On Wednesday, August 1st, I did something I had always dreamed of doing: I drove in Lagos traffic! For many of you reading this, you probably don't think its a big deal. But when you consider that I am close to thirty years old, own a car and haven't been able to put it on the road for more than two months now, simply because I don't know how to drive, then you may begin to appreciate my breakthrough.
The question I asked myself, as I hit the Agege Motor Road was this, "Why has it taken me so long to do this?" It was a question that I knew the answers to even before I asked. I wasn't daring enough and I must say that it was not that I had not tried to learn to drive but I had received a lot of setbacks that have made that area of my life a no-go area. As I told one of my friends of this landmark achievement in my life, she expressed some alarm, knowing the madness of Lagos traffic and wondering how I coped. At this point what came to my mind was how driving in Lagos is very much like going through this life.
One of the things that scare many budding drivers from hitting the road in Lagos is the fear of failing in the sight of everyone and that phobia had simply stopped me from putting my car on the road. For many of us in this life, we are so scared of falling face flat in the sight of people. Not knowing what their reactions would be, we don't want to do what we really love to do.
I read a letter recently that highlighted the major difference between the generation of Israel that entered the Promised land and the one that dies in the wilderness. One always waited till God parted the Red Sea before they moved while the other stepped into the Jordan WHILE it was flooded. This marked the difference in their experiences and ultimate destinations and this same attitude has put a dividing line between those that make any impact in life and those that don't.
Now is the time for you to expand, extend and enlarge your horizon. Many times what limits us is nothing but our minds, our perception of events, our projections of possibilities or impossibilities. We focus so much on what mistakes we would make if we step out into new grounds, how people will react to our actions, the limitations and challenges we will experience on our journey into the new position we want to move into and so on. The truth is most of these challenges and responses from people will be there whether we move or don't move so why do we keep stalling? I heard from one person a few years ago and it has stuck with me. He said, talking about the church he pastors, "We are on a sliding platform trying to hit a moving target so we require a high level of accuracy and must live on the cutting edge."
I have discovered that man can do impossible things when under pressure to perform. It is obvious that we all need pressure but the issue is where will the pressure come from? You can wait for it to come from circumstances (and I guarantee that wont be pleasurable) or create the pressure around yourself. I'll go for the other option any day. So how do you put pressure on yourself to get out of that comfort zone into a better place?
One thing you can do is learn something new. How to play a musical instrument, how to ride a bike, a new computer program, speaking before a crowd or just think of something new. Another thing that you can do is meet new people, go to places you've never been to, watch a movie you haven't watched before. Then you can research into topics you've never read about or even improve your knowledge on the ones you think you already have grasped. Use the internet, use libraries, read books, talk to experts. Whatever you do, expand your context and update your content.
Here's another thing you can do, dream. Take some time out of your very busy schedule and ist in an open field and just enjoy the scenery. Or you could go to a mall and just lounge. Stretch your imagination to limits beyond you.
Now is the time to expand your capacity, extend your reach and enlarge your vision. if you don't its likely you'll be here reading this same post in 2012. I hope not.
'nuff said!
The question I asked myself, as I hit the Agege Motor Road was this, "Why has it taken me so long to do this?" It was a question that I knew the answers to even before I asked. I wasn't daring enough and I must say that it was not that I had not tried to learn to drive but I had received a lot of setbacks that have made that area of my life a no-go area. As I told one of my friends of this landmark achievement in my life, she expressed some alarm, knowing the madness of Lagos traffic and wondering how I coped. At this point what came to my mind was how driving in Lagos is very much like going through this life.
One of the things that scare many budding drivers from hitting the road in Lagos is the fear of failing in the sight of everyone and that phobia had simply stopped me from putting my car on the road. For many of us in this life, we are so scared of falling face flat in the sight of people. Not knowing what their reactions would be, we don't want to do what we really love to do.
I read a letter recently that highlighted the major difference between the generation of Israel that entered the Promised land and the one that dies in the wilderness. One always waited till God parted the Red Sea before they moved while the other stepped into the Jordan WHILE it was flooded. This marked the difference in their experiences and ultimate destinations and this same attitude has put a dividing line between those that make any impact in life and those that don't.
Now is the time for you to expand, extend and enlarge your horizon. Many times what limits us is nothing but our minds, our perception of events, our projections of possibilities or impossibilities. We focus so much on what mistakes we would make if we step out into new grounds, how people will react to our actions, the limitations and challenges we will experience on our journey into the new position we want to move into and so on. The truth is most of these challenges and responses from people will be there whether we move or don't move so why do we keep stalling? I heard from one person a few years ago and it has stuck with me. He said, talking about the church he pastors, "We are on a sliding platform trying to hit a moving target so we require a high level of accuracy and must live on the cutting edge."
I have discovered that man can do impossible things when under pressure to perform. It is obvious that we all need pressure but the issue is where will the pressure come from? You can wait for it to come from circumstances (and I guarantee that wont be pleasurable) or create the pressure around yourself. I'll go for the other option any day. So how do you put pressure on yourself to get out of that comfort zone into a better place?
One thing you can do is learn something new. How to play a musical instrument, how to ride a bike, a new computer program, speaking before a crowd or just think of something new. Another thing that you can do is meet new people, go to places you've never been to, watch a movie you haven't watched before. Then you can research into topics you've never read about or even improve your knowledge on the ones you think you already have grasped. Use the internet, use libraries, read books, talk to experts. Whatever you do, expand your context and update your content.
Here's another thing you can do, dream. Take some time out of your very busy schedule and ist in an open field and just enjoy the scenery. Or you could go to a mall and just lounge. Stretch your imagination to limits beyond you.
Now is the time to expand your capacity, extend your reach and enlarge your vision. if you don't its likely you'll be here reading this same post in 2012. I hope not.
'nuff said!
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