MOTTO

MOTTO

Behind every motive of man is a driving force, a motivation, and a purpose. Nothing however minimal or seemingly irrelevant done by man is done for nothing or without a cause, even if such person cannot articulate his reasons for such actions or inaction. Nothing is happens for nothing, the only thing that happens for nothing, is nothing.

What is your MOTTO in life? Your purpose defines your motto, your motto determines your actions, and your actions determines your destination. A wrong or bad motto will take you to a bad destination, but a good motto will drive you to a desirable and enviable destination. If you don't know what you want from life, and be ready to get it no matter what comes your way, you will get nothing meaningful from life.

Your motto in life should not be defined by nobody other than yourself, you can be all you wish and want to be if you are willing and ready. Your experience in life; your philosophy about life; and the principles you hold dear, and abide by, all determines how you live and what guides your actions.

Without a clear description of what you want from life, you will be swayed by everything that looks attractive to you, you will be confused as to what to do per time, and how to go about it. Have a clear vision of what you want from life, let your MOTTO be that which daily reminds you of what you want from life, and let it carry you to your desired destination, and dream land.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

LUCK

LUCK

Sometimes, it is difficult to explain the cause of an effect, but one thing is certain, there can be no effect without a cause. The cause might be unknown, unexplainable, or even accidental; however it might have been, the effect will be evident just as normal. Some men would sometimes get what people, or even they themselves think they do not deserve, but you can not always separate a cause from its effect, whether intentionally made or not.

Luck does not always mean what we want, but what we work for or not. Douglas MacArthur once said, "The best luck of all is the luck you make for yourself." but if what you are creating is not what you want, you will create for yourself the luck that follows your creation.

In the words of Seneca, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." The success that one achieves suddenly after a long period of intense, determined, and dedicated hard-work will look like luck until one knows what has gone into that moment of opportunity. Prepared men will see opportunities in difficulties, but unprepared men would see difficulties in opportunities.

Life will deal with you in the exact measure of your dealings with life. You may not always get what you deserve, but that which you have gotten could be just what you need to have. Like Cormac McCarthy once said, "You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from." When you do not get what you want, just keep moving, every step of the way moves you closer to the reality you are creating for yourself. LUCK is just a product of your efforts.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

KEENNESS

KEENNESS

Nothing can beat the resolve of a man who is eager, determined, and ready to fight for that which he has his eyes set upon. Whatever we do with what we have is up to us; if we do not determine what we want to do with what we have, we would not know what we would be able to achieve with it, nor understand the values inherent in it.

Helen Keller once said, "The infinite wonders of the universe are revealed to us in exact measure as we are capable of receiving them. The keenness of our vision depends not on how much we can see, but on how much we feel." A sharp vision is not obtained by sight, but by the sharpness of our feelings. We must develop skills that will keep our feelings sharp, and astute.

A war is not won by a multitude, or crowd of soldiers, but by a group of determined, tireless, and fearless few who are ready to fight till the end for that which they strongly believe to be worthy of their sweat and blood. No one will get anything from life on a platter, one must go out and fight for whatever he desires to have.

Let your eagerness lead you ahead; let your determination push you through; let your enthusiasm cheer you on. You can have all you crave for, you can get all that you need, only if you are ready to put in what is required of you. Never look back, never consider quitting, winning comes only when the journey is followed through, do not let go of your KEENNESS to achieve your dreams.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

JAEGER

JAEGER

These words by Hajime Isayama describes perfectly the supposed attitude of one who earnestly desires to have a thing; "There is something I firmly believe in: the people who have the ability to change something in this world. All, without exception, have guts to abandon things important to them if they have to. They are those who even abandon their humanity if they are pressed hard to outdo monsters. People who can't throw away something important can never hope to change anything!"

Until you are ready and willing to let go of the good things, you can't have the best; until you can leave the important things, you can't lay hold on the extraordinary. The man who looks toward progress, must constantly look ahead, and consistently press forward towards the greater goal leaving behind the achievements and glory of today.

The hunt should never stop, it should never end, it must be always on; if the hunter does not go for the hunt, he will soon be hunted. The only guarantee that one will reach his goal is to pursue after it, and not just aimlessly, but with purpose and focus.

Until you begin to set goals that frightens you, you haven't started yet; until you begin to do the things that differentiates you from the pack, success and achievement is just a vocabulary in your dictionary. A JAEGER is never after cheap and docile targets, but after the tough, resilient, hard to catch targets, and goals, and they hit target only when they shoot, not when they sit, look, and wish.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

INDEPENDENT

INDEPENDENT

The quest and crave for freedom, independence, and liberty should not be the main aim and focus of any man or society, but the development of necessary and needed capacity, skills and abilities to make right judgements and decisions, while accepting responsibilities for various outcomes of their decisions as an independent and liberal person or society.

In the words of the great Ghanaian revolutionary leader, Kwame Nkrumah, "The best way of learning to be an independent sovereign state is to be an independent sovereign state." If a state has therefore been independent and sovereign for a long period of time, and has not learnt how to be a good independent, and sovereign state for the betterment of her citizens and people, there has been a problem that needs attention and care. A nation though free from external rule, but without internal freedom is not an INDEPENDENT nation.

Being independent does not translate to the absence of interaction and relation with other persons or societies, neither does it mean that one is all-sufficient, but that one can determine with whom his interactions and relationships are made, established, and terminated whenever it may be necessary. One can also navigate the course of his journey as may be necessary for growth and development.

A truly independent nation is a nation where all her citizens are happy and at home wherever they are within the borders of that nation; they seek no other place of refuge or escape, their hopes and faith in the future is bright and secure; and they can confidently trust and support those who lead them to take them to the promised land, that is to be truly INDEPENDENT.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

HOME

HOME

When I thought of the concept of a home, I sought to find out what the dictionaries defines it as. In my quest, I found different definitions, but two stood out to me: "The abiding place of the affections, especially of the domestic affections", "A place of refuge, rest or care; an asylum." As an abiding place of affection, or as a place of rest or care, or even asylum, it is not the location that makes it so (a home) but the people there.

I came to the conclusion that home is not a place, but a people. The words of Megan Lindholm further gives credence to my assertion when she wrote, "Home is people. Not a place. If you go back there after the people are gone, then all you can see is what is not there any more." If a place has been a home, it is so because of the people that made it so, once they are no more there, that place does not give you the homeliness anymore.

Sarah Dessen also said, "Home wasn't a set house, or a single town on a map. It was wherever the people who loved you were, whenever you were together. Not a place, but a moment, and then another, building on each other like bricks to create a solid shelter that you take with you for your entire life, wherever you may go."

If you do not find peace, and comfort there, it is not your home, no matter where it may be. Be it the place you were born, where you grew up, where you have lived all your life; if it gives no reason to be happy, if it does not give you the opportunity to be at your best, if you are not safe there, it is not your home, look for another. A place where you will be loved, respected, honoured, protected, and taken care of, that is your HOME.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

GROWTH

GROWTH

When a child is born, at certain stage of life that child is expected to begin to become certain things, to exhibit certain traits and character, and begin to do some things. These things does not just happen, as much as it seems to happen by default, we fail to realize that a lot has gone and is still going into keeping the child alive and in good health.

The passage of time does not certainly translate to growth, growth is a product of intentional, dedicated, and determined series of action towards a certain process and result. It is a continuous phenomenon and not just a one-off thing, growth can not be placed on autopilot, it must constantly be a constant charge to keep working towards growth.

Antonio Brown once said, The journey is never ending. There's always going to be growth, improvement, adversity; you just got to take it all in and do what's right, continue to grow, continue to live in the moment." The only end to the journey is death, but until then, man must continue to respond to the requests and demands of growth.

There is no limit to how much you can grow, the more you stretch yourself intellectually, professionally, socially, spiritually, and in every other area of your life, the more you grow in it. Every new stage of your life will demand a new version of you. Your response to each stage will determine how well and how fast you will grow. GROWTH is not automatic, it is intentional.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

FRIEND

FRIEND

Sometimes in life, you the lose courage to face the raging storm; the enthusiasm to keep the fire burning; the strength to pursue your dreams; the faith in your abilities; and the desire to keep moving; but somehow life brings across your way someone who changes the whole story, lifts you up, and reignite the flames within you.

It is for these people we must be grateful. They are real friends, and like Walter Winchell said, "A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out." They do not give up on you at any point; they always believe in you and will do whatever they can to keep you where you should be at any given time.

Siblings, blood relatives may desert you, but a true friend will stick close to you than even a brother. Like Euripides said, "One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives." Friendship that does not move one towards his purpose, his dreams, and vision in life is not friendship, but 'deceitship'. True friends are pushers and pullers of themselves to their desired destinations.

We may not be able to repay our friends the favours they have done for us; we may not be able to do for them in return, the things they have done for us; but the best gift, the best reward we can give back to these true friends, is the gift of 'true friendship'. You can't do it all alone, you can't go the entire journey on your own. In the words of Helen Keller, "Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light." Don't walk alone, get a FRIEND, be a FRIEND.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE

No one wants to do anything for anyone, especially when it does not directly impact them. People would need something extra to make them do things that are not personal to them or anyone closely related to them. Most times people will always do or react to something when someone in the same category, or level of obligation as they are gets that thing underway.

It is easy to teach another how to do a thing, but the doing is where the real work is. The greatest and most successful leaders in the world are those who do the work while others follow in their steps. Instructions may not be enough, teaching may not be enough, be rolling up your sleeves and getting it done will definitely pull people to join in the work.

As being an example is an agent of activation for the inactives, so is it a directory for those following. One must therefore be careful how he leads, because you may be leading a whole generation in the wrong direction if proper consideration is not given to your actions.

Misha Collins once said, "I actually think that the most efficacious way of making a difference is to lead by example, and doing random acts of kindness is setting a very good example of how to behave in the world." there is no better way to make one do something just as good as expected or even better than by being, and giving an EXAMPLE of that thing through our actions and deeds, and that is the best way to build a better world.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

DELIGHT

DELIGHT

There are a plethora of things that can give one happiness in life, these things can give one long term happiness, short term happiness, and intermittent happiness, but these things are not as important as the things that brings us sorrow and despair. The things that has given us the greatest delight in life, are the things that make is the most sorrowful when taken away or otherwise and vice versa.

Life is like a roller coaster, today you are down, tomorrow you are up. At that moment when you are down do not be discouraged, that moment is succeeded by the peak moment. The things, people, and places that greatly delight you today can tomorrow be the source of your greatest pain and regret.

Take delight in the the things that you have today, for tomorrow you may have them no more; cherish the things that makes you happy today, for tomorrow they may cease to do the same. Do not let the fear of tomorrow and the unknown deprive you of the joy of today. It is not much of the substance that gives you the feeling that you have, but the state of your mind.

Man's greatest delight is to live a life full of DELIGHT, to experience life to the fullest, to do all that his heart desires and to be the best version of himself. Until he accepts that he cannot always live in such delight, and that he will sometimes have a taste of the bitter pills, he will continue to chase the shadows of real DELIGHT.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

CHANCE

CHANCE

The quality of one's life is determined by how and what he decides to let guide the outcomes and result of his life. Many go through life with the expectation of one day waking up to a pasture that is green and prepared for them; some others are constantly in the search for a quick fix, and short cut to all their challenges and wanting to wake up in an El Dorado.

On a flip, some men are working assiduously to ensure they achieve their desired dreams, targets, and goals. They wake up every morning in the pursuit of what their heart truly desires, they are not leaving anything to chance, but are turning things around, grabbing every opportunity at their disposal, and making things happen for themselves.

Until you are ready to take the bull by the horn, take the risks that can guarantee you the desired results, and diligently guide your actions towards the end result, you will be leaving a lot to chance, and chance does not guarantee anything at all. To quote John F. Kennedy, "There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction."

Chance is the lazy man's first option, and best friend; but for the man who is ready, willing, and is giving all he can to the course for which he is on, until he has done all and can do nothing more, he will never resort to chance. Choice lifestyle cannot be lived by CHANCE, it is achieved as a result of intentional and determined work and focus.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

BOND

BOND

To every material that comes together, either of same make-up or differing ones, there is always a unifier, a substance that glues them together, and continues to hold them together for as long as it has the powers to, and is permitted to. Families are not held together by blood, there are many families that have been torn apart despite being of same blood.

The things that hold people together are non physical, they cannot be seen nor touched with the physical eyes, but can be felt in the heart. The love that exists between families, the respect they have for each other, the joy they derive in being together, and the storms they have weathered together are the major instruments of bond and togetherness.

We may be divers in many ways, our tongue, skin colour, social status, religion, age, and race may differentiate us, but we are all of one source, we all are bounded together by one word: Humanity. We are humans first before anything else. We must keep our love and respect for each other intact, we must strengthen the things that unites us, we must seek bonding rather than separation.

It is our similarities that most strengthen us, not our differences; It is our desire to be united that moves us forward, not our selfishness; we must find a common ground on which our BOND is strengthened, we must look towards the good of the whole, rather than that of a part. We are better together, we are better as one, when our BOND is real, we can go beyond our limits.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

ALLIANCE

ALLIANCE

In a sermon preached over four hundred years ago, John Done explicitly said, “No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as any manner of thy friends or of thine own were; any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”

Until we all realize that we are a part of the whole, until we realize that whatever happens to one happens to all, we will continue to struggle with the reality of a place for all. No one can live their best life alone; life is best lived and experienced in the company of those who have similar mindset and are ready to work and walk with us through the thick and thin.

Alliance differs from allegiance; alliance is an agreement to partnership between people, there are no superiors nor inferiors, everyone is a partner and an equal on the journey to an agreed and uniform destination. An allegiance offers no such privilege, it is a commitment and a vow to submit to a superior power.

Are you in an allegiance or an ALLIANCE? Who are your allies? Are you on a progressive journey to your destination through purposeful partnerships, or you are in a submissive devotion to an unproductive end? You can't do it all alone, but you can't do it with the wrong people. Be careful what ALLIANCE you enter, it determines what eventually becomes of you.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

ZEPHYR

ZEPHYR

The beginning of a new thing, era, or phase is always the end of a previous and old one, when something new comes in to replace an old one it is mostly marked by relief, peace, and calm. Tough times they say don't last, but tough people do. Tough people don't just become tough, they become tough by their experiences of the tough times.

When tough times come, it does not come to destroy, limit or end one's journey, it comes to strengthen, empower and equip one for a greater task ahead. After every toughness, there comes out a refined, wiser, stronger, and a more effective man. A man fresh out of difficulties, challenges, and tough situations would have gained valuable experiences for a more fruitful life ahead.

After every storm, there is a clean environment, the storm sweeps away everything that does not have solid roots and foundation; all the unwanted rubbish and garbage are carried away, only the durable things will remain, the things that we have taken enough time to build. All in all we must not be discouraged while the storm rage, we just have to hold on, and keep our faith strong.

To quote William R. Alger "After every storm the sun will smile; for every problem there is a solution, and the soul's indefeasible duty is to be of good cheer." the ZEPHYR will come after the storm, it will calmly lay us to pleasant rest and give us soothing relief. When the storm has made you stronger, the calm that follows will make you happier stay through to the process.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

YOUNGLING

YOUNGLING

The young they say 'shall grow'. In time, nothing remains the same, everything changes with time, the longer the time, the more the effect. Like Emmanuel Krinshenal said, "The young shall grow if time permits it. The grown shall become old, and the old will pass away." Time does not leave any man or thing the same way it met it, it definitely has an effect on everything.

When the young begins to grow, he will begin to reap the rewards of what he has done with his younger years, he will begin to see the effect of how he used the time he had. Sometimes, it may be too late to make amends for the time recklessly spent, sometimes there may just be enough time to turn things around, but if he had spent his younger years building up himself into a valuable and productive individual, he will be proud of his efforts, and joyfully enjoy the rewards of it.

The young shall grow, but what the young grows with, and in is as important as the growing. In growing, don't just grow old, but grow up. Growing old is effortless, but growing up is conscious, and intentional; growing old is fruitless and can be frustrating, but growing up is fruitful, enjoyable, and rewarding. Everyone will grow old, but not everyone will grow up.

Do not despise your younger years, it determines how your older years will be like. The grown and old should not look down on the YOUNGLING, they have time in their favour, their future is yet unfolding, and it is unknown what they will become. They have the future, they have the hope of a brighter tomorrow, in their hands lies today and they have the privilege of weaving it into what they desire.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

XEROPHYTIC

XEROPHYTIC

It is somewhat difficult to write any success story without recognizing the support and contributions of others to that success story. Ideally, no man is an Island, and no one can achieve anything meaningful, tangible, and noteworthy without the inputs of people. No matter how small, people would have made certain contributions to the eventual success of any man.

The story may be different for a few. Some men were never given any chance to make it out of the dungeon. Some have been condemned to failure, and have been forgotten, but they never looked down on themselves, neither did they ever quit n their pursuit and quest for success. Some of these people were never given an opportunity, they created some; they were never looked at, they made themselves visible; they were never supported, they kept pushing until they got what they wanted.

Life has been made difficult for some people by default, they have been considered as underdogs, but by their shear resilience and resistance to the forces against them, they became the chief corner stone.

When all you have is just so little, optimize its usage to the best of your abilities; when the odds are against you, do your best to turn it in your favour; when life throws you lemons, make lemonades out of it. You will not always have all you need to be what you want to be, but you can become what you want to be by starting with what you have. That little can become much, when it is used well enough.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

WEALTH

WEALTH

Ancient Greek Philosopher Epictetus once said, "Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants." In other words, wealth is in the satisfaction a man has with the little he possess. If you have all the properties in this world, a very fat and spine-chilling bank account, if you do not express satisfaction, and always wanting more, you are not really wealthy.

Deficiency in character; lack of care for the less privileged, the needy, the poor; and the unwillingness to give of what one possess to those who lack is a real indication of poverty in wealth. True wealth is not measured in the abundance possessed, but in that which one is ready to let go. As Henry David Thoreau would say, "A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone."

The man who has so little, but is ready to give part or all of it to the man who has none has greater wealth than the man who has much, and all he needs, but can not let go of any of that which he has. It is not what you add to yourself that reveals your wealth, it is what you add to others.

The best way to accumulate wealth is to make yourself a better person, to develop your mental capacity, sharpen your skills, and improve your talents. These things, though intangible can never be taken away, but the material possessions can be swept off in a moment. Real possession are those enviable qualities you carry around with you, inside you wherever you go, that is true WEALTH.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

VISIONARY

VISIONARY

No one receives an award, or even gets an accolade for seeing; seeing is done with little or no effort by every living organism that has a functional seeing organ. Everybody can see, but one thing that differentiates some men from others is, visualization. You can see what is tangible and physical, but the intangible things, the nonexistent, the could be wonders can only be visualized.

Until one sees what could be, he will only be limited to 'what is', and 'what is' is not enough for what is needed and necessary; 'what is' is not progressive but stagnant; it is the life that is known; there is no hope in 'what is' but in what is to come.

The people who have done the world the most good are the visionaries, those who go beyond seeing 'what is' to visualize what could be, they look beyond what the eyes can see into what the mind can see; they imagine, and dream of a new world, a better world, and they go ahead to create it. Visionaries are creators, they do not just see what others don't see, they make it happen so that others can see, and this is what separates them from the pack.

Your present situation is 'what is' but there is something that could be, there is a future that could be brighter than the present, but until that future is seen it will not come. A house is not built until it is visually presented for the physical eyes to see; until you can imagine and visualize what you want you cannot get it, because you will not even recognize it when you see it. Our world has been made better by VISIONARY men and women, we must leave it better than we met it, we must be VISIONARY too.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

UNLIMITED

UNLIMITED

Boundaries exists only in the physical, where men sets up means by which they limit movement, encroachment, and trespassing. Without the intervention of man everything and everywhere on earth is without boundaries. In the nonphysical realms of human relations and interaction, human psychology, and spiritual there are no boundaries except you erect one of your own.

There is no definition to the unlimited, it is simply unlimited, beyond scope; beyond thoughts; beyond reasoning; beyond natural ideas, and phenomenon. Man is naturally unlimited, created to do far more than the ordinary, made for exploits, but man has been limited by his thoughts, beliefs, and orientation, and there is no freedom anywhere other than in the realization of his limitlessness.

Hiral Nagda once said, "Test your limits, you will find none." If you do not know your limits, if you do not believe you are limitless, if you still sit still with the mindset of what you cannot do, you will never know what is beyond you, but when you through determination and commitment seek to know your limits, you will discover there is none.

Live your life beyond the limits of your physical environment, release yourself to go beyond, go for more than you think you can achieve, and see yourself flying beyond your presumed reach. Shoot for the stars, and you will discover you can reach the moon. Like Hiral Nagda said also, "Be an example of limitless possibilities. You are free to set new benchmarks everyday." live the UNLIMITED life.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

TRUTH

TRUTH

Some things are universally undeniable and eternally irrevocable, sometimes they may be strictly opposed, vehemently fought against, and deliberately oppressed, but they can never be eliminated. The entire universe can conspire to antagonize the truth, but no matter how long their efforts succeeds, it will fail one day and the truth will be revealed.

What is true today might not be the truth, trust never changes, it is permanent, universal, and eternal. It may be true that you are passing through difficult times today, but the truth is that you are made for greatness and dominion. It is true that you are a caterpillar today, but the truth is you will eventually become a butterfly.

We must understand what is true about our situation and the truth about us. Life is lived through what is true to what the truth is. Embrace what is true about you today, but do not lose sight of the truth of your life. In the words of Buddha, "Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth." the truth about every story, every situation, and every human being will eventually be known, no matter how long it takes.

As W. Clement Stone once said, "Truth will always be truth, regardless of lack of understanding, disbelief or ignorance." Do not let your ignorance hinder you from manifesting your truth; do not live your life based on what is at hand, rather on what is ahead; live for the TRUTH.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

SAPIENT

SAPIENT

Ants in their capacity creates some jungle monuments in the ant hills, they have colonies, and structures that makes these colonies run efficiently and effectively for the continuous survival of it. Elephants, Wolfs, Lions, Chimpanzees, Dolphins, Baboons, and others animals are not exempted from the establishment of these very organized and structured communities.

These they do on the strength of their faculties, they understand the advantages of living as groups and have so preserved themselves from being hunted and extincted. Man on the other hand have created some real monumental structures,improved greatly in the areas of science and technology, medicine, and other areas of importance to human existence.

As humans, we all have the capacity to build, to create, and to be what we want to be; we are as powerful as we think we can be, and can do whatever we think we can, if we believe. To quote Debasish Mridha "All humans are sentient and sapient beings so they have the ability to perceive, think, and act using their knowledge, experience, insight, and conscience."

Do not let your powers, abilities, knowledge, and wisdom lie fallow and unfruitful; do not go through life struggling with what you should naturally control and dominate. Lead the life of your dreams; go for what your heart really desire; work towards being who you should be, not by expectation but by actions.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

RESPECT

RESPECT

Some things are in life cannot be taken, they cannot be fought for, nor forcefully achieved, they have to be earned. One of these, is RESPECT. Nothing earns one respect other than one's character and attitude. Wealth, fame, and popularity does not give one respect, but it can amplify one's respect, it can further propel one to greater levels of respect provided it has been earned through enviable character.

You may have all the money in this world, you may wield great powers, you may be the most popular man on earth, or even the most knowledgeable, without the right character and attitude, all you have will be just a tool of oppression to those who do not recognize what powers they have in themselves even when they do not have a tithe of what you possess.

When you respect others irrespective of who they are, and what they have, you will be respected. Everyone deserves respect, like Albert Einstein said, “Everyone should be respected as an individual, but no one idolized.” No one is greater, better, or more important than another, everyone deserves equal rights, and privileges.

Do not focus on earning respect, rather focus on being a person of good character and attitude, be a person who respect others not for what they have or who they are, but for their status as human beings. To quote R.G. Risch “Respect is a two-way street, if you want to get it, you have got to give it.” You are respected because you RESPECT others.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

QUEEN

QUEEN

History would never forget the bravery of great women who have made extraordinary impacts on the surface of the earth. Many of them were not given the chance and the opportunity to show the world who they really are and what they can do, but they grabbed every privilege they had to prove themselves as worthy warriors. Many had these opportunities and never disappointed.

Women are a great blessing to humanity, they can be anything you want them to be, they can give you multiples of whatever you hand to them or make the little things bigger. They are more powerful than we mostly realize, they are the salt that sweetens the pot. Worthy of honour and praise is the woman who spreads love, and by wisdom puts everything in order.

Physical beauty, sonorous voices, and enticing shapes are not the most important features of a woman, but the content of her character, and the prowess of her Intellect. Cooking skills, and chores handling are not the key indicators of a good woman, but how she treats and relates with everyone around her, including those who can offer her nothing.

A Queen will always lead by example; a Queen will always be one to look up to; a Queen will open doors for those who are incapable of doing so for themselves; a Queen will give to those who have not, Nurture those who needs nurturing, and opens her arms to all who needs care. We will never forget the legacy of great women, we will always remember them for who they are, what they did, and the lives they have touched. QUEENS never die, they live on in the lives they have touched.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

PREPARATION

PREPARATION

A lot of times, it is not the lack or absence of opportunities that makes men remain in situations they do not want to be in, most often than not, it is the lack of adequate preparation or preparedness that causes the stagnancy. There are opportunities in the driest deserts, there are opportunities in the deepest sea, but our readiness and ability to see and explore these opportunities are the most important things.

Sometimes, we may be prepared but not for the available opportunities; sometimes, our preparation is just short of time or efficiency; at other times we may not be sensitive enough to the available opportunities. Preparation alone may not be the guarantee to getting what we want, we must learn how to identify the opportunities we are preparing or prepared for.

Never underestimate the power of preparation. Preparation is the key to optimum performance. The man who fails to prepared, has prepared to fail. As Idowu Koyenikan scripted, "Opportunity does not waste time with those who are unprepared." The moment you are presented with and opportunity and you are not ready for it, it moves quickly ahead and leaves you behind.

In the words of Whitney M. Young Jr. "It is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared." The regret of not preparing for an opportunity that is missed is greater than the pain of preparing for an opportunity that may never come. In the end you become a better person with every PREPARATION.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

OVATION

OVATION

One of man's greatest cravings is the craving for recognition, and respect. Unfortunately, no one gets recognized for doing nothing, and no one has ever been respected for being a nobody. Applause follows good works, and awards follows great achievements.

It was Tony Rock who said, "You got to be willing to be knocked out to win a fight. You got to be willing to get booed off the stage to get a standing ovation." if you do not do, you can not have an opportunity to get better; if you did not attempt, you will never know you can win. Until you are willing to face the shame of failure, and the pain of defeat, you are not ready to receive the accolades of success, and award for victory.

Sometimes, you don't have to win to get an ovation, all you have got to do is to put in your best, do all you can do, and fight for what you feel you are worth; even if you do not win, everyone that saw your efforts, doggedness, and willingness to win will applaud you for the fight you gave, and the attempts you made.

Do not be concerned about the ovation, but about your results; do not be bothered by the boos, but by the journey yet ahead; no one's approval or disapproval is more important than your belief in your abilities and your efforts; you may not always get the ovations, but when you focus on yourself and nothing else, when you focus on finishing strong, the OVATION will be very loud.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

NESTLE

NESTLE

At some point in our lives, it would be very important to take breaks, have some leisure, and rest so as to regain strength, refresh, renew, and refire for a better and more effective relaunch. This rest is not a permanent one, it is not one that must be observed for too long a time that you become comfortable and forget about your plans.

"Ease is a greater threats to progress than hardship" Denzel Washington once said, if you want to move forward in life, if you desire progress, if you expect to succeed, you must put in the work that will produce, and guarantee the results. You don't have to work yourself out till your work becomes a disadvantage to you, you have got to work smartly.

You have what it takes, you have the resources, and the abilities to be all you can be, but you have to do all you have to do, to be all you can be. Do not nestle on the race track, do not relax before the finish line, do not limit yourself to the box; go beyond the norm, stretch yourself to the limits, dig into the reserve of your wits, guts, and gumption, you can if you want.

“...Without Commitment, you will never start. But more importantly, without Consistency, you will never finish; ... keep working, keep striving. Fall down 7 times, get up 8.” were the words of Denzel Washington. Rest is only an option when results are achieved, until such a time when you don't have to work to achieve the results, you cannot NESTLE.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

MEDITATION

MEDITATION

The world as it is today is engrossed in so much chaos, so much disorderliness, and and a lot of troubles; it may be difficult for a man to find his rhythm, and coordination in such an atmosphere, and without proper coordination, without adequate peace and calmness man's productivity is greatly disrupted and depleted.

To quote Marcus Aurelius "Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul." The only place to find some quietness, calmness, and tranquility is in the soul, and the only way to dwell in that realm is through MEDITATION. We can connect with the nonexistent reality of who we really are when we meditate, we can truly discover the realities that we aught to manifest, and discover means through which we can bring it into reality.

Like Thich Nhat Hanh said, "Meditation is not evasion; it is a serene encounter with reality." Meditation does not imply the loss of time, nor disconnection with the physical world and our current realities; rather, it is a calm and peaceful interaction with our realities, it is a diving into the possibilities that we could manifest while we bring ourselves into deep knowledge of ourselves.

We can make our ways prosperous, and we can have good success in all we do, but we what do we meditate upon? Do we meditate on our current realities, or our prosperous possibilities? You MEDITATIONS will determine your results.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

LOYAL

LOYAL

When the road darkens, when the paths become blurry, when the grasses go dry, who stays by you? Who do you see? Who stands firm to restore you and that which is going awry for you? Loyalty does not say farewell in the rough times, it does not abandon a comrade, brother, or friend in the times when they are needed.

Everyone needs a loyal friend, a loyal brother, a loyal comrade, and a loyal mate; nothing can be traded for the loyalty of men; it supersedes every form of material gifts, and present that one can receive from man. A man who has loyal friends has everything he needs. He needs not bother about what he lacks, as long as he can ascertain the loyalty of his friends.

A family, a group of friends, a society, a nation, and a people is only as strong as their loyalty to each other. Loyalty is the cord that strengthen and bind together any group no matter how large or small. In the words of Elbert Hubbard "If put to the pinch, an ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness."

No matter what you do, no matter what you have, without the gift of loyal friends, you have nothing. Life cannot be lived on the strength of your possessions, but on the quality of loyalty you get from those around you, and you do not get from someone what you are not ready and willing to give. If you expect loyalty, if you want loyal friends, and family members, be LOYAL.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

KEF

KEF

Everyone has dreams, but not everyone wakes up to take action towards the realization of their dreams; something that is worse than not waking up to pursue one's dream, is not having any dream at all to pursue. Every of man's inventions, innovations, and great ideas have been a result of dreams, imaginations, and vision.

You cannot have a good life if you don't dream, and daydreaming is one very good way to create, imagine, and see beforehand the kind of life that you want for yourself. Daydreaming takes you to a land where you can not be limited but only by yourself; it takes you to land of no laws, no restrictions, and no limits; it takes you to the land where only great minds can reach.

To quote Gaston Bachelard “Daydream transports the dreamer outside the immediate world to a world that bears the mark of infinity.” You can create whatever you want through your imaginations, and daydreams, and you can get to work on bringing it to life through your hard work, determination, and dedication to its realization.

Hope is produced in daydreaming; the expectation of a thing that does not yet exist; the belief that that which we crave for will soon get to us, this is the whole essence of being in a KEF. Nothing extraordinary happens in the real world, extraordinary things happen only in the unreal world, but brought into reality. Your daydreams are valid, they are the possibilities of the world yet uncovered.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days of wisdom".

JUDGMENT

JUDGMENT

The word judgment does not necessarily relate with the condemnation of an act or a person; as much as that is true, we must actually be careful of how we judge people, ourselves, and situations around us. We may be wanting in making good judgments, bus as Will Rogers said, "Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment."

The best way to become better at whatever you do is to do it anyway, anyhow, where you are, at the time you are thinking of doing it. Even if you do it wrongly, you would have learnt a very good lesson from what you have done. When you judge a person wrongly, you have done something to that person that would make him think less, or lowly of himself, you have killed something in that man.

Whenever you make a decision and the outcome of such decision turns out on the negative side, you don't have to condemn yourself, you have got to pick the lessons from it and move on. Be careful how you carry yourself, be confident, and courageous, and never look back, the future will bring just what you desire.

Marcus Tullius Cicero once said, "It is not by muscle, speed, or physical dexterity that great things are achieved, but by reflection, force of character, and judgment." You can and should build your ability to make good JUDGMENT by the way you do your things and live your life. Think for yourself, take charge of your life, grab the the steering wheels, and claim your seat.

(A➡️Z)14➕Z)

John Kamikun

Author, "366 days  of wisdom".