Experience Vs Potential

Ever been in a situation where you were disqualified or gave up on something because of lack of experience? You are not alone. See every time someone gives you something to do for them, they will always want to know if you have done it before for them to have confidence that you can indeed deliver.  If you have no experience they will lower the bar for you and in a worst case, change their mind on the issue. Experience is good because it gives you the courage to do something. It is easy to think I have done it before I can do it again which is a very good motivation booster.

 I am reminded of the boy David when he was going to fight Goliath for all ye readers of the good book. He had to go before King Saul to prove his prowess in fighting Goliath and he gave experiences where he had fought a bear and a lion before. This was after King Saul had done his best to discourage him as he told David that he was just a boy and Goliath had been a fighting man from his youth, experience which David did not have. I mean is it not experience that gave Goliath the confidence and pride to stand and insult a whole nation for 40 days.  He is referred to as a champion from Gath; he had championed many battles successfully so what was different with Israel . Since David did not have any such experience he could not speak with such pride and arrogance. To cut the story short, at the end of the day Goliath was a dead man lying in front of David, dead with his many years of experience defeated by a boy who did not have any experience on the battle field. So I want experience bowing down to potential!

While experience is good, it’s just that in life there are many places it shall not apply. The way you fight one battle is not the way you will fight another. This is because situations or battles are different and unique in nature thus they call for unique and different approaches to address them. Something new, innovative actually has to be done to tackle them. This is where you switch from experience to potential.

Potential is untapped energy or power. It is a raw material which needs to be used to produce the experience. It has no limit thus when exploited it can produce unlimited opportunities. And because all of us are endowed with potential this is how to tap it:-

•    Be courageous – Well, that’s about the best advice you can give someone but here’s what it actually means- pursuing something out of the ordinary! When you are safely out of the ordinary zone we could call you something like….extra ordinary!

•   Be the why type – Yea, be that annoying kid who asks just about everything they come across. Why is this why is that why can’t it ……why to the end of it and know every detail of it. The opportunity is in the detail.

•   Be a listener - Listen to people as they are the opportunity. If they are happy about something, someone went out of their way to do something good that can be enjoyed by people if they are complaining about something –it is your turn to do something good! You are what they are waiting for!

•   So who said an egg has to be fried on a pan? How else can you do it tell us! The alternative could just save the day and the day after.

You soon will realize that potential is all you need to get all you need.  It is the real opportunity!

Why I did it how I did it!

About two years ago I went rock climbing at the Kit-Mikayi rocks in Kisumu and there was this point that no lady went beyond as they said it was dangerous and not suitable for ladies; so the men went all the way to the peak of one of the tallest rocks and started celebrating and calling us to join them. I was comfortable with the far that I had climbed and had even sat down to rest but the ladies kept saying that it is not possible to go beyond that point for any lady. I was so not okay with that and the more they kept saying it the more I felt it's actually possible. It is their insisting that it’s not possible that inspired me to wake up and start towards the peak.

I made my way crawling and on all fours as the rock was steep amidst warnings and a fat serving of ridicule. Up I went and man....it was not easy it was the typical uphill task but hang in there it was possible. Those that were already at the peak were encouraging and clapping for me and telling me I can do it and well done girl.....there I was at the peak! Well, not that I wanted but I couldn't help look down on those that were discouraging me I was so high I could only look down if at all I was to see them. And they could only look up to me if at all they were to see me even if they did not want.

That was a defining moment for me! Even though I did it not because of a passion that I had but as an act of defiance to what they said, I proved and defined myself one hundred times and helped a sister who thought it was not possible because everyone else thought it wasn't. As I sat in bed that night I reflected on the situation and had this to point out:-

Comfort is good and it is an achievement but achievement always calls for more it cannot be sustained in comfort!

There is nothing in life you cannot achieve and sometimes God puts “ladies” in your life to help you discover and utilize your full potential you need them!

You are not the first to make it to the peak others have gone ahead of you and made it so you will always have someone to look up to someone to encourage you; and if you are the first you are the encouragement please make a way for us we are coming!

Don’t start the journey because you have shoes start because you have a goal, a reason, a drive! Like you can get to your goal without shoes trust me!

Here’s an oldie….when the going gets tough the tough gets going walk on fours if the road is steep, lie on your back and let the waves carry you this way you will have some time to rest before you start paddling again you will get to the shore!

On a lighter note….It is very bad to climb half way finish what you started no one will finish it for you!

Yea smile all the way smile at every point of the journey and when you get to the peak your smile will have come a long way it can help someone all the way!

Giving out on purpose!

There is something that has been nagging my mind lately and the other day on my way home I gave it a good thought. In a demanding world where everything and everyone needs something from you, it is very easy to be preyed on and victimized by everyone and everything. We all have responsibilities in our difference fields and capacities which require our attention, love and dedication even our very lives for them to be there.  When God created man he gave him the authority to rule over the creation; he gave a responsibility to man. So man and responsibility are inseparable.  That is not my point though. I want to strike a balance between when to give something and when not to.

I passed through Ngara market the other day on my way to town and as I arrived town I thought I just had the longest day in my life.  Everyone wanting my attention, calling me sweet names just to get me to their shops and sell me everything, anything. Some even dragging me to their sheds just for me to see what they have even when I have made it clear that I am not interested. Literally, everyone there wants something from me. That is just a market scenario and a very small percentage of all that need something from me. There are many other things demanding my attention, my time etcetera.

How can this demand be satisfied? As far as I am concerned I am the demand holla to Mr. Kabeu, my class six business studies teacher who made us chant a psalm called Suppy and Demand every time he entered the class. As a good business student I remember the psalm very well. When the demand is high, the supply is low and vice-versa. Business wise speaking we could say that but that’s bone for another day. It just so seems life doesn’t know how demand and supply plays out. So I decided to teach life how this works.

All needs cannot be satisfied at the same time and here is a little help from a sister who has learnt to balance this the hard way.

1.       Learn to prioritize

At some point in life, you will surely use almost every item that is on the market. A phone is important, but so is a blanket and a tomato. If you cannot sleep well because you have not eaten, then get the tomato first the blanket can follow.

2.       Avoid referrals

Referrals are good but you are not good you are the best and your choice is the best. Don’t allow someone to drag you to their stores to sell you anything. You know exactly what you want go right up to the item you need in life and get it. How something works for me may not be how it will work for you so make original choices, that’s how innovators are born!

3.       Learn to say no

This is a very healthy way of addressing a need or someone wanting something from you. It also makes you be respected.

4.       Give out on purpose

Learn to give on purpose and let the purpose be love. When you give out or buy something out of love, the satisfaction is two-fold.

This is Sarah!

Sarah is a girl with a bird's eye approach to life that means I like to oversee all situations in my life. This is a very good position to be because from there I am in control and I am able to make informed decisions and choices. Being in this position means that I have a third eye that sees what my other two eyes don't. It sees beyond the face value it sees beyond the book cover it sees beyond the storm , beyond the grave beyond the smile literally, it sees beyond what my other two faithful eyes see. This is how i am able to oversee and keep on top of things!

Before you start wondering about my third eye, there is something that lies so deep in each and everyone of us. It is usually covered by so many things doubt, unbelief, ignorance and their mother lies. It is the truth. It is only the truth that sees or knows beyond the face value of things and situations in our lives. Once we harness this truth we are no longer subjects or intimidated my life situations. What I love about the truth is that no matter how much it can be hidden it always has its way out. Truth does not have an end, it does not have a full stop it lasts eternally. If it lasts for eternity you can be sure you also last for eternity. It is the third eye!

Life situations are just for a time and then they are gone. They do not last but we last. When we talk about truth eternal we in other words are talking about God. He is the only one that knows our future he holds the future in his arms. He is the one in control of our lives he sees and knows beyond what our common senses discern. He is the third eye! He is what is hidden in each and every person and those who shall know their God shall do exploits!