₦airaland Forum

It’s easy to stay motivated when everything is going to plan. It’s much more difficult to be enthusiastic about your goals when things aren’t going so well. But how you choose to deal with disappointment is what sets the truly
successful people apart from those who almost made it.

We’ve all had those days when things don’t go as expected. When despite your best efforts you fail to hit the personal or business goals you’ve set for yourself. And you’re left thinking “where’s the point in working so darn hard
when the universe is obviously plotting against me?”

The thing is, disappointment is always felt deeper by those of us who dream big. When you’ve put your all into a particular goal or a project, seeing things go wrong is a major blow.

Now at this stage, many articles would tell you to pull yourself together, plaster a smile on your face and try again. But don’t worry, I’ve been there too. And the truth is when things haven’t gone to plan, the last thing you feel like doing is starting again, at least not straightaway.

So before you jump back into the saddle, you need to take some time out (even if it’s just ten minutes) to restore your confidence and reignite your desire for success.

Here are seven ways to get your mojo and your motivation back – even when things aren’t going to plan:

7 WAYS TO STAY MOTIVATED WHEN THINGS DON’T GO AS
PLANNED.

* REMEMBER EVERY FAILED
ATTEMPT IS A STEP CLOSER
TO SUCCESS
Don’t see failure as a negative. Sometimes you
have to tick off a long list of ways not to do
something before you hit on the one thing that
works.
You’ve probably heard the famous quote from inventor Thomas Edison: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”Take solace from Edison next time you find a
way that won’t work.
Whenever you try something and it doesn’t
work out how you hoped, don’t view it as
failure. View it as a learning opportunity. Take a look at what you did and think about what you could do slightly differently next time. You probably don’t even need to start over, just a small adjustment could bring very different results next time.

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not
realize how close they were to success when
they gave up.” Yep, that’s Edison again.

* SEEK INSPIRATION FROM
OTHERS
Reading about other successful people is a
great way to stay motivated. Especially when
you find stories of people who refused to give
up when things didn’t go their way.
Seek out inspiration from others in your field
and find the stories that resonate best for you.
Great examples include Sir James Dyson who
had to tweak the design for his first vacuum
cleaner over 5,000 times before it entered
production. Or JK Rowling who was famously
rejected by 12 publishers before securing her
first book deal. Or Oprah Winfrey who was
fired from one of her early jobs as a television
reporter. Thanks to the internet, motivational stories are only ever a click away. So grab yourself a drink, sit back and enjoy some downtime reading uplifting stories about how others succeeded
after experiencing disappointment.

*TRY SOMETHING
DIFFERENT
If something’s clearly not working, it’s
important to know when to change tactics.
Don’t see this as giving up; simply trying a new
approach. A fresh start in a slightly different
direction could be all you need to get your
motivation back. For example, if you’re struggling to finish your novel perhaps it would work better as a collection of short stories. Or if you’ve failed to get a job in your dream industry, investigate whether there are any volunteering opportunities that could get you the experience you need. Not hitting your sales targets? Try a new marketing approach.

* REMIND YOURSELF WHY
YOU’RE WORKING SO HARD
When things don’t go to plan it’s natural to feel like quitting so this is the time to remind
yourself exactly why you’re working so hard.
Perhaps you dream of owning your own home, that car, or taking the family on the vacation of a lifetime. Put a picture or message that represents your dream above your desk or set it as your screensaver. It’ll be a great motivation booster when you’re feeling low.

*TAKE A BREAK
If you’re feeling dejected, you need to do
something to prevent spiralling into negative
thoughts. Sometimes the best way to do this is
to take a break and go do something you love.
Even if it’s just watching your favourite funny
TV show or enjoying a coffee and cake.
Not only will you feel better after treating
yourself but you’ll also find your brain starts
working on solutions to any problems you’re
dealing with. New ideas often appear when you least expect them.

*TALK TO SOMEONE
If you spend much of the day alone, it’s easy to
lose motivation. Pick up the phone or meet a
friend for lunch. Tell them how things are
going. They might have a suggestion that you
hadn’t thought of. And sometimes, simply
sharing your troubles can help you find clarity
and a way to move forwards.
Be careful who you choose to talk to though.
Avoid the friends you suspect will tell you to
give up on your dreams. Instead seek out those positive buddies who will give you a kick in the right direction.

*KEEP A LIST OF YOUR
ACHIEVEMENTS
A great motivation booster is to remind
yourself of the times when you got things right. When you worked hard and your efforts paid off.
Keep a list of your achievements so you can
remember them when things get tough.
Whether it was receiving praise from a client,
hitting a sales target or beating your personal
best on the running track; keep a note. Then
when things aren’t going so well, you can take a look at the list and remember you do achieve great things and you will again.
So there you go. Next time things don’t go to plan; you’ll have a whole host of strategies to help you get your motivation back.

By Jenny Catton
Adapted from www.motivationgrid.com
FB/The Ripped Athenian

How to Deal with Critics and Rejection

Sometimes your opinion is the only one that matters.

They say that “everyone’s a critic,” and that never seems more true than when you’re pursuing a dream and trying to enlist support.

There will always be well-meaning people who want to “protect” you from your “unrealistic fantasies.”

Cynthia Kersey, best-selling author of
Unstoppable: 45 Powerful Stories of
Perseverance and Triumph from People Just Like You , says dealing with critics and rejection is no doubt difficult. These critics are often people you love the most—parents, friends and significant others. They may have the advantage of seeing your situation from a wide vantage point—the outside in. But don’t forget you are the only one who has a unique spot to observe your dream’s scenic landscape. You can use your fire and passion to see what others can’t.
The only opinion about your dream that really counts is yours. The negative comments of others merely reflect their limitations—not yours.

Fashion photographer Richard Avedon tried to convince Cher that she didn’t have the right look to be a model. He told her flat out, “You will never make the cover of Vogue because you don’t have blond hair or blue eyes.” When she did, Vogue sold more copies than it had ever sold before.

When Gustave Leven was making plans to launch Perrier in the United States, several consulting firms advised him, “You’re foolish to try to sell sparkling water in the land of Coca-Cola drinkers.

A New York publisher told James Michener after reading his first unpublished manuscript, “You’re a good editor with a promising future in the business. Why would you want to throw it all away to try to be a writer? I read your book. Frankly, it’s not really that good.” Michener's manuscript, titled Tales of the South Pacific , was eventually sold, later won a Pulitzer Prize and was adapted for stage and
screen as South Pacific.

Remember, there is nothing unrealistic about a dream that aligns with your purpose, ignites your passion, and inspires you to plan and persevere until you attain it. On the contrary, it’s unrealistic to expect a person with such
drive and commitment not to succeed.

Adapted from Success.com

FB/The Ripped Athenian

#6 Easy Ways To Break Free
From Your Past And Succeed In
Life.
I saw this article on a particular motivational
website, written by a freelancer by the name
Rose Costas. Rose gave out for free these 6
ways of breaking away from our past and
moving ahead.
Do you sometimes find yourself stuck in the
past? Do you find that you regularly have
regrets about some of the decisions you’ve
made? Don’t be too hard on yourself, we’ve all
been there. We all have a past, and that past
could be the reason many of us can’t seem to
breakthrough in Life. We all go through those
stages in our lives where we spent so much
time dwelling on our past that we fail to see the
new opportunities that are presenting
themselves daily.
There may have been many opportunities lost
or mistakes made, but those will never return,
so you need to let go and go after those
opportunities that are constantly presenting
themselves to you now. The future is the place
you can repair all the damages you have done
to your life.
Here are the six steps she gave out on how to
leave the past behind your and look
forward to the future with great
expectation :

1. Call them all by name.
Give all your mistakes, shame, disappointments and failures a name . Write them down where you can see them. Call them all out by name,and then rip up the paper or burn it afterward.
See this as you releasing yourself from those
bondages. Refuse to remain imprisoned by your past.

2. Do not devalue your achievements
When you spend your time regretting the past, you are ignoring and diminishing all that you have achieved because the past mistakes are the ones that get all the credit. Focus on your achievements and not on the mistakes and in turn you will realize that your mistakes were not that serious. You focusing on them makes them bigger than they truly are.

3. Do not let your mistakes
be your story.
If you are constantly being reminded of the
mistakes you made , you will make the things
you did, your life story. You never want some of the best times of your life to be overshadowed by your mistakes, which were only a very small portion of your life. If you were asked to write
the story of your life would your past mistakes be the majority of the story? I guess not, so leave the past in the past and move on.

4. Do not ruin your present
life with the past.
Do not erase your present life by staying in the
past. You cannot spend your time worrying
about the things you should have done differently. While dwelling on your past, you are dishonoring your present life. You won’t be able to be happy where you are now. Do not rob yourself of your happiness.

5. Do not miss the lessons in your past
mistakes.
For many of us our mistakes are how we define ourselves. You must remember your mistakes aren’t who you are. Do not miss the lessons to be learned from those things that are now not important in your life . Unfortunately, life gives
us the test first and then teaches us the lessons afterward. Your mistakes are only part of the learning process. The messages in your past are to be used to build yourself a future that is rich, happy and successful.

6. Use your past mistakes to help others.
We all have things in our past that make us feel ashamed. You are no different but do not let them keep you from forging a new future. Use your past experiences to help others who find themselves in similar situations. Use whatever it is you are ashamed of as an example to others. Let them know it’s never too late to become the person they want to become. We all have things in our lives that we are not proud of and would love to erase from our memories but remember those are the things that make us who we are today. Do not be embarrassed by your past because those are the parts of your life that has made you stronger, wiser and more able to deal with life.
Have a nice day

Na wen Owu holl you, na den you go realize say June and July no b d same.

Na wen Owu catch you, na den plenty crazy ideas go dey enter ur head (both the right and the wrong ones) like magnetic waves wey from no wia dey come.



During dat 2013 ASUU strike, mehn both hunger and owu just dey serious dey wire me.

"Ah just dey pray may 'em call off the strike, may ah know weda ah go still dey collect little choppings from my people" you know as tinz dey be na, abi you no know"

E dis get my guy wey me and am dey stay for d same hood, ehn name na Bethizzy, ehn b student like me sha, ehn dey too form "spanish" *too dey hang hand*. Ah no know weda na owu dey force words comot from dis my guy mouth, cos d kian tin wey ehn dey talk, ah no believe say person like am go dey talk am.
"Dis my guy come come dey reason me say may we write application go submit for some hotels wey dey for "NEW HEAVEN" "IN ENUGU", say 'em dey look for workers (mehn ah dey ready to do any work so far say money go come out after every every) ehn say na the next day na ehm we go go dia. Buh ma bro ah no holl shi shi for pocket "even 5naira wey tire, ah no get".

Dis D'day come, ah don cool down write my application finish, come package am for de remaining envelop wey dey my popsy drawer, wey momsy use send IV's for people for last bazaar.

Person go ask me wia my People dey all dis yle. "Mehn forget those people cos dem ma too Owu dey nack 'em small, Momsy and popsy na "state workers" and you know as state govt work dey be. Govt dey owe my popsy and momzy 'em parastatal, **Momsy don book Mass for Jehova to change their mind so tey ehm no get T,fair money again.


So back to the matter'
Me and dis my guy "Bethizzy" trek from Abakpa to New Heaven, 'Person wey dey stay for Enugu go understand wetin ah dey talk' if na dis year that thing happen, ah for say ah dey trek for PMB. Shi shi stupid people like us no holl.

May ah chop abeg