It has been a full year since I wrote something on this blog. Many people wondered where I went to. Many stopped seeing the name “Daniel Ngari” on Facebook, Twitter and in their mailboxes. Someone even asked me “So where the bloody hell are you?“.

I will soon write a blog post explaining my leave of absence; and unveil what I have been working on in that period. but for now, SIT BACK!!! and watch this amazing girl, Rose Nasimiyu. Then follow the instructions at the end of the blog post.

If you are in a position to help financially, please do, if not,you can still help by spreading  the word by sharing this blog post with friends.

My man Shakespear said, “that which we call a rose would by any other name smell as sweet”. He could well have been talking about Rose Nasimiyu.  She is only nine years old, in Nairobi Kenya and is a cancer survivor with an amazing story; inspiring others and being strong. I just talked to her on the phone and want to do my best to help spread her message.

You can help by sending her mother money. Her mother’s name is Phoebe Nafula. Her phone number is +254724551754. You can send her money through Western Union or through Mpesa if you are in Kenya. You can send any amount as every little bit counts.

For those outside the country (Kenya), it may be easiest to send money through BabaWatoto.com http://www.babawatoto.com or through MamaMikes http://www.mamamikes.com both reliable and reputable remittance websites that are popular with Kenyans abroad. They are both safe and you can send money directly to a person’s phone in Kenya. They are based in USA but have offices in Kenya.

Her details again: Phoebe Nafula, phone number +254724551754.

Special thanks goes to Jeff Koinanage for the good work he does on The Bench at K24TV. Thanks for the inspiring stories.

Please leave your comments after watching this video. Here are a few comments from others who have watched the videos.

“Baby Rose- You are an inspiration to many. You will live another day as per your prayer always. i have no words for you other that MAY GOD GRANT YOUR WISHES, and we Pray for you too.

Mr. Jeff- This was soo inspiring. Please bring such little beautiful angels to inspire and speak sense like the little girl………………….than­k you – ronniestrobes “

I can’t hold back my tears,may God feel mercy on her.You will live child,nothing is impossible before the eyes of God!! –
cathnj08

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise”– Ben Franklin.

Recently, reader Rob asked me about my habit of waking at 4:30 a.m. each day, and asked me to write about the health benefits of rising early, which I thought was an excellent question. Unfortunately, there are none, that I know of.

However, there are a ton of other great benefits.

Now, let me first say that if you are a night owl, and that works for you, I think that’s great. There’s no reason to change, especially if you’re happy with it. But for me, switching from being a night owl to an early riser (and yes, it is possible) has been a godsend. It has helped me in so many ways that I’d never go back. Here are just a few:

1. Greet the day. I love being able to get up, and greet a wonderful new day. I suggest creating a morning ritual that includes saying thanks for your blessings. I’m inspired by the Dalai Lama, who said, ” Everyday, think as you wake up, ‘today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others, I am going to benefit others as much as I can.’
2. Amazing start. I used to start my day by jumping out of bed, late as usual, and rushing to get myself and the kids ready, and rushing to drop them to school and come in to work late. I would walk into work, looking rumpled and barely awake, grumpy and behind everyone else. Not a great start to your day. Now, I have a renewing morning ritual, I’ve gotten so much done before 8 a.m., my kids are early and so am I, and by the time everyone else gets in to work, I’ve already gotten a head start. There is no better way to start off your day than to wake early, in my experience.
3. Quietude. No kids yelling, no babies crying, no soccer balls, no cars, no television noise. The early morning hours are so peaceful, so quiet. It’s my favorite time of day. I truly enjoy that time of peace, that time to myself, when I can think, when I can read, when I can breathe.
4. Sunrise. People who wake late miss one of the greatest feats of nature, repeated in full stereovision each and every day — the rise of the sun. I love how the day slowly gets brighter, when the midnight blue turns to lighter blue, when the brilliant colors start to seep into the sky, when nature is painted in incredible colors. I like doing my early morning run during this time, and I look up at the sky as I run and say to the world, “What a glorious day!” Really. I really do that. Corny, I know.
5. Breakfast. Rise early and you actually have time for breakfast. I’m told it’s one of the most important meals of the day. Without breakfast, your body is running on fumes until you are so hungry at lunchtime that you eat whatever unhealthy thing you can find. The fattier and sugarier, the betterier. But eat breakfast, and you are sated until later. Plus, eating breakfast while reading my book and drinking my coffee in the quiet of the morning is eminently more enjoyable than scarfing something down on the way to work, or at your desk.
6. Exercise. There are other times to exercise besides the early morning, of course, but I’ve found that while exercising right after work is also very enjoyable, it’s also liable to be canceled because of other things that come up. Morning exercise is virtually never canceled.
7. Productivity. Mornings, for me at least, are the most productive time of day. I like to do some writing in the morning, when there are no distractions, before I check my email or blog stats. I get so much more done by starting on my work in the morning. Then, when evening rolls around, I have no work that I need to do, and I can spend it with family.
8. Goal time. Got goals? Well, you should. And there’s no better time to review them and plan for them and do your goal tasks than first thing. You should have one goal that you want to accomplish this week. And every morning, you should decide what one thing you can do today to move yourself further towards that goal. And then, if possible, do that first thing in the morning.
9. Commute. No one likes rush-hour traffic, except for Big Oil. Commute early, and the traffic is much lighter, and you get to work faster, and thus save yourself more time. Or better yet, commute by bike. (Or even better yet, work from home.)
10. Appointments. It’s much easier to make those early appointments on time if you get up early. Showing up late for those appointments is a bad signal to the person you’re meeting. Showing up early will impress them. Plus, you get time to prepare.

How to Become an Early Riser

• Don’t make drastic changes. Start slowly, by waking just 15-30 minutes earlier than usual. Get used to this for a few days. Then cut back another 15 minutes. Do this gradually until you get to your goal time.
• Allow yourself to sleep earlier. You might be used to staying up late, perhaps watching TV or surfing the Internet. But if you continue this habit, while trying to get up earlier, sooner or later one is going to give. And if it is the early rising that gives, then you will crash and sleep late and have to start over. I suggest going to bed earlier, even if you don’t think you’ll sleep, and read while in bed. If you’re really tired, you just might fall asleep much sooner than you think.
• Put your alarm clock far from you bed. If it’s right next to your bed, you’ll shut it off or hit snooze. Never hit snooze. If it’s far from your bed, you have to get up out of bed to shut it off. By then, you’re up. Now you just have to stay up.
• Go out of the bedroom as soon as you shut off the alarm. Don’t allow yourself to rationalize going back to bed. Just force yourself to go out of the room. My habit is to stumble into the bathroom and go pee. By the time I’ve done that, and flushed the toilet and washed my hands and looked at my ugly mug in the mirror, I’m awake enough to face the day.
• Do not rationalize. If you allow your brain to talk you out of getting up early, you’ll never do it. Don’t make getting back in bed an option.
• Have a good reason. Set something to do early in the morning that’s important. This reason will motivate you to get up. I like to write in the morning, so that’s my reason. Also, when I’m done with that, I like to read all of your comments!
• Make waking up early a reward. Yes, it might seem at first that you’re forcing yourself to do something hard, but if you make it pleasurable, soon you will look forward to waking up early. A good reward is to make a hot cup of coffee or tea and read a book. Other rewards might be a tasty treat for breakfast (smoothies! yum!) or watching the sunrise, or meditating. Find something that’s pleasurable for you, and allow yourself to do it as part of your morning routine.
• Take advantage of all that extra time. Don’t wake up an hour or two early just to read your blogs, unless that’s a major goal of yours. Don’t wake up early and waste that extra time. Get a jump start on your day! I like to use that time to get a head start on preparing my kids’ lunches, on planning for the rest of the day (when I set my MITs), on exercising or meditating, and on reading. By the time 6:30 rolls around, I’ve done more than many people do the entire day.

Post written by Leo Babauta.

Her predecessor, Kevin Rudd was one of the most popular Prime Ministers Australia ever had. But in his last months in power, opinion polls deserted him. His popularity slipped. This allowed factional leaders to rally the numbers against him and support his deputy, Julia Gillard. Such is politics.

The Stolen Generation

On his last speech as Prime Minister, he outlined his achievements and they were many. His enduring legacy will include the leading of the nation to say sorry to the Aboriginal people.

Many will remember Kevin Rudd as the man who said sorry to the stolen generations. His predecessor John Howard stubbornly refused to do so for his 11 years in power.  K-Rudd, on the other hand, made saying sorry his first priority.

Below is part of the speech he made in Parliament in February 2008.

“I move:

That today we honour the indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history.

We reflect on their past mistreatment.

We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were stolen generations – this blemished chapter in our nation’s history.

The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia’s history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.

We apologise for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.

We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.

For the pain, suffering and hurt of these stolen generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.

To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.

And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.

We the parliament of Australia respectfully request that this apology be received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of the nation.

We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians.

A future where this parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again.

A future where we harness the determination of all Australians, indigenous and non-indigenous, to close the gap that lies between us in life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity.

A future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility.

A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history of this great country, Australia.”

Sorry and Success

Not everyone loves saying sorry. Fewer ever say sorry and mean it.

Saying sorry can mend a damaged relationship. A genuine sorry is a miracle worker in the healing process. Clean up your closet of pain by apologizing to those you hurt.

Stubbornly refusing to apologize will set you up for failure. Accept that you will make mistakes along the way. Be ready to own up to your mistakes when they happen. Be ready to make amends by saying sorry.

How to Apologize

• Empathize with the person you have hurt. Put yourself in their shoes. Understand their expectations. Feel their pain. Understand their disappointment and anger.

• Listen to their concerns and fears. Watch their body language and weigh in their words. This will give you an idea of where the pain points are. Be careful not to apologize for the wrong sin. You can open unnecessary cans of worms if you don’t take time to really listen.

• Be specific – Do not ask for blanket forgiveness of sins. This is not a prayer. Say exactly what you are apologizing for.

• Take Responsibility – Avoid making excuses or blaming others for the pain caused. Admit to your mistakes and own them.

• Timing – Apologize at the appropriate moment. Taking eternity to apologize causes more pain. Apologizing too soon has the wrong effect too. Be wise in the timing and delivery of your apology.

• Take Action – Don’t just say sorry. Actions speak louder than words. Show in both words and deeds that you want to turn a new leaf.

• Forgive – If the other person wronged you too, forgive them. But most importantly, do not let negative emotions like guilt, embarrassment and shame dominate your life going forward. Do not beat yourself up unnecessarily. Forgive yourself.

• Give Gifts – Depending on your level of “sin”, a gift can help turn the tide to your favor. You could buy a card, flowers, champagne, a house, an island etc depending on who you are, who you are apologizing to and what you have done. Seriously, test this for yourself… the right gift can precipitate forgiveness. The gift does not need to be material…it could even be a solemn promise to change. Give and it will come back to you.

Summary

Today’s inspiring legend Kevin Rudd is the immediate former Australian Prime Minister. He famously led the nation to say sorry to the stolen generations.

Take a moment to reflect on your life and see if there is one relationship or friendship that could do with the magic words “I am sorry”. Relationships are the bedrock of success. Treasure them. Work on them.

Jonah bought a couple of tools and left the shop after about half an hour. They talked with Jesus about the new farm and life in general. As he walked away, he kept thinking that Jesus the son of Joseph was growing fast into a wise young man. And he was right.

The Making of a King

Jesus was born into working class family. His dad worked as a carpenter and became an apprentice there. He worked diligently as a carpenter with his father.

After his 30^th birthday, he switched careers and became a teacher. He taught, challenged and inspired the people around him.

His teachings spread around the world and are still pertinent even after 2000 years. He is one of the inspiring legends upon whose shoulders I stand. What can we learn about this man Jesus Christ?

Lessons from the King of Kings

1 –Diligence Pays

He knew that he was the son of God but he did not sit on his laurels. He was up and about, had a job as a carpenter and worked crazy hours to achieve his goals. Positive thinking will only take you so far. You need to put in the hours and apply yourself to reach your goals.

2 – Have a Mission

His mission on earth was to teach the word of God and die for our sins so we may have eternal life. His mission was not easy; he endured tribulation but did not waver.

Determine what your mission in life is and go for it. Develop a mission statement and spend your life fulfilling it. With a mission statement, everything falls into perspective. You define your own boundaries and prioritize things in your life.

Your mission is different from your goals. Think of your mission as your core values, and your goals as tools to live up to your mission.

3 – Stories Sell

Parable after parable, Jesus shared his lessons with people as stories. He realized that human beings are suckers for a good story. Stories teach and sell.

What is your story? Package your achievements, your desires and goals into stories and tell them. You will be more likely to get an audience with stories than with facts alone. Stories help connect people and turbo charge bonding.

4 – Be a Team Player

Jesus realized that he needed a good team to help pass on his message. He assembled a team of disciples and worked well with them. They taught the gospel even after he was gone.

Everyone is gifted or experienced in their own area. Knowing how to tap into the unique talents and experiences of people can transform you from zero to hero and beyond.

5 – Fear Not

Jesus’ teachings were going against the accepted teachings at the time. He was amassing enemies at an alarming rate. He would have slowed down but he did not. He believed that what he stood for was right and his message needed to be heard.

Do not let fear paralyze you. Fear prevents action and modifies behavior in ways that slow down your journey to victory… What kind of fears do you have? Are they limiting your success? What can you do to face or address your fears?

6 – Show Leadership

Jesus was able to influence others through his teachings, his character and style. He inspired people to want to live a better life instead of forcing them into it. He also empowered his disciples and delegated authority to them.

You will achieve more by being a good leader.

Do not just sit back and wait to be led. Chart your path, grow and give others the opportunity to follow you. A good leader needs to be strong and unwavering. A good leader must have a vision and empathy for his followers. If you want to be a better leader, care more.

7 – Be Prepared

Jesus did not just wake up and start teaching people. He studied carpentry, religion, law and other disciplines. If you want to be a roaring success story, put in the hours to learn and practice. Learn from the people who are already successful at what you aspire to do. Study and copy them.

Gain valuable experiences and do your home work before you embark on a journey. You would not climb Mount Kilimanjaro before thorough preparation…right? Be sucker for preparation if you want to avoid fatal mistakes.

8 – Shun Intolerance

Jesus talked with both the elite and the poor in society. He talked with the sinners and the people the masses rejected. He saved a woman who was about to be stoned for adultery. He ate at a hated tax collectors house.

He treated everyone with love and respect. People come in different in looks, shapes, beliefs, tastes, habits, views etc.

If you don’t accept or at least respect diversity in people, it will limit how high you soar. To rise above mediocrity, we must shun intolerance by taking active steps to respect diversity.

9 – Be Generous

Jesus gave his life to save us from eternal damnation. He endured gross injustices and violations to his human rights for greater good.

When at a party and the booze ran out, he was swift to change water into wine. He turned a few loaves and fish into a lavish bash.

Giving with an open heart will open floodgates of blessings in your life. If you practice the habit of giving, the universe will compensate you many times over. Be a cheerful giver.

Give something of value to people you meet. Not necessarily money but what you have in your reserves. When you give, you are making a deposit in your spiritual account and you will reap your rewards with the same measure you give out.

10 – Humility is not Cowardice

Even though he was the Son of God, Jesus came to the world and was born in a manger. He endured poverty and humiliation to achieve his goals. You may have to swallow humble pie to achieve some of your goals.

Avoid pride especially when things start looking up in your life.  Pride comes before a fall. A bloated ego as a result of winning can obstruct common sense.

Summary

I hope I did not step on too many toes through this blog post. Religion is a touchy subject for some. Having said that; there are many lessons we can learn from Jesus Christ. Take a moment to read the bible even if you are not a Christian. It is a book with pearls of wisdom on how to succeed in life and beyond. Be blessed.

Apart from knowing exactly what you want in life, the next strong determinant of your success is your ability to achieve your goals. Having goals propels you ahead of the pack. But you are not the only one with goals. There are others who want a piece of the action. It comes down to you vs. them. So how do you win? You win through ability.

Ability comes down to your level of skill and talent. Talent is God given while skill is learned. Actor Will Smith reckons that “Talent you have naturally. Skill is only developed by hours and hours and hours of beating on your craft.”

I am Legend

Will Smith is our Inspiring Legend of the day. He is the actor of the movie “I am Legend”, a title that befits him.

I have watched all of Will Smith’s movies and followed his career since the days of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He has starred in many hit movies including Bad Boys, Bad Boys II, Independence Day, Men in Black, Men in Black II, I, Robot, The Pursuit of Happyness, Hancock, Enemy of the State and Hitch.

Most of us would say that Will Smith is a talented actor, and he is. But he has a different take on this. He says “I’m not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be outworked. You may be more talented than me. You might be smarter than me. And you may be better looking than me. But if we get on a treadmill together, you are going to get off first or I’m going to die. It’s really that simple. I’m not going to be outworked”. Will Smith has an incredible work ethic. He applies it to his work and exercise with the same vigor. It amplifies his talents.

When he first went to Hollywood, like other aspiring actors, he was not taken seriously. He was seen as just a rapper who had been lucky to have a breakthrough with a TV show and nothing more. But that did not dampen his spirit. He vowed to be the best actor in the world and got to work on himself.

First he analyzed what the top grossing movies had in common. He realized that they all had special effects and involved strange creatures and a love story. He chose his movies carefully based on his intended goal. His record speaks for itself.

He works harder than most actors. What appears like easy delivery is a result of hours and hours of practice. As a result, Will Smith became the only actor in history to have eight consecutive films gross over $100 million in the US domestic box office. That takes more than talent.

What about You?

There are things you are naturally good at. There are things that you do with ease that others struggle in. You may not have recognized it, but you have your talents.

The first step you should do is to take an inventory of your talents. What are you good at? Are you good with people? Are you a good problem solver? Are you a good writer? Are you good in music, dance, athletics, drawing etc?

Once you recognize what your talents are, and decide on the direction of your efforts; get to work. It is time to raise your skill level. It takes hours upon hours of practice to be really good in something. Race drivers do not rely on talent alone. Great writers do not rely on talent alone. Great mortgage brokers do not rely on talent alone. They put their heart and soul into skill development. Persistence is the name of the game.

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race – Calvin Coolidge.

We take some skills for granted but they took hours of practice to develop. Walking, brushing your teeth, personal grooming, typing, reading etc. They all took time, and so will the other skills you need.

Learn from Will Smith and put in the hours to develop your skills. Find a mentor or a coach to help you improve your skills. Even world class athletes need coaching too.

The difference between being average and world class is not talent. It is relentless skill development. What have you done today to develop your skills?

Conclusion

A whisper of talent can lead to a roar of achievement. Will Smith turned his talent to roaring success through an incredible work ethic and skill development. What skills can you develop to improve your prospect for prosperity? The time to act is now.

P/s – Please share this blog post with your friend on Facebook or via email. I am trying to expand the readership of the blog and your support is highly appreciated. Your feedback and comments are also most welcome.

They had heard of chilling statistics about young, unprepared Kenyan international students. They wanted to help me beat the odds; but there was only so much they could do. I boarded the 9000km flight feeling free like a bird. I was finally free to do as I pleased.

I was soon to learn that with great freedom comes responsibility. Life is not a straight line. It is more like a winded road with bumps, traffic jams, pot holes and unpredictable motorists. There is such a thing as odds against you.

The Odds against You

If success was easy, then everyone would be successful. There will be obstacles on your success journey. The playing field will at times be tilted against you. There will be people out to pull you down. There will be times when you are just not good enough. You will be out of your depth on some occasions. And to make matters worse, there will always be people better than you. Depressing?

If you actually sat down and wrote down the reasons why you would fail in life, you would still be writing until the end of time. There are so many variables that can jettison your prospects of achievement.

Many people dwell on the reasons why they will fail instead of looking at the reasons why they will succeed. They feel the pain of failure before it happens. Failure becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. Yes there will be odds against you. But your time and mental energy will have a greater return on investment if you stay positive.

Meet Jessica Watson

Today’s Inspiring Legend is 17 years old Jessica Watson.

Jessica Watson, from Queensland, Australia is the youngest person to sail around the world, non-stop and unassisted. She is Australia’s newest hero.

Millions of TV viewers, led by Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, welcomed her after 7 months at sea. Her story is an inspiration to those of us with odds to beat.

The Los Angeles Times reported her reason for the journey: “I wanted to challenge myself and achieve something to be proud of. And yes, I wanted to inspire people. I hated being judged by my appearance and other people’s expectations of what a ‘little girl’ was capable of. It’s no longer just my dream or voyage. Every milestone out here isn’t just my achievement, but an achievement for everyone who has put so much time and effort into helping getting me here“. She has inspired me and others alright.

Lessons from Jessica Watson

• It is all in the mind – Success or failure is all in the mind. Victory is first achieved in the mental realm. Very few things are impossible. Sailing around the world for a young girl is not impossible as demonstrated by Jessica Watson. Starting and succeeding in your own business is not impossible. Most of the obstacles ahead of you can diminish with a winning attitude. Do not let the odds put you down.
• Preparation is the key. – She had over 10,000 nautical miles of ocean sailing experience before departing on her round the world trip. Jessica and her team worked tirelessly to give her the best chance of succeeding. They prepared the technology and every aspect of the voyage to improve her odds.
• Get Inspiration – She sought out help from experts and sailors who had done it before her. Find people who have succeeded in what you are attempting to do and learn from them. Find a mentor to guide you on the road ahead. Reach out to people who inspire you. Read up on how others did it.
• Amass Supporters – Sailing around the world does not come cheap. She had an array of sponsors chipping in. Standing on the shoulders of giants makes life easier. How far ahead can you get if you had a team of supporters for your vision? Tilt the playing field to your advantage by finding people to believe in you and support you against the odds.
• Handle Critics – Jessica Watson had her fair share of critics. There are those that believed that she did not quite cover the distance required for hers to be regarded as a world record. She responded “If I haven’t been sailing around the world, then it beats me what I’ve been doing out here all this time! Yes it’s a shame that my voyage won’t be recognized by a few organizations because I’m under 18, but it really doesn’t worry me.” There were people out to steal her moment of glory. There will be people out to pull you down. You will have your critics too. Listen to them but do not let them dampen your spirit or prevent you from beating the odds and succeeding.
• Celebrate Victory – Her return to Sydney, Australia turned out to be one big party. She celebrated her victory with the nation and with her family. Allow for celebrations when you succeed. Reward yourself for making progress. Celebration has a way of making you want to beat more odds.

Learn More about Jessica Watson

Like we have done with the other inspiring legends, please take a moment to learn more about our young legend Jess.

• Her Official Website: http://www.jessicawatson.com.au/
• Jessica on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Watson
• Jessica’s Blog: http://youngestround.blogspot.com/
• TV Welcome of her Arrival to Australia: http://ten.com.au/video-player.htm?channel=Jessica+Watson

Summary

The road to your success may not be paved with gold. But you owe it to yourself to tilt the playing field to your advantage. Some of your odds might be imagined while others may be real. Eradicate the imagined odds first. Fight the mental battles relentlessly and take action after preparation. Look for inspiration and seek support to improve your prospects of victory. Yes you can beat the odds!

My life’s purpose is to be a positive change agent in the lives of millions. I hope to inspire you to be the best you can be through the power of positive thinking.

I do not stand on a high horse and pretend to be better than you. I am quick to remind my readers that I am not an expert or guru in the area of human psychology. All I am is a guy willing to learn from the best about successful living and share my lessons with you.

I want to grow as a person and at the end of life look back and say that I made a positive impact on the lives of others. But today’s blog post is not about me, so let me get back on track.

Inspiring Legends

In this series of articles, I continue to shine the spotlight on legends that have inspired me. These are the legends on whose giant shoulders I stand. They are the people that have enabled a regular Kenyan guy living in Western Australia to bring a message of hope to you.

We previously looked at the life of Richard Branson. His family had three generations of lawyers and he would have been expected to follow suit. But he had other plans. He discovered that being an attorney was not his calling. He charted his path and found success in business.

Many people go through life without ever finding their calling or defining their purpose. They blindly eat what is served to them instead of looking at what else is on the menu of life.

Today’s Inspiring Legend is the late Steve Irwin. This was a man so full of life and passion for what he did. Steve was a wildlife warrior that left a powerful legacy. His work endures. His life was not in vain.

Discovering Your Purpose

Before we dig deeper into the life of Steve Irwin, I want to focus on you. Take a piece of paper and write down the names of ten people who know you well. Leave a gap of about 3 lines between each name. Ideally those names should be people from various aspects of your life e.g. sports team, family, workmates, neighbors etc.

Now put yourself in the shoes of those ten people and describe YOU. If for example you have a friend called Jane, write down what you think Jane would say about you on your obituary if lying and sugar-coating was not an option.

Are you happy with what they would honestly say? Do they really understand your life’s purpose? Have you been spending time pursuing your life’s purpose or have you been too busy making a living? If you have never really sat down and thought about your purpose in life, now is a good time.

A Generous Purpose in Life

I like a quote by President Barack Obama: “Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential”.

When discovering and pursuing your purpose in life, remember that quote. Regardless of what success means to you, you can attain it faster by building others up instead of bringing them down. Give and it will come back to you. Align your purpose in life with sharing with others and the floodgates of blessings will open on your life.

Few people exemplify a generous purpose in life than Steve Irwin. Let us zoom in on the man!

Tears for a Legend

It may have been crocodile tears by some people, but the world grieved on 4^th September 2006 when Steve Irwin died. He had a cult following around the world. Millions in 130 countries followed his “Crocodile Hunter” documentaries and visited Australia Zoo to see him and his conservation work in action.

His daughter Bindi Irwin, then aged 8, wrote and read the following statement at his memorial service on 20^th September 2006, to an audience of 300 million television viewers around the world.

“My daddy was my hero – he was always there for me when I needed him. He listened to me and taught me so many things, but most of all he was fun.

I know that Daddy had an important job. He was working to change the world so everyone would love wildlife like he did. He built a hospital to help animals and he bought lots of land to give animals a safe place to live.

He took me and my brother and my mum with him all the time. We filmed together, caught crocodiles together and loved being in the bush together.

I don’t want Daddy’s passion to ever end. I want to help endangered wildlife just like he did.

I had the best daddy in the whole world and I will miss him every day. When I see a crocodile I will always think of him and I know that Daddy made this zoo so everyone could come and learn to love all the animals. Daddy made this place his whole life, now it’s our turn to help Daddy”.

Lessons from the Crocodile Hunter

• Early is Better – Steve Irwin started his love for animals at an early age. He learned from his mum and dad, and volunteered for government conservation efforts. Today is better than next week when it comes to discovering your purpose in life and giving it your best.
• A perfect partner is worth gold – He found his perfect match in Terry Irwin. Together they built Australia Zoo into one of Australia’s favorite tourist destinations and as a conservation haven. She supported him in his work in life and continues to work to uphold his legacy. Surround yourself with people who understand and support your purpose in life. It makes life easier.
• Leverage – He discovered that he was a natural with a Video Camera. He used broadcast media to his advantage, helping him connect with over 500 million people in over 130 countries. Build on your strengths instead of focusing on your weaknesses.
• Enthusiasm is contagious – Whether talking to Jay Leno or visitors to Australia Zoo, Steve was always hyper enthusiastic about his love for animals. His enthusiasm helped pass on the conservation message faster. Are you excited about what you want to achieve in life? Are you happy to share your purpose in life with others?
• Put money in its place – Steve Irwin once said “Every cent we earn from Crocodile Hunter goes straight back into conservation. Every single cent”. He was not making chump change. Money was never the reason Steve did what he did. And that is why he was able to do it so well. Yes he made money, but money was never an end on itself. Don’t let money (or lack of it) come between you and your passion.
• Know your stuff – To be at the top of his game, Steve mastered his craft, learned a lot about the animals he was fighting for. What do you want to do? Dedicate time to ferocious learning and gaining experience.

Learn More about Steve Irwin

I have only scratched the surface of the topic of discovering your life’s purpose. This is probably a topic I will come back to at a later date. For now, as we have done with the other legends, take time to learn a little more about Steve Irwin.

• Steve Irwin Quotes – http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/steve_irwin.html
• Steve Irwin on Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Irwin
• Australia Zoo – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_zoo
• Guardian UK on Steve Irwin – http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/sep/05/australia.broadcasting
• Steve Irwin Tribute Videos – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec09mF-ZXOM&feature=related

Summary

It does not matter who you are, where you from, or what you do for a living. Age, Race, Gender, Location, and Circumstances etc should not stop you from achieving your true potential. Take a moment to reflect on what makes you “YOU” and what you can do to better align your life with your true purpose on planet earth.

Six months later at a bookshop in Melbourne, I saw that same book again. Curiosity got the better of me and I checked it out. I started reading it to kill time before my flight. It had never crossed my mind that I would ever be so engaged reading a book called “Losing My Virginity”. It was almost time for my flight so I quickly bought it. Good decision. The page turner kept me hooked on my return journey to Perth.

I got to know Richard Branson better through this book; his autobiography (called “Losing My Virginity”) abode a Virgin Blue flight from Melbourne to Perth. He is one of my inspiring legends, a giant on whose shoulders I stand.

Someone asked me if this inspiring legend series is about dead people. No. Richard Branson is alive and kicking, though he has had his fair share of near-death experiences.

On one of his risky world record breaking attempts, he wrote a letter to his son and daughter that would have been his last had he not survived:

Dear Holly and Sam,

Life can seem rather unreal at times. Alive and well and loving one day. No longer there the next. As you both know I always had an urge to live life to its full. That meant I was lucky enough to live the life of many people during my 46 years. I loved every minute of it and I especially loved every second of my time with both of you and Mum.

I know that many people thought us foolish for embarking on this latest adventure. I was convinced they were wrong. I felt that everything we had learned from our Atlantic and Pacific adventures would mean that we’d have a safe flight. I thought that the risks were acceptable. Obviously I’ve been proved wrong.

However, I regret nothing about my life except not being with Joan to finally help you grow up. By the ages of 12 and 15 your characters have already developed. We’re both so proud of you. Joan and I couldn’t have had two more delightful kids. You are both kind, considerate, full of life (even witty!). What more could we both want.

Be strong. I know it won’t be easy. But we’ve had a wonderful life together and you’ll never forget all the good times we’ve had.

Live life to its full yourselves. Enjoy every minute of it. Love and look after Mum as if she’s both of us.

I love you,
Dad

Luckily for Holly and Sam, daddy returned and saw them grow up. He survived, had fun and made a fortune. He is still having fun, getting rich and growing strong.

Rags to Riches Story

Richard Branson’s grandfather was a judge and his father a barrister. Three generations of the Bransons had been lawyers. Pressure was on him to do well in school but the poor chap was not too good in class. He was mildly dyslexic, short sighted and preferred sports to books.

His school headmaster predicted that he would either go to prison or become a millionaire. He did both and went on to become a billionaire. “Losing My Virginity” is his inspiring rags to riches story.

Seeds of Greatness

His first venture was growing and selling Christmas trees (a business I once tried along Ngong Road in Nairobi Kenya lol). His business plan indicated that he and his partner would make ₤800 but as fate would have it their young trees were eaten by rabbits. His revenge mission on the rabbits allowed him to make a few shillings after selling the meat to a local butcher.

He tried a few such businesses with poor results in making money but scored high on lessons and confidence. Eventually, he found his footing when he teamed up with a friend to setup an alternative school magazine. They named the magazine “Student”.  The magazine was opened up to more schools, colleges and universities. They worked the phones and came up with a list of advertisers and distributors before the first issue. The magazine went on to become a huge success. At 17, he had over 100,000 readers.

Virgins in Business

Students love music and Richard Branson quickly moved in to fill the information gap. He interviewed musicians including the Beatles. Being a people person, he was able to attract people to work for him mostly on volunteer basis. They worked out an arrangement where the friends would sell the magazine. They would keep 50% of the money as commission. Amazon and other internet companies call this affiliate marketing; Richard was doing it in 1970.

Richard Branson learned to leverage the “Student” name and had other companies funding his ventures such as sending reporters overseas. He also realized that his magazine could also be used as a platform for selling music, not just posting photos and interviews of the artists.

He had the vision for expanding the “Student” brand to “Student Accommodation”, “Student Hostels”, “Student Travel” etc. Then someone suggested that they use the name “Virgin” since they were virgins in business. A global brand was born.

More than 300 Virgins

Over the years, Richard Branson re-invested his profits to build up the Virgin Brand. Today the Virgin Brand is one of the most respected and recognized brands in the world. The Virgin Group has found success  in sectors ranging from mobile telephony to transportation, travel, financial services, media, music and fitness. Virgin Companies include Virgin Galactic, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Holidays, Virgin Wines, Virgin Games and Virgin Media.

Inspiring Richard Branson Quotes

• My interest in life comes from setting myself huge, apparently unachievable challenges and trying to rise above them.

• A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.

• Above all, you want to create something you are proud of…. That has always been my philosophy of business. I can honestly say that I have never gone into any business purely to make money. If that is the sole motive, then I believe you are better off doing nothing.

• All you have in life is your reputation: you may be very rich, but if you lose your good name, then you’ll never be happy. The thought will always lurk at the back of your mind that people don’t trust you. I had never really focused on what a good name meant before, but that night in prison made me understand.

• To be successful, you have to be out there, you have to hit the ground running, and if you have a good team around you and more than a fair share of luck, you might make something happen. But you certainly can’t guarantee it just by following someone else’s formula.

• I don’t think of work as work and play as play. It’s all living.

Learn More about Richard Branson

Like we have done with the other inspiring legends, please take a moment to learn more about Richard Branson and what makes him tick. My job was just to introduce you to the man. Your job is to learn more about him and to find the nuggets of inspiration that you can take with you.

• Follow Richard Branson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/richardbranson
• Buy Losing My Virginity Book From Amazon.
• Read Up on Richard Branson on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Branson
• Learn More About Virgin http://www.virgin.com
• Richard Branson on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6hILGfbqSg

Summary

Richard Branson is an inspiring legend who has created success after success. I hope he can inspire you to awaken you the giant within you.

The government and the ruling party never tired of reminding Kenyan citizens of the president’s philosophy. Songs and poems were composed about this philosophy. Even school children had to pledge their loyalty to the president and his “Nyayo philosophy” of PEACE, LOVE and UNITY.

Years went by without me having the word “philosophy” drummed into my brain incessantly. Then one day a friend gave me a tape that changed my philosophy and life. When I say changed my life, I mean exactly that. This blog would likely never have been launched without the voice in that tape. The voice belonged to Jim Rohn. A giant on whose everlasting shoulders I now stand.

Why I love Jim Rohn

Just before Christmas last year (2009), I logged on to Facebook and saw someone post a status update “Rest In Peace Jim Rohn”. A cold shiver ran through my spine. I was at that moment in time listening to one of Jim Rohn’s audio programs. I quickly left Facebook and Googled Jim Rohn. Sadly, Jim Rohn had left this world. It was a sad day for me. A few tears freely fell on my desk. I was momentarily in shock that I was crying over someone I had never met. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how much of an impact Jim had had  on my life. I felt a strong sense of loss. I had lost a friend, a father, a mentor and a source of inspiration.

When I started writing this series, I knew that I was going to write about Jim Rohn. It is with a heavy heart that I write this post.  I will not be able to share with you all that I have learned from Jim, but you can be assured that his teachings will continue to find their way in this blog one way or another.

There are two types of people in the world – givers and takers. Jim Rohn was a giver. He gave his best ideas on successful living. He inspired me to give my best on this blog and in life. He can still inspire you even though he is gone.

He left an impressive body of works including 17 books on business and personal development. He inspired the modern generation of personal development mavens including Anthony Robins, Brian Tracy and Jack Canfield.

The Jim Rohn Story

Many people fell in love with the Jim Rohn’s rags to riches story. And he never got tired of telling that inspiring story. It went a little something like this…

Jim started out as a farm boy from Idaho and rose to become on of the most sought after motivational speakers in the world. By the age of 25, he was deeply in debt and with a young family to feed. He did not have much money in the bank and the creditors were calling.

Then he had the good fortune of meeting Earl Shoaf who was a successful entrepreneur with charisma and a great philosophy. Earl Shoaf taught Jim that his life would continue being as it was unless he changed his (Jim’s) philosophy. He started working on himself , reading books on personal development and interacting with successful people. By the age of 31, Jim had made his first million.

He went on to become an acclaimed speaker, author and businessman for four decades. I love his teachings because they focus on the fundamentals of success. In fact, Jim Rohn once said “There are no new fundamentals. Truth is not new, it’s old. You’ve got to be a little suspicious of the guy who says, ‘come over here, I want to show you my manufactured antiques!’ No, you can’t manufacture antiques.”

Classic Jim Rohn Quotes

• “Asking is the beginning of receiving. Make sure you don’t go to the ocean with a teaspoon. At least take a bucket so the kids won’t laugh at you.”

• “Character isn’t something you were born with and can’t change, like your fingerprints. It’s something you weren’t born with and must take responsibility for forming. “

• “Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. You don’t fail overnight. Instead, failure is a few errors in judgment, repeated every day. “

• “Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune. “

• “Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else’s hands, but not you. “

Learn More About Jim Rohn

As I said at the beginning of this series, I will not spoon feed you with every nugget about these inspiring legends. Do a bit of homework by following the links below to learn more. You will be pleasantly surprised by the good stuff that will come out of the links I am sharing with you.

Jim Rohn on Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Rohn

Jim Rohn’s Official Website – http://www.jimrohn.com/

Quotes By Jim Rohn – http://www.personal-development-training.com/2010/02/jim-rohn-quotes.html

Jim Rohn – How to have Your Best Year Ever (YouTube Videos) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfA-qNWLBHo

Summary

Jim Rohn was a great teacher who encouraged his listeners to change their philosophy. Take a moment to learn more about this great man and think through your life’s philosophy. Change your philosophy, change your life.

I would love to hear from you about this series and especially about Jim Rohn.

If you have ever heard me say that you can be anything you set your mind to, I learned that from Napoleon Hill. He would often say “What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve“. Millions of people around the world have learned the success philosophy from Napoleon Hill. His book “Think and Grow Rich” has sold over 30 million copies.

A Young Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill had the misfortune of losing his mother at the tender age of eight. He grew up in financial difficulties and even dropped out of college due to lack of school fees.

He started writing for small-town newspapers in the area of Wise County, Virginia. His employer commissioned him to write a series on successful men. His first interview became a life changer. He was to interview Andrew Carnegie, the richest man in America at the time.

A three hour interview turned out to be a three day talk with the great Andrew Carnegie. It then went on to become a twenty year research project.

Andrew Carnegie could sense potential in people. Within three hours of meeting Napoleon Hill, he knew that he had the right man for the job of researching and putting together a new success philosophy.

Imagine going to interview the richest man in the world and after the interview, he asks you if you would be willing to work for him for 20 years without pay. That was the decision Napoleon Hill had to make on his feet that day. Saying yes proved to be his best decision yet.

The Formula for Success

Andrew Carnegie paved the way for Napoleon Hill by giving him letters of introduction to the rich and famous men. He did not pay Napoleon throughout the twenty year project apart from some expenses in the early years of their relationship.

Napoleon Hill’s first task was to listen to and analyze over 500 powerful men and women to learn the secrets of their success. Andrew Carnegie believed that any man or woman could be successful by following a simple formula and it was Hill’s job to find that formula. When I tell you that I am standing on the shoulders of giants, these are the giants.

As part of his research, Hill interviewed and drew out the best from success giants such as Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, George Eastman, Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller, Theodore Roosevelt and Jennings Randolph.

Napoleon Hill later became an adviser to two presidents of the United States of America, Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

What can we learn from Napoleon Hill?

Thoughts are things. Thoughts are physical.

Whatever your mind thinks about becomes your reality. Success or failure is all in the mind. You are the architect of your life.

“There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it”, said Napoleon Hill.

Napoleon Hill believed that action is the true measure of intelligence. The scales of success are tipped on the side of action takers.

Learn More about Napoleon Hill

Many people have written about Napoleon Hill and his philosophy of achievement. I will not repeat it all in this blog post.

In this series of articles on inspiring legends, I will be introducing each legend and giving the motivated readers links to find out more about the legend.

To read his book “Think and Grow Rich” for free, please visit http://www.sacred-texts.com/nth/tgr/index.htm

To watch a TV interview of Napoleon Hill talking about his first meeting with Andrew Carnegie, check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GCaEZscfvA

To download (free) his monumental success masterpiece “The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons (1928)”, please visit http://www.archive.org/details/Law_Of_Success_in_16_Lessons

Summary

Napoleon Hill is the father of positive thinking. This blog is based on his teachings as seen through my eyes, experiences and thinking. I will be exposing more of my sources of inspiration in this series. Take time to follow the links and to learn from these masters. Even you know about Napoleon Hill and his teachings, going back to them again will lift your spirit and expose you to new ideas.

Stay tuned for the next inspiring legend, coming soon.

I feel absolutely blessed to have this blog – a platform to pass on the wisdom and inspiration from the giants on whose shoulders I stand. It is an honor for me to have your attention. Being a regular guy, entrusted with your attention on matters of success, makes it even more of an honor.

I am about to write a powerful series that will rock your world and change your life. Take your time to go through some of my older articles as you wait for the most inspiring series of articles I have ever written. It is a series I have wanted to write for so long and the time is finally ripe. It is time to shine the spotlight on the true legends of inspired living and success. Stay tuned.

Please share this blog post (and others on the blog) with your friends.

One of the main reasons for starting this blog is for me to learn ways of aligning my career and activities with the spirit of giving. I want to use my God given talents, life experiences, success and failures to inspire you to be the best that you can be. I have my reasons for doing this and I will share them with you shortly. But first I will share with you a short story from my growing up days in Kenya.

There was a lovely family that lived a few blocks from our house. We were relatively good friends and one day, my sister and I went there for a visit. We had a fabulous time, stayed there all afternoon and even had dinner there. When it came time to go we said our goodbyes and promised to keep in touch. Unfortunately as soon as we walked out, it started raining cats and dogs. We walked back to the house and stood outside the door where we could see everyone inside. It was dark outside and all bright inside. We did not realize it at the time, but our friends could not see us. We watched in disbelief as they tore into our family demonizing us left right and centre. I was shell shocked, how could these people, people we regarded as friends speak such malicious evil? Right after we had such a great time with them?

It is unfortunate that many people will laugh with you, dine with you and then talk nasty behind your back. You probably do that yourself from time to time. I have done it too. It is not a good thing and if we are to rise above mediocrity, we must shun that kind of behavior. It is tempting to bring people down when we are threatened by them. It is easy to want to bring people down if we think they are rising up too fast and leaving us behind.

In Australia, we call it the Tall Poppy Syndrome. Tall Poppy Syndrome is resentment of others’ success. It is something that we need to be aware of and shun as we seek success. If you are planning to be successful, you need to be aware that there are people who will try and bring you down. If you are trying to be successful, spare you energy and focus on what will make you successful instead of wasting time and energy resenting others.

Bringing people down through negative comments and thoughts only hinders your own success. It is a natural trait that we have as humans to want to bring others down, but you should deliberately change this natural urge to a more empowering mindset. The way to do this is by intentionally wanting, wishing and working for the success of others. When others succeed, instead of being jealous, you will be very happy and proud of yourself. It is even better if you can tie your own success to the success of others.

How can you succeed by building others up?

Someone pointed out that I gave an example that drug dealers also provide value to their customers. While it is true that drug dealers provide value in the short term, they ultimately destroy the lives of those same customers. You need to be able to decide how you are going to build others up through your efforts, and whether it is short term or long term. My approach is to focus on how to build others up in the long term.

One of the most successful men in the world today is Bill Gates. I have massive respect for him for his dream, vision, and work of bringing personal computers to the desktops of ordinary families. His company, Microsoft, has been instrumental in building millions of people up by creating software and helping make the PC affordable.

For you to build others up, you have to want it, visualize it and take action. If you are currently thinking of starting a career, you can choose a career that will have a lot of positive impact on others. For example, I was talking to a brilliant engineer friend who wants to use her engineering knowledge to build solar panels and other environmentally friendly solutions. Such an endeavor will help build not just the current generation up, but also future generations.

Succeeding by building others up is akin to planting good seeds. You reap what you sow. If you do a good job for others it will come back to you. For example, if you work hard for your employer and help him achieve his objectives, he may be able to stay in business longer and maybe even give you a pay rise. Whatever your job is, you can do more to improve the fortune of your employer. Do not just do just enough to save your job, go beyond your call of duty to deliver exceptional value.

Building other’s up means that you are self confident about your situation and prospects in life. It means you are grateful for what you have and have a generous spirit to share. This is very important for your success. The more grateful you are, the more success you will attract in your life.

Succeeding by building others up is the most sustainable way of succeeding. If I work really hard to write great articles that will change your life, you are most likely going to keep coming back for more and maybe invite your friends to this site. It is the same in business and other areas of life. If you build other people up, they will be happy with you and spread the word on your behalf saving you big bucks in advertising costs.

Can you succeed if you do not build others up?

Yes you can succeed by being selfish and by destroying other people. Drug dealers do succeed by destroying the long term lives of their customers but that kind of success is not sustainable. Sooner or later it catches up with them.

As Bob Marley used to sing “You can fool some people sometimes, and you can fool some people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time”. It is the same with success, you can succeed sometimes by bringing people down, but you cannot succeed all the time by bringing people down.

An Example of Success through Building Others Up

I love teachers, maybe it has something to do with my dad having been a teacher and the fact that my sister is a teacher. Last Sunday in church they played a video of a dinner discussion between a lawyer and a teacher. As much as I love lawyers too, I thought this video will be a good example of how someone can succeed by building others up. Teachers do an amazing job and we can all learn from them.

Video Transcript

By Taylor Mali
www.taylormali.com

He says the problem with teachers is, “What’s a kid going to learn
from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?”
He reminds the other dinner guests that it’s true what they say about
teachers:
Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.

I decide to bite my tongue instead of his
and resist the temptation to remind the other dinner guests
that it’s also true what they say about lawyers.

Because we’re eating, after all, and this is polite company.

“I mean, you¹re a teacher, Taylor,” he says.
“Be honest. What do you make?”

And I wish he hadn’t done that
(asked me to be honest)
because, you see, I have a policy
about honesty and ass-kicking:
if you ask for it, I have to let you have it.

You want to know what I make?

I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional medal of honor
and an A- feel like a slap in the face.
How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall
in absolute silence. No, you may not work in groups.
No, you may not ask a question.
Why won’t I let you get a drink of water?
Because you’re not thirsty, you’re bored, that’s why.

I make parents tremble in fear when I call home:
I hope I haven’t called at a bad time,
I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today.
Billy said, “Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don’t you?”
And it was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen.

I make parents see their children for who they are
and what they can be.

You want to know what I make?

I make kids wonder,
I make them question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them write, write, write.
And then I make them read.
I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely
beautiful
over and over and over again until they will never misspell
either one of those words again.
I make them show all their work in math.
And hide it on their final drafts in English.
I make them understand that if you got this (brains)
then you follow this (heart) and if someone ever tries to judge you
by what you make, you give them this (the finger).

Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true:
I make a goddamn difference! What about you?

Summary

No matter what you do in life, whether you are a teacher or a lawyer, a cleaner or a business man, you can succeed by building others up. Find what others need and give them exceptional value. Always ask yourself, “what can I do to build this person or people up?”.

Attitude Towards Discipline

Many people associate discipline with punishment. When growing up children learn that if they do not do what their parents or teachers want, they will be punished in some way. So they develop an uncanny ability to do just enough to avoid punishment. That ability becomes the genesis of mediocrity.

It is shocking how many people are like that. It is a negative trait that is honed overtime. To rise above mediocrity, you must change your attitude towards discipline.

Discipline means getting more out of yourself and giving your best towards your goal. Think of discipline as a surefire way of getting to your success. Learn to associate discipline with success not punishment.

If you are productive today, then slack off tomorrow, you will only get minimal results. Be disciplined everyday for the best results in your life.

Discipline Training

You can be trained or train yourself to be progressively more disciplined. If you can only concentrate at your job for 1 hour, try and add an extra half an hour. If you become comfortable with that, keep increasing the period until you get full concentration.

The best way to be disciplined is to learn how to set boundaries. Learn to say no to distractions from your goal. It may mean that you will not answer your phone when “in the working zone“. It may mean denying yourself some pleasures or finer things in life or set a limit to your sleeping hours.

Without boundaries, you will just go with the “flow”. Discipline is about taking deliberate action towards your goal not just going with the flow. Define what consists work or actions towards your goal, stick with it and eliminate all else.

Multitasking wastes time especially when switching from one task to another. Progressively train yourself to be more disciplined by  focusing fully on the task at hand.

Practical Discipline Examples

• Physical Health & Fitness – Be disciplined in taking care of your body. Do not just set new years resolutions in January to keep fit then forget it as the year progresses. Discipline means carrying on with your resolutions even when your emotional state has changed. Eat right and keep a regular exercise routine.

• Work – Many people do just enough not to get fired. The average office worker is productive for only half the time they are in the office. Research has shown that many workers spend time in idle socializing, checking email, reading news and other activities not directly related to their job. Set yourself apart by being more disciplined. Improve your productivity, work the required hours everyday and give your best.

• Financial Freedom – Many people read financial freedom books or attend seminars and resolve to change their financial future. But after the dust settles, they get back to the old habits. Financial freedom is a long road, expect to get bored or tired as you go along. Put in place automated systems, e.g. regular savings to help you carry on. Watch the small dollar bills regularly even as you aim for the the big bucks.

• Home & Family – Be disciplined in the amount of time you spend with your family. Be disciplined in taking action and responsibilities at home even when the going gets tough.

• Mind – Keep training your mind, feed it positive thoughts regularly, visit positive websites like this one, regularly. Train your mind to think outside the box. Keep learning new ideas and develop mental strength by stepping out of your comfort zone. Do this regularly.

• Time Management – We only have 24 hours in a day. Learn how to prioritize your activities and stick to a schedule. Do not take on more than you can chew, but when you commit to something, find the most time effective way of following through. If time management does not come naturally for you, train yourself to be more time conscious, productive and/or learn how to delegate.

Summary

Work towards your goal even when the going gets tough.  You will achieve a lot in your life if you stick to your mission day in day out. Don’t keep on falling in and out of love with your passion.

You were born lucky

My sister says that I swim like sediment. But every time she says that, I am quick to remind her that I once won a swimming contest.

The average man’s ejaculate is 280 million sperms. Only 1 is required to make a baby. If you are reading this it means you won a nearly impossible swimming championship. Even champion swimmers Michael Phelps and Ian Thorpe never had to compete with that many people at the Olympics.

Always remember that you were once a winning sperm. Even when faced with life’s difficulties, remember you were born a winner. You were born lucky.

Create Your Own Luck

If you are waiting for your lucky day while lazing & sleeping all day, I have news for you; in your dreams!

You get lucky when you decide to be lucky.  Luck will meet you when you are ready for it. I have decided to be lucky this year. I will work hard for my luck, I will work smart for my luck, and I want to inspire you to do the same.

What kind of lucky break are you looking for? Are you looking to meet the love of your life? Are you looking for a recording contract? Are you looking at doubling your profits? Whatever your heart desires, you can do it if you put your all into it. Your luck is the sum total of your thoughts and actions.

You can create your lucky break by becoming clear on what you really want. No one can decide for you what your true desire is. Harness the power of your mind to zoom in on exactly what you need to do to achieve your goal.

For example, if you want to get your dream job, what are the right steps to follow? What contacts would you need? How would you position yourself to potential employers? Where would you find those employers in the first place?

Remember that you have to be in a game to win it. Spectators never legally score a goal. You have to practice and make it to the team. You have to turn up for the match. You have to do your part to get lucky. Action and thoughts are the building blocks of luck. They are the master keys of a lucky break.

A Few Lucky Men (and Woman)

• Richard Branson – He was busy selling his student magazine and distributing records on mail order. Then the unexpected happened. There was a postal strike and he suddenly realized just how reliant he had become to the postal service. That was the beginning of setting up of Virgin Megastores. He decided to invest in a place where young people could go buy records and listen to music. What could have been a death knell of his business, turned into a window of opportunity and luck.

• Napoleon Hill - He was working for a magazine that required him to compile success stories of people who had made it in life. One of his first assignments was to interview Andrew Carnegie, one of the richest men in the world at the time.An interview originally intended for three hours went on for three days and nights. Andrew Carnegie then decided to entrust Napoleon Hill with the task of teaching his success principles to the world. He introduced him to various rich men such as Henry Ford, and helped set in motion the study and philosophy that would turn Napoleon Hill into the success teacher of millions in the world for decades. What a lucky break!

• J.K. Rowling – J.K Rowling is a classic rag to riches story. She was on government welfare support while writing the first Harry Potter book. Within 5 years, she moved from welfare to multi-million dollar status by following her passion. Her book was first rejected by 13 publishers, before being taken in by Bloomsbury who advised her “to get a day job, since she had little chance of making money in children’s books.”Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released on 21 July 2007 and broke its predecessor’s record as the fastest-selling book of all time. It sold 11 million copies in the first day of release in the United Kingdom and United States. Harry Potter is now a global brand worth an estimated $15 billion and the last four Harry Potter books have consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history. Lucky indeed

• Sir Donald George Bradman – He was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time. He practiced batting incessantly during his youth. This form of practice developed his timing and reactions to a high degree. He may have looked like an overnight sensation, a lucky bloke, but his luck was years in the making.

• You – You can create your own luck by setting your goals, and following your passion. Do not let that internal voice called fear stop you. Do not let the challenges of the road ahead cause you to despair. Set your mind right and take action towards your goals. It is only when you are out there doing it that you will meet your lucky break. Luck does not come to you while you sleep. You meet half way.

Some Lucky Quotes

• Be prepared, work hard, and hope for a little luck. Recognize that the harder you work and the better prepared you are, the more luck you might have. – Ed Bradley
• Diligence is the mother of good luck. – Benjamin Franklin
• I believe life is a series of near misses. A lot of what we ascribe to luck is not luck at all. It’s seizing the day and accepting responsibility for your future. It’s seeing what other people don’t see and pursuing that vision. -Howard Schultz
• People always call it luck when you’ve acted more sensibly than they have. Anne Tyler

Summary

You can use the power of your mind to attract luck to your life. Your thoughts and actions bring success that others may deem as your lucky break.

Every year without fail, the words “resolutions” and “valentine” spike up on web searches. Millions of people log in to their favorite search engines and google for goals and love. According to Google Trends, the searches for the word “resolutions” spike up right at the end of each year. The searches for the word “valentine” spike up at the second week of February. Let us ride the wave and set some post valentines resolutions.

Where is Your Horizon?

How far into the future do you set your goals? Are you only looking at the next 18 months? Your actions and choices today will affect your future. Successful people think further into the future than unsuccessful people. They are willing to invest for the future instead of getting instant gratification. They are willing to sow the seeds and wait for them to bear fruits.

Set a major goal that is attainable but have a longer term view of it. Your major mission in life becomes your moral compass, helping you make the right choices along the way. If you only think of the near term, your habits, friends, output and choices will show.

The Feeling of Achievement

One of my decisions this year is to get used to the taste of victory. I want to get used to the idea of winning. I want to get used to the idea of being a super achiever. It is a self perpetuating state. The more you think of yourself as a winner, the more likely you are to succeed.

Positive thinking alone will not make you win your battles, but it does a lot more for your success than negative thinking ever can. So how do you develop the feeling of achievement? The answer lies with the goals you set for yourself.

If you set goals that are almost impossible to achieve, then chances are that you will not achieve them. The biggest man was once a baby. Start with baby goals and grow with them. Get used to the little league before jumping into the small league. Learn to spell before you write your novel.

Celebrate each victory no matter how small. When you set a specific, measurable goal, and you reach it, take a moment to celebrate. Take a moment to reflect on what made you succeed. As you do that over and over, you will grow in confidence and ability. You will establish a pattern of winning that will be difficult to break.

Life Work Balance

Do you have an insatiable desire for wealth that is detrimental to your values and relationships? Taking business and success too seriously can lead to stress and emotional turmoil that can ruin everything else.

Since launching this blog, I have written on a wide array of topics ranging from Personal Branding, to Emotional Mastery to Relationships and Getting Rich. I have tried to inspire you and me to find balance instead of chasing success in only one aspect of life. How would you like to gain the whole world and lose your soul? How would you feel if you became the richest man in your city and lose you family?

Take regular breaks from work or business. It helps create a healthy work / life balance. You can spend time with your family and friends when taking breaks from work.

Take a piece of piece of paper and set your goals in all aspects of your life. Re-evaluate your quest for success and decide if you are paying a fair price. Is your job worth your family life? Is your night out worth your school grades? Is a little grass worth your career?

Finding the One

Find the one goal that makes you happy. Put in the requisite time and effort to attain that goal. Going on with life without a major goal is like setting out to sea without a destination in mind.

The major goal for this blog, this year, is to create a community of positive minded people. I want to provide a personal development platform and an environment for people to share their experiences. I am still working behind the scenes to put the building blocks in place. It is a goal that has consumed me and will continue to until it turns out into reality.

What is your major goal in life? What are you trying to achieve this year or in your life? Take time to really understand yourself and where you want to go. You are the captain of your universe and you owe it to yourself to get direction. Nobody can tell you what your major goal should be. Look within and you will find it. When you find your goal, give it your very best.

Polygamous Goals Setting

Many people rushed to remove the speck in South African president, Jacob Zuma’s eye (regarding his polygamy), before removing the logs in their own eyes. Why? Introspection is harder than analyzing other people’s affairs.

As we move along with the Goals Series of articles, I want to zoom in on the question of monogamy vs. polygamy of goals. (Valentine’s love is still in the air).

What are the perils of marring many goals? Why does the grass seem greener on the other side of your goal? Is it that hard to be faithful to your major goal in life? How sweet is that forbidden fruit called distractions? Why do we keep falling in and out of love with our goals?

Many people spread themselves too thin. They never stay fixated on something long enough to see it blossom. It is easier to be turned on by the next shiny goal than to pursue a boring goal to its logical conclusion.

Flirting with a new goal is irresistibly exhilarating. It takes us to new highs, gives us goose bumps and makes our minds spin. It is easy to stay up at night thinking of a new goal. It is easy to be passionately infatuated with fresh goals. New goals open the world of possibilities and do wonders for the heart.

Then something happens. The reality of our relationship with that goal sinks in. The excitement is replaced by mundane activities. The honeymoon comes to a crashing halt.

At first there is the desire to rekindle the passion, but that is quickly replaced by the temptation to try something new. Why not seek out yet another goal on the side? Why not juggle a couple of goals incase one does not work out? Subconsciously, we ask, “What is wrong with polygamy?”

Lack of focus is a major cause of infertility of goals. Jumping from one bed of ideas to another is bad karma. It may seem fun and safe at first but it causes nothing but pain and under-performance in the long run.

Enhancing Your Relationship with Goals

If you have been in and out of relationships you know that there is a cost of switching. You either end up hurting yourself, your partner or wasting time… or all of the above. It is the same with goals. Switching from one goal to another comes at a price. It gets expensive as far as time is concerned. It hurts your output and your confidence. Flipping from one goal to another turns out to be a recipe for mediocrity.

Polygamy of goals would work best if you had more than 24 hours a day. It is better to have one sweet goal and give it all the loving that it needs. Spend time with your lovely goal. Dedicate yourself to your goal. Commit to your goal and stick around to see it bear fruits.

Relationships take time and work. Do not starve your goals of attention, time and sheer hard work. Continuously enhance your performance and drive deeper into your goals. Many people never get close to their potential because they swim on the shallow end. They are afraid of the deep end of their desires.

Learn to show love to your goals. One of the best ways of showing love is to learn to listen. Learn all you can about your goal and get real intimate with the details. Go out of your way to make the baby steps of achievements. It is the small things that count. Little by little you will get to do big things.

Sometimes you may feel uninspired to love your goals. In moments like those, seek the advice of goals counselors. Zig Ziglar once said “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily!” Look for ways to stay attracted to your goals daily. Retrace your steps to that which attracted you in the first place. You may need a coach, an inspiring blogger or a good friend to remind you daily that your love for your goal is not in vain. Do what you need to do to stay in love with your goal.

We were on a stretch of road called Mombasa Road heading to Nairobi city centre. There had been many reported car-jackings around that road so other motorists were too scared to come to our aid.

Imagine this; a bunch of rough looking dudes, looking like gangstas, trying to flag down scared motorists for a lift to the nearest garage or service station. It was an effort in futility.

Someone suggested that we were scaring them coz of the sheer numbers. So we decided that some of us should hide, and have only one of us to try to flag down the speeding motorists. But even thugs had figured that one out. In fact some were way ahead of us. They were reported to have been using pregnant looking women with kids to flag down their prey. Looking back, in the light of the crime rate at the time, we were not in a position to be trusted. We were the epitome of Nairobbery.

Lets Talk About Trust, Baby…

Trust is stronger than love. No matter how much you love someone, if you cannot trust that person, it is hard for that love to bear fruits. It is hard to do business with people you do not trust. It is hard to communicate with people you cannot trust. Lack of trust destroys friendships faster than a snake’s venom.

It takes years to build trust. It is a slow process; just like nature. Trust does not grow as fast as the beans in Jack and the bean stalk.

It is the small things that you do to build trust that count. Small cumulative words and actions allow trust to thrive. You cannot impose trust. You cannot dictate trust. But you can help create an environment for it to flourish.

Trust is so important for success yet many people never really pause to think about creating a “trust strategy”. How do you gain and maintain the trust of the key people you need, to get ahead in life? How do you know whom to trust? How do you use the trust bestowed upon you responsibly? How can you piggyback on someone else’s trust?

A Unity of Purpose

There is a Swahili proverb that says “Mpanda ngazi na mshuka ngazi hawashikani mkono”. It is loosely translated as “someone heading North and someone heading South cannot hold hands”.

It is easier to trust someone after you know their goals. It is easier to trust a person if your goals and theirs are in harmony, and not in direct conflict. This applies to all spheres of life. An employee whose burning ambition is to create a competing business is not worth being on your payroll. A consultant who cares more about his fees than helping his client solve problems is not the best candidate for the job.

Pay special attention to what motivates the people you interact with. Pay attention to what makes them happy. What do they ultimately want? Do not ignore the link between goals and trust.

Positioning Yourself for Trust

People will use your goals in life to judge you, whether you know it or not. Whether you want it or not; it will happen. When setting your goals, add trust to the mix.

Allow me to refer to an earlier blog post I wrote last year. It was entitled – What is Personal Branding from Within? In that post, I applied a Bob Marley song to Personal Branding. I wrote “The truth outs. The truth about who you really are eventually comes out. You can fool some people sometimes, you can fool some people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time. The best way to enhance your personal brand is to change your internals; your thoughts, your emotions, your habits and your character”.

Who you really are eventually comes out. The best way to inspire trust is to be happy in your own skin. Be happy with the person you really are. Develop an unshakable character and habits.

Before you can seek to be trusted by others, you must be someone worthy of trust. People break others people’s trust not because they are bad people, but because of conflicting goals.

It pays to know what you want in life. You are less likely to hurt others if you know what you want and communicate it clearly, and in good time. If you have to fake who you are, then you will break someone’s trust eventually.

There is no shame in walking away from people or situations if they do not align with your objectives. Position yourself with people that accept you just as you are instead of camouflaging your real self. It is good for you and them in the long run.

Cultivating Trustworthiness

The little things that you do day in day out are the vital trust deposits into your trust bank. Unfortunately, that bank is a little strange. The numerous small deposits over time can only sustain one withdrawal. It is possible to erode 10 years worth of trust deposits with one withdrawal. Don’t prick the balloon of trust.

Reliability is the long haul trick to solid trust. Learn to keep the small promises. When you say you are going to do something, do your best to make sure that it is done.

Not everyone will trust you. It is hard for Osama and Obama to trust the same guy. Decide whose camp you want to be in. Work on building trust with the right people. Misdirected trust efforts are futile.

Summary

People will trust you more if they know that your goals are not in direct conflict with theirs. Make small baby steps to build trust with the people who matter. Trust can be built over the years but destroyed overnight. Gourd it ferociously when you get it.

I did a degree in Marketing so I got to hear the word customer more than people doing courses such as Engineering, Medicine etc. I learned a great deal about customer relationships management, customer acquisition, customer retention, customer service etc. But it was still a limited view on the concept of “customers”.

Most people think of customers as someone who purchases goods and services from a vendor. Those are customers, yes, but there is more to it.

Defining Your Customers

Your customers are the people who help you make a living. Your customers are the people you have to satisfy to get ahead in life. If you are employed, your boss is your customer. If you are a politician, your voters are your customers.

Many people fail to achieve their true potential because they do not clearly define who their customers are. Who do you need to deliver value to for you to profit? Who do you need to please for you to make a fortune?

One of the mistakes that many small businesses make is to try and please everybody. You have to take your time and define, identify clearly, who you have to serve. Think carefully how you want to allocate your resources such as time, money, emotional engagement etc.

Do not spread yourself too thin. Laser target your efforts to those who matter. You can please everyone else in the next life time.

Amplifying Customer Satisfaction

Once you have identified whom it is that you need to please to get ahead, get to work. Find out what they need and over-deliver. Do not make promises you cannot keep. Commit to over delivering on your promises. Satisfaction is the difference between the promise and performance. The higher your promise is; the lower the satisfaction.

Don’t be boring. Boring is when you deliver exactly as you are expected to. Find interesting ways to wow! your customers. Turning up to work on time is expected, doing more than your call of duty to improve your company’s bottom line is amazing. Gravitate towards being amazing.

Learn the art of subtle bragging. When you do something great, don’t hide it. Make sure your customer knows about it. I learned this one as a little kid. My parents were my customers. Whenever they wanted something done, I did it and subtly let them know “who did it”. It worked like a charm. It still does, even with other customers I get in life.

Your customers needs evolve. Do not stagnate. Change with the times. Survey your customers from time to time to find out what tickles their fancy. Be on the forefront of knowing when your customers are unhappy. You will make mistakes from time to time, when you do, be prompt to apologize and make up for it.

The customer is always right. Learn to see things from their perspective. Learn to put yourself in their shoes. Feel their pain. Solve their pain. Be of great service to your customers. They will love you for it.

Lastly, learn to automate your customer satisfaction. Customer needs are ever changing and the quicker you learn to make your work easier, the better it will be for you in the long term. Have systems in place to please your customer, whoever he or she may be.

For example, as a blogger, I have automated the blog subscription. Anyone who wants to get a daily dose of inspiration only needs to subscribe at the top of the site. The blog is then delivered via email without me lifting a finger (after posting it on the site).

Find ways of satisfying your customers without breaking your back. It is more sustainable that way. Set specific, measurable goals for pleasing your customers.

Acting as Jake Sully in the 2009 film Avatar, Sam Worthington has immortalized himself here in Perth and beyond.

And who would have thought that movie writer and director, James Cameron would break his own box office record (Titanic)? At the time of this writing, Avatar is the highest grossing movie in history (Over $US2.2 Billion!).

I won’t be the spoiler for those who have not seen the movie. Go watch it.

Pimp My Ride

A few years ago I was addicted to a TV show called “Pimp My Ride”. Each episode consisted of taking a car in a poor condition and restoring it, as well as customizing it. I personally know a few people who would benefit from such a makeover.

Last night I had a dream. I dreamt up of a new “Blog show”. Let us call it “Pimp My Avatar”. The show will be starring a carefully selected Success Makeover Experts team.

This team will be responsible for challenging your thinking and inspiring you to be the best you can be. What is an Avatar? An Avatar is a representation of an idea. The idea can be you as a husband (or wife); you as a business owner; you as a student; you as a sports man… it is up to you.

Now let us think about it. What if the “Pimp My Avatar” team worked on you today? What would they change? How would they transform you? How would the customize you? What would they get rid off in your life? What would they say about your current state?

You are about to be PIMPED UP!

Focus – What Do You Want To Be?

A good Avatar does not try to do everything. It is not a generality but a specific success story. What do you want to be? Do you want to be a better leader? Do you want to be a good student? Do you want to be the perfect relationship partner? Whatever your heart desires, you can be it. Make no mistake about it.

What are your current dominating thoughts? Are you a positive person or is your mind clouded in negative thoughts? Take out a piece of paper and write down what you think about mainly. What dominates your Avatar?

Changing what you focus on has the magical power of transforming your Avatar. Many people waste time and energy because of lack of focus. They do a little bit of this and a little bit of that. They spread themselves too thin.

Dig deeper into what you want to achieve in. If it is a relationship, give it more time. If it is a job, do your best. Do one thing and do it well. See it to its logical conclusion.

Grow – Get More Powerful

The more you use your Avatar, the more powerful it becomes. In computer games, the more you play and jump hurdles, the more powerful your Avatar becomes. You only grow if you do something. Sitting on your laurels only makes you stagnate.

Visualize in your mind where you want to go and how you plan to get there. Remember there can be no progress without action.

Don’t just take action for the sake of taking action. Take well calculated steps to take you to where you want to be. Remember the most important part of a journey is to pick the right direction. Don’t head to Cape Town if you want to get to Cairo.

Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Learn from your mistakes. Be careful not to make the same mistake twice though.

As you become stronger, hang around other stronger people. Do not compete with amateurs when you go pro. Do not lift the small weights when you can do more. Stretch yourself. Find people and situations that make you stretch. Do not get into a comfort zone. Be a powerful Avatar.

Presentation – Sell the Sizzle, not the Steak

The “Pimp My Avatar” team loves this part. This is where they make you look good. What good does it do for you to be a strong, focused Avatar if everyone thinks you suck?

The “Pimp My Avatar” team will first tell you to work on your communication skills. The messages you send out to others through your verbal and non-verbal communication define how they look at you.

Think ahead of time what image you want to project. Choose your words carefully. The words that come out of your mouth will be your Avatar’s image. Don’t speak like an old shoe.

Be careful about what you write down and speak to others. Words, once let out never come back. You cannot swallow back your words even with the most sincere apology.

The next task is to work on your association. Birds of a feather flock together. The people you hang out with will be a reflection of your Avatar’s character. An Avatar that scratches with turkeys is not an eagle in my books (and in many people’s books).

The “Pimp My Avatar” team will also spend time working on your personal grooming. You will feel like a million bucks once they give you a few handy tips. It takes only 3 seconds for you to make a first impression. And because you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression; make sure your Avatar looks good!

Work On Your Weak Areas

Just like the old cars in Pimp My Ride TV show, we all have defects. There is nothing wrong with that… that’s just the way life is. If we were all perfect, the world would be a boring place (and I would be out of job).

The “Pimp My Avatar” team has this little worksheet called “Habits”. They believe we are creatures of habits. They will help you identify your habits.

What bad habits would you like to eliminate? Do you tell “creative” truths? Are you always late for meetings? Do you forget to keep in touch with loved ones? Are you loud and a vexation to the spirit?

One by one, cast your bad habits to a bottomless pit or the deep blue ocean.

Work On Your Strengths

The able team at “Pimp My Avatar” knows that we at times give ourselves more credit than we deserve. It is not so easy to be a jack of all trades.

The team may seem mean spirited, but they are only trying to help you. They will gently advise you to go slow on things you don’t naturally excel in. They will tell you that even Michael Jordan tried his hand in Baseball but decided to go back to Basketball. It was not like he was bad at it anyway; it just was not his core strength.

Identify your key strengths and work on those. If you are not good with numbers, hire an accountant. If you are not good with gardening work, hire a gardener. Decide what your core strengths are and let others do the rest. Shine at what you do best. Let others shine in what they do best.

Journal Your Journey

The “Pimp My Avatar” team will insist that you record your success journey. A success journal is something that will guide you over the years and tell you how far you have come. Who knows, one day you may want to write a book to tell the world about how you became such a big, successful Avatar.

We tell ourselves that we shall remember all that is happening today. But over time the memories fade.

When you are eliminating habits, write your down how you feel. Why are you stopping smoking? What challenges are you experiencing? Why are you trying to improve your writing skills? How are you going about it?

Write your journal for you own consumption. Even if nobody ever reads it, it will serve the purpose of crystallizing your ideas, thoughts and help you in making sound judgment now and in the future.

Establish Your Feedback Loop

The “Pimp My Avatar” will finally insist that you have people to keep you in check. Do not surround yourself with “yes-men”. Have a friend (or a few friends) who will always be honest with you and tell you when you go wrong.

I once heard that a certain rich man had someone whose work was to whisper to him the words “You are only human”, after a delegation of praise singers had been to see him.

Musicians sometimes lose touch with their true fans and get surrounded by flatterers. By the time they realize it, they have lost touch with their base and their records are not selling as they used to.

Have a trusted mentor who will guide you and give you feedback on how your Avatar is coming along. Have a couple of admirers and cheerleaders that will lift your spirits up, but be wary of flattery. An ancient Greek philosopher once said “Flattery is like friendship in show, but not in fruit”. Get feedback that will bear fruits.

Final Thought….

To succeed in life you have to be clear on what you want. Focus on the right things. You become what you think about. Fill your mind with positive thoughts of achievement.

Remember to get out of your comfort zone. Work on your strengths and weaknesses. Present yourself well through your grooming, communication and association. Record your success journey and maintain touch with people who will give you honest feedback.

You are now an officially pimped up Avatar!

1 – Build a Strong Foundation

Whether you are building a business, a relationship or a career, you need to set the right foundation. Spare a thought for the kind of foundation you are sitting on in your success journey.

Life is not a straight line; there will be bumps, traffic jams, roadblocks etc on your success journey. The weather may not always be what was predicted. Your best bet is to invest in a strong foundation.

In a relationship for example, investing in building trust, communication and problem solving skills is good insurance for tough times. Without a strong foundation, a relationship will be challenged by changing circumstances or external pressures.

In business, invest in building a solid product and good customer relations. Listen to your customers and develop richer relationships with them. This will not only help you be more profitable but insulate you from increased competition.

In Mathew 7:24-27 (New International Version), Jesus said “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Are your goals this year indicative of a wise man (or woman) or are you building your success on sand?

2 – Make Hay While the Sun Shines

I stumbled upon this idea last year…if you look around; you will notice that it is true. Those who succeed in life are those who harness the power of delayed gratification. Delayed gratification is the ability to wait in order to obtain something that one wants.

When a drug addict or an alcoholic wants something, they do all they can to get it right away. Their timeline is between now and a few hours. On the other hand, a medical student is willing to wait for seven years to become a doctor. Successful people look further into the future. Whether it is a business or a relationship, they are willing to put in the work now for rewards that may take years to realize.

There is a time for everything; a time to plant and a time to harvest. Do what you have to do now even if your pay off may be somewhere down the line. Set goals that allow you to stockpile now incase of tough times ahead.

The best time to fix a leaking roof is when the sun is shining. Do not wait for the rains to pound before looking for a fix. Doing it in good time will save you both time and money.

Joseph in the Bible interpreted Pharaohs dream (Genesis 41:28-31, New International Version), “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.  Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe”

Are you in good physical health now? Do you have a job? Do you have blessings in areas of your life today? Maybe you have seven years of this and seven years of ravaging famine ahead. Ok, that is a gloomy way to look at it. But am sure you get my point don’t yah?

I have recently opened a new bank account that I intend to start an automatic saving/investment plan. This is something that I have been postponing for a long time. Every month I will automatically deposit a percentage of my earnings into that account. Is there something you can do in your life to be a good custodian of blessings in good times?

3 – The Only Thing to Fear is Fear Itself

Franklin D. Roosevelt said in his first inauguration speech “So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance”.

If you want to advance in life this year you have to shun fear like a plague. Fear paralyzes action. Fear is the devil incarnate.

Fear is that little voice telling you that you cannot do it. Fear is that friend that makes you doubt yourself. Fear is what will make you sink to the depths of mediocrity.

In Matthew 14: 25-31 (New International Version), Peter walked on water before he let doubt creep in, then he started sinking.

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Have faith in yourself and in your abilities. Develop your self esteem and self confidence. They will help you achieve more of your goals. Fearing that you might fail will precipitate failure. The more you allow self defeating thoughts into your mind, the more likely they are to become true. How much more would you achieve in life if you were not afraid?

4 – Attitude Determines Altitude

Zig Ziglar said “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude”.

The kind of attitude you bring to your work, business, relationship, health will determine how far you go. Consciously work on your attitude.

5 – Use It or Lose It

The final lesson today is very important. It is a parable by Jesus about using our talents. Purpose it in your heart to use your God given talents to succeed in life. Set goals that will stretch your potential.

Let us look at Matthew 25:14-30 (New International Version).

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.  To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

“The man with two bags of gold also came.’Master’,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came.’Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

‘Take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For those who have will be given more and they will have abundance. As for those who do not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Mark those words: “For those who have will be given more and they will have abundance. As for those who do not have, even what they have will be taken from them”. Before you complain that the rich get richer, think about what you have been blessed with. Are you using it to its true potential?

Summary

This is a blog post that I should have written months ago. I will personally revisit it severally in the course of this year. We can all apply these lessons to help us achieve more of our goals.

Remember to build yourself a strong foundation. Shun the desire for instant gratification, have a positive attitude towards life and shun fear. Use your talents and blessings to get ahead in life.