Secrets Of Accomplishment (II)

Consider this for a moment. You are on the soccer pitch in a capacity filled stadium. You are about to take the last shot in the finals of a game that would be determined by penalty shoot out. The hopes and aspirations of a whole nation rest on your shoulders. The game had been intense. Both teams have put in their very best for 120 minutes without a winner. Now, 80,000 fans at the stadium, and several millions watching across the globe are all focusing attention on you – some hoping you’ll score and others praying you’ll miss. You place the ball on the penalty mark, and take 3 steps backwards. The noise is the stadium is deafening and your heart beat is doing a double summersault! What a moment this can be! Whatever happens, your name will go down in the history books as the one who took the game winning shot, or as the one who caused the country to lose. It is a defining moment.

Every one of us, at different point in life and career, are faced with defining moments! A lot depends on how we handle our defining moments. A lot depends on what we do at those moments, or what we didn’t do. A lot depends on our actions and inactions; our decisions, and indecisions. Our lives are a series of defining moments, strung together by passing time. Surrender fully to this moment, because it is not the moment that defines us, but how we chose to live it!

I was faced with a defining moment sometime in 2006. I had just finished my Ordinary National Diploma in one of the polytechnics in Nigeria. I was privileged to finish as the best graduating student in my class, winning the Rectors’ Award for that year. Shortly after, I was interviewing with one of the best oil companies in the country and was offered a job. The salary (as of then) was intimidating to say the least. I thought to myself “this would solve my problem and my family’s forever”! In the same week, I got my admission letter for a direct entry to a University, and was faced with a big dilemma. You may not understand how big this decision was if you didn’t know my family background. I needed the bucks so much at that time and anyway to get it would have being a good way. It was a big defining moment. I was going to play a shot that would later determine a lot of things in my life and career. Looking back retrospectively, I am glad I put the shot far beyond the reach of the goalkeeper (lol). One more than one occasion, I have also faced defining moments at work – changing departments at short notice, taking up additional responsibilities, saying “NO” to some request e.t.c. Listen. Defining moments really defines us, and what happens to us, now and in the future. Be sensitive to such moments.

I have discovered that life is not as difficult as some people make it look it. One song writer puts it in a way that I really like. He said “ Life is not difficult to anyone who believes that life is not difficult”. It is that simple. When you learn to play by life’s rules, you will excel and succeed in great measures. People who are excelling in life and in career have discovered certain secrets that they are exploring. They are secrets, not because they are hidden somewhere, but because you have not discovered them! When you discover what they have discovered, and practice it, you will get the kind of results that they are getting. Success is surely sold in the open market. Anyone can buy, who is willing to pay the price. Are you?

Let me continue sharing with you some of the secrets of accomplishment that I have found, and that has helped me over the years. Recall that we shared 2 of these in the 1st part of this write up (I encourage you to read it up, if you have not done so already). Here is a list of some others:

Be Diligent and Hardworking

It would take me several write ups to conclude a topic on hardwork and diligence. To put it simply, the only substitute to hardwork is a hardlife! The ball is in your court – work hard or live a hard life! There are too many lazy people blaming the devil for their woes! One of the greatest problems facing our nation and our continent is that we have too many people who are not working. Some may even go to work but are still not working (visit some government secretariat and you will need no further proof). We are lazy people both in the use of our hands and of our minds. This is a tragedy!

The dictionary is the only place in the world where “success” comes before “work” just because of the alphabetical arrangements of things. Work always comes before success, anywhere in the world. Show me a lazy man and I will show you a man who has kissed success goodbye. A wise man puts it in a wonderful way “show me a man who is diligent in his work, I will show you a man who will stand before kings and not before ordinary men”. The diligent and hardworking hand will always bear rule.

Many believe that success is just being lucky. Nothing can be farther from the truth. Success comes by consistent hardwork. I like the way Alan Bond puts it. He said “I've always worked very, very hard, and the harder I worked, the luckier I got” If you believe so much in luck, it’s important to remember that hardwork increases your chances of being lucky.

The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.

In the words of Vince Lombardi “I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle-victorious” .In the school of success, there is no substitute to hardwork. Nobody becomes great without hardwork. Nobody! So, get ready to work. Everything works for him that works!

Have the Right Ability to Make Decisions.

Decisions determine destiny. Decisions also mars destiny. In life, our choices and decisions determine how far we go. We 1st make decisions, and then, decisions in turn make us! Where you are today is a function of the decisions you made yesterday. The decisions and choices you are making today, will determine where you will end up tomorrow. Don’t just wake up tomorrow, and be wondering how you got in there.
I have discovered that success in life is not a gift. It doesn’t just fall on people like ripe pawpaw! It is a decision that you have to make. You are a direct product of your decisions. You are going to live tomorrow with the consequences of today’s decisions and choices. The choices we make today will colour the spectrum of our life in the future. It is futile to squander today and hope for a generous tomorrow. Everything that happens in your life-both what you are thrilled with and what you are challenged by-began with a decision.

An average person makes about 350 decisions in a day. However, in prison, inmates are restricted to only 8 decisions daily! That is nature’s way of punishing them for the wrong decisions and choices that brought them there. Isn’t that interesting? They are not been trusted again because of wrong decisions they once made.

Let me as you a direct question. Have you really decided to succeed in your life? I am not asking you if you wish to succeed, because I know what your answer to that would be. But, have you really decided to? Not taking a decision is already a decision. Not taking a decision to succeed is already a decision to fail. Not taking a decision to live a life of excellence is a decision to live a mediocre life. Not deciding to be rich, is a decision to live in poverty. Wouldn’t you rather make a conscious decision?

Henry David Thoreau sums it up well when he said “I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of a man to elevate his life by a conscious endevour.

Don’t Give Up!

Sir Edmund Hillary was the first man to climb Mount Everest. On May 29, 1953 he scaled the highest mountain then known to man-29,000 feet straight up. He was knighted for his efforts. He even made American Express card commercials because of it! However, until we read his book, High Adventure, we don't understand that Hillary had to grow into this success. You see, in 1952 he attempted to climb Mount Everest, but failed. A few weeks later a group in England asked him to address its members. Hillary walked on stage to a thunderous applause. The audience was recognizing an attempt at greatness, but Edmund Hillary saw himself as a failure. He moved away from the microphone and walked to the edge of the platform. He made a fist and pointed at a picture of the mountain. He said in a loud voice, "Mount Everest, you beat me the first time, but I'll beat you the next time because you've grown all you are going to grow... but I'm still growing!" A year later, he succeeded where he has failed.

I have learnt something about successful people. They don’t avoid mistakes; they handle it. Peter Drucker once said "The better a man is, the more mistakes he will make, for the more new things he will try. I would never promote into a top level job a man who was not making mistakes…otherwise he is sure to be mediocre."

A number of years ago, an aspiring writer interviewed Thomas J. Watson, the President of IBM. Watson gave him this advice: “It’s not exactly my line, “he said, but would you like me to give you a formula for writing success? It’s quite simple, really. Double you rate of failure.” “You are making a common mistake. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. Failure is a teacher – a harsh one perhaps, but the best. You say you have a desk full of rejected manuscripts? That’s great! Every one of those manuscripts was rejected for a reason. Have you pilled them to pieces looking for that reason? You can be discouraged by failure – or you can learn from it. So, go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because, remember that’s where you’ll find success. On the far side of failure.”

That is profound and full of truths. Failure is a friend, not an enemy. Failure is a school teacher, not a taskmaster. See it as such and you will benefit immensely. I am always thrilled by the definition of success I saw somewhere. It says “success is moving from one failure to another without losing enthusiasm!”

Again, success is sold in the open market. Let anyone go and buy, who is willing to pay the price. You will succeed!

See you at the top!

Secrets Of Accomplishment

Earlier in the month, I celebrated my 9th year in the corporate world. It’s been interesting spending 9 whole years, in just one company (definitely one of the best companies to work for in the world). While I am far from where I want to be, God has helped me to make very modest achievements in the corporate world. I have been privileged to work under 8 different direct managers, from 7 different nationalities! I have also managed hundreds of people, from different nationalities, including an American. I have had great times, good times, just okay times, and a couple of bad times. All in all, it’s been a splendid 9 years. I have won several awards (the last one was just this week), including a final showing for the “Young Professional of the Year” award in Nigeria in 2008. For all these, and most especially for the people I have been privileged to mentor, coach, and touch in different ways, I am indeed very grateful to God. To a good extent, I am living my dreams.

Years back, while still on campus, I had taught severally on the Secrets of accomplishments. I simply taught from God’s word, and from revelations I had from books that I had read. Then, I could only practice those principles within certain confines, but was sure they’ll work anywhere. I taught those principles as if my life depended on them. I am sure some people would have reasoned that it’s easier said than done! Over 10 years after, I can say categorically that they do work! I am a living testimony to this fact. I have handled, tried, and tested all of these principles, and they will deliver when followed. They work in the corporate world as well as they would in the spiritual work, in the market place, as an entrepreneur, and practically anywhere else.

May I please share them with you, yet again?

Let God be Your Source:

To put it bluntly, there is no true success outside God! I know a couple of those reading this will question me and say “Common, what about all those who are succeeding and do not know God?”. That is exactly why I used the word “true” to describe the kind of success I am talking about. True success takes it’s roots, and it’s depth in God. Success is much than possession. It has a lot to do with your position with God. I like the way the Message Bible describes 1 Sam 2: 9. It says “He protectively cares for his faithful friends, step by step, but leaves the wicked to stumble in the dark. No one makes it in this life by sheer muscle! “

Remember the story of the rich fool? “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” What a story that that nails home my point. If it must be good, then, it must be God!

When the root of your success or accomplishment is not God, then, I can predict that you’ll only be in the limelight just for a while. Very soon, the foundation will crumble, and the building will no longer hold. Years back, I read about the famous 1923 “Who is Who in Industry” gathering at the Edgewater Beach hotel in Chicago, USA. There was a meeting of nine of the world's richest people at that time. Combined, these people had more wealth than the entire U.S. government at that time!! They were all very successful men, well respected and looked up to as people who had "made it". Newspapers frequently wrote articles about them, and many college professors had used these men as examples, to teach their business and finance classes, "how to make it" in the business world. The list includes:

Charles Schwab, the president of the largest steel company in the world and the first man in American history to make a one million dollar a year salary!!,
Samuel Insull, the president of the world's largest utility company,
Richard Whitney, the president of the New York Stock exchange,
Leon Frazier, the president of the Bank of International Settlements,
Jessie Livermore, a very successful stock market giant,
Howard Hopson, President of the largest gas firm,
Arthur Cutten, the greatest wheat speculator,
Albert Fall, member of the President's Cabinet,
Ivar Kreuger, head of the company with the most widely distributed securities in the world.

Even by today's standard, these were VERY rich men, and most people today would LOVE to be in their shoes..... or would they?? Let's look at how all 9 of these men, the most wealthy, powerful men the world, wound up at the end of their lives.The first man to make a million dollars a year, Charles Schwab, died in bankruptcy just twenty five years later, having lived on borrowed money for five years before his death. Samuel Insull had died penniless after spending some time as a fugitive from justice. Richard Whitney spent time in Sing-Sing prison before his death. Leon Fraizer, Jessie Livermore, and Ivar Kreuger all committed suicide because they were so unhappy with their life. Howard Hopson went insane before his death. Arthur Cutten died completely broke. Albert Fall was sentenced to prison, but was released early so he could die at home broke and alone.

Need I say more?

Start With What You Have:

It is intriguing sometimes that a lot of people focus their energy on what they do not have! I really do not know why, but I have come to realize that most people do themselves a lot of harm by putting a lot of focus and energy on what they need, and not what they have. In simple terms, what you have is the key to what you need!
In 2 Kings 4: 1-4, there is this story of a certain widow who came to Elisha for help. Her late husband was a prophet, but didn’t leave much to be desired for her and her sons. Infact, he left them with a huge debt, so much so that they creditors had come to pick her two sons as slaves! Just like most people, she rushed to the man of God for help! I perceive she must have been looking forward to getting something tangible from Elisha. Elisha himself spoke her mind when he asked “ What can I do to help you”? It is surprising however, that Elisha didn’t allow her to answer this question, before asking another. “What do you have at home”, he asked. Elisha realized that the key to meeting her needs was in understanding what she had. Despite the fact that the woman despised what she had at home (just a jar of oil), this was sufficient to meet her needs!

What do you have? What can you do? May I challenge you to start doing that, until you find what you think you want to do? I challenge you never to underestimate what you have. Put it to use.

Some time back, I discovered that I had a special skill in passing my message across with a bit of humour. You’ll be laughing while I deliver the point. I was dead broke in those days, and I needed money to pay for my school fees. I offered what I had to some evening classes around my house then, and it became a instant hit! Soon, I was teaching “humorously” in 4-5 different evening classes while the success rates were improving. I became a household name as I was different from many other teachers. You would think it was a comedy club (lol)! Up till today, I still deliver training with a high sense of humour that leaves my audience captivated. I offered what I had, and started getting what I needed….and I am still doing that till now.

Do not despise what you have. Do not underestimate the gifts you carry. There is glory in the ordinary

To be continued.....

The Untold Wonder Of The World

Several years ago (about 11 years to be precise), I got an invitation to speak at a Love Feast on Val’s day. I recall very well that it was at the buttery of one of the hostel back in School. I wasn’t really used to speaking at such events, but being one not to walk away from a challenge, I decided to accept it, and give it my best shot. Trying to decide on what to speak about proved more difficult that I had hoped. I wanted to talk on something that lovers who came for the feast would be able to relate with. I finally settle on the topic “The 8th Wonder of the World”. With 11 years of more experience behind me, I would rather have titled it “The Untold wonder of the World”. Please follow me patiently.

The Seven Wonders of the World has historically been a listing of seven sites known to the Ancient Greeks as the most notable locales in their known world. Since then, many have developed lists of the "modern" Seven Wonders of the World. Most of these new lists have been trailed by controversies and have not been globally accepted. For the purpose of this discourse, we will stick to the original list of the wonders of the world – now popularly called the 7 wonders of the ancient world. This is a list of important objects that were built between 3000 B.C. and A.D. 476. All of the ancient wonders include objects made by human beings that were considered important because of their size or some other unusual quality.

The Great Pyramid of Giza:

The Great Pyramids were built between 2650-2500 BC. It is said that they were a tomb of Khufu. They are located in Giza, Egypt. The largest pyramid is 756 feet long on each side and 450 feet high. It is made up of 2,300,000 blocks, that each weighs two and a half tons. It took 20 years for 100,000 slaves to build it. It required 112 men to lift each separate block. The Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years! I have since been privileged to see this wonder of the world, and to tour its chambers. It is simply breathtaking!

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon:

This is perhaps the only one of the Wonders that may have been purely legendary. The gardens were attributed to the Neo-Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, who ruled between 605 and 562 BC. He is reported to have constructed the gardens to please his homesick wife, Amytis of Media, who longed for the plants of her homeland. Ancient writers describe the possible use of something similar to an Archimedes screw as a process of irrigating the terraced gardens. Estimates based on descriptions of the gardens in ancient sources say the Hanging Gardens would have required a minimum amount of 8,200 gallons of water per day!

Statue of Zeus at Olympia:

The famed statue of Zeus was richly decorated with gold and ivory. At 40 feet (about 12 m), it was so tall that its head nearly touched the top of the temple! According to legend, the sculptor Phidias asked Zeus for a sign of his approval after finishing the statue; soon after, the temple was struck by lightning. The Zeus statue graced the temple at Olympia for more than eight centuries before Christian priests persuaded the Roman emperor to close the temple in the fourth century A.D. At that time, the statue was moved to a temple in Constantinople, where it is believed to have been destroyed in a fire in the year 462.

The Colossus of Rhodes:

Colossus was built in 304 B.C. and it took twelve years to build it. The statue was 110 feet high and stood on the pedestal. Colossus was posed in a traditional Greek manner: nude, wearing a spiky crown, with his eyes shaded from the bright sun with his right hand while holding a cloak over his left hand. Colossus stood shining in the sun for 56 years. Sadly, an earthquake hit Rhodes, and the statue collapsed. Huge pieces lay in the harbor for a long time. Out of all of the wonders, Colossus was the one that stood the least amount of time. It stood for only 56 years, but in brief time won fame throughout the entire civilized world.

The Temple of Artemis:

The Temple of Artemis was one of seven of the Wonders of the ancient world. It was so big that it took 120 years to make the temple! It's hard to believe but it was one of the largest temples built in the ancient times. The temple was built in 550 B.C. Its foundation measured at 377 by 40 feet. The whole temple was entirely marble except for its tile covered wooden roof. It was built as a dedication to the Greek Goddess Artemis. The length of this temple was 425 feet and the width was 225 feet. It has a sum of 127 columns, 60 feet in height that supported the roof. Today the site of this temple is a marshy field.

The Lighthouse of Alexandria:

With a height variously estimated at somewhere in-between 393 and 450 ft (120 and 140 m), it was for many centuries among the tallest manmade structures on Earth. This lighthouse was designed differently than modern lighthouses. It was more like a 20th century sky scraper! There were three stages which were piled on top of each other. The lowest level was about 200 feet square and was shaped like a huge box. The blocks on which the lighthouse was built were marble. There was a staircase in the lighthouse that led the keepers to the beacon chamber. In there, was a curved mirror. It was used to project a fire's light into a beam. Ships could detect the beam from the tower at night or the smoke from it could be seen during the day from up to 100 miles away.

The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus:

This was a tomb built between 353 and 350 BC at Halicarnassus (present Bodrum, Turkey) for Mausolus, a satrap in the Persian Empire, and Artemisia II of Caria, his wife and sister. The Mausoleum stood approximately 45 m (148 ft) in height, and each of the four sides was adorned with sculptural reliefs created by each one of four Greek sculptors . The finished structure was considered to be such an aesthetic triumph that Antipater of Sidon identified it as one of his Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The word mausoleum has now come to be used generically for any grand tomb.

The above are the wonders listed on the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. There is a wonder however, that is both ancient and modern. Each time I read about this wonder, I am always amazed. It is the wonder of the Cross at Calvary.

The Cross at Calvary:

Nearly two thousand years ago a crowd gathered at the foot of a Roman cross to see a man who claimed to be the Son of God crucified. There were many people, many questions, and even many doubts; yet, in the end a Roman Centurion said it best, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

While nothing was so special about this cross, it’s significant to our world cannot be overemphasized. What the cross, and the event on it stands for, changed the course of human history. It brought back to us the love of God – a love pure and undefiled.
In the world around us, people are loved on the basis of their performance. So someone excites us with his athletic prowess and we say, "We love you, O.J.!" When someone pleases us, when someone stimulates us, we appreciate what they do and use the term "love" to describe our response. But God's love is not based on our performance! God's love, instead, is unconditional.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Rom 5:6-8

Christ died for us when? Was he responding to something good in our performance? Was he saying, "Oh, he's such a fine man! Look at all he has accomplished! Because he has been so good, I will shower my love on him." No, not at all. These verses use the words "powerless," "ungodly," and "sinners" to describe us. Christ died for people like this, not for people who look like they have it all together.

Nothing made us attractive to God! On the contrary, we were despicable to God. But despite our problems it was God's pleasure; it was God's will to predestine us to be adopted as his sons. So God's love is unconditional because it is the result of his sovereign choice. God's love has nothing to do with our goodness; God's love has nothing to do with our performance.

Now I don't know about you, but to me this truth is tremendously freeing. I don't have to look over my shoulder all the time, wondering if God is going to abandon me because I blew it. I don't have to worry that God might change his mind about me because of my poor performance. God already knows the worst about me -- and he chose to love me! God's love is unconditional -- delight in that statement. What a wonder!
The human mind cannot fathom the amazing essence of God's love toward mankind. When one contemplates the sheer depth, height, and breadth of His love, it truly is a wonder.

As your celebrate Val’s day today, remember the wonders of God’s Love. Man’s love is conditional and temporal. God’s Love is Unconditional and eternal!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

The Value Of Honesty

It is still very early in the morning. I have struggled with sleep all night. First, I stayed up till 12 midnight, trying to listen to our President address us on the state of the nation. The broadcast was billed to happen 3 hours earlier but this didn’t happen. Even after deciding to go to bed at 12, I couldn’t just get sleep! Nigeria, my dear country, was on my mind! The last few days have been very dramatic in the country. I am sure the government did not expect (or did not prepare) for the intensity of mass protests that greeted a 117% increase in the pump price of PMS. I walked for over 10 km in order to join other Nigerians in protesting against this draconian rule. I was surprised to see the caliper of the people that led and attended the rallies. A very good number of them can afford to pay 300 NGN/litre for the fuel! The issue was of course, bigger than fuel subsidy removal. It had to do with monumental corruption in government and in the nation as a whole. There is so much dishonesty at every level. It is amazing.

I am in full support of the mass protests, and I sincerely hope that this would be a turning point in our nation’s history. I honestly hope that we would not just go to sleep after these protests are all over. I hope we would continue to ask our government to be accountable. Nigeria would certainly not be the same again.

While meditating this morning however, it occurred to me that we do not only have dishonesty in government. We have it everywhere in the nooks and crannies of our nation. We have dishonest workers who would not put in a full day’s job. We have dishonest traders who would sell sub standard products to unsuspecting customers. We have dishonest husbands who ate unfaithful to their wives. We have dishonest parents who would do anything to make their children pass exams, including buying them the question papers. Let’s no deceive ourselves. As we ask for honesty in government, let us remember this – If we want a honest nation, then, we’ve got to have honest people.
We live in a world that has become so obsessed with success and material wealth at the expense of all else. It’s very rare to see men and women of integrity who would hold on to their righteousness by all means. “The end justifies the means” is now the motto of several people, all in a bid to amass wealth. It is a tragedy!

Sometime ago, a colleague sent a story to me by mail. I had read this story a few times before now, but this time around, it made more sense to me. Can I share this story with you? It is an old Ghanaian fable.

“An aging king woke up one day to the realization that should he drop dead, there would be no male in the royal family to take his place. He was the last male in the royal family in a culture where only a male could succeed to the throne - and he was aging. He decided that if he could not give birth to a male, he would adopt a son who then could take his place, but he insisted that such an adopted son must be exraordinary in every sense of the word. So he launched a competition in his kingdom, open to all boys, no matter what their background. Ten boys made it to the every top. There was little to separate these boys in terms of intelligence and physical attributes and capabilities. The king said to them, "I have one last test and whoever comes top will become my adopted son and heir to my throne."

Then he said, "This kingdom depends solely on agriculture. So the king must know how to cultivate plants. So here is a seed of corn for each of you. Take it home and plant and nurture it for three weeks. At the end of three weeks, we shall see who has done the best job of cultivating the seed. That person will be my heir-apparent. "

The boys took their seeds and hurried home. They each got a flower pot and planted the seed as soon as they got home. There was much excitement in the kingdom as the people waited with bated breath to see who was destined to be their next king. In one home, the boy and his parents were almost heartbroken when after days of intense care, the seed failed to sprout. He did not know what had gone wrong with his. He had selected the soil carefully, he had applied the right quantity and type of fertilizer, he had been very dutiful in watering it at the right intervals, he had even prayed over it day and night and yet his seed had turned out to be unproductive.

Some of his friends advised him to go and buy a seed from the market and plant that. "After all," they said, "how can anyone tell one seed of corn from another?" But his parents who had always taught him the value of integrity reminded him that, if the king wanted them to plant any corn, he would have asked them to go for their own seed. "If you take anything different from what the king gave you that would be dishonesty. Maybe we are not destined for the throne. If so, let it be but don't be found to have deceived the king," they told him.

The D-Day came, and the boys returned to the palace each of them proudly exhibiting a very fine corn seedling. It was obvious that the other nine boys had had great success with their seeds. The king began making his way down the line of eager boys and asked each of them "Is this came out of the seed I gave you?" And each boy responded, "Yes, your majesty." And the king would nod and move down the line. The king finally got to the last boy in the line-up. The boy was shaking with fear. He knew that the king was going to have him thrown into prison for wasting his seed.

"What did you do with the seed I gave you?" the king asked."I planted it and cared for it diligently, your majesty, but alas it failed to sprout." the boy said tearfully, as the crowd booed him. But the king raised his hands and signaled for silence. Then he said, "My people behold your next king." The people were confused. "Why that one?" many asked. "How can he be the right choice?" The king took his place on his throne with the boy by his side and said, "I gave these boys boiled seeds. This test was not for cultivating corn. It was the test of character; a test of integrity. It was the ultimate test. If a king must have one quality, it must be that he should be above dishonesty. Only this boy passed the test. A boiled seed cannot sprout." ”

The single most important quality you can ever develop that will enhance every part of your life is the value of integrity and hoensty. Integrity is the core quality of a successful and happy life. Having integrity means being totally honest and truthful in every part of your life. By making the commitment to become a totally honest person, you will be doing more to ensure your success and happiness in life than anything else you can ever do. Most importantly, you will contribute to the progress of our country. We are in dire need of honest men.

Will you stand up to be counted with men of integrity?

Is The Juice Worth The Squeeze?

Whenever I travel out of the country, I always dread my return trip back to Lagos, for several reasons. I am sure a lot of you already know most of them. First and foremost, the flight is most often overloaded! Nigerians carry lots and lots of loads, and if you do not board early, then, you are not likely to get a space in the overhead compartment. It is amazing. Secondly, Nigerians are always in a hurry to get down from the plane whenever it touches ground! Sometimes I really get confused and ask a lot of questions. I really don't know the difference that 15 minutes extra makes to these folks who are in a hurry to get down. The plane could have been delayed in the air for 30 minutes for all you care.

Why rush to leave the plane when you may be the last person to leave the airport?

The last trip I made back to Lagos was particularly very funny. As the pilot announced our descent into Lagos, a couple of people (and I mean that) started removing their luggage from the overhead compartments and putting it right beside then, on the aisle! They were trying to get a head start ahead of others! The crew kept repeating that everyone needs to place back their bags in the overhead compartment. It was so embarrassing I must say. Even after the plane landed, it was like war! Everyone was scrambling to get out first. There was this woman that had 2 heavy pieces of luggage and was pulling them along all by herself, of course, in a hurry. While trying to pull these loads over the elevator, she fell so badly. I am very sure she must have sustained wounds she didn't know at that moment. The interesting thing is this - whether you leave the plane early or late, we all have to queue up around the MMA carousel to wait for our luggage! If you are lucky, you will get it in 1hr, sometime much longer. I once flew business class on an airline and was among the last 5 to get my luggage! The carousel is a leveler. This leads me to my questions above - Is the juice really worth the squeeze? Why rush to leave the plane when you may be the last person to leave the airport?

This question is valid, not only for the example above, but for all aspects of life. People are fond of taking plunges in life, marriages, business, career, work etc, without asking if the juice is really worth the squeeze. We are too blinded by immediate benefits, without taking time to consider the long term implications of our actions and inactions. Especially in Africa, people do not see far beyond their noses. They are concerned with NOW, and now alone. I believe Africa and African leaders are suffering from the NOW syndrome. It is a slow killer disease! That is why we are the way we are. God have mercy.

I believe Africa and African leaders are suffering from the NOW syndrome. It is a slow killer disease!

It is very easy to change jobs these days. Any company down the street can offer you a better package. It would definitely look so attractive and so juicy! It is much better than what you had before and all. You couldn't have asked for something better. You even give a testimony about it in church. Halleluyah! The Lord is good. Months down the line, you are already thinking of changing jobs! You are already seeing flaws in your new company and wishing you were still with the old. Was the juice really worth the squeeze? Did you consider both short and long term implications of your actions? Some of us really overestimate our problems you know? And that's why we do not consider long term implications. We are too blinded by the present. I like the story of Jacob and Esau in the Bible. It is an interesting read. I have heard many preachers and authors castigate Jacob. However, I see wisdom in what he did. While I am not about to write about them, I want to bring your attention to a statement that Esau made, in the heat of his hunger. “I am at the point to die, and what profit shall this birthright do to me?" Was he really about to die? He has probably missed a few meals but was this enough to kill him? No wonder he didn't consider long term implications of his actions. He never stopped to ask “Is this juice really worth the squeeze"?

There are many children of God today who are losing their integrity because of money. The desire to be rich and comfortable has blinded many. They would do anything to get this money...and show forth the goodness of God! Along the way, they lose something so precious to them, their integrity. Was the juice really worth the squeeze? Was it really worth it? What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? I like the way The Message version of the Bible puts it “What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?" Are all the sacrifices worth what you are striving for?

Are the benefits you will get outweighing the sacrifices you are making? If not, then, don’t do it!

We have seen marriages fail, and woefully at that because of the myopic thinking of people. The statistics in church is not any better than that outside the church. Why? People are squeezing the juice without really asking if it's worth it! Just before you do anything that will hurt your spouse or hurt your marriage, may I ask you to please stop for a second? Is it really worth it? Are the benefits you will get outweighing the sacrifices you are making? If not, then, don’t do it!

Make sure that what you are doing and striving for is going to be worth any sacrifices you will have to make along the way – whether it is in a relationship, at work, and even in life generally. Make sure the juice you are squeezing is worth it!

The Price For Success Is Paid In Advance

I had planned to attend the APICS 2011 conference since I saw the notes of the previous edition. Since then, I had been looking forward to personally being in the next edition. That plan was executed this past week. It was a great pleasure to mix with the best minds in the industry, who are leading the supply chains of their various companies, all around the globe, to gain competitive advantage. The conference was attended by about 2,000 people from 40 different countries, and would easily pass as the best professionally conference that I have ever attended. I had the pleasure of meeting lots of people on a 1:1 basis, including Rocky Bleiier (Legendary Pittsburgh Steeler and author of “Fighting Back”), Jim Donald (former CEO of Starbucks) and Lisa Hershman (CEO of Hammer and Company, and coauthor of “Faster, Cheaper and Better”). It was a blast!

We sure live in a world that is changing at an alarming rate. It is a world of the 3C’s – Accelerated Changes, Overwhelming Complexities and Intense Competition. You can practically start a global business on your laptop, right in your bedroom! Today, we face global competition, and customers can compare prices online. We are expected to meet customer demand and needs in an unpredictable world. The physical borders of economies are being broken and torn down at an alarming speed. Businesses, and individuals alike, need to get a competitive advantage to stay alive. In other to do this, companies and individuals need to follow the advice of Jerry Rice. Jerry Rice, the NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver and the man who has scored more touchdowns than anyone else, was famous for his work ethic. His workouts were legendary for their length and intensity. When asked why he worked so hard, he said, “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t. Think about that!

Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t

Great athletes are NOT great just because of some good genetics. Regardless of your genes and even though you cannot dictate what genes you are born with you do have a profound ability as individuals, as athletes, as people to affect how your genes are expressed. Your exercise training, nutrition, sleep, et.c . all play a role and influence what genes are expressed and which ones are suppressed. Athletes often think “ Well I would work out every day too if I was getting paid millions of dollars". When an athlete says and really believes this then they will NEVER "make it". Such an athlete has failed to realize that there is a price needed to be paid today, in order to be in the limelight tomorrow. You don’t achieve success before starting to pay the price. The price for success is paid in advance! What they do not understand is these athletes who are making money to play have been busting their butts off way before being a pro was even a thought. They love to train, love to compete and enjoy the journey of progressing at their sport.

The price for success is paid in advance!

This doesn’t only work in sports and for athletes. It works everywhere and for everyone. All over the globe, individuals and businesses alike, are gaining competitive advantages by doing the things that others are not willing to do today.
Businesses that are brazing the trail today did things yesterday that other didn’t do. They took decisions that others were slow to take. The launched products that others were still debating on. They invested in new and emerging economies when others were still collecting data. When you see a business leading its sector and market today, be sure of one thing…..they did the things that others were not willing to do yesterday!

Managers that are climbing the corporate ladder today, ahead of their peers, were willing to do jobs that others were not willing to do. They went to locations others were not willing to go. They took on challenges that others were reluctant to take. Today, they enjoy the benefit of being ahead in their career, because they paid the price others were not willing to pay yesterday. This is not rocket science. It is a simple principle.

An important principle of success in all walks of life and in all occupations is a willingness to " Go The Extra Mile "; which means the rendering of more and better service than that for which one is paid, and giving it in a positive mental attitude. Search wherever you will for a single sound argument against this principle and you will not find it, nor will you find a single instance of enduring success, which was not attained in part by its application.

As we see the global market changing more in the coming months and years, may I ask you honestly “What are you willing to do today, that other are not doing, in order to have tomorrow what others won’t have”?

Help Yourself By Helping Others

One of the greatest secret of success is helping others to succeed. Your chances on success increase exponentially when you help other people attain success. Someone once made an observation that has become a signature on my emails. He said “when a man is wrapped up in himself, he makes a pretty small package – and that package contains an unhappy person” This about it for a moment: Have you ever known a genuinely happy self centered person? I doubt.

Your chances on success increase exponentially when you help other people attain success.

I once read a story about a man who was hiking in the mountains. He was taken by surprise in a sudden snow storm and quickly lost his way. He knew he needed to find shelter fast, or he would freeze to death. Despite all of his efforts, his hands and feet quickly went numb. In his wandering, he literally tripped over another man who was almost frozen. The hiker had to make a decision: Should he help the man or should he continue in hopes of saving himself?

In an instant, he made a decision and threw off his wet gloves. He knelt beside the man and began massaging his arms and legs. After the hiker had worked a few minutes, the man began to respond and was soon able to get on his feet. Together the two men, supporting each other, found help. The hiker was later informed that by helping another, he had helped himself. His numbness vanished while he was massaging the stranger’s arms and legs. His heightened activity had enhanced his circulation and brought warmth to his hands and feet. Isn’t it ironic that when he lost sight of himself and focused on solving another’s problem he solved his own problem?

Hakeem Olajunwon is the all pro centre for the Houston Rockets, the world’s champion of the National Basketball Association in 1994 and 1995. The year before they won their first championship against the New York Knicks, Hakeem realized that because he was a team leader, his responsibility was more pronounced than anyone else’s. He recognized that he had a weakness in his game, which was the fifteen-foot jump shot. Think about it. He earned a multimillion dollar income and had been all pro for six consecutive years. However, he felt that the team would never win a championship until he improved his shooting from fifteen feet

Before the 1993-94 seasons, he went to the gym everyday and practiced five hundred fifteen-foot jump shots. That’s an incredible test of building strength, endurance and improvement in performance. In 1994, when the Houston Rockets defeated the New York Knicks in seven games, there was only one game with more than a five-point difference in the score. Replays revealed that had Hakeem not improved his shooting percentage from fifteen feet, the New York Knicks would have won instead of the Houston Rockets.

Here are some questions for you to think about: First, do you believe that Hakeem is popular with his teammates as a result of the extra efforts he made to help bring the championship to Houston? Second, do you believe Hakeem was thrilled to win the world championship ring? And third, do you understand why he got a significant raise when his contract was up for renewal?

It is true. You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want. Hakeem helped his team mates, the owners and the fans gain that championship. He won big-time because he, too, was part of the championship team and as a matter of fact, was named the most valuable player for his tremendous efforts.

The fastest way to reach the mountain peaks of life is to forget about self and help other people reach greater heights.

See you at the top.