DO YOU HAVE A COACH AND A TEAM?...PERHAPS YOU CAN WREST THE MOON FROM THE SKIES.

      A Flashack;

 

"The Athlete of today is not an Athlete alone. He's the center of a team - Doctors, Scientists, Coaches, Agents and so on"...Emil Zatopek.

Back in nursery school, i remember vividly my teacher constantly emphasizing that we pray, especially by just saying "Thank you Lord".
Even if i didn't understand its significance back then, it was sure a lot of fun.
As interesting and engaging as that under-estimated act was, it created a kind of notion and perhaps a vague awareness that there was a superior authority that required us to look up to, like a mentor and comfort.
It molded us into mature children anticipating something colourful out of life, making us feel not just alive, but human.


"I believe every era has its significance and the same holds true for players and coaches"...Sachin Tendulkar.

Timely Manifestations;

Thereafter, naturally our environment gradually replicated itself in our everyday activity. Various kids started to excel in different fields as they discovered themselves and found out where each person was strongest and easily fit in. Some were good in sports, some were academic wizards, some had oratory prowess and not to make little.
As the scenario became prettier, discerning teachers that noticed the different gifts each kid had tried to help harness them.



Talent is not enough;

Apparently, Talent has become grossly overrated and has resolved to take the back seat in modern times.
People that rely solely on their talents have not only been cut short for their purported arrogance, but for not having the big picture in mind of having to be guided by coaches and possibly complimented by a graceful team.

Look at the world acclaimed soccer for example, by default, there are a lot of  naturally talented footballers spread all over the world, but the ones we can recon with are those that perfected their craft enough for us to pay to watch, making them an embodiment of fortune.

In their destined quests to become sports legends, they encountered a fairy godmother otherwise known as the coach, and the pumpkin carriage along with the pets that complement, that is the team.
Without the blend of such ingredients we never could have heard of the likes of soccer legends like Pele, Maradonna, Messi and the rest.


Parental Heroics;

Records have shown however that the top spot for best coaching rests in the caring hands of parents either directly or otherwise as coaching doesn't quite terminate at sports, rather, real life coaching seems to have taken the front row through both physical and intellectual mentoring.

People that have succeeded in their careers under the coaching and supervision of their parents or parent are numerous and they include: The Jackson 5 coached by their dad to form a singing wonder group which went ahead to produce the legendary Michael Jackson, and The Williams Sisters that were also coached by their dad, but in this case they were nurtured by their dad to become tennis superstars from a very young age, and they did live up to the vision.




Involountary Disempowerment;

Internationally acclaimed life coach, Stephen. R. Covey of blessed memory painted an exemplary scenario in his best seller "7 Habits of highly effective people" where a father screamed at his daughter and what happened was as follows.

"She becomes outwardly submissive, but inwardly rebellious, suppressing feelings to come out in uglier ways in the future".

We all know every parent love their children and will do anything to help them become the best they can be, but surprisingly, not only kids get the wrong message when they are being pushed very hard, adults under coaches tutelage also often shun the orders of their coaches when the training and the chastising seems to go too far, funny its for their own good.

Emotional Bank Account;

In response to this scenario however, Stephen. R. Covey apparently still has the antidote to the poison, it is the "Emotional Bank Account".
When it comes to improving and maintaining relationships, Stephen. R. Covey's metaphor of the Emotional Bank Account is perhaps the most powerful idea ever created for the development of interpersonal relationships. It basically means that anyone with whom we have a relationship, coworkers, family or friends, we maintain a personal "emotional bank account" with them.
This account begins on a neutral balance, and just like a bank, we can make deposits and withdrawals. However, instead of dealing with units of monetary value, we deal with emotional units.

Certain factors have to be considered to maintain an emotional equilibrium.

a, You have to understand the person.
b, You must keep commitments.
c, Expectations have to be clarified.
d, Little things are important and have to be attended to.
e, Personal Integrity is imperative.
f, You must sincerely apologize when you make a withdrawal.
Excessive withdrawal of emotional units usually by ways of fighting, nagging, back-stabbing, screaming, cheating without replacement with sincere apology and remorse usually causes relationships to turn sour.

Now check out the model of the enviable pride of lions, they hunt in unison, like a divinely ordained team of a sort. When they note their mark (prey), they spring to action like a squad with each member clearly identifying his role, no matter how vital or trivial. It becomes obvious in the chase that there is a mission definition. When the anticipated kill becomes difficult to bring down, unsurprisingly, the king of the jungle appears majestically to display superior prowess and gifted dominance, and most times, the rest is history that even the cubs usually get over-fed.

That sounds awesome right? hmm, but that is rather myopic compared to the feats achieved by we humans. The evolution of the human brain together with intuitive and creative synergy helps us to achieve so much more.
From the invention of the airplane to the common paper plane, humans got the world covered, it is all as a result of well researched and properly organized theoretical and practical manufacturing and production schedule and itinerary under government recommended guidelines which brings amazement to humanity.
Oh, and about wresting the moon from the skies, in as much as it is just a hyperbole, we already conquered it, so much that Neil Armstrong upon being the first person to land on the moon made a statement he probably rehearsed a thousand and one times in anticipation of the great moment which gave millions goose pimples, wait for it "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind".

Thanks to you all.

Akin Abimbola (akinzogee@gmail.com)


SOURCES: Google
                    7 Habits of Highly Effective People; Stephen. R. Covey
                    Brainy Quote

WELCOME TO A NEW WORLD!!!

  "A lot of people resist transition and therefore never allow themselves to enjoy who they are. Embrace the change, no matter what it is, once you do, you can learn about the new world you are in and take advantage of it."...Nikki Giovanni.

American rapper "Nas" can be easily mistaken for a prophet or philosopher by many, especially after listening to his fine rhythmic track "Welcome to a new world". In his Rap / Hip-hop track, he described the effective use of modern technology and also as new successful people not only replace the old but how their success supersedes those of the old. Ultimately, he passed an important message of stepping up our game or risk being left behind.
Well, America is internationally known as world power, so obviously since they have a high standard of living which allows it's trickle down effect include not just freedom of speech, but also a wide range of opportunities for the citizenry to express themselves through art, inventions and what have you, they definitely see further than the rest of the world, additionally due to their exposure and emphatic liberty.

It is a new world indeed, more extraordinary inventions and discoveries have graced the track records of humans in just one century to dwarf the entire ones earlier put together. Population has exploded with geometric progression, there has never been so much weapons and subsequently this much massacre be it during war or terrorism.
Piracy is like the order of the day, so is high rates of rape, suicides, corruption, propaganda, conspiracies, high profile government scandals, classified information leakages, global warming, oh i wish there wasn't any more to count, but there certainly is, and referring to them as disturbing is very much an understatement.

"For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow."...Ecc 1;18

It is a new world quite alright, but what is new about it really, more discoveries to alleviate the troubles of mankind or the constant intrusion of tragedy in our so called peaceful human jurisdiction?
Well, the Holy Bible gives us a timeless insight filled with unmatched wisdom in the Ecc. 1;18 text, "For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow" which has had many a holy men proffer different schools of thoughts in it's regard.
Yes, acquiring knowledge is a very good thing, so much that knowledge is being referred to as power, although new thinkers further interpreted knowledge as 'potential' power, explaining that you have no power when you don't use the knowledge you have acquired.

Apparently, there hasn't quite been an invention or discovery meant to improve the existence of mankind that does not have a downside.
Crude oil for instance has been referred to as 'The Black Gold', which is confirmed with the present and consistent rush for it all over the world, with the Arab nations being the highest producers and the United States having about the highest refining and storage technique. The disadvantages are very obvious, namely environmental degradation, piracy on oil vessels, international propaganda and classified conspiracy, wars and many more.
Guns and bombs are also great inventions right? hmm, majority would rather say wrong, because even if fire power vaguely helps the armed forces protect territories, records have shown that they do more harm than good, with unsolved cases of merciless massacres are all around us.
Jets, trains, automobiles and boats give pleasurable rides across cities, but loads of families have been made to endure sorrowful times when members of their families pass away fatally after been in involved in accidents through these media.
Maybe we actually have to keep our heads up as we happen to be stuck with this fast world which is about to get even faster and as you would guess, more complicated, so seat belts on.

This is a world where you have to multitask to keeps tabs with the current events and to remain relevant, teens have a language beneath the language, one which they so modify slang you might be left to wonder what they are talking about. For example, younger guys use bad to mean good, crazy to mean awesome and surprisingly, sick or ill could actually be attributed to  mean genius while you might actually have difficulty in distinguishing between hot and cold, hmm interesting.

Evolution is actually meant to be a good thing, but it is incredible to note that wrong prioritization grossly ripping away ever fibre of the society, especially due to the concentration of government towards the bottom line through taxes rather than focusing on the lives that make it up, and companies would rather expose the populace to environmental hazards in order to make profit, and only participate in or initiate a social responsibility project just to get a tax rebate and not because they like us. It is all entirely whopped up.

I would seriously like to say that there is a glowing light at the far end of the dark tunnel, but that will be more of a wishful thinking laced with fantasy than the reality one should actually stick tightly to, so much for optimism, being a realist will probably keep one saner in an uncertain terrain.

On a lighter mood, the new world is actually a good one, you can achieve quite a lot of transactions dividend from just the smart use of your mobile phones, you can view alive feed of your favorite event online via the internet or video call your family when you are away, catch a last minute flight warming up to cover over 6,000 miles. See? The new world does have a whole lot of opportunities to offer, positioning Information Technology as a gargantuan leverage, with the new money makers' success dwarfing those of the old school success, even Rockefella the oil guru. It is just that back then, they had business models that incorporated the interest of most people, allowing them stand the test of time, one would say.
So, what is your view of the new world, better or way worse?
Whatever your answer, one thing is for sure, it is here to stay, you just have to live with it or make it better in any way you can.

Thank you.

Akin Abimbola (akinzogee@gmail.com)


SOURCES: Google
                      Brainy Quotes
                      Club of Rome
                      Holy Bible (NKJV)
                      Ebony
                      TIME

RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN OUR HOMES...

"I love you when you bow in your Mosque, kneel in your Temple, pray in your Church. For you and i are sons of one religion, and it is the spirit."...Khalil Gibran.

  When i heard a mind blowing song of one of the off springs of popular Reggae legend Bob Marley of blessed memory, "Love is my religion" by Ziggy Marley, i bonded with Reggae music even much more than ever before.

Both the rhythm and content of the song literally reached out to my soul, spurring me to not only reminisce on my experiences when it comes down to love shared between i and my fellow brethren, but to also do a brisk mind survey of love between people in general. Unfortunately however, in as much as religion is welcome to stay, we not being able to understand it has left us bewildered as to weather it's merits outweigh it's downsides.


"Nature abhors a vacuum"...Aristotle.


Aristotle believed that nature required every space to be filled up with something, even if that thing is colourless or odourless air.
The same principle is presently at work in our spiritual lives. When the holy spirit begins to convict us of sin, the idea of starting a self-development plan immediately comes to mind.

We put in our best efforts to defeat our worst habits.
Apparently, there actually exist a justification to the saying that "An idle mind is the devil's workshop" and being religious, for extremely cautious minds is an alibi to be out-rightly passionate and enthusiastically over the board to motivate a people to hold tightly to a faith which has now become sensitive to publicly talk about or criticize.


"When the missionaries came to Africa, they had the Bible and we had the land. They said 'Let us pray', we closed our eyes. When we opened them, we had the Bible, they had the land"...Desmond Tutu.

From the history of the introduction of religion into Africa, criticisms have trailed the entire process which claimed that the foreigners greatly exploited the black continent.

The white folks have been accused to have brainwashed innocent sleeping giants with strange cultures which had a peculiarity destined to make ill enlightened minds overtly inquisitive enough to dump the prevailing stereotypes only to easily follow the leader.

It is funny that more than half of the population that so passionately clamour for the excesses of religion happen to be ignorant of the history behind it.


"Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words"...Francis of Assisi.

In Africa for instance, how many people do take time out to vigorously research the state of things before and after the advent of religion?

What if a group of people that dominated the scene at a time decided to silence the weak minority in order to propel a conspiracy into the future, making their own beliefs prevail for the gullible unborn to voraciously and blindly feast upon, i am just saying, who knows?
For instance, how many people are aware of the "39 Articles of religion" an essential belief of Anglican Church codified? which were established by a convocation of the church in 1563.
Which people apart from philosophers and students of classical studies have dug back in time to seek clarity over the controversy behind the clash of Christianity and science and the participation of Constantine, King James and the likes?
If we do not have these information, then perhaps we are not different from the sheep being led to slaughter.

The way most people hypocritically practice religion is much taking it's toll on the kids, it confuses them. It further goes ahead to be a double jeopardy when they have no choice but to take the seat of "Follow the leader" as they live by the examples they see.

Religion or the misunderstanding of same has been known in history to tear up families, rip apart friends and dismantled the very core of the existence of peaceful mankind.
We have become holier than thou, helping God get rid of the sinners, casting the stones at our fellow brothers like we are any better than the devil himself.

"It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting the devil, if they will only expend the same amount of energy loving their own fellow men, the devil would die in his own track of ennui"...Helen Keller.

Sometimes i wonder, is it that we are ignorant, or we are just comfortable with letting the foot prints of the human race become a sign of havoc and making environmental degradation be our lasting legacy?
Our environment has become the kind that we are scared to criticize, not only due to fear of the unknown, but because of the space it will take in our minds and the impact it will make on our conscience which is ruled and misguided by prevailing unethical acts of our so called 'leaders' in all sectors.


Due to corruption and mediocrity weighing on the national system, places of worship are being built in areas that were not zoned for the purpose, conflicting with the living standards of residents, and they are cast down as sinners when they make complaints of not enjoying the quietness the area was zoned for.
There is high rate of employment and the major solace of the unemployed is the religious body that openly emphasizes the imperatives of  financial commitment, with the spiritual leaders living the first class life, with their influence growing massively in our homes.
See? it is difficult to talk about it already, but the moment we constructively criticize these occurrences, perhaps we can chart a clear headway.
It is clearly reasonable to appreciate the positive impact of religious bodies, for instance of course as Catholic, Methodist and the likes blaze the trail, bringing education and healthcare freely into Africa.
Religion is a very powerful bond which strongly holds together those that share a common faith, so much that when it gets a hold of you, depending on the strength of the fibers of your conscience, it can make or mar you, leaving you reasonable or defensively fanatic so much that you will probably become a fuse waiting to go off in just a matter of time.

It is however unarguable that some religious bodies have ulterior motives of milking the innocent public, making them amass huge amount of wealth, so much that it is mismanaged and not accounted for, while poverty still comfortably and violently rages the land, therefore giving us a second thought as to whether these role models of faith qualify to be our guardians. .

"I like your Christ, i do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ"...Mahatma Gandhi.


Thank you.

Akin Abimbola. (akinzogee@gmail.com)

SOURCES:  Google
                   Our Daily Bread
                   Brainy Quote
                   Britain Express
                   Wikipedia

#LEADERSHIP: SUCCESSION PLAN AND BEYOND...

 "We'd never know how high we are till we are called to rise; and then, if we are true to plan, our statures touch the sky"...Emily Dickinson.

"It is the fault of our bad leaders that our country is in such terrible state!!!"

This is perhaps the most common saying or rather the most consistent fall back of the average citizen of a presumed failed or failing state, predominantly in Africa.
Criticism of government is actually healthy, as the popular saying goes "only the test of fire makes fine steel".
The citizenry (well...optimistic or do i say good willed ones?) do help shape the nation through their strive to make living richer and better by criticizing the policies of the government, especially when the government officials seem to stray, after-all, partnership is gaining new meaning.

What is Leadership by the way?
There have arisen many a word, love for instance, that various prominent thinkers have tagged to"mean different things to different people", surprisingly, leadership is not one of them.

Leadership is an oxymoron of sort, being strongly embodied by a consistently strong and unchanging principle, there is no two way about it, you are either a leader or you are not.

You might say there are many definitions of leadership, but if you look very closely, you will find that they are all actually saying the same thing.
Warren Bennis defined leadership as the capacity to translate vision into reality.
Napoleon Bonaparte said a leader is a dealer in hope.
General Montgomery said leadership is the capacity and the will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence.
Peter Drucker described leadership as the lifting of a person's vision to high sights, the raising of a person's performance to high standard, the building of a personalty beyond its normal limitations.


   "Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others."...Jack Welch.

Most people like to be referred to as leaders, even without doing anything to warrant it.
Robert Kiyosaki answered the presumed and so called self exalting leaders beautifully in his rich dad, poor dad series: Cash flow Quadrant by saying "You have to qualify" although he meant it in the financial context.

Leadership happens to be a principle which thrives with the embodiment of discipline, vision, focus, consistency and wait for it, and believe it or not, PMA a.k.a Positive Mental Attitude, why not? Bruce Kasanoff Co-Author of Smart Customers reiterated the inspirational phrase "The best talent is bringing out the talent in others" A superior leader is therefore described as a person who can bring ordinary people together to achieve extra-ordinary results, and you definitely cannot do that if you haven't first of all loved yourself so much that it spills over, prompting you to extend the gesture.

A leader knows the right direction to take when in an unfamiliar terrain, as John  C. Maxwell professionally put it in his motivational best seller "21 Irrefutable laws of Leadership".
He painted a scenario where different people from varying backgrounds were put in a room, they all move towards different directions to prove that they know which way to go, eventually, they all line up behind the person that actually knows the right path to tread.
There is actually a distant distinction between sight and vision which is really awesomely imperative for a leader to greatly possess or armed with on a first hand basis to the view of the enthusiastic followers.
Even the Bible emphasizes it in Book of Proverb 29:18


"Where there is no vision, the people perish".

As the saying goes, "Stagnant water stinks", when someone who is respected as a leader falters, it is quite natural for a more discerning and qualified one to emerge possibly from the back seat to take over the steering of the vehicle of leadership, in order to avoid a crash that can annihilate the greater population that will dictate the course of the future.
So, this is probably a wake up call.
Are you a leader, and do you have a follower that you are grooming up to continue in your hard earned and proud legacy?
Remember, the key word here is qualify.

"Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way"...General George Patton.



Thank you.

Akin Abimbola. (akinzogee@gmail.com)


SOURCES:   Google
                     Forbes
                     SearchQuotes
                     Rich Dad, Poor Dad : Cash Flow Quadrant (Robert Kiyosaki)
                     21 Irrefutable laws of Leadership (John C. Maxwell)

MIRROR MIRROR!!!

 " What do you mean, Philb? " Asked Ms Squeers, looking in her own little glass, where, like most of us, she saw- not herself, but the reflection of some pleasant image in her own brain." ... Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby.


Long before the glass mirrors were first produced in Egypt, Gaul, Germany and Asia during the third century A.D., people first started looking at their reflections in pools of water, streams and rivers which were the first mirrors.
The earliest Man-made mirrors were polished stones and mirrors made from black volcanic glass Obsidian.


"Let us be grateful to the mirror for revealing to us our appearance only"...Samuel Butler.

 Some samples of this kind of mirror has been found in Turkey dating back 6000 years.
The invention of glass blowing method during the 14th century led to the discovery of convex mirrors, which increased the popularity of glass mirrors.
Justus Von Liebig, a German chemist, created the first modern glass-silver glass mirror in 1835.

Many do not know that the concept of the soul is usually associated with mirrors, which result in a wealth of superstition surrounding mirrors.  
For instance, an old Roman legend promotes the belief that breaking a mirror causes seven years of bad luck, and according to other superstitions, mirrors are to be covered when someone dies because mirrors can trap the soul of the departed.

"When water is like a mirror, it can behold the moon"...Rumi.

Enough said of the history and all the scary part, the point is mirrors are whether you like it or not, a big time component in our lives either it takes the shape of calm water or silver coated glass, it's just that you need to crash all the mirrors available before the women can actually realize it's significance and appreciate it's existence.

The biggest music legend, Michael Jackson of blessed memory sang a colossal hit single "Man in the Mirror" which literally talks about you being the change that is imperative to make the world a much better place.
We are the change we desire and unconsciously complain about constantly.

"When man created the mirror, he began to lose his soul. He became so concerned with his image than with himself"...Stephen R. Covey.

The mirror also played an amazing role that easily and pleasantly comes to memory in the classic Walt Disney blockbuster cartoon "Snow White and the seven dwarfs" where Snow White's wicked step-mother consulted a mirror several times to check who the fairest in the land was, as she was obsessed and bewildered by her own banal and physical beauty, hence the title "Mirror Mirror".

"Mirror Mirror! in my hand, who is the fairest in the land?, My Queen you are the fairest here so true, but Snow White is a thousand times fairer than you"...Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.


When most of us look into the mirror or at our picture, we do not feel the satisfaction we crave, perhaps except we garnish our faces with make-up, wear expensive apparels or pose in beautiful locations and with celebrities.
 Hmm, i guess we fail to realize that we do not need to look for any other type of beauty or superficial bewilderment so long we seek to beautify our minds, and that of others.

"Our environment, the world in which we live and work, is a mirror of our attitudes and expectations"...Earl Nightingale. 

Meet Helen Keller.
An American Educator who overcame the adversity of being blind and deaf to become one of the twentieth century humanitarians, as well as the co-founder of ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), a nonpartisan non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in (this) country by the constitution and laws (of the United States).

"The most important day i remember in all my life is the one on which my teacher Anne Mansfield Sullivan  came to me, i am filled with wonder when i consider the immeasurable contrast between the two lives which it connects"...Helen Keller.

Helen Adams Keller was born on June 27, 1880 in Alabama, when she was nineteen months old, she was afflicted by an unknown illness, possibly scarlet fever or meningitis, which left her deaf and blind.

She never had a need arise for her to look in the mirror, or see through her physical eyes to make an impact on her life and of those around her, but something incredible happened that changed her life and also of those who have and will encounter her, forever.

She later in her life met someone i would describe as an angel, in person of Anne Sullivan whom she beautifully described above.
Anne, a selfless Irish-American teacher best known for being the instructor and companion of Helen Keller.

"The face is the mirror of the mind, and eyes without speaking confess the secret of the heart"...St. Jerome.

Anne summoned courage to bring out the very best out of a miserable, deaf and blind beautiful girl that had no specific direction.

Exploring and discovering her ability and amazingly beautiful and intelligent personalty through the intense and sincere connection of hers, bringing out the best she possibly could in her to the bewilderment of humanity and also to unleash unto mankind an explosive miracle and eternal inspiration.

With she herself becoming a splendid mirror to the world, through her magnificent quotes that have helped shape mankind.
What is your story?

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched , they must be felt with the heart"...Helen Keller.

So, what do you see when you look into the mirror, from your point of view or rather, what are you helping others look at, or better yet, see in the mirror?

Thank you.

Akin Abimbola (akinzogee@gmail.com)


SOURCES: Google
                   Goodreads
                   Mirror History
                   Mirror Quotes
                   Brainy Quotes
                   Wikipedia
                   Perkins

TOO MUCH MONEY???!!!

"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from lack of imagination"...Oscar Wilde

There is this honest Banker friend of mine in his early thirties who conveniently built his own house to the amazement of his peers, me inclusive. Not a big deal right? then wait for it, he is the first born of eight, his dad is late, his mom is a diabetic, he is married with three kids, he is socially responsible and so much more. Yes it is still not much big a deal you'll say, but the bottom line is that he is responsible, and that is admirable.
If fifty percent of men followed his path the society could be much better.

Well, i know if you had a question on your mind, it'll be rhetoric, like what type of house did he build, Bungalow or Storey? And how did he make the money, being that he is a young banker and all that? hmm.

Either way, it is actually a very good question, but if you are up to date with the jet age, perhaps it wasn't worth asking in the first instance, and there is no point googling it either, and this isn't sarcasm.

Modern research and discovery has continued to help people break away from negative stereotypes that have prevailed over our sub-conscious mind for as long as our fore-fathers could remember. There hasn't arisen any need to re-invent the wheel and the secrets which the angels have whispered into the ears of sober and attentive men have constantly yielded worthwhile results, hence no one wants to procrastinate anymore in fear of tomorrow being too far away, or it not being there when we eventually arrive in our convenient time.

In recent times, the number of young millionaires has not only increased exponentially, more like explosively with un-uniform geometric progression. Why? Why ask why? Like i said earlier, the world is being released from traditional stereotypical behavioral patterns, the discovery that humans have grossly under-utilized both human and natural resources has motivated us to maximize available potential, exploiting available opportunity so far we are alive and of course able.


Young people have a lot of energy and fresh ideas and perspectives, the older generation are only needed as mentors and sponsors, especially after the government has provided the enabling environment such as infrastructure and laws to protect them.

 "Seven deadly sins. Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Science without humanity, Knowledge without character, Politics without principle, Commerce without morality, Worship without sacrifice"...Mahatma Gandhi.

A big head start and possible motivation for the justification of young millionaires is a glance at best selling author of "Multiple streams of income" Robert G. Allen.
He emphasized in his popular and colossal best seller the dire need for individuals to have more than one financial source which he explicitly classified as Passive and Residual.
Funny, i remember my Banker friend's reminiscent saying that gone are the days when only old folks with sprawling regalia and big luxury cars is the only imaginable picture we see on the building site supervising their building projects.
The new generation strongly prove that the regular words such as Hard work, Partnership and even Money can be seen in a whole new light and mean something different entirely, or can be further squeezed so tightly to reveal deeper meaning.
Hard work for instance today isn't the way it was decades or even centuries ago, what does a ground or road digger have to show for his excessive exertion of energy, he works really hard doesn't he?
Partnership is fast gaining a new meaning, it has gone far beyond professionals coming together to start a company, companies now share ideas with their clients being that the world has rapidly evolved and clients probably have more idea, experience, professionalism and resources to finance and execute projects, they are simply bonded by a shared vision with same anticipated result becomes the big picture.
Money they say answers all things, yet it's love is referred to as the root of evil, contradictory i'd say or rather more complicated.

Some people actually spend money like it grows on trees, which brings me to the question, is there really anything like "too much money?"
Here is where "Self Concept" comes into play.
Self Concept (Also called Self-Construction, Self-Identity and Self-Perspective) is a collection of beliefs about ones self that includes elements such as academic, performance, gender roles and sexuality, racial identity and many others. Generally, Self-Concept embodies the answer to "Who am i?"
Self-Concept is distinguishable from Self-Awareness, which refers to the extent to which Self-Knowledge is defined, consistently applicable to ones attitude.

The Self-Concept includes past, present and future selves. Future or possible selves represent individuals' ideas of what they might become, what they would like to become or what they afraid of becoming.
These different selves correspond to one's hopes, fears, standards, goals and threats for their present selves.

My point in this concept? When you make more money than your self-concept can handle, you will deliberately look for every possible way to destroy the resources you made, especially if you got it for free or by fraudulent means.

The name that comes to mind when you hear Microsoft is of course that of the richest man on earth Mr. Bill Gates, who dropped out of the highly acclaimed Havard University to pursue his crazy idea of a dream that eventually brought him fortune. One interesting thing is that his fortune did not destroy his self-concept because he went through the eye of the needle. He spent years perfecting his craft, he failed at some points, cried, almost lost hope, probably gave up somewhere only to pick up again to the extent that he climbed the ladder of sobriety.

So when he made so much money, he embraced the powerful principle of giving, which helps him touch the hearts of the needy and further endears him to many, so much that his billionaire counterpart Warren Buffet supports his renowned Bill and Melinda foundation which champions research for cure for AIDS which is presently ravaging our dear planet.
I get taken aback when someone says he has "too much money", apparently it is his self-concept that is actually speaking, meaning the money he has is surpassing the threshold that he can handle.
If you gave the richest African (According to Forbes Magazine) Aliko Dangote who is the President of Dangote Plc a billion Dollars, he will thank you with a smile and in no time turn the money over, but if you gave a young immature and myopic sighted youth, the money would probably kill him. It is all in the mind, and in the mind, self-concept.

So no matter how rich you think you are, trust me, you don't have too much money, it probably isn't even enough if you have the right mind set on where to effectively channel it to.

Little wonder Financial Expert Robert Kiyosaki said in his best seller series "Rich Dad, Poor Dad: Cash Flow Quadrant", that when you make a large sum of money, the aftermath is the reflection of your future.

"As much money and life you could want, the two things most human beings will choose above all - the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them"...J.K.Rowling (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone).


Akin Abimbola (akinzogee@gmail.com)



SOURCES: GOOGLE
                    Wikipedia
                    Quotes about money
                    Brainy Quotes
                    Good Reads
                    Rich Dad, Poor Dad: Cash Flow Quadrant (Robert Kiyosaki)
                    Multiple Streams of Income (Robert G. Allen)

HOW FIT ARE YOU?

While in Junior-High School, naturally as a restless and hyper-active young teen, the Physical Education class was constantly my best period of "study".
It was a time that felt like birds were released as a sign of independence, the kids would troop out of every class like prisoners freed from a correctional facility.
It didn't quite matter which sport one participated in really, we could virtually do all sorts, ranging from racing to soccer and on and on.



"It is health that is real and not pieces of gold and silver"...Mahatma Ghandi

Unknown to us back then, the world of fitness, health and sports was getting well structured and systematized internationally as science, research, media and the commercial scene had made it quite imperative for sports to take deliberate paths designed to bring out the best in man in competitions, making selected people appear as super humans and legendary models for the coming generation.
Physical fitness is a general concept defined in many ways by differing scientists, thus you may consider two major categories. (1.) General fitness which is a state of health and well being, and (2.) Specific fitness which is a Task-oriented definition based on the ability to perform specific aspects of sports or occupation.

Physical fitness is generally achieved through correct nutrition, exercise, hygiene and rest.

  

One word that attaches itself so tightly with fitness is "Discipline".
Why? Evidently because the moment you decide to be fit, you are deliberately choosing a different type of lifestyle entirely. You are saying goodbye to the yummy Hot-dog Shawarma, the tantalizing Burger, the smoking hot Pizza (I love Pepperoni) and a whole lot of amazing super grubs.
That is actually the easy part, because the next step will require you to get up early at dawn for some cardio, which will go a long way in helping you burn those calories that you so easily amassed, and have to take pain to lose, awesome right? yeah right, we all wish.

Chris C. brought a fine perspective to our attention in the book titled "Commitment: Two essential items for success", highlighting the important factors as "Mental commitment" and "Elimination of negatives". In other words, having a well garnered momentum of will power coupled with positive mental attitude will help us achieve whatever we want to, hmm cool.

 Sadly however, obesity apparently appears to have come to stay judging from what the researchers' statistics say, for example, using the US as a case study, new study found that of 22 industrialized countries the US has the highest number of obese people, 2/3 of US citizens over twenty years are overweight and so on like that.
Obesity is a medical condition in which excessive body fat has accumulated so much to the extent that it has an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and / or increased health problems.
Ironically, well perhaps i should also add "without prejudice", i was once privileged to meet a group of officials of The World Health Organization (WHO) and believe it or not, some of them were actually over weight. My point is, it is extremely difficult to practice what you preach in this spontaneous world where your activities are generally pressurized and largely determined by your prevailing environment.

For example, despite the fact that most of us are aware of nutritional facts, some factors still deter us from following doctors's recommendations to the letter. Even doctors don't stick to the plan a hundred percent, after all i know doctors that are chain smokers and voraciously after women.

See? Emerging facts continue to prove to us that fitness coupled with discipline and healthy deprivation will always be a healthy choice which is fueled by personal will power, making it a unique lifestyle and expressing the joy of independently choosing  a different way of living.
Basically however, most people have narrowed down the reasons for doing exercise to three which are (1.) When you are unhealthy and the Doctor strongly recommends it, (2.) When people complement it and, (3.) When it pays the bills (Then you have to be a model, an actor or a social figure in some way).

Fitness is not only a fine encouraging word you want to remember and be a part of, it is in some sort of way a celebration of life, appreciating the gift of life and telling God thank you and that it is awesome to possess some unique set of skills that the average person doesn't have. Being fit is a testimony in some sort of way, people tend to not only admire you, but they will also look up to you like a hero that can make things happen and perhaps save the day when trouble calls (Just like superman).
Well, regardless of whatever, we all are humans, so in effect some obstacles will always threaten our fitness plan, maybe due to our environment as the case may be. For instance, in third world and developing countries where the principle of the "Hierarchy of needs" thoroughly dictates the pace at which we move, like from our priorities for food, clothing, security and the likes of how we graduate in our need and ego, keeping fit might seem out of place in certain societies.
Rich and perhaps comfortable people are the ones that deliberately keep fit in gyms with their designer gears and stuff.
Most people will just see you as rich and unreasonable without adequate priorities, even if they are aware that the Doctor sternly recommended it for you.
Unfortunately, it is all basically a mash up of negative stereotypes, high stigmatization and inferiority complex of a lowly motivated populace.
Fitness is like war, you have to first of all make up your mind to want to and love to make a cautious effort to dedicating your life towards the fitness direction. You've got to eat fitness, drink fitness and preach fitness with infectious enthusiasm, or else you'll meet with a brick wall of exercise plateau, and it'll be a shame if your granny has more fitness than you do..



One more thing,  "Take care of your body, it is the only place you have to live"...Jim Rohn. (Wink)



Akin Abimbola (akinzogee@gmail.com)



SOURCES:  Google
                    Wikipedia
                    Men's Fitness
                    The Guardian
                    Worldometers
                    W.H.O.

H.S.E. (PART 2)

 
Popular safety tips like: "Better safe than sorry", "Working without safety is a dead end job", "Safety isn't expensive it's priceless" and  "Alert today, Alive tomorrow" are good, essential and creative sensitization strategies that actually make a whole lot of sense, especially when they are inculcated in kids early enough so that they do not depart from it when they grow up.

In many countries, especially "Third world countries" and the so termed "Developing countries" (They've been called that for as long as i can remember, yet they don't seem to develop), there seem to be so much more to worry about, so much that safety is thrown at the back seat.
Funny, if they actually took time to reconsider options, strategies and compliance concepts and law from world leading nations, it will be found that making safety a priority is what actually made them to have achieved as much as they have.

"When you gamble with safety, you bet your life"...unknown.

The following analogy may sound complicated, but it actually isn't, and if it is, well we are humans and are designed to conquer any form of complexity.

Some certain individuals whose humble beginnings are very well known to us eventually climb up the ladder right to the pinnacle of laudable success.
They become responsible and have high credible status in the society so much that we want to be associated with them.
Whereas another unknown person who grew up in some "Ghetto" grows up to be a thug without a plan for the future, potentially causing havoc in the society.

What is the difference between these two classes of people? Well, i'd simply say "seedy info". They term seems funny right? It actually means that the information that we constantly encounter everyday in forms of words and vision are seeds that are planted in our minds, bound to germinate and grow with us into the future.
So logically, if negative seeds are planted within us, they grow us into monsters, and if they are good seeds we become the good guys of the future.
The point? Some groups of people are considered poor so much that costly poverty alleviation programs are put in place for them, seriously? I think that stinks really badly, and it is totally unfair to call a group of people  poor especially when the fault is not theirs. The onus is upon the government to provide an enabling environment for the people in order for them to be the best they can be, because this poverty they keep talking about is actually of the mind, and riches on the other hand is relative as it means different things to different people.
This reality aligns with set laws that govern the Earth, strengthening the principles that we cannot abscond from, making prevailing circumstances chains which pin us to the ground, disallowing us from doing the right things, and they eventually become our alibi and justification.

Even if a perfect structure is drafted on paper only for "Developing nations" to follow step by step to succeed, it most probably won't work because of what the people have allowed to grow in their minds.
Greed, insecurity, corruption, selfishness, poverty mind, fear, lack of compassion for neighbours and the likes, will never let good intentions come to fruition.

Every form of safety requires a thorough background check, systematized analysis and aggressive overall x-ray of the entire structure of a nation.
This is why medical history of citizens, locational master plan and data base of the populace and their corresponding status are largely imperative.

Ever heard of "Positive Mental Attitude" (PMA) ? I'd say that tops the list especially when it teams up with "Emotional Intelligence". It creates a big mental picture of a team of people that look out for the good in people and strive to help them achieve their dreams regardless of whatever obstacles standing in the way.

One more thing, safety is relatively cheap in developing countries, how?
Well, how many law suits can we count in Developed countries that enriched victims of lack of safety?
The ones where doctors operating on a patient made mistakes injuring him / her, the 911 late response, the fellow that slipped outside a hotel while cleaning was in progress and they probably forgot to place a warning sign outside, take your pick.
In third world countries, the legal system has not evolved enough to protect human rights to the letter.
So no one would be amazed if the free for all keeps persistent.

"Safety isn't just a slogan, it's a way of life"...Unknown.

Akin Abimbola (akinzogee@gmail.com)

SOURCES: Google
                    Famous Safety Quotes
                    Brainy Quote
                    Safety Tips and Quotes
                    Funny Safety Quotes
                    Famous Safety Quotes.