International Institute For Global Leadership
Issue #117 * September 2011
www.global-leadership.com
Asheville, NC. USA
Guest Editorial
What Do You Want?
By Agada Grace Omenyo (Nigeria)
Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement, and its lack is the stumbling block for ninety-eight percent of people. Only by finding your own burning desire will you achieve success. The difference between a wish and a burning desire is crucial. Everyone wants the better things in life-money, fame, respect-but most people never go beyond just wishing for them. The key is to realize that all the riches and all the material goods that you acquire through your own efforts begin with having a clear, concise picture of what you want. When that picture grows into an obsession, you will find that your every action leads toward its acquisition. Definiteness of purpose creates self-reliance, personal initiative, imagination, enthusiasm, self-discipline, and concentrated effort. All these are required for success.
Generally, education is important because it helps us discover our basic aptitudes and desires. Once we have discerned them, it is important to immediately begin to acquire specialized knowledge in our major interest. Definiteness of purpose makes us aware of opportunities related to our major purpose, and it inspires the courage to act on them. Definiteness of purpose also acts like a magnet to attract to us the specialized knowledge necessary for success and frees us from the limitations of doubt, discouragement, indecision, and procrastination.
The second key to success is action; taking action at the right time. Studies show that the most successful people make decisions quickly (as soon as all the facts are available) and firmly. Unsuccessful people make decisions slowly, and they change them often. Most people never make up their mind about their major purpose in life and can’t make a decision and stick to it. How can you overcome the habit of avoiding decisions? Start with the very next problem you face and make a decision – any decision. Any decision is better than none. If you make some mistakes at first, take courage, your batting average will improve.
Only by finding our own burning desire will we achieve success. Life is a journey and like any other journey you’ve got to ask yourself, where am I going, why should I go there and what do I need? If at the start of a journey you’ve figured all this out, then you are ready to go. Many of us do not treat the journey of life as we treat other journeys. We simply wake up each day, go about our daily routine and never have a definite of purpose. No wonder we are so dissatisfied with the results we get.
If you really know what you want you can get it . If you are determined to get it to the point that it becomes an obsession, and you back that obsession with continuous effort and sound planning, then you have awakened and developed definiteness of purpose, and this definiteness of purpose will make you aware of opportunities related to your purpose and inspire the courage to act on them
We are constantly surrounded by opportunities that we don’t see because we have not clarified our purpose. Our clear purpose allows us to see these opportunities which others cannot. We do not see the world as it is, we see the world as we are. The question is, What do you focus your attention on? What are the contents of your thoughts? Everything you desire in life is possible as long as you are willing to pay the price. I can hear some people say, that is simply not as easy as it sound and I have not said that either. Everything good and worthwhile has a price tag, pay the price and you will enjoy the benefits. Refuse to pay the price and you remain where you are. It might not be easy, but it is possible.
What Our Students Are Saying
Afanda Galega (Cameroon)
As a leader, I have so many young people that look up to me for inspiration. Living by these IIGL principles, I have set myself as a good example for them to follow to better their own lives and that of the community in which all of us live. I also share with them the things I have learned and challenge them to discover their potentials, believe in them and they will be successful. This way, I am positive that together we can make an impact in the world we live in today.
What Our Students Are Reading
Inciting Democracy
by Randy Schutt
Inciting Democracy offers a vision of what a good society might look like and explores how we can overcome five key obstacles to creating such a society. It offers a practical proposal to develop a large, decentralized education and support program that can increase the knowledge and strength of hundreds of thousands of goodhearted people so they can democratically and nonviolently transform society. It also provides a realistic, long-term vision of success — a vision that can encourage people working for positive change, thus making success more likely.
Valuable Resources for Personal & Planetary Transformation
Resolving Conflict Creatively
www.triune.ca/rcc
It is becoming increasingly urgent that people develop better ways of managing conflict. This life skill should become a part of the make-up of every individual in a democratic society. To resolve conflict creatively means not only to avoid violence, but to capitalize on opportunities to build stronger relationships between friends, neighbours, family, and co-workers. Includes a series of video courses demonstrating the effectiveness of negotiation and mediation in resolving conflict. Includes ‘Resolving Conflict Creatively in the School Community’ (Negotiation & Mediation); ‘Resolving Conflict Creatively in the Multicultural Community (Inter-Cultural Mediation); ‘Resolving Conflict Creatively between Victims & Youth Offenders’ (Diversion ” & ” Transformation)
Meet Our New Students
We are please to welcome one new active student this month. She is from the USA.
Elizabeth Anne Hauck (USA)
My name is Elizabeth Hauck and I am a student of Political Science at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Fl. My goals for my education and future career are to work in the fields of Conflict Resolution and Peace building. I have always had an interest in Africa, as I find the people and the cultures to be amazing. My main area of interest is in the Great Lakes area of Africa (The DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania). I am currently working towards my BA in Political Science, and hope to continue on to a MA in Conflict Resolution. I also focus on languages and learning new ones, as communication is so important. I also am a student of the Peace Operations Training Institute, using the web based courses to further my knowledge on peace building and conflict resolution. In addition to that, I am working with the Peace In Peace Out program, to gain an inner peace for myself that I can translate in to peace in my community and my world. I want to work with refugees and help to end conflicts that drive people from their homes, and to prevent future conflicts so that no person on this planet will ever have to leave their home out of fear or due to lack of basic human needs.
In my personal life, I am married to a wonderful man and we have two great sons. I enjoying spending time with them, and I am excited about volunteering with my oldest son’s Head Start class. I read any and every book that comes in to my hands (usually non fiction, but I do love a nice fiction novel from time to time), I love to cook and I am quite good at making vegan meals. I have just started training with the Red Cross as an office volunteer, and also to be a disaster responder. I have traveled back and forth across the United States, visiting national parks, as I love the outdoors and hiking. My favorite place is among the Redwood trees of the Pacific Coast. I love my family, and I love the world, and it is my hope that I can help to make this beautiful planet a better place through my interactions with others and through volunteering my time and means to help those that have less than I do.
Graduates
The following student(s) complete one level of study last month:
Uganda
Noeline K Mulongo
Level Three
Nigeria
Joseph Philip Abue
Level Five
Student Progress
We had 13 students from 8 countries complete a total of 26 books in August. These students were from Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Togo, the USA & Zimbabwe.
Afanda Galega (Cameroon)
· Keys To Success
Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)
· Leadership For Dummies
· Unlimited Power
· The Law of Attraction
Solomon Teshome (Ethiopia)
· Nonviolent Communication
· Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
Erick Omari (Kenya)
· The Power of Failure
· Raising Children Compassionately
· The Great Game of Business
Muthoni Mucheru (Kenya)
· PsychoCybernetics
· Keys To Success
· Success Through Positive Mental Attitude
Arokoyo Sandra Oluwakemi (Nigeria)
· PsychoCybernetics
Joseph Abue (Nigeria)
· Autobiography of Martin Luther King
· The Great Game of Business
· Black Skin, White Masks
Paulinus Dominic Ekanem (Nigeria)
· Jonathan Livingston Seagull
· As A Man Thinketh
Charles Kabera (Rwanda)
Building A Win/Win World
Dogbo, Kofi Fafali (Togo)
· Success Through Positive Mental Attitude
Elisabeth Hauck (USA)
· Jonathan Livingston Seagull
· As A Man Thinketh
· PsychoCybernetics
· Keys to Success
Lindzee Lindholm (USA)
· Ten Days To More Confident Public Speaking
Joseph Zvoushoma (Zimbabwe)
· Leadership For Dummies
Statistics
New Enrollments
16 enrolled in August
76 enrolled in 2011
Book Assessments
26 in August
254 in 2011
Books Shipped
47 in August
396 in 2011
Cost of books
$1,064.79 in August
$7,982.62 in 2011
You Make It Possible
We extend a special thanks to the following 14 individuals and/or organizations from four countries who contributed to IIGL during August. Your ongoing support makes this work possible.
Deb Silver (Israel)
Edmee DiPauli (UK)
Felix Iziomoh (Nigeria)
Deb Rosen (USA/WI)
Ron Walker (USA/VA)
Peggy Moore (USA/NC)
Lou Stewart (USA/NC)
Heidi Stewart (USA/NC)
David Banner (USA/WI)
Corine Wilson (USA.FL)
Julie Loosbrock (USA/WI)
John Hornecker (USA/CA)
Wanda Gail Campbell (USA/AL)
Janae & Barry Weinhold (USA/NC)
Make A Difference
Dream Team 22
In January 2009 we launched a new idea which blends two previous endeavors: The Master Mind Group and the 22 Experiment. We are calling this Dream Team 22 and our goal is to have 220 people contributing $22 per month. We understand that money is energy and that to sustain and build IIGL we need a lot of people pouring their energy into this endeavor on a regular basis. We also know that not everyone can afford to commit $22 a month – especially our students, who live in countries with economies in which this amount can be equal to a weeks salary. So we are offering two options for those who wish to become a part of the Dream Team. One can commit to a $22 a month contribution or to spending 22 seconds each day holding the vision of IIGL becoming financially sustainable by the end of 2009.
help us hold the vision, contact Michael for details: lightweave@aol.com
Checks on US banks, payable to the International Institute For Global Leadership, can be mailed to PO Box 18909, Asheville, NC. 28814, USA. Contributions may also be made by credit card by clicking the link below. Contributions are tax deductible under the 501 (c) 3 tax code of the United States Internal Revenue Service.
To Contribute By Credit Card, Click Here
Newsletter Archive: Click Here to view archived issues of the Global Leadership News