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The power of choice

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I did not choose to be born in the family in which I was born and the house which I was raised up in. So are you. There are things that are thrust on us, or we find ourselves in, but it is your choice to become better and do better. This happens by dreaming more, doing more and demanding more from yourself.

I did not choose to be born in the family in which I was born and the house which I was raised up in. So are you. There are things that are thrust on us, or we find ourselves in, but it is your choice to become better and do better. This happens by dreaming more, doing more and demanding more from yourself.

Success Life,Jonah Nyoni

You might not have a choice about where you were born, but you have a choice to become the best man or woman you can be. You might have been born in abduct poverty, but that should not define you destiny. There results of your choices are the things that judge your life. Most people think they are judged and they live in that cocoon, but people will not be judging them, but their actions, behaviours, attitudes and choices.

The following facets are shaped mainly by our choices. These include your health, wealth, spirituality, social life, marriage and career. Choices we make determine our happiness or our misery. In fact, you are arrested by the choices your make. Your present reality is an expression of the choices you have made. Your life changes the moment you make the choice to change. Circumstances have a say in your outcomes, but your choices have the biggest say.

Circumstances might have influence, but all your success is on your choices.

Whatmore Makwara (2014: 4) the author of the book The Power of Choice says, “Choosing not to choose is a choice in itself; and it will not stop events unfolding in your life”.

If you don’t make a choice of a life you want, you will be limited in your choices of things you desire or get. Some people would think that success is for some special people. I have leant this through the coaching I have with people. Some individuals in Zimbabwe would think being affluent is a sign that you are corrupt. Every choice is predictable, but not every outcome is preferred. For you to have great results that you are proud of you have to change what you chose. The state of the affairs in the country, is also a result have been made by people. Choices might have been made on our behalves, but they are still choices and they affect us.

Humans are creatures that struggle to live a successful life, yet they have been given so much power to live according to their terms. Look and learn from ants; they prepare their food in summer. Conies make their homes in rock and they are in splendour. Locusts team up and work towards a goal. The spider lives in kings’ houses. These creature work robotically, yet they are so efficient.

It’s not only about positive confession and positive thinking, but making good choices and having progressive action. Make your choices and act on your choices , and that determines your destiny.

Make a choice to demand more from yourself, and you will be in demand. As young people growing up, one thing I hated with passion was to be poor as other kids enjoyed life. What I did, was not to blame my parents.

In fact, my parents have had a greater input to my success more than any other human being. They shaped the way I thought, the way I picture my future and my perspectives towards life. If I had not acted on what they told me, I would not have been a winner. I demanded more from my life. Naturally, I was one of those people who were called average or bellow average. I began to do soul searching. I asked myself provocative and progressive questions.

Most people would rather have a question such as: Why are such things happening to me? That is depresses you the more. But ask questions that will demand of you to make the best of yourself. Change your question to: What should I do to change my life? That provokes action. Having born in a poor family, I had to work tooth and nail. I read every biography of successful people. I learnt their rituals, behaviours, attitude and I began to practice. Rich people sleep less, so I adopted that life style. I read at nights. I listened to great people. I am constantly following people that have made it in life. I have attended seminars. I have paid myself back to school and I am a candidate of success. That is by choice.

Ask yourself: “How much do I watch television? What time have I used just doing useless chats on WhatsApp? Who are my friends? If I die now what will I be remembered for? Which books have I read since the start of the year? Which course have I taken to develop myself? Who is my personal coach towards success?” These questions will help you see life from a different angle and do a self-audit.

If what you have been doing in the past has not brought any results, change the approach. Look for a coach. I usually emphasize this with most people and they assume that I want their money. No! Look at every good and strong winning soccer team, they have a good coach. So is your life, you win with a great coach by your side. Some coaching session are free it’s only that most people do not know. When your choices are not bringing the results you want change the strategy.

There is a great case study we can learn from and it will show how most people have spent their lives. This case is in the Luke 15: 11-19. What we learn from the prodigal son is that he chose to have his inheritance before his father died and the father gave it to him.

Firstly, he waked away from the father to a far country. For me this was walking away from good mature counsel. That’s what most young people would want to do, thinking that their parents are too strict.

Secondly, the Bible points that the boy lived a riotous life; meaning he was reckless and loose. By being reckless he automatically chose not be futuristic. When everything was spent he partnered with the citizens of the country he was in. These citizens can be equated to wrong people in our life who ultimately destroy us.

Anthony Robbins in his book, Awaken the Giant Within he coined what is called the Neuro Associative Conditioning. Basically his notion is premised on the thought that we make on choices based on two factors; pain and pleasure. We focus on particular things because on the meaning they bring to us. People refer to their past experiences to make choices. Pain causes most people not to make some choices because even though such choices might bring good results. People usually choose pleasure instead of pain. However, we must learn to master pain so as to be successful. Success is never easy as most people think.

Anyone can change their direction. The first step is to admit that we have a problem. Secondly, we should change our “should” to a “must”. People would rather sit on the fence than live a life they want. We must replace negative thoughts and replace them with good ones. We must speak empowering statements to ourselves. It has been said that we are free to make whatever choice we want, but we are never free from the consequences of the choices. ●Jonah Nyoni is an author, success coach, leadership trainer and public relations consultant. Tel: 0772 581 918. Email: [email protected]