How to Move Away From Mediocrity

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I had an interaction with someone recently, and when I asked him why he had to indulge in some of the things he was into, he responded that he was enjoying his youth now that he is still long because that phase won’t last long.

Thinking about what he said, I realized just how many people, both young and old have this view – wasting their lives and term it “enjoyment” or “pleasure” or “flexing.” The truth is if you live right and constantly improve yourself, you will enjoy life every day as long as you live.

That people, especially young people should waste their time on cheap and senseless pleasure, and that old people should live a dejected and uninteresting life is an idea that doesn’t belong in this age of information and technology advancement.

Strive to use your time well while you are young and you will stay young, and better more, you will become something and someone of impact in our world. The question you should ask is not whether you shouldn’t enjoy yourself, rather ask yourself whether it is okay to remain in mediocrity, with nothing but common pleasures, when it is possible for you to live your greatest life and have the best of what your world can offer.

Who Should We Listen to?

Who should we listen to? Many of us are always looking for information and advice about our life challenges, but unfortunately we meet the wrong people for this information, and sometimes we end up worsening our situation after applying the techniques and principles we were offered.

I have seen many relationships destroyed, I have seen businesses go under, I have seen people lost jobs, I have seen people miss their purpose just by listening to the wrong people. I believe someone reading this can relate with this; if you’ve gone for counselling or attended a coaching course and still have your issues unresolved despite the amount of money you paid. – It doesn’t mean that the people aren’t qualified, but simply they are not for you.

So who then do we listen to? The best person to listen to, or talk to, or learn from concerning your situation or dreams and goals, is the person who has been where you are and who has what you desire. If you are struggling, going through challenges and poverty, but desire to be successful, you just can’t go and learn from someone who was born into wealth, someone who hasn’t known what it is like to always live on the edge, because they obviously haven’t experienced what you are going through and can’t teach you anything about rising from your position.

Is it Just My Society?

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There’s one common thing about people who are not doing well, or struggling financially, emotionally and generally failing in life – they don’t accept responsibility for their actions when things go wrong. I know this because I had been doing this – always ready to point my fingers at someone for any misadventure or any failure I encounter on my part. And I have noticed that it wasn’t just me, it is as become a norm in our society. You find people citizens blaming the government, and the government is always shifting their blames on the West and the developed nations for conspiring against them.

When things go wrong with us, when we miss our aims in life, most of the time you find people looking for something or someone to blame. But as a friend pointed out to me recently, blaming others for our problems and defeats in life started way back in the Garden of Eden, when God asked Adam what he had done, he said it was Eve’s fault. Then when God questioned Eve, she blamed it on the Snake.

Today when children fail examination in school, they blame it on the teachers and or the examiners. When people fail interviews or get passed on for promotion in their jobs, they blame it on their bosses. – You hear them say “my boss doesn’t like me”, or  “my boss is tribalistic or partial” and so on. When peoples business are not doing well, and the prosperity they hoped to get isn’t coming, they blame it on other people – their aged parents, Uncles, Aunties, or other family who are bewitching them. When someone who clearly isn’t eating healthy foods, or living a healthy lifestyle falls sick, the blame goes to the Witches and Wizards from their communities and families.

Today’s Quote

Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.  – Groucho Marx

Trust in the Lord

Feeling downcast today? Enjoy this devotional message for today:

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. (Psalm 37:3)

I once met a poor woman who earned a meagre living through hard domestic labour but was a joyful, triumphant Christian. Another Christian lady, who was quite sullen, said to her one day, “Nancy, I understand your happiness today, but I would think your future prospects would sober you. Suppose, for instance, you experience a time of illness and are unable to work. Or suppose your present employers move away, and you cannot find work elsewhere. Or suppose—”

“Stop!” cried Nancy. “I never ‘suppose.’ ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want’ [Ps. 23:1]. And besides,” she added to her gloomy friend, “it’s all that ‘supposing’ that’s making you so miserable. You’d better give that up and simply trust the Lord.”

The Power to Choose

One day when my dog was still a young puppy, I had come into the house to catch it barking at and attacking its own image in a mirror, taking it for another dog. It charged and got so agitated until I had to carry it away from the mirror to prevent it from causing some damage in the house. When I discussed the incident with my vet sometime later, she explained to me that animals are territorial in nature, and this makes them always perceive other animals or see persons outside their homes as intruders, who’ve come to take over their territory. And so in other to prevent such occurrence, and prove their dominance, they often attack, in defence.

So it is with many of us today. We go through life fighting it. We expect a battle at every turn, and that is how it turns out. We expect to have enemies, and we certainly do. We expect to have one difficulty or the other, and that is exactly the way it happens. When the rains or winter come, we expect to fall sick, or feel miserable, and so we do. And that is just the way it is, and the way it’s going to be for most of us because we fail to recognise and use the power in us. – “The power to choose”. We can choose to have excellent relationships, we can choose to make everyday a great day in our lives, we can choose to live healthy lives and not be afraid of the cold, just the same way we choose what colour of clothes to wear, what brand of car to buy, what part of town to live, what TV channel  to watch, who to date or marry.

You see our whole lives are run by our choices. At this moment, whether your life is going forward or backward is your choice. Yet too often when we make bad choices, we blame God, as if it were His fault. When, most times we never even consult God to guide us on the choices we make. Even when He tries to warn us through our instincts – that inner voice that calmly tells us what we are about to do isn’t right, we ignore Him. God never imposes His will on us. He guides us and lets us choose. He only comes in when invited. Other times, we blame people – our parents, siblings, friends, partners, etc when things go wrong. Especially here in Africa we hardly accept faults and responsibility, even when it is clear that it’s our fault. When things go wrong people often ask “Who” instead of “what” or “why” our fingers are always pointing to the externals never at us.

Do Small Things In A Great Way

Some of us our notion of greatness is that the only individuals who qualify as great men and women are the big stars, the heads of nations and corporations, people who oversee large congregations, top motivational speakers and bestselling authors who speak before sold out crowds. Yes these are great people, but you don’t have to be big to be great.

Right where you are, there are truly great individuals who are unknown to the world, but they are great. Greatness isn’t defined by the number of followership you have, or by the crowds you talk to or lead. Every one of us can be great just by living our small lives in a great way.

The story of creation in the Bible tells us that God made two lights: the greater lights and the lesser light. The greater light being the Sun, while the lesser light is the Moon and the Stars. You see, “not all of us will be the sun; not all of us will be the moon. Some will be the sun. Some will be the moon. Some will even be the stars. But we must remember that it was God who set each in its place, to serve its specific function.” – Mensa Otabil

Do not wait for the world stage, the big opportunity, the large followers, before you live a great life. You can start being great right where you are today in your home, in your office, in your school, on the street, everywhere. You can begin to make yourself known as great, by doing everything you do in a great way. The Bible says tells us that whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your heart as unto the Lord not unto men.

Folks put all of your being into what you do no matter how small or commonplace it is. Let your light so shine; reveal it to your family, your friends, neighbours and every one that comes in contact with you. Show the world your greatness by living your everyday life in a great way. Be so just, so generous, so courteous, and kind that your family, your husband, your wife, your children, brothers, sisters, colleagues, and friends would know just how great you are. Greatness starts within.

Live your greatest life!