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Food for Living: Success and the Laws of Karma
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Success is something everyone of us aspire to achieve. While some of us will achieve success, some others will only attempt. There are variable factors which lead to success and there are variable factors which contribute to failure. If you do all you are supposed to do, you are likely to attain success, and if you don’t get it, that’s simply because it’s not yet time for you to get the desired success. You will get what you deserve only when you have earned the capacity to receive it. For instance, as a man, to get married, you must be of full age and capacity. However, you might have these two qualities, but ladies might still reject you for reasons best known to them.
It is instructive to note that if you prepare for your exam or any work, you’ll reap success, if you sow gratitude, you will reap appreciation. You can’t sow hatred on earth and expect to reap love. You can’t sow rice and reap beans. It’s simply against the law of nature.
Success neither depends on karma or luck. It is completely based on how you define it. Just like there are positives and negatives that associate any law that comes into existence, success also has its own advantages and disadvantages. For instance, when you attain a particular height in life, you have more expectations and responsibilities. It is not just about coming first in class, nor becoming rich, you are expected to maintain it, otherwise it will creep away.
The Karma of success works in different ways. It can prevent you from disaster when the force of the universe is working in your favour as a result of good deeds. For instance, if you are supposed to travel or win an election and God knows that if you travel by flight or road, your plane or car might crash, He will command the force of the universe to prevent you from making that trip. Do you know that sometimes God prevents you from attaining success because destruction might be waiting for you at the seat of success?
To succeed in life, you must know how to attract success like a magnet, and this entails laying a solid foundation. It is important to note that, “any seed you sow, you must reap it”. You can’t sow a bad seat and expect to reap a good seed, neither can you sow a good seed and reap a bad seed. However, there are situations when you sow a good seed and you reap a bad harvest, if that happens, just know that life happens to everyone. The good news is that the universe has a way of compensating you in ways and manners you won’t comprehend. The universe can pay you back via your child, family member, relative, unmerited opportunity, grace or even favour. All these might take years to happen, but when it does happen, you might not know it’s the good you sowed many years ago.
Let me share a practical experience with you. Many years ago, while in college, I once requested money from my late dad and he said, if he gives me money, I will use it for politics. I told him, if I take an extra penny from him, my child or children will take double from me even though I’m the richest man in the world, but if I save a penny for him, my child or children will save two pennies for me even though I’m the poorest man in the world. Do you see how good deeds can come back to you in the nearest future through your children because you have paid it forward? That’s simply how the Karma of success works.
Sometimes in life, you might do all you are expected to do, and don’t get the desired result. The question you should be asking yourself is, what seeds are you sowing? If you are determined to succeed in life, you must be extremely careful and intentional in how you approach the process. For instance, if you are seeking promotion in any company, you must be careful not to play odd cards to get the position. This is because when you destroy someone to get to a position, destruction surely awaits when you get to that position. When you pull people down to get an opportunity, be assured there are people waiting to pull you down when you get that opportunity. That’s simply how life and nature work.
To understand how the law of Karma works, any young lady who desires for her mother in- law to pass away before she marries her son should know that such fate awaits when her son wants to get married. It’s very sad and unfortunate to know that some women want to marry a man whose mother is dead. Again, it simply means that you’ll die before your son marries.
Many people who succeeded in life did not succeed on their own accord, strength, knowledge or connection. Sometimes their success is a result of the good deeds they have done for family, friends, or strangers for many years and that person either prayed for them or wished them well. Alternatively, it can be the law of nature or the universe working on that person for their past deeds and that person might not know. To understand how this works, have you noticed that, sometimes when you apply for a job, you might not have the best performance during the interview or even have the best grade, but for reasons beyond your comprehension, you were favored. That’s how the positive act of Karma works.
In conclusion, just like Isaac Newton stated, “whatever goes up must come down”. That’s Karma’s way of paying everyone of us back in due time for any deeds we commit. So, I charge you to sow good seeds as you journey through life because you don’t know the seeds that will germinate and sprout out into a mighty tree.
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
