Food for Thought!

More emphasis on "Personality"

A Former Navy SEAL On Never Quitting (By Andy Stumpf)

Everyone wants to be a Frogman on Friday. One of my favorite quotes from the Teams, because it applies to everyone and every goal. To use SEAL training as an example, 80-85 percent don't see the third day of hell week, let alone the last day of training. It takes a lot of work to even show up for day one, but it doesn't take much to end it. All you have to do is say "I quit", ring the bell in the picture three times, and it's over. There is paperwork later, but in essence, that is the end.

All SEAL training is really about is pushing people to their lowest point, and watching the decisions they make. When you are at your lowest point, tired, hungry, cold...do you give in and take the easy way out? During the most difficult portions of training, the instructors bring the bell with them, to make it that much more enticing and easy to quit. It sits right there, in plain sight, always ready for the next taker. I have noticed that most people focus on the illusion of the shiny object, not the reality of what it takes to achieve it. The amateur can only see the end state. The professional focuses on the fundamentals and incremental progress. If you think the "bell" doesn't exist in your life, your eyes are closed. It is everywhere. The only difference between the BUD/s bell and everywhere else, is that in BUD/s, when you ring it, the outcome is instantaneous. Laziness, procrastination, selfishness, lack of discipline, you fill in the blank...all small rings of the bell. The bell is everywhere, and it is always calling you. Ring it enough times and you will find yourself looking back filled with regret.

Everyone wants to be a Frogman on Friday, but you will never get there if you give in on Tuesday. I know the sound of the bell haunts many men, don't let the decisions you make when things get difficult end up haunting you.

Fear of Making The Wrong Decision

In order to move forward as an eagle Christian, another fear you need to deal with is the fear of making wrong decisions, which is otherwise known as self-doubt. I do not believe it is God’s will for us to doubt ourselves; He wants us to have assurance and confidence.

I once made a decision a handful of people did not like; they did not think I made a good choice. There were also people who liked my decision and believed it was right. But I could not help thinking about the naysayers, and I began to wonder, Did I do the right thing? Maybe I didn’t do the right thing. Then I talked to God about it: “Lord, did I do the right thing?” He affirmed me, saying I had made the right decision.

Just as you may have had to do, I have had to learn not to listen to self-doubt. God still reminds me from time to time to be careful in this area because satan is always attacking us with all kinds of fears and doubts. I have learned to not merely believe my feelings, but instead to check my heart and see what I truly believe God is saying. It is amazing what we will find in our hearts if we simply take the time to listen.

If we question ourselves excessively or carry on internal debates about whether or not we have made good decisions, we can all get lost in self-doubt and quickly become double-minded. James 1:7-8 teaches us that people who are double minded are unstable in all their ways and should not expect to receive anything from God. 

Also, when we are really confused, we become discouraged and depressed. Pretty soon, we find ourselves back in the chicken yard scratching around with the chickens when we should be soaring with the eagles.

Don’t allow yourself to wallow in self-doubt and become double-minded. If you think you have made a mistake, go to God about it. Say, “God, if I made a mistake, I trust you to show me. I want to know if I made a mistake or a bad decision. Please show me if I’m wrong.” Then take some time, get quiet, and see what you sense in your heart. Remember, you will not hear wise direction by listening to your own mind, your emotions, or other people. Listen to your heart!As a Christian, the Spirit of God lives in you – in your heart – and He will lead and guide you.

Don’t assume you are wrong because a handful of people disagree with your decision. If all the devil needs to do to get you off track is find someone to disagree with you, then he is definitely in the driver’s seat where your life is concerned. Make sure you stay focused and single-minded, free from self-doubt as you continue to become an eagle Christian.

I’ve found that doubt often tries to visit me when I am praying. This vague feeling leaves me wondering if God is hearing me and will answer when I should be trusting that He is listening and will respond. Prayer is our greatest privilege and is necessary for God to act on the earth. The bible tells us we have not, because we ask not (see James 4:2), but it also says we must ask in faith with no wavering, hesitating, or doubting (see James 1:6). 

God works through our faith, not our fear. Maintaining an attitude of faith requires conscious effort on our part. We can decide to believe or doubt, the choice is up to us.

Confronting Your Fears

Hey guys, in my next few posts, I want to call your attention to some fears you must deal with in life. If you do not deal with these fears, they can keep you in the chicken yard, but as you confront them and overcome them, you will be well on your way to becoming an eagle.

Lets start with this one:

Fear of not pleasing God

If you want to go higher in God, you must also address the fear that your imperfections will keep you from pleasing God. This is a significant struggle for many people; they suffer terribly with secret worries that they are not pleasing God, they are not doing things enough or they are not doing things correctly. They are afraid God is displeased with them because they don't read the bible enough, they don't pray properly, or they don't have enough faith.
They live in bondage to the fear that nothing they do is ever enough for God. *This is a lie!*

The devil wants us to believe "enough is never enough". He wants us to feel no matter what we do, God will always want something more or something different.

This is very sad, because the truth is that God isn't nearly as hard to please as we think He is! Yes He has high standards and desires excellence in every area, but the truth is that nothing about us surprises Him. He knew what he was getting into when He called us into relationship with Himself. When we make mistakes, He doesn't sit in heaven wringing His hands saying "I am shocked by your behavior, I never expected that!" Psalms 139 tells us plainly that He knows what we are going to do before we do it, so try to keep in mind that God knows all about you and loves you anyway!

Read this next statement closely: *if you could be perfect, you would not need Jesus*. Your willingness to keep pressing towards the mark of perfection is all God requires. If you are really in love with Jesus, your love for Him will keep you pressing towards perfection everyday. But I can almost guarantee you will always fall short in some way everyday.
If you are really a sincere Christian, there is no way you can take a lighthearted "oh well, I don't care" attitude towards your shortcomings. Your love for Jesus will compel you to want to do better everyday. You will get up the next day and try to do better again; maybe you will do better in some area, but you may fail in something else.
The message God is trying to communicate to you through these situations is: "you still need me".

Instead of focusing on your faults, focus on your progress.
Stay focused as you confront and break the fear of not being able to please God. You cannot allow your faults to distract you from going on with Him. He is the only one who can help you overcome your faults and weaknesses; so focus on Him instead of them.
If you are in Christ Jesus, you please Father God completely because He sees who you are in Christ Jesus, not who you are on your own merits. Remember, we are saved by Grace, not by our own works.
Salvation is not the result of anything we could possibly do; it is a gift from God to be received by faith (see Ephesians 2:8-9)

Culled from "Never Give up" by Joyce Meyer.

Beyond Paradise, Chapter 6: Make Things Happen.

One of Newton's laws of motion states that "all objects remain in a state of rest until a force is applied". This may be true also of our aspirations in life, things do not move until we move.
The most constant thing in life is change, we cannot stop the imminence of change but we can decide our response to it. A great future is a result of a good foundation, play today and pay tomorrow or pay today and play tomorrow. There are million dollar ideas around you everyday. Go for them because ideas rule the world. The quality of your idea will determine the quality of your success.
You cannot release your potential for success until you recognize the potential in the things around people and around you. Opportunity eludes people because they look too far for it, as long as we underestimate what we have, we may not take the first step towards getting what we want, (Epicurus once said "do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you have now was among the things only hoped for"). When you develop the attitude of seeing possibilities in everything, you will realize that you may not need all the money in the world to get started on the road to financial success.

STRIVE TO BE ENVIED AND NOT PITIED:
Do not look in despair in the face of challenges because your existence is a proof that your destiny is needed, as far as there is still breath in you then there is still hope of a better tomorrow.
There is no limitation in expansion except the one you created for your self. Stewart Johnson ones said that "if you would like to know who is responsible for most of your troubles, take a look at the mirror". Let me give you a little illustration of the difference between a winner and a loser.
Opportunities are usually disguised as problems. The ability to recognize opportunities makes a great difference between a winner and a loser.
When the loser sees a problem, the winner sees an opportunity and a challenge for stepping forward. What loser calls stumbling block is what the winner calls a stepping stone to success.
There is no substitute for hard work in the school of success.

Beyond Paradise, Chapter 5: Work Out That Vision.

FIVE BASIC THINGS REQUIRED IN WORKING OUT VISION:

1. Diligence:
This is a persistent and hard working effort in doing something, the scripture gave a reference on hard work that whatever you find your hand doing, do it with all thy might, one of my greatest mentors Bishop David Oyedepo once said that hard work does not kill but it purifies, therefore engage diligence in whatever you do.

2. Determination:
Takes you to the place and time of your success, every big success is nothing but a cumulative of small steps taking overtime e.g. Solomon was a determined man and he built a temple for God.

3. Discipline:
The bible says in proverbs 18:9 that (he that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster) take control over your lifestyle, put your body under subjection, limit your self from every obstacle that would hinder you from acquiring your vision. Sometimes to do what is right we have to be steady and give up the things we love the most. Play today and pay tomorrow or pay today and play tomorrow.

4. Courage:
Have faith in yourself, courage is the ability to control fear in the face of hardship and danger, situations will arise when pursuing your vision but refuse to give up to fear, remember that fear is faith's worst enemy.

5. Perseverance:
Charles Spurgeon said that by perseverance the snail reached the ark. Have a continued action and belief on yourself especially during difficulties and setbacks. Always remember that there is dignity in labor.

The price for success is hard work; you can always motivate yourself to work hard by always keeping your dreams before you. Every big success is a cumulative of small steps worked out, consecutively taking over time. There shall be oppositions on your way to success; this is where perseverance comes in. Don't dwell on the pains of oppositions but rather focus on the joy of accomplishment. Remember that the "the opposition you fight today may be your position tomorrow".

Letter to friday...

Dear Friday,

As the world says Thank God it's Friday (TGIF), I'm wondering why it's difficult for me to jump on my feet and scream TGIF!!! I should be happy it's friday, but I can't come to terms with the fact that I have not accomplished much in my career, this week and I'm feeling very grumpy and grouchy with myself. I'm so mad at me. (staring at my image in the mirror) What happened to the plans I made for the week? And the thoughts of taking steps in achieving my career goals?

I had some awesome career plans, to take over the world.

But, that was on sunday. Now, I'm back at the end of another week with no executed career plan and no steps taken. I'm still holding the sheet of paper on which my well designed plan is drawn. The days roll in and will continue to do so. The year is running to an end. How do I make my career and job plans leap out of paper into reality, even as the world turns friday? I need to execute, and execute well. I know I should take solace in the fact that its the weekend and weekend is for fun. But what happens after that? Back to the cycle?

So, here I am burdened by a sense of career guilt.

Yours Sincerely,

Confused TGIF participator.

Dear Confused Participator,

I'm yet to fully understand your obsession with me and the way the world celebrates me.

Your career plan is still intact, isn't it? Let's see, you did not break down your career goal for the week into small practicable steps. How did you expect to take over the entire world in one week? You take it over one career step at a time.

Break down your Career plan into small bits.
Have a chart you can use to mark each step you take.
Take stock of what you have achieved daily.
Don't beat yourself up. Just do it. 
Then take stock at the end of the week.
Be productive during weekends. Don't wait till a new week begins.
Remember, you can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.
So, I hope you'll quit being obsessed with me. Let me enjoy being celebrated.

Yours Sincerely,

Friday.

 
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

Lecturer's conversation with his student

Professor : You are a Christian, aren’t you, son ?
Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, you believe in GOD ?

Student : Absolutely, sir.

Professor : Is GOD good ?

... Student : Sure.

Professor: Is GOD all powerful ?

Student : Yes.

Professor: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to GOD to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD didn’t. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent.)

Professor: You can’t answer, can you ? Let’s start again, young fella. Is GOD good?

Student : Yes.
Professor: Is satan good ?
Student : No.
Professor: Where does satan come from ?

Student : From … GOD …

Professor: That’s right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student : Yes.
Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn’t it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?
Student : Yes
Professor: So who created evil ?
(Student did not answer.)
Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don’t they?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor: So, who created them ?
(Student had no answer.)
Professor: Science says you have 5 Senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son, have you ever seen GOD?
Student : No, sir.
Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard your GOD?
Student : No , sir.
Professor: Have you ever felt your GOD, tasted your GOD, smell your GOD? Have you ever had any sensory perception of GOD for that matter?
Student : No, sir. I’m afraid I haven’t.
Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student : Yes.
Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn’t exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.
Professor: Yes, faith. And that is the problem Science has.
Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Professor: Yes.
Student : And is there such a thing as cold?
Professor: Yes.
Student : No, sir. There isn’t.
(The lecture theatre became very quiet with this turn of events.)
Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don’t have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.
(There was pin-drop silence in the lecture theater.)
Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Professor: Yes. What is night if there isn’t darkness?
Student : You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light. But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called darkness, isn’t it? In reality, darkness isn’t. If it is, were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?
Professor: So what is the point you are making, young man ?
Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Professor: Flawed ? Can you explain how?
Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good GOD and a bad GOD. You are viewing the concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can’t even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.
Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.
Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going.)
Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor. Are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?
(The class was in uproar.)
Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor’s brain?
(The class broke out into laughter. )
Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor’s brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?
(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable.)
Professor: I guess you’ll have to take them on faith, son.
Student : That is it sir … Exactly ! The link between man & GOD is FAITH. That is all that keeps things alive and moving.

Beyond Paradise, Chapter 4: Requirements For Developing Winning Strategy

3 THINGS REQUIRED FOR DEVELOPING WINNING STRATEGY:

Knowledge.
Understanding.
Wisdom.

Knowledge:
This is the acquisition of a body of facts, to succeed in anything you have to know or develop knowledge about that thing.
Every visioner requires a first hand comprehensive knowledge of the nature of his assignment.


Understanding:
This is derived from knowledge, this is how well you know the knowledge you have gathered so that you would be able to understand the facts. Understanding has to do with sorting and putting the facts acquired into their natural order.

Wisdom:
This is the final face of building a winning strategy, wisdom therefore is the correct application of what you have acquired, using what you know to produce what you want. So the ability to use the information at your disposal to handle issues in life particularly your assignment is wisdom.

Conditions for acquiring wisdom:
Meekness: be ready to learn at always, learn to listen and listen to learn.
Humility: be humble in every area of you life.
Thirst: crave for it.
Planning: When you don't plan your future, one would end up confused. Even God planned creation Gen 1.

Vince Lombard once said; "the price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand and determination that whether we win or loose we have applied the best of our selves to the task at hand".
One thing to note is that both the hardworking and the lazy in Egypt got the gold and silver but never knew what they would do with it. You can always motivate yourself to work hard by always putting your dream before you.

How to survive a heart attack when alone.

Valuable piece of information ...Let's say it's 6.15pm and you're going home (alone of course), after an unusually hard day on the job. You're really tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to drag out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home.  Unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far. You have been trained in CPR, but the guy that taught the course did not tell you how to perform it on yourself. HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital. Tell as many other people as possible about this. It could save their lives!!

Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

mistake theory

There are certain things in life were you know it’s a mistake, but you don’t really know it’s a mistake because the only way to know is to make the mistake and look back and say: “yes that was a mistake”. So the bigger mistake is to not make the mistake, because then you go your whole life not knowing if it’s a mistake or not.

Beyond Paradise Chapter 3: YOUR POTENTIAL

WHAT IS POTENTIAL?

Potential is what I will define as a talent lying dormant in you which is God’s Glory waiting to be explored. And believe me you every living being on earth has a potential.

          Life would not give you what you deserve but what you demand out of it. Always believe you have a purpose for life. Don’t stay where you are tolerated but celebrated.

LOCATING YOUR POTENTIAL:

·        What do I like to do?

·        What do I have ability for?

·        People’s honest opinion about me.

·        What you have been trained to do.

LIMITATIONS TO MAXIMISING POTENTIAL

·        Memories of the past : Sometimes awful experiences in the past could way us down and give us no hope for the future, thereby we refuse to start our lives over again, therefore memories of the past is a limitation to maximizing potential, the past is the past, you cannot bring it back, so focus on today and stop leaving in the past because it can ruin your vision, most of us when we think of what we have gone through in the past all we get is pain and it hinders us from taking one more bold step forward, therefore take hold of what God has install for you today because sometimes God allows some certain things to happen in order to build us for tomorrow, if you hold on to God, He has a way fast forwarding your life to cover those wasted years and put you in a better position.

·        Uncertainty: Most of us don’t know what talent we possess, that is why you find most people going into an area of career where they find someone being successful in without even thinking if that was what God had assigned them to do, businesses that start this way end up crashing down because such people didn’t have the vision to start such business. We have to be sure of what God has put in us

·        Lack of focus, in other words divided attention

·        Procrastination: When you have a dream to achieve something, the first bold step you make increases your determination, the problem most people have is that they keep postponing their dreams with various excuses like funding, There is a true story of a man who had a dream to own a large boutique in Lagos and all He had in cash was two thousand naira, but with faith and determination he took that two thousand naira and said He was going to begin with selling handkerchiefs, on his way walking to the market where he was going to buy the handkerchiefs he wanted to sell, a man he never knew gave him a lift in his car and asked him where he worked , then the guy replied that he was on his way to the market where he wanted to buy the goods he needed to start a boutique, then the man asked him how much he had to start this boutique, then the guy replied that he had only two thousand naira, immediately the man busted into laughter over the guy’s response and because of the admiration the man had over the guy’s determination He immediately signed him a check of  two hundred thousand naira. That is what determination backed up with faith can do. So stop procrastinating your plans and get into action.

·        Fear of success: May be you must have failed in the past so you decided not to take any further step, you failed not because you are a failure but because that wasn’t your calling or maybe because you didn’t put much effort, whatever you find yourself  doing, do it with all your might.

·        Lack of vision: A business or career without a vision is vanity, every successful business today has a vision and a mandate to back it up, when you have a vision and mandate, it puts on the right track. Even if you are given five hundred thousand dollars today to start a business and you don’t have a vision in a matter of time you end up languishing

·        Discouragement: Be careful of the kind of people you tell your dreams to because some people are dream killers. Always document your vision and make daily efforts to the actualization of your dream.

·        Wrong company or environment: Also be careful of the company you keep, when you walk in the council of the foolish, you become foolish, but when you walk in the council of the wise, you increase knowledge. Try not to associate with people who are nonchalant about their future.

·        Opposition.

 RELEASING YOUR POTENTIAL:

·        You must see it.

·        You must be persuaded of what you saw.

·        You must embrace what you saw.

·        You must declare it with faith.

·        You must know your source (God).

·        Understand your function.

·        Understand your purpose.

Your ability needs responsibilities to expose its possibilities therefore do what you can with what you have where you are.

          Challenges are raw materials for the release of potential. Challenges brings out the best in you, challenges gives you the opportunity to put your potential to work. Dr David Oyedepo, one of my greatest mentors once said that “there are no men without challenges but there are men who are smarter than their challenges”

          Don’t wait for challenges, look for them.

Beyond Paradise, Chapter 2: Dealing with mediocrity.

Greatness cannot be achieved without boldness, in order to be great you have to be filled with boldness. The ultimate measure of a man is not when he finds himself in a moment of comfort and convenience but when he stands at a tone of challenges and controversies. There is no such thing as fate and destiny is not inevitable, it can be changed, life is not about chances but choices, you have a choice to determine how your destiny should look like and not believing in fate but believing in what you are capable of becoming and achieving by discovering your potentials. One of the most neglected areas in many lives is the area of gifts that God has placed in them; it is astonishing how some people can devote their entire life to a field of activity or profession that has nothing to do with their inborn talents. Many people spend their life time trying to change how God has made them. They ignore their God given abilities while constantly seeking to change their natural makeup. Stewart Johnson once said, “If you would like to know who is responsible for most of your problems, take a look at the mirror”. Your future depends on many things but mostly on you. Zig Zigler observes, “What you picture in your mind, your mind will go to work to accomplish. When you change your pictures you automatically change your performance”.

Beyond Paradise, Chapter 1: What is paradise?

Paradise is a place; situation or condition in which somebody finds perfect happiness, in this book paradise has been elucidated in different forms, in our mentality, in our daily endeavors, our behaviors, and our social and spiritual life. We should not just look forward and pray for paradise but also create paradise in whatever we do or wherever we find our selves. We should provoke eagerness towards overcoming limitations in everything we do and have an optimistic mentality in all our endeavors. Lets try to discover the advantage and prior use of things and people around us, try not to underestimate anybody or anything around you because everything has a purpose of being created, cars for example were not just designed for pleasure but also for mobility, always have in mind that the existence of something is an evidence of it’s importance.

The prosperity of a nation does not lie under the feet but between the ears, E.g.  Japan: Is a country without vital mineral resources for the production or manufacturing of cars, they don’t have rubber plantations for producing tires or steel for manufacturing parts of automobiles, yet they are rated the largest car manufacturing nation in the world. Our country Nigeria is blessed with outstanding mineral resources yet we don’t see evidence of a blessed country amongst her citizens. The irony of Nigeria is that it is a rich country occupied by mentally poor people. That is why I give God all the glory for a medium like this to crave your indulgence on the steps to live beyond paradise.