adminArthur Marara Motivation for Success
A person is remembered for two things; problems that he or she has caused, and problems he or she has solved (Mike Murdock). Great people think in terms of legacy and not just success.
Your success on earth is measured by the quantity and quality of problems you have solved for mankind. Instead of solving problems some people are at the helm of actually causing them.
What problems are you solving for your community, nation and the world at large? What problems have you caused or are you causing? How do you want your life to be summed up? What do you want people to say about you at your funeral? An honest self-assessment is more valuable than ten thousand lectures. A life well lived is one with results that positively affect humanity long after the process of nature are through with your human remains.
Stop existing, start living
You were not borne to die. You were born to live and make a difference in the world that you live in. If your goal is simply to go to work, earn a salary, pay rentals, school fees and other expenses, get married (if you are not), have grandchildren and die you are in trouble. A routine will not take you far in life. Discover your unique purpose and start living in it.
A number of people are concerned about leaving earth rather than living on earth. You can never leave a lasting legacy and enjoy life if all that’s on your mind is leaving earth. There are some people who are not developing their lives because “they will die one day”. The greatest tragedy is not that your life will end, but it is that it might never start if you do not take the right steps. Your life starts to count the moment you realise who you are and what you are supposed to be living for. If you do not discover it, you will merely exist and not live. You can only leave a legacy if you have lived.
Our decisions will haunt generations to come
The quality of decisions we make determines the quality of legacies we leave behind. We can do certain things today and not bear the consequences but someone will in the future. There are lot of people who have left a legacy of division, pain, suffering and debt behind. These do not disappear into the thin air. They will be met by someone. If you share my faith, you might have encountered a story of a prophet who left a legacy of debt which almost saw his children being taken into slavery.
“One day the wife of a man from the guild of prophets called out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead. You well know what a good man he was, devoted to GOD. And now the man to whom he was in debt is on his way to collect by taking my two children as slaves.” 2 Kings 4:1 (MSG). Do you have time to look into your decisions? How healthy are the decisions that you are making for your business and personal life? How safe is your family, business, or organisation if you are to die today?
The story of Alfred Nobel
One day, Alfred Nobel woke up to a rude headline in the media. The media reported that, “the merchant of death had died”. The newspapers went ahead to describe how he had contributed to the killing of people throughout the world. His invention of the dynamite had polished and improved the manner in which people would kill one another on a massive scale. Alfred Noble had the rare opportunity of reading his “obituary” whilst he was alive. He also had the benefit of knowing the impression that he had created in the minds of people. His legacy was one of death and not life.
Who knew that the newspapers had erred? They had mistaken a living person for a dead person. It was not Alfred who had died but his younger brother. The life of this person was to be changed by a mistaken headline which had circulated the whole nation? Alfred decided to make a difference with the remainder of his life. He wanted to change the way that his story would be told long after he had gone. The resolution that he made was to ensure that his life leaves a better legacy.
The Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the prestigious honours that can be given to people today. This is the legacy of the man Alfred Nobel whose life became a commitment towards honouring people who made significant contributions in the world and their communities. One headline changed his life forever. His name is associated with greatness, philanthropy peace, love and hope in the world today.
The fortune that Alfred Nobel had gathered became committed to the honouring of various individuals worldwide. Long after Alfred Nobel passed on people are being honoured for their various contributions. Among the recipients of this honour are Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King Jr, Albert Einstein to mention but a few.
This started with one man who changed the way that he wanted to be remembered. Instead of leaving a legacy of death and destruction, he chose to leave a legacy of life and hope. Dr. Martin Luther King embraced the principle of legacy. During Martin Luther King’s funeral a tape recording was played in which King spoke of how he wanted to be remembered after his death: ‘‘I’d like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to give his life serving others’’.
It’s never too late to amend
Every day is an opportunity to make things right with your family, workmates, and business associates. Take time to consider the decisions that you have been making and about to make. What impact are they going to have on the legacy that you want to leave behind. Alfred Nobel’s story unearths fundamental lessons on how to shape and reshape our lives.
The lesson that we learn is that, it is never too late to make corrections in life. As long as you are alive, grab this opportunity to reflect and redirect your life. If you are a man with children you have not declared to your spouse, why not do the right thing now rather than surprise people (including your spouse) at your graveside.
Take decisions that will leave your family, business, church intact. The Turks gave us a profound proverb that, “no matter how far you have travelled on a wrong route turn back.”
Join me on Star FM on Wednesdays (09:30am-10:00am) for some moments of inspiration on the Breeze with Tariro and Iyati.
- Arthur Marara is an Attorney, Author and Speaker. He is also the author of the Personal Development Toolkit, Keys to Financial Freedom, The Power Within, and Keys to Effective Time Management. Send your feedback to [email protected] or Like his page on Facebook, or Whatsapp: +263 772 467 255 or visit www.arthurmarara.com.
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