Execution

Wow! It’s been a while! First things first, Happy New Year and Happy New Month!

Away from the niceties and into the central theme of this article. So, today I would like to handle a critical matter, that is, execution. I felt the urge to begin my writing this year with an important subject that really separates leaders from followers, the successful from the unsuccessful, the rich from the poor, and the wise from fools. In one way or the other, execution is one of the most significant elements to success in any field. Time and again, we have heard that “procrastination is the thief of time.” Also, we know that procrastination is the silent killer of man’s deepest dreams yet we still find ourselves pushing forward a significant activity. How many times have we backed out of important but not urgent matters? In any case, what often makes us fail to spring into action may be fear, paralysis by analysis, or the discouragement concerning the effort that we need to put into attaining the success. At other times, it may be the lack of enthusiasm or drive to just get it done.

Image Credits: Board of Wisdom

On a lighter note, I read someone’s post on social media where he had written that the year often begins in March; January and February serve as a period of reminiscing the past year and also as a grace period for preparing to enter into the new year. Funny weird, isn’t it? It is easy to conclude that such comments come from a lack of enthusiasm and motivation to seize the day. In effect, inaction breeds immobility and yet time and tide wait for no man! We ought to be in action, but this does not mean that we just move around aimlessly without a purpose. We need to have a purpose and to attain this purpose, we ought to set goals. To accomplish the goals, we need to execute the steps necessary to achieve them. Ever heard of the quote which says, “Dreams without goals are just dreams…and they fuel disappointments.” We hate disappointments, right?

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The Good Book tells us that, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” [Proverbs 4:7, KJV]. So, in the above scripture, we have two elements – Wisdom and Understanding. The latter is gotten as people gain knowledge. We know that wisdom and knowledge go hand in hand. However, there is an important factor that connects the two. This factor is execution. Even as man searches for knowledge, there is the need for them to appreciate that the wisdom is in the execution! If you cannot put into practice (execute) what you learn, then the knowledge becomes useless.

Image Credits: Highland Park Baptist Church

Imagine you are an archer and you have really prepared well for a particular global tournament. When you win the competition, you get to walk home with a fortune. So, the tournament is held in an arena as large as the Wembley Stadium and is being broadcasted worldwide. It is your turn to march on to the field and take your shots. The only challenge is that there is no target! What! After all the preparations you walk into a competition, and there is no target? Well, that’s madness, isn’t it? Well, that’s how a large portion of the world is today! Shocked? Yes, we have many people with all the knowledge in the world, but they do not know where to apply it! It is said that the greatest tragedy in life is not death but a life without purpose.

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Knowing one’s purpose is the first step to living a great life. However, we also have individuals who know their purpose, but they have a rough time living their destiny. They have all the knowledge concerning the direction they should take but are still unsuccessful. In essence, their outward life does not portray who they are on the inside. On the inside, they may be having all the knowledge concerning their specialization, but on the outside, they are unsuccessful in their profession. Mercy! One of the challenges could be that they are poor in applying the knowledge they possess. Yes, we all desire to be wise. However, in our pursuit for wisdom, we face a lot of hurdles that at times make us play low in the name of sparing ourselves the blushes. However, there is a remedy for all that. The power lies in the execution. Simply put, “gaining knowledge is good, but wisdom is in the execution/application of whatever one has learned.” Also, “Knowledge is power but knowledge without action is useless.”

Image Credits: Brainy Quote

Indeed, wisdom is the principal thing. We could go on and on expounding on the subject, but I choose to leave it at this point. Well, wisdom is knowing your strengths and weaknesses and taking the necessary actions to improve further. So, for a long time, I have been battling with execution. It has been a struggle not only in business but also in life. From time to time, I was wondering why my life was not improving despite all the effort I put in gaining knowledge only to know that I was poor when it came to execution. However, now I have a clear picture of my weakness.
For a start, I have begun reading Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan’s book titled, “Execution – The Discipline of Getting Things Done.” I have not gone past chapter one, and I am already learning a lot. In the book, Bossidy and Charan investigate how great leaders are masters of execution. In essence, they state that most companies struggle to make great strides because they are weak at execution. My reason for reading the book is to help revive my side-hustle which is in the negative zone despite having a great strategy and a grand master plan.

Image Credits: Amazon

Even you today, you can identify areas in your life where you have failed to take appropriate action and begin to move. Remember, wisdom and power lie in the execution. Also, remember that the knowing is in the doing. And when you are overwhelmed, remember to seek assistance. Indeed, there is no shame in asking for help.

Happy Execution folks!

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Bonus Thought

We have a lot of self-improvement books, and we also have a lot of motivational speakers. In the present age where technology is transforming the way we live, we also have motivational channels and accounts. So, we are well equipped with the knowledge we need to live a great life. However, the challenge lies in the execution. Yes, the information we get from all the books, channels, accounts, and the people around us would not work unless we apply it, period! Even the reading of the scripture and listening to sermons would not work unless you work it out! At times, the results may take longer to manifest, but one thing is for sure, the right execution techniques will yield the desired results.

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The Game..

Too often, we have come across the following quote, “Life is like a game.” Many philosophers and motivational speakers have also contributed to the thought that life is indeed like a game. For instance, take Alan Rufus who says that,

“Life is like a game of chess. To win you have to make a move. Knowing which move to make comes with insight and knowledge, and by learning the lessons that are accumulated along the way. We become each and every piece within the game called life.”

On the same note, another wise man pointed out that,

“Life is like a game of chess, changing with each move.”

Chess is indeed a fantastic game. Surprisingly, its origin still remains a subject of mystery. This has left many individuals wondering how a person or a group of people could just sit down and come up with the game. It often comes as a coincidence that from generation to generations, parallels have been drawn between the game of chess and life. At times, we have to give up the thing or things we love the most. As one great man once said,

“Life is like a game of chess. Sometimes you just have to sacrifice the things you love most for the better.”

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Indeed, love is life. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Where there is love, there is life.” The same applies to chess. Each piece has a role to play. Funny enough, chess has been compared to true love. In true love,  a boy is always afraid of losing his queen, and the girl risks everything just to protect her king. Wow! How charming!

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In life, there will always be ups and downs. There are moments when we may seem to be taking two or three steps back and a step forward. In such a season, we often feel like we are not making progress. It feels like being stuck in the wilderness. However, we ought to remember that in all these, everything is working together for our good if and only if we are focused on progress rather than on the problems at hand. Back to the chess game, we ought to remember that no one has ever won by taking only forward moves. Sometimes it is necessary to move backward to take better steps forward and eventually win the game. That’s life.

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We ought to live organized lives. An organized life entails coming having a vision and backing it up with SMART goals. The scripture reminds us that, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” (Proverbs 29:18, KJV). Without the vision, life is not worth living. Without vision, we lack a sense of direction. Without vision, a project is already a failure even before the foundation stone is laid. However, we ought to remember that in between accomplishing the vision and the goals lies hard work, discipline, and consistency. Additionally, living an ordered life involves taking calculated risks. The same goes for a game of chess where the players ought to take calculated movements to win. As Bing Gordon asserted, “Life is like a chess game – you don’t want to waste a move.” Indeed, we ought to be deliberate with every move we make.

Image Credits: chess.com

Our lives are made up of the past, the present, and the future. We ought to dwell much on the present with eyes set towards the future, and this is why we need vision. The past is behind us with its achievements (which we celebrate and esteem highly) and failures (which at times frustrates us but we ought to learn from them). Forethought is considered as an essential element in our lives. So, what is forethought? It is simply planning ahead. It is becoming a visionary individual. It entails having a careful consideration for what lies ahead of us. Much of the problems we experience can be avoided when we become prudent enough to engage in forethought. Even in chess, the players engage in forethought before making a move because one mistake can cost them the whole game. For this reason, “in life as in chess, forethought wins.”

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One of my favorite authors, Stephen R. Covey notes that one of the seven habits of highly successful individuals is beginning with the end in mind. This habit or principle is also applicable in a game of chess. Before making a particular move, the player ought to have seen the consequence of the move (whether it will favor them or their opponent or whether it will move them one step closer to victory). The same way, we need to look into the consequences of the actions we intend to take. It is only when we do so that we shall avert the adverse outcomes.

Bobby Fischer.

Bobby Fischer, one of the greatest chess players, said, “Chess is life.” Indeed, life is like a game.

You gotta keep on trying….

When the odds are against you and you feel like quitting, that’s when you can make the biggest difference by pressing on. It is interesting to note that when you feel like giving up, you are closer to a breakthrough than ever before.

How do you find the strength to keep going? You don’t worry about finding strength, just take one step after another.

Feel weariness as you choose to transform it into new energy. Feel discouragement as you choose to make it into fresh enthusiasm.

You can persist, because the reward for doing is so great. You’ve pushed yourself this far and you can use that same kind of push to keep yourself going.

Achievement is hard work, and you’ve already done a great deal of it. Now, as the payoff nears, keep going and do the rest.

Feel new determination as it floods into your awareness. You’ve already earned great value, so keep at it and claim your reward.

DO it ANYWAY….

I am currently reading the last chapter of Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do!, an interesting motivational book written by the late Robert H. Schuller. While at the second last chapter titled Prayer: The Power That Pulls Everything Together Successfully, I was deeply inspired by the way he demystified the word RENEW. At this point, it will b important to ask yourself these two questions:

1. How do you renew your strength and spirit when experiencing the low moments of life?
2. How do you pick yourself up in time to prevent a burnout? (as in how tough  are you?)

Each letter of the word RENEW was defined as below:

R: Review your past.

Ask yourself questions such as Where have I come from? What was keeping me going? Only then will you be able to have complete check of where you have come from and where you are going.

E: Examine all the possibilities.

Ask yourself this question: What would you set as your goals if . . .? The aim here is to examine all the far more possibilities than we think that are in existence.

N: Name the price you’re willing to pay.

What price are you willing to pay to achieve that goal/dream? Only then will you be able to make it.

E: Elect the best possibility, no matter what the price.

Always make it a point to choose the best; shun mediocrity. Mediocrity has a way of shriveling up enthusiasm. But
commitment to excellence taps and incredible source of energy. Elect the best, no matter
what the price tag.

W: Wait and work.

Probably nothing is more difficult than to keep waiting, working, plodding, and maintaining patience through dark times. But we must. And in God’s good time, hope and help will come our way. “Wait on the Lord” in prayer and He will renew a dream. Wait on the Lord, and He will strengthen you heart!

In renewing your energy and through the practice of possibility thinking will you be able to go through tough times.

In addition, there is a certain excerpt at the end of the chapter from the Reader’s Digest of December 1982 that encourages us to adopt the practice of prayer and also waiting on the will of God. It is titled Do It Anyway and I’d like to share it below:

DO IT ANYWAY

People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by
the smallest people with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for some underdogs anyway.
What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

The main point of the excerpt is to help one find joy and light in doing God’s will regardless of how people will interpret it or accept it. Remember to DO IT ANYWAY regardless of the fear and countless doubts that cloud your mind.

 

 

 

 

 

Embrace the goodness of this day…

Embrace the goodness of this day. Embrace the possibilities that exist right now.

Your life has unique value, and there’s much you can do today to express that value. Your life has great potential, and there’s much you can do right now to fulfill that potential.

Take the challenges, distractions, interruptions and disappointments in stride. You can handle life, you’ve been doing so for a while, and you can always find the goodness in it all.

Remind yourself of what you love, of what really matters. You can act to make a positive difference, so enjoy the satisfaction of doing just that, again and again.

You are more than the problems, more than the situations, more than the drama that surrounds you. You are the person who can find the positive possibilities in it all, who can bring those possibilities to life.

Stay strong, stay upbeat, stay thoughtful and purposeful. Embrace the goodness in this day, and make it even better.

Remember:

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Overall Blogpost Credits: http://greatday.com/

How to get what you want..

Power-consciousness is what you feel when you know that you can do a thing; and you know HOW to do the thing. If I can cause you to KNOW that you can succeed, and to know that you know HOW to succeed, I have placed success within your grasp; for if you know that you can do a thing and know that you know how to do it, it is impossible that you should fail to do it, if you really try. When you are in full Power-Consciousness, you will approach the task in an absolutely successful frame of mind. Every thought will be a successful thought, every action a successful action; and if every thought and action is successful, the sum-total of all your actions can not be failure.

Moving on from the old you…

I have just finished reading The Compound Effect written by Darren Hardy. The book is meant to motivate and inspire one to success in his/her life through realization of the ‘compound effect’.

One excerpt that caught my eye and which I would wish to share with you is about persistence in times of adversity and its importance in helping you grow. It goes:

”When conditions are great, things are easy, there aren’t any

distractions, no one is interrupting, temptations aren’t luring,

and nothing is disturbing your stride; that too is when most

everyone else does great. It’s not until situations are difficult,

when problems come up and temptation is great, that you get

to prove your worthiness for progress. As Jim Rohn would say,

“Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.”

When you hit the wall in your disciplines, routines, rhythms,

and consistency, realize that’s when you are separating yourself

from your old self, scaling that wall, and finding your new

powerful, triumphant, and victorious self.”

Extracted From Page 145

Takeaway:

It is important that we realize that tough times never last and that it is in facing and overcoming hurdles that we shall be able to move from our old selves to our new and victorious self.

Enthusiasm…

Activity creates energy. Involvement generates enthusiasm.

If you feel stuck, get up, get yourself moving, and create a change of scenery. If you feel bored or indifferent, make a commitment to make a positive difference for others.

Those who get the most out of life are those who put the most into it. Around every corner are situations where you can make meaningful contributions.

If you expect genuine fulfillment to be served to you on a silver platter, you’ll be sadly disappointed. If you’re cynical or dismayed, there’s much you can do to change your impression.

If you care about life enough to criticize it, then you can care enough to actively improve it. You can transform the power of your dismay and disappointment into energy that will make a positive difference.

Get yourself more active and get yourself more involved. Feel the joy and fulfillment of pointing enthusiastic energy in a positive direction.

Remember:

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Future…

Every prediction of the future is based on the past. No person knows for sure what will happen tomorrow, or next year.

If you are tempted to be discouraged about the future, avoid that temptation. The results are not in yet, and you can act right now to dramatically improve those results.

There are billions of people in this world, seeking to live prosperous and fulfilling lives. Each day, a whole lot of them are doing so.

Countless new and worthwhile ideas are born every moment. In our highly interconnected world, good ideas and their implementations can quickly spread.

No one knows what tomorrow will bring. Yet there’s an enormous shared incentive, spread throughout the world, to make tomorrow a little better than today.

Let yourself envision a bright future ahead, then do something to make it so. You can be sure many others, every day, are doing the same.

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Choose to be Positive and Realistic…

Being positive about your prospects will improve your prospects. You’ll be more energetic, more persistent, more effective.

A positive perspective might be justified, or it might not be. In either case, it’s the best choice.

Being positive does not mean you must deny that negative factors exist. Rather, it means you commit yourself to successfully working through those negative influences.

You’ll encounter plenty of challenges pushing back against your efforts. Don’t let your own outlook be one of those challenges.

Though negativity might be the most obvious reaction, it is not in your best interest. You can always choose to be both positive and realistic.

Give yourself the advantage of a positive perspective. No matter how difficult the situation, being positive will put you in the best position to deal with it.

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