Some years ago, I was in a dream and someone walked up to me and said ' for the fact they can shake your waist does not mean they can move your weight'. He said some other things which I couldn't remember, but that was the basic message he came to deliver to me. I never knew that the reason for giving me that lifetime slogan was because of the tough road ahead of me.
In those days, life was very tough, and I thought I had seen enough, not knowing that it was just the beginning. I was born into a house not a home, because as I started growing, I began to understand that there is a difference between both of them. A house can contain anything and anybody, but in a home is the divine presence of parenthood, marshalled in love and unity. Apart from God’s love that kept me, the person that played a very vital role in my life was my grandmother. She was a rock that couldn't be moved, a great
character of love in its real sense. As I get up early this morning to put some bits and pieces of writings together, it is not because I consider myself better than a single person out there; but as someone who has eaten out of the bitter fruits of life, I do have words of encouragement for someone. I understand the difference between character and charisma. They are both okay, but where charisma ends, that's where character begins. The fire of life is always a teacher, most often wanting you to give up, especially when you get to the middle of the road where no one seem to be there or understand what you're going through; vigour not rigour will create the right identity for you. When the wild flames of life come with its ravaging disaster, and the nights come with insomnia because the issues of life want to bend you to a breaking point, it's not time to give up but to stand the test until you prove your strength. People often surrender easily to challenges, some don’t even want it at all, but I have never seen a promotion that comes without an examination. Where it has existed, we could all see what a wishy washy outcome it has been. For the individual reading this article, I want you to realise that there is a big difference between a circumstance and a status. Your circumstance cannot define you except you allow it to. Your status has a potential for growth when you feed it with the right information tutored in the right environment.
As a child, I saw the challenges ahead of me, so I braced up to go through the fire without getting burnt. I was prepared not to make myself genetic garbage. Under the age of four, my grandmother will counsel me like an adult. She will say' your brain may be too young to interpret the words I’m injecting into you, but your spirit does understand. Live your life with guiding principles and you will always come out on top'. Precepts should continue to be our concepts even if it does offend the simple minded. Talking about the simple minded, there are lots of people who consider self discipline to be rigidity; they distaste it. What you have to realise is that you can’t please everyone; but you should endeavour to please someone. Pleasing someone should not comprise the basic principles of the law of relationship; life must be give and take. It is wrong
for you to take all the time, just as it is wrong for you to keep giving and never receiving.
One truth I want to establish in this article is that no matter the number of foes surrounding you or the high impossible walls before you, the one who perseveres prevails. There's no one who has a testimony without acrimony. I do wonder when some people say they have seen it all. No man has seen it all. You can’t even see it all because, where your story ends is where another person’s story begins. Also, people allow a bruised beginning to dictate a lifetime journey. This is a dangerous trend. Allowing a poor start to determine
your pace will make you lose the race. It is suicidal to walk through life with an unhealthy and unforgiving mind. Bear no grudges, bear no hurts. Take the ointment that comes out of forgiveness to oil your forehead, so that the true beauty that comes from a purified heart will unlock your destiny. In the face of adversity, daring to be different will make you stand out. Those who stand out are easily counted because they are few in number. Anytime I take the National Rail, I always observe that the passengers occupying the first class seating areas are far fewer than those in the standard class. Even when there is a high level of human traffic in the standard class, the first class is virtually empty. This scenario can be applied to our everyday life. Some people choose to live a first class life; others prefer to be in the standard class where everything and anything goes. The law of standing out is different from the law of everybody. If you live the life of everybody, you will die the death of everybody. Character is not hereditary; it is cultivated. If you throw away the implements that weed out the thorns, you will spend your whole life sorting out the right fruits. Again, living right is a decision, not an opinion. Opinions may be diverse, but your decision should be concrete.
There are three attributes that will make a man stand out from the multitude; his skills, character, and principles. If these attributes are missing, any responsibility placed on the individual becomes a waste. The great thing is that these three work simultaneously. We have seen lots of people with great talents who have gone down the drain; possessing so much skill but failing in character and principles. Whether in career, sports or entertainment, self management is the key to excellence. How come a lot of people make so much money especially in sports and entertainment but end up being broke, hooked on drugs or alcoholism. If money was the pipeline to eternal joy and happiness, then they should have had it all. We read and hear of Footballers fighting in nightclubs. We also know about Celebrities who shouldn’t be celebrated. These role models don’t understand the ‘role’ in their responsibilities. They don’t realise that young people look up to them; except for a few, they are bad examples to the youth who see them as mentors.
The limit of your stretch in dependent on your elasticity. To what extent can you go when life wants to take you beyond the limit? How cheap or expensive is your attitude to hold on? If you let your character crumble in the face of opposition, you just missed an opportunity to set a new standard. Those who persevere are wise; they may appear slow, but break new grounds. Hanging up the boot when the game is still on does not give you victory. Every winner show a character of strength, then there is a good story to tell.
In this article, my intention is to address certain uncommon skills, character and principles. I must emphasise that success doesn’t necessarily mean money; success is spiritual and physical. For example, a peaceful man is a successful man. The world may have their own definitions; but this is mine. People try to structure our value system by giving it an interpretation that shouldn’t be. When we think in the pattern of their definitions and structures, life becomes very frustrating. We've got to realise that everyman has a calling. Your calling is your office, and the level of your office determines the level of your provision. Never assess yourself on quantity but on percentage. It is your percentage increase that will enhance your quantity, and give you a peace of mind. Life is not a competition, because everyone can become a winner; it
depends on your level of commitment and sacrifice. Focussing on other people’s quantity is the worst distraction that can steal a man’s goal from him. In life, you will always meet people who are better than you in one way or the other, but let your drive be in your driveway, so you won’t crash.
I pray that you will receive an eternal change that will make a difference in your life. It will be a fulfilment for me if this article can have a divine impact in you.
God bless you.
RSS Feed