Opinion:True Success lies more on the journey rather than the destination

Published

5 years ago

April 14, 2019

Editor

By Henry Ukazu

Greetings my good friends,

It’s a great pleasure to be here once again. Please pardon my inability for not

been able to write last week. I know some of you might be a little bit

disappointed, honestly, it was due to circumstances beyond my control. I

received so many several calls, emails and messages. I promise to do better

next time. In whatever in life, I always look at the end in mind, in that way I

will be properly guided on where my aim and vision in life lies. This is the

more reason why I take my time in writing every week even when I am

stressed up because I am addicted to sharing motivational and inspiring

articles. As you all may know success in life has to do more with the journey

rather than the destination.

Today, I chose to write on the relativity of journey and destination as

facilitators of success. Just like any other aspect of life, life is indeed a

process. You may heard of the saying success is more of a journey, rather than

destination. Some other rational minds opine that the end justifies the means.

These assertions are relatively true, however, it all depends on the angle you

are looking at it from. We shall be comparing on both factors today but we

shall be concentrating more energy on the process (journey).

It is an indisputable fact that in life the journey of a thousand miles begins

with a step in the right direction. It is also a fact that little drops of water

makes an ocean. Just like a leader needs a team to achieve success, same way

success needs to be processed in order for it to be truly justified. With my little

knowledge and understanding of mathematics, the process of arriving at the

answer via the formula generates more point more that the actual answer

itself. True success doesn’t work in isolation. It works in harmony and unison

with other component parts and characteristics which I call siblings and

friends.

As human beings, sometimes we seem to neglect how far we have come in life.

We are always eager to see what we lack as opposed to appreciating what we

have. Human beings by nature can be ungrateful. The same analogy is

applicable to the journey of success. Let’s take the example of an accomplished

author who is now a bestseller. The journey to the top wasn’t easy. He/she had

mentors who inspired him/her to write the book, publishers, family members,

friends and associates who contributed in one way or the other to the work a

great success. To me, they are the real MVP’s as far as I am concerned. They

are the people who deserve the main accolades and should be appreciated, but

sometimes some irrational beings tend to forget those people who contracted

to their success. Also, if a student excels in life to an enviable position in the

world (President, CEO, Governor) etc. It will be nice for such person to

remember his/her teacher who groomed him/her. It is on this context we shall

be discussing about journey and destination to success.

It is interest to note that Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay literally went

where no other human had been when they became the first people to reach

the peak of Mount Everest. Can you imagine what they must have felt? Pride,

accomplishment, fulfillment. Question, did they achieve it alone? No, I guess.

Think about the most important achievement in your life. Remember that

feeling when you finally reached the summit of your academic career, political

ambition, financial status and professional career. If you will agree with me,

you didn’t do it alone, there were people behind it and it was truly a journey

and process.

Last week I was listening to Joyce Meyers – a charismatic preacher. She was

speaking on everyday life. In that message, she said true success lies in the

little deeds and things you do daily as opposed to one major task you do.

According to her you need to do small task nor matter how little it is in your

daily routine which will add up to the goal you have in mind.

To understand how the journey of success really works, imagine yourself being

a man or lady who needs a particular shape, it is expected that you’ll hit the

gym at least three times a week and do some work out. You’ll follow up the

also the process with a good hygiene. In fact, I personally feel the highest gym

is in your kitchen. Let’s face it, it’s common to feel resistance when

undertaking a new exercise habit. This is because there are several steps

required. You have to pack your gym bag, travel to the gym, change into your

workout clothes, warm up, exercise, warm down, shower, and change back

into your normal clothes before traveling back home. This is the attitude and

mindset which a rational mind desirous of making an impact should have. It

is the process that denes the destination. Isn’t it true that you

can easily spot a dedicated and discipline student or athletic. who is doing

what he or she needs to be do in order to succeed in life? It’s always important

to take note of the journey or inventory of all stocks.

It is quite unfortunate that many people regard the destination more than the

journey. In as much I agree that the outcome/ nished product
is very important, it is worthy to mention the sacrice,

challenges, failures, people and the experience that came it

with it.

Let’s discuss some worthy points that will assist us in appreciating the role of

process and journey to our dream destination.

Get specic

Having the end in mind is very important. Being specific helps your overall

goal and road map in order to get to your destination. When you are specific,

you will know what to focus on. One quality of every great man or woman is

that they are very focused and specific in whatever they plan to achieve.

Employers’ are always looking for specific beings to solve specific problems.

The more specific you are, the easier it is for people to assist or work with you.

Break it down and start small

If you have a goal to accomplish, it is always better to start small and grown.

You can do this by breaking it down and taking it bit and bits. Try to do little

things every day nor matter how little and stressful, it gives some level of

satisfaction. Breaking the journey in pieces helps you to appreciate the

journey.

Celebrate the progress and enjoy the journey

When it’s not all about the goal, you can take it all in (and take what

you’ve learned with you).

When you have a big goal, it’s tempting to think you haven’t succeeded until

you’ve achieved it. Otherwise, you might think you have failed forgetting that

the set backs propels you to appreciate the progress and accomplishments that

awaits you. According to Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, professor of Business

Psychology at University College London, he observed that small milestones

are powerful for seeing a change in the positive direction, noting that “the

point is not to get better than others, it’s to get better than the old version of

yourself.” Keep track of what you’ve accomplished with a done list,

which is a log of the tasks you’ve completed. Seeing your progress

boosts motivation, heightens positive emotions, and sustains your

productivity. A Harvard study found that we spend almost 50 percent of our

time thinking about the past and future, instead of focusing on the present,

which leads to increased unhappiness

Reect daily

Actively thinking and reflecting about your business, idea, product, academic

major etc. Reflecting daily can help you plan very well. As a rule of thumb, it’s
always helpful to set a sizable amount of time during the day to reflect on the

activities of the day before you sleep and also spending at least fifteen minutes

of the day to mediate and think when you wake up every morning. By so doing

you can motivate and inspire yourself when you think the lines are not adding

up. You can do this by asking yourself “What is one step I can take today to get

closer to my goal?” “What did I learn today?” You can also check in on a

weekly or monthly basis to assess what you’ve gotten out of your journey thus

far.

Whenever you are tempted to give up in life, always remember the words of

Brian Tracy, “It doesn’t matter where you are coming from, all that maters is

where you are going. The past is in the past for a reason, the present is here for

a reason which is a gift to work with for tomorrow which is not guaranteed.

In conclusion, always bear in mind “Success is never final. Failure is never

fatal. In the end it’s the courage to continue that counts.”

Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with New York

City Department of Correction as the legal Coordinator. He’s

the author of the acclaimed book Design Your Destiny –

Actualizing Your Birthright To Success.

.

Again, DStv, Gotv Jack Up Subscription Rates

Published

6 hours ago

April 24, 2024

Eric

Broadcasting company Multichoice has jacked up the prices of its offerings in Nigeria four months after its last increment.

The company reviewed prices in its packages across the board. The new prices will take effect from May 1, 2024.

With the latest price hike, the DStv Premium package increased from N29,500 to N37,000. Similarly, the DStv Compact+ went up from N19,800 to N25,000 while the Compact package increased from N12,500 to N15,700.

The Comfam package moved from N7,400 to N9,300. Yanga package moved up from 4,200 to N5,100 while Padi package increased from N2,950 to N3,600. HDPVR was increased from N4,000 to N5,000, the Access Fees package from N4,000 to N5,000, and XtraView moved from N4,000 to N5,000.

Meanwhile, the Gotv Supa+ package moved from N12,500 to N15,700, Supa package from N7,600 to N9,600, and Max package from N5,700 to N7,200.

While the Jolli package was jacked up from N3,950 to N4,850, the Jinja package moved from N2,700 to N3,300, and Smallie package from N1,300 to N1,575.

READ Niger Coup: ECOWAS leaders in Abuja for emergency meeting

It will be recalled that the company implemented an upward review of prices in December 2023, days after announcing a $72m loss in its financial statement for the third quarter of the year.

Checks on the company’s reviewed price list then showed a 20 per cent per cent hike in the company’s packages across the board.

Featured

I’ll Resign If Yaya Bello Eacapes Prosecution, EFCC Chair Vows

Published

1 day ago

April 23, 2024

Eric

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has sworn to follow the prosecution of the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to a logical conclusion.

In a chat with journalists at the EFCC Headquarters in the Jabi area of Abuja on Tuesday, the anti-graft crusader vowed to resign as EFCC chairman if Bello is not prosecuted.

He added that all those who obstructed the arrest of the former governor would be brought to justice.

The EFCC is seeking to arraign Bello on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.

He said that no matter what anyone does or the amount of attack against the anti-graft agency, he and his men will not relent in helping to sanitise the country.

Olukoyede said the EFCC needs the support of Nigerians to succeed, emphasizing that if the agency fails, Nigeria fails. He stated that the efforts made currently have helped the value of the Naira and the foreign market.

Featured

Kwibuka 30: Nigerian Community In Rwanda Visits Kigali Genocide Memorial

Published

2 days ago

April 22, 2024

Eric

By Dolapo Aina

The 30th Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide Against The Tutsi commenced in Rwanda on Sunday, April 7, 2024. The commemoration is called Kwibuka which in Kinyarwanda means “to remember.”
For clarity and context, April 7th 2024 marked the start of Kwibuka 30, the 30th commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi, which began on April 7th 1994. As with other commemorations, the Kigali Genocide Memorial was a focal point as the flame of remembrance was lit and global dignitaries placed wreaths at the mass graves. The memorial is normally closed to the public for part of the day on April 7th, with attendance at the lighting of the flame by invitation only.
In and around Kigali during the first week of the commemoration, a plethora of commemorations took place to mark Kwibuka 30 and different events took place during its first week in particular. Bars, clubs and public leisure facilities are usually closed for the week and this was so, this year.
The Nigerian Community in Rwanda marked Kwibuka 30 with a walk to the Kigali Genocide Memorial on Saturday, the 13th of April 2024. The walk had members (old, new and friends) of the Nigerian Community who gathered in the rain and walked to the location of the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Gisozi where the remains of over 250,000 people are interred.
A tour of the memorial complex ensued and the members of the Nigerian community watched a documentary in the viewing room. The documentary featured survivors of the 1994 Genocide Against The Tutsi who usually visit the memorial to pay their silent respect and reflections to loved ones who are buried in the burial grounds of the Genocide Memorial.
Walking through the hallways and rooms, Nigerians read the stories on the hallways and discussed amongst themselves. For some, it was their first time at the memorial, for others, it was the umpteenth visit. For Dolapo Aina, I have been visiting the memorial since April 2014 and for each visit (numbering close to 70 visits), I come out with a newer and clearer understanding. It was a sombre period going through the hallways and rooms as some people could not go through the emotions of going into the children’s room. Wreaths were laid at the grave site section and the members of the Nigerian community proceeded to a serene area of the complex facing the amphitheatre where there was a deep hour conversation with one of the officials of the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
Mr Jean Claude Mugisha (an official of the memorial in Gisozi) practically took the Nigerian community through the genesis of the history of Rwanda and the beginning of pogroms from the 1950s culminating in the 1994 Genocide Against The Tutsi. In Mr Mugabe words; “I have been able to forgive. Also, I am involved in unity and reconciliation activities and learning from the power of forgiveness.” Discussions also centred on justice systems, the role of Gacaca court system, reconciliation and nation building. Members of the Nigerian Community asked questions which were answered. Some of the questions triggered areas of collaboration.
Dolapo Aina got the thoughts of some Nigerians resident in Rwanda and who took part in the walk to the Genocide Memorial. Their responses were based on the following questions. Why did you partake in the walk organised by the Nigerian Community in Rwanda to commemorate Kwibuka 30? What was the experience like? Do describe your thoughts when you visited the Genocide Memorial? What stood out to you from the conversation the Nigerian Community had with officials of the Kigali Genocide Memorial? What lessons did you learn from the visit of the Nigerian Community to the Genocide Memorial?
Mr David Oboh in his words; “I partook in the walk to identify with a nation that experienced one of the worst crimes to humanity but today has become a beacon of hope to African nations that things can actually turn around for the better if you decide to. It was heart-wrenching seeing the bones and pictures of the victims murdered in cold blood by family members, neighbours and long-time friends.” On the third question about what stood out during the conversation, Mr Oboh said; “That a man after 15 years in jail came out and still committed murder because he thought he had killed everyone in a family. His mind had not left the past.” He also stated that; “The memorial is a reminder to all that history not forgotten cannot be repeated.”
In Ms. Mercy Odebode’s words: “It not my first time visiting the memorial but this was a different experience for me because it made me realise why Rwandans tend to certain things and also don’t do certain things. For example, viewing religions especially religious institutions like the church differently from the way Nigerians would view it.” She stated that what stood out for her was: “The peace education stood out for me.” On lessons learnt from the visit by the Nigerian community; “First spread peace and not hate. Secondly, forgiveness is not an obligation, you choose to forgive. However, it is good to educate people about forgiveness, educate to forgive and then you proceed with reconciliation.”
Mr. Ogah Ogbole stated that: “The walk by the Nigerian community is something I would not want to miss anytime. I have the opportunity to do so with my fellow countrymen. My experience visiting the memorial and my thoughts can be summed up as ⁠heartbreaking to see fellow Africans killed in cold blood, by their own brothers. Something must have gone wrong somewhere. What stood out for me during the conversation with the officials of the memorial was that Rwandans understand history; they know how to resolve conflict and they know how to move forward. And I learnt to love my brother and my neighbour. More especially, seeing the Rwandans committed to remain one despite the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi blows my mind.”
Another Nigerian, Mr Kelechi Anyanwu stated that: “Partaking in the walk organised by Nigerian Community in Rwanda to commemorate Kwibuka 30 is a civic responsibility which I owe the host country; to stand in solidarity with them at this time of remembrance and in all times. I have visited the genocide memorial site more than 20 times within the short period that I’ve lived here in Rwanda. And every time I visit, I weep. Never will I stop visiting because it offers and brings me close to the reality of sober reflection that one day we shall all be gone and will only be remembered by those we left behind and how we left, will matter. Did we impact their lives positively or negatively? What will you be remembered for?”
On the experience and thoughts about visiting, Mr Anyanwu went thus: “It is also a constant reminder of how desperately wicked people’s hearts can be. With few exceptions. Lions, the king of the jungle don’t kill lions even as animals. Howbeit human beings with 6th sense got to the level of committing such crime against humanity! Therefore, visiting the Genocide memorial site is to provoke the whys and hows and arrive at a conclusion of never again should we condole or tolerate the killing of each other. Let’s love and not hate. The tour and the speech by the officials were quite insightful and significant as it left us with a better understanding of the effects of genocidal damage to humanity. The process of restoration. restitution, rehabilitation and reuniting to rebuild a nation for all; are the testaments of genocide survivors.”

Another Nigerian, Mr Cosmas Anakwue stated; “I took part in the walk to support the Nigerian community and to support Rwanda’s commemoration of Kwibuka 30. My experience at the memorial was good as it was an eye opener; it was informative and educational. What stood out for me was the attention given to the Genocide events and how we can relate it to our history as Nigerians. And one of the lessons I learnt was that we should use our bad history as a building block for our various nations in unity, peace and progress.
According to Kwibuka Rwanda, Kwibuka marks a generational cycle since The Genocide Against The Tutsi was put to an end. And it is a time to reflect on Rwanda’s journey of rebuilding strength, resilience, and unity. It now falls to new generations to sustain and carry forward this progress, adapting to today’s global challenges to achieve Rwanda’s aspirations.
The Nigerian Community in Rwanda commenced commemorating Kwibuka with a walk to the Genocide memorial in 2019.