The Sunday Mail
Hunt for Greatness
Milton Kamwendo
When elders speak, listen twice and be ready to take act. When those that have seen what you have never seen speak, listen with both your ears and eyes. When a mountain climber speaks, takes his words and get inspired to climb your own mountain and face your own challenges.
Define your mountain. Set your goal. There is no mountain that is so big that it cannot be climbed. There is no challenge that cannot be tamed. Clear your vision, narrow your focus and set your goal. Make it big and bold. Then pursue it until it is begging for mercy.
Mr William Hutchison Murray (March 18, 1913 – March 19, 1996), a Scottish mountaineer and writer, wrote about his experience in climbing the Himalayan Mountains. Before he set the goal, he had the luxury of hesitating.
When he committed, took the simple first step, everything started moving. He opens his book: “The Scottish Himalayan Expedition (1951)” with these moving and immortal words: “But when I said that nothing had been done I erred in one important matter. We had definitely committed ourselves and were halfway out of our ruts. We had put down our passage money — booked a sailing to Bombay. This may sound too simple, but is great in consequence. Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.
“A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets: ‘Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!’”
These are the magic words that create all greatness. You set a goal, and you commit to the goal and follow through with massive action. When you do that, providence starts moving. When you are towards your goal, it also starts moving towards you. There is power in goal setting and there is magic in beginnings. Small steps will always compound.
One step is all you need to break the inertia. One phone call could make all the difference. One knock could change your destiny. One letter could move you to a new place. Take the simple but committed step. Take it quickly before you rot. The first step is always fearful. Once you have set your goal be willing to take action and if necessary do it afraid.
Begin moving and the journey would have started. Set the goal and begin; then watch as everything unfolds and starts moving. Sitting still and waiting for everything to be perfect, is the sure way to die in your waiting and rocking chair.
Move in the light that you can see. You do not have to see the whole staircase in order for you to climb the next rung of steps. Take the simple step that looks feasible to you now as you pursue your goal. Make the goal your magnificent obsession and follow through.
Set your goal and write it down. The mere act of writing clarifies thought and is the first step of creation. Clarify your goal by building a map of action around the goal. Commit the goal to memory by looking over it often or rewriting the same goal and talking about the goal. Make your goal a prayer point. Glance at the obstacles and challenges along your path but focus on the goal. Factor in issues that you have to face and step forth and face them with a committed warrior spirit.
A goal is not a wish, but a commitment. It is a promise that you make to yourself. Your culture must be one of doing, taking action and not just watching, complaining, talking, regretting, intending, procrastinating and fretting.
Execution is what you do, not what you talk about but. Take action, and commit and Providence will also move to catch up with you. Crystallise your goals and trigger the action and you will see movements begin. Set your goals and take action to your greatness.
Goal base
Without a real and moving goal activity has no meaning. It has been said by wise goal-setters that if you aim at nothing you will hit it 100 percent of the time. This was before Uncle Mike shared with me a story from his boy-hood days when he was doing Standard 4. He said they had a teacher who used to say: “Aim for the sun, and you will land at the moon, aim for the moon and you will land on the nearby mountain.” The wise teacher would go on to say, “Aim for the nearby mountain and you will land on the nearby tree. If you aim for the tree, you will hit the nearest rock.” The principal thing is that as you aim so you shoot.
Goals have power. Narrow down your goals to one, two or at most three. The big goal could have branches. If you have many goals, sift through them, identify a few that really move you to action and mean something to you. What is your number one goal? Set it and clarify it, then pursue it with passion, focus and zeal.
Hunt for the goal daily. Greatness is hunted for and not just stumbled upon. Wake up with purpose. Wake up to some definite action. Wake up with a mind firing ideas and prompting action. A firing mind will always lead to fiery and passionate action.
Mountain climbing
Pursuing a big and challenging goal is like facing and climbing a mountain. Before you climb the mountain it may look imposing, challenging and proud.
The climb will challenge your mind, stamina and your commitment, but it is a worthy challenge. Climbing the mountain will require preparation and a number of small steps here and there.
Once you have conquered a challenging goal, you cannot stop. Once you taste the power of goal setting you cannot shrink back to a life of purposelessness. That is why mountain climbers are always looking for another mountain to climb and challenge to pursue.
The best way to climb a mountain is to climb it! The best way to pursue a goal is to pursue it. There is magic in a clear, definite goal. It unleashes committed action. There is power in beginning a meaningful journey.
Do not give up before starting and once you start do not stop. Do not look down on your small steps because you gather momentum as you move forward. You will not create any momentum standing still. Stop hesitating. Set the goal, cross the line, declare your intention, enter the ring, sign up, make the order, buy the ticket, start, do something and stop hesitating.
Take the plunge and you will swim. The best way to begin is by beginning. Begin today.
Commit and Act
Obstacles test commitment. There will be obstacles on the way, and they are necessary. There will be delays, and these happen. With a clear goal you will move faster than someone without a goal. A delay is not a denial. A detour is not journey’s end. A clear goal will always prompt you to give your best. Do not leave any stone unturned because there is no place for half-heated action among the great ones. You do not have the luxury of being half-hearted, timid and hesitant. You do not have the luxury of living as though you are rehearsing for the big life. This moment is your big life. Think it so and it will be so.
Getting any goal is a journey. At times it will feel as though you are punching above your weight, just keep punching. Leave all the energy in the ring. Fight like one possessed. Leave no stone unturned in pursuing your goal. Stop being lazy and start taking action. Stop hesitating and start pursuing that goal because it matters.
Committed to your greatness.
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
