Le Dynamique Professeur

All my life, I have been a lover of football. There is this thing in me that is always after the round leather. I often say, when I turn 70, I bet I’d still be playing with my grandchildren. Rewind back to secondary school days. I had just started to settle into my new school and started playing soccer with the boys. They all felt I was no good at the game so every single time we’re out playing, they’d ask me to stay in the goal. Back then, the people who were regarded as no good at the game play goalkeepers.

 

Whenever we’re about playing, we’d be ask to create a pool for selection in the middle for two self-nominated captains to choose from. I was never chosen into any of the teams; even the subsequent sets. I was always amongst the last 2 or 3, which automatically means I have to stay in goal. I excelled as a goal keeper; as I could still recollect making some brilliant saves. However, my desire was to be amongst the dribblers and shooters of the game. I was always seduced by their manoeuvres on the ball and the swagger with which they carry themselves on the field. They were often the cynosure for the girls. No one sees the goalkeeper except for that one time you make a brilliant save and all you get is a round of applause! You’re lucky if you get a round of it.

A day came, I got angry! Not actually angry as in wrath, but I made up my mind, “I was made for the in-field, not between the poles”. I can do just exactly (if not better than) what you guys do. I can dribble too. I can pass too. I can shoot as well. I don’t care if I am amongst the last three in the pool today, I still object to being a goal keeper. It took me days of not being selected but I was never ready to quit on my decision. Somehow, one day, my chance came! Some kind friend selected me into his team and the rest, as they say, is history. I established myself as a ‘Ronaldo’. My tricks and flicks didn’t go unnoticed and did I hear you ask about ‘the girls’; they saw me too! *laughs*

My point is, it is your responsibility to reject every label your peers, the society, the economy, your current job, your colour (fellow black people), and your suburb has assigned you. If you don’t get angry, you will remain a victim. Listen, if you don’t change, things will continue to change and you’ll be missing out. Change is constant but to benefit from it, you’ve got to be ready for it. You’ve got to make it count! You’ve got to welcome it! You’ve got to pioneer it! It is your responsibility! Follow your desires; chase your goals, soar towards your dreams; refuse to be a victim of stereotypical identity. History has the account of those who stood their grounds to reject the stereotypes societies have labeled them with. Do I need to remind you that they made it? Do you want me to do another post to recount their excellence? What are you waiting for? It is your responsibility! Get angry! Stand your ground! Reject that label! Refuse it NOW!!! Remember, what you don’t reject, you automatically accept!

Go and make history!


NOTE: This post was written originally for Nuggets for Nobles (Sir Segun Akiode), a wonderful brother and friend. We both did "The shoulder's of giants" Collabo together last year. Please, take a few minutes to check him out here

- Le Dynamique Professeur

In my little sojourn on planet earth, I think one of the most common phrases that has passed through my tympanums is the phrase, "take it easy". How many times in life you're trying to get things done so quickly and you keep getting the "take it easy" phrase and you're like, "am I going too fast?". The phrase also comes in several disguise such as, "slow down", "cut me some slack" and if you're like my fiance, she'd often say, "honey, relax..."


A few months back, I noticed a young man doing exploits on the internet. He writes beautifully and I just couldn't wait to introduce myself to him. I wanted to get to know him so we would do one or two things together. You know what they say about "great minds". So, I sent the young man an email and the response I got was something like, "Please send in a proposal giving details of your work | State: |Objective: | Strategy/ Implementation: | Resources (Human or Capital): | Duty description for hands on board: | Beneficiaries: | Time frame: ". When I read the reply, all I could say was, "Thank you". I immediately lost interest because practically, the fellow didn't seem interested in "relationship" but strictly "business".


How many times have we tried to keep things rather too complicated. We still remain professional even outside our office hours. People are trying to extend a hand of friendship to us, yet we feign a serious face not knowing we're only building a wall around ourselves. Many of us have lost relationships that could have been of immense benefits to us simply because while we could have kept it simple, we went overboard trying to exude some form of class!


Hardly can anyone go far (farther than they already have) without the relationship factor. Take note: not only people that are above you can get you up on the ladder. Even those below you can sacrifice their heads for you to step on for another lift. Relationships come first in life before business. You can sustain a business through relationship but its hard to get a genuine relationship on the bedrock of business! Relationship first, then business! Somewhat related to my last post... care for people first and then you can benefit from them. Remember, Keep It Simple Sweethearts!

Thanks for reading.

- Le Dynamique Professeur

Sometime last week, a particular thought kept ringing in my head and I thought it a good lesson to share. I had the opportunity of being an encouragement to a friend when this thought came to my head; "What or who you encourage, you know more about".

If you really want to know more about people, just show you care. Remember John Maxwell's quote that says, "people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care". Until you begin showing genuine interest in people, you are likely to remain an acquaintance for life! Guess what? It's the same even with things like subjects, topics of interest. You can never get a Master's degree or PhD in a subject you are not prepared to devote time and attention to. What you pick interest in, give attention to, and perhaps devote to is what you eventually know more about and most likely eventually become a master in.

I remember when I was in secondary school and many of my classmates feared mathematics as a subject. One of our maths teacher came in one day and voiced out a statement I will never forget all my life. He said, "if you hate the teacher of any subject, you will never come to love the subject". Since then, it hit me, it's sometimes not about the subject but the teacher of the subject. Take a flash back at the days you were in school, did you excel in the subjects/courses you hated the teacher passionately? I am sure in most cases, your answer would be either a 'No' or 'Average'. If you encourage the teacher to teach you, he teaches his best and eventually you become a master in the subject and sooner or later, you will have no need of the teacher any more.

What is that thing you have been struggling to come to terms with lately? Your boss at work? That course at school? That new operating system at the office? Your girlfriend or boyfriend;wife or husband? May I suggest you choose to start giving more attention to 'loving' these things; start encouraging their place and role in your life. Quit frowning at every sight of them. I assure you, your attitude towards these things would determing how you measure up in or with them. If you are really keen to make things work, let your attitude be one that encourages them.

Just a lesson I thought to share. Thanks for reading.

 

Picture from here