The most important and satisfying things in life usually aren’t the easiest ones. The good news: In today’s hyper-connected world, we have access to all the information we could want to help us achieve our future goals. We know what foods will make us healthier. We can also estimate for ourselves the benefits of starting retirement savings early – and the implications for the lifestyles of our future selves.
We almost always know what we should do thanks to endless knowledge at our fingertips. But actually doing it is an entirely different kind of challenge. Most of us can relate to that feeling of inertia at the start of a big project, or the struggle to consistently make good, long-term choices for our health, or saving for the future. This mental tug-of-war we experience has evolutionary roots. While knowing this might bring comfort, it doesn’t help solve the problem at hand: How can we flex our willpower to become better, faster, smarter, and stronger? The bad news: you can’t Google your way out of this one. Or can you? A fascinating body of research.
There are ways to turbo boost your willpower:

1.  Slow the heck down.‎

Most regrettable decisions (the splurge at the mall, the procrastination on the project, and the snacks in the break room) happen when one part of our brain effectively hijacks the other. We go into automatic pilot (and unfortunately the pilot in question has a penchant for shoes, Facebook and cookies!). Researchers suggest that we can override this system by charging up the other. That is, slow down and focus on the moment at hand. Think about your breathing. Bring yourself back to this moment in time, feel the compulsion but don’t act on it yet. Try telling yourself, “If this feeling is still just as uncomfortable in 10 minutes, I’ll act on it.” Take a little time to be mindful – then make your decision.

2. Dream of ‘done.’‎

Imagine yourself handing in the big project, soaking up the appreciation from your colleagues or boss. Or crossing the finish line for the half-marathon you’ve always wanted to run. The rush, the aliveness, the wind on your face, the medal …

That’s a lot more fun and motivating to think about than how much work it is to get out of bed for your long, Sunday morning run!

Re-orient your brain by summoning more motivating feelings than just “not running this morning is more enjoyable than running this morning.” If your goals are meaningful, this will help.

 3. Make your toughest choices first.

Scientists have found that willpower is like a full bathtub that’s drained throughout the day. So, why not start your toughest challenges when you have a full reserve? Get that project started or fit that workout in before you even check your email or have breakfast. Bonus: the high you’ll get from crossing off your hardest ‘to-do’ will help you sail through the rest of your day.

4. Progress = commitment, not a license to backslide.

A lot of times people will ‘cheat’ right after taking positive steps towards their goals. (A common version of this trap is, “I worked out three days in a row, so I deserve this cookie.”) Most of us can relate to this thinking – but it’s totally irrational! We’ll often trick ourselves into setbacks because we think we deserve them, even if we don’t really want them and deep down we know they’ll work against us in the long-run.

How can you counteract this effect? Research finds that if you use your positive streak to recommit (“If I worked out three days this week, I must be really committed to my health and fitness goal!”) rather than an excuse for wiggle room, we don’t take the same cheat options. Cool, right?

 5. Meditate.

Meditation is an expressway to better willpower. Bringing your attention to your breathing for 15 minutes, or even five, flexes your willpower muscles by applying discipline to your thinking. It does this by working two mental ‘muscle groups’: first, the set of muscles that notice when your attention is drifting, and second, the set of muscles that bring you back to your task at hand. Over time, even small amounts of meditation will help you build the discipline to easily do what was once hard – like pushing through a long stretch at work.

 6. Set mini-goals.

Which seems more doable: committing to three 20 minute runs this week or a half-marathon? Mini-goals are brilliant because they’re easier to achieve and boost your commitment to continuing. When we size them up, we see them as achievable rather than daunting. Each time you succeed at one, it boosts your sense of efficacy and personal integrity: not only are you capable of doing what you set out to do, but you followed through on it. Nice.

The beauty of mini-goals is that over time, mini-goals – and the momentum you’ve built by doing them – can quickly turn into super-goals. So that half marathon might be more likely to happen, and sooner and more easily than you think!

 7. Eat.

Low blood sugar decreases your ability to make tough decisions. If you’re running on empty physically, you’ll also be running on empty mentally. (Yes, this one’s somewhat ironic if your goal involves changing food patterns – but even so, letting your blood sugar drop too far will only sabotage you over time.)

 8. Sleep.

Research shows people who don’t get enough sleep have a tough time exercising their willpower. Sleep is critical for a healthy brain – along with just about everything else. So to optimize your willpower muscle, make sure you’re catching your zzz’s.

 9. Nix the self-sabotage.

Making yourself feel bad hurts, rather than helps, your willpower efforts. Researchers have found that compassion is a far better strategy than tough love – telling yourself “It’s OK, everyone has setbacks sometimes,” will help you bounce back more quickly than negative self-talk.

10. Take the first hard step.‎

As a new behavior becomes a habit, it is more natural. You have to use less and less willpower to ‘make it so.’ When you’re starting a new pattern that feels hard, remind yourself that the first steps are truly the hardest. It will probably never feel harder than it does in those first few choices. In the case of repeated behaviors, like exercise or saving money, it takes weeks for new habits to take hold. By that point, the habit will be so ingrained; you’d have to try hard not to do it.‎

Brother Sina Afolabi

Of course by now we are all becoming aware of DNA. It is the source code that determines who we are. When we look at DNA we can see what a person will look like, what diseases they may come down with, etc. This has been a tremendous breakthrough for scientists and will continue to be so for some time, I think. This got me to thinking about what makes up those who are top achievers. Is there a “DNA” to them? Obviously, all top achievers wouldn’t have the same literal DNA but what about a figurative DNA? Is there a common “gene” that they all have? Are there common “genes” perhaps? I think so! If we could get right down to it, I think these are the genes we would find in the DNA of top achievers:

 A heart to recognise and accord God His place

Top achievers are people who know there is limit to what they can do, where they can go, what they can achieve without God. But with God on their side and in their lives there is no limit to their achievement, greatness, success, exploits and height in life. They ‎recognise these and sign up into the limitless God’s power, presence, wisdom and grace.

A predisposition to setting high, lofty goals

Top achievers are people who won’t and can’t settle for the status quo. They see average as a place they want to keep in the rear-view mirror. Instead, they continually look for ways to stretch themselves, to get better, to do better, and to be better! They set their sights on goals that others have never even thought of. They want to shoot so high that even if they miss, they go higher than everyone else. This is what makes them top achievers.

An ability to focus intently upon reaching their desired destination

Many people can set high goals, but just as many people get sidetracked by one thing or another on their way to those goals. High, lofty goals usually take a while to get there so there will always be plenty of time to be tempted to stray away from the road that is taking you to those goals. Often, those things that sidetrack people are good things, but not the best things. Top achievers do not get sidetracked. They stay focused. They know where they are going. They have an ability to say “no” to the good things in order to get to the best things.

The willingness to personally sacrifice in order to get to their goal 

When the going gets tough, many people quit. When the going gets tough personally, most people quit. When the going gets tough for top achievers, they remind themselves of the high lofty goals they have set for themselves. They remind themselves of what an accomplishment it will be for them and that the reward is worth pushing through the momentary trials. They are willing to sacrifice personally in the short-term in order to get the reward and the prize long-term. Keeping their eyes on the big picture enables them to persevere through any personal pain they may experience.

A predisposition to tenacity

Tenacity is the ability to “keep on going.” Tough times? Keep on going! Financial troubles? Keep on going! People are suspect? Keep on going! You look like a dreamer? Keep on going! Tired? Keep on going! Want to quit and take it easy? Keep on going! Just remember this: Keep on going! The prize is ahead! Many people quit just before they were to get the reward, so keep on going!

The ability to see available resources and to use them accordingly

Those who are top achievers know that they cannot be lone-rangers on the way to the top. No one makes it by himself or herself. Top achievers recognize their weaknesses – the weaknesses that if they don’t cover will keep them from becoming a top achiever! They see their resources and they work to get them into a helping position so they can continue the route to becoming a top achiever. And they don’t use them, they utilize them. There is a big difference! People, finances, etc are all brought in to help by the top achiever.

A desire to help others achieve more for themselves as well.

The top achiever knows that they can make a difference for others by becoming a top achiever. They know that the wealth they make can feed the hungry. They know that the position of influence they achieve can open a door for someone who may not normally get a chance. True top achievers look at how they can bring many with them, not how they can leave many in the dust. People are helped by the top achiever, not trampled upon! I think if we could get to the DNA of top achievers, the things we talked about above would be at the core and fiber of their beings. What about you? Did you recognize yourself at all? I hope so! The good news about the DNA we are talking about today as opposed to real DNA is that you can go out and work on top achiever DNA whereas you are stuck with real DNA. So if you lack a little in the above-mentioned areas, take heart – you can get better and work on them so that you can become a top achiever!

Brother Sina Afolabi

1. Productive people can differentiate “fake” productivity from
“real” productivity. Sometimes, we put off doing real work in favor of other non-essential tasks. These tasks might somehow resemble “real” work, and thus give us a false sense of productivity. For example, in lieu of doing important tasks, people might attend useless meetings, sort out emails, and chat with coworkers. Productive people know that these things do not really constitute work and know how to avoid them.

 2. Productive people know when to let go of the non-essentials. Should sorting out emails take up an hour of your valuable work time? Do you really need to edit this document five times before you send it to your client? Sometimes, we do non-essential tasks by dint of habit. We need to learn how to let them go. It’s either we get rid of them or allocate them to others.

 3. Productive people do not multitask…or avoid it, especially if they don’t need to. Multitasking is the bane of our generation. The brain is just not wired to juggle multiple things all at the same time. Tasks are meant to be completed one at a time for maximum efficiency.

 4. Productive people know how to schedule their work “blocks.” Most of us are early-risers, with most of our productive time scheduled during the daytime, while some
are night owls. Productive people know how to sync their work blocks around these times of productivity.

 5. Productive people power through boredom. Persistence pays off in the long run. This is what separates productive people from the unproductive ones. Suffering from writer’s block? Well, it doesn’t exist. You need to write something down on paper NOW even if you’re bored and don’t feel like it. Persistence, not procrastination, is the reason why things get done.

 6. Productive people know when to unplug. Yes, too much technology is bad for you. Being connected 24/7 has its perks, but it is really not good for a person’s overall mental health and well-being. Meditate, commune with nature, or just take a little bit of time off from your computer – all of these can really help you increase productivity and jumpstart your way to success.

 7. Productive people have regular sleeping habits. Lack of sleep does not equate to productivity. Your eye bags is not a sign that you’re a hardworking person; it just means that you have poor sleeping habits. Regular sleep (six to eight hours per day, on a constant schedule) has long been scientifically proven to
increase productivity.

 8. Productive people workout. Going to the gym or exercising is always a win-win situation for all. Not only does physical activity release endorphins (“feel good” hormones that can alleviate stress and keeps us happy throughout the day), it also helps us stay in tiptop shape, and contributes to good sleeping habits. And you don’t even have to do backbreaking high intensity either. Even thirty minutes of cardio (walking, running, biking) will go a long way.

 9. Productive people reward themselves. “All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy”, as the famous saying goes. Reward serves as incentives for productive work. It pushes us, and drives us to finish tasks.

 10.  Productive people know how to allocate breaks. Breaks are essential for a productive lifestyle. Our bodies and brains are just not meant to work non-stop, so breaks are there to keep us refreshed. Some people need longish breaks after long work blocks, while some can make do with short breaks interspersed throughout the day. In the year of overflow, productivity habit is a call every achievers must not miss but obey.

God bless you,

Bro Sina Seun

“Be Strong And Be Of Good Courage………………” Joshua 1:9

Research revealed that courage was mentioned in the Bible 35 times; and in the first chapter of the book of Joshua, God told Joshua to be strong and be of good courage 4times because HE knows that Joshua’s success, leadership, greatness and exploits in life is predicated on his being strong and being of good courage. Show me what will not answer to courage in life and I will show you what does not worth pursuing in life.

Numerous potentials are left wasted, so many talents are left untapped, many destinies are left unfulfilled and so many futures are not realised simply because so many Christians lack courage. They lack the courage to harness their potentials; they easily give up the courage to tap into inestimable talents in them. Consequently, they lose control of the invaluable destiny and beautiful future that God and nature have generously bestowed on us.

What a waste! Children of the Most High God; people of great destiny are running a rat race because they lost the courage to stand in the place of their divine allocation. No wonder someone said, “Cemetery is the richest and wealthiest place on earth” because lying below six feet in the cemetery are so many unrealized future, countless unfulfilled destinies, innumerable number of wasted potentials, unquantifiable dozens of untapped and unexplored talents.

As a youth in Christ Jesus, you are not here by accident. You are here for exploit and the key to that exploit in any area of your life, situations or circumstances you find yourself depend on your ability to find courage for exploit and success.

Many of Christian youths are not creative and imaginative, not because they are not geniuses but because they kill the geniuses in themselves when they killed courage. A lot of Christians are not setting records, breaking barriers and thrusting into new boundaries in their chosen field in life because they lack courage for exploits. Exploit and success answer to courage. They find expression in the midst of courage, and thrive in the midst of can do spirit.

Finding courage for exploit is neither optional nor negotiable for any youth who wants to realise the grace of God upon his life. Therefore, find the courage to succeed in life. Believe it; many youths will not reach their goals in life. They will not live their God given dreams because they lack that recipe for greatness known as the good courage.

As it was in the days of old when gold and cowries were used as instrument of trade; so it is today; and so shall it be forever and ever. The principle cannot be changed; it cannot be altered. Wherever you find good courage, there you will find the success and great exploits. Courage is the key that unlock the door of abundance, exploits and success. In all thy getting therefore get the good courage.

Courage answered for David. Even when the army of Israel was too intimidated to face Goliath, using God as his hope and wall of defence, David stood against Goliath. He defeated the uncircumcised Philistine and cut of his head (1 Samuel 17: 22–51). Show me a man that will dream more, achieve more, impact more, live more, succeed more in life and I will show you a man whose secret is the good courage for exploits.

The courage am talking about here is not absence of fear, it is not taking uncalculated risk or doing things without an in-depth thinking and informative assessment. The good courage here is moving along and in-line with your dreams, your purpose and your set goals even against ranging storms, in the face of fear and daunting challenges that might stare at you or come your way as you move to succeed and achieve greatness.

Finding courage for exploits in life is a must and pre-requisite for greatness. Every man needs to find courage for success and exploits, that is the courage to hold on and stay focused when everything is saying you should give up, courage to turn an end to a bend, courage to always see stars in the dark cloud, courage to always see the big picture and courage not to chicken out in the game of life even though it appears unfavourable.

Success is possible. Exploit is guaranteed. Don’t doubt it, just have the GOOD COURAGE.

Remain blessed.

Bro Sina Seun