MOTIVATIONAL THOUGHTS and INSIGHTS.

The Leader’s Success: When Followers Own the Vision

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:50:00 +0000

For a visionary, knowing what you want to do in your heart is great. But the question often comes down to how well you are able to communicate it to followers, who are supposed to the part of the vision, in order to ensure it is a success. The picture in the heart of a leader is often a wholesome one, mostly cutting a clear definition. It would naturally demand that if it is to maximize all of its potential, then the visionary must build a structure that provides the right support for the process of execution.

Build a Support Structure

Leaders who are proactive would organize the structure in such a way that, if they stepped back from the cause, the vision could still go on to fruition. These kinds of support structures demand that you build very strong lieutenants, who would equally invest as much time in their team members. At every level, there should be a repeat of the same structure, such that every unit has a head, an assistant and then members of the unit, who can clearly articulate the vision and take charge of it especially at that level.

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Communication is Essential

A very key factor in this whole process is communication. In order to successfully achieve the aim, the concept of communication is absolutely essential. In a true sense of the word, communication is not complete except it has gone both ways. This means that being a two-way thing; it must have completed the route to be referred to as a success. Connecting this concept in our context, it would mean that the leaders at every level must be open to feedback and questions from their unit members continually, so that they feel carried along at every point in time.

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For the man at the top, it could be nice to do a random check through the ranks. This would mostly be more effective, if it is carried out further down the ladder. In effect, the leader could summon the assistant of a unit head much lower down the ranks, or just another random member, and ask questions about how well they understand the vision. Such an approach could give a true assessment of how effectively, the message is trickling down. It is not news anymore, to know that: the further down instructions go, the more they become diluted. This can be combated with the right skills, although it demands a more thorough and hands-on approach.

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Collaboration should be at the Core

Until that point, where the followers understand the vision so well and can buy in to it well enough to own it, the visionary’s job is not yet really successful. Ideal as it may sound, it is something achievable, especially if the core lieutenants are made to understand the essence of humility, rapport and never being far away from the team. The days when the commando system worked are long gone, when the leader only waited for things to go wrong before they addressed issues. In this day and age, collaboration is at the heart of every successful venture. Such an approach can never be truly achieved, if one party stands aloof, refusing to participate in the process all because they see themselves as privileged or much higher than the rest of the group.

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Add Value to Your Followers

Real leadership especially as it is now evolving, is one which considers adding value to followers in such a way that they connect first, before thinking the benefits that come with the office. Leaders who connect with their followers have a higher chance of passing across the message and truly helping the team to interpret, understand and ultimately own the vision. When this has been done, then the cycle could be said to be complete. Even at that rate, it is not a one-off process, but one that must be continually sustained for resounding success. The leader’s success is only complete when followers truly own the vision.

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Leaders try to sell the vision every time, and they constantly encounter issues. If you have had such an experience, please share on how you solved the problems or what peculiarities you encountered at the time. Leave a comment below.

Balance: Who Needs the Past, When the Future Beckons?

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:42:00 +0000

The excitement of the present and the anticipation of the future sometimes leave us deluded. This is a straight fact, because we often think that we need to escape from the past. As true as that may sound, the past is not your enemy; you only have to learn not to dwell on it. Just like any eventual outcome in life is, the results so far may have been positive or negative as the case may be, or even a case of mixed fortunes. The great reality is that it is now in the past, which means that it has been experienced already and could provide very useful lessons for the present and the future to come.

If your past has been a case of success all the way, you have to realize that it can only get better so do not rest on your oars. Conversely, if your past has not been the best of stories, the good thing is that it has come and passed, leaving a template that can provide useful lessons and pointers to pitfalls – a very formidable tutorial to work with. Also not to be discounted, if your past has been one of mixed fortunes, you now know where to correct in order to achieve success and what other points to bolster to ensure resounding success.

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The Past is not Your Enemy

Admittedly, pain and failure come with the corresponding side effects, such as low self-esteem, trauma, regret, thoughts of what should have been, a feeling of loss and many more like that. But it is strength when you understand that life happens, and whichever way it turns, it would be left to the subject to deal with the outcome to their own advantage. This in effect could follow the lemon–to–lemonade example – “when life throws you lemons, make lemonade out of it.”

On the whole, it means that if you seem to have had the tough end of the stick in life, it becomes highly necessary to deal with it and to move on. Effectively dealing with it, would involve more of eliminating or minimizing the impact of the side effects earlier listed. The outcome may not be changeable, but the will to go on and to never give up, remains with you and none can take that away, not even life itself.

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The Present Can Benefit Hugely from the Past

A person, who already knows where the pitfalls lie, can travel much faster than a new entrant or one who has trod the path only a few times. Now the difference in all of these persons is in learning the right lessons. While it is pertinent to have had an experience – which provides a platform for the lesson - it is also necessary to learn when the opportunity makes itself available. The latter is true, more because: there might no difference between the one who has never learned anything from an experience and the person who has never had the experience.

This bolsters the point that the past could serve as a huge benefit for the present, if the perspective is right. For emphasis, all three - the negative, mixed and the positive kinds of past experiences can well benefit the present if we pick the right lessons from them and tune our perspectives to make the most, for success in the immediate. The markers of the past serve as a lamp for us, pointing to necessary paths to avoid in the journey to achieving, repeating or making better - successful outcomes.

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Balance and the Potentials of the Future

No doubt, the future opens up a blank page and thus comes with unlimited potential to achieve all that we can or to right the wrongs of the past as the case may be. Accepted, the future is a big deal, but it must be built on the foundations of balance, knowing that the experiences of the past are a plus rather than negative that must be escaped from. The future begins the next minute, and it often comes off the back of the past and the present. From the latter, it might just fit to say it is a third attempt at getting it right or yet another attempt to make the better become best.

Essentially, it behooves the subject to harness all of the potentials that lie in the experiences of the past and the present, to make the potentials of the future produce the maximum. Balance effectively pictures a great link among all three. No matter what the experiences have been, making sure that extremes are avoided, and seeing each for what it is especially with a positive spin, can adequately facilitate the process of ensuring success overall.

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Sorry About the Long Break in Transmission

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:20:00 +0000

Hey People,

I am so so sorry about the long break in transmission, especially regarding putting up great posts on this platform. I have been so busy with the final processes of the second book "From Chap to Champion". Even at that i must acknowledge that all of the things going into the book came from this blog, and so it should never have been this way. All of that should be over very soon.

Once again, i am very sorry about it, and would take steps to avoid this kind of occurrence in future.

In the mean time, "always remember that only you hold the bulk of the power to determine how well things go in your life. If you keep at it with positive mindset and a never say die spirit, You will come out on top. Hang in There!

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Random Thoughts: Goals, New Levels and Managing Expectations

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 21:17:00 +0000

Almost certainly with a new year comes great expectations, set goals and for some resolutions. Some where in there, all three can be tied up. But for the purpose of this discussion, we would rather be limited to the first two, as the third adds an extra and a bit more controversial dimension to the picture. Instead of resolutions, we would talk about new levels and attendant challenges.

The Importance of Setting Goals

Setting goals can be very helpful, as they seem to add some kind of structure to the achievement of our ideas and dreams. It is therefore quite beneficial to set goals, although it is also noteworthy that they must be realistic. After doing this, the next thing is going about achieving them. This is the crux of the matter.

First you need to prep your mind, and make it understand that the target is achievable especially if all our efforts are well harnessed to maximum potential. From there we could move on to breaking the goal into smaller chunks, and then dealing with the bits until the eventual target is reached. Here, the aim is not exactly to list all the steps that must be taken in order to achieve the goals, but a kind of summary on what goes on during the successful process of achieving our goals.

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Dealing with New Levels

The next thing in our order of discussion would be new levels. Some say with new levels comes new devils, but we would rather prefer to call them new challenges that only have to be dealt with, in the course of progress. New levels can sometimes look strange, and at other times, the anticipation alone can be scary. But it is always quite helpful, to remember that you are a survivor, and if you have come thus far, then you can see out this level too.

Be prepared to attack the challenges with an open mind, a will to observe and to learn as you go along. In no time, you would soon master the ropes and the rest might just seem like going through the motions. New levels are indicative of progress, and the thought of that should be enough consolation and motivation to square up to the challenges at this stage with an unrelenting will to win.

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Managing Your Expectations

Finally comes the part where we deal with our expectations. In this context, the subject should not be interpreted as dealing with what people expect of you. Instead it should be seen in the light of how to deal with your own expectations. This is such an essential point that must be made, especially because expectations can ruin a lot of things if not well managed. Often times, we set goals, and soon enough, we expect to be on our new levels. But sometimes life happens, as these things may tend to take much longer than expected, or happen in a whole new way that was just not part of the plan. At other times, maybe they never happen at all.

The question is ” would be right to call it quits at that point, and give up on life, just because your plan fell through?” Remember how much effort you have put in, to get to this stage. Also, note that this might just be a setback, which could soon turn into a set-up for triumph if managed the right way. Our expectations can be somewhat destructive, if left to run wild, but in the event that they are well managed, they could well be to our benefit. Quick tip: “be thankful for this level, with an eye on the next level, keep on open mind. Whatever happens, do not give up on life. It is not the end, it is only a bend”

In summary, Please understand that it is okay to set goals, it is wonderful to desire new levels, and it is equally fair to have expectations. All of these three, if well managed and combined in the right mix - the result could make success quite pleasurable and very fulfilling. Whatever the case may be, always remember that you are a survivor, and you can pick yourself up, aspire and achieve that dream again. It’s in you.

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Mind Champions: Keeping It Going

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:22:00 +0000

Moving on in the face of a struggle can be quite tough, but that exactly is the essence of fulfillment in winning. It is called running against the tide, yet coming out on top; Very similar to riding the storm unto victory. Getting over something that is meant to bring you down can be a very tasking experience but something exciting, considered in hind sight.

Achieving success can be attributed more to a stick to it ability, knowing that quitting is not an option if you are ever going to win. This leads to another point which needs to be made: “changing your strategy in the face of a storm is not cowardice. Once you remain within the ambit of legality, it is even counted as being wise and reinventing.”

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Almost everyone would love to have the pieces just fall in to the right places, but we know better; Life happens. Question is what do you do in the face of a seeming crisis? Break down and cry, moan and keep moaning or you want to stand up to the situation and do something about it. It is called a game of the mind. Here lies the battle - deciding to go on and fight or just backing down in regret and accepting defeat. It is up to you. If you fight, you stand a chance of winning; if you back down, then you have lost even from the beginning. It is as simple as that.

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Again let us consider almost the same scenario, only from another perspective. What do you do when things are not going the way you planned it? Would you choose to reach out in to crime and try to manipulate your situation, or would you stick to the right course, with a firm belief that things would eventually come together and work out right. Quite similar to the earlier analogy, the decision ground is the mind. The highlight is this: “your mind would only function to produce results only as much as it has been trained and developed to perform.”

Discipline Vital to the Mindset of Champions

Certain actions of ours teach our subconscious discipline. These would include keeping your word; going through decisions even in the face of inconvenience; giving of yourself to a free cause knowing that there is no tangible reward to be gotten from it; and some more. These things combine in a process that broadens the mind and teaches the essence of discipline. A healthy mind breeds quite easily a mindset of champions because it has been subjected to the rigors of positive training.

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Also it becomes quite vital to note that the mind could be set to a default mode of approach, even in the face of most unexpected challenges. The said approach should be one that mostly works to produce positive results. A highly recommended one would be to keep an open mind at all times. It grants you the benefit of a wide spanning perspective which in turn keeps you at vantage to eventually come up with great decisions rather than limiting yourself within the walls of negativity and distrust.

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In conclusion, we need to keep going even in the face of adversity, and a major way to achieve that is to constantly win the battle first in your mind. This ultimately means that mind champions eventually emerge as the real champions of the physical. The latter is a strong hint for the wise.

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Passion and Persistence: The Path to Success

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 11:42:00 +0000

Anybody who intends to achieve an aim must stay true to his beliefs that the goal is first achievable, and then worthwhile. The latter sounds very much like a heads-up, but that's exactly what it is supposed to do to you. Along the same line, you need to ask yourself: "why continue on a path that you do not even believe in yourself?" it is almost a fool-hardy quest. Now, the whole idea is not to discourage you, but to help you do a reality check at what ever point you are on the path- just starting out, at the middle or close to the end even if you do not know it yet.

Swim or Sink - The Game Changer

There is this thing with running after goals, especially if they are peculiar to you, and not the everyday goal that common people can relate with. Then, you must understand that you are in for a torrid time even with the people closest to you. How this plays out is often at the least less dramatic, but more of people trying to get you to face reality.

The irony in there, is that the reality is not even one they understand themselves, yet they are trying to make you see it. In essence, they seem to have good intentions in trying to protect you from yourself. But the thing you need most at that point, which they do not realize is to be let go of, so that you can swim or sink. It might just be your game-changer.

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Failure- the Spring Board to Success

Put in the right context, the latter scenario must factor in failure as an important part of the process. This does not ultimately mean that you must fail, but you must not be scared to learn from your fall, if you really would be standing in the long term. Bringing this down to grasping range, let us imagine that a person decides to quit a well paying job to strike out on their own, or just chooses not to work for anybody at all, opting exclusively for self-employment.

Naturally, people would tell you about how bad the times are, as if you didn't know it. Relatives would remain continually in your face, just so that you realize what a big mistake you are making. Agreeably, they all sound like good intentions, but probably that is decision you need to change your own life for ever. Nobody can make that decision for you, as it remains unarguably within your own jurisdiction. Simply put, it is your call.

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Make Your Call

You must realize that the people, who have been credited in history as revolutionaries, all got to this point - where they had to make this call, no matter how sickening it made them feel. The upside of it is that, at times it could excite you so much, even if every other person does not share in the excitement just because they do not seem to see the same. Have you ever wondered how every one seemed to have an opinion about what you should do? In reality, if you followed all of their suggestions, then you might soon go mad, because it would be virtually impossible. The solution is to prepare yourself, and make your own call, at the right time your instincts tell you. If anything more, please be ready to stick to it and defend it. Passion and persistence are the closest friends to success. Always remember that.

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Pick Your Battles: Conserve Energy!

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 16:40:00 +0000

One of the best attributes of great achievers is that they know when to fight and when to lie low. The fact that you have got energy in abundance does not mean you should waste it. Ask the scientists, they will tell you that energy is mostly recycled, so when you waste it, you might need to wait another cycle to replenish it. Remember the same energy could have been put to better use. The lesson in there - learn to pick your battles and choose your fights carefully. it saves useful energy for more important things.

Conserve your Energy for the Goal

Vision determines where you spend your energy. If you run without one, then you really do not seem to have a purpose. Like the adage goes, "when purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable." Every archer has an aim and the end is always the driving factor that keeps them going. The same reserves energy for the cause, rather than throw it around or waste it on matters that have little or no connection with the goal.

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The Power of Choice

You must realize that not every fight is beneficial. Therefore, one of the greatest powers you would ever wield as an individual is the power of choice. Deciding for the yes vote or the option called no. A much beneficial hint would be : that your decisions should follow your focus. This way, it is almost inevitable not to have an aim, because it keeps your focus engaged and helps you channel your energy right.

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The Concept of Priorities

Another good tool is the concept of priorities. If you live your life in an 'any-thing-goes' fashion, then the result would be no different, but it is such a principal thing to prioritize. This means that no matter how important two things seem to be , one most often is always more important and beneficial than the other. Learning to set these things in the right order would determine how much profit, you reap in return.

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The Right Value System Counts

All of these contribute in forming the right value system. This system tends to guard your decisions and also aids you in the choice of fights. Everything might look important, but not all are beneficial. In turn, the right mindset picks out what is really beneficial. But the basis of such mindset is the system of values the subject has built in place over time. These values form the very core which in turn subconsciously influences the orchestrations of the mind. Your energy is controlled from a power house called the mind; make the most it to pick your battles and in so doing, you will make your results count.

Thank you for reading this post, if you have other great ideas to help pick the right battles and conserve energy, please share and leave comments below.

Relationships and Balance: Working Out A Partnership

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:37:00 +0000

Relationships can take some effort to build,but if there is a key to making it work out right, it is this - finding the right balance. Now when we talk about relationships, many tend to narrow it down to two people going out,courtships or even marriage. This is rather shallow,considering that relationships tend to span a very wide range which includes some of those earlier mentioned, plus friendship, partnerships, an association of one or more persons, and even family.

Relationship By the Book

Maybe it is essential to revisit the dictionary meaning of the word relationship. According to the book,one of its many meanings would be - "the connection between two or more people or groups and their involvement with one another, especially as regards the way they behave toward and feel about one another." Now with that understanding in mind, we can conveniently work with one of the options covered - partnership, especially when it involves friendship, family or even in business. It must not of necessity be official, as it could be as informal as the non-amorous friendship that could exist between two people - one old and the other much younger.

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Preserving the Threshold of Mutual Respect

The key to any relationship is balance. In this context, it would mean that both sides must understand why they are in the partnership, find a way to make it work and also know where to draw the line. Where the problem often creeps in is the point when one person feels taken for granted. For instance in the example of the older and much younger friend, the younger one must realize that even though, there is a lot of space to play and bask in, abusing that opportunity would be potentially harmful to the relationship. Also the older person must do less of playing the 'older-than-you' card. Basically, the persons in question could make the relationship last much longer, by constantly bearing it in mind, that we can play as much as possible, without crossing the threshold of potential mutual respect.

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Look Out More for the Other

Essentially, for any relationship to thrive, each person must willing to shed selfishness and look out more for the other person. By so doing, they would be preserving the relationship, by farming in the necessary effort to keep it going. It may sound like a lot of work, but it is such that can be carried out almost unconsciously, if the mind has been properly prepped to handle such scenarios. The latter point could also mean: making a conscious effort , that can be implemented rather unconsciously, almost automatically.

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Communication aids the Balance

In summary, relationships cover wide aspects but finding the right balance - a good dose of mutual respect plus the right level of selflessness,would do a lot to sustain the bond of friendship and the chords that exist in any relationship. All of these enhance communication which is a major remedy for issues that may arise in the event of necessary conflict resolution. Relationships can thrive forever if the right amount of balance is struck. Take the right steps, and strengthen your relationships today. Remember a person is often as strong as their network.

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Fads and Fashion: Must I Keep Up With Trends?

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 15:16:00 +0000

Fashion never stops, and fads would continue as long as we remain under the sun. Now the question remains: "must i necessarily keep up with the trend?" The answer to this question has to be provided by each and every individual for themselves. In any case, if we were to attempt a general answer, it would be this: You can survive well without following fashion, fads or trying to keep up with trends.

This position may sound quite controversial to some, but come to think of it, trying to keep up with fashion trends could push people way over the brink. Fashion changes at such an unpredictable rate, that it makes it almost impossible to live within a budget or maintain a reasonable level of financial discipline. Now don't get it twisted, fashion is great for those who choose to follow it, but a general advise would be to get a grasp of reality and learn to live within your means.

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Look Good in What You Have

The key thing is being able to look good in what ever you have. Once you succeed in pulling that off, the rest is history. A firm knowledge of this ability does a lot to boost your confidence, and sometimes it takes you an extra length, to the point of determining what might be next in fashion. Just because you have chosen to do your own thing, and you have done it well, some people would want to follow in your steps - in no time it could become a fad. The good thing for you is that you are not under any pressure to follow in any one's footsteps, instead you would have become the pacesetter.

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Bolster Your Self-Esteem

Insisting on keeping up with the fad has driven some into endless debt, and done almost irreparable damage to the self-esteem of others. All of these ado for some thing that grants you an option, seems absolutely unnecessary and may be just taking it too far. The solution is to appreciate what you have, wear them very well, carry yourself with a lot of confidence and dignity, and never look down on yourself. The way you carry yourself may determine how well people treat you. If you refuse to treat yourself well, why would you expect anybody else to do better?

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In summary, give yourself a treat when you can afford it, but never let the hunger to keep in touch with prevailing trends overwhelm you. It could make you think less of yourself, despair and feel hopeless just because you are left to compare yourself with a seeming wealthier colleague. Remember, all that glitters is not gold. You alone would be left to account for what goes on in your space and in the end you would have to take total responsibility for your actions -wise or otherwise. Always remember that.

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The Winning Factor: Profit in the Business of Patience

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:36:00 +0000

Some would say patience is a word fast on its way to extinction. Many would argue that it almost does not seem relevant anymore,especially in a world that has gotten so fast-paced, that survival is now left not just to the fittest but the fastest. Yet, the wise would understand that patience is a virtue that can never go out of existence.

Patience Brings Great Return on Investment

The tactical and prudent investor would tell you that patience is a quality that pays off eventually, as it affords you time enough to get a great and balanced perspective before making key decisions. The veteran who has been through life and seen many struggles, would advise that patience is the x-factor - a solution to almost every dilemma.

There is a lot of profit in being patient. As much as we all could do with instant gratification, most times, the benefits which last longest are often those earned with much patience. Any business person would always want some good measure of return on their investment; the same works in the business of patience - as it earns you some great measure of return.

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Patience -The X-Factor Combination

With patience,comes qualities such as loyalty, determination, and discipline. All of these uniquely combine to give great profit in any life endeavor wherein they are deployed. The opposite of patience would be impatience - something that can be quite costly and destructive. At first, it might seem enjoyable, especially when results show up quick enough in the short term. Eventually, it could set you up for great disappointment, desperation and maybe depression.

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Patience is a virtue that can be developed, harnessed and improved upon. It is something worth teaching the kid, and also one never too late for the adult to imbibe. The importance of patience could be seen in times when it virtually made the difference between life and death. Many stories abound of people who escaped by whiskers, just because they chose to take the route of patience. In one last bit, patience is a joker to the one who has it - a potent winning factor.

Trust: The Virtual Currency of Value

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 14:25:00 +0000

Trust is a very strong word, almost the equivalent of money itself. This implies that trust could very well pass for currency. It is such that can be earned, lost and spent as the case may be. It is also a key facilitator both in the real business world or the virtual every day business of human interactions.

Suffice it to say that, there is a fine line in between - especially in relating levels of trust already earned to how easy it could be lost. Trust is like a business built over time, and just like anything creative, it does take some time and effort. On the flip side, it takes much lesser time to lose a trust earned, just like it takes much less time to destroy something already built, relative to the time it took to build same.

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Trust is Sometimes More Valuable than Money or Prestige

When you have built a formidable level of trust, the next thing involved is to guard and cherish it. This is absolutely essential, because sometimes trust can earn you things money and even prestige may never give you. Trust has taken people to positions they never dreamed of,but it was only made possible because of how much of it, they had earned over time.

You will be amazed at how much business you can transact on the basis of this virtual currency. The way to keep adding value to your trust account, is to work on yourself by inculcating discipline,devotion and constantly listening to the voice of reason. The latter is so important because it keeps you from veering off track - preventing you from engaging in such childish gambles that can deplete your trust account in a matter of minutes.

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Trust - the Compact Package Currency

According to the dictionary, Trust speaks of reliance: confidence in and reliance on good qualities, especially fairness,truth,honor or ability. These things combine quite well to make up the virtual currency in question. Just like any investment, if it is effectively worked on, the return on investment could be quite massive, but same goes for how much pain and misery it could cause in the event that such is lost, especially due to some cheeky or unreasonable behavior.

In summary, do all you can to keep earning trust, and when you do, guard and cherish it like your life. Life of itself is something entrusted to you, make the most of it, so that you can give a great account of the same whenever it be requested of you.

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Crossroads and Dead Ends: When Nothing Seems To Makes Sense Anymore

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 10:06:00 +0000

Crossroads signify dilemma, and at some point regret. They are times when the dreams that once looked so bright and assured, now seem so distant - very much like faded memories. Times when you are forced to ask yourself “what is going on?” if you still live in reality or it is just a strange dream that you might wake up from. At that point you are so far from optimistic or confident about the future that the mere thought of tomorrow just seems to scare you out of your wits.

Not the Best of Cocktails

There are other times when it just looks like all of your efforts, seem to wind up at dead ends. There is a bit of frustration, mixed with some amount of confusion, despair, anxiety and a fear of the unknown. Not the best of cocktails anyone could wish for, as it can only typify one thing - a crisis. Times when you are forced to look back and wonder if your best days were behind you, or if you could ever make headway again.

The feeling is as if, everything seems to be conniving, just to fall apart, and nothing seems to make sense any more. The dizzying part is that they all seem to be coming at you so thick and fast, that you just do not know which to grapple with first. Those times when people say they understand, you just nod and say to yourself- “you don’t even have the slightest clue”.

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A Tiny Hope to the Rescue

But in the midst of all of these, there is this tiny bit of hope, like a beacon of light that is still able to shine through. Although small, but it has got enough energy to make you wish again. Soon the wish is transformed to a dream again, and the dream soon sets alight a passion to keep going, knowing that if you never give up, you stand a chance of winning again. The times are hard, no doubt, but there is this strange reassurance from your inside, that things are going to be better; that you would yet live again, live your dreams and be there to tell the story of overcoming a time so tough.

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Somewhere in the midst of chaos and confusion, there lies a strange kind of peace and reassurance. If only you could detach from as much as is happening around you, and say to yourself - “it’s only for a season, this too shall pass.” Somewhere in there you will find the energy to go on. Eventually, you will live to tell the story how you overcame - the story of a survivor who survived indeed.

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Vision, Clarity and Your Sense of Purpose

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 23:21:00 +0000

As much as purpose may be the ultimate destination, yet it takes a charted course to eventually achieve it. In the course of doing things, one thing is absolutely important - Vision. It brings out the you in you, setting your mind on seeing beyond the obstacles and getting around the road blocks.

Vision enhances clarity of dreams, ultimately guiding you along on the path of purpose. Vision also stirs up the passion for discipline, an ingredient that cannot be left out, if the aim is to be achieved. Discipline enhances focus, and focus is the central point of vision.

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A life governed by a clear sense of vision, ultimately generates an unshakable conviction even in the face of seeming impossibilities. This can only take place, because there is a clear picture in the subject mind's eye. The belief therefore is "it is just a matter of time"; the picture would eventually become reality.

Vision ultimately leads to destiny. The question therefore is: what do you see? can you see far enough, to keep your passion going? think about this, your life may depend on how far you can see. Learn to hone your visionary skills today, It is your ticket to fulfillment.

Life Soldiers: Lean, Focused and Tough

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:49:00 +0000

As war demands, soldiers are trained to make the most with the least of resources. Often they are made to understand that war demands that they learn to survive on rations and long times of drought. All of these would require that their minds are properly tuned, and their bodies well trimmed - together, they should make up a lean, tough and focused fighting machine, fit enough to execute the strategies that ensure a successful wager in war.

Transposing this analogy into our daily lives, you need to understand that life would not serve you all its goodies on a platter of gold. Instead, it would often make you fight through the motions, before obtaining most of its niceties. In the process, you must build yourself into that kind of soldier willing to go through the trials and tests, firmly focused on achieving victory.

Leave the Past in Its Place

In a bid to achieve success, we need to learn to leave the past in its place. Surely there might have been successes and failures as the case may be, in the same past with subsequent lessons taught. Going further, it becomes pertinent to understand that the victories of the past do not guarantee victory in the present; neither does the failure of the past, condemn you to additional failures in the present. Accept that the battles of today are here and now, and learn to fight them like you never fought before, especially seeing that they hold the key to a desired progress in a future you are coming into.

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The Vulnerability of Transition

Transition is a phase of life every one has to go through at different times, especially seeing that “change is the only constant thing in life”. Fighting change might amount to fighting life itself, which may result in an exercise in futility. Instead, it is advised to master the process and to learn to maximize it. Transitional times can be very vulnerable periods where you do not know what would happen next, or who you might eventually turn out to be.

In the same moments, it is best keep an open mind, stay positive and to try to make the best of each situation. Take a keen look at the processes and learn from them. A quick tip - “most of the features in those cycles are repeated in other cycles later in time”. This happens most often not in letter meaning not exactly but in the spirit or general idea of the process of change which works particularly for you.

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When in Doubt or Confused, Keep Quiet and Process

Moving on with life can often take you through forays of seemingly unknown territories, and these times of transition can cook up a lot of doubt, fear or confusion in your heart. In these times, it is best not to say much, but to keep quiet and process all that is happening. This singular act stands you at vantage because it buys you good time to reason, and to make tangible meaning of all that is going on.

It also keeps you from uttering words that may affirm a wrong belief in your subconscious that you are going through a time of chaos or confusion where you might be losing everything after all. Our words carry a lot of weight, as they could pass for legal documents penned in ink, signed and sealed. Whereas, while they exist as thoughts in our mind, they remained mere ideas which could be quashed or modified as deemed fit without any serious consequences.

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Victory at Last

Constantly keeping your eye on the mark, believing that victory is achievable bolsters a mindset fit for success. To this end, you must understand that victory can only be achieved, if you do not run away from the pains and the rigour of battle, in trying to quit. Determining to go through to the very end is what makes victory eventually assured. In the same vein, whether in victory or seeming defeat, understand that both results are never terminal. Instead they both possess a peculiar feature - serving as a very efficient springboard to greater successes, if properly harnessed, and the potentials in there well utilized.

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The Jingle and the Jungle: Essential Tips for Survival in Real-Time

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 19:54:00 +0000

The jingle is the usual advert, and in such worlds, things are well hyped and made to look perfect. A total opposite of that would be ‘the jungle’- the real world, where things are far from ideal. Here you have to face reality, and act accordingly, especially with a clear strategy in order to survive.

Have you ever wondered how everything gets to look so perfect in an advert? That is because they need to sell the product and in so doing, the flaws are not often exposed. Reality sets in when such products have been bought and finally put to use. At that time when the challenges show up, the user most generally has to live and deal with the complexity of issues thrown up.

The Classroom Model versus Business in Real Time

Every one needs to understand that in real time, reality sets in and life does happen. Accordingly, one must be prepared to live as if fighting for survival in a virtual jungle. Please note that - while adverts allow wishes to be lived out, reality tells differently often calling for action, even in midst of accommodating dreams. There is no crime in hoping for the best, but working towards it is more important, as that would be one way to get much closer to desired fulfillment.

Taken from another perspective, there is huge difference between the kind of business that is taught on the faces of text-books or within the four walls of a classroom, and the kind of business which takes place in real time. This is such an essential point to understand, because the business terrain in reality calls for certain ‘swim or sink’ measures - most times offering no second chances on the same decisions. When compared to the classroom - where you are given model case-studies to analyse and second-guess, it makes the latter look like ‘child’s play’. Although we cannot discount the fact that the classroom is the training ground, even at that, the subject must grow up to understand that there is a clear distinction between analyzing past issues and taking a decision in real time.

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The Sparring Patch and the Boxing Ring

The same scenario as above is what plays out in such settings as the sparring patch and the boxing ring. During training, the jabs are allowed and there is little or no harm really anticipated. In the boxing ring, It is a different ball game, where the fight is to the finish and the blows come flying deadly and fast.

The whole essence of identifying which is the jingle or the jungle is so that - “you understand each of the fields and train your mind to deal as such.” Armed with the knowledge that works in reality, where things are far from the ideal; whatever you are going to get might be as a result of some level of fight and the application of real effort. This is a winning mentality - a proven warrior mindset.

Overall there must be a clear strategy for every day survival as you just cannot afford to live life arbitrarily. In order to achieve this end, here are some tips that would help facilitate the cause:

Draft clearly thought-out plans, follow meticulously, and review at the end of the day.

This is absolutely necessary as it saves you the embarrassing pain of trying to prepare on the battle ground where you should be doing the actual fighting. Preparation is key and as such you must develop a mindset to plan and think things through - maximize your space. After this step, the next is to make sure that you follow through quite meticulously, especially where your issues would answer to a clear process of execution. This must have been analysed and anticipated so that a disciplined execution of the process could produce expected results. The last bit of this process is to carry out a detailed review.

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Add value every day, learn something new and Create value at every Given Opportunity

There are so many things you could do to add value to yourself. Learn something new every day, either by reading a book, observing a procedure or just taking time to analyse some life situations with clear points of lesson drawn out. You may never understand how much, this seemingly irrelevant effort prepares you for a day of need, where it would be virtually impossible to even begin to try preparation.

Along the same lines, learn to create value. Write a book, document and share experiences, be kind to somebody and share of their burdens. The psychology involved, works both ways - it gives you the fulfillment which comes out of achieving something and also gets the other person through their rough time. Whenever value is created, it pays off in the long term, so do not let time run endlessly, make sure you tie something down.

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Some Other Ways to Achieve and Enhance Survival

Seeing that survival is an end, there are many more means to enhance our chances. They would defy full explanations here because of spatial constraints; however they are listed as follows in no particular order: Learn to manage Stress, Keep Journals, Exercise regularly, Study trends and plan strategically, Take a stand - which must not necessarily translate into being rigid, Leverage the availability of helpful technology, Prepare to take risks - understanding that safety of itself can be very costly.

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The same way animals have to evolve, and to develop improved ways of enhancing survival; virtually same works for human beings who face various challenges from day to day; sometimes having to tread some uncharted courses with no previous or ready templates to spy out. Essentially, all of these points work together to drive a full concept which has its heart- the clear understanding that things do not work literally on face value. It does require some amount of effort, consistency and grit to be able to achieve the desired goal; therefore the individual mind must be trained to recognize the distinction between that Jingle and the Jungle of reality.

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Built to Last: Choosing Process over Quick Gratification

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 19:43:00 +0000

Monuments are built with a life time in mind; therefore it takes a strategy and a process to be able to execute such long lasting achievements. This is a great template for anyone who intends to start something and to make sure it outlasts them meaning it continues to make impact and exist even after the inventor has departed this life.

Every time a project is about to be embarked on or some idea is about to be birthed, there is a choice to make - settling for the whole hug or making the fast buck in trying to earn quick gratification before moving on.

The Process called Hard Work

For anyone who cares to ponder over it, logic demands that a house which would go very tall at the building stage must have a fairly deep foundation so that it is strongly rooted against the whirls, the storms and the general bartering of nature. That tells of one thing - Work and more work, because the builders have a clear picture of what they are trying to achieve in mind. The picture drives the process and would often make them stop at nothing to put in the required level of work, both day and night if necessary, to achieve the aim.

Put in the right perspective, it is only proper to factor in the owner of the project too who although has funded the project, must choose to be part of the success in letting the project take its due course and bring in helpful input to the process, rather than requesting that the project be delivered as quickly as it can happen since it had already been paid for. Clearly, it does not work that way.

The Place of Values

The same works for investments and various successful endeavors in life, often requiring that you choose to see out the entire process rather than make the fast move to short-circuit the path. It speaks strongly of a value set system which greatly influences our choices as regards the length of the process allowed. It would only be natural for the one without the right values which would generally inculcate hard-work, integrity, and devotion to prefer the quick gratification route in order to make the most gain, in the least possible time.

They forget to spare a thought for the system, neither bother about what happens to the project in the long-term, once they have exited happy and selfishly satisfied. Again, they prefer to stand aloof rather be a part of the process, but once the profit is ready, they are ready to shout to the highest heavens in order to ensure that a sizable cut is theirs else there would be an invitation to anarchy.The right procedure would be to participate in the process if you must duly share of the benefits.

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Quick Gratification and Consequences of a Short Cut

Mostly the one who chooses the short-cut and quick gratification over real process often feels it is the smarter move to make. Eventually it so turns out that whatever is achieved via the back door would often require sustenance through the same channel. Even when such one decides to go legit after reaping the benefits of a quick deal, the past remains like a skeleton hung in a cupboard waiting to blow up a scandal upon revelation.

This inevitably infers that going through the entire process spares you a lot of heart ache and embarrassment in the long run. Notice that some secrets eventually lead to scathing scandals that may take a life time to recover from, most often without the same level of balance possessed before the literal opening of the ‘Pandora box’.

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How ready are you

Before embarking on any endeavor, it is only fair to ask yourself the million dollar question: “how ready am I?” As elementary as it may sound, the question and answer tend to help you put the campaign in the right perspective, and greatly causes your mind to reflect on the process involved in order to be able to make a well guided and informed choice.

This could be referred to as ‘bracing for impact’ - or else you might get thrown off your feet or overwhelmed by the intensiveness of the process, leading to total abandonment similar to the allegory of getting dwarfed by an unrecognized giant. In summary, Preparation is entirely vital.

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Make This Call

After all is said and done, you must be ready to make that call, as nobody will make it for you. The final decision lies in your hand although it would be very helpful to keep your eye on the ball always. A good picture of the ultimate goal helps to muster enough support to last through the process, knowing that the pudding would be sweeter and more satisfying if all of the work required has been farmed in.

Also there is a place for fulfillment derived from the eventual achievement of a legacy, a standard and just may be legendary status. All of the latter bunch could be achieved in a total swoop, as some well worked projects that went through real process, have gone on to take a life of their own - blowing up well beyond the initiators’ previous plans. The process ensures that the project is really built to last.

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Be the Best: Never Celebrate Mediocrity over Merit

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:33:00 +0000

“Challenging the status quo has to be the starting point for anything that goes under the label of strategy.” ~ Gary Hamel

In a bid to be the best, you have to learn to beat the best, and never settle for less. While you are on this quest, you are going to fail a couple of times, but even that is allowed, as it serves as a very strong spring board to success. There is often much energy and passion attached to a rebound and a second chance. This much is the kind of energy that propels you to go beyond your limitations, scale over walls and do the things you least imagined possible.

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Make Up Your Mind to Try Again

Just because so many have not succeeded on the first attempt, they sometimes tell themselves that the task is impossible and would rather settle where they were and enjoy it as best instead of trying again until the aim is achieved. This can only be termed as accommodating mediocrity all because you think merit is too high a pedestal to be attained.

As if that was not bad enough, it has gotten to a stage where many have chosen to settle with life in mediocrity so much so that, merit now seems to be so out of place that it seems the odd one out. Now anyone who is seen to be aiming for merit is regarded as doing too much or trying to achieve something unusual and strange.

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Pull Down the Walls of Limitation that Mediocrity Built

The heart rending fact about mediocrity is that it is a mindset and once it sets in, it casts a wall of limitation that must be broken through if that one could ever again strive to be the best. The painful thing about this condition is that it does not stop at affecting just the subject but further tries to influence everyone within the sphere of influence of the subject, thus wreaking more havoc if not brought quickly reined in or totally dealt with.

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Set a Standard - “Only the Best is good enough”

The best way to deal with mediocrity is to set a standard in your mind which would read “only the best is good enough”. As long as this is your standard, your mind has no choice to than to believe it, and this in turn affects your sub-conscious and influences your thoughts, values and decisions. The latter trio finally culminate in totality as your end results and achievements.

The great thing about merit is that it helps to stretch you in order to achieve it and that would often mean challenging the status quo and refusing to settle for what has always been. This is the major secret which leads to revolutionary Innovation. A mind that insists on exceeding what has been would naturally go on to break new grounds and achieve huge feats which excel the boundaries of the mediocre.

Going After Merit Can Fetch You Real Success

Another great thing about wanting to be the best - that is following merit rather than sticking with mediocrity is an end called real success. It is most said that everyone wants to live the dream life but not too many are willing to pay the price, work hard at it and never stop until the goal is reached. True success does not come easy. It often demands that the subjects be clear about the target and then go on through thick and thin to fight for what they want. Merit elicits the ‘never-say-die’ spirit that ultimately leads to desired success.

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Leadership and Change are greatly influenced by the Option- “Merit or Mediocrity”

Change is the only constant thing in life, but typically humans prefer to stick with safety and that would often mean sticking with what has been. The status quo speaks of mediocrity, as it involves leaving out the risks rather than choosing to take them on. Conversely, merit means: “this can improve, things can get better, and if someone wrote the story up to this point then I should do my bit to improve it. I must learn to leave the cause much better than I met it, so I am going to give it all it takes to make change happen.”

This scenario works perfectly especially in leadership. Naturally, followers would look to the leader to chart a course for the next move; it would now be down to the leader to either make change happen or refuse to break new grounds opting to stick with safety, average or that which has always been.

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Be the Best There Is

Overall, a few of the gains and pains of merit and mediocrity have been highlighted. In the end you would be left to decide on which you would opt for, but keep this in mind, your results and final outcome would be greatly determined by which way your vote swings and what option wins your heart. Never settle for less, you can be the best there is.

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Celebrate Freedom, Celebrate Life!

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 11:24:00 +0000

“If you see life as a continuous journey, you keep moving, but the day you think you have arrived, then the journey is over.”

Freedom means different things to different people, but it may take one who has been in chains before to appreciate more the true meaning of the word - “freedom”. If you have ever been to a prison before, then you must have witnessed first hand what it means to be restricted from going where you want to go, doing you want to do or saying what you prefer to say.

Freedom is the exact opposite of these entirely plus much more. Walking in to a place that was once a prison now transformed in to a freedom park brings you a lot of memories and further drives home the essence of life and the freedom it affords.

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Always Remember Who You Are - "a Winner"

A potent consciousness of who you are can do the magic at anytime. You need to keep telling yourself that you are a winner even while you remind yourself of your past victories no matter how small. If you have done it once before, you can do it again. Some gifts just settle on the layer of complacency, and they would refuse to come back to life until they are stirred up by your constant confessions.

As awkward as it may sound, you need to talk to the ‘person in the mirror’, and build up energy in your unconscious that can get you around to believing what you keep saying to yourself. Stay positive and hopeful, that while life remains, there is yet time to fuel my passion and achieve my dreams.

Remember What You Have

There is so much power in remembering what you have. Often, we so easily tend to forget what we have and so get to focus more on what we do not. Instead, it should be the other way round - celebrating what we have and then trusting that the things we want, we can get. Understand that what you have in your hand is a rare privilege- a right to life and the freedom to pursue after your dreams, no matter how tall.

As long as there is life and as long as there is freedom, then you can chase after and achieve all of your goals and the targets you have set. Again if you have done it once, you can do it again. All you need to understand is that it is just a matter of time, it will happen.

Find your Mind, Find Your Voice

There is so much noise in the world, and different things beckon for attention almost at the same time. If one is not careful, it is easy to get trapped in the cacophony of confusion and chaos going on all around. But in the midst of these, you have to be able to free up your mind and find your voice. A lot depends on it, and you cannot afford to be lost in the crowd. Always remember that only superficial things rise to the surface, but there is always much more lying in the depth beyond the surface, if only you can reach further down.

Open up your mind to the numerous possibilities available and achievable, if only you can break out that entrapment and chase after your dreams. Life affords you an unusual opportunity to identify potential and to make the most of them. This combined with the freedom to run as fast as you want, tells of great power in your arsenal if only you realize how much lies in there and get ready to deploy it.

Feed Your Mind with the Right Things

The mind is a vacuum waiting to be filled, but one thing you must know is that it cannot remain so for long. As the adage goes “nature abhors vacuums”, so naturally something gets to fill it. Rather than just allow anything in there, you have to guard it jealously and feed it with the right things. It is part of knowing your craft, seeking after knowledge and filling your mind with it. It helps to build a strong line of focus, especially seeing that real visions emanates from the mind.

Such visions should be clearly visible through the mind’s eye for successful pursuance. That in itself helps to build up energy to run after them, with an understanding that your actions must line up with the vision as seen with your mind’s eye. Great perception helps focus and channel your energy right enough to follow after purposeful achievement. Not as one who beats against the wind, but one taking measured and calculated steps to achieve the aim.

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Ultimately, if you have got freedom, then you have got life, why not maximize it? Why live like one in shackles? Go ahead and celebrate life by developing your passion, chasing after your goals and congratulating yourself on your achievements so that you can achieve a whole lot more. Life answers to your demands, if only you stay consistent and unrepentant about them. Celebrate freedom, celebrate life!

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"Ideas Rule the World: Nurture Them to Life"

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 21:23:00 +0000

Ideas rule the world. No doubt; but what happens to the idea next is left to you - the one who came up with the idea.

So many have grown to become game changers, revolutionaries and literal generation changers.Yet,many more have been smothered to death, never seeing the light of day, often going with the owner to the grave. Maybe we could all just wish that there was a book which had all ideas already housed in it, and all we needed to do was just pick-up and implement. But even that would soon get boring and kill off all of our in-borne creativity.

Life has been created with the right balance of given, options, choices, search, adversity and desires carefully patterned for each individual. Here is the more reason why no two individuals can live out the same life. They would always get to a point where they need to make their own decisions and choose a direction for their respective lives. This direction can be one greatly influenced by individual creativity and the passion to follow through to fruition, the necessary stages till the idea takes on a life of its own.

The Birth Phase

The great thing about an idea birthing process, is that it is not limited to the genius or the privileged alone. It is open to anybody regardless of class or status. It only requires that you be able to recognize it, appreciate and nurture it to life. The inspiration for an idea could come from anything, anywhere and at anytime. People have had great ideas sitting under mango trees, some others in their bath tubs and many others in the middle of a song or while rising out of sleep.

It just takes a habit of keeping your mind open. This creates an atmosphere that allows you see beyond the normal. By default, we all see things once and move on the next minute, but a second look or a second thought might introduce a new perspective which might be all you need to come up with that next great idea.

The Growing Stage

This stage speaks of one after which the idea has been generated, and is in need of a structure, strategy, analysis, pace and direction. All of these may sound really technical but they are defined phases that our ideas go through whether we choose to admit them or not. In reality, the level that an idea can grow to and how much it gets to achieve, lie in the hands of the subject. There is so much excitement at the early stages, but the final achievement of maximum potential would depend very much on its ability to weather the storm and survive through the times of adversity.

There are those times when you are not exactly sure you are doing the right thing. Some other times, you might be asking yourself if you are on the right path, but assuredly if you can reinforce your confidence and tell that it is only a trial phase then “This too shall pass”. That way, the idea gets a chance to move on to the next stage, where it is now gone way beyond being just a dream to the place where the idea begins the process of enlivening its numerous potentials. At this point it has to incorporate a structure and a clear pattern on how to keep running.

Where You Make That Call

An idea that has gotten through the previous stages has been through a lot of perseverance and tests - what you will naturally call the teething stage. It must have been made stronger by all that it has gone through. While all of the latter is quite healthy for business, there is yet another very delicate stage - the point where you must make your call. This speaks of a point where the owner recognizes that the idea has grown beyond them and must involve the help or funding of another if it must fulfil all of its inherent potential. This is a moment of reality and a point of decision that could dictate the rest of the idea’s lifetime.

At this point, some refuse to partner for fear of having the idea stolen. Some others would just sell it off for fear of having it become a burden too heavy to carry. Another set would choose to groom and seek for help, knowing that the idea has got the potential to outlive them and become useful for several generations. Which ever category you fall into, it is important to understand that the call you make would be extremely pivotal to the overall achievement of the idea. It inevitably tells a complete story and you have a major part in writing the script.

Before wrapping up this part, it would be unfair not to mention the aspect of raising funds to finance the idea. Most ideas require the funds of other people to survive. This is a good one of itself, but it becomes pertinent to mention that some ideas have the potential to fund themselves if the owner could only exercise some more patience. The question in there would be “why hurry to raise funds when the idea can fetch all the funds it needs if only you are a little more patient.” The owner must recognize which of the two options to follow after some careful consideration. Both ways, the essence is that the idea survives and fulfils maximum potential.

Worse than a Seed or the Next Big Thing

The end of the story would tell how much of an achievement the idea starting off as seed becomes. The two extremes would be having the idea grow to become the next big thing or turning out as something worse than a seed. The latter may be such a harsh qualification, but in reality it is the true picture. This is more typical because every idea is a seed in the mind of the owner, if killed or smothered to death - it would have become worse than a seed, because all of its potential has been lost.

Yet, the same idea has the chance to grow to life and to change all of existence. It further drives the point that what you do with that next idea determines how much it finally achieves. Every idea is peculiar and expresses a kind of rarity of its own. Yet, in the midst of these, your reaction as the owner would tell if you are giving the idea the needed hug to life or you are dishing out a hug of death. The choice remains yours to make.

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Motivational Stories: "Oscar Pistorius -The Never Say Never Spirit of a Man Turned Olympian"

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 16:03:00 +0000

The London 2012 Olympics has been a very historic event for many, a key highlight that literally lit up the whole year so far. Although, the games have a natural penchant for doing that, the peculiar thing which stands out every time would be the unforgettable memories left in the hearts of the worldwide audience. This year was no different.

After sampling the opinions of many people, most said they loved Usain Bolt,Micheal Phelps,Yohan Blake and others, but the best of them all was the one with the story -the blade runner, Oscar Pistorius. Loved not necessarily for having won anything, but for the fact that he had scaled so many hurdles to compete in the games and still qualified from the rounds. He did not make it into the finals but definitely he had clearly made his point and left a lasting mark on the memories of everyone who saw the Olympic games in 2012. His story brings on so much inspiration that you cannot help but admire the mental strength and determination of this 'Paralympian' turned Olympian.

Here is a bit of his biography and inspiring story:

Born Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius, the South African sprint runner is also known as the "Blade Runner" and "the fastest man on no legs". Pistorius, who has a double below-knee amputation, is a world record holder presently aged twenty-five.

In 2007, Pistorius took part in his first international competitions for able-bodied athletes. However, his artificial lower legs, while enabling him to compete, have generated claims that he has an unfair advantage over able-bodied runners. After monitoring his track performances and carrying out tests, scientists took the view that Pistorius enjoyed considerable advantages over athletes without prosthetic limbs. On the strength of these findings, on 14 January 2008 the IAAF ruled him ineligible for competitions conducted under its rules, including the 2008 Summer Olympics. This decision was reversed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on 16 May 2008, the Court ruling overall there was no evidence that Pistorius had any net advantage over able-bodied athletes.

Failed to Qualify the Last Time Out

Although eligible to compete in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, Pistorius did not qualify for the South African team. Despite achieving third place and a personal best time of 46.25 seconds in the 400 metres in Lucerne, Switzerland, on 16 July 2008, this was short of the Olympic qualification time of 45.55 seconds. He was also not selected by the South African Olympic Committee for the 4 × 400 metres relay team as there were four other runners who had achieved better times. At the 2008 Summer Paralympics, he took the gold medals in the 100, 200 and 400 metres (T44) sprints.

Bounce Back to Finally Achieve Aim

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Pistorius became the first double leg amputee to participate in the Olympics when he entered the men's 400 metres race and was part of South Africa's 4 × 400 metres relay team. With his time of 45.07 seconds on 19 July 2011, he achieved the "A" qualifying standard for the 2011 World Championships and 2012 Summer Olympics. At the Championships, he participated in the 400 metres sprint and the 4 × 400 metres relay. He was eliminated in the semi-final of the 400 metres sprint but, as part of South Africa's silver medal winning relay team, he became the first amputee to win an able-bodied world track medal although he was not selected for the final.

Spurred on by his achievements at the Paralympic Games, Oscar had set his sights on competing against able-bodied athletes and at the South African Championships in March 2005 he finished sixth in the 400m final.

The story shows the determination of a man with a 'never say never' spirit who eventually achieved his desire of becoming an Olympian. It tells you anything is possible if you only put your mind to it.

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Credits to Wikipaedia and Oscarpistorias.com for really helpful details.

Life in Motion: Why Settle For Less?

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 19:46:00 +0000

Life is there to be lived. Dreams start off Passion; Passion ignites fire and a hunger to achieve success plus a strong sense of anticipation can keep the fire going. All of these combined make life such an exciting prospect. Against this background, the script unfolds bringing on various challenges that attract rewards if surmounted successfully. Now adding a bit of a perspective to the constancy of motion in life while it remains, it is a time to chase after your dreams and fulfil them especially because life does have a termination point in death, meaning it does not continue for ever. Yet, death is not worst thing that can happen to a man instead the worst would be living as though dead without dreams, passion, hunger or anticipation of anything.

Activate the Potential of Dreams by Setting Goals and Targets

The fact that we can dream is yet an indication that life still exists, and the process of achieving such dreams leads to the mechanism of setting measurable goals and targets which add up to the eventual achievement of those dreams. Invariably this means that dreams possess a huge amount of potential waiting to be summoned and activated via set goals and targets in a bid to achieve eventual success.

Belief is a strong back-up in this process often throwing up the lesson, “if I can be the best that there is, then why settling for less?” Life allows for very tall dreams if only the dreamer can muster enough belief and courage to go after such dreams; anything at all is possible. Goals help to break down the dream into small achievable bits called targets which can be easily subjected to timelines, executable with the right amount of discipline.

Status is only Momentous Relative to a Standard

The highway is an interesting place to be while you are in a moving vehicle, where there is the freedom to move at great speed. Conversely, the latter can be a very terrible place to be when you are broken down, more especially as you are subjected to the spectator stance of only seeing cars run past without being able to do same. Yet, it is only for some moments relative to the standard of time continuous. This gives a fair explanation to status- something we all get so concerned about beyond necessary.

The average individual worries so much about their status at every point most often in comparison to a standard or one they see as best in the field. This is not permanent as it changes with time relative to decisions and clear intentions. Status is derived from the word state which is only for a limited time while life runs as a continuous flux. Therefore it begs the question, why allow status and setbacks which can only be for a limited time, obstruct the rest of your life and hinder you from following your dreams?

The Strength of a Second Chance

We often think that we are our past, yet this is far from the truth. There is always a future to live out, although you may need to appreciate what you missed enough to know how hard to go after it. This could imply that some of the greatest ones to watch out for are persons on the rebound especially after missing a great opportunity. Such must have dealt with the pain of failing at the first hurdle or passing up an opportunity and eventually come to the decision of going after it again with much more determination, passion and verve.

People who never made mistakes may never appreciate the one on a second chance. As often, when you are on a mission to recover a lost opportunity, the anticipation alone can almost become as important as the eventual achievement. It brings the added impetus required to set things in place and to position rightly to maximize the opportunity on a second turn.

If You Must Fight, Pick the Right Battles

Everyone wants to achieve something, but superior to that is the art of fulfilment. There is the internal drive to run after purpose and to reach a point of fulfilment. In order to do this effectively, we need to find out what drives us. There is a place for our emotions and to a large extent they get to influence our decisions. Decision is the ultimate power but that also happens to a function of our focus. Different scenarios can set off different emotions but the ultimate direction of our decisions would depend on what we choose to extract as our main points of focus.

One could lose a loved one in a tragedy and choose to focus on living their lives the best way possible for the sake of honouring the departed, or some others could choose to tow the path of revenge and decide to hurt every other human being they come across in relation to their loss. Both ways, the common denominator is the decision as a result of a focus extract from the emotion.

Decisions That Shape Our Destiny

Almost every human being wants significance, certainty, growth, connection and love. While all of these are good, we also need things like uncertainty which we often refer to as problems or challenges to add variety to this whole mix called life. Overcoming challenges and solving problems often bring us the feeling of appreciation. This could in turn lead to fulfillment knowing that we have contributed something beyond ourselves to make some other people happy.

It has been found out over time that the defining factor is not exactly resources, instead it is resourcefulness. Many have had tremendous resources at their disposal, yet messed it all up while others have been through so much pain and they still made the most of it and achieved great things. Thus it becomes very important to often explore your mind and find out the emotions controlling you. Find out your needs, beliefs and what makes up your lead system- your emotional structure. This could lead you to give everyday your all, love your all, and never settle for less.

Inspiration for this write-up was drawn partly from a message by Yemi Amusan of House on the Rock, Lagos and a TED extract of Anthony Robbins’ presentation.

Thank you for reading this post. If you have other ideas on the subject, please share and leave a comment below.

Risk and the Cost of Safety: Fulfilling Life’s Purpose

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 17:31:00 +0000

Youths want safety, adults want safety and even the small kid loves safety. Almost everyone wants to be safe but that would often mean having to drive in another man’s bus where they provide the covering, take care of the risk, give you a benefit or a tip and most generally pay the bills. While all of that is fair, you must realize that ultimately, they determine the bearings, pace and the eventual destination. That leaves you with little or no say at all as to where the bus is headed or how fast it goes.Except you decide to speak up at your own peril assuming you had decided to bite the bullet and are ready to quit.

The harsh reality of life is that it is laden with risk all the way and nothing really comes free. Everything including safety comes at a cost as there is most often a price to pay. Whether you are the one paying or another person is footing the bill, it would take a clear understanding that nothing is really free, to maximize the inherent benefits of that opportunity rather than leave it to waste. In very practical terms, opportunities have a lifetime - something quite similar to an open window with a time limit. It is therefore wise to maximize the opportunity of a lifetime in the lifetime of the opportunity.

Going into the future, there is the need to count the cost of trying to be safe. Imagine that you have got that strong idea that has refused to go away, and the picture keeps getting clearer by the day. The main problem would lie with your decision to ‘either kiss safety goodbye’ and follow your dream or hang on to safety at the expense of fulfilling purpose.

Ask any great and astute business man and they could tell you this - "do risky business mostly when you can still afford to." But there comes a time when your portfolio must have enlarged to such an extent, that you would be left with no choice than to cut your risk ratio, especially with the liabilities, investors and dependencies grown to become such unavoidable factors in the overall decision making process. The reality is that they tend to cut your risk appetite and effectively hold you back.

The latter point again highlights the essence of time and the huge potential which lies in making the most of it while the opportunity is available. For instance, there are some things you may never have given a second thought as a bachelor, but now that you are married with kids, the scenario is different. You may be forced to make some long-drawn considerations before taking certain decisions because it is no longer just about you. Resignation from a present job can be one of those things. Following your instinct, gut feelings, impulse or exploring the desire to succeed even if you have to fail at first would be a full combination of another.

The question therefore arises “do you want to wait till all you could do is live the rest of your life in regret? This is a question in reality that every human should ask of themselves. More so, youths who have still got zest, strength, zeal, passion and energy. Would you prefer to let all of that go to waste forever in the service of another? who maybe had to take his chances, for you to have the present place you refer to as work? Think about it. Most people who took the dive in to entrepreneurship often got to a point where they needed no one to prompt them. In other words, this could mean that if you are still in need of a prompt, maybe you are not ready.

Now, it is increasingly pertinent to mention that not everyone would go into entrepreneurship or be able to start their own thing. Some people would definitely thrive best under another as they might self-destruct in the attempt to go it all alone. This is far from being pessimistic but a trial at giving the subject a balanced perspective. The common point which cuts across is “count the cost” and this has to do with both sides.

With the latter out of the way, comfort zones can indeed provide some seeming comfort temporarily, but in the process, time continues to count - an enigma that waits for no man. The average youth is in the late morning of their lives and the decisions you take would be highly instructive and decisive as to the nature, quality or direction for the rest of your life. Again, it is best to count the cost as safety can truly be very costly.

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Restraint: How to Harness the Potential of the Unusual

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 16:24:00 +0000

“Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire.” ~ Epictectus

Any great machine without a functioning control system would go haywire and misbehave. The same applies to the human being without a sense of restraint. Restraint is the power of control over not only your system but your personal abilities too. The effective use of this power can lead to an execution of the unusual so far it is the desire of the one exercising it.

There are numerous wonders in our world, existing in numbers that far exceed the nine officially documented ones. It can be amazing at how the sun rises up each day with no alert system prompt, or how humans continue to breathe unaided and the whole mechanism of a proper functioning body. No, this is not a science class nor is it one about creation. But have you ever wondered at how a small rudder controls a whole ship? Or how a small steering controls a very long truck? The stand out point in all of these is encapsulated in this phrase - “oh! The wonder of a control system”

Learning to Exercise Restraint

Restraint is an ability you most often do not develop immediately, it is a gradual process - one which works wonders by the time it is ripe. It is learned through various processes of control over your many expressions. These would include emotions such as joy, sadness, success, failure, anger, pain, fun and a similar plethora of such. Imagine a situation where it would have been easier to yell and let go in outburst of anger just because that was the way you felt at that time. Just pause for a bit, and consider this, what if there was another approach?

Consider asking the questions- What if I chose to hold myself together rather than let go? What if I showed myself that I am stronger than this emotion? Sincerely, they come across as some serious but realistic questions to ask of your person. You would be amazed at the answers you might get or what results they could generate.

Benefits of a well developed control system

There are numerous benefits of a well developed control system. Overall, it strengthens your ability to determine what goes on around you to a more reasonable extent. It can be amazing how far certain situations can go to destabilize us, sometimes ruining precious hours. Maybe all of that could have been salvaged and channeled in to a more useful and gratifying purpose.

Restraint does seem to confer on you special powers, some times similar to one who is in control of time itself. This is very valid point in the sense that everything that happens does so literally within the very enigmatic concept called time. This would inevitably mean that, the next moment could give you more insight in to what that previous upsetting moment really meant.

For instance, some people try to incite you with the assumption that they can manipulate your trigger point. If you react in the exact way they had presumed, then you would have become a puppet in their hands. Funny enough, if you behaved conversely and held your peace, you might just draw out a confession from them, but more importantly it shows you are the right master for your emotions.

The Power of the Surprise element

In war parlance, the surprise element is often a winning strategy. This concept lets you exercise a rare kind of control over reactions and keeps you in charge of a conversation or relationship. An exercise of this is seen in the example of one who is a able to solve a long standing problem which everyone had previously given up on. The subject yet refuses to let out a shout of victory, until all the other team members discover that the problem is solved. Such discovery could also have been made because it was set out conspicuously for the same purpose.

Imagine how much of a shout, that would elicit from the team members who may just be exclaiming in relief, excitement or awestruck amazement. The weightier lesson in this happening may be that the subject has learned to handle victory or defeat in the same level-headed manner. They would have effectively taken over the power to harness the unlimited potential that lies in any of the said outcomes.

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Restraint and Maturity

In rounding up, restraint hands over to you a priceless gem that can be deployed to achieve so much value. One of which would be a sense of unpredictability, thereby almost conferring upon you the status of a maverick although in a more positive light now. It also tells of an age-less sense of maturity. That alone holds the secret to the unusual. It places on the shoulders of a very young kid the head of a wise old man, just because they have learned to master their emotions and to control their abilities. Restraint truly is the key to unlocking a litany of mysterious doors.

“Until you can manage your emotions, do not expect to manage money.” ~ Warren Buffett

If you know of other ways to employ restraint to harness the potential of the unusual, please leave a comment below and also share with the larger online community via the social media buttons available.

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The Dynamics of Motivation: Creative Leadership on the Home Turf

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 21:20:00 +0000

The home naturally brings relaxation and most often, it brings great pleasure to talk about it. To some it would sound a bit of a controversial topic, but most in general, the home is a forte; a place almost everyone wants to spend the bulk of their time in. Exactly the point, no doubt well placed, however the fact remains that you could choose to enjoy the home normally or demand added benefits by taking it a notch higher in a bid to maximize all of its real inherent potential. Now it may begin to sound like we are discussing real estate, but no this is different.

Developing the Right Motivation for Leadership

Take it more like, we are building our home in such a way that every member is motivated to become a leader believing that it is our home, at the same time it is our business. The aim is to build life managers who are ready to take responsibility for themselves, the home, and the future. Enormous potential lies in the relaxed atmosphere that the home provides, and it is therefore left to the participants to take full advantage of the aura available to develop and to deliver the future.

Furthermore it is no news that development thrives much better in a relaxed atmosphere where friendship abounds and the subject can express self in a background of love, brotherliness and a relative assurance that somehow everyone in there has got their back. Please note that the idea here is not about trying to depict the ideal home if ever there was one, but the sincere point is this - more than anywhere else, the home provides a really conducive atmosphere often devoid of fear and the usual hostilities that exist out there. Now from this perspective, we can begin to talk about seeing the home as a team base or your fortress.

A Fortress with Enormous Development Potential

The Home should be seen as a garrison where you are not afraid to take charge and to express yourself as freely as possible. The accommodating nature speaks volumes to the subconscious, thereby allowing for easy and unfettered access to personal creative dimensions on a monumental scale. Such valiant potentials exist, that would see any typical business grow at a geometric rate. The contrast in there is that businesses are most often conducted in offices where there is such a serious and overly formal atmosphere; at times the same obtains for businesses running from home maybe for lack of a better venue.

Seeing the Home as Not Just Pleasurable but a Well-Oiled Business Machine

Well again, the aim is not to criticize the office or the business but to explore the creative dimensions on the home turf for effectively honing creativity, leadership and motivation. Our take on the core should be a home more like a pleasurable business - providing all of the pleasure even while running expertly as a business which maximizes and delivers the gains of a well oiled business machine. In other words we are running the business as a home and running the home as a business. This would mean that everyone takes charge of something and if possible give reports on it, with slide presentations, data analysis, observations, trend watch and professional advice. They could even field questions like the expert. It is essential to understand that in this same process, we would be effectively raising managers from a young age.

Specific Responsibilities Lead to Real Accountability

In more practical terms, we must take responsibility for specific things and let the kids do the same in the home. In the process they would learn to own it, take charge of it and be ready to give account of what ever happens on their watch. There is a peculiar sense of responsibility that comes along with these plus the added notion of accountability from all ends. This does not leave out the head of the home or the parents. Now it must be mentioned categorically that being accountable in the house does not belittle you or demean your authority, instead it bolsters it.

The basic point in there is about knowing how to strike a balance, so that you can achieve your aim of raising responsible and accountable leaders from a young age even while remaining in control of your house. For instance a kid could be put in charge of gadget maintenance, and another managing the food stuffing or laundry products. The essential thing is not the size of the project but how well they handle it after a proper briefing. The positions can be rotated, and everyone gets a bit of the whole cake- only nibbled from different angles.

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Crafting a Great Development Structure in the Home

Their reactions and near-expert take on the various projects would come in form of feedback reports at meetings that could be fashioned in the form of real board meetings although holding in the home. As dramatic as it may sound, the critical thing is that everyone understands the goal - an acknowledgement of a conscious and strategic effort at personal development. On the whole, it could translate into crafting a formidable structure for progressive development even from the home-front. The beauty of all of these is that everyone becomes more accountable, learns to take responsibility, and develops with great returns on leadership ability and strategy.

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"Mastering Time Management and Organizational Skills to Increase Productivity"------Brian Tracy

noreply@blogger.com (Akinola Odunukan) — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 02:13:00 +0000

There are four time management tools and techniques that you should practice to increase productivity and master personal organizational skills. Each of them takes a little time to learn and master, but pays you back in greater efficiency and effectiveness for the rest of your life

Time Management Tool #1: Use a Time Planner

The first time management technique that you can use is a time planning system that contains everything you need to plan your life and improve your organizational skills. A good time planner will contain a master list where you can capture every task, goal, and required action as it comes up. This master list then becomes the core of your time-planning system to increase productivity throughout your life. From this master list, you allocate individual tasks to various months, weeks, and days.

The second part of the time-planning system is a calendar that enables you to improve your organizational skills by planning several months ahead. With the right system, you will be able to transfer individual items from your master list to the exact day when you intend to complete them.

The next part of your system is a daily list. This daily list is perhaps the single most important planning tool you can have. Some people call it a ‘‘to-do list.’’

Time Management Tool #2: Increase Productivity by Working from a List

Every effective executive works from a daily list. It is the most powerful time management technique ever discovered to increase productivity and improve your organizational skills. Ineffective executives, those who are overwhelmed with too many things to do and too little time, either do not use a list or do not refer to a list if they have one in the first place. They often resist the idea of writing everything down. As a result, they find themselves continually distracted by ringing phones, interruptions, unexpected emergencies, and e-mail requests.

When you create your daily list, you begin by writing down every single task that you intend to complete over the course of the day. The rule is that you will increase productivity by 25 percent the very first day that you start using a list. This means that you will get two extra hours of productive time in an eight hour day from the simple act of making a list of everything you have to do before you start work. You can bring order out of chaos faster with a list than with any other time management tool.

Once you have written up your daily lists and begun work, new tasks and responsibilities will come up. Telephone calls will have to be returned. Correspondence will have to be dealt with.

In every case, write it down on the list before you do it.

Sometimes a task or demand on your time will seem urgent when it comes up. But something that might distract you from your other work regains its true importance when you write it down. An item that is written down on the list next to all your other tasks and responsibilities often doesn’t seem so important after all.

Time Management Tool #3: Organize Your List by Priority

Once you have a list for your day’s activities, the next step is for you to organize this list in order of priority. Once your list is organized, it becomes a map to guide you from morning to evening in the most effective way to help you increase productivity. This time management guide tells you what you have to do and what is more or less important. You will soon develop the habit of using your list as a blueprint for the day and improve your organizational skills along the way. Refuse to do anything until you have written it down on the list and organized it relative to its value in comparison to the other things you have to do.

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Time Management Tool #4: Improve Your Organizational Skills with a 45-File System

There is a simple method of organizing your time and your schedule for up to two years in advance. It is called the ‘‘45-file system.’’ This is a tickler file that lets you plan and organize your activities and callbacks for the next twenty-four months.

First, you get a box of forty-five files with fourteen hanging files to put them in. The forty-five files are divided as follows:

There are thirty-one files numbered one through thirty-one for the days of the month. There are twelve files for the months of the year, January through December. The last two files are for

the next two years. This is a wonderful time management system that you can also use with hanging files in your desk drawer.

When you have an appointment or responsibility for six months from now, you simply drop it into that monthly file. At the beginning of each month, you take out all of your responsibilities for that month and sort them into your daily files, numbered one through thirty-one. Each day, you take out the file for that day and that becomes the starting point of your planning.

This time management system takes a few minutes to set up. It then assures that you constantly improve your organizational skills and never miss or forget to follow up on a distant call, task, or appointment.

Thank you for reading this article on improving your organizational skills with effective time management tools to help you increase productivity throughout your life.

Source: www.briantracy.com