Monday, May 22, 2017
Begin with yourself
Humanity is obsessed with greatness. We all believe that we
can do better. But those that have done better have been beneficiaries of doing
the impossible, upsetting tables, implementing crazy ideas that made a
difference. It was madness to think that people can talk on phones without
wires until when it happened. It was madness to think that there could be an
electric bulb. All inventions we cherish today were a result of madness and
craziness. If we are to achieve greatness we have to be mad and crazy in our
thinking, we have to tear ourselves from the ordinary thinking and start doing
the impossible, the crazy, the mad. Often we fail to take the road not taken
because we crave for the comfort zone.
Osho was right, the mind is a coward, for those who listen
to it become utterly cowardly. The mind is not an adventurer, it is very
cautious. It takes every step with thinking and calculation until it is certain
there is no risk, until it has seen others taking the risk, until it has seen others
taking the step and there has been no danger; hence listening to the mind is
the most disturbing phenomenon of growth.
Whenever everything is going well the mind comes in and says
‘watch out!’ Because you listen to the mind’s fears you stop living. The mind
would keep you always the same, never taking risks. Newness is an enemy to the
mind, sameness is its friend.
Move out of the ordinary, familiar situations and environment.
Start doing things differently then you will achieve greatness. It is imperative
to note that nothing will happen on your ideas unless you make it stand for
you. Why is it that other people become successful and you are not. The reason
is very simple; you only dream, you do not turn your dreams into action. Change
your behavioral DNA so that you are action oriented than philosophizing. Take
risk and challenge the impossible.
Take time to realise, as Alan Axelrod argues, that a single
person can bring change, that change – even the greatest change – begins with a
single person, and that the change begins the moment that person begins it. If
you mean to make a difference in the world or in your company, or in your life,
you cannot wait for others to begin the change, and you cannot wait even for
your own changes to become widespread, let alone universal. Begin the project,
no matter how ambitious, with yourself. Begin now.
It is important to realise that in moving forward in pursuit
of your dreams, you have to realise that time is the most precious commodity.
Any time you spend can add value to your dream or take you away from your
dream. How you spend your time matters in the pursuit of your dreams. It is an
indisputable fact that while business professionals are accustomed to
accounting for and auditing the expenditure of money, even more care should be
devoted t tracking time. Time is entirely non renewable, and whether spent,
invested, or simply lost, it is consumed. There is at least a chance of
recovering money that has been misspent or lost, but time lost is forever, and
irrecoverable loss is the very essence of tragedy.
Move forward, be the Thomson Mpinganjira of your dreams – no
matter how many times your dream will be rejected by others as he faced
challenged in securing a banking licence, soldier on until you realise the
dream. Be the Scader Louis of your dreams – learn to move out of the ashes of
disappointment and broken-heartedness and hopelessness to challenge all odds
till you realise the dream of your choice. Add a dose of Dr. Thomas Edison to
your dream – keep on believing that you will discover the electric bulb. Let
your dream be the electric bulb you have been dreaming of. Barack Obama your
vision – dare to become the first in realizing your dream and indeed tell
yourself ‘yes I can’. Mother Theresa your dreams – no matter how simple you
are, your ideas and dreams and beliefs can move the world.
The choice to become a success or failure is in your hands.
Success and failure are like two sides of the same hands. The choice is yours.
Begin with yourself then all the success will follow.
