"For man, as a specie, and unlike other inhabitants of the globe, does not just ravage mindlessly the planet of its bounties in order to survive. He endeavours to leave behind legacies of the application of his mind."
-Rasheed A. Gbadamosi
I turned 40 few months ago, and if statistics are right and I die on or around my 80th birthday, I am halfway done. So, for me, it's half time. And that got me thinking about football, particularly about the half time events in the locker room. The coach usually gathers all the players in the locker room for pep talk. Most of you can, probably, imagine that.
There are two primary things that happen at half time. One is to reflect on what went right and wrong in the first half, and the other is to decide how to proceed in the second half so you come out victorious.
With that in mind, here are some of my reflections on how I am going to play the second half of my life. Looking back at the major lesson life has taught me in the past 40 years, I would say you must have a blueprint for your life and work at it. You need the grace of God, support of your family, friends, mentors etc. You must have total confidence in yourself; you must invest in developing yourself intellectually, have many skills and develop multiple streams of income. That way you will not be found wanting and will also be on the cutting edge of life.
That, I will say, was the first half of my life.
For the second half of my life, having established direction, I intend to continue to stay disciplined in accomplishing my goals. That is a good thing.
Often coaches ask their players to be and stay disciplined and focussed in carrying out the game plan they have developed. So far, the game plan has worked well. Now I need to keep to the game plan and finish well in this second half.
In this second half, I intend to take more risks. Life rewards those who take risks. Don't misunderstand me, I don't mean being risky. Being risky in a game leads to getting your head handed to you by the opposing team, whilst taking well calculated risks lead to big gains.
Furthermore, I will be spending more quality time with my family because my children are getting older and I want to be there for them in their teenage years. I would also like to have some fun. Yes we want to win and stay disciplined, but what good is it if it isn't fun? Not much good at all. So I am going to make sure I am having fun along the way. I would like to take playing golf as a form of relaxation.
In addition, I want to write a best selling book that will inspire people to greatness and sell more than a million copies; be the founder/lead entrepreneur in a company that goes public, and have enough money to run the foundation I set up in 1997 - St. Florence Foundation, in honour of my mother. These goals motivate me to get up every morning to learn, lead, and work.
Finally, I want to build a legacy for this generation and the generation yet unborn. When I get to the end of my life, I would want to have inspired and empowered people to achieve their full potential in life. I want to know that I have done all that I could to make this world a better place, by enhancing the lives of those around me and helping thousands, if not millions, to achieve their full potentials in life. I want to know that I gave everything my best shot. I want it to be on record that I maximized my potential and stretched myself to the limit. I want my wife and children to remember me as a man who left a good legacy.
Those are the things I think about as I sit in my half time locker room of life. Maybe you are there as well. Maybe you are just hitting the first quarter break. Or, maybe you are in the final two minutes! No matter where you are, remember this week that life is short and we must remain diligent in designing and living our lives!
It is therefore imperative to recognise the time we are in at each stage of our lives. This will help us make the most of such times. As for me, it is just half-time and I have just started.
See you at the top!
Dayo Olomu is a UK-based Motivational Speaker, Writer, Business/Life Coach, Trainer, Media Entrepreneur and Competent Toastmaster. His core belief is that we are all endowed with seeds of greatness, and his mission is to help individuals and organisations achieve their full potentials. He is the author of best selling "4 Indispensable Strategies for Success" and the President of Croydon Communicators Toastmasters. Get his FREE monthly Rise to the Top ezine by sending a blank email to subscribe@dayoolomu.com or visit his website at: www.dayoolomu.com
I stared into those biggest of navy blue eyes and... Read More
There is a bottle of perfume sitting on my dresser... Read More
Below are some of the things that, over the years,... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of April 21,... Read More
Discernment is an inner guide or compass. It is loving... Read More
I decreed my 'twin' into my life in early 1990.... Read More
I have a standing interview every Monday morning on a... Read More
If we want to fill our heads with the doom... Read More
Change, no matter how you cut it, can certainly be... Read More
Rejection! Who hasn't experienced the horrible feeling of being rejected?... Read More
At some stage of living your life you will ask... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of October 6,... Read More
God is the primordial Creative Force that is believed to... Read More
Anything that draws one away from the business of living... Read More
The women at the cross. Have you ever thought about... Read More
I always had an active imagination when I was young.... Read More
Many of us are unable to move forward with our... Read More
Everyone wants a blue ribbon. Blue. First place. The best.... Read More
Huh? You're probably wondering when this article was written, and... Read More
continued.....Then onto my teen years. My mom had a few... Read More
In pre-revolutionary Russia, a rabbi was walking to the synagogue.... Read More
The volatile essences of aromatic plants contain potent, complex, natural... Read More
Did you ever watch a bird in flight? Especially ducks... Read More
Last week we started a five part series on The... Read More
All this week I have been singing.This week I have... Read More
Being the last of three daughters, I was a suprise... Read More
You, my friend, are going to die.What? What kind of... Read More
Forgiveness is a critical element in becoming self actualized and... Read More
"You cannot control what happens to you, but you can... Read More
The beauty in creation is in the process, in every... Read More
Keeping a journal during the coaching process is one of... Read More
The eyes are the portals of the inner self; the... Read More
What are the odds of someone doing extraordinary things if... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of February 9,... Read More
We have all grown up in an age where exploration... Read More
Yesterday, I listened to an interview with Michael York, the... Read More
The physics professor with the unruly shock of white hair... Read More
I always had an active imagination when I was young.... Read More
Do what you love to do and give it your... Read More
Self esteem.Now there's a well used and little understood term.... Read More
How often do you have opportunities every day to exercise... Read More
Huh? You're probably wondering when this article was written, and... Read More
The rewards of life come to those who do, not... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of March 24,... Read More
I remember when I was just a little guy probably... Read More
I just got back from Colorado where I spent a... Read More
The other day I found myself frustrated with the slow... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of September 23,... Read More
Wow, it's a new year and a new millennium! What... Read More
In denial, I was slow to accept Multiple Sclerosis. Who,... Read More
A near middle-aged man in one of my last workshops... Read More
I have a question for you.Who are you?This may be... Read More
When you get home from work, do you feel enriched,... Read More
The beauty in creation is in the process, in every... Read More
How often do you decline an invitation because you have... Read More
The first few hours in this world, when we as... Read More
Have you always wanted to do invent something, create something,... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of April 21,... Read More
Some people live in and talk about the past so... Read More
Rejection! Who hasn't experienced the horrible feeling of being rejected?... Read More
Einstein said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge".Did you know... Read More
A good number of my columns deal with finances and... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 1,... Read More
Do you have the charactertics to be star in their... Read More
Have you ever wanted to do something really major-something stupendous-something... Read More
I would like to take a moment to write about... Read More
Inspirational |