Practicing what you preach.....staying true to your words.

I strongly believe we all need to pay attention to that great song by Barry White titled “practice what you preach” It has a very potent message. It talks about a quality that has been lost by many in our generation. Many individuals, corporate organizations, leaders (religious and secular), these days seem almost all to be guilty of not walking the talk. Let your actions speak for your words. If you say you will do it, then do it. The best way to get results is to practice what you preach. You must take action on what you are saying. When you support your words with action, you transform expectations into reality. There is always a time for talking and a time for doing. Make sure you know where one stops and the other begins. Doing something now, is almost always better than saying everything and doing nothing! Instead of making a promise that you know you’re not going to keep, say “No” at the outset and refuse to make commitment.

This also applies to the promises we make to ourselves, as well as others. Don’t make a promise that you know you can’t or won’t keep. Don’t ever think that the act of lying to yourself is harmless with a mindset that after all, you are not hurting anyone else. That is indeed a shortsighted view. The truth is; your impact on yourself inevitably affects those around you. This is true at work, at home, and in your community. You must constantly live up to your words. Remember, "actions speak louder than words". Your actions are, more than often, the determinants of your behaviour and character. It is always easier to tell who you are when what you say contradicts what you do. Indeed, what you do is more significant than what you say! This does not in any way mean that words are not also powerful. Words certainly have the capacity to harm or elevate and they may sometimes speak louder. Words are important and people do listen to them and sometimes don’t always wait to judge whether words are backed up with action but I bet you it is wiser to ensure that words are backed up by actions. Your actions should meet your verbal obligations or views rather than contradict them. Action, like they say, is the true essence of leadership. Any leader must always act true to his words. It is always "easier said than done." Learn how to be motivated to take your words to the 'streets'. Don’t just say it, ACT IT; and when you do, not only will you find motivation but you will find inspiration and fulfillment of purpose.

I am well aware of how difficult it might be to keep up with acting true to your words considering the seeming reality of our prevailing environment. This does not mean it is impossible. While we are striving towards perfection in this regard, here are few tips that might be helpful. If you are working with a consistent to-do list, get anything that is requested of you on the list immediately it comes up. Truth is, you will be less likely to forget something if you commit it to paper. As much as possible, always clear your to-do list and avoid procrastination. Are there tasks which you are repeatedly being asked to perform that you consistently put off? Look closely and ask yourself why. Are you afraid of something? Some constant honest reflection might very helpful. Remember, Integrity and reputations are some of the most valuable assets that you own. You must work towards preserving and improving them and keeping your word is a great way to do so. You must GIVE ACTION to you words, your thoughts and your aspirations today. May God help us all. Feel free to share your comments and submit your email in order to get my daily posts directly in your e-mail. Thanks.

Note: I write not as someone who is perfect but as someone who daily strives towards improving and preserving my reputation.

Mistakes....they are allowed.

I love the words of the Mahatma Ghandi; "Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes". The truth is that a life spend making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spend doing nothing. Some people grow up with the flawed belief that mistakes are automatic failures, hence they prefer to live their lives being on the 'safer side', always afraid of trying out a new thing or taking on a new challenge just for the fear of failure. The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually live in fear that you will make one! Mistakes are a part of being human. Assert your right to make a few mistakes. If people can't accept your imperfections, that's their fault.  The most important thing about making a mistake is to admit it and learn from it. Wise people admit their mistakes easily. They know that progress hastens when they do. Admitting a mistake (even if only privately to yourself) makes learning possible. It moves focus away from the 'blame game'. You can only learn from a mistake after you admit you have made it. As soon as you start blaming other people (or the universe), you distance yourself from any possible lesson. But if you courageously stand up and honestly say “This is my mistake and I am responsible”, the possibilities for learning will move towards you. I agree that admitting to making a mistake is sometimes difficult but believe me it is something that we must constantly do to be a better person and I tell you it is always possible. “Do not brood over your past mistakes and failures as this will only fill your mind with grief, regret and depression.” Rather, focus on not repeating them in the future. Mistakes are not the end; rather they should be seen as part of the process.

The beauty of mistakes is that they are the portals for discovery and learning. They help you to shape your resilience, experience, groom your problem-solving skills and prepare your for greater challenges. Oftentimes, what you remember is not the mistakes but what you do next after the mistakes. Mistakes are simply just trying something that didn’t work which, in most cases, leads you to something that works. They are proof that you are trying, that you are growing! Mistakes are inevitable so instead of wasting them; make them useful for your growth and lessons. By the time a mistake is made, the only practical direction to move is forward. What comes next after a mistake can make you stronger or weaker. They are indeed a powerful and effective way to learn. Change how you view them and they'll become a positive catalyst for change.  However, mistakes too can become catastrophe! There are some mistakes that are rather too expensive and must be avoided at all costs. These are mistakes that can get in your way of growth, learning and success. You must avoid the mistake of not having any new ideas. Careless mistakes must also be avoided as well as repeating the same mistakes all over again. Listen more to your instincts, create space for growths, refuse to follow the crowd, understand yourself and never give up on your dreams. Dare to dream big! Start that business/project, take that bold step. Though you might make few mistakes in the process, stand up and dust yourself, it will only make your success story worth it. Remember, the more challenging the goal, the more frequent and difficult the setbacks will be. The larger your ambitions, the more dependent you will be on your ability to overcome and learn from your mistakes. Don’t get stuck thinking about your past mistakes. Remember, before success comes in any man's life he is sure to meet with much temporary defeat and perhaps, some failures. Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional. Eventually, the choice is yours. Do not forget to follow this blog or subscribe via mail. Thanks.

GIVING

Have you ever seen people get honoured for what they received? I guess your answer is as good as mine; NO. Whereas I have seen people get honoured for what they gave! GIVING is indeed the highest level of living. The greatest people on earth are usually those who have chosen to live for others. I love the golden words of Albert Einstein; “The value of man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.” Giving must form part of our existence. It must be habitual and be done freely without expecting anything in return. It can be in form of offering your time, assets, talents etal to aid someone in need. Giving should not be solely based on one's economic status, but instead, should include the individual's pure intentions of looking out for a need and giving from the heart. It should reflect the individual's passion to help others. Nothing speaks to others more loudly than your act of generosity! You must learn that whatever God has blessed you with is not just for yourself but to enable you help others. Giving comes out of contentment as anyone who is not satisfied with what he has will find it difficult to give. If you do not cultivate the act of giving when you only have little, you will find it difficult to give when you have much. You must begin to see money as a resource and not allow it control you. Sometimes the act of letting go of money, asset or something you treasure does something within us. Unfortunately, we live in a society where giving has been rather more of a selfish act than a selfless one. We tend to do it to gain the favor of someone, or to mask our ill intentions, to make amends, or cloak our shortcomings. As such, the very essence of giving is compromised because our intention then turn to benefit instead of expressing benevolence. The essence of giving is the selfless intention behind the act. There is a special reward for doing something for someone who is not in a position of repaying you! Our humanity is shown in how we care for one another especially the less privileged. Some of us who, through experience, know what it is to be hungry, jobless or to be left out of society have a greater responsibility to reach back and give to those who are now where we used to be. Remember; “To whom much is given, much is required.” We are called to be equally concerned about those in the cold (without shelter), those who have no place to eat or friends to talk with. We must make a difference because we can! I challenge you today to reach within to embrace humanity. Someone has said, “If I can help somebody along the way, then my living will not be in vain.” Someone needs your help; help them and your life will be so much richer. Visit a less-privileged home; spend some time with a child who is without parental support; donate your unused clothing to someone who needs it; practice patience and kindness; forgive someone; the list can go on. Give something to someone. Keep it real and put your Humanity in Motion. Remember, your candle loses nothing when it lights another. Have a great day. Should you want to join my mailing list, kindly do so by submitting your email address at the right hand-side of this page or send a mail to me at zicolotoday@gmail.com

KNOWLEDGE

We tend to consider wealth, fame, power, authority and other things that tend to put us in a superior position as the ultimate achievements in life. While I agree that these are parts of what makes one successful, the incredible truth is that any of these can be acquired only with the help of sufficient and the right ‘Knowledge’. Without knowledge neither of the above can be attained. Believe it or not, the reason why that old man is a servant/driver to that young man is because the latter knows something (sometimes even someone) that the former does not know! Knowledge is a theoretical or practical understanding of a subject gained through experience or education. It involves knowing a place or a person and knowing how to do something. The truth is that what you don't know will always be like a magic to you! There is no way you can ever act, talk, reason and react beyond your level of knowledge. Knowledge is a natural instinct of the soul. It brings awareness to you. A person devoid of knowledge will always remain shackled within the boundaries of life and death. Knowledge casts out all of the darkness of ignorance and leads us towards the path of salvation. Hence, knowledge is the most unique, pure and valuable virtue of life. Only a person with appropriate knowledge has the capability to differentiate between what is true and what is false, to weigh the feasibility and importance of the situations that life has to offer. He understands that it is useless to wander here and there in search of happiness and peace when it lies only within. Indeed, “knowledge is power”. However, no matter how much we know, what makes the difference is how we apply it. Knowledge is nothing when not properly applied. Knowledge is not for us to keep, it is for us to act, share and manage. Knowledge Management requires a system that will allow the creation of new knowledge, a dissemination system that will reach and help others. To build the society of our dream, individuals/organizations must, in realisation that no one can be a master of all, encourage expertise to handle the part of human endeavor where they have acquired a practical/experiential knowledge. We need to abandon the idea of "jack of all trade" and let those who are more knowledgeable about some things handle them while we concentrate on things we have superior knowledge about. Have a great week. 

Fear

Good morning. It’s another day with Zicolo. Truth be told, we all at one time or the other must have had something that triggered FEAR in us; that constantly stimulated fear in us. Sadly, we live in a society where just turning on the Television set, reading the newspaper or reviewing world events alone are enough to ignite fear in you. Believe me, I do not intend to magnify the fear in you but truth is; oftentimes we also have personal fears such as asking someone out on a date, choosing the right partner/getting married, interviewing for a new job, starting up something, health or family concerns, or sometimes even dying. Fear is a chain reaction in the brain ending with the release of chemicals into the body causing a racing heart, increased breathing, anxiety etc. It can also be described as a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, failure etc., whether the threat is real or imagined. Fear comes from the perception of weakness, danger, and the desire to escape it. Fear can prevent us from pursuing our dreams in a situation where we could have otherwise easily succeeded. Fear also has an unimaginable way of negatively affecting our health. Ironically many of our fears are unreal and are only products of our thoughts/imaginations. If there is any, the only thing that that we must be afraid of is the 'culture of fear' itself. Facing our fear is the only way to combat them, each time we do so, we realise that they were just thoughts, thoughts that can be overcome, not only that, facing our fear also help us to realise our true strengths, our capabilities and who we really are! Furthermore, even though it may seem that fear is an undesirable emotion, it is still a very important emotion for keeping us out of danger. Listening to our inner signals can help protect us better. Very brave and logical approach to fear also gives us the power to protect ourselves and perhaps put us in a better position to deal with future peril. Have you ever asked yourself how is it that the same horror movie can be entertaining to one person can be tension-filled torture to another? It is simply a product of how they have chosen to see it. Fear is impatient. If you don't give in, it won't stick around for long, also learn to use the fear signals to your advantage and never let it get a hold of u. Have a great day.

Happiness

Good morning friends. It’s a beautiful morning in this placid city called Abuja. I do hope you all enjoyed you weekend. The world is full of people who go about every day in search of happiness, mostly in the wrong places. Surprisingly some don't even have a clue of what it takes to be happy. Happiness is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. The truth is that you are about as happy as you make up your mind to be. Your happiness is in your hands! Never put your happiness in someone’s hands. Ironically, very little is needed to make you happy; it is all within yourself, mostly in your way of thinking; the way you have chosen to see things. Clearly, the world of those who are happy is different from the world of those who are not. Remarkably, it always seems like different world for both categories. Those who are happy are people that habitually and consciously view themselves and their world the way they want, irrespective of the situation/circumstance. The lens with which you choose to view everything determines how you will interpret what is happening. Truth is you will always see what you want to see. Remember, your action(s) will ultimately be determined by your interpretation of events. All of which eventually become your life. You can choose to find happiness in every little achievement whereas you can as well choose to loathe the little achievements and remain unhappy. You can choose to interpret what happens in a positive way, or in a negative way. Your choices control much of how much happiness you will find and create in your life. Focus on the present, and not yesterday or tomorrow. Know that when one door closes, another opens. Many are in the habit of looking so long at the closed door that they do not see the one that has been opened for them. I love the words of James Oppenheim; "The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet". Never forget to always be grateful. Say a simple "Thank You" as often as it is necessary and mean it with every sense of honesty. People who have developed an attitude of gratitude are often healthier, more optimistic, and more likely to make progress toward achieving personal goals. Resist the temptation to always count your troubles, rather, focus on things that bring u joy. Never forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we have. Smile even when you don’t feel like it. It sounds simple, but it works. Happy people see possibilities, opportunities and success. When they think of the future, they are optimistic and when they review the past, they tend to savor the high points. Also, put money low on your list of priorities (but recognize its importance). Research shows that people who put money high on their priority list are more at risk of depression, sadness, anxiety and low self-esteem. The more we seek satisfactions in material things, the less we find them there. Cultivate the act of giving. Make it a part of your life and be purposeful about it. Make friends and treasure your family. Happier people tend to have good families, friends and supportive relationships. Also, have meaningful Goals. People, who strive for something significant, whether it’s learning a new thing or achieving a set goal, are far happier than those who don’t have strong dreams or aspirations. Avoid comparison, comparing ourselves with others can be damaging to happiness and self-esteem. Instead of comparing ourselves to others, focusing on our own personal achievement leads to greater satisfaction. Focus on how to increase positive moods and capitalize on your strengths. Finally, remember you only have now, now and now. Yesterday is a memory and you cannot change it. Tomorrow is just a fantasy in your mind right now. So live more in the now, focus on the present and have the best of the moment.

Recognition

Good day friends. Sorry for coming here a bit late today. One of the greatest motivations in life is recognition. It increases commitment and productivity. Truth is, we all want to be recognized for whatever we have achieved in life. People may take a job for more money, better condition or in pursuit of a career but, more often than not, they hold on to it for more recognition. Recognition is essential to the performance, development and success of anyone, and while there are several methods of motivating people, one that reaps huge benefits is recognition. It lets people know that their performance was valued, and increases the likelihood that they will continue to perform well. It builds confidence and encourages people to try new things and develop their skills. However, sometimes, we feel discouraged from doing much, probably because we, as humans, feel that we are not recognized for something we have done, or that someone else is taking credit for what we have done. In such cases, the best we can do is to encourage our self by motivating and recognizing our self. Sometimes, if we wait for it to come from others, we feel resentful when it doesn't, and when it does, we may well reject it. Desire is the key to motivation, but it is the determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal -- a commitment to excellence – that will enable you to attain the success you seek. This is the greatest recognition, and in no time, you will be rewarded. I encourage us today not to focus on human recognition. Rather, we must learn to motivate ourselves and reach for the sky, it is only a matter of time before you will be recognized for your achievements. Have a great weekend.

We must all care in return

Good morning friends. On “Zicolo Today” I want us to examine an issue which many of us are guilty of. My decision to discuss this is not to condemn anyone but to encourage us all to make amendments where necessary. The truth is that there are many people in our lives who have one way or the other, contributed immensely to ensure that we get to where we are today. Many have had to make unimaginable sacrifices for us to become who we are. In the course of time, many of these people have become old, helpless, and weak and therefore need our support. The heart-breaking reality is that majority of such people (especially the elderly ones) spend what is supposed to be their "Golden Years" living in solitude and loneliness. Many of us are not only guilty of abandoning these people but also guilty of erroneously believing that the only support we can give them is our money. While I admit that money will go a long way in the providing a form of assistance, the truth is that the greatest gift you can give to such people is your Time, Presence etc. Of course many of us will readily come up with lack of time as an excuse, but the truth is that with proper time management and a fervent willingness to make sacrifices, we can do a lot to give them time, hope, our presence etc. Starting from this moment, I want to encourage us that no matter how little, we should strive to always give them our greatest gift….our time, our presence, our skills etc. Let us remember the law of karma…..in no time it will be time to reap what we are sowing. I encourage us all to make amends where necessary. Make that visitation today, remember, thousands of phone calls can never be compare to your physical presence. Always have it in mind that the best time to love your loved ones is when they are still alive. Don’t wait till they are dead. Have a great day and don’t forget to give this a deep thought.

Procrastination

Good morning friends. It's another beautiful morning in this beautiful city called "Abuja". Just a quick thought for you today. Success in life as they say, is determine by the opportunity that comes your way and how well you make use of those opportunities. However, one of the factors that can hinder you from making the best use of those opportunities is PROCRASTINATION. Procrastination refers to the act of replacing high-priority actions/tasks with that of lower priority. It involves doing something from which one derives enjoyment/pleasure and putting off important tasks to a later time. Procrastination steals your time, rest,opportunity and achievements. It keeps getting between you and the things you want to accomplish! I quite agree with William James when he said that "nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task". Procrastination is a complex psychological behavior that affects everyone to some degree. It is indeed "the silent killer” that strikes almost everywhere sometimes simply because we all want to avoid the pain or discomfort of doing something we feel is boring, stupid, pointless, hard, complicated, risky and possibly really emotionally painful. However, the good news is that it is not an "incurable disease". Recognise that the best way to get something done is to begin doing it. Create a flow. Instead of doing nothing, begin with doing something. Clean your desk,take out the garbage, wash the dishes. start a couple of simple actions to create a flow, a momentum. When you’re in the flow, in that forward motion, getting started with what you have to do will be much easier. As you go out today, I encourage you to adopt a "DO IT NOW" attitude. Make that call, start that business/project/programme, take that step and before you know it, you are already flying high. Have a great day.

Purposeful Living

Good morning friends. It’s a cold Monday morning here in the city of Lagos. I hope you had a great weekend. Have you ever asked yourself what is your purpose in life? Why you were created at such a time like this? Why you were born in the country, state, town, and village of your birth? There are many who feel that they would have been better off in another place other than their place of birth. Truth is, it doesn't matter where you were born, what matter is to determine your purpose in life and live purposefully. Don’t ever think that all you have to do in life is to “”survive”. Life is beyond mere survival, the ultimate value of life depends upon the discovery and fulfilling of purpose. There is need for you to “find yourself” and make your life meaningful. The meaning of your life is a function of the goals you chose to pursue- that is your purpose. A purpose is a conscious, intentional goal-a goal chosen and pursued for a desired outcome through goal-oriented efforts/actions. Life does not come with ready-made meaning, neither were you born with pre-packaged purpose. You are only born with a purpose and the deposits of the raw materials needed to achieve the purpose. The responsibility to create and fulfill the purpose with the raw materials is ours. In essence, if you want your life to be meaningful, you have to make it so. The keyword to a meaningful/purposeful life is “make”. You want a meaningful and fulfilled life? Make it happen! Purposeful living without purposeful action is like navigating a river without water. Find out your purpose in life and become more aware of your choices and actions. Living purposefully creates a massive power shift. It puts you in control rather than leaving your life to chance. It gives you that blessed relief you have always wanted. It gives you a clearer picture of what you want in life and, what you want to be all about and a clearer picture of the finish line from the starting point. Having a purpose is a game-changing advantage which opens the door to a richly satisfying life. As you go about your daily activities today, I‘d like you to take time out to ask yourself some questions; 1. What do you have that is worth living for? 2. What is it that consciously drives you on a daily basis to shake off the shackles, to fight against the habits that hold you back and demand more out of this life than you have been given? Reflect on these things and chart a meaningful course for your life.

Imagination

Good morning friends. It’s a beautiful Friday morning. I welcome again to “Zicolo Today.” One of the creative powers we have as humans is that of IMAGINATION. The ability of the mind to build mental scenes, objects or events that do not exist, are not present or have happened in the past. It involves the ability to form a mental image of something that is not perceived through the senses. Imagination is an independent, creative communications agency that can transform through creativity. Imagination helps provide meaning to experience and understanding to knowledge. It is a fundamental faculty through which people make sense of the world. It is what often keeps us going in life; an imagination of a better and brighter tomorrow. Interestingly, everyone possesses some power of imagination but it manifests in various degrees in various people. Imagination makes it possible to experience a whole world, sometimes a totally different world, inside the mind. It gives us the ability to look at any situation from a different point of view and enables us to mentally explore the past and the future. In our imagination, we can travel anywhere in the speed of light without any obstacles. It can make us feel free, though temporarily, and only in the mind, from tasks, difficulties and unpleasant circumstances. A developed and strong imagination does not make you a daydreamer and impractical, instead, it strengthens your creative abilities. Believe me, it is a great tool for recreating and remodeling your world/life. An incredible power that can change your whole life. It is used extensively in magic and creative visualization. It is the creator of circumstances and events. When you know how to work with it, you can make your hearts' desires come true. You can fly up the highest mountain. Imagination has a great role and value in each one's life. It is much more than just idle day-dreaming. We all use it, whether consciously or unconsciously, in most of our daily affairs. We use our imagination whenever we plan a party, a trip, our work or a meeting. We use it when we describe an event, explain how to arrive to a certain street, write, tell a story or even when we do a simple mathematics. Imagination is a creative power that is necessary for inventing an instrument, designing a dress or a building, painting a picture or writing a book. The creative power of imagination has an important role in the achievement of success in any field. What we imagine with faith and feelings comes into being. Researchers claim that visualizing an object or a situation and repeating often this mental image, attracts the object or situation into our lives. This opens for us new, vast and fascinating opportunities. As you go into the weekend today, I want to quickly entreat you to explore the power of imagination and learn to recreate your world. If you believe enough, then IT IS POSSIBLE.

Relationship

Good morning friends. On “Zicolo Today”, I want us to examine something which many of us have, in the time past, taken for granted but ideally shouldn’t have been so because of its immense contribution to our success,happiness or otherwise in life. We live in a society where too much of our focus is on how to make ends meet at the detriment of our relationships. Believe it or not, no matter how much wealth you have been able to accumulate for yourself, a strong and healthy relationship is arguably the best support anyone can ever have in life. Needing someone is never a sign of weakness! Good relationships improve all aspects of your life; strengthens your health, your mind and how you connect with others. A bad relationship can really be a terrific setback in life. Relationships should be seen as investment. The more you put in, the more you can get back. One of the reasons for the increasing numbers of failed relationships is lack of adequate people management skill. The complexity in the nature of human beings necessitated the need for anyone who desires a healthy relationship to acquire basic skills in people management. 'Management' is often erroneously considered 'whatever needs to be done just to keep things afloat'. Every relationship is unique! The truth is that people come together for different reasons hence it is imperative that we do not make the mistake of comparing one relationship with another. Some relationships get stuck in peaceful coexistence without truly relating to each other and working together. While things may seem stable on the surface, a closer look will reveal a sheer lack of involvement and communication. Relationship management becomes more important as you assume more family and professional responsibility. You need skills to build bonds, inspire, influence and develop others. You need to be open to change, manage conflict and establish teamwork/bond. I hereby encourage you to reflect on your relationship with your God, boss/subordinate, husband/wife, friends, colleagues, relatives etc. and make amendments where necessary. Never forget that everyone deserves to be happy in life and one of the ways to achieve that is when you are in a good relationship with people in your sphere of contacts. Without relationships, life is boring, empty and lonely. Have a great day.

Self Discipline

Good morning Friends. I welcome you to "Zicolo today". Do you know that many people waste their life under the illusion that they are in a life battle with some people who they perceive as enemies without first realising that "the first and best victory is to conquer oneself"? Painful enough, many who fall under this category are people with great skills and talents but would rather focus all their efforts on futile battles instead of focusing on reaching their full potentials. Trust is, it is not enough to have great qualities/potentials, we must also be able to manage same. No matter how talented, skillful, educated, intelligent etc one may be, without SELF DISCIPLINE, only very little can be achieved. Self-discipline is the ability to get yourself to take action regardless of your emotional state. Imagine what you would accomplish if you could simply get yourself to follow through on your best intentions no matter what. Without self-discipline,intentions won’t become reality. The pinnacle of self-discipline is when you reach the point that once you make a conscious decision, it’s virtually guaranteed you will follow through on it. Self-discipline is one of many personal development tools available to you. Of course it is not a panacea. Nevertheless, the problems which self-discipline can solve are very imperative and while there are other ways to solve these problems, self-discipline absolutely shreds them. Self-discipline can empower you to overcome an addiction, lose weight, break a bad habit etc. It can wipe out procrastination, disorderliness and ignorance. Self-discipline is a powerful teammate when combined with other tools like passion, goal-setting and planning. Self-discipline is like a muscle. The more you train it, the stronger it becomes and the less you train it, the weaker it becomes. Just as everyone has different muscular strength, we all possess different levels of self-discipline. If you can hold your breath a few seconds, you have some self-discipline. Unfortunately not everyone has developed their discipline to the same degree. Just as it takes muscle to build muscle, it takes self-discipline to build self-discipline. Self-discipline is a form of freedom. Freedom from laziness and lethargy, freedom from the expectations and demands of others, freedom from weakness, fear and doubt. Self-discipline allows you to feel your individuality, your inner strength, your talent. It helps you to become a master of, rather than a slave to, your thoughts and emotions. The individual who wants to reach the top in business, career etc must appreciate the might and force of habit. He must be quick to break those habits that can break him and surely to adopt those practices that will become the habits that help him achieve the success he desires. You must never be satisfied with losing! You must get angry, terribly angry, about losing such that it drives you to win at the next shot. Remember, what makes a good loser is that he takes his anger out on himself and not his victorious opponents or on his teammates. Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. Never excuse yourself. Never pity yourself. Be a hard master to yourself-and be lenient with everybody else. Keep away from people who belittle your ambitions or people who make you feel small. Small people always do that, but the really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great. Take charge of ur emotion. Remember, someone who cannot control himself cannot control other. Also, the more disciplined you become, the easier life gets. Challenges that were once impossible for you will eventually seem like child’s play. May God help us all.