3 WAYS TO A RENEWED BEGINNING IN LIFE

There are people like me who hold the strong belief that life originated from the efforts of divinity in creation. I believe in the biblical account of creation as narrated by Moses in his books, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Numbers. In his account, he says very clearly that the beginning was characterized by creation. God created the heaven and the earth.

THE CHALLENGES OF A NEW BEGINNING.

I received a lot of inspiration studying the account of creation from Genesis 1. I saw that the earth was encumbered with 3 challenges during its recreation - formlessness, emptiness and darkness (Genesis 1:2). These words jumped out at me and I concluded that there are 3 things that needs be sorted out when starting a venture or recreating an enterprise: structure (formlessness), resources (emptiness) and vision (darkness). A new life begins with confronting the challenges of vision, structure and resources.

THE PLACE OF INSPIRATION IN CREATION

Every new creation is a product of inspiration. The stimulation within the mind of individuals has invented things, modeled structures, redefined systems and shattered paradigms. Many feats have been accomplished owing to some flashes of thought. Inspiration is a process that begins with contemplation, a deeper engagement of the mind on issues that require a solution or response. When inspired, there are several abstract simulations that go on in the mind. The strength of any moment of inspiration is that it propels action. It leads to a declaration of intention followed by actionable plans. Inspiration comes from several sources. It can be as a result of things experienced in the society or an idea from engagement with new information that may have been presented in books or over the media. Producers and creators are men that followed their hunch and have made a great deal out of it. The products of inspiration are found in galleries, car marts, stores, museums and every where people may have their foothold. There can be no advancement without a deliberate creation of goods and services and these both come out of a heart spinning from ideas, concepts and insights that came as a result of contemplation.

OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGES OF A NEW BEGINNING

The challenges of a new beginning as adopted in this article are formlessness, emptiness and darkness. They have been furthered redefined as structure (formlessness), resources (emptiness) and vision (darkness). It is important however to determine in what order these challenges will be confronted in order to generate desired results for a success oriented person.

The creation story of Moses shows the order in which God (Elohim) attended to these challenges. The pattern given from Genesis 1: 3 showed that God attended to the darkness challenge and thereafter sorted out the formlessness challenge and concluded with the emptiness challenge. Following my redefinition of these challenges therefore, the order of attention required to have a great beginning is that vision must be sorted before structure and thereafter resources. Therefore to begin a new life, venture or project, it is important to start with a vision in mind, create a structure to drive the vision and provide resources to fulfill the vision.

Way 1: Have a Vision.

Every new process must sort out the challenge of direction. If you don't have a destination, you'll lose steam. Having a vision for life is the foundation for a life of meaning & significance. The race of life is meaningless when there is no definiteness of purpose. Life is worth living only when it is purpose driven. We live in a noisy and busy world that distorts focus. Chose your path in life, stay on track with it, ignore the naysayers and remain tenacious in your pursuit. Having a vision for your life is the first mountain to conquer if you must excel in life. Determine where you want to be. Define where you want to make your most impact in life. Define your S.C.O.P.E (Significant Circles Of Personal Engagement). Answer the question of what should I focus on? Those who have made marks on this earth are people who have maintained their tracks. A man of vision is the one that can make worthy contributions. A man of vision is the one that can birth solutions. You can find your place on this earth by identifying your gifts, spotting a societal need & seeking the face of God. If you have not really determined where you want to go in life, review your competences, they will likely guide you. If you don't know what track to stay on as you live your life, check out your passion, it is an indicator. When you don't know where to go, follow someone that knows his destination, you will learn how to find your own.

The race of life is meaningless when there is no definiteness of purpose.

Way 2: Design a Simple Structure.

The second challenge you must overcome to become a champion in life after vision is structure. Live a simple life. Don't make your life complicated by so many entanglements. Free up your commitments so you can maximize your energy. God, the creator fixed this earth on a tripod of Sky, Land and the Sea. Don't complicate your life, make it simple. Decide how many children you will have. Don't assume you can control your urges. Be decisive about it. You don't need too many associations of you have a few quality ones. You lose control over the issues of life when you clutter it with unnecessary commitments. God made life simple and easy, don't get it twisted and knotty. If God has only 3 departments in controlling the world - sky, land & sea- why do you need more? Departmentalize your life. Determine where your energies should be channeled to. Don't spread yourself too thin. Vision precedes structure. If you don't have a vision, you cannot organize your life well. If your life is not coordinated, you will always lose and waste resources.

Free up your commitments so you can maximize your energy.

Way 3: Become Resourceful.

The 3rd challenge to confront to live a worthy life is that of resources. You must know how to get what you need. In the world we live today, you must know how to make the most of people, money, technology, and information. People may be your greatest liabilities but they are the world’s greatest assets. You need skills to draw the best. The people in your life help to create more things in your life. You must learn to draw from their creativity. The people around you ought to improve the quality of your life. Learn to sieve out those who diminish your worth. You need people to help you overcome the things you are struggling with. Two are better than one. Knowing how to make & keep Money is an essential skill in a man’s life. High earners are deep learners. There are 2 ways of making money: 1. When you work & 2. When your money works. The reward of your work is money. Your money works when you save it & invest it. You can’t invest what you haven't accumulated in savings or earnings. Technology is an enabler of processes. Those who ignore it are always late in making accomplishments. Not knowing how to leverage technology to get your work done faster & better may be the source of your stress. Information is what gives organizations an edge. The big difference between successful people and failures is the access to information and the utilisation of the same towards a desired end.

you must know how to make the most of people, money, technology, and information.

Vision precedes structure. Structure maximises the resources of people, money technology and information. Your quest for a better life will always demand a vision of a better life. The life you cannot define will be difficult to refine. Pay attention to your destination not to environmental condition. The things around you may even ground you. Let the joy of realizing your vision be a reason to endure the challenges on the journey. Your path in life maybe unique but if you believe in it, despise the shame and watch as fame will come to your name. In pursuit of your vision, personal conviction always overrides people's sentiments and concerns. You don't need skilled people to see your vision through as much as you need believers in your cause.

The life you cannot define will be difficult to refine.

BE DELIBERATE ABOUT YOUR LIFE'S OUTCOMES

No motivation will ever suffice for a man who doesn't believe in sacrifice. Every phase of life presents you with a goal that you must chase. To live your life without a goal is to live like a goat. Desiring many things from going nowhere in particular. Every incidence in life is never a coincidence for a man equipped with confidence in his pursuit of excellence. The world will always make way for the man that knows his way.

Don't wait for your old age to pass a message to this world through an adage.

When your dream of a good life starts to fade, reach out for a new dream. Your life is yours to live, it can't be at the mercy of family & friends. We will give an account of it PERSONALLY. Success in life is function of interest and commitment. Be interested in your pursuits & be committed to the price. Life is no dress rehearsal, you have only one to live. Make the most of it while you have the strength to do so. Don't wait for your old age to pass a message to this world through an adage.

 OAO