JOHN OGBILE OKPE

In a bid to do the undoable, reach the unreachable, explore the unexplorable and experience the inexperienced, I decided to set an audacious goal. It became one of my new year resolution to slap a soldier this year.

Ok, let me tell you how it all happened. I needed to do something that'll make me have an encounter with a soldier and it has to be something daring, so I decided it's best I wear an army camouflage shirt and move on to the road. So that was how I started wearing the camo and it seemed I was not going to meet military men but alas! My luck came a week later, precisely on a Friday. It was a day where worshippers flocked in their numbers to the RCCG Holy Ghost Night, and as expected there was traffic jam along the Lagos/Ibadan expressway. Ahead were the soldiers on patrol controlling the traffic. And there I sat patiently in the cab I boarded with my camo, ready to face the devil.

I poked my head out the cab and leaned out without fear. In fact, I almost stuck my whole body out of the cab window. Luckily, one of then spotted me.

'Hey you!', he said pointing to me.
'Shut up!', I answered bluntly.
'Ehn, me shut up? You get liver o. Oya come down', he said furiously.

This was my opportunity. I came down and for a second felt blood rushing in my head. He tried to drag me, but I resisted and then with all boldness, vigour and alacrity, my arm swung and my palm collided with his bony face at a high velocity. Heads turned. Eyes rolled. Tongues wagged. Goosebumps covered my body. I was unsure if I was elated or I was scared. "Is this me?"

The man's face transformed in a flash. He looked at me as an Israeli soldier would look at an Iranian soldier stranded in an Israeli camp. He quickly swung his gun to the back and with his two metallic hands, he clapped on my ears twice."Kpoka Kpoka" was what I heard. 'What is your name?', he asked.

'My name is ...'

Before I could answer, I heard "Kpoka Kpoka" again. It was another round of his double slaps (it's actually clapping).

I shouted and I saw his mouth move. He said something but his voice was drowned in the thousands of bells ringing in my head. If that's the way they slap in the barracks, I don't think any soldier should be hearing by now.

'Errr?....', I managed to voice out.

He quickly signalled other men who stumped down there and dragged me into their van.

I was driven to the barracks and dragged like an exceptionally stubborn goat to the guardroom. It is better to step on your father's iPhone X and receive beating than to be dragged under such conditions. After what seemed like hours of dragging, kicking with iron clad boots and flogging with wires, we finally reached the guardroom. On reaching there, I saw a large warehouse with heavy gates like the size of gates that should prevent a nuclear attack from one of the inmates.

They opened the door and I saw what could be described as hungry lions very happy to find prey. I had heard a lot of stories about how stronger prison inmates treat the weaker ones. Oh, my heart sank. Flashes of scenes from Prison Break clouded my mind. I could literally see T-Bag cheering for these hungry lions to pounce on me. More so, I began remembering all the times I said unkind words and how my pastor used to preach seriously against them. I remembered how the pastor used to sweat when preaching about hell fire.

'My friend move!', a soldier said as he generously gave me a resetting slap.

'Blood of Nebuchadnezzar...", I yelled out out in pain. 'Shut up!', he replied. 'Nebuchadnezzar dey fight army man? Abi the guy die for your sins?' he continued. 'Oya move!', he shouted.


I started confessing my sins because the way I saw it, the probability of returning alive is fluctuating from around zero to minus ten percent. Oh, and I forgot to tell you that I was stripped to my boxers. Well, I can tell you that is not the nicest thing especially when you're going to receive some flogging.

Inside the guardroom, I started to pray with more fervency. The odour oozing out is enough to destroy your nasal cavity. As a matter of fact, anybody who stays there for some time gets accustomed to the smell in such a way that you start to obtain nutrients from it. In there was an epic collection of dead rats and lizards most of which were half-rotten. It seems that's what the inmates hunt for leisure. The floor was concrete floored, dirty and muddy. One side of the room was lined with buckets for urinating and defaecating. Here, insects and human beings took turns to torture us.

Suddenly I heard a soldier shouted: 'Number one! Do your work!'. I wondered what work the guy was going to do. Was he going to add to the rat collection?
'Number two!', shouted one of the inmates
'Number three!', said another and another, 'Number four!'

Seriously, is this really happening? Looks like they also crack jokes in the guardroom? If this is how guardrooms are, I wouldn't mind slapping a few more officers, I thought to myself.

The calling of numbers continued till the ninth person. Being the eleventh inmate, I was expecting the tenth inmate to say 'Number eleven' so I can join in the weird joke by saying "number twelve". To my surprise, I received a slap instead. A bloody one. I was still filled with confusion when he ordered me to hang my feet on the wall and stand on my hands. I looked at a soldier and he gave me that kind of look that says, 'Are you not listening?'

I quickly obeyed and the next thing that followed was a spank on my back. It felt like it was done with logs of wood. I screamed as my hands quivered bashing my forehead on the concrete floor. My vision became blurry. I began to hear strange sounds. I saw death smiling and beckoning me. 'Welcome man', he said when I finally recovered. His tone was so friendly that one would never think he was the one torturing me. Another inmate immediately ordered me to hang again. This time, he had a pressing iron on his hands. As he moved closer to me with the hot iron, I ran for my life, but it was useless: the cable of the iron was so long that no matter how far you ran, it would always reach the other end of the cell. I couldn't imagine the iron touching my body, so I fought back, but I was restrained by the other inmates. I cried for the soldiers to help me, but they just stood aside laughing and enjoying the whole show.

Suddenly, the hot iron landed on my back. I screamed so loud and woke up sweating profusely. So it was only a dream? I searched the whole room for the soldiers and the inmates, but couldn't find any one of them. It wasn't until my roommate ran to the room that reality finally dawned on me. Oh, it was only a dream. A bad dream. Thank goodness it was a nightmare.

Guys, don't pull stunts with military men, especially the ones in Nigeria. Trust me when I say those guys are brutal. Lol

#FlashFiction

I managed to drop a slice of fish into the boiling oil. The gas was quite high. I could not see clearly, my right eye was swollen and so the left eye had to do the job; but the poor thing had been working all day. Now it feels sore and itchy as i wiped the small tear that strolled from it. I shook my head many times, but it did not help the matter. I just had to manage. All I had to do with my self was manage, so managing my life was no exception. I am the envy of all. Many ladies pray to have what I have. But they never knew what I was going through. Though he had money and luxury, and so I felt that would comfort me, but I spent the whole money and little time that I had on cosmetics. I used the most expensive ones, but they were never enough. I tried hard to cover the bruises and shame. But, it never covered the pain. I never wanted to live like this. I felt confused. I continued in the hot and quiet kitchen pondering about life, but forgot I had something on fire.

I was already lost in thought but just then, was revived by the smoke coming out of the fish. I tried putting off the gas. But the control was too hot. It burnt my palm: I took it back immediately. The boiling oil was splashing here and there. There was nothing I could do to stop that. As I tried again to put off the gas, power supply went out, as is the custom in this part of the world. Oh, I cried: not now PHCN, wrong timing. The kitchen became dark, but the smoke continued fiercely. It made me confused. I didn’t know what to do. My phone had a flat battery. I couldn’t even see my way out. Whenever i managed to get close to the boiling oil, the splashes will take me back. The smoke was already suffocating me. I could hardly breathe. I started coughing continuously. But I had to put the fire out.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: THE MIDNIGHT VISITOR

I stretched my hand towards the gas control, and managed to put my face aside. But the hot oil splashed on my hand. As I was about taking my hand away, I acccidentally hit the handle of the frying pan and all hell broke loose: the whole hot steamed oil poured all over my legs. I screamed out loud.. It hurt me so much. I cried and shouted, but there was none to console me. I kept rolling on the floor as part of the spilled oil on the floor continued burning me. It was like hell.

If anybody had never been to hell before, I could tell it isn't an amazing place. My home was hell. It was the most excruciating pain I ever felt. The whole of me felt dead. I couldn't tell which part hurts most: my tampered eye, the burns I just received on my legs or the pains Ken had caused me for the past years. Oh! I cried more!

Just when the struggle to get up was not enough, I heard the car horn. Ken was back. It should have felt comforting, right? But no, i knew today was the last day, so I should just say my prayers. He rushed into the kitchen with his flashlight, managed to put off the gas and then opened the blinds and windows. He's going to have a bit of compassion, I hought, but no, i was wrong. He looked at me sternly and just when I was about telling him how it all happened, Ken landed me a blow on my fore- head. I screamed! He gave me another one and told me to keep quiet, but I could not. I couldn’t bare the pains any longer. It was just too much. He got angrier and  kicked me on my stomach. Oh, it hurts so bad. For a minute I prayed for death. I told God I was ready. I told him to just take my life. But God wouldn’t just answer, as Ken continued with blows and slaps. I got up to try to escape. But he caught me: the mean man was clearly stronger than I am. He dragged me by my hair out of the kitchen through the stairs to the veranda. There he gave me another round of beating. Ken was no man, He was a monster. That day I saw a higher dimension of the beast in him. I cried but none could help.

READ ALSO:
> 5 REASONS WHY DATING IS NOT THE SAME AS COURTING
> HAVING A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP

Just when I was waiting for death to come by. Something else awoke me. In the midst of his blows and curses. I felt something warm and moist streaming down from between my legs. As I took a glance at it. I Saw blood! Oh my God! This can't be happening: I had just lost my three weeks pregnancy. Reality had finally dawned on me. I stopped for a second to think. “Where have I lost it?” I thought, “ what happened to my self esteem and sense of belonging?” I said quietly. I refuse to die like this! Something strong grew out of me. I no longer wanted this life. For the past five years I  have been a shadow of myself. I had lost my dignity. But this night, I had to take it back!



Just when Ken raised his hand to throw another blow, I pushed him down with all the strength I had left and snatched the keys to the gate. I ran faster than my legs could take me. I saw him struggle to get up. But before he could, I was out of the gate. I was leaving all of the pains and rejection he had cause me. I was no longer interested in using cosmetics to cover my bruises. I had to start my life afresh.

I will not stop running until I get to my destination. I am a woman not a punching bag. I am strong not a weakling. I am beauty personified. I am going to start my life afreash.

No man can prove love with abuse. Don't remain in an abusive relationship because of what you fear people might say or think. Don't remain in an abusive relationship because you still feel something for your partner. Love and abuse don't go together. Don't remain quiet in an abusive relationship with the hope that they will change later. Speak out!

No to physical abuse
No to molestation
No to sexism


DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Events and incidents are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.


YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: THE MIXTURE

"I wish I don't feel left out, but the truth is I do. I really want to test the waters and see how it goes. This life of following the rules is becoming increasingly boring. I don't think I can continue to miss out on the fun of life any longer. That seems a cross too heavy to bear" - Jemila

"But it's just sexting. I'm not doing it in real practice. I will do it just once and repent later. God is forgiving after all. If Jesus instructed us to forgive our brother 490 times if he seeks forgiveness after each transgression, then surely God Himself is willing to do at least as much" - Nkiruka

"Although this is wrong, I still can't imagine letting this free cash pass me by. It's not like it's an everyday thing, it's just this one night and we are all gone our separate ways. I have read time and time again that God Almighty is slow to anger and quick to forgive. Only yesterday at Church, my pastor reiterated this character about Him" - Tayo

"It's so frustrating to note that as we all long to follow the principles of God, we daily handcuff ourselves unknowingly from the pleasures of life. So, it's okay for Jide to do it, while it's unthinkable for me. I am so tired of this prison" - Chinedu

"If Sister Omosalewa, a former porn star, could receive forgiveness on accepting and confessing Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, and even become the Music Director of our local church, I guess it shouldn't be difficult for me to receive forgiveness too. After all, I only intend to test the waters just once. Body nor be firewood. I am also human with blood running through my veins. I feel emotions too. Surely, God will understand and get over it" - Liberty

Hmm, does any of the scenarios presented above sound familiar?

(If you have never thought about doing something you know is wrong and then repenting later, it's okay if you close this blog at this point. Goodbye and enjoy the rest of what you will miss in the lines ahead. If not, let's ride on)

How many times have we all thought about willfully doing something even though we know beyond a shadow of doubt that it's wrong? How many times have we had the assurance that God will forgive us when we repent from a sin we planned in advance? How many times have we nursed the idea of abusing the grace and love of God?

You will agree with me that the innermost thoughts of many as they journey through the valley and mountain called life has been perfectly captured in the fiction above. We all have been at this juncture at some point in our lives. But then, it's important we take note of a few things as regards this issue.




First of all, we cannot scam, mock or play a fast one on God on the basis of His divine nature of love and forgiveness.

The sooner you take that thought out of your mind, the better. The whole impossible idea of playing a fast one on God is like trying to fill a tank with a basket. When you are aware that something is wrong and you still go ahead to indulge in it, you are not messing with God, you are actually messing with yourself.



"Don't be misled, you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit."  (Galatians 6:7-9)

Fact 1: You know what you want to do.

Fact 2: You certainly know you need to be doing that right now.

Fact 3: You say to yourself: "I will do it tomorrow."

Fact 4: Tomorrow is here. The unexpected happens and you forgot about what you said you will do today.

Fact 5: It's January 2018, it will be February few days from now. Yesterday was 13th September 2015 when you had this idea. It's almost three years down the line and still nothing from you.

The truth is that in as much as you were doing nothing concerning what you want to achieve, you were making a choice, because everyday we make decisions consciously and unconsciously. You must have heard the gist that says that life is about the choices we make, haven't you? My previous post on How To Buy The Future explains in detail.

We have to realize that time is a fixed (or limited) resource. It cannot be increased, it can only be maximised. It's better to start no matter how little, because a year from now the little things will accumulate into 365days worth and you will be glad you started.

Anything worth doing is worth doing badly until you get it right.

Let me tell you a story. Before three months ago, I've always wanted to share my thoughts on a blog. Although it's been my utmost obsession, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. "Where was I to start from?", "What do I know?", "How do I combine it with my studies?", "How much information do I have that makes me think I could be a blogger?" The thoughts were overwhelming. Plus I wanted it to come out perfectly. I wanted it to be topnotch and for that to happen, I had to do 'enough' research. I felt I haven't read enough books. I didn't have enough information to make it happen.

This is the exact same reason many people never do anything in their lives and go to their graves with their potentials and dreams still inside them. The thing is, if you wait until all the conditions are perfect, you may have to wait forever. Stop waiting for a perfect condition, there will never be one.

One striking principle of successful people is that they are action oriented. When the thought comes, they get started and autocorrect on the way.

Every master was once a disaster. You've got to know that your first product cannot be your best. As you grow and develop, your products become better. It is better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly. An ancient proverb says it's better to try and fail than fail to try.

While it's true that it is good to plan, if you take all your time planning, nothing gets done. You can't absorb all the logistics involved in carrying out a project at first try; hence people give room for miscellaneous. Remember, people don't get known for what they intended to do, they are known for what they did.

Apply the corridor principle. It states that you may not see the whole rooms in the corridor, but once you step in, the other rooms become visible.

John Greenleaf Whittier once said, "Of all the sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these: it might have been".

Today is what you've got, please maximize it. Procrastination is expensive. Whenever you notice it creeping into your life, arrest it immediately, the further you wait the worse it becomes. Moreover, you are not growing any younger you know. Few years from now, you will wake up and notice grey hairs growing all over your head, so make wise use of today. Don't wait till the end of your life only to discover you haven't really lived.

Always remember, you don't have to be great to start but you have to start to be great. The best ideas in the world are of no value until they are implemented.

So start now! Don't discount yourself!! The world is waiting to hear your success story!!!


Got any lessons from this? Leave it in the comment below.

Yes, that's right! Bobrisky had a "gateman" called Jacob!
And so?

It is no longer news that we are already into the first week of 2018. I love this time of year because it has proven to be the most productive for many people: gyms are packed, motivational quotes are tacked to office and room walls, and people are constantly talking about their new diet or their new pledge to becoming a better person. But then, it makes me a little sad to know that a few weeks from now, the zeal to follow through with these resolutions might be no where to be found. According to a story by U.S News & World Report in 2015, about 80 percent of people give up their new year goals by February.

As January drifts further into the rearview mirror, it can be easy to settle into old habits and forget about the resolutions and goals established at the turn of the calendar. Below are some steps you should take in order to increase your chances of achieving your goals.


1. Write Down Your Goals

Take time to write down carefully what you want to accomplish with your life. I have found out that writing down one's goals makes one more decisive. The fifteen minutes you invest in making a Daily Schedule will be multiplied 100-fold before the end of the month. Visualization of a goal builds remarkable confidence. Planners can predict their success. The secret of uncommon achievers is linking tasks to their calendar.

"And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it," (Habakkuk 2:2)

I already handled this area of goal setting  alongside other equally important areas in my previous post. Please read more here>>> HOW TO PLAN 2018 TO BE YOUR BEST YEAR YET


2. Break Down Your Goals Into Smaller Achievable Units

It's alright to have big goals on the horizon, but you will never get there if you can't break it down into actionable steps. Goals that are way too ambitious are destined to fail. It's best to start small.

You see, when a goal isn't trackable on a daily basis, it becomes exponentially more difficult to feel as though you're moving in the right direction... And as humans, unless we feel like we're making progress, we tend to give up on our pursuit.

Ask yourself, "If my massive goal is to make ten thousand sales this month, what do I need to get done this week in order to move myself in that direction?"


People often ask me how I manage to read one non-academic book per week, especially being a final year Mechanical Engineering student.

I simply reply: "First, I didn't just start reading a book per week in my final year, this is something I had been struggling so hard to do since my second year, but it wasn't until my fourth year that I achieved it. Second, it didn't happen because I love reading: many people genuinely love reading, but it's a little difficult for them to read through an entire book. Most stop halfway because good intentions are not always enough. It was possible because I discovered a method which is to break bigger goals into smaller unit. What I simply do is to calculate the number of pages in a book (most of the books I read for now usually don't exceed 350 pages), then I divide it by seven, which is the number of days in a week. The result I arrive at is the daily portion I read per day."

It's a very simple principle, break the mountains obscuring you into rocks, break the rocks into bricks of stone and you would soon get rid of it.

Unfortunately, most people set big, overarching, difficult-to-measure goals for themselves because they're in love with the idea of the end pursuit. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if that strategy didn't plan out very well for you in 2017, then it's probably not going to fair much better in 2018.

Henceforth, I challenge you to only set goals you can accomplish within 7 days. If you can't accomplish it in 7 days, the goal is too big.


3. Be Intentionally

When it has to do with achieving your goals, good intentions aren't enough. It takes more than just a numbered list to plant a goal and really have the emotional wherewithal to achieve it. That is why you've also got to be intentionally.

Being intentional is a deliberate action step, in the now to be committed to your goals. On the other hand, good intentions don't last, they are about unfulfilled longing, and they are passive. That is why staying on course and achieving one's goals requires one to also live intentionally.

READ MORE HERE: HOLIDAY IS OVER; GET STARTED!


4. Know Exactly the "Why" for Setting the Goal

Most people think goal setting is some routine or ritual that one has to carry out every new year. If you think that way, you are very likely not to achieve the goals you have set for yourself. If you can't tell the reason why you want to achieve a particular goal, it is only a matter of time before you lose motivation and enthusiasm to carry on with your plans.

For instance, if your goal is to lose some weight, say 20kg, but without an understanding of why you have the extra 20kg, or a big enough motivation to lose it, it's easy to let the extra calories slide, or skip that extra gym session. When you realize that the 20kg is a lot to carry around, that it represents a safety barrier for you from love and relationships, that when you lose it, you feel better, look better and your love life improves - then you can be motivated to stick to the diet and exercise.


5. Be Focused and Discipline

Be clear about what you want to accomplish. Vague goals can also fail. Rather than saying you want to make money this year, it's better to pinpoint exactly how much money you want to make, like one million naira in two months, as an example. Have a focus.

Also, you need to be disciplined. Staying on course and achieving one's goals requires a lot of discipline. Discipline is sticking to the plans you have put in place to achieve your goals whether you feel like it or not. Don't wait to feel right. Just do it!


6. Be Accountable

It is very possible to derail or totally abandon our goals. Hence, we need to have accountability partner(s). I found out early in my own life that I am more productive when I make myself accountable to others. I know this is not an easy thing for most people to do, especially in our today's world where everyone is claiming "their-own-space." But it is a necessary requirement in reaching our goals.

Accountability partner(s) hold you accountable to your goals. They are the ones you report your progress to, and who spur you to continue in achieving more.

They are responsible for helping you achieve almost all (if not all) of your goals, instead of stopping halfway, and feeling like you have done enough.

They help you get rid of excuses. They help you think of alternative solutions, in case you hit a snag. They go further to help you by exposing you to their network of friends and associates. And they join you in celebrating your successes, little or big.

You may be good, you may even be better than everyone else, but you will never be as good as you can be without being accountable to someone. We reach our potentials and goals faster when we have someone watching our back.

So, as you set your goals for the year, it's important to find a person or persons as your accountability partners. Sometimes,  you may not have the inner strength to move, you may just need that extra push from someone outside of you.


7. Be Willing to Restart

You may not be able to achieve a goal at first go. Don't feel bad about it. Accept the failure, see it as an opportunity to learn and simply restart. Things often turn around for better after no more than three or four times. Don't give up! Try again!!

Let me get straight to the point.
(sorry if it's a rough way to start, but I'd like to emphasize strongly the urgency and the need to get started with your 2018 goals)

"Holiday is over!"

I hate to do this, but permit me to spoil your mood a little bit further.

Whether you are resuming work, school, or training tomorrow or next week, the truth is exactly what is written above.

Everything continues from where you stopped, and what will determine if you enjoy a head start, reach your goals and become a better person this year are not just the plans you have made and tacked up on the wall, but also how serious you are about getting started and putting these plans to work.

On December 19th 2012, Jelili said he was waiting for the New Year before he gets started with his dream of becoming a movie script writer. He was serious about what he wanted, he even went as far as writing them down, but Jelili lacked the will power to enforce his desires. It's been over five years since he made those comments, and as at the time of writing this post, Jelili is yet to get started. Goals, plans and dreams die when they are left unattended to.

I remember someone saying this to me fifteen days to the end of 2016 in response to our conversation on getting started: "Oh c'mon John, I promise to put all my dieting plans to work. I'm just waiting for the New Year to get started." It will shocked you to learn that she still weighed something around 90kg all through 2017. I can only hope that she gets started this time around.

I think there's a widespread misconception about a New Year. We think the first few days in a new year are some sort of a super day that automatically changes and makes things work out, and as a result we put off all of our plans till then. But it doesn't work that way! You see, the first few days in a new year are just like every other normal day. The only thing that makes it different is the frenzy surrounding it. Whatever you can change, change it now, don't put if off any longer.

It's important to note that things will not automatically change because it's a new year, things will change because you do something about them. In the same vein, time doesn't change things, it is what you do with time that changes things. Likewise, intolerance of your present will not automatically create your future if it is not merged with action.


Don't only move decisively towards the goals and plans you have set. That's just the start but it doesn't end there, be sure to also apply corresponding action. Everything boils down to ACTION!

You really shouldn't be content with "managing" a bad situation or maintaining 'Status Quo' anymore in 2018. Stretch yourself.

Don't manage that bad job for another year, determine to change it. Don't manage that degree for another year, you know you need an upgrade, get it!

Don't be scared to start that business, refuse to be mediocre, stop waiting for handouts, learn that all important skill.

Do whatever it takes to get out of your comfort zone. Don't manage a bad situation this year, get out of it!

Be dissatisfied with mediocrity!
Be dissatisfied with wishful thinking!
Be dissatisfied with plans without action!!!

Today is the first day in the year 2018, and you have already started creating your future today. You will never leave where you are only because you decide so, you will leave where you are only when your desires translates to work. The moment you move from decision making to decision managing is the moment your world will change.



Holiday is over, it's time to get started with your 2018 goals. Go buddy! Get to work!!

It's barely three days to the start of 2018, and though it may be difficult to imagine, we can't deny the glaring fact that another year is in the books. Thankfully, the start of a new year, also represents the opportunity for us to make 2018 the best year yet.

In January, a lot of us set up resolutions for 2017. Where are they right now?
Fulfilled? In Progress? Or totally forgotten?

It's quite easy to dump our resolutions along the first three months of the year if we don't have a clear plan for how to make them come to fulfillment.

You can't just say you want to imbibe the culture of saving if you don't have a clear plan of how to save and make it count. You may end up keeping money aside for when temptation arises rather than for the purpose you intended it.

You need a plan, thoroughly thought through. And that's why I want to advise you not to wait till January before making your plans. My mentor says ten months make a year. Successful people take stock of what has happened in their year in the eleventh month, and plan for the next year in the final month. So that by January, whilst others are waking up to plans, you are already setting yours in motion.

READ ALSO
REINVENT YOURSELF
LESSONS FROM EBUKA'S AGBADA

If you hope to rise above and beyond your goals for the new year and make your 2018 the best year yet, some preparation is needed. These preparations are summarized below.

1. Review Your Last Year

It is important that you review the activities of the last year before moving to the next calendar year. Review your successes. Write them all down. Also, review the goals you didn't reach. Be honest with yourself about why you didn't reach those goals. It's is rewarding to examine what really went wrong, why and most importantly how to improve and move forward.


Taking what you've learnt in 2017 can help you in not only setting goals, but in also reaching those goals in 2018.

2. Set Goals for the New Year

This is perhaps one of the most discussed topics in the area of personal development, so I'm not gonna bore you with the same stuffs you already know. Since you are already aware of the importance of identifying and putting your goals in writing, it's time to do it for the new year, which is just around the corner.


Please note that it's absolutely okay if some of the goals you couldn't achieve make it to your list of goals in the current year. You also want to include new goals based on your experiences from the current year, or changes in your personal and career or professional life.

READ ALSO
MY CHILDHOOD CHRISTMAS MEMORIES
NOODLES PALAVA


3. Deploy "The 10 Goal Method"

This involves taking a sheet of paper and writing your 2018 goals along with the current dates across the top. You write down ten goals that you want to achieve in the next twelve months, as if you have no limitations. Use the guide below to achieve that:

- Write down your goals in the present tense as if you have achieved them. It is a special way of programming your subconscious mind to work 24hrs a day to make the goals come through.

For instance, rather than write: "I want to earn X amounts of dollars a year", write down: "I earn X amounts of dollars a year."

Always write it down as though you have achieved it.

- Write down your goals in the positive sense. For instance, rather than write: "I want to quit drinking", write down: "I am a non-drinker".

- Write in the personal sense. Each of your goals should begin with the word "I". This tells your subconscious mind that the command is coming from the home office, I mean from the headquarters. It can then better register and act on your goal.


When you set goals in the present tense, and in the positive and personal sense, it energizes your brain in helping you to achieve those goals faster and even automatically.

4. Prioritize a Single Goal

Ask yourself, what goal on that list of ten above that if achieved within 24hours will have the greatest positive impact on your life. Give it some thought, and when you arrive at an answer, circle off that goal. This specific goal then becomes your major. definite purpose. It also becomes your primary goal and your most important focal point in life.

READ ALSO
THE MIXTURE
THE MIDNIGHT VISITOR

5. Make a Plan

- Transfer this primary goal to a clean sheet of paper.

- Attach a deadline to that goal faced like the goal itself. For instance, "I achieve this goal by this day".

- Identify the challenges you will face in achieving that goal.


- Know the skills you will need and the people who can help you to achieve the goal. Write them down.

- Organize this list in the form of plans. What do you do first, second and third.

6. Take Action Immediately

It's not just about "goal-setting", it's also about "goal-doing". Spend enough time on your goals. Instead of focusing on the end result, begin to track how much time you spend on your goal daily. Take action immediately, even if the action isn't significant. Take the first step.

The key to life is to decide what you want, make a list of the steps necessary and take the first step. You can always see the first step, and when you take the first step, you will see the second step, and when you take the second step, you will see the third step, and you can accomplish extraordinary things with this method.


Using these strategies will put you in a good place to achieve your goals and have the kind of year that you both desire and deserve.


Before I come to the conclusion of this post, I want to prescribe a personal retreat for you before the new year. Find time, a day or two, to reflect, and foreshadow.
Start working on your goals immediately. Don't wait till tomorrow, don't wait till an hour, do something now.

What worked this year? What didn't? What should happen next year? What shouldn't? How do you make things happen?

Work through it, and come to a conclusive end, and you will see how your 2018 will turn out to be.

December is not only for Hangouts, and Christmas celebrations. You can equally use it to get ready for an explosive year.

Remember, if you want to change your future, take action and take action now!


READ ALSO
THE POWER OF MENTORSHIP
JACK OF ALL TRADE, MASTER OF NONE

Back then, the chilly and dusty harmattan wind that blew up every kind of particle on the dusty ground of Oluyinka Dada Street, U-Turn, Lagos was a sign of good things to come. Then, the only thing on my mind was the Christmas clothes and toys. Those items that made me feel on top of the world! It didn’t matter if it was a rubber shoe or a plastic radio. Like every other kid in the neighborhood, I just wanted to “make Iyanga” marching through the brown earth.

There were no excuses of recession – if there’s one, I never knew– Christmas clothes must be ready! I cannot come-and-go and carry last in the presence of Ify, Frank, Chiazor and the other kids. Lai lai! (Never!)

READ ALSO: WHAT TO DO DURING THE PERIOD OF COURTSHIP

It was a time of eating unabated. Time to “drag” the chicken intestines; it was the only part we were allowed to eat before the other parts were served. We had to go through the rigours of cleaning it up ourselves. Afterwards, we threw it into the pot to boil with the other parts. When it was ready, we'd run to a corner of the house and sentence the chicken’s intestines to everlasting judgment in nature’s warmer.

The memories of how mother killed a bird which will later jerk back to life is still very fresh in my memory. It's just like it happened yesterday. I have never seen a scene like that before or after that time. It happened on the eve of Christmas, in the evening around past 4.00pm. We were all gathered in the kitchen when it happened. We witnessed as mother's knife cut deep into the bird's neck. There's no questioning that. We saw blood gush out from it's neck and also witnessed an end to it's long resistance as it lay lifeless on the big bowl. But something happened! As soon as mother poured the hot water (which had been boiling minutes before the bird met with the knife) on the seemingly lifeless bird, it jerked back to life and sprinted a little round the kitchen before mother caught up with it and a more proper and final job was done. It was quite an emotional moment. I still remember and imagine that scene up till this day whenever I witness the killing of a bird.

Before the day, I and my friends will plan the houses to visit and the shortest routes to them to “dash” us money! Those were the times I became a geographer, giving the direction to every house; a time manager, allotting the amount of time to stay in a particular place; an accountant, sharing the “dashed money” with other kids; a good child, because I obeyed the GOLDEN RULE from MAMA: “Thank you ma, we have eaten” even though it was sometimes disobeyed due to the worms running marathon in my stomach; embarked on another Great Trek, with the kilometers covered (even the Great Trek is a played-down comparism to my Christmas visitation).

READ ALSO: HOW TO BUY THE FUTURE

“Seek ye first the money and other gifts will follow” that was the code engraved in our hearts then. Once the crisp naira notes were handed to us, it didn’t matter what came next. The owner of the house will forever have his name starched in our hearts when he hands over glittering wads of mint to us. Mr. Dada the Mortician was our best friend: aside handing us the much desired naira notes, he'd also treat us to a very nice meal.

Those were the ones that knew WASSUP. Blessed are they because even Christ, the reason de’tairre for the season, said that it is not good to throw the children’s meat to the dogs!

Abi nor be so Bros J talk am? Lol


We didn't know Santa. Santa was for folks staying in the rich neighborhood. What we knew was "Father Christmas"....

... But "Father Christmas" was not so generous. He would come to our schools to give gifts to only those who payed for those gifts. Lol

So the money we gathered up from neighbors came in handy. We used part of the money to buy 'knockout' and others to gamble for balloon (we always eyed the biggest one, but I don't know why no one ever wins it. If you know, help a brother, biko!)

READ ALSO: BUSINESS LESSONS FROM #ON2017 & #Baad2017

Of course, there were those who just didn’t show that it was time for the season. They wore long faces looking like a Yoruba masquerade known as EGUNGUN! Even when they faked happiness when we say welcome at the door. Once they told us “E PADA WA NI ODUN TUNTUN” (COME IN NEW YEAR), we knew that our village people have succeeded!

That New Year ran like a snail and when it came, it only ended in locked doors with statements that touch the heart like: "I have done Christmas for everybody with the money I had, why didn’t you come then?"

Las las, if-you-too-argue, they'd tell us: “You guys should come during Easter!” But thunder was rare then, we didn't know much about it, unlike now. We would have sent one from the Head Bridge to do the needful. Hehehe

Watching the older males in their baggy jeans and boots, and the females regaled in their flowing dress sharing "Christmas Rice" from door-to-door capped the beauty of the Christmas season. More so, the ever-melodious sounds from Tony Tetuila and Olu Maintain (Hip Hop Kings of those days), accompanied by the rhythmic dancing steps (which are now old school) and the dust it generated, were all testament to the season.

Oh, how can I forget how Ode almost got drowned and swept away by the raging waters of Kuramo beach. How lucky is Mr. Okey? Oh, very lucky! Had the boy drowned that day, the kind hearted and clear conscience man would have been accused of taking the young boy to the beach for rituals. Typical African conclusion!

As I sat, scribbling this piece, I can only reaffirm the biblical assertion that “there is time for everything!

Even though my mum is still “keeping” some of the money I made then, as per bank CEO, and wouldn't return it till Jesus comes, Christmas as a child was fun filled. I don’t know about you!


READ ALSO: JACK OF ALL TRADE, MASTER OF NONE

As a little boy I loved NOODLES. Well, we all loved noodles... My favourite brand was INDOMIE. I loved slopping up long strands of noodle into my mouth. I loved the way it felt.

I wasn't born with a silver spoon. We didn't always have the luxury of eating noodles in my house at all times. As such, whenever mom came back home with a cartoon full of noodles, I would be extremely excited.

READ ALSO: LESSONS FROM EBUKA'S AGBADA

Then one day something happened that killed that excitement. Mom was particular about the number of packs we were supposed to prepare so as not to waste "her noodles".

(Yes exactly, "her noodles". Mums believe that everything in the kitchen belongs to them. Lol)

She would allocate two medium size packs to me and three medium packs to my three big sisters.

"Mummy! Abeg you fit add me two extra packs to this one?" I wailed into her ears in pidgin English.

(We were not really the sophisticated type, so we communicated mostly in Pidgin English or Yoruba)

"No, the two don do you. You nor go fit finish three or four", she replied sternly.

"I go fit o! Abeg add me two more now", I broke into a fake cry just to manipulate her to give me those extra packs, being the renowned Olojukokoro (Oliver Twist) of the house back then.

READ ALSO: HAVING A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP

Yes! It worked. She added the extra packs of noodles to the one's I already had, making it four packs in total. Boy! I was excited. Parts of the benefits of being the last child; you get to always have your way anytime, anyway and any day you want.

I turned on the stove and started to cook. In minutes the noodles was ready for munching.

When I brought the pot down and saw how big the noodles was, I became scared. Oh boy, I was damn scared!

Why was I scared?

Because I had had a deal with mom. Prior to giving me the two extra packs, she had warned that if I couldn't finish it, then she would give me 12 sound strokes of her KOBOKO. Typical African mom; they hate wasting resources.

READ ALSO: REDEFINING RELATIONSHIP

So, there was mom sitting calmly with her KOBOKO by the side waiting for me.

Here was I looking at the pot of noodles and coming to terms with the fact that I won't be able to finish it just like mother had predicted.

Slash! Warp! The KOBOKO landed on my back, accompanied by a left hand slap. Oh, I learnt my lesson that day.

The rest is history.

MORAL
It is WISDOM, when you learn to control your impulse. Acting out of impulse or excitement is FOOLISH. Spend time analyzing and evaluating a decision before you step out on it.

Understand the end from the beginning. Have a plan B, C, D through to Z.

Acting based on impulse will block your mind from seeing what could go wrong. And once you can't see this, you can't prepare a contingence plan.

Always look and count the cost before you LEAP.


READ ALSO: BUSINESS LESSONS FROM #ON2017 & #Baad2017