In life you’re either a cause or an effect. Which do you prefer? Are you pushing your ideas or that of another? Are you acting on things or are things acting on you? Are you happening to things or are things happening to you? You’re either creating circumstances or circumstances are molding and selecting your experiences.
Life is like a game. You’re either a player or a spectator – did I hear you say, what about referees? There are no human referees in the fields of life. There’s a referee, but that is life itself.
ACTORS ACT, DON’T THEY?
There are only two choices in life: being a player or an onlooker. You’re either a participant or a spectator. The tragedy of life is that there are too many spectators and few players. Yet you must play. You must act out your roles. You’re an actor in the drama of life.
As a player you must get into the driver’s seat. You don’t want to be an indifferent passenger – or even an interested passenger (e.g. a cheerleader)! Aren’t you tired of being pushed around by family, acquaintances, friends and the society? Is it not time you took charge of your life? Is it not time to get into the driver’s seat of your life?
21 QUESTIONS
These 21 questions will help you get into the driver’s seat of your life.
1. How do I integrate all my strengths to get me the No 1 spot in all my areas of endeavor?
2. What weaknesses must I identify and snuff out to make me a super being?
3. What old habits must I drop to enhance my mastery of myself?
4. What new habits do I develop to make me a master of my fate?
5. How do I zero the gap between my imagination and what I see around me?
6. How do I motivate myself to become the best thing that ever happened to my country, my continent, the civilized world?
7. How do I get to those enviable levels of hyperactivity?
8. How do I regain (or enhance) strength, vitality, energy, enthusiasm, singleness of purpose, daring, courage, boldness, fearlessness, and faith?
9. How do I succeed against all odds? Against the impediments posed by the social, economic, political, technological, and physical environments?
10. What new perception can I have to get out of my present situation?
11. Look at all my interests. Look at the programs, projects, and tasks I’ve done in the past. Look at all past excitement , tension, glamour etc. How do I remain in balance? How do I grow?
12. Look at my peaks! How do I remain relevant and in contention? How do I maintain leadership? What exciting new goals and frontiers must I discover and conquer? How do I quicken my blood?
13. If my habits, attitudes, playing strategies and career are not producing the kinds of results I desire, do I adjust or change them? Do I reverse some of my habits and attitudes that are working against me to help me become the person I desire to become? Do I reorient myself to help me in taking advantage of opportunities currently available now?
14. How do I use my present very harsh, very severe, very pressing, circumstances and challenges to get myself to the top of my career (say) in X number of years?
15. What one tool do I have now that if I consistently, patiently, persistently, boldly, compassionately and innovatively use can bring the things I want in a specified time?
16. What can I give to get what I want? (e.g. my time, ideas, skills, knowledge and expertise, love, goodwill, etc.)
17. Who can I give help now?
18. How do I integrate my skills and competencies, strength and assets to complement each other and fit a coherent whole, like a glove fits a hand?
19. What do I understand about my environment to help me take charge of my life now?
20. How do I deliver consistent, superior performance every minute of the day?
21. What has ever motivated me? What is motivating me now?
Don’t just read through this assessment and keep it aside. Take your pen and paper or PC and patiently work through them. Better still, buy a notebook and use the next 30 days finding answers to the questions posed.
Be patient. Rome, they say, was not built in a day. If you sincerely and diligently carry out the assessments, you will fill up a medium-sized notebook. Feel free to revise, change, or delete some of your entries as you go along.
