Have tried all I could, have done all that is necessary, have been all I could, I don’t seem to hit my target. I'm just different from the others, nothing I do seems to yield good results. Practically I'm the worst life has ever had. I'm a failure, dull and my Intelligent Quotient (IQ) is just below average, I'm incompetent in this course and in my chosen career. I seem to understand nothing not even a simple arithmetic calculation.
God created some exceptionally and I a singular X-factor of success. The league of A’s, First Class and Second Class (Hons) Upper Division grade are not meant for people like me. I can’t make it far beyond my D’s and C grades, I'm just below average, in short I am failure personified, am……..
Ha! Before you write off yourself, have you ever thought of a computer machine with 38billions of cells moving around with you daily? Do you actually know this machine capacity, which is capable of storing 200billions of information per seconds? If you care to know, it’s your BRAIN! 7billion people on earth possess the same brain compositions- scholars, genius, and business mogul. The only differences between you and them is their fate, self confidence, determination, passion for excellent and the greatest of all, the proper usage of the brain in active thinking. Remember whatever is in active use, will always work optimally. Get to work with your brain this minute!
The fact that you’ve acknowledged, you are different from others, is a good starting point in the rediscovering of your distinctive character and greatness. Acknowledging that, what you’ve being is not all you could be, means your journey to happy moments is just a little mile away. I feel the smile of hope rekindling in your heart and I say, you are in your path to true greatness. For this reason I was created, for this purpose I was born, and for this course I will live and die i.e. to write in redeeming the dimming image of the dejected.
Looking up the word intelligent and dullness, I realized they are just words of expression and not imprinted in us. i.e. the act of something, not that, that is what you are. It’s an act; therefore, you only become one when you act like one.
Intelligent: Having or showing highly developed mental ability, clever.
Dull: Said of a person slow to learn or understanding. While Dullness; A dull or uninteresting state.
The first connotes highly developed mental ability i.e. active thinking. This was employed by the all time leading scientist and 1921 Noble Prize winner Albert Einstein. Albert Einstein was a great and creative thinker despite born with some neurological and organ dysfunction- the brain. If he had given up, his name would have been swept under the carpet without posterity knowing if he ever existed. Today he is quoted by quite a number of people. “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration”. “Only a life lived in the service of others is worth living”.
Abraham Lincoln, one of the finest United States of America Presidents, who led United States through the era of the Civil war, issued the proclamation and emancipation of slavery in January 1 1863 that lead to the total freedom of slavery in United States of America. With all his accomplishment, Abraham Lincoln had very little schooling, like many children who lived on the frontier. But he had a strong desire to learn, and he read books at night by the light of the fire in his family’s cabin. He did not start as a genius; in fact he failed times without numbers. But guess what he had? He had a burning desire, little wonder he said “The fact that you failed does not mean you are a failure, it means you’ve not succeeded yet”. Finally confirming his incapability he state “Am a slow walker, but I never walk backward”. So brace up to the challenges before you wake up and smell the coffee. Anything you want in life you must learn to fight for it.That someone somewhere called you a dullard is not a ticket to poor career or academic performance. Most of world leading leaders of today have failed one way or the other; in fact some where asked if this is all they could be then the academic biosphere is not the arena to be. With doggedness of mind and tenacity of purpose they strive harder on their journey to greatness, because they knew who they are inside, and not the expression people perceive of them. They knew they are not what people or person(s) says they are, but they are who they think they are. “We are not what they say we are, we are who we say we are”-Pethiano.
Know this, nobody will sit and watch you out shine them, rather in anyway or means they will try to bring you down. If you give in or give up at a man statement, out of 7billion people that you are dull it’s up to you.
Theodore Roosevelt, Dr. Benjamin Carson (world renowned Neurosurgeon), Sir Isaac Newton, Imoesi Peter Ikhianosimhe (a classic Biochemist) and a host of other great men of old have faced challenges, but today, they are celebrated in different strata of human success.
Theodore Roosevelt started slow- both physical and mentally. As a child he was puny and very sickly. He had debilitating asthma, possessed very poor eyesight, and painfully thin. His chance of survival was 50-50. At the age of twelve his father told him “you have the mind, but you have not the body, and without the help of the body the mind cannot go as far as it should. You must make the body”. With the innate drive for greatness, he pushed forward without conceding to voices or giving in to inferiority of his identity. Like a Spartan soldier, he trend on with hope and admiration of what the future holds for him. Without taking the tranquilizing drug of gradualism he hastens up the building process of his body.
His determination was the grease that eases the grip of failure off his shoulder. Day in, day out he kept working and building his body through exercises- ice-skating, weight lifting, hiked, horseback and boxing. After a consolidated effort and a successful blue-print, Roosevelt admitted that as a child he was “nervous and timid. But from reading of the people I admired…. And from knowing my father, I had a great admiration for men who were fearless and who could hold their own in the world, and I had a great desire (passion) to be like them”. When he finally finished from Harvard he had built a physic and mental alertness, dogged and prepared to face any life puzzle. This was a man many would readily write off, just like you and I would readily write him off. Yet he became a Vice President and finally the 26st United States of America President at age forty two (42), the youngest serving United States of America president. Look inward you have better chance than Roosevelt, what you make do of what you have, is up to you.
Roosevelt’s lists of accomplishments are remarkable. Due to his love for conservation of nature, he created five national parks and one hundred and fifty national forests. He help Panama break from Colombia and gain independence. Under his leadership, United States emerged as World Power. He help the country develop a First-Class Navy. He negotiated peace between Russia and Japan and finally left the stage with a loud ovation a Nobel Prize.
This great but low beginner who’s IQ, expert would readily write off gave up the ghost in January 6, 1919. When they removed him from bed, they found a book under his pillow. Remember my frequent quote in seminars- Leaders are Readers as you read you will definitely lead.
The above elaborate and inspiring life of a man, who refused to expire in the sight of men, is a simple expression of the word DETERMINATION and CONSISTENCY of PURPOSE. A man with a vision will be determined, consistent despite all opposition militating against his pursuit for excellence. My acronym for the word WIND- Willing Individuals Need no Distractions. Nothing stops the wind in its direction; else you have it to contend with. Same is with individuals with willing hearts and determination of purpose. My advices get WIND!
The only reason, you are still at the low part of the ladder is because, there is no determination flowing through your veins. If you truly want success, you will know that staying awake all through the night and day, weeks and months truly worth the struggle. Success is not in desperation rather in determination, passion in searching for true knowledge, commitment to things that are vital and important to success. You must know that things that matter most, should not be at the mercy at things that matter least. Of such example are unnecessary social activities, unproductive dating (relationship), staying with a man or woman on campus you are not legally married to, over engaging in school politics, watching movies etc. before you act always ask yourself this simple question; what’s in it for me WIIFM? And what’s in it for them WIIFT? Don’t get me wrong am not against recreation and socialization, learn when to draw the line per time. First things first!
If I tell you that the success I enjoy today was not over night you won’t believe. Born in to a family of academicians what do you expect from the lad, success of course! That was true in my primary school days, in short my Primary School Leaving Certificate Examination, I had Merit. But due to some factors I would not like to shade light on until my autobiography is release I failed class two in Senior Secondary School (SS2). That faithful weekend one of my aunties visited, and she was told I repeated SS2. She laughed me to scorn and said, none of my siblings ever did science therefore; I will not excel in sciences. Who is she or he to pronounce judgment when my God as not decree? What hurt me so much was when she asked me to put on the sound system when I did, she said, you just did science. It was so frustrating, and then she said my advice is, withdraw to commercial class, sciences are not meant for people of your kind. Why won’t she give such an advice when she herself never did sciences? Did I concede? NO. The same person who was told “sciences are not meant for people of your kind” made his Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) at a sit. Gradually my self confidence boosted. Same brain that had 5 E’s in Year One at the university, went ahead to make a total of 21A’s from a target of 25A’s. The same person that was mocked, same person who was told, if this is all you’ve got, withdraw to Art or Commercial class, same brain made Second Class (Hons) Upper Division in Biochemistry a department many dread, same brain won an award as the First Student to have ever written a book as an Under-graduate duly recognized by the school in Biochemistry and Faculty of Natural Science, and Second in the school at large- Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma Edo State, Nigeria and currently in pursuit of his Masters in Molecular Biology with one of the leading University in UK. Same brain, same brain…. If you give up too soon in life it’s up to you. You are failing because you’ve not discovered yourself. There is the you, in you, that makes you different from others.
The reason(s) you are still failing are listed below; address these issues and see your desired success.
(a) No set goals (b) Lack of self confidence (c) Not looking at the Big Picture (d) Engaging in unproductive Association(s) (e) Not punctual in lectures (f) Procrastinating (g) Superficial study (h) Not asking questions (i) Underestimating the hand of God.
No Set Goals: The first step to a successful life is in goal setting. Know what you want? When you want it? Why you want it and how to get it? Why you want a thing will ultimately ignite an inner drive in its pursuit. Each academic session I set the numbers of A’s I want, and work tenaciously in achieving my desires, because the sole determinant of my life is me. Example of a goal is, I want to be the best in whatever I do, with this goal in mind you won’t accept just anything. Whenever everything goes, it means nothing goes.
Lack of Self Confidence: In one of my quotes, in life challenges will definitely come, but the belief you have in yourself is the first weapon of combat. You can’t carry the mind of a failure and expect success to smile at you. Believe you can, think like the genius you are, look at your past success, if you can do it in the past, then you can do it anytime. Because you are still the same person with the same brain that produce an A in course XYZ, therefore you can still repeat such in course ABC.
Not Looking at the Big Picture: Whatever you constantly think about, will take the better part of your character. Keep your mind on the big picture. Day and night, weeks and months keep your mind on the big picture. In spite of things not working in your favour, keeping looking at the big picture. This was my principle, despite my grade in Second Class Lower in my Year One and Year Two at the University; I never lose focus of the BIG Picture- Second Class (Hons.) Upper Division grade, I kept fighting my way to the top because I knew success was just a little mile away. Today it’s a success story.
Unproductive Association(s): Your present position is a resultant factor of your association(s). Keeping unproductive association will dissociate your live core values. Association(s) builds, same destroys. Learn went to draw the line. Remember whatever will not add value to you will definitely devalue you.
Not Punctual to Lectures: Whenever you are absent in lectures, there is no student that can state the exact word of the Lecturer. And being present in lectures can actually reveal the way and manner a Lecturer would set his questions. This is called Student Lecturer Psychology.
Not Starting Early: What you can do today why do it tomorrow? You are still failing not because you are dull or of low IQ, but because you want to have it all within a given short period of time. A journey of a thousand mile begins with a step. In my days as a student, when is two weeks to resumption I begin my studies in my father’s house, and before the end of each semester I get the necessary materials for the next academic session or semester as the case maybe. With my Faculty Handbook I scan through each course content and startup with my reading plans. But if I should ask the where about of your syllabus or Departmental handbook now, it will take ages in its location, this shows the degree of your un-seriousness. You are the architect of your future, what you become is up to you.
Superficial Study: So many things are assumed by us most times. We believe we know it. I as a person, I don’t assume I know anything until the examination day. This is why I read all through the night prior to any examination at least 14-16hours; yes I know you will shout! Remember I read Biochemistry and when you see a Biochemistry student ask him or her what it take to graduate from Biochemistry without a carry over from year One to Final year. There was no time in my result I had F as a grade in my days in the University. There is no free launch anywhere; everything in life has a price tag think about it! Presumption, assumption and procrastination are cumbersome-Tim-metabolite. Why not take that extra mile to study a course or subject into to. As a person I read a course four to five times no matter the volume before the end of a semester and prior to any examination. The more you read a particular course the more you familiarize yourself with the course. Same is obtainable after passing through a path over and over, a time will come even in the dark you can’t miss the route. The fact that you’ve being taking food to your mouth over the years is why even when you close your eyes, your hand can’t miss the mouth place. Same is what familiarizing yourself with a course or any useful venture does.
Learn to Ask Questions: Ask questions, not just question from every Tom Dick and Harry, but from the right source. People may laugh at you, but majority of those that laugh are on the same train with you. If they claim to know it all why are they in the same lecture room as you? You may be laugh at today, but tomorrow you are on top, but when you fail to ask because of what people would say, same persons will laugh at you when you fail. Ask constructive questions, not just for the sake of it as a way of showing off your escapades. As a student I never really asked questions in class. What I do is first find out the solution myself. When it proves difficult, I ask my friends, if it beyond them, I take it up with the Lecturer one on one. Not being proud, I never really had questions I could not provide answers to when I have a Supreme Being who knows the beginning to the end of days. Secondly I had about seven textbooks in Biochemistry, the depth of a river determines if you will dive or walk in. So, where “cometh thou question” was my usual spoken word. Certainly this is not you. You are more than this. See you at the very top where you belong!
Absolute Success Newest Edition. Contact the Author if this as changed your life. I love to share in your success.
