DRIVING INTO GREATNESS

Author, Promise Edem Nukunu

Book title: Driving into greatness-Reaching out for global relevance and perpetuity

GEAR 3

START THE JOURNEY

 “A journey of thousand leagues begins with a single step” wrote Confucius. A thousand dreams die unborn every day because the dreamer lacks the courage to take the first step in faith with no guarantees of success that is why Shakespeare wrote: “what’s past is merely prelude”. One of Murphy’s Law is “before you do anything you have to do something else first’. What we know for sure at each stage of our lives is that what’s coming is more important than what has gone before.

This life is not a rehearsal for something else. Successful, happy people live intensely in the moment in the ‘now’ of life and reality. They have learnt to combine long-term vision with a short-term focus. They are dreamers with their toes firmly deepen in the reality of the current situation.

To achieve something you’ve never achieved before you must become someone you’ve never been before. As Goethe said; “to have more, we must first become more”.

As you start the journey of life, value individual difference(s) and character. The People you start out with are the people you end with. Again, people we meet at the bottom on our lives struggle are the same people we meet at our self actualization.

As you DESIRE and PERSIST in life, value and respect people, whether a child or an adult, physically challenged or not. Because all this people constitute your rising up in life. The more people you meet, the more crowds you attract to yourself, the more the world sees you globally. Be flexible in life and don’t take everything too serious because life is such a way that it cannot be changed and you must accept it like that.

The most important quality you can develop to assure great success in times of change and turbulence is the quality of flexibility. Be open to new information. Ask questions and be willing to accept feedback and self correction.

In the course of the journey, you grab and hold it if that is the due time for it to come which can lead you to victory. ‘’In a free society, every opportunity comes with three obligations. First, you must seize it and analyze it whether it has come at the right time. Moreover, you must mould it into a work that brings value.

Opportunity is nurtured only by action. Furthermore, you must defend the freedom to pursue opportunity. You must embrace these three obligations as if your future depends on it’’.

Be useful to your society. Offer the least thing in your hands for society because the society consists of the people that will differentiate you from others.

You may receive embarrassment from all angles of life. Whether in school, church, workplace or the community, all these embarrassments that might have occurred to you in the above mentioned places is a tool to prepare you for greatness. The journey to wealth creation and success consist shame and disgrace.

Don’t expect life to be the way you like it but rather accept it the way it comes because every life issue or problem contains its correction. Be courageous to face life. Every situation that comes your way is a trail or test to the next ladder of the journey of life.

One great lesson I learned from this experience and again later in life was that your greatest success. YOUR GREAT BREAKTHROUGH OFTEN COMES ONE STEP BEYOND WHERE YOU ARE READY TO QUIT OR THROW IN THE TOWEL. It’s almost as though nature places a final ‘persistence test’ in your path just to test you to see how badly you really want it. As the poem says;

And you never can tell how close you are

It may be near when it seem so far

It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Be an anchor to your ship and face your priorities in life. What may come your way which seems as a hurdle for you to overcome to set the fire up is a test you need to pass for a higher height.

Life is a continuous succession of problems, large and small. They never stop. The only thing about problems you can change is your response to them, positive or negative, helpful or hurtful.

Most people quit at the first crises. They collapse, like tents with the centre poles removed. They give up and retreat to their comfort zones, at lower levels of challenge and accomplishment.

But this is not for you! Your job is to view every crisis as ‘test’ to teach you something you need to know to be more successful in the future. Resolve in advance that no matter what happens, you will never give up. You will bounce rather than break. You will keep on keeping on until you succeed.

Say to yourself, I’m the true image of GOD. I can do all things through Christ. Be patient but press on, sure God will make a way if there seems to be no way.

On the verge of wealth creation, don’t be too desperate to touch or feel MONEY because money is not everything. Look at these:

ü Money can buy medicine but cannot buy good health

ü Money can buy property but cannot buy life

ü Money can buy marriage but not a spouse

ü Money can buy books buy cannot but knowledge

ü Money can buy fame but not good name.

Be careful and conscious about money. Consider God. Do not cry because you have a lot of problems. Ask yourself if there were no problems to solve then there wouldn’t have been any occupation, there are no problems that is why unemployment rate is high. Look for a problem to and don’t hold your two arms between your thighs.

DON’T EXPECT THE ROAD TO BE SMOOTH ALWAYS MAKE FOR THE ROUGH AND EXPECT IT.

Do not expect everything to go on well and smoothly for you. The journey of life does not depend on only the smooth but consist of all the rough roads.

MY JOURNEY

Three of us, Caleb, Princess and I decided to tour the hills and mountain of the East. We short listed a number of mountains and hills; among them is the Afadjato Mountain, Shai hills, Dodi Island, Kwahu Mountain, the Volta-Togo high land.

We begun to plan and read articles on the various places, set a date and we decided to move. On our plan, smooth tour and fun feels our mind, least did we know that in a journey the expectations of the highly decisive can also turn upside down. The journey begins with the Shai hills.

We took the Shai hills tour to be the first prioritization tour because that was where we want to have fun and we had never been there before. We set off from the house with our maps and other directional equipment and moved through the first infantry battalion soldier barracks with our old car until we were a little bit closer to the objective of reaching Shai hills. One lesson in our previous travelling had repeated itself time and time again.

Be clear about the goal but be flexible about the process of achieving. Sure you must set reasonable goals as ultimate aims, and work towards achieving those goals but the intermediate steps must not be pre-determined too closely.

Each step you take should forward an objective which modifies and influences you to a greater or lesser degree, than next step. The greater the number of unknowns the more flexibility you need to deal with the eventualities that arise. In our situation since we were almost totally ignorant of the road ahead, we avoided making specific plans.

I learned from our previous journeys, that your willingness to continually re-evaluate your plans, especially when you experience stress or resistance, can be critical is your long term success. When we got to the first infantry battalion the car stopped, refused to move. We tried to start the car but it did not respond, we decided to take the tour by foot.

All the thought in my mind was how we could go to Shai hills whiles we were almost 30km away? But we could see the hills afar. Doubt began to show on us because of the distance left for us to cover by foot. For all I knew our greatest hurdle in life was when we could see opportunity and grab it which converts us into success but refuse to because of laziness. We then decided to walk through the bushes, though there was tarred road for us to use.

We gathered momentum walking through the bushes with all the wild animals and the risk involved. Life is full of risk taking, the more risk you come across, the more you know how to manage it and the more you tune to understand life.

Gradually, through the bushes, we arrived at a junction, we were lost. No network/service. We had cell phones but they were useless now.

We went back to re-visit our map. The map seemed not to be reachable because the ink used to draw the map had erased. Gradually, we strained our eyes to mark the different landmarks and locations and finally we found out the right route.

About 2km from where our car broke down to the junction, we got to the main road. I was smooth and cool; the ground was level and had no pot-holes. We continued walking and finally got to the first gate of the wildlife control agency, they gave us guidelines, safety measures, as we climbed the hill, then it occurred to me that, in life, the people we meet in our journey are people who perhaps will help you one day. If you decide to help people, you intend to gain favour and win their heart.

Gradually, the three of us, together with wildlife personnel walked and got to the bottom of the hill.

We were very tired and then we took a deep breath, in life, the breath you take signifies your toil and turbulence you meet but do not think you have completed the journey.

In life’s journey you have to hit turbulence, but overcome them and move higher. If life could not consist of meeting turbulence and obstacles, then if you are in a flight, the captain could not tell you or give you notices; welcome all passengers on board, our journey takes 6 hours you are in flight number K1034, we will be moving at latitude 30°, fasten your seat belts, seat stiff, all phones and electronic gadgets off unless otherwise authorized. As we enjoy our flight, from time to time we will be hitting turbulence so once again fasten your seat belts and enjoy your flight you are once again welcomed.

As we took our rest for a while, we decided to continue our journey. The three of us started climbing the hill; we had to help each other. The road or the climbing was rough, hilly, very deep and scary. No human dwelling place, only the sounds of wildlife.

COMPLETING THE JOURNEY

The journey you start, you never stop except you decide that this is my destination. We set up in our minds; we want to end on the top of the hill. Gradually, we still persisted to move on.

SUCCESS IS A JOURNEY NOT A DESTINATION

We were in a hurry to complete the journey to the hill top. Caleb, my good friend got stuck, in the middle of a valley of the Shai hills. Many people had perished that way. It reflected in my memory about a book I read about Shai hills during my research. It began to dawn us that there was a lot more to this Shai hills climbing than rough roads and passport stamps.

It took us a long time to get over the hurry up right now altitude we had brought with us; in fact, we attempted. We did adapt, however to an amazing degree to the unhurried way of life around us.

But at that moment we were fresh from eighteen years of ‘not now, right now’ and we couldn’t help but fret when we were delayed. No one seemed to understand that we were in a hurry; we had a schedule to make places to go, things to do. To us, procrastination was an evil. But to the world, we now found ourselves in; it was as natural as the hot afternoon heat. 

Waiting two hours in the middle of the Shai hills to have Caleb brought out was the beginning of a gradual realization of what we had bitten off in coming to Shai hills, and in the long run, it made everything just a little bit easier to chew. We had another close look at our map. Whether we had made errors in reading the maps

A STEP AT A TIME

Gradually, one, two, three count we pulled Caleb out of the valley. The spell had been broken we said to ourselves and finally we got to the top most part of the Shai hills.

Whenever you embark on any new endeavour, you will be beset by countless little problems, details, and expected irritations, difficult and dishonest people of all kinds. They go with the territory. They are an avoidable part of the price you have to pay to accomplish anything new or worthwhile.

We help and connect one another to be successful in life. As we embark on our journey, at a particular time, the road was ROUGH when we passed through the bushes and another time the road was SMOOTH, when we came to the tarred road. We encountered obstacles, frustrations, time wasting but yet finally we got to the top of the hill.

Compare your journey to this, in your life. You might have had a destination you want to reach, you start and if you meet temporary defeat, you stop. Things that you are supposed to do about five years, is still remain unveiled. You are wasting time, arise and start the journey and if you hit turbulence don’t stop. Invention is the order of the day.

You have written so many examinations and failed. And so what? Don’t look behind you, though it is important; just look at it and make amendments but don’t depend on it permanently.

PLAN, SURVEY AND WARNING

Your mind is a geological department of your life, use it as a compass to navigate and direct your path.

In the middle of the Shai hill, where we struggled to bring our friend Caleb out, call it luck or fate or a manifestation of brotherly love but so often the one thing you need most at the moment is provided, providentially to prepare you for the next stage.

Without the map and the wildlife personnel and their security and safety gadget, we certainly would have perished in the middle of the hills. And every experience no matter how unexpected or frustrating, was teaching us something we would need to now in the fullness of time.

Is the road rough for you? If yes, expect it to be smooth one day and surely it will come. Or is the road very smooth? If yes, then, maintain and construct it to be very smooth. Drive safely that you don’t hit turbulence and if you do, keep on because it is a temporary defeat that comes to strengthen you. Don’t be frustrated in it but lash into the deep and you will catch the biggest fish.

BE A LEADER AND ENTREPRENEUR

Be a leader on your own or among your master mind group; tackle problem and do not complain. Do not command it to be done but reason together among yourselves in your master mind group. Do not be a BOSS because; ‘’a boss creates fear, a leader confidence.

A boss fixes blame, a leader corrects mistakes. A boss knows all, a leader asks questions. A boss makes work drudgery, a leader makes it interesting. A boss is interested in himself or herself, a leader seeks for the well being of all’’.

As Victor Kiam wrote; ‘Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage’.

Be an entrepreneur in your life and your generation. Set up your own business and create employment avenues for your generation. Do not wait for somebody to create it for you.

You claim you have all your certificates and degree in your room; are you just starring at it or should it just stare at you? Everybody is unique in his or her own way that is why the world needs your unique contribution to change situations.

Stop comparing yourself to others. Just accept that you can never be like them, but in your own small way with a little reasoning you can make a difference in your family, society or environment, workplace, etc. remember, all things work together for good for those in Christ Jesus.

PACE YOURSELF

Successful people tend to be action-oriented. They have a sense of urgency. They want to get on with the job, to get it done to get to the next thing.

But the majority or the masses move at a slower pace. They see little need for speed. They take their time and work at their own pace. One of the basic principles is that ‘people don’t change’. Part of being flexible and adaptive is for you to pace yourself as well. Slow down when you have to. Don’t allow yourself to become tense or anxious.

As the Bible says; “There is a time for every purpose under heaven”. Sometimes, the smartest thing you can do is to just go with the flow.

VALUE PEOPLE BUT BE LIMITED

Have a suitable posture-right attitude towards every single person you have the chance to meet in the course of your life journey to create your own BUSINESS and WEALTH.

You cannot think and bring out all the ideas. Though you might have been the MASTERMIND, behind your idea or company, you need to read and know more about new ideas.

IDEAS ARE SECRET, BUT PRODUCTS ARE PUBLIC.

Seek for right information but not poisonous ones; else they ride your ideas. Read more and interact with great minds. In the voyage of your ideas, it is good to value people but do not let your dreams be destroyed by the opinions of other people including close relatives. You alone know what the goal means to you; other people have different perspective. They maybe well meaning in their criticism, but the decision and its consequences are yours alone to bear.

We have such people and relatives. If you’re in partnership or group, value and respect every body’s view, choose the best and most prioritize among them to the growth of your business or group.

Let your behavior influence your counterparts, if necessary, in the secrecy of only the two of you, sort ideas because you do not have MONOPOLY over knowledge.

Humble yourself and study your group or organization. There are different temperaments and innate strength.

You may have this entire people in your mastermind group.

Strenth	Weakness
SANGUINE Friendly Sociable Charismatic Frank Confident Forgiving Compassionate Caring CHOLERIC Strong will Bold Keen- mind Leader Self confidence Hard working High goals Practical MELANCHOLY Well organized Creative Reliable Gentle Religious Neat Loving Analytical PHLEGMATICS Tolerant Reliable Friendly Well-mannered Quiet Sympathetic Dry humor	Careless Forgetful Impulsive Unpredictable Talkative Noisy Boastful Not discipline Stubborn Unforgiving Quarrelsome Offensive Bully Bossy Hostile Proud Critical Suspicious Lack confidence Anti-social Shy Indecision Negative Grumbles Unexcited Purposeful Stubborn Pretenders Stingy Timid slow

“The height by great men reaches and left were not attained by sudden flight but whiles their companions left were toiling upwards in the NIGHT’'. Study your group and come out with the best ‘’master minds.”

It takes two wings for a bird to fly. It is important for you to know yourself and the people around you.

Choose your friend and associates carefully. Work only with people you respect and whom you can count on. Take your time in assessing new people. Study them very well up to your satisfactory point or to the climax. Until they are tested ‘under fire’, it is hard to assess their real character.

Your choice of a ‘reference group’ in life can boost your success more than any other factor. The people with whom you must identify have an influence on how you think, feel, talk and behave.

Your choice of travelling companions in life can decide the success or failure of the entire journey.

Take your biggest goal and break it down into daily, even hourly, activities. Then discipline yourself to take the next step and then the next.

Remember, all hope is not lost yet.

CONSIDER HISTORY

Most success in life happens in retrospect, like looking in the review mirror to see what happens. Aristotle once wrote; ‘Wisdom is a combination of experience plus reflection’.

Consider your history in life; do not shun those who started with you, because they contribute to your success. Be dynamic, but do not throw away values and shun traditions, custom and norms.

Your history, if treated well and managed very greatly, can be a source of raw material which if well processed can lead to your success.

You might not know what is ahead or what will happen, but you already know what has happened in the past. You had already metamorphosed through the past; therefore, you can see it clearly than the future.

Analyzing your history perhaps would give you success stories. Consider your environment in the course of your journey. Perhaps, the environment you’re entering is not your field.

Visualize your niche critically, analyze and revisit your set vision. Finally, draw conclusion and hit with a hard knock. If the environment is not favorable to you, relocate; that is not what you can do best. Escape bad influence but obey and appreciate your priorities.

“The best man in the world holds his integrity no longer than God upholds him in it. The best man in the world can only maintain his position and honor as long as God keeps him in it or by his grace, we are what we are”.

Remember. Your better is not good enough; the best is yet to come. Yes indeed, I agree with Paul, when he wrote in the Bible; ‘I have fought a good fight and I have won the race’

Finally, we made it, when we climbed the Shai hills. I will not relate the details of how we were almost frustrated in the middle of the Shai hills and how the tragedy of death to finally make our way to on top of the Shai hills – our genuine goal.

Instead, I will end this book by telling you what I learned about life and success in the climbing of the Shai hills.

THE PRINCIPLES

If you experience something in life, try to extract lessons and wisdom out of it because all things come to contribute to your journey of success. If you make a mistake, Learn from it, but do not repeat the same mistake.

Out of mistakes, bring our turning point in life but the repetition of the same mistakes could also hinder your progress or growth in life.

These are five principles I have learnt and researched about that if you apply can challenge you to face what you desire about.

PRINCIPLES

1.     Realize what you want to be in life.

2.     Desire to accomplish it.

3.     Be persistent even if you hit turbulence or meet obstacles continue because you’re a little bit closer to your success.

4.     Once you’ve decided towards your goal or dream, never consider the average man’s familiarity IMPOSSIBLE. The German’s have a saying, “Immer vorne, niew zurack”, ‘Always look forward, never backwards, never backwards. Never think of the possibility of failure.

5.     Hit at a goal; Thomas Carliste wrote;”our great business in life is not to see what lies dimly at a distance but to do what lies clearly at hand’. The only time you would ever have is now, the present moment.

6.     Finally, be passionate and keep grim to your goals, continue doing what you desire.

I believe you have a life journey to embark on. You have prepared for a long time but yet no opportunity and don’t know how to achieve it. The time is now; arise for the sun is shining on you.

You are the selected one, and the world is looking up to you. If you hit turbulence, get up and move forward.

In Summary, see the table below.