Tag Archives: Fear

Adeolu Akinyemi
July 14, 2011

Where are You?


“Where are you?” That statement dates back to the beginning of time. That question was the first question that God asked man after man sinned in the Garden of Eden. “Where are you?” Imagine that God is asking you that same question today! Imagine that the purpose for your being, is asking that question today! Imagine that your community and the predestined boundaries of your existence are with one voice asking – “Where are you?”.

Oh, once upon a time you were the leader of the group. Oh, you were the chief usher for your fellowship back on campus, you were the sister’s leader, bible study secretary, head of a subgroup, president of a society, pastor of a fellowship! Oh you were great, you were grand, you results were exceptional, your story was unique and you made a mark! The question today however is not where were you, or who were you or what did you do? Today’s question is “Where are you?”. Where are you today, and what exactly is your story? Or let me put it more succinctly, what is your excuse? Don’t be tongue tied, you might find your answer within the first answer ever given!

“I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked. I hid myself” – Adam Continue reading →

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Adeolu Akinyemi
November 25, 2010

Prepare or Perish


And the Winner of the Samsung Phone from MTN for this season is: Adesoji Adegbulu. Congratulations. Question 7: What year did MTN start in Nigeria? (Please read the previous articles for the rules)

I am not a great fan of motivating by fear, but research if you must, the worst of the global depression, recession or economic downturn is yet to happen. All we have witnessed so far, is a foretaste and merely a dress rehearsal of what is impending. If you think that the banks have laid off it’s employees, then wait for what is coming. If you think the stock market has crashed and there is a downturn, you hang on and hold on tight. The worst is not over yet! Ireland is currently experiencing food shortage, Greece is broke and world economies are not exactly facing their greatest days. People that cry peace, when the future is bleak and far from at ease are called false prophets. It is important to warn you, that the times are not evenly set, and there is change in the seasons sufficient to cause panic. Continue reading →

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Adeolu Akinyemi
June 20, 2010

Who Will Cry When You Die?


The thought of our mortality is one of our greatest reservoirs of wisdom. When we ponder on the transient nature of life, we ask ourselves deep questions and our philosophies are formed. When the question of death is asked, our highest priorities surface. I like the thoughts of Stephen R. Covey, when he says begin with the end in mind. One can hardly understand his or her life’s priorities without extending the equation of life over the point where life ends. Those who regularly connect with their mortality live the most meaningful lives, while in contrast, those who think they would leave forever make a mess of life.

Who will cry when you die? Ask yourself this question and it might reveal to you the quality of life you are currently living. Ask why will they cry, and you’ll see the things you are living for. The days are inching close to when it would be 1yr that heaven gained my mother, the days seem fast to the observers, but the value of that time, and the many times her value was missed is priceless. My eyes have not offered it’s tears for public display, but my heart has bled over and over with tears of blood, thank God for his comfort. When life has meaning, it always leaves a clear vacuum in the lives of other people. This vacuum makes people cry, makes people hurt and makes many wish it was possible to reverse death. When you die, who will cry and why? Continue reading →

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Adeolu Akinyemi
May 9, 2010

My Testimony – FGBMF


The narrative below was produced by Ewulotan Ayodeji Peter a participant in the Full Gospel Business Men Fellowship of 17th March, 2010, the Aqua Chapter. I had the privilege of sharing my testimony and perspectives with them. I believe some people were blessed, here is hoping that this narrative would be valuable to you as well.
He is a distinguished engineering graduate from OAU who opted to pursue his passion (human development) rather than the course he studied. He was fortunate to have given his life to Christ very early in life, a decision that turned him to a young billionaire (He was a Youth Corper 10years ago). His major turning point in life started when he went for a retreat out of passion for God…….before the commencement of the meeting he prayed that God should distinguish him in life (he wanted to be different, ….God set me apart)
He was surprised at God’s response …….God told him it is not my job to make you different ….that he would not need Him (God) to be different…. that the decision and effort must come from him (Deolu) to be a different person i.e. you have to first draw near to God for God to draw near to you …..like the saying ‘Heaven only helps those who help themselves’. ‘When I see you make a move then I God will back you up. Continue reading →

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Adeolu Akinyemi
April 11, 2010

Failing Successfully!


“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career, I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over in my life. And that’s why I succeed!” – Michael Jordan

One of the sharpest contrasts of paradigms between the super successful and the near do wells or outright failures is their perspective about failing. The contrast is so alarming, yet many don’t know. In my little sojourn and study, I have discovered quite amazingly that the rich and the poor, the great and the average, the skilled and he amateur,  have different philosophies about failing. If your philosophy can change, then you have indeed begun your journey into the school of success. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. You are not more than your way of thinking. Read these words, and let them transform your thinking, changing the way you see failing and rejection has the capacity to transform your life in 3 months.

Failing is one of the best things that can happen to a human being! Rejection is be most powerful motivation tool on earth! Getting a “No!” from your prospects or friends is the best self development training in the world! Failing is golden! The act of falling short, or missing expectations, of not meeting up with the desired results or getting woeful results is precious. You need to motivate yourself to fail, get yourself the opportunity of being rejected, go into places you’ll hear no’s more often, for success is elusive to those who have no history of failing! Failure must never be a place that defines you, but you must be conversant with failing. Like Thomas Watson one time MD of IBM said, “I have discovered, that in order to double my success rate, I simply double my failure rate!”.  You are not ready to succeed, until you are prepared to fail :) Continue reading →

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Adeolu Akinyemi
April 7, 2010

What if I fail?


One of the strongest revelations I walk with is understanding that the fear of extremes makes us mediocre. People regularly live less than their potentials, because of a dread of the worst. What if I fail? What if I die? What if my good name is dragged in the mud? What if I make a fool of myself? Unwilling to think deeply about the worst, men and women condemn themselves to an average low impact existence.  No books are written about them, no quotes to their name, their fear of failure got them eventually the same fate with all, death, but meaningless lives.

I have learnt to always confront my worst possibilities? I resigned from paid employment 4yrs ago with clarity about the question, what if I fail? My answer was that should I fail, I would send my family to my parents or theirs, I will stay around in Lagos for a little longer and work my butts off, if all still fails, I will go back to the village and get involved in farming!  I grew up learning to farm, and I know that on the farm you are not likely to die of hunger, and once there is life, there is hope :) . I have a colleague that told me his own worst case scenario was that he’ll become a driver – since he loves to drive. What I have learnt is that except you are willing to ask yourself mind boggling questions, you will not make mind boggling progress.  Those who go very high in life, are those who have dealt with the fear of falling. What if you fail? Continue reading →

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Adeolu Akinyemi
May 27, 2009

Living is Dying


The process of living is the process of dying – literally. I usually tell people on their birthday’s that one year more is one year less. As we advance in years our life reserves get reduced and we embark on the process of dying. Just like the pages of a book, as the left piles up, the right dimishes until we hit the back cover and turn the book over. Living is dying.

It is however more interesting that in order then to live life fully, one must embrace the possibility of death. Full life is impeded by the fear of dying. The pages drag slowly, the moments lack zest, when we refuse to plunge or dive because we are afraid! We have only one shot at life, yes, but it’s going to end with death anyway, so why not live it fully with no regrets? Why not enjoy the journey since the destination is sure? Why not live it the way it was designed to be lived – with passion, excitement and fulfillment?

“People living deeply have no fear of death” – Anais Nin

I shudder at the statistics of people who really live deeply? Only a few percentage of people ever live beyond ordinary lives. Many of us unconciously live with the template of Solomon Grundi, our lives follow a predictable sequence. We wake up early every morning and engage in a race to work and back. Our key motivation is not more life, but the fear of not losing the one that we have. We race to work not because of passion, love or excitement, but because to put food on the table we think we must! We hope that maybe one day we will live our dreams, one day we will suddenly have a rush of courage and give up who we are for what we are capable of becoming. One day comes one day late, and then you are late and it’s late. Yank off your life from the slow road guarded by fear, move into the lane where life is rich and adventurous. It’s not a road void of challenges, nay, but it’s exciting and full of stories. It’s also empowering and capable of actually making you a guiding light for thousands or millions of prisoners of fear.

Here are 5 things you can do to live life more fully. Continue reading →

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Adeolu Akinyemi
February 26, 2009

Beyond the Reach of Fear


 

There is an experiment that I read about that opened my eyes to the truth about Fear. I’ll narrate the story to you and guide you into my understanding of the inner workings of fear and how to break away from limiting mind sets. There is nothing that stops living a full and fulfilling life like fear. Fear shackles, holds back, and paralyzes good initiatives. Many of our best ideas have never seen the light of day because of fear. Many of us are living way less than our possibilities because of fear. Many of us are stuck with Jobs we don’t like, relationships we don’t enjoy, dreams we haven’t birthed, desires we don’t express, all because of fear. The fear of the unknown, the fear of being wrong, the fear of failing, the fear of falling, the fear of poverty, the fear of isolation. Fear! If you can break free from the hold of fear, not only will your words be motivating, your life will be inspiring. When we break lose from our fears, we unconsciously liberate others around us to do the same! 

How fear works is quite interesting, and I think this little experiment clarifies it. Imagine a long flat board, 100 meters long, and 1 meter wide (1 meter is a little more than 3 rulers and for 100 meters, think about the track in secondary school) Imagine it lying on the ground, and you are asked to walk on it without moving off it at any point. If the picture of this is clear in your mind, walking along this board for 100 meters should be a piece of cake. In fact, you should be able to almost close your eyes and run on it. Right? Now imagine that this same flat board, was lifted up to the height of a sky scraper and fixed between two sky scrapers for you to walk on? Imagine, it and ask if you would? The truth is, you will be a lot more reluctant to walk, the board has not changed, it was the same board you would have run on confidently a few mins ago. But all of a sudden now, you are afraid, the fact that it is high up is allowing you to be clouded by the possibilities of what might happen, you are suddenly thinking more about the consequences of falling than the prospects of walking or even running. This is the way fear works, it takes your eyes off possibilities into the real of consequences. You begin to imagine things that may and will never happen, and it stops you dead in your tracks. Fear is the greatest road block to success, and except you learn to live above and in spite of your fears you are doomed! Doomed to mediocrity, doomed to average, doomed to live out a frustrated and unfulfilling existence. If you don’t face your fears, it will back you down into the corners of timidity, batter you into cowardice and leave you an underachiever. We need to understand fear and free ourselves of it’s grip, here is how. Continue reading →

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