Managing your limits

The best we can give is to give our best every time. It is not a comparison with what you offered in the past, but the best your present capacity could offer. Time changes, likewise conditions, so your best also changes with changing factors or conditions.

By thinking this way, you will save your energy from overburdening yourself with what you could not achieve after stretching yourself beyond the elastic limit to offer the present deliverable. Be positive, do not be intimidated by the achievement of others. When your capacity increases, you can compensate for what you cannot give in the past.

It does not mean you should cooperate with your tendency to be lazy or self-indulgent. In a clear sense, stretch yourself to the breaking point. (At least your mind is made up to break barriers and barricades), but know when it is obvious you cannot do more. At this point, you have the likelihood to start blaming yourself for not doing something to avert the present condition. Of course, you must take responsibility for your actions, but accepting your limit is not unacceptable.

When you identify your present limitation, do not use it to exaggerate the nearest future limitations. At least you have been equipped with information on how massive it can be. Resolve to find help where and when possible. Maybe, from colleagues, superiors, online self-help, mentorship programmes, training programs, etc. In all, self-mastery and development are keys to making progress over and beyond where you have been. You will be glad you did when you see yourself climbing past insurmountable barriers.

Take this with you. The tangible thing is how you have handled the past, focusing on the present, and preparing for the unexpected. Be wise and deliberate. Refuse to settle.

Power of Working from the Known

What you know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

Job 13:2

When we all know the same thing, who wins? Whoever wins, winners should learn the lessons of winning, and losers should learn the lessons of losing.

In a world where everyone is interested in knowing, and the means of doing so is available (the world is now a global village), each entity must strive to be acquainted with what wins the game. Good training, ability to promote yourself, using the weakness of others or staying long enough under your leader. Whichever is a function of where you have been, where you are and where you set your mind to be in the future.

He who is just growing up should take the time to learn from his elders, and he who has grown up should be careful to learn from a fall. Find what is good for you, and create an environment for growth. It is good to learn from experience, but what if you have none. It is not a matter of not having experience because every journey you have made has at least an experience you can bring to your present endeavour.

We also learn from those ahead of us. As a student, you know the way to learn is by arriving at class early. Don’t you think that can work in your new work environment? When you get to work early before actual time work commences, you have time to settle down, ruminant on what you are doing presently and see how to navigate through the strategies with which to work. You can win an award for punctuality, which should drive you to perform other duties better. In business, you might have the privilege of being a market leader with your early arriving product in the marketplace.

I know you know now. Get what you need presently from what you already have. That’s all. However, introduce a new dimension no matter how little, when it appears the old idea is outdated and could be visible to outsiders. I do not mean old ways of doing things do not work verbatim. Of course, they do. Just be conversant with what others are doing in the outside world and pursue a style that others could adopt just like they do to others – the way to be a leader.

I do not know I could write this long by just starting with the title. So what do I know? I know what others know but would not take the first step. It means to be aware of what you know, put the first step forward, and knowledge can be transformed to power to beat the best. I now know you know what I know now.

As you make efforts to be at your best, you will be operating on the path to staying proactive, relevant and organised.

As you make efforts to operate with what you know, you will be operating on the path of proactiveness. Do share your take and experience in the comment section below.

Benefits of Failing Always

Failure is a common experience for me as I grow up. I have been experiencing failure since my childhood days. I have disappointed many people. At a time in primary school, I could not understand our lingua franca. I failed junior school maths. I failed senior school Biology. I did not pass an undergraduate general study course, and I narrowly escaped failure in a core course. I performed below expectations in a postgraduate course. Thus, I failed in academics. It may appear there are some rays of hope in other ramifications, but not. I failed many times in my relationships with people, and unsuccessful in business. I did not realise my essence of living.

I have also failed to see failure from the correct perspective. I barely think of how I eventually came out of these messes. I was quick to judge myself in the light of setbacks I have experienced. Other people do the same to me. I felt they don’t understand my ordeal. Not all do. Am I now hopeless? Isn’t there anything I can do with my life? How did I even get here – failing from being a toddler? I fell several times until I injured myself but I didn’t give up because I will have limitations if I can’t walk like other children.

I see. Where are even those failures today? I mean the past failures I have accumulated. Why are they not added to the present ones? Oh, something happened along the journey to where I am now. I left my failures behind me, though not without some scars.

Failures can be devastating, discouraging and defeating. Like a progressive move from small to big successes, failure can increase progressively. Failure is a milestone. No, not a ‘milestone’, but a ‘mile’ ‘stones’. It is a journey with attributes of mileage and stones. Mileage is a distance to be covered in life, while stones (a massive rock) are the obstacles you must climb to the other side to continue on the part of successful achievement. Therefore, failure is inevitable.

Welcome failures with cheerfulness; overcome them with carefulness. Take a deep breath as you approach each one and prepare to climb. Don’t turn back. Resources have gone into the journey. Observe its massiveness. Climb progressively. Your experience with similar failures may not work now because things have changed. Times have passed. Weather conditions change at different times. Climate also changes from what it used to be due to global warming. Modern approaches occasioned by the digital age are replacing the traditional ones. You are probably at your 1300hr if you have a mileage of one day or 40 per cent if your total mileage is 100 per cent. When you eventually reach the other side of the stone, appreciate your efforts, but don’t rest. Develop stamina for the one ahead. There will be many more before you complete your mileage. Observe the terrain as you go. That may determine the nature of stone you will come by as you move on, and this will help you put on the necessary kits to climb without being hurt.

Let me remind you again that climbing can be hurting. Expect to stumble. Prepare for any eventuality. You may sustain minor or pronounced bruises even with your safety kits on you. It will heal up, ok? The scar it left you is for you to remember how it happened, how severe it was, and how you eventually overcame it. It is a real-life experience you cannot buy and will help climb the stones ahead. Motivational talks or coaching classes cannot offer it. It is practical, not hypothetical.

Failure is good, and failing is beneficial if you learn from it. Make the best use of your setbacks, big or small. Kindly share your experience as you tread the milestones of failure.

If you find this resourceful, do not hesitate to share. If otherwise, that may be a failure for an improved outlook. We move!

Preparing a delicious life

Think of the efforts and resources you put into cooking that delicious meal on your table, most especially on special occasions or celebrations. Oh, you enjoyed the last one? Even if you cannot satisfy your appetite at home for some reason, I am sure you won’t hesitate to pay any amount to buy that favourite delicacy from the best restaurant in the city.

That is how you should think about the outcome of your daily, weekly, monthly, yearly (or any other yardstick you choose as your timeline) undertakings. It should bring delight and happiness. Something that is remarkable, rewarding and can be appreciated. Thus, be willing to spend time, effort, money or other resources to achieve them.

They may not be easy. You may require extra training, staying more focused, getting in touch with someone that can help out.

What if the food is too salty and you almost throw it away? You have to take precautions the next time you are preparing it. It may be the combination of seasonings or forgetting you initially added salt, and when it appears tasteless, something must be missing.

Treat your achievements the same way. Avoid too many details on a particular aspect when there are other 99 things. Avoid wasting resources, all because you have or can avoid many. What of those times you might not have enough. Always think of contingencies, the rainy day when you won’t be able to go out and buy even though you have the money. Do away with forgetfulness. That appointment can be once in a lifetime opportunity to break loose from the life of mediocrity. Write it down, or add it to your calendar and if it is not a business secret that you cannot share, ask someone to remind you.

And when it appears you are not getting what you want, it may be that your effort is not enough. Add more. Spend more and wisely. Focus on what is missing – maybe your weaknesses. The skill or ability you do not have. The next should be better. Do not disappoint yourself again. It may cost a lot if you meet other people’s needs, maybe your customers. A repetitive mistake may mean you are not competent. They will find alternate except for a few loyal one’s who may also be discouraged and start contemplating alternatives.

There are also times that what you cook might not be tasty to you but does to those you serve. That is why you should be intentional to seek feedback. Make this a habit. Share the food with someone or a group so that they can appraise your mastery of cooking skills. Why do you keep that new year Jollof from your visitors? What if you eventually waste it? Do not waste your efforts and resources. It might also be beneficial to them. Think of that fulfilment and self-actualization in meeting a need.

What is your perception about this meal I just served you? Feel free to share the meal. Some people say, ‘joint or collective eating is usually tasteful.

Starting and After

Even though you’re not much right now, you’ll end up better than ever.

Job 8:7.

The beginning


An activity, a degree programme, sporting event, a training programme, learning to drive or swim, leadership position all have something in common – initiation. It is a milestone that need not have an end depending on the commitment of the person involved. It is historical, and it is a reference points for what happen after. There are usually uncountable starting points in lifetime. For instance, when you come into existence, the day you stated taking walking steps, the time you started attending school, among others but some usually come with reminisce of how it all began, what you started with, who joined along the line, the challenges faced at the point of launching out, events you would not like to reoccur as you make progress, among other stories.

Life lesson


When you are just starting a business, you are not likely to contemplate having a challenge you cannot overcome since you have factored in likely risks and appropriate mitigating strategies. You trust your intuition because you are original. However, you have watched others starting just like you. The story is a mix of failure and success. You are thinking, “won’t it be my turn to fail?” Failing is not even the issue here rather what you do with your failure when it became apparent. This is because failure will always come at certain points no matter how little. So, the fear of failing should not even be a concern. You failed when you started walking as a toddler because you fell several times before mastering the walk step. Do you always get all your exercises, assignments and practical right when in school? I can say a big ‘No’. So, do not fear failing because you rose after falling several times as an infant. So, when you are big enough with stamina, don’t contemplate failing.


Learning to walk


How then do you start becoming a professional in the real sense, drawing a cue from your growing years as new born or when you are learning to walk? Some initiatives will be highlighted here to help you start taking a more productive decisions regarding your chosen or future career. The order they are presented here does not mean one is important than the other neither are they in order of preference or execution/implementation.


Rest on your belly; crawl; start holding something tight to rise; watch others doing the walk; hold tight and move along; find a guide and take a step at a time; gain confidence by standing at a point; start moving; maintain a balance by taking the first step. Fall, then rise and move; attempt to move towards that attractive item; take the item and try moving with it, even if you will need to drag; stay focus; don’t allow distractions. They were there before; start catching up with that better walker, gradually but steadily; do your ‘little’ runs.

From the foregoing, the following general principles apply to being a starter professional in any undertaken.


Start from somewhere/Start something: It is not enough to conceive an idea or wish to work in an industry. You must do something to make this possible. Rest on your belly if that is all you can do for a start. You may need to start by writing something down on your idea or do a search for the type of position you need in that industry you intend working. Just do something…something.


Look out/ Watch what others are: It is true we may not be conscious of whether that toddler is watching us doing something or not before walking. What he begin to demonstrate later on in life will show he must have being watching his environment – other children crawling or walking or grasping items around the house. You too should start watching other people doing something similar to what you are doing or about to do. That include people around you, or from sources such as the internet.


One-step at a time: Do not stay where you started. Take another step at least you have watch others and seen few things. Get going. Start crawling, holding something tight. Demonstrate you are not an actual beginner.


What if you are guided: Of course, you can. They all started like you. Flying on the eagle’s wings. A mother will be happy to help her baby out. Read their articles, use their resources as they make them available, attend seminar and workshop, use their counselling sessions. You can’t stop learning; you will do same later in your career.
Failure is feedback: You will fail. If you do not fail, you will not learn to do the right thing. See failure as a means to improving on yourself but that is not to be indulged in laziness or laxity. This failure has to do with when you think you have done everything right and something later went wrong. Okay?


Be ambitious: Don’t be afraid to do the unthinkable. We once sang: “Good better best, I shall never rest until my good is better and my better best”. A time will come that you can stand and walk on your two legs; pick objects and move along probably without a guide but you don’t get disconnected from them. As a lad, you might want to pick a dangerous object. You need your parents to instruct you against that decision. Someone collecting it from you – they have to if it can get damage or injure you.


Conclusively, falling is permitted and can be hurting. Stop accepting backing now because you can walk on your own. Don’t be disconnected from your guide, learn to avoid what can hurt or injure you; grow along and start connecting; make attempt to practice each point until you gain mastery. Learning is a continuous process. You cannot grow by being static. You can always get better, be the best and beat the best! Why not start from where you are.

Do share your take and experience in the comment section below.