OLAOLUWA AKINYOYENU: MAKE YOUR LIFE COUNT…NOW!

At the beginning of this year and at the commencement of this blog, I said there would be guest posts. This is the very first of them. It is written by Olaoluwa Akinyoyenu*. I’m sure you’ll enjoy and learn from it.

“At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.” He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will drive out demons and heal people TODAY and TOMORROW, and on the THIRD DAY I will reach my GOAL.’  In any case, I must keep going TODAY and TOMORROW and the NEXT DAY— for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!”   (Luke 13v31-33. NIV)

While some are drifting through life,some are sailing through it. You are drifted when you are carried by some forces that are beyond you. You sail when you can harness the experiences of the past and activate the potentials of your present to chat a course for your future. It’s been said,that success is not by accident,neither is failure. One of the surest things to predict in life is success. While base minds believe in luck, great minds leverage on the principle of cause and effect. Thus, a way to predict your future is to create it!

You can create your future by the power of dreams; the mental picture of a preferable future. Your dreams however, should emanate from your specific purpose for life;the intention in God’s heart that requires you to exist. Your dreams should be in context of your purpose. Eleanor Roosevelt said,that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams, ‘cos the dreams of today are the realities of tomorrow. So,the best place to change the equation of your life is in the place of your dreams.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or IMAGINE, according to his power that is at work within us..”  (Eph 3:20-21)

However, for dreams to come to reality,they must be crystallize into goals. Goals can be defined as an end towards which efforts are directed. It can also be defined as an anticipated results which guide our actions and reactions. Simply put, goals are ‘to-do-list’.

Jesus Christ our model was a goal getter while on earth. From the passage in Luke, He seems not to be moved by the happenings and treats around him. He was simply focused, doing something worthwhile with his time and His life.. today,tomorrow and on the third day. What diligence!! In the same vein,for us to take control of our lives,leading a fulfill life and experiencing  a maximized existence, We must set goals.

Why do you need to set goals?

• Goals setting gives you a sense of identity.
• It defines your destination and determines your direction.
• Constantly gives you hope and motivate you.
• Goals setting will discipline you.
• Setting goals will preserve your life.

THE ABC OF GOAL SETTING

There are three attributes your goals must possess to make them effective. These are what I call the ABC of Goal setting.

A: ACHIEVABLE– it must be realistic not abstract or ambiguous.

B: BELIEVABLE– You must believe in your goals. For all things are possible to him that believe.

C: CONCRETE– Your goals must be solid, tangible,measurable. The end result of your goals should be felt, touched and sensed.

Questions you need to ask yourself in order to determine what your true goals should be.

• What is the purpose of God for my life?
• Who do i want to become?
• What are my biggest worries?
• Where do i want to be?
• What are those things you really want to have?
• What have you always wanted to do,if limiting factors are negligible?
• What do i want to change about my life.?

Sincere answers to these questions will give you a clear picture of what your true goals should be.

Needful to say, that it is not enough to have goals, we must also plan our goals to see them happen. There are five ways to set/plan our goals

• Set a definite goal. Nothing becomes dynamic until it becomes specific. To make your goals definite,you may need to ask the questions what,why,when,how and to what end is your goal.
• Write down your goals. There is something about writing down goals that makes it register in your subconscious mind for execution. You can’t beat it when you write it down,you can only decide to ignore it. If the scriptures say..write the vision and make it plain.
• Decide there and then,on a deadline. When you give yourself time limit to achieve your goals,you invariably add energy to your goals,your morale will be high as you will want to go all out to achieve it. Simply saying,you give momentum to it!
• Develop a step by step process that will take you to the realization of your goals. Don’t assume it will be done all the same. Work on the ‘HOW’,what you don’t work ON does not work OUT.
• Determine what you will give in exchange to achieve your goals. There is no such thing as something for nothing. Even in Freetown,there is no free lunch. Something must go as ransom, the price to be paid to achieve your goal. It could be your time,your sleeping hours, your social events and the likes

THE FIRST PRINCIPLE

But needful to say at this junction, that It’s not enough to set goals, the will to execute your plans makes the difference. The most powerful ingredient to goal settings is what i call SELF-LEADERSHIP.

Self leadership is the gusto to take control of your life. It also means self discipline; doing what you have to do when you should do them, whether you feel like doing it or not. Self mastery is also a subset of self leadership; mastering your emotions,appetite and inclinations. Self-control; the ability to control your self and actions, what you say and do. (Proverb 16v32). Ensure that your behaviours are consistent with your long term goals. Self- denial; denying yourself the easy pleasures,temptation that lead people astray. Delay gratification; the capacity to put off satisfaction in the short term in order to enjoy a greater rewards in the long run. Jim Rohn said “discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”

Lam 3v27… ‘” it is good that a man bear the YOKE in his YOUTH..” why wait till tomorrow when you can make your life count NOW. i dare say it, that the future is not in the tomorrow, the future is TODAY. Success or otherwise..its your fault! Why not die trying than resigning to an existence without hope, and i bet you, SURVIVE…you will!

“Those heights by great men,won and kept,were not achieve by sudden flight. But they,while their companion slept,were toiling upward in the night”  -LONGFELLOW.

*Ola is committed to the delivery of viable tools that makes for motivation, inspiring, helping, leading and charting a course for people to harness their potentials, ignite their passions and make happen their destiny. he can be reached: Hr.luwaltd@gmail.com; 07039176695.