BE PERSISTENT

I like to start with a story of a horseman and his horse, this man loved his horse that he couldn't do away with it. A day came the horse fell into a ditch, he called his neighbors to stone it to death that he don't need it any longer as a trick to get it out. They were all glad for the job. As they continue hurling stones at the horse, it keep resisting the pain and persist to overcome each throw. With time the hole was filled with stones and the horse found its way out of the dungeon and the people fled while the man was glad his horse is back.

Just like the horse everyday may not be rosy for you. Monday isn't Tuesday and Tuesday can't be Wednesday, but there's something synonymous with them all...day! If you daily encounter tough times, don't worry it can't outlast tough men like you. Even while others retire, you don't. You just keep digging it. Merriam Webster defined persistence as "continuing to do something or to try to do something even though it is difficult or other people want you to stop"

Don't stop my friend, if people are looking for a persistent figure, let them point at you. John De Lemme once said "the key of persistence will open up any door that has been closed by resistance" do you want open doors? Be persistent! The Bible says "those that call on the Lord should give him no rest..." Keep calling even when you don't feel like it, keep calling and keep doing your best and in the fullness of time you will arrive at your desired destination especially this month.

God bless your day.

BE CONSISTENT

It's normal phenomenon for people to make plans for the day, week, month and year and not too long such plan or resolutions becomes a burden to them. Since it isn't comfortable any longer. 

I like to define Consistence as doing what you are suppose to do especially when you don't feel like doing it. Do you remember this anthem? "Youth obey the clarion call, let us lift our nation high under the SUN or in the RAIN..." Those that served our fatherland will be familiar with it. 

The sun and rain depict

two seasons in your pursuit of purpose. There are times you like to do it and there are times you just hate it. A worker will testify not all day is enjoyable in his workplace and that can't make him give up on the work because he has a target. My friend you have a target this month. Don't allow the worries or storms that may beset knock you down. 

Consistence breed perfection and fulfillment. A footballer was asked why he is good at taking kicks(shot). He said "Everyday i go for training I always maintain 100 (or more) shots daily outside my normal group training" Whatever you are set to do if you must be successful you must be consistent. Mike Murdock said "Successful men do daily what the unsuccessful men do occasionally" 

Do you see a man diligent in his work, he will stand before kings and not otherwise my friend. If you are seeking a place at the top in your field of endeavor, be consistent with your daily input and in fullness of time you will be there.

God bless your day.

STOP THE COMPLAIN

Sometimes we complain of things happening in our lives we don't like yet we do little or nothing to change it. How can you change what you permit? 

If you must make realistic changes in just about anything you do, you must be ready to sacrifice something ...your comfort! 

One of my mentors said something that challenged me "A successful life is often expensive, it will cost you time, energy and focus" if you must be successful in anything you do, your time, energy, focus must be in it. 

I may not be wrong to say you are still there because you've not given these 3 factors a proper attention. So today, check your life for a minute what's it that need changes? Give it your Time, Energy and Focus and see what happens! It can't remain the same.

 

When you channel all to Him, He makes everything beautiful in His time. You must never disregard the God factor in your life. A popular hymn has these lines ...o what peace we often forfeit, o what a needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. So today my friend, take everything to Him and enjoy GRACE!

Stop COMPLAINING and start OBTAINING from HIM.

Do have a wonderful day!

SOMETIME IN APRIL 2014

Just a week today, I saw something that truly baffled me in this present era of our existence. Walking past the Lagos Island has been my usual routine for some time now, but last Friday was exceptional when I pictured a scenario that really brought me to thinking of how we would survive the hurricane that is set to manifest in due course.

I walked past stands of home videos and books which was coincidentally aligned together around same spot, with the attention given by the bystanders gave me the audacity of course unusual to watch their activities. 

You will be so amazed by the immense concentration given persons of different age to the movie stand to feed their eyes of the latest in the Nollywood industry which presently has lost true sense of sanity and morality with only very few to reckon with. For the book stand? Very few!

This kept me thinking till the end of the day that people in this present time will give rapt attention to what will not profit or make meaningful impact to them (personal view though). These people spend time building their lives from these movie stars whose lives have been racked with flavours of dysfunction. These people take these movies as a replacement of the present time pulpit. How wouldn't their lives be messed up? Our society becomes a true reflection of the effect of this 'madness'

Everyday I passed past that book stand and see the works of great men like Myles Munroe, Mike Murdock, Kenneth Copeland, the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa, Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, Brian Tracy, John C. Mawell, Kenneth Hagin, Ben Carson, Richard Templar and a host of others (don't mind me how I got those names because sometime if we got less traffic situation for the day, I pause to take a glance) and my thought is Ignatius, you haven't read this, you haven't read that, what are you waiting for? There are information you are missing which are embedded in these books. I just wish I could get a truck and move everything home! Hope that wouldn't be covetousness? Having a stuffy library wouldn't be a bad idea, don't you think so?

I recall listening to Myles Munroe on "Your Job is not your Work" where he introduced a book "The Burden of Freedom" shortly after a friend, Impact recommended it, I overheard him saying it took him 27 years to write the book. My point is this like Mike Murdock taught me that you will be learning within hours or days what takes such author years to write and applied it to your life and never fall victims to what they now become victors of.

In this present era, if you don't have desire for knowledge, your life is very much predictable. No good future for you. The desire to be a voracious reader must be kindle within you. I have had great respect for some friends today simply that they possess a wealth of 'acquired' knowledge.
I want to leave this with you: What turn you on? What ignite a passion to be somebody of notable worth? What triggers you to become the best you can be? What do you spend your time, energy and resources on? What are your priorities in life? What will you engage in today and feel accomplished? Think!

Remember, you don't see things as they are, but as you are! The world only answer to people who know 'WHY'. My friend, Peter, drew my attention sometime ago to a quote and that is "those who know HOW will get the job but those who know WHY will be their boss. The boss represent here a state of well deserve place in destiny 

For me in the words of Abraham Lincoln (paraphrased) I will keep on studying, keep doing what I know how to do best, for I know one day not far from now my time will come.
Your time will come my friend, when you look back from "whence thou cometh" and see how far you have made marks you simply smile and say NO REGRETS because of the GOD factor. Make God your 'number one' in all things and He will make you number one in what you do. He will expand your sphere of influence as you genuinely seek HIM.

I rest my case for now.

‪#‎Dare‬ to be Different

PREPARING FOR THE NYSC ORIENTATION CAMP

The NYSC Orientation Course exercise is once in a lifetime hence adequate preparation and information should be gathered and make use of so as to have a befitting moment in camp. Are you ready for this ride? Let’s go!

I guess you’ve already seen what you will be going with to the camp.  Once you receive your call up letter, it is advisable to appear in camp on the opening day or the next day. When you arrive there; you must be stopped in the security post at the gate to check your belongings to see if you have any of the banned items e.g. barbing clipper, clipper, steel spoon, knife, fork, plate, cup, pot etc and any steel material or object. The reason for this seizure is that in case of eventuality corps members may use it for fighting and hence injure their fellow. That’s why I advise you from the items listed to go with rubber/plastic food flask or cooler, spoon etc. and their likes. Upon completion of the Orientation Course whatever was seized from you will be returned to you. 

Immediately you will be directed to the hostel registration stand where you will be registered to get a room in the Hostel. Note that you may be plus or minus 20 persons in a room. So, since you are new to each other; you must adequately secure your belongings; your padlock(s) can work a great deal here for you. Once you secure your bed; you guys can immediately contribute to buy a bigger padlock to lock the general door only if it has no key; since all your belongings needed to be secured. But security is a joint effort of the roommate. 

 

As you move to the registration all, be reminded to go along with your documents e.g. call up letter, original school result, school ID, passports etc. You may be ask to queue by your geo-political zones e.g. North-Central, South-East, South-South, South-West etc. This may vary camp to camp. I guess the essence of this is for effective operation and orderliness. Note that geographical zone is not for your state of origin but the location of your school. Please respect yourself while in queue to avoid your first embarrassment. The registration process is divided into four stages:

Ø Collection of Call-up

Ø Verification of Call-up

Ø Citation of Result and ID (School)

Ø Online Registration

1.     Collection of Call-up: Once you are called out from the queue; you will be directed to another queue where you would collect the detached copy of your call up letter. You would notice that your call-up letter was detached, so here you will be given the detached copy. To the next stage…

2.     Verification of Call-up: Here you will submit both copies of call-up letter for verification. It is done passing it under a mercury light to view the security code which will prove its authenticity. You need not panic if you give them what was given to you.

3.     Citation of School Result and ID: Since forgery is almost everywhere; this section will check the genuity of your result. Please ensure there are no errors in your names and grade because they may have it and variance “may” not be condoled. In case you are a victim of error. They may understand; but always avoid it.

4.     Online Registration: This is the last stage of your registration process. It is in this stage you will be registered online into the State NYSC Data Base. Upon completion, you will be given a state code e.g.  For Kano: KN/13A/0011, Enugu: EN/13A/0224, Lagos: LA/13A/1228. From the last digit you will know your platoon (I will talk about it later).  Question to be asked here include: your full name, call up number, school, course of study etc. A slip will be given to you to immediately report at your platoon. It mostly ranges from 1-10; while it may vary from camp to camp e.g. Katsina had 13 platoons in Batch C 2012.

Being in a platoon is no difference from being in a group like those your Group A,B,C … stuff while running as assignment, project or group work in school; you work together as a team and accept success and failures in activities together.

You will see your platoon officials who will instruct you to register your name with them upon such; you will be given your NYSC Kit and registration materials. Please pay attention here because I’m going to be releasing secrets that will help you. 

Registration Materials: A file with your State code containing forms, NYSC ID etc will be given to you to appropriately fill. Directives on how to fill it will be given to you. Ask questions where necessary to avoid mistakes. Don’t be too full of yourself to ask question. Remember the camp is not a place of “ITK” I Too Know. This where your stapler, glue and correcting fluid will work a great deal for you. Don’t be surprise to a pin may cost you N20, count the number of stable and calculate your bill...? Photocopies of your credentials you may use all through may not be more than three (3) each. Though carrying excess is advisable because it will cost more there. 

NYSC KIT: The following will be given to you; crested vest, cap, belt, uniform (khaki), a pair of jungle boot, a pair of sneaker (canvass), 2 pair of socks, 2 T-shirts and 2 shorts. Note that you may be given over-size or under-size. In the case where your own doesn’t match you; you can ask for a change, in the case where it’s not possible; you can exchange with a fellow corps member who is in similar need. As I write this article, my sneaker is still unused because of oversize. Most times you may not like the T-shirts and shorts that would be given you. This is where the ones you brought will help you a great deal. Try to get an NYSC belt because you may not like theirs. An advice from experience: if you are slim fitting your uniform, don’t overdo it; don’t cut the length to your normal height or length because if you do – after washing it, it will definitely shrink. So don’t cut or slim fit to your normal size before washing so that you don’t regret it. A free advice!!! To be forewarned is to be forearmed. 

FOOD: Upon registration, a meal ticket (card) will be issued to you for your meal. I must confess here that the meal can’t be compared to when you are at home. You will be 3 times daily. But friend; you’ve got to adjust o. Some persons that went to the camp with enough money will bullshit the meal and face “mammy market” where things are kind of cost. At the long run, you see them coming to queue up for the same food they rejected because their money is up. Some may continue and even become debtors and use their allowance to upset their debts. So you know how to go about it. Sometimes they cook good food but not all times. This is where your beverages will help you a great deal. Imagine receiving watery tea and bread for breakfast? Don’t ignore it. Collect it and simply add your tea, milk etc. to make it rich to your taste. Imagine on a Sunday, normally where we expect to eat rice and chicken, guess what? We were given rice and a tiny reflection of chicken, a fellow corps member called it “a thought of chicken” This varies in camps anyway. Let’s move on to other things. 

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICE (CDS): During your service year; you will be required to participate in CDS. This is done every Thursday in your PPA (Place of Primary Assignment) in the camp, organization like: Millennium Development Goals MDG, Road Safety, EFCC, HIV, NEMA, NDLEA – Drug Free Club, Red Cross, Skill Acquisition, Drama Group, Brigade etc.  You will be trained by personnel from these groups. So prepare your mind and know the one you would be. Its essence is to train you to train others else you will be trained by your fellow corps member. Remember this is a humanitarian service you will be rendering during your service year.

PARADE:  All through your camping period, you will be made to wear your white t-shirts and shorts all through the three (3) weeks except Fridays and Sundays for Muslims and Christians respectively you are allowed to be on mufti. You’ll be wake up early hours say 4-5am for parade that involves drills, matching etc. trust me you can do it. You will be appearing on parade ground by platoon. Trust me this is just to select the best guys who can match very well. At the long run, you guys will be separated during parade time. Anyway the choice is yours.

NYSC ANTHEM: Make sure you learn it very well even the national anthem (both stanza). Funny enough, not all graduates can accurately recite the national item. Please prospective corps members should represent us (your school) well o.

Youth obey the clarion call, let us lift our nation high, under the sun or in the rain, with dedication and selflessness, Nigeria is ours Nigeria we serve!

Guess I have spoken much? I stop here! I hope you find this resourceful and helpful. Feel free to leave a comment and you will be replied or use the “contact us” page. Like us on facebook: www.facebook.com/motivationcommunity  or search for: Staymotivated247 God bless you and have a nice time in camp. Watch out for more exciting articles!