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Food for Living: How to Attract Opportunity
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Opportunity is something everyone seeks. Students need opportunity to prove themselves in higher institutions of their choice; parents need opportunity to show how they can train their children, job seekers and employees need opportunity to show their capability and competence, and politicians need opportunity to show their leadership skills. The list is endless.
As we journey through life, we seek opportunities to shine. However, we fail to understand that we are the opportunity we are seeking. You may be wondering how this works? Let’s take a case study of someone who wants to be a public speaker, singer, or writer. He may be wondering who will grant him the opportunity to sing or speak at global functions or events while seeking those opportunities. But how about you beginning to sing or speak on your own and sharing your work on social media? Do you know that we live in a connected economy where the internet is literally a global village connecting people and sharing resourceful information. When you publish your content on the internet, loyal friends might assist you in sharing them, videos or graphics, and you don’t know who might see your work, like, and comment on it. Did you know you are the opportunity you seek?
The challenge most people normally have when they seek opportunity is waiting for the perfect time. Let me tell you; you don’t have to wait for the coast to clear before you begin your journey. Did you know that done is better than perfect when perfect is not done?
Again, imagine being a creative writer! Did you know you can literally get bigger opportunities if you publish your articles on your personal blog or even on social media. The same principle is applicable if you are a soccer player. The world will never give you want you desire, but it can give you what you “deserve”. Like I always say, if nobody gives you a chair, bring your own chair to the meeting. If you don’t speak about yourself, nobody will speak about you, if you don’t write your stories, nobody will write them for you. Now, do you see that you are the master of your life?
To attract opportunity into your life, the people you meet, places you go, and the principles you keep are some of the determinants to the kind of opportunity you will get. Opportunities are like information, when you have the right information, and act upon it, you are bound to succeed. In one of my life coaching series, I deduced that “if you are not informed, you are ill-informed, and once you are ill-informed, you can’t perform because information leads to reformation and transformation”. In a nutshell, information leads to formation.
Did you know that opportunities don’t literally come to you, you create them? Opportunities work like luck, if you are not prepared, and when an opportunity or luck comes your way, you are bound to lose it.
If you would like to attract opportunity into your life, practice these few points which are not exhaustive, but very resourceful.
Discover yourself
This is the foundational point of how to attract opportunities into your life. You must know yourself. You can’t be anything and everything. The word needs to know you for a reason. When you know yourself, you will know the kind of opportunities you desire and where you like to go with the opportunities because the right opportunity can be the game change you need in your life.
Surround yourself with success
Nobody likes to associate with a failure, successful people are always fond of associating with their fellow successful people. Little wonder like-minds always attract their kinds. A popular saying has it that you are the average of five people you associate with. Some schools of thought have opined that if you have nine great friends who are millionaires, you are likely to be the tenth millionaire, and if you have nine friends who are idiots, you are likely to be the next idiot. That said, it’s important to state that your environment is crucial to your happiness and success in life.
Leave your comfort zone
Many people want to succeed but are not willing to leave their comfort zone. Success and opportunities won’t come to you. You must go out there to meet it and when you get it, you must grab it. You can leave your comfort zone by deciding to wake an hour or two early to do some productive work.
Share with others
A great way to attract opportunities is to be beneficial to the people who are going to give you an opportunity. You can do this by serving selflessly. Volunteer your time and resources to the good causes they believe in. When you do, they will notice it and in due time appreciate you. This is because, life is not always about you, sometimes, it’s about others.
This is the mindset you need to practice if you plan to attract opportunities. To receive in life, you must give. What you give is what you get. What you think is what you attract. If you want better things for yourself, you should give something to others. I strongly believe, you will get what you want faster when you help other people to achieve what they desire. Being selfless has been one of the strongest traits that have attracted so many opportunities and goodwill to me. Cultivate the habit of sharing with love no matter how little you have. When you share, the universe has a way of appreciating you.
You can also share with the world your gift, talents, skills, and knowledge. If you are a good writer, singer, comedian, etc., please share your content with the world. When you share, you are practicing gratitude to your creator and the universe.
Network
Networking is one of the most priceless tools to attract opportunities. When you network with the right people, you build a relationship that has a value attached to it. When you nurture the relationship, by investing in it, you are bound to reap from your investment at the right time. You can build a solid network by joining great associations.
Solve Problem
You can attract opportunities by solving problems. While some people may see problems as challenges, see them as opportunities to move to the next stage in life. When you solve problems, the world will resonate with you. You have ideas, tap into it and make the world a better place.’
Practice Words Affirmation
Did you know you can attract opportunity into your life by speaking into life? There’s power in words. When you speak, the ground stamps it, the walls hear, and the universe carries it. Consider speaking into existence whatever you desire into life though you can’t see it now. This principle has worked for me on several occasions.
In conclusion, attracting opportunities is an uncommon skill that needs to be understudied. As a Human Capacity Coach, I can work you through the dynamics of how you can attract the right opportunities into your life. You may have seen some resourceful information online on how to attract opportunities, but sometimes, execution is what makes the difference. If you need more guidance, feel free to contact me with the information below.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s a Human Capacity & mindset coach. He’s also a public speaker, youth advocate and creative writer. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the author of the acclaimed book Design Your Destiny – Actualizing Your Birthright To Success and President of gloemi.com. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
Impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has described the corruption allegations against him as “fictitious and unsubstantiated”.
Speaking during a welcome rally at his residence in GRA, Ikeja on Saturday, Obasa maintained that he was not afraid of being impeached but emphasised that due process was not followed.
The former Speaker alleged that his removal was orchestrated while he was away, and accused the state commissioner of police of aiding the process.
He claimed security agents, led by the police commissioner, invaded the assembly complex and his homes in Agege and Ikeja, locking his family indoors with over 200 officers present.
Obasa dismissed allegations of misappropriation.
He mocked claims that a gate construction had cost N16 billion, saying, “Is it the wall of Jericho?”
He said: “I am not afraid of being removed, after all, it is not my father’s chieftaincy title. I am representing my people and they have returned me six times. If you want to do anything, do it well.
“They did the removal all because I was out of the country. Lagos is a special place, we cannot denigrate the state.
The former Speaker cited the case of the former speaker, Rt. Hon Jokotola Pelumi.
He said when Pelumi was removed, he was in the assembly and “we did not invite policemen.
“When my sister, former deputy speaker of the House, Hon. Adefunmilayo Tejuosho was removed, we did not invite the police.”
Obasa said an innocent person should not be discredited, and there must be proof of allegations showing exactly what he has done.
“The Lagos State House of Assembly is above common standard of excellence.
“I appreciate the members of the governance advisory council and Governor Babajide Olusola Aanwo-Olu of the state. He is my brother and he always calls me his younger brother.”
Obasa was impeached on January 13 by more than two-thirds of the 40-member legislative house over alleged misconduct and sundry offences.
His Deputy, Mojisola Meranda, was immediately elected the new speaker, becoming the first female to take charge of the legislative body in the State.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has confirmed that 38 persons, including seven crew members, were injured when a United Airlines plane made an emergency landing in Lagos on Friday morning.
The Boeing 787-8 flight with 245 passengers was en route to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), in the United States, from the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, when it developed problems midair and was forced to return to the airport.
There were also 11 crew members – eight attendants and three pilots – on the plane.
The FAAN Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Obiageli Orah, who confirmed the incident through a statement, said all passengers and crew disembarked safely.
She, however, said four passengers and two crew members sustained serious injuries.
According to her, 27 passengers and five crew members had minor injuries.
The statement read: “The United Airlines Boeing 787-800 departed Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, at 11:59pm on Thursday, but made air return and landed safely at 3.22am on Friday.
“On board were 245 adults and 11 crew members.
“The team of Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Services, Aviation Medical, and Aviation Security were already at the gate when the aeroplane parked for deboarding at D31 without incident, and the door was opened at 3:37am.
“While all passengers and crew disembarked safely, four passengers and two crew members sustained serious injuries, and an additional 27 passengers and five crew members had minor injuries.
“The rescue team responded swiftly and effectively, having been on alert and standby.
“Aviation medical ambulances transported the injured passengers, some to the MMA Clinic and others to the headquarters clinic.”
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
There’s no doubt that human beings by nature are insatiable. When we get one opportunity, we always look for another. When we attain one height, we always look for another accomplishment. Isn’t it true that the end of one mountain is the beginning of another.
However, I don’t think it’s selfish for anyone to dare to succeed.
Being ambitious doesn’t make one an opportunist or disloyal. It all depends on one’s perception or outlook to life. It’s just natural for one to dream big. It’s only ugly when the process one chooses to achieve his desires becomes dirty and nasty.
According to a former Nigerian presidential candidate and seasoned Economist, Mr. Peter Obi, “if you must be referred to as “Your Excellency”, then the process through which you arrived in office must be excellent”.
If you desire to be reckoned with on the journey of existence, you must be legitimately hungry for success. One’s hunger for success will facilitate the drive to accomplish great tasks despite daunting obstacles posing as challenges.
When one has this mindset, one will not be bothered by the noise which serves as obstacles and challenges along the way. Negative and weak minds are always concerned on why something won’t work. They tend to focus their energy and reasons on the obstacles facing them. But great and productive minds always focus their energy on the reasons why it will work. This is the spirit of an insatiable mind who is a goal- getter.
It’s instructive to note that we can’t please everyone. According to Bill Cosby, a famous actor, “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone.” Isn’t it true that when you talk, people will still talk about you, when you don’t talk, people will talk about you, so whether you talk or not, people will still judge you, so, do what’s best for you. There’s nothing you can do to please human beings. Your best option is to live your best life.
To understand how the insatiable nature of man works, one must be oneself. You don’t have to “please” anyone. Be yourself, and don’t try to be like anyone just to curry favour. It’s important to note that when you are yourself, the people that matter will come through for you, and the people that don’t matter will gradually find the bearing in another space because those that truly care don’t bother and those that bother don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things.
Life has truly taught me to focus on the important things of life as opposed to the mundane things. It’s truly sad to see people spending more time on the little things of life, and spending little time on the important things of life. That’s just a misplaced priority.
When you are yourself, the best people can do is to copy or imitate your style. They can never imitate your creativity nor can take your originality from you.
We live in a world or society where people don’t generally care or show empathy. Most people tend to live around themselves, their family, and close associates. They generally find it hard to lift a finger to assist others for reasons best known to them. Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka once said, “we live in a wicked generation”, re-echoing the voices of a lot of people of the world. Some people in authority just have criminal expertise in amassing wealth of opportunities meant for the citizens without thinking of the citizens they are meant to serve.
It’s worthy of note that not everyone will like you nor support your work, but when you find people who truly care about you; please hold them tight. This is because despite having family members you have shown love and compassion, they might not still appreciate you even if you lay your life for them, they will still find something to say. Again, this is the insatiable nature of man.
It’s okay for everyone not to like you, normalize living your life for God, yourself, family and those that care about you. If everyone likes you, you have a problem.
Did you know that you can get a new family from friends, strangers, and acquaintances? These sets of people might appreciate you more than your own family members. They might not demand or under appreciate you like your family members and close friends or associates. Any little support you give them will be highly appreciated. Their focus is to see you do better.
In conclusion, as you desire to succeed in life, never give in to failure until you have made your last attempt, and never make your last attempt until you succeed. This literally means whatever you desire, dream it, think it, say it, and believe you can achieve it. This principle is generally applicable to relationships, businesses, family, personal and professional development.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the founder of Gloemi. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate, creative writer and author of Design Your Destiny Design Your and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
