STRANDS OF TIME

AS AN author I have come to discover that I don’t need to have eight straight hours to produce one script for publication. I don’t even need to have one hour to be at my disposal at a particular moment in order to put together one piece of literary work. All I need is what I call “The Strands of Time” – a minute here to do a sentence, another minute there to cross a ‘t’ or dot an ‘I.’ The strand of time is probably the most powerful concept that has dawned on me in my quest to manage time effectively.

A strand is a thin piece of something such as wire, string, rope or hair which is put together to make up a complex whole. The strands of time refer to the inevitable moments of time that are often vacant. They are the minutes in-between meetings, hours in the queue at the bank, time spent in traffic, the ten or twenty minutes you spend waiting for the waitress to make good your meal order, the few seconds you spend while waiting for the lift or when you are in the loo.

The line “I don’t have time” comes up a lot when I interact with people, especially young executives. They are so busy that they are unable to even make time to add value to themselves, pray to God, maintain friendships and stay in touch with family. But then, in-between their busy schedules, they could exploit some opportunities to take care of certain important aspects of their lives. When you have a meeting and the meeting has not started, what do you do? When you are in a queue at the bank, do you complain or use time well? You don’t need the whole day to do the big things you want to do. You can do them in many few seconds.

Bathroom time: When I was much younger, I used to read newspapers in the toilet. At that time I was not conscious of the fact that I was redeeming time. But as I kept reading the papers over time, I realised I had become quite abreast of current affairs and that I could discuss many issues. In my present life, I read not only the newspapers in the toilet but I also read the Bible and other books. So I am able to kill many birds with one stone. Sometimes, I use that time to meditate and pray. So while I attend to my needs in the toilet, I also get other things done. But hey if you are experiencing constipation and you find yourself on the white throne, this advise may not be good for you. Just stay focused on your mission for being there.

Waiting time: In Ghana, one of the ways we experience leakages in time is to be on time for a programme or meeting. You arrive on time for a meeting with a CEO and you are asked to wait because the person is engaged in something else. Or you arrive at 5:30pm for a programme scheduled to start at 6pm. What about when you arrive exactly at 6pm and the programme starts half-an-hour or even an hour later? In all these situations – waiting for CEO or waiting for a programme to start – how do you make use of the waiting time? When you visit the restaurant and place your order, do you just sit and wait? Have you considered the time you spend every Saturday waiting for your turn at the hair salon?

From my experience, I have seen that such waiting times could be used productively. Most of the time, you would find me reading a book at that time. Other times, I would be sending a text message or checking out what the latest news in town is or updating my Facebook page – courtesy my phone. You must also decide to make those moments of your life count. While you are in a queue at the bank, that’s when you could send a quick “I love you” text to your loved one, determine your shopping list, or read a few lines of an enriching book you might have on you.

In-traffic delay: Traffic situation in Accra gets quite annoying and frustrating sometimes. A simple trip that should last as short as 15 minutes could take over an hour to complete. How can you make the best use of such a situation? If you are driving your own car, that’s when you may want to catch up on radio stuff or play some uplifting audio – music, book, training material, sermon, etc. If you find yourself in public transport – taxi or what we refer to in Ghana as trotro – you may read, meditate or do something else that is practicable and important rather than merely being anxious or angry at the traffic.

REMEMBER that time that has passed is irrecoverable and that there will be moments when circumstances may want to push some of your time under the bridge. That is when you can redeem some time and use it to do a bit of something that you may not have the bulk of time to execute.

© 2011 Terry Mante
Accra, Ghana
http://terrymante.blogspot.com

PEDNET Appoints New President

J B Eshun, President, PEDNET

Personal Development Network (PEDNET) has appointed John Benjamin Eshun as President. The PEDNET presidency is the operational arm of the organisation and is responsible for:
1. Coordinating strategies among the various departments and divisions of PEDNET to achieve the broad vision and mission of the organisation with efficiency
2. Designing and maintaining systems for managing the financial resources of the organisation
3. Providing logistical support to various departments, divisions and personnel of PEDNET
4. Developing systems and procedures for admitting, training, developing and monitoring team members
5. Directly overseeing the affairs of Confidence Group – the youth arm of PEDNET

Mr Eshun holds a University of Ghana Bachelor’s degree in French and Information Studies. He has a rich background in leadership development, mentoring, events organisation and teaching. In a brief statement to the CEO, the new president promised to “work hard to uplift the image and status of this organization to become one of the best in the country (Ghana) and beyond.” He also expressed gratitude to the founders of PEDNET for the trust and confidence reposed in him. By virtue of his appointment as President, Eshun becomes a member of the PEDNET Governing Council.




PEDNET is an umbrella of affiliated initiatives that seek to engender balanced spiritual, intellectual, social and physical transformation of people. We seek to do this by renewing paradigms and inspiring people to develop their leadership potential. PEDNET is registered as a company limited by guarantee under the Companies Code, 1963 (Act 179) of the Republic of Ghana. The organization is Christian in identity and orientation. PEDNET has over the years executed its mandate through events, publications and contact therapy (person-to-person counselling).


Issued from the office of the CEO
July 24, 2011

THE POWER OF SELF-IDENTITY

ITALIAN dramatist and poet Ugo Betti (1892-1953) remarked that, “There is always a certain peace in being what one is, in being that completely.” The greatest success in life is just to be who you are. Apart from being you, you cannot be successful at being anybody else. You can only be the best you. You cannot be the best of your friends, parents or role models. To experience real peace and inner fulfilment, we have to be true to who we are. If you are driven by the desire to be another person, then there would be no need for your existence on earth because you will be a fake. The world has no room for people who are not real. You’ve got to be an original you.

In moving through life, it is important that you come to terms with who you are and live out that identity. There is no way you can make your life count without counting your life. If you don’t say “I am” nobody will say “You are.” Quite often when I meet a person for the first time I introduce myself; I stretch out for a handshake and say something like, “Hello! I am Terry Mante and I am pleased to meet you.” Then the other person normally responds, “Hi Terry! I am pleased to meet you too.” In such a situation, the person is able to call my name because I say “I am Terry Mante.” From then onwards, the person deals with me as Terry. The way you identify yourself determines how the world identifies you and responds to you.

Addled inventor
Identification is your platform for engagement in life. The reason I write and speak is because I have identified myself as an author and speaker. If I had recognised myself as a singer, I would have been making music. In 1854, when Reverend G. B. Engle belittled one of his students as “addled,” the seven-year old boy got infuriated and moved out of the Port Huron Michigan School. He moved out because he did not see himself as addled or confused but he saw himself as an inventor. He did not stay in the school to try to impress his teacher. He moved on to live up to his self-identity. This boy grew up to become the man we all know as Thomas Edison. By the time he died in 1931 at the age of 84, Edison had gone on record as America’s most prolific inventor with over a thousand patents for such marvels as microphone, telephone receiver, record player, motion picture projection, office copiers, incandescent electric light and many more. Don’t accept tags placed on you by others unless they affirm your own self-identity.

Ali, the greatest
Long before he was recognised as Heavyweight Champion of the World, boxing legend Muhammad Ali identified himself as one. He started dreaming about it at 14; he was sure that one day he would be the Heavyweight Champion of the World. At that time his only worry was that he couldn’t “even beat anybody in [his] own gym.” So he asked his trainer Joe Martin, “Can I?” Martin’s response was depressing. Ali narrates in his autobiography that Martin shook his head doubtfully and said, “You hardly weigh a hundred and fifteen pounds soaking wet. You know how big a heavyweight is? Maybe you could be a lightweight.”

But Ali knew his identity. He knew who he was and what he could be. His response to Martin’s remarks was affirmative, “But I want ‘heavyweight.’ Somehow, although no one on either side of my family is that big, I feel I will be.” He moved away from Martin and the next day he began to do things that affirmed the conviction he had of himself. He trained earnestly and watched fights on TV with even keener interest. And now with the benefit of hindsight, we know that Martin was wrong and Ali was right. He did not allow Martins’ definition to inform him. He was driven by his conviction and by 1980 he had become a three-time Heavyweight Champion of the World.

Put on your own lens
If you do not have a positive self-identity, you cannot live a positive life. While it’s good to have ears for others, never see yourself only through the eyes of others. See yourself through the eyes of your convictions and aspirations. “You cannot consistently perform in a manner that is inconsistent with the way you see yourself,” says American author Zig Ziglar.

© Terry Mante
Accra, Ghana
http://terrymante.blogspot.com

PEDESTRIANS, PASSENGERS AND DRIVERS

LIFE is a journey. We move from the point of birth to the point of death. Many of us embark on this journey of life in different capacities and categories. There are pedestrians, passengers and drivers. As you travel through the road of life, it is crucial that you come to terms with the traits of each of these categories of people and decide where you fall.

PEDESTRIANS
TAKE a look at any highway and you’ll see pedestrians. A pedestrian is a person who travels on foot, especially in an area also used by cars. Pedestrians don’t walk in the middle of the road. They avoid getting in the way of the cars on the road. Even when they have to cross the road, they wait for the cars to stop or pass by before they cross. Because of risks and potential dangers on the road, they spend most of their time on the side lines. Some pedestrians specialise in commenting on how people drive and so on.

Likewise, on the highway of life you will find those who walk on the side lines. They like to play it safe. They do not participate in the important issues of life. They like to mind their own business. They believe that if they get involved, they would be knocked down by the cars on the road. Pedestrians are apathetic, unimaginative and uninspired. They play in the realm of conservatism and don’t take initiatives. Worse, they spend a chunk of their time criticising, instead of contributing to what others are doing.

PASSENGERS
PASSENGERS travel in a motor vehicle, train, aircraft or ship, but do not drive or belong to the crew. Nevertheless, they are among those who operate on the highway of life. Typically, passengers sit in a vehicle and end up at wherever the vehicle will deposit them. They do not control the functioning, direction and speed of the vehicle they travel in. But you see, any accident that occurs will have an impact on them.

In a wider perspective, passengers are persons who seemingly participate in life but do not influence the course of events. These are people who only enjoy what is available without making any additions to life. Passengers do not initiate change, progress and development. They just flow with the tide. Any society that is full of passengers will not experience meaningful progress. Such a society will always be at the mercy of their environment.

DRIVERS
ANYBODY can be a pedestrian or passenger. No special skills or qualifications are required to be on the side lines of the street as a pedestrian or get on board a vehicle as a passenger. But then when it comes to driving, one has to attain a minimum legal age, learn the skills of driving and get certified by the licensing authority. This is because driving is no joke. It is serious business. If a driver messes up, it could have devastating effects on the pedestrians, passengers, the driver, the vehicle involved and the wider society.

Drivers call the shots in every society. These are the people we call leaders. They are the movers and shakers of our world. They make things happen. Without such people society will be static, if not retrogressive. If there are no leaders in the society, there will be no meaningful progress. People who take time to develop themselves are able to drive society towards its aspirations.

If everybody decides to be a pedestrian or passenger, how do you think our society will be? It would probably mean that we would all be looking at each other and hoping that somebody would take a step. But if everybody decides to drive, it would imply that everybody is controlling their own destination and influencing an aspect of society. In a vehicle, it is the driver who determines the destination of the vehicle and thus the passengers.

ARE YOU…?
THIS is my task for you. Spend some time alone and consider whether you are a pedestrian, passenger or driver. Assess what your view of life is. Do you think that the government is responsible for your well-being? Or do you see yourself playing any role in life? Ask yourself these and many more questions and identify who you are.


© 2011 by Terry Mante
Accra, Ghana
http://terrymante.blogspot.com

SPIRITUAL CAPITAL

IN Africa and many parts of the world, anything with the word ‘spirit’ or ‘spiritual’ must be about some mystic force beyond the realm of human grasp. To some people it’s a set of ritualistic deeds captured in a frame called religion. But I have come to discover that spirituality is neither about religion nor some mystic powers. Spirituality is you; your innermost self, the real you. It is the centre of your life; the place where everything emanates from. Your spirituality makes a definite statement of who you are and clarifies the existential questions of life. Who am I? Why do I exist? What is my mission on earth? What is the meaning of life? Is there life after death? What kind of person am I? A clear understanding of these issues will converge to constitute your spiritual capital.

THE COMMITMENT OF YOUR LIFE: MISSION
I HAVE often wondered, “Am I just to get an education, get a job, marry someone pretty, have kids, grand kids, grow old and die?” If all I strive to accomplish will land me in death, then why do I work so hard? Is that all life is about? There must be something more compelling and significant than that. I don’t believe that God would create such a complex being as man to just come and wander on earth and go.
Every human life on earth has been tied to something specific. Each person is uniquely shaped to make a specific contribution to the world. That’s why every single person has a unique DNA, differentiated fingerprint, exact voice structure and many other features that are specific to them and is not duplicated in any single person. This implies that throughout the course of human history, there has never been anybody, there is nobody and there will never be anybody like you. You might resemble somebody else but you two are never the same.
This quintessential uniqueness of every human being implies that there is something specific that each of us is created to do. If you fail to live up to it, your life on earth would have been a worthless experience. Any person who recognises this will gain fulfilment and inner peace. The quest for a meaningful life would be reached when you discover what your mission on earth is and decide to harness it.

THE CHARACTER OF YOUR HEART: INTEGRITY
CHARACTER is what you do when nobody sees you. It is what you say that nobody hears. It is the difference between what people think of you and what you think of yourself. It is the difference between what you say to everybody and what you say to yourself; the difference between your public life and your private life. A person with low regard for character is a consistent adherent to the eleventh commandment; “Thou shall not be caught.” Do you cross the red light when the police are not watching? What are the movies you watch when you are alone? If being caught will embarrass you, then you have a character deficit. If you are concerned about being caught, reassess what you are doing and clean yourself up. The value of your human capital will always rise or fall to equate your character.

THE CONVICTION OF YOUR SPIRIT: FAITH
FAITH is firm assurance and belief based on spiritual conviction rather than physical evidence. It is what you hold on to when everything around you crumbles. It is that which will remain standing within you when the world around you collapses. Faith is not a matter of religion. It is an issue of insurance. It’s a belief in God’s power to create, redeem and restore. For me, it is characterized by a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and absolute commitment to His person, principles and power. This gives you stability and resilience.
A person of faith experiences a meaningful life. I share ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair’s view that “The meaning of life cannot be explained by science.” It is faith that does. When you don’t know what to do, your faith will direct you. When you are down, your faith will lift you up. When you are discouraged, your faith will encourage you. When everybody doubts you, your faith will make you believe in yourself.
SPIRITUAL capital is a non-negotiable. As we walk through life, it’s important that we walk with purpose, integrity and faith. These are the values that will stand the test of time. They will prevail in all situations of life. As you build your life, don’t neglect the accumulation of spiritual capital.

© 2011 by Terry Mante
terrymante.blogspot.com

IT'S A BIG DEAL

NOVEMBER 13, 2010. Myanmar’s pro-democracy opposition leader and human rights activist Aung San Su Kyi regained her freedom after seven continuous years under house arrest. Twenty-one years leading up to that time, Su Kyi had spent fifteen years of her life under house arrest. A couple of days after her release, I got the chance to watch an interview she granted the BBC. I must admit that the entire interview was very insightful and inspiring but a particular line struck me. The interviewer asked her, “How does it feel to be free again after seven years?” Her response captured what I consider to be imperative for human development and progress. She remarked, “I have always felt free because I had my books and I could listen to the BBC and read.”
What?! Seven years under house arrest and she always felt free? How is that possible? For Su Kyi, that was possible because she had access to knowledge and information – she could read her books and listen to the BBC. If you are exposed to relevant knowledge and information, you will never feel confined or limited in life. The way to rise above your limitation is to step up your knowledge base. If you want to progress beyond the current level of your life, then extending the boundaries of your knowledge is not an option. It is a must. You must give the acquisition and usage of knowledge an elevated position in your life. Your ignorance limits your horizon. You cannot progress beyond what you know.
So, if you are not learning, then you are limiting yourself. You cannot move beyond your current location to harness the boundless opportunities that exist in the world. As a matter of fact, before you can take advantage of any opportunity, you have to know about it. Then, you have to know what is needed to nib it in the bud. You see! If you don’t know, you can’t pursue.
Thus in today’s world, what you know and what you don’t know is a real BIG DEAL. You cannot achieve beyond the level of your knowledge. The reason you are behind is the information you don’t have. And it will take relevant knowledge to leap you from the back to the front. If you see yourself to be in front, it’s because you possess some knowledge that those behind don’t have. You must constantly update your knowledge to keep leading.
So, what constitutes your knowledge base? Four components – Information, insight, observation and experience.
1. Information. Each day of our lives, somebody tells us something, either directly or indirectly. We hear stuff from our family members, our friends, colleagues at work and mates in the classroom. We listen to the news, we read statements by politicians and journalists, and our pastors preach to us. When somebody tells you something, what you hear becomes part of what you know. Information is the knowledge we have in our heads. It refers to facts we have accumulated about phenomena, persons or places. It doesn’t matter what you believe. Once something is in your brain, it’s information; even if you’ve not seen any evidence.

2. Insight. Insight takes you deeper into what you already know. It processes information you already have and gives you understanding. Insight is the ability to see; except that you see not just with your natural eyes but with your mind’s eye as well. Seeing with your mind’s eye involves prying the surface to unravel the hidden meaning of an idea or concept. You do that by asking why, how, what, who, when and/or where. When you see something with your mind’s eye, it gives you understanding and helps you to establish a conviction. It carves your perspective.

3. Observation. When you look around, what do you see? What impression do you get? What ideas come to your mind? Do you get any inspiration? Things that happen around us can draw our minds to issues and phenomena we might never have considered. They open our eyes to opportunities we must harness and challenges to confront. You must not be in a place and close your eyes to things happening around. Be alert to your environment.

4. Experience. I was chilled when CNN named Anuradha Koirala as CNN Hero of the Year 2010. At age 9 or 10 (she’s not so sure), Koirala became a victim of child trafficking. She went through shock and torture whenever she refused to sleep with any of the about 30 men she was supposed to service each day. She eventually got redeemed from it and since then she has dedicated her life to educating people about child trafficking. It was in recognition of her commitment to expunging child trafficking and abuse that CNN acknowledged her as a hero. Experiences are real. It’s important that we don’t take our experiences for granted. They constitute an essential segment of our knowledge base. Let Anuradha Koirala be your hero too; let your experience build your knowledge package and inform your engagement in life.
The educated or knowledgeable are people who pack information, open it up with their senses of perception and understanding and relate such knowledge with what is happening around them. Ultimately, such people test their knowledge through experience and application to their day-to-day endeavours.

By Terry Mante
© 2011 Accra, Ghana
terrymante.blogspot.com

FROM SUCCESS TO SIGNIFICANCE

CALCUTTA IS the capital of West Bengal state and one of India’s largest cities. In this city lived a woman who was well-known and highly-respected, both within India and across the globe. She was not known to be rich but she made a lot of impact; Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu (1910-1997)! You probably know her as Mother Teresa. From 1948 until her death in 1997, the Albanian-born nun devoted her life to helping the poor and the sick of Calcutta and other parts of India and the world at large. She founded Missionaries of Charities and opened shelter for dying people. Teresa lived for the under-privileged in society. Her life counted for the worn out, weak and weary. She was not wealthy but her life brought a wealth of hope, joy and inner peace to millions of people.
Now you! How will your story be told when the time comes? What meaning have you ascribed to your life? Are you just living to be successful? Success means getting what you desire out of life. So if a politician desires to win an election and goes on to win, that could be described as success. A student who passes an examination may be described as successful. But you see, the problem with success is that it is too narrow – if not selfish. More than becoming successful, we’ve got to make our lives count. We must aspire to be significant. Instead of seeing the world in terms of what we can get, we must see the world in terms of what we can give; how many people we can touch. I see Ben Franklin’s reflection that "I would rather have it said 'he lived usefully' than 'he died rich'" apt and witty. More than just words, it was the way Franklin lived his life. One example of his useful nature was the invention of the Franklin stove. Instead of patenting it and keeping it to himself, Ben Franklin decided to share his invention with the world. Leadership expert John Maxwell also posits that, “If you are giving, loving, serving, helping, encouraging, and adding value to others, then you're living a life that counts!” A life that counts is a significant one that flows into the lives of others.
We can all become significant in various ways but here are three brief pointers on becoming significant.
• Discover your purpose. No one is on earth just to wander about or to add up to the numbers. We all have an assignment to fulfil, an answer to a question, a solution to a problem and a provision for a need. Every person on the face of the earth has a contribution to make. We make that contribution when we fulfil our purpose. Discovering and fulfilling our purpose is the vehicle by which we impact our world and add value to other lives.
• Develop your talent. A talent is an inborn ability that inclines us to perform certain tasks without necessarily being taught. To be able serve people with your talent effectively, you must find ways to sharpen it. This can be done via reading, regular engagement, mentorship and collaboration.
• Deploy yourself. You make great impact when you step out with confidence in what God has given you. If you don’t step out you can’t give out. Decide to release yourself unto your generation and you will have moved beyond success to significance.
Significance is attained when we allow what is inside us to come out to benefit others. Nelson Mandela’s conviction that South Africa could be free led him to fight for his country’s liberation. Thomas Edison’s quest for significance ushered us into the modern age of electricity. Jesus Christ’s passion for significance led Him to sacrifice to attain redemption for the entire human race. Those guys who offer assistance when the traffic light breaks down are expressing their significance through public spiritedness. Success is good but it is largely personal and could get selfish. Significance, on the other hand, is driven by the public good and it is selfless. It is better to be significant than to be successful. Success is great but we need to share our success with the world in order to be significant.

http://terrymante.blogspot.com
© 2010 Terry Mante
Accra, Ghana