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Food for Living: Success and the All-Important First Step
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step” – Martin Luther King Jnr.
The journey of a thousand miles, it has variously been said, begins with a step; the all important first step. Therefore, when the first step is taken, and the journey through life begins, we will encounter many roads and paths, some we wished we never passed, some we wished we passed, and some we experience with mixed feelings with special emphasis to matters like marriage. The moral here is that the challenges and experiences of life offer us many options. But one thing is certain, we took a step from the beginning, whether it turned out negative or positive is another issue.
For every step taken, there are no basis for regrets knowing that one was not blind or “fooled” into taking them. We are technically and subconsciously aware of the first step, which invariably affects the outcome of our life.
The importance of the first step cannot be overemphasized, however. The first step affects every area of life. This is because there’s nothing one does on earth that does not involve a first step.
The first step, for all intent and purpose, creates awareness. According to Nathaniel Branden, “the first step toward change is awareness”. When you discover there’s a lacuna which needs to be filled, the onus will be on you to fix it. The second step is acceptance. It is however, very unfortunate, that many people don’t accept the realities of life.
The late famous American author, Zig Ziglar, made us understand that the “first step in solving a problem is to recognize that it does exist”. When you have a problem, for example, a medical or emotional problem, Dean Ornish made us understand that “awareness is the first step in healing”.
If you have the desire of becoming a professor, you must first begin by taking the entrance examination as a pupil/student and then walk through the ranks. As a man, if you see a lady you would like to marry, the first step will be to get her attention and that entails speaking to and with her. If you have a desire to be a President, Governor, Chief Executive Officer, Captain of industry among others, you must begin by doing the needful. A once popular Nigerian television sitcom, Basi and Company, always reminds viewers through its main character, Basi, that ‘to be a millionaire, think like a millionaire’.
Most people, unfortunately, put the cart before the horse, and fail to stock in deciding if they have the expertise, knowledge, and technical know-how to successfully execute a particular project.
There’s no major success which did not begin with the first step. Notwithstanding, the first step comes with its own risks and opportunities. It can either go well or otherwise, depending on how it’s executed.
It’s instructive to note that no reasonable man will begin a journey he has not weighed the options. The first step in life can be said to be the most important step in every adventure. It takes courage to take the first step. According to Martin Luther King Jnr, “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
On a personal note, I have taken many first steps which changed my perspective and understanding of life, both in business, academic, marriage, social, personal, professional, and spiritual life. I can remember that one of my first major first steps in life was when I applied to be the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Lawyers Association while I was a student in New York Law school.
In all sincerity and honesty, I wasn’t prepared for the job’s responsibilities because the culture was quite different from what I was exposed to in Nigeria. I also had difficulty in writing well, and that strained my relationship with my President and Vice President.
Despite taking the risk of contesting for the position, that was one of the best things that happened to me, because it exposed and connected me to lots of opportunities and resourceful people, who have continually served as strong allies.
If you have a vision or dream, the best thing that can happen to you is to take the first step. You may not have everything or see everything, but if you feel it’s right, and believe in it, trust me, it will work out good. All you need is the belief factor. The universe, without an iota of doubt, always conspire to help every progressive mind working on purpose. It’s one thing to have a dream and it’s another to implement it with the right actions.
Sometimes however, even when we have a belief system, and faith in ourselves and our project, we can still experience setbacks, betrayal, and challenges. Sometimes, we are tempted to, and even question our creator, mentor, parent, teacher and friend for leaving us on the road when the odds don’t add up.
Whenever you experience such a feeling, please be strong and don’t give up. It’s part of the process leading you to the right place.
Actions are the engine that drives your productivity. Without actions nothing happens, or worse, things that you have no control over will happen taking you to no place. According to Maurer, Director of Behavioral Sciences at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center in Santa Monica, the challenge of taking the first step has to do with fear.
Before you take the first step, trust your intuition, trust your creator, believe in yourself, believe in your project and most importantly, be courageous.
In conclusion, What’s that project you have in mind, take the first step, and watch your intended positive change come to life. Remember, according to Chauncey Depew. The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.
Whatever be the case, one can never be successful in an chosen endeavor if the all-important first step is not taken.
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 and Unleash Your Destiny. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara has extended an olive branch to lawmakers loyal to his rival, Nyesome Wike.
The governor invited the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly members to a peace meeting, following the Supreme Court’s judgement on the state’s political unrest.
The invitation was made through a letter from Dr. Tammy Danagogo, Secretary to the State Government, to Speaker Martins Amaewhule.
The meeting is scheduled for Monday at 10 am at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
The agenda includes addressing lingering issues, presenting the 2025 state budget, and discussing payment of lawmakers’ allowances.
The letter read: “I hereby write in furtherance of His Excellency’s promise stated in my letter dated 5th March 2025 to notify you that His Excellency has received the Supreme Court Judgment, and has therefore directed me to invite you and your colleagues -the Honourable members of Rivers State House of Assembly, to a meeting to discuss:-
“Provision of a befitting space for the Assembly’s sittings. Payment of all outstanding remuneration or allowances of the Honourable members. Presentation of Budget and sundry matters;
“Any other matter(s), as may be necessary, to chart the way forward in the best interest of the State. Sequel to the above, I hereby humbly invite the Rt. Hon. Speaker, and all the Rivers State House of Assembly members to a meeting with the Governor as follows.”
The Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) has extended the closing date for receiving applications for various vacancies in the Federal Civil Service to Monday, March 17 2025, to allow more eligible candidates to participate in the exercise.
The announcement, according to a statement by the Head, Press and Public Relations, Mr. Taiwon Hassan, supersedes the previous announcements in various national media on Monday, January 27, 2025 including FCSC website: www.fedcivilservice.gov.ng, where the deadline was pegged at Monday, March 10, 2025.
Qualified Nigerians are urged to avail themselves of the extension opportunity and apply for the vacancies of their choice.
The Commission assures applicants of merit-driven and transparent recruitment.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
The importance of timing cannot be overemphasized. Timing is everything in life. It is critical to one’s success. You can lose your money and get it back in many folds. You can even lose your health and get it back all things being equal, but when you lose time, you can hardly get it back again.
The importance of timing can be seen in crops. Every crop has a season, a good farmer won’t plant maize when it’s time for oranges, nor will he plant pears when it’s the season for mangoes.
Time is very instrumental to the success and failure of anyone. Imagine having a meeting or interview at 9:00am and you arrive at 10:10am, it will take the grace of God to be interviewed. As an employee, apart from one not being able to diligently do his job, one of the fastest ways for an employee to lose his job is by being late to work.
When I was in New York Law School studying Taxation law, I did a course titled, the Problem of Timing. During the semester, I learnt about cash and accrued income. Let me do some academic exercise here. In cash income, just like the name entails, one is paid in cash as soon as the work is completed. It’s just like going to the market to make a purchase. One can either pay directly with cash or with debit or credit card. But Accrued income refers to revenue a company has earned by providing goods or services, but for which payment has not yet been received, one will have to do the work first before getting paid. This is applicable when one works in either a public or private organization where one is paid either weekly, bi-weekly or at the end of the month depending on the stipulated mode of payment.
It’s important to note that before the money is paid either in cash or accrued, one would have earned it. It’s just like one learning g before earning, and one will have to update to upgrade. These are just the practical principles that will work with life.
In the same way, in life there’s a seed time and harvest time. It’s a universal principle of life. Whether as a parent, entrepreneur, student or employee. As a parent, if you don’t train your kids very well, they will grow up to reflect the opposite of what you desire. As an entrepreneur when you invest in your business, you will get the reward in due time. As a student, if you take your studies seriously, your grades will improve, and as an employee, you stand to get promotions and opportunities when you add value to your work. In summary, one will have to put in the work before recognition comes on.
To understand how seedtime and harvest work, imagine where parents tend to like one child more than others just because they see potential in him, or he’s smart, hardworking or even creative. They fail to understand that every child is different and as such their timing can be different. Some kinds take time to develop.
I personally believe there’s something so unique about each individual which God has deposited in everyone of us. It’s just a matter of time for it to manifest. Your timing of manifestation is different from your siblings and colleagues.
Personally, I didn’t mature fast with my contemporaries. Overtime, I have seen much improvement in my personal and professional life. Maybe because I have added value to my work with the assistance of mentors and good friends, or God had to humble my colleagues and mentors . Why do I say this? During my formative years, I had little or nothing to show for it. I was looking at my contemporaries as mentor and seeing my mentors as small gods whose feat is unattainable, but now, the reverse seems to be case as I have developed capacity some of my colleagues are yet to attain, while I have even surpassed the achievement of my some of my mentors in some quarters.
In all these, they are all surprised how it happened. Some are yet to comprehend or articulate the feat. It’s just like watching a film where everyone slept and woke up to see the game and tides have changed. The secret behind it is the seed time and harvest time. I was probably learning the trade while in the wilderness, and when the training season matured and ripe enough to be harvested, I became attractive to almost everyone who loved the seed I was producing.
There are litany of examples of people, who have been in the wilderness during the seed planting season. Let’s take a case study of Joseph in the Bible, his journey to stardom took a little twist. Despite the travails he experienced in the hands of his siblings who sold him, his experience while in the jail, and with Portiphar’s wife, who tried to seduce him; they were all set ups for success. The moral here is Joseph seed time and harvest time was quite different, it wasn’t a smooth journey. Ordinarily, one would have cursed his siblings or his friends who were with him in prison and forgot him after they were released. But at the end of time, everything worked out for his favor. Joseph’s seed days were his dark days while in the wilderness.
Another inspiring story of note was that of Pastor Ibukun Awosika, the former board Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria. She once shared a pathetic story during her formative years of being in business. According to her, she sojourned for about 15 years. She cried because lines were not adding up for her and she wouldn’t do what her contemporaries were doing to get opportunities. At a point in her business, it appeared like she was in a race of own life because everything seemed to be against her, but at the appropriate time, lines began to fall in place for her. Appointments, business opportunities, favours and goodwill began to fall in place for her. Again, she had a fair share of seed time.
An interesting question I would like to ask you is, what’s your seed time? Have you ever been in the wilderness when you appeared to be fixed? It’s unfortunate many people are not willing to pass through the storms or experience seeds and harvest time. Amidst all these, one must do some work before they get opportunities. However, before such opportunities will come up, one will have to plant the seed.
In conclusion, seed time and harvest time is critical in the journey of life. Take a seat and determine what seed you would like to sow and what you’ll like to harvest.
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
