Inspirational – Nigerian Patriot

33. The Strength Of Visualizing A Goal And The Precision Effect Of Goal-Setting.

Deciding on a destination, Visualization and Planning are the foundation steps that should define the beginning of any journey.
© 2019 Nigerian Patriot

Definitive Intro

For the purpose of this summary blog episode, a Goal can be defined as the designated end of a task or project. It is the target destination of all resources expended in any endeavor. For contextual relevance, goal in this paragraph could refer to the desired global expectation of an entire project. Examples: earning a degree at school, embarking on a holiday, building a house, etc. For the sake of distinction, it is tagged macro-goal through the rest of this post. A goal could also mean the designated end of a phase of a project; this definition is tagged micro-goal through the rest of this post. Examples: passing a semester exam toward earning a degree at school, booking a hotel toward embarking on a holiday, acquiring a structural plan toward building a house.

Visualizing a (macro or micro) goal involves creating a strong mental multidimensional impression of the destination. A person should be able to observe, feel, taste, smell, and wholly interact with this mental picture as if they are actually at that end point. It is this powerful mental impression that will provide the motivational drive required to pursue the goal-setting process as well as every other task involved in the journey toward pursuing a macro-goal to a logical conclusion. This means that a person must select a macro-goal which is driven by personal passion.

Goal-setting is the process of developing a map of smaller (micro) goals that will guide the journey toward the destination predefined in the first paragraph as the macro-goal. As we all know, without a map, the journey of a thousand miles, might transform into a perilous nightmare of a million miles. Goal-setting provides focus and direction. The footsteps of a person who is armed with such a map is always informed by the wisdom and advantages of the Precision effect.

The Precision effect is a phrase coined for the purpose of this blog episode and defined by four strengths highlighted below:

The Precision effect would birth an innate independent and deep rooted feeling of success in a person on a journey toward a goal. This guarantee of victory cannot be shaken by the doubt of people who may not share the vision of the gainful rewards of completing the journey, or phases of it.
The Precision effect develops a renewable and invincible spirit within a person who embarks on a goal bound journey. This indomitable spirit would feed and sustain the motivation, courage, faith and hope required to deal with the challenges encountered along the journey. Yes, this spirit of tireless boldness would always keep the eyes focused on the destination, and constantly propel the feet effortlessly toward the goal, regardless the odds.
The Precision effect generates a deep measure of reassuring self confidence that any resource expended along the journey would translate to a successful end.
The Precision effect enables a person to gain traction and improve momentum as a journey progresses toward the goal.

Attributes Of A Smart Goal-Setting Process

An effective goal-setting process must be guided by established standards of success. The acronym S.M.A.R.T defines a popular and globally accepted set of attributes for a successful goal-setting process. They are briefly highlighted below.

(S) Specific: The macro-goal and micro-goals must be specific and clearly defined in order to provide direction, and a fix on the destination.

(M) Measurable: The macro-goal and micro-goals must be measurable values in order to track preset milestones, stay focused and remain motivated.

(A) Achievable: The macro-goal and micro-goals could be challenging, but must be achievable within your realm of effort and ability. Setting goals beyond the borders of our capacity could lead to disappointments and discouragement.

(R) Relevant/Realistic: The macro-goal and micro goals must be relevant and realistic with your circumstance, means, and aptitude. This would develop the resilience and stability required to gain traction and win the race.

(T) Time-bound: The macro-goal and micro-goals must be time-bound to start and end moments. This will imbibe the discipline required for consistent milestone achievements which are usually accompanied by well deserved self treats.

Documentation

The procedure of deciding on the macro-goal (final destination), visualization, and goal-setting process must be documented in great detail. This documentation is the Master plan. It would form the basis of a daily reminder and an easy reference point of audit on the progress, zeal, and any adjustments required to stay focused on the finish line that marks the end of the journey.

Sustainable Action

The journey to any destination can never be achieved by wishful thinking. It requires the consistent action of motion for success. This logic of wisdom applies in gaining any meaningful result from the contents of this summary post. There are no short-cuts to bypass this understanding of truth.

Closing Remarks

This post has been designed to inspire the noble citizens of Nigeria on the basic skills required to inform a positive mindset capable of attaining success with any endeavor of life. It is the sincere wish of the author, that these endeavors include renewing our spirit of Patriotism and Love for each other. This feat would significantly assist our collective effort at lifting our country Nigeria back to greatness.

This post is in honor of the inspirational encouragement of the ‘Sweet Believer’: a profound blogger that knows how to bring out the bloom beneath any gloom. Great thanks S.B.

Arise O Compatriots….

Special Blogger Award 1

I was nominated by Ribana from Popsicle Society for the Special Blogger Award. Ribana, I am deeply inspired by this kind gesture of immense encouragement. Infinite Thanks.

Ribana is an interesting blend of positive energy. She radiates a timeless and endless dose of courage, strength and happiness. A worthy Companion on a long tiring journey. A trip to her diverse wonderland of Knowledge (@ Popsicle Society) always leaves a refreshing aftertaste of rejuvenation.

Rules as Copied from Ribana’s Post:

Thank the blogger who nominated you.
Answer the questions you are asked (if you’re comfortable doing so!)
Create 10 questions for the bloggers you’ve nominated
Nominate at least 3 bloggers for the Special Blogger Award.
Comment on your nominee’s most recent blog post to let them know you’ve nominated.
Have fun

Ribana’s Questions:

Do you enjoy your life?: I love my life. I’d never trade my challenges, my victories, or my defeats for anything. They were ordained by the Almighty God for the purpose of the season and for good reason. They blend into an exciting cocktail of experiences that informs who I am today.
Did you achieve any of your dreams so far?: Sure. The project ‘Nigerian Patriot’ is one of several dreams.

A cottage by the sea or a cabin in the mountains?: A Cabin in the Mountains.
Chocolate or cookies?: Cookies any day!

Do you shop online?: Once in a while, when I can afford to buy something of interest.
Do you have your own business or working for someone else?: I work for myself. Its more fulfilling.
Dogs or cats?: I love both because they bring different flavors of companionship to life. Its an equal love that has no preference.

Cooking at home or eating outside?: I love cooking at home. Its great fun, and presents an opportunity to create anything my mind conceives that my body needs; my way!

My questions:

What inspires your motivation to blog?
How did you overcome your greatest defeat in life?
Make a wish?
Given a chance to re-write history, what would you edit?
Do you think Humans are giving the right attention to the wellbeing of our Planet?
If something goes wrong with planet earth, is there some other place humans could relocate?
Your favorite color?
Happiness, Wealth, or Power (make a pick)?
Your favorite meal?
Your favorite genre of music?

My nominees:

Have fun & share the joy!

26. Self Education In Nigeria: The Process of ‘DIY’ Learning

Education can be defined as acquiring Knowledge through a process of Learning. The learning process can be done within the walls of a school or outside an academic environment. In both instances, the process can be imparted through an Instructor or directly by the Learner via exposure of self to the relevant learning process concerning the desired skill.

This summary blog episode is focused on highlighting the process of Self education or ‘Do It Yourself’ (DIY) learning which does not require a dedicated Instructor. Success with Self education is purely based on the motivation of a person to know and understand a subject.

This episode is also designed to encourage an understanding that the ability to learn is an inherent attribute deposited in the DNA of every person from birth. Hopefully this realization would help to change the view point of certain individuals that learning is a formal privilege reserved for those who are fortunate to get the experience in a school environment.

It is important to boldly state that a society of mostly educated persons, would naturally thrive better than a society where the educated are in a minority. This fact is also applicable to wellbeing and development of a nation as highlighted in blog episode 3: ‘Ignorance: the Achilles Heels of National Development’.

Education makes a loud difference between an enlightened mind and the ignorant mind. It is Education that has kept the achievements of the Learned person, light years ahead of achievements of the Unlearned mind.

It is important to realize that education is an essential tool for the survival and meaningful existence of any Human being. Therefore everyone should be encouraged through the process of learning with an understanding that this is the only vehicle to the destination point called Knowledge.

On a primitive level, learning is a major function of communication, listening, observation and action.

It is a fact that no child is ever really taught the baby walk which is predominantly learned by repeated observation of adults and action from the child. The same applies to early speech.

This fact about early learning applies to all the creations of the earth and may be better appreciated by observing the animal kingdom and the interaction between the adult and infants of the animal world. None of the adult animals ever summoned a training session to teach an offspring any skill of survival, they were learned by a measure of communication, observation, listening and action.

Illustrations abound and can be briefly sighted: the baby goat never got a bleating training session by the Billy goats; the lion cub never got a roaring training session from the adult lions, and the young birds were never tutored on the art of flying. They all engaged in a process of self learning to acquire these skills.

The principles of learning are slightly different with Human beings, but basically the same. As adults, we rarely subscribe to any dancing school to learn a trending dance move. It’s an ability that comes mostly with observation and action of practice.

Language is also a feature of human learning and the words of a chosen language must be clearly understood either in written or spoken format. It is the understanding of words that conveys the clear meaning of any sentence of a chosen language.

The action of practice is also an essential aspect of Self learning as it helps to engrave the action of the concept helping the person to perfect the art which has been learned. This is the reason the proverbial saying that ‘practice makes perfect’ still finds relevance in the Divine court of Wisdom till date.

A person in the process of Self learning must also realize that it requires time and patience as cited in blog episodes 20 and 21 ‘The Wisdom Of Patience With Processes Of life’.

From the highlights of the paragraphs above, it should be clear that self learning is something within the reach of any serious minded person determined to acquire basic knowledge on most subjects of human existence.

At this juncture, it should be obvious to most of our unemployed citizens in Nigeria who lack the skills to find relevance in any segment of the productive chain due to the lack of formal education that all hope is not lost.

It may be pertinent to also make it clear that there is no system of government that can provide education and jobs for all its citizens. This is a very unrealistic expectation.

Hopefully the highlights of this summary blog episode may open the endless window of the potentials which comes with the ease of self learning and in addition motivate the Will for action on this knowledge.

In conclusion, if a majority of the citizens of our noble country Nigeria were fundamentally learned in any chosen skill of life, then our drive toward national development would have a more realistic bite. For now, Ignorance is a huge threat on our collective aspiration toward a dream Nigeria.

For our sake and the sake of our coming generations, it is our national and patriotic responsibility to always remember that a stitch in time saves nine.

Arise O Compatriots…

8. Double Thumbs Up 2 Our Great Country: Nigeria H’2019!

This is wishing every single Compatriot, a very pleasant, happy, peaceful & prosperous New Year: 2019.

We pray this will be a year of real development, learning and growth for our dear country. It would surely be better than the previous year of 2018, if it is our sincere collective desire, & prayer as ordained by Almighty God.

We pray the good Lord to grant all our sincere wishes of true patriotic growth for our country, our families, and self.

Almighty God willing, we shall all live to see the peaceful conclusion of this year at the end of December 2019. God bless our great nation: Nigeria.