The common denominator of success

It takes a lot to achieve success. So many formulae are given by various speakers. So many motivational speakers have suggested ways and techniques of attaining success. Some have explored the similarities, the common denominator of all successful people. That is what Leslie Brown means when he advises people in some of his workshops to observe what rich people do and emulate their values. One E.M.Gray found that the common denominator that all successful people share is neither hard work, nor good luck!! “The successful person has the habit of doing the things failures don’t like to do,” Gray observes in his Essay titled ‘The Common Denominator of Success’. You will agree with me that some of the things failures do not like to do are saving, taking risks, perseverance…you can add to the list. Your task is to observe what failures do not like to do which successful people do. Once you identify some of those things, you are en route to share the common denominator of success. Your duty is to act differently from failures and emulate successful people. With a pinch of determination, the sky is the limit.

Time and chance for all

When the sun rises from the East, it shines on everybody. Rain falls without choosing whose field will benefit. All fields in a particular area receive rain regardless of the owner. Similarly, time and opportunities happen to all. Differences happen in terms of achievement because of how each individual makes choices and uses the time he has on earth. Ecclesiastes 9;11 reads:..”The race is not for the swift or the battle for the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned but time and chance happen to them all.” The wise author goes on to encourage people to work hard in Ecclesiastes 9;10; “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…” Those who use their time and chance wisely will prosper. Those who do not value their chance and time will not know success. They are the losers you see in the streets daily. Time and chance happen to all. The choice to be a winner is yours.

Do yourself a favor before God favors you

You must have heard people say help yourself before God helps you. This is true in everyday life. You cannot get something for nothing. You cannot get something by wishful thinking. Christ demonstrated this object lesson in John 11;39. He had the power to remove the stone from the entrance of the tomb but he asked the people around to take it away. Like any other human being they hesitated before removing the stone. Only after they had removed the stone did Jesus do what the people could not do. “Lazarus come out!” he called in a loud voice. The dead man came out before the people took of his grave clothes. The same can happen to you regardless of whatever situation is worrying you. The only thing you are supposed to do is take the first step. You do what you are supposed to do. Then God will add on his supernatural power and your success will follow. Only then will you get what you want. Quitters are not winners. Winners take action with patience and persistence.

The secret of long life

The bible in Ecclesiastes 9:5 says; “the living know they are going to die, but the dead know nothing, they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten.” Naturally people do not want to die. They want to live a long fulfilling life. However, there are choices to make if one wants to live a long life. King Solomon, a wise man, revealed the secrete of longevity in his biblical proverbs. King Solomon says in Proverbs 16: 31; “grey hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.” Proverbs 12 : 28 reads; “In the way of righteousness there is life, along that path is immortality.” King Solomon emphasizes in Proverbs 10 verse 16,27,29,30. “The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short...the wages of the righteous bring them life…the way of the Lords is a refuge to the righteous…the righteous will never be uprooted.” Proverbs 11 : 30,31 also reiterate the same requirement for one to have a long life. “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life…if the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore if you want to live a long life, righteousness is key. The fear of the Lord is key. That is the requirement to live to old age. Here are seven things God hates, which you must avoid, among other ways of achieving favor with the Lord. Here is Proverbs 6:16-19. “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him; haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush to evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among others.” There are only two sides to the coin. It is either you are leading a long righteous life or a short wicked one. There is a reward for either of the lifestyles. My choice is the fear of the Lord.