It has been a great 2014. Getting to know you guys have inspired me and reaffirmed my commitment of being an effective teacher. As we begin year 2015:
Never stop learning. School only teaches you how to learn, not what to learn. Learning should be limitless. Do not wait until you are given a homework, test or exam before you learn. You can learn new things like photography, web design, production of alternative sources of energy (biogas, biofuel etc.) among others. You can be curious about emerging fields like astrobiology, recombinant memetics, exo-meteorology, nutrigenomics, cliodynamics, synthetic biology, computational social science and neuroparasitology.
Surround yourself with people smarter than you. This way you won’t be too comfortable or be a local champion; rather it will challenge you to do more.
Do not be afraid to start a business at a very young age. It can be something as simple as selling pure water. It will teach you about managing conflicts and all the lessons you will need with handling life.
Travel as much as you can and meet new people. You will be more exposed and see life differently. Mark Twain once said “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover”
Dreams do come true. Ideas rule the world. Keep thinking and doing. Who knows, you might be the next rated inventor.
Do not be afraid to fail. When you fall, dust yourself off and keep moving.
Invest in yourself. Take classes in things that interest you, buy books/journals, and join clubs.
There are only 24 hours in day. Use it wisely.
Networking with people from diverse backgrounds can change your life for the better. We are only separated by six degrees (6.6 degrees to be exact). That simply means we are just six (6) introductions away from any other person on the planet.
Learn to say “Thank You”. These two words are more powerful than you could imagine, plus it is free! The best things in life are free.
Do not judge people. Respect others. To thy own self, be true. In the words of Rick Warren: “Our culture has accepted two huge lies: The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear them or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate”.
No one is going to hand you success. You must go out and get it yourself. That’s why you are here. Breathe with a purpose. We all have a purpose. Do not settle until you find yours.
True happiness comes from within and you are not truly successful if happiness has been compromised in the process.
I cannot stress enough how important you all are to me. Thank you for being part of my 2014.
In 2015, I hope to continue to share my gifts with the world, foster positive change in my own backyard and above all, be happy.
How about you? Leave comments below!
Ridwan and Miss Akinsemolu
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