SHAPE YOUR DESTINY

Perhaps the single most important discovery you can ever make in your life is to realize that you are the master of your own destiny and fate .Many people like to factor in things like divine intervention and providence ,but sooner rather than latter we all discover that A LOT really boils down to that very crucial word in human consciousness called choice .We are where we are in life because we have chosen this. I know that there are some people whose limitations were imposed upon them by unfortunate circumstances which were no fault of their own including birth.It then seems insensitive for me to use the same brush for everybody including those in such circumstances .When you discover the liberating power of choice you will understand how you can turn around your life, change it and even more important be on the driver`s seat in your life.

Human beings have the capacity to reflect at a very high level and this is what sets us apart from other animals. We can choose what we want to do and then use our ability to do it.What is the point of living an unfulfilled life and watch your life from the spectators terraces?Often times I hear people blame the world out there ,God ,the Government---everybody else except themselves for how they turned out to be in life.This lazy and lame excuse apportions blame to somebody else as if the power to change resides somewhere out there.The power to change is in you.Shift your attitude,choose what you want to be and to become in life and then go for it yourself.It is not too late ,quit making excuses and if you do not reach the pinnacle of your own dreams ,remember you were the only one who had to accomplish that dream,for yourself and not for anybody.Do not blame anybody.Go for your dreams.

If you are not satisfied with your life,you need to sit down and reflect seriously on what you want to do about it .Set your goals and targets and choose a higher life.Do not shortchange yourself , pick the best that life can offer.Remember that the best things in life are reserved for radical extra-ordinary go-getters. When you start working towards your dreams, never make failure an option and be determined in the face of adversity and frustration.Let your effort start telling a different story about your life.

So,do not let circumstances define your destiny,script it yourself.

By EDWARD NGUNDU

edwardngundu@yahoo.com

HARD WORK.

Any extra-ordinary results will inevitably involve extraordinary hard-work, an extra-ordinary mind-set and extra-ordinary circumstances .It can be considered fool-hardy and dare I say ridiculous to expect to produce excellent results from little or no effort ,doing the same things and expecting different results and with effort that can only be described as mediocre .If you want to be very successful you better understand that there will be hard-work ,roll your sleeves and be prepared to knuckle –down and do it. You need to cultivate a strong mental attitude which is prepared to endure the extra-ordinary effort required to accomplish your task. There is a price you have to pay to achieve anything substantial in life .A majority of lotto winners becoming instantly rich, will tell you stories of how much they spent buying tickets and for how long, before they stumbled on the winner finally. Besides ,they  had to put the effort ,going to purchase the ticket. They had to be in it to win it.

Stories of successful people in business ,sport and the world of innovation and discovery are hardly stories of luck. They will tell you  how hard they had to work very hard ,how they learnt how to endure the  gruesome good old graft to finally get to where they are. It is stories of how they put in insane hours ,swollen ankles ,isolation and sweat .In fact ,where a bit of luck was involved they had already positioned themselves to receive and make good use of it. The musician works hard on their talent first ,polishing his art to a point of excellence and rehearsing for a ridiculous number of hours until he can play the music in his sleep. When he chances upon meeting a promoter who is prepared to sponsor him ,you and I will probably call it luck, but no! Let us not forget his effort.

Working very hard is what makes the difference in the quality of results. Demand a lot from yourself and then go for it as if your whole life depends on it-and sometimes it may .Be ready for back –breaking  hard-work and when it gives you pain ,embrace it as the price you have to pay for your success.

So ,you want to go for it, work real hard to get it.

By EDWARD NGUNDU

edwardngundu@yahoo.com

EXPOSURE

In the quest to become a better you, you need to consider getting away from your culture ,colour, community or even country .I do not mean physically all the time but if need be ;yes!It is very important to realize that the world is such a big place you do not have to continue through life in the same environment,with the same people doing the same things and walking the same path to the same destination.Self -improvement,success and effective lifestyles come to you as a result of exposing yourself to the alternatives that life can offer.When you have been exposed to something you begin to realize that your routine is probably not the best and can be changed. You become uncomfortable in rituals that you have come to know like the back of your hand and begin to reach out to something else that challenges you.

Under-exposed people are some of the most bigoted ,narrow minded and judgmental people because the only reality they know is their immediate environment. They are comfortable with it and they mistake it for the world.It is very important to get out of your comfort zone and experience situations different from your home, people who think differently from you,countries and cultures which are not the same as yours.One of the reasons why some people continue to have the same problems and inspite of their effort continue to produce the same disappointing results is because they have not bothered to broaden their perspectives,experiences and exposures.

You can surely never get better in an area that you have not been exposed to .If you want to be a better politician ,teacher ,businessman ,parent ,leader or professional; you need to open yourself to new experiences which challenge you and or are different from your own.Unless you are willing to stretch your mind to new possibilities you will continue to think that your way is the only way and that it is the best ,until the dynamic world passes you by.

So,seek new experiences and learn from them.

By EDWARD NGUNDU

edwardngundu@yahoo.com

ACTION,ACT!

ACTION, ACT!

It is not enough for you to sit down and think about your future ,dream of success or even plan for it and then do nothing .It will be like planning a journey, map ready ,luggage ,fuel in the car and then park it ,sit in the car and have some more day –dreams. Goals just do not achieve themselves and plans have to be acted upon instead of them gathering dust on shelves. Besides, most good and proper plans have a life-span which expires if they are not acted upon .Some become costlier if actioned later and for others the plans are overtaken by events and lose their relevance.

Excellent, perfect planning which passes most tests should be timeously acted upon. Vacillation ,procrastination ,fear and lethargy should not stand in the way of you performing what you have planned to do.Action is what makes the difference between what was there before and what is there now.History records the actions of geniuses who came up with shocking inventions some of them ahead of their time.It also records the actions of mobs who decided at the spur of the moment that they had had enough of the status -quo,went into the streets with placards, shouting and challenging monarchies for equality and human rights.Their wishes were finally granted and their actions resulted in social,political and economic transformations of their societies.Academics came later and called these revolutions ,but the folks who did these things had clear priorities-to act on their grievances and they did.

Action changes things.Like the revolutionaries,sometimes it is more important to leave elaborate planning and evaluation to somebody else and go ahead and act. They can have the privilege of calling themselves strategists and historians ,but they will all agree that without action and events they would all be out of their jobs.The best managers in busness always evaluate their performance on results and not on how many meetings they have held in a week.I have watched ,with sympathy, the unfolding of season by season fortunes of club-managers in the very competitive English Premium League soccer.Some managers are hired because of their long and impressive CVs but if they  lose a few games they are disposed of so quickly they have no time to say goodbye to their own teams.They may have had good plans ,but if they could not execute them or act on them ,their fate is sealed!

So,do not sit on your plans ,ACT!

By EDWARD NGUNDU

edwardngundu@yahoo.com

WHAT DO YOU HAVE ?

We are all born with the potential to do and achieve things beyond what we limit ourselves to. Everything in us speaks ability and  the capacity to excel .At birth , a baby has a whole lifetime ahead of them and their 100% is sealed then .What then happens between their birth and their death are a series of compromises ,bad decisions ,settling for mediocrity and the pursuit of bad indulgences leading to most people having lives of disappointments .Most people sell their birth-right like the biblical character Esau who gave it away to his brother Jacob for a bowl of soup because he was hungry. This metaphor is a commentary on how we sometimes elevate momentary comfort and pleasure above sacrifice for more worth-while and lasting pursuits.

Often-times you hear people giving excuses that they can not do anything because they have nothing in the first place .I have seen a lot of people abandon their dreams because they cannot afford to even start and others keep saying they would pursue their dreams if only they had this or that .It is true that for whatever you want to do ,one of the first questions you should answer is what resources  you have to use for the accomplishment of your task. However, armed with a positive attitude, indomitable determination ,a never say die spirit and  such tenacity which considers the realization of those goals as a matter of survival-life or death, the question of resources ,although important really becomes answerable.

Ask yourself what do I have and no matter how small ,the journey of a thousand miles will always starts with the first step. A friend of mine born in rural Zimbabwe-in an environment of very narrow opportunities once approached me and asked if anything could work out for him in the city of Harare. Then ,he could hardly afford his rent, food, clothing and was basically poor and broke even by the low standards of a third world country .After our discussion we agreed that the only resources he had to start with was $10 and his determination. I saw his small business grow from one basket of tomatoes to a nation –wide enterprise of fruit and vegetable shops. Of all the big success stories I have come across ,this one is more awe-inspiring for demonstrating that the beginning of your dreams does not have to be very  elaborate ,the issue is what do you have and are you willing to start with just that?

So, start with what you have and go all the way.

By EDWARD NGUNDU

edwardngundu@yahoo.com

MEDITATE,THINK YOUR WAY TO VICTORY

MEDITATE, THINK YOUR WAY TO VICTORY

One of the most awesome truths of all time is that we are what we think and that what we eventually become ,we have thought about it first.The most distinct difference between humans and other creatures is that we have superior thought processes and that we are highly conscious beings quite capable of sophisitaced mental processes. The power of meditation and thought in achievement and in contemplating success cannot be over-emphasized.

Everything is created twice,first in the mind of the inventor and when it is done or produced by action for all to see.If you want to be successful or achieve victory in any sphere of human endeavor, you must be prepared to devote yourself to a lifetime of closely monitoring your mental processes. Your must learn how to discipline your mind to focus ,concentrate and meditate on whatever you want to achieve. Disciplined thought creates a clarity of vision by using experience and the almost endless capacity of your brain to think through things and yield the best options.

On the other hand ,the brain can be a very spoilt, irritable and rebellious child jumping from one thought to the next without the slightest interest in what you want it to dwell on.Develop the habit of forcing it to concentrate on one thing until you feel you have exhausted and explored every possibility in your mind.Set aside time to think about important things in your life well before they happen,think about your desirable out-comes and how you want to achieve them,visualize yourself achieving them and when you can write all this down somewhere and keep it for reference later.When the occasion comes for you to put into practice what you were thinking about ,it will be like walking along a very familiar path.When you do this habitually, you will discover how important it is to spend more time with yourself before going out there to face the world,how important it is to think wholesome thoughts and to ventilate your thinking room and removing the cob-webs of unfruitful ideas.

The world we live in is a noisy market-place where people,the media,our families,the Government---are all screaming for your attention.There is so much information and a lot to do,but if you do not give yourself time to meditate you will find yourself making decisions you are not proud of.

So,meditate,think your way to victory

By EDWARD NGUNDU

edwardngundu@yahoo.com

BE A PACE-SETTER

Evolution clearly states that this is a world in which survival is of the fittest while elimination is the fate of the weak.The race belongs to the swift and strength and power determine whether you survive or you end up being served as someone`s dinner.Mankind has been at the front of this game by being at the cutting edge of innovation and making sure that as a species we should get better at everything that threatens our  success in the multifarious challenges survival poses.

In our daily lives ,the most inspirational achievements have been accomplished by people who  aim for excellence,who stretch themselves to the limit and who reach out into the unknown,drag the impossible into the possible.Because of these daring individuals we enjoy their achievements or we get to share their success.Ask yourself what it takes to achieve so much.

I think the biggest tragedy in life is that of under-utilised potential which later goes to waste and the end of the story is that of nothing getting done .The opposite of this is that I believe people have the capacity to do great things and scale new heights which eye has not seen nor ear heard.Numerous volumes could be written about disabled people who challenged their conditions ,defied hitherto perceived logic and embarked on challenges and tasks they accomplished.They were willing to chat new territories and explore a world of new possibilities.Whenever I think about these things, I understand very clearly the reason why I resent the word IMPOSSIBLE.

This word has been responsible for a lot of dreams getting shelved and forgotten.It is responsible for sapping the energy and life out of otherwise vibrant ambitions.The notion of the word impossible has killed inspiration,innovation and the good old creativity.The broken Olympic athletic records,the spectacular scientific discoveries  and the spell –binding achievements in history all came to pass because of men and women who decided to barnish this word first before they decided to take on the world and thus became pace-setters.

So, shun mediocrity ,be a pace-setter and the sky is the limit.

By EDWARD NGUNDU

edwardngundu@yahoo.com

TALK DIFFERENT

Have you ever spent a day with people who mourn a lot.People who see the negative in everything and hardly talk about positive outcomes.Their jobs distress them ,they feel overworked,used and underpaid.Their employers are selfish and do not appreciate them.Their collegues are not spared and when their done with trashing everything about their employment, they move on to talk about their spouses who are lazy, good –for –nothing and will drag them down to poverty.Their children are not good enough either-they are a problem and should be locked up somewhere and get fixed.Such people will talk negatively about everything from politics to religion and everybody.How do you feel after spending a whole day with such a person?You got that right !Tired and very depressed!

The reason why pessimists are tiring and depressing is because words are very strong and they have a creative force.Their words become the virus which  infects your your enthusiasm,motivation and invades your peace.Never mind that they are not happy themselves and will drag the whole world down with them into the bottomless abyss of their misery ,but notice how their words affects the environment around them and learn what this means to you.When you have decided to live an effective life and to succeed ,start talking differently.

Your talk should reflect the inner confidence and sense of absolute conviction in you.Your speech should show that you are a positive person who knows what there are saying and doing.It should reflect you anticipation of success,the aroma of hope in the face of challenges should be sensed and the scent of courage ,determination and encouragement should always carry your words.Wherever you are,those around you should feel encouraged and always look forward to see you again when its your time to leave not to be happy to see your back.Talk positively,express that tomorrow will be better even when it doesn`t feel like it and be enthusiastic when you are engaging others.Practise doing this and after some time it will come naturally to.

In my experience,people who behave like this are some of the most liked and happy people.Their words begin to affect their efforts and where others struggle, they go through the same tasks and seem to always get far much better results.Ultimatly,most successful people are characteristically some of the most positive people and---yes---always talk differently.Watch and change your talk and start talking differently.

So,do not talk yourself out of it.Talk different.

By EDWARD NGUNDU

edwardngundu@yahoo.com

DO NOT FEAR FAILURE

Success can be defined as the sum total of the number of failures you experienced and the moments you picked,dusted yourself up and decided to have another go at it.Any task will need you to exert yourself physically,mentally ,emotionally and will demand focus and attention.If it is not like this then your dreams are either too small or they are not tasks at all!If they are the hair raising mega-mammoth dreams worth talking about,they will demand that you give something in return for you to accomplish them.There is a specific measure of the price you have to pay for them which if you don`t ,you are either cheating or you will just not make it.

What does it take for someone to become an accomplished surgeon? Picture years of studying the basics of the biology involved,the practice and the pain-staking years spent patiently specializing in this area.Some of the expertise does not come with study and just comes as a result of developing the character needed in being a good surgeon such as patience,concentration and meticulous attention to detail.This obviously takes time and mastery will come with practice and humility.

Suppose our training surgeon cannot handle failure,can not stand ctiticism and runs at the first sign of any professional evaluation of their work.They would obviously give up and bury a dream.Alas, is this what a lot of people do?A lot of people have dreams which they think they could accomplish and it would mean a lot to them .They would probably be happier,they would have a sense of fulfillment and this could even prolong their lives.The fear of failure holds them back.The idea that they will fall short and not succeed,that they are not good enough,that they will be a public joke if the fulfillment of that dream is a public one, that after such a failure they will not be able to hold on to any idea of dignity and that they will not survive- so grips them that they either give up before they start or stop any further attempts.

Do not fear failure when you have dared to dream and have conceived it.Falls help create perfection. They are the necessary tests that prove how badly you want it.They are the price you have to pay to get whatever you desire.The disappointments on the way will help you treasure your success.When you fail ,if  you fail, pick yourself up, learn from it and get right back on the saddle.If you fail completely and you cannot continue-at least you tried,you had an opportunity to learn and you move on .You are not the same person as the one before the task.Now you have the experience.

So,never be afraid of failure.

By EDWARD NGUNDU

edwardngundu@yahoo.com

GOALS,TARGETS AND PLANS

GOALS ,TARGETS AND PLANS

The Science of achieving success has as its core-principle ,the law of organized action towards a goal. You should desire to succeed, plan to achieve that success and then get off your bottom to act towards your intended goal.Although this sounds too simplistic, it is unfortunately the haggle on which a lot of dreams are abandoned, aborted and buried. Knowing something and doing it or putting it into practice are two related but distinct things.Many folks find themselves very busy, never finding time to rest and when the year comes to an end ,you  can not put a finger on what they have achieved really!What seems to be the problem?The following is a suggestion on how to deal with the issues of goals,targets and plans.

1.Have a burning desire and passion to achieve something-a job, a promotion,a level of performance far higher than where you are right now, a level of influence ,money, relationships---anything you wish to achieve.You should have a clear outline of what it is and why you want to achieve it.It is these reasons which will keep you on track when the challenges visit you---and they will.

2.Sit down and write it out in more detail.How long is it going to take you to accomplish it,what resources will you need for this task,when will you start ---and so on.

3.Break the tasks down to smaller ones,the timeframes to daily tasks so that you can measure how much you should do in the short run.There is no need to try and do the whole thing in a day, otherwise if you fail to do that  you may end up getting discouraged and  then giving- up

4.Create the conducive environment in which you will operate,clearing all possible obstacles and bringing in anything and everyone who you think will be instrumental in the accomplishment of this dream.

5.Make sure you plan to start at a certain specific time.You may not always be 100% ready for a task and one of the worst things you can do is not starting.What is important is to do what you have planned to do.

Setting goals and targets and making detailed,specific plans to accomplish them is very important in performing tasks.It psychologically helps you to anticipate success,prepares you for any challenges and problems that may arise and helps you the way a map would in navigating your way towards your dreams.Without specific plans , direction is lost,commitment compromised and progress unmeasured.

So,sit down and draw your map before you move and then make it towards your promised land.

BY   EDWARD NGUNDU 

edwardngundu@yahoo.com

CHANGE YOUR ENVIRONMENT

BE IN A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT

One very important aspect of studying the behavior of living things is to understand their environment. The environment undoubtedly shapes the kind of life those in it live and is also shaped by it. Communities living in Coastal areas are likely to be good swimmers whose staple diet is fish while those in land –locked countries may thrive on agriculture or hunting. Meanwhile ,those who live in very cold snowy countries will build houses that are very different from their relatives in warmer climes.

When you decide to become successful and to achieve your goals, what sort of environment do you think is conducive to the achievement of your aspirations? Being around good-for-nothing friends with nowhere to go with their lives is not going to be helpful! Neither is hanging on to self-destructive habits which are expensive and which are detrimental to your health .In short you will need to deliberately create an environment which not only encourages you to reach out for your intended goals but inspires you to constantly focus on the job at hand-both the short –term plans and the long term ones. Similarly ,you have to identify all distractions and deal with them accordingly .These could be people, wrong habits and situations which remove you from resolutely working on what you should.

Fulfilling tasks and ambitions is not an easy stroll in the park. There are hard decisions which have to be made like changing your environment, changing your friends or who you `hang out with`, changing your neighborhood, stopping certain things and abstaining from others. This is not an invitation to be mean to the people you know ,but it may be necessary to very politely remove yourself from situations which may bury your dreams. It is unfortunate that there are certain commitments which may cause you to be so different from those around you that this may spell the end of some relationships. I am reminded of some couples who have broken up after one of them started losing unhealthy weight, eating responsibly, exercising and having a fit body of their dreams. Rather than face an early grave ,it is far better that that relationship deals with the positive change than continue in the same toxic disfunctionality.

So, change your environment and let it help you when you decide to change.

By EDWARD NGUNDU

edwardngundu@yahoo.com

BECOME AN ASSET NOT A LIABILITY

BECOME AN ASSET NOT A LIABILITY

In families, communities, organizations, institutions and countries; there are two broad groups of kinds of people with these characteristics-assets and liabilities. The assets are those people who have contributed significantly in the improvement,  beauty and splendor of their environments and fellow men while the liabilities have not only done nothing but they are a serious drain on the strength and achievement of others .If you are interested in self -improvement and development then you have to decide early and quickly whether you want to be an asset or a liability.

Ask yourself in your family, community, organization or country what role, responsibility you play. Do you positively impact the production of wealth and the general well-being of your people? Do you encourage others, help them ,contribute in solving problems and in preserving the wealth of your people? In your generation do you take the generational challenge to improve on what your ancestors and elders have achieved and help ushering a new generation-a better version of the best your people have left as their footstep under the sun? Do you take up the responsibilities which make your community better? If your answer is a YES, then you are indeed an asset to your people.However,if what you do and who you are the opposite of what has been described above, do not despair because there is something you can do about it.

When you consciously decide to become an asset and not a liability, you choose to pick up skills, to improve yourself and to be pro-active and become part of the solution to problems. You therefore, add value to yourself and the group and not just be navel –gazing. This kind of decision is a self –improving movement from the negative to the positive. When you stop being complacent, lazy and on the receiving or consuming level, you join the group of the assets and abandon the liability group.

Take the challenge-be an asset.

By EDWARD NGUNDU

RE-INVENT YOURSELF

All self –improvement ,personal effectiveness and success starts with a decision by yourself .Are you satisfied in who you are and what you have achieved in life ?Are there any things you wish you could have done or could do which will make you feel that your time on this Earth has been worthwhile and worth living? What do you recognize as your talent which you are sure you would possibly come first in any competition or if you tried to improve on it?What is that dream which keeps you awake at night, begging you to attain it? If you could get out of your skin and choose who you would like to become, who would you be and why?

The truth of the matter is in a majority of cases you can choose to be who and what you want to be  ,pursue it and achieve it.If you are not happy with the cards life has dealt you, you can change your choice of cards and or in fact change the whole deck by exercising one of the most sacred of our precious God given attributes-that of choice.Choose to become your dream,live towards it and live it to the fullest.Re-invent yourself and cast aside the present limitations to what you want to become.

Very little can stand in the way of resolute purpose :not people and certainly not circumstances.If you do your part and carve out an identity for yourself,who you want to become and work towards that without compromise-the environment and people will end up conforming to the stronger will-power in you.Quit accepting that nothing can be done about your situation and embrace what you want to become.

When you decide to re-invent yourself, remember that there are people who are used to the older you who will resist your insistence on change.They would rather you remain the same-rather ,that they keep a leash or noose around your neck and keep you the same  person they are used to.They cannot cope with you being what they are not used to.It is your life and you live once.

So,Go ahead and be who you want to be

By EDWARD NGUNDU

edwardngundu@yahoo.com

SOURCES OF MOTIVATION

The human mind is very complex and has been a subject of studies which have concluded that it is at the heart of man`s amazing creativity, the ability for abstract thought and creative power producing art, technology ,science and civilisations. Consider the genius and creativity of William Shakespeare ,the intellectual discipline of Aristotle and Plato, the pioneering work of Isaac Newton without which modern engineering and physics would look very different and Charles Darwin whose,‘‘  On The Origin of Species`` was so ground –breaking mankind conversed differently about himself .Man`s achievements in Mathematics ,Philosophy and Art have made me wonder where people get the inspiration to achieve those remarkable , hair-raising and monumental goals. What motivates us to think creatively about something and then go out there and make it happen in our own unique style? What motivates us in our everyday lives to take on the challenges of life ,become more productive and self-reliant ,make big changes in our lives and to stop procrastinating to finally pick up that shelved project and knuckle down to doing it?

There are many challenges which beset mankind now and are begging for a response from that ingenuity, creativity and intelligence of mankind to solve. Free energy, cure for HIV/AIDS, a mission to Mars, the discovery of alien life and full nuclear disarmament are some of them. On a less grandiose scale how many of our dreams have suffered a still-birth because we lacked the motivation and will-power to pursue them? If we can get our motivation right, then we can tackle some of the challenges of everyday life like: keeping fit , taming the bulge, quitting smoking ,spending more time with family, enjoying life more, quitting drinking ,getting out of debt ,learning something new ,helping others and getting organised.

When you have a task you have to accomplish and you either keep procrastinating or are on the verge of giving up on it, there are a few things you have to consider which will kick you back on the throne. What made you decide on doing this in the first place? Has that changed? How can you re-ignite the passion for your goal? The environment is a good source of inspiration.  When you surround yourself with people, books and occasions which make you think, `` Yes! I can do that!’’ then you can go for it. Some circumstances deteriorate to unacceptable levels first before they blow you out of your comfort zone but it is better to be always inspired by the instinct to produce the best. Compete against yourself and produce the best you can .You are not weird but different and if anyone can do better, you can. Have the courage to make those resolutions, to dream those dream and to follow them up with such zealous passion the world has ever seen.

Be Your Best

Edward Ngundu  

DECISION MAKING

      

The decision to become successful is the initial step and perhaps one of the most important you can ever make in the process of personal improvement, self -transformation and the pursuit /achievement of excellence. We are not talking about a desire and willingness to be successful, because almost everybody wishes they were better. What we are talking about is the complex process of soul searching ,self- introspection which should yield a conclusion that based on what has been considered there is a need to engage life to arrive at a particular destination called success.

Although this sounds like a cliché, like an obvious point which scarcely needs our attention, as a matter of fact, this is exactly why a lot of people’s lives have stagnated and they are failing to take off in the direction of their goals. Many people like to be in the comfort zone of their daily routines; meeting the same people, doing the same things, putting the same effort, expecting  the same results and following the same habits which have led them to be where they are. Their comfort zone is the box they have created and defined as the perimeter of their lives. Their psychology, their expectations, their physical conditioning and everything about them is comfortable only when they are in that comfort zone. They  have what I can call a this-is-how-I-have-always-done-things mentality.

There is nothing wrong in  being principled and sticking to practices that produce desired results. However ,if you want to be successful, to get more satisfaction in your life, earn more money, have better relationships, have a successful organisation or move on to the next level as an  individual ,you have to go through a decision making process which starts by being uncomfortable in the comfort zone, realising that there is life outside the box and that you can either extend the perimeter of the box or abandon it altogether. Almost all kinds of success starts with discomfort of the present conditions and progresses to transformation-very much like a process of birth. You have to passionately decide to pursue your goal and dedicate yourself to achieving it. If you do not decide this for yourself, somebody else will and the question is ;is that really what you like?

Success is worth pursuing and aiming for better things and becoming a better you is something you have a right to. You are the one who should decide the direction of your life and to write the next chapter. Look around your environment and ask yourself is this the best I can be ,am I happy about this and can I do better than this? When you decide to move to the next level and you have a goal-make that inevitable decision –I am going to achieve that goal and I will do whatever it takes to get there.

My name is Edward Ngundu-you deserve better, you can make it and go for it. Meet you next time.

USE TIME WISELY

Meticulous time management and commitment to activities which improve your productivity, quality of life and effectiveness in the long-run is very important. These activities are different from immediate distractions like answering the phone, unscheduled long phone conversations and attending to unplanned visits as examples.  There are activities however, which may not be immediate, but when you set aside time to do them with serious commitment, they become the backbone of a highly empowered and organized life.

Deliberately set aside time for self-renewal and reflection. This is when you disengage from the world and you have time to relax. You can call this recharging time because this is an opportunity to meditate on your mission in life, your targets, your goals and future. You are also able to rededicate yourself to your aspirations and expand on or enhance your brainpower. Sometimes we are in the rat-race for too long until we lose the bigger picture.  Self –renewal and reflection time allows us the time to plan, strategise and review.

You should set aside time for physical fitness- a sound body has a sound mind .Although jogging ,engaging in a sport, going to the gym and following a properly scheduled fitness regime are some activities we rarely consider as immediate and urgent, when we set aside time to do them ,they benefit us immensely in the long run. For three or four times a week, engage in an hour of a physically exacting activity which makes you breathless and break a sweat.   There is no immediate thrill or result, but it is good for you.

If you intend to be successful, productive and live a life of limitless growth, you must set aside time for creating and fostering meaningful relationships of trust. Take time to attend to people who matter to you personally and to your goals and aspirations. Find out what they like, what makes them tick and follow-up and help them realize their dreams. Encourage them, earn their trust and be there for them too. There is a sense of fulfillment which comes in helping others. We also learn and gain a lot of experience in the process. In most cases, these relationships always tend to partner you on your way up.

In striving towards success and growth, reading and deep thinking and reflection are very important habits to cultivate. They help in that you get more inspired, more knowledgeable and this is the time you plan on how to fulfill or tackle your challenges. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

So, prioritise your activities, use your time wisely.

EDWARD NGUNDU

edwardngundu@yahoo.com

BE A FANATIC

Whatever you do and especially if you have to do it, then do it excellently. My father drilled this lesson into me from an early age when I was too young to understand its value. I have come to understand that the world is a very tough place to be. Darwin got it right; it is a place where survival tends to favour the fittest and the weak are not only eliminated, but they are quickly forgotten. Excellent demonstration of ability and power earns you respect because it illustrates the story of our development as the human race. Through innovation, discovery and gritty hard work we have discovered and created the sources of our comfort and sustenance as human beings.

What does this say to you as an individual? Strive to become the best in whatever field you decide to embark on. If you are an athlete, be the best in your chosen sport. If you are an academic, set very high standards of achievement and if you are in Medicine, set the bar of your goals so high that your peers can only marvel. In business, politics, science, law, technological discoveries- the aim for an individual is to not only build on structures that your predecessors have erected but to go beyond yesterday’s achievement.

Be a fanatic at something and produce sublime and spectacular achievements. Of course this will not come easy.  It could be a lonely journey because very few have travelled that route or none. You may have to work on it for many hours every day. Many special achievements require a special kind of concentration; patience and meticulous attention to detail .You will have to work very hard and will sweat a lot. It was comfortable when you were sitting in your comfort zone and doing nothing .This is unfamiliar territory, the rules have changed and there is the looming threat of failure but you are not taking that option. You may still be working, all alone, way into the dead quiet night when everybody else is sleeping but keep working, joy comes in the morning. In short, you have to be prepared to go to extra-ordinary lengths, adopt unusual methods and resort to your utmost unusual will-power to produce unordinary results.

Very few valuable things will drop on your lap if you do not get up and go out there looking for them. To be the best you will have to work in an extra –ordinary way to reach an excellent level. Set the bar higher, ignore pain, set outrageous targets, prepare and plan in extra-ordinary detail and be prepared to exert yourself with superhuman zest and zeal. Many will say you are mad, they do not understand your hunger and inspiration. Ignore them and keep working until you achieve it. Do not conform to the ordinary, go for the special.

So, do the best to be the best.

EDWARD NGUNDU

edwardngundu@yahoo.com

DARE TO DREAM

There are very few things you can get for free in this world and although there is an African saying that, the only thing you can get for free is sunshine even in this case you have to get out of the shade to follow it around. You have to pay a price for most things and as for the best; you may consider parting with your arm or leg to get them. Dreaming is one of those pleasurable experiences for which you will pay nothing but can be very life-changing and worth-while. Find somewhere comfortable, close your eyes and shut out the world and start thinking about the best that you want in life. Walk through the pathways of weight-loss, down the valley of professional success, along the streams of healthy and perfect relationships and cross yonder to the achievement of all those goals you have set for yourself. Wallow in the orgasmic feelings associated with your goals and enjoy them as if you have already achieved them- indeed you have. When you open your eyes you will see the world of now and remind yourself it is now time for you to plot your journey to where you already have been.

Never mind the critics and the pessimists who will roll their eyes and are quick to remind you that you have been day-dreaming, wake up and see the real world for what it is. What they are saying is that you are what you are and will not amount to anything better, that the world can not be changed and that you are a fool to consider the possibility of crossing over to the promised land. They would rather you shut-up, sit there in the misery and hopelessness of the present and accept the cards fate has dealt you. They are very quick to ask whether anything tangible has come out of your `madness` and sometimes if they are close to you may manipulate you out of that dream.

Refuse to give up and throw away your dreams because they represent your hopes on the things you aspire to achieve. Cling to your dreams because they are your priceless property. They represent the roadmaps and blue-prints of your life. Many people are leading mediocre lives because they did not dare to dream.

Go ahead and dream. When you are done, start fulfilling your dreams.

EDWARD NGUNDU

edwardngundu@yahoo.com

THE NEW FRONTIER

There is always the ever-present temptation to do things the same old way. After-all it is comfortable to work with what we know, the people we are familiar with and the circumstances we know. You have heard the term ,”There is no place like home.”Of course ,home is your comfort zone .It is where you can be yourself,  where no one judges you, where you have mastered everything, everywhere and where you know how to do everything or put differently, it is your kingdom- your universe . However, it is also your box because it defines the confines or the parameters within which you are working. Through habit,  custom, environment, experience and exposure the spectacles through which you see the world have already been designed and they now help you to interpret the universe you have come to know. Your skills , creativity and innovation are now in the context of that box.

How about you get out of the box and you go through the experience of a paradigm shift ? I have spoken to many athletes, politicians, celebrities in different fields and professionals with achievements average everyday people cannot ever dream of achieving who say they feel that inspite of their achievements they have not maximized their potential and achieved their best. Theirs is an impatience that comes with wondering in the same, self-made box, knowing fully well that there is a world out there waiting to be experienced and conquered .If you have always been one thing-a nurse, a teacher, a manager or an electritian- and you are getting tired of it,  it is time to review why you are doing it, research on how you can do it better or have the boldness and courage to abandon it if you discover you have a different skill and calling which you can do better and you derive a sense of fulfillment out of.  Is it not tragic that many people go through life limiting themselves to do one thing-perhaps it pays the bills and they can not be bothered to do anything else? Ask yourself questions, research further, find experts and other objective outsiders who can help you see the world out there. It may be uncomfortable at first, but if it helps you become the best you can, then it is worth it.

Many companies, organizations, communities, institutions-indeed nations, have suffered the stagnating effect of the comfort-zone box syndrome. Methods and systems which were once useful and brought them huge success have been over-used until they have become irrelevant. Individuals who were relied upon and they produced spell-binding results can not seem to pull their institutions from the precipice of the present challenges. The big lesson to be learnt from this is that any living organism which does not adopt, adapt and search for new frontiers eventually dies.

So, get out of the box.

EDWARD NGUNDU

 edwardngundu@yahoo.com