Learning to shaping my Mindset

I’m sure you’ve read or at least heard of Norman Vincent Pearl’s “Think and Grow Rich”, an amazing book that talks about the power of the mind in wealth creation. In our present age, only the deliberately ignorant still undermine the power of the mind in achieving greatness.
The reason it’s hard to achieve greatness and really do awesome things unless you’re in your comfort zone is because your mind is only at rest and at peace when you’re doing what you love the most, and when you’re where you should be.

The world’s all time best selling EVER; THE BIBLE teaches that where a man’s treasure is, that is where his heart and indeed his mind will be.
But another concept struck my mind recently and I thought I’d share it: the issue of OUR MINDSET
Our mind is the tool with which we think and create, its like a massive engine, but our mindset, could simple refer to the state of our mind, kind of like what kind of fuel your car engine runs with.

The thing about the mindset is that it shapes the way we think. A positive mindset cannot but see things positively, and try at all cost to bring out the positive side of everything. On a more specific level, anyone who grew up in poverty and lack, will most likely have a mind conditioned to being helped, giving things for free, but never having to work. A dude like that had better not be on your pay check, they don’t have a mind conditioned to work, they have a mind conditioned to receive for free without putting any effort to it. Worse still, someone like that also tends to have a mind that expect little from life, they give up easily, and would never expect to win in life.

Of course someone who grew up in a challenging environment where his/her talents were deliberately developed would constantly see life as a challenge that can be overcome. These are just basic facts about our mindset.
Basically more specifically, I learnt that two very important things shape our Mindset, and as a result, affect how we think: these are our EXPERIENCE and EXPECATIONS

EXPERIENCE
Our experience in life over many years has a very strong effect on our mindset. An average Nigerian with little global perspective and world view tends to see life differently compared those who had the privilege or who took the pains to open their minds and expose themselves to knowledge and information. Why? How they have seen life work differs. A lady who just had a bad relationship will most likely see the next 1million guys to cross her path as heart breakers. Her mindset, her perspective, and her frame of thought has been skewed by what she has experienced, casing every future event to be analyzed in her mind based on her experience.
Another area we gain experience is from books and other sources of information like movies, music, and relationships. That is why reading is the one of the best cultures to imbibe as a person. The information and knowledge we gather from books and other sources affect how we think, because our thoughts are affected by the information we have. Someone with little knowledge of social media ad its benefits will see spending hours on face book or a blog as a waste of time, but anyone who knows a little better will think otherwise.

EXPECTATIONS
Expectations on the other hand are another matter entirely. The truth is our experience shapes our expectations. It is hard to expect something beyond our level of knowledge, information and exposure. Anyone who has only experienced pain and abuse will not be expecting anything better in life. They may desire it, but they will have no basis to struggle or fight for it, they won’t have enough drive or strength to press on till they get it.
We must be careful how we allow our experience shape our expectation, because we hardly get anything beyond the limits of our expectations, and our expectations are largely shaped by our experience.

The best we can do for ourselves is enlarging the scope of our experience through exposure, knowledge and relationships. When we see the world from different perspectives, through the eyes of various age groups and cultures, we have a broader scope of experience, and can then build a richer scope of expectations as well; Lack of experience leads to unhealthy or unrealistic expectations from life.

So there you have it; naturally, it is always up to us to make our choices and decision, but one fact remains,

DECESIONS MUST BE MADE DELIBERATELY AND CONSCIOUSLY.

As always, this is

TiOLUWA
Still living deliberately

A PRAYER FOR MY COUNTRY

I know its our national Anthem and its a song, but today, i will not sing

We sang it in school, just before every international football match, at our Independence ceremonies, and at some gathering. Again today, I will not sing.

I do not sing, not because I cannot, but I choose not to, for my eyes were opened sometime last year and it has seized to be a song to me since then.

I think about its message, i mediate on its phrases and words and i realize,

IT'S A PRAYER!

You may sing the first verse, afresh in this season on national crisis, LET'S PRAYER THE SECOND VERSE.

Shall we...

O GOD OF CREATION...

DIRECT OUR NOBLE COURSE

My that which drives us, may the burdens and passions of our hearts be filled with nobility, and that which doesn't primarily bring us wealth (though we need it), but primarily brings GLORY TO OUR NATION.

GUIDE OUR LEADERS RIGHT

They make policies, they hold meetings, they talk, and deliberate, but most of it is lead by selfish aims. Lord we pray that you order their hearts, that their thoughts, decisions and actions be for the good our our nation and the common man, even if they don't know it.

HELP OUR YOUTH THE TRUTH TO KNOW

This pray a heavy burden to me personally. Lord, reveal truth to our youths, truth about money, weealth, sex, love, honesty and injustice, truth about what matters most in life, truth about our individual purpose and its impact on our nation.

IN LOVE AND HONESTY TO GROW

Love is the fulfillment of the law, if we have love, we have it all. Honesty makes
me do business without having to read agreements 20times over, or be so skeptical that i can't even do business with someone because of his race or tribe. GROW US IN LOVE FOR OURSELVES, EACH OTHER, AND OUR NATIONS

AND LIVE IN JUST AND TRUTH

Justice, equally for all, justice on the streets (in our dealings with each other), justice in the law courts, but above all JUSTICE IN OUR HEARTS.

GREAT LOFTY HEIGHTS TO ATTAIN

Lord we need not to succeed just to feed our families, but to attain greatness that makes every Nigeria prosperous enough to meet the needs of nations, not just monitory but in terms of leadership, skill, aid and whatever. Give us the burden for GREATNESS and EXCELLENCE in all things, not vain mediocrity and empty, shallow wealth and prosperity, BUT GREATNESS IN THE SIGHT OF GOD!

TO BUILD A NATION WHERE PEACE AND JUSTICE REIGN

Above all, PEACE in our nation, peace in the presidency, peace in the state houses, peace in our corporations and organizations, peace on the streets, peace in the Niger Delta, Northern states and everywhere, PEACE IN OUR HEARTS

AMEN

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE FELLOW NIGERIANS

Live Deliberately

TiOLUWA

THINK ABOUT IT!

This weekend was awesome for me, Saturday night was a time alone with myself, (AND THE HOLY SPIRIT OF COURSE) and guess what we were doing?

THINKING!

Yes, just thinking, and of course with a pen and paper.

Note this first, ANYTHING YOU DO WITHOUT A PEN AND PAPER BESIDE YOU (HARD OR SOFT) IS NOT WORTH THE EFFORT!

So what were we thinking about? Well me of course.
Talk is cheap you know, but action is hard, but even before action, taking time to really sit down to think, is also hard work; what’s more, it’s a prerequisite to action.

It’s dangerous to act without properly thinking and planning.
I sat down at about 5pm that Saturday morning, got out my notebooks, and a pen, and started to THINK!

A lot of plans had been made, a lot of lofty ideas and ambitions, but a good number of them were lacking in strategy and why, because of my deficient thinking habit within the past few months.
I was dedicating less time to deliberate strategic thinking, thus things were not moving as they should, because I lacked the strategy to implement them, and take action.

Thinking Time
Just as we have time to sleep, go to work and return, we MUST have time to think; a specific period of time set aside consciously, and deliberately for the sole purpose of mental discusses, rumination and meditation upon plans, ideas and goals.
It is at this “altar of thought”, and mental rumination that ideas are dissection, their internal constituents exposed, and their authenticity verified.

It is in this atmosphere of deep thought and mental evaluation and re-evaluation that the “WHAT” of ideas grow to become the “HOW” in strategic implementations.
It is at the place of aloneness, solitude and open hearted examination and re-examination of all thoughts, motives and intentions that ideas are purified, amplified and transformed into actions, businesses and organized knowledge.

It takes sacrifice, it takes time, it takes discipline; but most of all, it takes Deliberateness.

I can tell you boldly, the results of that one day session of thought provoking thoughts organized a mumbled collection of ideas and goals, into a complementary, symmetric and ordered list of sequential actions leading up to a desired goal.

My advice to me: KEEP THINKING
My advice to you, if I’m worthy: KEEP THINKING.

TiOLUWA

Still Living Deliberately

THE DICHOTOMY OF CHOICE (I)

I write about a challenge not experienced by everyone. Only those who have come to the point of understanding by the spirit, acceptance by decision and salvation by grace can relate with this, and I say so in all humility and anticipation that any non-Christian reader may one day become a Christian.

How many in their quest for God, pursuit of purpose, and thirst for his leading have found themselves thorn between HIS will and their will?

Your heart burns to do something, the passion is real, the ideas are flowing, but that deep sense of uncertainty hunts you: “Is it God’s will for me, is it time?”

How many have found themselves slowed down by this feeling of uncertainty?
We know that anything we lay our hands upon with God’s approval or leading is bound to succeed, no matter how hard it may seem, but what do you do when you try to embard on an “impossible” feat, but lack that certain assurance that God is there?
You tend to wait, tell yourself you’re waiting for God’s time, or God’s leading or something else, but you simply don’t do anything.

Is this waiting on God or fear?
Is this dependence on God or leaving your responsibility to Him?
Is this a fruit of a weak relationship with God, that only runs to him at such times, rather than maintain a living relationship with him every blessed day?

Stay connected
Don’t expect God to act like a 911 emergency response squad, He wants a constant relationship, so build it, and keep it growing. With a constantly growing relationship with God, making decision come easier, coming before God to seek his face becomes natural and fun.

Find the Balance
I have come to know and believe that every aspect of my life is of importance to God, and a part of his purpose for my life, so weather is career based, ministry based or business based, I believe decisions should not be made without God. However, this has to be balanced, for there are decisions that God will never make for you, nor speak to you about, even if you pray from now to eternity.

Decisions based on basic scriptural principles like love, tolerance, faithfulness, diligence, righteousness cannot be contested. Don’t bother praying “Lord should I forgive him?”, “should I take the bribe now that I don’t have any money to survive on?” He will not answer you.

The degree of our ignorance of the scriptures and God’s absolute will in certain matters, increases the degree of our confusion at times of decision

The degree of our refusal to accept God’s laid down standards also increases our chances of being confused at tough times in life.

Give it time
Another problem we have when we desire to make choices based on God’s will is our refusal to actually take time out to sit with God, talk over the matter with him, and think deeply about the implications, costs, benefits, and whether or not we are really ready to commit ourselves to the task at hand.

Sometimes, we do our decision making in casual ways, pray about tough decision in passing, rather than setting time out to settle them. If it’s that important to you, then SET TIME ASIDE TO CONFRONT IT.

Lastly
I Started out this post with questions and a burden in my heart, but I’m ending it with answers to my own question. This is I find to be one of the greatest blessings of writing, I end up blessed, sometimes, more than those who get to read it.
I think someone needs to pick up a pen and w rite!


TiOLUWA...
...still living Deliberately.

The Reason Why I Blog

Just got my blog back on track, opened it last year, but abandoned it. I didn't even remember the URL.

However, i decided to start again for many reasons, the first of which is stated at the top of this blog:

" This is a Journey of discovery,"
and that is what this life really is in many respects. Imagine trying to figure out in one life time, the mind of someone who has been throughout all lifetimes! Believe me, its not a days job.

therefore, I've decided to journal my journey to discovery.
So many ideas, so many plans, so many thoughts in so many different areas, that it tends to blow my mind; But i know that out of this flood of thoughts and ideas, GOD'S BIG IDEA for my life is hidden there, as it is with everyone of us.
So, its a journey full of lessons, so i better have my notebook and pen (or blog)handy, so i can always reference it as time goes on, and so someone else on this same journey of discovery can learn from my lessons, successes and mistakes.

This is to my Journey to discovery, and yours.
All the best, as we constantly strive to...

LIVE DELIBERATELY

TiOLUWA

Planning 1

Life is made up of years, and years are made up of months, weeks and days. Time is life’s currency and a life well spend is the sum total of hours, days, weeks, months and years well spend.

YOU CREATE YOUR FUTURE BY DELIBERATELY CONTROLLING THE SMALLEST UNIT OF LIFE, TIME!

We can never get to our desired destination in life by chance, it must be by a calculated effort towards a desired goal.

PLANNING IS THE KEY TO CHANGE, ACHEIVEMENT AND TRANSFORMATION.

But planning is not just saying "i will do this", it involves strategy, detailed analysis, then of course, action.

In order to fully maximize ones potential and more easily achieve goals, it is important that we work towards developing every area of our lives. So in planning, we must plan to develop our total self, not just our finances or academics for example


AREAS TO PLAN
• Finance
• Relationship
• Academics
• Recreation
• Career/Business
• Family
etc.


STAGES IN PLANNING
Planning is divided into systematic stages.

Identify the goal
This is the first step, which must be done carefully and in as much detail as possible. “To become somebody “ is not good enough as a plan, rather, becoming a first class student within 2 semesters, or own my own house, buy my first car, grow my business to a 10 million naira investment in 1 year, these are specific plans.
Of course, you will most likely have a lot of goals you would like to achieve, but make sure you list them all and make them specific.

Break them down

Next you need to break the goals down into smaller steps. Becoming a first class student demands that you score all As in your courses, such a goal can then be broken down into scoring As in individual courses. A goal must be broken down into individual and distinct steps, the sum of which leads to the ultimate fulfillment of your goal.

Another reason why goals must be broken down is to make them look more attainable. When you focus on achieving a small segment of the goal at a time, it makes it easier than when you only have the big picture to steer at all the time. after a while, the big picture will begin to intimidate you, when time passes and you are still far from achieving it in your own eyes.

Set a time frame
There must be a specific time within which you desire to achieve your goal. This has two advantages: first, it drives you and places a measure of healthy pressure on you, especially when the set time begins to draw near. Secondly, it gives you a way of measuring your progress.
However, ensure that the time frame is realistic.

Find out what you need to achieve your goal
Every dream has its requirements, every vision has its demands. To achieve your goal, there are things you must have, know and do, you must discover them all. You do this by asking those who have done what you want to do, and generally searching high and low, even the internet for information. This state is very crucial as a laps in this area means you miss out on a requirement which in the end could spell failure. Books are one of the most important means of getting such information.

NOTE: In setting a time frame for achieving your goals, ensure you put into consideration the time you will need to spend in learning and training, especially if demands a lot of it.

Set up Indices
You must have land marks, points you define that help you measure your progress. For example, you can define a level of progress within a week of a few months, which if you achieve, lets you know that you are on schedule.


Be accountable to someone
This is very important as you could get discouraged, tired or just bored along the way, but if you are accountable to someone it helps you stay focused and constantly reminds you that you have work to do.

Make sure you celebrate the little achievements at each evaluation point, it encourages you and helps you know you are making progress, even if you are still far from the goal.

Work daily
Every day, pick a task and tackle it. Don’t be weighed down by the size and volume of work to be done, simple take things one day at a time and after a month, you would have done 30 tasks (assuming you perform a task a day).

Planning Tools

There are various tools that make planning easier, some of them include:
• Outlook or other PC based organizer
• Task sheets for writing all tasks to be done and daily tasks.
Tasks are crossed out as they are accomplished
• Spending planner and budget sheet
• Organizing that you can carry about.
•

Live Deliberately.

TiOLUWA

THE LIMITATION OF OUR NATION IS THE LIMIT OF MINDS

A young boy with no formal education, not his fault, his parents couldn’t afford it. A good excuse to become a nobody right? WRONG. He got a flare for science and was always playing with chemicals, spending what little change he got from menial jobs on reagents, even though he couldn’t afford most things in life. Rather than wallow in shame and give in to depression, he simply buried himself in his love, spending what little money he could get on it.

This poor young child grew to become a man, he overcame the limitations of his childhood and rejected the obvious fate his background offered him.

HE MADE SOMEBODY OUT OF HIS NOBODY.

And how much of a somebody did he become? He became the inventor of the light bulb, the first man ever to design an electric power distribution system, the owner of over 9000 patented inventions, the key to the electric revolution and start of a new era for humanity.

I wonder, who would have lost out if Thomas Edison refused to become a somebody?
In the same light I wonder who would have lost the most if Ben Cason didn’t build himself and become the first Neurosurgeon to successfully separate Siamese twins joined in the head.

Now I wonder, who will lose if you give in to your fears, frustration and the so called limitations of your environment, getting put down by your background and what you don’t have.

This is the truth, you lose, but more than you, everyone who should have benefited from the impact of your success will be doomed to failure because YOU GAVE UP.

THE LIMIT OF ANY NATION IS THE LIMIT OF THE MINDS OF HER PEOPLE

, the strength of every nation is as great as the boundlessness of the imagination of its citizens.

Every nation has more to lose if you fail to aim for the highest heights possible.
America Benefits more from the success of its leaders than the leaders themselves, Microsoft and the world benefits more from the success of Bill Gates and the entire world benefits more from the zeal and passion of the Google brother, more than they do.


If the political sector lacks leaders, it is because someone has refused to pay the price to be that great leader. If we lack scientist, engineers, states men, daring and ingenious business men, empire builders, industry builders and great visionaries, it is because somebody somewhere, MAYBE YOU, has refused to maximize their potentials and become
ALL THAT THEY CAN BE, TO THE GLORY OF OUR GREAT NATION.

THE WORLD NEEDS YOU MORE THAN YOU NEED YOURSELF.

Live Deliberately.
TiOLUWA