SELF-RELIANCE

MOTIVATIONAL COLUMN BY INAOLAJI OLATUNJI---A REOWNED COACH & SPEAKER

According to Bishop Oyedepo, “life is a personal adventure.” How true this is. Often our own success is dependent on the actions of others, but success is best savoured when it comes because of our very own handiwork. After all, the essence of life for us to think for ourselves, dream for ourselves, believes in what the Bible tells us to believe, and to act for ourselves.

This is why Daniel Cox, the inspirational writer, once wrote what he called “a Declaration of Personal Responsibility.” He said; “I accept full responsibility for both my successes and failures in my life. If I am not what I desire to be at this point, what I am is my compromise. I choose no longer to compromise with my potential”

You need to understand that your success is up to you and to God. Make up your mind not to blame anybody else when things don’t work out. Take full responsibility for your success or failure. God is on your side and He will move on your behalf. You will see your obstacles turning to miracles.

Consider this, however much people may love us and desire to help us, they cannot breathe for us. The truth is, we were born to live our lives independently. God wants us to focus on the things we can do, rather than the focusing on what others can do for us. You must take personal responsibility for your success. You must face challenges with strong determination. Success is a do-it-yourself affair. Don’t blame someone else and don’t blame circumstance, because you are not yet a failure until you blame someone else. It is when you take responsibility for your failures that you receive the power to move beyond those failures. Don’t blame your parents. Don’t blame your husband or wife. Don’t blame your children. Don’t blame the economy. Don’t blame your lecturers. Don’t blame the weather.


Believe that inspite of all these, you will still succeed when you take personal responsibility for your success.

Nobody is permitted to write your examination on your behalf. If that happens, it is fraud. You must write the examination yourself. Moreover, whether you pass or fail, you must take personal responsibility. In all of this, what you should bear in mind is that the indispensable factors in your success formular are God and you. When you have done what you can do, God will do what you cannot do. Try your best first, and then rely entirely on God for success.

Dear reader, recognize the fact that your destiny is in your hands. Life is largely a do-it-yourself affair. The things that are most critical to your success are things that you must do by yourself. Only you can breathe for yourself. You must eat by yourself and you must go to the toilet by yourself. Therefore, you can choose to obey the laws of success and make it big in life. Nevertheless, of course, you can also choose otherwise as many people do. These are the set of people who choose not to do anything. Not to work, not to dream, not to apply for jobs, not to study for their exams, and in fact, they can choose not to wake up at all tomorrow morning. However, whatever you choose, remember, you must take responsibility for it and for its consequences.

It is wrong for us to blame other people or circumstances for our failures because we can still make the best of every bad situation. God has put unique abilities in us, which, when developed attracts success to us.

You may not have all the education you want, you may not get all the support you expect from your parents or your friends. You may even have a job right now, but you can develop your God-given abilities. You can do something with what you have. Train the talent or ability. Develop it to world standard. Don’t give any excuses. There is the goldmine inside you. No one else will dig it out for you. As you make that move, God will move on your behalf and help you succeed.


BUILDING SELF RELIANCE

Author and Pastor, E. W. Kenyon once said; “what you do for yourself counts far more than all that others have done or can do for you.” This is very true. Self-improvement is the key.

Dear reader, you need to put yourself under mental discipline. Set a high mark for yourself. Begging as a means of survival is too cheap. Being an `area boy’ or a prostitute is even cheaper. Put a value on your life. Put a price on your time. Time is one of your most valuable commodities. Time is opportunity. Do something each day that will qualify you for a higher place in life. Let each day leave you better than it met you. Learn something new today. Read a book, and listen to a tape. Put in for a course. Learn some new skills. You must be better this year than you were last year. One day, somebody is going to pay you what you are truly worth.

In case, you think you don’t have anyone to help you today, God wants you to know that there are certain things you can do for yourself. For example, you can decide that you will make it to the top despite all odds. Psalm 27 10 says; “when my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.” You see, your disappointment can become your blessing if you refuse to give up. Our God who is ever so merciful and gracious will never let you down. He will promote you. He will open new doors for you and show you favour.

There are many obstacles on the way of the man who wants to succeed but he must not make them his excuses for failure. He must turn his problems into opportunities, his mistakes into miracles and his stumbling blocks into stepping-stones. What others describe as handicaps are his challenges to greater self-development. Poverty becomes a blessing to him, it teaches him self-reliance, and it fires his ambition, his desire for success. He makes up his mind to move from poverty to prosperity, he works hard, studies long hours and is very determined and persistent. He is internally motivated.



You will succeed in Jesus name