Do You Have A Closed Mind?

I was talking to a younger colleague who believes he has done all he could to improve his financial state without any results. The problem is that he has involved himself in things that are largely illegal and unsustainable. And when he attempted to do a legal and sustainable one, he has done it in his own way based on his previous experiences.
So, I became empathetic and attempted to make make him see alternative ways of doing things rather than holding on to a set way and limiting beliefs. However, he just was not ready to even consider the possibility of being wrong before, let alone the possibility of alternatives ways! He has a closed mind!
Do you have a closed mind? Do you see things based on your previous experiences and beliefs which in themselves may not be based on the truth? A closed mind will not allow you to get the best out of life be it in marriage, career, business, ministry and other areas of your life.
For you to get the best out of life, you must be open, inquisitive and ready to learn! You should be able to consider alternatives even if you have some biases against them in the past. Your bias may be unfounded and based on half truths!
To your success,

Dr KM Okonoda
http://www.twitter.com/mayorking 
http://www.netwealthconsult.com
http://www.twitter.com/NetwealthC

Speaking With Grace.

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how ye ought to answer every man. Colossian 4:6

Have you sometimes had conversation with somebody in which you finished the conversation knowing that the person was saying the truth, but you were left emotionally drained, abused and deflated? You were probably thinking that you could have said the same things; pass the message across without attacking the ego (self-esteem) of the hearer!

Sometimes people are quick to quote scriptures to justify themselves. After all scripture says that ‘open rebuke is better than secret love’.  So, some have taken the moral high horse, become rude and crude in their approach, all in the name of speaking the truth and being blunt! And when people say that they are blunt, they are sometimes coming from the place of knowledge or success. So they sometimes look down on the less knowledgeable and less successful and talk down on people anyhow.

But our verse today says there is a way that you can pass that message across that will be with grace, seasoned with salt, in answering and talking with everybody. It is instructive to note that everybody has an ego (self-esteem), a sense of self-worth that helps them to function as an independent, confident entity. Whenever you talk to people and seek to attack and damage that self-esteem, you are doing more harm than good.

The Power of NO.

"Where ever you go, where ever you are
Do not say yes, when you mean to say NO".
Such a simple but powerful poem, talking about such a simple but powerful word.
If you don't know how to say NO to people, albeit politely but firmly,
you are most likely going to end up broke, feeling used, and unfulfilled.
You may never get to achieve the things you set out to do. You may end up robbing yourself and loved ones of resources and time; while fulfilling the desires of people who may not see the need to put in the sacrifices and hard work you put in to make life worthwhile for you and your loved ones!

Focus on the Cause.

 A cause could be defined as any of the following; 

1.what makes something happen: a person or thing that makes something happen or exist or is    responsible for something that happens.

2.reason: a reason or grounds for doing or feeling something.
3.principle: a principle or idea that people believe in or work for. 

The importance of focusing on the cause is well illustrated in the story of David and Goliath in 1 Sam 17:28-30. 
 28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.

29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.
 
When he was about to fight Goliath, David was out-rightly condemned by Eliab for being proud and naughty. But David made sure he was focused on the task because of the CAUSE he had in mind!

4. Finally, a cause could be a goal, aim or principle, especially one which transcends purely selfish ends. ‘He is fighting for a just cause’.

People who don’t know your cause may criticize and out rightly condemn you.
It doesn’t matter if they are your superiors or seniors, as long as you are sure of your cause, you must ignore them.


To your success,
Dr Okonoda

        

Commitment to Excellence.

17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.18 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. 20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.
Daniel 1:17-21

When God wants to exalt a man, he will bestow upon him the gift of knowledge, learning, wisdom and understanding. Suffice it to say that this kind of learning is not only in academics, but may relate to human relations, business, diplomacy, leadership and all areas of human endevour.
However, whatever gifts God has bestowed upon us, we have an obligation to take action to improve ourselves in line with these areas. That is why the scripture says;

'Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth'.
2 Tim 2: 15

Do you want to be excellent in what you do? Do you want to be set apart for distinction and not lumped together with the rest (just like the Hebrew children we read about?) Then you have to keep on studying, keep on learning, keep on acquiring knowledge. But there is a caveat! Learn from the right source(s). Measure everything you learn with the scale of the word of God, less you be deceived by the vain philosophy of men!

To your success,
Dr Okonoda.
@mayorking
CEO  www.netwealthconsult.com
@NetwealthC