The Sunday Mail
Hunt for Greatness
Milton Kamwendo
Books are powerful and they are the original and enduring information media.
The Bible is a special volume of inspired fascinating books, full of lessons, cases, poetry, prose, prophecy, proverbs and instructions for living a life of greatness.
Although written a long time ago, over generations, by many inspired writers in different styles, contexts and cultures it continues to be a fountainhead of inspiration because human nature may project sophistication but never changes.
Teaching allows for the transmission of knowledge and content. There is no more powerful way of teaching than through the power of stories and cases. The celebrated Harvard University has distinguished itself by using the case-method as its house style of teaching and learning. Harvard University’s teachers are celebrated for researching and writing good cases.
You will never face barriers and challenges when you are sheltered, fearful, doing nothing and disturbing no one. It is when you step out and dare to do great things that challenges arise that test your resolve and focus. In all matters of industry, achievement and pursuit of greatness do not look back, because that is not where you are going.
Do not look down either because that is not where hope lies. Do not close your eyes because reality does not disappear because you wished it away. Glance at the brutal facts you face but face forward and wonders will emerge. When fear is faced with a forward-looking-boldness it starts looking for a new host. Face forward with a visionary faith that sees the end from the beginning. Face the sun and its rays will illuminate your soul.
In Psalm 107:28-31, of the Bible, the Psalmist writes about a journeying determined people that face distressing obstacles and but keep facing forward. It is not enough to just cry, you have to know where to direct your prayer and pain. He writes: “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.” Such are the challenges of the desired haven of greatness. Hard and surprising times come, but always face forward and remain grounded. Challenges come, but keep focused.
Do not focus on what you are going through, face forward and focus on where you are going to. Distressing situations come, but remain hopeful, disturbed but never deterred.
The night may linger long, but keep facing forward. The haven of greatness ahead is a reward of the journey. Keep facing forward. Your tests will tally into testimonies. full of success, greatness and exploits beyond your wildest imagination.
Looking Back
Where you have been is important but that should not be your dominant focus. History does not entitle you to greatness. Greatness is always work in progress and goals in motion. Do not let the past dominate your mind so much that you have no room for the present or vision for the future.
Stop worrying about the past or things that you cannot change. Cleanse your mind of recreational complaining. Worrying is like sawing saw-dust. Worry gives you something to do but does not take you anywhere on the greatness trail. Stop worrying and start acting and delivering. Stop dwelling on the circumstances of the past and dwell on the opportunities of the future.
Get off the worry rocking chair. Stop being hung up on the poor choices that you made in the past. You change the future by what you choose to do today. Do not waste the resource called “now”.
Think, reflect, pray, consult, but do not give failure, despair and hopelessness abode. Face forward and take massive and bold action that will make unborn generations smile. Take forward facing decisions and steps. Face forward and move forward.
No amount of regretting will build the future. No amount of embellishing history will make it the future. It is taking the lessons of the past and moving forward that changes your story.
Use your setbacks to stage your come-backs. Use your tests to construct your testimony. Rouse yourself from your troubles and face the future.
Do not look back, look straight ahead and face forward because the call of greatness is not behind you, but in front of you. Merely reminding yourself of your past mistakes does note serve you unless you are able to process experience into wisdom. Stop getting so stuck looking back at the storms that you have weathered that they do not notice where your ship is headed. Do not look at your flaws and faults when you should be facing forward and looking forward at the beckoning greatness. If you stay mired in the little things you will not scale.
Looking back is like engaging your hand brake. It is a choice to sit still, and to be stagnant. To do nothing except waking up to share stories of distress and doom is a self-constraining life. Do not drop anchor when you should be opening up the sails. Do not step on your brakes when you should be pressing down your accelerator. Do not focus on the negative when the positive is so reachable and inviting. Your best days are not to be left in the past so do not look back, face forward.
Fight Through
Faith is the light that shines in through the dark tunnel telling you that greatness is waiting and possible. It is the guiding compass that keeps pointing north when you get off course. Faith is the telescope of greatness. Faith gives you the boldness to keep facing forward when everyone is urging you to give up. Faith it what gives you the little morning voice that says: I will wake up, face forward and try for one more day.”
Fear that do not fear the storm, it feeds on the storms.
Keep facing forward whatever happens. When you are knocked down get up, face forward and keep walking.
When one door slams in your face, do not be deterred. Keep knocking and standing until the door opens. Do not stop looking because the clouds are not speaking. Keep facing forward and moving.
Mr. Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) travelled extensively throughout the British colonies. He was an author and poet. His celebrated poem, “If” is said to have been penned while he was travelling through South Africa witnessing the tensions of that day. As you journey looking forward, be inspired by this, and challenge your “if”:
“If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!”
Keep facing forward and walking the path of greatness. Where you are is not a destination, keep moving.
Milton Kamwendo is a leading international transformational and motivational speaker, author, and a virtual, hybrid and in-person workshop facilitator. He is a cutting-edge strategy, team-building and organisation development facilitator and consultant. His life purpose is to inspire and promote greatness. He can be reached at: [email protected] and His website is: www.miltonkamwendo.com.
