Recently, I shared a lot about the importance of having a big picture attached to whatever you’re doing in life, be it a skill you’ve got, a ministry in your hand, an occupation, etc. I’ve always said, don’t only think about surviving now. You should also have plans for years to come. But today, my topic is a bit different.
One of the deepest lessons I learnt while watching Akeelah And The Bee is that there are no big words, but little words coming together to make big ones. While that may look like some nice-sounding quotes, it’s a life principle. There are no big things in life. If you see anything so big, look more closely. You’ll find out that only little things have come together to make the big stuff.
So, while you’re building that dream, that big picture, or that desired future, I need you to remember these things:
1. A bright future can be a very boring place to live in. If you don’t maintain a good relationship with the right people while building, you’ll probably finish the building and realize no one is with you. No one else would have been able to fill the place of Joseph’s family while he was the prime minister in Egypt. Remember Joshua & Caleb also? They were always together as comrades. There are people you shouldn’t lose in your journey. You may be doing so great for as long as you’re strong, but you need to remember that as long as you’re human, there will always be weak moments. People who fall from great heights are not all bad and hypocritical. A lot of times, it’s either due to being alone in all the decisions and choices or a lack of good people around. Anyone can get weak. What matters most is, “who is on the journey with you at those moments?”
2. Never be so lost in your big dream that you forget the place of responsibility and accountability in the moment. This is why the Bible says, “whatever your hands find to do (right here and now), do it well.” [paraphrased]. If you have a dream of being the greatest life coach in the world but are still very new in the game, instead of being a burden on people and packaging half-baked products that give no bottom-line value, try to get a monetizable skill first, while still learning the ropes. Do you want to be a great public speaker? Beautiful! Please, find a life first. People will listen to you when you’ve got something to present. No one listens to a man who has not conquered anything. There are several public figures we highly esteem today, who never planned to be a public speaker in their life. They simply became great at something, and the whole world now wants to hear them speak.
3. Have a purpose (a solid mission) that guides how you do whatever you do. Someone has rightly said that how you do one thing is how you do everything. This is beautiful to experience when you have a mission in life. Don’t just be carried away by whom you want to be in the future. Find out what matters most to you in life. Find out what success means to you. And try not to find that answer on social media. Get off social media. Go to the streets to get genuine answers. Look inward to find authentic answers. Seek God to show you your real blueprint.
4. If you want to grow, minimize your counting of months and years. Start counting more days and weeks. As you master that, graduate to counting hours. What do I mean? If all you have ahead of you is 24 hours, you’ll be more cautious with how you spend time. But if you’re saying, “after all, I still have 30 days,” you will lose countless days, not achieving anything. The narrower the time frame you’re using, the more your sense of urgency. Even if you have a one-year goal, break it down into weekly & daily targets. Without a sense of urgency, no one will make progress. That’s another way of quoting the first law of motion.
Much love from me to you!
I remain your clarity coach and your clarity remains my priority.
