The Act Of Swinging.

Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you; they’re supposed to help you discover who you are. ~ Bernice Johnson Reagon

Today was one of those very good days; me working from home, the kids are off from school and wifey is busy ensuring that we all eat healthy and happy. The other good part of this very good day is that I had the chance to take the kids out to the park for some running, climbing, sliding and of cause, swinging. The different activities not only brought back some teenage memories, it also made me realize I was getting old, heavy and couldn't fit into some of the playground equipment's - more so, it afforded me the opportunity to teach my son a very vital lesson about achieving success.

We got on the swing and I started swirling fast and high; my son turned to me and asked how I was flowing that high without being afraid of falling off. I tried describing how the body movements should go in order to control the swirling, yet he just couldn't get it. Now it was time to be more practical with the explanation - this not only inspired him, it gave him a new insight about achieving success and now he can swing.

To swirl the swing, you first have to move your feet backwards to trigger the push, while holding on strong to the steel chain - as the swing rolls forward, you have to prompt your feet upwards to drive more speed to the swirling. Another important or vital instruction to beginners or those with phobia is - ALWAYS look UP - that is the focus that matters most.

This same principle can be applied to start-ups as well as individuals who plan to get into entrepreneurship position. To swing for the skies, you have to take some steps backwards, remain focused by holding on to the dream [this helps in listening to what people expect to see, what others have done that you can do better and analyzing why others failed in the same quest].
The next step is to prompt forward [bringing the plans alive by using the best of skills and carefully mapped out strategies to ensure the smooth flow. This is where the uniqueness comes alive].
The very important part is to keep your focus. Don't look down to where fear makes you supine but look up to where you can draw strength to aim higher.

Swing on like a child and success would not be far from you. 

Start small, Use Unique Strategies and Creatively Expand.

We live in a world where anything is possible. A world where one set of people are thinking of what to do next and another set looking forward to what is going to happen next. Whichever way you want to look at it, we all are always hoping for one thing or the other for tomorrow [the future].

I have seen and heard stories about people who have built empires just from a dream. They had very little or no money; investors didn't see a future in their dreams; they were not the best dressed - but they had a huge passion for their dream. So many writers have attempted to explain strategies for starting up a new business, but the truth is - not all strategies work for every business. 

If you have dared to dream of a big idea/concept, then you should be go a bit further to dream of your exclusive promotion/marketing strategy as well as possible expansion plans. When you have a unique business idea, you have to also think of unique ways to sell them to clients and possible investors/partners.

In my own little way, I will attempt to open your eyes to (1) Why it is important to dream dreams - (2) How to bring the dream to life - (3) How to promote and sell the dream - (4) What to do to stay successfully relevant and (5) Why you should expand to other ventures.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO DREAM.

It should not be hard for you to stop sometimes and look into the stains of walls, or ashes of a fire, or clouds, or mud or like places, in which ... you may find really marvelous ideas.

- Leonardo da Vinci

There are so many issues and problems in the world begging for solutions. We live in this world and every second someone is thinking of how they can find solutions to one or more problems. You really dont have to be affected by these issues before you start thinking of how to solve it - as long as there is a need for a solution, then there is a need to start dreaming.

While some dreams that become successful businesses require money, most of them do not. There are a few examples of businesses that have become amazingly big just by creating a concept and using it to fill a gap. The story of Mattel is one that I find outstanding because the then newly-married Ruth and Elliot Handler actually started from their home garage with materials that can be referred to as scrap and they turned it into a magnificent venture.

Although Mattel is known worldwide as a toy maker, they initially produced and sold picture frames. Shortly after opening for business, Handler began making dollhouse furniture with the scraps left over from the picture frames. Ruth and Elliot had little business experience and even less capital, but they saw a gap that needed to be filled in the toy less marketplace, plus a drive to carve out a niche for themselves - they created a unique product that brought the world to their door. 

As time went on, the couple created more toys that touched the lives of many children and today we can all read the story of how humble beginnings in the garage has been given pride of place in the New York Stock Exchange. Mattel is not only ranked on the list of Fortune 500 companies, it has recorded over $6 Billion in revenues and reported 4.8 billion in assets.

This is a classic case of seeing what others cant see and using whatever resource you have at your disposal to make an impact. Your dreams (Business ideas) are powerful, but you have to bring them to fore!

When Too Good Becomes An Issue

Life has got its ups and downs, sometimes messy; yet most times we are left confused. There is a saying that states: whoever digs into the world of the past [or grave] should be ready to cope with the stench [odor] that it brings.
You see yourself as the nicest person, but someone out there is all out to ensure that they rub past mistakes in your face, just to rob you of the joy that comes with being nice. You focus on your career to ensure all is well with you and yours; yet one busy-body is lurking around the corner to tarnish your reputation.
The job market also has its undoing. They advertise jobs for people with excellent academic results; one rushes to apply, got invited for an interview; only to be told later via email that someone else with same academic records but with work experience has been offered the job.
The jolly good fellow then puts in application to another company, this time added to the CV work placement experience [industrial attachment] in order to boost the chances of getting the job. When the result of the interview came, it stated that they found the CV quite impressive; but the job was given to someone else who had work experience in the same industry and location. This same scenario continued again and again, till the fellow decided that enough was enough - whatever it will take to start building inherent skills and selling them through freelance roles, would be the ultimate strategy to becoming self employed.
Aha! just when you thought you are succeeding, your very own person steps in to discourage you; refreshing your mind on how good you feel, but never good enough for employers. They do everything [unknowingly sometimes] to make you give up on your pursuit. They say you are lazy and should go learn a trade or do menial jobs. Dream killers!
Yes! people will always talk, but what matters most is doing what gives joy and self fulfillment.
Life can also be terrible in relationships - either marriage, courtship or mere boyfriend/girlfriend romance - the last thing either of the party concerned should do is try digging up past issues. Sincerely this things take away inherent joy and happiness.
So many people are not able to deal with their past mistakes; the best they can do is try to forget that it ever happened and move on to ensuring that the now and future shines a better light. Example, the guy has an issue with controlling his alcohol intake, the lady should while trying to caution him in a party, never remind him of how he fell into the gutter after a drinking spree in the past. Same goes for the guys, if a girl honestly tells you of her past sexual experiences at parties - never ever remind her when you guys have an argument; it will forever ruin the trust she has in you.
We all have our masquerade faces tucked away in the trash, should anyone try to recycle them - they rob you of your current beauty. The annoying part is that its the people that we trust so much; the ones that are deep in our lives; the ones that rejoices with our seemingly good; the ones we owe our successes to - yes! the very people we call our own. They bring back dirty memories and leave you asking yourself why you ever thought you could ever be good again.

Now, if you have found yourself in this situation, this is my humble advise - live everyday of your life as if it was the devil himself challenging you, never stop trusting in God for breakthrough and confidence, stay strong, keep doing good and never ever stop smiling - for that smile shows you are a victor!