Time Out

April 1st marked April Fools' Day, but more importantly it marked the end and beginning of the first and second quarters of 2008.  As a goal setter, I thought this was a great time for me to review the progress that I had made towards the achievement of my goals.  As I did that, I came up with a simple goal review system that I want to introduce to you today.

This goal review system consists of eight simple steps and helps you review all your goals, one goal at a time.  Do not worry if you do not have a lot of time in your hands, the whole process is simply answering the question asked under each step.

Step #1: State your original goal

What is it that you set out to do in the first place?

Be as precisely as you can.  Writing it down:  You need to always look back and say, 'When I set this goal, this is what I am/was aiming for.'

Step #2: Measure the progress that you have made on your goal

What are the things that you have done and you believe have moved you a step closer to the achievement of that which you set out to do?

If you are writing a book, out of the number of chapters that you expect to write, how many chapters have you written so far?  In whatever it is that you are doing or are supposed to have done, how far have you gone?

Step #3: State your current position

What's your position in relation to what you should have accomplished by now?

You can either be on target, off target or above target.  Knowing your current position will help you decide what you need to do next.

Step#4: Outline the obstacles that have been keeping you from your goal

What are the things that have held you back from the pursuit and achievement of that which you set out to do?

List all the things that you believe would make the pursuit of your goal easier if you had these things. These may be the lack of certain material possessions, the lack of emotional support of your peers or anything that comes to mind.

Step #5: Outline the things that have been driving you closer to your goals

What are the things that have propelled you forward towards the pursuit and achievement of that which you set out to do?

Likewise, list all the things that you believe have made the pursuit of your goal easier or less impossible.

Step #6: State the strategy that you are going to take towards your goals

In the light of the obstacles that you have faced and the things that have propelled you forward what is your action plan?

Come up with an action plan. Carefully consider the things that are to your advantage and decide what you are going to do to see to it that you achieve your goal. While you are at it, keep in mind the obstacles that you have to overcome as this will help you keep it real. However, if there's nothing to your advantage in relation to any particular goal of yours do not hesitate to drop that goal.  

Step #7: Restate your goal or set a new goal

From this point forth, what are you setting out to do?

What is your goal?  Is it still the one you set at the beginning of the year or you have made some changes to cater for the things that have either been holding you back or propelling you forward?

Step #8: State and date the outcomes that you want to see

What do you expect to see and [by] when?

Mark down all the milestones and achievements that you want to see as you pursue your goal.  These can also be used as signposts to your progress at every step of your journey to doing whatever it is that you set out to do.

Be inspired.

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Hold On

(A poem from my book, Poems for life)

Someone without
Someone with doubt
The stomach rambles
The begging humbles
Will life go on?
Faith calls hold on
Someone without
Someone with doubt

Someone worn out
Someone in doubt
A toil so long
Stand firm and keep strong
Will life go on?
Faith calls hold on
Someone worn out
Someone in doubt

Someone in pain
Someone in strain
Gone is health
Gone is wealth
Will life go on?
Faith calls hold on
Someone in pain
Someone in strain

Someone in moaning
Some sees no morning
Thoughts clouded with sorrow
Better is the morrow?
Will life go on?
Faith calls hold on
Someone in moaning
Someone sees no morning

Be Inspired

Always Remember these 4 Principles

Always Remember these 4 Principles

In 2006, I came to the realization that the success of world class athletes is not a mere coincidence. There are four principles that they use to create, or increase their chances of achieving, success in their lives and that these principles are universal – they can be applied in any area of our lives and still produce the same result: SUCCESS!

Want to know what these principles are? Then read on.

§        World-Class Athletes run a given and fixed course.

The World-Class Athlete cannot choose to start the race
from any position, to run in any direction, to run any length
or to finish the race anywhere on the track.  NO!  On the
contrary, the World-Class Athlete is shown a specific
starting point, a fixed route which he or she must follow
as well as a specific finish line. If the World-Class Athlete
fails to adhere to these guidelines he or she is disqualified from
the race.
________________________________________________

When God created you, He did so with a
specific purpose in mind [Jeremiah 1:5].  
Find out what it is. Ask Him what it is [James
1:5]. See what it is; write it down and run with
it [Habakkuk 2:1-2].
________________________________________________

§        World-Class Athletes increase their chances of
winning by training themselves regularly

Nobody likes discipline but everyone loves the benefits that
come with it.  Likewise, a World-Class Athlete takes on
the discipline of training him or herself regularly.  He
or she does this in order remain in shape and to
improve his or her performance, thus, increase his or
her chances of winning.  
________________________________________________
Discipline yourself to begin to do things that
enhance your chances of achieving your
ultimate goal – fulfilling your purpose. Taking
a single step at a time, begin to spend more
and more time doing these things.  In the end
they will become a part of your life and each
day you will find yourself in a better position to
fulfill your purpose.
 ________________________________________________

§        World-Class Athletes all have one objective: To WIN!

In their own right, all World-Class Athletes are winners.  For
anyone to reach the world-class level they will have
outperformed those they competed against at preliminary
levels.  Also when they reach the world stage their primary
objective remains to outperform their competitors. That
being the case, we can conclude that World-Class
Athletes are winners [who are] looking for another
win at a higher level of competition in the same game.
________________________________________________

Your ultimate goal in life should be to
fulfill your purpose. However, this is not an
event, it is a process: you achieve your purpose
in stages.   So, set out to win in every stage.  
Each successive win will get you to the BIG race
- where will fulfill your purpose.
________________________________________________

§        World-Class Athletes are crowned the best
Everyone who competes at world-class level wants to either
possess or retain the title that is given to "the best" in a
particular discipline or a series of disciplines.  
________________________________________________
To fulfill your purpose is to be the best in
what God created you to become. Find out
what it is; discipline yourself to follow it; win at
every stage! There is a crown waiting for you in
heaven.
________________________________________________

Be Inspired.

The World-Class Athlete Who did not Run the Race

"On your marks… get set… ready…"

Blast!

All the runners take off except one.  Though his supporters cheer him on, he remains on his mark, head up, watching the others go.  He stays in the same position until the race is finished.  

After the race, his coach runs up to him and wearingly asks him what went wrong.  The lad turns to look at his coach and excitedly exclaims, "Coach, I've achieved my dream, coach!" raising his hands as if he were the winner of the race.  The coach is dump folded and gives the lad a questioning stare. "Yea, I've made it. I've made it to the big race," the young athlete beams out.

It took some time for the coach to understand what the athlete was saying but it finally emerged that a lot of people had told the athlete that they would be proud of him even if he only qualified for the race. So, he made it his life dream and ambition to make it into the race until he did.  And when had done so, it never occurred to him that he had to run the race – so he didn't.

This story may shock many of us but this is a typical example of how some of us have shortchanged ourselves in life.  This may not true for every area of our lives but in some of them. The two that came to mind right now are your purpose and your walk of faith.  

·        Your Purpose
Many of us are excited at the prospect of finding out what our purpose in life is.    We have been told of all the benefits of finding our purposes so much that it passes us that finding our purposes is only the fist step of the journey; it is like making it to the starting point of your big race in life.  After finding out what is your purpose in life you have the new task of pursuing it. If you just find your purpose and don't pursue it you're no different to the world-class athlete who made it to the tracks he so desired and prepared for but did not run the race when the time to do so came.


·        Your Walk of Faith
Another place where people act like the world-class athlete who did not run the race is in their walk of faith. Many people have 'surrendered' their lives to Christ but care not to live for him. Responding to Christ's call to salvation and repenting from one's sinfulness is but making it to the big race. Running the race to win it starts with you changing your ways, flows into your involvement into Christian service, transcends into your work of faith.  Your walk of faith will lead you to a place where you do exploits for God when it is full blown. Up till this happens, you are like the world-class athlete who has not run the race.

Are you pursuing your purpose?  Are you growing in your walk of faith? The world-class athlete lived the rest of his life regretting that he had missed his opportunity to run his big race. Are you running yours?

Be Inspired.

15 Years from Now...

Imagine its February 29, 2023. You're coming from your morning jog and just as you take the bend into your driveway you bump into the paper boy.  He greets you, hands you a copy of the daily press and scuttles away so quickly that you wonder where he's gone.  

You decide to flip through the paper as you walk down your driveway.  You unfold the newspaper, and, to your surprise, the subject of the leading story is your life. Photographs of you at various places are also all over the front page. What do you think the article will say about you and about your life?  

These are the questions that I want us to answer throughout the month of March, starting in this week's issue of Inspiration Online.  In fact, we are going to try to write the article that you are going to read in the newspaper 15 years from now. No, you need not get worked out at the thought of it. I'll walk you through the process.

First things first, let's look at the title of the article. What should it read? Who should it depict you to be?  What aspect of your life should it portray as newsworthy? Is it going to be a success story or a story of desperation? What do you suggest?

In my view, it has got to be a success story – – I doubt a life of quiet desperation would make for a good leading story in any newspaper anyway. So, what's going to be the most newsworthy aspect of your life?  Let's look at the options:

·        Your Job
What work do you want to be doing?  What do you want to be the outcome of your work? Who do you want to benefit from your work?  Do you think that in whatever you'll be doing you want to be known as a person on the job [the money driven person] or as the person for the job [the purpose driven person]?

·        Your Money
Do you want to be rich [and famous]?  Do you want to be known for living an expensive lifestyle? What do you want your money to be doing for you? What do you want your money to be invested in? Multinationals? People's lives? Missionary work? What?

·        Your Character
Do you suppose that there's some aspects of your character that can be newsworthy 15 years from now?  Will it be your determination?  Your focus? Your persistence? Your do or die attitude? What could it be?

·        Your Faith
Faith without works is dead.  Work without results is a waste of time.  What results do you expect from your work of faith? Will there be there any success in your life that will be directly attributed to your faith in God? Will there be something in your life that people will be able to look at and say It can only be God?

The list is endless but I've jotted down these few just to give you an idea of the things that can make you the talk of the day 15 years from now – – if not sooner.

As you come to the end of this email I am sure you're already thinking about the one thing that you'd like to be known for 15 years from now?  If you come up with anything interesting please feel free to write letting me know about it.  You can either write me an email or post it as a comment on my blog at the end of this article.

Be Inspired.

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Enough is Enough

On Saturday evening I took part in the Jazz and
Poetry night that was hosted by the young
adults’ ministry of the church that I go to. I
recited one of my poems and the audience loved
it. The poem that I recited was titled ‘Enough is
enough’ and it went like this:

Enough is enough
I say
How long shall this be?
Slaves riding on horseback
Princes trading on foot

Enough is enough
I say
How much longer am I supposed to live this life?
Always a dollar short
Always a day behind

Enough is enough
I say
Now’s the time to put my act together
Walk tall
Lift my head high

Enough is enough
I say
Now’s the time to pull up my socks
Pursue my dreams
Live the life I want

Enough is enough!
Enough is enough!

Be Inspired.

3 Obstacles That You Have To Overcome For You to Successfully Pursue Your God-Given Dream

Yes, pursuing your God-given dream is going to be no mere a stroll down the park. Somewhere along the journey you’re going to encounter some obstacles that will make you a little anxious, you know that feeling in the pit of your stomach; that take your breath away the first time you think about them; and that will cause your head to ache the more you think about them — you’re going to come face to face with a troubled conscience, strong opposition from those closest to you and hostile circumstances (that came upon you without your consent).

A troubled Conscience
This is the first obstacle that you will encounter as you pursue your God-given dream. Because your God-given dream is something that is new to it, it is going to try everything that it can to make you abandon your dream. It will also try to give you another dream – one that is small, normal and “your size.”

When this happens, all you can do is to ignore your conscience and pursue your dream. After sometime your conscience will settle and let you pursue your dream in peace.

People who are Close to You
They know you best – or should I say that they think they do. Whichever the case, these people will rarely leave you to pursue your dream without first showing you some resistance. The major cause of their resistance is that they have a clear vision of who you are right now, but not of the person who are becoming (and when God gives you your dream He has looked at who you are becoming, not who you are right now.) That’s where the misunderstanding comes from.

When this happens, strive to maintain your relations with them and, at the same time, be stubborn enough to forge ahead in pursuing your dream.

Circumstances that came upon you without your consent
What better thing is there to stop you from pursuing your dream than a circumstance that you have no control over – or should I say that makes you believe so. The bottom line is that there are circumstances that may come upon you without your consent and distract you as you pursue your dream.

When this happens, try your best to stay on top of the situation. Do your best to control the events that are happening in your life. Most importantly, keep pursuing your dream in whatever little way you can.

Be Inspired.