The Character of Success

WHAT IS SUCCESS?

Success is knowing your purpose in life, growing to reach your maximum potential, and sowing seeds that benefit others. - John Maxwell

Success is not determined by acquisitions or opulence. It is the ultimate fulfilment of an identified purpose – grand or small – for the benefit of others, the glory of God, and the fulfilment of the person. - Babatunde Oladele

WRONG CONCEPTS OF SUCCESS

• Having money, riches and wealth
• Having many properties and assets
• Being popular and in the news at all times
• Having fleet of cars
• Having many children
• Marrying many wives
• Having many admirers
• Being a public figure
• Being the envy of everyone around etc

WHAT IS GOD’S CONCEPT OF SUCCESS?

Jeremiah 9:23-24

Thus says the LORD:

“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom. Let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me. That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD.

Joshua 1:8

This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

WHAT IS THE CHARACTER OF SUCCESS?

Success is fulfilling an identified personal life purpose with:

• The fear of God
• Integrity
• Sound Ethical Values
• A Sense of Mission
• Compassion
• Character

Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day; while failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day. It is the accumulative weight of our disciplines and our judgments that leads us to either fortune or failure. - Jim Rohn

If you develop the habits of success, you will make success a habit. - Michael E. Angier

The common denominator of success lies in forming the habit of doing things that failure don’t like to do. - Albert Gray

THE WOMAN, THE ECONOMY & THE FAMILY

The Woman
The woman has often been described as “a man with a womb.” She is the specie of mankind whom by virtue of her peculiar physiological features (e.g. the womb) keeps the human race going.

The Role of the Woman in the Economy
The woman is the unseen influence behind every successful man in the society. Therefore, as the mother, the wife, the sister, the daughter, or a relative of the men at the corridors of power, the woman is better positioned to influence certain economic policies that will turn out in the best interest of all.

The woman, by virtue of her natural intuitiveness, is more equipped to pursue certain courses that will enhance the economy than the man who is usually more logical in reasoning and action.

The woman performs the dual role of a driver as well as a support system in the economy.

As a driver – the woman facilitates the economic chain through her enterprise in business and in the workplace. The woman also functions as a support system towards the growth and development of the economy.

The Role of the Woman in the Family
The woman is the pulse of the family. She is the one that dictates the tone and direction of the home. As the manager of the home, the woman wields considerable influence in the ultimate productivity and performance of members of her household in the larger society.

The woman is also the moulder of the character and attitude of members of her household and these inform their level of adaptation into and contributions to the society for good or otherwise.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, THE POWER OF VISION & MAXIMISING THE MOMENT

SELF-DEVELOPMENT: A Major Recipe For Success Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound. The man who does not shrink from self–crucifixion can never fail to accomplish the object upon which his heart is set. - James Allen What is Self-Development? Personal development is the conscious, disciplined, and sustained series of investment in the self through the acquisition of knowledge and skills, as well as the application of the acquired knowledge and skills for an enhanced lifestyle. Areas of Personal Development The development of the self is as composite an entity as the very nature of man. It consists of various interdependent aspects of human, which all work together to produce a better person when cultivated, or result in a debased existence when ignored. The different aspects of man open to cultivation for development are his: Spiritual state Mental state Emotional state Physical state Social status, and his Professional/vocational performance If you want to be wealthy and happy, learn this lesson well: learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job. - Jim Rohn Painting The Right Picture: THE POWER OF VISION AND FOCUS What is A Vision?Vision is the ability to see what is not yet, so you can create what never was. -Doug Firebaugh A blind man’s world is bounded by the limits of his touch; an ignorant man’s world by the limits of his knowledge; a great man’s world by the limits of his vision. - E. Paul Hovey Visions and dreams are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements. - Napoleon Hill The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight but has no vision. – Helen Keller, 1880-1968, American Blind/Deaf Author and Lecturer Aligning Goals to Your Personal Vision do an Inventory of your skills, Abilities, Knowledge, Character Attributes/Weaknesses, and Spiritual Gifts ¡ What are your God-given abilities? ¡ What skills have you acquired? ¡ What education do you have? ¡ What are your Character strengths & weaknesses? ¡ What is your Spiritual Gifting? Draw A Life Plan How does your Life Vision Statement translate into practical goals? ¡ Do you have a calendar of when you will do what? ¡ What tasks do you have to undertake to accomplish these goals? ¡ How will you know when you have achieved your goals? Goals must be SMART: Specific; Measurable; Achievable; Realistic; Time Limited. A Career Plan: ¡ What are your career goals? ¡ Do you have a plan to advance in your career? ¡ What experience do you need for advancement? ¡ What education do you need for advancement? 3. MAXIMISING THE MOMENT: Making The Most of Every Opportunity What the Bible Says Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave where you go. Ephesians 5:15-17 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. What the Sages Say Time is the inexplicable raw material of everything. With it all is possible; without it, nothing. The supply of time is truly a miracle, an affair genuinely astonishing when one examines it. You wake up in the morning, and lo! Your purse is magically filled with twenty-four hours of the unmanufactured tissue of the universe of your life. It is yours. It is the most precious of possessions… no one can take it from you. It is unstealeable. And no one receives either more or less than you receive. In the realm of time, there is no aristocracy of intellect. Genius is never rewarded by even an hour a day. And there is no punishment. Waste your infinitely precious commodity as much as you will and the supply will never be withheld from you. Moreover, you cannot draw on the future. It is impossible to get into debt! You can only waste the passing moment. You cannot waste tomorrow; it is kept for you. I have said the affair is a miracle, is it not? You have these twenty-four hours of daily time to leave. Out of it you want to spin health, pleasure, money, contentment, respect, and the evolution of your immortal soul. Its right use, its most effective use is a matter of the highest urgency and of the most thrilling actuality. All depends on that. Your happiness – the elusive price that you are all clutching for, my friend – depends on that. If one cannot arrange that an income of twenty-four hours shall exactly cover all proper items of expenditure, one does muddle one’s whole life indefinitely. - Jim Rohn We shall never have any more time. We have, and we have always had, all the time there is. - Arnold Bennet Time is the most precious commodity we have. Therefore, how we manage it has the most profound effect on how our lives turn out. - Jim Rohn

SELF-DEVELOPMENT & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

SELF-DEVELOPMENT WHAT IS PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT? Personal development is a conscious, disciplined, and sustained series of investment in the self through the acquisition of knowledge, skills, as well as the application of acquired knowledge and skills for enhanced lifestyle. Areas of Self-Development ¡ Spiritual Development ¡ Mental Development ¡ Emotional Development ¡ Social Integration ¡ Physical Development ¡ Professional/Career Development The Spiritual State of Man Man is a tripartite being. He is mainly made up of a spirit, a soul, and a body. The spiritual side of man has to do with the state of his spirit in relation to the Supernatural or God, his Maker. In other words, the spiritual aspect of man is that part of him that relates with the supernatural. The Mental State of Man The Mental state of man is one of the two components of his soul. The soul, which is said to be the real man, comprises the mental faculty and the emotions. The mental faculty involves the mind (thoughts bank) as well as the intellectual state of man. The Emotional State of Man The emotion is the second side of man’s soul. The emotion, according to Hargie (1997:38) has three main components; “the direct conscious experiences or feeling of emotion, the physiological processes that accompany emotions, and the observable behavioural actions used to express emotion”. In simple terms, emotion comprises the feelings and desires of man in their expressed and unexpressed form. The Social State of Man This is the aspect of man that describes his relationship with the outside world. Hargie (1997:10), citing Combs and Slaby, defines social skill as ‘the ability to interact with others in a given social context in specific ways that are socially acceptable or valued and at the same time personally beneficial, mutually beneficial, or beneficial primarily to others’. The Professional/Vocational Aspect of Man This is usually an offshoot of all the other sides of man as they affect his job or career. The professional state of man has to do with his competence and performance at work. In other words, this can be described by his competence and performance in relation to his job or tasks. ENTREPRENEURSHIP WHAT IS ENTREPRENEURSHIP? Entrepreneurship is the act of mixing and turning personal skills as well as all factors of production into a profitable business venture that will offer goods or services to an identified market in need of it. WHO IS AN ENTREPRENEUR? Someone who organizes a business venture and assumes the risk for it. – WordWeb Someone who starts a company and arranges business deals. - Longman Active Dictionary Businessperson: somebody who sets up and finances new commercial enterprises to make a profit. - Microsoft® Encarta® WHO IS A CHRISTIAN ENTREPRENEUR? A Christian Entrepreneur is a disciple of Jesus Christ who has chosen to “express himself” or fulfil his stewardship by setting up a business venture to provide essential products or services that will meet the need of, as well as add value to, an identified market (people) in the society. WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN ENTREPRENEUR? ¡ He is a steward 1 Corinthians 4:2: Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful ¡ He is a Non-compromiser ¡ He is a Non-conformist with the popular conventions of business practice ¡ He is a Faithful Servant Matthew 24:45-47: Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods. ¡ He is a Treasurer ¡ He is a Minister/Evangelist in the marketplace Acts 1:8: But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. ¡ He personifies Love in his offerings and dealings The integrative principle that must guide Christians in the marketplace is that of love. ¡ Love compels Christians to put their faith into action and to live what they believe. ¡ Love will motivate Christians in the marketplace to follow the example of Christ in the incarnation. ¡ It will move them to identify with those who are lost and alone in a dark world. ¡ It will allow them to share in the sufferings of those they care for and by bringing the presence of Christ into the marketplace also bring transformation and hope. THE ENTREPRENEURIAL QUESTIONS 1. What do I have the resources, ability, interest and contacts to do? 2. Do I have the necessary commitment needed to succeed in a business undertaking? 3. Am I prepared to work extremely hard, to devote long hours of labour to my business? 4. Do I have the mental stamina and concentration to meet the demands my project will impose on me? 5. Do I accept new ideas easily? Do I treat other people with respect? Am I able to make decisions right away? 6. How do I deal with problem solving: Am I prepared to spend time analyzing a problem and find a solution? Or am I the type who just closes his eyes and hope for the best? 7. Am I ready to commit to the long term, knowing that a company’s success is never an overnight miracle? 8. What back-up resources do I have? Will my family members or friends invest in my company or tide me over during a rough patch? 9. Am I good at concentrating on details? 10. Am I ready to sit down and write a careful analysis of my business prospects? 11. Am I by nature an optimist? Knowing that mistakes and setbacks are bound to occur, am I able to learn from my mistakes without getting derailed or discouraged?