(Promoting Participation)
“Talk does not cook rice”
Chinese Proverb
When we close our eyes and think of our purpose, we feel desirable. No matter how insane, impossible or strong willed your desire is, it is achievable if you persist. From the dangerous acts performed by some of the greatest talents in the world, to the most amazing ideas ever recorded, we see that persistence is a rewarding element to the success of these. In 2016, Alexandr Magala risked his life on the Britain’s Got Talent stage by performing what is undoubtedly, one of the most unusual and dangerous acts ever performed live on stage. His act proves the power of persistence when put into practice. On stage, he swallows a sword approximately fourteen inches long and flips over consistently whiles dangling upside down from a pole. Persistence fuels desire. He has been able to share his talent and story with the world. He did not blow his trumpet or brag about his ability to perform such an act. He actually did it.
If a desire as dangerous and daring as his is achievable, there is no telling what the limit to the power of the human mind is. Saying we will do something is easy. However, it takes persistence to bring it to reality. There will be no history to record if the giants of classical music, art, literature, psychology, philosophy, medicine and many other fields had given up where they failed to succeed. We only achieve our desires if we see failure as a temporary effort to success. Persistence has taken men to the heights of great knowledge and spirituality, has put others on the highest summits in the world, taken others to the moon, and has inspired creativity in several others.
Our desires must be great. It must be bigger than ourselves. It should be useful to the future generation. Only such a desire can inspire participation. People will listen to you and follow you if what you share with the world does not benefit only you, but gives room for participation. A great desire attracts great talents and minds that contribute to its fulfilment. It leads to a fulfilment whose fruit ensures a lasting impact for future generation. World sustainability is a responsibility for all. We must leave the world better than we came to meet it. Selfish desires die in the womb that conceives them even before they are born. To create lasting impact, one must associate with like-minded individuals. The one who conceives the desire must not be the sole or only beneficiary of that desire. Your desire should make the world a better place. With persistence and the right participation, lasting impact is possible. Brain activity is like looking at the cells moving in a blood sample under a microscope. Everything happens so fast and seems so confusing. However, in the very seemingly confusion, there is understanding between the cells and all components ensuring the growth of more cells to form tissues and eventually, one organism. Similarly, in a fast paced world, selfish desires get left behind. Proper participation and the right networking are key elements for the formation of greater desires and eventually better opportunities for everyone. Eagles can’t afford to fly lower than other birds because the power of their vision is made for great heights and not shallow ones. Likewise, the connections we create and the people we move with affect the potency and extent of the fulfillment of our desires. You can choose to be a loner, follow the crowd, or move along with the right people. Your choice!
“The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: If there is any reaction, both are transformed.”
Carl Gustav Jung (Swiss Psychiatrist and founder of analytical Psychology)
Sometimes to discover other parts and qualities of our nature, we must interact with people. Developing people skills only make us human, which is very important if we want to reach out to a global audience. There are people who lack sound negotiation and networking skills. This condition is not permanent. Seeking knowledge on how to interact and meet new people is the solution. For example, how do you email busy people? How do you reach out to someone you never know personally, especially when you know for sure the person has something you need that can help you make a difference? We all need somebody. No human endeavour exists in a vacuum. When emailing busy people, we must make the conversation less of ourselves and more of them. Only then can we get their attention and the help we need from them. Many a time, very influential and busy people do not respond to their emails because they notice a lot of bad introductions and pitches. For example, if the richest man in the world were to respond to your email, it will only be because you sent out a good introduction of yourself, very brief and conveyed your point in simple, powerful words. If you can’t say what you want to do in say twenty-five words, through an email, why would he or she spend an hour of their precious time talking to you on the phone?
