Taking Life Head On

"We are built to conquer environment, solve problems, achieve goals and we find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles to conquer and goals to achieve." - Maxwell Maltz in Psycho-Cybernetics (1960)

I have always taken life head on because I had no choice. I got an early jolt in life when, barely eight, I lost my father. Since then, life has been a struggle. I was raised by my mother, a widow who had neither education nor financial means, but a big heart. My mother is a wonderful woman. She trained and protected me. I greatly benefited from the bottomless wealth of her wisdom. My mother instilled in me sound moral and spiritual values and the virtue of hard work. She made me believe that the keys to success are hard work and faith in God.

My mother is the single most enduring and profound influence on my life. She sold her properties to send my late brother and I to school. Her goals were simple; she wanted me to make something of myself, go places she did not dare dream of, so that her toil on me would not be in vain. Hence when I left secondary school I vowed to succeed in life. That promise has been my driving force.

Barely 10 years old, I had acquired the thirst to achieve greatness from selling iced water and biscuits on the streets of Lagos, Nigeria to support my mother. The best thing that happened to me was growing up 'on the other side of the track,' without the privilege of wealthy parents. Anything I wanted, I had to hustle and scrape for. Far from a drawback, this was a definite advantage for me.

Today I thank God because those times have been confined to history. However, there were times when I believed the words of a Nigerian songwriter which says, 'I've been down so long it looked like up to me'. At no point in my life did I think it was going to be easy.

When I followed my lovely wife to the labour room during the birth of our daughter few months ago, I realised that even bringing a child to life is not easy. I experienced a whole range of emotions; from relief, fear, anxiety, nostalgia, to excitement, but certainly not ease.

I suggest that instead of waiting for life to give you an easy path, you enter the flow of life and take it as it comes to you, understanding that there will be challenging times and also good times. During prosperous times you should expect adversity, because that is the nature of life.

You need to have faith to be able to face the challenges of life. Rather than raise the white flag of surrender, lash out in anger or take the path of least resistance, we can rise up to the challenge and meet it head on with faith in God.

Marcus Garvey once said, "Some of us seem to accept the fatalist position, the fatalist attitude, that the creator accorded to us a certain position and condition and therefore there is no need trying to be otherwise."

Writers Dennis Kimbro and Napoleon Hill, who wrote about black men responding to challenges said in their: 'Brotherman', that: 'In everyone's life there comes a time of ultimate challenge - a time when all our resources are tested. A time life seems unfair. A time when our faith, our values, our patience, our compassion and our ability to persist are pushed to the limit and beyond. Some have used such tests as opportunities for growth; others have turned away and allowed these experiences to destroy their hopes.' If you are ever confronted by a situation that seems daunting, the only thing to do is to hold on to your faith and determination.

As a member of Jaycees International, a worldwide leadership development organisation between 1990 and 1995, I cherished the first creed of the club which says: "Faith in God gives meaning and purpose to human life." This is indeed true. Kris Akabusi, the former Commonwealth gold medallist, said in his biography: "Work hard to achieve all you can, but ultimately without God you won't find meaning and satisfaction in life." Our faith in God sees us through many obstacles in life.

Life would throw so many things in our paths. They are the milestones that make the journey meaningful and the events that not only shape our lives but also help us in achieving our goals. Today that boy who hawked on the streets of Lagos, Nigeria when he was barely 10 years old, who gate-crashed into the launching of Tera Kota's first album in Nigeria - 'Lamentation For Sodom' in 1982, has become a man, feet firmly on the way to his dream, propelled by a mother's gruelling determination and his faith in God.

When the going gets tough and the situation looks uncertain, be not afraid; trudge along. Hold on to your faith with the buoyant and divine assurance that all will be well.

See you at the top soon!

Dayo Olomu is a UK-based Motivational Speaker, Writer, Business/Life Coach, Trainer, Media Entrepreneur and Competent Toastmaster. His core belief is that we are all endowed with seeds of greatness, and his mission is to help individuals and organisations achieve their full potentials. He is the author of best selling "4 Indispensable Strategies for Success" and the President of Croydon Communicators Toastmasters. Get his FREE monthly Rise to the Top ezine by sending a blank email to subscribe@dayoolomu.com or visit his website at: www.dayoolomu.com

Latest News

New York Times

» Inspirational drama anything but 'Broken' Chicago Daily Herald, IL - 22 hours ago This movie is based on the inspirational book by Bishop TD Jakes, which might explain why Duke treats it like an overripe project for the Lifetime cable ... Bill Duke's Not Easily Broken The Phoenix all 118 news articles

An inspirational office Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 4 hours ago “Without a doubt, moving to this new office has given a tremendous boost to our camaraderie, our inspirational level, openness and teamwork,” Khairudin says ...

John Lewis hails 'inspirational' sales effort in January sale Times Online, UK - 4 hours ago John Lewis emphasised that the sales figures were inflated by calendar effects but hailed a “truly inspirational” performance. Sales of electricals and home ...

Local Sports Hero to Share Inspirational Story at Business Club of ... PR.com (press release), NY - 20 hours ago Raleigh, NC, January 09, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Logan Aldridge, a top national wakeboarder from Raleigh, will share his inspirational story at the Business Club ...

BALL: fund-raiser for inspirational school for autistic children Midhurst and Petworth Today, UK - 4 hours ago Pulborough mum Clare Vaux is organising a spring ball in tribute to a truly-inspirational school. The ball will be a fund-raiser for the Jigsaw School, ...

Gerard Lucien Gaudreau, inspirational speaker Baltimore Sun, United States - Jan 8, 2009 By Frederick N. Rasmussen Gerard Lucien Gaudreau, a former partner in a Baltimore real estate firm and an inspirational speaker and teacher, died of heart ...

Tyler Thompson, inspirational JCJC student, dies Laurel Leader Call, MS - Jan 7, 2009 By Jason Niblett, newseditor@laurelleadercall.com A Jones County Junior College student who symbolically became an inspiration during the 2008 Jones County ...

Dr. Phil: Movie critic? Los Angeles Times, CA - 6 hours ago That's what Sony has done for its new movie, "Not Easily Broken," which is not only being touted by Dr. Phil ("Inspirational, hilarious and deeply moving") ...

Inspirational Deborah Riedel soprano dies of cancer aged 50 The Australian, Australia - Jan 8, 2009 Matthews described Riedel as an inspirational singer. Riedel grew up in Sydney and was a schoolteacher before successfully auditioning for a place in the ...

Inspirational coach sharing her experiences with local girls Chinook Observer (subscription), WA - Jan 8, 2009 ILWACO — On June 11 from 10 am to 3 pm, girls in grades sixth through 12th have a rare opportunity to spend a day with an inspirational leader of young ...