MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY WITH DAN: Take Ownership! Take Responsibility (3)
“The only thing standing between you and your goals is the dis-empowering stories you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.” – Dan Ekoko
?As this Monday and new month unfold, It’s my prayer you experience new opportunities and success in every area of your life. Here’s the conclusion of the piece I started two weeks ago.
▪Why
Taking Responsibility Is Important:
You are totally responsible for your life. This is the foundation principle you
must embrace if you plan for happiness and success in your life. For many
people, failure is never the result of the choices they made. Everything is
someone else’s fault. Every problem can be explained away with reasons why they
can’t affect the situation or the outcome. Every failure has a scapegoat that
they can use to avoid taking responsibility for their own actions.
▪So
What Is The Meaning Of Taking Responsibility For Your Life?
#Taking 100% responsibility means that
you acknowledge that you are the one who creates everything that happens to
you.
#It simply
means that you take responsibility of your past results, present experiences
and future outcomes.
#Taking responsibility means you acknowledge that you are the driver of your
life! No one can live your life for you. Taking full responsibility means
giving away all the blames, the excuses and complains.
▪How
to Take Responsibility for Your Life:
Realize that You Are the One Creating Your Results: When it comes to taking
responsibility, it’s important to realize that you are the one who creates the
results in your life. Imagine your parents bequeath a huge amount of money to
you. What do you do with the money? You can either spend the money wastefully
or you can choose to invest the money. When you spend the money wastefully. You
end up broke. That’s the result you get. On the other hand, if you choose to
invest the money, you will have an increased net worth. The event is the same,
but the choice determines outcome.
▪Make No Excuses! They Fuel Failure:
Excuses fuel failure. Making excuses instead of taking 100% responsibility for your actions, your thoughts, and your goals are the hallmark of people who fail to succeed both in their personal and professional lives. These are some of the common excuses that people often make.
How many of these excuses have you used:
“I don’t have time.”
“I don’t have enough money.”
“I can’t because I have kids.”
“I don’t have an education.”
“I don’t know how to do it.”
“I can’t change because this is who I am.”
“I always have bad luck.” Etc.
?Stop making excuses and start taking responsibility now.
▪Stop Playing the Blame Game:
When something is not happening according to your plan, what do you do? For most people, they blame, they complain, and they make excuses that it was not their fault. In other words, they are giving away the power to control and to make a change. No matter how hard you try to blame others for the events of your life, each event is the result of choices you made and are making.
Stop blaming your parents, family, friends, economy; your upbringing for your lot in life. Ask yourself what you can do to improve or change the situation. Blaming keeps you in victim mode and hinders you are dis-empowered to make changes to your situation. When you stop blaming and accept responsibility, you shift from victim to victor.
▪Learn to Live in the Moment:
Life is now. So live in the present. Avoid Dwelling on the Past. Throw all your excuses out the door. Take responsibility for this moment and make the best of it to reclaim the past and create the future you want.
▪Becoming an Optimist: Helen Keller once said: “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” Everything starts with your thinking. It is how you think that will determine how you live. Therefore, to take responsibility for your life, you must begin first by thinking positively.
Conclusion???
#No one can be successful by constantly making excuses and blaming others for everything.
#You must learn to accept the responsibility for your actions. You must learn to be accountable for your results. You must learn to take ownership of your mistakes and failures.
#The moment you take 100% responsibility for everything in your life is the moment you can change anything in your life. ?So to sum it up: The moment you take 100% responsibility for everything in your life is the moment you discover you are unstoppable! To your success!
Read MoreMOTIVATIONAL MONDAY WITH DAN: Take Ownership! Take Responsibility (2)
“Making excuses instead of taking responsibility for actions and goals are the hallmark of failures.” Dan Ekoko
It’s another Monday again. I pray it opens the door into a week of new opportunities, growth and progress for you. Here’s the second part of the piece I started last week.
?What
are Excuses?
▪Excuses are imaginary rationalizations and justifications we
make to ourselves and then to others.
▪Excuses are lies we tell ourselves so that it doesn’t have to be
our fault.
▪Excuses are the nails used to build the house of failure.
▪Excuses allow us to stay within our comfort zone.
▪Excuses are an easy way to shift the blame from an internal
problem (inaction, lack of discipline, laziness, lack of vision) TO an external
situation (finances, people, economy).
?We always invent reasons to defend our excuses while we neglect taking action and responsibility. Making excuses instead of taking responsibility for actions, goals and situations are the hallmark of failures. Relinquishing control and shifting responsibility for your decisions and life to others set the stage for creating an unhappy life — a life that fulfills none of your dreams and aspirations.
?You are totally responsible for your life. This is the foundational principle you must embrace if you truly desire happiness and success in life. For many people, every problem can be explained away with reasons why they can’t change the situation or the outcome. For many people, everything is someone else’s fault. “It’s His Fault.” “It’s Her Fault.” “It’s Their Fault.” “It’s Not Me.”
Why You Need To Stop Making Excuses:
▪Excuses prevent you from living to your full potential.
▪Making excuses prevents you from recognizing resources, opportunities and skills you have which could be the answer to your problems.
▪Excuses won’t get you anywhere at all. Benjamin Franklin once said, “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.”
▪Excuses provide no value. Instead, they erode your self-belief and personal power to alter situations and outcomes.
?Accept responsibility for who you are, who you will become, the choices you make, and the consequences that result. Hold yourself accountable. The moment you take responsibility for everything in your life is the moment you can change anything in your life. To your success!
Read MoreMOTIVATIONAL MONDAY WITH DAN: Take Ownership! Take Responsibility!
There are two categories of people in the world. People who blame others for everything that happens to them and people who take ownership – people who take responsibility for everything that happens to them. Today I begin a three-part series titled: ‘Take Ownership! Take Responsibility!’
Amazing things happen when you take ownership of your life. ’Taking Ownership’ imply being in charge, being answerable or accountable for something within one’s power, control, or management. Are you taking complete responsibility for your life? This is one of the most important questions that you should ponder. The answer for most people will be a resounding “NO”. Do you find it convenient to blame everyone else and feel like a victim so that there is no responsibility to be taken?
Do you consider yourself as an honest and perfect person who has been victimized by everyone else? Having a victim mentality, blaming external circumstances for your problems, believing it’s not within your power to change, is the surest way to stay stagnant – it’s the easiest way to hinder yourself from making progress and avoid improving your life in the months ahead.
??An
Interesting And Unusual Funeral:
One day all the employees of a very unusual company reached their office and
all saw a big sign on the main door which said this…’Yesterday, the person
who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you
to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym.’ In the
beginning, they all got sad for the death of one of their colleagues, but after
a while, they started getting curious to know who was that person who hindered
the growth of their colleagues and the company itself? The excitement in the
gym was such that security agents were ordered to control the crowd within the
room. The more people reached the coffin, the more the excitement heated up.
Everyone thought – ‘Who is this person who was hindering my progress?’ One by one the intrigued employees got closer to the coffin, and when they looked inside it, they suddenly became speechless. They all got to stand near the coffin, and all ended up shocked and in silence as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul. There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside it could see themselves! There was also a sign next to the mirror that said.
??’There
is only one person who is capable of setting limits to your growth in 2019 and
IT IS YOU!’
??’There
is only one person who is capable of ensuring you don’t achieve your goals for
2019 and IT IS YOU!’
No matter the wrongs inflicted on you by your parents, family and friends, your school, the society, the government, remember: The greatest day of your life is the one you decide you are steering your own ship; you realize your life is your own, your future is in your hands and your destiny is yours to make. That is the day you truly begin to live.
??Accept responsibility for who you are, who you will become, the choices you make, and the consequences that result. Hold yourself accountable. Said Carol Burnett, “Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.” Believe her. To your success!
Read MoreMOTIVATIONAL MONDAY WITH DAN: Set Your Goals! Set Your Sails!
Let’s kick start the 2nd Monday of the year with this Bill Copeland quote: “The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score.”
??A Goal is an end toward which effort or ambition is directed. A successful year begins with goal setting. Goal setting involves identifying something that you want to accomplish and establishing measurable goals and timeframes to reach them. Success and goal setting go hand-in-hand.
??Setting SMART goals provide a blueprint for our lives and keeps us in the direction that would lead to the realization of our dreams. There are eight different areas of life that you need to set specific goals in 2019. This includes – physical and health, social, family, personal development, financial, career and work, educational and spiritual goals. Below are six tips that could be helpful in achieving success in these areas.
??Tip
#1: Break it Down!
The bigger a goal looks, the more it creates fear. It’s wiser and better to
break your big goals into a sequence of smaller ones. The smaller the goal the
easier it is to achieve.
??Tip #2 Make it S.M.A.R.T
Make your goals fit the SMART criteria. SMART is a best practice framework for
setting goals which is an acronym for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable,
Realistic and Time-bound.
??Tip #3 Write It Down!
Write your goals down. Those who wrote down their goals accomplished
significantly more than those who don’t.
??Tip #4 Tell someone
Tell someone about it. You can involve your family and friends in helping you
stay on track towards the achievement of your goals.
??Tip
#5 Stay Persistent
Working to achieve your goals will certainly come with challenges,
difficulties, disappointments and frustration. Whatever the challenges you
encounter as you pursue your dreams in 2018: Stay Persistent!
??Tip #6 Keep a Record
It’s important to track your progress weekly, monthly, quarterly etc. Take time
to review your goals – write out what worked, what didn’t, why it didn’t and
how you can do better.
??Tip #7 Celebrate!
Finally, celebrate. Yes, whenever you reach a goal – celebrate it! Remember to also say “Thank You” to people that helped you achieve it. Then go back to the goals that are yet to be achieved.
??As we press forward in 2019, use all these tips to navigate your goals. Remember: Without clearly defined goals, you can spend the entire 2019 running up and down never achieving any worthwhile results. Are you ready to tackle 2019 head-on? Set your goals! Set Your Sails and Go! To your success!
Read MoreDr. Apoki Charles Shares On Keys To Achieve Financial Independence
Medical Doctor, entrepreneur, public speaker, author and founder Petra Ministries; Dr. Apoki O. Charles was the guest speaker at Salimo-Wits Leadership Club (SWLC) youth empowerment programme held at the Redeem Christian Church of God (Place of Enlargement) Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos on Saturday 23rd June 2018. Arrival and registration of participants at the venue started about 10:20 am. The program moderated by Ambassador Blessed Omonose (an exco member of the Salimo-Wits Leadership Club) officially started at 12:45 pm with opening prayers and rendition of the National anthem. In his welcome address, the President and founder of Salimo-Wits Foundation – Ambassador Dan Ekoko highlighted the importance of values orientation. He stressed the need for youths to avoid vices such as armed robbery, cultism, violence, terrorism, and kidnapping. He enjoined the participants to engage in activities that would lead to their positive growth and development.
The guest speaker Dr. Apoki O. Charles commenced his presentation by appreciating the leadership of Salimo-Wits Foundation for organizing the training programme and their commitment to the empowerment and development of youths. He described entitlement mentality as a state of mind in which an individual believes that privileges are instead rights and that they are to be expected as a matter of course. He said many Nigerian youths erroneously believe that the world owes them something. They are always looking to others to do something for them rather than take their destiny in their hands. He explained that it’s by solving problems that the average Nigerian youth could overcome poverty and achieve financial independence. He defined financial freedom as being debt free, being financially stable, regular income and living a comfortable life.
The speaker urged the participants to cultivate a saving culture; develop content, character, and charisma. According to him, “You must have a mentality to become wealthy. This mentality of graduating from the university and getting a job is a slavery mentality. You don’t have to start with a large income to make it big. Start with what you have and from where you are.” The participants were inspired and thrilled as Dr. Apoki O. Charles rounded off his presentation with this words, “Be disciplined. Delay your gratification and keep investing. A great message doesn’t make great people but great decision makes great people.” Gifts were given to youths with Permanent Voters Card (PVC).
SWLC is the signature training programme of the Salimo-Wits Leadership Initiative; organized three times a year with the vision of helping young Nigerians discover, develop and deploy their innate leadership potentials towards national and global impact. Our next training holds on August 12th, 2018.
Read MoreMOTIVATIONAL MONDAY WITH DAN: Tips for Overcoming Obstacles
“People are amazing creators. While WINNERs ALWAYS CREATE A WAY, QUITTERs ALWAYS CREATE EXCUSEs. When you reach an obstacle or encounter a problem, do you create a way and move forward, or do you find a legitimate excuse and turn backwards?” – Dan Ekoko
It’s another Monday and some hours to start a new month. Today, I want to conclude the piece I started last week on ‘Overcoming Obstacles.’ It’s my heartfelt prayer and hope that you be empowered to rise above all obstacles and barriers standing between you and the success you seek in the new month that is before us.
Tips for Overcoming Obstacles
Obstacles can be complex, difficult and sometimes overwhelming. A useful technique for overcoming complex obstacle is to break down what you need to do to overcome the obstacle into small steps. When a given difficult situation, challenge or problem is broken into bite-sized chunks, it is easier to see the patterns and tools to apply and the actions that needs to be taken.
STOP. Yes STOP!
Stop simply means take a break, take a step backwards, and Observe carefully so you can assess the situation logically.
Be Open-Minded.
To be open minded means being flexible and ready to explore new ideas and new solutions. There’s more than one way to achieve your goal. There’s always more than one solution to every problem. Be willing to consider different ways to reach your goal. The way you have done things in the past may not always work for all situations. As an inventor, Thomas Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.” Whenever you face an obstacle, be open to all possibilities!
Change Your Perception.
Of course nobody wants to face obstacles, but the truth is there will always be obstacles on our paths. Whatever goal you want to achieve will include overcoming obstacles. Expect and accept them as part of achieving the goal. Always have a positive outlook when faced with a difficult problem, challenge or obstacle. Don’t see obstacles as stumbling blocks. Rather see them as stepping stones for progress.
Surround Yourself With Positive Thinkers.
Avoid “Nay” sayers as much as you can. If you’re surrounded with positive minded people, you’ll focus more on achieving your goals even when you are facing difficult times. Build a network of positive minded and resilient people. Build relationships with people that share similar life goal, mission and vision.
Ask For Help.
Getting information from other people can be very helpful in overcoming obstacles. Ask for ideas from others. Ask for help. Ask more than one person. Ask as many times as necessary.
Be Resilient.
My top tip for overcoming obstacle is having a resilient outlook on life. The universe does not support quitters! God only supports those who possess an airplane attitude.
Despite the current tough times, difficulties and uncertainties in our nation, this is not the time to give up. The situation in today’s Nigeria calls for determination, bravery, resilience, optimism, perseverance and prayers. It does not require looking backwards or looking downwards. It is only from above that you can draw the strength to survive, thrive and succeed. Happy Democracy Day In Advance. God bless you and God bless Nigeria. To your success!
#MotivationalMonday #DanEkoko #OvercomingObstacles
MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY WITH DAN: Overcoming Obstacles
“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” – Michael Jordan
Welcome to the start Of another week. It’s my prayer and hope that you be empowered to scale over every obstacle standing hindering you from achieving your goals and aims this week.
What is an obstacle? An obstacle is something that impedes progress or achievement. Henry Ford said “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” You have dreams. You are excited! You set goals; you devise plans and start working to make your dreams a reality. Then you run into a problem – an obstacle. = You set goals and have dreams you want to fulfil. You are excited about life and what you want your life to be. You start the work to make your dreams a reality. Then you run into roadblocks.
How do you react when you face obstacles?
Do you give up or do you find a way through?
How do you see obstacles?
Your perception of Obstacles is the thin line between succeeding and failing; between winning and quitting. To some people, obstacles mean the world is conspiring against them. Some others see obstacles as threats. Still others see obstacles as meaning they have failed and cannot succeed. To such persons, “There is no way forward.” To some other people, obstacles simply mean a puzzle to solve. They see obstacles as an opportunity to learn, grow and make progress. Whenever, we’re faced with problems and barricades on our paths, we have three options: Quit & turn around; work around the barricade or find alternatives.
It’s easier to choose the first option – Quitting. And a lot of people actually do. However, the key to your desired destination is the second option: Don’t give up! Find a solution and keep going. The success you seek will be achieved on the platform of courage. So, have the courage to go all-in and make your dreams a reality, because if you want something badly enough, you’ll find a way to make it happen. Anything worth having won’t come easily.
Remember, the problem is not that there are obstacles. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that facing obstacles is a problem. Next week I will conclude the series by sharing tips on how to overcome obstacles on your path to realizing your goals. To your success! #MotivationalMonday #DanEkoko #OvercomingObstacles
Read MoreMOTIVATIONAL MONDAY WITH DAN: The Story Of The Rat Trap In The Farm House
Welcome to a brand new week. I pray the new week bring you opportunities for growth and success. Today, I share with you the story of the rat trap in the farm house. A rat looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package. What food might it contain? He was aghast to discover that it was a rat trap. Retreating to the barnyard the rat proclaimed the warning; “There’s a rat trap in the house, a rat trap in the house!”
The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, “Excuse me, Mr. Rat, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it.” The rat turned to the pig and told him, “There’s a rat trap in the house, a rat trap in the house!” “I am so very sorry Mr. Rat,” sympathized the pig, “but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured that you are in my prayers.”
The rat turned to the cow. She said, “Like wow, Mr. Rat. a rat trap. I am in grave danger. Duh?” So the rat returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer’s rat trap alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house, like the sound of a rat trap catching its prey. The farmer’s wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer’s wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital. She returned home with a fever.
Now everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the barnyard for the soup’s main ingredient. His wife’s sickness continued so that friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer’s wife did not get well. She died, and so many people came for her funeral that the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide meat for all of them to eat. And the mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.
Lessons To Learn:
The next time you hear that someone is facing a problem and think that it does not concern you, remember that when there is a rat trap in the house, the whole barnyard’s at risk ~ when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.
We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.
Each of us is a vital thread in another person’s tapestry.
Our lives are woven together for a reason.
Ignoring the needs of the most vulnerable amongst us often produce grave consequences for the rest of us.
To your success! #MotivationalMonday #AllForOneAndOneForAll #DanEkoko
Read MoreMOTIVATIONAL MONDAY WITH DAN: Set Your Goals! Set Your Sails!
Let’s kick start the 3rd Monday of the year with this Bill Copeland quote: “The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score.” A Goal is an end toward which effort or ambition is directed. A successful year begins with goal setting. Goal setting involves identifying something that you want to accomplish and establishing measurable goals and time frames to reach them. Success and goal setting go hand-in-hand.
Setting SMART goals provide a blueprint for our lives and keeps us in the direction that would lead to the realization of our dreams. There are eight different areas of life that you need to set specific goals in 2018. This includes – physical and health, social, family, personal development, financial, career and work, educational and spiritual goals. Below are six tips that could be helpful in achieving success in these areas.
Tip #1: Break it Down!
The bigger a goal looks, the more it creates fear. It’s wiser and better to break your big goals into a sequence of smaller ones. The smaller the goal the easier it is to achieve.
Tip #2 Make it S.M.A.R.T
Make your goals fit the SMART criteria. SMART is a best practice framework for setting goals which is an acronym for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound.
Tip #3 Write It Down!
Write your goals down. Those who wrote down their goals accomplished significantly more than those who don’t.
Tip #3 Tell someone
Tell someone about it. You can involve your family and friends in helping you stay on track towards the achievement of your goals.
Tip #4 Stay Persistent
Working to achieve your goals will certainly come with challenges, difficulties, disappointments and frustration. Whatever the challenges you encounter as you pursue your dreams in 2018: Stay Persistent!
Tip #5 Keep a Record
It’s important to track your progress weekly, monthly, quarterly etc. Take time to review your goals – write out what worked, what didn’t, why it didn’t and how you can do better.
Tip #6 Celebrate!
Finally, celebrate. Yes, whenever you reach a goal – celebrate it! Remember to also say “Thank You” to people that helped you achieve it. Then go back to the goals that are yet to be achieved.
As we press forward in 2018, use all these tips to navigate your goals. Remember: Without clearly defined goals, you can spend the entire 2018 running up and down never achieving any worthwhile results. Are you ready to tackle 2018 head-on? Set your goals! Set Your Sails and Go! To your success! #MotivationalMonday #MakeTheYearCount #DanEkoko
Read MoreSWLC Training November Edition
Creativity and innovation –was the theme of the Salimo-Wits Youth Leadership Club training which was held on Saturday, November 25th, 2017. The training commenced shortly after 11:48 am with the rendition of the National Anthem and self-introduction by the participants.
The forum also featured a brief review of the two days Salimo-Wits Leadership Training which was held on April 21st and 22nd 2017. SWLC members drew inspiration from certified Life and peak performance Coach Gabriel David, seasoned Psychologist with competencies in psychoanalysis, mindfulness practices and positive psychology, Coker Olugbenga and leadership expert, Kingsley Ewere. The speakers facilitated three sessions on the emotional intelligence (EQ) of innovators, the mindset of the 21st-century change agent and leadership behaviours for innovation. During the open discussion and feedback session, Salimo-Wits Foundation executive’s ambassadors Dan Ekoko, Roland Eyetu and Vincent Prosper urged the participants to become worthy role models in the society. They advised them to shun negative vices that could hinder them from realizing their full leadership potentials and achieving success.
Salimo-Wits Youth Leadership Club (SWLC) is a social network platform bonding like-minded young Nigerians seeking positive change in Nigeria. Our meetings and trainings are designed to re-engineer the mindset of Nigerian youths. The next forum is scheduled for February 2018.
