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
| Benjamin Franklin learned that plaster scattered in the fields would make things grow. He told his neighbours, but they did not believe him. They argued with him, trying to prove that plaster could be no use at all to grass or grain. After a little while he allowed the matter to drop and said no more about it.
Early the next spring Franklin went into the field and sowed some grain. Close by the path, where men would walk, he traced some letters with his finger, put plaster into them, and then sowed seed in the plaster. After a week or two the seed sprang up. As they passed that way, the neighbours were very surprised to see, in brighter green than all the rest of the field, large letters saying, “This has been plastered.” Benjamin Franklin did not need to argue with his neighbours anymore about the benefits of plaster for the fields. Another of his experiments Benjamin Franklin was told by “experts” to stop all that foolish experimenting with lightning Louis L’Amour, successful author of over 100 western novels with over 200 million copies in print, received 350 rejections before he made his first sale. He later became the first American novelist to receive a special congressional gold medal in recognition of his distinguished career as an author and contributor to the nation through his historically based works. Young Dr. Ignatius Piazza fresh out of chiropractic school, wanted to open a practice on the beautiful community of California. The local chiropractic community told him that there were not enough potential patients to support another practice. For the next four months, Piazza spent ten hours a day going door-to-door and introducing himself as a new chiropractic doctor in town. He knocked on 12, 500 doors, spoke to 6,500 people and invited them to come to his future open house. As a result of his perseverance and commitment, during his first month of practice he saw 233 new patients and earned a record income for that time of $72,000 in one month! Dr. Seuss’s first children’s book, I may have used a couple of examples on those who got their writings initial rejected by publishers, but don’t get me wrong. It’s not all about books here, these rejections and their subsequent success could happen in any other field. Dear reader, your commitment to your goal will make it possible for any obstacle to be subdued. Ed McELroy once said, “Commitment gives us new power. No matter what comes to us , we never turn our eye from the goal.” To our success! |
He was the son of a poor preacher. He was considered to be a sensitive but morbid child. His schoolmaster labeled him, “A stupid blockhead.” He earned a collage degree, but graduated at the very bottom of his class. He was rejected from becoming a preacher. He tried law, and again was rejected. He borrowed a suit of clothes to take an examination to be an assistant in a hospital, and then failed at that as well.
He lived in poverty, was often ill, and once, even pawned his clothes for food. The one thing he wanted to do more than anything was to write. And so he forged a new trail. In the end, Oliver Goldsmith rose above his past to rank among the greatest writers of all time.
Richard Hooker worked for seven years on his humorous war novel, M*A*S*H, only to have it rejected by twenty-one publishers before Morrow decided to publish it. It became a runaway bestseller, spawning a blockbusting movie and a highly successful television series.
After having lost both legs in an air crash, British fighter pilot Douglas Bader rejoined the British Royal Air Force with two artificial limbs. During World War 11 he was captured by the Germans three times – and three times he escaped. Are you there? Am not sure you got that. He escaped on each occasion with artificial legs. You can see the power of determination.
It was Orison Swett Marden who said, “You must back up your ambition by your whole nature, by unbounded enthusiasm and determination to win that knows no failure.” There is no doubt some men and women will want to puncture that determination, but they will succeed if only you let them.
In their Book, Don’t Quote Me – What People Said And Then Wished They Hadn’t, Don Atyeo and Jonathon Green writes, “Addressing his audience in the Berliner Tageblatt on July 12, 1914, Prof. Hans Friedenthal of Berlin University stated his opinions in the evolution of ‘the new woman’ in an era of suffragism and higher education. ‘Brainwork will cause her to become bald, while increasing masculinity and contempt for beauty will induce the growth of hair on the face. In the future, therefore, woman will be bald and wear long moustaches and patriarchal beards’”
Goke Ilesanmi writing in Financial Standard said, “It is a truism that irrespective of what we do and how perfectly we think we have done it, criticism is inevitable. Criticism is even so celebrated that we have different categories of critics.”
According to the man who modernized the production of automobiles Henry Ford “I cannot discover that anyone knows enough to say definitely what is and what is not possible.” Never dwell in your past.
To our success!
– Uju Onyechere
Colossians 3:22-24
When he is harsh
Do not reply with a hiss
Unnecessarily he may be angry
Soothe him with a sincere answer
He shouts like a tyrant
Act from a heart so tender
He treats you like a labourer
Follow like a meek lamb
Sometimes his face looks sour
Face him with a warm smile
When he denies your reward
God’s promises remember
Bear in mind your real boss is Christ
Not the man that signs your pay cheque
At last you’re answerable to Christ
Never can tell you may win him to Christ
– okenna igbokwe
| It is quite understandable why many of us have a little challenge in spending time to pray. The demanding nature of work, coupled with many other distracting things that calls for our attention like entertainment shows on TV, family responsibilities, time limit, amongst many others are all legitimately responsible. Most times when we take out time to communicate with God it appears to be when there is a problem perhaps resulting from a threat, conflict, needs, etc. Ranking top on the list is ‘needs’. For some others, why we spend time to pray is for a smooth sail of the day, or thanks to God for something done. Bottom line, pockets of motivation and especially external ones are responsible for 90% of time we spend praying. It was discovered that once these motivations are out of it, we seem to get easily disinclined to pray. At such time, we end up reciting the Lord’s Prayer of Matthew 6:10, and Luke 11:2.
We need not be motivated or put on our heels like we are for our jobs with pay perks and promotions. I studied the motivation behind Christ death for humanity, perhaps there are some hidden reasons aside the ones I know. I discovered that the motivation is still love, which as many as will accept it will be translated from eternal condemnation to life, and equally worship him eternally. Interestingly, that worship refers to having a feeling of profound love and admiration for Him.
Beyond these motivations that we occasionally experience, there is a fundamental lifestyle expected of us to express; it is our Agapao (Love) life. Love saw us in the miry clay, brought us out and set our feet on the rock to stand. Love gave us a new name and filled our lives with that very nature of God (Love). If our lives consist of this, it is therefore natural for us to express it. A rose expresses its nature which is its beauty and fragrance. A parrot expresses its nature which is talking. We are love beings let us express it.
It is not in mouth proclamation or expression of carnal lust, but in duties and responsibilities. Love took Christ to the cross and earned him a sit at the right hand of God interceding for us (Romans 8: 34). Love should make us be appreciative of these gestures and live up to our responsibilities. Paul in Romans 15: 30-32, entreated the believers at Rome to strive together with him in prayers for Christ sake and the love of the Spirit.
Friends let us gain mastery over all forms of distraction that will not count before God when we are giving account of our lives spent here on earth. Let’s minimize their influence in discharging our duties towards the body of Christ. For Christ sake and the love of the Spirit, I charge us to spend time relating with God in prayers.
– adeyiga awomuti
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I could still remember in my final year when I quarreled with my friend over this issue. He sees his uncle as his role model, while I opted for a world renowned genius. While I berated his choice, he argued that I needed to know my role model’s belief and background before making such a choice the choice.
Years after, now born-again, I have seen reasons with this my friend. We tend to look unto people because of what they have achieved in the society without deep search into who they are.
Some of these people whom we see as great men had denied, blasphemed against the name of God, while others had made repentant confessions at their death beds, unknown to you. Others died; gnashing their teeth in regret of unbelieving life lived.
Consider this statement that culminated into failure:
“Not even God can sink this mighty ship” William Pirrie, President of Harland and Wolff, the company that constructed the Titanic, boasted, days before Titanic embarked on her fateful maiden voyage.
Compare it with this testimony of success:
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:”
Paul, II Timothy 4:7.
Now, I have to come to understand and have acknowledged my role model as Him who:
“hath borne our grief, and carried our sorrows…was wounded for our transgressions… was bruised for our iniquities…bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:4-12.
The King who left all His riches and was made poor for the sake of accomplishing the work of salvation; the only One that bags 100% success is my role model. Who is yours?
– justoc okenna igbokwe
Bible Reading: John 1:43-51
Most great visions were at one time or the other ridiculed by someone. It is natural for some men to assess you based on how you look now. That is why when they hear about your ideas, they consider it a joke. They cannot just imagine that you can excel where others have settled for mediocrity. They find it difficult to fathom how what is in the world today can transform into what you see in your mind. But if only you will hold on to your dream; if only you will run with the vision; if only you will give it all it requires; sooner than you think, we will see in the world what you currently see in your mind.
Let me share two striking quotes with you, and I hope you learn from it:
“This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication.” —Western Union memo, 1876
“There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” — Ken Olson,President of Digital Equipment Corp. 1977
Surprising!!! The telephone and computer that nearly everyone uses today was once seen as impossibility. The computers at that time were manufactured in limited quantities for professionals; their size was massive. So it would not make sense then if someone said that the massive structure would be reduced to the size of a palm. Remember Ken was not a layman. But you know as much as I do that the ideas in the minds of some have made it a norm to have computers in our homes.
I read in Bible that when Phillip told Nathaniel about the presence of Jesus Christ inNazareth, his response was “can anything good come out of Nazareth?” That is why I’m not moved when some ‘men of God’ tell me that I am too ambitious after they just get a glimpse of some of our ministry plans. Sometimes I even say to them that ‘if only you knew my father in heaven, you will realize that what you call ambitious may be obnoxious when compared to his standard. If God has not set a limitation on us, why should we do ourselves a disservice by placing limits around our vision? If God has not said ‘it is not possible’, why should we follow the voice of men who say so?
You are a person of unlimited abilities. If nobody in the world believes in you, I do. That is why we constantly send messages to let you know the level God wants you to operate. We believe you have a great future. Where you are now has less significance when compared to the dreams you are conceiving; the direction you are facing; and the destination you are heading. Do not let men shape you up. Let God mould you. Do not be tossed hither thither by what others feel. Reach out consistently for your God-given goals. “He can who thinks he can. He can’t who thinks he can’t”. The ball is in your court. Value the instructions of your coach (God) more than objections of the spectators.
tope aladenusi
Bible Reading: Colossians 1:16-27
I will never forget the story of the balloon sales man in New York. He advertised his balloons by filling them with gases and releasing them into the skies. These balloons had different beautiful colours – blue, pink, green etc. Suddenly, a young boy came to the balloon salesman and asked – if you throw up a black balloon, will it also go up? The balloon salesman looked at the young boy and with a grin on his face he said – it is not the colour of the balloons that make them go up. It is what is inside of them that make them rise high.
Many of us today still have the mentality of this young boy. It is pretty sad that some Christians think that their advancement and success in life is based on the colour of their skins. Some even consider their external look as a bait or hindrance to success. This dogma has been popularized all over the world and it is now believed by many. Despite this, God’s standpoint on this issue has remained the same over the ages and across borders. Do you know what it is?
Colossians 1:27 – God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, the hope of glory.
Yes! It does not matter what the world seems to say to you. Make up your mind to believe the conclusion of God – Christ in you, the hope of glory; the hope of prosperity; the hope of advancement; the hope of creativity; the hope of greatness. Oh my God, I wish I could say it loud and let everyone on earth hear it at once — Christ in you, the hope of success.
– tope aladenusi
The value and worth of an asset may not necessarily be well appreciated at first instance. Most time, the long term value and usefulness is considered and it engulfs ones mind to the point that no degree of present “low performance” affects our trust in its future relevance. For example, if we treasure an ability, strength or gift in ourselves, we keep exploring it; i.e. In all that we do we keep up the diligent work because of our confidence in the potentials and vast opportunities available. We do not give up even if we don’t seem to be reaping the benefits now. We don’t stop saying to ourselves that someday I will be there or I will achieve the desired result.
Likewise in our lives, we are not expected to give up praying just because we presently cannot lay hold on tangible evidences to justify such consistent labor. Better still, we should build a lifestyle of consistent loneliness with God in prayer like Jesus did. Although, bible might not have recorded all the periods Jesus spent praying alone with God (e.g. Mark 1: 35), but I have no doubt in my mind that He kept praying irrespective of the challenges that came His way. Jesus’ day to day confrontation with the Jewish elders and the outright rejection by people at certain times did not discourage Him either. At certain periods that He was supposed to question the worth of time spent praying due to unpleasant situations, He persistently committed himself to prayers. Perhaps Jesus kept at the back of His mind that His labor is not in vanities.
If in our academic pursuits or businesses for example, we do not mind peoples’ failures and business wind up, then it beholds us not to mind the present challenges that stares us in the face despite our persistent prayer. I have never heard anybody who says I won’t go to school again because people are failing or the graduates are not sound intellectually but rather I hear people say I know I can do better so they forge ahead.
Remember, it is when you are about to get to the end of the tunnel that it surely gets darker, the reason is because you are far from the entrance of the tunnel since you have come a long way and there’s no more ray of light; you are also getting close to the end where the ray of light is about to shine.
1Th 5:16-18 “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
adeyiga awomuti
I conclude this periodical on the third enemy – the devil. This heading of course largely includes demons, evil spirits, etc commonly referred together as spiritual wickedness in high places.
Unbelief in the existence of demonic influence is largely unscriptural since the Word – our basis of standard, is replete with descriptions of various contacts with demons and their influence. The New Testament gives us the glorious understanding of the works of these beings of old. In the Old Testament all that happened to men was viewed as coming directly from God but in the New Testament this is better clarified as we are made to understand that every good and perfect gift comes from the father of light with whom is neither variableness nor shadow of turning.
For you that is born again, your relationship with the devil has been clearly defined from the word. Once you were held tightly by his grip and were led wherever he suggested. Scripture says once we were as sheep gone astray. Again we are reminded that we walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air – the spirit now at work in the children of disobedience among whom we all had our conversation in times past fulfilling the desires of our flesh and our mind and were children of wrath just as the others Eph 2:1 – 3.We were weak to save ourselves from this enemy for we were held in bondage by Him.
But now in Christ Jesus we have been delivered from the powers of darkness and have been translated into the kingdom of his dear Son – Col 1:13. Notice the wordtranslated signifying that there is now a change of position. You and I have crossed enemy lines. No longer are we in the place where we can be influenced directly wherein we were held.
Hebrews 2 and verse 14 describes this wonderfully: Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by His death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
Now that the victory has been obtained for us in Christ Jesus, the only way to bask in the reality of this victory is by maintaining our ground of conviction. Ephesians chapter 6 defines this using a word – “stand”. This word ‘stand’ largely means to make this your place of abode, your dwelling place. The battle is not by fist fighting the devil or jostling for corrupted things He stole. The battle now is simply by maintaining your ground of conviction in all that Christ Has done for us. 1st Peter 5: 9 – Resist him (i.e. the devil), standing firm in the faith…
In conclusion, walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time for the days are truly evil. Don’t waste energy. There is a format and a predetermined way. Walk in this now and always.
A common strategy to walking in the victory Christ has obtained for us is simply maintaining our ground of conviction. The deed on the cross cannot be changed. You are a victor. Walk in this reality now and always
– Dr bolaji akanni