Tag Archives: people

Jun 10 2018
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A little Nicer

Being deserving of a thing is not measured by what you went through to get it but your understanding of what makes that thing precious; passion does that for people more than pain could ever do, build passion in people and not pain. – Selahsomeone

You don’t have to have all you want before you make impact in other people’s life; a smile, kind words, gentle touch, constructive criticism are few of the ways you can reach out. I know sometimes you just feel like letting out your frustrations but you don’t have to make a third (innocent person) party a victim of your outburst. Everyone has a burden, transferring yours to others would only cause a ripple effect.

Many say the world is crazy, the government is bad, our leaders are malicious but you know what I think? I think we are all a victim of our own ills. I have encountered so many difficulties in my life and to each of them has a face of someone who could have been nicer. (I hope I am making sense). A sadistic lecturer, a difficult boss, a backstabbing friend, a cheating date, an oppressing rich man/woman etc, all individuals that could have just been a little nicer but instead chose to be selfish, eccentric and egoistic like you and I often do.

It doesn’t hurt to make life comfortable for others in spite of going through a difficult time yourself. You shouldn’t delight in seeing others suffer. Because you had a rough start at your workplace or getting your degree or getting to stardom doesn’t mean you should inflict same on people coming up through you. If we go by “an eye for an eye” the whole world will soon go blind. Making it easy for people coming behind should be your topmost priority. Being deserving of a thing is not measured by what you went through to get it but your understanding of what makes that thing precious; passion does that for people more than pain could ever do, build passion in people and not pain.

You know that giggling dance you do on the inside when you read bad news about celebrities and affluent people, that’s not nice. No one deserves to be wished evil upon. You wonder why bad news sell more, well it is because deep down most of us are of the opinion that if we can’t be happy no one deserves to be happy. This has to change! We can all be a little nicer, celebrating the good in one another. Do you know that happiness can be passed on just as sadness is contagious? That is the ripple effect! Make someone happy and you will see how happy it will make you feel.

Even when you feel compelled to correct a wrong, be subtle about it, remember it doesn’t end there. Don’t ripple the waters of karma, correct with the right intentions not out of envy or vengeance. When you have to teach a lesson, let the blessings be obvious. Because you are on top today doesn’t make you a supreme being nor omnipresent, you are but a man, remember someone would fill that position in a short while… Be mindful of this and let it guide your everyday actions.

Be nicer even if it is just a little more than your usual. Go out of your way to do something for someone. Do you know the greatest feeling of satisfaction comes from knowing that you have delighted someone? Don’t argue just try it and you will experience something different.

Share this with someone you wish could be a little nicer!

A little Nicer

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May 20 2017

You Are None Of Those Names

You Are None Of Those Names

In life whatever name(s) people call us, can only become ours if we choose to answer to them.

Do you know you have to accept whatever name(s) you are called before it becomes your name? Whatever name(s) we answer to now became our name(s) because we chose to answer to them. If someone screams “Andrew!” in a hall filled with people, only those who answer ‘Andrew’ will most likely look in the direction of the screamer except maybe those who are curious and want to know who Andrew is. So also, in life, whatever name(s) people call us, can only become ours if we choose to answer to them. Little wonder, some people have gone ahead to change their birth name(s), when they don’t want to answer it anymore.

And because you are passing through a situation doesn’t make that situation your destination, you are just passing through! 

People may call you broke, loser, jobless, lazy, stupid, single, fat, fake and so on, these may describe your current situation but that still doesn’t make any of these your name. You decide what you want to answer to! And because you are passing through a situation doesn’t make that situation your destination, you are just passing through! When you decide your name isn’t any of those derogatory remarks and you begin to reinforce names you love to be associated with like success, smart, ambitious, special, winner… and reassure yourself on daily basis that you have all it takes to write your own success story, things will start changing for you.

There would be rocky parts but then you will also get to the smooth part.

You are blessed to have you however, this can only transform to physical blessings when you start believing in yourself.  None of those names people call you matter but the names you have chosen to answer. You have total control on what follows your “I am”, exercise this control and allow only positive words to follow your ” I am”. There would be rocky paths but then you will also get to the smooth path. Don’t be discouraged by now and don’t be taken back by what people seem to think about your life or situation, you will survive it, you are none of those ugly names, you are special and you deserve all the best things life has to offer. 

Because they say “you are” doesn’t mean “you are” (good or bad) but when you say “I am”, you have already set in motion what you want to become! – Selahsomeone

Apr 17 2017

​DO NOT JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER

​DO NOT JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER

“You may not have a second opportunity  to make a first impression” suggests that you should always be at your best when meeting and interacting with people because it forma the basis of their perception of you. – Oluwatosin

When people interact with you for the first time, they are often interested in your appearance, body language and cognitive level. They assess you based on some preset standards they have set in their minds. It takes a couple of ticks on the assessment chart before one is referred to as a cool guy, a responsible lady or an intelligent individual. As good as this impression may be, if subsequent actions do not align with the existing impression, the perception of the onlooker is reviewed and disappointment soon follows.
Have you met someone before and he/she looks appealing- well cultured, good appearance, and so on but as time goes on, you begin to see traces of qualities that counter the one you got from your first impression? Then you wonder if you were wrong during your first encounter or you were unlucky to meet an impostor.

Perceptions could also change positively. You could meet someone today and notice a major turnoff which changes for good with time. The person might have been undergoing a hard time as at when you met which accounted for his or her high-hat attitude. Drawing up all the conclusions in one day because of a set of actions or reactions may be too hasty. Real people are often imperfect; they are cool on several sides but they also have their not-so-cool attitudes. If you are faced with the odd side during your first encounter, you might not have the pleasure of enjoying their cool selves if you draw the line immediately. Give people time to prove themselves.


On the other hand, total perfection is a pointer to pretense. When a person is always on time, no angry side, no provocative attitude, no weakness, be cautious- you might just be on the path of being taken in. Everybody is a work in progress. However, some people have accomplished more than others, there is no unit standard for assessment. Accept each person on a new page, allow them the chance to describe themselves and do not be hasty in judgements.

Feb 5 2017

Liar’s Corner

Liar’s Corner

​It is said that, “a good liar must have a good memory”. This is indeed true because lying is a big task. It is born from hasty generalisation, assumptions, exaggeration and unnecessary make-believe. For one not to be caught, he/she needs to recall every history of lies told to a person or in a situation so, it can be built upon and adequately updated. Believe me, this is not an easy duty. So, I concur fully to that nugget for liars.

Most liars live in a world of fear and adjustments. They hardly notice or accept it though. Even when he is looking so calm in appearance while explaining his ordeal or convincing you about a deal, he is undergoing series of calculations and adjustments inside of him. His thoughts counter each other… he’s studying your actions and noticing your responses to know if you believed his last statement or not and how well he can continue to bamboozle you or shroud his last flaw. It is such a complex world for them. However, is it really needed?

Nothing tarnishes one’s personality more than when he is found to be dishonest. It takes just one lie to have all the truth you have ever told questioned. It ruins relationships, business opportunities and even one’s integrity. Someone who has never met you might not trust you because of your track records of lies that has widely spread; that can hinder so many opportunities untold. Your report, analysis, personal history and so on, does not have to sound interesting all the time. Just say it as it is! If you do not get an applause in the end, never mind… you got an integrity boost instead. Another badge of trust got added to your personality chest.

Telling a lie for a good reason doesn’t make it the truth and doing wrong with good intentions doesn’t make it right. When trust is betrayed, nothing else really matters. -Selahsomeone

It does not take a good lying technique to thrive in business or a relationship. It takes good strategy and communication skill. “If you don’t cheat, you won’t make profit”, who’s theory is that? Develop a good business strategy, get a good location, be appealing to your target market, be friendly and do not compromise your quality in goods and services… your business is going to soar. “My spouse/ parent never believes me until I lie”. Are you for real? Why not keep up with the truth? When loved ones find your words and the reality to be consistent, they will come to terms with your honesty, eventually you would become more appreciated and your bond would grow stronger.

There is no reason good enough to lie. Consider your options again… a safe route is staring at you in the face. Exploit it! Relieve yourself from the stress of internal clumsiness. Make the world a more reliable place to live in. Speak the truth always.

Apr 26 2016

NEVER TOO LATE

NEVER TOO LATE

“Laying on my bed, can’t help but keep rolling from one end to another, and I could barely hold back the tears; my dreams, all I hoped to become slipping away and all I could manage from my heavy mouth was, “Why? Why is this happening to me?” but I got no answer.” I was taught better but now I have no choice than to run away.

It happened on the 12th of May, a day I would never forget. It felt like everything was working perfectly well… Mum was looking so beautiful in her wine tailor-fitted lace and dad was dashingly handsome in his wine lace; they looked so cute together, I had always been proud of them, they were what I call “The Perfect Couple”. My brother Richard was so gorgeous in his black tuxedo and I was looking pretty cool too in my red gown; mum had bought for me a month ago. We were all prepared to go for Uncle Jim’s birthday party; Uncle Jim was dad’s best friend and the only family we knew. It was an evening event, the party was scheduled to start at 19:00 hours.

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We all got into the car, we were running late, mum actually spent like eternity getting dressed, dad had to drive a little faster than usual, so when we met these fierce looking soldiers who shouted “Park! Park!!”, dad stopped the car thinking it was about his speed. When he parked, they started asking questions and looking into the car. We never knew they were not real soldiers, they were armed robbers with guns like you see in movies. I was so scared, my brain stopped processing and I became numb. I could hear arguments followed by gunshots, then came the police siren… Gradually, I started piecing it together, my family had just murdered in cold blood, it was just like a mare. I screamed!  Dad wouldn’t answered my call to him, mum refused to look at me and Richard couldn’t yell back. With tears in my eyes, I was rolling in the pool blood, tugging at each of them but they were gone! 

The cops came around and right there, I watched them carry the corpse of everyone I ever loved, my family that meant everything to me. Uncle Jim and his wife came around later to take me home, telling me everything was going to be fine. It felt like I was alone and my dream of making mum and dad proud was dead as a door nail. I was only thirteen at that time and all I felt was hurt, brokenness and hatred.

Uncle Jim and his wife were so kind, they took up the responsibility of sending me to school but as years passed-by, Uncle Jim’s wife, aunt Rhoda, changed. There was nothing I did that was right in her eyes; she just hated me. She kept poisoning uncle Jim’s mind till he stopped sending me to school, right after my secondary school education. They decided I should learn fashion designing,  I took it in my strides as my father taught me “to always make the best of a bad situation”. Although it seems the more I soldier on, the more bleak the future looks. Sometimes it seemed I was clueless, other times hopeless and I can’t but ask God why Life had been so unfair to me. I lived every day with pains and hurts; I couldn’t forgive my uncle and aunt for not allowing me to go to school because I had hoped I would someday become a lawyer.

Three years later, I got certified as a fashion designer, uncle Jim bought me a rundown second hand machine, that often needed repairs after every sew. But that wouldn’t deter me, I started to sew and as God would have it, I was very good at it. I am very creative and this helped me, I started getting customers but aunty Rhoda will always collect the money I made. One day, I decided I had had enough, I was 23years old now, so I decided to run away from home. It was a tough decision as I really had no where to go, no friends and no families I could run to but then I knew staying with my uncle would only destroy me.

Very early in the morning, I left the house with less than 1000Naira I had saved, I took a bus to the closest town and started living as a destitute; I begged to eat and slept wherever nightfall caught me. After a while a woman picked me up and I became a maid in her house but I wanted more. My boss is a kind woman, all her kids are grown and married, it was just the two of us almost all the time. One day I opened up to her, I told her of my dream to be someone, to be successful and I told her about my fashion design training.

As God would have it, she was willing to help. She decided to send me to a fashion school and that was how I picked up the broken pieces of my life. My dreams came alive again and today I’m not just a fashion designer, I am a fashion consultant; I design for models, companies, consult for other designers and I organize my own fashion shows. Lately, I went back home and told my uncle and aunt that I’ve forgiven them because I realized that if they had not pushed me, I might have not amounted to something.

My dear reader, life is what happens after we have made a perfect plan. Tragic event might have occurred that left you hopeless and dreamless but I want you to know that it’s not too late for you to start again, it’s not too late to pick up the pieces of your life. I want you to know that you can still be who you want to be, it’s never too late to start again.

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Colonel sanders started KFC at the age of 62, Morgan Freeman didn’t get a movie big role till 52, Joyce Meyer was molested by her own father for so long, Oprah Winfrey got pregnant as a teenager…on and on like that every success story is also a story of great failure . So stop giving excuses, stop looking for shortcuts and stop complaining. Every failure, all the challenges you are going through is to make you better. I know you are broken and you are hurt, it’s okay to cry, if you need to cry, and let the pain out as you shed those tears but when you are done, start seeing a brighter future, start making new plans and begin to see a brighter day. Most importantly, forgive everyone who had hurt you and forgive yourself, because we can’t move on till we let go.

It doesn’t matter how many times you have failed, how many mistakes you have made or how many times you’ve been hurt, know this, it’s not too late to start all over. You are created for so much more and your story will be heard if only you don’t give up. Every great man had a story, it’s just a phase and you are coming out stronger and better. I am sure, one day you will look back, smile and appreciate this moment and the hard times that taught you to be strong.

I leave you with the words of Carl Bard, “Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.”

I believe in you because You are special!

Written By:
Onome Omodara Oluwabunmi

Mar 26 2016

SHARE THE FEELING

Share The Feeling

The Coca-Cola company started the share a coke campaign in Australia in 2011, they brought the campaign to Nigeria in January 2014, you can even go to their website and design your own customized picture of a Coca-Cola bottle with your name. This idea took the coca-cola company a step further in their goal of being the highest selling bottling company.

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I thought about it for a long time and it occurred to me that all this company did was to give their customers a feeling of importance. It is true that the sweetest word to any person is the person’s name. Little wonder, that excitement you get when you see your name on a bottle of coke. I could remember the day a friend of mine saw her brother’s name on a bottle of coke she bought that bottle with the last #100 on her, even though it took couple of months before she could take it home and show the brother. There are also stories of similar incident all over the nation, some had the names of their loved ones inscribed on a bottle of coke while others went ahead to get their own customized bottle and even took celebrated pictures with it. A bottle of coke made them feel special.

All people need from you is a feeling of importance, a feeling that they are special to you. No matter who that person is, everyone wants to feel loved and that exactly was the feeling Coca-Cola gave you and I.  “Make people in your life feel important and do it sincerely”, it changes the playing field for you and makes it comfortable to be around you. Imagine if everyone in the world wants to be around you, wants to listen to you, or maybe eager to associate with you. That feel right, yeah? So when next you want to start a conversation with your friends call them loveable names, tell your folks they are special to you, encourage your neighbors and make your siblings feel appreciated.

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It was Disraeli, one of the shrewdest men who ever ruled the British Empire, who said “Talk to people about themselves and they will listen for hours”. Everybody feels important in their own little way, so all you need to do is to praise them and give them that sense of uniqueness. A lot of people are going through emotional pains and hurts you can help them with your words of encouragements. Help someone cross the road, put a smile on somebody’s face, a gentle touch shows you understand, tell someone you believe in them, whisper encouraging words and in return somebody will do the same for you.

Admit your faults when you are wrong, saying “I’m sorry” does not mean you are weak, it shows how matured and how much you value that relationship. Keep your pride when others need to be celebrated, don’t always keep the focus on you. When a subordinate has done well don’t take the glory, when you celebrate people they become more loyal to you. Give credit to whom deserves it, encourage people who haven’t really measured up by identifying things they are doing right. Emphasize the positives and watch people strive to keep getting better for you.

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When next you come across a bottle of coke with your name or your loved ones name remember that Coca-cola has given you a feeling of importance, it  will be so unkind of you not to share that feeling. Don’t just share a coke share the feeling!

I love you!

By Omodara Oluwabunmi Onome

Sep 7 2015

The Best Kept Secret

The Best Kept Secret or The Worst…

I think I can safely say that 95% of  girl child and about 50% of boy child have a common secret they hope the world would never find out, not even their parents, mostly because they are scared of someone or something. I call it the best kept secret or better still the worst kept secret. It is a secret that is tearing them apart from the inside and making them take very rash decisions. They often become vengeful, misogynist or misandrist, suspicious of everyone, lone ranger, they lack self belief, become rebellious, less accommodating and in extreme cases serial killers (watch movie “October 1st” by Kunle Afolayan)

Hmm…. Headlines like these serve as a pointer to this secret…

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Image Source: Google
The above tells you this secret is not restricted to a particular country or region and that many bottle it up till they become superstars, celebrity or made before they eventually summon the courage to spill the beans.

What is the fate of those who have been destroyed by this secret? In particular, people who are put in this situation by the same people who should have protected them… Hmm!

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Image Source: Google
Lecturers, brothers, sisters, friends, fathers, role models, maids, acclaimed men of God… everyone seems to be guilty one way or another. While many issues are covered up for lack substantial evidence like the case Jackson, Gibson, Cosby, Tyson to mention a few.

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Image source: Google
It seems the age of the victim is inconsequential and this could  go on for as long as possible, so long as the victim still keeps it secret.. The best/worst kept secret.

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Image Source: Selected Headlines

Some time ago, a young lady shared her experience with me, which she wants me to share, so that everyone can learn from it, especially children and parents.

She said it all started when her cousin (a boy of 14years) came to Lagos to stay with them. She is from a struggling home, their house’s a two bedroom flat, a family of 4…The dad, the mum and her sister… pairing the rooms. So when the cousin moved in, at that time she was just 10years and her sister 8years, her mother insisted that the boy shared the room with the two sisters (like the average Nigerian woman, she wouldn’t want a member of her husband’s family to sleep in the sitting room, that could be termed as maltreatment by other family members).

She told me that she rejected the idea but the mother overruled her objections. The dad was indifferent though but the mother wouldn’t want anything that will cause wahala (problems) with her husband’s family. As the story will play out the young cousin would wake up in the middle of the night fondle the two girls. At first he would pretend to be asleep when they jolt back to consciousness but over time he became bolder, he soon wasn’t bothered if they woke up. She said, when she tried to tell her mum, the mother shouted her down claiming she is wicked and just doesn’t want the boy around while her little sister just seemed to be enjoying the new found night play. She was afraid to confide in anyone as the cousin also kept threatening her.

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Image Source: NSPCC website

It however blew open about 1year down the line, the cousin was now about 15years and now more adventurous. She said, On this fateful night, the cousin started off like before, just fondling which by now she was used to but what happened next shocked her. The cousin mounted her and forced his way into her, she tried screaming but the cousin pressed down a pillow over her face, at this point she was scared of death more than she was scared of what the cousin was doing, as she could not breath well.  When he was through there was blood all over, this her sister saw and screamed. The dad and mum rushed down to the room, they could not believe their eyes. The dad almost killed the cousin but that would not right the wrong, she concluded.

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Source: Google
James Safechuck unsubstantiated claims against the Legendary Michael Jackson.

It is easy to blame her for not telling someone but in truth what about you and people around you; if it is not happening to you, if it has not happened to you trust me the person next to you is a victim of “the best kept secret”. It may be convenient to conclude that the parents failed to protect their kids but let’s not also forget that it is easy to assume everyone has good intentions when you are just trying to be good. The boy is evil, many young ladies will want to say but not being in his shoes makes it difficult to know what must have led him to that, like I said earlier about 50% of young boys have been molested in their formative stage which makes them become a pervert or insatiable when it comes to sexual activities.

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Image source: Event in suburb of Lagos
Above is a 5years old boy being abused by a Togolese maid… Abuse is not limited to girls, a boy child can also be a victim.

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Image Source: BBM chat with a lady who was also a victim of Abuse

My Advice
Parents should never trust their kids with anyone, especially overnight or having them in a secluded place. The lady in the chat above told me, she (age 6-9years then) was abused by children of neighbors she was asked to stay with while the parents were not around and also by students of her mum who were often asked to help take her home from school. She became misandrist and vengeful something she is still battling with.

Parents should separate the rooms for their wards, according to their sex as early as possible. On no account should either parent sleep in the room of the opposite sex child, no undressing before them, parental guidance on movies should be strictly adhere to. A young man recounting his ordeal said he was continuously abused by his mother’s maids, these ladies would take turns on him and ended up making him a sex addict.  He eventually became a menace to young girls when he could no longer have the maids to satisfy his ever demanding urge.

When sending your kids on holiday with family or friends, parents should be very careful. This reminds me of a lady who her parents asked her to go and spend her holiday with their Pastor (Now a Bishop and was at the inauguration of Ex.President of Nigeria Obasanjo 1999) This young girl, 15years at the time, became a sex toy for the “man of God” who will leave his own wife on their matrimonial bed at the dead of the night to the room where the lady was. He deflowered her, got her pregnant and aborted for her all before the end of the long vacation. She said, she was terrified as the Pastor made her swear with the Bible to keep the secret. Eventually the wife caught them, begged the family to cover it up, to protect the image of the church.

Finally parents need to teach their kids sex education and body part awareness. From as early as possible, they should know how to sit properly, what part of their body should not be touched and how to behave when they are with or around the opposite sex. Parent should be aware of changes in their children’s behavior and even though the child says it is nothing, parent should still investigate until they are satisfied. Above all, parents should encourage their kids to speak freely with them and freely in public. Parents should not only be custodian of their kids but also their best friend.

Abuse thrives under secrecy, don’t harbour it hoping it will stop or it will just go away, neither should you yield to threats from the perpetrator, no matter how high or low the person is placed or how intimate the person is to  your family. It is not in your own interest to keep it a secret because you are scared of what will happen to the person if people knew. Expose the person, confide in someone that can act and you will be able to breakfree from the clutches of abuse. Once, you see that someone’s conversation is tending towards “weirdness”, distant yourself from the person, often times this is how the perpetrators size up their victims. Stay focus and sharp no one can be trusted.

But if you are already a victim, then you have got to let it out and know IT IS TIME TO LET IT GO , what you have been through doesn’t define you but when you harbor hatred it will limit you.

Don’t let anyone destroy you or your future, you deserve to be happy, let no one take that away from you. Freewill is God’s gift to you, let no one take that choice away from you.

Jun 1 2015

Reasons You Cannot Be A Failure

Reasons You Cannot Be A Failure

We don’t try because we don’t want to fail. We are always looking for that safe haven; a place where we won’t be judged, where we would stay anonymous in case it didn’t work out, a place where we are not the cynosure of all eyes, hmm! Reason you didn’t try out for the football team, reason you didn’t write that book, reason you didn’t act on that great idea, reason you would not talk in class, reason you would not socialize, reason you would not take up that challenging task or job…but the truth is, one might fail,one might be woeful but not trying or quitting is the only thing makes one a failure.

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You are probably wondering why I am so convinced you cannot be a failure? Well you will have to read the reasons below and I assure you will find every reason to be a success.

👉 No excuse is enough
No excuse  or combination of excuses are enough to tell the tales of your lack of success. You want to look at those dependent on you and tell them you did not achieve certain heights expected of you because of some washed reasons? I am sure you wouldn’t want to, especially when you realized that you are not the only one exposed to these limitations. If others can surmount worse things why not you?

👉 You have enough tools and people to guide you
You have enough Tools and People to guide and shape your life. In this era of internet and information at your finger tips, you can hardly go wrong (Google is your friend). You also have people who have tried and failed, before becoming a success; their biographies abound, mentorship, motivational write ups, books, research works, consultants… Come on without even trying too hard you are bound to succeed with all these.

👉 The whole world is watching
The world is watching and the world is waiting. Aside from those who are directly dependent on you, most are just on the sidelines waiting to see what will become of you; classmates, colleagues, friends you grew up with, younger ones looking up to you, older ones looking down on you, teachers who are eager to make you a reference point in their lectures and people you hardly see or know who added you on Social Media just to monitor your progress… Oh! now you know, it’s the whole world.

👉 You don’t want to be a failure
You don’t want to be a failure, that I am sure of. Why? You wouldn’t be reading this if you want to be. In reality, no sane person wants to be a symbol of failure, regret and bad example, though rather than this motivating people to succeed it often leads most to the point of not trying. However, the fact remains that no one wants to be a failure. And if that is right of you too, you are sane for sure, and I am sure you are not like those that use it as an excuse not to act. Rather let it be your pivot, pushing you not to give up on what you believe.

👉 To Fail is not an end in itself
To fail is not an end in itself, quitting is. To fail is just one of the series of occurrence between the point of conceiving an idea to the point of achieving success. All that happens in-between include fails, rejection, humiliation, false success, insults etc and it will go on till you succeed. However, if you quit without getting to the success part, then you become a quitter and a failure. The truth is, it doesn’t matter how many times you have failed, if you do not give up, if you are not ashamed to acknowledge the fact that you have failed but you have resolved to keep moving forward , if you are not deterred by the boos from the crowd, if you can look pass the current mountain in front of you…you will eventually reach the success point.

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May 13 2015

The Black Dot

A small town Chamber of Commerce invited a speaker to address it’s annual dinner. The community’s economy was bad, people were discouraged and they wanted the motivational speaker to give them a boost.

During the presentation, the speaker took a large piece of paper and made a small black dot at the center with a marking pen. Then she held the paper up before the group and asked them what they saw.

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“I see a black dot,” a person quickly replied.

“Okay, what else do you see?’

Everybody looked and many joined in agreement, “A black dot.”

“That’s good. Do any of you see anything else?” the speaker asked.

After a few minutes of silence, many people in the audience shook their heads and a few answered, “No!”

“What about a sheet of paper?” Asked the speaker. “I’m sure all of you can see the paper, am I right? But you all have chosen to overlook it.’

The audience was stunned and some felt embarrassed.

“In life, we also tend to overlook and take for granted  many wonderful things that we have or memorable events. We spend too much time focusing our attention and energy on small, dot-like failures and disappointments. The so called ‘problems’ that we have are usually like the black dot on the paper. They are small and insignificant if we can widen our horizon and look at the whole picture.”

Examine yourself and how you see things. Are you one of the people who focuses your attention and energy on dot-like problems?

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By Amazing Grace-My Chains Are Gone.org

Amazing Grace-My Chains are Gone.org: INSPIRATIONAL STORY (The Black Dot)

Mar 2 2015

In My Life Nothing is Impossible ; All About The Tools

Impossible; All about the tools

So many motivational and inspirational words have been said about ‘how nothing is impossible and how everything is possible’. Of truth, all these words have pushed people to limits beyond their imagination but then, after all said and done, many have also failed. People have been inspired to the point where they leave certainty and then chase shadows. Of truth, some caught the shadow while most never did. Majority, even though, have been thoroughly inspired but yet they never reached their El-Dorado because of the missing link. In this message, I am going to tell you what the missing link is.

Dream is God’s special way of inspiring/preparing us for the future, though some believe it is just our subconscious bringing to fore our innermost thoughts and desires. However you see it, bottom line, dreams are special and often times when achieved, they redefine our existence. When Willy Ley wrote about landing on the moon many must have said it was impracticable. When Jesus said His mission was to preach the goodnews to the world, that must have sounded crazy at that time considering mobility and transfer of information. Leonardo da Vinci (The Ornithopter), when he came up with how man could actually fly, he must have been a laughingstock considering how previous efforts of man to fly had failed then. However, all the above had something in common, they all achieved the impossible in the end. Now let me tell you how they did it.

I once wrote that “impossibilities do not exist” and I still stand by that. Know that, it is not impossible, it just hasn’t been done yet, better put, when something seems impossible, it is only so because no one has found the right tool(s) to make it possible. To land on the moon Willy Ley found the right tool to be rocket and fuel and not witchcraft and sorcery; to spread the gospel all over the world Jesus found the right tools to be ‘disciples and apostles’ and not just being a lone ranger or twosome crusader like prophets before him did; and for man to fly Leonardo knew the right tool was to build an aircraft and not man strapping feathers to their limbs like overgrown birds.

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Impossibility + The right tools = Possibility

Most people who have attempted to walk their dreams have failed because rather than focusing on what the required tools are, they are lost in fear because no one has done it before, then they conclude it must be impossible. To make it worse, these people often surround themselves with friends and families who are quick to point out why it won’t work. Not to talk of the role of their faith and resolve to transforming situations from never to ever.

You need to understand that for any task to be done successfully, the right tools; implements, resources, qualifications, experiences, brains etc must be carefully selected and used. Often times, it is never a day-job because lots of planning, concentration, brainstorming, seclusion, research, meetings etc goes into it. Imagine someone who wants to sweep the floor and all he has is a toothpick, the task is impossible already but with broom or vacuum cleaner, that same task becomes possible. That is exactly the way our dreams are, if we have not figured out the right tool(s), we will still see that dream as an impossibility but the moment we are able to figure out what the right tool is/are, then our success becomes a miracle before everyman.

I challenge you today, do not give up on that dream of yours just because some people called it ‘an impossibility’, don’t let go-off that ambition of yours because some naysayers said it is ‘impracticable’ and finally don’t write-off that beautiful idea because couple of friends laughed you down when you came up with it…channel all your energy into finding the right tool(s) required to birth your dream, your innovation, your idea, your ambition… and once you can do that you would have made the impossible, POSSIBLE.

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