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Saturday, May 29, 2010

UNDERSTANDING YOUR 'SEED 'ELEMENT

Much of what we know about seeds is limited to those tiny little things we see in our fruits, and which we often throw away because we judge it by it’s size, it’s looks and the fact that it never tastes nice.
The seed as we see it is more than our minds perceive, the seed is the LIFE of every tree, and the essence of growth for all plants.
Now, I am not a farmer, neither am I a horticulturist, though you may doubt this having seen my previous article on laws of increase, but I will like to share with you a certain and distinct similarity between Trees and Man. The one thing we have in common-the seed element.

Let me start by saying that your seed element is the Greatness within you, your untapped potential which the world eagerly awaits.
Man like the seed is made and meant to reproduce, and I do not just mean biological reproduction, but one more qualified in terms of business, career, marriage, social structures and even governments.
For a Clearer understanding, I would like us to look at three basic features/ elements of the seed.

•The Size of the Seed:
Now we all know that the seed is the smallest component of a tree and it cannot compare in terms of size with the other parts of the tree, even the fruits which are relatively small are by far larger in size than the seed( I mean for most standard fruits).
However the size of the seed has nothing to do with the role in germination, in fact, it is one of the beauties of nature. Man on the other hand is an embodiment of seeds, and in fact a variety of them, the problem with man however is that we tend to judge our seeds by its size, makes me wonder, what ever happened to the slogan ‘great things come in small packages’ how often we forget this. Our seed, like I said in my previous article symbolizes our gifts, skills, qualifications, and in some cases a mere desire or passion. It doesn’t have to be substantive, it only has to exist, however small that idea is, don’t write it off, learn from the farmer and understand the potency of your seed.
The Tree for man is the end product, while the seed is our take off point, and like I always say, Dream big, start small and start now!!!

•The Mortality of the Seed:

Don’t get that look on your face because I said mortality, yes, mortality. The life giving aspect of the seed stems from it’s death, how do I explain this? Ok, look at it this way, a seed doesn’t really become anything more than a seed unless and until it is planted, (dead and buried), it is after this that germination really occurs. The same is actually applicable to Man, that idea will never really become anything more than an idea until you do something with it, same goes for your dreams, ambitions and aspirations, they will never really become a reality except you are ready to run with it and die for it. this is more on the metaphorical sense, but bringing it home, get ready to be laughed at, disbelieved, ridiculed, mocked and most importantly rejected, but don’t be dismayed because usually after the turmoil comes the light at the end of the tunnel. Bear in mind that its your seed, to be planted in a world full of thorns and weeds, but if you are resistant and persistent enough not to be discouraged, its only a matter of time before the light of the sun will bring nourishment to you.


•The Capacity of the seed:
This by far is my favorite because it encapsulates the very fact that the seed is way bigger that what we take it for. The seed has the capacity to produce not just any tree, but trees that will last.
The seed also has the capacity not to produce food for one, or for a unit, but for hundreds of thousands over time, Can you connect and appreciate this in the seed element of man? Lets do it together, as a man, our seeds are meant to last, we are not created to entertain mediocre ideas, but ideas that will sustain nations, and every skill, gift, qualification that you possess has the capacity for that if only you know how to plant it.
Secondly, inasmuch as the tree provides food for hundreds of thousands, we need to understand that our seed also is made not just to sustain ourselves or our families, but our nation and generations yet unborn.

Friday, May 28, 2010

5 ‘laws’ of INCREASE

The Earth as we know it, is designed in such a way that virtually every living thing has the element of growth. Right from the plants, insects, animals and up to human beings. This growth does not necessarily connote the physical advancement of living things, but refers to the innate ability of living and in some cases non living things to produce fruits of its kind. It is the law of productivity, the law of increase.
Increase is therefore a necessary and fundamental element for growth and success and there are certain laws that invariably govern the nature and extent of our increase.

1. Know thyself:
Knowledge of oneself is probably the most basic aspect of growth, every thing is created for growth, man, animals, ideas, nations, businesses, amongst others. Knowing thyself is more an issue of identity, knowing what you are made of and knowing what you are made for, knowing what you want out of life, knowing how far you are willing to go, knowing the extent of your strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly, knowing that you were created for increase, your ideas, plans, passion and ambitions are designed for growth. It’s a crime for you to be in one place for too long, it’s the law against stagnation!

2. Know thy seed:
The seed is the most potent tool for growth in the hands of the farmer, and so it is with every other human being. The thing about seed is that it reproduces after its kind, I mean no one plants an orange seed and expects an almond harvest.
Seed here refers to your gifts, skills, experience, expertise, qualifications. Another thing about seeds is that you don’t keep your seeds, they are for planting, and so are your skills!

3. Know thy soil:
As valuable as a seed is, it can easily be destroyed if it is not planted in the right soil. The soil is extremely important because it provides the right atmosphere and temperature for growth. In relation to us humans, it derives in our knowing our area of competence as against the society we wish to plant or invest. Fish doesn’t struggle to swim in water, birds don’t struggle to fly, this is because their environment/point of relevance is compatible with their seed structure.
Understanding your soil saves you time, energy and prevents you from making investments in an atmosphere that is not conducive for your seed, on the other hand, it could also empower you to know the necessary amendments and alterations to make in order for the system to be more accommodating to your seed.

4. Understand the times and the seasons:
Life is governed by times and seasons, from birth to death, everything fluctuates from one temperature to another. From spring, winter, autumn, and summer. Nothing is constant, it’s a law of nature, the best people to understand this is the brokers who study the stock market, and as a law of Increase, we must have an understanding of our planting seasons, know when to take off, know when to hold back, and most importantly be patient, always bearing in mind that the rainy season which often look like the messiest season of the year, is the season that yields the growth!

5. Make room for the harvest:
One thing we need to know is that there is no hard and fast rule for when the harvest will come. This all depends on the nature of the seed that was planted, the peculiarities of the soil, the weather conditions etc, having understood this, make enough room for the harvest so that when it finally comes you will have room for it. Prepare in advance for that big business break by getting an office or warehouse, if you hope to travel out, procure a passport, if you want an academic qualification, buy the forms and study for the exams, always be prepared , that way the harvest doesn’t catch you by surprise!

Monday, May 24, 2010

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SELF CONFIDENCE

I struggled with Insecurity for most of my teenage years, always having this misconceived notion that I was not good enough, didn’t look good enough or didn’t score high enough grades. The worse was how I felt about my appearance, thinking back now; I can’t imagine how I could have been so shallow as to have a fundamental Problem with the shape of my head, the size of my nose amongst others.

It is perhaps this experience that has led me to share with you how I have been able to conquer and still am combating low self esteem and ultimately build my self confidence. I hope these 3 steps will be helpful!

Don’t deny, rather acknowledge:

Life is full of limitations. The world constantly screams YOU CAN’T, we were not given the opportunity to choose the way we look, or the circumstances of our birth.
The most fundamental step to improving your self confidence is to acknowledge your limitations, the moment you do that, the situation will be half solved. There is no point living in denial, the first thing a crippled man has to do is to acknowledge the fact that he has no legs…this admission will invariably lead him to ask the question, what next?

Don’t change, rather accept:

So what if your life is clouded with one or two limitations? Everyone has something that they had rather have or not have. You can’t change you, so accept you for you. Believe that you are the best you that there can be(let me hear you say it) YES, have a faith mentality. There is only one custom made, tailor designed you. You may not be perfect but at least you are an original. Don’t copy people, resist the crowd, believe in yourself and the world will believe you.

Don’t ignore, rather improve:

The fact that you have learnt to love and accept yourself does not leave room for mediocrity. The limitations are still there, you cannot change it but you definitely can improve it.
Aspire to be better, the world requires it of you! Take those limitations and work them out for your greatest advantage. Here are a few tips; dress good, speak well, read wide-knowing something others do not know can go a long way to boost your self esteem, work harder, be better, go an extra mile and most importantly, stand taller in the midst of the crowd!



GOOD LUCK…

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Building Successful Relationships!

I always pride myself in the fact that I am a people person, which is why I find it puzzling when I can barely count people I can call on with the tip of my fingers. this got me thinking and well it has inspired this writeup. so here its is......
Don't just make friends, Build Relationships! and ones that will last too. Behind every great man is a woman,...and a network of relationships built over the years.
First thing we need to understand is that No one is an island, and I mean NOBODY. People need people and you can never be self made otherwise you will be self destruct.
When I say build relationships, I mean it in the real architectural sense. let's take a look, but I must warn you,I am no architect so there is no particular order.

  • LAY A GOOD FOUNDATION: like they say, first impressions last the longest. 2 things:
what do people think when they meet you for the first time?
what do you want people to think when they meet you for the first time?

Appearances actually do matter, it's called packaging, lay a good foundation for your networks, I mean, if you are going to be remembered, it might as well be for good.right?

  • PUT UP A GOOD STRUCTURE:
Having worked on your foundation, the next logical thing is to put up a good structure. what designs do you want for your building? you have to know what you want from any relationship. Smart people usually meet a person for the first time and know instantly whether they want them for social network or business network. whichever the case may be, know the structure of the relationship you want to build and start putting it's designs in place.
  • GET YOUR RAW MATERIALS:
Usually raw materials means expenditure and that connotes Investment. don't be afraid to spend on people, it's afterall an investment that may yield a life time, who knows? lol.
In investing, try not to spend too much so you dont appear suspicious and try not to spend too little so you don't appear stingy.
Spend as much as you can manage on your relationships and friends to let them know that you value and appreciate them.
  • START BUILDING:
Put the blocks in place, this connotes manual labour, but in our case it may not be physical, but we work to appeal to the sentiment of the other person. sacrifice is heavy, but it is a neccessary block in building.
Note that you build yourself as well as the relationship, learn how to keep a secret, give a favour, be there when it matters, always show that you care, that you can be trusted and slowly warm your way into the heart of the person.
  • FENCING:
Some people do this at the early stage of construction, but develop it when the actual building is complete. it's tantamount to Gating...having worked so hard on your relationship, you don't want to leave it open and vulnerable to intruders.
Protect your interest, people are worth fighting for, friends are worth keeping, you just have to determine the ones that are worth the while and go for them.

P.S Maintenance of every building is neccessary and in this case it is entirely up to you!

ANOTHER CHANCE!

I remember as a little girl of age six, I was taken to the beach by my soon to be step mom, who had the best of intentions. To cut this story short, I was playing by the sea shore when all of a sudden a wave came and took me away.

I definitely remember what it felt like at age six to think I was dying, and I was, when suddenly I felt a grip on my wrist, felt my self taking an involuntary U-turn and then found myself on the bank of the sea.

A lot of years have gone by since the incident but I can't help but wonder why I was given a new lease of life, what most people refer to as a second chance.

My story is not perculiar, almost everyone has been given a second chance in life in one aspect or another, It may not be as dramatic as mine was, but whether it's in a past relationship, a broken marraige or a missed opportunity, Life has a way or throwing us in situations where we have the opportunities to remedy our mistakes.

Now what baffles me is not the second chance that is presented to us, but the fact that despite this second chance,we repeat the same mistakes made earlier.

As men and women in a failing society, chances are that some of our plans won't work and the ones that work won't go according to plan, but rather than beat ourselves over this, we should realize that every disapointment and every failure brings with itself an opportunity to do it again and to do it better.

So, whether it's a new lease of life, a career path or the choices we made in times past, let us always bear in mind that the second time is often the better time!

Saturday, May 22, 2010

TEN Highly effective habits of successful people(part 2)

6.THE HABIT OF ASKING:
I often wonder to myself why men find it so hard to ask for road directions especially when it is so obvious that they are lost.it could be attributed to thier ego, whatever the reason is, it is just not right.
Nobody is self made, and I mean NOBODY! Asking may seem trivial to an ordinary mind but to the Great mind it is a potent weapon that sets you on edge over your contempoaries. don't just make your decisions, I know it's your life but ask around. afterall it is said that'in the mouth of many there is counsel
Finally, bear in mind that Inquiry precedes Direction, Direction precedes Purpose and Purpose precedes Relevance. so ask a question today!


7.THE HABIT OF MAKING MISTAKES:
The thing about mistakes is that you will have to be real silly to make the same mistake more than once which unfortunately, most of us do.
Mistakes is very fundamental to growth. no Genius ever gets it right the very first time.
Don't be afraid to fall, fail, or do it again.Persistence is the key phrase here.
Mistakes are actually good, it's the inability to learn from our mistakes that is bad!


8.THE HABIT OF GRATITUDE:
Pause, think back, how often do you say thank you for nothing?
The heart of gratitude is the heart of hope and the thing about being thankful is that it doesn't have to be for any particular reason.
Always find an excuse to appreciate your spouse, children, parents, friends, Life and your Maker. this gratitude is synonymous with optimism, always find a reason to smile and say thank you, even in the midst of the storm!
True Greatness starts in being grateful for the tiniest things.


9.THE HABIT OF BELIEVING:
What most people call faith, question is, what is that thing you believe in? everyone has at least one thing that they believe in, something they will always vouch for, and something they will be willing to die for. some other people refer to it as passion.
What you believe in brings passion and passion is a driver, it just keeps pushing you to that desirable height of success.
Anybody can get to the top, but passion for what you believe in is what keeps you there. To be truly successful, you must be passionate!


10.THE HABIT OF PRAYER:
If you are able to master the nine habits above, you are well on your way to the top, except for one thing; this is Life and in life there is no 100% guarantee except you want to believe a lie.
I believe that the earth is designed by a superior being, often referred to by many as GOD.
True success starts by acknowledging him and submitting yourself to him in prayer.





Friday, May 21, 2010

TEN Highly effective habits of successful people(PART 1)

1. THE HABIT OF LOOKING:
A peculiarity of every great man is the ability to look. the concept of looking cannot be abstract because you can't look at nothing.
Looking entails fixing your gaze on something-the power of focus.never really being satisfied with where you are, the eyes of your heart always looking for more, more opportunities,more ideas, more possibilities.
Looking is tantamount to zeal...Look because it's only in looking that you find!

2.THE HABIT OF SEEING:
Ever heard the phrase 'look,what do you see'? maybe not. but it presupposes that looking and seeing are two different things altogether.
seeing, I'll describe as the evidence of looking.it's almost synonymous to discovery.ten people can look at a particular thing or direction and only five of them get to see potential.
It's the power of vision, to experience this, position yourself to look from the right angle...it's called perspectve.
Successful people dont just look for opportunities, they see the best or rather greater potential and go for it!

3. THE HABIT OF PLANNING:
Growing up in high school was fun,we were bombarded with so many phrases,one of which I remember'if you fail to plan,then you plan to fail' it's actually self explanatory.
After seeing an opportunity, what next? it's only logical you organize things, what some people call strategizing.
Deligence is the key phrase here,if you are not consistent,it's only a matter of time before you crash!

4.THE HABIT OF STANDING:
A great woman(Bimbo Odukoya) once said'if you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything'
How do you stand? simple...you just stand, don't stagger, don't stumble, you simply stand.
Grammarians may like to refer to it as resilience or being resolute, whichever you prefer, bear in mind that if you must attain that height of success,you must stand stubbornly for what you believe!

5.THE HABIT OF SCATTERING:
Don't be confused, I mean the scattering in relation to a farmer and his seeds. He understands that to yield a harvest, the seed must die,so he scatters his seed in anticipation for the harvest.
Scattering therefore entails letting go in return of a reward that cannnot be quantified in terms of value.
A truly great man or woman never passes up an opportunity to scatter/invest, so keep scattering, keep investing and know that the greatest asset you can invest in is a human being.
Believe in people, believe in their dreams and invest in them!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

BREAKING BARRIERS!

1.
Break Out: from everything and every one who ever told you no, you can't, why, how, impossible or even worse...it's never been done before.

2.
Break forth: go forward, launch out, make progress,be proactive, do something and follow your dreams.

3.
Break through: don't stop, keep moving, yes, I know the limitations are there, the stumbling blocks, discouragements,social structures, stereotypes but dont you dare stop till you break through and eventually break in to DESTINY!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

SATISFACTION

More than a feeling of contentment, a sense of pride or a nod of approval....
It's a feeling of sheer bliss, and yet, deeper than a feeling.
It's antecedents are Joy, Peace...yes, laughter even in labour.
It's fruit is a good night's sleep after a day of hard work
It's value is so rare, men of means can't afford it
Like a reward, it is often bestowed on men of understanding.
How far will I go, how long will it take...for it is the search of a lifetime.
Who then is the man that seeks satisfaction? It is he who finds Joy in the work of his hands,
Not in the perfection of the work,
Not in the completion of the task,
Not in the fruits sought to be yielded,
but simply...in the work of his hands!