,…..by doing your BEST AT ALL TIMES:
I often hear student promise me after a coaching session or mentoring session saying, “I see, what you mean now and I will try my best”. I know that talk is cheap, but I also know that those who are honourable enough to do what they say they would do can change the course of their lives and therefore the course of the world

If a man does his very best, no one could ask for anything more! If you actually put in your best, you leave with the satisfaction that you gave it your best shot and couldn’t have done any more. That is so satisfying.

A.L William, once wrote a book titled ‘All you can do is all you can do, and all you can do is enough.’ If any boy or girl or even an adult put in his or her very best, that is all anyone can ask of you.

Unfortunately, humans are about the only organism that put in less than their very best in what they do! A tree will grow to its potential and even struggle through diseases to grow to its genetic potential. It will grow as tall as it can grow and the roots will go as deep as they can go to find water, often breaking through rocks. But because we humans have the dignity of choice, we often chose to be less than we can be and achieve much less than our potential!

One of the aims of this blog is to get you out of this group of people who will do less than they can! And achieve a lot less than they are capable of achieving. Walk away from these people! Those who would not go the extra mile to do anything, who would not dig in to find the extra strength to keep going, even when every other person has given up!

I cannot emphasise enough the need to fight for your future by doing your very best, and I will reiterate this time in the words of one of my mentors, Jim Rohn “Walk away from the 97%, don’t use their vocabulary, don’t use their excuses, and don’t use their method of drift and neglect.” Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others major in minor things, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else’s hands, but not you. Walk away! Don’t have days like they do, otherwise you will end up broke and poor. Pennies with no treasures and trinkets but no values!

Not that we believe that hard work is easy. It is not, but it is worth it at the end of the day. In 1999, Mohammed Ali (formerly Cassius Clay) was voted BBC’s Sporting Personality of the Century. What an achievement! To be considered as the best sporting personality in 100 years and to win was an achievement of a lifetime. Many years ago Mohammed Ali made a very important statement,
“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’”

He refused to live as society has taught us to live, using the “BUY NOW and PAY LATER” philosophy. That means enjoy the benefit of our goods and services and then pay later with your sweat and sometimes blood! It is almost as if the voice keeps telling you to ignore your revision now, avoid the lesson now, ignore that voice of reason now, and do what feels good to you. But what happens later in life? If you end up in a job that you hate! Where the employers pay you just enough so you don’t quit and you work hard enough so you don’t get fired! If you end up like this, then do not blame life, for life usually rewards hard work. Employers may not always reward hard work, but life often rewards it.

Mohammed Ali suffered then and he is living the rest of his life as a champion. Today he is 70, still referred to as the “champ “and respected all over the world. The state of Kentucky built a centre in his honour. He doesn’t have to work anymore as the endorsements provide him with an income for life. He suffered then and now he is a champion for life.

Now, when the project becomes difficult, or when that Maths class or
Science class becomes boring to your brain, say to yourself, “suffer now and live my life as a champion!”
When you find yourself saying:
• I hate every minute of my Maths lesson
• I hate every minute of my History lesson
• I hate every minute of my French lesson
• I hate every minute of that exercise programme
Always remember to say to yourself, “Don’t quit, I will suffer now and live the rest of my life as a winner!”

See you at the top!
Tola Adeliyi