By Emmanuel Oluwatosin
Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end. There are many plans in a man's heart, but the Lord's counsel will prevail. - Proverbs 19:20-21
What is it that you are trying to achieve? Start a business, go back to school, get that job or even get that promotion at work, or turn a bad situation into something good? It is within your reach.
In this world, even difficult situations present us with so many opportunities every day to achieve our goals. Do we take advantage of these opportunities or we just allow them to pass us by? I believe you know the answer in your heart. Your answer is the exact reason why you are where you are today. If things are not unfolding as you would like, it means you have to take action and explore other possibilities.
Exploring possibilities is a personal task. No one can do it for you. While your loved ones (family, spouses, mentors, etc.) may be able to provide you with the platform you need, the main responsibility is on you. Don't let others achieve your goals for you lest you will be at their mercy. You know what you want and must be ready to pay the price to achieve it. People around you (mentors, boss, parents, friends, etc.) can only show you the way. They may be able to teach and advise you and enable you to become a wise and effective human being. But taking the actual steps is your responsibility and it is only yours to make.
If you continually wait and hope for things to be different or for others to provide, then you will most likely remain a victim of circumstances. And really, how much fun is that? And how much fun do you think it is to be at the mercies of others? People can only do so much for you. Irrespective of what people tell you about being successful towards achieving your goal, you have to be willing to put in the time and effort. If you don’t have the drive to be successful, you are not going to succeed. So, here are some things that may help you move in the direction of your goals:
1. Make the commitment to reach your goal
“One person with a commitment is worth a hundred who only have an interest” – Mary Crowley.
Your goal is worth nothing without your commitment to follow through on it. You need to constantly remind yourself that nobody can achieve your goal for you. How committed are you to your goals?
2. Be prepared for change
Something are definitely not within your control. For instance in business goals; the foreign exchange fluctuation, radical changes in oil prices, inflation, interest rates, government policies, etc. are things that you can not control. Stick with your decision to move towards a goal – but be willing to change your direction to get there as conditions and circumstances demand.
3. Be accountable
Commit yourself to detailed accountability. Get a mentor that you know would be interested in you. Remember that the mentors are not there to help you achieve your goals. They are to ensure that you remain on the right track.
4. Give yourself another chance
Whether you will achieve your goals depends on how you respond to tough circumstances. Most people give up when all that they need is just to try one more time. Join the league of the few that succeed because they did not give up. Give yourself another chance.
5. Hang around with successful people
Being around successful people will make you want to be successful as well. Look for people that you know are going somewhere and engage them. You might need to go extra miles to build relationship with this set of people but it is worth the effort. Just remember that “iron sharpens iron”.
6. Get back to reality
Spending hours in front of TV, watching movies and even playing games is a great way to escape from reality. This may be fun but it will pull you away from your goals. While you may have immediate satisfaction, you may be sacrificing your future at the same time. Concentrate on your long-term goals and don’t get caught up in things that take you away from reality.
7. Stop thinking and start acting
There is a limit to how far thinking can take you. The best laid plans, the most comprehensive preparation, can still lead to nothing unless you endeavor to take the necessary action. No matter how strong and promising your thought, plans and preparations are, once you fail to act, you would still be heading no where. The action step does not have to be perfect but ensure you start acting on things.
8. Listen to success stories
There are a lot of biographies of successful people and case studies of different successful endeavors. Learn their secrets of succeeding as well as avoid their mistakes. Following these people would help in motivating yourself.
Above all, remember, the first step is to know and be certain of where you are going. If you do not know where you are going, you will undoubtedly end up somewhere else.
You can do better, you can achieve more, you can be the best God has created you to be. Start now to make your goals happen! It is never late to pursue worthy endeavors in life. Go for it!
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Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be healthy, even as your soul prospers. (3 John 1:2)
A man's heart plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)
All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weighs the motives. Commit your deeds to to the Lord, and your plans shall succeed. (Proverbs 16:2-3)
When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. (Proverbs 16:7)
Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice. (Proverbs 16:8)
In this world, even difficult situations present us with so many opportunities every day to achieve our goals. Do we take advantage of these opportunities or we just allow them to pass us by? I believe you know the answer in your heart. Your answer is the exact reason why you are where you are today. If things are not unfolding as you would like, it means you have to take action and explore other possibilities.
Exploring possibilities is a personal task. No one can do it for you. While your loved ones (family, spouses, mentors, etc.) may be able to provide you with the platform you need, the main responsibility is on you. Don't let others achieve your goals for you lest you will be at their mercy. You know what you want and must be ready to pay the price to achieve it. People around you (mentors, boss, parents, friends, etc.) can only show you the way. They may be able to teach and advise you and enable you to become a wise and effective human being. But taking the actual steps is your responsibility and it is only yours to make.
If you continually wait and hope for things to be different or for others to provide, then you will most likely remain a victim of circumstances. And really, how much fun is that? And how much fun do you think it is to be at the mercies of others? People can only do so much for you. Irrespective of what people tell you about being successful towards achieving your goal, you have to be willing to put in the time and effort. If you don’t have the drive to be successful, you are not going to succeed. So, here are some things that may help you move in the direction of your goals:
1. Make the commitment to reach your goal
“One person with a commitment is worth a hundred who only have an interest” – Mary Crowley.
Your goal is worth nothing without your commitment to follow through on it. You need to constantly remind yourself that nobody can achieve your goal for you. How committed are you to your goals?
2. Be prepared for change
Something are definitely not within your control. For instance in business goals; the foreign exchange fluctuation, radical changes in oil prices, inflation, interest rates, government policies, etc. are things that you can not control. Stick with your decision to move towards a goal – but be willing to change your direction to get there as conditions and circumstances demand.
3. Be accountable
Commit yourself to detailed accountability. Get a mentor that you know would be interested in you. Remember that the mentors are not there to help you achieve your goals. They are to ensure that you remain on the right track.
4. Give yourself another chance
Whether you will achieve your goals depends on how you respond to tough circumstances. Most people give up when all that they need is just to try one more time. Join the league of the few that succeed because they did not give up. Give yourself another chance.
5. Hang around with successful people
Being around successful people will make you want to be successful as well. Look for people that you know are going somewhere and engage them. You might need to go extra miles to build relationship with this set of people but it is worth the effort. Just remember that “iron sharpens iron”.
6. Get back to reality
Spending hours in front of TV, watching movies and even playing games is a great way to escape from reality. This may be fun but it will pull you away from your goals. While you may have immediate satisfaction, you may be sacrificing your future at the same time. Concentrate on your long-term goals and don’t get caught up in things that take you away from reality.
7. Stop thinking and start acting
There is a limit to how far thinking can take you. The best laid plans, the most comprehensive preparation, can still lead to nothing unless you endeavor to take the necessary action. No matter how strong and promising your thought, plans and preparations are, once you fail to act, you would still be heading no where. The action step does not have to be perfect but ensure you start acting on things.
8. Listen to success stories
There are a lot of biographies of successful people and case studies of different successful endeavors. Learn their secrets of succeeding as well as avoid their mistakes. Following these people would help in motivating yourself.
Above all, remember, the first step is to know and be certain of where you are going. If you do not know where you are going, you will undoubtedly end up somewhere else.
You can do better, you can achieve more, you can be the best God has created you to be. Start now to make your goals happen! It is never late to pursue worthy endeavors in life. Go for it!
----------
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be healthy, even as your soul prospers. (3 John 1:2)
A man's heart plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)
All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weighs the motives. Commit your deeds to to the Lord, and your plans shall succeed. (Proverbs 16:2-3)
When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. (Proverbs 16:7)
Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice. (Proverbs 16:8)
