THE YEAR IS ENDING....

In about nineteen days or less, this year would be over. And it has indeed been a year filled with lots and loads of events and stories; the good, the bad, the ugly, the bizarre, the expected, the unexpected, etc, etc. All around the globe and in many spheres of endeavors different things have happened, to people, countries and continents. And you and I have been a major part in it, whether or not we believe it.

When the year started in January 1, I know I had hopes and expectations, and I'm pretty certain you did too. And I can say that those hopes and expectations were hinged upon certain dreams we all had from the previous year which we carried into this year and for which our desire meters (desireometer...my own phrase) was on a very serious high. I know that I felt like a man filled with some dream gas, intoxicated with so many dreams inside my head that at times I was guilty of causing my own confusion! But I won't be surprised if I was never the only one.

I said  Happy New Year! like everybody else and my eagerness just couldn't wait for the first few days in January to start.

I listened eagerly and with rapt attention at the preachings of my pastor as he detailed out God's plan for us all this year and I did my personal best to personalize the messages as much as I could. I sat down and penned down personal plans that included writing and releasing new books, audio and video products, improve on the excellence and regularity of my blog posts, starting my YouTube podcast as well as having my own radio program, roll out my dream empowerment seminar series and seriously improve on my financial investments, work on improving my health and seeing to it that I end this bachelorhood phase that I've been in for quite some time now. My expectations were quite more than I've listed above and I know quite a number of people also had a vast array of expectations too.

But the burning hope inside my heart that gave fuel to my passion and desire for the new year was soon to dissipate when reality hit me,

when I realized that there really is a marked difference between my expectations and my eventual realities. That my expectations were too much in a straight line whereas my reality was far much more complicated than that. That I had to wake up from my dream and properly face the realities on ground; the realities that my expectations were just too perfect but that my realities weren't.

So I've gone through 2014 with dogged determination based on all the great things I saw ahead of me in my mind but I also faced equally dogged obstacles that I'd not factored into the new year when it began. Mistakes have been made and opportunities missed. But I still have to keep on pushing on because the year still has some days left.

Now, I don't know if any of my dreams yet unfulfilled so far will eventual happen and I'm pretty sure there's little or no time for them to, but I would not because of that stop trying because I do realize that my efforts now are still forming foundations for my possible results or breakthroughs in the coming future. That future may be in the next nineteen days or it may actually be in the coming year, but I will keep on pushing on because I've come to realize that sometimes, the fact that you are slow does not mean that you are late. As long as I eventually get to my destination, that's all that will ever matter.

So, yes, this year is gradually grinding to an end but my own plans and expectations aren't. If some of them don't come true before December rolls out, I will wait for them in 2015 because I know I've sown some very precious seeds of proper planning and hard work and also because I know that I deserve my results. I will surely wait....

Is anyone with me on this?

FINALLY OUT!!!

The much-awaited second page-turner from my esteemed hot brain has finally landed! GIFTED! is now finally out and is guaranteed to bless your mind beyond measure! So, hurry and get your valued copies NOW!!!!

To get a copy, kindly send me an email on "michaelibiorika@gmail.com" or call me on 08062285589.

You will love this book...that I guarantee!

LEADING OF A DIFFERENT KIND (PART TWO)

In Part Two of this informative series, we will continue to look at the traits of the two kinds of leaders hip we have, that of the ruler and that of the leader.

THE BLAMER VERSUS THE FIXER

The ruler likes to blame others for what he may perceive as inefficiency or ineffectiveness by those under him. He rarely comes up with solutions but more often than not orders that the situation be rectified as fast as possible otherwise there would be consequences. He loves to put pressure on his subordinates and relishes the role of letting them know that they failed or that their incompetence is the reason why certain things have not worked out in the organization

The leader, on the other hand, takes a different approach. Even when he is fully aware that his subordinates were actually responsible for failure in certain regards, he still looks for a solution as quickly as he can to the problem. He does not shirk his responsibility of letting them know that they fell short of expectation, but certainly does not spend precious time hounding them over it as he realizes that there is precious work to be done and goals to be accomplished. So, he does the best he can to help them find a workable solution to the problem at hand.

THE KNOWER VERSUS THE SHOWER

The ruler always believes he knows a lot and far much more than the rest. He, however, only talks loads about what he knows but hardly puts any effort into showing what he claims to know. He feels no obligation in doing so as he thinks that everyone should be sensible enough to see that the position he occupies speaks of his brilliance. So, he cares less. Instead he likes to take all the credit.

The leader takes a very different approach. He is one who understands that knowledge is not an exclusive preserve of a certain few and also that no one can create knowledge, but that knowledge is encountered. On the backdrop of that, therefore, he does the best he can to show those working under him how it is meant to be done. He is not an armchair critic who may or may not have the gift of suave oratory, but is one who is much more concerned with teaching others because he is well aware that once they have been taught, the rest becomes easy. The leader then gives credit to whom it is due after his subordinate has gone ahead and used what he has taught him to achieve a desired result.

LEADING OF A DIFFERENT KIND (PART ONE)

We all need direction. To be sure of where we are heading and what we are doing. And the reality is that we often do look up to certain individuals for such direction, which should be expected. Every organization, for example, must have someone to lead it. Every family must have someone to lead it. Every clan, village, town, city, state or country must have someone to lead it. And the best ones that eventually get ahead are the ones given good leadership.

In very simple terms, to lead can be defined as, "To guide on a way, to direct on a course, or to serve as a channel." Whereas leadership is defined as, "The ability to lead;" or, "The activity of leading an organization or a group." 

Good or bad leadership is solely dependent upon people. Unfortunately, some people who have been privileged to occupy certain positions of leadership or authority don't understand that the purpose for one being the head is not for you to showcase yourself, but for you to lead that team or group aright and lead it in the way that it should really go. To accomplish good leadership, one must be able to easily carry along those whom you have been privileged to lead so that they follow you willingly and not necessarily because you hold them to ransom by threatening to withhold certain benefits like their salaries or allowances (though in truth, there are cases when such a tactic must be applied) or the use of some other force or arm twisting technique.

One way or another, we all fall into the leadership cycle. And we must realize that there's a difference between a leader and a ruler.

                             

While the true leader is concerned with ensuring that everyone plays their best part to the benefit of the group, the ruler is more concerned with lording himself over others and getting them to do his own bidding as he seems fit. In this article, I want to make a small attempt to distinguish between the two and hopefully help us choose the right kind to become as we go out there to lead any group of people.

AUTHORITY DEPENDENT VERSUS GOODWILL DEPENDENT

The ruler is authority dependent and seriously power drunk. His motivation is to have everyone cower at his presence or appearance and for them to always do his bidding whenever and wherever he says. He doesn't care a about people's feelings or whether or not they have the ability to carry out his directives. Just do what he wants otherwise you are grossly disobedient.

The leader is different. He depends purely on the goodwill of those he has been called to lead. Instead of lording over them, he tries to use his influence over them to get them to do what he wants. He understands that you can have power and yet have no influence but cannot have influence and not have power; and so he wisely utilizes that aspect of himself. People willingly want to work for him because they believe he feels for them and their welfare.

FEAR GENERATOR VERSUS ENTHUSIASM GENERATOR

As can already be deduced from above, the ruler prefers to instil fear into those he leads rather than confidence. The problem with him here is that he hardly recognizes that those under him will find it constantly challenging to carry out assignments as they are always looking over their backs and expect nothing else but harsh words and insults no matter what they do.

The leader, on the other hand, provokes enthusiasm in those who follow him, as he trusts them to use their initiative and creativity to help move the group forward. Because he is appreciative of their efforts, they are excited and always want to give their very best for the cause of the group as directed by him. He literally can get them to do things effortlessly and with hardly any grumblings because they are very much willing to jump whatever fence or swim whatever river he asks them to.

COMING SOON.....

BURN FOR REAL!

It was John Wesley who famously said, "When you set yourself on fire, people will come to watch you burn."

Of course, he did not actually mean that you should literally douse yourself with fuel and then light a match; though in our present world that indeed would still be a spectacle for many and quite a number would still love the view. No, he was actually talking about something else entirely. He was talking about you having passion.

Passion for what? you may ask. Passion for anything. Passion for that very thing that will make you stand out. Passion to make that positive change, to impact the lives of others as well as impact the life of our world. Passion that will herald you into being the very best you can ever be in this lifetime.

And why is that important? you may ask. It is very important because in this life, until you are able to accomplish or achieve the goal(s) for which you were born, you will never be fulfilled.

Every one of us was born with something unique, and that thing was not imbedded into us so that we can only climb the corporate, business, economic, religious or political ladders and be super heroes on planet earth. No. It is actually there so that after we've harnessed and mastered it, we can actually use it for the benefit of others.

The things we are truly passionate about can hardly bore us. Instead, we find ourselves being always eager to do them or to pursue them. Interestingly, and if you will be honest with yourself, you will discover that most times those things that excite you the most have no connection to money or fame or power. Football fans, for example, are more interested in seeing their teams win, and their vociferous chanting and shouting at every game are more emotional than monetary. In fact, they will always spend just to keep alive the dream of watching their teams.

In like manner, though the world of sports today has turned out to be a serious money spinner, most athletes and sportsmen and women tend to do their utmost best to win in whatever field they contest in so that the fans will go home emotionally satisfied.

 

Doctors who truly are passionate about the good health and lives of people tend to pay more attention to saving lives than to making loads of money.They will instead go beyond any boundary necessary to ensure that they help an ailing person in dire need.

The musician or singer naturally  loves to tell a story or pass across a message through music with the sole intention of  either helping or educating or enlightening people; so that positive change can come about in the society.

People who are passionate about finding solutions to problems in different aspects of life tend to be more engulfed and consumed with that assignment than with any other thing. They will constantly roam the depths of their God-given brains to seek out the best ways to better the lots of others. The list is endless.

Of course, we know that we also have those who would prefer to direct their passions in the wrong direction, but the best way to utilize passion is to pursue those things that will indeed help people and improve lives. That is what truly gives fulfillment.

The world constantly needs improvement and you definitely carry inside you part of what is necessary to help bring about such positive improvement. It goes beyond the money, position, power or fame you can ever have, to the positive impact you can assert upon the world if only you will find the right passion and direct it properly. Indeed, it's a massive and very important project to help improve our world; and until your passion weighs more than money, position, power or fame, that project you have before you may never be successful.

When you find out what you have been born to affect, it is pertinent that you let your passion roll on it. Most likely it is what you are naturally gifted at or something you just really love to do. When your passion rolls on it, everyone around you will see and know that you are consumed by a certain fire, and that in turn will attract people to you, especially those whose lives you most likely were designed to positively affect. Nobody will sell passion to you...you already have it, but you just need to find what  it is tied to first.

There is no time to waste as it will amaze you as to how many people are tied to the positive impact you have to give in this life. Don't always be waiting for something to happen, you make it happen. Yes, I am talking to the right person; I am talking to you.

It is time to burn for real!

The New Book That Is Coming....

Hi folks, I do know that I've been off the grid for quite a while now and so you've not been getting my posts as regularly as you would have loved to. My sincere apologies. I've been bugged down with quite a number of things, one of them being work on my new book (pictured above) which I'm hoping to release pretty soon. The book is actually a final manifestation of thoughts that have been festering inside my mind for at least five years. Finally, I've been able to sum everything up and put them down in what I believe will be a very handy and easy-to-read volume for everyone. I'm sure you will all enjoy it.

With that assignment now out of the way, I will be making concerted efforts to pick up from where I stopped and hope that it will be of positive value to all my ardent readers and followers on this page. Just pray for me.

Soon I will put up another thought-provoking post for you all. You won't have to wait long....