Category: Success Unplugged

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How to Maximize your Imagination for Optimal Success

maximize your imagination

One of the greatest gifts of God to mankind is the gift of imagination. Imagination simply means forming an image about a particular thing in your mind. It is painting mental pictures about something. Imagination has with it the power or force that can transform such mental pictures or images into reality. The level of success you will enjoy in life is determined by how well you harness and maximize your imagination. In this post, I am going to explain the power of imagination, and how to maximize your imagination for optimal success.

Our imagination is an audacious asset in achieving optimal Success. Hence, we cannot underestimate its great power. Even God himself, confirms the audacity of imagination.

… And now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined, (Genesis 11:6).

What do you imagine about your life? What picture do you paint about that business, project, contract, relationship, or life circumstance? Is it a picture of conquest or defeat; success or failure? You must understand that the power of imagination can drive you to succeed or fail in life depending on the image you paint in your mind. Moreover, when a man has a positive imagination, he has everything it takes to achieve in life. Imagination helps you see vividly your success before it happens. It helps you to demystify challenging issues of life. Imagination consists of hope, optimism, and enthusiasm. And these three elements work together to turn your all dreams into reality.



He did see it, that’s why it’s here – Lillian Walt.

A man once imagined and conceived a project in his mind. Along the line, he died and could not see to the completion of the project but his legacy lived on. However, exactly five years after his demise that project was completed, and at the dedication ceremony on October 1, 1971 someone remarked, “Isn’t it a shame that Walt didn’t live to see this”. “He did see it, that’s why it’s here” the wife replied. She told him that her husband had already seen the completion of the project right from the day he imagined it. He saw it vividly because he had formed the image and painted the picture in his mind. That project is Disney World; it is still a monumental testimony to the power of imagination.

A fulfilled and rewarding life is a function of imagination. Through the power of your imagination, you can transform circumstances, and turn your dreams into realities. Despite the challenges of life it is still possible to imagine plenty in the midst of famine, conquest in adversity, and optimal success in life when defeat is imminent. But it all boils down to how well you can engage and maximize your imagination.



How to Maximize Your Imagination

Maximizing your imagination is all about increasing the wavelength of your imagination. This entails stretching and maximally engaging your vision for a life of optimal success and fulfillment. It would help if you increased the wavelength of your imagination. One thing about imagination is that it comes with a sense of urgency. It comes with a can-do attitude. Once the image is formed and impressed in our mind, there is this feeling that we can turn these images into realities.

Power of Imagination

Possibly, you might want to ask; why are some people defeated in the battle of life? Or why do some people fail in life even with the power of imagination? Whatever we do we must understand that there is positive and also negative imagination. And that failure is a creation of negative imagination. Negative imagination is a creation of any mind manipulated by fear, and doubt. With such negative imagination the person sees nothing else but failure and defeat in life. All they see is the doomsday ahead of them.

A young man once told us that he doesn’t think he can pass a JavaScript test. Why does he think so? He has imagined a failure in his mind. We tried to persuade him not to quit, and that he can do it which he did. In the end, he was not successful. Why was he not successful? His mind was riddled with fear and doubt. Such is the power of our imagination. It functions like a camera the image we capture in our imagination is what we will print in real life. We cannot capture failure and print out success. If we capture failure in our imagination we will print out failure in real life. However, to avoid failure and secure our conquest over challenges we must deal with every negative imagination.

The Key to Optimal Success

… Casting down imaginations... (2 Corinthians 10: 5).

In any space you find yourself, arm yourself with positive imagination. It is the key to optimal success. You must therefore do everything within your power to cast down every negative imagination because it breeds failure in life. You must always imagine yourself succeeding in the midst of circumstances and challenges of life. No matter what always imagine conquest, success, breakthrough, and possibilities. And it doesn’t matter the impossible outlook of your challenges. Imagine yourself doing the impossible. Positive imagination breeds ideas, creativity, innovation, insight, vision, and originality which are all qualities you need for a life of optimal success and fulfillment. We must understand that our imagination carries with it the power to turn all our dreams into reality.



You can Achieve More.

In the words of Walt Disney, “If you can dream it, you can do it”. Finally, you can succeed and achieve greatness in life if you can maximize your imagination. What do you dream or imagine? The truth is that you can turn it into reality such is the power of imagination. The point is that we can do more, achieve more, and succeed more if only we can increase the wavelength of our imagination. Stretch your imagination beyond limits. Whatever you want to achieve is possible. Just imagine it no matter the prevalent challenges. If you can imagine it you can become it. GOODLUCK.

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Self-Awareness: Why it is Good for Success.

self-awareness

Self-awareness is a sterling quality every leader and success enthusiast must acquire in their gusto stride to greatness. Whether it is a private or multinational organizational setting, self-awareness is uniquely important for success. It is an attitude every leader or organization must crave for. The beauty of self-awareness is that it affords individuals to learn so many details about themselves, including their strengths, weaknesses, limitations, skills, values, and sense of judgment. It validates every commitment we make to succeed.

Understanding Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is a conscious understanding of one’s own character, feelings, motives, and desires. An organizational psychologist Tasha Eurich classified self-awareness into two, namely internal self-awareness which borders on one clearly seeing their own thoughts and feelings. And the second is external self-awareness which is clearly seeing how others see us. In general, it affects how individuals behave concerning how they interact with other people.

Self-awareness has a massive impact on the quest for success. This is because self-aware individuals are more likely to be high performing to set and achieve crucial goals, minimize cost, and mitigate loss. Self-aware individuals are constantly seeking ways to improve their skills. They can improve a variety of skills that are crucial to maximize the efforts of others. Essential skills like listening, communicating, decision-making, Conflict-management, and accepting and giving feedback are maximized through self-awareness.

One crucial element of self-awareness is paying attention to the emotions of an individual and that of others. In other words, it is more or less an extension of emotional intelligence (EQ). According to Daniel Coleman it is one of the five elements of emotional intelligence (EQ); whereas, EQ is the ability to identify and manage one’s emotions, as well as identify and influence the emotion of others. And this is good for success. I hope to discuss EQ in one of my posts in the nearest future. So watch out for it. Hence, self-awareness is a success essential as it promotes high performance and capacity building.

Moreover, by seeking to understand the impact of their emotions and actions on others individuals set up and maintain a working environment devoid of emotional glitches. Such an atmosphere encourages a win-win spirit, where every party is happy and satisfied with the outcome. Success thrives most under such an atmosphere.

How to Become Self-Aware

One truth you must understand is that becoming self-aware is a real-life process that requires commitment, time, persistence, doggedness, and humility. These four basic steps can help you in your quest to become self-aware.

Mindfulness

Becoming self-aware begins with you being mindful of yourself. The term mindfulness refers to focusing on one’s awareness of the present moment while being mindful of events around them. It is trying to understand how your experiences in life can influence your thinking and actions. Through mindfulness, you can leverage your thought process and actions to succeed in any given endeavor.

Broaden your Knowledge

You must broaden your knowledge if you want to become self-aware. In cultivating self-awareness you must thoroughly educate yourself through formal and informal methods. Seek resources that deal with the concept of self-awareness. For instance, consider drawing upon a growing body of information about mindfulness, and other branches of knowledge on self-awareness.

Solicit Feedback

You can also improve your self-awareness level by soliciting feedback. Studies have shown that effective and successful individuals seek feedback from a variety of persons including peers, bosses, employees, and customers. Feedback gives you a vivid picture of how you feel and think about yourself, as against how others see, think, or feel about you. Soliciting feedback exposes the individual’s vulnerability and the stack reality of the need for improvement.

Conduct Formal Assessment

One way to cultivate self-awareness is to conduct periodic assessments of your personality and style. This is a critical part of the process. Always conduct a formal check on your progress from time to time. This is where feedback comes in. Ask yourself how people see or feel about your personality and style. Is it okay? Then if it is okay consolidate them. These are your strength; you must capitalize on them in cultivating self-awareness. In the same vein ask yourself what are the negative feelers about your personality and style. These are your weaknesses which you must commit every effort to improve. In general, conducting formal assessments helps a great deal in cultivating self-awareness.

In all, self-awareness is imperative to succeeding in life, and it requires time, commitment, persistence, doggedness, and humility to cultivate it. You must acquire it if want to keep a date with success and greatness in life.

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Originality Mentality: Panacea to Identity Crisis

originality mentality

Originality mentality is the right answer to the identity question. It is the panacea to identity crisis. The truth about life is that each and every one of us has peculiarities. It might interest you to know that just as the fingerprints and hair strands are peculiar to us. We have potentials and abilities that are unique to us. Hence, no matter how identical a set of twins may look they still differ from each other. These peculiar endowments that are unique to them distinguish one from the other. There might be a striking resemblance between the two things but organically they differ from each other. This organic difference makes us differ from one another by reason our potential is originality. Originality is the quality of being completely new and different from anything that anyone has thought of before.

There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars. For one star differs from another in glory (1Corinthians 15: 41)

Originality is all about identifying your innate peculiarities. It can be leveraged to success when you consolidate these peculiarities. It also entails defining your identity and being true to who you are. The term originality is all about sticking to your guns. It is the inevitable end; the final destination of the journey of self-discovery is originality. That is to say that the journey to self-discovery culminates in originality the very moment one defines one’s identity. Your own unique way, style, or method of doing things that are only peculiar to you, is originality.

Originality Mentality Means Being Unique

In Summary, it means to be unique. It is being original in your chosen field. Originality mentality remains a critical option in solving the jigsaw puzzle of our identity. We must therefore consolidate our peculiarities, potentials, or abilities. It is these peculiarities that will form our identity. Hence, originality shapes your values, beliefs, and personality, as well as defines your identity.

I decided long ago
never to walk in anyone’s shadow.
If I fail, if I succeed
At least I lived as I believed.
No matter what they take from me.
They can’t take away my destiny.

These are the lyrics from Whitney Houston’s song – the greatest love of all. These lyrics to a very large extent truly capture the essence of the concept of originality mentality. The good side of originality is that it makes you stand out from the crowd. Originality is akin to carving a niche of your own.  It has a way of standing you out from others who may equally be exceptional in such a niche. The only difference then will be your style which is different from there’s.

Originality mentality has helped me a great deal in my adventure as a writer. Basically, I might write the same topic as others but my unique style of writing makes the difference. Hence my originality has paid off dearly as I have been able to impact and add value to my readers. There are testimonials to attest to that.

Originality Mentality Vs Copycat Mentality

Another important aspect of the originality mentality is that it is a panacea to the copycat mentality. This mentality is a very dangerous and worrisome trend among the majority of people. There are so many ‘want to bees’ that fantasize about how to become like one role model. This is awesome, but while fantasizing you can explore your own peculiarities. There are potentials and talents which are so unique to you from that of your role model. And this is what will make you stand out from such a person. The copycat mentality is akin to hiding in another man’s shadow. Consequently, hiding in another man’s shadow makes it impossible for you to define your identity.

The world is in dire need of novel and innovative ideas to solve its numerous problems. Obviously, the world would be a better place if you can unleash your talents and freely express your potential unhindered. So you must do everything possible to bring to bear those peculiar endowments that providence has bestowed on you. Try not to live another’s man dream, instead tailor your dreams according to those peculiar potentials of yours. Then, pursue them vigorously. Don’t live in another man’s world instead create your own world to your own taste, with your potential. That is the originality mentality.

Copycat Mentality Breeds Counterfeit

It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation – Herman Melville

On the contrary, if you are still bedeviled by this copycat mentality you are a counterfeit. Hence, if you are hiding under someone’s shadow, then you are a counterfeit of such a person. When it is not original it will certainly be counterfeit. And counterfeit is a bane to success. So if you want to succeed imbibe the originality mentality. In addition, Originality boosts your self-esteem and enforces your dignity. Hence your dignity is under threat if you are still hiding in another man’s shadow.

No one ever made a difference by being like everyone else – P.T. Barnum.

Never do a thing just because others are doing it. Don’t join the bandwagon. Always have a reason for doing the things you do. And let originality be the motivation behind every of your action. Always dare to be different. Break the norm if need be. You must endeavor to create your own signature. Do everything to consolidate your peculiarities. It is your leverage to your success. That is the originality mentality, and it is a plus to success.

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The Identity Question

self-awareness

The identity question is crucial to success and fulfillment in life. It becomes a crisis when one’s personality is shrouded in uncertainty. And this personality crisis undermines success. It is a bane to success as it is one of the banana peels on the conquestlane to greatness. An identity crisis is a serious threat to success. It can lead to failure and unfulfillment in life. It refers to a state in which one experiences uncertainty about who he or she really is and their proper role in life.

An identity crisis is akin to identity confusion, a situation where one lives in the confusion of their character, goals, and or origins. An identity crisis arises when one is trapped between who they really is and who they want to be. We must conquer the identity crisis. It is one of the conquests we must make to have a fulfilling and rewarding life.

A Typical Example

A young man was always fantasizing about being like one of his role models. He did everything to conform to the identity of his role model. He changed the way he speaks, the way he dresses, his mannerisms, and his values to those of this public figure. Then one day, his father, who had been observing him with much disdain, called him and asked him who he was. The father further asked him, ‘’are you this personality that you want to be like?’’ The young man answered no. His father asked him again, “Who are you then?”. The young man answered his father, “I am Tony, your son”. At this point, the father looked straight into his son’s eyes and said to him, “If you are really my son, then be true to who you are. Be proud of your identity”.

This is a typical and isolated case of the majority who are plagued by identity crises. It is very common these days, especially among our youth. Nowadays, you see people perm their hair, grow dreadlocks, and sag their pants. They change their names and even their values. Because they want to be like public figures. It is not bad, but do those lifestyles befit your personality? It becomes an identity crisis if it is not on par with your personality. Therefore, an identity crisis arises from the conflict or clash of these values or beliefs with our own personality.

An identity crisis precipitates due to our inability to define our own identity. The truth is that each and every one of us has peculiarities. These unique endowments are what distinguish us from one another. These peculiarities help define our values, beliefs, personality, and hence our identity. The good news is that, like young Tony, you can overcome an identity crisis. However, you must come out from hiding in another man’s shadow. You must face the ‘mirror of reality’. The ‘mirror of reality’ shows you just the way you are. It exposes all the grey areas of your life. It helps you identify your strength of character, your potential, and your capabilities.

Exploring the Unfamiliar Path

Sometimes, in trying to define our identity, we have to explore unfamiliar paths. Most of these paths lead to the distortion and disorientation of our belief and value system. They leave us more confused than we were trying to define our identity. Thus, defining your identity promotes success, while, on the contrary identity crisis undermines success. Identity crisis in all its ramifications, social, psychological, and mental, is very harmful and unhealthy to success. It creates a disconnection from the mainstream or the threshold of success. As I said earlier, the identity question is crucial to success.

The value of identity of course is that so often with it comes purpose – Richard R. Grant

The danger of an identity crisis is that, in the middle of the confusion that ensued, there is no purpose. No one succeeds without being purposeful. It is the consistency of purpose that drives you to success. Hence, you must have a purpose for you to be successful in life. Purpose drives you along the conquest lane and gives you access to the realm of success. On the contrary, a lack of purpose in life is a product of an identity crisis. This results in low self-worth, low self-esteem, an inferiority complex and so on, and these are detrimental to success.

Your identity and your success go hand in hand. Many people sacrifice their identities by not doing what they really want to do. And that’s why they’re not successful. – Lila Swell.

Lila Swell’s quote says it all. You can never succeed when you are not doing what you really want to do. That amounts to an identity crisis. It is inimical to success. It undermines success. Therefore, you must define your identity now to be successful. You must answer the identity question if you want to succeed in life