Self-improvement | The Reality Hub

3 Ways To Make The Most Of Your Experiences

Posted on July 20, 2020 by EDWINO

If you’re anything like me, you love to learn, and you definitely thrive on the wisdom you glean from your daily experiences. The good, the bad, and the ugly ones you beat yourself not to recall – they all have varied ways of helping you to see your life from different perspectives. Taken on the right note, these experiences become a solid springboard of growth for you.

Here’s an apt way of expressing this: “Grow through what you go through.”
Sounds cliché, right? Yea. It sure does. Perhaps you’ve read this for the thousandth time.

If you want to be a great leader or a great student or a great writer – if you do not want to live a boring life – you have to put in effort to make the most of your experiences. Everyone’s got experiences. But did you know you could live a better life by taking time to reflect on the things you go through?

Ryan Holiday speaks to this really well:

“Everything that happens in your life can be used for something useful, whether it’s your writing, your relationships, or your new startup. Everything is material. We can use it all. Whether we’re a baseball player or a hedge fund manager, a psychiatrist or a cop. The issues we had with our parents become lessons that we teach our children. An injury that lays us up in bed becomes a reason to reflect on where our life is going. A problem at work inspires us to invent a new product and strike out on our own. These obstacles become opportunities.”

Making it a habit to reflect on your experiences bestows upon you unstoppable power to make better decisions.

1. Live in the moment

In 2019, a close ally shared a song with me. Until I listened to it, I had no idea it would be the solution to the numerous fears I had at the time – my past experiences were taking a toll on me through my thoughts, and I felt so insecure about my future. It was Jason Mraz’s Living in the moment.

Nobody wants to do life facing backwards, yet most people have a challenge of living in the past. That doesn’t help. Let go of the past. Let go of the limiting thoughts that pull you down the ladder of peace and progress. It’s alright to pick up lessons from your past, but you definitely do not want to live there.

Some of the past happenings are surely hard to forget – I do have them too – but choosing to let go opens you up to a whole new world of beauty and joy. Decide to monitor your thoughts. Decide to stay in the present. You’ll be better and happier.

2. Schedule Thinking Sessions

“Your ability to take knowledge and skills and apply them to a problem or situation you have not seen before… is predicted by the variety of situations you’ve faced.”

David Epstein

Nothing quite supersedes the deep depths of self discovery we reach in moments of solitude. Quiet moments have a fantastic way of revealing to us different perspectives on the situations we encounter in our daily lives. In my life and career, I have had several epiphanies in such moments, and so I prioritize free time on my daily schedule for Thinking Sessions. I usually enjoy my solitude moments with my Diary, or my Keep app.
It will help you too, to schedule daily (or weekly, if that works for you), consistent Thinking Sessions, where you recall the major events that have left an impression on you. These thoughts should be guided and directed towards the sole aim of having a learning experience. Think through what happened. Ask yourself questions – some may be hard, of course, but the answers to these questions usually hold wisdom to make your life better.

3. Mentor Someone and Be Mentored.

The relevance of mentorship cannot be over-stressed. It took my mentor’s lesson on Tai Lopez’s “The Law of 33%,” to finally have it etched into my understanding.

Mentoring someone is a good thing: for one thing, it opens you up to the different aspects of your personality. Make your mentorship process a conscious effort of consistently accessing which parts of your life can best help your mentee. As a mentor, you become more self aware, as you gain a much better perspective on your decision making process.

I have noticed over the last few years how sharing my experiences with others has actually opened me up to my blind spots. In such moments of sharing, I have been exposed to some of my deepest motivations and drive. It has not always been something to brag about, but, I must say, its been worth it. Share your experiences – as part of conversations, by way of advising others, by writing for an audience.

Receiving Mentorship enlightens you. Your mentor would ideally point out to you why you’re making particular mistakes, and how you can overcome them.

Now, get up! Go live an interesting life!

8 Podcasts to Push you Higher

Posted on May 26, 2020 by EDWINO

In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “an investment in knowledge pays the best interest,” and unquestionably, the need to self-educate has never been more important than it is in this pandemic season. It falls on us to put in the time and effort to improve ourselves in the different aspects of our lives.

Since 2015, Podcasts have been to me a mine of insight; by listening to different podcasts from various credible sources, I have become more self-aware, and I have grown more passionate about the things that move the needle in my life. I have seen real-time results.

Here is a list, in no particular order, of 8 high-impact podcasts on my list. I’m convinced these help you to become a better version of yourself:

The John Maxwell Leadership Podcast

The John Maxwell Leadership Podcast is a regular examination of what it means to be a transformational leader—someone who daily influences people to think, speak, and act to make a positive difference in their lives and in the lives of others. This podcast will teach you the principles, practices, and process of becoming a transformational leader because leadership isn’t an event—it’s an uphill journey. Every week we will offer a free tool to help you on this journey, so let leadership authority Dr. John C. Maxwell show you the way.

David Adu-Gyamfi Audio Podcast

For the man or woman who is bent on pursuing and achieving His purpose in Life. Get equipped with Wisdom for the journey of Purpose. Hosted by David Adu-Gyamfi – Author, Conference Speaker, and Mentor.

TED Talks Daily

Join host and journalist Elise Hu for thought-provoking ideas on every subject imaginable — from Artificial Intelligence to Zoology, and everything in between — given by the world’s leading thinkers and creators. With TED Talks Daily, find some space in your day to change your perspectives, ignite your curiosity, and learn something new.

7 Good Minutes Daily Self-Improvement Podcast with Clyde Lee Dennis

The Podcast for Busy High Achievers, Hosted by Clyde Lee Dennis. Where you get self-improvement tips, life skills training, and the inspiration you need as you work toward achieving your goals. With a new 7 minute episode every day 7 days a week featuring the best teachers and speakers like Brendon Burchard, Joel Osteen, Mel Robbins, Simon Sinek, Eddie Pinero, Lisa Nichols, Robin Sharma, Jay Shetty, and many more. Subscribe now so you never miss a new episode!

Lead to Win

Short-term wins are easy. Sustained achievement is another story. On Lead to Win join New York Times bestselling author Michael Hyatt and discover how current research combines with timeless wisdom for lasting success. From personal productivity to personal development, self-leadership to team leadership, and intentionality to influence, get the insights and tools you need to win at work and succeed at life.

Simplify

Simplify is a podcast for anyone who’s taken a close look at their habits, their happiness, their relationships, or their health and thought, “There’s got to be a better way to do this.” Hear ideas that get you to better from Gretchen Rubin, David Allen, Rebecca Traister, Dan Savage, Seth Godin and many more.

The School of Greatness

The goal of the School of Greatness is to share inspiring stories from the most brilliant business minds, world class athletes and influential celebrities on the planet to help you find out what makes great people great.

Imagined Life

What is it like to be famous before you’re famous? What is it like to walk in the shoes of another person? Each episode of Imagined Life takes you on an immersive journey into the life of a world-famous person. It’ll be someone you may think you know, even admire — or maybe the opposite. You’ll get clues to your identity along the way. But only in the final moments will you find out who “you” really are.

Listen on Google Podcasts or Apple Podcasts.

Oh, yeah, kindly leave a comment with any high-impact podcasts that help your growth. I’d love to join you.

Subscribe to my digest on Life-learning, Self-improvement and Society.

Do Not Hide Your Voice

Posted on May 12, 2020 by EDWINO

For the past few days, I’ve been pensive. Really pensive. There’s no single peculiar thing that has been on my mind, but a collection of thoughts. I have spent huge chunks of time reflecting on my past experiences. Some of the feelings I have had to relive, I must confess, have proven to be really sour. There’s been others, however, which have rekindled the spark I had a child! Yes!

Come with me to 2010. In that year, I was a rather withdrawn, young boy with not-so-many friends nor childhood fantasies. My family was in dire straits, but that’s not even the point. I remember vividly, how that, from that point onward, my Dad made a resolute stand to keep us disconnected from the reality of the troubling times we struggled to survive. He would rather have us channel our energies toward our books. “That is not necessary. Channel your energies to your books.” I can vividly hear him in my head even now. That was his ideal way of resolving all conflicts that arose among kids in the house. He was so bent on getting us to succeed at our education, and that seemed to be all that mattered to him in that season. He’d wake me up at 2am with His, now ritualistic, chant “Up, up, up, up.” And at the sound of that, no matter where I was in my sleep, I’d have no option.

As I reminisced, my thoughts seemed to be dominated by my Dad’s constant actions towards making me more expressive. Till date, whenever I visit, I still hear him say “Express Yourself” to my siblings, just as he would tell me. I remember how, at 12 years he encouraged me on end to take up a community service initiative he had named EDWINO’s Junior Achievement Centre; it was to be a weekly Sunday afternoon meeting to impart the knowledge I was gaining to other kids in the community. I also have vivid memories of how he would constantly point out to me how fantastic it would be for me to write a book to impart knowledge to others. That started when I turned 15. I remember how he introduced a Latinate slogan that still runs in our home: “Vere Possumus.” In English, it means “Yes We Can.” I still recall how we conjugated that at a table, and how it became a family greeting.

My Dad is by far the most inspirational figure in my life. No man on earth has impacted nor shaped my life as much as he has, not because he gave birth to me; but because, perhaps, he decided to. Over the years, His attempts to get me to believe in myself have yielded much fruit. I know that. And I can’t even begin to express how thankful I am to have such an amazing father. Thinking on all these experiences rekindled that childhood spark he lit in me. I am convinced that all his actions were geared towards getting his son to believe in himself.

Today, as you read this post, I want to encourage you to do just that. Believe in yourself. Believe, even without a father in the person of mine, that you can achieve your dreams. Believe that you have whatever it takes to achieve your life’s purpose. Vere Possa! Yes, you can!

You Are Full of Potential

“Only a mediocre person is always at his best.” -Somerset Maugham

The word ‘Potential’ is from late Latin potentialis, from potentia ‘power’, from potent- ‘being able. It speaks of ability and power; reserved power; capped capabilities; latent power; dormant abilities. Your potential is your future. Your potential, in the words of Dr. Myles Munroe, is

“what you can do that you haven’t yet done. Where you can go that you haven’t yet gone… who you can be that you haven’t yet been… what you can imagine that you haven’t yet imagined… how far you can reach that you haven’t yet reached… what you can see that you haven’t yet seen… what you can accomplish that you haven’t yet accomplished…. Potential is the sum of who you are that you have yet to reveal.”

This unstoppable, reserved power, is capped at the core of your frame, and it manifests in your abilities.

Do Not Hide Your Voice

“If you plan on being anything less than you are capable of being, you will probably be unhappy all the days of your life.” – Abraham Maslow

“The real tragedy is the tragedy of the man who never in his life braces himself for his one supreme effort, who never stretches to his full capacity, never stands up to his full stature.” – Arnold Bennett

Today, many find it deadly to be authentic, but really, success lies in authenticity. Your authenticity is your difference from others, and there lies your success. As, Dr. Mike Murdock said, “Your Significance is not in your similarity to another, but in your point of difference from another.”

Your voice is your identity. Your identity is your unique selling proposition. It’s what makes you authentic. No man would achieve his purpose who is not willing to be authentic. To be authentic is to manifest the powers latent within you. The world truly needs you to tap into the power that lies within you; it is your best bet to making the world a better place.

“God’s gift to us: potential. Our gift to God developing it. – Author unknown

Many have come to the earth and left without taking any steps towards releasing their potential. That should not be your story. You must be willing to do whatever it takes to live a fulfilled life. You must be willing to access your current state, and ask yourself critical questions about where your strengths lie. To successfully fulfil purpose would require you to develop your potential. Like muscles, your potentials need exercise to develop. You must choose to go the extra mile in everything you’re currently working on. As aptly asserted by John C. Maxwell, “Nobody admires average. The best organizations don’t pay for average. Mediocrity is not worth shooting for.”

Before You Go…

“Growth stops when you lose the tension between where you are and where you could be.” – John C. Maxwell

“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Elliot

Looking back on the last five years, I can see that much of the progress I’ve made has resulted from multiple decisions to stretch myself farther in the different areas of my life. No man would achieve his purpose who is not willing to stretch himself beyond his current abilities. Surely, it will take you out of your comfort zone, and that is where all success begins. You must develop the courage to do things you’ve never done before. You must let go of low standards and limiting beliefs. You must leave behind what feels familiar, safe, and secure. You must be willing to think deeper than you ever have; to reach out to more people; to sit for longer hours than usual; to try many more times and never stop; to develop a passion for learning; to become more observant; to pay more attention to detail. You will be required to create changes in your relationships. You will be required to become more resilient; to create an environment that pushes you upward. That is the price you pay for authenticity. That is what it takes to exploit your potential.

It’s never too late to turn things around in your life. In this season of quarantine, make it a goal to come out more self-aware. Take an inventory of all your abilities, and consider how you could bless your world.

4/30 How will you be remembered?

Posted on September 4, 2019 by EDWINO

How will you be remembered?

This is a question that deserves your full attention. At age 14, when I first checked up epitaph from the Dictionary, I wrote a statement in my diary:

“I want this epitaph written of me: a courageous man he really was, he died learning.”

It’s amazing how this statement motivated me to become the life-long learner I am now. Subsequently, when I enrolled in college, I developed a Personal Growth Statement. My Personal Growth Statement has seen great evolution over the years – and it surely will keep evolving.

Today, my Profile Summary reads:

“I am a Lifelong learner, Steward Leader, Graphic Designer, Blogger, Photographer, and Speaker. Academically, I am staunch Environmental Sustainability professional with a Bachelor of Science (BSc.) degree in Environmental Science from KNUST. Through my unstoppable passion for learning and self-improvement, I have developed proficient skills in Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Powerpoint, and Microsoft Excel.”

Developing a Personal Growth Statement puts you in a state of achievement. For me, it is my source of zeal. It propels me to fight for excellence in each of these areas. It was Carl Newport who once asserted: “until you’re good enough, you don’t have leverage.” I totally agree with him!

3/30 The Law of Responsibility

Posted on September 3, 2019 by EDWINO

Great! It’s Day 3 of our #30BloggingChallenge! You are gradually drawing closer to the best of your life. No doubt about that!

In today’s post, we discuss the subject of Responsibility. I believe this is the single most important thing that moved me from a state of normalcy into a realm of exponential growth. Until I was exposed to the relevance of Personal Responsibility, I unconsciously lived life waiting for things to happen to me – and they did. The saddest part is I was almost always not happy about my experiences. Pathetic! Your life, however, after you’ve read this, should under no circumstance be left to happenstance. When you do, you stifle the powers within you that would otherwise make you great. There is no question that your greatness is linked to your personal responsibility. In Personal Responsibility, you take ownership of yourself.

Taking responsibility for your life is about accepting that you are responsible for where you are and that you are the only person who can do what it takes to get you out of where you are. When you accept the premise that there is nothing you can do about your plight in life, you become chained to the life you have. Your future is controlled by you and you alone, regardless of the shifting winds of change that are blowing all around you and regardless of what any other entity is doing.

Whether you ‘d be remembered long after you’re gone – for good or bad – has everything to do with your ability to take ownership or yourself!

If you are like most people, you surely have numerous “reasons” why you cannot be successful and influence your world. You might be thinking, Edwino, you have no idea what I’ve been through. You won’t understand. Well, my goal is not to understand your “reasons.” I only aim to help you remove those limits from your life; to help you reach your potential and fulfill your purpose. But truly, I can only help you that far if you alter what you’re thinking right now. See how you can do that here.

Before you go…

Make the rest of your life, the best of your life! Check out this insightfully lengthy post on Responsibility, published here on The Reality Hub.

2/30 What about this statement?

Posted on September 2, 2019 by EDWINO

Today’s blog post is relatively short! Shorter, I should say!

I took this inspiration from a conversation with my Pastor tonight. I really am grateful to God for my Pastor’s life. Through his counsel and interest in my life, my self-awareness has been heightened quite immeasurably within the past 6 years.

Today, in a conversation about a critical issue in my life, he looked at me intently and said “The success of a vision is 100% dependent on the Visionary.” Quite simple, huh!? Well, not to me. I’ve been pensive since I left the meeting.

“The success of a vision is 100% dependent on the visionary.”
– Rev. David Adu-Gyamfi

I’m left here with my diary, and I am asking myself different questions. A lot of them.

What does this statement mean to you? Let’s discuss in the comments.

1/30 What do you think of yourself?

Posted on September 1, 2019 by EDWINO

It’s Day 1 of our Win from Within series here on The Reality Hub, and I’m thankful you’re reading this. This is the beginning of a journey you’d always refer to as life-defining.

Today’s post is meant to give you a headstart into the rest of your life. I am confident that you are surely on the highway to your next level of success and influence!

What Do You Think of Yourself?

“We all will act consistently with our views of who we truly are, whether that view is accurate or not.” – Tony Robbins

What would it look like if your life turns out as you wish? It’ll be beautiful, wouldn’t it? Of course! But the sad truth most people need to understand is this: Wishes don’t win, actions do! Every time! But truly, your actions are greatly influenced by one subtle but powerful entity – your thoughts.

Who am I? Am I good enough? Do people like me? Am I the right person for this? Can I do that? How will I appear? What would others think of me? Am I ready enough? Do I qualify? Will it ever happen? Life-defining questions! Throughout your life, most of your answers to these questions will be to yourself. And that is where the danger is; over time, these answers get deeply ingrained into your subconscious, and thus become a hardened part of your being. They form the foundation of your self-belief. Subsequently, all your experiences – events, happenings, and encounters with people – will only affirm what you think of yourself. Thus, your interpretation of these events will always be in the direction of your self-belief.

What you think of yourself greatly affects what you think of, and how you see, your world. In the words of John C. Maxwell, “how you see yourself determines how you see others.” Your perception of yourself – which stems from your thought life – is the determining factor of your actions and inaction. It decides your relationships with others, and your responses to situations, and even affects how you interpret situations. What you think of yourself goes a long way to decide whether or not you’ll even pursue your life’s purpose, or forfeit it for a lesser life.

Self-Awareness

“I think, therefore I am.” – Rene Descartes

“Your ability is constant, but how much of it you use depends upon the identity you have of yourself.” – Tony Robbins

What you consider possible or impossible are rarely dependent on your capabilities, but a large function of what you think of yourself. For example, if you feel certain that you are an outgoing, outrageous person, you’ll tap the resources of behavior that match your identity. Whether you see yourself as a “loser” or a “winner,” will instantly shape which capabilities you access. To be self-aware is to be knowledgeable of who you really are. It’s the knowledge of your true self, minus all your wishes, ambitions, and clouded judgement. To be self-aware is to be well-informed of your ideal value as an individual; to be well-informed of what makes you, you. To be self-aware is to believe that you have something within you that can bless future generations. It is believing and knowing that you have everything you need to fulfill your life’s purpose.

Self-awareness is about

Recognizing your Value

You are extraordinary. There is no one like you. You are the only you that was ever created.

Recognizing and releasing your potential

You were created to solve a problem no one else can, and that is your potential. As such, you have been endowed with characteristics which will enhance your achievement of this task. In the words of Dr. Myles Munroe,

No man is born to live or die unto himself. God gave you the wealth of your potential – your abilities, gifts, talents, energies, creativity, ideas, aspirations, and desires – for the blessing of future generations. You bear the responsibility to activate, release, and deposit them. The next generation needs the treasures of your potential. Think of the many inventions, books, songs, works of art, and great accomplishments others in past generations have left for you. Even as their treasures have become your blessings, so your treasures must become your children’s unborn children’s blessings. Deliver your potential to inspire the children of our world to release theirs.

To be self-aware is to believe that you are capable of much more than you have already done.

Recognizing what’s holding you back

One true mark of our humanity is limitation. We all possess limitations. There are some which you need to accept. You have no control over your place of birth, birth characteristics, or your year of birth. Also, no one has any control over how his life begins. Whiles some limitations are fixed, there are others we can alter, and yet others you have full control over. You have full control over the thoughts you think, the decisions you make, the actions you take, and your interpretation of situations. You are not limited by your experiences as much as you are by your interpretation of those experiences. What’s holding you back is really what you think of yourself. As aptly asserted by Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or you can’t you’re probably right.”

Believing in yourself

I believe in You. And I want you to succeed. I want you to thrive in success and influence. Nevertheless, much can’t be done if you don’t believe in yourself, too. Self-belief is indispensable in the success equation. To be successful, You must believe in yourself. Regardless of what the past has presented to you, you have the chance to rewrite your story. I hope you write a good one.

It’ll take time. Don’t give up.

Self-awareness takes time. Yet, it is a journey worth taking – it will form the foundation for your greatness. Over the years, my experiences have exposed to me what great orator I could become. However, even my mum would have failed to believe it if she was told about this ten years ago. My mum expressed her utter surprise when she had news of my decision to run political campaigns in college. She actually recalled to the family, how secluded and quiet I was even at age 12.

Growing up, however, I was privileged to be engaged in certain public gatherings which heightened my confidence. To mention a few, I represented my primary school at a quiz competition, I was chosen as master of ceremony for a Talented Kids event; my Dad also pushed me out of those limiting shells when he tasked me to be leading family meetings and events as first born. All these are experiences which have taken well over a decade to push me this high.

Before you go…

If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves. – Thomas Edison.

Be intentional about self-awareness. Be conscious of your actions and reactions from today. Don’t just go through life; grow through life. Expose yourself to different experiences and people. Observe your responses to the different experiences. Take note of them.

Make the rest of your life the best of your life! Make a commitment to embark on the journey of self-awareness today. Your redefinition just began!

#30DayBloggingChallenge

Posted on August 31, 2019 by EDWINO

372 days! Wow! That’s exactly how long it’s been since my last post on The Reality Hub. I’ve had several, varied experiences within this period, for which I am so thankful; I’ve successfully undertaken and defended a Research Thesis in College, and subsequently obtained an excellent BSc. Degree in Environmental Science from KNUST. Also, my design firm, Reality Express, has delivered value-added services to more clients than we did in 2018. Best of all, I’m super excited to announce my 2^nd business startup, The Fountain of Knowledge Educational Services! It’s where I create personalized educational experiences for students aged 7 – 17, and I love that I get to impart the community in a positive way through my students.

Needless to say, it’s not been a cozy experience within the past year, but I have always encouraged myself with this assertion: “It’s not about me.” I am convinced more now than ever that my life is connected to more people than my contact book can hold. I feel the deep need to connect with my world on a greater level in fulfillment of my life’s Purpose, which is exactly why I am taking the 30-Day Blogging Challenge this September.

In this challenge, right here on The Reality Hub, I’d host the Win from Within series, publishing a post every single day; my goal is to help you gain a better perspective of how your inner world affects your life. It’s my objective, as you read and follow the actionable points, that you experience a redefinition of what success means to you. Most often than not, we tend to think of success as the accrual of wealth; we measure our success by our place on the societal ladder, when those are merely outcomes of the real success process. To some, success is meant for the ‘have-it-alls’, which is partly what makes success seem unattainable to them. In this month, nevertheless, we carefully and rationally redefine success.

Success is an inside job. It’s the result of a consistent commitment to personal growth. Without growth, there is no question that success is unattainable. Success in itself, therefore, is not to be pursued. It is to be attracted by the person we become. It is about equipping yourself for achievement. Greater levels of influence, in the same way, only respond to congruently higher levels of growth.

Stay connected this September! Invite your friends, too! It’s the Win from Within series on The Reality Hub! Success is certain!

Why You Should Not Despise Your ‘Little’ Beginning

Posted on November 22, 2018 by EDWINO

Attitude is everything. You’ve heard it said time and again, and it’s absolutely true. Your approach to life today actually decides what future you create.

While it’s certainly fulfilling to release your potential, it is much more important what kind of attitude you uphold in the process. Think for a moment. Is your approach to life creating a bigger and brighter future, or crashing the seed of greatness within you?

In today’s blog post, you will find a reason to pursue a great life.

You are Extraordinary

Although great people in our various domains inspire and motivate us to pursue greatness in our own lives, they also intimidate us, arguably. Thus, fixating on the vastness of their present achievements could leave us feeling so insignificant to the end that we contemplate the relevance of our own ambitions. We virtually forget we’ve been fashioned with distinct Purposes.

But as you may be all too familiar with, you were created for a unique assignment; this assignment necessitated your being and distinguishes you from the lot. Unquestionably, there are hundreds of thousands of great people in every single sphere of influence; but your assignment makes you relevant because no one else gets to impact the world as you’ve been created to.

As you read this post, remember that nobody started life as a great person. Obviously, some of us had greater advantages and environments that were more conducive to achievement. But we all have a single similarity, to say the least: each one of us started life as a baby with closed eyes and no knowledge at all. The cold, hard truth, however, is that by our decisions, some of us have developed less impressive lives than others. The good news is that by our decisions, as well, we could exhibit the greatness latent within us.

Irrespective of your goal – from learning a new skill to building a fortune – if you’re indeed bent on hitting top notch, three basic rules cannot be downplayed.

Rule 1 commands: ‘Do not despise your beginning;’ Rule 2: ‘Do not despise your beginning;’ And Rule 3: ‘Do not despise your beginning.’

What then does it mean to despise? The American Heritage Dictionary enlightens:

Despise: to regard as unworthy of one’s interest or concern

To better understand such a strong word as despise, let’s consider what it’s not: to admire, to cherish, to love, or to esteem.

In today’s bustling world, it’s quite easy to despise your life without even realizing it. Simply put, you despise your life when you do not release your potential.

You may be despising your beginning by not creating, and not living by a concrete plan; by not applying the knowledge you’ve gained over the years, or perhaps by not making any conscious efforts to impact lives.

The crucial role ‘cherishing your beginning’ plays in the path to greatness can be clarified by the inspiring story of Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest orators in American history. A sound description of Abraham Lincoln’s formally uneducated background wouldn’t exactly portray that he could become a successful politician, let alone arguably the greatest president in US history:

Born to an illiterate father who eked out a living on one dirt farm after another, Lincoln grew up in the backwoods of Illinois in a cabin that was initially doorless, floorless and bedless. When he was nine years old, his father disenrolled him from school so he could work on the farm.

Lincoln then had to educate himself. He walked long distances across the countryside to borrow books from people, then read them in his few spare moments.

As a child, Lincoln was praised for his exceptional feats of memory – but they did not come to him naturally. He had to put considerable effort into memorizing things – copying out whole passages from books multiple times, for instance.

He did this without external support; indeed, if he was caught reading when he was supposed to be working, his father would sometimes beat him and destroy his books.

Leadership: In Turbulent Times(2018)

As Lincoln’s story illustrates, hope in the face of daunting life circumstances ought to fuel us to reach for greatness.

You Need a Solid Foundation

Every beginning is of inestimable value – it’s quite unfortunate that few people discover this truth.
Your beginning serves you an opportunity to establish a strong foundation; your foundation determines how far you go in life.

Just as it would be suicidal to raise a skyscraper on a two-storey foundation, success in life depends on what foundation you build.

Foundations specify strength.

In your beginning, you get to develop such fundamental traits that fortify your foundation: Responsibility, Resilience, Courage, Focus, Adaptability, Positive belief systems, Passion, Persistence, Planning, Relationships, Balance, Generosity, Integrity, and Wisdom.

You get to build strong convictions and values and acquire knowledge.

In your beginning, establish a strong foundation. In your beginning, define your life.

Vision is Progressive

Timing is fundamental for fulfilment. In time, the world is framed, and so in time, we get to release our creative powers. In time, we appropriate all progress and change. Our response to time decides what we see in our lives, and as beginners, it’d save us a great deal to recognize this truth.

Your Vision, however great, cannot be achieved in a single day. It takes time. It is worthy of note, therefore, that the fulfilment of vision results from a series of goals accomplished over time.

Thus, you must understand that however BIG your vision, its accomplishment resides ardently in your daily progress.

One profound way to measure a man’s commitment to a vision is to assess his daily goals.

Those baby steps really matter. Do something daily to move your dreams forward.

Mastery is a matter of choice.

Recently, I came across a quote that struck me:

“Mastery takes as long as you want it to take.”

I chose to believe this quote, and it’s wonderful what great heights it inspires in my life, particularly in the areas of personal development and skill acquisition.

Mastery takes as long as you want it to take. In the same vein, the fulfilment of your goals takes as long as you want.

One thing is certain: there are some factors in the environment that may affect your progress, but these should not hold you down.
Decide what you want in your life, and pursue it with all diligence.

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you whatever keep moving forward.”
– Martin Luther King Jr.

Before you go….

Think for a moment. Wouldn’t you take crucial steps to develop a better you if you had a new beginning in the parts of your life that matter the most? I bet you would!

What can you do today to make your life better? What new actions and routines can you initiate to build a strong foundation?

This is your time to do exactly that! Instead of worrying about how unimpressive your present is; instead of focusing on the resources you lack today; rather than fixating on the BIG picture of your future, zoom in, and tune in to the present. Focus on today. Make the most out of it.

Decide to heighten your life today! Take Ownership of Yourself!

10 Questions You Should Answer If You Want To Grow

Posted on November 12, 2018 by EDWINO

1. What do you want?

2. Have you clearly written out what you really want to achieve with your life?

3. Do you have a mental picture of what you want to become?

4. Have you drawn a detailed plan for this purpose?

5. Are your daily decisions bringing you any closer to your Goals?

6. Are you nurturing the relationships necessary for the realization of your Goals?

7. Are you accessing the resources(books, podcasts etc..) necessary for your Growth?

8. Who do you consider to be your model?

9. Who have you chosen to trust? Whose counsel do you respond to?

10. What activities are you pursuing to improve yourself on a daily basis?

As simple as they may seem on face value, these 10 questions are crucial to your success in every facet of life.

What facets of your life need improvement?

Right questions get right answers, but not automatically.

Intentionally spend quality time this new week accessing your life. Seek from within you, sincere answers to these questions.

Your answers are a gateway to Growth and Change!

Make the rest of your life the best of your life;
Take Ownership of yourself!