THE CHANGE EQUATION

The MasterMind Revolution-FESTIVALS OF CHANGE AND INNOVATION
 5/04/2014

Written by: Tony Kwarteng- Author, Conference speaker and Auditor

CHANGE EQUATION PERCEPTION PERSONAL CHANGE CHANGED WORLD
 If we want to change our present situation, we first have to change ourselves. And to change ourselves effectively, we need a change of perception.  Perception has to do with the way you see things The twelve spies in the Bible Perception is a mental picture. Perception is what causes two people to see one thing differently and respond differently.  Change is a process, not an event There cannot be achievement of quality of life without going through the natural process of work and growth that makes it possible. In all of life, there are sequential stages of growth and development. A child learns to turn over, to sit up, to crawl, and then to walk and run. Each step is important and each one takes time. No step can be stopped.  True change begins with the mind, not the body. Albert Einstein observed, “The significant problem we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them. We need a new level, a deep level of thinking to solve deep concerns.  True change begins with right information. You are not better that what you know. Your life is limited by the information you have. The more information you have, the more knowledge you have. To change your world, you need to change you, and to change you, it has to begin from inside-out. Inside-out means to start with self,even more fundamentally, to start with most inside part of you- your character, and your motive. It says that if you want to be trusted, be trust worthy.  Change is inevitable in our world today To resist change is to resist progress.  A changed mind is a changed person, and a changed person can changed the world. Thank you

THE PARADOX OF THE 21ST CENTURY

WRITTEN BY : PROMISE EDEM NUKUNU
 There are enough problems in the world, but the world is looking up to you. The paradox of our time in history is the ways, we as a people, live.
We have: Shorter people but taller buildings
 Spend more though we have less
 More convenience, yet less punctuality
More medicine, yet less well-being
More degrees, yet fewer jobs
More books in the system yet less application
More knowledge, yet less judgment
More Schools, less education,
Policies are made yet not implemented,

Talk too much, love too seldom and hate too often
More books, less wisdom
 Big men and small character,
 steep profits and shallow relationships.
These are the days of two incomes but more divorce,
 fancier houses, but broken homes
More TV/Radio Stations, yet no programmes
More experts, yet fewer solutions
Bigger houses, smaller families
Buy more, yet enjoy less
More laws, less enforcement
 More seemingly “God-fearing” people yet less truth,

We been all the way to the moon yet have not cross the street to meet our neighbors
Have wider freeways, narrower view point,
Conquered outer space yet our inner space is untamed,
More pastors yet fake doctrines
More Christians yet corruption is on the increase
Multiplied possessions but less values,
We claim we love God but have hatred cause war,
 We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul,
 We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.
 We write more, but learn less.
 We plan more, but accomplish less.
 We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait.
 We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
 We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly,
 We laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late,
 We get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
 We’ve throw away morality and lived stupid
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers
 We’ve over weight bodies
 We’ve Pills to take you to bed & Pills to make you wake up from bed
We’ve :
Pills to make you “happy” & Pills to make you quiet
Pills to make you “hyper”
Pills to loosen your bowels and pills to ‘’kill’’
 It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.
 A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...
 Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a penny or cent.
Remember, to say, ' I love you ' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind. AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
 Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. Why, because we have refused to rise up to the challenge. It is time for would-be leaders to stand up and be counted. Do you want to be among them? Well you know what to do….

© February, 2014. All right reserved,
Extract from my book, DRIVING INTO GREATNESS – Reaching out for global relevance and perpetuity.

ADDRESS BY THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK ''DRIVINGINTO GREATNESS''- PROMISE EDEM NUKUNU

http://mastermindint.blogspot.com/2014/02/profile-of-promise-edem-nukunu.html

Grace and peace of God be with you all Mr. Chairman, Special guest, Honorable Vessels of Christ, all protocol duly observed… I deem it a great admiration having you all here today - AFRICA sons & Leaders. I know you have made time off your busy schedule to grace this occasion. The wonderful response you have accorded toward this book launch “Driving into Greatness” is remarkable. Thank you. The era we are moving in now demand that we change the status quo, for this reason, we must equip individuals in all spheres of life especially the youth needs to rise above their afflictions and limitations helping them discover the limelight behind their future. It is against this back drop that I spent two years of my life considering the worth of writing this book and the last 12 months in making the dream come true. It would be fair to say that in a man’s life, there are few occasions as daunting as the launch of a book. However, this book expounds on some key areas we should give attention to in order to be great. One of the things that seem to have eluded many people is the proper understanding of greatness and the legitimate means to achieving it. For some people greatness is measured in material wealth. To such people therefore, a great person is the one who is materially wealthy. For others, ‘greatness’ is measured in intellectual prowess and creativity. Those who are intelligent and creative, therefore, are regarded as ‘great’. There are also some people whose concept of greatness is defined and informed by the magnitude of political power they wield. Such people see greatness in the context of their ability to control or influence the behavior of other people whether positively or negatively. All the above views of greatness have dominated and continued to dominate our world views. The outcome is that many people have become too narrow-minded, parochial and self-centered. But to defined greatness in the context introduced above is to narrow it impact on an individual. Meanwhile, to coin greatness only in the context of material wealth, intellectual prowess or political power one possesses, is to limit the concept of greatness. Greatness is more than just these perspectives. We have all lived in a society where we think that other people are responsible for our life. My quest to searching for the right answer led me to come out with this work. My inspiration was from after listening to Rev. Albert Ocran, on the plat form of Spring Board Road show and happens to be one of my Mentor as well, and after confirming what he said from the work of Napoleon Hill’s book ‘’think and grow rich’’ and after wards my passion was fired by this quotation find in Eph 3:20-21, Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen. Ladies and gentlemen, all of you here have been able to make time out of your busy schedules to gather here today, to witness the book launch, but we must also be aware that it is for us the youth to make major decisions that could affect our lives. Today is the time that where all mountains must be lowed and all valley assaulted. We must know that we cannot reap where we did not sow. Yes in deed, there is hope for tomorrow, but we must know that today was yesterday’s tomorrow. So every decision must be made now and then. And if we can do this, we must not follow the status quo. You cannot seat down to say that you’re waiting for the government, but in your own small way, you have to fight through like every one else. On this note, I would like to share with you the story of a profound Ghanaian who happens to be a friend, a mentor and the speaker for this gathering as well, her name is Ama k. Abebrese. In her own words when I interview her prior to our next book; which I co-write with Caleb Lomo, and I quote ‘’ I started just like the ordinary person, I mean just like the ordinary person… but yet I made it. There is no easy path to Glory, how ever it may be you will surely get there’’. Every one will win when every one plays his/her part. and this comes to support what Mother Theresa asserted, ‘’ you can do great things, I can do great things- together we can do great things and made the world a better place to live in’’ But we must know that we cannot do it alone, and we must accept JESUS CHRIST, in him lies life and grace to help us. I wrote this book after my research work because, it is out of immense reading I found and discover my self. Basically, three things will change your life, the books your read, the people you meet and the environment you lives in. Ladies and gentlemen, in his book, THE 17 INDISPUTABLE LAWS OF TEAMWORK, Dr. John C. Maxwell state that ‘’ one is to small a number to achieve greatness’’ Einstein didn’t develop the law of relativity in a vacuum, Nkrumah did not gain independence for Ghana alone, Orville and Wilbur wright did not invent the aero plane alone and in the words of Isaac Newton, ‘’ I am able to see far not because I now everything but it is because, I stand on the shoulders of Giants’’. On this note, I thank individuals who had immensely helped me so far, and some are worth mentioning. To my family, and my three mothers - Tekpor Patience, Dcns, Esther Okyere and Dcns, Paulina Asamoah, To Ama K. Abebrese, Abigail Bure, Eld. Bossman Yabe and wife, Mrs. Osafo Sophia, Eld. Emmanuel Quarshie and Eld. Harrison Adofo, Mr. Victor Foli, Lenny Briscoe, Rev. Patrick Otieko, who also mentored me, Pastor Christopher Tetteh Matey, who has taken me like his son and not forgetting my publishers ; Smart Impressions Gh. Limited, a place where excellence printing is their hall mark, To mention also is the late Eld. Johnson Worwonyo, though he is no more part of us, to witness today, I believe that you all those who knows him will appreciate his efforts as well. To the entire Youth Movement and to all those who made a significant contribution? The chairperson, ladies and gentlemen you can buy copies of this book online on:
 1. amazon.com
2. barnes and nobles.com
3. drivethrufiction.com and
4. kobo.com at the cost of $ 4.99 THANK YOU.

DRIVING INTO GREATNESS BOOK LAUNCH, PROFILES and DETAILS

PROFILE OF THE CHAIRPERSON
The Chairperson for today’s occasion is a Member of the Parliament's select committee for Agriculture. A communication Expert. He possessed a BA in Economics and Agriculture from the University of Ghana He holds MBA from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration and a Post Graduate Diploma, in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing – U.K . A Train and Professional Agronomics. Currently, he is the Member of Parliament for Bortiannor / Ngleshie Amanfrom Consistuency. He is happily married with four children. Ladies and gentlemen, our chairperson is an inspiration to many in Ghana. He is in a person of HON. BRIGHT DEMORDZI




PROFILE OF THE CO-CHAIRPERSON
Our co-chairperson is a mother. She received her Montessori Training in Toronto in Canada where she obtained her Diploma Degree in Montessori Founder and CEO of Mary Marietta Montessori Schools, She had her Early Childhood training at Atlanta, Georgia at the Marietta City Schools in U.S.A, and currently successfully managing her Montessori school at New Gbawe and J.H.S as well. She is married to Mr. Kwame Bossman Yabe and they are blessed with 5 children MRS. MAUD TAWIAH YABE



ADDRESS OF THE CHAIRPERSON
 Ladies and Gentlemen, distinguished guest, I have the privilege to be here today as the chairperson to witness the official launching of this book: DRIVING INTO GREATNESS- Reaching out for global relevance and perpetuity. In the beginning when I was briefed about this book launch, I demanded to see the book and the author – Promise Edem Nukunu, The author is a discoverer, and a promising person. This book is a potential tool that will help the youth to act as leaders, to lead and solve problems. I demand that the author keeps on writing to inspire and help other youth and all individuals in all spheres of life to rise above their limitations. This book reveals the secret to greatness and it legitimate means to achieve it. I am honored to be part of this memorable book launch. THANK YOU.

RISING ABOVE YOUR LIMITATIONS

Posted by : Promise Edem Nukunu

Kindly permit me to introduce one significant person who had lived on this earth and finally etch her name in world history.
Her affliction though seen as a difficult situation for every individual but to her, like the honey bee was not aware of the law of gravity and all it knows is to fly and nothing else. The same way, for her all what she could be aware of is purpose to do whatever she want to do. She was born blind and deaf yet, she used her given gifts affecting lives in her generation even till now. Her name is Hellen Adams Keller.

I would live the story as it was narrated THE STORY OF HELLEN ADAMS KELLER Helen Adams Keller was born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. In 1882, she fell ill and was struck blind, deaf and mute. Beginning in 1887, Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan, helped her make tremendous progress with her ability to communicate, and Keller went on to college, graduating in 1904. In 1920, Keller helped found the ACLU. During her lifetime, she received many honors in recognition of her accomplishments. "Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow."– Helen Keller Helen Keller was the first of two daughters born to Arthur H. Keller and Katherine Adams Keller. She also had two older stepbrothers. Keller's father had proudly served as an officer in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. The family was not particularly wealthy and earned income from their cotton plantation. Later, Arthur became the editor of a weekly local newspaper, the North Alabamian. Keller was born with her senses of sight and hearing, and started speaking when she was just 6 months old. She started walking at the age of 1. In 1882, however, Keller contracted an illness—called "brain fever" by the family doctor—that produced a high body temperature. The true nature of the illness remains a mystery today, though some experts believe it might have been scarlet fever or meningitis. Within a few days after the fever broke, Keller's mother noticed that her daughter didn't show any reaction when the dinner bell was rung, or when a hand was waved in front of her face. Keller had lost both her sight and hearing. She was just 18 months old. As Keller grew into childhood, she developed a limited method of communication with her companion, Martha Washington, the young daughter of the family cook. The two had created a type of sign language, and by the time Keller was 7, they had invented more than 60 signs to communicate with each other. But Keller had become very wild and unruly during this time. She would kick and scream when angry, and giggle uncontrollably when happy. She tormented Martha and inflicted raging tantrums on her parents. Many family relatives felt she should be institutionalized. Looking for answers and inspiration, in 1886, Keller's mother came across a travelogue by Charles Dickens, American Notes. She read of the successful education of another deaf and blind child, Laura Bridgman, and soon dispatched Keller and her father to Baltimore, Maryland to see specialist Dr. J. Julian Chisolm. After examining Keller, Chisolm recommended that she see Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, who was working with deaf children at the time. Bell met with Keller and her parents, and suggested that they travel to the Perkins Institute for the Blind in Boston, Massachusetts. There, the family met with the school's director, Michael Anaganos. He suggested Helen work with one of the institute's most recent graduates, Anne Sullivan. And so began a 49-year relationship between teacher and pupil. In March 1887, Sullivan went to Keller's home in Alabama and immediately went to work. She began by teaching Helen finger spelling, starting with the word "doll," to help Keller understand the gift of a doll she had brought along. Other words would follow. At first, Keller was curious, then defiant, refusing to cooperate with Sullivan's instruction. When Keller did cooperate, Sullivan could tell that she wasn't making the connection between the objects and the letters spelled out in her hand. Sullivan kept working at it, forcing Helen to go through the regimen. As Keller's frustration grew, the tantrums increased. Finally, Sullivan demanded that she and Keller be isolated from the rest of the family for a time, so that Keller could concentrate only on Sullivan's instruction. They moved to a cottage on the plantation. In a dramatic struggle, Sullivan taught Keller the word "water"; she helped her make the connection between the object and the letters by taking Keller out to the water pump, and placing Keller's hand under the spout. While Sullivan moved the lever to flush cool water over Keller's hand, she spelled out the word w-a-t-e-r on Helen's other hand. Keller understood and repeated the word in Sullivan's hand. She then pounded the ground, demanding to know its "letter name." Sullivan followed her, spelling out the word into her hand. Keller moved to other objects with Sullivan in tow. By nightfall, she had learned 30 words. In 1890, Keller began speech classes at the Horace Mann School for the Deaf in Boston. She would toil for 25 years to learn to speak so that others could understand her. From 1894 to 1896, she attended the Wright-Humason School for the Deaf in New York City. There, she worked on improving her communication skills and studied regular academic subjects. Around this time, Keller became determined to attend college. In 1896, she attended the Cambridge School for Young Ladies, a preparatory school for women. As her story became known to the general public, Keller began to meet famous and influential people. One of them was the writer Mark Twain, who was very impressed with her. They became friends. Twain introduced her to his friend Henry H. Rogers, a Standard Oil executive. Rogers was so impressed with Keller's talent, drive and determination that he agreed to pay for her to attend Radcliff College. There, she was accompanied by Sullivan, who sat by her side to interpret lectures and texts. By this time, Keller had mastered several methods of communication, including touch-lip reading, Braille, speech, typing and finger-spelling. With the help of Sullivan and Sullivan's future husband, John Macy, Keller wrote her first book, The Story of My Life. It covered her transformation from childhood to 21-year-old college student. Keller graduated, cum laude, from Radcliffe in 1904, at the age of 24. In 1905, Sullivan married John Macy, an instructor at Harvard University, a social critic and a prominent socialist. After the marriage, Sullivan continued to be Keller's guide and mentor. When Keller went to live with the Macys, they both initially gave Keller their undivided attention. Gradually, however, Anne and John became distant to each other, as Anne's devotion to Keller continued unabated. After several years, they separated, though were never divorced. After college, Keller set out to learn more about the world and how she could help improve the lives of others. News of her story spread beyond Massachusetts and New England. She became a well-known celebrity and lecturer by sharing her experiences with audiences, and working on behalf of others living with disabilities. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, Keller tackled social and political issues, including women's suffrage, pacifism and birth control. She testified before Congress, strongly advocating to improve the welfare of blind people. In 1915, along with renowned city planner George Kessler, she co-founded Helen Keller International to combat the causes and consequences of blindness and malnutrition. In 1920, she helped found the American Civil Liberties Union. When the American Federation for the Blind was established in 1921, Keller had an effective national outlet for her efforts. She became a member in 1924, and participated in many campaigns to raise awareness, money and support for the blind. She also joined other organizations dedicated to helping those less fortunate, including the Permanent Blind War Relief Fund (later called the American Braille Press). Soon after she graduated from college, Keller became a member of the Socialist Party, most likely due in part to her friendship with John Macy. Between 1909 and 1921, she wrote several articles about socialism and supported Eugene Debs, a Socialist Party presidential candidate. Her series of essays on socialism, entitled "Out of the Dark," described her views on socialism and world affairs. It was during this time that Keller first experienced public prejudice about her disabilities. For most of her life, the press had been overwhelmingly supportive of her, praising her courage and intelligence. But after she expressed her socialist views, some criticized her by calling attention to her disabilities. One newspaper, the Brooklyn Eagle, wrote that her "mistakes sprung out of the manifest limitations of her development." In 1936, Keller's beloved teacher and devoted companion, Anne Sullivan, died. She had experienced health problems for several years and, in 1932, lost her eyesight completely. A young woman named Polly Thompson, who had begun working as a secretary for Keller and Sullivan in 1914, became Keller's constant companion upon Sullivan's death. In 1946, Keller was appointed counselor of international relations for the American Foundation of Overseas Blind. Between 1946 and 1957, she traveled to 35 countries on five continents. In 1955, at age 75, Keller embarked on the longest and most grueling trip of her life: a 40,000-mile, five-month trek across Asia. Through her many speeches and appearances, she brought inspiration and encouragement to millions of people. Keller's autobiography, The Story of My Life, was used as the basis for 1957 television drama The Miracle Worker. In 1959, the story was developed into a Broadway play of the same title, starring Patty Duke as Keller and Anne Bancroft as Sullivan. The two actresses also performed those roles in the 1962 award-winning film version of the play. Keller suffered a series of strokes in 1961, and spent the remaining years of her life at her home in Connecticut. During her lifetime, she received many honors in recognition of her accomplishments, including the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal in 1936, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964, and election to the Women's Hall of Fame in 1965. She also received honorary doctoral degrees from Temple University and Harvard University and from the universities of Glasgow, Scotland; Berlin, Germany; Delhi, India; and Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. Additionally, she was named an Honorary Fellow of the Educational Institute of Scotland. Keller died in her sleep on June 1, 1968, just a few weeks before her 88th birthday. During her remarkable life, Keller stood as a powerful example of how determination, hard work, and imagination can allow an individual to triumph over adversity. By overcoming difficult conditions with a great deal of persistence, she grew into a respected and world-renowned activist who labored for the betterment of others. 23. 04.2013 Keller's autobiography, The Story of My Life, was used as the basis for 1957 television drama The Miracle Worker. In 1959, the story was developed into a Broadway play of the same title, starring Patty Duke as Keller and Anne Bancroft as Sullivan. The two actresses also performed those roles in the 1962 award-winning film version of the play. Keller suffered a series of strokes in 1961, and spent the remaining years of her life at her home in Connecticut. During her lifetime, she received many honors in recognition of her accomplishments, including the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal in 1936, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964, and election to the Women's Hall of Fame in 1965. She also received honorary doctoral degrees from Temple University and Harvard University and from the universities of Glasgow, Scotland; Berlin, Germany; Delhi, India; and Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. Additionally, she was named an Honorary Fellow of the Educational Institute of Scotland. Keller died in her sleep on June 1, 1968, just a few weeks before her 88th birthday. During her remarkable life, Keller stood as a powerful example of how determination, hard work, and imagination can allow an individual to triumph over adversity. By overcoming difficult conditions with a great deal of persistence, she grew into a respected and world-renowned activist who labored for the betterment of others. INDEED NATURE CAN GIVE YOU AFFLICTION BUT NATURE CANNOT INDUCED YOU TO ACCEPT THE REALITY OF THE AFFLICTION. If Hellen Keller was even in this predicament, nonetheless, she was able to used the gifts to her maximum impact, then you got to getup and tell yourself I have resolve to fight my own battle. The battle has already be won by Christ. If all is lost and you feel there is nothing to do than to quit, pause and look behind you, I hope you can see Jesus; Sing this song, Blessed Assurance As the Words written by Fanny Crosby and was sung by Phoebe P. Knapp Acts 17:31 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. Refrain This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior, all the day long; This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior, all the day long. Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight; Angels descending bring from above Echoes of mercy, whispers of love. Refrain Perfect submission, all is at rest I in my Savior am happy and bless, Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

BREAKING YOUR BOUNDARIES

Written and published by: Promise Edem Nukunu

 Patrick Ngowi is a younger entrepreneur with the dream of harnessing the power of the sun to propel his nation forward. He launched Helvetic Solar Contractors with “humble beginnings” at the tender age of 22 and in just five years expanded it into the renewable energy solution provider of choice for the Tanzanian government and international clients, including the United Nations. Helvetic was also named the number one company in Tanzania’s Top 100 mid-sized companies of 2012. African Business Journal recently had an interview with the prolific young entrepreneur.. What is your idea of perfect happiness? I believe that happiness is a state of being. For me, this state is achieved in numerous ways. I am most happy with my family. I value that. Our day-to-day work makes me incredibly happy; having satisfied clients, and being able to put a smile on my client’s face the first time they get solar power in some of the rural areas is remarkable. What’s your greatest fear? I fear God. What turns you on creatively? People and travel turns me on creatively. I have the pleasure of meeting so many people through all walks of life throughout my regular day. Up-and-coming Africans doing serious work in their relevant industries is inspiring. Traveling is mind blowing; the cultural, social and economic differences makes one get creative. Creativity remains a key element in business growth especially if one engaged in a rapidly changing industry like renewable energy. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why? I’m a realist; I believe in making myself better. In turn, I hope that in my own simple way, I make the world around me better. No superpower needed in achieving that. When and where were you happiest? My family and work makes me happy every day. If you were a mind reader, whose mind would you like to read? I prefer not to ever read minds, too much goes on in them. If you could travel to any point in time, which era would you visit? Every era or point in time has its joys and pains. I live in the present and work towards the future. What is your most marked characteristic? Trustworthiness. Who are your heroes in real life? My real life heroes are: our Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere; President H.E. Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, his current leadership and government has led to the economic growth and stability of our country; Environmentalist and Nobel Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai, her great work with Green Belt Movement; My lovely parents, who raised me who, at present, runs the fastest growing solar supplies company in the region. Where would you most like to live? I like living in Tanzania. There is so much green, wildlife and beaches here. We have Zanzibar, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, Mount Kilimanjaro and many more. I encourage more people to visit this beautiful country. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I’m way too punctual. What is the trait you most deplore in others? Not helping others in need. How would you make the world a better place? Encouraging my fellow youth of today to work harder and follow their dreams. One shouldn’t lose hope or slow down. Be creative and always think outside the box when met with challenges. Raise your bar. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Being able to provide much needed employment for my fellow citizens, and at the same time, lighting up some rural parts of Tanzania with solar power. As well as contributing towards Tanzania’s advance in renewable technology. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? I believe everything happens for a reason, even the lows. I change my mind to think positively. In life, there is so much we don’t have control over. We have to live positively. What is your most treasured possession? I avoid attachment to possessions because they can be taken away at the blink of an eye. I value people. What’s your motto? Enjoy life while making others smile. - helveticsolar.com

CHRISTMAS PARTIES: THE EXCELLENT MASTER OF CEREMONIES GUIDE

Written by Kafui Dey and posted by, Promise Edem Nukunu

Somewhere this very moment, an event organizer is busy planning an end of year party. What would you do if you were approached right now to be the Master of Ceremonies for such an event? Would you hastily say yes and then smack your forehead wondering, “What have I let myself into? Can I do this?” Of course you can. Here are a few tips to ensure that the next Christmas party you MC will be a success. What To Do After Accepting You have confirmed that you are available on the date of the party. What is the very first thing to do? I recommend you set up a face-to-face meeting to discuss the event with the organizer. At this meeting, act like a journalist and make sure you get answers to these questions: • Why --- What is the reason for the party? Is it to reward customers for regular business throughout the year? Is a couple celebrating Christmas and 50 years of marriage in one event? The reason for the celebration will give you clues on how to handle the event in such a way that you meet the objectives. Remember, if all goes well, the celebrant will be congratulated. However if the event bombs, guess who will take the blame? You the MC. • Who --- As MC, to whom will you be responsible during the event? It is important to have one designated person who will inform you if changes occur during the party. This ensures that you work with minimum interference from unauthorized people. Who are the guests and what is their relationship to the host? If it is a corporate event, what industries do the invitees represent? If it is a private party, who has been invited – family, friends, old school mates? This information will help you tailor your remarks during the party. • Where --- Where is the venue? Will it be held in the premises of an office or will a hotel be used? Is it an outdoor event? Where will it take place, in the middle of town or in the outskirts? You need answers to these questions so you can visit the location to familiarize yourself with the venue and even know how long it will take for you to get there on the day. • When --- At what time will the party take place? For how long is it expected to last? If you are a professional MC, you need this information to help you calculate your fees. Even if you agreed to host the function for free, you still need to know issues of time so you can schedule your day accordingly. • How --- How is the event expected to run? Is there a draft program for the party? What kind of entertainment will be provided? Will there be speeches? Your duty as the MC is to get all this information from the event organizer. The best solution is to ask the organizer for a running order with timings and information about who does what at a particular time. There is nothing like being over-prepared and a party is no different from a conference or a product launch – you must pay attention to detail. Make sure you write down all the answers to these questions. After the pre-event meeting, send the organizer an email to summarize the main issues. It will serve as a reminder for you and also show the organizer your level of professionalism. On The Day Of The Party The day has arrived. Do you just hang around doing other business and actually wait for a harassed event organizer to call you up demanding “Where are you?!” before you make your way leisurely to the party venue? Far from it. The following tips will help you stand out from 90% of other MCs and compel organizers to invite you for other events. • Dress formally. Even if the dress code says ‘Smart Casual’, take no notice. As an MC, you are not a guest. You are on duty as the Event Manager to make the event a success. No ifs, no buts. Be sharp. From the crown of your head to the soles of your feet. Neat hair, shiny shoes. Fresh breath counts too just so that people don’t run for cover when you approach them for a face-to-face conversation. • Get to the venue at least half an hour early. Introduce yourself to your team and get their names as well. Yes, the hotel staff, the photographer, the DJ, the musicians, the comedian, the caterer, the chef, the waiters, they are all your team members. Remember, as the MC you control the flow of the event. If you announce “Dinner is served” and you see the waiters nodding furiously in disagreement, you’ve messed up. Big time. • Run through the program with your point person. Last minute changes may have occurred since your initial pre-event meeting so this is a way of updating yourself. Feel free to ask about switching the order of events or substituting one person for another if the need arises. • Greet the guests. Position yourself near the entrance and say hello to as many of the guests coming in as possible. If you are a naturally shy person, this is one of the fastest ways to get rid of your timidity.  The added benefit is that when you encounter them again, you are no longer strangers because you ‘met’ earlier. • Get the event started. As much as possible start on time, difficult as that may be with guests arriving late. If you must refer to the time, thank the guests for accepting the invitation and promise them they are going to have a great time instead of apologizing for the lateness due to this or that problem. Most of them won’t care much for your excuse and will even blame you for the delay so why get off to a negative start? • Let the party flow. People have come to celebrate so let them do just that. If you find guests shaking their thing on the dance floor ahead of the designated dancing time, don’t stop them in their tracks as if they were guilty of a false start. Although you need to prepare for a party with seriousness you would attach to a corporate function, the event itself will be a fluid affair. This may be due to the combination of loud music, happy feelings and the consumption of considerable amounts of alcohol. As the MC, you will need to judge when to step in and when to allow people to feel free. It is something you can learn with time. • It’s not all about you. You may be tempted to get the spotlight to shine on you by virtue of the fact that you control the event as the Master of Ceremonies. Don’t fall into that trap and make yourself the star by talking too much and cracking one too many jokes. Put the organization or the celebrant in the limelight and make them look good. A good way to do this is to imagine the party host as the president and to see yourself as their spokesperson. Who is more important? • End well. Some parties are organized in such a way that after the closing prayer, the event actually continues with revelers dancing deep into the night. Unfortunately, that is not the cue for you the MC to put on your dancing shoes and show the world your Azonto moves. You are still on duty as the Event Manager. Position yourself at the exit and spend some time thanking the invitees for helping to make the party a success. Wish them goodnight and that’s your job done. Follow these tips and you will be guaranteed success at the next Christmas party you MC.

WALKING YOUR TALK: THE PATH OF PERSONAL INTEGRITY

 Do you walk your talk? Say what you mean and mean what you say?
Or does your language take you down roads you’re not willing to follow?
Taking a closer look at how your words and deeds connect – or don’t – can help you see where you really stand.

 By Promise Edem Nukunu/ 5 November, 2013

How’s that New Years Resolution coming along?
Were you able to stick to it?
Are you still putting in the same kind of committed energy that you started with back in January?
Or did you get off to a running start and then find yourself petering out six weeks later?
If you’re not where you wanted to be, you may be wondering why. There are lots of reasons why we run afoul of our intentions. Sometimes we make a too-ambitious plan we simply don’t have the skills or energy to execute. Sometimes we find ourselves facing emotional roadblocks that we don’t know how to get through, so we run out of steam. But often, the forward movement comes to a screeching halt because we simply don’t keep our word to ourselves. We make promises (“Tomorrow I’ll get up early and go to the gym”), and then break them (“Awww, it’s raining, I think I’ll stay in bed. I’ll go to the gym on my way home”) – often for reasons we don’t even understand. Which brings me to what might be an uncomfortable question: How good are you to your word? Words are powerful forces of creation. They take our dreams and goals and put them out there for all the world to witness. Florence Scovel Shinn, a metaphysician of the 1920s, said, “There is always plenty on man’s pathway; but it can only be brought into manifestation through desire, faith or the spoken word.” Every time we speak, we create a road of some sort. The quality of that road, and how far it goes, will be directly related to the integrity of our word. Speaking With Integrity What exactly is integrity? According to the dictionary, integrity is “the quality of possessing and steadfastly adhering to high moral principles or professional standards, and the state of being complete, undivided, sound or undamaged.” Integrity, then, is having high principles and keeping those standards consistent throughout all the different parts of the self. One of the first places integrity issues show up is in our language patterns. When we are “in integrity,” we speak from a place of wholeness. Our words match our actions. As Dr. Seuss put it, “We say what we mean and we mean what we say.” When we break from this pattern and say things we don’t really mean, we move “out of integrity.” Can you identify someone in your life who uses language carelessly, who agrees to things readily but then never seems to be able to show up for his or her agreements? Do you know individuals who spend a lot of their time speaking about things they have no experience with – who have plenty of opinions but little real, applicable knowledge to back it up? Do you have friends who frequently gossip or who say disempowering things about themselves? These are some of the common ways that people deprive themselves of the potential power of speech. Language is meant to power our dreams into physical reality. When we “spend” our language on half-baked ideas, or passionate views we may have heard about but have no direct experience with, when we use language destructively or we say things we don’t really mean, we lose personal power. Personal power comes from being in integrity and diminishes whenever our integrity is undermined. Unfortunately, very few of us are taught the skills of using language as an integrity-building force. White Lies To find the roots of our dishonesty with ourselves, we need only look as far as our cultural patterns around language and lies. Most of us consider ourselves good people. We recycle our cardboard, give to charity and generally try to do the right thing when we have the opportunity. Yet most nice people also lie quite frequently. Why is that? And how has that become acceptable behavior? The dictionary describes the word “lie” in the following way: v 1. to say something that is not true in a conscious effort to deceive somebody, 2. to give a false impression; n 1. a false statement made deliberately, 2. a false impression created deliberately. In all four of these descriptions, one thing stands out clearly: that lying is something we do deliberately – that our purpose for lying is to intentionally deceive. Obviously, this type of activity seems at odds with being “nice.” How is it that we can consider ourselves good people and include lying? We may think our lying is for a good reason: to keep from hurting someone’s feelings, to smooth over conflict or to make someone happy. Afterall, what does it hurt to tell a little white lie every once in a while? What lying does, as a rule, is to create multiple realities. When you lie, reality splits – it “dis-integrates.” You now have one reality that you know and live in, knowing the “truth” about a particular issue, and the reality that the people to whom you’ve lied live in, which is designed around somewhat or totally different information. The people to whom you have lied make decisions and choices based on the reality they inhabit, but it’s a different reality than the one you inhabit, so that split will now influence your relationship and your common future. Presumably, you told the white lie to make these other people’s reality “nicer,” but you probably also told it to make your reality more comfortable (i.e., by lying, you avoided “feeling bad,” disappointing them or being the bearer of bad news). The problem is, you are creating this potentially huge disintegration without having any real way of knowing what the repercussions of that reality-split will be down the road. You can’t know how this separate reality might circle back in the future, and you can’t really know whether the net outcome for this other person will be better or worse than the course of the reality that might have resulted if you had told the truth. All you can know for sure is that you’ve now created a rift in a continuum of both your own and these other people’s lives, and you’ve taken charge, if even in a small way, of designing someone else’s reality. The more lies you tell, of course, the more multiple realities you create and must live with. That’s an enormous responsibility, and it can also be energy draining, because it literally costs you integrity – the state of being connected, sound, consistent and undivided. When enough “white lies” are floating around in your midst, your integrity becomes fractured. You may feel pulled in a thousand directions, and unable to make decisions without the fear that all these “custom made” realities could come crashing down around you. You may also not feel like you fully know or trust yourself at times. Learning to Splinter Where do we get the instinct for all this multiple-reality creating? It’s easy to trace right back to childhood. For a child, reality is not the concrete experience it may be for adults. For children, fantasy is a very real part of reality. By this I do not mean that children can’t tell the difference between reality and fantasy. What I mean is that they have not yet locked intoany one reality. Their imaginations are so vivid that simply being involved in an imagined reality makes it every bit as real to them as the reality their parents occupy. Kids occupy many different realities in one day. This can lead to some confusion about what is “real” and what is not. If a parent is too rigid to understand his or her child’s rapidly developing imagination and flexible realities, the parent may insist on convincing the child that he or she is wrong in some way. This can imprint the child with the belief that it is wrong to tell the truth about what they are experiencing, and as a result, they may begin to tell their parents what they know will please them and make them comfortable. As we grow older, we discover this works. It becomes easier and easier for us to tell these white lies as a way of avoiding the discomfort of seeing or knowing what we feel we shouldn’t, the shame of being different or the fear of being ridiculed. Unfortunately, this dependence on lying in order to create comfort can deeply affect our ability to be true to our word, and our sense of personal integrity. The fact is, one cannot simultaneously be using language with power while one is also telling lies. But how can we stop? Half the time, we hardly realize we are doing it. Most adults lie throughout the day, and do so quite consciously but without giving it much thought. That is, they know they are lying but feel that lying is acceptable under the circumstances (mostly because it makes life easier), and over time this instinct becomes almost automatic. For example, how often have you lied to get out of a social request (“I’d love to come, but I’m busy that night”)? How often have you lied, or asked your children or coworkers to lie on your behalf, when you get a phone call from someone you don’t want to talk to (“Tell them I’m not here!” or “I’d love to chat, but I’m late for a meeting”)? How many parents lie to each other for fear of hurting each other’s feelings or getting into a conflict (“I’m not mad, I’m just upset about work” or “Yeah, I’ll be home in a minute”)? Unfortunately, regardless of the motivation behind them, lies like these indicate to us and our children that lying is okay. And when we grow up seeing that lying – constantly splintering truths for ourselves and each other – is considered acceptable or even desirable behavior, how can we ever hope to get back into integrity? The answer is, we need to rewrite our own rules. Resurrecting Honesty In his book, The Four Agreements (Amber-Allen Publishing, 1997), author and Toltec wise man don Miguel Ruiz presents a simple but profound code of personal conduct based on adhering to four basic principles or “agreements.” The very first agreement is “Be Impeccable With Your Word.” The word impeccable comes from the Latin im, meaning “without,” and pecatus, which means “sin.” So impeccable (which we generally think of as meaning “perfectly clean”) really means “without sin.” According to Ruiz, to sin is to go against yourself, in word or in deed. To speak something other than your highest choice and truth is a form of fragmentation. In the first section of The Four Agreements, he advises: “Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.” Those are wise words, and they provide the basis for personal integrity. But if we accept that all of us are already wandering around in slightly different realities (thanks to each having access to different knowledge and experience), what is truth, really? How can we be sure we are speaking it, and speaking it with full integrity? How can we know when we are simply telling the truth, and when we are gossiping or talking out of turn? At one time or another, most of us have been on the receiving end of someone who just had to “speak his or her truth,” but who also seemed to have had an agenda about making us wrong, guilt-tripping us or hurting our feelings. We’ve been in situations where someone says something totally inappropriate or unkind and then uses, “Well, it’s true!” as an excuse. Insisting on speaking the whole truth and nothing but the truth all the time doesn’t seem practical or wise; it seems reckless and undiscerning. This is where we need to come back and revisit that last, very important bit of Ruiz’s counsel: “Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.” That might mean love for another person, but it also means love of the greater good, for a principle or fundamental truth. Sometimes you may have to speak up in a way that hurts or angers someone close to you but that you feel is necessary for the benefit of a larger group or purpose. And yes, sometimes it means you may elect not to share a particular truth out of care or respect for another person. The intersection of love and truth is a complex territory. What you need is a personal code of integrity that you can live with and be proud of. I once attended a conference with a wonderful woman who advised: “There are three questions to ask yourself before you ‘speak the truth.’ One: Are you certain it’s true? Two: Is it necessary? And three: Is it kind?” Ideally, your statements will pass all three tests. Occasionally, in the interest of ethics, you may find yourself called upon to say something that you know to be true and feel to be necessary, but that doesn’t seem particularly kind. In these situations, you have to examine your own intent (is it coming from a place of love or care for a greater good?). Then, if you do decide to share the information, do it with care and appropriate timing. That advice has proven to be a wonderful gift, one I now regularly employ. I have learned that truth can be highly personal. I may have a huge insight or possess an important piece of information, but if it is neither kind nor necessary to share, it is probably not a good idea to dump my truth in someone else’s lap. Conversely, I’ve also learned that even when it is uncomfortable or potentially painful to share a piece of information, if I deem the information both true and necessary to reveal, it’s usually the best thing for me to do. Of course, even this guideline does not eliminate all doubt. Nor does it eliminate the discomfort inherent in many “speak/don’t speak” quandaries, but it does give you a structure for examining your motives, and a foundation for building your integrity with language – both in the words you speak to others and the messages you send to yourself. Beyond Words Once we stop to examine the impact that language has on integrity, an important question looms: If we are out of integrity with language, can we be in integrity anywhere else in our lives? Think about your integrity in relationships, at work, in your body. If you are unable to speak honestly and kindly to yourself, will you speak kindly and honestly to others? If you are unable to keep your word to yourself, will it be possible for you to do it for anyone else? Think for a moment about how reliably you keep your word. How often do you say yes when you really mean no – when you realize on some level you have no intention of following through on that yes? How often do you promise yourself something and then, when the time comes, you conveniently forget your promise, or don’t have the time, or don’t want to allocate the resources necessary to keep your word? All of these things sabotage our ability to achieve our goals. So what can we do to get back into integrity? The first thing would be to examine our language and make the necessary adjustments toward telling the truth, even in small ways. When your sister-in-law calls to invite you over for Friday-night cocktails and you’re not certain you’re up for it, be truthful. Tell her, “I appreciate the invitation, but I’d like to wait to decide. I am having a tough week and I might be exhausted by then.” Or simply say, “No thanks, I’ve committed myself to spending the evening filing papers and straightening my desk.” If you are afraid others will be offended by your truth, ask yourself if you really want to be spending time with people to whom you have to lie on a regular basis. It may be that for you to get into integrity, you have to do some housecleaning of your relationships. And don’t be fearful – if some of your relationships go out with the recycling, well, that’s more room for building relationships with people you can be honest with. Getting Back on Course Sit down and think about where you are most frequently breaking promises with yourself and others. What circumstances, relationships and patterns in your life are most littered with broken commitments and are most likely to result in diminished integrity? Once you can identify where your word is not “impeccable,” then gently begin breaking the habit of making agreements, unless you are absolutely energized by them. Again, you can say “maybe” to someone and give yourself permission to withhold your commitment until a later time. But if you are consistently breaking your word, your relationships will never achieve the satisfaction your heart longs for. If keeping your word means you have to give it less often, then by all means, give it less often. The less it is given and broken, the more powerful it becomes. Over time, you will find yourself more energized to make commitments, and clearer about what kinds of commitments are right for you. The next question to ask yourself is, Why do I break my word? I have met many people who make promises because their hearts are big and they genuinely want to do XYZ, or be able to help with XYZ, but then when the time comes for action, they find themselves unable to keep their promises. In the long run, no one depends on these individuals for much of anything, and it hurts them deeply. There is a particular cycle of guilt to watch out for in this area. Often, someone will give her word to show up for something and then be unable to either do it at all or complete it fully. This then makes her feel guilty, so she agrees to do something more to make up for her incompletion. She’s then unable to complete the next agreement, and out of guilt and shame makes yet another. This can lead to a cycle of broken agreements with the same person over and over, until the relationship finally ends with a bang. Pay attention to why you are making agreements, particularly if you know up front that you are not energized to keep them. If you are in the habit of breaking your agreements with yourself, you may need to dig a little deeper. For instance, there may be some part of you that doesn’t feel you deserve to achieve your goal, and will thus sabotage your action plan to keep you from having to confront those underlying emotions. There may be a part of you that is frightened of success because of a childhood imprint that says success leads to criticism or loneliness. On the other hand, you may also be making agreements “with yourself” that are really more about pleasing or impressing other people, or fulfilling theiragenda. Identifying a pattern of broken promises here may really point up a division in your own priorities, in which case you must decide whether you identify more strongly with the part of you that is making these promises, or with the part that is breaking them. Choosing Your Words It may take you some time to break the cultural habits of white lies, broken promises and powerless language, but the results will be well worth it. In her book The Game of Life and How to Play It, Florence Scovel Shinn says, “After man knows the truth, he cannot be too careful of his words.” What she means is that once you realize the power of language spoken with integrity, you suddenly become incredibly aware of how much of our daily language is spoken without it. And your tolerance for careless, destructive and disempowering language plummets accordingly. Shinn offers this example: “I have a friend,” she writes, “who often says on the phone, ‘Do come to see me and have an old-fashioned chat.’ This ‘old-fashioned chat’ means an hour of about five hundred to a thousand destructive words, the principal topics being loss, lack, failure and sickness. I reply: ‘No, I thank you. I’ve had enough old-fashioned chats in my life, they are too expensive, but I will be glad to have a new-fashioned chat, and talk about what we want, not what we don’t want.’” You will find yourself to be a much happier person when your words match your intentions and when your actions match your words. You will find yourself sleeping better when there are no niggling half-truths keeping you awake at night. As your word becomes more and more powerful, your reality will begin to reflect that. As you speak from a place of integrity, and use powerful language in the service of your highest choices, you will start to manifest those choices very much as you have described them. When that happens, you’ll know you are on the right path and headed in the best possible direction – the direction of your dreams.

WHAT I DO NOT KNOW

Written by: Promise Edem

Well, i may not know your situation now, But i know you can gather the courage and move out. You may murmur and perhaps retort in your mind, Edem, you don't know what am going through that is why you could say this. Well it seems you’re right but I will tell you what I do not know.;
• I do not know why, you claim you have all the certificates and you sit down idle
•I do not know why you are educated as far as schooling is concern and you don’t want to think.
•I do not know why you always want to complain
•I do not know why, you allow only mediocrity to dominate your life.
•I do not know why stepping forward has been difficult for you.
• I do not know why, hardworking, positive attitude, are virtues alien to you to emulate
•I do not know, why Africa should suffer, whiles you have the solutions
•I do not why...
•I do not know why elected public officials defraud their people by betraying the trust imbedded in them Whiles you sit down doing nothing. Silence, adamant, inaction all this are not more than cowardice. The bad people rule because,the good people like you are seated unconcern
•I do not know why Most Africa nations wallow endlessly in the vicious cycle of poverty & suffer in the midst of plenty of rich soil.( the gold, the diamond, timber, the oil, platinum, etc.)
•I do not know why Integrity, honor and truth are virtues alien to our African leaders. It is because you and I allow them to.
•I do not know why; if you fail you give up so easily
•I do not know why, you think success comes over night.
•I do not why, you refuse to use your gift but rather hide it.
•I do not know why, you rather want to go outside Africa before you act.
•I do not know why, you say, the right time will come.
•I do not know why, all the time, you allow precious time to pass by.
•I do not know why, you would rather, spend all your time in meeting friends but to rather invest and nurture your gift.
•I do not know why, you spend all the moment in a night club rather than thanking nature and for that matter, God for his gracious gifts, using it to affect humanity.
•I do not know why, you will sit behind television all day long. Where ever you find yourself, thank God for it. And move on. Dear friends,  In your own small way, decide to make an impact. In my previous book DRIVING INTO GREATNESS; I had written, ‘’the fail of a great mind marks the beginning of another great mind, it could be you’’ and that is exactly the way it should be. Though others had left and gone, the world and for that matter your family, society, Africa and the world is waiting to celebrate your uniqueness. Behold do not wait for favorable conditions before you act. The time is now. You will never get that favorable period and eventually you will die with the idea you are pregnant with. And guess what, unfortunately, there is no labor ward in heaven.The world would be angry with you. Never has there been a time more favorable to pioneers than the present. True, there is no wild and wholly west to be conquered, as in thedays of Covered Wagon; but I know there is a vast business, financial and industrial world to be remolded and redirected along a new and better lines; perhaps as it has started in the technology and information age. In planning and thinking to acquired your share of todays’ world, let no one scorn your dreams. To win the big stakes in this changed, fast growing technological and innovative world, you must catch the spirit of the great pioneers of the past, whose dreams have to civilization, all that it has of value.The spirit which serves as the life blood of our own country- your opportunity and mine, to develop and market our gifts as well as our talent. Let’s us not forget, great people are the ones who really use their gift, and you and I had always take pleasure in. they start and when life’s turbulence hit them, they do not stop, but rather they trust God for a bounce back. Among these people are Thomas Edison, the inventor of the incandescent bulb, Henry Ford, Albert Einstein, though his teacher use to call him ‘stupid’ but his stupidity has become a great asset to the world, Prof. Azumah Nelson- a boxing legendry in Ghana, a onetime super feather weight champion, ……..

LITTLE HABITS THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE, AND HOW TO FORM THEM

Post written by Leo Babauta. 

POSTED: BY PROMISE EDEM NUKUNU

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” - Aristotl

If you could just pick one or two (or seven) habits to create in the next few months — habits that will have the most impact on your life — what would they be?

I often get asked this question, because people are overwhelmed when it comes to starting positive life changes.

They ask me: what one or two habits should they start with?

It’s not an easy question. There are so many changes I’ve gone through, from quitting smoking to simplifying my life to reducing debt to many more. And they’ve all seemed life-changing, and they’ve all seemed important.

But if I were to start again, and had to pick one or two, it would be the one or two listed below. The list that follows is in order of what I think I’d do the first 6-7 months of changing my life … but realize that every person is different. No one should follow my choices exactly — you’ve got to figure out what works for you.

That said, if you followed the program below, and worked to develop these habits, you’d probably do pretty well.

“Men’s natures are alike; it is their habits that separate them.” - Confucius

How to Develop the Habits
I’ve written a number of times about developing habits, but here are the basics:

• Do a 30-day challenge, focusing on just ONE habit.
• Write it out on paper, along with your motivations, obstacles, and strategies for overcoming them.
• Commit fully, in a public way.
• Log your progress.
• Remain publicly accountable — report on your progress each day.
• Have support for when you falter — either in real life or online.
• Reward every little success.
• If you fail, figure out what went wrong, plan for it, and try again.

The Seven Little Habits That Can Change Your Life
OK, so now you know how to form a habit — and remember, only do them one at a time — but you want to know the seven little habits. Here they are, in my order of preference (but yours may be different):

1. Develop positive thinking. I put this first because I think it’s the keystone habit that will help you form the other important habits. Sure, positive thinking by itself won’t lead to success, but it certainly goes a long way to motivate you to do the other things required.

I learned this when I quit smoking — when I allowed myself to think negative thoughts, I would end up failing. But when I learned how to squash negative thoughts and think positive ones instead, I succeeded. This discovery lead to me practicing this over and over, until I was able to form just about any habit I needed. It’s been invaluable to me, and I think it could be to most people.

Focus on this habit first, and you’ll have a much easier time with any of the others. Start by becoming more aware of your negative self-talk — do a little tally sheet throughout the day, marking a tally each time you notice a negative thought. Soon you’ll recognize them, and you can squash them.

Read more:

• Top Motivation Hack: Positive Thinking
• Can You Spot These 10 Thinking Sins

2. Exercise. People who’ve been hearing me harp on about exercise might roll their eyes. Sure, exercise is healthy and all that, but how exactly is it life changing? I’m glad you asked:

• It makes you feel better about yourself, and more confident. That leads to better success with other positive changes.
• It reinforces the positive thinking habit — you need to think positive in order to sustain exercise.
• It relieves stress and gives you time to think — this leads to better mental well-being in your life overall.
• It helps with creativity. Don’t ask me to prove it, except to say that my best ideas and brainstorming sessions come from when I exercise.

3. Single-tasking. The opposite of multi-tasking — you’ve heard me harp on about this one as well. Why is it life-changing? A couple powerful reasons:

• You’ll be more effective with your tasks and get more done. It’s hard to achieve important things if you’re constantly switching tasks and distracted by other “urgent” things.
• You’ll be less stressed overall and (in my experience) happier throughout your day.

4. Focus on one goal. Just as focusing on one task at a time is more effective, and focusing on one habit at a time is more effect, so is focusing on one goal at a time. While it might seem very difficult, focusing on one goal at a time is the most powerful way of achieving your goals. When you try to take on many goals at once, you’re spreading thin your focus and energy — the two critical components for achieving a goal.

What if you have 5 goals you want to achieve? Pick one to focus on first. Break it into a mini-goal you can accomplish this month, if it’s a longer-term goal. Pick an action you can do today. Keep doing this until the goal is accomplished — do an action every day, finish the mini-goal, pick the next mini-goal to work on. Then, when your One Goal is completed, focus on the next goal.

Some goals are ongoing ones — like blogging every day, or exercising every day. In those cases, turn them into habits — focus exclusively on turning the goal into a habit, until the habit is ingrained. Then focus on the next goal.

5. Eliminate the non-essential. First, identify the essential — the things in your life that are most important to you, that you love the most. Then eliminate everything else. This simplifies things and leaves you with the space to focus on the essential. This process works with anything — with your life in general, with work projects and tasks, with emails and other communication.

This will change your life because it will help you to simplify, to focus on what’s important, and to build the life you want.

6. Kindness. Yes, kindness is a habit. And it can be cultivated. Focus on it every day for a month and you’ll see profound changes in your life. You’ll feel better about yourself as a person. You’ll see people react to you differently and treat you better, over the long run. It’s karma.

How do you develop the kindness habit? First, make it a goal to do something kind for someone each day. At the beginning of the day, figure out what that kind act will be and then do it during the day. Second, each time you interact with someone, try to be kind, be friendly, be compassionate. Third, try to go beyond small kindnesses to larger acts of compassion, volunteering to help those in need and taking the initiative to relieve suffering.

7. Daily routine. It’s so simple, but creating a daily routine for yourself can make a big difference in your life. The best routines, I’ve found, come at the start and end of the day — both your workday and your day in general. That means, develop a routine for when you awake, for when you first start working, for when you finish your workday, and for the end of your evening.

How will that change your life? It will help you get a great start to your day, and finish your day by preparing for the next day. It’ll help you firmly root the productive habits you want to firm in your everyday life. It’ll help you focus on what’s important, not just what comes up. It’ll help you make sure you get done all the things you really want to make sure gets done everyday. And that can mean a lot.

“We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.” - John Dryden