Roger Bannister, the first man to break a four–minute mile record, did so by breaking down his goal. He broke down the mile into four quarters of a full mile. He would dash off a quarter mile in 58 seconds or less and then jog the rest of the way. Bannister trained not only his body but also his mind.
He held the picture of the first four-minute mile in his mind; it was his predominant thought. He trained his mind by taking up mountain climbing. This taught him persistence and how to overcome any obstacle that gets in his way. When Bannister ran his great race on May 6, 1954, he joined four of his quarter mile goals together and ran the mile in 3 minutes 59.6 seconds.
I have come to discover that the reason why so many people don’t achieve their aim in life is that they want to do everything at the same time. They set a long term goal and fail to break it down. Do you think Bannister would’ve done the four minute mile if he didn’t break it down?
In some of my seminars, I asked my audience if they know it’s possible to get thirteen months in one year. That is getting an extra month in a year. Each time I asked this question, people will always want to take me up on it. Each time, I come out tops. It’s a simple thing. Here is how it works.
If your normal time of getting out of bed is 6:30am every morning and you decide to make it 30 minutes earlier. That means 30 minutes you can use to do whatever you want. It could be 30 minutes of reading, of writing, of exercising or 30 minutes of anything that you have been putting off. Now if you do this seven days in a week, that means 30 minutes times seven which gives us three and half hours. Then multiple it by 30 days and then by 12 months! What you will have is equivalent of one complete month.
What it means is that any of us can be able to do whatever we want to do without any excuse. Of course we all have agreed that there is no excuse for failure. This was exactly how Roger Bannister was able to break the four-minute mile. There is always a way to do whatever you want to do. All you need do is find it.
Some wait for the perfect time. There can never be a perfect time. The perfect time is now. I always put off exercising, because I was waiting for the perfect time. But the perfect time never came. In fact the perfect time came when I started doing what I thought was impossible: finding time to exercise.
I don’t know what it is you want to do. I don’t know what seems like you will never have time to do it. But I do know that if you start today to do a little of it, before you know it, the task will be completed. If you want to eat an elephant what do you do? One bite at time! It could be pretty difficult at the beginning, but consistency is the answer.
To our success!
– Uju Onyechere
| Never mind who dares… if God cares
Never mind who frowns… if God smiles Never mind who mocks… if God exalts Never mind who cheats… if God lifts Never mind who struggles… if God promotes Never mind who curses… if God blesses Never mind who withholds… if God gives Never mind who disappoints… if God appoints Never mind who separates… if God unites Never mind who rejects… if God accepts Never mind who forgets… if God remembers Never mind who tears… if God mends Never mind who stirs… if God stills Never mind who binds… if God liberates Never mind who devours… if God protects Never mind who thirsts… if God waters Never mind who hungers… if God feeds Never mind who stains… if God cleanses Never mind who faints… if God heals Never mind who hates… if God loves Never mind who crucifies… if God resurrects Never mind who dies… if God lives.
“…Casting the whole of your care (all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all) on God, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” I Peter 5:7 (AMP)
– Tope S. Aladenusi |
Once upon a time in Christendom, believers always talked about eternity. They were so engrossed in the truth that they were pilgrims in this world and would one day go to be with the Lord in heaven. At that time, it was common to see messages titled “heaven or hell?” Songs with lyrics like “it’s not an easy road, we are travelling to heaven” were common in our assemblies. Believers looked tattered, battered, and shattered like people who had been bruised in the tussles and struggles of this life. We were always reminded that we lived in the “end times” and the rapture could take place at any moment. This wave got to a crescendo towards year 2000 when it had been predicted that the world would end. But lo and behold, year 2000 came and passed without witnessing the return of Jesus Christ, and events in Christendom took another turn.
With very little or no talk about heaven, many of those who were once labelled as “battered” became ever ready to “gather the riches of the gentiles”. Many of us are now enlightened. We have expounded the word to others and taught them that salvation is a total package – that it did not only secure heaven for us; but it also brought prosperity, health, fulfilment, peace and a lot more good things. I’m not left out in this trend. I remember giving an exhortation in the university and saying things like: “you are not born again to fail again”; “you are not born again to be poor again”. Beloved, it is obvious that things have really changed. That is why it is now rare to hear the idiom “as poor as a church rat”. It is becoming increasingly difficult to associate poverty with Christianity. However, in a bid to correct the short-sightedness of some early believers, we have probably become even more narrow-minded.
How? We do not like to talk about heaven and hell anymore. When we preach to unbelievers, the major distinction between Christianity and the world that we present to them is that Jesus will also give them plenty wealth, but with peace of mind. No emphasis is usually placed on life after death. Some even say that heaven is now on earth, and there is no need to prepare to go anywhere. Let’s face it – when was the last time you heard or preached a message relating to the rapture or the second coming of Jesus Christ? Are we not only concentrating on how to amass wealth in this life? The bible says “If our hope in Christ is good for this life only and no more, then we deserve more pity than anyone else in all the world (I Corinthians 15:19 GNB).
It is pleasant to know that redemption gave us freely everything we need to have a good life on earth; but it is pitiable if we do not understand that we are strangers in this world and a better life awaits us in heaven. The greater part of our new life will be spent in heaven and we should be wise enough to know not to major in the minors. “Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cosy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul” (I Peter 2:11 MSG). Learn to always keep your destination in mind as you pass through this world. Prepare for eternity!
– tope aladenusi
Having the target in mind Bible Reading: Galatians 4
It is commonly believed that if you do not know where you are going, you may not be able to tell when you get there. One of the most potent driving forces for achieving success is to be able to see your destination clearly. The wear and tear of this life isn’t really worth it unless you are going to somewhere very great. Not only that, you are able to tell when you get there.
The same thing applies to our desires and efforts to grow spiritually. We have to clearly see our growth target. What exactly are you aiming to achieve as far as your spiritual growth is concerned? Does it fall in line with the verses of scripture below …?
“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you” Galatians 4:19 (KJV)
“… until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard”. Ephesians 4:13 (GW)
When we got born again, we received the fullness of Christ in our spirits (John 1:16); our old nature died and we now have a new nature (II Cor. 5:17); our new life is exactly like Christ (I Jn 4:17). But according to Gal 4:19, there is another labour we need to go through, until Christ be formed in us. What does this mean? The Message translation puts it clearer – “…until Christ’s life becomes visible in your lives”
Beloved, Press on … until your lifestyle fully reflects your new life; until your disposition totally reflects your position in Christ; until your city experiences what was experienced when Jesus was in Galilee, Nazareth, Jerusalem … ; until the fruit of the spirit is constantly displayed in your life; until everything you do revolves around God’s agenda; … until Christ be formed in you.
– tope aladenusi
It is uncommon to see people who are troubled in mind comporting themselves, rather, they move about with gloomy and moody faces. As a matter of fact, it’s difficult to find such people comforting, encouraging, or attending to peoples’ needs.
When Jesus met the multitude of people after He was told of the beheading of John the Baptist, He did not send them away giving the excuse of His mind state. The fact that His forerunner (John), who proclaimed His coming and also doubles as a relation has been beheaded, was enough a reason to dismiss the crowd. Rather, He was moved with compassion (Matthew 14:14) and healed their infirmities. He didn’t need to go for days of fasting and prayer to reposition His mind, but He knew He was made for such occasions. Jesus did not only heal their sicknesses, but also put smiles on their faces by feeding them all.
Does the thought of putting smile on peoples faces cross your mind when troubled, or rather people should put smile on your face? Don’t forget that the Christian is a packaged solution to the world’s problems. Discharge your duties faithfully, even when you don’t feel like doing it, remember it goes beyond your momentary feelings.
adeyiga awomuti
May I be free to ask what we do about the sorrowful news we hear at certain periods in life? How many hours, days, or weeks do we spend thinking about the news? At such times, our minds can’t just stop being perturbed over the fact that, ‘why is this happening now’, ‘why me’, ‘why friends or relations?’ Most times, we get off such thoughts when they are overtaken by some other events, or we’ve just listened to some music appealing to the mind based on our moods. Despite these conventional options that characterises our painful moments, I think we can detach ourselves from such, by learning from Christ.
In Matthew 14:13, when Jesus heard of the beheading of John the Baptist, He immediately withdrew to a desert place. He did not do that because of fear or that he may go to weep. We’ll find out in verse 23 the main reason for his withdrawal, though He was temporarily halted by His passion for some sick and hungry people, vs. 13-21.
Instead of Jesus complaining, crying or thinking excessively about the sorrowful news of John the Baptist, He was determined to go and pray. Would you choose to follow after Jesus exemplary life, or you would like to continue in the conventional way of freeing one’s mind from troubling news?
– adeyiga awomuti
For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 2 Cor. 9:12
In the eighth and ninth chapters of 2 Corinthians, Paul teaches about giving as it should be done in the New Testament. Verse 12 of Chpater 9 is particularly insightful.
When we give, the first requirement is a willing mind. It is meaningless to give anything when the motivation is not love.
Equally important is the fact that our giving is accepted according to that which we have. Too many times we make statements like, “I wish I had a million Dollars. I would give it all to support the ministry.” Or others like, “If I had my life to live all over again, I would spend more time serving God.”
Well, you probably do not have a million Dollars anywhere, and you definitely do not have your life to live all over again. What you have right now is what you are expected to give. What you can do right now is what you are expected to do.
Don’t wait until you have billions before you give. Don’t wait until you are behind a pulpit before you preach. Don’t wait until you have resigned from your job before you start labouring in the ministry.
“If a man have first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that which a man hath…”
– jide lawal