PASSION- THE HOW TO SUCEED IN THE MELTDOWN

When you just can’t wait to get on the job early in the morning and find it difficult to leave late in the day, you can well say that you are engaged in a love affair with your career. It is a pitiful sight to see men and women engaged in a work which to them is drudgery. Unless you love you job, you are just wasting the precious gift of life away. Regardless of your past experiences or trainings move on into the job which fans your fascination and allows you to dance to the music within you. It is far better to be a happy mechanic or machinist than an attorney unhappy with his profession. In our career decisions, passion should be in the front burner not pay. As Balboa stood on the shores of the Pacific Ocean which he had just discovered, overlooking that vast expanse of water, he had no idea of its size, its gigantic proportions. He did not know that he had just discovered the largest ocean in the world. There was no way for Balboa to recognize that the waters of the pacific stretches from the American continent to the continent of Asia and Australia. When Christopher Columbus and his sailors first sighted land in the new world, they had no idea how close they are to the virgin riches of the great America mainland. We are a lot like Balboa and Columbus .We have barely scratched the surface of our God given potentials. We have not played in full scale the harmonious music in us waiting to be harnessed. There are treasures within our grasp, but unless we become the “Columbus “ of our soul in conjunction with God, we will never rise to fulfill our potentials. Therefore, what does it takes to uncover your passion and live life at your own pace and rhythm. It is encapsulated in the world P.A. S.S.I.O.N P stands for-PLEASURE: Your passion will be something that gives you pleasure. According to Aristotle: “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work”. It all started in his university days at Bendel state university (now Ambrose Ali University ekpoma).Then Atunyota Akpoboromeriere, popularly known as Ali Baba was just deriving pleasure from making people laugh. There was no plan in his mind to profit from his passion for stand up comedy as a business. But gradually, it became an income earner. By the time he left school, he was already earning cool cash. He has over the years been able to birth a thriving business enterprise from his love for humour. A stands for –ATTENTION: What you pay attention to is usually a pointer to your passion. Its been said that energy flows where attention goes .For some individuals its music that gets their attention, for some other people it might just be other activities.PYPE a fast rising Nigerian musician once made this statement in an interview: “I remember when I was six or seven I used to stand at people’s window just so I could listen when they play my kind of music”. Music got his attention extremely. S stands for –SACRIFICE: The law of sacrifice states that there is a price for every prize worth possessing in life’s grand stand. Therefore , the kind of sacrifices you make that is in line with your area of calling, could be an indication of a silent zone of passion crying for expression. The proof that you are passionate about a thing is willingness to pay any price in other to make that thing work. S stands for –SERVICE: Your passion will always provide a service or meet a need of some kind for others. Bose Ayeni discovered her passion for the fast-food business when she started a small family business with the aim of being in control of her time and having time for her family. Along the way, she discovered that she could turn into a full time service rendering business. In her words:” It was a meeting of interest and opportunity. Service is the path that leads to greatness. I stands for –INTEREST: Your passion is usually something that interests you. Larry Izamoje of BRILA FM turned his interest in sports into money spinning income earner. An odd passion over a decade ago is spawning an entire industry today. He didn’t just allow it to be a mere interest, but converted it to paying him monetary interest. His unquenchable interest sets us ablaze on radio. As he puts it:” Today, if I had to fill a form under hobby, it would be watching and talking sports…so you find for me how the hobby became what brings money” O stands for-OBSERVATION: People’s consistent observation of a particular trait, asset or attribute is usually a pointer to discovering your passion. The observations of those close to us can also help in the discovery of our passion.Cobhams Asuquo, the world class visually impaired music producer , was able to identify his passion for music as a result of his parents consistent observations of his actions and gestures whenever music is being played. At the age of 4 his parents bought him a Casio keyboard which he played. There was an occasion when food got burnt because they had all gone to watch cobhams play the piano. Little wonder, he ‘s one of Nigeria finest music makers. N stands for NATURAL: Your passion is often unstudied, unlearned, but it comes naturally to you. According to Sydney Smith: Whatever you are by nature, stick to it, never desert you line of talent. Be what nature created you for and you will succeed.” I hope this article has been able to unearth and unlock you r passion for living. If you desire to turn your passion into profit, don’t hesitate to call or send me a mail. Go and rule your world! Kehinde Ajose is a career coach who teaches individuals how to turn their passion into profit. He is reachable @ 08024212530/splendidkenny01@yahoo.com.Visit:Motivationswithkehindeajose.blogspot.com.

TURNINIG YOUR PASSION INTO PROFIT (3)
(S.T.A.R.T)
There is no point dreaming of turning your passion into profit if you never go beyond talking to walking and working the talk. Everyone who has ever built a thriving business empire had to start somewhere. The truth is that if you don’t start you won’t start. Quit reasons why you cannot get started and start embracing reasons why you can create a business driven by a burning passion to make a difference. You need to understand that all you have is all you need to start, what you don’t have you don’t need. Recently I had to organize a community development entrepreneurial summit. But I and my team had nothing in terms of the running capital needed to make the event a soaring success. But we dared it and it got a lot of buzz in the media.
Starting is the first step towards attainment. You don’t have to be great do start, but you have to start to be great. You may say:’I don’t have an office”, start from your home,” I don’t have money” start with the little you have. Find ways of giving your ideas wings to fly.Quincy Ayodele of Quincy Herbal slimmmers started her business with 5,000, .For eight years Kehinde kamson of sweet sensations operated her business from the back of her home.With just picture frames given to them as wedding gifts, Leke Alder started his business.His first designs were sold to members of his church.Never ignore the days of little beginnings.
STEPS TO STARTING RIGHT
-Start small:Small beginnings are often the room that births great enterprises.”Think about five ways of turning your passion into profit”.This was the question I posed to one of my clients while coaching her.It may be offering to render your services for free,telling people and giving a face to your services can also help to jumpstart your business.

Taste for excellence:Your starting small doesn’t entail reveling in mediocrity.Excellence should be your driving force.The reason why businesses growth are stunted in this part of the world is because the owners downplay the place of excellence and focus entirely on making profits.Strive to be worldclass in your service delivery.
Add value:Success is to render more and better service that is expected of you.Track stars always run ‘Through the tape”.In other words , they set their sights on a point just past the finish line.The same is true for winners in every area of life.Always seek to do more than is expected of you..
Renewal:As a passionpreneur its imperative to renew your mind.Your mind is a vital equipment for the attainment of your passion.Your dream is stunted in size and scope when the mind of the host is stunted in growth.When you stop learning , you start becoming lean in your business pursuits.
Take a step:Life will not give you your prized possession on a platter of gold. You must boldly take steps that will make your business dreams take shape.There are business opportunities disguised as problems around you.Get up ! , get out! and go make it happen!Never wait for the perfect condition.Go and rule your world!


Kehinde Ajose is Nigeria’s youngest career coach,he helps individuals turn their passion into profit.He is reachable @ 08024212530 or splendidkenny01@yahoo.com/motivationswithkehindeajose.blogspot.com

OWEN GEE ,FUNKE ADETUTU AND GT DA GUITARMAN STORMS AMUWO BUSINESS SUMMIT

Amuwo business summit is a youth empowerment iniitative targeted at making the youths in amuwo odofin live up to discovering, developing, and displaying their Godgiven potentials in order to make our world a better place to live in.The first edition holds on the 22nd of March 2009 by 3.00pm @ ZONE F COMMUNTY MULTI PURPOSE HALL.The keynote speech will be delivered by Mr Ayodele the Amuwo odofin local govt chairman.Celebrities like owen gee, Gt d guitarman,funke adetutu 2009 winner , journalist of the year the future awards will be there to add glamour to this anticipated event.
This event is supported by :THE GUARDIAN, BUSINESS DAY, MOMENTUM MAGAZINE,3M INT'L,THE NATION AND LOT'S MORE.
DON'T MISS IT FOR ANYTHING
FOR ENQUIRIES CALL :08020777803,08024212530

THE PATHWAY TO PEAK PERFORMANCE 3

THE PATHWAY TO PEAK PERFORMANCE (3 )
(Giving – the highest form of living)
“My father has always instilled in me, there are only two things in life that you ought to do. You gotta care and gotta share”-TIGER WOODS

Sharing your success with others is one of life’s most profound and rewarding philosophies. Its been said that we make a living by what we get, but make a life by what we give. I mean giving with a view to helping others. As mountain climbers in the journey of life, we must remain committed to helping each other. In the word of Reynolds Price: “When you help a fellow up a steep hill, you get nearer to the top yourself”. Think about it, what is the essence of living life, breathing ,sleeping and waking up , without giving life to someone else. Every successful men and women I have met , interviewed and networked with , are people who are always willing to share their success secrets with others. Aside from that, some of them are financially or materially involved in supporting charities and other noble projects.
Adams Oshiomole Nigeria’s comrade Governor made this sagacious statement while receiving his “MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD”: The wealth of the minority , will be threatened by the poverty of the majority”. Are you moved by the overwhelming number of the homeless, the mentally ill, the handicapped and physically challenged? Its not just enough to be moved, you need to be moved to do something!. In your own little way you can put smile on someone’s face. In 2003, a group went on a fact-finding journey to raise awareness for Nigeria’s under funded and struggling orphanages. This mission took the group to a remote village in Kogi state of Nigeria where they met Mama Ekundayo.In 1969, Mama ekundayo decided to devote her life to caring for abandoned children. Under her orphanage- Ekundayo Children Home.Throuigh thick and thin she set about her goal, and in 2007 she took in her 469th child into the home without any government assistance or international aid. Here is someone who doesn’t have some of the finest luxuries of life, yet adding luxury to the lives of others. What an inspiration!.Ty Bello , one of our country’s topnotch photographer/musician dedicated a song to Mama ekundayo in her “Greenland “ album. She said: “The conversation I had with mama ekundayo made me realize how empty my life was. I saw someone who was doing a lot more than I was and had much less than I did. “she disclosed.
Recently, I began sharing the basic speaking , writing, coaching, and motivational insights I had acquired in the process of pursuing my dreams. Many young people like myself came to me asking for how to go about pursuing their career paths even as youngsters. I did not hesitate .Little wonder the boundless sense of fulfillment I felt when I discovered that such sharing of the rewards of success has led to many other rewards for others. Two of the youngsters I coached are doing well in their various pursuits. One is a stand up comedian, while the other runs an events management outfit. You may think NGOs abound, but how come there are still so many people on the streets without care. Don’t wait till you catch some nasty ailments before you begin to support its victims.

R &B singer Kelly Rowland is also involved in charity. She is an MTV ambassador who helps spread the gospel of abstinence from HIV .Her charity works has seen her visit projects in Tanzania , Kenya. While in Kenya where young girls are five to six times more vulnerable to HIV infection than boys their own age .Rowland gets tested for HIV in an effort to encourage youths to know their status .The reality of life is that , when death comes beckoning you cannot take those valued material possessions. Therefore it is imperative to possess an undying passion for reaching out to others. Remember, he that watered shall be watered. Be the solution to someone’s problem. Be your brother’s keeper and our world will be a better place to live in because you contributed your own quota to making someone’s life better. Go and rule your world.!

Kehinde Ajose is Nigeria’s youngest career coach,Motivational speaker and syndicated columnist. He conducts peak performance coaching /training s for individuals and professionals. He is reachable at splendidkenny01@yahoo.com/Motivationswithkehindeajose.blogspot.com.

THE PATHWAY TO PEAK PERFORMANCE 2

THE PATHWAY TO PEAK PERFORMANCE 2

(Rising from gale to glory)

“I believe artistes that have been able to stand the test of time are the ones who recognized and apply their P’s-Power, Patience, and Persistence.

-OLUMIDE EDWARDS ADEGBOLU

A.K.A Olu Maintain

It all started with a dream. In her words:” The dream of wearing a crown started when I was growing up. I saw Bianca Onoh(one time Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria) on Television and fell in love with her “So it was not a surprise that dream materialized when she became the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria in 2000.In June 2000, she made it to the semi final of the Miss Universe and internet scores showed that she was actually favoured over Miss Puerto Rico who later emerged winner. She would have screamed that she was discriminated against, that the judges were biased because she isn’t white or brown .She could have returned to the university disillusioned to finish her studies. But she stayed the course with her sights firmly on ruling the world some day. On 16th November 2001 at sun city South Africa , Priyanka Chopra stepped down to hand her the Miss world crown 2001.Making history as the first African to wear the crown. Her name?Agbani darego.

The race of life is often filled with barricades, obstacles and hurdles which’s goal is to stop us and hinder the giant in us from rising and enjoying the sweet pills of success.Every one knows the blows of life are inevitable , if you are hoping to become a champion in life’s boxing ring. What really counts is rising up each time you are knocked down and saying to yourself:”I may be knocked down, but I cannot be knocked out”. So many individuals, in the process of avoiding life’s perilious times resolve to do nothing, try something , or even dare the unusual. In the process, they are stuck remaining on one spot in life, ignorantly not knowing they possess the capacity to soar above the terrible winds of adversity. In the words of Roberto Goizuueta:”The moment avoiding failure becomes your motivation; you are down the part of inactivity. You stumble only if you are moving.”

Look at the butterfly, who once upon a time in its life was a caterpillar. A tiny, little wriggly, ugly, creature with about a 100 legs. An earth bound creature that cannot go very far. But at a time it goes into a cocoon and emerges from the cocoon a butterfly. And you see, a butterfly is so beautiful you don’t want to kill it, so pretty its heaven bound. It can fly as high as it wants its no longer earthbound. We become transformed from not being able to reach for the stars to being able to live our dreams , when we embrace the life changing benefits of advversity.Stephanie Okereke, One of Nigeria’s leading actress experienced a turning point in her life while traveling to the 2005 AMAA award ceremony, a car collided with the one she was in. Stephanie crawled from the ensuing flames with third –degree burns , split bones and a “Fighting spirit’. Bedridden for months, she had to undergo two surgeries, miss a casting for a Roberto-Deniro movie and her career was on hold .Stephanie stood strong inspite of the life threatening accident. She made a full recovery in time to resume training at The New Film Academy Los Angeles, and the Gene Frankel studios, New York where she was schooled in acting for film.Today, she is waxing stronger and pursuing her passion with renewed strength and vigour.

From the moment he came on as a substitute at Japan 93 scoring, ran towards the coach with the gesture saying:”I told you I could do it”. It was clear that a new star had arrived.Kanu Nwankwo went on to score four more goals. The next year he was a skipper and pivotal to the Nigerian dream team gold medal triumph at the atlannta Olympics in U.S.A.Then came the dark experience , doctors confirmed kannu had a heart problem.One that will put an end to his playing career. Interestingly and surprisingly , Kanu fought back by using resilience and courage as chief weapons.He was operated on and yes! He has bounced back from the surgeons table to his rightful place- the field of play-dazzling as ever.The detour of the heart problem led to the birth of the Kanu Heart Foundation, by which a lot of lives have been saved.

When you were a tiny little child, you made your way around the world on your hands and knees crawling. Every one around you were walking and one day, it got into your head to give that a try. So little by little, you worked on developing the skills you needed to walk. You grabbed on to something above you and pulled yourself upright. Through it all, you stumbled, fell down again and again, until you stood up all by yourself.You eventually took your first couple of steps…..all alone all by yourself and (hopefully) to the cheers and applause of your family. You became a champion. Today, you can still re-create that childhood experience and stretch it into your puzzling difficulties. If you can do it then, you can make it happen now.You can move from gale to glory and share your own success story. Go and rule your world!



Kehinde Ajose is Nigeria’s youngest career coach, Motivational speaker and Syndicated columnist. He is reachable @ 08024212530 or visit Motivationswithkehindeajose.blogspot.com

THE PATHWAY TO PEAK PERFORMANCE 1

THE PATHWAY TO PEAK PERFORMANCE 1

(Winning the Tiger woods way)

“I am not just out to be the best black player. I want to be the best golfer ever”

-Tiger woods

I have always been fascinated and animated reading the biographies of great men .Often times , these individuals succeed against all odds and rise to pursue their passion .Their passion in turn make them emerge as epitomes of peak performance .In America where golf is as the restricted sports played mainly by the rich white folks,- a coloured youngster has risen to the game’s pinnacle through hard work, a sense of focus, and sheer determination. May be his name has something to do with it because it takes the fierce and the formidable energy of no less than a tiger to cruise his way to that spot.



LESSON 1

PARENTAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Tiger Woods was born Eldrick Woods on Dec 30 1975,in cypress California. He is the only child of Earl and Kultida Woods. His parents identified their son’s talent at an usually early age. They said that he was playing with a putter before he could walk. Tiger’s father has never denied that he devoted his energies to developing his son’s talent and to further his career as a golfer. It is important for parents to acknowledge and pay attention to their child’s God given talent. As a parent, you need to be observant by focusing on what your child plays with, the activities he/she engages in. Aside from acknowledging your child’s area of strength, it is also imperative to help groom and grow that talent. Never ever discourage them from pursuing their innate abilities.



LESSON 2

PLAY SMALL AND GROW BIG

Woods first gained national attention on a talkshow when he beat the famed comedian Bob hope (1903-)in a putting contest. The young boy was only 3 at the time, he was quickly hailed as a prodigy or a child with remarkable talent. Not long after that, Woods was featured on the popular TV show called :That’s incredible. Turning pro at just 20.It took Tiger woods just eight months to register his impact winning within such a short period a masters and a PGA(Professional golfers association)events. Whatever is your area of calling in life, its important to start on a small scale. Starting small enables you to hone your talent till it becomes an unconscious competence. The only thing you start from the top is the grave.



LESSON 3

PRACTISE

There are no victories at bargain prices. Woods his known for spending many hours practicing his swing and playing in youth tournaments. During practice sessions, Tiger learned to maintain his composure and focus , while his father persistently mad e extreme loud noise in order to make him lose focus. Talent is never enough. It takes practice to transform your talent into a skill. Getting to be the best in your field won’t be easy because of the necessity of commitment. It takes commitment to play that guitar, write that book, or even sing that song when no one is paying attention to your talent. It is important to hold yourself responsible for a high standard than anybody else expects of you.



LESSON 4

PASSION

Whatever quality marks out Tiger woods as the greatest golfer on earth, I think the starting point is passion. A passion for the game and a passion to win. Little wonder, he is labeled:” A freak of dedication”…. To golf of course. Unlike the other men who play for pay , Tiger remains motivated by a different factor , the love of the game. His father Earl woods once said: “Tiger doesn’t love the game, he’s in full -stage addiction.He’s always been addicted to golf”. In the school of success, it is a love affair with your chosen craft that guarantees your ascendancy to life’s hall of fame.



LESSON 5

PECULIAR NAME

When Woods celebrated his 25th birthday, he marked the occasion with a legal name change, from Eldrick to Tiger. Wood had been called Tiger by his father even as a youngster. The nickname stuck as Woods had always been called Tiger by his friends and men of the press. The nugget here is that it is pertinent to differentiate yourself from the maddening crowd. You are what you call yourself. The same Mohammed Ali prophesied:” I am the greatest” years before he first won the world boxing title. If you are not known for something you cannot amount to anything. See yourself in the light of what you want to be called when living your dreams.



LESSON 6

PRESIDENTIAL RECOGNITION

If you are the best at what you do , you will dine with kings and not mere men. When Clinton was the president of U.S.A, he arranged to meet Tiger though it suffered restrictions albeit temporarily, owing to his impending exam then in the university. A BBC source was reported as saying the white house had to reschedule the appointment in favour of the youthful Woods. Now that’s my kind of guy. It shows that with impact on your side too, you too can get the rare chance to call the shots even when the presidency is involved.



LESSON 7

PAVE THE WAY

Wood is credited with popularizing the sport of golf not only among African Americans , but among children of all backgrounds. His personal sponsorships of programmes for children

Has been reported for years , and at least one corporate sponsor found that in order to secure an endorsement (an official document of agreement)from Tiger Woods must include the added cost of a general donation to the Tiger Woods Foundation for inner city children. Success is about making a living , while significance is about making a life. Be the shoulder someone can lean on.

You might not be a golfer, but you can end up as the Tiger Woods in your own field. If a youngster can gain international prominence just by playing golf, then you can do it too. I look forward to reading your own success story .Go and rule your world!



Kehinde Ajose is Nigeria youngest career coach ,Motivational speaker and syndicated columnist. He is reachable @ 08024212530/Motivationswithkehindeajose.blogspot.com

FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE BOARDROOM

FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE BOARDROOM

The classroom can be defined as a room in a school environment where learning takes place. While a boardroom is a room set aside for use by the board of directors of a company or business. Moving from the traditional classroom to the boardroom is no mean feat, as it requires a rebirth in our mindset, a paradigm shift, and a victor’s mentality. Its no longer news that the average Nigerian graduate as been tagged :”Unemployable”, because irrespective of the years they’ve spent in the classroom, they lack the requisite skills necessary for victory in the battlefield called the boardroom. The movement from the classroom to the boardroom without a re-orientation about the real world board room experience is just like pouring new wine into old wine skin. It will burst and the content will become a waste. This is the same way our graduates are bursting in life, running the rat race. Even if they win the rat race they will still be rats not eagles.

Education is nothing if it fails to teach the beliefs and skills which prepares you to live successfully within your lifetime. A question we must always ask ourselves is: How as my education helped me live life to the fullest? If you walk into a classroom today, I doubt if you will find much enthusiasm and excitement , too often you find boredom and fear. Students are driven not by the excitement of learning , but by the fear of being wrong. On the other hand, if you walk into a boardroom, you will find great minds soaring together on the same wave length , rubbing minds and creating solutions that will better people’s lives. A myth that is eating deep into the fabric of our society is that if you do well in school , you will do well in life. But we all know that believe is outdated and obsolete. Doing well academically, is not a guarantee for success in the real world.I,ve met individuals who were brilliant students in the classroom, but are no where to be found in the boardroom. Such people have concluded that the classroom knowledge is enough to win in the boardroom.

Everyday, graduates experience the contradiction between what they are taught in school and what they see in the real world .Let’s quickly examine some of these contradictions.



1.In the classroom your lecturer is responsible for imparting knowledge to you, in the boardroom you take responsibility for your learning. Majority of our graduates only depend on what the lecturers has taught them, but to be ahead of the pack in this information age, you need to consciously drink from the well of personal development. Personal development is beyond what you are being taught in school, its about applying yourself to life, books and resources that will jumpstart you into success. Most graduates think learning ends the day they write their final exams.Continious and never ending improvement must be your watchword for unlimited success in the boardroom.



2.In the classroom, you might not necessarily have passion for your course of study, but in the boardroom passion is the music of the song you must sing. Often times, a chord is stuck in me when I see people jostle for jobs that are not in harmony with their natural giftedness. A large percentage of the Nigerian students will be quick to tell you the fact that they were not admitted for the course they initially wanted to study. So all they engage in throughout their stay in school is to read, cram, pass, and forget. It is not advisable to take this habit into the boardroom. There is no point killing yourself over a career or job that doesn’t excite nor does it makes you motivated and fulfilled. In the boardroom, it’s the love affair you have with your career that takes you far in life.



3.In the classroom you are asked questions that you provide answers to, in the boardroom, the answers(solutions)you provide to questions(problems)determines your relevance. We all know that you are paid in proportion to the problems you solve. Its pertinent to have a problem solving habit which will make you a sought after person in the boardroom. You need to initiate a problem solving campaign , if you must be on top of your game in the boardroom.



4.In the classroom, your course mates are your competitors, in the boardroom you are your own competition. Yes! it is good to conquer your course mates in the classroom by reading hard and graduating with good grades .But in the boardroom, you need to constantly break your own records, conquer yourself and resolve not to be complacent.Complacency leads to stagnancy.

Tiger woods, the world class golf player once said: “The most important thing is furthering yourself and making yourself a better person.”Remember he who stops being better stops being good.



5.In the classroom majority of the lecturers embrace the old techniques of lecturing and imparting knowledge, in the boardroom innovation is the name of the game. In the classroom, its a common sight to see lecturers using the lecture notes they’ve been using since their appointment into the university. The only difference is that the lecture notes is now looking tattered and crying for help. It is rather unfortunate that graduates take this thought pattern into the boardroom without updating their skills and honing their craft. The boardroom is governed by enterprising individuals who have refused to dance to the beat of conformity and mediocrity.

Dear reader, Nigeria needs you to stand up and raise the standards of our education. You too can move from the classroom to the boardroom, if only you apply the thoughts I have shared with you.I will read your success story. Go and rule your world!



Kehinde Ajose is a certified career coach, motivational speaker, and syndicated columnist. He is reachable @ 08024212530 or splendidkenny01@yahoo.com