PREPARE FOR AN OPPORTUNITY

Practiceis your way of declaring that you
believe that your dreams will come to
pass.You need to be ready because if you are
not, when the opportunity comes therewill be
no time to prepare. That will be the time for
delivery.
AnytimeI watch good football like Manchester
United’s brilliant display this week atthe
English Premier League, I see so many lessons
that we can learn.
First,think of all the people who would want
to be in that winning team but could notmake
it because they did not have the required level
of skill. It is not thatthey were bad. They were
just not good enough.
Therewill always be room at the top for the
best. A lot of people settle formediocrity
because frankly speaking, it is easier. It is
easier to be good atsomething than to be the
best. Differentiation by excellence is inevitable
ifyou want to stand out and this is done by
consistent practice andself-development.
Youneed to practice when no one sees.
Diligence in obscurity always leads
toprominence. The hidden part of your life is
responsible for the visible part.The part of
your life that is not seen is what drives the
part that is seen.Your private habits become
your public reputation.
Youtherefore need to be able to practice and
prepare for an opportunity that doesnot exist
yet. Prepare for opportunities that no one else
can see so that whenthe opportunity arises,
you are ready.
Somepeople have dreams, but are not
preparing for the fulfillment of their
dreams.So they are caught unawares by their
own dreams.
Greatnessis the default destination of people
who exert themselves preparing for
thingsthat no one else can see. If you cannot
prepare for the visions in your head,you will
not move beyond the reality in your hand.
Abeauty queen was once asked how she won
every pageant that she contested in.She said
that she had watched videos of beauty
queens from around the worldthousands of
times and practiced in her room for years,
what they did. Sherevealed when she got to
the pageant, she simply did what she had
donethousands of times in her room.
Theonly difference was that this time she had
an audience. When the opportunitycame, she
only did in public what she had perfected in
private.
Longbefore anyone ever called me to speak
anywhere, I would stand in front of amirror
and speak. We had a chapel at home, and so I
would stand in front andimagine myself
speaking to people. I would go to the farm
and speak to thegoats and the chickens. I did
this for years before any human being ever
heardme speak before large audiences.
Mypractice ground had been in obscurity. My
family would be amused. Today, Ispeak in
different nations in front of thousands of
people every week. I amhaving the last laugh.
Practiceis your way of declaring that you
believe that your dreams will come to
pass.You need to be ready because if you are
not, when the opportunity comes therewill be
no time to prepare. That will be the time for
delivery.
Davidpracticed in obscurity by protecting his
sheep against an attack from a lionand a bear
when no one was watching. It was
preparation for Goliath andultimately for
ruling the nation and defending his people.
Whilesome people are interested in the
minimum level of input, greatness is
reservedfor those with the maximum input.
Thinkof an iceberg. The greatest part is the
unseen part. Think of crude oil. Thehardest
part is the refining process. No gift comes
refined. Practice is therefinery of champions.
Theplayers that took Man U to victory were
each exceptional in their own rights.That
leads to something else.
Winningdoes not happen because of one
single kick. While it is true that one finalkick
produces the goal, it is the end result of
consistent passing of the ballfrom one player
to another.
Meanwhile,the other team is working
desperately to stop this passing and take
control ofthe ball. You have to remain focused
and consistent in a very hostileenvironment.
This is the story of life.
Somany obstacles are working to keep you
down, such as your past experiences,mind-
set and attitudes. Feelings of unworthiness, of
inadequacy and inferiorityadded to the mix
mess up potentially great people big time.
Friends,if anyone deserves to succeed, you do.
Remember that for all those working hardto
keep you down; you have people who are
also working hard to ensure that youwin.
They are your team – people who share the
same dream as you and whobelieve in you.
Alwaysremember that you cannot do it alone.
You need a team, a network. You also needa
great coach – someone who’s past is your
future, whose experience is yourexpectation.