In the short time I've lived on earth I have come to realize that the word "Random" only exists in the dictionary. In the real world, nothing just happens. You know, many of us look but only few see. If I look at a football match for instance, all I see is a group of grown up men chasing after a ball in a pitch and somehow are getting paid in figures most people will never handle their entire lifetime. But when Atoyebi Oyelere, one of the most brilliant minds I've met on Facebook, looks at a football match what he sees is different. He sees life.

Some people look at life and see football, so they think life is a game of fun. But some other people look at football and see life, so they draw out principles that will enable them win in the warfare of life. Atoyebi Oyelere is one of such people who look at football and see life. And he says every now and then that, "If someone is better than you are in any area, then that person knows something that you don't know." And may I add here that that principle holds irrespective of your opinion about the person. Whether he is proud, arrogant, disrespectful, or just plain annoying, if that person is better than you are in any area, then that person knows something you don't know.

I have seen people who, irrespective of how hard they think they are trying, they never seem to achieve any meaningful success. They may seem to be doing OK, but deep down they know they have hit an invisible ceiling. They just can't cross certain boundaries. This I believe is due to these people violating certain unwritten codes of life and living. In this note I will be highlighting five categories of people who will never go far in life. Of course, like I said in one of my notes, in the 21st century everything has become debatable, but the end will tell.

Category 1: Those who can't be taught.
This category feel they already know all they need to know. A variant of them will only listen to big names, not so much so that they can learn but just so that they can quote those big names. Once they feel you are of the same age range, educational qualification, or the same demography, then nothing you say ever matter to them. Once you say something that strikes a chord in them, they want you to tell them where you heard it. They would rather say they learnt it from that person than that they learnt it from their mates.

These people idolize icons a lot. Once the words are from the lips of so and so person, then that is it. You can never convince them otherwise. As far as they are concerned, their idols are infallible. You probably have names of these people coming into your mind right now. The strange part, however, is that none of us is here. We only know others who are here.

Category 2: Those who don't invest in self development.
This category is really not far from the first. They could pass for Siamese twins. These people have read all they need to read during their undergraduate days. "I'm done with books," is their mantra. You may not believe it but I know people who have not read a single book from cover to cover since they graduated for over five years. It's just too much work. But they usually have the latest toys and they also love to belong.

Category 3: Those who are at par with their mentors.
This category starts out well until something happens to their brake fluid. They are initially teachable, they spend time to study, and usually have a mentor or mentors, until their eyes open. And suddenly they start rubbing shoulders with their mentors.

They are usually gifted and their gifting draws a lot of attention to them. So they now feel there's no need to step on the brakes anymore. What they forget is that he who is driving very fast and forgets to slow down at the gas station to get gas will never get to his destination.

Category 4: Those who compete instead of complete.
I know there is a natural tendency for competition in all of us. I have it, you have it. But God gave us eyes to see and eyelids to cover them. This category will always want to show you they know more than you do on your wall, instead of them going to write on their own walls. If you go right, they go left. If you go left, they go right. Their mantra is, "What you said is true, but…" There is always a "but." And those who want to affirm your stance will go into their archives to pull up a thousand and one examples to show you they are more detailed in the subject at hand. Their comments are usually longer than the note they read.

Category 5: Those who hiss at the first four.
This category is angry right now. If this was a piece of paper, they would have torn it up already. But their laptops are too expensive to be smashed against the wall. As they read the first four categories, they were hissing. "What rubbish is this?" is what is on their minds. "Who is this guy to tell us who will go far or not?"

The truth is that, they are a combination of two or more of the categories listed above. But instead of making amends, they've gone too far on the wrong road and too ashamed to turn around. These people get to their destination first. And their destination is called NOWHERE.

Conclusion.
Now, you may think that whoever wrote this note must be perfect, but you cannot be farther from the truth. The truth is, this is one of the most painful notes for me to write because of all the seven billion people on the face of the earth today, I only know one person who, at different times, finds himself in each of those five categories. And I see him everyday in the mirror. The good part, however, is that every time I have a chat with him, he is getting better and better. He is still a work in progress.

I believe at one point or another we all have exhibited traits of these categories in our lives and still do. But to the degree to which one has the habit of doing these things, to that same degree is such a person placing a cap on how far he will go in life. Irrespective of the amount of time such a person expends in spiritual activities like praying or speaking in tongues or making positive confessions. If what you are on the inside does not align with what you exhibit on the outside, then there is a disconnect. And you will get the universe confused as to how to respond to you. That is why I said these five people will never go far.

Thanks,
Mute Efe, [www.facebook.com/mutehimself]
+234-803-874-9796

Hmmm

imparable7: Hmmm

Why "hmm"?