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November 8, 2018

Travel, It’s Worth It

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“Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” – Jack Kerouac

It’s that time of the year where we get our passports ready, take days off our busy schedules and kick back and enjoy the festive season. Over the last month or so, I’m sure you’ve invested in a great pair of sneakers, a new golf set, a nice handbag, or a bomb hairstyle that you’ve been wanting to get that you will soon forget about. You probably also have been wanting to plan a trip but said you “didn’t have the money” to do it.
Well, your money probably went to those popping shoes you couldn’t resist, that to die for handbag you just had to have or that hairstyle that you thought would look so good on you. The truth is, all of those things expire at some point in life. However, when you travel, those memories and experiences you make will last a lifetime. Trust me, travelling is worth the investment!

Many people have always talked about how bad they want to make travelling the world a continuous “thing”, but have never done it. So, this coming year, set a goal for yourself to travel to at least five countries before December so that you could create memories that you will hold onto forever.

Here are my top 4 reasons why travelling is worth the investment:

Travelling allows you to make memories– Traveling cuts out your daily routine of work, school, and whatever else you have to do. When you travel to a different place that is different from where you live, you get to experience other things that you wouldn’t at home that you will never forget.

Travelling gives you a new appreciation– When you start to travel to different countries especially countries where people are less fortunate than you, you begin to appreciate your life a little more and the things that you do have. The things that you don’t have become small problems.

Allows you to learn cultures and be educated– The world has different cultures that are filled with exciting beliefs, morals, and values. One of the greatest things you get from travelling is to embrace another culture and see the world through the eyes of another while learning great life lessons.

Forces you out of your comfort zone– When you don’t take risks you never really reach your full potential. Travelling abroad will send you into a ton of uncomfortable situations. It forces you to meet new people with completely different lifestyles and cultures, and also navigate through a place where you don’t speak the same language.

So what’s stopping you from travelling again?… I challenge you to pick a country that you’ve always wanted to visit and book a trip before the end of the year and share with us your journey in the comments section.

September 27, 2018

Agility In Leadership

Buisness, Leadership, Productivity, self growth, Success, Work 0

“Speed will follow when the mechanism of the movements is more assured.”
― Rafael Sabatini

In an increasingly complex and fast-paced leadership world, what does the Agile Leader obsess about?

Three things. Just three and they are:

Personal Growth
People Development
Problem Solving

The agile leader focuses on these things and the benefits of them follow. Typically we are tempted to focus on the benefits and be frustrated when they don’t actualize quite the way we had hoped. The agile leader focuses on the inputs, the development spaces, the steps forward and the most ‘value added’ behaviours for their team and mission.

So the agile leader focuses on these three elements while asking these five questions.

ONE
How do I become more?

Originally inspired by a distant mentor of mine Jim Rohn would say “If you want to have more then you need to become more.” Jim was also prone to suggesting people should make it a goal to become a millionaire not so much because of what they got by it but because of what they BECAME as a result of aiming high.

Becoming more comes from a place of stewardship and gratitude. Making good use of the talents and capabilities you have for the benefit of most people. Becoming more is based on the conviction that an increase in capacity can benefit more people more of the time. Becoming more means creating the ability to more quickly reach your potential and more effectively contribute to others lives.

TWO
What will bridge the gap between expertise and agile leadership?

The HBR Article Seven Transformations of Leadership indicates that leadership CAN be developed and cultivated. Being an expert in your field is never a bad thing. In fact, it’s to be encouraged. However, there are levels above expertise that can begin to harness the expertise of groups, movements even. There are skills that gather thinkers and doers together and imagine what a radically transformed future could look like.

Agile leaders look beyond expertise. In fact, being really really good at what you do is not an end but a beginning for the agile leader. Learning to harness the power of gathered expertise to create a preferred future! That’s agile leadership.

THREE
How does problem-solving and people development become second nature?

On all levels of leadership development spaces, the questions that are consistently being asked are “How can we solve bigger problems at a faster rate with better outcomes?” We, in fact, hold to a mantra that says WE MAKE THE PROBLEMS THAT WON’T GO AWAY, GO AWAY! Life and leadership aren’t about looking for problems, but it sure is about solving them.

In an I.T team I used to lead back in Zimbabwe, we had a saying that helped us make sense of any challenge that came our way. We simply said, “we can make sense of or solve most problems in 24 hours”. Einstein said, “If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.” Our strategy gave us perspective, energy and a game plan to tackle even what we considered to be the most insurmountable problems. On most occasions, it worked too, kudos to Lloyd and Simba!

FOUR
How do I help others maximise their potential?

What you have is NOT for you. Truly. You benefit from your skills and abilities but over time keeping the benefit of them just for you is plain selfish. This is a paradox of leadership and more said than done. The agile leader invests significant time and resources into ensuring the people around them enjoy profound levels of development, recognition and productivity.

As I increasingly lean into this area I find the disciplines around focusing on and developing people need to become a priority over most other activities except the ones that only I can do. Most functional areas of leadership can be delegated, people can be hired, trained and equipped. Those few areas of contribution that you have and the responsibility of increasing the quality and quantity of leaders in your organisation fall to you and you alone.

FIVE
How can I prepare and position myself for more responsibility?

Agile leaders are always asking themselves three really important developmental questions. The first is “Where next?” This deals with direction. What is the new horizon to steer the ship towards? The second is “What’s next?” This focuses on activity. The third and perhaps even more important is “Who’s next?” Knowing who is advancing and becoming increasingly capable of leadership is a key to organisational health and growth.

In addition, agile leaders are positioning themselves for new opportunities and growth. The privilege of helping someone get ready for a future opportunity is a key characteristic of the Fifteen Percent Leader.

Grow as a leader, develop people and solve problems. This is what an agile leader looks like.

May 31, 2018

Painting Your Masterpiece

Habits, Productivity, Work bold, chaser, goal, goals, growth, persist, personal growth 0

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step” – Martin Luther King Jr

Leonardo Da Vinci is one of the most brilliant painters of all time, who at the time of his death at 67 had only finished 15 paintings, an interesting point to note for someone with such artistic gifts and also considering artists like Van Gough had over 2100 artworks in a decade. It is alleged that the Mona Lisa, which is now the star exhibit in the Louvre Art Gallery in Paris was ordered by the Italian Pope Leo X around March 1515 as a welcoming gift for Isabella d’Este. She would be visiting the Pope seven months later so Leonardo had ample time. When the Pope was told the gift wouldn’ t be ready by the time his guest arrived, he exclaimed “This man will never accomplish anything! He thinks of the end before the beginning!” Da Vinci finished the Mona Lisa a solid 15 years later.
Like most people, you could be struggling with getting started or finishing a project you are working on because it seems so complex or huge. Maybe you want to study for an exam, or maybe you keep putting off redecorating your house. Perhaps you can’t get started with that business plan you have dreamed about.
Now it’s time you get that project going and I will show you how in these few steps.

#1. Write down your big goal
The first step is scheduling what needs to be done, when it needs to be done and how it should be done. Writing down your task allows you to see it in smaller bits and also prioritise them by importance or difficulty. Once you have it down on paper, you can plan on how to tackle the tasks that you are most worried about. The one thing I have learned over the years is that what gets scheduled gets done that is why writing things down is important.

#2. Get Prepared
Once you have the task written down, it’s time to prepare for your project. Here you need to be seriously critical in looking at your distractions and getting rid of them. A lot of people complain that they do not have time to chase their dream but the truth is they are just not prioritising the dream. There is something else taking the time that your dream needs to get off the ground, so what are your distractions? is it the TV? Are you obsessed with social media? Does family, friends or colleagues constantly interrupt you?
Are you surrounded by clutter? Clear your space and make it convenient for you to operate at the highest level of your creativity. Gather together everything you need to start your task but don’t make a big deal out of it as this may become a distraction as well. For example, if you are supposed to start a business, looking for office space is not preparing the ground, it’s a diversion. Get the necessities done first.
Also look at what you can do alone and where you can ask for help, this helps with the division of labour. Lastly, get an accountability partner, this could be a friend, spouse, colleague or mentor that you can talk to and they help you to keep your commitment to your project.

#3. Get Started
Stay away from a complicated plan to achieve your task, simplicity makes it easier to get started. Perhaps you are already obsessing about your first steps and maybe that is the reason you kept putting off the whole thing. Now it’s time to put your plan in motion, it is time for that first step. If it is complex or daunting break it down into smaller steps until each one looks like it will take no more than an hour to complete.
When I started writing my book, I knew it was a great task but all I did was just start writing. So whatever it is you want to start, go for it, you can do it. There are no distractions, no excuses, just jump into it and do it. Write that first chapter, paint that picture, put in that hour at the gym, make that healthy meal today.

#4. Reward Yourself
Now that the first step is out of the way, it is time to reflect on how that went and take a break. Have a coffee or a snack, take a walk, play a game or watch your favourite movie. Reward yourself because you deserve it, you have taken the first step to realising your dream. Beware though – it’s just a short break. You are not packing for the day so this is not a celebration, it is a dangerous time because procrastination is just a heartbeat away. Do not get sidetracked or you will be away with the fairies again, stay in control and keep your head in the game.

#5. Build a Habit
Take another look up the mountain towards your goal, what is your next vital step? Maybe you have learned something from the previous step that inspires you and propels you forward. Or perhaps there are changes that need to be made to ensure consistency. Whatever it is you are now at a place where you can create a sustainable habit that will increase your efficiency. Cultivate a routine that will get you working effortlessly, maybe you are a morning person and you work better it the first hours of the day. Or you prefer working at night where there’s quiet.
You need to find your sweet spot and you will realise your task will be completed in no time.

If you follow these simple steps you will be proud of yourself in no time for completing that one thing that you always used to put off. So keep working step by step and every now and then stop and check your progress, make adjustments and reward yourself. I am sure you will feel better about yourself. Procrastination can be beaten after all and like Leonardo Da Vinci you can finally complete your masterpiece.
Remember, you do not need to see the whole picture for you to get going, just take that first step and you will see everything falling into place.
What is it that you have been struggling to start? Share with us your stories in the comments section.

May 10, 2018

5 Barriers To Success

Buisness, Habits, Motivation, Productivity, self growth, Success, Work barriers, chaser, development, Different, dream, goal, goals, growth, life, motivation, persist, personal growth, Real, self acceptance, true 0

” The cemetery is full of unfulfilled dreams…” Unknown

A lot of people are dying with unrealised potential, but that isn’t the worst of this, because there are people still living that are also failing to live their purpose.
I am often asked this question, “How do I know my purpose and how do I make it happen?” And my response is your purpose or gift is anything that comes naturally to you that everyone else struggles with or finds challenging.
I know this seems open-ended but if you take time to pay attention to yourself as you go through your likes, hobbies and strengths, you will surely find that one thing that you are so passionate about.
Though finding a purpose to me seems fairly easy, the most difficult part of this journey is getting to your promised land. There 2 critical things you need to know here, A) It’s never too late to chase a dream, and, B) There will be obstacles that stand in the way of your dream
Once you work on those critical aspects you will notice that it becomes easier to follow and fulfil your dream. So I have taken time to look at some of the major dream killers that I find very common in a lot of people and these are:

1. Laziness – I just thought we should get this one out of the way first, a lot of people will not admit to this automatically but let me show you something. If you neglect yourself, your career, family and home you run the risk of losing your security and support structure. This is a result of living in a false luxury, a world that has no form of hardworking in it and this has negative consequences in the long run. So I’d say begin by making a list of all the things that you value and are dear to you, and next to them write at least one thing you need to do daily to protect them.

2. Procrastinating – This will kill many dreams than failure ever will. Ask yourself if you are that person who has a million ideas but not one has seen the light of day, or that person with great advice that you never take yourself? Progress is not about words but about actions, no matter how good you articulate a plan, you are remembered for what you did and not what you said. There is a need for discipline to start and see things through to completion. Remember, no one will do the work for you, so it’s time to get going. Do not be all talk and no action, be a doer.

3. Feeling Overwhelmed – Life has a way of stopping people from doing exactly what they set out to do, and you know what that is very true. Things get so difficult that your only option is to STOP! This is generally because the way we plan is not adequate, and I mean we do plan but our plan is not enough. For any project or goal to be achieved you need to break it down into smaller manageable tasks, think of working on a jigsaw puzzle. It looks so big as a whole but if you break down the pieces and start working on smaller sections at a time you will realise that a thousand pieces aren’t that many.

4. Lack of Commitment – The dictionary defines the word commitment as “the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause…”, meaning there is a high level of dedication required for a dream to be achieved. This means there will be a lot of sacrifices, a lot of uncomfortable situations, there will be the risk of being misunderstood or even being alienated because of the relentless pursuit of your dream. Now I need you to take time to answer these few questions about your commitment and see how you score, Do you have a plan to help you achieve your dream? Are you willing to put in work to learn more about your dream? Are you willing to try it even if you don’t see success at first? Do you have anyone you are accountable to with your dream? Do you have anyone mentoring you or teaching you? How bad do you really want to succeed in your dream?

5. Lack of Confidence – Failure is part of the process, and if you FEAR failure you will never start anything because in your mind you are already defeated. Understand this, every dream starts as a mental construct and it is then fleshed out from there, so the mind is a very powerful tool for seeing fulfilment.
Past failures, insecurities, deep hurt and trauma can cause you to look down upon yourself or feel inadequate. I am here to tell you that you control your confidence and do not allow anything negative to immobilise your action. There are many success stories that have come out of the most adverse situations all because those people chose not to give up.
Find a mentor or person that has succeeded in the area that you wish to pursue, take time and learn from them, even by observation, gain knowledge and believe in your God-given ability to see your dream through.

No matter where you are in life today, it’s not too late to become who you are destined to be. Your current situation might not reflect it but you born to be great and you will be great if you apply yourself and overcome the barriers ahead of you. If you want to learn more about how to overcome yourself, follow this link and get a copy of World War You and begin your journey to greatness.

March 5, 2018

Be Different, I Dare You

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“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Being different is nice, it’s actually not bad at all. In a world were people judge others by their outward appearance; what they wear, complexion, what kind of job they do, their kind of lifestyle and stuff like that, it can be difficult for one to fit in if they’re different. It can also be difficult for one to feel good about themself or to have a sense of belonging in a world were following trends is considered the ‘norm’. What’s good about all this is that everybody sees the world differently from their own perspective. What works for one person may not necessarily work for another.
Rejecting or not following the trends of the world can be difficult. I believe it takes self confidence and self love to be able to stand out. If you love yourself and if you believe in yourself you can be unstoppable.
Dare to be confident-dare to be different. Being confident means accepting and appreciating yourself for who you are. It also means believing in your own skills and ability to do things iregardless of what’s going on around you. In this regard, being different or not following the trends of the world is no challenge at all. When you demonstrate certainty and belief in yourself you don’t give room for other people’s opinions and views to define or control you and or what you believe in.
I think most people end up getting caught up in the ‘web’ of following the trends of the world because of the desire they have to keep up with others. The need for love, acceptance and having a sense of belonging can contribute to that too.

I believe being confident starts from within. It starts with you. What do you think of yourself? When you look in the mirror what do you see? Do you feel good about yourself? Do you love yourself? If you feel good about yourself and have positive vibes it will be easier even for the world to love and accept you for who you are.
Dare to be confident-dare to be different. Be able to reject the trends of the world, follow your heart and soul. Think positive. Take risks and don’t be afraid to fail or make mistakes. Focus on yourself more but don’t be selfish. Do what makes you happy. Love yourself, be able to be completely yourself at all times-no pretense. Feel good about yourself. You are unique in your own way, own that! Don’t compare yourself to others, there’s nothing better than standing out from a crowd. Be yourself in a world that is trying to make you like everyone else.
Dare to be confident-dare to be different!

January 4, 2018

Evolve Or Die, It’s Simple

Technology, Work business, development, goal, goals, growth, inspiration, motivation, personal growth, self acceptance 1

Raise your hand if you are tired of being stagnant or seeing very little growth. As an aspiring entrepreneur i have come to the realisation that there are two realities of corporate strategies that ring true in any and all industries when it comes to creating successful companies. Those realities are: few things work and nothing works for long. So you either evolve or die, the decision is yours.

What works today didn’t work ten years ago and definitely won’t work ten years from now.

Promotional strategies, inter industry alliances, legal loopholes and board member’s battering chips are forever spinning and mutating and like Zen seem to change shape just as the issues that make a strategy’s template seem to be defined and duplicatable.

So what does that mean for you? You will need to constantly update your technologies. Always get the opinion of different peer groups who represent polar opposites in the market place before you roll out a new product or service. Before you make a decision have a backup plan and a backup plan to that plan. have your CFO’s work audited by outside sources. Run credit checks on executives before they are promoted and find out if they are trying to live above their means, if so, they have the ‘grass is greener’ disease and will never be satisfied and will always be looking for a better deal.Employees like this can’t be trusted to help carry the company.

If you are a business owner, the key is to find and hire someone that is more qualified than you to run and grow your company. Also always have multiple revenue streams, do not put all your eggs into one basket. If you are in the service industry, diversify by offering some products. If you are in the product industry (retail type) partner with some service oriented companies to earn commissions off their efforts and your customer base.

Always be on the lookout for strategic partners and never be afraid to network.Keep updating your business plan. When raising capital stay out of debt and offer equity instead and when you offer equity in return for investment, pick inter industry alliances to raise capital from. Use a publicist and publicise everything. If you can’t afford a publicist put out press releases keeping your industry and potential clients informed of what you are doing.

If you want your venture or business to succeed you have to be willing to adapt, you can’t look to friends or family it is all about adjusting the vision, if you fail this your business will not survive. For success in the twenty first century, you will need to adopt professional business methods and seek others who believe the same way. You need to invest in your own education, books, memberships, and mentorship. Ally yourself with likeminded people and immerse yourself in the subject of internet marketing.

Take action on this growing knowledge, implement the business methods that you master and that you can fit into your business today, that will help you to build traffic, build a list of prospects, and build a relationship with and therefore allow you to market to your prospects.

Share with us your strategies and plans for the new year in the comments section.