On October 4, 2014, after giving a guest lecture during the Leadership Mentoring Program at Uganda Christian University, I had a Facebook chat with my “brother-in-inspiration,” Robert Bake, about the magazine he publishes, in which I have a regular column. A few highlights from our talk will give you value for your time as we talk about four habits we should not allow to continue in this second quarter of “Twenty Fit-in” (2015).
First, we exchanged greetings before I asked him how really he was doing. Opening up to me, he shared some challenge. Without further ado, there lies the first habit you should not continue with in this quarter of the year: refusing to open up and seek help whenever needed. In my latest book “How to Effectively Manage Stress and Work Pressure,” I write: “Everyone needs help almost all the time. Whenever this is the case, let us be humble enough to ask for it from the right sources. Otherwise, we invite stress that would otherwise dwell in some distant homestead, not ours.” So do not sit on the tip of a knife and still sing “All is well.” Acknowledge your storm; seek the necessary help. This is not only a mark of strength but an endearing acceptance that you too are human!
After that, Robert immediately said, “In the meantime we need to discuss about WI-Magazine.” There goes the second habit: majoring in the minors, minoring in the majors. Just four days before this conversation, I was hosted on “Business Today” on UBC TV, where I summed it up this way: “Don’t be everywhere, doing everything, with everyone, at every turn of the road. Concentrate on what is most important.” You and I should know the priorities of the new year and put the rest where they belong. What will yield the highest return on your investment of time, effort, and money? “In the meantime we need to discuss” that!
Along the way, I asked a line-up of questions about the inspiration behind the magazine, names of other contributors, nature of my column, and expected size of my articles. I asked about possible options, frequency of the magazine, thematic scope, geographical reach, plus more! Therein lies a great lesson that I recently shared during a Business Motivation Seminar at Hotel Triangle: do not hurry over issues, but rather be a person of details. A professor of medicine told his students, “There are two characteristics you need as you begin this course.” Dipping his finger in a test-tube with urine, he licked the finger and passed it around for the shocked students to do the same. One after the other, they shyly did so to the last one. He then said, “This is why we have done this: as a scientist, never despise or disrespect any specimen used during any experiment. Lesson two: always pay attention to details. How could you not see that I dipped in the ring finger but licked on the thumb?” Oh yes, in the new season, pay attention to details in your business, leadership, and family; relationship, academics, and work.
As our discussion came to the end, Robert said, “Bakutana, from the response I am getting, this magazine is long overdue and it might be what we were waiting for…” I responded, “Of course, it is long overdue. There is no doubt about that.” That is the immovable positivity that flies in the face of chronic negativity! So, 2015 should rather be called “twenty fit-in” – a season of about twenty of your most desired achievements fitting in one year! Enough is enough – feeling hopeless and helpless, settling for the price instead of the value, talking more but saying less. Enough is enough – giving up before you start, surrendering to the filthy hands of stress, taking centuries before beginning that business. Enough is enough – writing that one book for 30 years, not grabbing the unveiled opportunities due to fear, and always yielding to feelings of insufficiency. Time to be positive – NOW!
So, there we have the four habits to avoid:
- Refusing to open up and seek help;
- Majoring in minors;
- Hurrying over issues; and
- Being chronically negative.
In this season:
- Seek help whenever you need it regardless of internal fears;
- Dwell on what is important and profitable;
- Be attentive to details;
- Have the immovable positivity that flies in the face of the negative!
Will you now believe your capability? Shall you believe God’s ability? Shall you believe your dream’s nobility? Start every day in style.
Invest this season of the year wisely!
To Your Success,
“Inspiring transformational, exemplary and authentic leadership worldwide.”
