AGAIN AND AFRESH

AGAIN AND AFRESH

Ends can either be exciting or otherwise depending on what is coming to an end. Excitement or not, every end provides an opportunity for newness and fresh starts. The end of a process that has led to a big win is an opportunity to start another journey to a greater win, and the end of a failed attempt is an opportunity to start afresh on a better level than the previous.

Irrespective of what you have achieved or not achieved this year, the new year provides for you the opportunity to go again. If you have failed, fallen or faltered, you can rise up, look up, and get going again. Nothing can stop your forward movement except you. Do not give in to the moments that have brought you tears, they will be remembered someday as the days that gave you more reasons to keep going.

In starting afresh you have a clean slate to start your journey with; you begin with better experiences, without mistakes, with better knowledge, better ideas, better understanding, and ultimately as better person. Don't be afraid to start again, never be shy of being a beginner yet again; the goal is to succeed at last not just to go through tough times without something to show for it.

Tomorrow we can laugh about what we are going through today only if we do not quit. It will never be easy, nothing good comes easy, but in the end, it will be worth every bit of the stress, time, effort, and resources. Let's go AGAIN AND AFRESH our victory, our breakthrough, our success is just around the corner.

(A➡️Z)14➕AA)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

ZOETIC

ZOETIC

The journey of life is a personal journey, and how you live that life is entirely your responsibility. What am I living for? is a question that everyone must answer, and the answer to that question will determine the quality of life lived, and the legacy that will be left when you depart this terrestrial realm. Existence, which some call living happens by default, but to live purposefully must be a conscious and determined effort.

Quality life is not the life lived in plenty, having all that you want at your disposal, and doing just whatever you want to do at any time you want to do it. Quality life is the life that one lives in a way that makes life easy for others, and helps them live better lives too.

People who live only for themselves are people who do not consider what tomorrow might look like. They are like people who while climbing a ladder to the top despise everyone they met on their way, and never cared about them forgetting that one day they may need the help of these same people while falling down, as life is full of ups and downs and no situation is permanent.

When you live purposeful lives, you make positive impacts in people's lives effortlessly; you live a life that never ends even when you are gone. When you know your purpose in life, and you work hard enough to fulfill that purpose, everything else will fall in place, and life for you will be all bliss and smooth.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

YOYO

YOYO

Life can be sometimes very unpredictable, today you are up the hill, tomorrow you are down the valley, nevertheless, life can not be paused. Life can be fair to one today and tomorrow very cruel and unpitying. Sometimes, what makes the journey of going up worthwhile is the journey downward. One thing that is important for us is to ensure that our journey upward or downward is a progressive one.

Pharrell Williams once said, “Life is a carousel. It goes up and down. All you got to do is just stay on.” When you are up stay on course, when you are down stay on course. Do whatever is necessary to ensure that your life is not stagnant irrespective of the circumstances. The downs are not bad times, neither are the ups good times, both are a necessity for a better, and progressive life.

The valley moments makes us understand the value of the mountain moments. Every step of the way is a lesson and an opportunity for growth for the next phase of our lives. You can move up the stairs, but while going you must be careful to not damage it, because one day you might need it coming downwards.

The only persons who do not experience the ups and downs of life is the person who has failed and refused to rise up again. Never let life weigh you down no matter what happens. There are better days ahead of the man who will not quit irrespective of the challenges of life. Nothing in life lasts forever, but if we keep moving, we will definitely see the best of days.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

XENON

XENON

The value of a thing, person, or organization is not in the amount of noice made, size, perception, or activities carried out, but in their effect and functions to everyone and everything around them. As a noble gas XENON is colourless, odorless, and generally unreactive except for a few chemical reactions which can cause the formation of a xenon gas compound.

Although very rare and relatively expensive, xenon has very crucial applications in different phases and fields of human endeavors. Xenon has illuminative and optical functions; it has medical uses as anesthesic, neuroprotectants, for imaging, and surgery, besides other military and defensive uses.

One can be very quiet, humble, yet very effective and efficient, our activities should not be that of mere busyness without reasonable, traceable, and recognizable results for long lasting positive impacts. There is no evil in making our works, and/or good deeds known to the public, if it is to provoke a ripple and multiplicative effect, to encourage others to do the same or even better in their own corner.

We need to understand that there are different kinds of people everywhere, and we will definitely meet them, and sometimes have to work with them. We must understand that there are character differences, we must therefore learn how to relate and deal with every unique character so as to maintain cordial relationships as well as progressive unions. We must be noiseless, yet pronounced, productive, and profitable.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

WORTHWHILE

WORTHWHILE

Life is too short to be lived doing things that are not worth our time, efforts, and resources. We have so short a time to live and so many things to do, we cannot afford to do things with our times that are not positively relevant to our growth, development, existence, and the life of others around us.

A few things are necessary, some things are important, even fewer are the things that are worthwhile. We must look into the things that make life worth living, we must focus on doing things that make our journeys through life a worthwhile adventure.

Until we realize that the most worthwhile of anything that we do in life are the things that we do in advancement, betterment, and development of others, we may never really live life as we should. It is not what we have that matters most, but what we give. It is not how well we live that is more important, but how well those around is live because we are in or around their lives.

We must not neglect our personal growth and development, we must not leave getting better lives for ourselves to chance, we must make conscious determined efforts to be the best we can by all means possible, because that is the only way through which we can make ourselves useful and productive towards the realization of WORTHWHILE lives for ourselves and others around us.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

VERIDICAL

VERIDICAL

There is always something about a person that is known only to himself. Every individual is a custodian of their own truth and they tell it to whom they will, however they will, whenever they will. Sometimes, people who don't know your truth will tell lies about you, but irrespective of what they say, you must protect that which is truth about you.

"Falsehood will fly, as it were, on the wings of the wind, and carry its tales to every corner of the earth; whilst truth lags behind; her steps, though sure, are slow and solemn, and she has neither vigour nor activity enough to pursue and overtake her enemy." These were the words of Thomas Francklin In a 1787 a sermon.

Lies spread faster than truth, it goes farther than one can imagine within the shortest possible time. As much as it might be impossible to shield yourself from being lied against, you must protect yourself from the effect those lies could possibly have on you. You must live your life the best way you can to the benefit of all around you irrespective of what people think or say.

If you live by the truth, living will be ease, but if you live by lies you will be living a difficult life. Falsehood can be very powerful and widely accepted, it may have plenty friends, but like George Washington said, "Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains to bring it to light." Truth is the price for peace, justice, and unity, it is the ultimate price for a better world.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

UNTIRING

UNTIRING

People don't achieve anything through ease, a lot of times you have to try over and over again to achieve what you want, but one thing is very important and that is maintaining the enthusiasm with which you started the journey despite disappointments and failure until breakthrough is achieved. Failure makes people lose motivation, but staying motivated is the only guarantee for success.

You may be tired of not getting the results you expect when you want them despite your hard work, but do not relent in pushing, it is only when you stop pushing that you end any possibilities of winning. Amit Kalantri once said, "The smell of the sweat is not sweet, but the fruit of the sweat is very sweet." Hard work is not sweet, but the reward for hard work is sweet and desirable.

A soldier does not get tired on the battlefield no matter how exhausted, or drained he is, he gives his all to ensure he stays alive until he has victory over his foes. Detractors will ridicule you, haters will despise you, enemies will fight you, and unfortunately friends can betray you, but the journey is yours, and nothing should stop you from owning it and making the best of it.

The legendary Michael Jordan once said, "I have missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I have been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." Success is what comes at the end of an UNTIRING journey through failure.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

TIMELY

TIMELY

The wisest king to have lived (King Solomon) wrote in the first verse of the third chapter of Ecclesiastes, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" Time is one of the most valuable assets available to every human being alive. We all have equal amount of time, but how we make use of our time determines what we get out of life.

Many times, we tend to want some things at certain times, and within some time frame, we do our best to have those things as soon as possible and sometimes in a very hasty manner, but life has a way of making everything pass through its time. Every process, every event, and every activity is time bound, nothing happens outside time.

Fruits get ripe with time, if you attempt to consume a fruit that hasn't fulfilled its ripening time, you would feel the effect of impatience. Success is unveiled with time, but what we hope, wish, pray, and work towards is the timeliness of our success. As much as patience is important to the achievement of our aims, we must be conscious of how we use our time in fulfilling it.

Success that is not TIMELY may be met with reduced appreciation, but TIMELY achievement feels like double achievement. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it well, but also do it in due time. Be decisive when you should, take actions when you should, never let procrastination beat you to the game, always stay on top of it, and let life lead you on.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom". 

SYNERGY

SYNERGY

Alone one can do great things, together we can do extraordinary exploits. As humans we are powerful beyond imagination, we can do whatever we set our minds upon to do, we can be more than we think we can, but there is something that is even more potent than the power of one, and that is the power of a united people, working towards one goal.

In the quest to having a better world, a world where everyone will be happy and proud of, a world of peace and satisfaction, we all need to come together to achieve that world. No one can do anything for all, but all can do everything for one. If we all with one voice and intent work towards achieving one goal, we would surpass our aim.

Stephen Covey defined synergy as "The combined effect of individuals in collaboration that exceeds the sum of their individual effects." The power of synergy can never be overemphasized, as it is the biggest power in possession of a diverse people. Nothing is impossible to a united people.

Live your life the best way you can, do all you can by all means you can, but never misuse the opportunity to work with a people that are working towards a common good. Individually we can win some battles, but to win the war, we must all work together as a team against our common enemy. Like Barbara Marx Hubbard said, "SYNERGY does not mean giving up what we want. It means joining to co-create so each is able to receive ever more of what attracts us through joining rather than opposing.".

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

REFLECT

REFLECT

You don't dwell in the past, otherwise progress would never be made; you don't hurry into the future, or else you might miss your way, but you have to sometimes look at the past to understand the future, and plan better for it. It was Søren Kierkegaard that said, "Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." 

Times like this affords us the opportunity to examine what we have been up to, what we have done, the things we have left undone, the ones we ignored and those we procrastinated over the course of the year. We might have achieved a lot or very few by out own reckoning, but we must look beyond what we have achieved and into who and what we have become.

Our success stories are never complete without the stories of failure, and disappointment; we do not become successful without first failing, and rising up from the failures time and again to become better persons who eventually go on to achieve great success. Our past shapes who we become and who we become determines what we achieve.

Charles Dickens once said, "Reflect upon your present blessings -- of which every man has many -- not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." Your journey is entirely yours, you have to make out of it, what you really want for yourself. Look back, REFLECT, but never move backwards, forward is where the future is, and in the future everything is  bright.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom ".

QUIXOTIC

QUIXOTIC

Walt Disney's idea of Disneyland was initially thought to be a vague and unrealistic project. People thought he was out of his senses, that he needed to be more realistic. Today Disneyland has operated for sixty seven years, has had over 767 million visits as at December 2021. As at 2005, Disneyland has provided over 89,500 direct and indirect employment opportunities.

In the fifteenth century, around 1489, Leonardo da Vinci designed the first flying object suggestive of an helicopter. He was seen by people of his days as man who was insane. In the early 1900s the Wright brothers, built and flew the first flying object (Gliders).

Something common with weird, unrealistic, and unique ideas is that they always seem so until they become a reality. The only thing that has made all the extraordinary inventions in the world possible is the firm resolve of the ideator to see his idea come to life irrespective of people's opinion and contrary ideas.

Nothing is real except the thing that we make real; no ideas is useless or unrealistic, our perceptions make it so; it has been said that "ideas rule the world" but an idea that is not executed does not have a chance of ruling the world. Whatever you can think of, whatever you can imagine, you can bring to life, you can make real. Do not let anyone bully you into your shells, do not be trapped by people's opinion, give life and wings to that QUIXOTIC idea, let it take you wherever you want.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

PAIN

PAIN

Every waking day for us is another day to go in pursuit of one thing, and no matter what that thing is, the underlying desire is pleasure. Whether in academia, entertainment, the corporate world of work, as an entrepreneur, or whatever it is that we have decided to do, all we seek at the end of the day is a comfortable, easy, and pleasant life.

No one wants to go through or experience pain in life, but as Jim Rohn once said, "We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment". You have to choose your pain, you either subject yourself through intentional and controlled pain, or you accept the pain that comes with the regret of not doing what you should do when you should have done it.

If there is no pain, there is no gain; if you have gone through pain, you shouldn't let it waste, ensure you profit from your pain. Mary Tyler Moore once advised, "Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave."

Every good thing that ever existed and still exists has been birthed through PAIN. PAIN is a gift of nature, it is mostly sandwiched between pleasure, and if properly attended to, it does not last long. Lance Armstrong succinctly puts, "Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever". Whatever you do, do not quit, make profit of your PAIN.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

OWN

OWN

You may not want to be where you are today, but you are there because of what you did or did not do yesterday. As much as life may have other plans for us while we are busy making ours, most if not all of the results and outcomes we have in our endeavors are entirely our responsibility. Whether we have the good expected results, or the bad unexpected results, we must move on irrespective.

When we have the results we worked for, we should celebrate; when we do not have what we worked for, we should not beat ourselves over it, rather we should forge ahead and hope for better outcomes as we move on.

We must OWN our journey, we must fight for what we want, we must pursue our dreams diligently or we will have no choice than to accept whatever we get from life, and it may not be so good. If you do not build the kind of life you want for yourself, no one will build it for you, and you will have to live in another man's world. You may find yourself building another man's dreams, and making someone else's vision come to life.

Everything you have today is just enough to get you everything you want tomorrow, you just have to put them to good use. All your skills, abilities, talents, knowledge, and networks can create your dream world. Believe in yourself, trust your guts, your will, and your heart. Like Steve Jobs said, "Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow know what you truly want to become".

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

NOW

NOW

One of the greatest challenges of man is his desire to get into the future as quickly as possible, his anxiety of what that future holds, and his crave for the perfect life. Many just want to get out of the moment, they want to escape their current situation, and move into the unknown, and uncertain bliss of tomorrow.

Interestingly, the best way to have our desired future is to live in the moment. However terrible the moment is, however bad and undesired the present situation may be, running away from it does not make tomorrow better. The only way to have the tomorrow of your dream, is to do today what is required and necessary of you, to avoid a tomorrow of regrets.

Today was tomorrow, and tomorrow will soon become yesterday. Until you understand the transient nature of time, we may never use it as we should. Yesterday is no more, and tomorrow is yet uncertain, today is all we have, we must live fully in it, or risk not living at all. A cumulation of today's efforts will produce the success of tomorrow.

In Bert McCoy words, "The here and now is fathomless." You can not know enough of today, you can not use all of today, today is too much for you to handle, why get bothered over tomorrow while today is yet a chunk of unfinished meal. The future depends on NOW, if you fail to make use of today, tomorrow will suffer for it. So, live in the moment, live NOW, and tomorrow will be just fine.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

MERRY

MERRY

"If today is not your day, then be happy for this day shall never return. And if today is your day, then be happy now for this day shall never return." those were the words of Kamand Kojouri. There is no specific day to be happy, every new day is another opportunity to be happy. If you wait for the perfect day to be happy, you may never get it, and if today brings you happiness, do not take it for granted.

The idea that some days are meant for celebration or merriment is not entirely wrong, but the issue with that idea is that, if you can't be happy and be merry on any other day, you wouldn't be happy on a special day. Like King Solomon said, "a merry heart doeth good like medicine." the merrier you make your life, the better you will live.

Whatever happens, do not give sadness a chance. You may not get what you expect from people or life in general, you may be disappointed by those you so much trusted and respected, brace up yourself and look on the brighter side of life, for there will always be a reason to be merry and joyful.

Merriment is not about having everything, but being happy and content with what you have. Your definition of being merry is personal to you irrespective of what others think about it, as long as you are happy and your heart is filled with joy, you are just as MERRY as the man who has everything he wants. Being MERRY makes you well.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

LIFELINE

LIFELINE

Every man has got a reason, a motivation for doing what they do. For some, the stress, the challenges, the complications they face in the bid to achieving their dreams, their desires are the reasons they cannot quit anymore, but for others, they may feel all of that is not worth it. Nothing comes easy in life and whoever would be rewarded for their troubles must see it through.

One truth about life is that no one lives entirely for himself, and no one live all by himself; we all live for and by ourselves. Some people are finding it difficult to quit because some other persons depends on them for growth, for thriving, for survival. Others are holding on because the people who have made sacrifices for them are patiently waiting for their breakthrough.

We may never know where the line gets to, we may never have all the details, we may never know all those who are looking up to us to keep going, we may never know all those who are hanging because we are hanging, some people's success is hinged on yours, and you are their hope, their compass, and guide.

You are the LIFELINE of some people, your courage gives them courage, your strength gives them strength, your tenacity keeps them going, do not disappoint them, do not make them fall or fail. Many sacrifices have been made to get you where you are today, never let it go to waste. "When the going gets tough, the tough gets going", be tough keep going.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

KERNEL

KERNEL

A man can be anything to anyone at any given time, he can switch personality easily to suit different situations at different times. This can be described as being diplomatic, adaptive, or hypocritical, but in reality, a man is really himself when he is alone all by himself. No man can be deceptive to himself and no one will live a fake life in secrecy.

The very essence of a man is the person he is without any struggle to being it. There is absolutely no resistance to who you are at your core, the real you. You exhibit freely who you are and have no regrets, and no apology for being who you are.

All men are born humane, sane, and kind, but this is difficult to realize because, the very moment a child begins to understand the difference between different phenomenon in life he has already been shaped and influenced by those around him, not necessarily because he desires them, but because that is what he has been exposed to, that is what he has seen and known. It is left for him to have a change of that when he begins to understand the differences and what he really wants, and who he should be.

Let the very core of your being prevail over what the society want you to be; be the one who determines how you relate and react to people and things rather than being negatively influenced by what the society want you to do. Let your conscience lead you, let your humanity guide you, at the very KERNEL of your being is the person your society really need and the world deserves.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

JUBILANT

JUBILANT

When some people do a retrospective examination of their lives, they struggle to see why they should be happy or jubilant, not necessarily because they did not achieve anything or because they lost something; in fact, some never have to deal with the occurrence of any negative incident around them, but because they did not achieve as much as they set out to achieve.

Life is not as easy as many people see it, in fact it is so difficult that Charles Franklin confessed that "No one gets out of this life alive.". No matter what you do, no matter how much you achieve, you will will definitely have to drop the baton one day. Life is like a relay race, everyone will play their path, and leave the rest for those coming behind to carry on.

The fact that you have come this far, the fact that breath still live within your nostrils, is a big enough reason to be JUBILANT. There is hope for greater fulfillment, and unprecedented achievements as long as one is still alive. Many have gone untimely, full of energy, with powerful visions, extremely talented, and greatly skilled, but to them nothing is possible anymore.

Jubilate, celebrate, show gratitude, spread love, and be hopeful for a better tomorrow, because hope is one thing that never dies. You may not be where you want to be today, but tomorrow will come and you will have another opportunity to have a shot at your goals. Life is beautiful, life is good, we just have to see it from the eye of gratitude, and we will be all JUBILANT and happy.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT

Life is about priorities, and the priorities that one sets for himself are the scale by which he can be measured. Nothing is more important than other things, but the necessity of a thing and its impact will determine the level of importance of that thing. People do not do things or attend to people unless they are important, at least for a moment.

There are many thing begging for out attention daily, it is very impossible to attend to everything, but can attend to the most important ones, while the others wait. Sometimes, the most important things are the most difficult things to attend to, but irrespective of how difficult they are, we must do all we can to attend to them. Like Elon Musk said, "When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor."

The things that are important to you may not be important to another person, we must be careful not to enforce on someone else what we hold dear just because we have a level of influence on them. Everyone has a person journey, and a personal mission to fulfill in life. We must therefore find out by ourselves what we must do to fulfill our purpose and destiny.

There is nothing more IMPORTANT in life than for a man to know why he was born, and for him to earnestly pursue that purpose with all that he has got. Life is lived at its best when it is lived towards fulfilling purpose, and until the purpose of a thing is known, it will continue to be inappropriately used.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

HAPPINESS

HAPPINESS

You don't always get everything you want, work for, or deserve in life, but irrespective of what you have or get, you determine the attitude you express, and that attitude have a lot to do with your well being. If what you have or do not have determines how you feel, then you are in for a lot of topsy-turvy moments in life. Nothing should be capable of controlling your mood, but you should have control over it.

The legendary Jim Rohn once said, “Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.”. If you do not get happy in the present with what you have, you will not be happy in the future even if you have more. Happiness is a self designed state of the mind, not a far away destination to be reached, or a feat to be achieved.

The life of a happy man is smooth and easy, even if he has nothing, but an unhappy man in his wealth and grandeur will never be at ease nor know peace. You can only be as happy as you want to be, no one can give you or take away your happiness. When you have all, make yourself happy; when you have non, make yourself happy and life to you will be sweet.

In the words of Dalai Lama, “I believe compassion to be one of the few things we can practice that will bring immediate and long-term happiness to our lives.”. When we share of the little we have, when we give to those in need, when we render assistance to those who can't repay us, when we restore hope and bring smile to the faces of those who have lost hope, we will be planting the seed of lasting HAPPINESS in our own lives.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

GRATITUDE

GRATITUDE

A popular Yoruba adage says "Ti omodé bá dúpé óré àná, á rí imi gbá." meaning, "If a child shows gratitude for yesterday's favour, he will get another." The guarantee for continuous reception of favour is a consistent attitude of gratitude. Most of the things we get are freely given to us, we hardly deserve them, but some men do not realize this but take the opportunities and privileges for granted.

Most times, gratitude is expressed by words of mouth, but in truth, without corresponding actions to back up our confessions, we might not be considered as really grateful. If we are grateful for something received, we will not be selfish with the use of that thing, we would use it for the maximum benefit of everyone that might be in need of it.

We must never cease to be grateful for anything and everything, the more we show gratitude and appreciation for what we have, the more we would have and receive. We have a sense of fulfillment, the courage to ask for more, and the confidence that we will have if we ask, when we show gratitude. Like Melody Beattie once said, "Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

In the words of William Arthur Ward "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." It is not just enough to have the feeling of GRATITUDE, you must show, express, and live a lifestyle of GRATITUDE, it is the gateway to having all other expectations.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

FINISH

FINISH

In many sports there are people that are regarded as good starters. They start the race, the match so well that they are regarded as favourites to win, they always begin with a bang, they go big, but just when their strength, their determination, their focus is needed the most, when it is getting tough and they are supposed to up the ante, they let their guards loose.

Without starting you cannot finish, but if you do not finish, starting was never necessary. The beauty, the reward for starting is on the finish line, and if you don't get there, you have done nothing. The most memorable moment in a race may not be the moment the first person arrives at the finish line, but the moment the man who had stumbled, and fell gets to the finish line.

Like Rick Mears once said, "To finish first you must first finish.". If you must finish first in a race your focus should not be to finish first, but to finish the race, but as fast as possible, with all that you have within you. Sometimes, the attitude that gets you started, will not take you through till the end, you need to change gears at some point, to keep moving.

Whether you started well or poorly, do not give up before finishing; do not let the jeers of the crowd keep you down and out; if they were better than you, they should be doing it and not jeering you. Be your own cheerleader, encourage yourself, dig deep within, and bring out the best in you. No matter how tough it is, however difficult it gets, see that your FINISH.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

EMBRACE

EMBRACE

The present reality of every man is a reflection of what that man is or have been. If it is an unwanted and undesired reality, then something must change for a redirection, and recourse for desired outcomes; but one thing is necessary, until you accept current realities, and existing conditions as your responsibility nothing will change.

It is sometimes undeniable that things happen to us that are entirely not our faults, but the moment we realize that whatever happens we can change the direction of things we are close to victory. We have a choice for everything we do, and when the results of our choices and decisions begin to roll in, we must be ready to accept all the outcomes and deal with it as may be necessary.

It was John Lennon that said, "life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans." it is important that you are making other plans, because it might be worse if you don't. Life cares only for those who care about life. If you are nonchalant about life, you will find yourself alone to blame for whatever you get.

Good or bad, desired or not, losing or winning, EMBRACE your life, EMBRACE your reality, it is only then you can know what to do, and how to turn things around for yourself. We can do all we want to do, and be all we want to be; we can go as far as possible, but we must EMBRACE all that we are and have, for that is all we need to be and have all we want in life.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

DISPLACE

DISPLACE

Nature abhors vacuum, there is nothing in life that can be empty. The absence of a thing will surely give room for something else. A life filled with failure can be turned around, but first there must be a displacement of the unwanted. The moment we identify what we don't want, and work towards what we want are already on our way to making things anew.

Love displaces hate, success displaces failure, hard work displaces laziness, actions displaces procrastination, death displaces life. You cannot be for nothing, you can either be for this or that, there is no sitting on the fence. Whatever you have today you have created a room for and have permitted. You can always have whatever you want to have if you prepare for it.

Your thoughts produces your reality, negative thoughts yields negative realities, and positive thoughts yields positive realities. As the wisest king Isreal ever had, King Solomon wrote in Proverbs chapter 23 verse 7, "as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." whatever you think you will produce. So, your current reality is the product of your past thoughts.

DISPLACE the unwanted with the wanted, if there is something more powerful than emptiness, it is fullness. Opposite characters and attributes can not coexist. It is either one leaves for the other. Be determined about what you want, focus your thoughts on having it, and work towards having it, and you will receives it.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days  of wisdom".

CONTINUE

CONTINUE

There is no end to the journey of life, as long as one still breaths, one cannot afford to stop moving forward in every sphere of life. Continuous learning, continuous growth, continuous development is a necessity for meaningful living. Anyone who stops to develop and grow irrespective of their level of knowledge will at one point become useless and irrelevant.

Francis Drake once said, "There must be a beginning of any great matter, but the continuing unto the end until it be thoroughly finished yields the true glory." There is never a reward for starting a thing, only those who gets to the finish line, those who eventually succeed on that journey, those who make something out of their journey will be rewarded for their efforts.

Sometimes the journey can get tough, at times quitting may be the easiest resort, but nothing easy ever produces anything desirable nor enviable; when the journey gets tough one must get tough with it; as the saying goes, "When the going gets tough, the tough gets going".

If you must achieve the dreams you earnestly desire, if you must get a dividend for all your stress, if you must reap the fruit of your labour, you must put in your all to ensure you get to the end of the road. You must CONTINUE to grind, grow, and go in the direction of your dreams. When you get tired you can rest but never quit, quitting is a confirmation of failure.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

BANNER

BANNER

Cowards would not boldly declare who they are, they are not sure of what they are, always scared of what people will say about them, and are even not proud of themselves. They usually never live a free and peaceful lifestyle, but keep wandering and floating, seeking acceptance, and a easy way out. They are usually a people of no identity.

You cannot really make any difference, impact, or change in this world if you are not proud of who you are and carry your BANNER with full confidence for all to see and know. You are your own banner and whatever you do, however you present yourself will determine people's perception of you.

As much as people's acceptance and approval does not really matter towards you being what you want to be, they must be able to attest to who you are and it should correlate with who you profess to be. Be bold, courageous, and determined, until you accept yourself and everything about you, no one will accept you for who you are.

Be intentional about your desires, dreams, visions, and goals, let everything around you know who you are, and what you want; pursue with all your strength and never look back until you reach your destination. Go as far as you can carrying, waving, and showing your BANNER to the world, you are not just a passerby here, you are a major stakeholder and contributor to this universe, do it with all you have got.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days  of wisdom".

APPRAISE

APPRAISE

Where do you stand on your journey to the next level? How far have you gone with your plans, ideas, and vision? The answers to this questions will not be known if you don't seek them. You might have covered considerable grounds on your journey to your desired destination, you might be breaking records on some fronts, you might even have achieved a lot, but when compared to what you wanted, how well are you doing?

The length of a road cannot be measured in kilogram, the weight of wool cannot be measure in meters, an expanse of land cannot be measured in litres; you must measure everything by a correlating unit, not by any unit just because it needs to be measured.

However great you think you have done, if people cannot attest to the impact of your efforts, if they cannot see what you have done, you might need to check yourself again. Like Nike Thaddeus said, "If you're the only one that can see the genius in you, It's best you revisit the drawing board.". There is nothing good that is ever hidden, except it is yet to manifest, but once it is made known it must be seen by all.

You have got to see what has changed from what used to be, you have to APPRAISE yourself. Without proper measurement you cannot know when the scale is reached or what should still be done for success to be achieved. A peripheral conclusion will be at the detriment of the goal, the vision, the dream to be achieved.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

ZIG

ZIG

A lot of times, many people do the same thing over and over again and get the same results but wander why it is so. They at some point expect a different result despite their recourse to repetitions. If you do something repeatedly and get the same unwanted result, it is just logical to try tweak things, or even make a total change. Nothing happens by mistake, everything has a process and every process produces a certain kind of result.

If you are on a journey and you suddenly realize that you have missed your way, the only way to get back on the right way is to change the direction of your movement. The moment you turn back from a wrong journey you are already a step towards the right path, but if you continue on that journey, there is no way you will get to the right destination.

Suzy Kassem once said, "When you keep hitting walls of resistance in life, the universe is trying to tell you that you are going the wrong way. It's like driving a bumper car at an amusement park. Each time you slam into another car or the edge of the track, you are forced to change direction." Sometimes, life redirects us to the right path when we go wrong, but if we are not sensitive enough we would not understand the nudging.

No time is ever too late to have a rethink, to change direction, to return on a journey that is leading us to nowhere. No time is ever too late to start all over again. Time waits for no man, but whether you do or do not, time passes anyway. So, make the ZIG, turn the results around.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

YOU

YOU

People who have done great things, who have done the unimaginable, and produced masterpieces for the world, people who have against the odds stamped their names in the sand of time, these people have had one thing in common: they believed in themselves. You may not always have the backing of everyone, you may not even be given a chance to show the world who you are, but if you really want to do and be what you want, you have to believe in YOU.

Everyone has a gift to give the world, no matter how wonderful this gifts may be, it may not be readily accepted by even those who needs it, but when you are determined to let the world see what you are made of, and what you have for her, you will make it happen.

The moment you realize that you are the most important instrument (mercenary) needed to carry out your task, you are half way through the journey. Everything and everyone else who key into the vision and the goal are extras. They may be very crucial to the eventual success of the whole, but it wouldn't have been possible if you have not taken the initiative to run the race.

You must learn to understand yourself, know more about the person YOU really are, the more you know of yourself, the more you would know of others, and the better you can, and should become. As the CEO of YOU incorporated, you must in the words of Norman Vincent Peale, "Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy."

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

XANY

XANY

Ease is an enemy of progress. One who would have any meaningful impact on the world, and achievements in life can not be a docile, passive, and easy going person. Energy is a critical requirement for success and great achievements. This energy may not necessarily be physical, but mental, psychological, physiological, spiritual, and so on. The place of physical energy can nevertheless not be ignored.

"In this very real world, good doesn't drive out evil. Evil doesn't drive out good. But the energetic displaces the passive." William Bernbach said. Activity will always displace inactivity; effort will always displace laziness; and determination and focus will displace indecision and wanderings.

Ralph Waldo Emerson explicitly stated that, "Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."

He also once said, "The world belongs to the energetic.". You can have all you want; be all you want to be; and achieve all that you dream, and wish for if you would be determined, devoted, and dedicated to achieving what you want for yourself. Develop your mind and body to be energized for the fulfillment of your dreams.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

WISH

WISH

"Wishes are only granted in fairy tales" Simone Elkeles wrote. Life is not fairy tales, and wishes do not just come to pass in real life. As much as you can have your wishes fulfilled and granted, you have to work hard enough to make it a reality. A wish that is left just as a wish will remain a wish for as long as it is left so.

A wish can be a really powerful tool towards our growth and progress in life if we are willing, ready, and determined enough to let it fly; if we give wings of hard-work to our wishes, we can go beyond our own expectations, because the universe and everything in it will attend to our desires that have been backed up by our actions.

No one has the monopoly of wishes, it is abundantly and excessively available to everyone; only those who knows and understand it powers, and how it can be fully harnessed will really benefit from its optimisation. Without a desire for something bigger; without a hope for something better; without a longing for a more fulfilling life; without wishes, we would not have a better world.

Until what is was wished, it couldn't have been; what is was not a mere wish, it was a strong desire to have what was not, and turn it to what now is. You would not have what you have not wished for, but, if you just wished for it, you would still not have it until you work it out. Prepare and work towards bringing your WISH into reality, it is the only thing that has made anything possible.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

VICTIM

VICTIM

The world is always quick to define situations, people, and events by what they perceive it to be, they attach some negative tags to these people and situations not giving them an opportunity to freely live and express themselves. Sometimes, things are really what the world calls them, but at other times, one must clearly define and call things what one really want it to be called.

You are not what the world calls you until you agree and accept it; the only person fit to describe you or your situation is yourself, and whatever you describe yourself and your situation as is what it is, even if the world think otherwise. Situations can bring people to a condition they don't want to be, it can alter their physical appearance, but that is not really who they are.

There is no VICTIM in life except the person who has resigned to fate, accepted the victim tag, and has given up on the possibility of victory. The only guarantee to defeat is to give up in the fight. So, do not give up, you can win if you don't quit. Victory is not reserved for certain people, it is available to anyone who would dare to have it.

Harvey Fierstein once said, "Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.". You don't need the validation of anybody to be who you want to be, and do what you want to do, all you need is yourself and the belief that you are not a VICTIM but a VICTOR to live victoriously.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

UNWIND

UNWIND

Hard work is a vital ingredient for success, without hard work it would be difficult to have any meaningful achievement or even a shot at success. This understanding has turned many into workaholics, and workhorses; we tend to see rest as a waste of time, a potential risk, and an enemy of our progressive journey towards our dreams, visions, and goals.

Realistically, rest is as important as work, without rest work is not really complete. Unwinding is really hard work that needs to be done. A lot of times you don't realize how much you need to UNWIND until you actually do. The workload, the deadlines, the tasks, are always there staring us in the face, the longer they stay the more we feel we are doing nothing, but the truth is these tasks never finish, fresh tasks come alive once existing ones are complete.

Focus instead on your bodily wellbeing, your soundness of mind, your sharpness of spirit, and work will be just a stroll in the park. The best time to unwind is actually when we don't have time for it, because that is the moment when the pressure is highest and the body is likely to be most stressed.

Work hard, rest hard, the most productive people are those who do not take rest for granted. Etty Hillesum once said, "Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths." nothing is more important than the moments we have to UNWIND, maximize those moments and experience seamless work.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

TRUST

TRUST

Relationships thrive on some basic qualities from all the parties involved in it. However, many do not understand what it means to share these qualities, and some does not even know which qualities should be prioritized. They cherish some qualities over the other not knowing that they are only subordinates and support qualities for the relationship.

When the most important ingredient is missing in a meal, it does not mean the meal does not exist or would not have a taste, it only mean that, the meal would not taste as it should have tasted, were all the ingredients complete and in the right proportion. When a relationship of any sort lacks a very critical and important ingredient, it would not yield the best result.

As much as love is important in relationships, without TRUST, everything else may not have so much value. TRUST is the real bedrock of every valid and responsible relationship, be it business, friendship, societal, marital, and any other relationship you can think of. The moment trust between partners become questionable, the relationship is half dead.

Whatever you do, strive not to lose people's trust in you, and be careful not to also give out your trust to just anyone who haven't earned it. Sometimes, you trust people but they betray your trust, some of these people really do not understand what trust means and in essence have not regard for it. Like Stephen King said, "The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful tool." do not be naive with TRUST, and to quote William Shakespeare "Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.".

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

SURVIVE

SURVIVE

In a world where virtually everything have become virtual, and people can describe themselves as what they are not, claim to be who they are not, and present what they do not have to you as theirs, there is a lot of pressure on you to level up, and catch up with the waves, to be counted among, and to be accepted by the society.

Many have been forced to do things that are criminal and unbecoming; many have endangered their lives and destiny, all in the quest to make fast and easy wealth, and popularity, they want to become world famous overnight, and do what takes some years and even decades to achieve within days. They forget that whatever comes easy goes easy, but whatever one strives for stays forever.

To live in this kind of world is becoming increasingly difficult to do. Do not be carried away, nor deceived by the social media lush, luxurious, extravagantly beautiful, and excellently doctored social media images, they mostly are not a true reflection of the lifestyle of those who put these things out for public view and appraisal.

Your life may not be as backward as you think compared to those you see out there, even when things are tough for you, just keep moving. Focus first on survival, no matter how difficult the situation is, strive to stay alive, be careful, live within your means, plan for the future, never look back. When you need a break, be sure to get one; keep your heads up, if you can SURVIVE, you can succeed.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom". 

RUMINATE

RUMINATE

Sometimes, you need to get out of your own head and focus on the present, the now, and what can be done to make this moment a worthy and memorable one. Life happens, but giving too much thoughts to the events of the past when it is clear it cannot bring anything good to the present or even the future is an exercise that should not be encouraged nor engaged in.

The past should be left where it belongs, the past, and the present should be optimized for greater productivity. To get the most of today, you must empty your mind of the ills of yesterday, and prepare it to be filled with the goodness of today. When you live each day at a time, without the cares of tomorrow, and the anxiety of what it may hold, you are more likely to be prepared for it, than when worried about it.

On the flip side, you must not forget how your growth, development, and ascension was aided. You must not forget those who gave you the opportunity; those who stuck their necks out for you; those who were ready to bear whatever consequences that may come with being a support to you; those who fought for you, even in your absence; those who risked everything for you even when it was not convenient.

"One of the most difficult things to remember is to remember to remember" Stephen Batchelor said. When things get smooth and easy, we tend to forget that we must not forget to remember how we got to where we are, and those who made it possible. We must RUMINATE, and effectively so, do due diligence to mindful and aware of where we are, where we came from, and where we are going.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

QUI VIVE

QUI VIVE

One who would achieve what others have not, can not, and will not achieve must surely do what others can not do, have not done, and will not do. The difference between those in front and those behind, is the extra speed, extra care, extra determination, and extra effort they have put into their journey and race. Everyone is on default, to be more you need to get customized for more.

A lot of things beg for our attention everyday, some are important, while others are very irrelevant and does not add any value whatsoever to our lives; if we don't become extra careful and extra vigilant as to what takes our time and attention, we will be living our lives on stuffs that would not add anything to us at all. As Henry Ward Beecher said, "Vigilance is not only the price of liberty, but of success of any sort.". If you are not vigilant, succeeding in anything in life will be tough.

We must carefully choose our actions, we must not be slack as to how we react and relate with the happenings and events around us. Life is not as easy as it seems, because "if it was easy, everyone would do it" Tom Hanks said.

Beware of caterpillars, bulldozers, pests, and parasites who have nothing to lose but everything to gain for destroying something of great value. You stand to lose everything if you don't get vigilant and fight them off. Like Thomas Jefferson once said, "Let the eye of vigilance never be closed." always stay alert, and vigilant, protect that which belongs to you with all you have got, and you will be proud you did.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

POSITIVE

POSITIVE

In life, you don't get the opportunity to sit on the fence, you are either here or there. Sometimes, we choose neither, but most times, when you choose neither, you are actually choosing the undesired. If you want the good life you have to choose, declare, and work towards having the good life otherwise, you are inadvertently choosing the other kind of life.

Positivity can only yield positive results, and negativity will definitely breed negative results. One can rise through difficulties to produce exceptional and enviable results, but until the mind is in a positive condition, it can produce no good thing. A lily can sprout in the mire, but a lemon tree will not produce tangerines. 

The thoughts you allow in your mind determines the results you will get. Negativity and positivity struggles for a place in your mind, but you determine which gets the space; that which gets the space determines what you will get; and what you get determines how you live. It may not be easy all along, the end of the tunnel is where brightness is, not in the middle of it.

Never let difficulties have the best of you; never allow the troubles of life knock you down for too long; "when your face is on the sunshine, you can't see the shadows." Helen Keller said. Everything that happens to you in life happens for a reason, not necessarily to destroy you, but to build you. Whatever you do, "Be mindful. Be grateful. Be POSITIVE. Be true. Be kind." - Roy T. Bennet.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

ORDER

ORDER

In the words of Orison Swett Marden "A good system shortens the road to the goal." when everything that should be done are done rightly with all sense of responsibility and care; when square pegs are on square holes, and round pegs in round holes, results are much more easier to get, and progress will be just a norm, an undeniable reality.

Chaos, rancor, confusion are all evidence of the disorganization and disorderliness in a society. You cannot do something the absolute wrong way and expect to get the same results with people who are doing it the right way. Everything in life happens in a sequential order, and a breach of this order would mean a different outcome.

To quotes Robert Southey, "Order is the sanity of the mind, the health of the body, the peace of the city, the security of the state. As the beams to a house, as the bones to the microcosm of man, so is order to all things." Without ORDER nothing in this world would be worth anything, in fact we would not have the kind of world we have today.

If you want to get to your goals faster, plan; of you want to sleep well, lay your bed; if you want smooth execution, organize. Productivity is high in a place where ORDER resides. Life is easier, people are happier, peace is achieved, and results are guaranteed. ORDER is grand, ORDER is supreme, ORDER is the key to an enviable end.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

NEIGHBOR

NEIGHBOR

The beauty of life is not in the accumulation of personal wealth and material belongings, the beauty of life is in the love shared and received, it is in the lives you touch with what you have, the kindness you show to those who can't repay you, the burden you bear for those who are weighed down by the troubles and difficulties of life.

A tree does not make a forest, and no one man can make life interesting on his own. We will have a better world, a more peaceful world, when every single one of us cares about the next person irrespective of who they are at any point in time, wherever we find ourselves. When I am concerned about the welfare of the man next to me, I will be careful what I do to him and anything that belongs to him.

We must seek to be sympathetic when those around us are in trouble, or in a difficult situation, for we do not know when such may come upon us. Like Ronald Reagan once said, "Recession is when a neighbor loses his job. Depression is when you lose yours." when we are faced with the same challenges our neighbors have faced we understand differently, but empathy bridge these gaps.

At home, on the road, at school, at places of work, at religious places, etc whoever is around us is our neighbor, and the moment we understand that the safety and welfare of these people is our own safety, we see them, our environment and everything differently, and we have different understanding about everything. Whoever is capable of causing you harm or vice versa is your NEIGHBOR, love them instead and see the miracle of love.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

MEMORY

MEMORY

Every action originates from the mind, are being acted out, and are stored in our brains in addition to its effect. Be mindful of what you do, for they shall create the life for the future. Today, memories are created, but they go with us into the far future. When life becomes stagnant, and everything seems to be still memories come back to be relived.

What we do today, will either make for a happy tomorrow or a regrettable future. However we live our lives, we live it twice, first in reality, and later in our memories. Some memories make us bloomy, while some make us gloomy. We are responsible for the kind of memory we create, and we will either be rewarded with its happiness or hunted by its horror.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec once said, "You can close your eyes to reality but not to memories." you can attempt to live in the denial of reality, you can ignore the events of today, you can close your eyes to the happenings of today, but memory can never be silenced. The memories we create today will determine the future we will have tomorrow.

No matter what you do, no matter what happens, create good, happy, and loving memories with the people around you, the people you love, the people that will be with you all the way. Life is not entirely about the future, it is not only in what we want, but also in what we already have, how we have lived our lives, and the memories we have created.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

LEGACY

LEGACY

It is a common saying, and an undeniable fact that nothing in life is certain, the only certainty is death. Everybody will die someday, and no matter how long you live, you will soon be forgotten once you are gone. As a matter of fact, the only reason some people are still being remembered is because they still breath, they are not dead, but they have nothing for which they should be remembered.

Many have gone hundreds of years ago, some thousands of years ago and they are still remembered today; some for the good they did, and others for the evil they did. Good or evil, no one is remembered for what they have done for themselves, but for what they did for and/or to others. 

Some names are eternally written in the history books, never to be erased, never to be forgotten. Names such as, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Orville and Wilbur Wright, William Shakespeare, Nelson Mandela, and many more would never be forgotten, not for what they did for themselves, but for what they had done for their people, and the world at large.

Like Vitor Belfort said, "Legacy is not what I did for myself. It's what I am doing for the next generation." Do something that is beyond you, do something that the next generation will thank you for, do something that will live long even after you are gone. It does not have to be an invention like that of Charles Babbage did, neither does it have to be a discovery like Isaac Newton, being good to every human being you come in contact with is a good enough LEGACY to leave behind.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

KNOCK

KNOCK

A young chap once came to the door at a family friend's house, he had always been carried by his mother whenever they come around, but this time, his mother had let him go ahead while she had a chat with another friend outside. It was the first time this chap had gotten to that door alone. He wanted to open the door like his mother would always do, but he forgot something that his mother would first do before opening the door.

He was there for so long until his mother came and met him at the door, while he struggled to open it. His mother did what she always does and opened the door. The young chap was surprised. The next time the same scenario played out, the boy was at the door and wanted to open the door to no success. He then remembered what his mother would always do: KNOCK.

He knocked, and the door did not open, but seeing that he had no other options, he continued knocking until someone from within the house came to open the door. Sometimes, the door to our next level is not locked, but we may not understand how to turn it open. At times, we may not be tall enough to reach the handles, but we cannot be too short to KNOCK the door until we get it opened.

We may be qualified enough to get into some places, but the door to those places cannot be open from outside, we may need someone who has gone in, or someone who knows how well to open these doors help us through it, but how do we get them to help us? We KNOCK. Consistent, fervent knocking will provoke responses to any closed door, keep knocking.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

JACKPOT

JACKPOT

Every passing day, people wake up to the reality that life is not fair, and the road to success is not a bed of roses, yet some expect to someday get to the promise land without leaving their comfort zones. They hope that one day, they will wake up to the fulfillment of their life long desires, and begin to swim in wealth and abundance.

Unfortunately, life does not attend to wishes but work. The principles of life are not suspended for any body no matter the circumstances. A farmer who goes to farm, tills the land, and plant seeds need only to pray for the rain and fair weather, when harvest time comes he will surely reap plenty, and will be happy that his efforts had not gone to waste. If he had gone to the farm, sat idly, and prayed for a bounty harvest, he will surely have a bounty harvest but of hunger and penury.

Flip Wilson once said, "You can't expect to hit the jackpot if you don't put a few nickels in the machine." Winning the JACKPOT of success is not by mere wish, it does not even come by prayers, it comes by working hard consistently, and diligently towards it, while expecting that the weather of fairness will favour you and bring to you the desired results.

Failure and disappointment are part of life, without failure success would have no meaning. You have got to fail but turn it around to be called successful, but to succeed, you have got to work. If you keep pushing, if you don't quit, if you rise after every fall, one day you will hit the JACKPOT.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

IMPROVEMENT

IMPROVEMENT

Benjamin Franklin once said, "Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning". The fact that some men have made outgrowing their current self daily, and improving on the person they were yesterday a necessity has made so much meaning of what success truly is.

As we grow through life we must not just grow in stature and size, we must grow in mental strength and capacity; we must grow in emotional strength and intelligence; we must grow in every single area of our lives, otherwise, we would not be as effective as we should be. Partial growth often lead to ineffectiveness. When a baby is growing, and a particular part of the baby is not growing in perfect synchrony with other parts, there is a call for concern.

The hand can not grow independent of the leg, neither can one of each grow independently of the other, all must grow together to ensure effectiveness and efficiency. We must make conscious, determined efforts to improve daily to become who we want and should be.

Like a baby would need to be fed with consistent, constant nutritious substances to grow as he should, the mind also must be fed with powerful and nutritious contents everyday to ensure growth and improvement. No matter how good you are at something, there will always be a room and a need for IMPROVEMENT. Like Helmut Schmidt would say, "The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement".

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

HEAL

HEAL

One of the most soothing reliefs any one can ever have, is the recovery from a previously painful, hurtful, or inconvenient state. When in a state of pain, living may not be such fun. Sometimes, you just wish something else could happen in the immediate to eliminate or take away the pain. Unfortunately, it does not always happen as we wish.

Pain and hurt is taken away through a gradual process of healing. People get hurt in different ways, emotionally, mentally, physically, intellectually, and even spiritually, and all these forms of hurt requires different healing processes. The treatment for any is dependent on its form, and healing can only be achieved when one is determined to be healed of such pain or hurt.

The first step towards healing is the realization of a hurt and its resultant effect: the pain, followed by the willingness to be healed. When you treat someone who has been hurt, until he is willing to regain his health true healing, he will never be healed no matter how hard, or how long you try. The desire to be healed is key to receiving healing.

Healing like every other good thing takes time, to be fully and effectively healed you have to patiently, and carefully go through the process to have the best result. Like everything else, until you believe in your mind that you can be healed, until you are ready to HEAL yourself of the hurt by letting go of the cause, healing will be an impossibility.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

GOAL

GOAL

The ultimate aim of any football match is putting the ball at the back of the net. Doing this is never an easy task, as you will have to face an even match in number of opposing players. Both teams always consist of eleven players each, one of which will be charged with the responsibility of protecting the goal post with everything he has got. The team that scores the most number of goals is the winner of the match, and if both teams score same numbers or no goal at all, it is called a draw, or a tie.

Life is like a football match, to score a goal you have to wiggle your way through different obstacles and opposition. Life will certainly score some goals against you, but to win, you must outscore life. You can't win the match against life all by yourself, that is why everyone needs someone they can trust, someone they can work with, in fact, everyone needs a team to win the battle of life.

Sometimes, the goals you set becomes almost impossible to achieve, the opposition is tougher than you expect, and it seems there is no way you can beat it. It is not enough to make you quit, rather it should make you become determined to be better, stronger and wiser to face the challenges.

"When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached..." Confucius said, "...don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps." The process to the goal, the actions steps, are the most important, the goal is just an end result. You can adjust the process to the goal, but don't shift the goal post, do not adjust the GOAL.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

FORGIVE

FORGIVE

Many have erected walls without doors with the precise intention to imprison another man and forget them in this prison for life, to waste and rotten away only to discover upon the complete erection of these walls that they have successfully imprisoned themselves. Sometimes, they stubbornly choose to remain in those prisons but forget that they will actually rotten away unless they pull down those walls so they can be free.

No one is perfect, we should therefore not expect perfection from anybody, and when we are offended by people especially of it is out of ignorance, we must not hesitate to let go of whatever the offense has caused us. Holding grudges against someone does not particularly give us peace of mind, but we must also understand that we cannot always accommodate everyone in our circle, some have to be kept out of it for us to have our peace.

It is not easy to forgive someone who has done you wrong, but as Mahatma Gandhi said, "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." Only the strong can truly forgive.

Show your strength by forgiving those who have wronged you; do not be dragged into the mud of pettiness; rise above their misbehavior; ride the horse of peace; focus on the future. It may not be possible to forget what they have done to you, but to FORGIVE is to set yourself free from the bondage and prison of bitterness.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

EASE

EASE

All of man's endeavours, all of his strivings and work, all of his desires is to at the end of all obtain and live in a kind of life that is more enjoyable, and pleasurable: an easy life. Life does not take things easy with any one, and does not give out ease on a platter, rather it is earnestly worked for, given sweat for, and determinedly pursued until it is gotten.

Difficulties come through ease, and ease comes through difficulties. When you take the pain of tilling the ground, you make it easy to plant a seed in it, and for the seed to sprout easily, but when you ignore the difficulty of tilling to plant in a hard soil, you make it hard for the plant to germinate.

Realistically, life is a mixture of ease and difficulty, everyone will at one point in life experience these two realities of life, but when you experience it is determined by your priorities. You can choose to live the easy life early, which is the default setting of life, but this will bring severe hardship and difficulty in the latter years.

Alternatively, you can subject yourself to early challenges, difficulties, and hardship; this phase builds you up,, brings out the hidden abilities and potentials in you, and prepare you for a future of real EASE and pleasure. Whichever you choose, be sure to choose wisely, early ease brings immense and immeasurable hardship, but early and self imposed hardship bring real pleasure and fulfillment. In the words of Aja Gabel, "… you misunderstand ‘ease.’ I think whoever said that means joy, not the quality of being easy. And difficult things can bring joy. And joy can bring EASE".

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

DILIGENCE

DILIGENCE

Benjamin Franklin once said, "Diligence is the mother of good luck", therefore, if you expect to one day meet with good luck, if one day you expect to arrive at the destination you have always wished for, you must get your sleeves rolled up, get your hands buried in work, and never look back until your dreams and expectations are met.

Life does not just happen, and wishes don't just come to pass, like Confucius also said, "The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools." When your part of the bargain is fully met, and satisfied, you should expect to get the results you hope and wish for.

Life may sometimes be cruel, you may be as diligent as you can be, but still don't get what you want at the time you want it, don't stop being diligent at what you do. There is always that hope of realization of expectations as long as you keep going, but once you quit, you have successfully stamped the guarantee of failure, there is no reward for quitting.

It is not the number of time you are beaten down to the dust that really matters, what matters most is the number of times you get up after been beaten. If you can just get up one more time than you have been down, then you are a winner. If your DILIGENCE can always beat the desire to quit; if it can always beat the craving to be idle; if it can always push you a bit further, victory is sure.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days  of wisdom".

CAVE

CAVE

There are a lot of voids that has been covered up, they are covered up by very strong layers of substances and has therefore hidden a lot of treasures from the world. Similarly, these voids are also a false representation of the realities that are available to us. It does seem as though the entire place is covered until there is a crashing and a revelation of this void.

The voids, CAVES serve as shelter for some people, animals, and maybe treasures; sometimes they house what we want, and sometimes they house exactly what we don't want. The question is, how do we identify what is in the cave? There is only one way to discover that, and it is go go right into that cave.

Like Joseph Campbell once said, "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek." if you continue to harbor the fear of the cave being a dangerous place, you will never discover the wealth, the treasures, and the abundance there is in it. Fear itself is like a CAVE, if you do not enter it, and do the exact thing that you fear, you would not know what you can do or achieve.

The cave that hinders you from seeing what is in it, can also limit you from seeing what is in the outside world; do not let yourself be limited by the CAVE of fear, unbelief, and uncertainties, life without risk is not a life worth living; but the life with many risks is a life that will not be limited by anything or anyone, it is a life that will be lived to maximum level of success and greatness.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

BALANCE

BALANCE

One very popular statement in this part of the world is "this life no balance" and this can be no truer. Life is indeed not balance, and can never be balanced, but as unbalanced as life is, one must find means of balancing his own personal life or else, everything will be in shambles and total disarray, and things will continue get difficult every waking day.

There are a myriad of things calling for our attention every day, and our ability or inability to prioritize and balance up how we allocate time to these things and attend to them will determine what we will eventually get from life. Every of our choices in life have consequences, and without a proper balance of choice, we may be faced with some undesirable consequences.

Sometimes, putting in retrospect where we are coming from, where we are, and where we want to be gives us the opportunity to create the kind of balance that is necessary for a progressive lifestyle. Meghan Markle once said, "Reflecting on where I came from helps me to appreciate and balance what I have now." Without the privilege of hindsight, foresight would be impossible, but hindsight and foresight creates the balance for a better life.

Whatever you do, seek to create a balance. Whether in things that relates solely to you, or that has to do with others, you must be able to balance up things such that you do not lose your credibility and respect with people. Strive to live a life of BALANCE for without BALANCE nothing else is worth it.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

AWARD

AWARD

People don't get awards for doing things everybody else does, or can do; people don't get awards for doing something ordinary, or things of no impacts; people get awards for doing something special, something extraordinary, and something impactful. They get recognized for their hard-work, talent, and dedication to certain cause and course.

Getting an award does not signify that you have gotten to the peak of everything there is, that the job is done, or that there is nothing more to be achieved, it is not the end of the race, it is the beginning of another. Awards are a recognition of progress so one can be encouraged to do more, not a reward of completion. Awards are not an invitation to rest, it is a trigger to do more.

People who oftentimes get awards for their excellent and exceptional achievements are people who do not even think about it, sometimes they don't even know such awards exist until they receive it. Everything man does, good or bad, has a reward, but to receive an award is to have done something good enough for not just the rewards but also deserve something extra, an encouragement: an AWARD.

More than anything, one derives abundance of joy in being a part of a winning team, and more fulfilling is the effect you have had on people because of what you do, the good and positive cause and effect that you are having and creating in the life of people around you. Never stop being a good person, do not relent on the good cause you have embarked upon, keep making positive impacts and whether the AWARDS come or not you will still be changing and touching lives.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

ZYGOTE

ZYGOTE

When a female egg is fertilized by a male sperm a zygote is formed, this zygote becomes an embryo which shortly afterward becomes a fetus and upon the completion of the gestation period a full blown baby is born. This period of gestation is not always an easy period, it is a period of pain, and endurance; a period of faith and hope, that in the end what is expected is birthed.

Many people want to achieve success, they want to get to that point in life when people will call them a success, and though they have within them the egg of potentials waiting to be fertilized by the sperm of hard-work, they expect to become successful but are unwilling and are not ready to go through the process of developing the egg (potential) in them to a full blown baby (success).

The journey towards success is not a pleasurable one, it is not one decorated with flowers and beautiful landscapes, but a journey of thorns and thistles, rocks and rivers, it is a rough and tough path, one filled with mountain top moments and valley moments, but the end of that road is one filled with everything that has been wished for and worked towards.

Work on your potentials, protect and guide your work to the right channel, and ensure you are not just getting busy, but you are also getting results. Every good thing takes time, success is not an exception. You must work, have faith in the possibility of your desired result, and hope that everything turns out just as you want, and it will.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

YUMMY

YUMMY

She has a restaurant by the corner of the street, their meals tastes so good, you will always want to go back there. Actually, she does nothing other than give orders and instructions to her staffs. Her chefs should be applauded for the yummy meals, I am sure she can't afford to lose any of them, they are the secret to the success of that restaurant.

What you do not know is that, she has worked with several top class eateries, and five star hotels over the years; she has learnt from local and international chefs, managers, and colleagues; she has paid her dues; now she knows all the best recipes there are, and the perfect mix and combinations to making yummy meals; that is the real secret to the success of that restaurant.

Success just like yummy meals are not stumbled upon by accident, or even achieved by mistake; it takes a lot of work, determination, focus, learning, unlearning, and relearning. What makes success a lot more yummy is the fact that you have had the taste of failure, and have suffered the pain of defeat, and you can tell clearly the difference.

Success tastes so nice and YUMMY that it makes you forget the sour and bitter taste of past pain and failure. Do not let your hunger for success die until you have succeeded. You have gone through so much pain, you cannot let it get the better of you, keep going, never look back, don't quit, success is just by the corner, and guess how it tastes, YUMMY.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

XARONCHAROO

 XARONCHAROO

Most of us play below our standards, we shy away from what we should be doing comfortably; we oftentimes do not get scared of doing what we can't do, but the very things we can and should be doing.

Marianne Williamson wrote explicitly these words, and it can't be any better, "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

You are a brilliant; you are a complete reservoir of everything good and desirable; you are powerful beyond measure; you have what it takes to be all you want to be; the world is waiting for your manifestation, do not let them wait in vain. Rise up to the task, wake up and be what you are meant to be, shine your light bright, and spread it wide for all to see and enjoy.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

WAIVE

WAIVE

When people seek opportunities in certain places, and they discover that they are not qualified or do not meet the standards for these opportunities, they begin to seek waivers, they begin to lobby around and see if there can be a bit of flexibility in the process so they can be accommodated, allowing them a shot at the available opportunities.

It will be unsurprising to discover that some of these people who seek flexibility and waivers for their shortcomings, and incompleteness are very rigid and unwavering in their approach to certain things in life. They hold on firmly to their beliefs and principles and are not ready to see reasons for a change in what they firmly hold on to.

Bukola Elemide aka Asa, in her song 'Jailer' said, "life is not about your policies all the time, so, you better rearrange your philosophies, and be good to your fellow man,...". If all that rules you, and all you think about is yourself, your beliefs, and what is in it for you, and do not care about anyone else, you are threading a very risky line.

In the words of the legendary Tony Robbins who said, "Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach." you should be firm and unwavering about what you want; you should at no point consider letting go of the goal, the dream, the target, but you cannot afford to be rigid in your approach towards achieving it. When there is a need to jiggle up things you shouldn't hesitate to do so.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

VERDUROUS

VERDUROUS

Adekunle Almoruf Kosoko, aka Adekunle Gold in his song titled "ire" which means goodness said, "The grass is greener on the other side. That's what I thought before I took the ride" he further went on to say in another verse "the grass is greener when you water the ground, that's what I found when I took the ride." nothing happens to our taste in nature.

When you look down from the top of a hill or mountain into a valley, you are likely to see an expanse of greens, a lot of times, these greens are of little or no value, meaning, you would rarely see in that expanse of greens any plant of real value except it someone has taken his time to cultivate it. The desire to make something happen has driven many to a place of security and comfort, where peace and blessings is the order of the day.

Nature respects no man, it does not extend beyond its limit, time and space are responsible for everything. If you want to see something happen in life, you have to make it happen. You cannot always expect things to happen in your favour, you have to carve things into your desires, dreams, and expectations, you have to work to make the ground green.

The moment you realize that life responds more to actions than to mere wishes and ideas in our brains, we will begin to have a better world, we will begin to create the kind of life we want for ourselves, and carve out our own world from what we already have. Everything is ready, everything is beautiful, but when we work towards making it so.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

UNFLINCHING

UNFLINCHING

In the jungle, when a lion goes about its hunt and sees a herd of gazelle, it does not just start a chase, but stands afar off, and study its prey. It identifies the one among the group that it will go after; once a decision is made, the lion does not switch its focus from its prey, it focuses on that one gazelle, and pursues it without stop until it catches it.

When a man has a vision, a dream, goal, or target, he does not at any point begin to see himself as incapable of achieving or reaching that target, the moment he begins to think he cannot, or is unable to reach those goals, dreams, and targets, he begins to lose sight of them and eventually loses the courage, and enthusiasm to pursue.

Anna Pavlova once said, "To tend, unfailingly, unflinchingly, towards a goal, is the secret of success." anything else is failure. Doubt is a diversion from the track, you must not allow it take a place in your mind, because once it does it becomes so powerful that it will do more damage than you can ever imagine.

There is nothing a man would put his heart and mind towards becoming or achieving that will not be possible to him, as long as he believes he can, as long as he has UNFLINCHING trust and believe in his ability, and capacity, he will do even more than he thinks he can. The only limit to whatever a man can become is the one he sets, and the doubts in his mind, put these aside and you will be unbeatable.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

TOLERANT

 TOLERANT

You cannot always be in positions where you get everything that you want, you cannot always be as comfortable as you desire; sometimes not because you can't be, but because you just don't have to be for the sake of another. You might be well within your right to be as comfortable as you want, but you might need to sacrifice that comfort for another person.

At times, you could have been wronged either on purpose or by mistake, but when you remember that it is not what happens to you that matters but how you react to it, you readjust yourself, your thoughts and intended actions just to allow for peaceful coexistence and a better society.

To be tolerant is to be able to afford others the privilege of enjoying the rights that you believe are yours. Like Robert Ingersoll said, "Tolerance is giving to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself." It is being humane and human, to allow others have what is ordinarily your right as long as it does not hurt or deprive you of anything other than temporal pleasures.

We must be as tolerant as possible to everyone, but not in the things that brings shame, disgrace, and destruction to anyone. We cannot also in the spread of tolerance become intolerant to some things, because there is a very thin line between promoting tolerance and intolerance. Be TOLERANT, promote love, kindness, and happiness make the world a better place for all.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

SIMPLE

SIMPLE

The battlefield is not a place where you merry or take things calm and easy; in the face of real fireworks and hostilities; you can be everything but simple. An army does not just pick random people for war, they pick people who satisfy certain conditions and put them through some very tough trainings to build and prepare them for what is ahead.

The world is a battlefield, and no simple person can survive, succeed, or fulfill purpose without being badly bruised, mercilessly beaten and severely battered. Simple people do not go far in life; they lack what it takes to sail through storms, scale through the hurdles, and overcome the different challenges they may be faced with.

This is not to say one has to be difficult when it comes to inter personal relationships and communication; as much as you need to be firm, and assertive about what you want and don't want, you also must be humane, kind, and cheerful. You must not make life difficult for others if you can't make it easier for them.

Ultimately, you must be tough in the pursuit of your dreams, visions, and goals; you must train yourself to become sophisticated, and well equipped to reach the heights you seek to attain. Being SIMPLE is good, but you must be careful what you are simple at. Life is not easy and thereby requires radical approaches to certain things. On the other hand, in some aspects of life, you just might have to be as SIMPLE as possible.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".