The Sunday Mail
Milton Kamwendo: Hunt for Greatness
Those who are shallow believe in luck, while those who are strong believe in cause and effect.Luck happens but it should never be relied on as a success strategy or substitute for worthy effort. Some people do not believe in luck; do not blame them.Whether you believe in luck or not does not matter; just compete against it as you reach for your greatness. Better still, see grace and providence in place of luck.
Gambling thoughtfully
Gambling is an old pastime for those who are greedy for instant gain. There is no instant success, even when success appears sudden. Greatness is a slow process that demands vision, work and unrelenting effort.
If you ever gamble at any casino, never forget that you are the gambler and the casino owner is an entrepreneur. You are gambling while the slot machines which you fling your tokens into have statistically determined payout rates stacked against you.
The lesson is that you must never gamble with your life while pretending that you own the casino.
Live a life that is better than an accident. Determine that you will be great by choice. Good focused work never leads to disappointment. Luck is not a strategy to pursue and hope is not a business plan.
What about good luck?
It is not the luck that you get that matters, but what you do with the luck you get. Whatever happens in your life carries with it the potential for greater good. Never curse your adversities; they could be leading you to greater doors of destiny.
Do not despair when you see chaos, it just could be things falling into place for you. Do not be too rush to complain, you may be chasing away your blessings. In your quest for greatness, be intentional not just accidental.
Be open to possibilities beyond your wildest dreams but keep presence of mind and sharpness of spirit.
Depending on your beliefs, life is either a daring and focused adventure, or just random accidents of luck. Whatever perspective you choose determines your experience of life.
Your choice, focus and faith make the defining difference.
Marathon to Athens
A marathon is an athletic race that has a long history. Its official length is 26,2 miles (one mile is equivalent to 1,6km). The idea for the modern marathon was inspired by the story of an ancient Greek messenger who raced from Marathon to Athens.
He covered a distance of about 40km while racing with news of an important Greek victory over an invading Persian army in 490 BC. After making his announcement, the exhausted messenger collapsed and died.
Greatness is success with sustainability.
To commemorate this special messenger’s dramatic run, the first organised marathon was held in Athens at the 1896 Olympics and the distance was set at 40km.
Run your race and deliver the news for your generation. You are not running for yourself.
Leadership is the awareness that as you run there is more at stake than personal convenience and benefits. You are running for posterity and taking others along with you.
Goals that look ordinary to you could change the tide of history. This moment is pregnant with possibilities beyond your imagination and awareness. Each step you take etches history trail marks that cannot be erased. Each act and step you run is a seed. Sow those seeds purposefully, act responsibly and speak with maturity.
The ancient Olympic Games (around 776 BC to 393 AD) never included long-distance races or marathons.
At the 1908 Olympic Games in London, the marathon course was extended, allegedly to accommodate a British royal family request.
It is said that Queen Alexandra requested that the race start on the lawn of Windsor Castle and finish in front of the royal box at the Olympic Stadium. This distance happened to be 26,2 miles.
The random boost in mileage stuck, and in 1921 the official length for a marathon was formally standardised at 26,2 miles (42,195km).
The simple requests you make today could alter the course of events. Keep seeking, knocking and hustling with purpose and vision.
Today, marathon races take place everywhere in the world.
In Zimbabwe’s marathon space, shining lights include the likes of Samukeliso Moyo, Abel Chimukoko, Tendai Chimusasa, Philemon Hanneck, Stephen Muzhingi, Zephaniah Ncube and Julia Sakara.
In your space, keep running and do not give up. Do not stop trying simply because of trying times. Long distance running requires staying power. So it is for every endeavour.
Keep running even if the energy is low and you would rather quit. Keep running even if you feel like fainting, you will not die. Keep running even if the pace is slow. Keep running even if you seem to be the only one left in the field. Just keep running until you get to the finishing line.
Running a marathon is not a matter of luck. It takes focus, discipline, practice and preparation. You also have to dress appropriately and get rid of all the unnecessary weight.
The race for greatness is not a quick-fix dash.
Greatness is a marathon race and winning is not a matter of luck but fanatical discipline and ferocious focus. In your area of occupation and focus, approach that space with the mind, tenacity and spirit of a marathon runner.
You have to deliver your “letter” and finish the course. Pace yourself to win through determined and disciplined steps. Condition yourself for greatness through daily disciplines and practice. Set goals and work the goals daily and diligently.
A little bit done daily is better than waiting for race day. Small, determined, diligent and focused steps make all the difference. You cannot wait for luck to visit you on race day when you have not been practising. What you do daily determines what you become ultimately.
Prepare for surprises if you are not prepared.
Practice like Player
Gary Player (born November 1, 1935) is a golfing legend from South Africa. His life shows that through ferocious focus and fanatical discipline you can compete against luck and win.
He was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and his mother died when he was only eight-years-old. His father, a gold miner, secured a loan to purchase some golf clubs for young Gary. At the age of 14, Gary played his first round of golf and parred the first three holes.
Be determined and set clear goals and then work towards those goals. That is exactly what Gary Player did. At age 16, he announced that he would become the number one golf player in the world.
Make declarations, then follow them with massive action and unyielding resolve. Talk then do.
At age 17, in pursuit of that goal, Gary became a professional golfer. Player once said: “The harder I practice, the luckier I get.”
Practice attracts improved odds. What you do privately determines what you become publicly.
Gary Player over his career accumulated nine major championships on the regular tour and six Champions Tour major championship victories, as well as three Senior British Open Championships on the European Senior Tour.
At the age of 29, Player won the 1965 US Open and became the only non-American to win all four majors, known as the career Grand Slam.
Player became only the third golfer in history to win the Career Grand Slam, following Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen, and only Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have performed the feat since.
Player won 165 tournaments on six continents over six decades and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.
Player is the most travelled athlete having logged 25 million km.
He said: “To succeed in life one must have determination and must be prepared to suffer during the process. If one isn’t prepared to suffer during adversities, I don’t really see how he can be successful.”
Take these words and apply them. As you pursue greatness, have the determination of a mosquito. It is designed to sting and not for defence.
You are designed for greatness, engineered for success and endowed with seeds of prosperity. Stop threatening action and be a doer. Great plans are nothing without execution.
Always be on the lookout for opportunities to “sting,” you may be lucky!
Milton Kamwendo is an international transformational and inspirational speaker, author and coach. Feedback: [email protected], Twitter @MiltonKamwendo and WhatsApp +263772422634.
