TODAY ON FRANKLY SPEAKING – COPY RIGHT. 12-08-2017

I do not suppose there is anything more
important in this life like understanding
yourself, defining your purpose and giving
your life a meaning. You must know who
you are.

The greatest crisis in life has no origin in
what is happening around you, but what
is happening within you. If you have
crisis within, it’ll be expressed on the
outside, if you’re confused within, you’ll
express it, if you’re disappointed,
frustrated, angry, afraid, intimidated,
inferior or lost, it will definitely find
expression in all that you do.

As human beings we’re not designed to
act on instinct alone, we’re creatures of
reason then action. We reason first, and
then we act. We’re not beastly; we’re
intelligent creatures with a beautiful gift
of the mind to process information, then
act. Without the mind, there can’t be
order in this world, if all we do is by
instinct, the world would be long gone.
The state of the world so far is the
product of the collective reasoning and
judgement as mankind. Our collective
thinking, opinions, judgements, action and
reaction have produced our today’s
world. The world is energized by the
collective power of the mind of mankind.

War and crisis don’t emanate from
weapons and soldiers, it starts with
contrary opinions and views over matters
as interpreted by different minds.
Every war starts from the mind of an
opinion leader and every war ends in the
mind of an opinion leader who chooses,
through reason or coercion to surrender
and make peace.

You see, life is quiet fleeting by nature,
the day you’re born the countdown
begins. The race of life begins even
before your ability to think or reason
kicks in. Your life cannot be paused, it
cannot be stopped, there is no time out,
and it continues to run until it eventually
runs out. You’re aging by the day, the
minute and the second; you’re
perpetually on the go with your life.
This actually is not a bad thing except
you’re yet to figure out what your life is
all about in your prime. If you’re above
25 and still confused about your life and
your place in this world, it is not a good
thing.

Who are you? What really is your life
about? Where is your place, where is
your space, what is your relevance and
assignment in this world? Why do you
think you’re here? Do you even
understand what life generally is about
and what your own life and role is?

What’s your concept of existence? What
are your personal rules of life? What are
you looking for? What do you want? What
do you want to give? Why are you here?
Who exactly are you?
Sadly many people have no correct
answers to these questions. Many people
just want to exist, survive, stay alive and
keep securing their lives for as long as
possible. But if eventually we shall all die
anyway no matter how long we live for,
why then should your life be all about
struggling hard to remain alive?
Don’t you think you’re missing something
and may end up living a life in futility? If
all your struggle and effort in life is to
secure your life and you still die at the
end of the day, don’t you think you’re
missing your real reason and purpose of
existing?

Many today have substituted their
purpose in life with their family, their
children in particular, hence their hard
work, commitment and devotion beyond
staying alive is to secure the future as it
were, of their children.
But pause and think for a moment, what
would your life be like without children in
it? Would you have any real reason for
working this hard? If you take out your
social security pursuit and a great future
for your children, do you have any
important reason for daily hard work?
Truth is, your children will eventually
depart when they mature anyway; so
would you just be waiting to die
afterwards? What’s your dream beyond
raising children?!

In my submission, many of us have never
really sought after the meaning and
purpose of our lives. We are mostly
probably, living according to the template
of predecessors that we admire and
respect. Let me explain, you see, many
of us today have no independent self-
concept, we have no sense of
individuality, we live our lives in patterns
and after the order of other people that
we admire, respect and like, either within
our families, profession, communities and
the world at large. These people are like
our mentors and we want to be like
them. We want to live their kind of lives,
and turn out like them, hence we
emulate their lifestyle and patterns, apply
their philosophies and principles because
we wish to turn out like them. This
ideology of course appears harmless and
many people have taught us to follow
mentors, role models and emulate
successful people as it were.

I do have role models and mentors as
well, but in following and emulating their
successes and philosophies I still have
my personality intact. I should not give
up and kill who I am to become who they
are. I know who I am; I understand my
purpose, my place and my relevance in
this world. That I will never give up,
sacrifice or belittle. Wisdom is to take all
what my role models have that’s made
them successful and add it to what I
have, not jettisoning what i have and
who I am to become them. Combining
their great traits with my good traits
gives me an edge to be better and to go
further than they did.

I do not want to turn out like anyone or
achieve anything that has already been
revealed, the glory will not be original. I
want to beat existing records and set
superior records. That will be impossible
emulating exclusively what existing
record holders did, I need an extra on
their achievements to beat their
achievements, and the extra is my own
originality, individuality and strength in
personality. That great mentor may not
have my own unique and powerful traits
in him, so I have an edge to go further
and beat his record by combining what
I’ve learnt from him and my original self.

Dear friends, don’t just aspire to replicate
the achievements of any great person,
instead desire to be better than them,
this can only happen if you take what
they have and add to the great stuff you
have, not discarding what you have or
disdaining your originality to take on
someone else’s personality.

When you copy anyone, copy right. Then
you can achieve what they couldn’t, but
first you must know what you have, know
where you belong and have a clear vision
and understanding of your purpose.
Dear friend, to go far in life, to reveal a
new glory, to find fulfilment in life
emulate all the good in your role models
and mentors, then add your originality to
it. When you copy, copy right.