FIRST LADY OR SECOND LADY? BY IDOWU OMISORE

It amuses me at times when I hear the term 'First Lady'. I seem to catch a glimpse of a queue of women with the tallest woman at the forefront. It suggests that every other woman lines up after her, regardless of their accomplishments or contributions toward the nation's progress. But is this assumption correct? Does a woman qualify to be given the 'first' position just because she is married to the highest political leader in the land? What if a woman emerges the leader? Will her husband become First Gentleman? I wish First Ladies (in Third World countries) have a First World mindset. These are just my weird musings. According to the Wikipedia, “the term 'lady' originates in England. The title "First Lady" seems to have originated in the United States, where one of the earliest references was applied to Martha Washington. In an 1843 newspaper article that appeared in the Boston Courier, the author, "Mrs. Sigourney," discussing how Mrs. Washington had not changed even after her husband George became president, wrote that "The first lady of the nation still preserved the habits of early life. Indulging in no indolence, she left the pillow at dawn, and after breakfast, retired to her chamber for an hour for the study of the scriptures and devotion" ("Martha Washington," Boston Courier, 12 June 1843, p. 4)." A First Lady, as we understand, in the Nigerian context is the wife to the man holding the highest political position in a defined geographical setting. Not just the President's wife, but also the wives of state governors and local government chairmen. Of course, there's a First Lady for every senatorial district. The 'First Lady' position has snowballed into a momentous phenomenon as it seeks more socio-political relevance. This is apart from the fact that the 'typical or an average' Nigerian is title-conscious and position-seeking. Am sure you are not a 'typical or average Nigerian'. I honestly believe every woman can be a First Lady, whether single or married. Being first requires a deep sense of responsibility and readiness to make positive impacts. It starts from leading oneself before leading others. For the most part, women are natural leaders and administrators because of their power of influence and capacity for compassion. Women have the capability to build a home. With peaceful homes, we will have a peaceful nation. Unfortunately today, there are few women in the boardrooms or in top echelons of our country's political leadership. Women have tremendous power of influence, but it needs to be harnessed. Every woman who embraces personal development in all ramifications in order to increase her productivity and unleash her potentials is a First Lady in my estimation. Such a woman will influence her husband, children, her colleagues, and friends and family positively and powerfully. My point is you do not need to become a wife to any political head to become a First Lady. I’ve heard clerics pray or prophesy that sisters get married to a prominent political personality and become a First Lady. My brand of First Lady ( married to a political head) influences, inspires and introduces real, result-oriented programmes that will, for example, move a Third World country into the First World! We have such women making waves across the world, even in history. One woman that readily comes to my mind is Mother Theresa, who decided never to marry (let alone marry a President or Head of State) and devoted her entire life to caring for the deprived lot of the society. Yet, in 1979, she was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize. She is known to the world for her humanitarian approach towards society. She rose beyond prominence to become a legend of all times. Linda Ikeji is a successful Nigerian blogger. I just read of Linda Ikeji’s newly acquired automobile worth 8 million naira. Linda Ikeji has made a fortune out of her blog. According to her, she wants to prove to every young girl that they do not have to be a prostitute to prosper in life. She found her passion in blogging. Aside from keeping her blog visitors entertained and informed, she has also touched the lives of disadvantaged people by bringing their cases to the notice of the public, who in turn assist the helpless. She got a well deserving award last year for being a young person making impact. As a woman, whether single, married, divorced or widowed, you too can make things happen. You can actualize your dreams and become a blessing to the whole world. It is not too late to pursue your visions of greatness. Take courage from Linda Ikeji’s words, while explaining why she lavished the pictures of her two rides, the 2011 Infiniti FX 35 and my 2008 Toyota Camry: I put this up for two reasons: 1. To show off of course...why else? Lol And 2, to encourage other ladies out there to keep working hard and keep believing in themselves. You don't need any aristo to give you anything...any woman with will and drive can give herself anything she wants! By this time two years ago, I didn't have much...but I never stopped believing in myself and I never stopped working hard. I can't even begin to count how many businesses I put my hands into before one paid off - Blogging! I told myself that I will make it in this life one day as my own woman and on my own terms that no man will ever take away my dignity...and I did it. So can you! Yes, you! You have the power! And with God on your side, you are unstoppable! This is probably a good time to say this... I'm starting a youth empowerment programme called I'd rather be SELF MADE, but I will tell y'all more about it later. Lastly, if you've ever opened this blog to read its content, thank you! You can't begin to imagine how much you've changed my life! Kisses!!! Am sure you know what issues I’ve discussed do not pertain to the women folk alone. Both men and women should work at becoming a 'First', an asset to themselves, to their families, to the nation and the world. Cheers! IDOWU OMISORE Speaker. Author. Talent Coach. Youth Consultant. Order for Idowu Omisore’s bestsellers; Invest Your Youthful Years, Dream and Achieve Greatness (with the Foreword was written by Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola [SAN]). Call now to book Idowu Omisore for your coming programs. He’s a fantastic Spirit-filled speaking sensation! +234 805 937 1461, +234 704 500 8591 idgreatness1210@gmail.com http://www.idgreatness.com http://www.idowuomisore.blogspot.com http://www.idowuomisore.wordpress.com Follow Idowu Omisore on Twitter @IDGreatness PIN: 25B64154

WHISPERS OF WISDOM by IDOWU OMISORE

I live in Lagos, the commercial nerve-centre of Nigeria with a population put at about twenty million people from different walks and talks of life. Lagos pulsates with emormous energies and endless enterprises. A Monday morning in Lagos best illustrates the boundless enthusiasm and busyness of a people. At times, I ask myself where people are really rushing to. Is it about the rat race? Is it the need to survive or meet our ever increasing needs and wants? Because of the busyness, noise, pressure and distractions around, it becomes harder and harder to listen with rapt attention. There's this syndrome of reduced attention span. This is a big issue across the globe, from young people,who block their ears with earpieces listening to contemporary music to political leaders who have turned deaf ears to the voices of the very people that voted them into power. People are getting busier and listening is becoming difficult by the day. What is listening? Listening is the act of mindfully hearing and attempting to understand the meaning of words (spoken and unspoken) by another in a conversation or speech. Listening is critical, whether to provide good governance, manage employees or lead a successful life. Challenges ( let's not call them problems) are a part of our daily life and a demand on us to make decisions. To overcome challenges and take the right course of action per situation, we must cultivate the habit of active listening. In my last Masters class, one of my lecturers, while appealing to us ( his students) to listen rather than strive to write down everything he says in verbatim, said ' Even if I cough, I know someone will write it down'. The class bursted into laughter. Though my lecturer sounded funny, the matter he raised was serious. Many students fail exams because they don't listen in class just as many fail in life because they are too busy to listen for the whispers of wisdom - sometimes called the still small voice that comes to help them resolve their challenges or inspire the right step to take. Are you in the middle of a crisis and you don't know the next thing to do? Break out of your busy mode. Shut down the noise in your head, observe some quiet time for meditation and catch the whispers. I once read of a man who stilled a storm with a whisper. That storm in your business, marriage, career, relationships, ministry, life needs a whisper of wisdom. For those in the know, the Whispering Palms is a great resort here in Lagos, Nigeria. I went there on excursion as a kid. I was there recently for a management retreat. To get whispers of wisdom, you do not necessarily have to visit Whispering Palms. You only need to 'create' inner quietness, meditate, read books, listen to sages (people worth listening to, by virtue of their knowledge, wisdom, understanding, expertise, experience or exposure). Above all, develop sensitivity - ability to recognize and receive insights immediately. I've received such insights by reading books, listening to public speakers and fellowshipping with God. My first book titled INVEST YOUR YOUTHFUL YEARS was birthed by a whisper in 2006! I had written an article titled YOUR YOUTHFUL YEARS a year before. As I perused one of John Mason's books, I received a whisper telling me to expand the article into a book. And that was it! For me, I've been getting whispers of wisdom since the year started and it's been a fantastic experience! As you cruise on with your daily business, take time to listen for these winning whispers! Wishing you a happy listening adventure!! Cheers! IDOWU OMISORE Speaker. Author. Talent Coach. Youth Consultant. Order for Idowu Omisore’s bestsellers; Invest Your Youthful Years, Dream and Achieve Greatness (with the Foreword was written by Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola [SAN]). Call now to book Idowu Omisore for your coming programs. He’s a fantastic Spirit-filled speaking sensation! +234 805 937 1461, +234 704 500 8591 idgreatness1210@gmail.com www.idgreatness.com www.idowuomisore.blogspot.com www.idowuomisore.wordpress.com Follow Idowu Omisore on Twitter @IDGreatness PIN: 25B64154

ARE YOU PREPARING FOR YOUR OPPORTUNITIES? BY IDOWU OMISORE

The stage is set, but the atmosphere is tense. One hundred applicants. Two brand managers needed. Stunned by the stormy wave of applications to his desk, the Human Resource Director consulted with an associate professor, who accepted the challenge of ‘screening down’ the applicants from one hundred to two. The stage is still set. As the consultant mounted the podium, his eyes filtered through his anxious audience. He cleared his throat and said, ‘If you are here as an applicant for the position of a brand manager for our alcoholic brands, kindly put up your hand’. Expectedly, a hundred hands went up, piercing the air. ‘Ok, you are all welcome!’ he said, ‘please make yourselves comfortable’. Please take a bottle of any of our alcoholic brands and enjoy yourselves’. Some voices responded almost immediately: ‘I don’t take alcohol’. He asked them to leave the hall. The rest of the applicants had poured their drink into their glass cups on the tables. The consultant took a long, studious look around the hall and said, if your drink is foaming down the glass cup, kindly use the exit door. He carried on with his weird elimination methods until it remained only five people. He instructed them to keep drinking. Empty bottles increased significantly. The associate professor, who pretended to be drinking along with them, kept going to the restroom frequently to empty his glass cup. At a point, one of the applicants vomitted and was released out of the race. The remaining four continued the drinking spree. All of a sudden, almost simultaneously, two of the four voiced out; ‘Sir, I’ve reached my limit’. The consultant replied: you just got yourselves the job! The consultant then explained that the applicant that vomitted exceeded his limit – he broke a major rule: Never exceed your limit. My take from the scenario above – life will always give you opportunities directly or indirectly, but unfortunately many people are not ready with the capacity to cash in on the opportunities, so the obvious happens – they miss out. Secondly, opportunities attract too many people at the same time. Only the most prepared or the most discerning person gets the winning edge. All the applicants dreamed of becoming a brand manager but only a few of them were ready to bear the cost of the opportunity. That’s the third issue here; there are times a colourful opportunity shows up but coming with it is a heavy weight of responsibility. So it happens that some people cave in, back out or miss out for lack of capacity. What is an opportunity? It is a favourable situation that can be taken advantage of, to achieve one’s goal or fulfil a definite desire. In life, there are those who wait for opportunities. There are those who work for opportunities. There are those who win by maximizing opportunities. 2013 is a year to maximize opportunities and not miss them. In life, opportunities hardly come knocking at your door. You’ve got to buckle your shoes and set out. Opportunity is a door. Preparation is the key. With the keys of preparation in your hands, you can unlock the door of opportunity when it surfaces. The scenario I began with reveals that every opportunity has a cost. This reminds me of one of the fundamental concepts of Economics called Opportunity Cost. 2013 is a year of opportunities. That’s exciting to hear, but this places a great demand on us all to develop capacity, acquire resources (mental, financial) and prepare to pay prices of opportunities coming your way. I once read that ‘Talents are everywhere, but opportunities are scarce’. Opportunities are actually available but scarce, when placed against the teeming talented people out there – the more reason why you cannot afford to miss out this year. The year is still young. Take steps of preparation, starting from this week. I’ll love to get your emails, text messages, phone calls – let’s win together! You’ve got greatness in you! IDOWU OMISORE Speaker. Author. Talent Coach. Youth Consultant. Order for Idowu Omisore’s bestsellers; Invest Your Youthful Years, Dream and Achieve Greatness (Foreword was written by Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola [SAN]). Call now to book Idowu Omisore for your coming programs. He’s a fantastic Spirit-filled speaking sensation! 08059371461, 07045008591 idgreatness1210@gmail.com www.idgreatness.com www.idowuomisore.blogspot.com www.idowuomisore.wordpress.com Follow Idowu Omisore on Twitter @IDGreatness

THE COST OF MY DECISION...

In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing. - Theodore Roosevelt I had a lecture for Saturday morning; traffic was relatively light so I was thankful that I got to the class five minutes past nine o’clock. The lecture was to start nine o’clock. To my surprise, the class was almost full! I got myself a seat and the notes for the previous Saturday’s lectures. I decided to make a photocopy of the notes to avoid any delays. I returned to meet closed doors. The lecturer had got in and shut the doors against latecomers like me. Painfully, I was forced to stay outside the class. I missed the lecture, ten marks for a short test, class attendance score and someone else took over my seat in the crowded classroom. Then, I began to wonder why I had to go through this 'unsweetened' experience. It dawned on me that I was already paying the price for my impulsive decision. Decisions, really, can be costly. So what is a decision? I checked Google and got this: A decision is a conclusion or resolution after consideration or a choice made between alternative courses of action in a situation of uncertainty. On the whole, a decision should be a carefully considered choice. Research has shown that an average person makes five decisions a minute, so a person makes close to 5000 decisions a day on average. We keep making decisions, from what to eat as breakfast to the kind of car to buy. This year, before you make decisions, ensure you weigh the options and the consequences involved. Never base your decision on assumptions. Assumption is said to be the lowest level of knowledge. The year is still very young and You Must Set Forth At Dawn as Professor Wole Soyinka titled his fantastic autobiography. Before you sign that contract, embark on that business, make that investment decision, adopt that strategy, say ‘yes’ to his proposal, resign your appointment, divorce your wife or propose to her, think deeply. Look before you leap…think so you don’t sink. We can’t run away from making decisions. Everyone bears the burden of decision-making, from the President in his Aso Rock Villa to the peasant in the village. The challenge we face each time is how to make an informed decision that will bring about the desired results, especially when there is no time to do a long consideration. To win with 2013, you have to master the art of constantly making winning decisions. Do some reflection. Last year, were there times you made wrong decisions? Have you ever wondered what really ‘inspired’ the wrong decisions? It’s usually said that your decision determines your destiny. For me, it makes 'excellentsense' (not commonsense) to make decisions that will help you achieve your goals faster. This is a year you must NEVER make a single regrettable decision. Our beloved President Goodluck Jonathan made a number of decisions last year that raised some dust. I call them 'dusty decisions' – one of which is changing the name of a federal university without due consultations and process in a democratic society! It caused ripples that are yet to subside. As a husband and head of a family, consider your decisions as it will affect your wife, kids and relations. As a leader, whether at home, in the office or in government, consider the cost of your decision(s). The impact of your decision as a leader has a lot of weight on the present and on posterity. A decision is either major or minor. Whether major or minor, don’t take any decision lightly. Many times, we find ourselves in the jaws of fear – afraid to decide. To overcome your fear, you need information and inspiration. Information refers to the relevant, current knowledge and data. It includes professional advice or expert opinion. You can leverage on a friend’s wealth of experience. Depending on what sort of decision it is you want to make, I recommend you do environmental scanning, aside from a desk research. When you are armed with the right information, a sense of boldness replaces the torment of fear. Secondly, you have to listen to your Maker for directions by inspiration. I’ll describe this inspiration as a light that illuminates your mind, dispels fears, saturates you with peace and instructs you on the right moves. Inspiration can deliver you from that dilemma. Inspiration is steps higher than information, because it comes from your Maker. Information only may fail you, but Inspiration comes with what I coin 'foolproof foresight'. Always remember that you are born to win and you deserve greatness. I believe you are going to make great decisions. I love you and I’d like to hear from you. Send me your mails to idgreatness1210@gmail.com or sms to 08059371461. One more thing – visit www.idgreatness.com, join the Greatness Crew and you’ll be glad you did!

Insights 4 Greatness!: WINNING WITH 2013! - Part 2

Insights 4 Greatness!: WINNING WITH 2013! - Part 2

WINNING WITH 2013! - Part 2

"Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is." Vince Lombardi Right from childhood, I have always loved to write. If there is something that has stayed with me over the years, it is writing. You would always find me with a notepad. And guess what? I write anything and everything! As thoughts stream from my mind, it flows into my pen and comes alive on my paper. From poetry to pleasant dreams, my pen keeps doing the dance. There are times I take time to go through these notepads to check my thoughts, ideas and aspirations in the previous years. Many a time, I end up having mixed feelings, especially when I get to read of goals, dreams and aspirations I had set for myself that I have not achieved as at the time of the review. This brings me to the subject of our discourse this week – how to actualize one’s dreams. Like me, I believe you have written out your dreams or goals for this year. If you have not taken time to write them down, please do. It is a critical step forward. First, there is no mysterious formula to actualize dreams. Secondly, there are many approaches to every aspiration. So, I am not about to give you a winning method, rather I will share a winning principle with you. It’s the mother of all principles that will help you actualize your dreams – that’s RESPONSIBILTY. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, a former Prime Minister of Great Britain made a comment about greatness that has always struck a chord in me. He said ‘Responsibility is the price of greatness’. That means you have to take responsibility for your dreams, if you want to be great. In this sense, responsibility means responding to your dreams with corresponding actions. It’s never enough to dream. Take responsibility. Taking responsibility involves deciding to pull through till your dreams come true. You can refuse to be discouraged, distracted or derailed. Dreams not backed up with determined steps will die naturally. It’s not enough to dream big. You’ve got to work out the Dream! Once the dream is conceived, you need to take time and calculate the cost of achieving that dream. Dreams don’t come true by default. Every dream places a demand on the dreamer. When you have a fair understanding of the demands of your dream, then it’s time to take the first step(s). Les Brown, a top motivational speaker gave an important piece of advice when he said you do not have to be great to start, but you have to start in order to become great. A lot of people get trapped at this point – trapped in their Big Dream! Isn’t that funny? Many keep basking in the excitement of their Dream, others are just afraid to start. So they find consolation in procrastination – ‘’I’ll start this project October next year’ or ‘I will wait for a more favourable time to kick off this programme’. These dreamers keep procrastinating as years pass by. So, once you understand your dream’s demands, prayerfully set out. Do not postpone or procrastinate. First steps are crucial. As you take your first steps, you can generate a dangerously positive momentum that keeps you asking relevant questions, pushing boundaries and crossing frontiers even as you move closer to the actualization of your dream. In all of this, persistence is a great catalyst for success. You are born to win, but you need to be stubborn. You must jostle for your dreams! Yes! It seems your optimism is running out. Your enthusiasm is ebbing away. Your dynamism is diminishing. You just have to fight for the fulfilment of your dreams. I’m talking about a fight-to-finish! Don’t behave like the cheetah. The cheetah is the fastest land animal. If a cheetah runs after an animal for twenty to thirty seconds and doesn’t catch up with it, it gives up. If you see a cheetah run, you’ll agree that it has an unbelievable speed, but it lacks staying power. Dreamers who turn achievers have both speed and staying power. I’ve been there. I know how it is. When it seems everything is just working against you and your dreams. It’s like the doors are shut in your face. You’ve to protect that dream by all means. Even if it means you have to read real life success stories of people overcoming great odds to succeed. People such as the famous Abraham Lincoln, who can be said to have bagged a doctorate degree in Failure. Yet, Abraham Lincoln later became the sixteenth President of the United States of America. As the year progresses, make sure you keep reviewing your goals so as to sustain your enthusiasm and measure your progress. Taking responsibility might mean developing competencies and skills. You may need to attend trainings and make new decisions. On the whole, you must respond to your dreams of greatness by taking steps, decisions and actions that move you into the realms of fulfilment. In the next edition, we will discuss on how you can take advantage of the opportunities that 2013 comes with. You cannot afford to miss it. Till next week, always remember you were born to win! Keep dreaming! Keep winning! Decide to win with 2013! I’ll love to get your emails, text messages, phone calls – let’s win together! You’ve got greatness in you! Brief profile: Idowu Omisore, popularly known as ID Greatness! is a facilitator, talent coach, motivational / public speaker, youth development consultant and author of the books; Invest Your Youthful Years, Dream and Achieve Greatness. He appears on TV programs as a youth development advocate and social commentator. Contact Details; idgreatness1210@gmail.com, 08059371461, www.idgreatness.com

WINNING WITH 2013! - Part 2

"Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is." Vince Lombardi Right from childhood, I have always loved to write. If there is something that has stayed with me over the years, it is writing. You would always find me with a notepad. And guess what? I write anything and everything! As thoughts stream from my mind, it flows into my pen and comes alive on my paper. From poetry to pleasant dreams, my pen keeps doing the dance. There are times I take time to go through these notepads to check my thoughts, ideas and aspirations in the previous years. Many a time, I end up having mixed feelings, especially when I get to read of goals, dreams and aspirations I had set for myself that I have not achieved as at the time of the review. This brings me to the subject of our discourse this week – how to actualize one’s dreams. Like me, I believe you have written out your dreams or goals for this year. If you have not taken time to write them down, please do. It is a critical step forward. First, there is no mysterious formula to actualize dreams. Secondly, there are many approaches to every aspiration. So, I am not about to give you a winning method, rather I will share a winning principle with you. It’s the mother of all principles that will help you actualize your dreams – that’s RESPONSIBILTY. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, a former Prime Minister of Great Britain made a comment about greatness that has always struck a chord in me. He said ‘Responsibility is the price of greatness’. That means you have to take responsibility for your dreams, if you want to be great. In this sense, responsibility means responding to your dreams with corresponding actions. It’s never enough to dream. Take responsibility. Taking responsibility involves deciding to pull through till your dreams come true. You can refuse to be discouraged, distracted or derailed. Dreams not backed up with determined steps will die naturally. It’s not enough to dream big. You’ve got to work out the Dream! Once the dream is conceived, you need to take time and calculate the cost of achieving that dream. Dreams don’t come true by default. Every dream places a demand on the dreamer. When you have a fair understanding of the demands of your dream, then it’s time to take the first step(s). Les Brown, a top motivational speaker gave an important piece of advice when he said you do not have to be great to start, but you have to start in order to become great. A lot of people get trapped at this point – trapped in their Big Dream! Isn’t that funny? Many keep basking in the excitement of their Dream, others are just afraid to start. So they find consolation in procrastination – ‘’I’ll start this project October next year’ or ‘I will wait for a more favourable time to kick off this programme’. These dreamers keep procrastinating as years pass by. So, once you understand your dream’s demands, prayerfully set out. Do not postpone or procrastinate. First steps are crucial. As you take your first steps, you can generate a dangerously positive momentum that keeps you asking relevant questions, pushing boundaries and crossing frontiers even as you move closer to the actualization of your dream. In all of this, persistence is a great catalyst for success. You are born to win, but you need to be stubborn. You must jostle for your dreams! Yes! It seems your optimism is running out. Your enthusiasm is ebbing away. Your dynamism is diminishing. You just have to fight for the fulfilment of your dreams. I’m talking about a fight-to-finish! Don’t behave like the cheetah. The cheetah is the fastest land animal. If a cheetah runs after an animal for twenty to thirty seconds and doesn’t catch up with it, it gives up. If you see a cheetah run, you’ll agree that it has an unbelievable speed, but it lacks staying power. Dreamers who turn achievers have both speed and staying power. I’ve been there. I know how it is. When it seems everything is just working against you and your dreams. It’s like the doors are shut in your face. You’ve to protect that dream by all means. Even if it means you have to read real life success stories of people overcoming great odds to succeed. People such as the famous Abraham Lincoln, who can be said to have bagged a doctorate degree in Failure. Yet, Abraham Lincoln later became the sixteenth President of the United States of America. As the year progresses, make sure you keep reviewing your goals so as to sustain your enthusiasm and measure your progress. Taking responsibility might mean developing competencies and skills. You may need to attend trainings and make new decisions. On the whole, you must respond to your dreams of greatness by taking steps, decisions and actions that move you into the realms of fulfilment. In the next edition, we will discuss on how you can take advantage of the opportunities that 2013 comes with. You cannot afford to miss it. Till next week, always remember you were born to win! Keep dreaming! Keep winning! Decide to win with 2013! I’ll love to get your emails, text messages, phone calls – let’s win together! You’ve got greatness in you! Brief profile: Idowu Omisore, popularly known as ID Greatness! is a facilitator, talent coach, motivational / public speaker, youth development consultant and author of the books; Invest Your Youthful Years, Dream and Achieve Greatness. He appears on TV programs as a youth development advocate and social commentator. Contact Details; idgreatness1210@gmail.com, 08059371461, www.idgreatness.com