I want to thank all the readers of this column who have indicated their intention to be part of the GIVE A PILLOW campaign. The vision is to put a pillow on 10,000 beds in public hospitals in Nigeria by the end of the year. You can still email me or call 08033306083 to be part of this noble initiative.We continue with our discourse which had to be interrupted last week for good reason. The sixth business lesson we learn from blind Bartimeus is that whatever it takes to discourage you is what it takes to stop you. As Bartimeus raised his voice to attract Jesus attention, he had to contend with the voices of the multitude telling him to be quiet. But the more they tried to shout him down, the more he raised his voice until he got the attention of Jesus. Understand that not everyone will see the need for you to make it in business, especially in a highly competitive environment.This is where your determination to succeed must be stronger than the determination of competition to stop you.It takes focus and a belief in yourself and your capacity in God to reach your goal. When the brothers of David tried to discourage him from going after Goliath, the scriptures record that he turned aside from them and shared his dream with someone else who spoke the language of his destination rather than the language of his frustration. Keep your eyes on the game and not the scoreboard.The scoreboard only reflects the results of the game, not the other way round. Leave the scoreboard for spectators. Be a player not a spectator.After a fierce battle between two kings, one of them was captured by the king with superior forces. The defeated king was held captive and severally subjected to humiliation. At the peak of it all, the captor king sent for the captive king to be brought and subjected to a test that would determine whether he would live or die.He commanded that a glass be filled to the brim with water and placed in the captive king's hand with the instruction to carry the glass of water from one end to another. If he spilled a drop, his blood would be spilled but if he succeeded in covering the distance without spilling a drop, his life would be spared. Both sides of the track were lined with people.Those on one side were instructed to jeer at the captive king while those on the other side were to cheer him on. At the command, the captive king kept his eyes focussed on the finish line and with his heart literally in his mouth, he covered the distance without spilling a drop!Baffled at the achievement of a feat that had been thought impossible, the captor king had to ask for the secret of the rare achievement.'Who helped you'' he asked, 'The people on the right jeering at you or those on the left cheering you on'''People' Was anyone there' I had my eyes on the finish line all the time. I did not notice anything else.' replied the captive who was happy to be alive.The voice of people is not necessarily the voice of God. What does it take to discourage you' People's opinion' Well, opinions are like noses, everyone has them.What it takes to stop you will also define the limits of your possibilities.If you want to lead the orchestra, the first lesson in conducting is that you must learn to turn your back on the audience and face the music. Those who have never experienced darkness with you should never be expected to appreciate your need for light.When you succeed, detractors become admirers. Failure is an orphan but success has many fathers. As soon as Bartimeus got Jesus' attention, it was the same people who had tried to quieten him that now announced to him, 'Rise up. The Master is calling you!'.What if Bartimeus had kept quiet at their prompting' Whatever gets you to the top is what will keep you there! If you do not give up on your dream, fulfilment time is around the corner. Don't take the bend on the road for the end of the road. The sweetest part of success is seeing the very people who, like Joseph's brothers, derided your vision now turn around to become your cheerleaders. People do change their minds.True success is not a popularity contest. It's about holding on to your deepest convictions and refusing to let your journey be coloured by the jaundiced views of those who did not see what you saw.If you fail, they will say 'We said so'. If on the other hand you succeed, they will turn round to tell you 'We always knew you would make it!' So, go ahead and get to the top in spite of them. It's the only way to earn their respect...continuedRemember, the sky is not your limit, God is!
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