Have you ever been obsessed with a dream or goal you wanted at all costs?
Have you felt a deep, burning desire that can’t seem to leave you?
I have. Constantly.
One of my obsessions is to create an Africa of our dreams.
But before I go ahead, let me share more about obsessions with you.
Obsession is definiteness of purpose; a deep burning desire one pursues at all costs.
When you are obsessed with a goal, everything else seems insignificant or of little relevance.
You constantly breathe, think and feed on your goal. Your mind, subconsciously or consciously, is on it, thinking up ways to bring your obsession into reality.
I have a strong, burning desire for personal development. I was curious. How do I start? What specific areas do I dwell on?
I discovered that it starts from the Individual. The Individual must first desire and want it enough.
There are six aspects of personal development that everyone should focus on and obsess about;
Sound Physical Health
You should obsess about being in the best physical shape. This will keep you fit and mentally active. This also helps you avoid preventable illnesses and health issues. You can face issues and obstacles with a clear mentality.
Peace of mind
You have to be obsessed with your peace of mind. Stop letting people with toxic energy disturb you. If someone is negative or manipulative, give them space. You have to protect your peace of mind at all costs.
Labour of Love
You have to be obsessed with something you are passionate about. For me, I enjoy writing about success principles. That is why I built Success Afrika, to compile the principles that successful people have used over the years.
Freedom from Fear & Worry
Worrying and anxiety take up 90% of our time. What happens when you choose to free yourself from fear and worry? You are free to take whatever action you want. Focus on creating the future rather than worrying about it.
Positive Mental Attitude
You should be obsessed with developing a positive mindset. It would give you more opportunities when you see things from a better perspective. It equally allows you to see the best in people and circumstances.
Material Things
You focus on working on what you are passionate about. However, you should learn to be content while aiming for more. Being content allows you to be satisfied while reaching out for more opportunities and possibilities in Life.
How do you execute your Desire?
A statement by sages over the centuries is “When the Student is ready, the Teacher would appear.”
When you develop a burning obsession to achieve a specific goal, your inner mind starts thinking of ways you can achieve the goal. It starts opening new doors of thinking for you.
You find yourself asking questions like
- Who do I meet?
- Who do I talk to?
- How do I execute this?
- What do I require?
Then you move to the next stage.
Reach out to your network and form an alliance; they should be allies who are walking the same part as you.
However, do note that you must be willing to give as much as you get.
Build a team. You can build a team without money. Part of the team would provide the needed funding.
Most importantly, develop yourself. Seek expert advice. Be Trustworthy.
How can youth handle their burning desires & goals?
The most significant advantage about being a Youth is that, you have time and energy.
The best way youth should handle it is through Keeping good company.
Stay away from two sets of people:
v People who gamble.
v People who do drugs.
People who gamble develop the mindset that people can get something for nothing, and this mindset is very unhealthy.
People who do drugs end up weak-minded. They cannot believe in themselves, and for anyone to succeed, they must first believe in themselves.
Equally, youth should understand the virtue of work. Nothing can be accomplished without work—especially for youth in Africa. Love work, shun drugs and keep good company.
Remember, what you tell yourself, the narrative you tell yourself matters. If you tell yourself that you can’t make it, you won’t make it. If you tell yourself a great narrative, you will believe well in yourself.
