MORE EXCELLENT WAY

- MORE EXCELLENT WAY


Every one's life can be observed as though a journey. We are all born on a certain date to start life, we then grow up, we age, grow old, and we then pass on – most of us at least.
In a world of seven billion people is it not amazing that no two persons travel the same journey in life? Even twins don't, married couples may share a better part of their journeys together but it doesn't make it the same. Your journey through life is 100% your personal adventure.
In your journey through this life there are some core choices you can't make as an individual. For example you can't choose when you're born, you can't choose your parents, you can't choose the country of your birth, you can't choose your tribe, language, race, colour, your siblings your background and the way you look. You can hardly influence, much less choose the success or failure of your parents in life. All these you can't choose.
However, one of the most amazing, yet sad situations I've observed in life is how people can judge others and carry a sense of superiority and intense discrimination based on these factors they didn't choose.
How can anyone think they're better than anyone else based on a tribe, a language, part of the country, ethnic group and most likely a religion they didn't even choose; they were born into these, they didn't labour for these, so why take pride and boast and oppress others with anything they didn't earn or labour for? Feeling superior to others based on factors you didn't earn by your sweat diminishes the worth of your intelligence.
The fact someone else looks down on you based on these factors does not make it okay you do the same; when people influence you to become like them, you're weaker.
Anyways; as you grow and understand things in life, you will begin to make some choices and decisions by yourself. These choices may be minor or major but each one of them brings about a consequence in your life; these are factors to take pride in – your choices and decisions.
But you know, even when you're old enough to make your own choices and decisions, the power may not be absolute because close people in and around your life still make some of these decisions and impose whether you're pleased with it or not.
They enforce their desires in your life based on their personal persuasions, personal experience, personal interest, personal fears and personal judgements and exposure.
Even when you disagree, they present it to you as though it were in your best interest and you know, at times they are sincere, but wrong.
These people may include your parents, older siblings, and guardians; respected members of your extended family, superiors at work, religious leaders and mentors.
I am personally not opposed to taking counsel or advice from other people especially those with proven track records of success and wise counsel.
But let me share this wisdom; every time you're advised by close people on certain issues and choices, listen to what I'll call the spirit behind the counsel. What's the spirit behind that counsel? Is it out of fear, insecurity, adverse disposition to risk, ignorance, subjugation, intimidation, selfishness or deception?
Or it's the spirit of courage, sincerity, support, true love, passion, vision, wisdom, knowledge, appreciation or good-will?
Irrespective of who is giving the advice or imposing a decision even if it is a parent, there's always a motive behind it. There is a ‘why’ behind the ‘what’ they are telling. Don't just pay attention to the ‘what’ that is being said, perceive the ‘why’ that is not being said.
You see, it is very, very important at every point in time to make the best of choices and decisions because choices and decisions never go away, they wait for you in future to either improve you or judge you in life.
There are some decisions you need not take too seriously because their implications are not so severe, but there are some, I call land mark choices, that are extremely important and can make or mar your future.
Listen my friend please think with me based on these realities. You see there was a time in your life when you were 8 years old, when you were 12 years or even 15. In those years I do not think you looked forward and hoped for a future full of struggle, lack, deprivation, pressure and stress.
For example in those years, I do not suppose you looked into your future and you saw yourself at age 35 for instance without a brand new car, still jumping buses and motor bikes. I do not think you saw yourself struggling each term to pay your children's school fees, I believe you didn't hope for a future where you will be constantly harassed by a landlord, a landlady or their children, I don't believe you looked into your future and admitted in your heart that your future will be characterised by all your struggles, frustrations, pain and insufficiencies when you were 12 or 15. I think instead you saw for yourself and hoped for an exciting, interesting, prosperous, problem free future with delight.
May I also say to you this morning that the future you saw then and wished for, there are people your age today enjoying such a life, without corruption or crime?
The difference between you both is in the choices you made and are still making.
You see, as you go through your journey in life you will often need to make important decisions about challenges, and adversities you encounter. Every time you run away, or escape or avoid these challenges, you inevitably sabotage the quality of your future.
May I say that some potential world class doctors, engineers and lawyers today are living in obscurity, mediocrity and frustration because they ran away from surmounting the challenges of required tough exams? After failing once or twice – they settled for less. Less is always the most attractive option; the easier way out, hmnn.
Some fantastic potential accountants and business managers never became one because they bowed to mathematics, great potential lawyers failed because they bowed to grammar, poetry, history, government, literature, lexis and structure. They all settle for less because less is easier.
But you know what, easier is common and common is cheap. Perhaps too many of your kind are out there so you're easily replaceable; hence, no one naturally wants to pay so much when supply is in excess of demand. Hmmm
Where and how your life is today is a summation of every opportunity in the past to overcome a challenge or bow to it; you seeking the easy way out -and settling for less may today be the reason why your life quality is less than glowing.
But today's discussion is centred less on your past but on your future, because even today you are still making decisions and choices. You are being faced with all kinds of career and life related challenges; obstacles and opposition and your decision both to confront and overcome, or to avoid and escape will definitely return again in your future to bless you or judge you.
Your willingness to learn new ways of doing things or stick with the familiar is a choice with repercussions. Your willingness to improve your relationship skills, team building skills, leadership skills, learning skills, time management skills and efficiencies will all return to bless or judge you one day.
Your decision to enhance your home management skills, spouse management skills, self-management skills, intelligence quotient, attitude to work and life, love for pleasure, religious mind-set, passion for great change, money management skills, true love for God, sincere service to humanity and your self-esteem will come around in your future to reward you or condemn you.
My dear friend, where and how do you see your career and life journey in the next five years? Whatever you wish for wouldn't happen automatically. You might as well begin to invest in excellence today to reap excellence in your future.
Don't you forget this; the place you're gunning for in life is competitive, other people want it as well. Your choice to consistently give your best in life and at work offers you the superiority edge over your rivals and competitors. Every time you settle for less and they go for it, your possibility diminishes.
The quality of your reports, power point presentations, your number skills and accuracy, knowledge of the job, pro activeness, adaptability, accountability, punctuality, work style and speed should be nothing less than your best.
If you are looking forward to that promotion, that elevation, that next level, that leadership position; give it your all and make sure as far as it depends on you, your performance is beyond reproach.
Look at your life today and empty yourself of those activities and vain distractions in tribe, language, religion and ethnicity that really don't add any value but can truncate you accessing a happy, bright and rewarding tomorrow; that great future you expect and look forward to, is yours to create.
Resolve today never to settle for less, commit to excellence again and again and the reward of this decision you will very soon begin to reap.Enjoy your day.