By Felix Zachariah:
6 THINGS I WISH I TOLD YOU AS MY FELLOW CREATIVES & FRIENDS.
Everyone sustains a unique approach to life and most times what determines how we live is not the reasons for which we live but for who we live for.
I wish to share with you 6 (six) things that I am moved to share with every youth out there faced with the challenges of this life — those creatives who want to get their names ringing on the ears of the waters of nations. I have come to discover that these six things in themselves are not the only required stock-in-trade in the journey of self-actualization and an adventure into destiny but, beyond any measure of doubt, they do form that solid foundation upon which every success is built upon.
These principles are listed below as follows:
1. THE GREAT FACTOR:
It is through wisdom that an house is built and the beginning of wisdom is marked by an intense show of reverence for God.
No man can really go far who has no fear in God. To fear God is to acknowledge that he is the one with whom we have to do. He is the one who must be feared. He is the one who we must strive to give glory regardless of the pressure, the threats and the persecution that we are bound to be face with to make us act contrariwise. He is undoubtedly, the greatest factor. The summation of every human need.
A man cannot do without him because he is the one that raise one up from the dunghill and he also debase the same.
Success is not necessarily about material prosperity but every man’s ability to make his life an unassailable point where God alone is foreinstalled, acknowledged and revered.
2. ACQUISITION OF RELEVANT KNOWLEDGE.
We cannot undermine this quintessential condition. To overlook the need to acquire knowledge, we fall into the trap of despondency. A great man is not only a fearful servant of God’s will but one who is able and willing to invest in seeking knowledge through other people’s experience that may include but not limited to personal dealings, setbacks, misfortunes, mistakes, accomplishment, regrets, optimism, pessimism and enthusiasm.
An investment in knowledge pays the best interest even though it is not true that every knowledge sought after is profitable to our destiny adventure. What we know can either make or mar us and likewise, what we don’t know does that even better. That is why to celebrate ignorance is a sin against growth and a man who strives to become better must be zestfully inquisitive of every knowledge that is both practical and beneficial — exhibiting all readiness to covet it accordingly.
Knowledge is the fuel of destiny. A man that is inadvertent with gaining it is at the mercy of the wind that defy the logic of the unprepared.
Read books not only to entertain your brain but to inform your mind. If you develop a consistent reading culture, there is no opportunity that can meet you unprepared.
Great people will read even when they do not feel like. Like a baby who detest the smell and taste of prescribed drugs but have no choice than take if he desires recuperation: a life that cannot entertain the pleasures of books cannot have all that it takes to make it look better.
3. UNBENDING COMMITMENT TO PASSION:
Every adventure is driven by a passion. Not to be passionate about anything is the same as refusal to unwind — a sharp portrayal of dignified indolence — that produce an unhealthy comfort zone for failure.
To fail is evident of growth but all growth which do not culminate in success in the end is obviously a wastage of energy and opportunity.
One must be committed to something to succeed at it. Commitment is a practice that must be imbibed if we all must, at the end, have a success story to tell off. It is a process that recognizes the need to grow regardless of the dark times wherein we are all faced with failures that seeks to sabotage the potentials of our pregnant dreams.
However, the birth of a dream always seeks to defy the anguish that the labor does brings along with it. Commitment is that labor. If you can push a little more with your last ounce of strength, that baby will definitely come out. You can give up on anything but never give up pushing. You wouldn’t want to risk breakthrough for double jeopardy.
God gave everyone of us that accompanying strength (grace) it takes to pull through situations. Alot depend on commitment. Many fail not because they don’t love God. They fail not because they lack knowledge but they fail because they ignore one of success’ greatest principle which explains that the way to the top of the ladder is to take every steps on it. The principle of commitment is not just a ladder but a ladder-climb. Commeasurate with results are necessary steps that are always there to be taken.
You have no business with success if you are not committed to a definite passion. Our passion is suffocated and choked when we idly sit back and expect miracles to happen evading the responsibility of zeal.
You have got to stop deceiving yourself that everything is going to work out fine when you are not committed enough to predict the end from the beginning. Faith without works is dead. That is what true wisdom teaches. Change never encourages mediocrity.
You can be great if you learn to be unapologetically committed to the gameplan.
4. THE POWER OF ASSOCIATION
Birds of a feather flocks together. If that is true, it also means that your association will always determine your culmination. The frivolity of keeping a company which is not passenger to your directional drive is a grave sin against purposeful living. A wise man is wary of the friends he keeps. Not every one is meant to be in your circle. You have got to keep the products in their container. Define the role, placement and positioning of every one in and around your life. If you don’t, they will force themselves into your circle but it is better to have a company that forms a shield than a brood of time-wasters that hop on the green grasses of your fields. Yes! That is what grasshoppers do and at the slightest opportunity they will eat away your sweat until your blood boils like an overheated pot in anger and regret.
Keep friends but always work with the skilled and competent and never create vacancy for gossips who will only help you waste time; frienemies who will defensively envy your breakthrough; fools who will undermine the power of your latent potentials and scallywags who will neither add to you nor subtract from your wealth of ideas to better their own lives.
Value those who contribute to your life. Appreciate them. But, do not overly depend on anyone. A shoulder should be a shoulder when it needs be a shoulder. When you lie in a mattress for too long, your weight always leaves a depression. So it is with people, never intentionally seek to weary those who support you. Men are bound to grow weary of one another and you should know this.
You cannot appear to be an equal with the ones you look up to. Your mentors should have their special place. Familiarity will always breed contempt and disrespectfulness.
Be humble enough to learn and unlearn. Learn to be sincere with yourself and honest with everyone.
Never attempt to use your masters to shine. You must have a John-the-baptist kind of mentality to be the greatest — to rise, lift others — to succeed in your pursuit, learn to serve your superiors not by kinks of shrewdness but with loyalty, a sense of allegiance and devotion. The capacity of the great is tapped from servitude towards the greater.
There are exceptions to the practice of this principle. You will agree with me that not everyone have the mental and financial capacity to help you. And for a thing to be labeled an asset, there are three conditions that must be brought into consideration.
First is whether or not, they add value; second is whether or not they can be retained and third is whether or not they are easily replaceable. If people cannot add value to you, if they lack any moral ground for which they could be retained back in your circle, if they appear easily replaceable.
I fear they may be the last category of people you may wish to keep for a long time. There is a probability that they will only weaken your capacity when you are supposed to be recharging it by the help of a circle which should have become to you a reliable powerbank. Don’t only keep chargers also keep powerbanks — you will need them on the long run.
5. THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER
There is never a man who succeed at any venture without consulting with God. Prayer is a part and parcel of Life. It is the real work that guarantees real outcome. Nothing happens by chance and until prayer has been prioritized to not only be a last resort but the first step before the ladder, we may never experience its potency.
To be successful, commit your plans to God first. Trust not in your own wisdom and never lean on your own understanding.
You are not the architect of your Life. God has it perfectly planned and he can help you as you trust him in complete obedience as you embark the journey to destiny.
A man that prays fervently will enjoy more of the dividend of His partnership with men than the one who loathes over the need to do so. Everything revolves around prayer and where it is not the key, it becomes the hand that turns the key. It is not all doors that will open to intellectual capacity, unbending commitment, favor, associative positioning and placement but when all keys and principles fail, prayer succeeds. A faithless prayer will not work and destiny labor does not require faithless prayer.
Refusal to pray over your plans is planning to fail before venturing. Nothing fails like everything that wouldn’t pray. Yes! I know you believe in your dreams but without the labor of prayer you cannot animate the picture of the future you wish to feature in. It is not possible. Take it or leave it! Advisably, pray without ceasing.
6. THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
Sacrifice is the icing that make makes all labors worthwhile. You will never stumble upon any great man who does not understand the ways of sacrifice. Never be easily deceived to believe that you can retouch your weaknesses to get a better version of you evolving. No! Life is not as easy as Photoshop.
There are certain things that will always crave your indulgence but your ability to let them go is the only power you have over them.
Proximity to Babylon will force the Babylon nature in you to come alive. Flee immorality with all your strength. Great men are not strong in the face of sinful enticements. Remember Samson. Never make your stomach a god. Pay attention to your health. Not everything is worth eating. It was St. Paul that stated that all things are permissible but he will not be mastered by anything.
If you are rich, learn to give or your wealth will become a trap to hasten your downfall. Sacrifice your ego for a life of integrity. Don’t run to things that you are supposed to be running away from. By any means possible, wake up early, live out your plans and never look down on anybody. You only know of now but you can never tell the face you may have to look up to tomorrow and in conclusion, everyone needs help — if you must marry don’t hesitate to do that while you can. Sin must be abhored if Jesus must be glorified and if God has spoken to you about a partner. Marriage will stop looking like an escape route from lust. Go and marry! But above all else, it is better to be unashamedly single and burning with impact.
Felix Àkyéé Zachariah
The Undefatigable Crusader