PREDICT YOUR FUTURE

Another powerful influencer of our decisions and style of life is the fear of the future.

As humans we are usually intimidated by the unknown. What we do not know really overwhelms us and destabilizes our confidence and coordination.

What we can't correctly predict tends to overpower the strength of our minds and capacities of our being and we fret and become afraid.

A matter as trivial as asking a girl out on a date can make a man sweat so much, bring anxiety and sleeplessness simply because he's not sure she would say yes or no.

Waiting for your turn in a job interview session, waiting for a list of shortlisted candidates for admission or even waiting for an examination or medical test result can be very intense and disorientating for most of us.

A meeting with your MD/CEO, high powered decision making delegation or even the owner of your place of employment can make you sweat so much in tension and apprehension simply because you can't predict correctly or precisely how that meeting would turn out.

You need to observe a group of die-hard football fans waiting for the final whistle in a crucial football encounter. These guys become everything but themselves because they lack the power to see the future and know exactly how the game would end.

As mankind, we do not have the power to tell what will happen even within the next 60 seconds, this, I must say is one of the powerful control measures nature has put over mankind, if not mankind would be as God.

Many of us today have made decisions, choices, and conclusions based on our fear of the future. We settled for much less than we are entitled to because we weren't sure the future could have anything better in store for us.

In fact the whole concept of risk is predicated on the unpredictable nature of outcomes and the future. If you can tell outcomes correctly, the concept of risk would cease to exist.

Many of us daily keep living lives that are basic, non-interesting, boring and bland. We wake up go out seek for subsistent living, return home and thank God for that day. There is nothing in and about our future that brings excitement, enthusiasm and delight. Our lives curve is on a downward trend. The graph is not spiking or climbing at all. We are somewhat boring.

Based on upbringing and previous disappointments in life we have totally relinquished the handle of our life possibilities and prospects to the dictates of the immediate.

We are reactionary in our ways and judgments. We rarely initiate any interesting life ambition or adventure purely out of the unpredictable nature of outcomes.

To bring it home, many of us today are in employment purely to make ends meet, many are in marriages to raise off springs, many are in friendships and relationships to address loneliness and enjoy companionship and benefits. If there are no essential gains in any venture in life we wouldn't bother with it. Our lives run purely on essential needs not ambition or adventure. Consequently we are bereft of the excitement, joy and satisfaction that come with achievements.

We attempt nothing hence we get nothing in reward.

In my submission, life is a whole bundle of opportunities, adventure and accomplishments. There is so much to do, gain learn and develop. Across sectors, structures and strata both in human interaction and natural or cosmic phenomenal, there abounds so much to do, unravel, build and conquer.

A life of fun is in attempts and discoveries; discovering your capacities and true potential as well as unraveling the mysteries of life and the world's system.

A life unfolding purely for survival can never be free from the worship of money. Incidentally, money is a terrible master but a wonderful servant.

If your perspective in life is limited to surviving and the quest for cash flow, your income, not you will determine where you live, your income not you will determine what you eat, your income not you will determine what you wear, your income not you will determine the car you drive and hey, your income not you may even determine the kind of spouse you settle for.

A life mode that is hoping for what tomorrow would bring may not achieve greatness and accomplish any phenomenal task.

A life lived under the theme of ‘no one knows tomorrow’ could be an irrelevant life.

It's really unfortunate that in life you can't really miss or truly appreciate what you've never experienced.

I often say to my friends who delight in purchasing fairly used cars that the day they buy a good brand new car, they will never want to invest in fairly used cars again.

If you've always lived in an apartment where you share the compound with many neighbours, you may never really appreciate the peace and privacy that comes with having the compound all to yourself.

If you've never lost a real and true friend, you may never appreciate all the good friends you have right now. If your parents are still alive and with you, you may never appreciate their presence until they're gone.

As humans, we hardly miss what we've never experienced.

Many of us today believe were living the life, enjoying the best life has got, all because we are somewhat comfortable financially. But beyond money is there anything more interesting, exciting and fulfilling for mankind? Yes of course, it's simply the ability to live a life of purpose, A life of reason a life with meaning.

If suddenly we're all being asked why we think we deserve to see tomorrow, do you have any convincing argument or reason why you should remain alive? Would your number one reason be ‘who will look after my kids?’ laughs, So African. Can I say to you that in some cultures outside of Africa, having children and raising offspring have become optional in marriages?

What exactly are you offering this world great enough for this world to still make room for you tomorrow?

May I say to you this morning that there is something for you to start and finish in this life before you depart? What exactly is your mission in life, living for the now and wanting to remain alive? Is your dream in life about preserving your genealogy? About being survived by many children and great grandchildren? 

Is that all you‘re chasing in life? I don't suppose that's all your life should be about as even chickens are survived by children and great grandchildren effortlessly, no you're much better than that!

What do you want to achieve in life before you depart? What's your vision and mission? Are you a captive of your mission or your mission is still in the parking lot? When do you intend to activate your reason for being alive in this world? What are the rules of your mission engagement? What are you squandering your life for? Where are you going? How do you intend to get there? Are you on track? Enjoy your day?

Written and Compose By: Muyiwa Afolabi (CEO Frontiers Consulting)