Differentiating Between Feedback And Noise
Everyone wants to be a better version of themselves and sometimes becoming that better version involves getting feedback from some of your friend, colleagues, and everyone around you. In trying to get their feedback, ensure you are able to differentiate the real feedback from the noise.

I recently had a mix of feedback and noise. But be careful, just because a piece of information does not go well with you does not make it a noise. Sometimes most noise would actually come in a soothing tone and tend to make us complacent. But beyond that, you need to be able to look into the feedback you receive and determine if it challenges you to be a better version of yourself or it simply just hashes out some form of criticism with no authentic motive.

As I am currently trying to develop my Statement of Purpose (SOP), I receive a lot of feedback, and most of the time, they do not really make me feel good, I have actually realized it makes my SOP better. So all that matters is the end goal. Is the feedback you are receiving such that would make you a better person. If it is, you can carry on, but if it is not, then it is time to reevaluate such feedback.

But how specifically can you know which one you are receiving? Most importantly, note the experience of the person giving the feedback. Have they had the same experience or are they simply trying to think about it now? When I get feedback from friends about my SOP, I try to look at the perspective of the person giving the feedback. Have they started their SOP and are they really trying to give an honest opinion or a trying to sound smart opinion? I am able to filter the feedback based on that. The more you receive feedback, the more you would be able to filter.

You would receive feedback in life generally in the form of criticism. People would see you doing something and give such awful feedback that you just want to end it. When you get feedback that seems to belittle you and your effort, please discard it. The feedback that seems to not push you forward but seems to find the wrong in everything you have done. Please be careful with these kinds of feedback.

I was trying to accomplish a task when a friend came trying to explain all the reasons why all I was doing was the wrong thing. But well, guess the solution he was proposing. A way more annoying solution. Time is at stake and all you can say is everything that has been done is wrong. Seek to provide a solution then or forever remain mute, I said in my mind. At that point, I wanted to hear no more.

Just because you are criticized does not mean you shut everyone out. Take a few moment to process the feedback. Do they belittle you and the effort you have given so far? Does it seem to provide no way out of your current situation? Please if all these questions are not answered positively, then it is time to move.

Great people are those that are able to take criticisms well. Not because they use every part of it, but because they try to figure out which ones solely empower and move them forward.

So be careful. Understand the feedback you receive. Let your feedback make you stronger and better rather than your feedback making you quit.

Thanks, And God Bless.

Change Your Perception Of Failure
We all are afraid to fail at something. We do not want to start an action and see it not succeed. We all want to aim for a goal and simply achieve it. But what if a failure was not that bad? What if a failure was the way we can only use to discover better ways of solving some of our greatest challenges?

I recently updated my statement of purpose (SOP) as part of my plans towards seeking admissions into graduate school. Then I sent the updated SOP to one of my mentors. Her feedback had the SOP shattered. It felt really bad at first because I felt I had the best SOP for any school. But after I looked through her feedback and got back on board, I feel I have now created a far better SOP than I earlier did.

This scenario that I described is basically the way it happens in life. We start something in life, then we get feedback. The feedback might not be the one we want to hear, but that does not mean we should give up. Your perception of the feedback is all that matters. Imagine I did not take my mentor’s feedback with happiness, imagine I just tossed it into the dustbin, imagine I just gave up on the SOP, I would not have had the better SOP that I do now.

Well, I know the new SOP would also be criticized, but the most important thing to note is that with every feedback, I get to produce a better SOP. Take the same as the current situation you are currently in, God is giving you his feedback on what you have done. The feedback might not make any sense right now, but one day, it would all make sense. So all you have to do right now is believe that the feedback you are receiving is meant to make you a better version of yourself. The feedback might not taste good, but the end result is worth every bit of it.

Do you remember taking medicine for your pain? Well, we all do. But do you also remember that most of the drugs were not sweet? In fact, the ones that seem to be the most bitter ones are sometimes the most effective ones. So, take a step back today and analyze your current situation. Whatever it seems to be like. Does it seem like you have lost it all? Well, it might seem like that but that does not make it like that.

To everyone out there who is currently having a round of their feedback on their invention, ideas, jobs, relationships and every other area, keep calm, analyze the situation and see how best you can channel the situation into something better.

Know that your perception is all that determines how the feedback is. Perceive it well and use it to change yourself for the better. It is always easier said than done, but the difference between the winners and others is taking the step. Take yours today.

Thank you and God bless.

Life Is Another Version Of The Traveling Salesman
The traveling salesman problem is one of the fundamental problems in computer science. It is an idea that a salesman wants to travel to different cities and back to his starting point with the shortest cost possible without visiting a city twice.

I have recently realized that life itself is another version of the traveling salesman with humans moving from one point to another. We move from our early years into adulthood, making a lot of decisions along the way, decisions we might not know if it is the best or not and cannot come back to that stage in life again.

But one thing is always going to serve as a measurement at every path or city we get to. It is the principles and values with which we live every day of our lives. That is what matters the most. It is not about the number of cities we would visit, it is the principles and values that we apply at every city that we arrive in that matters.

So is life. Life is sometimes unpredictable. We make a decision and it just seems to be the wrong decision. Fast-forward to a few years later and we are happy we made that decision. So what matters is that we have a set of principles for moving every time we have to make a decision.

I believe these set of values or principles to have are quite simple. They are basically persistence, perseverance, faith, belief in God, and well any other thing you can think of that brings out the best in you. It is about not following the path everyone is following because we all are traveling salesmen with no exact solution to the ever-increasing challenge we face every day.

And to be clear, the traveling salesman does not have one single solution. So is life. We all can be successful by following different paths. This does not limit our chances of success. Rather, it is the principle we apply at every city that matters.

So consider your friend who is currently way ahead of you and you feel like you are not successful. I would advise that you forget that thought and simply focus on your current situation. In the traveling salesman problem, thinking about another salesman problem and trying to copy his methods does not directly mean success for you. Your destinations are all different. So why follow the same path.

Work on yourself, be better. Choose to be the best version of yourself. That is the only guarantee you have to a life that is going to take you to your destination.

So when you see someone successful and you want to feel jealous or unsuccessful, remember that we are all traveling salesmen in this big world. Our paths and destinations are different. Choose your principles and follow your path.

Thank you and God bless.

More Factors To Consider Than Just Age
I really feel angry when people place limitations or power in the hands of people because of their age. Some would say they are too young to achieve it while some would say, give it to them, they are matured enough. Do not get me wrong, age is a very important factor to consider in a lot of situations, but is it the first factor to consider?

Other factors like experience, background, and values are some of the factors I believe we can look at before considering age. Some people would want to choose life partners because of their age. Well, that is a fine thing to do as far as age is not the first or most important factor you are considering.

With age comes experience and intelligence. Well, it depends. Age is not the only factor that brings us a better experience. The lens and values with which we live are also some of the critical factors that shape who we are. So before you consider someone by their age, get to consider their values and backgrounds. These other factors play an important role in how we live.

Why I do not consider age as the most important factor is that your age on earth might have no bearing on how you live your life. Some people have spent the last 10 years doing the same thing moving not an inch but another has just a year’s experience. Who says he/she cannot be better?
It is rather important that we all begin to see how we can make our age count. Age alone is not a factor until we make it count. Whatever time you have now, make it count. It is not the number that matters, but that did we make it count? It is never too late to start again from where you are. Consider your current age and see how much you can make it count. You have just one life to live, make your age count.
Thank you and God Bless.

Are You Living Or Simply Existing?
How long have you lived on Earth? Well, when you ask that question, most people simply tell you their age. But well, to me that is how long you have existed on Earth. Because there is a difference between existing and living.

So what is the difference? Living is more about fulfilling a certain goal every day that you exist. Without living to fulfill a goal, all you do is exist. But too many of us simply exist. We follow every day as it comes with no plan to make a difference. Not about making a difference in the world, but even making a difference in our own lives. We just follow as everyone around us does. We do what everyone does. That is not living. That is existing.

You have to make a deliberate effort to live and not to exist. Every day you have 24 hours to use. How do you spend it? Do you spend it complaining? Complaining about how life would have been better if you were different, if you were born rich or if you had one thing or the other. Simply creating nothing but excuses. Or you can make a deliberate decision to live every day to its fullest with the resources currently at your disposal.

Seeking a goal and simply pursuing it. That is living. The world has a population of about 7 billion people. What are you doing differently? Are you simply following the path everyone is following? When we follow the path everyone follows, we are simply existing. But to live, you have to take the path less traveled.

Take a few moments today and recount how much of your life has really been lived. People think they have such a short time to live while they are actually wasting what little time they had. Because let’s imagine that you have an extra hour added to the normal 24 hours in a day. What would you do with it? Continue with what you are doing? And would that make you any better? If you can make good use of the time you have now, that is all that matters.

People that really make a change in this world are people that truly lived. Not people that simply existed. When you decide to no longer exist but truly live, life then makes more sense.

Greatness and happiness apathshe path of the person who seeks to live rather than exist
Consider you have already spent about 3 decades already on earth. How has it been spent? How many of that time was spent eating, sleeping, walking, chatting on social media? When you look at the time you have indeed lived, that should be less than 5 years. So I am not saying that you should not sleep or play, rather I am suggesting that we become better aware of what we do every day, how we spend our time.

Remember, everyone on earth is existing, it takes a bold step to indeed live rather than exist.

Thank You And God Bless.

The Power Of Listening
Have you ever had a conversation with another person where you felt the person was not listening to you? That the person on the other side simply wants to tell you what they feel or think rather than understanding the scenario from your own perspective. If you have, then you would understand the power of listening.

Listening is one of the most important parts of communication. Too many time we focus on speaking in communication, about being a better speaker but we do not give the same effort towards listening. Schools would teach us reading but how often do we learn to listen. It is rather annoying that people simply want to share their experience when all you want is someone to listen.

Well, you can change that. Listening is about giving yourself time to understand what the other person wants to say. In listening, you can basically live the other person’s situation. When people want you to listen, they are basically trying to express how they feel and the only way they can do that is if they speak. And for you to really get them, all you have to do is listen.

It is indeed important to emphasize that listening is key in almost all aspects of our lives. When you listen, you get more information into your system. But it is not enough that you get information into your system, you would need to digest and understand it. Too many times, people listen waiting for us to stop so that they say what they have in mind.

I say when you listen, give the information time to digest into your system. When we listen, we would need to process what we hear. By processing what we hear, we are better equipped to pass on a wonderful response.

So for whatever conversation you would be having today, lend a listening ear. Affirm that you are listening by giving body movements and signals that you are following. Drop any activity that makes the other person feel you are not listening. In listening, you are able to live two lives all at once. Yours and the speaker. And do not respond if you do not fully understand. Give it time to digest and then create a wonderful response.
When a person wants to speak and you are not available, it matters that you give the person a time and place where you can listen. Do not try to want to listen and still be busy with something else.

Most of the time, a person speaking is pleased that we are even listening. So the rush to give opinions is not the most important part. It does not hurt to say you do not have an answer if you indeed do not have one. Be quick to lend a listening ear, but slow to giving a response. Think properly and understand the other person to the best of your ability.
It matters that you listen. The world has too many people speaking and too few people listening. Someone out there simply needs someone to listen. You can be that person.

Help listen to someone today and make the world a better place. Thanks and God Bless.

Starting All Over Again
It has been said that the Obstacle is the way. On our path to achieving greatness and any important thing in life, we sometimes face obstacles. It is not the obstacles that matter but rather our response to the obstacles is what makes all the difference.

It is not the problem that is the problem, but how you react to the problem, that is the problem.

We go through life with one challenge or the other, a never-ending loop that simply sits there waiting for us to complete one task and it hands us another. No matter your current status, you can always win.

I recently realized I have given up on a lot of goals I should have pursued. Goals that seem really arduous and difficult. I gave up then but not anymore. I am coming back, but this time stronger and better.
I started some Algorithm Courses on Coursera and did not complete them, I am coming back. I decided to learn VueJs and I gave up, I am coming back. I decided to learn python and then I gave up, I am coming back. I decided to make an audio copy of a book and then I gave up, now I am coming back.

I look at some of these tasks I gave up on and imagine how I would have been if I did not give up on them. Well, that wish can still be achieved and all that matters is that I am going to start all over again. Whatever your challenge is, the difference between a winner and a loser is never giving up. I have had a number of relationships that did not work out. Well, I am not giving up.

The future is all there is. The past is the past.

I would be taking these tasks one step at a time and would continue on this path until I have indeed achieved each and every one of these tasks stated. It would take time, I might still give up sometimes later but I would never quit. I would always fall only to stand and be more energized rather than enervated. I would give it all that I have simply because that is all that I have.

The future is what you do now. It is not some imaginary time in the future. It is what you are doing now. Remember, sometimes ago what you are doing now was the future. Now it is here. You have to give it all that you have.

Whatever you have given up on, it is not too late to start over. The key to YES is saying No to quitting. Never giving up as far as you are still facing the obstacle. Battle with your obstacle until your obstacle surrenders and becomes a path to your greatness.
Greatness comes to those who never give up. History backs that up. Now, you have the opportunity to create your own history. Start all over and never give up.

Thank you and God Bless.

What FlexiSAF Stands For
I have often had to explain again and again to people I meet what FlexiSAF stands for. I hope to be able to present my refined view of what FlexiSAF truly stands for.

FlexiSAF is a company built on the vision of a great man, Faiz Bashir with the goal of improving Education using technology. A lot of people might say that a lot of people are already doing that, but at FlexiSAF, we handle it differently. We improve Education using Technology in a number of ways;

By reducing the time it takes to do administrative tasks in schools, tasks that are not directly related to teaching so that teachers have more time to focus solely on teaching.

Providing access to quality content materials that are properly tailored to the student curriculum. This ensures that learning continues not only in the classroom but also at home, work or anywhere.

Allowing for recollection of what has been learned to help improve assimilation by providing platforms to test the knowledge of students.
Continuing to share the knowledge we have gained over the years with interested individuals so that the journey continues.

We indeed have a long way to go and the future is indeed bright. With the current team of dedicated and passionate colleagues, I believe the FlexiSAF dream of improving Education using technology is well underway.

We look forward to being the Number 1 innovators in the world of education and we would not relent in our efforts until Education has been revolutionized.

We are sharing our story and dreams with the world with the hope that we better ignite the spirit of like-minded individuals so that we together move Education into a new realm.

It is possible. The future is possible. That is what FlexiSAF stands for. You want to be a part of this. Feel free to join us.
http://flexisaf.com/

Traveling To Lagos
Well, today is the 17th of November, 2017 and I am traveling to Lagos by God’s grace. It’s my first time to Lagos by air. So I can’t wait.
But then we had a delay of about 40 minutes before boarding. Well, my first delay also. So while waiting, I met a friend I had seen a long time ago. We spoke and then he left for Kano. I was still waiting. While waiting for my flight, I saw a restaurant I have always looked at but never entered every time I came to the airport. I decided to go in and see what happens. Well, I was a bit timid but then I entered and I ordered a drink. It was not as hard. I was really impressed with myself.

Later, we were called to come for boarding and that was my first encounter with overcoming my fear. When we boarded, the pilot announced that the plane’s loader was having some issues and we would have to wait a little longer. While we were waiting, I realized the business class was not occupied. I remembered reading a post where a guy asked if he could move to the business class. I decided to do the same. Well, I was not allowed. But I was once again impressed with myself because I was able to ask the air hostess forgoing all the fear I had of what she would say.
Well, flight still not enroute by 8 pm. So we are still waiting. I also met the proprietor of a school where I teach weekend classes.
Well, we finally took off around 8:30 PM. It was my first flight in a Boeing 767, it was really massive.

We took off and the flight was for 45 minutes. I sat next to a woman. Took me some time but I finally spoke to her. Got to talk about what we do. She is a Consultant on HR. We spoke about challenges in my organization and some other issues about having a United Nigeria. I love her idea of having a United Nigeria rather than asking where you are from once you realize a person was from Nigeria, that is enough connection to continue. No need to ask about your state of origin, we are all one.

Left the airport and moved straight to Lekki to rest at a friend’s place. The cab I took was such a nice man. We spoke about the challenges he was having with the business and some other issues. It was really nice meeting him. He had so much energy to help his family. He really has the Nigerian spirit of hard work. Such a nice man.

I stayed with very nice guys. Very passionate Software Developers seeking to improve live in best ways possible.
Well, I came for a scholarship Interview and the Interview is today. Wishing myself all the very best. I really pray I get this scholarship. God, if it is the best, make it work. Well, I really pray to get it.
Thanks and God Bless

On Becoming A Maverick
As humans, we seek the path that is safe. The path that guarantees that we would be fine and safe at the end. Anything that comes close to keeping us on our toes seems too risky and we try as much as possible to never encounter any of such scenario. We continue to play by the rules, follow the status quo and do whatever everyone has been doing. We simply exist.

But our lives have far greater impact than just being another human on earth. There are numerous ways where we can help improve the world and most importantly ourselves. We can continue to follow the path everyone follows or simply decide to do something about it. Until you are willing to take the path less traveled, you would never have the journey you always wanted. It would all have been a thought you wish you accomplished.

It is definitely easier said than done on following what we really want to do despite the criticism from every angle, our brain telling us to follow the path that is guaranteed. The path that millions have followed and have arrived at the same destination. So that means that we also would follow the same path only to arrive at the same destination. The same destination everyone has followed.

Beyond paths set out clearly by God to follow, every other path is a path tried by someone at one point or another. If you want to make the difference you want in your life, you would have to follow the other path. The path that is full of uncertainties and fear. This is because success is always at the other end of fear.

Have you ever achieved something when everyone said it was not possible? If you have, you can still remember the joy and happiness that you gained from doing that. For those of us that might not have had that experience, it is something I wish you could taste. It breaks down every barrier in our path and makes us believe that whatever it is that we want, it is achievable.

Be a maverick today in whatever circumstance you find yourself, following the status quo or what everyone is saying would only lead you to the same path as others.

To create a world that is indeed different, you have to create a different path.

This post is intended for a friend who is currently seeking to meet a girl’s parent to seek for the hand of their daughter in marriage. I do seek your likes to encourage him to face it and never follow the status quo

Thank You and God Bless

Why Did You Choose Your Current Profession?
Have you ever considered why you chose your current profession? It is generally easy to say I chose to study so and so because I love it. Yeah, well you just don’t fall in love. Something must have attracted you and given you the thought of continuing even when the path was difficult. Or maybe some incidents happened that brought you into contact with your current profession. Whatever it is, I think we sometimes need to think inwards to know what was the main cause.

To think deep and take it back a while. Realize the first time you came in contact with what you are currently doing. How did you feel and how do you feel now? These are some questions I had to ask myself as I prepare to rewrite my statement of purpose. It is basically easy to say I want to study Computer Science because I love solving problems. But then I realized that there is a myriad of ways of solving problems, why then did I choose Computer Science to solve my problems?

I was able to remember that my first solution to solving a problem came when one of my younger brothers died of tetanus. I vowed to myself to become a medical doctor to help solve people’s medical problems. But then I changed my method of helping to solve problems when I finally encountered Computer Science.
I was watching the movie 24 and I was impressed by how much Chloe O’Brian was able to work with Jack Bauer in helping save lives and solve a whole lot of problems. I told myself this is how I want to be able to solve problems. I really want to be in charge and I think this has been my basic reason for choosing to help solve problems using the Computer.

Studying computer science has indeed exposed me to some ways of becoming more powerful far more than I could have ever imagined. I used to feel very powerless and could not help as many people as I want. Imagine my dad was once shot and I could not really do anything to even arrest the culprit. I felt really powerless. But with the computer, I can be able to help people in more ways than I can ever imagine. Imagine the effect of simply sharing your story with the world. How many lives can you touch at once? You do not have to be a computer guy to share your story but it really is one of the cool ways to share your story and help inspire others.

I am not sure if this is still the sole reason why I chose to study Computer Science but every time I realize how powerful learning to use the Computer has actually made me, I feel really happy and more determined to continue on the path of learning more about the Computer.
I would continue to reminisce and think. But for the main time, I am more than happy to be on the path of studying Computer Science. The relationships I have been able to build on this path, the lives I have been able to affect positively and also the lives I look forward to helping are some of the things I believe would continue to push me towards becoming a better Computer Scientist.

The application of my knowledge from the field of Computer Science to other fields is another area I look forward to. Imagine not being a medical doctor, but helping to create a discovery that would forever change the face of Medicine in the world. Imagine not being a banker but helping to make banks safer and easier to transact with. This is also another great area I look forward to.
Thanks very much and God Bless.

How Are You Living Your Life?
Last night, I had a great conversation with a friend. He called to inform me that he had gotten another job at a big firm. I was really happy and impressed with his progress in life. But well, we are all humans and sometimes you feel jealous especially when your friend has what you can only wish for.

But then I realized that there were a billion more people that could only wish for what I currently have. They cannot even aim for half of what I currently have. Such is life. So is your life right now. Someone is somewhere wishing all they could have was your life. How then are you living your life?

Are you living with regret? Living every day and wishing you were something else? Living and only admiring the lives of other people without pausing a second and truly living your own life. Until we are able to figure out what it is we want with our lives, we would continue to be jealous and unhappy about the success and progress of others.

After considering this thought in my mind, I was more energized and happy about where I currently am. The people I have met, the relationships I have built, the tons of great things I have been able to achieve, I would not want to trade it for no reason. I am better aware of the path I want to pursue in life. Improving lives no matter how small I can. Writing, reading, teaching and talking to people in any way possible are the paths through which I hope to achieve this.

Many of us are currently living a life where we wish we had something another person has. Well, life is not always fair. you have what another person wants, make good use of it. It does not matter whether you realize it or not, that is the honest truth.

Have you ever imagined that someone is somewhere right now wishing he could just breathe freely, without the aid of any equipment, someone is somewhere wishing he could have someone care about him/her? While you might or might not have what I have started, you still have something someone wants. What are you currently doing with it?

This is not a plea to be a mediocre and remain where you are. It is a plea to keep pushing no matter how much you wish for something else. With what you have, make an impact with it. Keep pushing and keep moving.

Everything on earth is moving, even the planet itself. Why Are You Not Moving?
It sometimes seems easy to talk especially when you are not the person currently in the situation. But I can assure you one thing which is that the higher the struggles you are currently facing, the higher the reward. So go forth and live life to its fullest with no regret of what you do not have. Only hope and joy about the things you would have.

Thanks very much and God Bless.

When It Does Not Seem To Work Out
Have you ever tried your best and it seemed not enough? Have you ever given it your best shot and it was still not as you wanted it? Have you ever thought of giving up because you have tried too many numbers of times? These and much more would be some of our obstacles on our paths to greatness. I have realized that success comes with its own issues and some of these issues are greatly resolved if we refuse to give up when the weather is most fearful.

I remember when I started applying to King Fahd. I applied about 4 times and was rejected all 4 times. I got so used to being rejected at King Fahd that every time I receive their email about admission, I would most likely have guessed the content even before I opened it. This kind of rejection kind of had a negative impact on me. I began thinking if I was indeed good enough to gain admission for graduate studies.

However, as it seems as if all hopes were lost, I was able to find my way back and understand that rejections from schools should be a stepping stone towards getting admitted. If this school does not admit you, move on to the next school but never drown in the rivers of misery. A place that stagnates your progress and makes you only see the bad in you and not the good.

Just know that life has its ups and downs. This might be your own downs. Your ups are coming soon. Simply brace for impact. It would come as far as you do not give up. Success awaits the man who sees obstacles as a stepping stone to more success. Imagine some of the great minds of our generation, a lot of them were met with disappointment over the disappointment and it later served as one of the catalysts that helped propelled them to greatness.

You can also currently be in a state that seems to impossible to overcome. Just keep moving and keep trying to be better than you were yesterday. See failure and never be afraid. Keep going. One day it would all make sense and all you thought was bad luck was indeed preparation for the wonderful moment ahead.

You can get there only if you continue on the path. Giving up at this point does not move you any closer to your goal. Stopping now moves you farther away from your goal. So keep moving, keep going. Always be the best version of yourself that you can be.

Thank You and God Bless.

Begin To Declutter Your Life
We all want to be successful in life. Everyone has a field or a goal they are aiming for. I have realized that you would continue to find a lot of discussions about how to become successful. But among all the writings I have found, one advice on being successful that stood out for me was to stop doing things that did not further my goal.

The difference between a successful person and otherwise is in what they do not do. It is not in what you do, it is in what you do not do that makes all the difference. Some of us want to be successful but we still waste too many hours on the internet doing precisely nothing. When what you are currently doing does not in any way further your goal, then it is time to stop.

But how then do you know what is best for you? Life is sometimes full of uncertainties and it is okay to be uncertain sometimes. But no matter how uncertain we are, you should still have a goal you want to achieve, then work towards it. Imagine you were a ship that wants to leave the harbor, you would definitely have a destination or even if you are simply seeking out new places, you would at least have an idea of the path to follow. So is life.

Whatever your plan is, even if it is crystal clear or not, there are some activities that would never take you to your destination. Be realistic with yourself. Does spending all day watching movies move you towards your goal? Does spending the whole day with friends who speak of nothing other than vain talk move you closer to your dreams?

Sometimes it is by removing the clutter that we can see clearly. The clutters in our life would come in different shapes and forms. Seek to understand what is currently cluttering your life and do the best that you can to remove it. Sometimes it is the small change that makes the difference.

For me, it has always been about wasting too much time on social media. To declutter, I have decided to set out specific periods at the end of the day to check out my social media. I also love watching movies and I have decided to make that my reward for the end of the day. By removing these blockers during the day, I am able to better focus on the most important tasks during the day.

So should you. You do not have to follow the same exact plans as I did. All you need is to find a way to declutter. It makes the vision clearer.

Thank You.

Living With Uncertainty
One thing a lot of people want in their lives is a form of security, a form of guarantee that tomorrow would come with all they want. That the paycheck would be there to pick up, that the result of a path of least resistance is the most secured. People cherish living every day with a kind of security.

However, living with uncertainty sometimes is one of the ways to indeed achieve what we want. Not sure what the outcome of your actions might sometimes be a good idea. The leap to continue into the future even if you are not sure how it would work out is also a way to go.

Living life and making sure the coast is clear to jump is sometimes the wrong decision. All you need to know is that you can be wrong only when you have tested it and it did not work out. However, while you are still trying, no one can say you are wrong.

Take for example the case of marriage. I have always wanted to get married for a long time but one of the condition a lot of people put around marriage is a form of security. Do you have so and so in place? I say to those people that it is sometimes in the uncertainty that everything would be okay that we sometimes find our best moment.

I am not in any way suggesting a reckless move in life. One that is not done with a good intention or spirit. When you have a goal that you really want to achieve and there are uncertainties, then you can still proceed. Because no one knows if you would get closer to your dreams until you have tried.

So live life to its fullest. Its uncertainties are sometimes what creates the most memorable days of our lives. To overcome a situation even when everyone said it was not possible are some of the situations that remain forever cherished in our hearts.

So go out today and be the best you can be. And when you fail, learn from your mistake and start again. You would really never succeed until you go out of your comfort zone into the areas of uncertainty.

Starting a business, talking to that partner about getting married, making that decision to become better at your job rather than remaining where you are. The result of all these is unknown but that does not mean you should not try it.

Live life with its uncertainties because it is in the uncertainties of life that memorable events are created.

Thank You

What Is Hindering You?
Everyone has a goal they want to achieve in life. Whatever your goal is, it is achievable. A goal gives us focus and direction even when everything looks rather impossible. A large number of fears have been conquered because some people dared to follow their goals.

However, sometimes our goals are hindered by some factors. And one of the factors sometimes is ourselves. Our own habits and behaviors sometimes sabotage our efforts at becoming what we really want to become. It hinders us from achieving the real us. And in the end, we can only regret not taking the advantage of the goals we wanted to achieve.

Hindrance to our goals come in different shapes and forms. For me, it is watching movies and being on social media. No matter how much I look at my goals, I get hindered by movies and social media. At the end, I make a resolution and tell myself I would start again tomorrow. Tomorrow comes and I am back to the same thing.

Sometimes I overcome this hindrance for a week or two or sometimes for some months and then it comes back again. I have realized that some of the reasons for that are I do suddenly stop the hindrance and try to completely stop it. When I try to do that, it comes back with a form of great force that simply just pulls off all my previous plans.

Whatever it is that is currently hindering you, the most important thing is to realize what the hindrance is. After realizing it, you must then begin withdrawing little by little and replacing with activities that would help achieve your goal. Never stop your bad habits abruptly. They sometimes come back with full force.

I believe the best way is to begin by first reducing it a day at a time. I know it would be hard to quit social media just yet, but I would try to designate time for that after some hard work. That would serve as my reward for being so serious. It would be difficult at first, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. Your life and entire career depend on these small actions.

Beyond reducing your hindrance little by little, find some more engaging activities that better get you preoccupied. Get engaged in real activities that makes you closer to your goal while keeping you really preoccupied. It might be difficult to find out depending on your field but it makes sense that you try to find out. Only by doing that can you begin to focus more on yourself than on your distractions.

Note that some days, your hindrance would get the best of you. Do not get tired of starting again. Such is life. We get knocked out and we get back in and start again. Never be discouraged, you can always do it. Start small.

Thank You

When Facing Difficulties
As humans, we always want to be relaxed and at peace. However, it is mathematically impossible to live every day without one problem or the other. As kids, when growing up, we have one trouble or the other, but it is in the overcoming of these problems that signals growth. When we overcome the trouble of sitting at one point, then kids crawl. At this stage of crawling, kids feel fear and trouble.

But in overcoming the fear of crawling and finally crawling do we indeed grow. Every human who grows must grow out of something. But at the stage of overcoming that previous stage is when trouble sets in. This is when we are most fearful. Afraid that we might not be able to cope in the next stage, fearful that we might not be better than we previously were.

But without fear, note that there would be no growth. So whatever situation you find yourself today, you can make a choice. One of the choices is to remain in your previous situation, where you feel comfortable and not grow. However, it is the decision to grow that makes us better.

Never expect that everything in life would be smooth. Expect that issues unplanned, unexpected and probably not imagined would creep out of nowhere and freak us out. However, problems and troubles should be expected if you indeed want to grow. This is because if you want to grow, problems are the gateway to that success.

So consider problems as what makes you grow. Signals that show that we have an opportunity to grow. How you handle such signals is the determinant of what you want. Do you want to grow or not? If you want to, then manage your problems as an opportunity to grow.

Students are most stressed when its examination time. However, without the examination, students cannot grow. They would remain in the same class for all their lives. When innovators want to grow, they face the problem of rejection where their ideas are ridiculous. But when they face this stage and overcome it, they become greater and better.

No matter what the current situation is, you can determine how you are going to handle it. Handle it well and it gets better. Handle it badly and you might live to regret it for the rest of your life.
Take a decision today about your problems and do the best at handling it.

The Power Of Small Ask
Have you ever wanted to connect with someone and did not know how to proceed? Have you ever wanted to ask someone for help and just bundled all your request at once and never got any response?

Well, these happen to a whole lot of us. We have to live life interdependently and so at one time or the other, we need to ask for help from another person. However, how we do ask for help matters.

Imagine meeting someone whom you admire in your field and you want to ask him/her to mentor you. Well, if he is as you have said he is, then a lot more people would have already asked him to be their mentor. So, how do you stand out? How do you get to ask him/her in such a way that they are willing and ready to help?

Well, then. It is the power of Small Ask. When you need something from anyone, figure out how to break it into tiny pieces and get to it one by one. Asking all at once might be rather overwhelming for someone who is so busy. When you ask, ensure you ask something the other person can easily and quickly give you an answer to.

Your small request should be simple, concise and straight to the point. By consistently asking small and important questions, you continue to build a link which over time would show that you are indeed serious and ready to learn.

When you ask, also make it so small so that it is actionable for you to accomplish. Anyone who wants to help you wants to know that you are also fully utilizing the help he or she is offering. So by asking very few questions, you get rather smaller answers which might be way easier to work on than having to get a response which might be too overwhelming.

Well, consider a scenario where you want to connect with a certain CEO in the industry where you currently are working. Maybe, you have a startup and you would like some advice.

So, if you simply ask for advice from the beginning, you might get rather too many action points to work on. So instead of that, consider asking him how he started. Maybe ask him what he did when he was in a similar position.

This greatly focuses the question and as such, you are expecting an answer that would be concise. Also, after asking, you need to make it a point to communicate back on your level of success with the plan so far. Communication is key for EVERY RELATIONSHIP.
Whatever it is you want to ask today, consider the power of Small Ask.

Happiness is Sharing
Last week at the meeting, I met a lady. She talked about how she thinks everyone seeking to go to Grad School should try to prepare. She mentioned a whole lot. Later after the event, a friend of mine decided to speak to her personally. I was just listening to their conversation trying to gain one or two things.

Then she mentioned that she studied Computer Science. Woow, my eyes lightened up. Yeah, I have seen one of us. Well, you know how you feel when you see someone in your field. So I decided to join the conversation and ask her what schools she was applying to and what she was specializing in.

Her answer shocked me. She simply responded, “I do not want to tell you so that we do not have to compete in the same school”. I was really furious. Here I was looking for someone to share information with and then this. I decided to let that slide and also ask what she was majoring in. The answer also was rather ambiguous.

Well, the essence of stating my encounter is to explain that whether I know her school or not, that did not stop her from competing with others. And having to compete with the best and coming out tops is the only thing that shows that you are indeed capable.


Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.
Buddha

We can all share information with one another and that does not mean that by telling you my school, course or score would make you less qualified. Sure, there are certain information that might not be divulged but I think not telling someone because you fear they might outrun you is not enough.

Well, we all have our personal experiences to thank for some of our actions. But sometimes, we need to think outside the box and be more open with information.

Because if you do not share information, there is no guarantee that that information would surely grant you the much awaited success. There might be something the other person has which might also be useful to you. So always share information.
Life is not a race. We all can be winners in whatever aspect we choose and still not ruin the success of others. If you have any information which might help others, please share.

This is not written to denigrate anyone. It is simply written to present a contrasting view to the point that my hiding information, you have a better chance at success.

Feel free to ask me any question you believe might be useful for me and you.
Thanks

Hofbrauhaus:
Just simply tell Buhari that he has failed...this one is writing long story!!

Well, sometimes, you have to give the person a chance to fix their mistakes. 2019 is still ahead. A lot more can be achieved before then

I begin my letter in the Name of God to guide and protect as I write this. 

I clearly remember when I asked my friend if he thought Buhari could ever win the 2015 election. His response was that of belittlement. How can a current President be voted out of power? It had never happened to any democratically elected President in Nigeria. The current President who controls all the Armed Forces, the customs just to mention but a few. How could this type of President be elected out? He said it in such a way that
I almost wanted to believe that thinking that Buhari would win the election was indeed a Chimera, a thought that would never ever come to pass.

But fast-forward to today, it seems as if that which was considered one of the greatest challenge was finally out of the way. President Muhammadu Buhari is indeed President and a current President was indeed ousted from Power. This reinforces the belief that anything could indeed be possible. This prompted Nigerians to once again believe that the future was indeed bright and possible. That Nigerians could indeed dream and it would come to pass. 

Nigerians gave it their all and indeed it was successful. We have our dream President. Beyond all the challenges, we can once again dream of a future where we as Nigerians are once again proud of being Nigerians. 

In the weeks that followed the election, Nigerians began behaving in ways that were indeed impossible to imagine. People became more conscious of their jobs, people were more traffic conscious. It seemed as if the country was really ready for the much-awaited take-off. 

What Nigerians wanted as a result of the election was a change in the way Nigeria was governed, in the way Nigeria was run. In the way that only those who were connected were the only ones who got the opportunities. In that people were no longer considered because of their expertise but because of who they knew in government. Nigerians were looking for a CHANGE in the way the Police was run, in the way every government sector was running. Those government sectors were running, but Nigerians wanted a different way of running such sectors. 

People were indeed tired in various ways but the most important aspect was that people wanted CHANGE. Change in how everything was. Would it make sense that your friend who was not as qualified as you get a job while you languish in a job you barely can survive in? All you could do was to eat and at least survive. People were indeed ready for the CHANGE and the few weeks after the election showed that Nigerians indeed could really get that. We had overcome far greater challenges. This was not going to be an exception.

But years have passed and things have really moved. Well, things have not been stagnant. So they definitely have moved. Nigeria has indeed moved. But is it this form of movement we seek to achieve. Yes and No.

Yes in the sense that every government must provide basic amenities for its citizens. The issues of security, infrastructure, and economy have indeed moved. But the movement we want has never been about comparing what the previous government has done with what the current government is doing. Great improvements have been done and we really appreciate that. Programs to empower Nigerians are greatly underway, infrastructure has been moving in great strides and much more. We can see and appreciate all that. But this reminds me of a quote.

The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. — Michelangelo


We have moved. But is it in this magnitude that we really expected. We have moved and much more can indeed be done. It should never be in the place of this government to compare. The achievement of any government is how much it affects it citizens and not about comparing it with other governments. So has this government done better than the previous government, we can say YES in some sense, but our vote was never about comparison, it has been about affecting the citizens in positive ways.

So beyond saying that the government has worked in some areas. We have to once again remind the government of the major reason why Nigerians voted. It was to effect change in every aspect of the government. It was to have a fair playing ground for Nigerians. Whether you are connected or not, you should be able to compete as a Nigerian. The system of corruption in the various sectors of the government should be curtailed. Every government officer should be checked. Systems should be in place.

So in few words, what Nigerians want is indeed a CHANGE in the way the government is run. So to ask the question, “Has the way in which government in Nigeria is run CHANGED?”. The answer is obvious. We all can attest and answer that question. Corruption in different sectors of government is not far from how it was in the different government. 
Is their still corruption in the sectors of the government. Well, that cannot be eradicated at once. But what has government done to show Nigerians that CHANGE has now arrived. The government still continues to run as it has been done previously. So can we say we have achieved the CHANGE we want. The answer is simple NO.
My letter is never to criticize the government but to remind them of the reason the hoi-polloi of Nigeria voted for them. It was to create CHANGE and at this point, we are yet to get that. 

Nigerians have so much hope in the government of Buhari and still believe that much can be done. The love the Nigerian people have for the government should not go to waste. Because if this government does not act as Nigerians wanted when they voted, it would be hard for anyone to come later and say they want to do the same thing. This would in short kill the dreams of any Nigerian who wants to effect the CHANGE we all yearn for.
There is time to still effect change. As a follower, we might not fully understand the challenges the government is facing. But any government that would be successful must face great challenges and solve them. Governments are adjudicated as successful only when they face great challenges and solve them. 

Simple steps can be taken to show that the government is interested and can do more. Ensure transparency in the government, people found wanting should be properly handled. Simple acts like meeting and discussing with Nigerians in greater capacity would help down the fears Nigerians have. More can still be done and more should be done.

The most important thing that should be done is to put systems in place such that every government official is able to do things that move this country forward. This should begin with the President and everyone. CHANGE is possible, but we are not there YET.
President Buhari, there is no candidate with a better reputation than you have. Please do help effect the CHANGE Nigerians want. It was never meant to be easy. So we expect that you face challenges far greater than we can understand, but only great Men can face great challenges.
SAI BABA, SAI CHANGE
God Bless Nigeria

Why Hard-work Alone Is Not Enough
Sometimes we believe that what we need to achieve what we want is hard-work. This is indeed true only to a certain extent. Beyond that extent, we need something more. You can call it luck, but I call it God. Whatever it is you are doing, always believe there is a higher power controlling it.

Because otherwise, the concept of hard-work would mean that the most hardworking being on earth should be the richest. But you can look and simply realize that this is not necessarily true. If, hard-work alone is not the recipe for success, what else do we need?

It is not far-fetched. It is a combination of a lot of things to indeed be very successful. Hard-work, determination, and any more adjective that galvanizes us are still part of the whole circle. The most important part I have come to realize is what I call the God factor.

Whatever it is that you push forward for, it is always good that you put in all the factors needed. No part should overpower the other. So you should not only depend on God without putting your best and should also not work and depend only on your hard work. It is a combination of both.

However, it seems that recently, people are depending too much on their hard-work assuming it is all by hard-work. Be careful to not misunderstand what I am trying to say, I am trying to advocate that we need to try our possible best in what we want to do but to also include God as an important factor. Because sometimes even with our hard-work, somethings just don’t go as planned. We need an indeed higher power to guide us in such period.

Whatever you call it, a factor beyond our control exists. It is a panacea to all our problems. Take your time today in whatever you can doing and include God in your activities. It would really make sense when you do.

As you begin a new task today, ensure you have done all the best you can do and also have prayed to God about it. Because with Good, all things are possible.

Hard-work pays, but Hard-work with God is a panacea to all issues.

Belittling Our Wrong Deeds
As I sat in my house trying to study, I could hear as my neighbour from the next house scream. She screamed as a hawk took away a chick from the mother hen. You could hear the sound of the baby chick in the sky as the hawk made away with it trying it into lifeless afternoon or evening meal.

But then, I looked at the situation again. Why did my neighbour scream? Was she screaming because she was lachrymose about the young chick or she was just trying to show her unhappiness about the act of murder the hawk just committed? Was she screaming thinking that the hawk would drop the baby and let it live its beautiful young life so that it can live and procreate.

Well, she was screaming and showing her unhappiness about the act of murder the hawk committed. She was not really very okay with what the hawk did. But would the same person feel the same way when her husband or neighbours bring in a live chicken and say they would be having that for dinner? She would definitely be happy. Well, that is another form of death for the chicken, but why is she not a bit unhappy.

Well, this happens in our daily lives. We live in such a way that we make our bad deeds so diminutive but make that of others look so glamorous. The hawk is simply going to feed so as you are when you walk into the next restaurant who have both called a chicken to its early grave. But why do we have different responses? At the restaurant, we are so happy that we even pay for the chicken but would quickly abuse and rain curses over the hawk.

It is difficult to see things from another person’s perspective most of the time. And simply because we do not understand it does not mean we have to abuse and dislike the other person, you can do better. You can better understand the situation before you make any comments if need be. Or better still, you also do the same thing in another way. So why are you complaining?

You look at a person who has been convicted of stealing and you start a new episode about him/her. Talking all the way you feel forgetting that you recently got an extra credit for the task just completed which you did not earn. In all fairness, you both have stolen. Taken something that does not belong to you. So who is worse?

The idea of this article is not to criticize anyone or simply let everyone behave the way they want. The idea is to make us become more observant about the things we do and how we aggrandize(look too powerful) it when its done by someone we do not like.

Take a few moments to analyze some of the things you do today. You might actually be toning down the ill-effects it might cause. Change and be better.

Let’s be Better. Be Better.

My Near Encounter With Death
Well, I used to see a lot of stories about people explaining their near-death experiences and I would truly want to read it and truly make good use of it, but it becomes entirely different when you are the one in such situation. It becomes as though you have just been brought face to face with your next life and every other thing you had planned was not going to happen again.

So how did mine start? I decided to take a break from the office to go home and read for my GRE exams. Well, I was really happy about taking the break and one of the best place I thought to go spend it was with my family at home, Ibadan. I arrived home on the 2nd of October, 2017 and soon started reading about a day or two after. I got some materials to use and then visited a few friends.

So I started reading fully only to fall a bit ill some days later. I didn’t think it was going to be something much. So I decided to simply go to bed early that day and start again the next day. Oh, Oh. That did not work. The next day, the only option I had was to go to the hospital. My mum and my sister escorted me to the hospital. There at the hospital, I complained of having the same symptoms sometimes back in Port-Harcourt. I was having headache, cold and weakness of the body. Don’t remember telling them about the weakness of the body. Then I was given 3 drips (Intravenous Fluid).I told the nurse I would like to go home that same day. So she rushed the three drips and I left that day. I got some injection and some drugs. Hmm, my bad, I should not have rushed the doctor. She was saying I should stay the night but I really wanted to go back home and continue my reading.

I returned home feeling better. I took my drugs, slept and woke up the next day better than the previous day. I got back to my reading. Later that evening, the same symptoms came back and this was where I had the near-death experience. Well, someone might say I did not really have a near-death experience, but I felt as if I was going to die. That to me was a near-death experience.

I started feeling headache, then cold. I was really shivering very hard. So I went to sleep hoping that it would simply go away. It did not go away and I started feeling very sick. Then I started thinking of death. I thought if this was how people died. He had a simple illness and that was it. I was really afraid of dying. I realized I was not really afraid of death but was afraid of the pain my mum and dad would have to face and also who would care for my parents. I prayed that Allah sustains my life and let me come back and be better. Do better for my parents and be a better Muslim. I was also thinking that would I now die without getting married. Oh, No. I really want to get married. Thinking about this and that, I was also thinking of the purpose of my GRE exam to help galvanize and inspire others. If I can do very well on the exam, everyone can.

During those moments, I realized Islam was indeed the true Religion. It had warned me of those things I was now regretting I did. What other reason would a religion exist if not to show us the way and dissuade us from following the wrong path?

Also, I started thinking of the bad things I had done. The people I had backbite and the bad things I had really done. I wanted to apologize to everyone at that point and wished I didn’t do any bad thing. But well, I had done it so I wish everyone could forgive me. I also remembered the money I had borrowed from my boss and how I was going to write a message about it.

At this point, I simply got up and told my dad I was really sick and needed to go back to the hospital. I couldn’t go back to the same hospital I went earlier because the doctor was not picking her call. So we headed to another hospital. While I was still sleeping, I realized I began doing the Declaration of Faith. Well, that is supposed to be the last words of a Muslim.

I was also afraid of sending any death related messages to my friends so that if I really passed, they would not be sharing some kind of last words of me. I was really afraid.

At the hospital, I tested positive for Malaria. The doctor gave some injections and told me to come back the next day.

Hmm, I had to write about my encounter before going to bed because I really could not sleep. All I was waiting for was the morning of the next day to see that I was really alive.

Life and Death is really a lesson. We just have to do well and be better humans with the time we have. No one knows what would happen next. So take your time today and be better. No one knows when death would come.

On Being Open
Withholding some information from others sometimes seems very effective in keeping and making us look strong. But sometimes it does break the other person up to the point that they find it difficult to ever want to trust or believe you again. It pays to be open. No number of talks can justify that otherwise works.

I have at one point or another being in different relationships and the one thing that most breaks me out of a relationship are you trying to be open while the other person seems to carry on without opening up to you and ever relating how they feel. Sometimes, we learn from history not to be open to people but sometimes the situation demands that we simply go all out and be open. Especially if you are sure the other person is opening up to you.

And what is this thing about wanting to always be strong? People want to look and act strong. But sometimes, it is just okay that we are at our weakest. At this point, we sometimes know who our real friends are. The most important aspect of opening up is you are truly yourself. No hiding, just you.

But a lot more people have had enough experience to always want to be secretive. But sometimes, the experience is not indeed the best teacher. It might limit us in trying to experience new things by being drawn back by the things that would indeed make us better.

It pays to keep some stuff to ourselves but it is sometimes a punishment to the people that open up to us without we opening up to them. It drives away the beauty and fun of it.

Take a few moments today to look at the issues you would like to be open about and critically look at the people you need to be open with. Life is too short to sometimes be too uptight.

Take a cool look and be open on some things. It pays.

On Being Different
Recently I began to take note of how people did things simply because others did the same thing. From taking pre-wedding shots to having birthday parties. Now, don’t get me wrong. People can have pre-wedding pictures and birthday parties and any other thing they want to, but for what reason? What is the reason for doing what you are doing? A lot of the people who do things are in the habit of doing what others do.
It would come to a point in time when people would do things we currently deem stupid but everyone would be okay with it because it is simply what everyone does. It seems everyone just wants to have what every other person has or has done. But for what? What is the motivation behind what you do?

It is really okay to be different. It is okay to do what no one has dared to do. It is okay that you want to have a simple and less social-media concentrated life. It is okay that you do not post every single picture you take on social media for social recognition. Some of these things have become so common that we think it is what we want. A countless number of times have I looked at a practice and remembered when it was even a taboo just to mention it.

Take for example Fashion. People now wear torn clothes all in the name of fashion to help justify what they do. Wearing clothes has in history served to protect us from embarrassment by keeping away our unclothedness and to protect us from other forms of physical harm. But these days, the definition of clothing is such that I assume it has taken on a new dimension. People dress in very provocative ways all in the name of Fashion. That was a time when we did not even want to show any form of our unclothedness.

But people have transcended into following the norms, into doing what every other person does. At such speed, people no longer consider if it is important or not, all they do is to realize if other people are doing it. If others are doing it, it all of a sudden seems normal and okay to everyone.

However, we need to consider the aspect of being different. It is okay that we do things for the most important reasons rather than for what others think. Take a few moments and realize if what you are doing and about to do is simply to conform rather than being the true you. No one can be exactly like you. No one knows how long we would be here on earth. It is only wise that we begin to spend our time and life in ways that show who we truly are.

Be Yourself because every other person has been taken

You can only be yourself. No one else. You can only do the things you do the way you do them. No one else can do them. So it is time to carefully look at your life and decide if you want to do things because they are what matters or what everyone wants.

We have been so brainwashed by the media that we sometimes play to the tunes of others without ever realizing that we are following a script.
Whatever it is you are doing now, Dare to be different. It pays to be different. Usually different in a positive way
Imagine how long you would live on this earth and begin to see how much time you have left to be you. To be yourself. There is no time to be someone else. Be different, Be yourself.

Watch Your Promises
Have you ever made a promise and never fulfilled it? Yes, we all have at one point or another made a promise and somehow never fulfilled it. It is usually very painful when we are the ones at the receiving end. Imagine making all your plans based on a single promise and later realize that it all fell apart.

I recently realized how much I do make and break promises. I would simply say things and really not follow them through. But recently, the same thing has now happened to me. Someone promised me some documents before the end of the week and I am currently looking at the next week right on my calendar.

It does not matter how small the promise we made is. It might not be so small to the other person. Next time I want to make a promise, I would seriously look at my schedule and really hope to meet up before I say YES.
It does not matter that you say YES to everything and you simply become a liar. People would prefer that you say YES only when you are sure of meeting up with your promise.

Even when you know you might not be able to meet up, simply call back and inform the person as soon as you can to upgrade the promise.
Life does not always go as planned and some promises made in good time sometimes seem impossible. In such cases, it is better to inform the other person in time that you might not be able to meet up. So just be clear and elucidate your reasons.
It is not the TRUTH that we say that hurts. It is the LIES we present that in the end always hurts the most.
A lot of reasons present themselves as to why we do not fulfill our promises but we should always try as much as we can. Put in all the extra efforts as much as we can to see that it works out.

Take a few minutes today to reflect on the number of commitment and promises you have made. For the ones you think might not be possible, take some time out to call and explain your reasons now.
Tomorrow might be too LATE.

Why Appreciation Matters. Appreciate That Person Today
Our everyday tasks sometimes overpower us that we simply seem to react to things that happen to us and hardly find time to ever be in charge. We sometimes see the things that happen to us and fail to remember the time when we were wishing for the things we currently have.

I still remember my days at the University when I used to wish and hope I was a graduate. Today, being a graduate simply just seem normal and okay to me and I forget when it was the only thing I was hoping for. Such is life. But beyond that, we need to be able to sometimes take a few minutes out of our busy schedule to appreciate that one thing we have today. It could be that one family member, that one friend, that one colleague or that one boss at work. It is really important that we find time to appreciate the people around us. Because when you look at it, it took a lot from you and also from those people to get you where you currently are. It did not just happen overnight.

It is never too late. All you need is to take a few minutes and really appreciate the few people that have made where you are possible. I do believe the most important person to appreciate is God. Without him, all our appreciation would not be complete. After appreciating God for what we have, next is our family. Our parents, our spouses, and our other family members. They have played a great role. It has not been an easy task.
After that, you can look closely at your colleague, your friends and everyone around you that have made your life in one way or the other better than it should have been. That little favor, that little help. You need to appreciate.

To appreciate is really a great thing. You are happy, the other person is happy. Imagine if the other person is happy, how many more people they would make happy? Imagine the number of people you would have made happy by a simple act of kindness.
Tomorrow might be too late to appreciate that one person. Start small. Start now. Appreciate someone today

Coming Up With An OKR
So for some of those who do not know what an OKR is, it means Objective And Key Results. Well, forget the long meaning. It simply is a way to plan your goals for the next few months of your life usually about 3 to 4 months. Organizations normally come up with OKRs as well as their employees. But you do not need to be in an organization to have an OKR. All you need is to have a plan, then you can design an OKR to help achieve it.

Most importantly, whatever plan you set, you need to be able to measure your progress at any point in time. So an OKR basically must be measurable. You would need to be able to access your success after a few days or weeks. The agenda you set in your OKR would need to be as measurable as possible. Beyond having a measurable OKR, it also needs to be as clear and concise as possible. You need to be able to read it and immediately understand what your goal is, what you want to achieve, make sure it is clear.

Beyond having a clear and measurable goal, you would also need to have a plan that imagines your future. In the next 3 months, what precisely would you love to achieve? Your goals in the OKR should be able to help you imagine your life in the next few months. Its all about your future. So you should have a goal that well captures your future. Imagine where you want to be in the next 3 months, goals you want to have achieved, what certain knowledge you wish to have learned. Then add that in your OKR. If you are not able to see your future self in an OKR, then you need to re-evaluate the OKR.

The most important part of an OKR is having to look at your OKR and praying that you achieve the goals you have stated because frankly, the OKR scares you. You look at it and you imagine if you can ever achieve what you have written within the time frame. This means you have an ambitious OKR. The main goal of an OKR is not to achieve every single goal but to make sure that your best work has gone into making the OKR plans and goals possible.

Also necessary about an OKR is to be able to see it and review it from time to time. One such way I would suggest is to have your OKR in a glass frame and look at it every morning and every time. This reminds you of the success to work towards. It reminds you of the goal at hand and to keep working. Always seeing and reviewing the OKR is a sure way to be on track in achieving all the goals and plans in the OKR.
The most important goal of your OKR is to move you away from your comfort zone into a zone that scares you. If you look at your OKR and it does not scare you, kindly review and evaluate your OKR. More needs to be done.

Take a few moments today to design and evaluate your OKR. In our everyday business, we would all need something that reminds us and brings us back to the center of our goal. An OKR is one such tool. Use it sagaciously.

What I Really Want In A Relationship
It is common these days to see a lot of people in different levels of relationships. A lot of reasons are why people enter relationships. I might not know it all but would really like to state and express why I would like to enter any relationship.

Well, by breaking the word relationship into two words, you have relation and ship. So it has to be people relating in a ship. When people are on a ship, it means they are at least going to the same place, or at least on a path together. To be together on a path, there are different things that could happen. It could go really well if both parties corporate or it could be miserable and both parties would regret ever been on the ship.

What my aim is in any relationship is to be better. Better in my religion, my moral and social life is to improve. This is the basic reason I see myself in any relationship. To be better.

But it is said to travel fast, you travel alone but if you want to travel longer, you get a partner.

So in a relationship. You want to have a long and great life together, you want to wake up each day better than the previous day. That is what being in a relationship is all about. Because imagine if you cannot be better, why on earth should one be in a relationship then?

Also, to be able to be me. I want to be in a relationship where I am not afraid of expressing myself in my true form. Being able to talk about my past, present, and future without any fear of being judged or chastised. Because whether we like it or not, we all have one or two things we would like to keep secret but sometimes we look frantically for someone to share these with, and if we don't, they become a burden to us in the end.

A partner who would not be afraid of telling me the truth in every situation is a partner I seek in a relationship. A friend who would see my dream and help achieve it. All these said I would also love to be the one to do all I want in a relationship for my partner. I would like to help them get better, make them able to express themselves and also able to tell them the truth no matter what.

It seems like a weakness in today’s world to say you want something and admit that you do not have it. A lot of people would prefer to house pain in their hearts rather than revealing it now. Well, life is too short to bare too much pain.

Whatever relationship you are in today, evaluate and see if you are indeed becoming better or not. If you are able to speak freely to your partner and if you really can tell them the truth in whatever situation because if all these are not present, you might be in an unhealthy relationship.

Hoping to hear from you soon. My future partner.

Shorter Might Actually Be Better
We sometimes believe that the longer we do something, the better it is. This is correct but there are some cases in which doing less is actually better. It is what you do in those few moments that determines how you would grow not how long you did it.

Take, for example, exercise. You can choose to exercise your body for as long as you want. But exercising 30 minutes might be better than exercising 2 hours depending on what you do. If you are involved in an intensive 30 minutes exercise, that would definitely pay back more than a normal 2 hours exercise. This does not only apply to exercise. It applies to a larger part of our lives than we can imagine.

Consider also the number of hours you spend at work. Sometimes, what you would achieve with just a few hours would not be achieved in a full day depending on the mode you are in. With a lot of information and distraction, you hardly ever are utilizing the 8 hours you have at work every day.

No matter how focused you are, sometimes spending too much time at work has a diminishing return. The more time you spend, the less productive you would become. This is really true, especially in brain-tasking jobs. Jobs that would require that you think and use your brain.
So how best can one handle this? Well, one of the best ways to set out some time for focused work. During this period, you know that you have no distraction and are only committed to the task at hand. Then schedule compulsory breaks in between. Breaks are indeed necessary to help you get back to your high level.

Without breaks, stress and fatigue sets in faster than you can imagine. At this point, it does not matter how much time you put to the task. It is like you are punishing yourself by spending more time at your job.

And it would be a great idea to begin looking at reducing our 8 hours work day to about 5–6 hours. Because well, let us face the truth, almost half of the time at the office is spent during unproductive work. By cutting out the unproductive time, people can easily focus for lesser hours and put in their best before stress and boredom sets in.

Schedule short naps at work to help recover. Set aside days to recover. You need to recover. Your body needs to recover and your business definitely needs you to recover to have a better flow of ideas
Thanks for Reading

Is That The Right Thing To Do?
As kids, we exhibited some behaviors that were termed innocuous meaning harmless but looking back at such behaviors, one realizes that they are the source of some of our problems. As a kid, when you want something, you find any way to get it. You tell your parents you want ice-cream, they have to get it for you or else you turn the whole house upside down.

Few years down the lane, these few behaviors have now transformed you into a person who learns to have it his/her way or the highway. We never imagined that such small behavior would turn a person into such.

So I tell you today to look closely at whatever it is you are doing today. How much impact would that have in the years to come? How would what you are currently doing going to impact the world in the years to come? If it would not have any meaning, you should let it go and if it would cause huge problems you cannot control, it is time you re-evaluate.

Sometimes, we do not easily see the effect of what we are doing. But with conscious effort, we begin to realize and understand what we are doing. Recently, I was going through the old hip-hop music in Nigeria and realized that the immorality in the Music Industry started back then although it was not as pronounced as today. It, however, laid the ground work for almost all of the immoralities present in the music we hear today.

Ladies are seen only as sex tools for such music and knowledge and wisdom that used to be in Music has now been left to the dogs. Well, do I mean we should stop music altogether. No, what I mean is to really carefully analyze the effect of what you want to do before doing it because you do not know where your effect might be felt later.

Take, for example, the great work done by the past great leaders of any country. Whatever the current state of a country is, it is largely due to the work that was done by its past leaders either good or bad. So know that one day, you would be tagged a past leader and the effect of what you have done would be felt in the society. So choose well.

Live a life based on the Right Principles. You do not need to have everything figured out, but a little at a time is what you need. Refine your attitude and your behavior so that tomorrow, you can say with your head high you did the very best and the positive impact of what you are doing is what the world is reaping now.

I remember during my final year in the University when we were to have a party. Another set of people decided against just spending only to have a party but to have an event that would have a profound effect on the life of people. As such, visit the hospital and seminars were organized to mark our graduation. Years later, the sets that have followed are now following in the same line. That is indeed a great news.

So whatever you do today, think not only about the Short Term but the Long Term