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Lenox Lizwi Mhlanga

I hope that you did not land into the New Year on a pile of regrets. We tend to overdo things a bit but as fate would have it, some of us got paid after the festivities. This means that there will be something to fall back on.

I know that things are not that rosy at the moment, but as an individual, you have to get your bearings right early.

Don’t move around with negative people. Dump them like yesterday. If you want to soar like an eagle, quit hanging around ducks.

What is your big dream? Is it to create a better life for your family, or to help others achieve their dreams? Do you want to be a millionaire or someone famous? If you want to avoid disappointment set outrageously unrealistic goals.

Dream big!

A teacher of mine once told me to aim for the stars so that if I fail I would, at least, land on the clouds. In other words, you will not go anywhere unless you aim to get somewhere. So the logic is that, as you sweat to get to that unrealistic goal, you are bound to take enormous strides that you wouldn’t have if you had not tried.

Forget resolutions, set targets. Look at the number of resolutions you did not achieve last year. And you think 2016 will be better? Be clear about want you want to achieve by December 2016 and then set a programme on how to achieve those targets. For instance, if you want to learn a new skill, then going to colleges to find out costs and other logistics, or even searching on the web for free online courses will help.

It is said that if you write down what you want to achieve and why, God takes care of the how. Like a miracle, you will begin attracting people and resources that were previously not available to you. All you have to do is to start. Momentum is achieved after the initial push, and that has to come from you.

Another important condition is your state of mind. Are you always complaining, blaming others for your situation? Some of us are occupied with the blame game, pointing fingers at entities ranging from the Zanu-PF government right down to alien invaders. Others believe they are being bewitched by jealous relatives on their case.

When are you ever going to take responsibility for your life? Ask yourself why there are people who are thriving in the same conditions that you are complaining about? There are things that you leave to the politicians to deal with, it’s their job. And they are making a living from it.

Be positive, happy and be at peace at every opportunity. Anger produces negative energy, and that repels all that is good that is due to you. Love is the key that opens many doors.

Take advantage of the talents that God gave you. Have you noticed how easy it is to attract those opportunities that align with your talents? Why do we go for those jobs that have nothing to do with what we can ably offer? If you feel that you are not prepared enough then go for further training.

We have developed into a very selfish society to the extent that suggesting that one volunteers his services would be met with clucks of derision.

One way of creating opportunities and opening doors that were closed to you is volunteerism. Volunteer to do some work pro bono, without charge.

Your performance in whatever you are volunteering for could make you indispensable to that organisation. Expecting monetary compensation for everything that you do narrows down your options in an economy like ours. Being a volunteer has dignity and creates emotional bonds that you can’t put a price tag on. Make it part of your plan in 2016.

If you have been battered and kicked into the gutter, the only way out is to get up. Be unsinkable. Have the drive and motivation to achieve your goals. Don’t be afraid of failure, because failure is temporary. It is your signpost that directs you back to the right path.

Did I say write down your goals? You should have them in black and write, on a piece of paper that you can put in your wallet. Paste them on your wall so that first they are the first thing you see in the morning when you wake up.

You have a much better chance of achieving your goals by simply writing them down. It’s has been proven in studies. And we don’t mean writing it on a computer. Use pen and paper!

There is something magical about writing things down. When you feel down, or things are not going the way you want them to, take a glimpse at your goals to get fired up once more. Have a plan that is not set in concrete. You should be able to adjust it as you go along according to circumstances.

Lack of flexibility in our plans is why many people fail to achieve their goals. They start taking action on their plan and if they hit a roadblock and stumble, usually two things happen. They both feel discouraged and quit, or they just try the same thing over and over again thinking they will eventually succeed.

A personal declaration is in order. Answer this question: “What would you like to do if you knew that you would not fail?” Go on, write it down. It’s your blueprint for 2016.

I wish you all the best in creating your new future. Remember that failure is temporary, keep your eyes on the ball and be deliberately happy while doing it.