The Human Mind 8

I warmly welcome you to this Wednesday edition of Leading Right. My name is Abiodun Fijabi.

The mind is the faculty for reason. It is responsible for our thoughts and feelings. We have no choice but deal with the mind because it is an essential part of our being. We are in a thought world and we are thinking centres.

Look around you today and see the nature – the seas, the vegetations, the mountains… They are all part of creation. God spoke them into being. Now before every speech there is contemplation – a thought process. You will recall that the Bible says that we speak out of the abundance of our hearts. We consciously or unconsciously speak what we think. The creation that you see, adore and stand in awe of is a product of words that originated from a thought process. Little wonder, we hear God say, “Let us create…” The creation is a product of a thought process.

We can conclude that God ignited the creative fire through His thought. And we, all of us, are part of that creation experience. To be sure, man, is the crown of God’s creation. He is God’s masterpiece. Not just in design but in purpose. There is no doubt that man is a marvel. He is the product of a divine intellect. But he is even more marvellous in his purpose. He is a little god, if you do not find that sacrilegious. He was fashioned with a purpose as God’s representative – to exercise dominion over His creation. To the extent to which he aligns with God, he can be incredible – perhaps limitless in his ability.

One of the powers God shares with man is the same power that produced man – the ability to think. God wants man to do what he has done and still does – think of an idea and nurture it to reality. The Original Thinking Centre behind the universe is our God. He is before all things and by him all things hold together. Even so, each of us is a thinking centre created from the Original Thinking Centre. We are expected to continue the creative process that God ignited. I think that was why he created us last and I think that was why he blessed us like he did. As a friend would put it: “God began but did not complete the work of re-creation from a formless and shapeless world to that of an astounding beauty. He created man in his class and empowered him to continue the work of re-creation and to complete it.”

You are a thinking centre. You were created to generate thoughts that will shape both your life and the world around you. If that does not make you feel great and act great, I do not know what else will.

The Human Mind 7

Welcome to Leading Right. I am Abiodun Fijabi.

Have you heard of Russell Conwell? He was the founder of Temple University. He was an accomplished orator, minister and philanthropist. He was famous for his speech, Acres of Diamond, which he delivered more than 5000 times with astounding success. It is still the most delivered speech in the world to date. In the speech, Russell told the story of Ali Hafed – a man blessed with a farm and many orchards, but was still discontented. He wanted more. So he sought out the village priest and asked for guidance. The priest advised him to look for a river with white sands. There he would find diamonds - many diamonds. So Ali left his family with neighbors, sold his farm and went in search of diamonds. For years Ali searched, never returning to his family.

Out of frustration, Ali took his own life. He died penniless.

While Ali was busy searching for his great wealth, the new owner of Ali's farm put in a lot of hard work to put the land to a productive use. One day, as his camels were drinking from the river that ran through Ali's property, he saw a strange rock. Pulling it out of the stream and examining it, he was in awe. It was a very large diamond.

That farm became the site of the world's largest diamond mine! Right there in Ali's back yard was the river with white sands the priest had spoken of.

What is the moral of this story? Within each of us lies our own acres of diamonds - our own silver mine. Our minds have been created by God to provide all that we will ever need. Our success in life is not "out there." It is within us.

It has been said that granted the liberty, half of the Nigerian population would love to migrate to Europe and North America. While some are washing dishes and sweeping the streets of London with chains of degrees, other Nigerians are discovering that their acres of diamonds reside in their minds and not in their locations.

Dear listener, we are divine beings, gifted with all the ingredients necessary to create our own abundance. But we must honor that which we have been given and not attempt to become that which we are not.

Be faithful to your God-given mind. Let it soar above the prevailing circumstances and you will discover that your much desired acres of diamond lie within you.

The Human Mind 6

Hi, welcome to Leading Right. I am Abiodun Fijabi.

Ever being at a weaving factory before? I bet you have. I love the local weaver. His dexterity is unmatched. In his loom, he is a master. He lays out the yarn with precision, reflecting the design in his mind. Then, he weaves the yarn with gusto. Soon a pattern forms. Soon, the pattern is repeated. The end result is a colourful fabric. He beholds his handiwork and he beams with smiles. He is a creator of some sort and he has just brought into the world a creative piece of astounding beauty. If it were you, you would do more than smile. You would celebrate the birth of a masterpiece and rejoice in your creative ability. You would imagine the fabric tailored into a beautiful dress. You would picture it on a lady with the just the right figure. As she marches on, you would be breathless. Who would not be?

Did I hear you say, “But I am not a weaver and I do not own a loom? You would be wrong to say that. Your mind is your loom. You have always had it. You were actually born with it. It is one of your distinctive features as a human being. The loom is a complete factory with capabilities beyond your imagination. It can produce any design and match any beauty. The loom has only one limitation – the weaver. And that is you. Yes, you are the weaver. You own the loom. You own that factory with unlimited capability. Your mind is limitless. And in a way, you too are. God has ensured that by creating you in His class. Even then, you limit your output by the design you contemplate in your mind. Your loom can only produce your design. If you want to be adventurous, your loom responds to your adventurous desire. If you desire to be resilient, your mind produces a staying power. If you are committed to love, your mind creates passion. If you choose to live healthily, your mind creates vitality.

How does your loom work? It makes use of the yarn. Each thread of yearn is a thought lodged into the factory of your mind. If you are a good weaver, you will be dexterous in your loom. You will carefully lay out your thoughts in the factory of your mind and create that astounding beauty you have always admired. Like a good weaver chooses the right yarn for the right design, you will choose the right thoughts for the right output you desire.

For a moment, think of yourself like a weaver, standing with gusto in your loom with unlimited capability. Now, you have the yarn. All you need now is a design. What design do you want of the future? What hope do you have about tomorrow? What role do you see yourself playing in the next decade? How would you want to be remembered after you were dead? That is the design you want to create in your loom.

Once you have decided on the design, what remains is for you to start the weaving process. It is time to lay out the yarn of your thoughts the way you want them and weave them into a pattern according to your design. Repeat the pattern until you can picture the end you desire. Continue weaving until, with God’s help, you create the future you desire.

Never forget you are in your loom with unlimited capability. What you do with it is your business.

The Human Mind 5

Welcome to Leading Right – a presentation of Life Africa. My name is Abiodun Fijabi.

Let me stretch your imagination again this morning. Imagine your mind like a huge river trying to find a channel to flow through.

It is easy for me to picture this. I grew up in the South West city of Ibadan with its record-breaking flooding. Having lived in the down-town area of the city with no or poor channelization, the rainy season was characterised by fear and panic. I have stood by and watched homes destroyed, lives cut off in their prime and valuables washed off like they were defective goods. The emotional trauma the living victims experienced was even worse. Some were so devastated that they never rose up again. They just stopped living.

Switch your mind away from the destructive flood for a moment and consider another huge body of water falling from a high elevation into an array of heavy duty turbans. The turbans rotating at a high speed and causing much turbulence creates a tremendous power. It is called hydro-electric power. That power produces more than half of Nigeria’s electricity.

Here is another huge river. But unlike the former, the water turbulence is contained and its power channelled. The productive use of the huge body of water brings benefits to a huge population.

It is a paradox. Your mind can be used destructively or productively. Your mind can herald that liberty you have been longing for. It can also constrain you in chains and reduce you to an underling. Which ever way you see it, your mind is a tremendous power waiting to be tapped. It is estimated that you think between 400 to 800 words a minute. Compared to just about 250 words you speak a minute. That is awesome. This awesome power is at an attention waiting to be ordered by you. If you order it aright, it obeys your order and you receive the benefits of your wise decision. If you choose an unwise command, your mind does not ague with you; it just bows to your command.

Now, should you choose not to issue any command, your mind, like nature, abhors a vacuum. It just wonders around the path of least resistance. It flows like a huge unchannelled Ibadan river, creating its own channels and causing destruction in the process.

Never stop to use you mind. If you do, your mind will keep working anyway, only along the path of hopelessness and destruction. The huge power of your mind is available to you, waiting to be deployed at your command. Issue the right command and reap the benefits of greatness. Misuse it and consign yourself to mediocrity. Like in many issues of life, the choice is yours.

The Human Mind 4

The mind of a man is like a garden. He reaps what he plants on it. I welcome you to this Thursday edition of Leading Right. I am Abiodun Fijabi

Picture your mind like the garden beside your house, office or school. How does it look? Is it filled with well trimmed roses that brighten the environment, creating beauty? Or is it unkempt, unwieldy and unattractive? Who do you hold responsible for the either the beauty or the ugliness? Now, I hope you will not say, “No one”. That is what man has been saying for years, shifting responsibilities away from him and in the process becoming a victim of his environment rather than the creator of his environment.

Roses do not just appear on a garden. They are a product of a deliberate effort. The mind that is deliberately exercised to generate ideas for change will bring the desired change that will astound the world. Great leaders recognise this fact and cash in on it. They are very conscious of the garden they want to build – an attractive garden that leads to a fulfilled life for them and impact the lives of others. So, they deliberately choose what occupies their minds. When they want victory, they plant the roses of victory on the garden of their minds. When they want to make a great contribution to the society, they deliberately choose those thoughts that empower them to break away from the pack and affect their generation. In the end, they reap what they sow. It might take painstaking work spread over years, but they always get there. It might be tough and rough, stretching and tasking their patience to the limits, but they always get there. It is impossible to land elsewhere except where their minds point. We are all beneficiaries of the inputs we make into the garden of our minds. For no one sows a corn and reaps a yam. It is a natural law and yet it is lost on many.

And that explains why many people sow thorns in their gardens. They allow limiting beliefs to dominate their minds. They think of hurt, weakness and failure and they reap plenty of these on their garden of life.

Each thought that we permit in our mind is a seed. And you know there is life in every seed to produce its kind. I do not know about you, but I am overwhelmed by this truth. Now, the seed we sow is a choice. It is a deliberate act. With our hands, we sow the seed we desire on our minds and through constant contemplation we empower the seed to produce its kind. I know some will ague that some thoughts are non-deliberate. The same way we can say some thorns are not deliberately sown in the garden. But the thorns cannot just take over unless empowered to do so by the gardener. Non-deliberate thoughts are as powerful as deliberate thoughts. Each is a seed capable of producing its kind. Great leaders take responsibility for their thoughts and they constant tend their garden to weed out such thoughts that are not consistent with their life’s vision. You need to go ahead and do the same.

The Human Mind 3

Welcome to Leading Right – a presentation of Life Africa. I am Abiodun Fijabi.

Your mind is behind every action you take. There can be no effect without a cause. It is a simple law of nature. There is a force behind every action. Things do not just happen. There is a hand – visible or invisible behind every event. There can be no output without an input.

I remember the story of the missing piece of meat when I was young. Kids in my time would tell the story again and again of the missing piece of meat from their mama’s pot of soup. Thinking their moms were fools, they would claim ignorance of how the meat disappeared. I remember saying the same to my mom once and she became very angry. “So, who took the meat then?” I did not expect a simple case of a missing piece of meat to cause much uproar. At least, every kid did it at one time or the other.

“Mom, I don’t know.” I said, as a-matter-of-factly. Mom smiled. I was sure the matter would be put to rest soon. She teased: “It must be some rat with ten fingers.” Thinking I had got a way out, I agreed. “May be mother.”

I did not see her hand coming. It was as swift as it was deadly. It landed on my face and threw me on the floor. It was the last time I blamed nothing for something.

A nagging wife throws her hands in the air and blames her unbecoming behaviour on the circumstances. A poor man blames his bad fortune on the oppressive nature of the rich. The corrupt leader holds the society responsible for his misdemeanour. The society, on the other hand blames their lack of progress on poor and ineffective leadership. We often see ourselves as victims of some circumstances. We have a thousand and one reasons to blame others for our misfortune. But research and experience have shown that good life, great contribution to the society and healthy living…are all effects of the mind. So is poverty. So is an ignoble life. So is bad leadership.

Blaming others for the misuse of our minds is like blaming the missing piece of meat on the rat with ten fingers. That rat exists only in our imagination. It is an escape into fantasy. The real power behind our actions and inactions is the mind. A great leader gets a hold of his mind and with it determines the circumstances around him. Man is not a creation of his circumstances, as we have been made to believe. So, if you feel depressed or unloved because of unfavourable circumstances around you, the decision to feel like you feel is not made by the circumstances but by your mind.

You must determine to take a hold of your mind today and with it create an attractive future for yourself and the society.

The Human Mind 2

Your mind is a most precious gift from God. You are accountable to Him for the way you use it. Welcome to Leading Right. I am Abiodun Fijabi

A man was said to have gone to God with a load of complaints. He was poor. His young and beautiful wife had grown old and pale from hard work and bad diet. His seven children were lean and unhealthy. He had recently lost his little house – his precious inheritance from his poor dad – to a heavy rain storm. The family of nine was crowded in a single room offered by an oppressive boss who paid much less than a fair wage. The boss made open passes at his wife, derided him before his children and threatened to return them to the streets if they complained out loud. He dared not attend the town’s meeting. He was certain no man would listen to a poor man. He was less than a man, he concluded.

He had other woes. God was unjust, he blamed. Why was he created poor? Why did he have so much trouble? Why was he destined to be less than a man?

God listened with rapt attention. He said no word. The man was furious. He demanded an answer or he would kill himself. God beckoned the poor man to come with him on a long walk. They passed through an expansive estate of beautiful buildings. They came to a huge storage of precious stones. It was breath-taking. Somehow the whole place looked familiar but the poor man could not just remember where he had seen it before. Nobody owned such a place in his village. Not even in the big city could he find such a beautiful estate and so much wealth. Even then, none of the buildings was complete. One needed a coat of paint, another some plumbing work… One building seemed to be in need of something. Besides, they were all deserted.

The tour was over. While still wondering what the tour was all about, he heard God ask: “Why did you abandon the buildings and the wealth?” Immediately, he remembered where he had seen the estate and the tremendous wealth. It was in his mind – long ago. He created so much wealth in his mind but stopped the process midway as the circumstances of life proved severe and unfavourable.

He hurried back to the earth and kept his mind busy again – painting pictures of wealth and good life and working harder under his boss. He asked for a raise and got it. His four older children got on the pay roll. In five years, he had established his own farm. In another five years, he bought over his former boss. He diversified into real estate and created huge wealth like he had imagined.

He went back to God with another complaint. Why did it take you so long to answer me?
To which God answered, “I answered you the day I gave you your mind.”
God has given you an awesome power. Use it today and everyday to pave for yourself a passage into greatness and service to the community

The Human Mind

Hi, my name is Abiodun Fijabi and I welcome you to today’s edition of Leading Right. In the next couple of weeks, we shall travel on another long journey that will help us unravel the power of the human mind, understand how thoughts shape our lives and acquire skills on how to use the power of the mind to create a better future for ourselves and for our communities.

I know you will agree we are in a world of inequalities. There is a huge gap between the rich and the poor; between the powerful and the weak, between the haves and have-nots. In the last few decades, great efforts have been made to remove the inequalities and put men on the same level playing field. The efforts crystallized in a political adventure called communism. “To every man according to his needs” became the dictum. The goal was to create a classless society. Because classes divide and constitute a source of conflicts. A classless society would ensure all men are equal and remain equal. The powerful would no longer dominate the weak; the rich would no longer oppress the poor. It was an attractive philosophy. In a short time, more than half of the world’s population was caught up in the effort to remove the staggering inequalities through a political solution.

But Communism did not endure. It could not have endured because it failed some fundamental tests. It sought to gag man’s mind through draconian laws forced on the multitudes by a few. The adventurous spirit of a man would not allow him stay under a draconian law for a long time. He wants to explore. He wants to be free to pursue a passionate interest. He wants to reach for the stars.

His mind is a gift from God. It is a sacrilege to think for him. Man may and should, at some times, be guided to think rightly. But thinking for others is an abuse of their God-given right. Man can only feel committed to a law that agrees with his divine nature. He can only feel obliged to a law that he participates in making – directly or indirectly. That is the reason democracy – about the closest we have gotten in accommodating the power of the human mind – is sweeping across the world.

But communism is right in this – all men are created equal. Not because they were born into similar circumstances or had the same opportunities for advancement. More often than not, men are different. Wherein lies their equality? Each possesses a mind. Locked up on each mind is all the opportunities and dreams a man might have. It is here that the heights he might reach reside. No mind is greater than another. Each has the same Source – God. The difference as to where one man ends is determined not by the quality of his mind at birth but in the way he deploys his mind over the years.

Dear listener, where you are at present is not conditioned by your environment but by the way you have deployed your mind in the years gone by. Where you will be tomorrow is already determined by the way you are using your mind today. This is a profound truth that will change the course of your life and that of your community. So, welcome to our discussions on the mind.

Goal Setting: Essentials 10

Hi. Welcome to Leading Right. I am Abiodun Fijabi.

Today, we conclude our discussions on goals and goals setting by looking at the practical steps involved in goal setting. Obviously, the first step is to identify the challenge before you for which a goal programme is needed. This you can do through enquiry into your life, vision and experience. Smart leaders will then seek God’s help in the development of their goals. This should be followed by wide and deep thinking. You should ask yourself: What do I want to achieve? As you ask this again and again, you will crystallize your thinking and get a clear understanding of what you are out to achieve.

Hopefully, your thinking should lead you into gathering information that will help you in identifying the problem or need you are facing. In a corporate organization, you may wish to share this information with other members for their input. On a personal level, you may need to spend more time to review this information until you believe you are ready to make a a problem Statement. The problem statement simply states in concrete term your understanding of the challenges you are facing or the needs you wish to meet.

With the problem clearly identified, what you want to do is develop a goal or plan. State clearly what you want to achieve using the SMART principles. Be sure to predicate your goal on your value system and ensure it is derived from your vision. Use positive statements in expressing your goal. Remember to maintain a balance between work and pleasure and be sure your goal is holistic – covering every area of your life. Also incorporate character changes where necessary.

Now, you are ready to set objectives for each goal, develop specific strategies and design the activities you need to carry out to accomplish your goal. If you are leading an organization, you may find it helpful to answer the question for each activity, “Who does What and How and When does he do it?

Be sure to write all these down. Writing helps crystallize your thoughts and makes your ideas specific. You also remember what you write down more than what you fail to put in writing.

Dear friends, your goals are vital to your dreams. Set them, follow them passionately and determinedly and review them constantly for greater effectiveness. The best day to start is today. And there can be no better time than Now.

Goal Setting: Essentials 9

How do you resolve conflicts in goal-setting? Thank you for tuning in for this morning edition of Leading Right. I am Abiodun Fijabi.

There are bound to be conflict of goals. The reason is because there are so many activities or needs competing for your scarce resources. Your resources are limited. To be sure, you have but twenty-four hours in a day and time is inelastic. You are limited in space; you can only be in one place at a time. You have limited financial resources. No matter how rich you are, you cannot buy just everything you want. Even in the area of talents, you are limited. No matter how multitalented you are, there are many things you do not know and many things others can do much better than you. You have limited influence and your circle of influence is fluid. There are things you cannot get done through people at some point in your life and you may have to delay the activity or elicit another person’s help.

When your needs outstrip your resources conflicts arise. Conflicts can be healthy or destructive. It depends a lot on your attitude. Conflicts can be an avenue for a display of maturity and creativity. It can also be a reason to be overwhelmed and succumb to hopelessness and depression. Great leaders use conflicts of interests as opportunity to demonstrate their sagacity and creativity. They prioritize their goals according to their value systems and deal with the goals from top priority down. I am sure you will like to use conflicts creatively too.

Let’s say your goals programme has components that require that you build a new home and send your child to a great school with high tuition fees. You also need to go on a family holidays that you think is long overdue. And there is a brother-in-law who will be out of the University unless he gets a financial help. There may be more. The challenge is that your financial resources cannot meet all these needs. Lesser men will buckle under this heavy burden and give in to depression. Great leaders will prioritize these needs according to their value systems. After sessions of prayers and sound reasoning, they might discover not all activities that are urgent are important and not all important activities are urgent. They might also discover they can expand their resources by eliciting the support of others. Sometimes, time just comes in handy to help them resolve the conflicts. Circumstances change and the choice between conflicting goals just become very clear. In the case cited above, one of your children may fall sick, making the family holiday unnecessary. The remaining goals may now be within your financial resources. Conflicts resolved.

In the event of conflicting goals of two team members in an organization, it is the responsibility of the leader to step in and resolve the conflicts in the best interests of the organization.

So, do not be overwhelmed by the conflicts of interests on your goals programme. They can be resolved through prioritization based on your value system and time. The conflicts may be opportunity for you to demonstrate your creativity.

Goal Setting: Essentials 8

We have talked of the need to constantly review your goals to reflect your experiences and the prevailing circumstances. But is this supposed to mean that you should change your goals at every indication of an unfavourable experience or circumstance? Welcome to Leading Right – a presentation of Life Africa. I am Abiodun Fijabi

Have you ever watched a feather in a whirl wind? Did you notice how it was tossed to and fro by every wind of change? A goal like a feather cannot achieve much, if at all. It is too unstable to make the difference; too directionless to cause a serious change; and too weak to make an enduring impact. I am sure that is not the kind of goal you want to have.

I like what Jesus said about the perception of the people about John, the Baptist. He asked his bewildered audience, “Who did you go into the wilderness to behold – a reed shaken by the wind?” He was saying, “John is no reed; he is stable, confident and determined. “
Such should be your virtues. You must be resolute in your determination to stay the course of your goal against mounting opposition from yourself, others and the environment in which you find yourself.

I like the way Paul puts it. He says, “With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don't hold back… “

Your goal should be a product of sound reasoning. Having being well reasoned out, you should firmly on your ground. Nothing is too much to give to your goals. Nothing should be held back in the defense of your goals programme. Obstacles are bound to surface threatening fire and brimstone unless you give in and give up. Criticisms will mount, taunting your effort as too little or too ambitious. But criticisms is sometimes an indication that you are moving forward and as someone has said, “When people hit you from the back, it shows you are in front.”

Be determined not to make changes on your goals programme until you have gone through another round of sound reasoning. Do not be stampeded into changing your plans midstream because of the exigencies of the moment.

Dear listeners, your goals programme is the pathway to becoming the leader you have always wanted to be. It requires your painstaking commitment. It needs your total dedication. You must determine to see them through. So, try and try again and again. Never give up. Never abandon your hope. Stretch yourself to the limit. Give it all it takes. But be courageous enough to change when necessary. When you make changes, be sure you are not stampeded into altering your goals programme by external forces. Every change should result from careful considerations of criticisms and circumstances. Be sure not to bow to pressures; great leaders only bow to sound reasoning.

Goal Setting: Essentials 7

Hi, it is great to be with you again this morning on Leading Right. Many thanks for tuning in. My name is Abiodun Fijabi.

A leader sees at more than one level. First he focuses his binoculars to take in the larger picture and gets an overview of his role and contributions. He knows the end long before he gets there. He sits behind his desk and writes out a plan to get there. It creates a passion in him because this desired end is exciting and beneficial to him and the society. This is a future he wants to create. This is a place he wants to be more than anything else in the world. But the future may be 25 years or so away. He knows that very much, but he is nevertheless enthusiastic about it. To keep this enthusiasm, he refocuses his binoculars and sees five years down the line. This is not the end, but it is closer to the end. It is a convenient place to stop a little to review the journey so far and prepare for the next five years and every five years after until he reaches the final destination. So, he writes out five 5-year plans. An excitement warms up inside of him because five years down the line looks more realistic and attainable to him. His faith rises and he wants to get to work right away. But then, he knows he must readjust his binoculars again and again to see one year down the line, then one month, then one week and then today. So, he return to his desk and writes out a yearly plan which he divides into monthly plans. Then, he writes a weekly plan and one for today.

Suddenly the larger picture becomes a possibility as the component parts fall into shape.

What the leader has done is to create different levels of goals. The first is the long range goal, which is the leader’s life goal that is predicated on his life vision. The three to five – year plans are medium range goals. The others are short-term goals.

All the different levels of goals are needed to keep the leader’s eye on the final ball. Unlike vision, goals change with the realities of the times. A leader may experience idea paralysis if he insists on his plan in the face of rapid changes that characterizes our world. Goals are not sacrosanct. They should be constantly reviewed to reflect the leader’s experiences and the prevailing environment. For example, you may have a vision to be a leader with a wide political influence that goes beyond the boundaries of your nation. You have developed your 25-year plan to achieve that. Part of your plan is to be the governor of your state and eventually the President of your nation. Ten years into your vision, you discover you can better develop a wide political influence without holding a public office, so you jettison the plan while keeping your eye on your vision. In the end you become a writer and an activist with considerable influence that makes you the envy of governors and presidents.

Dear listener, develop several levels of goals to help you fulfil your vision. Keep your eye on your vision but review your goals constantly to reflect your experiences and the prevailing circumstances.

Goal Setting: Essentials 6

Good morning. This is Leading Right and I am Abiodun Fijabi.

My secondary school days were very eventful. Acting was one of those activities that made so much fun. My school had a good run in drama, staging productions after productions of reputable authors like William Shakespeare, Wole Soyinka, Ola Rotimi and Ngugi Wa Thiongo.

I can never forget an experience I had at the very first rehearsal of the epic court scene of Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. I was to play the Portia, the disguised judge adjudicating between the shrewd Jewish merchant – Shylock and his amiable competitor – Antonio. Shylock was demanding a pound of Antonio’s flesh for failure to pay back a loan he took for a friend. The highpoint of the scene was the long monologue by Portia appealing to Shylock for mercy. I was to read this monologue to the admiration of packed school hall that had gathered to watch our first rehearsal. I cleared my throat and went to work. I conjured a Victorian diction that was both strange to me and the audience. I struggled and stumbled through the monologue. It was drab and uninspiring, but I was satisfied I had done justice to the part. Wasn’t I to play Portia? Was I not acting?

I was surprised when our English teacher doubling as director let out a scream; “What do you think you are doing?” “Acting, of course.” I said that under my breadth, still wondering what I had done wrong. Her next question jolted me out of my daze. “Tell me whose lines you think you are reading?” This teacher must be out of her senses, I thought. I said in a mixture of fear and surprise, “William Shakespeare.”

She smiled back and said, “I thought you would say that.” I had my first smile too. But before I could open my mouth too wide, she dropped the clinger: “Those words were written by Shakespeare alright, but they are yours now. Read them like they are yours. You must own your lines if you want to be a good actor. Those lines must become yours before you can deliver them with a passion.”

Days later, I delivered the same monologue with diction and gestures that were typically mine and it felt so good.

The same must apply to your goals. You should feel free to glean ideas from others. Every great leader does. But the resulting goals must be yours – reflecting your values and your personality. They must be personal with the ownership yours.

When next you are stating your goals, imagine the words of my English teacher: “Own your lines.” I do every time.

Goal Setting: Essentials 5

The way we express our goals matters a lot. Sometimes there is a difference between six and half a dozen. Welcome to Leading Right – a presentation of Life Africa. My name is Abiodun Fijabi

Six and half a dozen may be wide apart depending on the situation. If your target is to reach no 7 and you are on a 6, a positive way to express your position is to announce to yourself you are on a 6. Just one short gives you the impetus to go on. You are not likely to get that kind of a feeling if you were to express your position as half a dozen that provides no psychological relationship with you’re your goal.

This is true of the description of a cup that is filled at the half-mark. There is a huge psychological difference between half full and half empty. If your goal is to fill the cup, then half full will provide you a psychological boost to reach your goal. Half empty will remind you where you are coming from but not where you are going. Now, it is a different ballgame if your goal were to empty the glass. Half empty will be a better description than half full to provide you the Impetus you need to reach your goal.

Since goals are action-oriented, you need all the psychological boost you can get. That is why great goals are usually expressed in positive rather than negative statements. Positive statements tend to energize you. “Rise up early” is a much better goal than 'Don't oversleep you idiot” You might want to say, “Get going: read a book a week.” That is positive and motivating. This is unlike “Do not end your week without reading a book,” which plays on fear. Fear is not always the best way to motivate you into action.

Dear listener, have you surrounded yourself with negative statements in a bid to reach your goal? Perhaps your do no write down those negative statements but they are locked in the inner recesses of your mind. Well, that is just as deadly. You can have much more fun with yourself and your goals if you express your goals in more positive statements.

Now, you don’t have to believe that. Just give it a try. Is there a goal you have always wanted to accomplish and have not been able to be you have been approaching it from the negative angle? Now, try and approach it from a different angle this morning and experience a new level of motivation. If for example, you need to start writing a book, write on a sheet of paper, “Go for the book today!” and say the same to yourself. With God’s help you will rise up to a brand new day in the realization of your dream.

Give yourself a psychological boost today by positively expressing your goal.

Goal Setting: Essentials 4

Human beings love the extremes. But life is a balancing act. Welcome to Leading Right. I am Abiodun Fijabi.

Why do we choose the extremes? Why do we have to choose one virtue over another when we can have both? Look at “authority” and “love”. These are two essential virtues of a leader. But what do most leaders do? They choose one and leave the other. Authoritarian leaders choose the lure of power over love. Benevolent leaders go for love and despise authority. By their choices, both limit their leadership capabilities. The truth is that they do not have to choose between love and authority when they can have both. The ability to balance between love and authority is the stuff great leaders are made of. The balancing act plays out in many other aspects of living. Consider, for example, the need for balancing between work and leisure. Work is needed for productivity. Productivity generates the change needed for growth and development and enhances the quality of life. Leisure takes us away from the regular chores and fixates our minds on a pastime or enjoyable activity. Leisure relaxes and reinvigorates the leader. Otherwise, he burns out. Like in authority and love, leaders tend to choose between work and leisure. Effective leaders choose and enjoy both.

Your goals programme should incorporate both productivity and pleasure. You must make allowance for conscientious work and enjoyable pleasure. The balancing act of the two ensures you continue to make the difference to your community.

Your goals programme must also be holistic – covering all the vital areas of your life. Great leaders set goals not in one but in many areas. They have educational goals that clearly state their desired learning path. They set Financial or business goals that indicate the direction of their business enterprises or their personal wealth. Health is another area of concern to great leaders. They are interested in the type and frequency of medical checkups; their diet as well as physical fitness programme. Their family goals allow them to create an atmosphere for harmonious relationships with spouses and kids. In social goals, they itemize their action plans to make laudable contributions to the society. They also set Personal Interest and Recreational goals that give them the freedom to develop behaviors that are essential for their self-development and provide ample pleasure for enjoyment and recreation. Of course, they set spiritual goals. They recognize that their spiritual life under guards their success in other areas. In this goal, they plan how to deepen their relationships with God and in the process receive peace and develop the characters that are vital to their life and vision.

Dear listener, your goals programme should balance work and pleasure and must be holistic – covering all the vital areas of life. Refuse to choose between two complimentary virtues when you can have both and avoid the temptation to cover only few areas on your goals programme.

Goal Setting: Essentials 3

Hi. I am so glad to welcome you to this morning’s edition of Leading Right – a presentation of Life Africa. My name is Abiodun Fijabi.

Remember we are still on goals setting. Good goals must be concrete and precise. Do not settle for less. Only real, practical and tangible goals stand the chance of motivating you to action.

Here, listen to Mr. Word Juggernaut’s goal. “In my passionate desire to be an exemplary, skilled, trustworthy and servant-hearted leader, I have resolved to abide by the following goals: I shall with immediate effect register, be admitted into and enroll in the school of persuasive speaking and avail myself of the nuances of effective communication within the next half a dozen months. Concomitantly, that is at the same time with the previous, I shall take upon my good self the enviable burden of studying, copying and imitating the great men and women of yesteryears with a view to learning from their successes and mistakes. For this I shall voraciously devour one score less five books in six months. Lastly…”

I am sure you do not want to hear more. That was not a precise goal. Goal setting is not an opportunity to use those flowery words you picked up in the last romantic novel you read. It is a precise action document that is readable and lends itself to quick understanding. If you were Mr. Word juggernaut, how would you document your goals? I bet you would identify the two simultaneous tasks you plan to embark on: namely, attending an effective speaking school within six months and researching into and learning from the lives of great leaders by reading 15 books in six months. That will be simple and precise

Great goals always include character changes. The behavioral changes required to achieve your goals must be incorporated into your goals programme. Otherwise, your goal will be in jeopardy. In the issues of life, who you are is more important than what you do. Your character drives your life and accelerates or impedes the performance of your goal. Great leaders lay a great deal of emphasis on being and allow their doing to proceed from their being. You will need to do the same to be that leader that will make the difference to your community. If, for example, your goal is to improve on your level of influence with people, you may have to change your attitude and behavior towards people. Part of your goals may be to grow in your genuine love and interest for people. This requires a behavioral change. Without this change, you can bid your goal of increasing your level of influence a goodbye.

Dear listener, make your goal as concrete and as precise as possible. And remember to incorporate appropriate character changes on your goal programme.

Goal Setting: Essentials 2

Another essential of goal setting has to do with the use of your mind. Welcome to Leading Right. I am Abiodun Fijabi.

When last did you sit down for an hour or more to think through an idea or a step you are about to take? Can’t remember? Not to worry. Most men and women are just like you. We are more of workers than thinkers. Rather than think things through we just roll up of our sleeves or gather our skirts and go to work. We are prone to acting without the benefit of clear thinking.

Although goal setting is action-oriented, it thrives on deep and wide thinking. Letting your mind soar helps you identify creative steps you need to take towards actualizing your vision. You wouldn’t know how creative you can be until you have activated the power of your mind.

Try it today and you will see. Consider a portion of your vision and settle down to set goals to accomplish it. Let us assume your vision requires that you deal with your anger. By the way, another essential of goal setting requires that you set your goal to meet a specific need or problem. May be, for long your anger has stood on your way of building good relationships with others. This human emotion has greatly impaired your leadership capability, frustrated your sincere efforts and limited your circle of influence. So, very wisely, you have decided to deal with it. How do you go about doing this? I know the way many will deal with this. Just sit down and wish that it will go away someday. Some others will offer half-hearted prayers to God. Have you heard the story of an angry man who goes to God in prayers? He said to God: “Lord remove my anger before I get angry.”

I think a better approach is to step aside alone and think. Allow ample time. Be sure to have a pen and paper as you consider practical steps to take to overcome your anger. Pray for God’s guidance as you start. I bet you God is more willing to help than you are eager to ask. It is good to maintain an attitude of prayer even as you continue to think. Ask questions that will challenge you to think. For example, you may ask: What triggers my anger? Why have my previous steps at overcoming anger failed? What new experience have I learnt in dealing with this emotion? What do I need to do now that I have not been doing before? What are the challenges I am likely to face in my new decision? How do I intend to overcome these challenges?

These thoughts are certain to lead you to your goals just like they have led many successful leaders to theirs.

Dear listener, it is time to think through your goals. You will unlock your dynamic and God-given power of the creative mind as you do so.

Goal Setting: Essentials 1

Hi. Good morning and welcome to Leading Right. My name is Abiodun Fijabi.

This week we are going to be looking at some essentials of Goal setting. You might think we are belabouring this issue but there is hardly any other way you can achieve that great dream in your heart without a successful goals programme.

First, your goals must stem from your vision. Accomplishing a vision is the very reason for a goals programme. If you do not know where you are heading, you stand no chance of knowing how to get there. Goals are the decisive and practical steps we take to our vision. Perhaps the real reason you do not set goals is because you do not possess a vision. Vision is a vivid mental image of your future. It is what you believe you have been created for. It is the real reason for your existence. Did I hear you swear no one in his right senses would live without a clear understanding of what he is here for? You are dead wrong. Majority of humanity has no clue as to their mission here on earth. They live each day as it comes, responding to the day-to-day needs as the circumstances of life dictate. They are reactive and not proactive.

Such visionless people have no business with goals or goal-setting. It is too painstaking for them. Too rigorous. Too time consuming. Too complex. They prefer to just swim in the calm ocean of survival instead of the troubled sea of real living. But fulfilment is only found in real living. And real living is like a pearl; you do not cast such treasure before the swine of lack of vision.

Dear listener, you will continue to underestimate the importance of goals as long as you are yet to crystallize your life vision in your mind. Remember you have no business setting goals without the backing of a strong vision to which you are passionately committed.

Second, your goals must be predicated on your behaviour rather than on your expectations from others. If you set a goal to become a better husband if your wife changes her nagging behaviour, you are setting an ineffective goal. The same is true if you plan to read more books once you are transferred to a new position. The possibility exists your wife may not stop nagging and the expected transfer may not materialize. In the event of such possibilities, your goals become ineffective. The truth is that you are only in control of your own behaviour and not that of anyone else. To predicate your goal on behaviours you do not have control over is like chasing a shadow. Since no man has ever caught up with a shadow, you may be taking an endless journey.

Be determined to do it right. Let your goal arise from your vision and predicate your goals on your behaviour and not on others.

Goal Setting: Characteristics 3

We are still on the characteristics of goals and I am so glad you could join me again on this beautiful Friday morning. So, welcome to Leading Right – a presentation of Life Africa. I am Abiodun Fijabi.

A goal is not a daydream but it may arise from one. A goal is not a fantasy, although fantasy has been found to be the springboard of some great goals. Daydreaming and fantasying can be condoned or even encouraged at the vision stage, but not actively in a goals programme.
A sixty year old having a goal to play competitive soccer in the World cup has an unrealistic goal. So is a graduate assistant desirous to become the vice chancellor of his university in five years. An uneducated palm wine tapper can attain noble heights and live his life to the fullest. But he should be advised to forget the idea of becoming the president of Nigeria in 10 years. Go ahead, set high goals. Task your potentials to the limits. And even beyond the limits. But do not be unrealistic. There is a place of faith – supernatural faith in vision casting and in goal setting. But faith must be clearly distinguished from presumption and a clear line must be drawn between faith and foolishness even though both start with an ‘f’.

You have had of a fool’s paradise before, I am sure. It is no paradise at all. I am sure you are desirous of real-time paradise that offers genuine hope for you and your community. You won’t get that in the fool’s paradise. The last time I checked, that paradise existed only when the fool, having been sobered by reality, pursued realistic goals.

So, go for realistic dreams and lead your community into a paradise of hope and change.
Finally, your goal must be tangible. Something is said to be tangible when it has “substance or material existence; perceptible to the senses.” Make goals that you can identify with in day-to-day living. Instead of saying, “I will be more knowledgeable,” say, “I will read one book a week on leadership or business.” Knowledge can be mysterious or intangible. You unveil its mysteries and make it tangible when you reduce it to existing substances and established life experiences. Instead of saying, “I will be more spiritual,” say, “I will attend a service at least once a week, read at least one chapter of the Bible daily and pray for at least 30 minutes a day.” The substances and the experiences in the latter statement are perceptive to your senses.

Remember, you can only do with passion what you can perceive with your senses. In the end, you may achieve intangible goals that even your senses cannot perceive.
Whatever goals you may have, ensure they are realistic and tangible.

Goal Setting: Characteristics 2

So, you have decided to be a great leader with enormous influence that will help you steer your community in the path of progress and development; and you have been specific about your goal? Great! This morning, we will discuss two additional characteristics of a great goal.
Welcome to Leading Right – a presentation of Life Africa. My name is Abiodun Fijabi

I am sure you still remember the SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Attainable and Actionable, Realistic and Tangible goals. Now, your goal must also be measurable. It is not just enough that you want to be a great leader with specific or clear and practical idea as to which kind of a leader you want to be. Your goal must be such that allows you to measure the progress you have made in achieving it. As Paul Meyer has said, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t monitor it.” You might simply say, “I want to be an influential and world-renowned cardiologist or an owner of a business conglomerate of companies with product or services that advance the society.” That is specific, but not adequate to periodic measurement. Your goal to be measurable must not only answer the question what but also when. If you say, “My goal is to become an influential business leader by the time I am 40 years old,” your goal is specific and measurable.

That kind of a goal gears you into action and not into complacency. Because your goal is measurable you can monitor it. And if you can monitor it, you can be sure if you are making progress or not. This is motivating in itself. You are likely to be excited by your progress and challenged by your lack of it. Whichever is the case, you are on the go. And that helps. I promise you, it is the kind of a goal you want to have.

Beyond being measurable, your goal must be attainable and actionable. It must incorporate or generate action. It must be such that suggests steps or activities needed to take you to a desired end. For example, you might decide on a goal to study 20 world distinguished political leaders in 20 months. That is a specific and measurable. It is also attainable and actionable as it can easily generate action steps. One obvious step is to study one leader a month. This is unlike a goal that is just out to study world distinguished political leaders. This goal does not incorporate or generate action steps. It is unlikely to drive you into taking the necessary actions. Dear listener, a goal is about action. It should obviously be preceded by wide and deep thinking and sustained by good thinking. But it fails if to be a goal if it remains just a thought, a theory or a proposal. It must be such that leads you to actions and propel you to definite and beneficial activities.

Make your life goal and every goal you will make in the pursuit of your vision measurable, attainable and actionable. That is the only way you can generate that energy that will launch you into action steps into your beneficial future.

Goal Setting: Characteristics 1

Good morning. This is Leading Right and I am glad to be your host again this morning. I am Abiodun Fijabi.

Let us move ahead in our treatment of goals today as we discuss the characteristics of goals. It is very likely you have heard of Smart goals before. You need not worry if you have not. You are just like me: There are many things I do not know too. But I am ever eager to learn new things that I consider useful in my journey in life. That I am sure want to do as well. For now, it is just enough that you can spell the word, SMART. S…M…A…R…T. You got it! And that is smart! The SMART goals were made popular by a gentleman by the name of Paul J. Meyer. Paul is the founder and president of Success Motivation Institute. The word SMART is an acronym with S standing for Specific, M for Measurable, A for attainable and actionable, R for realistic and T for Tangible. Let’s go over that again. You can say them after me or better still write them down. Let’s go. S for Specific, M for Measurable, A for attainable and actionable, R for realistic and T for tangible. Good. These five words have been used in the last decade or two to characterize the goals a leader needs to give his vision impetus for success. You will do well to learn them and better still use them as you chart for yourself a place in history.

We shall treat the first characteristic this morning and I am going to start by asking you a question. How would you react if someone were to say to you, “My goal is to travel?” You certainly would want more information. At least, for a start, you want to know where he is traveling to. I am sure you will feel the same way if he were to say, “My goal is to become an important person.” That also is vague. Just as “I want to be great.” What you are looking for is some specificity. You want the person speaking to you to be specific about his or her goal. Otherwise, their statements would be confusing and there may be a breakdown in communication between the two of you. That is exactly what vague goals do – they confuse you and others and may lead to a communication breakdown between you and your vision. Vague goals stand no chance of creating the energy you need to drive yourself towards your vision. They provide you no enthusiasm and you can as well bid your vision a farewell as long as you cannot be specific in your goals.

Dear listener, go for specific goals. Specific goals are usually clear and practical and they define the outcome or result you are out to achieve. Do, not just say, “I want to be a leader”. Be specific the kind of a leader you want to be. Say something like, “I want to be a pastor with enormous influence on my congregation and the society.” Say something like, “I want to become a senator with a passion for the people and with excellent voting records.” Say something like, “I want to be a business leader, owning companies that produce excellent products and meet the real needs of people.”

So, listener, do your goal a favour, make it specific.

Goal Setting 5

Hi, my name is Abiodun Fijabi and I warmly welcome you to today’s edition of Leading Right.

By now, you should be considering setting goals if you have not already started to do so. You will be right on track to give greater attention to goals and goals setting. All great leaders do.

We will conclude our discussion on the benefits of goals this morning. Goal encourages the maximum use of resources. That should be obvious, I should think. It is one good reason why any right thinking leaders should set goals. It is regrettable that not many leaders or would-be-leaders see the need to maximize the use of their resources. That explains why so many dissipate energies on non-essentials and burn out soon before they achieve substantial portion of their dream. They get plucked out of their vision like a flower in its blossom.

As soon as you set up a goals programme, your resources are assigned. Your gifting, your relationships, your time, your financial and mental resources already have direction. They are at an attention, waiting to be deployed in the pursuit of your vision. Few things are more important to a leader than for him to have the resources available to him to have a clearly defined focus. It gives him leverage over others. It saves him from the tyranny of the urgent that seeks to tear him away into needless but urgent tasks.

In the end, he gets away with fewer resources than his peers. The maximum use of his resources has given him an edge.

Dear listener, you can do a lot with the few resources you have at present, if only you will set goals. You might think you do not have enough money, time or connections. Wait until you set goals and you will be amazed at how much you can accomplish with so little.

The power of goal setting is at your disposal, it is left for you to use it. And with it save yourself from dissipating your scarce resources and move with greater ease towards the realization of your dream.

Use it and be sure to start today.

Goal Setting 4

If you think you have got all the benefits of goal setting, wait until you hear this one. Welcome to Leading Right, I am Abiodun Fijabi.

What about you waking up every morning and feeling like punching the air. A bright smile fills your face. You draw the curtains of your room and you see the new day from your window. You consider the challenges that lay ahead of you and instead of feeling intimidated by its enormity; you feel an overwhelming enthusiasm to face the day. You smile at yourself again. Moments after, you are behind your desk or at the port of your duty, working out your dream with vigour, faith and excitement.

Is this an impossible dream? Not quite, if you have goals. Goals make you feel enthusiastic about the activities you need to engage in to fulfil your dream. Effective leaders agree they are able to feel a greater level of excitement whenever they set goals and visualize themselves moving towards the goals.

Now, imagine yourself never waking up on the wrong side of the bed. Imagine you enthusiastically challenging your obstacles, brazing the odds and pushing on with your plans. The former war-time Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill says, “Success is failing several times without losing enthusiasm.” Now, if you want to turn your failure into one challenge that you can enthusiastically take on, then consider setting goals today.

With the enthusiasm you get a focus on results. Goals help you to focus on the results rather than the problem or activity. They see much of the accomplishments rather than the challenge alone. That makes the challenge less intimidating and places success within reach. Besides, you are able to evaluate how far and how well you have gone in the pursuit of your dream. This evaluation of performance and progress only helps you focus more on the results and helps you take responsibility for your life and dream.

Dear listener, you just have to set goals to fulfil your dream. Your vision is worthless without goals. Get down to setting goals today and experience a new level of enthusiasm and the focus on achievements. I wish you all the best in this endeavour.

Goal Setting 3

The benefits of setting goals are legion. Let’s look at some of them this morning.
My name is Abiodun Fijabi and I warmly welcome you to Leading Right.

Goals help give focus to your energy. In goals your resources find a focus. You are not likely to dissipate your energy on non-essentials if your have goals. Goals help to maximize the use of your resources. To understand this, think of a car engine firing on all cylinders. You just can’t take your dream off the agenda. Every cylinder works to fire the engine of your dream. It is a place you want to be. At least, it is a place I love to be. You will love it when you are passionate about something, especially about something that gives you personal fulfilment and impacts significantly on the society. The good news is: goals help you develop that passion and concentration. That’s why you will not want to do without goals.

Since goals are predicated on your vision, they provide a direction for your life. Your life takes on meaning and life becomes purposeful and exciting. You find a reason to live. Your priorities are set. You are firmly on top of your life. You are better positioned to take on the challenges that seek to frustrate your vision. Commitment to the ideals you believe in is easy. In the uncharted and stormy world such as ours; stability is a treasure. Goals provide that stability – safeguarding us against the frequent and uncooperative changes in circumstances and people’s attitudes to our dreams. In the midst of the ocean of life, we find a firm support in our goals. Really, I think you should do this one thing and do it right – Go for goals.

Have you seen a self-confident man or woman of recent? I mean one who possesses a positive self-image? The likelihood is he or she has clearly defined goals. When your life purpose is known and you are clear minded as to how to achieve it, you exude a rare confidence and your self-image shows an incredible upward swing. That’s something I am sure you will like very much. The reason I think so is you cannot go far without a positive self-image. A defective self-image is crippling. It makes you have a low opinion about yourself. It makes you think little of your self and the level of contribution you are capable of making to the society. Poor self-image gives you a failure mentality. That’s one thing you do not need. It is like going to the warfront with a mindset of being crushed by the opposing army. If you think that is a disaster, then never you attempt to challenge the status quo without well thought-out, practical and time-bound goals.

Again, I advise you to go for goals. Your life depends on it.

Goal Setting 2

Hi. Welcome to Leading Right. My name is Abiodun Fijabi.

In his book, Leading Effectively, Father D’Souza observes that “People who get what they want do so because they
· have clear goals
· develop plans and schedules for achieving goals
· assume personal responsibility for implementing and following these plans and schedules
· persevere in the face of setbacks.”
You cannot go far without goals. You cannot achieve much without developing schedules and plans for achieving the goals. Beyond these, you must assume personal responsibility for the implementation of your plans and schedules. You certainly have to create a strong motivation to assume this responsibility. Visualize what it will be like to achieve your vision. Think of the lives you will touch. Consider the personal fulfillment you will achieve. Let your mind see the new level of influence you will have in the society. What a great life it will be. You can even imagine yourself already living that life. You only have one hurdle to cross – your goals.

Once your goals are set, you must stick with them, no matter what. As soon as you set goals, you set in motion a creative force for change. Now, change does not come easy. Obstacles are bound to arise. But you must stay faithful to your goals.

What is a goal you may ask? Goal is a desired end; a destination. It is “the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it.” It is a predetermined set of plans designed to achieve a vision.

Goal Setting 1

Are you really passionate about being a leader with considerable achievements and powerful influence? Then, you need to turn your vision into a set of predetermined plans or goals.

Welcome to Leading Right and many thanks for tuning in. I am Abiodun Fijabi

Great leaders have one thing in common. They are not slaves to circumstances. In other words, they do not allow circumstances to dictate to them what they should do or not do. They do not leave their future to chances. Rather they chart a course for themselves in the midst of the wilderness of life and pursue purposeful and passionate plans that see them through each day and set a feasible but challenging agenda for the deployment of their resources tomorrow. They are said to be proactive – making choices from many alternatives as to what they should do to achieve their vision. Lesser men and women are reactive – their choices are made for them by the needs of the moment; their courses in life follow the dictates of the prevailing circumstances. They move with the weather. They sail or sink with the times. At best, they are wishful thinkers, hoping that the future will turn out well without any plan to get there.

Proactive leaders look ahead. Their heads are not bowed to the challenges or the triumphs of the moment. They control today’s circumstances by their plan and face tomorrow with clear minded action plan. Reactive leaders are consumed by the challenges of today and devote their energies in responding to them. Today soon becomes tomorrow and reactive leaders face yet another day without a definite plan of the future, but one handed down to them by the needs of the moment.

Proactive leaders are strategists; reactive leaders are fire-fighters. A proactive leader asks: Where do I want to go and how do I get there? A reactive leader asks: What are the problems and how do I solve them? The former’s strategy is predicated on his vision; the latter’s on the challenges. The proactive leader is therefore able to generate plans of action that move him closer to his vision. This is major distinctive feature between the proactive and reactive leaders. In other words, proactive leaders see goal setting as a strategic tool for leadership. They know they are not more than wishful thinkers if they have a great vision without predetermined, feasible, challenging and time-bound goals to achieve their vision.

Dear listener, you need to go beyond your dream as important as your dream is. Only carefully set goals, passionately followed through will guarantee you success in your endeavour. I hope you will resolve today to put your vision in action as you set clearly articulated goals to achieve it.

Identifying Your Vision 5

I warmly welcome you to Leading Right, this beautiful Friday morning. My name is Abiodun Fijabi.

This morning, we wrap up our discussion on how to discover your vision. Attitude – positive attitude – may just be what you need to lead you to your vision. The best way to start is to believe you are a creation of value. You will be doing yourself a great disservice to think less of yourself than God thinks of you. He says you have been fearfully and wonderfully made and I think you should believe that. He says he has given gifts to all men and I do not think you should have any problem with that. He says he is with you always and I do not know why you should feel deserted, neglected, left behind in this world of great opportunities and possibilities.

A positive attitude will do you a lot of good in your search for your ultimate purpose in life. Your mind is the battlefield of your life. If you win in this battle, you will win in the ultimate war of living your life to the fullest.

So, put on your positive attitude today and discover just what you have been created for.
Now, for some of my listeners this may not be as easy as it seems. You probably have been holding a negative attitude for a long long time. Now, you just cannot see this changing. That in itself is a wrong attitude. A better attitude is change may be difficult, but not impossible. In fact, history has proved over and over that change is possible. You can change and so is the man next door. And that virtually on any area of your life.

Let me try and offer some help on how you can set about changing your attitude. Someone has said you may never be able to change unless you are able to associate strong pain with your attitude. Say, you have been thinking little about yourself. Now, consider what that pain that has caused you over the years. Top of which is your failure to discover your ultimate vision in life. Now, is this the kind of life you wish to continue to live? Imagine how life would possibly end if you did not change. Can you already feel the pain of watching on the sideline as others make giant strides and bring hope to the society?

Then, go to work on your attitude. Set yourself a two week period of continuous positive thinking. Call it a fast of old habit, if you like. Be determined within this period not to succumb to the old thinking. Punish yourself if you do. Anytime you hold a wrong thought for more than thirty seconds, start the two-week fast afresh. If that is not punitive enough, deny yourself of the next meal or anything you really like. Do this until you reinforce new positive attitudes and be sure to stay with the new habits for as long as you live. It is your life, live it.

Identifying Your Vision 3

Welcome to Leading Right. I am Abiodun Fijabi.

I like this Bible passage that says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your heart.”

Another secret of discovering what you are on the earth for is to apply yourself to the pursuit of excellence. If you refuse to play the mediocre and keep looking for a more excellent way, you might as well discover the excellent passions God has generously endowed you with and the question as to what you are on the earth for is answered.

Dear listener, you really do not have to pursue excellence because you want to answer the question as to what you are on the earth for. The pursuit of excellence, I believe, should be a lifestyle to you. I do not think anyone has been created to be a mediocre. All I need to persuade myself about this is to take a look at the creator and his creation.

God is a marvel to our finite minds. He is fixed in his values, but not in his methods. At one time, he allowed the laws to hold sway. The people of Moses’ days would think they had the best. The Ten Commandments provided the divine guidance that would lead to a progressive man and an orderly society. Moses became the lawgiver and God’s point man of his generation. Any of Moses’ generation would have been satisfied with the laws. They would have touted the law as the best thing that had happened to humanity. There was nothing else to look up for. Remember, God wrote the laws with his own hands.

Now, we know they would have been wrong. God moved on. He even went ahead later to reveal the limits of the law and the supremacy of grace. Here is the way John described the relationship between the law and grace. He wrote: “For the Law came through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Paul was more direct. He simply said, “God took away one and replaced it with another.” God moved on.

His creation speaks eloquently of his pursuit of excellence. Man, the crown of his creation, is a marvel. The orderly cosmos is another marvel. The vast creation displays outstanding unity in diversity, beauty and excellence. Here is the way David sums up the wonders of creation. “How clearly the sky reveals God's glory! How plainly it shows what he has done! Each day announces it to the following day; each night repeats it to the next. No speech or words are used, no sound is heard; yet their message goes out to the entire world and is heard to the ends of the earth. God made a home in the sky for the sun; it comes out in the morning like a happy bridegroom, like an athlete eager to run a race.”

We have inherited the pursuit of excellence from God. We would only be living out our nature if we make excellence our watchword. And that may be the path we need to take to discover what we have been created for. In whatever you do; ask yourself this question: Is this the best I can possibly put out. Do this regardless of the size or the importance of the task. Make excellence a habit.

Remember, this has been a presentation of life Africa and has been made possible through the generous contributions of friends. For comments or suggestions, please send a mail to leadingright@lifeafrica.org Please log on www.lifeafrica.org for a transcript of today’s broadcast.
Good morning.
IV Daring and persevering spirit may be your own path to discovering why you are on the earth. Welcome to Leading Right, a presentation of Life Africa. I am Abiodun Fijabi.

There may be some of us who may never discover who God has created us to be until we unleash the power of a daring and persevering spirit. Responding to the call of a challenge that faces you brings out the best inside of you and may as well lead you to your ultimate vision.

Problems are not final; so are failures. Those who believe this are constantly challenging the status quo. They are bracing the odds and do not accept limits placed before them by other people or circumstances of life.

Take a look at the people who matter in our society. You will notice there is one strand that runs through their personal, family or vocational life. The strand that refuses the label of “impossible” and moves ahead even if no one seems to be following at first. Whether in business, ministry, governance or in the professions, our lives are shaped by men and women who have discovered their visions in the crucibles of hardships, in the pains of challenging their obstacles; and in the throes of perseverance against failures that look certain.

Dear listener, you may just be one of these men and women. I shall offer a few advices here this morning. I counsel you to break from the old habit of accepting failure as final. Failure is not final; it is a part of the process. It is a call for a better method, a better attitude, a greater determination… Whatever you do, do not give up. Many in the world give up too soon and fail to discover their vision. When challenges come, do not run away from them. Whatever the colour or tenacity of your challenge, face it. Give your best to resolving it. If you fail, rise. No matter how many times you fall, make sure you rise again.

Dear listener, I counsel you to stop complaining and start daring. Refuse to take the easy way out by staying on the fence and watch the daring discover their vision. Whenever opportunity knocks on your door and dares you to take a daring leap forward, do not refuse the challenge. Go for it. Just go for it.

Identifying Your Vision 2

There is yet another way you can answer the question: What am I here for? Engage in creative thinking.

Good morning. This is Leading Right. I am so glad you could tune in.

Creativity may be the path of discovering the ultimate vision for some. Some of my listeners this morning may fall in this category. Thinking outside the box is not the exclusive preserves of the great thinkers. Everyone including you can think creatively.
And you can start today.

Let me assist with a few suggestions. Listen carefully to the following statements and answer them as truthfully as possible. If you answer more of these questions in the negative, then you need to improve on your creativity. These statements are taken from The School of Thinking website. Alright, let’s go.

My judgments of ideas are based on the value of the idea rather than on my emotions at the time.I judge ideas not just as "good" or "bad" but also as "interesting" if they can lead on to better ideas.
I consider all factors in a situation before choosing, deciding or planning.I consider all factors first, before picking out the ones that matter most.I try to see the purpose of rules I have to obey, even if I don't like the rules.I look at a wide range of possible consequences before deciding which consequences to bother about..I know exactly why I have chosen something as a priority.I try to get as many different ideas as possible first, before starting to pick out the priorities.I will go on looking for alternatives until I find one I really like.While most people look for alternatives when they are not satisfied; I look for them deliberately even when I am satisfied.I am able to tell myself the real reason behind a decision I make.Before making a decision, I consider the factors, look at the consequences, get clear about the objectives, assess the priorities, and search for possible alternatives.I am able to see the other person's point-of-view whether I agree with it or not.
Your creativity may be the door to your purpose. Be determined to open the door of your mind to new ideas and propel yourself to your ultimate purpose in life. You can as well begin that process today; more appropriately now.

Identifying Your Vision 1

Welcome to Leading Right. I am Abiodun Fijabi

This week, we shall be looking at how vision is established. We will be answering the question: How do I identify my vision? This is one question I have been asked several times by people from of all ages, of both sexes and from different persuasions. It is one question that unites humanity. We all want to know what we have been created for. We all desire to know our ultimate purpose. We know we cannot go far without this one knowledge. It is as vital as life itself. If we fail to discover this, we fail in the question of life. It is a compulsory question in the exam of life. We cannot dodge it; we cannot afford to fail it.

Many will spend all they possess to have information about their future. They are ready to do just anything to know how their lives will end – from the bizarre to the ridiculous; from the mundane to the esoteric. You might think they are being too much in a hurry to know what tomorrow holds. But in reality, they are seeking an answer to the question: What am I here for? They think in knowing what the future holds for them, they will know what life and history have prepared for them. They are asking with pains in their hearts: “Can somebody please tell me what I am here for?”

As humans we are always tempted to look outside of ourselves for solution to our challenges. But usually, not always, the best place to look is within us. In this question of life, we will discover more facts within us than from the environment.

What am I saying? I am saying the first place to look is within you. God has not only placed you here he has created passions for something inside of you. He has put something inside of you that gives you life and vitality. There are certain things you do with relative ease and with so much satisfaction. Others may do same grudgingly because they see it as a task; but for you it is fun. A friend of mine has an advice for you. He writes in a big caption in my city: “Do not struggle to do what others have grace to do.”

There are things you do not struggle for. There are things that come to you naturally. They are God’s matchless blessings. They are his favour to you his creation of value. This special endowment sets you apart from the pack. They are your distinctive features. Your divine mark. Your godly identity.

And you know what? They are a pointer to your vision. They are the divine paths to the answer to the question: What am I here for? It is these attributes that you should discover and value above anything else. Ponder on them, pray over them…until you discover these factors that give you life and vitality. From these factors, you may understand the question of life and answer with confidence: This is what I have been created for.

Identifying Your Vision 1

Welcome to Leading Right. I am Abiodun Fijabi

This week, we shall be looking at how vision is established. We will be answering the question: How do I identify my vision? This is one question I have been asked several times by people from of all ages, of both sexes and from different persuasions. It is one question that unites humanity. We all want to know what we have been created for. We all desire to know our ultimate purpose. We know we cannot go far without this one knowledge. It is as vital as life itself. If we fail to discover this, we fail in the question of life. It is a compulsory question in the exam of life. We cannot dodge it; we cannot afford to fail it.

Many will spend all they possess to have information about their future. They are ready to do just anything to know how their lives will end – from the bizarre to the ridiculous; from the mundane to the esoteric. You might think they are being too much in a hurry to know what tomorrow holds. But in reality, they are seeking an answer to the question: What am I here for? They think in knowing what the future holds for them, they will know what life and history have prepared for them. They are asking with pains in their hearts: “Can somebody please tell me what I am here for?”

As humans we are always tempted to look outside of ourselves for solution to our challenges. But usually, not always, the best place to look is within us. In this question of life, we will discover more facts within us than from the environment.

What am I saying? I am saying the first place to look is within you. God has not only placed you here he has created passions for something inside of you. He has put something inside of you that gives you life and vitality. There are certain things you do with relative ease and with so much satisfaction. Others may do same grudgingly because they see it as a task; but for you it is fun. A friend of mine has an advice for you. He writes in a big caption in my city: “Do not struggle to do what others have grace to do.”

There are things you do not struggle for. There are things that come to you naturally. They are God’s matchless blessings. They are his favour to you his creation of value. This special endowment sets you apart from the pack. They are your distinctive features. Your divine mark. Your godly identity.

And you know what? They are a pointer to your vision. They are the divine paths to the answer to the question: What am I here for? It is these attributes that you should discover and value above anything else. Ponder on them, pray over them…until you discover these factors that give you life and vitality. From these factors, you may understand the question of life and answer with confidence: This is what I have been created for.

Vision In Action 5

Good morning and welcome to this morning’s edition of Leading Right. I am Abiodun Fijabi

A vision remains a dream and could die if it is not acted upon. So many visions have died and many more will die because the visionaries failed and would fail to act on their dreams. The secret of keeping your vision alive is to turn it into a mission. Mission is the commitment to act on a vision. You no longer are a visionary but also a man or woman on assignment. You have chosen to give your dream legs and hands and have rolled up your sleeves, ready to be deployed in the field of your vision.

Have you seen a man or woman on an assignment before? You can always identify the passion with which they operate. Nothing else matters to them more than this vision. Everything they do counts towards the attainment of the vision.

A missioner asks everyday, “What must I do today to move towards my vision?” He arranges his daily activities into series of achievable, challenging and time-bound goals. He sets to work with single-mindedness. You can gauge his enthusiasm, his spirit and his industry. It is like his very life depends on it. In truth, it is. The survival of his vision has to do with his mission.

He also asks himself before he takes on any assignment, “How does this assignment help me move towards the realization of my dream?” If he cannot answer in the affirmative, he lets it pass. He is not interested in being a jack of all trades and master of none. That is for the visionary without a mission.

How does he major on the major is his major concern. He carefully selects his tasks, his friends, his hobbies, his readings, his habits, his words and attitudes to be sure they square up with his vision. He is like that man in Jesus’ parable who sold all he had and purchase a pearl of great price. A missioner counts his costs and lays down his life. His vision is worth living for, and if possible, worth dying for. Mission is a serious business.

Let me read to you in part Nelson Mandela vision. “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve, but it needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

He was on a man on a mission. It was the driving force of his life. It was behind his desire to serve as the president of the new South Africa. It was this mission that made him refuse to serve a second term, choosing rather to serve on a bigger and higher platform to propagate the ideals he believes him. Up till today, even in his old age the soldier in Mandela matches on.

When will you turn your vision into mission? I hope it is today.

Vision In Action 4

Every leader patiently and jealously guard their vision. You need to patiently and jealously guard yours.

My name is Abiodun Fijabi and I warmly welcome you to Leading Right.

Have you heard the story of stone crusher before? For a village boy like me, I can easily identify with the story. There was one right near our mud house in the village where I grew up. He was old and so were his hands and arms. In my estimation, those hands and arms were no match for the stones he had to crush. The stone crusher certainly did not believe that. He exuded confidence as he walked briskly to his yard. The mountainous stone before him at present provided no threat. He had crushed stronger stone before and this one too would fall. He took his chisel and hammer and began to apply the first seemingly harmless strike. Many strikes after, the stone looked untouched. All the stone crusher had to show for his efforts were a few tiny chips of stone. You would think the crusher would be disappointed. No, not this one. He kept on striking and striking, oblivious of the arrogance of the stone.

I wondered if he knew what he was doing. His strikes looked like they were a child’s play. They were too feeble for the huge stone, I thought. Can’t he just make one big strike and get the stone tumbling down? If the stone crusher heard me he did not show it. He just kept at it, allowing no distraction. His strikes were consistent as he set his eyes on the goal of a split stone which people like me could not see.

Then one strike and the stone split. I called it the lucky strike and the crusher disagreed, replying me for the first time. “There is no lucky strike, “ he said. “Each strike is important. Each builds up of the strengths of the previous strikes. The stone split not because of one strike but of several, diligently, persistently and patiently applied.”

But what made him keep at it for that long, I asked. His answer was educative. “I just kept thinking the next strike would be the last strike that would split the stone.”

Do anything but give up on your dream. Consistently, persistently and patiently apply yourself to working towards your dream. Never forget, every effort counts. Each builds up on the strengths of the previous. And when you feel tired and are tempted to give up on your dream, put up the next effort and imagine it could be the last one to take you to your dream. If it fails, think of the next as the last. And then the next…until you reach your goal.

Vision In Action 3

Are you still asking what to do with your vision?

Welcome to Leading Right. I am Abiodun Fijabi

Great leaders always do this with their vision: they recall it often and often until they firmly believe it. The creative mind thrives on repetition. It is empowered by affirmation.
Affirmation is the statement of truth you repeat to yourself so often that it becomes a part of your life. Some call it mediation and they are right.

One dictionary defines ‘mediation’ as the “continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature.” Mediation is a continuous exercise. It is something you do daily, hourly, moment by moment. It is your waking thought and the very last thing on your mind before you go to bed. Effective leaders know the engine of the creative mind is fuelled by truth, repeated so often. That is why they meditate on their vision often that men around them cannot but notice.

Not only do they meditate long, they also meditate deep. Theirs is a profound contemplation. It is not a shallow thought that fizzles with time. They think long and deep – contemplating the details and juggling the options. Mediation is also often referred to as musing. Musing is “a calm lengthy intent consideration.” A lengthy and intent contemplation takes a root in the mind of a great leader and becomes the raw material the brain needs to create the reality he is seeking and what God needs to bring it to pass.

But meditation is not just about contemplation. It also involves speaking softly and quietly to yourself. This also requires length and depth. Talk to yourself so often about your dream and you keep it alive. Talk deep on issues relating to the vision and it becomes a part of your life.

Visualizing is another way you recall your vision. Make a mental picture of your destination and constantly and deeply see it in your mind’s eye. Go a step further, put the picture on paper and paste on your refrigerator or beside your mirror in the bathroom or on the wall right before you as you lay on your bed. Let this picture be what you see when you wake up and the last thing you see before you switch off the light in your room. Some put this picture in their wallet. Some others insert it in their bibles.

Dear listener, endeavour to keep your vision alive by recalling it so often. Think long and deep. Talk to yourself often. Create a mental picture. Visualize your vision by physically creating a picture of it and out it a place where it can be recalled so often.

Dear listener, your mind needs the power of recall to make it function effectively; do not deny it that power.

Vision In Action 2

The first thing to do to your vision is to write it down.
Welcome to Leading Right. I am Abiodun Fijabi.

There are three reasons why you must write down your vision. The first is the obvious reason that you may forget. If your vision remains only at the back of your mind, it may get lost to the hustle and bustle of life – the pains of yesterday, the challenges of today and the worries of tomorrow. How many times have you lost an idea just because you did not write down? Your mind, like those of most others, is clustered with many issues and, I am sure, you would not want such a vital issue like your vision – the very reason God has created you – to be lost to the

The issue that gains prominence in your mind is one that is often recalled or one with most intense passion. Writing your vision ensures you do not forget it. It also makes the constant recall of your vision easier as well as creates the intense desire that gives it a prominent place in your mind.

Another reason is that writing down your vision makes you think. A French philosopher once asked rhetorically, “How do I know what I think until I read what I wrote?” Your thoughts are better understood when written down. Writing tasks your thinking faculty and brings our creative ideas you have not before considered. You will be amazed sometimes at the things you write down. If you have never experienced it before, try and write down today what your vision is about your family or work.

Finally, writing your vision makes it stick deeper and wider in your mind. You need that very much to be able to keep your vision alive. The truth is that words are stored in our minds in languageless form. Because you have to think before you write, you create images of the future in your mind. As you look at the words you pen down, you do not see the words but images of the future. These images stick in your mind and form the bedrock of a new reality you are tying to create.

Now, start to write your vision today. Let me give you some characteristics of a vision to help you in your writing.

It may be complete or progressive
It should be made within a specific time frame
It is based on values and present realities of its internal and external environments
It must be stated with clarity and certainty, without doubts.
It must be simple enough to be remembered and specific enough to give directionIt must be consistent with God’s purpose for your life

I am sure you are starting right away to write your vision. You certainly will need more time and a secluded place to do justice to your vision. But, at least, you can write the opening statement today or better still, NOW.

Vision In Action 1

Someone has said, “He that wants his dream to come to pass must first wake up.”
Good morning and welcome to Leading Right. My name is Abiodun Fijabi.

It was Robert Greenleaf that said, “Nothing much happens without a dream. And for something great to happen, there must be a great dream. But much more than a dream is needed to bring it to pass.”

Are you genuinely concerned about making the difference to the society? And do your hearts resonate with a vision to achieve this concern? Then you must be determined to put the vision to work. As vital as a dream is to the transformation of our society, we need more than a dream to actualize it. Concerted action must back up a dream to give it the wings on which it can fly. A dream without concerted action is a mere wishful thinking.

I learnt this in a hard way as a little child. I shared mom’s room with my three siblings. There was only one bed, which mom obviously took. The rest of us slept on mat. I remember a dream I had on one cold night. I was on a big stage receiving an award for an achievement that I can not now remember. It must have been an Olympic year or something and I must have been impressed by the medal presentation ceremonies I head on the radio. We had no television back then. As I took my seat on the well upholstered seat, I had a gentle pat on my back. Well, I thought it was the kind of pat you receive from a friend after a brilliant performance. I changed my mind when the gentle pat gave way to a slap. I was dazed. In this state of daze, I heard a familiar voice. I could not believe it at first. It took another heavy slap to jolt me out of my daze. I opened my eyes slightly and took in the ceiling of my room. Then my eyes caught the sparse furniture and lastly my mom standing determinedly over me, a bowl of water in hand. Whatever doubt I had about that fizzled away as she attempted to pour water on my head. “Son, if you don’t stand up right now, I shall empty this bowl of water on your head.”

I shifted on the mat – away from my mom. The accompanied pain from the hard mat was a far cry from the pleasure of the upholstered chair I sat on a while ago. I let out a cry. It was a cry of frustration. I protested but mom ignored my protest and dragged me to the bathroom. She meticulously worked the African sponge on my body. I cried through the ritual of bathing, dressing and eating. Mom gave me her first smile after when she put my school bag around my neck. She called me by my alias and sang my praises. The next moment, I was in the middle of bigger boys as we began the three-mile walk to school. I was probably eight and I was cursing the person who started the idea of school. I hated mom for scuttling my dream and looked forward to another night of dream without mom’s intervention. It was a luxury I never had. Looking back, I am glad I woke up from my dream and was helped to put my dream into action.

Dear listener, no matter how great your dream is, it stands no chance of helping you to make that significant contribution you desire to make to the society or become all that God has ordained you to be until you roll out of your bed and go to work. Be determined to do that today and give momentum to your dream.