Aaron Kamanga

THE CHALLENGE OF GROWTH AND CHANGE

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Kamanga - Mwana Wa aBikozi) — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:35:00 +0000

Everything in this world has been designed to change and grow. We have variation in seasons and others in time and temperature. In order for the world to be a living planet, it has to experience constant change and so does everything living in it. Tupac Shakur says on the chorus of his song; Things will never remain the same and that’s just the way it is. Everything in the environment goes through change. There are two kinds of change; expected change and deliberate change.
One of the characteristics of living things is that they change and grow. A caterpillar’s transformation starts from egg, larva, and pupa then adult. When you look at a caterpillar, it is almost impossible to think it ultimately becomes a beautiful butterfly. For a caterpillar to grow it has to go through changes. This process is called metamorphosis and the caterpillar has to go through it to grow into splendor.
A baby grows from the cradle to the grave or rather from childhood to adolescence and finally to adulthood and finally depart. Now, that is also change but it is expected change. This type of change occurs without your effort and warning. All the above analogies are great examples of expected change.
The change I would like us to embrace, for the sake of the purpose of this article, is deliberate change. This is a type of change that you purposefully endeavor to make. Deliberate change, strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle. This deliberate change can be either internal or external. The choice is up to you which change you need to initiate. A Bemba saying goes; change taisa fye nga ameno yamu kanwa meaning change does not come as natural as the growth of milk teeth.
Isaac Asimov once said; it is change, continuing change, deliberate change that is the dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be. This, in turn, means that our politicians, businessmen and every man must take on a science fictional way of thinking.
Tell yourself that; I will grow. I will become something new and grand, but no grander than I now am. Just as the sky will be different in a few hours, its present perfection and completeness is not deficient, so am I presently perfect and not deficient because I will be different tomorrow. I will grow and I am not deficient. (Wayne Dyer)
In October 2011, my wife and I made a decision to relocate near our dwelling house building project so we could save every penny and complete the project. We were at pains to explain to our two children the meaning of the whole repositioning. The sudden change from urban to semi-rural, ZESCO power to solar energy; tap water to borehole was a challenge at first but we soon got accustomed to the environment. It was uncomfortable and unbearable at first; but we knew that in order for things to change, we had to strip off the luxuries in our lives in order to actualize the much needed change. This was deliberate external change that needed internal change of mindset. The deliberate change we initiated has paid off as we are now proud home owners.
My mentor Les Brown says, all of us need to grow continuously in our lives. In the end, it is the person you become that is the most important and not the things you have achieved. Therefore, if you don’t change, change will change you.

In order for you to transform our lives, we sometimes need to shed off bad habits, lifestyles that are a liability and some luxuries. These will make us uncomfortable but it’s inevitable for change to take place. When we don’t see anything wrong with where we are, nothing will change. Things will only change when we admit that there is something wrong with where we are.
Change, on the other hand can be a painful or uncomfortable undertaking but in order to grow and live meaningful lives we have to be bold enough to look around us and say, “Things can get better when we initiate change.”
Many people don’t like change and they fight it when someone initiates it whether it is in Small and Medium enterprises, organisations, churches, there will be someone to oppose it. However, that is another topic. Sometimes we do the same things for years and yet expect change. Others are stuck with the “this is the way things are done syndrome” hence repelling change.
Change is not easy and is sometimes unbearable, but in order to move towards greatness, you have to deliberately initiate it. For things in your life to change, you need to change or else change will change you.
The key to success is to deliberately keep growing in all areas of life; mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical. We should desire change, grow and move from the comfort zone and into the life we desire aspire for. When you do this, you allow yourself to grow into an effective human being who is not intimidated by challenges. As a matter of fact, Challenges make you grow into a stronger you. If you do not face or initiate any, you remain stagnant -you stop living and start to merely exist. Anatole France confirms my theory and says; if we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living. In other words, growth is the only evidence of life. According to William James; the minute a man ceases to grow, no matter what his years, that minute he begins to be old.
Here is a story I tell about change.
Once upon a time, there was a man who bought a bird in a cage for his son, Dalitso. The boy was so excited that he used to clean the cage every morning and put water and grains. He later recognized that he had done this every day for five years. Dalitso got fed up with the monotonous and tedious chore.
One morning, he told his father to open the door to the cage to set the bird free as he needed it no more. When the cage door was opened to release the bird, it could not move an inch. Dalitso tried to move the bird out, but it resisted. He grabbed the bird by its legs and put it on a table but it flew right back into the cage. He tried several times but every time it flew back. To this day, the cage door is open but the bird is still within.
Do you know why it flew back into the cage? The cage was the only world the parrot knew and could not see any life beyond the cage door.
The moral of the story is that, many people are like this bird. The door to their greatness is open but they live in their mental prisons and have caged themselves in. They believe that the things they know are all they can ever know. They think there is no life beyond where they are. They have caged themselves in cages called “what if things don’t work out
For those who are Christians like me is that, Jesus set us free from bondage but we go in life living within the confines of self-inflicted limitations. Metaphorically speaking, many people are in this mental cage and like the bird may never fly out to experience the beautiful world beyond the cage door.
So, the first step out of the cage is to admit that there is something wrong with where you are and then march out into the unknown. This would be the beginning of growth and change towards your greatness. I can guarantee you that it won’t be easy but when done it will be very rewarding. I would also like to admit that it’s not easy to resist an acceptable lifestyle or status quo but it’s advisable to make an impact in your generation and deliberately hustle and use any willpower within you to bring about change in you, around you. The risk you will take if you change is that people you've been involved with won't like the new you. But other people who do will come along. I would like to leave you with 3 points:
• Decide what change you want to see in your life,
• Move out of your luxuries
• Make it your policy to constantly change.

REMEMBER: Don't go through life, grow through life.
Aaron Kamanga - Mwana Wa Bikozi
0966434287/ 0975-709536
www.aaronkamanga.page.tl

LIVING ABOVE PROBLEMS

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Kamanga - Mwana Wa aBikozi) — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:34:00 +0000

We all have problems, some colossal, some trivial while others are blown out of proportion due to our perception of them. Before i go any further, i would like to give you a hypothetical story of a life engulfed by problems.
Bwalya was a thirty five year old male, happily married and working for a reputable manufacturing company. Despite his meager salary and living in a shanty compound, he provided for his family and was a loving father and husband. Financial and social problems were recurrent and no matter how much he tried to solve them they just showed up again and again. He spent most of his money solving these problems than on essentials or developmental projects.
His son qualified to high school and the following week, unfortunately, Bwalya lost his job. He was distressed as he didn’t know how to pay for his son’s school requirements. Worse still his Landlord was on his door step demanding rental arrears. His health was failing him and could not see the light at the end of the tunnel. He sought for financial assistance but to no avail. His life ended in suicide six months later as he could not bear the increasing problems.
The above is a hypothetical illustration of a person’s life overcome by problems. God forbid that you should opt to do the unthinkable like he did. Problems, problems, problems.
Allow me to ask a question. Is it possible to live a problem free life? Yes, it is possible only in paradise. On earth, problems are an indication that you are alive. In other words, problems give meaning to life and praying for a life without problems is praying that you die. In life, the bigger your income, the exact size of problems will follow you. Funny isn’t it.
Next time when a problem says Hello; here are my 6 steps in dealing with it;
1. Choose how you will go through it
God chooses what you go through but you need to choose how you will go through it. What really counts is not what happens to you, but what happens in you.
It is important from the onset, to decide how you will deal with a problem. And the better way is to deal with it in the mental. Why? Because, if you can not handle something in your mind, you can not handle it in the physical. Decide that you sort it out immediately. Bembas say ichakukonka ulubilo naiwe chikonke ulubilo meaning what befalls you suddenly needs an immediate action. It is advisable to map out a strategy on how to deal with a problem. Be optimistic from the word go and see possibilities out of that problem as much as possible.
2. Don’t tell them
Rarely should you share your problems with other people because eighty percent of the people you may tell may be glad with what you are going through. It is important, therefore, to adopt what I call KMS (Keep Mouth Shut). Some people believe that a problem shared is a problem solved. It depends on who you confide in and in my opinion, a problem shared to wrong people is a problem publicized. Have only one confidante, so that when the information leaks, you may know who is responsible.
3.Walk with your head up
Regardless of what you maybe going through, it is important to walk with your head high as if you are not in agony. When you are going through problems, persecutions and trials, it is time for you to look your best. When some of you are in problems, people can even see from a distance by the stride in your walk and look on your face that things are not well. It’s not time for you to agonize about the problem but it is time for you to organize your mind and be optimistic. When people expect to see you thin up or look untidy, it is time for you to fat up and buy the good clothes and look your best. Whistle your favorite tune when you walk and when you are home play your favorite song and dance, dance and be joyous. Why should you do all this? It is easier to think clearly when you are happier than when you allow a problem to wear you down.
4. Deal with the problem before if grows
The best time to deal with a problem is its infancy, similarly, the best time to deal with a sickness is in its early stages and this is time before it gains ground. I have heard of situations were doctors had told a patient; there was nothing they could do as the sickness was in its advanced staged. Develop a sense of urgency when it comes to dealing with a problem and before it becomes life threatening.
5. Deal with the root
Many times, we deal with the symptoms instead of dealing with the cause. Dealing with symptoms is giving a problem chance to recur. It is important to deal with a problem once and for all. Aim for the root and mean it, don’t deal with the branches.
There are several ways of dealing with a problem; others opt to avoid it. Avoiding it doesn’t solve anything. It will look in your face and say, “hey papa, am still here”. Diverting is another option but the problem will overtake you and come around and pop up again. The effective way to deal with it is to head for the cause and deal with it.
6. You are bigger than the problem
Sometimes, problems may look bigger or smaller depending on your stature. However, the size of your brain is more important than the size of a problem. I believe that regardless of your stature, let no problem intimidate you. And if you are of a small stature for sure, tell your self that dynamite comes in small packages. And someone once said; if you think you are too small to make an impact, you have never been in bed with a mosquito. Similarly, the problem may be a Goliath in your life but hey, it needs a Davidic solution to bring it down.
7. Relentlessly be hard as a stone
Your mental maturity is determined by the magnitude of problems you deal with. Powerful men and women deal with gigantic problems that make cowards throw in the towel and commit suicide. Problems that make cowards be depressed or commit suicide are the ones that bring breakthrough and develop the mental muscle. In other words, the greatness of a person is not judged by how popular they are but by the problems they have dealt with and Bembas call these infinkunka. In order to deal with problems as they come, you need to develop a heart of stone against them. I believe in you that regardless of the problems you are currently facing, you have the capacity to overcome. The magnitude of our problems are in direct proportion to our financial and mental capacity. Remember! that which doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. Problems will never cease to recur but you can stop them from being a nuisance.

I believe in you that next time when a problem knocks on your door it will be dealt with effectively. My name is Aaron Kamanga - Mwana Wa Bikozi.

For Motivational Talks, comments and feedback contact
Aaron Kamanga - Mwana Wa Bikozi
0966-434287/ 0975-609536
www.aaronkamanga.page.tl

HOW TO SATISFY YOUR SPOUSE :: YouPublish

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Kamanga - Mwana Wa aBikozi) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 08:43:00 +0000

HOW TO SATISFY YOUR SPOUSE :: YouPublish

Unleash Your Passion and Dream

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Kamanga - Mwana Wa aBikozi) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:38:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Kamanga - Mwana Wa aBikozi) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:50:00 +0000

10 ELEMENTS OF LEADERSHIP

Everything rises and falls on leadership. The reason why some families and Corporations seem to have it all while others struggle along is a result of good leadership and bad leadership respectively.

Many Successful people acknowledge the importance of good Leadership practices and the impact they can exert on the people they lead and the organization as a whole.

Leadership skills are a very vital component in any entity. It can be defined as leading or influencing others. In other words, where there is a leader there is a follower. I would like to mention here that, we are all leaders in one way or another. We are influenced by other people and we also have people in our circle of colleagues that we influence. We might also be an older or younger sibling and we influence those under us.

So it is very important that we influence the people we lead in a positive way so that they may influence others in a similar manner. At the end of the day we may live in harmony and lead productive lives. So, what are the 10 elements of effective leadership?

1. They appreciate who they are

One of the mistakes a leader can make is try to act like someone else. A leader understands that he or she is a unique and original individual and can not imitate another person. A leader has to learn from other leaders before him but never should he think he is a Malcolm X, Martin Luther King or Winston Churchill etc.

2. They posses a positive attitude.

Attitude can be defined as the way you habitually think and react to life's situations or circumstances. Attitude is everything and can do wonders in your life. Attitude is what makes one person succeed and another fails. The difference between successful people and people that are less successful is because the successful ones have a lot of attitude and the other minimal or non existent. Effective Leaders have a great deal of positive attitude. They are not shaken by circumstances or mishaps as they do not dwell on negatives. They always look on the bright side of life and they see something good in any misfortune. They are in control of their lives. "When you control your attitude you control your life."

3. They believe in themselves.

They have a firm belief in themselves and they value and regard themselves highly. They believe that they can conquer anything. If you are a leader and do not believe in yourself, how do you convince another person to believe in you?

4. Change is their way of life

In order to grow and develop, effective leaders put themselves in situations that are going to make them change and mature and keep on growing. They are not scared or intimidated by change and in many circumstances, they initiate change. They act rather than react.

5. They plan ahead

Effective Leaders know where they are going. They have their goals and destiny in defined long before they motivate others to follow. They have a plan for their lives and are not free styling. They have the future in perspective and are clear where they are going before they lead others.

6. They build relationships with quality people.

A leader influences people and is influenced by others. It is in this view, therefore, that a leader ought to network with people who are going to nurture and motivate him. These are people who will tell him what he has to hear not what he wants to hear. These people often put him in the hot seat and he will learn from their counsel.

7. They are optimists

Optimism is one of the qualities of an effective leader. He needs to have a positive outlook towards life. To an Optimistic Leader white is black and bad is good. He always has something to learn from every bad situation.

8. They do not take issues personally.

When disciplining a subordinate, a leader does not get personal or do it in front of others but rather finds an appropriate time and place to have a friendly chat with them.

9. They build the people they lead.

The greatness of a leader is not determined by the power he possesses but his ability to empower others. Many leaders want to be feared and revered but a leader who will win the peoples' heart is one who is keen on empowering them. He wants to build his people to become better employees, citizens and colleagues.

10. They love and respect the people they lead.

Without love and respect, a leader can not be effective and all efforts to control or influence the followers may be in vain. Love and respect when given out are the exactly what you receive in return. You do not receive disrespect when that you give out respect. So what you give is what you get.

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Kamanga - Mwana Wa aBikozi) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:40:00 +0000

MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES IN LIFE

LIFE is full of choices; I guess every step you make in life is a choice. Walking is a choice, stealing is a choice, learning is a choice but the good part of it all is that God has actually given you the free will to choose, and whatever you have become in life is definitely a decision you made.
In this case, selecting a career can be likened to selecting a marriage partner which also must be something you decide.
Every one of us has the mental picture of their ideal partner vivid in their mind and this unknown spouse is what is often called “Mr. Right or Miss Right.”The search for the ideal partner can be a mind boggling mission.

Firstly, there are so many attractive persons which make it difficult for one to make up their mind to find a suitable mate.
They court this one, for some reasons change to the next one and the next and so on.
Secondly, just the thought that one shall have to live and grow old with this person scares many.
This is where the “what if” comes in.
The image of the ideal spouse is clear but searching for that person in reality is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Similarly, when it comes to choosing a career, many want to earn huge sums of money like their fathers or uncles but only have scanty ideas of what is involved in their ideal profession.
Subsequently, choosing a career is a crucial decision that not only affects your economic future but also affects your destiny as well.
It will determine whether you will die poor or live a meaningful life.

A couple of years go, I was privileged to teach music to young people and one of the questions I asked every new class was, “what do you want to be when you grow up?”
Time and again, I have received numerous impressive responses and was delighted to hear kids look brightly to their futures.
They had brilliant dreams of what they wanted to pursue.
Others wanted to become pilots, police officers, accountants and doctors but none of them talked about becoming a security guard or maid.
They all had their aims high. Outstandingly, from a young age, everybody wants to be great in life but somewhere during upbringing, the drive and zeal is lost.
What happens to your dreams of childhood and adolescence?
LIFE! As it exacts its toll we have a way of diminishing away even our most cherished dreams, while we settle in with our “settle-for” mentality.
The question I have for you is; do you remember what your first answer was concerning what you wanted to become in life? Are you making progress towards the same career or you lost it? Whatever career you chose, may be the right one for you as long as your talents are in line with it.

Satisfaction and enjoyment in an occupation is primary and the monetary aspect secondary.
When it comes to careers, money is not everything.
I have observed people who go home with hefty salaries but lead a traumatic and miserable life.
In my opinion, this is because they endure their work and fulfillment is a day dream.
A couple of weeks ago, a close friend of mine disclosed to me that despite the huge salary, his career is dreadful as he works from 8am to 10pm every day.
His social life is non existent and has since lost contact with many friends.
According to John Dos Passos, he states here that, many people do not choose their careers; they are engulfed by them.
However, I am not saying that people who get huge salaries and work awkward hours are disgruntled.

Therefore, when choosing a career, like choosing a life partner, it is imperative that we choose one that suits our interests, talents and dreams.

Recent studies indicate that 60 per cent of the working class are in wrong careers and are trapped in them.
Eighty per cent of the people I know are in occupations which their fathers or guardians advised that they pursue.
The professions were looked upon as supreme but down the line many have become depressed and de-motivated because they feel they are living another person’s script.

A story was told of a man who had a burning desire of becoming a doctor but never got the education.So, when he had a son, he coerced the child to become a doctor.
The child worked hard through high school and finally made it to medical school, and scored the highest points and was schedule to receive a high achievers award. You can guess; the father was the happiest. On graduation day, he stood up and walked to the podium to give an acceptance speech.
This was what he said; “the award I have received today does not belong to me but to my father.
I have lived all my life to please everybody but not myself.
Dad, I have become the doctor you wanted me to be.
May I now go out there and be the musician I have always wanted to become.”
Why did the child make such a decision? He had discovered his purpose in life.
If you ask yourself today, what is your mission in life?

The greatest tragedy in life, therefore, is not to die of HIV and AIDS or the Twin Towers, but to live life without discovering your purpose. Purpose is your life’s mission. By purpose, I do not mean your goal or intention but something toward which you are always striving.

Hence, it is very important that you look within you and discover who you are, what you were born to do and become or what you came to contribute to the development of mankind.
You were not born just to earn a living but for a higher purpose which you have to discover. The first hint to your ideal career, therefore, is the answer you gave in the first grade.

Secondly, you need to identify your talents and develop them.
Thirdly, identify other things that you enjoy doing.
These three suggestions may help you choose a career that suits you.
You have to listen to your heart and go for what it tells you because your future depends on what career you choose today.
One of the things I have learnt in life is that as we grow up, we tend to be swayed into careers that we were not born to pursue.

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Kamanga - Mwana Wa aBikozi) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:44:00 +0000

10 STEPS TO YOUR GREATNESS

One person once asked me, How can I achieve greatness. Well I have always believed that every person is born for greatness . This is probably one thing that everyone wants unleashed besides wanting to be successful. Let's move step by step towards your greatness.

1. Greatness begins in your mind
When a baby is born into this world, it is naturally happy, enthusiastic and expectant of the future ahead of it. Why? It knows that it was born for greatness. However, it is the adults in the baby's life who suck that juice or zeal out of a baby's life. You need to bring back the childlike zeal in your life.

2. Identify your Talent
In my opinion, your greatness lies in your talent. I believe that inside every person are at least 4 different hidden talents or abilities. One question I would like to ask is; how many talents have you discovered in you to date?
Great people are those who discover their talents and use them to bring fame and fortune in their lives.

3. Be Grateful To The Superior Being
You are a great person! You need to believe3 that you are and begin to appreciate your looks regardless of what others say. Be grateful to God, Allah, Buddah or whatever name you call the superioir.

4. Develop Assertiveness and a Positive Attitude
Develop a deliberate policy to be assertive and affirmative every moment of your life. Positive attitude on its own is not effective. You need to pair it up with assertiveness then people will begin to see you for who you really are.

5. Find a Mentor
Regardless of your achievements, there is someone whose thoughts and achievements surpass yours and probably someone who is in your line of work.
You can a lot from a Mentor than you can ever learn in three years at college.
We all need mentors to bring out the champion in us.

6. Embrace Change and Growth
People who become great are those who are not satisfied with their status quo. They are ever looking for ways to make their lives better. Change is their way of life. In order for you to unleash your greatness, you need to be willing to deliberately make changes in your life. When we cease to change, we cease to grow. Everything in nature is in constant change and growth from unsatisfactory to ideal.

7. Try out new things
Break the monotony of your life and try something new every now and then.
It is in the new things that we try that our fortunes or wealth lie. We shouldn't be stuck with the "this is the way things are done" mentality. There is death and stagnation when we think that way.

8. Attempt to do great things
Yes! Attempt to do great things. Almost anything is worth doing than sitting and doing nothing but it is the great thing that we may attempt to achieve that can bring greatness in our lives.

9. Stretch
You need to strive beyond where you presently are. This may mean discarding certain mind sets and negativity in order to enter a whole new level of thinking. You can only unleash excellence buy stretching beyond your present status.

10. Greatness is within you
It is important as you go about unleashing your greatness to believe that your greatness is not out there but inside you. Unleash it by any means possible.

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Kamanga - Mwana Wa aBikozi) — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:25:00 +0000

With Mubita C. Nawa and Chilufya Chilangwa

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Kamanga - Mwana Wa aBikozi) — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:47:00 +0000

With Felix Banda & Mubita C. Nawa