40+FAB Blog

What would 2021 have been for you if it were played back to you at the end of this year? No one knows what it will be just yet, but you don’t have to wait to find out.

You can play forward your 2021 using your imagination to act out what you want to see. Fill your imagination with faith and hope to see yourself overcome the challenges which will come in thier own time.

Winners are known to use thier imagination to see victory especially in the face of their toughest challenges.

I can’t promise you anything about the year ahead, but I can promise that if you keep believing in your dream and standing in the face of every adversity, you will overcome and at the end of 2021, you will be standing triumphant!

Happy New Year and congratulations on all you will achieve!

40+FAB Blog

Humans have learnt to organise a lot of daily activities around the natural seasons that control our environment, especially those which determine the farming cycles. There is a certain time to plant and then a time to harvest, so one must be prepared to sow seed during the planting season and to harvest the produce at the right time so they do not rot and decay.

As we have natural seasons that we must be ready for, there are also man made seasons which we will do well to observe. One such season is the turn of the Year. Once a year begins to come to a close, people begin to wind down several activities, so trying to launch a new venture at that time may not be the wisest thing to do. However, at the start of a new year, people are very open to fresh ideas, and there is a general sense that it is the time to try something novel.

What other man made seasons are you aware of in your community, career, hobby, faith or nation? Just as you would observe the natural seasons, be prepared for the man made seasons too.

40+FAB Blog

Have you noticed that weeds always seem to show up in your garden or farm, totally uninvited. In fact, the preparation of the land is focussed on what will make our plants grow and thrive, not those unwelcomed guests.

The reality of life is that no matter how much we plan for what we want, what we don’t want will somehow find a way in. It should not come as a shock, but we do need to be ready to deal with it when we set out to grow something new, be it a family, business, career, idea or garden.

If we take a leaf from farming, we can better understand the following:

• There is no cause for alarm when weeds show up uninvited
• In the early stages, the weeds sometimes look like the plants we want, but only time will reveal the true plants, so don’t to be too quick to judge problematic situations or people.
• At the time the weeds show themselves for what they are, be quick to root out those that can be removed without destroying your plants.
• Let your focus be on the plants and tend to them, ignore the weeds and starve them of nutrients, time and attention.

So, don’t let the possibility of uninvited weeds ruin your expectations or deter you from growing the best things that you have planned for.

40+FAB Blog

Someone said there is dignity in labour, and indeed it is true that every form of work should be treated with respect as it is necessary and needs to be done by someone. No matter how insignificant some types of jobs look, we quickly realise how important they are once it is not being done.

Regardless of how anyone views your job, there is a sense of satisfaction that we get for ourselves from carrying out tasks and completing them. The process of facing the challenge, thinking through what needs to be done, doing it and then getting the expected results is always a joy.

I had a gas leak recently and a workman was sent over to try and solve the problem. He seemed to be in a hurry, a little bit uptight and quite abrupt in his communication. Once he found the source of the leak and the reason for the leak, he called me and pointed it out and what he would need to do to rectify it. As he began to repair the pipes, he was like a different man, he became all chatty and told me about his sports interest. I am sure you have been there yourself and have possibly gone out for a meal or drink to celebrate a work accomplishment.

As you go about your life and work, don’t forget that there is satisfaction in getting things done as they should be.

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Most people have dreams about the future which sometimes seems so far away and improbable to reach. Years of study carried out by thousands of various scholars and curious researchers has shown one consistent thing with successful people, and that is the ability to bring into the present the future that they see.

It stands to reason that if so many are able to do it, then there must be a method for anyone to follow to achieve the same for themselves. Taking responsibility to do all that is in your ability to get to that future is an important step. It is your future, and therefore the key to unlocking it cannot be in the hands of the lottery, a game show, a benevolent acquaintance or a genie granting you three wishes.

What do you see? Take charge of doing daily something that will inch you closer to that picture you see. You have to take responsibility to keep that image of your future in your minds eye as people may be quick to discourage you because they don’t have the full picture of what you see.

If you can see it, then it is possible. Spend time to figure out how to get closer to what you are seeing, this is taking charge of your future.

40+FAB Blog

Where am I? This is one of the pivotal questions we must ask ourselves in order to make any reasonable move to something else. Where are you? This is kind of the same question that a wise helper should ask you when trying to get you to come to terms with your situation as they skilfully lead you to something new.

When we get too caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, we lose sight of where we are. Sometimes, we intentionally refuse to be cognizant of where we are as we live in denial not wanting to face up to the changes that we might need to make.

The GPS system on our digital navigation devices always needs us to enter our current position in order to be directed to a future destination. Knowing where we want to get to without knowing where we are does not help us get there.

Someone described GPS as Goal Positioning System. So if I want to drop down two dress sizes and be more physically fit, then I need to know how much I weigh now, and then I set a goal to lose 20 pounds to get me to the ideal weight. This will involve changing diet and incorporating exercise routines. Without that clear specific goal of how to get to where I want to be from where I am, I am not likely to achieve much.

Always have the answer of where you are as close at hand as possible as this will help you to keep navigating away from it to where you truly want to be.

40+FAB Blog

I watched a heart warming film today which reminded me of the importance of caring for others above all that we get consumed in, and that we feel is our purpose for existence.

Until Joe had an out of body experience and actually got to live a day outside of himself, he never realised just how caught up he was in fulfilling his dream such that he had never taken the time to actually listen to those around him. Through his journey, he discovered how selfish he really was as he had totally ignored what others around him were also aspiring to become, and he was willing to deny them of what they needed so he could get what he wanted.

When he came back to himself and finally attained a big part of his dream to perform with a prestigious band, the feeling of exhilaration was soon replaced with the ordinariness that he felt everyday. He finally understood that life was more than just living to achieve greatness, but that everyday was packed with opportunities for fulfilment by genuinely caring for and helping those around us.

As we pursue our ‘great’ purpose, let us remember that anything that we do that does not sincerely help our fellow man in the simplest way on a daily basis is not worth doing at all.

40+FAB Blog

So it’s another Christmas and every serious dieter knows that today is the best excuse to eat what you like, after all it is Christmas which only comes once a year.

I have found that the human nature, if not rigorously disciplined by consistent habits, will always look for an excuse to get out of what is uncomfortable even if it is crucial for it’s overall good.

Today, it’s Christmas so we will postpone the exercise, diet, reading, thinking, taking responsibility, saving, planning, tidying up etc. and when tomorrow comes, it will be boxing day, then New Year’s eve, then New Year, Valentine, Easter, a birthday, a holiday, a special day, another day to not do what we know we should do because it is just too difficult to put ourselves through that.

Growth all round requires that we bite the bullet and do the difficult things, no matter what day it is, if we are to get the results we so desperately need to be successful.

On that note, do have a Merry Christmas, and keep pushing for the the top.

40+FAB Blog

There is no better time of the year to sit back and relax. It gives us the space to think about what is really important to us. We can reflect on how we have worked so hard all year and for what purpose.

This year in particular has cut out a lot of the distractions that lead up to Christmas, leaving us with more time to think and possibly plan for the coming year.

We must certainly ride on the opportunity that this season brings and take some time to adequately recognise that we made it this far, that indeed we are survivors and that we definitely do deserve the time to rest, reflect and recharge.

40+FAB Blog

Whenever you have the chance to, always make sure to seek feedback whether it is on a product or service you are responsible to sell, or something more personal like your style of work or attitude.

Sometimes, feedback is equal to new opportunities. In the process of developing a fashion accessory I was working on, I was reminded of the power of feedback. I had a functional product, but it was not aesthetically pleasing. Seeking feedback from professional clothiers and product designers, we were able to come up with a functional product that was cheaper to manufacture but also very attractive. Further consultation also led to the development of new product ideas. (See product here).

All this would never have come about without honestly asking and listening to what others really thought of my initial ideas.

If you feel stuck and are in need of fresh ideas or looking for new opportunities, then spend some time systematically collecting feedback on all areas of your life and work. You never know what breakthrough is around the corner of your next feedback.