Some years back, after having to write the UME (University Matriculation Examination) again (I wrote it twice before I nailed it), one thought flashed through my mind. What if failure was perpetual? What if, once you failed, you have failed forever? What if there was no opportunity to start again? What if once you made a loss in business, you continue to make losses? What if, once you repeated a class, or a course, you will continue to repeat it eternally! What a chaos our world would have been!
What if failure was perpetual?
God, in His infinite mercies divided our lives into tiny bits – so, we have centuries, decades, years, months, weeks and days. If you have failed in a particular year, you can look forward to another year, to try again. If a particular day isn’t going to well, you wish the day would be over soon, so you could have a fresh start. If you have failed once, or twice, you look forward to another opportunity to try again, or start again. In my opinion, a new year is God’s wonderful opportunity, given to us, to start again….howbeit, more intelligently. And that opportunity is not only available to those who didn’t do well the previous year. It is also available for those who did well, so, they can even do better. The New Year is an opportunity for a fresh start.
The greatest definition of insanity is doing the same thing in the same way and expecting a different result!
So, my question is this – What will you do differently this year? Your result is always a function of your inputs. If your inputs are wrong, do not wonder if the results are in the same direction. Let me say this categorically – the year 2011 will be very much like 2010 to you, if you do things the same way you did last year. I guess that’s a no brainer. I can guarantee that your output will be exactly the same if your inputs do not change. So, do you like the results you turned out last year? If your answer is NO, then, something about you has got to change. The greatest definition of insanity is doing the same thing in the same way and expecting a different result!
Here are a few things you need to look at changing /improving to get better result.
Change your thoughts
No one can rise above the level of his thoughts. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he”. Your life will never go beyond the level of your thoughts. So, the Bible has a nice advice for you.
“Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. “(Philippians 4: 8-9, The Message Bible)
No matter how long you pray, if you harbor in your heart, things contrary to your prayers, the prayer will be a mere exercise. You cannot be praying for health and be thinking like a sick man! The thought of sickness will nullify your prayers. You cannot be praying for success and be thinking like a failure. God is able to do much more than you ask or think.
Change your Association
A wise man once said this. “You will be where you are today in another 5 years, except for 2 things – the books you read and the friends you keep”. I have found this to be very true. If you want to improve your results, then you’ve got to improve on your association/relationships. In my quest for financial freedom, I discovered that there is a fundamental difference between the way the rich and the poor think. Their thinking patterns are worlds apart. As a result of this, associating with the group you want to belong will give you accesses to their perspective.
In our environment (Africa), there is so much emphasis on the enemy. People spend a whole night vigil praying against their enemies. May I say this to you – your friends are more strategic to your destiny that your enemies. You had better have the right ones.
Change your attitude
Attitude more than aptitude, determines altitude. Look, things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out. During the course of the year, you will definitely have challenges. How will you face them? Will you be optimistic about life and it’s opportunities or bend your head in pessimism?
To achieve more this year, I challenge you to be an incurable optimist. This way, all things being equal you will always win. All things not being equal, you will still most times win!
Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.
Go for Information
I have realized that there are no mountains anywhere. Every man’s ignorance is his mountain! Nobody suffers from a special problem, only from special ignorance. Every outstanding accomplishment rides on the hub of information! If you know better, you will shine brighter
There are no mountains anywhere. Every man's ignorance is his mountain
No matter what your vision this year is, I can bet it will end in frustration, except you have the right information to match. Read books. Listen to tapes. Read newspapers. Most importantly, get information from the greatest of all information sources – The Bible- The Manual for Life!
May the year be to you a year of years!
Enjoy.
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