Trending
News: The
New Year (2016) is less than 48 hours away.
Why
is this important?
Many people are making plans already while
some also think their lives will change automatically in 2016.
Long
Story Short:
Your life will not change if you do not
change the way you think, and start executing the new thoughts
Long
Story:
So a friend of mine told me that there
exists something called the ‘heaven’s will’, of course, while I did not argue,
I also remembered a wise man once said “the
best way to predict the future is to create it”. 2014 was a year I
experienced couple of challenges and I learnt a number of difficult but useful
lessons, hence at the close of 2014, the objectives were clear; “do not repeat the
mistakes of 2014 and I was to ensure 2015 contributes towards my long term
goals”. I do not want to sound
mechanical, and as a matter of fact, I strongly believe that God has the final
say no matter how effective or solid your plan looks.
When 2015 started, I had couple of
responsibilities already, and I knew I had to work on some areas of my life in
the process of doing that, I learnt the following:
Begin
with the end in mind: I came in contact with this
statement some years back while I was reading one of the books of Stephen Covey
and it stuck with me ever since. To
build a house, there is need for a plan, what the architects call a ‘blueprint’,
hence, every step taken by the builders will be towards achieving the structure
laid out in the blueprint, similarly, there is need for you to plan your life
and execute your goals effectively, hence, you will not make decisions in
isolation i.e. without considering the
long term plan you have for your life, however, there is need for you to put
God first and ask for His divine guidance, the same way the architect cannot
act without the consent or support of the owner of the house. Almost all
actions I took in an official capacity, the responsibilities I held, the tasks
executed, and the people I interacted with were steps towards achieving a
bigger and long term plan or goal.
Challenges: Fundamentally, I have permanently come to the conclusion that
challenges make us better as humans (if we allow it to). No doubt, on the quest
of achieving your goals or becoming a better person, you will encounter certain
difficulties or challenges, like I have taught in the past, you have the
responsibility to get the best out of those seemingly difficult situations,
more importantly, no matter how bad a situation is, it never lasts, so
understanding how to manage a difficult situation will also go a long way in
helping you achieve your goals as an individual. In 2015, I had couple of
challenges while executing some projects, but I was optimistic and resilient.
Those two qualities yielded positive results.
Healthy
Relationship: While trying to achieve your goals in
2016, there is also a huge need to build healthy relationship with people
around you. It is very important that
you surround yourself with people that will help you grow, people that
understand and have a strong believe in your dream and plans, and people that
will go thousand miles on your behalf. In 2015, I had good and committed
friends all around me, we helped one another to achieve various goals, we
provided opportunities for one another and to be frank, I do strongly believe
that you do not need many friends; you only need few that are dedicated to your
cause and will add value to your life. Hence, while going into 2016, you should
reconsider your network base, if you have to let go of some people, please do
without remorse, for instance, I had some friends in 2014 that were
“anti-Damilola’s plans and projects”, instead of brooding about why they were
deliberately trying to sabotage my progress, I excused them and I am glad I am
no longer friends with them, no hard feelings, it was only necessary, instead
of bearing grudges against them, I concentrated my energy on more important
things. Also, I was able to make a number of new friends (locally and
internationally), this has exposed and has broadened my horizon and
perspectives to life, there is diversity and I have learnt couple of new things
from my new friends. The cardinal principle as far as meeting people is
concerned is that “every person I meet is
my superior in a way or the other in that I learn something new from them”.
Mentoring
and Mentorship: Show me your mentor and mentee and
I will tell you who you are. While I was serving in the capacity of the Sigma
Chief of Sigma Club, University of Ibadan (the largest and oldest surviving
students’ organisation, South of the Sahara, Africa), I was able to achieve
some remarkable results because I rode on great men’s back. A friend of mine
says, ‘leaders are not necessarily the
smartest of all persons, but a good leader knows to surround himself with smart
people’, in essence, I was able to draw from the experiences of elderly
ones and I was properly mentored, this engendered some good results during my
administration. Also, career-wise, there are people (industry experts) that
offer me tutelage, asides having mentors, I made it a point of duty to mentor
some persons, I provided support, succour and advice when needed and when I
could offer. Therefore, who is your mentor? Who do you listen to? 2016 should
be different, in pursuing your goals, identify people in your field that can
help you (provide mentorship) and if your field is new, identify people that
started something new in the past and recorded success, history is filled with
people of that nature.
Value
over money: A friend once asked me to distinguish
between the business man and the entrepreneur and I answered by asking; “how
many Dangotes do we have in Nigeria?” There are many business men and women in
Nigeria, a lot of persons make money daily around the world, however, only few
persons provide unique services. Hence, anybody can make money (big or small)
but not everybody can provide unique services. Thus, while the average business
man is rich, the entrepreneur is great. Throughout 2015, my focus was not on
making money, but on providing unique services, something out of the ordinary,
something unusual and in the end; money was only one of the many rewards I got
for being outstanding. Therefore, in 2016, in your field, the focus should be
to distinguish yourself entirely, create a brand and you’d be shocked by the
result (positive) you will get.
The
Art of Giving: Have you ever wondered why some
people do not practice any religion per se, yet, prosperous. One cardinal
principle of life is that anyone that gives never lacks. I had always known
this before 2015 started, but I didn’t practice religiously in previous times.
In 2015, 80% of my income was invested into various charitable causes and
surprisingly, it has only yielded more blessings. As a matter of fact, my
mentor taught me that if I want to take anything from anyone, I should give
something first, hence, while leading I was busy giving to several people (people
higher than I was in status) with no intention to take back (but that was often
not the case as this spurred them to give in return). Think about it, if you
want someone to love/like you, love/like the person first.
Gratitude: I cannot but re-emphasize the need to always feel thankful for
your life. A lot of persons always complain about the things they do not have
and refuse to be grateful about the things they have. Make it a point of duty
to appreciate the little successes and achievements you have in 2016. Go out
with your friends, relax, have fun, go on vacation with your family, learn and
experience new things and explore the world. A Pastor once said God owes you no
duty to answer your prayer, so when He does not grant some of your requests, appreciate
Him for the things He has done. I remember participating in a competition
sometime this year, after myself and my colleague concluded the 2nd round of
the competition, I was certain we would win, when the results were announced,
we did not, I was disappointed we did not win because we prepared and executed
diligently, but I also appreciated God for granting the opportunity and the
overall experience.
In summary, I can look back at 2015 and say
boldly that it has been a good year, I have achieved 70% of the goals set for
the year, I couldn’t achieve some and I have learnt new things too. I thank God for allowing friends and family
glorify His name through my life and I am confident that Deo Volente, 2016 and years to come will even be better.
Own
the Conversation
Ask
The Big Question: Don’t the aforementioned points
seem like quick-fixes?
Disrupt
Your Feed: Some
of the issues discussed are relative; hence, some persons might consider it not
useful.
Drop
this Fact: Damilola does not appreciate people that
concentrate only on dreaming without considering planning and executing the
dream.
Damilola Oyebayo is an expert in
leadership and management development. For over 3 years, Damilola has helped
many leaders and aspiring leaders improve their leadership capabilities.
Damilola is also considered one of the world’s young motivational writers and
speakers and he is the founder of Reality Check, a consulting column that helps
readers discover their dreams, improve their skills and lead value-oriented
lives.
Damilola Oyebayo
LinkedIn: @ Oyebayo Damilola, Twitter: @Oyebayod
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