|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"At the end of our lives we never regret at the things we failed at but at the things we hope for but never attempted." Richie Dayo Johnson
Few months ago, I went to Ashburnham Place, a Christian conference and prayer centre set in glorious East Sussex countryside for church groups, retreats, holidays and conferences with one of my mentors Joe De Souza, a top rated motivational speaker. He asked me, "if five frogs were attempting to jump out of a river, after 2 minutes how many of them would be left in the river?" I answered him by saying five frogs. The reason being that they are attempting to jump out of the river and have not jumped out of the river yet; they only attempted.
The five frogs will remain in the river if they only attempt to jump and never actually jump. Likewise, a goal will be a mere castle in the air if no attempt is taken to actualise it. If Thomas Edison, the inventor of electricity, only had the dream without attempting to bring it to life, there wouldn't be electricity today. Many dreams have being destroyed in the realm of imagination without any attempt to bring it to life for fear - fear of failure and fear of rejection.
When we only hope or wish and never do anything to actualise it, we are simply killing the inner ability we have in bringing such goals to pass. It is when we attempt to do something about our dreams that we discover the inner capability we have in seeing it through. It is amazing how this happens, but the truth is that as time goes on, other ways of maintaining our dreams unfold, but we need to first take the bold step of attempting it.
Though man is limited, but the Giver of the vision is limitless. He has given diverse visions and different ways of actualising them. We only need to take a step by attempting to do something about it.
The good thing about 'attempting' is that if we fail, which is inevitable, we are invariably exposed to different ways in which we could maximise such goals. Failures open our eyes to new ways of achieving our goals, if persistence and perseverance are set in motion.
When Thomas Edison had the dream of the electric light bulb, he attempted it and failed 999 times; but his persistence to actualise his dream made him triumph and today we can read about him.
You will never be celebrated for a dream you only wished for, but for a dream you imagined, attempted and achieved.
I am a man of action. People who are successful always take action. Anyone who has ever been successful has done something. Think about it! Even someone who is a successful 'thinker' (as opposed to a 'doer') is usually known because they did something that tells us about their success. Sir Richard Branson founded Virgin Atlantic; Tony Ryan founded Ryanair; The Wright Brothers built the world's first aeroplane; Richie Dayo Johnson founded Richmond Johnson Academy, Stephen Covey wrote "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" and "The 8th Habit: From Effectives to Greatness" and Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb. The list is endless. What they all have in common is ACTION. They did something with conviction! They took action and that is the reason we can talk and read about them today.
Just how essential is action? Let me describe it this way. Action is the great separator. It separates the achievers from the non-achievers. It separates the rich from the poor. It separates go-getters from mere dreamers. It separates the winners from the quitters. On the whole, it separates successful people from the unsuccessful people.
Nobody plans to fail, but many fail to plan. The greatest waste of time in our lives is having no idea of what it is we are supposed to accomplish. You must make a list of what you want to do every single day before starting the day. Do not start the day until you have mapped it on paper. This will make your day more organised and enable you get more work done. Prioritise your day and time. Make a sequentially numbered list; prioritise your work and take action on the most important item first. Develop a deep sense of priority and urgency.
Do something each day that will move you in the direction of your most important goal. Develop the discipline of doing something every day that will move you forward and towards your desired goal. You will be astonished at how much you accomplish when you adhere to this routine everyday.
The person who is determined to achieve maximum success learns that progress is made one step at a time, not all at once. A house is built one brick at a time, just as every big accomplishment is a combination of a series of little accomplishments.
Do it now!
Dayo Olomu is a UK-based Motivational Speaker, Writer, Business/Life Coach, Trainer, Media Entrepreneur and Competent Toastmaster. His core belief is that we are all endowed with seeds of greatness, and his mission is to help individuals and organisations achieve their full potentials. He is the author of best selling "4 Indispensable Strategies for Success" and the President of Croydon Communicators Toastmasters. Get his FREE monthly Rise to the Top ezine by sending a blank email to subscribe@dayoolomu.com or visit his website at: www.dayoolomu.com






Anybody can achieve anything ? do you believe that? I do. But there is a caveat that must be made. Those who succeed are those who walk... Read More
When I listen to people tell me about some of the things they want to do, I pause for two reasons. One is the fact that I'm... Read More
In the form of a simple easy to use checklist, you can score how well you are doing out of 10. Better still, ask them. It's like... Read More
Doesn't it just burn you up when you have just shared your 'great idea' with someone and not only are they not as enthusiastic as you, they... Read More
"Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory!" General George S. PattonWhen choosing a senior quote, this one jumped right at me. I... Read More
Most self-help gurus warn us against watching too much TV. Spending time with your much maligned TV set does have advantages, however. You are, for example, able... Read More
In a couple weeks, we'll be heading into the second half of 2005. How are you doing on those New Year's resolutions?What were they?Think back for a... Read More
I've been meaning to write this column, but I keep putting it off. There always seems to be something better or more important or easier to write... Read More
Do you remember that day? Perhaps it was your first job interview. Perhaps you were speaking to a group for the first time. Maybe you were starting... Read More
We all have excuses as to why we can't do something. Ask anyone and they can give you a million excuses why it can't be done, why... Read More
It's been said that knowledge is power. While that's true to an extent, it isn't the whole truth. Knowledge without action is almost useless. It doesn't help... Read More
Making money is easy when you move to cause rather than living out effects.Let me draw a simple analogy to clarify my point.Imagine standing before a huge... Read More
There is a fascination these days with reality shows that completely make over people, rooms, homes, businesses and now towns, in a short amount of time. I... Read More
Writing a 'life script' is like writing a movie script. You need to create a feeling, evoke emotional responses and create the scenarios. You dream up the... Read More
Who are we, standing here on this planet, looking for a place to be? Are we the "forgotten ones" from a time gone by, a piece of... Read More
'Stuart Goldsmith? Who is Stuart Goldsmith?' you may be asking.I met Stuart at his retirement seminar in London at the end of 2002. I couldn't miss the... Read More
In 2004 a group of seven spoilt and often aggressive British teenagers were sent to a working ranch in Utah called "Turn-About Ranch" to undergo a regime... Read More
I'll get right to the point. Life is not necessarily what we think it is. And no, I'm not going to extrapolate this to the extreme to... Read More
Can There Be Any Other Business Like Your Own Business?"Whatever you persistently allow to occupy your thoughts will magnify in your life."-Dennis Kimbro, PhD., Author, Small Business... Read More
Two undeniable traits of the super-successful are: their belief in self, and an uncompromising expectation that they will succeed ... no matter what. Their dreams and goals... Read More
"You can't get anywhere in anything without work, action, movement..whatever you want to call it." Scott HainesJust getting on with doing something however poorly is important. Mike... Read More
Man, I love to procrastinate! And I'm pretty darn good at it, too. Would you believe I started writing this article almost six months ago? Yep. But... Read More
We typically think of New Year's as the time to make annual resolutions and start fresh. Unfortunately, we all know that most resolutions are quickly forgotten. The... Read More
If you wear many hats, manage a family and/or a business, it is easy to feel overwhelmed on a regular basis. Too much to do, not enough... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this... Read More
1. Most of us are motivated by one of two things - inspiration or desperation. Most successful people choose inspiration as their motivation.2. "There's always a way,... Read More
If we want to fill our heads with the doom and gloom society seems to thrive on, all we need to do is turn on the local... Read More
Have you ever had an accident?Do you value your personal safety and that of your family?Most accidents may not be just accidents.Some accidents may be caused by... Read More
I'm back from Hawaii; it was ten days of physical and emotional mastery. We went from learning from twenty of the planets best speakers in their field,... Read More
Your motivation is one of the core resources you have to accomplish all the things you want to achieve.Let us get one thing clear though before we... Read More
It's so difficult to go on when everything seems to fail, isn't it? Are there times in your life when you really want to callit "quits" because... Read More
The 21-year-old rookie cop had his big chance to brag on himself at his big news conference. "How do you feel about being the one to capture... Read More
It is not just new age hype, studies in the area of quantum physics are leading to a growing acceptance of the theory that we can control... Read More
"How are you Inventing Your Life Today?" ? the lead story from my last issue of Power & Presence ? drew comments from several readers. Most of... Read More
In 2004 a group of seven spoilt and often aggressive British teenagers were sent to a working ranch in Utah called "Turn-About Ranch" to undergo a regime... Read More
The darkness of Winter has descended.For many the long stormy nights of Winter and the proverbial dark night of the soul are uncomfortable.In addition to being dark,... Read More
Instead of trying to be perfect, it is better to do your best, and often your best doesn't look like going all out all the time. This... Read More
The word "journal" comes from the French. It dates back to the 14th century and means daily. As recently as April 26, 1999, "Newsweek" magazine ran an... Read More
Are you willing to stay the course? Once you have decided on a course and set sail toward your destination, you will undoubtedly face moments along your... Read More
We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment. ~ Jim RohnNothing lasts-not even pain. ~ Ray... Read More
This #1 New York Times bestseller offers some useful and understandable advice that can be applied to many situations. The idea of life as a series of... Read More
"Through perseverance many people win success out of what seemed destined to be certain failure." - Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881) - British Statesman, Prime MinisterLet's face... Read More
Inertia. Even the word sounds like a disease. No, it isn't literally a disease but it is one figuratively. Simply defined inertia is: resistance or disinclination to... Read More
Today's society and your private world are the results of free will. We have arrived here today through intention, ignorance or abuse. Some people understand and use... Read More
In 2004 seven badly behaved teenagers were sent to a brat camp in the USA by desperate parents whose lives had been made hell by their own... Read More
Many studies have been done to research the effects of motivation and mental health. As the implications of helping those with negative self-esteem, depression and anxiety are... Read More
Hey Me! Get Out Of My Way By David Stoddard ... Read More
Responsibility means being accountable for what we think, say, and do. Personal responsibility involves working on our own character and skill development rather than blaming others for... Read More
CherishEnthusiasmLive with passionExcitementBeliefRejoiceAttitude and ActionTimeImaginationOpportunityNowCherish - your life, your loved ones, your work. My dictionary defines cherish as "to hold dear to you." There are so many... Read More
You've probably heard the phrase, "Idle hands are the devil's tools" -- meaning if you don't have something to keep you busy, you're likely to get into... Read More
The other day I was on my way home, and for some reason all the traffic lights were out. It was 5pm, so needless to say it... Read More
Don't be afraid to build the dream - Attempting to live our life by our own design is certainly no small feat. Often it means doing without... Read More