News
Food for Living: Mindset As Tool for Success
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Life is governed by principles, and principles are products of mindset. When the right principles are applied, one is bound to get the right results. Amidst the principles of life, it is imperative that the right thoughts are applied. The right formula to any mathematical problem will always create easy access to the solution.
What really is mindset? Mindset is a set of beliefs that shape how people see themselves and the world around them. It can also be described as one’s thoughts towards life.
Mindset works with your energy. Did you know that your mindset towards life shows your understanding about life. As a student of mindset, and mindset coach, I look beyond someone’s words by looking deeper at their subconscious thoughts. My late mother once advised me, that when someone is talking, I should pay little attention to their words, but focus more on what’s inside their mind.
One’s understanding and perception towards life can be seen in their mindsets. This is because everything starts first in the mind before it sees the light of the day. Love starts from the mind. It’s from the mind that attraction comes in. Success and failure start from the mind. If you believe you will succeed, you will succeed, if you believe you will fail, you will fail.
According to Napoleon Hill in his book, “Think and Grow Rich”, whatsoever the mind can conceive, it can achieve. Even the book of life says in 1 John 4:4, he that is in you is greater and stronger than he that is in the world.
The mind is powerful just like the brain. It’s what you believe in that will work for you. If you don’t believe in anything, you will hardly get anything.
The mindset of a child is different from the mindset of a parent. The mindset of a student is different from the mindset of a professor. The mindset of a doctor is different from the mindset of a lawyer. The mindset of a businessman is different from the mindset of a clergy. The mindset of a student or employee is different from the mindset of an employer. The mindset of a regular citizen is different from the mindset of a president. The mindset of a poor man is different from the mindset of a rich man.
To give a proper perspective to mindset, it’s instructive to note that there are different attitudes to life and success. Whatever you want to accomplish, it’s important to connect with that spirit. Someone in a relationship has a different form of mindset, just as a student operates with a different form of mindset, and a businessman has a different form of mindset. Again, a clergy, Governor, President, and others, all have different forms of mindset depending on what they want to achieve.
Do you know that mindset works with values? It’s the value you place in someone, commodity, place, religion, policy, and deity that will determine how you will relate and engage with the person. It’s unfortunate to see uninformed minds requesting financial assistance from people instead of seeking opportunities to learn and serve. This set of people operate from a lack mentality.
It’s sad to note that most people don’t understand how powerful the mindset is. Do you know your mindset is like a magnet? You can connect and attract forces farther than you. If you want to connect with a resourceful person, your ability to know what works for the person will go a long way to determine if the person will connect with you. For instance, if an entrepreneur wants to get a grant from a businessman or a company, the entrepreneur must speak in the language the donors will understand and what appeals to the mindset of that person.
Let me share a practical example of how my mindset played a game-changer role in my life. In 2017, after I published my first book, I traveled to Nigeria to see my grandmother after seeing her in my dream a couple of times begging me to come back. I initially downplayed it because I felt it’s just normal for a grandmother to miss her grandchildren, especially since my younger brother has given her a copy of my book to bless me. She still insisted she want to see me.
After giving it a serious thought, I decided to resign from my job and traveled home to see her. It’s important to state that the decision appeared unpopular among my family members and friends for several reasons. I believed my instincts, and took the risk. Be advised, my grandmother was hale and hearty without any health challenge before I traveled. One may wonder, what gave me the courage; well, I just have the belief that my grandmother’s prayers will play a big role in my life.
Trust me, it happened the exact way I thought it would. When I came back to the USA, I had no job and had to resort to selling my book on the streets of New York. On one fateful day, I met a news anchor on the street of New York and told him about my book and my plans for the youths. He was impressed and gave me his number. We couldn’t communicate for three years until President Trump issued a travel ban against Nigeria. His boss read my interview in the New York Times and reached out to him about my interview. He told his boss he knows me. He reached out to me via Instagram and texted directly on my phone inquiring if I can do an interview with respect to the travel ban. I agreed. He was impressed with my interview and my composure on the television and stated that since I do lots of work on youth advocacy, he will send his team to my house to interview me.
That was how I got featured in News12 and since then I have been a regular guest on television. Now, what’s the moral of this story? Imagine if I didn’t believe in my instinct to travel home, maybe today, I wouldn’t have been featured on the television in addition to attracting the attention I have today. Above all, nothing gave me joy more than the ten minutes of prayer my grandmother showered on me. And guess, what she passed on to glory a year later.
In conclusion, if you want to bring a positive change in your life, consider changing your attitude to life, because it’s your attitude not your aptitude that will determine your attitude to life.
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
The Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) of Nigeria has urged the Federal government to arrest and prosecute the Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, over what it described as his consistent defence of terrorist activities in northern Nigeria.
The group’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, accused the cleric of offering “moral and propaganda support” to armed groups operating in the North-West, particularly those it identified as “largely Fulani terrorists.”
The group said Gumi’s public remarks over the years, including his calls for dialogue and amnesty for bandits, amount to an open endorsement of violence that has claimed thousands of lives across the region.
HURIWA criticised what it termed the Federal government’s selective application of counter-terrorism laws, contrasting Gumi’s freedom with the prolonged detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, who has been held for a decade over his separatist campaign.
“It is morally wrong that the federal government continues to detain Kanu for advocating self-determination, while ignoring a Kaduna-based cleric who publicly campaigns for amnesty for mass murderers,” Onwubiko said in a statement.
The group urged President Bola Tinubu to demonstrate even-handedness in enforcing the law, reminding him that Nigeria’s Terrorism (Prevention) Act, first enacted in 2011 and amended in 2013 and 2022, prescribes the death penalty for certain terrorist offences.
HURIWA further stressed that while the law protects the right to free speech and peaceful protest, it does not shield individuals who promote or justify acts of terror.
Known for his outspoken advocacy of negotiations with armed bandits, the cleric has often argued that dialogue, rather than military force, is the only sustainable solution to banditry in the North.
His stance has divided public opinion, with some viewing him as a mediator seeking peace, and others accusing him of legitimising terrorism.
HURIWA’s latest demand reflects growing frustration among civil society groups over the government’s handling of insecurity in the region.
Technology company, Globacom, has launched “Glo Take A Guess”, an exciting Value-Added Service designed to entertain, engage, and reward its customers.
The company explained in a press statement that the innovative lottery service offered subscribers the opportunity to test their knowledge on a variety of lifestyle and topical issues in the society by answering trivia questions to win airtime, data and cash prizes.
Globacom added that customers who opt-in by dialling *20999*2# can select their preferred plan among daily, weekly and monthly options. They will thereafter receive SMS confirmation upon subscription with a URL to click and play the Trivia game.
“Customers stand a chance to win fantastic rewards, such as airtime, data and cash prizes when they provide correct answers to trivia questions covering diverse and engaging topics, under a fun-filled and interactive experience”, the statement added.
Interested customers are free to choose auto renew or one-time subscription, charged at N100 per day, N300 per week and N500 per month.
They also stand the chance of winning N10,000 in the daily game; N100,000 weekly and One Million Naira every month for monthly subscriptions. The more the customer plays the game, the higher his or her chances of winning in the different categories.
The company further disclosed that the fun game was designed for customers to test their knowledge while enjoying an entertaining experience. “The exciting rewards will also help to cushion the effects of rising living costs on our subscribers “, the digital solutions provider quipped.
Amid mass defections to President Bola Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC), politician and businessman, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi, has officially resigned from the New Nigeria People’s Party and joined the Peoples Democratic Party, describing the decision as “a strategic and patriotic step toward rebuilding Nigeria’s unity and hope.”
The announcement was made on Monday during a press briefing, where Ajadi formally submitted copies of his resignation letter to journalists, according to the Tribune.
In his letter addressed to the Ward Chairman, the NNPP Chairman of Obafemi Owode Local Government, the Ogun State NNPP Chairman, the NNPP Southwest Chairman, and the party’s National Chairman, Ajadi explained that the move followed deep reflection on Nigeria’s political trajectory and the need to operate within a broader platform capable of driving meaningful national transformation.
“My decision to join the Peoples Democratic Party is both strategic and patriotic.
I have great respect for the NNPP and what it stands for, but at this point in Nigeria’s history, I believe the PDP offers a wider and stronger platform for national reconciliation, youth empowerment, and true federalism,” Ajadi said.
Ajadi, who was the NNPP governorship candidate in Ogun State during the 2023 general elections after stepping down as a presidential aspirant in solidarity with Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, emphasized that his departure was not driven by animosity but by conviction and renewed purpose.
He said: “There is no bad blood between me and my former party. I remain grateful for the opportunity to have served under its banner.
However, as Nigeria continues to grapple with economic hardship, unemployment, and leadership challenges, it is time for like-minded patriots to close ranks and rebuild trust in governance.”
Ajadi stressed the need for leaders who listen to the people and act selflessly, expressing confidence that his entry into the PDP would strengthen the party’s grassroots base and reawaken hope among ordinary Nigerians.
Reaffirming his commitment to national service, he pledged to work closely with PDP leaders at all levels to promote transparency, peace-building, and inclusive governance.
“This is not just about party politics. It is about rekindling the faith of Nigerians in democracy and ensuring that our people begin to feel the real dividends of good governance,” he added.
