May you delight in Dancing Lightly With Life.
May you soar on eagle wings, high above the madness of the world.
May you always sing Melody in the Symphony of Your Life.
May you taste, smell, and touch your dreams of a beautiful tomorrow.
May your sun always shine, and your sky be forever blue.

You can’t imagine to what extent I am consoled by this great wish from Jonathan Lockwood Huie. Reading through them, you feel as if it’s that easy for everything you wish to click into place. I can tell you the truth that it could be that easy if you do some preliminary work with yourself and your processes. How easy life becomes depends on your inputs, you have to work daily for what you want to achieve, it’s that simple.

Somebody said “To be a star, you must shine your own light, follow your own path, and don't worry about the darkness, for that is when the stars shine brightest.” In the same light, David Nicholas says “God's promises are like the stars; the darker the night the brighter they shine” I agree with him.

The things you do minute by minute cumulatively determin the extent to which you achieve your dreams. God’s miracle can fall on lazy, idling and aimless people and once you decide to take action, you must remember Jim Rohn’s words “The difficulties you meet will resolve themselves as you advance. Proceed, and light will dawn, and shine with increasing clearness on your path.”

Therefore, you need considerable courage at the start off point that constitutes part of the radiance within you because as Elisabet Kubler says “People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.”

On the other hand, you must show kindness to others, demonstrate faireplay in the competitive climate and face your own music squarely especially as “It isn't necessary to blow out the other person's light to let your own shine”

But then, irrespective of all your good intentions, what do you do when life serves you a blow? Do you grumble? Do you complain? Do you yell at the world? Do you get frustrated? Do you feel like you have been taken out of your comfort zone and have to deal with new issues that you've never had to deal with before? Do you think that if you had all the money in the world that your life will change for you? Maybe? Do you ever hope that some kind person would come and rescue you out of your storm? Do you imagine what your life will look like after your storm?

Storms are bound to come once you decide to take action towards growth. You can learn to be positive during your storm. You can trust and believe that your storm will pass and you will escape it unharmed. Do you ever think what your storm is possibly trying to teach you? Do you really stop and think about what is going on in your life? Maybe you are being led to a higher ground in your life and your storm was sent to strengthen you and prepare you for something big in your life? Maybe your storm was sent to you so that you can develop sympathy and compassion for people? Who knows why we have to go through storms? A lot of times, storms are sent to make us grow up. Storms happen for a reason and all of us can learn from our personal storms. Storms seem to last a long time when you are the one passing through your storm.

All storms are different and they have different outcomes. You never know who you will help after your storm is over? You may receive the chance to offer encouraging words to another person during their storm? Close your eyes in the midst of your storm and just smile. We share a gift and that gift is smiling. Learn to utilize your smile. Smile at your storm and trust that it will pass. Hopefully, you will develop the gifts of love and patience while passing through your storm.

Norman Vincent Peale says “Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.”