Do you rather I tell you some home truth or sugar-coat the realities on ground? I think I would choose the former; if you are reading this article, you have a maximum of a 100 years to live (well, I still have to sugarcoat it). Look at where you are today; do you think you would be where you are today if you made an alternate decision in the past. For example, if you chose not to go to school, you are likely not to be reading this article; you are likely not to have the friends you have; you likely not to be married to the person you are married to or working where you are working. It is funny how past decisions affects where we are today.
Another realization hit me when I was driving to VI; I was comparing two scenarios in a traffic jam; a dirty hungry looking girl below 7 years was hitting my car window, begging for money while at the same time I noticed another below 7-year old girl sitting alone at the owner’s seat of a Hummer jeep. Contrasting these two girls, their economic difference definitely had nothing to do with yesterday’s decision but simply by the relationship they have. This 7-year old girls did not really have a choice on the relationships to belong to but if they did; they both could have chosen the affluent parents.
Unlike the 7-year olds, I am sure you had a choice on the relationship to keep because the relationships you nurtured and kept determined your today. In determining the true success of a man, the bible tied it to relationships in Psalm 1: 1: “Blessed is the man that neither walks in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the ways of sinners, nor sit in the seats of the scornful.†The relationship I am talking about is not limited to humans but encompasses the books your read, the TV shows you watch, the schools you attend, the articles you read, the God you serve, etc
If the position you are today is based on yesterday’s choice of relationship, then your tomorrow is going to be based on today’s choice of relationships. Let’s stop kidding ourselves, most people that are stars today made a conscious choice to be one; practicing 2 or 3 hours daily in preparation to the dreams they hold. Every decision you make today affects your tomorrow; you do not have to be Nostradamus or a gifted seer to know your future; just look at what you are doing today.
On one of Larry King’s show, he was asked by a teenager if he knew he would be where he is today when he was a teenager. His reply was very instructive; “there was no satellite so I never dreamed of being known globally, I wanted to be a local radio host because that was the prevalent media and I practiced my speech everyday in front of the mirror.†The thing about predicting your tomorrow is that you may never know if cars would be flying or you may be teleporting but you know that every decision you make today would make your tomorrow.
When I look back at the decisions that some people made in my undergraduate days; I am not too surprised at where they are today. One of such persons is Gbenga Sesan. His decision to join Junior Achievement of Nigeria (JAN) @ 10K per month when everybody was rushing to the banks, the PWCs, the P&Gs, Schlumberger, Mobil, etc @ a far better salary; it was based on what he was seeing. This was not a popular decision but looking at his profile eight years later, he is definitely living a dream opposed to others.
‘Gbenga has completed Executive Education Management Training Programs at Lagos Business School, New York Group for Technology Transfer, Oxford University, Harvard University and Stanford University. His consulting experience includes assignments completed for numerous institutions, including Microsoft, Harvard University, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Res Publica, Computer Aid International, Heinrich Boll Foundation and the International Telecommunications Union.
Beyond Nigeria, ‘Gbenga has consulted and made presentations in various countries, including Austria, Canada, Egypt, Ethiopia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, India, Kenya, Mali, Morocco, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, United Kingdom and United States. He is a member of the United Nations Committee of eLeaders on Youth and ICT and Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellow; and he was Nigeria’s first Information Technology Youth Ambassador. He has won numerous awards including 2005 Stockholm Challenge Champion honour, 2004 NiPRO Excellence in Information Technology award, 2003 JCI Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) in Nigeria award, etc.
In 2006, he was appointed as the youngest member of the Nigerian Presidential Task Force on the Restructuring of the Nigerian Information Technology and Telecommunications Sectors. ‘Gbenga is also an author and regular feature on some of Nigeria’s popular television shows. ‘Gbenga Sesan has been profiled as one of the 35 Icons of ICT in Nigeria and he keeps a personal website at www.gbengasesan.com. He is married to Temilade, a PhD scholar with research interests in Renewable Energy Policy and Implementation for developing economies (especially Nigeria and Kenya) and his forthcoming book, “In My Own Words” will be published by Imprimata in August 2009.
Trust me; I had to do a lot of serious cuts on his profile because they are far more than this. Whenever someone like Gbenga makes a decision, it is important to seriously consider it because he sure can see tomorrow. When he informed me he was attending the PMP class organized by Ayo in Sheraton Hotel to meet the 35 contact hour to write the PMP exam, I knew he was seeing something about the future. If you are not aware about Ayo’s PMP class, please click HERE. This is what he had to say:
“Getting a credential like PMP boosts your career and positions you for growth. There is no better time to get a project management certification than now. The present economic situation has ensured that organizations run their projects in a more efficient and cost effective manner rather than the haphazard ways they used to do it. PMI provides a well structured method of running projects according to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). Getting a PMP credential does not only help you become a qualified Project Manager but also gives you an in-road to other disciplines that contribute to running an organization, e.g. Human Resources, Budgeting, etc.â€
Wow! What can I say? I have decided to join Ayo’s PMP class because I definitely can see the future and I know that sacrificing my today’s funds and time will be worth it because I can see history repeating itself. Seats are getting filled; if you are interested in Ayo’s class, please click HERE. But before I go, I am sorry I could not give books to those that did not meet the deadline for the “RAT Race” comment. However, I would be given a much better book from Yale University: It is called “YALE BOOK OF QUOTATIONS“. Before 29th of May, the first 20 people to share with us in the comment section on “how their past affected their today and what they are doing today to impact their future” would recieve this book FREE.  Have a wonderful week ahead and make today count for the tomorrow you see: Ciao.
Listen to this podcast
Loading ...
11 comments
No ping yet
May 25, 2009 at 5:16 pm (UTC 1)
Hi,
Thanks for this insight. One of the decision I took several years ago is love for reading good books. With this singular decidon, I found out that many people dont seek for Knowledge through good books. Therefore, when I talk people wonder where I get those facts for not knowing that when you are worded you will be loaded and when you are loaded you will be needed. What I am doing today is to encourage people to go for information through reading good book. Remember, when you are not informed, you will be deformed
May 26, 2009 at 8:06 am (UTC 1)
Dipo , i cant but agree with you that we can always predict our future by our actions today. i remebered too when i wanted to go to ife by all means after my OND. Four years was wasted without entering ife but i later found myslef in Lasu part t ime then i challenge myself that by next 5 years i wud catch up with my friends who had already concluded thier degrees then. i started working in accounting firm, doing PT BSC, periodically travelling to abeokuta for my HND programm ,at the end of the 5th year , i had my Hnd,Bsc and ACA . Currently i have a good job and none of my old friends thou with wonderful jobs is far way per level from me.
May 26, 2009 at 5:36 pm (UTC 1)
OMG…What a write-up. I completely agree with you o. But how many can see ahead and move ahead despite all odds. I guess i am one of them. Where i am today is majorly a set of decision i made. Where i will be tomorrow would also be a result of the decisions i make o.
I first heard about Mr. Gbenga Sesan in 2001 when i was in 100 Level. That was through Engr. Titi Omo-Ettu. Indeed, he is a good example. He also conducted a decision yestarday on Impact of ICT’s on MDG….
I will create my future with God’s help!
May 26, 2009 at 7:16 pm (UTC 1)
nice one dipo
balogun
May 27, 2009 at 1:30 pm (UTC 1)
Great perspective thinking.
Superb, humble and honest research and report on Gbenga Sesan.
Its great to have u. Nigeria will miss you especially when you become finally refined as u are on that path to infinity karat GOLD.
God Bless U Sir.
May 27, 2009 at 1:51 pm (UTC 1)
To when my book, I will post this.
As simply as it is:
I decided to become an enterprise person and so I did. Many believe I studied Entrepreneurship or a Business related course in school. But no. I studied Microbiology and today I am glad how sound a business person I am growing to become. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and others never really studied computer in school but easily, their action created future for them.
A question was asked, ‘How can one predict the future’
Answer: Create it.
Illustration. In the future u will stand up from where u are now. If u wish to change the future. Just never stand again.
I love the book Mr. D. Thanks
May 27, 2009 at 9:52 pm (UTC 1)
Inspirational post. We truly only have 100 years max on this earth, which means that we should be working harder towards the things that really matter.
May 28, 2009 at 2:23 pm (UTC 1)
” make today count for the tomorrow you see” Great thought.
May 28, 2009 at 2:36 pm (UTC 1)
Congrats in advance as you take a step further in your quest for more knowledge. My past has actually affected my today mostly in the area of investments. Having made some bad investment decisions in the past, it has affected my decision today to do more home work and thorough investment appraisal before embarking on any investment. Presently, I diversify my investments portfolio s I work hard towards getting out of the rat race.
May 28, 2009 at 7:22 pm (UTC 1)
@ abolore
sup brova mi?how are you?heard nysc callup list is out.
@ all
nice piece!was with gbenga sesan 2 saturdays ago in lagos.
the decision to create my future was when i was withdrawn from the college of pharmacy in 200 level and the ony option was to change to another department and start all over. and microbiology seemed to be the best.between 2005 and now,i have read over 70 different books.i joined JCI,i became a member,entrepreneurial committee.i served in different leadership capacities in the fellowship,i started a consulting business while in school.i came across this website and that changed my life.by winning a 4G apple ipod i met dipo in his house.built a relationship over time,then i invited him to speak at seminar organized ny Pradigm Shift international which(a human capacity building org) which i had some friends founded.he came again to speak at career talk during the FYB week of microbiology dept.few weeks ago,i got armani wrist watch from dipo as best commentator.this year i had a business meting with dipo at chinese restaurant i lagos.another opportunity to network,trust i got enogh business cards!meeting victor awah 2 yrs ago,i had a relationship with him over time while he was working with tehuti advisors(consulting firm).this year,he left to start his own consulting firm.voila!he offered me a job-though i have an extra year at OAU just because of 2 carryovers!i took!after attending Goldman Sachs internship company presentation last year in lagos.3 of my friends and i decided to start an youth empowerment program called ignite projects to liase with companies by providing internship oopprtunities for undergraduates-80% of our graduates are unemployable.while Gbenga Sesan is our project co-ordinator.2 weeks ago my group had a meeting Dayo Johnson OBE,FRSA who is a UK based motivational speaker and business consultant,a past president of Toastmasters in UK as regards ignite projects.just as the meeting was about to get end,he gave francis anyagebu(read about him in tribune the previousweek before the meeting) who represented nigeria in Dubai this year at a global youth event.now the proposal for ignite proojects is ready and would be sent to varoius companies!my speaking skills is getting better by the day!i created my future by seeing it because i failed at the college of pharmacy.maybe that was the push i needed to succeed.i acquired every needed marketing,leadership and other soft skills when most of my friends were busy chasing the degree and forgot to add value to themselves.
secret?your vision of the future has to be compelling enough to push you through.it has to be strong enough to inspire you to go after it.
people are not lazy they just dont have potent dreams-anthony robbins
May 29, 2009 at 10:39 pm (UTC 1)
“Do you rather I tell you some home truth or sugar-coat the realities on ground? I think I would choose the former.” I’d also rather tell the truth because that’s what Jesus Christ would do.