The Mystery of Creativity and Imagination

It’s been a while now since I dropped something on this blog. Many apologies to my readers. Actually, I’ve been doing a lot of daydreaming lately. I believe everybody must have daydreamt about certain things at one point in their life, or the other. While some may be realistic visions, others may just be pure unrealistic fantasies.

But really, there is no stupidity in daydreaming. One must always learn to daydream once in a while. Allow your imagination to roam, then give it a chance to breathe. It’s never too late for you to start thinking productively. Infact, it is lack of imagination that always keeps a man from his potential.

One must always have a constant flow of new, exciting and powerful ideas on which to act on immediately or afterwards. You must learn to constantly frustrate tradition with your creativity and imagination. The opportunities of every man are only limited by his imagination. Dreams are previews to greatness. All men who have achieved great things were once dreamers. In other words, every achiever today was a dreamer yesterday.

And come to think of it, it is indeed those that dream the most that do most. A shallow thinker seldom makes a deep impression. We act or fail to act, not because of will, as it is commonly believed, but simply because of vision. It only only takes seeing the invisible to do the impossible.

Ideas are like rabbits. Once you get a couple and learn how to handle them, very soon, you have a dozen. You will get more out of your life if you stay incurably curious. Nothing really happens until there is firstly a dream. Denis Waitley once said, “It doesn’t cost a dime to dream, you’ll never shortchange yourself when you stretch your imagination.”

More so, we must always look at things not as they are, but as they can be. It is vision that adds value to everything. A single idea or flash of any thought may be worth a million dollars. Infact, I believe God made us an unfinished world so that we also may share in the joy and satisfaction of creation. Ted Engstrom said, “Creativity has been built into every one of us. Each of us lives less of the life God intends for us when we choose not to leash out the creative powers we possess.” Indeed, he is right!

Conclusively, learn to be a dreamer, and “Don’t let anybody steal your dream.” (Dexter Yager).

The Power of Purpose

The world only makes room for a man of purpose. His words and actions will always show he knows where he is going. In reality, we are built to conquer circumstances, solve problems and attain goals.

There is no real satisfaction and happiness in life without obstacles to conquer, goals to achieve and a purpose to accomplish. Most people usually say they want riches, but all they actually need is the fulfillment of a purpose. Happiness only comes when we loose ourselves for a purpose.

In your heart lies a sleeping lion that needs to be awakened. Always be on a mission. You must have a definite sense of direction and purpose for your life. Successful lives are only motivated by a dynamic purpose. God can only bless your plan and direct you in accomplishing it if only you have one. Strong convictions always precede great actions.

As soon as you resign yourself to fate, your resignation is promptly accepted. But realize today that you don't have a fate, but you only have a purpose. George Elliot said, “It is never too late to be what you might have been”. Billy Sunday also said “More men fail through lack of purpose than lack of talent”.

So many people are just on their way, but really do not know where they are going in life. Robert Marger said that “If you're not sure where you are going, you'll probably end up somewhere else”. Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell. Always move forward with a purpose. Lord Chesterfield said, “Firmness of purpose is one of the most necessary sinews of characters and one of the best instruments of success”. Without purpose, a man will only waste his effort in a maze of inconsistencies. You will definitely find another cross if you flee from the one you are initially meant to carry. The man who has no direction is the slave of his own circumstances. Also note that the poorest man in the world is not the man without gold, but the man without a goal.

In the absence of vision, there is no clear and constant focus. No wonder Dr. David Burns said, “If you don't have a vision for your life, then you have not focused on anything.” Once your purpose is clear, decisions will jump at you. And that’s why Clement Stone said, “When you discover your mission, you feel its demand and it also fills you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to work with it”.

Discover your purpose in life today and begin to work towards its accomplishment. Life is too short to squander away just like that. Be remembered for something positive!

The Best Time is Now!

The fore-most strategy of the enemy to make you fail is procrastination. You must always realize that is the time to be creative and productive. If you want to make an easy job look difficult; then just keep putting it off. In fact, a duty dodged is like a dept unpaid, it is only deferred but we must still come back and settle the account at last.

Work is the best weapon ever invented for killing time. Most individuals really usually attach a condition to their stepping out. They keep waiting until things change, until there is more time, until they are less tired, until they get a promotion, until they settle down, until this, until that. It always looks like there are some major events that must occur in their live before they step out. ‘One of these days’ is really ‘None of these days’. The by and by never comes.

Those who desire, but don’t act will always breed stagnation. Always do today what you want to postpone until tomorrow. Do not allow idleness to deceive you; for while you give him today, he steals tomorrow from you.

Indeed, nothing is as fatiguing as the eternal hanging of an uncompleted task. When an individual gets into the habit of wasting time, then they are sure of wasting a great deal that does not belong to them.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “One day today is worth two tomorrows. What may be done at anytime will definitely be done at no time.”

Life is indeed like a taxi. The meter keeps ticking whether you’re moving or standing still.

The successful person does the thing that others never get around to. Whatever the fool does at the end, the wise man does at the beginning.

Prolonged idleness paralyzes initiatives. Tomorrow is the busiest day of the week. In it, there is a hill to climb. Never think that waiting will make it any smaller.

A sluggard will always take a hundred steps simply because he would not take a concrete bold step in due time. If possible, make the decision now, even if it is in the future, there is indeed danger in delay simply because it is always better to reap two days too soon than one day too late. A man who waits until the last always ends up being pitied. Whlie the foolish enjoys the little he has, the wise would hunt for more. The way to hunt for more is to simply untilize your odd moments. A wise man called Arthur Brisbane also once said that the man who is always killing time is really killing his own chances in life.

Therefore, act now, because Procrastination is indeed the mother of Frustration!

The Power of Concentration

There are usually various opportunities all around us, but what matters is where you put your focus. Always ask yourself this question everyday: "Where should my focus be?". Wherever you focus your attention, you will definitely create strength and momentum.

Always be single-minded. Be stable in the pursuit of your goal. Be limitlessly passionate about it. Be intensely concentrated, have a boundless vision and a definite commitment to excellence.

It is focus (concentration) that opens the door to accomplishments. Infact, the first law of success is concentration, that is, the ability to bend all the energies and efforts to one point and then going to that particular point.

The most successful people today are those of focus, who have struck their blows in one place until they have accomplished their purpose. They usually have one specific idea, one steady aim, a single and concentrated purpose.

There is usually a great disparity between some people’s dreams and the results they achieve. This is simply due to the difference in their commitment to bring all their abilities and focus them towards a specific point.

There are two basic ways to fail - to take nobody’s advice and also taking everybody’s advice. Always learn to say No to the good so you can say Yes to the best. We accomplish things simply by directing our desires to one point, not by ignoring them. Imagine the immense powers you will possess when you process specific aims or goals. Infact, your words and your actions will be improved only when you begin to live for a reason.

Don’t be a person who is uncertain about the future and even hazy about the present. Make something your specialty. You can never find until you define. Life is like a race; to finish the race, you must remain on one track. Always learn to define yourself. Try to content yourself with some specific goals and definite works. Dare to be who you really are.

Never Get Distracted

One of the primary strategies of the devil to hinder one's momentum is Distraction, that is, to keep us from bring focused on the plan of God for our lives. You must determine what you really want and know what God wants for you. This will enable us to keep digging for diamonds and to stop chasing butterflies.

We must always learn to pay more attention to the thoughts are working positively in our lives than to the things that are working negatively in our lives.

Most times, people usually tend to devote majority of their efforts, time and attention those things that are never going to be productive in their lives.

Always clear your mind of the things that are out of your control in order to focus and act upon your goals for the day. You will always get lost by trying to find an alternate route for the straight and narrow.

Most times, the words and sayings of others will be one of the primary distractions that will try to hinder you. But then, always try to do just once, what others say you can not do and you will never pay attention to their limitations again. If you let or allow the people stop you, they will.

When you allow yourself to get distracted by the fears and doubts that others want to bring into your life, then you will have a “quick ear for bad news” and “large eyes for troubles ahead”. You will just end up becoming an inventor of things that will never happen. Even Jesus said in Luke 9: 62, “No man, having put his hand on the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God”.

When you are distracted, you tend to lose concentration. Always learn to concentrate on one thing at a time and rule out all influences that do not have bearing on the task at hand. Within your concentration, the rest of the world can not distract you.

It takes a Change to take Charge

Many fail in life simply due to their unwillingness to make certain changes. But the fact remains that correction and change always culminates in fruitfulness.

The entire mankind is divided into 3 classes:

· Those who are unchangeable
· Those who are changeable
· Those who cause change

Change is always very difficult for the man who has fallen into a rut because he has scaled down his living to only that which he can handle comfortably and therefore welcomes no change or challenge that would lift him up. If you find yourself in a pit then you must stop digging. Whenever things go wrong, don’t go wrong with them. Stubbornness and unwillingness to change is the energy of fools.

A wise man called Francis Bacon said, “He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils”. Ps 32:8 says “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shall go. I will guide thee with mine eye”. God can never close one door without opening another one but we must be willing to change in order to walk through that new door. Infact playing it safe is probably the most unsafe thing in the world. You should not stand still. You just need to move forward and be open to those adjustments that God has for you. The most unhappy people in the world today are those who are afraid to make changes. It has been said that ‘you can not make an omelet without breaking eggs'. One change always makes room for the next change, thereby giving us the opportunities to grow.

In fact, you’ve got to be open to change because whenever you think you are ready to graduate from the school of experience, somebody else would think up new course. Decide to be willing to experience change.

If only you can figure out where you stand firm and when to bend, you’ve got it made. Though we might become nervous because of incessant change, we would be absolutely frightened if we stop the change.

Blessed is that man who can adjust to a set of circumstances without surrendering his convictions. Always open up your arms to change but never let go of your values. Majority of people usually meet with failure simply due to lack of persistence in developing new ideas to replace those who failed. Infact, your growth mainly depends on your willingness to experience change.

So change now, so you can take charge!

Mentality of a Champion II

Most people in today’s world usually choose problem of their sizes and ignore the bigger or smaller problems to others. As a champion, you must always learn to look out for problems and tasks bigger then you. In fact, real success in any endeavor usually demands more from an individual than most people are willing to offer. The desire not to take risks so as be safe will always stand against every great and virtuous dream. Self-security is indeed the first step towards stagnation. He who dares nothing should expect nothing.

A Wise man called Christian Bovee once said, "One who is contented with what he has done will never be famous for what he will do”. If you have achieved all that you have planned for yourself, then you have not planned enough.

Always be used for a mighty purpose. Dare to choose a goal for which you are willing to exchange a piece of your life. The surest way to happiness is lose yourself in a course greater than yourself, because you will always be unhappy if you do not reach out for something that goes beyond you.

Another wise man called Robert Goddard also said, “It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is simply the hope of today and the reality to tomorrow”. Every great action usually seems impossible when it undertaken. To be complacently satisfied with yourself is indeed a sure sign that your progress is about to end.

If you are satisfied with yourself, then you better change your ideals. Always keep moving and keep pressing. There is no stopping for you. Never get satisfied or contended. That alone will spring forth a new desire to keep digging, moving and pressing.

The Mentality of a Champion

The key to momentum is to always have something in faith to look forward to. It is either we live by faith or we don’t live at all. It is either we venture or we vegetate.

This generation is in need of more people who would specialize in the impossible. This year’s success was last year’s impossibility. The success of today was yesterday’s impossibility. A wise man called Sherwood Eddy said, "Faith is not trying to believe something regardless of the evidence, but it is simply daring to do something regardless of the consequence".

Another wise man called Sir Philips Brooks said, "Do not pray for easy lives but instead, pray to be stronger men". Do not pray for tasks equal to your power, rather pray for power equal to your tasks. Jesus said in John 10:10 "...I am come that you might have life much more abundantly". Always learn to shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it, you’ll still land among the stars (Les Brown).

We are all like rubber bands. We are usually much more useful when we are stretched. You can only accomplish in proportion to what you attempt. The reason, why so little is only accomplished is because, so little is attempted. Never say Never; you have to think big to be big. A wise man called Seneca said, "It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare but simply because we do not dare that things are difficult".

Infact, impossibility is what nobody can do until somebody does. It is always fun to do the impossible. When we tend to play life safe, we create the most insecurity for ourselves. You do not tap the resources of God until you are ready to attempt the impossible. Infact, risk is definitely part of God’s plan. Phil 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".

It is only minds, corroded with mediocrity that usually dismiss any thing that reaches beyond their own understanding. Even a coward can praise God, but it only takes a man of courage to follow Him. Calvin Collidge once said, "We do not need more intellectual power, but what we need is more spiritual power, we do not need more of the things that are seen but need more of things that are unseen".

Every progress in life always involves risks. He who does not dare will not get his share. Until you enter the bee-hive, you cannot take the honey. Always look for ways to flex your "risk muscles". Everyone has a "risk muscle", which could be kept in proper shape simply by experimenting and trying new things. Robert Schuller once said, "the people who are real failures in life are the people who set their standards so low, keep the bar at a safe level, that they never run the risk of failure".

Every mighty ship will always ask for very deep waters. When you dare for nothing, you should hope for nothing. Infact, God wants us to bite off more than we can chew; to live by faith and not by sight.

THE GREATEST ENEMY II

"Overcoming any battle in life in order to stand out entails overcoming yourself because your biggest and greatest enemy is you."

SELF is a person’s inner being. It is what you really are. Until you overcome your inner being, until you learn to confront your internal critic, you will find it very hard to overcome temptations. For you to overcome temptations, you must learn to resist the devil, for the Bible calls him ‘the tempter’, and for you to resist the devil, you must first of all learn to resist yourself, simply by overcoming the Self factor. Now the question is, “How do I overcome myself?”

Overcoming one’s self
This is synonymous with Self control. You must learn to rule your own spirit. Proverbs 25:28 says “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls.” And in correlation with my earlier statement, having self control sometimes come with resisting the devil. And that’s why 1Cor 7:5 says, “Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourself to fasting and prayer, and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your inconsistency.” This explains that one good way to overcome yourself is by resisting the devil, by prayer and fasting '...that satan tempt you not'.

Humans are tempted every now and then. Even Jesus Christ was tempted too. Of course, it is not a sin to be tempted. But how you handle the temptation is what matters.

Resisting temptations is one problem most humans face. To resist temptations, you must learn to Resist the devil. The devil is very deceptive in nature. But when the WORD is dwelling in you, not just affecting you, but infecting you, the devil will have no chances of getting at you

A reprobate minded person easily consents to temptations. But someone whose foundation is built upon the Word of God will be guided accordingly. Take a look at Joseph during his life time. He refused the advances made by Pharoah's wife. That led him to the prison, then to the palace (a place he probably never thought of entering in his life), and finally to become the Prime minister of Egypt (an height he probably never dreamt of attaining). This therefore brings about the realization of a statement usually made by one of my mentors, "Every negative action of the devil, always leads to a positive tranformation for a true believer."

Therefore, one must resist the devil and everything associated with him in order to overcome temptations, and the only way to resist the devil is by overcoming one's self, which is through Self control, which can also be catalysed by praying and fasting.

THE GREATEST ENEMY

In the school of success, the first basic rule that must be obeyed is the rule of Self. Overcoming any battle in life in order to stand out entails overcoming yourself because your biggest and greatest enemy is you.

Always learn to stay out of own way. The moment you find yourself getting in your own way, then you’re simply acting like an old refrigerator, which slowly builds up an ice formation, and allowed to accumulate. If unchecked, will definitely reduce its effectiveness and efficiency considerably.

A wise man called Dwight L. Mondy once said, "I have never met a man who given so much trouble as myself". This therefore implies that the first and best victory is to simply conquer yourself because most significant battles are usually waged within one’s self.

Most times, a change of self is needed more than a change of sense. So, the good advice is this, only you can hold yourself back, only you can stand in your way, only you can help yourself. Infact, there is no one to stop you than yourself.

Whenever you find yourself standing in your own way, then you’ll always hope vaguely and also dread precisely. Always learn how to confront your internal critic i.e. the one that lies within.

If you want to move your greatest obstacle, then you must come to realise that the greatest obstacle is yourself. Another wise man called Edgar Guest once said, "give the man you’d like to be, a look at the man you are presently". Change what you tell yourself. The greatest problem is not the devil but rather, the greatest problem is you. Most people can never overcome some temptations, not because there is an impossibility to the resistance of that temptation but simply because such people have not learnt how to overcome themselves. Infact, it takes overcoming self to overcome temptations.

The moment you’re being subdued by Self, then get ready to be subdued by set backs, limitations and confrontations. Remember, one of the profound things about problems is that most them don’t really exist, except in our imaginations.

Infact, the fear you fear is mostly within yourself and nowhere else. There two forces always warring against each within us. One says you can’t, while the other says, with God you can. Sir Edmond Hillary once said, “It’s not the mountain that we conquer, but ourselves.” Therefore, always learn to stay out of your own way.