The most Important Lesson about Human Nature.

In 1989, I learned from my dog, one of the most important lessons about the human nature. From Lucky, my German Shepherd, I learned that when faced with life's travails, there is a huge difference between the words of a fellow human and that of a dog. When both say, "Hey, I've got your back", beware; because while the dog remains constantly behind you, keeping faith, you'll never know when the human disappears into thin air.

This is a Very Sad Part of Human Nature.

Be Careful about the Type of People with whom you Socialize.

"Be very careful about the type of people with whom you socialize. If you choose to roll with pigs, you're going to get muddy. And pigs will love it. If you go about with dogs, you'll eat faeces. And dogs will adore you for it." - An old adage.

Searching for Happiness.

“People spend a lifetime searching for happiness; looking for peace. They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people, hoping to fill the emptiness that plagues them. Ironically, the only place they ever needed to search was within.” - Romana L. Anderson.



Three Ways to Face Your Fears With Courage.

Here are a few techniques to help you build your courage and face your fears.

1. Put all remote possibilities out of your mind: Don’t worry about things you have no control over. Don’t spend your time thinking about all of the bad things that might happen to you. Don’t spend your time plotting and planning ways to make sure these things will never happen. 

2. Face your fears before you start something: Imagine difficult situations before they occur. Make a list of the worst that could happen, and you’ll probably see that the situation is not so bad after all.

A friend of mine lost everything a few years back—her home, cars, possessions, antiques, art, jewelry and credit. She lost it all. Now, on her way back up, whenever she’s faced with a tough decision, she asks herself, 'What’s the worst that can happen?' And guess what, she’s already been through the worst and she survived. It’s not an issue anymore.

You don’t have to lose everything to lose that particular fear. But once you face your fear, you can move on. Once you’ve figured out the worst that could possibly happen, you’ll see that you have the inner strength to deal with it if the worst scenario comes about. And here’s the best part: If you’ve looked at the possibilities beforehand, you’ll probably never be faced with the situation at all. Why? Because you’ve already been through it. By contemplating what might happen, you’ve charted your course to ensure that it doesn’t. 

3. Imagine the alternative: Picture the result of giving into your fears. Really feel the cost of being ruled by fear; then really feel the benefits of courageously following your ambition. Carefully weigh the two and see the difference. If you’ve been invited to address your national sales convention and are scared to death of public speaking, what should you do? You could decline the invitation, knowing full well that your fears are holding you back. Or you could take some classes, read some books, practice with a friend. See yourself stepping into a whole new league. You’ll be accepting the opportunity to gain more notoriety in your field. And you’ll be increasing your opportunities for future success.

Once again, it’s your choice. Be fueled by your fears, or face your fears. It all depends on how badly you want something. It all depends on how you choose to live your life; do you always want to be afraid of taking the next step, or do you want to build your courage and open the doors of opportunity? I know what my answer would be.

Courtesy: Jim Rohn.

Time to Learn from Fruit Trees.

God created all types of fruit trees, each one with its own season to produce fruits.

Whether in or off-season though, a fruit tree never loses its identity.

And neither does it stress itself because some other trees are having a good time while in their seasons. It simply waits for its turn. 

When it’s the season for an apple tree to produce fruits, no one ever hears any whining or crying from a mango tree that is off-season. It merely waits for its own season. 

And in a mango season, there is never a sign of envy or some negative attitude from cocoa, walnut or any other tree. Cocoa, for instance, takes about ten years to produce fruits. Yet, it's never in a hurry. The tree simply waits for its own time to produce fruits. Ironically, when its time finally comes, just one cocoa pod is worth more in value than all the fruits produced by a mango tree, whose time comes every year.

In spite of this, no mango tree ever wakes up one day to start stressing God through fasting and prayers, to produce cocoa, all because cocoa is a cash crop that is much beloved, especially by those chocolate makers in Switzerland.  



These are mere trees, contended to flow with the natural course of the Mother Nature.

They appreciate the fact that God created them differently, each with its unique attribute.  

But not so humans!!! Even though made in the image of God, they will rather adopt the ways and manners of Lucifer. 

Almost everyone wants to be like the other person. A doctor, created with a talent for medical healing and trained to so do, will abandon it to be an astronaut each time

there is news of space travel.  

A teacher, with a special gift for molding young lives, is too busy distracting himself or herself with dreams of one day becoming another Steve Jobs or Bill Gates.

It is natural for us, as humans, to desire success, comforts and the other good things of life.

But everyone has his or her uniqueness. It's just a matter of waiting for our "season" to "shine".

And there is no reason for anyone to stress himself or herself to death just to be like somebody else.

When are we ever going to identify and employ our individual natural gifts or talents and then wait patiently for the right seasons --- to reap from the “fruits” of our labor?

Hard Facts of Life.

 

1. No matter what you say and how you say it, SOME people will never get it. 

2. No matter how pure your motives are, SOMEBODY will still accuse you of ill intentions. Stay pure anyway.

3. No matter how humble you are, somebody will still consider you proud. Stay humble, anyway.

4. No matter how generous you are, somebody will still call you "selfish". Remain generous, anyway. 

5. Sometimes some of your greatest pains will come from those you gave the most pleasure. 

6. Some of your greatest disappointments will come from those you gave your best appointments or commitments. 

7. Sometimes some of the worst things you'd hear about yourself may come from those you speak the best of. 

8. Not everyone in your ship is paddling in the direction of your dreamed destination. discernment is key.  

9. Loving people sometimes means feeling used by them. 

10. Sometimes, doing the right thing ends up making you look like a fool. 

11. Some individuals may take this piece personal...that's the work of conscience. But, at one point or the other, everyone will need one or more of these points.

What’s the Matter with the World?

What’s the matter with the world,

has the world gone mad?

(But) nothing’s wrong with the world.

It’s the people that are in it.

You can depend

on the sun (because) it rises every day.

But you can’t rely on the things people say.

Rain falls from the sky

to give water so life won’t die

except you and me.   

The Impact of Attitude on Life.

“The longer I love, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, gift or skill. It will make or break a company...a church....a home. The remarkable thing is, we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes.” ― Charles R. Swindoll.

A Painful Truth.

"Better to be awakened 
by a painful truth 
than to be lulled to sleep 
by a seductive lie.” 
– Dr. Phil McGraw.

Choose Your Friends Wisely.

"Be very careful about the type of people  
 with whom you socialize.
If you choose to roll with pigs,
you're going to get muddy.
And pigs will love it.                  
If you go about with dogs,
you'll eat faeces.
And dogs will adore you for it."
- An old adage.

The Next Judas.

In Life, only Change is Constant.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” – Darwin.

That's it! Change is the only thing that is constant in life. No one can be more frustrated or miserable than a person that opposes changes in his or her life, career and other circumstances. Therefore, whether planned or imposed, endeavor to embrace every change that comes your way. Even when imposed---you never know---it may turn out to be the best thing to ever happen to you, at the end of the day.

When it Comes to Marriage, Every Man is Conservative.

In those days, a woman would go to any length to cover up those sensitive parts of her body that men considered to be the basis of a woman’s physical pride. Women recognized this same physical pride as the bedrock of their emotional state of well-being.

Back in the day, a woman would take extra precautions to keep a man guessing about her body. It was common for a man to keep dreaming excitedly of the day when he would finally have the privilege to see that body.

These days however, it’s a different “ballgame”. Now, a typical woman will go to any length to expose the most intimate parts of her body, leaving nothing to imagination. From a very first date, she will provide a man with an eyeful of erotic sights to last him a lifetime. On a platter of gold, the man’s eyes are fed with a constant flash of her half-exposed breasts (cleavage) and the occasional exposure of her underpants (sex appeal). Unlike the past therefore, most men don’t have to “salivate” or have their imagination running riot anymore. Now, the only obstacle standing between a man and sex after one or two dates is just the distance between the location of the date and the nearest bedroom. Yet, it’s amazing, if not baffling to hear a lot of women lament over “the shortage of good men” and why marriage eludes them. Don’t they ever reason within themselves to realize that when it comes to marriage, every man is conservative in nature?

Becoming Incredible Hulk at What Price?

This 25-year-old man risks his life by injecting oil and alcohol into his biceps in a dumb bid to become a real life version of the incredible hulk. There are many more fools like this guy (even among celebrities) who are doing "everything" to develop their biceps and triceps. They do this to enhance their performances in sports, act in movies or (and) for vanity.

Alas, they are all current or future candidates of impotence, liver disease, kidney disease, heart disease, mental disorders, severe hair loss (they are often bald-headed) and several other physiological damages. The guy (Romario Dos Santos) a Brazilian bodybuilder, nearly lost his arms in his quest to bulk up. “I remember the doctor told me that they would need to amputate both arms…they said everything in there, all my muscles, were rock." He is now warning others to stay clear of all the dangerous "addictive".

It was Leopold Von Ranke who said (and while saying it, he must have been shaking his head in pity) “He who overcomes himself is divine. Most see their ruins before their eyes; yet, they go on into it.”

Realistic Secrets of Success.

This morning, I got an e-mail from a self-described well-educated, young urban professional who would like to build on his current great life’s foundation. He wanted my “blunt” opinion on what I believed to constitute the secrets of success in life. And he suggested that I posted the opinion on my blog so that others, like him, could also benefit.

In my humble opinion and in a nutshell, success in life entails either one or both of two factors. On the one hand, success can come from destiny. That is why some individuals (in spite of little efforts on their parts) are leading successful lives. By some divine reasons, they are always at the right place, at the right time. And, on the other hand, success can arise as the product of a great personal strategic plan. In most cases, this comprises of a good education, dedication and hard work.

In addition, success from either or both of these two factors can be accelerated and strengthened. To do this, all you have to do is surround yourself with successful or potentially-successful people. They will be the wind beneath your wings. The saying about birds of the same feathers flocking together (for good or for bad) can easily be applied here. It is your responsibility, as an individual, to painstakingly choose friends who inspire, motivate or challenge you to rise above your potentials. If the majority of your friends are people whose life history is all about failures in relationships, marriages, careers, finances, social graces and other life’s accomplishments, you are in trouble. You’ll be like the victim of a capsized boat who struggles to swim above water while some haters, out of spite, keep pulling him/her down. In your pursuit of success, frustrated and miserable friends or associates can never be happy for you. And it does not matter if their faces are constantly plastered with smiles each time they see you. So, here is the bottom-line: Choose your friends wisely if you want to be successful in life!

To Forgive and Forget? Nothing Short of a Mission Impossible.

Imagine getting offended by someone who, after a while, realizes their error and pleads for forgiveness. For many of us who have found ourselves in this type of situation, forgiveness is not a problem. Very often however, the offending person will not only ask for forgiveness. They will most likely ask that we “forgive and forget”. And this is where the problem arises. Yes, we tend to agree. But do we really ever forget? In reality, this is easier said than done. A brain has no eraser and neither does it have a delete button. Some things will just refuse to go away, depending on the hurts that arise from them.

The Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria have a saying to the effect, “Spoken words are like eggs. Once they fall off from a mouth, they can’t be repackaged into their previous shapes.” Now, actions or spoken words that inflict physical or emotional pain cannot, in all reality, be expected to go away. The aggrieved party only has to see the scar or remember the emotional anguish to feel offended all over again.

Therefore, the only anti-dote to this type of situation is for us all to be mindful of what we do or say in moments of anger. And each time we do mess up, as imperfect mortals, the best we can hope for is forgiveness. Asking the aggrieved parties to forget is akin to asking them to wipe off a part of their brains. This is a “Mission Impossible”.

The Worst Advocacy Against Man.

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is Man that you are mindful of him, the son of Man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.
You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.
O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

- Psalm 8 (New International Version).

How Principled Are You?

"Cowardice asks the question - Is it safe? Expediency asks the question - Is it politic? Vanity asks the question - Is it popular? But Conscience asks the question - Is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular; but one must take it because it is right"--- Martin Luther King Jr.

 

 

“No Offense But…” is the beginning of Disrespect.

Usually, when someone starts a conversation with “No offense but…” he/she is not going to say anything positive. 

Definitely, that person is just about to be offensive. At that point, if they are not immediately discouraged or stopped, an avenue for them to be disrespectful will be created unwittingly. And when that happens, unnecessary problems will arise between them and the other person.

Personally, I have resolved to never wait for such an ignorant person to continue with their conversation. This way, I give a prompt impression that I refuse to be a victim of whatever ignorant thing is about to come out of their mouths. I have however witnessed several scenarios where unwary victims got prejudiced, stereotyped and insulted through spoken words that are started with “No offense but…”

Therefore, when next someone around you starts a conversation with that ominous statement, “No offense but…” tell them immediately to stop right there! Alternatively, change the subject or, run, if all else fails.