Have You Got Excellent Reasons For Failure?

It’s my birthday today. I have received several calls, emails and text messages from my family, friends, colleagues and well wishers. As at the last count, I had received about 54 calls, 34 text messages and 9 emails. Some of the text messages are simply wonderful. I was close to tears while reading some of them. Let me use this opportunity to say a big thank you to all of you who sent in a text, a mail or called over the phone. My world is a better place because I have friends like you. Special thanks to my lovely wife, who sent in a lovely cake to my office. I wonder what I would do without you. Not much I guess!

Today has been a day of reflection for me. I was just thinking about the last couple of years – where I have been and where I am coming from. It’s been a long rough ride! Believe me when I say that. However, it’s been interesting all along. I have seen a lot. I have experienced a lot. I have learnt a lot. I have grown, to a good extent I suppose. Along the journey, I have also realized that I had good reasons, very good reasons to give for failure. I was talking with a colleague some time last week. He told me of a chat he had with a former boss, who was advising him to put in his best at work. He told him something that in my opinion is very profound. He said “Every reason for failure in --- (name of the company) is always an excellent reason”. How true?

There is a young man that inspires me in the scriptures. His name is Joseph. Permit me to talk a bit about him today. Permit me also to call him Joe. Joe was a good guy who had very good and lofty dreams. He dreamt that one day he will be head over all his households. He dreamt great dreams. You know, I realize that it’s a dreamers’ world. Today’s dreams are certainly tomorrow’s realities. Dream well and dream big, it doesn’t cost a dime. Everything you see around you today, started as a dream in someone’s mind.

Joe was faced with a lot of odds however. Odds that stood against him and his dreams. A study of these odds will show that we still face similar odds today. Let me share a few of those with you as I drive home my point.

Background –

He was from a polygamous family where a lot of jealousy and hatred was the order of the day. He was also one of the youngest. You know there are some of us that are from the backside of the desert. Infact, we are from the interior of the inferior! What will you do? Will you sit down and complain about your disadvantageous background, or do something about it? Listen. Your background does not have to determine your future. You can rise to the top in spite of very low backgrounds. History is littered with the testimonies of those who went from terrible backgrounds to enviable heights. History also has records of those with great and wonderful backgrounds but end up with little or no reckoning. Need I mention names?

Environment –

At an early stage in life, Joe found himself in a strange land and in a strange environment. He found himself far away from home where godly values were not taught. There are a couple of us who thinks that they can only succeed in Europe! Nigeria and Africa is too tough they say. The environment is not conducive. While I agree that you need the right environment to bring out your best, I make bold to say this “It is not in the Land. It is in the Mind”. God told Isaac to remain in Gerar, the land of famine. Isaac obeyed, stayed there and reaped in the same year, a hundred fold! You will not become an instant success even if you move to Europe, except your mind witnesses a transformation. A lizard in Africa can never become a Crocodile in Europe! At best, it will be a international lizard! In spite of the environment prevailing around him, Joe made the best of it in his rise to the throne. Will you do same?

A lizard in Africa can never become a Crocodile in Europe! At best, it will be a international lizard!

Boss-

Have you heard people complain about their bosses as if they are the very roots of all the woes? Joe had every reason to blame his boss, and most importantly his boss’s wife. He didn’t. He served Potiphar with all his might. He was “The Servant”. He was so committed that Potiphar committed everything he had to his hands. “Do you see a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before Kings and not before ordinary men” says the holy creed. When a man is diligent in anything he does, he will surely do that “thing” for kings! The reason why you are not progressing is not your boss, no matter how tough he/she is. It all depends on you!

Inspite of all these reasons, Joe never craved in. He didn’t hide under the cover of any. His dreams and goals were set before him and he will stop at nothing to achieve them. Remember that the world don’t want reasons. They want results.

Joe went on to achieve his dreams, and even better. He became the Prime Minister in a foreign land, second only to Pharaoh. What an amazing story.

There is no reason good enough for failure.

Let me ask you a question? After all said and done, what will be said about you? Will you let prevailing circumstances drown your goals, visions and dreams? Or will you rise up to the occasion, and say to yourself “inspite of all these, I will achieve my dreams”. You will go through all you are passing through. Surely and certainly, you will get to the throne.

There is no reason good enough for failure.

Count Your Blessings. Don't Discount Them - 2nd Edition

As the year 2007 draws to a close today, and the New Year 2008 dawns on us, I wonder what kind of a message the year 2007 leaves behind. Cast your thoughts on the highlights of the year 2007 and I bet there are a few things you will rather forget. There are also many things that made the year worth it. One thing if for sure, not many of us would bother to pick up a pen and write the bad things in red and the good ones in green to sum the year ourselves. Yet, I feel we ought to do it. You will be amazed at the result.

Cast your thoughts on the highlights of the year 2007 and I bet there are a few things you will rather forget.

There are more chances that you will consider more things that didn’t work for you in 2007 than those that worked. That is the natural inclination. You tend to look back at the year and consider the opportunities you missed, the money you didn’t make, the goals that are left unrealized, the pains of the year, the losses and what have you. I do not blame you if you are doing this right now.

There is a way to also look at the past year that I want to recommend. It is summarized in the song of a songwriter. It says

"Count you blessings, count them one by one.
Count your blessings, see what God has done.
Count you blessings, name them one by one
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done."

The lyrics of the song are very instructive. If you learn to count you blessings, not discount them, you will see that it’s not been as bad as you think!

Can I tell you a story? I guess I have told the story before but it is very relevant here again. I call it the story of two buckets.

A traditional well always have two buckets. As one is going down, the other is on its way up. Long time ago, there lived two buckets in the same well. It was noticed that no matter what happens, one was always sad, whining and looking morose and melancholic. It was always complaining about the situation of things all around. The other however, on the contrary, was always happy and motivated. No matter what happens, it was always in a high mood. Both buckets used to wonder what was happening to the other when they meet somewhere along the line in the well. The sad bucket was always wondering “why is this guy always happy? Are we not going through the same situation? Are we not faced with the same difficulties? The happy bucket on the other hand was always wondering aloud “what the hell is wrong with this guy? Why is he always looking morose and melancholic? One day, they decided to talk to each other and ask why they are both going through similar situations but reacting differently. The happy bucket asked first “why is it that you are always looking sad and morose all the time? Is anything the matter? The sad bucket replied. “Everything is that matter! I am not happy here. Can you imagine, no matter how full I come up from this well, I always go down empty!! I am living an empty life!” “Waoh” replied the happy bucket. “Do you know what? This is the very same reason why I am always happy. No matter how empty I go down into this well, I always come up full!!!! I am living a fulfilling life!

The past year 2007 no doubt was a challenging year for me. Many things happened in the year that affected me both positively and negatively. However, as the year winds up, I can’t but thank God and the angels he strategically places in my life (my wife, my daughter, my friends, my colleagues at work, my critics e.t.c) for helping to make this year an eventful one for me. No matter how empty I go down into the well, I always come out full!

No matter how empty I go down into the well, I always come out full!

Many things worked for me in the past year. We celebrated our 3rd year wedding anniversary (check the divorce rates around the world to see why this is a positive). I changed job roles at work. I was nominated for the Nigeria Future Awards for the “Professional of the Year 2007”. Our precious daughter Moyosorelouwa was 2! Apart from that, she doesn’t seize to amaze me with things she’s doing at her age. She is so smart I can’t wait to see her grow up. In the past year, I also came across information that bettered my financial lot. I earned more money doing things I enjoyed more than the salary I got! Infact, I invested amounts of money that were only in my dreams 1 year ago. Right now, I am holidaying with my precious wife. Most importantly to me, I have received email, phone calls and personal “thank you” notes from those whose lives have been positively affected by mine in the course of the year. Some of these texts bring me close to tears. I can choose…and this is my choice…to concentrate on all these, or focus on the other part.

In 2007, my house was robbed and several valuables, including my international passport, my wife’s and our daughter’s were stolen. My wife and I also lost something very precious to us at a very difficult time of the year. We invested in stuffs that didn’t work and lost money in the process. Our planned vacation to the UK didn’t work out, partly because of our passports that were stolen. I had some trying times at work and we also had to work through some health crisis.

I am sure you also have both sides of the coin. The question is…which will you focus on? Will you keep crying over spilled milk? Or will you look at the things that worked for you, praise God for them, and plan to turn around things that didn’t? Will you choose to count your blessings? Or will you rather choose to discount them?

Selah!