Self-Motivation, Personal Growth and Entrepreneurship Development on DeoluAkinyemi.com

If we indeed are a sum total of our experiences and the vital impressions they have left on us, then no individual is fully introduced until you have a glimpse at where they are coming from, and the experiences that have shaped them. It is interesting however, that we get to know people and learn from their experiences after they die in their biographies, of if they do it themselves in their later years. 

Somehow the world makes us feel it’s self aggrandizement  to begin to write an autobiography at a young age, but it’s interesting however that when we read about the great, our attentions are not focused on how they died, or how they spent their old age, our eyes are riveted rather on their making, their early years. We look around for traces in them of similarities with us, as if somehow to convince ourselves that greatness has not completely eluded us. Greatness hasn’t eluded you, it’s never too late to start to do things right. When all is said and done, and your history is written, there will be no reference to the kind of car you drove, no reference to how many houses you have, no reference to how loaded your bank account was. Think about it, do you know what car Bill Gates drives? Do you know how many houses he has or where he has them? Remember, this man is still alive now, and 99% of us don’t even know those things. When your coffin is lowered and your grave sealed, what lives on after you, are the lives you have blessed, the people your coming made a difference to, what you gave, the sacrifices you made and the things you did, that made others say thank you. Continue Reading »

I typically write the title of my post before I start writing, that way it keeps me focused on what I really want to write about. Today however, I’m doing things slightly differently. I’m going to write the title after I am done. What I have in my heart this morning is a theme, and I’m certain that after I have transferred my thoughts and feelings to words, the title will appear.

The strong theme being expressed on my mind this morning is “Adding Memorable Value”. I have been publishing articles online now for a little over 3 years. My articles have moved from total obscurity to some level of prominence. I have also migrated from no comments to as many 10,000 plus comments. I have articles with single digit views, and articles that have over 100,000 views. I have written articles that can be classified as useless, written those that can be classified as moderately valuable, and I have written articles that have added memorable value.  My heart desire from today, is to step up, and provide more content regularly that will enter into the class of  adding memorable value! Continue Reading »

Announcements: The New Nigeria Club online conference will hold on Thursday the 19th of February, 2009 at 8pm Nigerian Time. We’ll be doing the conference on skype, if you are interested in attending send me your skype ID on my deolu@newnigeriaclub.net or write it here as a comment.

I got up really early this morning, I wanted to be ready for 6:30am so I could make the Lagos to Ilorin trip on time and return on time too. My Secondary School (Federal Government College Ilorin) was celebrating their 36th birthday, and I was invited to come and speak to and inpire the students. I had done the same thing last year, so I guess I’m gradually becoming a regular item on the founder’s day celebration . It was a bit stressful for me getting up, as I was truly tired, given that I had an engaging weekend. Over the weekend I had spent about 3hrs of my Saturday in a church I was invited to speak in, a good part of the rest with the organizers of HR MBA. Sunday had also gotten me going from Church to HR MBA, and then to Realty Point office where I facilitated for IFA and then back home late. I eventually went ahead to sleep on Sunday night around 3pm and knew I had to get up for 5:30am if I was going to make the Ilorin trip and be there on time.

It turned out to be a really packed day for me, I’m on my bed now, trying to retire for the night, and I can safely say that I feel really invested (spent) today. My mind casts back at the scenery of  FGC Ilorin, everything still looks pretty the same way I left it 15yrs ago. The assembly hall is still incomplete, the sports pavilion still looks like it’s in development. Save for a few “new” buildings here and there which are actually balanced out by the buildings that have deteriorated, the school is still basically the same. I had given scholarships to a few of the students last year, but looking at their faces today I was motivated to increase the number of students enjoying the scholarship.  I had spent over 9hrs on the road, travelled long distances, risked not making money today, given of my time, my effort and fallen into the risk of being misscontrued. On my way back however, I recalled a thought that stayed with me through the weekend and gave me inspiration. It said “It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! ” – Matthew 25:26b Continue Reading »

If you see your brother standing by the road
With a heavy load from the seeds he sowed
If you see your sister falling by the way just stop and say you’re going the wrong way
You’ve got to try a little kindness just show a little kindness
Shine your light for everyone to see
And if you try a little kindness you’ll overlook the blindness
Of the narrow minded people on the narrow minded streets

Don’t walk around the down and out lend a helping hand instead of doubt
And the kindness that you show every day will help someone along their way
You’ve got to try a little kindness…
You’ve got to try a little kindness…

I don’t know if you grew up around the same time I did, if you did, the chances are 8/10 that you will have heard this song by Genesis before. Can you remember? That big round “record” with a tooth brush like reader on the player Those were the days – the disks were disks, nothing compact about them. Right now I can perfectly picture where the records where kept, I remember this season, and I can hear a few other soundtracks – “Baba ore re ma po, baba, melo la o san”, “Odun nlo so pin o, baba rere”, “Won le ma so so ku so, so ko gbo, Let them say ”, “Who the cap fits, let them wear it”, “… e.t.c. All the collections all the sorts. I’m sure some of you can pick yours out from these, but first let’s get down to the business of today. Try a little kindness. Continue Reading »

On Death

“Zec 11:2 “Howl fir tree, for the cedar is fallen.”

Unrest hits the forest when all of a sudden the crashing sound of a mighty tree is heard. For them, it announces the presense of the woodman, and each is aware once again of it’s unbreakable appointment with the edge of the axe. Each remembers that it’s marked for death and there is an end to it’s journey in this frame of existence. All mortals must like the fir tree, howl and not scorn at the events that remind us of the temporary nature of life on earth. Death is the weightiest of all of life’s events, and he who does not prepare for death is worse than an ordinary fool. Continue Reading »