Few days ago my friend, Ejiro Ometan forwarded an email to me. I was inspired by it and decided to take a life-long search to study the life and times of great men. My search isn’t about their successes as I have read many pieces about that part of them. I wanted to know their path to success; if in their journey they experienced setbacks such as I am experiencing. Yes, I wanted to know what attitude they wore in the face of challenges. My search is gonna continue for a lifetime because in the making of great men, there shall be no end. Today, I wanna share a few quote from the few men I have studied in the past few days. I hope it inspires you.
I am what I am, both as a result of people who respected me and helped me, and those who did not respect me and treated me badly – Nelson Mandela
Ralph Waldo Emerson’s daughter was away from home attending school. In corresponding with her famous father, she made it clear to him that she was brooding over a past mistake that had left her with a troubled conscience. Emerson wrote his daughter and said, “Finish everyday and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in, but get rid of them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day, you should never encumber its potentialities and invitations with the dread of the past. You should not waste a moment of today on the rottenness of yesterday.
Don’t expect to be a megastar overnight. I’ve always said that it takes 10 years to become an actor. Far too many actors are far too young to handle major roles – Christopher Lee-Veteran. (actor with over 244 acknowledged film and TV roles out of atleast 358 screen credits)
I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost 3000 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot…and missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that’s why I succeed. – Michael Jordan (arguably the greatest basketball player ever)
You can have it all. You just can’t have it all at once – Oprah Winfrey. The highest paid TV personality.
Eli Whitney was laughed at when he showed his cotton gin. Thomas Edison had to install his electric light for free of charge in an office building before anyone would even look at it. The first sewing machine was smashed by Boston mob. People scoffed at the idea of railroads. People thought that traveling thirty miles an hour (in an automobile) would stop circulation of blood. Samuel Morse had to plead before ten congresses before they would even look at his telegraph - Anonymous
Formula for handling people:
1. Listen to the other person’s story
2. Listen to the other person’s full story
3. Listen to the other person’s story first - George Marshal
One thousand friends are not enough, one bad friend is too much – Late Arch Bishop Benson Idahosa. (Father of Nigeria Pentecostal Movement)
My Take: The hands of men, no matter how evil, strong or powerful do not have the authority to halt our destiny. In fact, their evil intentions put us in the path of destiny. Remember Joseph? – Colyns Agboju
