FACING YOUR TOMORROW
I started elementary school in 1991. Though I was a kid but I could remember the proprietor said,” You are the leaders of tomorrow. If you know you want to be a Doctor, Banker, President, Engineer etc, you have to study very hard”. As a kid then, even though I don’t understand what he meant, I had no choice than to agree with him. As I continue to grow, everybody, everything, my parents, my environment, animate and inanimate things begin to tell me the same thing, even to the end of my secondary education.
After attempting Jamb for more than four times, I was eventually, admitted into the school of first choice and the nation’s pride – University of Lagos. I could remember vividly during the orientation program when the vice chancellor mentioned again “You’re the leaders of tomorrow, work hard so that you won’t graduate before your time or after your time”. My mind was troubled. I began to ask myself, “Matthew, when will tomorrow come? If you are truly the leader of tomorrow, why are you not a leader yet since 1991 when you were first told that you are a leader?
After pondering on these questions for several weeks, I concluded that since 1991, now is 2011, 20 years gone, tomorrow will never come because yesterday’s tomorrow is TODAY, i.e, Today is the tomorrow we talked about yesterday which means TODAY IS THE FUTURE they have been talking about and I and you are the LEADERS OF TODAY but to attain that leadership position we’ve to work very hard, be very smart, solve problems, be ahead of our mates, be part of the change of our environment and add value to peoples’ lives.
My objective is to tell you how to confront your future, how to face tomorrow but I am introducing this just to inform those who still think the future is far that the FUTURE OR TOMORROW is NOW.
So, how can you face tomorrow?
- CONFRONT YOUR FEAR OR AVOID IT: We don’t step out because we’re afraid of failure. Some people are afraid of everything – the fear of dieing, the fear of not getting rich, the fear of not getting married, the fear of not passing exams, the fear of not knowing what tomorrow holds and some much more.
The fear of not measuring up to perfection has kept many gifted people idle when they should have acted. Joseph overcame this fear because he believes the value he’d add if he was right outweighs the price he’d pay if he was wrong. His life was on the line, but he ventured out to offer wisdom to pharaoh, who desperately needed it. The only way you can confront your fear is by acting right when you ought to. You can’t change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying about the future.
- MAKE YOUR PASSION YOUR PROFESSION: Passion energizes your talent. Do not study a course or learn a vocation because your parents, friends, relatives want you to. Study or learn what you are passionate about, develop more skills in your talent, be competent and you will win people for yourself. I know of a man who love photography but because his dad wants him to become engineer ventured into engineering school. His five years was just a repetition of failure until he withdrew his admission to start up in a photography school. Today, he is the richest photographer in the world. Before he went for the photography school, he told his Dad ‘’I may not earn much like the engineers, I may not live in a big house, I may not drive the best cars but I’ll be happy and fulfilled because I’m going to be one of the best photographers rather than making the worst engineer’’ .
- AVOID MENTAL PRESSURE: Another way to confront your future is by avoiding mental pressure. Even when the world is throwing you unfavorable conditions, do not give room for mental pressure. Our brain is elastic and it can assimilate more only if we can think , read and willing to know more, but pressurizing the brain is not the same as utilizing the brain. I know of a guy who committed suicide due to mental pressure. After spending seven years in school and his result did not reflect his effort, he felt he had no choice than to quit, and his definition of “QUIT” is committing suicide. Take it slowly, talk to people, think of a way out and the future will be delivered to you.
- ADD VALUE TO PEOPLE: Many in our world think the leader must be the biggest, strongest, and most intimidating person in a room. I am bold to tell you that’s a lie. Leaders are motivated by service, not power. You add value to others by serving them, not by lording it over them. To be the leader you want to be, you should first be subjected to God, then live by example, then a proclaimer and communicator to the people. Also, learn to put others first, be other – centered according to John C. Maxwell, solve people’s problem or help them find solution to their individual or organizational problem. Adding value to people makes you look indispensable even though you are dispensable; it brings wealth to your door step and delivers the future in to your hands.
- LIVE TODAY TO ITS FULLEST: Determine and act on important priorities. Like I shared at Maximum Impact Network (An organization which I facilitate) few months ago, “If you spent 8 hours of your day talking, gossiping or sleeping, you have spent one third of your day on those things, that means by the time you are 30 years old, you’ve just spent 10 years of your lives talking, gossiping or sleeping”. My Challenge to you is what do you do with your time? Time is the essence of life. Successful people don’t waste time because they understood that time wasted is life wasted, time wasted is money wasted, and time wasted is opportunity wasted. Learn to plan your day ahead and do not involve yourself in event or activity you never planned for. There’s never enough time to do everything, but there’s always enough time to do the most important things. You can make time your friend if you can beat it.
- DRESS LIKE THE LEADER YOU WANT TO BE: People usually form their opinions about you within 30 seconds of meeting you. Like Steve Harris always says, “You won’t be addressed like a prospect if you dress like a suspect”. Dressing is a reflection of who you are and the home you come from. You want to become the CEO of an organization, why don’t start dressing like one now? Dress the way you want to be address and if you must bare anything bare your dress sense. You don’t have to buy the most expensive wears but endeavor to look expensive. Present yourself to the world what you want to become through your dressing. I can predict who you are by what you are wearing and how you are wearing it. Dress like that leader, dress like that manager, dress like that CEO, dress like that teacher and dress like that person you want to be. Don’t wait until then start now because now is the future.
