If it works, keep doing what you are doing

Introduction

I believe for things to get better; we need to be consistent in our efforts.  It is unfortunate that many of start off very good pursuing that goal but somehow, we got sidetracked and discontinued doing what we started. The thing is, if something works, then why do you stop doing what you are doing. The moment you stop, a vicious cycle starts. We got to be disciplined and committed to our cause. I will illustrate some examples of how things don’t get better because we stopped doing the things we used to do.

Your prayer life

One thing I love about the Bible is that it has answers for everything. The Bible clearly tells us to pray continuously. Many of us pray when we want something and as soon as we get what we want, we stopped praying. When you stop praying, you are disconnected with God and you have opened hole for the devil to come in and when he comes, he will try to kill and destroy you. Do you see why we must keep praying? If we want things to get better in our lives and in our country, then we must always pray. Do not stop.

Your business

Your business may have may been doing so well but somehow you took your clients for granted and stopped doing what you were doing and then your business began to decline. If you want your business to prosper, do what you were doing when it was prospering but if you stop, so will your business.

Your marriage

Prior to marriage, you probably dated your partner often. You communicated often. You talked and laughed often. After marriage, you started off while perhaps for the first two or three years and then you stopped doing what you were doing and consequently your marriage gets in trouble. If you want your marriage to get better, do what you were doing early in your marriage.

Your health

Many times, when get a bad medical report, you would initially change your diet and even exercise regularly. Sooner or later, you began to eat unhealthy food and you stop exercising. If you want your health to get better, then don’t stop what you were doing initially.

Your friendship

I know many of us are busy with our families and jobs, but friendship is very important too. I know you can think of some friends who you were very close to, but you are no longer close with them and one of the reasons is because you stopped doing what you were doing with your friends.

Your involvement in the community

When I was growing up, we had a community where we looked out for each other and helped one another.  Many of us have discontinued that spirit of involvement in the community and we wonder why our community is falling apart. It is because we so are so busy with our own lives, and we stopped caring for our community.

Your savings plan

I am aware some of you are living from paycheck to paycheck but some of you also had a savings plan. You were putting aside so much each month but then you stopped and start putting your wants above your needs. You start following the Jones and you lost control of your plan. If you want to be in a better financial position, then start saving like you were doing before.

Your counseling sessions

Some of you enrolled in counselling session but you stopped. If you want to have a better life, then don’t stop your counselling sessions.

Conclusion

I will be writing another article on crime soon, but I believe one of the reasons why crime is out of hand is because we stopped doing the things we used to do. For example, when a crime takes place in an area, we will monitor the area for a week or so, then we stopped. 

How do we expect things to get better if we stopped doing the things that worked? I encourage each you to do the things you used to do before so you can maintain your prayer life and save your marriage, business, health and friendship.

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Focused on achieving your goals, mission, vision, and purpose

Introduction

You may not have set any goals, mission, or vision for your life but one thing I know is that everyone is unique and has a purpose. Try to identify your purpose and once you do, establish your goals, mission, and vision to achieve your purpose. In pursuit of your purpose, you will encounter all sorts of distractions. Sometimes, these distractions are internal such as your emotions and feelings. Other times, your distractions can be external such as the fame, wealth, status, and “success” of others.

If you want to achieve your goals, mission, vision, and purpose in your desired timetable, you need to be focused.  

Internal distractions

Your mind is a powerful tool, and it is a battlefield. The state of your mind will determine your successes and failures. I encourage you to live according to Philippians 4:8 which states that “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” If you have this mindset, you can remain focused.

However, if your mindset is full of fear, anxiety and anger, this type of mindset will become a distraction to you. In fact, you may not even establish any goals for your life. Furthermore, you may think you have no purpose in life.  I used to think so too but now I know better, and I want you to know that God has plans for each of you and those plans are to prosper you and not harm you. Therefore, stop letting this type of mindset distract you. The enemy does not want you to fulfil your purpose and so he will preoccupy your mind with fear, anxiety, and anger.

External distractions

I don’t know about you, but I am not moved by the fame, wealth, status, and success of others. While I am always happy for the success of others, I will not let their successes distract me because otherwise, you may be inviting a spirit of jealousy and greed in your life.  Some people are so fascinated about celebrities. Celebrities are men and women like you and I, except that they are better known than us. It is ok if you are not well known. Therefore, you don’t have to worship them, and you don’t have to try and be like them. They are distractions and you may find yourself trying to mimic them and spend a lot of your time following. Use that time to pursue your purpose.

Another distraction is the money that some people have. Somehow, some people are attracted at and inspired by wealthy people. In fact, many of us equate wealth with respect and success. We become so preoccupied with the love of the money that your focused may be on money and you may resort to anything such as stealing and lying just to be wealthy. You need to remain focused on activating your gifts and remember your gift will make room for you and bring you before great men.

Another thing is we are distracted by the perceived success of others and therefore we may pursue the same line of business or career path that appears successful even though you know that is not your calling. You see, success is not necessarily about wealth. To me, you are successful when you achieve your goals.

Conclusion

I encourage you today to stop engaging in activities purely for fame, wealth, and status. You have a purpose in this world. Find it and focused on achieving it. Do not be intimidated by what others have. If you remained focused, your season of success will take come. Therefore, do not be distracted. I know sometimes I get distracted, and I feel discouraged, so I have to remind myself constantly about the reasons I exist and my purpose in life.

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Doing the same thing will give you the same results

Introduction

I believe everybody wants a change to take place but unfortunately, we keep doing the same thing over and expect different results. If you want a change to take place, then do something different and this will require you to adjust. Your adjustment can be small, medium, or huge, but the point is you need to adjust. Sometimes you must adjust constantly until you get it right. Of course, you may make mistakes in the adjustment process but rather than looking at them as mistakes, examine the learning lessons from those mistakes.

Many of you were single and eventually got married but you had to make an adjustment in your life as a married person. Many of you became Christians and had to make adjustment to live according to the word of God. Many of you migrated to another country and you had to adjust to the new way of living. I was recently in the UK for a week, and I had to adjust to the time difference as the UK is five hours ahead of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Make adjustments

Adjusting is not easy as many of us really do not want to change even though we need a change. We are too complacent in our comfort zone. If you want to remain in the same position and complain about the progress of others, then do not adjust but if you want an improvement in your life then it is time to adjust.

First, some of us need to adjust our attitude. We have the wrong attitude in life. Some of us have an attitude of entitlement. Some of us have an attitude of ungratefulness. Some of us just simply have a bad attitude. Remember it is your attitude that will determine your altitude so make an adjustment to your attitude. Your attitude will carry you a long way and you will be surprised who is watching you. Have an attitude of faith, love and compassion for others.

Many of you had to adjust to the way of living in a small island compared to where you came from as some of you came from large cities. The way we do things here may not be the way you did things in your country but if you want to live here, you will have to adjust. Likewise, if some of us migrate to other countries, we will have to adjust to the customs of that country.

Some of you will become or are public figures and this may require some of you to adjust from living a private life to a public life. This will require you to adjust because once you are in the public eye, you will be under a lot of scrutiny.

Some of you will have to adjust your diet especially if you have health issues. If you want a better health, then adjust the food you eat. You may not like some of the food but if you want to get better, you will have to eat better. For example, I do not like to eat vegetables, but I have to adjust to having it as part of my diet. I also like to put sugar in my tea but having sugar may not be good for me, so I must adjust removing sugar from my diet.

Some of you have gotten older and you are unable to do some of the things you could have done in your younger age. This will require adjustment, but you can do it.

Some of you will have to adjust from being an employee to an employer.

How to adjust?

Many of us that migrated to other countries should assimilate and appreciate and understand the culture of that country.  If you join a church or a charitable organization, it is a good start to make an adjustment.

Another way to make an adjustment is to obtain knowledge. Learn as much as you can. If you lack knowledge, it may be a challenge for some of us to adjust. For example, if you dedicate your life to God and you don’t study the bible, it will be a challenge for you to adjust living as a Christian.

Another way to make adjustment is to get sound advice and follow the advice. I endorse churches that counsels unmarried individuals before they get married.

Keep practicing until you can adjust. The more you practice, the more proficient you can become.

Have the right attitude. Stop complaining about everything and stop comparing about what you with your previous job to what you are doing now. Also stop comparing your country to the country that you migrated to. If you keep doing this, it will be a challenge for you to adjust.

Ask for help to make adjustments in your life. Some things you may not be able to do by yourself and it is ok to ask for help.

Conclusion

Many of us have been called to do something different from what you are doing now but it will require some of us to adjust. Are you willing to adjust to reach your destination? You don’t have to try and change your personality but rather you need to adjust the way you do things. You may think it is hard to adjust but don’t you remember when COVID 19 first emerge? We had to adjust, and we did it well. We adjust our way of working, our way of living and our way of education.

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Are we going to continue to be give consent by being silent?

Introduction

Three months ago, I wrote an article entitled sometimes it is best to be quiet. I have not changed my position because there is a time to be quiet but there is also a time to be vocal. I know many of you feel if you become vocal, you will be victimized and furthermore you feel that things will be the same because no changes will take place. The truth is the more we remain quiet and don’t say anything, we are giving consent to the issues that take place. While you may say that it is not giving consent and perhaps it is not your intention to give consent, but your quiet behaviour may be signaling a message of consent. Therefore, I encourage all of us to be more vocal. Being vocal does not necessarily mean you have to be rowdy or rude for you can be vocal and calm simultaneously.

Be more vocal

I experienced something recently from an establishment that I frequent. I called in advance and placed my order. They told me the expected time to come, however, I came 10 minutes later because I wanted to give them more time. Unfortunately, when I arrived, they could not find my order and eventually told me the person lost the paper on which she wrote the order. I think it was very unacceptable and so I reported this incident to the boss. The boss assured me that this will not happen again. I don’t know what the boss did, but I knew he dealt with the issue. You see if I had remained quiet, that employee may not appreciate or understand her unacceptable behaviour and may continue to do so without any conscience. I am quite sure you can think of many other issues on which you did not say anything.

By remaining quiet, we are allowing individuals to get away with “murder” What would you do if you knew the person that committed a crime? Are you going to remain silent, or will you report it?  What if you are aware of someone being abuse? Are you going to remain silent and don’t report it? What if that person dies at the hands of their abuser? How would you feel when you could have made a difference? Now I know we love politics but most of us remain quiet about the issues in our country?  The ironic thing is many of us are vocal on the affairs of other countries but not ours. Most times it is just a few people who are vocal and because these individuals are few in numbers, their opinions are not taken seriously. Therefore, more of us need to be more vocal.

Some of you are being taken advantage of and you remain silent about your situation. Do not let anyone take advantage of you. Be vocal. Some people are very vocal in spreading all kinds of doctrine that are contrary to the word of God, but many Christians have remained quiet. We must be more vocal and speak the truth which is the word of God. Speaking about Christianity why are we not hearing more people being vocal about the private members’ bill that Lord Cashman introduced in the UK House of the Lords that will allow same sex marriages in the Overseas Territories. I don’t believe your silence means consent in this regard but if we remain quiet, the UK may think that our silence may mean consent. Let us be more vocal.

Conclusion

I believe if more people in our country become vocal, we will observe many things taking place for the better. The people who say they cannot do anything will end up finding the ways and means to do something when they are confronted and surrounded by people who are vocal. You have power in your mouth. Use it to stop the injustices, inequalities, mediocrity and disrespect that are taking place.

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