Count Down to the New Year!

Make New Year's goals.

Dig within, and discover what you would like to have happen in your life this year - this helps you do your part. It is an affirmation that you're interested in fully living life in the year to come.

Goals give us direction.

They put a powerful force into play on a universal, conscious, and subconscious level.

What would you like to have happen in your life this year? 

What would you like to do, to accomplish?

What good would you like to attract into your life?

What particular areas of growth would you like to have happen to you?

What blocks, or character defects, would you like to have removed?

What would you like to attain? Little things and big things? 

Where would you like to go?

What would you like to have happen in friendship and love? 

What would you like to have happen in your family life?

What problems would you like to see solved?

What decisions would you like to make?

What would you like to happen in your career?

Write it down.

Take a piece of paper, a few hours of your time, and write it all down - as an affirmation of you, your life, and your ability to choose.Then let it go.

The New Year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals.

Getting Started!

          "The best way to predict the future is to create it".

S0...

Don't Wait for the Opportunity – Become the Opportunity

And always remember to Think BIG - Start SMALL!

So Here's the Deal!

Because!

An entrepreneur...

Creates

Takes Risks 

Lives His/Her Passion

Entrepreneurship Is...

Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t.

But why’s that?

De-constructing Entrepreneurship!

Very often, so many attributes are thrown about with regards to the term entrepreneurship...

                     But what does entrepreneurship really mean?

Greetings of the Festive Season!

As we celebrate the birth of Christ, let us remember that Sharing Kindness at Christmas is a good practice for the way we should be all year long.

So…

To your enemy, give forgiveness.

To an opponent, give tolerance.

To a friend, give your heart.

To a customer, give service.

To all, give charity.

To every child, give a good example.

To yourself, give respect.

Wishing You all a Merry Christmas!
Joyeux Noel!

A warm welcome to our readers joining us from Romania!

And the Global Pandemonium is Complete!

Welcoming our newest readers from Australia.

From Africa to Asia, Europe to North & South America and now Australia…

Our global pandemonium is complete!

Let the Global Pandemonium continue

A warm welcome to our new readers joining us from Rwanda!

Pandemonium On!

Welcoming our latest readers from the Republic of Serbia!

Leaving the Watson Wombat Empire!

As I write this, I am waking up to the reality that my Watson journey has drawn to its close. But in many ways, this is not the end - because my experience at Watson University will always remain embedded in my psyche.

This is a bitter sweet moment!

I am sad to leave the Watson Wombat Empire into uncharted territory 

BUT 

I am ecstatic to step out into the world and put into practice the skills I have learned at Watson.

And Thanks to Watson, I am leaving with four key lessons:

• Through the Transformative Action Class, I have learned the principle “Transforming enemies into allies”.
• Through the Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Class, I have learnt how to “Grow slow to grow fast”.
• At the Watson Lab, I have learnt that it is about “Progress and not Perfection”.
• And from peers, mentors, preceptors and the Watson network, I have learned the value of “Return on Relationships” which is at the heart of Watson.

Through Watson, social change and shift in systems has become a passion, a vision which I cannot seem to extrapolate myself from.

I am obsessed with helping next generation leaders finding their voice through socio-economic empowerment and political leadership.

My Goal is to see youths of all faiths and abilities working side by side to tackle the challenges they see in their communities and rise to the challenges of a transformed and transformative era.

Watson University's Inaugural Class Graduate!

                                  Thursday 19th December 2013

                        Watson University Inaugural graduation!

I am humbled to be among one of the 17 young people from around the world who formed the Watson University Inaugural class.

In less than four months of being enrolled at Watson University, Watson Scholars have secured millions of dollars in funding; launched several social-entrepreneurial partnerships; given viral TEDx talks; debuted innovative new brands; published world-famous editorials; accepted prestigious entrepreneurship awards and nominations and, most importantly, experienced TRANSFORMATIVE personal and professional growth while in the program.

So Here's to a toast to the Future of Education...

Here’s to Watson University!

My Journey of Self Discovery: Epilogue!

If you really want to change the world, focus not on what you are against but what you want to build.

Martin Luther King is not famous for his “I have a complaint speech” but “I have a dream speech”.

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. ” Harriet Tubman

                                           Start how you want to finish!

                      “Be the change you want to see in the world” Ghandi

Welcoming our new readers joining us from Cambodia.

My Journey of Self Discovery - Conclusion: Vision for the future!

Author Frederick Buechner once wrote that, “To find your mission in life is to find the intersection between your heart’s deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger”.

The hunger in the world I seek to address above all others is injustice.
Injustice has many faces and manifests in different facets of life.

 v Socially, I want to see a world where basic services are available to all - a world where all people treated equally no matter our differences.

 v Economically, I want to see a world where no one has to go hungry - a world where the world’s resources are used in a way that benefits all of humankind.

 v Legally, I want to see human rights respected and upheld - where the rule of law empowers people, communities and societies.

 v Politically, I want to see a world where leaders work for the common good - to serve and not to be served.

My Goal is to see youths of all faiths and abilities working side by side to tackle the challenges they see in their communities and rise to the challenges of a transformed and transformative era.

“You may say I’m a dreamer but for those who dare to dream, there is a whole world to win”.

Quote of the Week!

“We are called to a life of adventure!

Refusing that means living a life of adaptation and diminishment”

Dare to Be!

When a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully.

When there is darkness, dare to be the first to shine a light.

When there is injustice, dare to be the first to condemn it.

When something seems difficult, dare to do it anyway.

When life seems to beat you down, dare to fight back.

When there seems to be no hope, dare to find some.

When you’re feeling tired, dare to keep going.

When times are tough, dare to be tougher.

When love hurts you, dare to love again.

When someone is hurting, dare to help them heal.

When another is lost, dare to help them find the way.

When a friend falls, dare to be the first to extend a hand.

When you cross paths with another, dare to make them smile.

When you feel great, dare to help someone else feel great too.

When the day has ended, dare to feel as you’ve done your best.

Dare to be the best you can –

At all times, Dare to be!”

Steve Maraboli in "Life, the Truth, and Being Free"

Mandela Week!

Mandela Week!

Mandela Week!

Mandela Week!

Mandela Week!

Celebrating an Icon - Nelson Mandela!

On this day of December 5^th 2013, we say goodbye to a true icon - a freedom fighter, a moral compass and South Africa's symbol of the struggle against racial oppression.

Here is a tribute to Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela - a man whose legacy and memory will be forever engraved in the psyche of many around the world.

Hamba kahle Madiba!

“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead."
Nelson Mandela

Quote of the Week!

“No one can go back and make a brand new start...

 
Anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending”.

A warm welcome to our readers joining us from Mexico!

Pandemonium On...

Welcoming our new readers joining us from Ireland.

New Week - New Month: Here's to new beginnings!

Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect. 
Alan Cohen

Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible. 
Saint Francis of Assisi

The secret to living the life of your dreams is to start living the life of your dreams today, in every little way you possibly can.
Mike Dooley

In the spirit of thanksgiving - Be thankful!

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,

If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you've made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfilment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.

So find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.

Quote of the Week!

Money is like manure. If you pile it around the corner, it starts to smell – if you spread it and pass it around everything grows better.

My Journey of Self Discovery - Chapter 4: My Bliss!

When it comes to the things I am passionate about, my continent and my country always rank first place. 

But my love for Cameroon and Africa run deeper than just a place I call home; it is inextricably linked to my vision for the future – a vision which has set me on the course of social entrepreneurship.

Therefore, when I am working on my ideas and projects for social change, I am transported to a different universe, one where my vision has come to fruition. As I brainstorm, research, test and work on these different ideas, I imagine myself in this alter universe and with each second that goes by, I am drawn in, forgetting that it is yet to happen – it is these moments that I wish would last forever.

Thus, when I am delivering a speech or giving a talk, my vision is my starting point. And with that in mind, I always somehow end up dazzling the crowd, drawing them in to my vision so much that they feel transported to this alter universe. 

And even moments/days after my presentation or speech is over, the vision and unwavering resolve lives on.

Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” JFK

Food for thought!

"Before you assume, learn the facts. 

Before you judge, understand why. 

Before you hurt someone, feel. 

Before you speak, think."

Live, Laugh, Love!

Life is too short to wake up with regrets

So love the people who treat you right

Forget about the ones who don't

Believe everything happens for a reason

If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands

If it changes your life, let it

Nobody said life would be easy

They just promised it would be worth it

Life is too short to be anything but happy

Love deeply, forgive quickly, take chances

And give everything with no regrets

Forget the past with exception of what you have learned

And remember everything happens for a reason

The happiest people don’t have the best of everything

They just make the best of everything they have

           

Intentionality and Mindfulness!

On average, a person at rest takes about 16 breaths per minute.

This means we breathe about 960 breaths an hour, 23,040 breaths a day, 8,409,600 a year.

But as poet Maya Angelou once said, "Life is not measured by how many breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

                   Thus make it a daily routine to savour and connect!

Remember to ritualize your wins and sustain the memory of that good thing or event for 20 seconds in your consciousness and re-release the positive neurotransmitters. 
                                      
                                 Share them with others!

Give heart to heart hugs (go in on the right side, so your hearts touch) and hold hug for 20 seconds to release oxytocin.

And remember that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Quote of the Week!

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it...

Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

Howard Thurman

The Pandemonium continues...

Welcoming our readers joining us from Turkey.

Positive Psychology

Today I gained new insights on positive psychology, a field that is credited to Marty Seligman.

This is a branch of psychology which focuses on the empirical study of such things as positive emotions, strengths-based character and healthy institutions.

Simply put, positive psychology is the scientific study of the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive. It can be understood as the science of positive emotion, engagement and peak performance.

It is grounded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves, and to enhance their experiences of love, work and play.

In a nutshell, positive psychology is being pulled by your future, your best future - the way things could be versus the way things have been in the past.

POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY = PROSPECTION = FUTURE ORIENTATION

Nonetheless, it is worth mentioning that positive psychology is a misnomer - it does not mean absence of negativity.  Because being happy does not mean that everything is perfect; it means you have decided to look past the imperfections.

"Successful people aren’t happy people, happy people are successful people"

Call to Action!

Increase happiness at home and work by being a SOcial-eMOtional Leader -- a change-agent.

Actively increase your positivity and hold space for the people around you to do the same.

Practice intentional activities, challenge pessimistic thinking, intentionally use your strengths and create authentic relationships with others.

Quote of the Week

Do not educate your child to be rich. Educate him to be happy. So when he grows up, he'll know the value of things, not the price.

My Journey of Self Discovery - Chapter 3: Transitions!

After my time at the African Leadership Academy, I moved to London to study at the London School of Economics. 

Talk about change! LSE was a whole new experience. 

I believe this had to do with me being miles from home, juggling studies with work, paying bills, competing for the very best internships and jobs and living in the busy maze of London.

                   

And after countless sleepless nights, that day came - when I graduated with a dual degree in Law and Anthropology. 

Then came the next phase of my life...

After a couple of internships in corporate law and finance, I decided to take a road less travelled; to take a leap of faith and pursue social entrepreneurship.

Months later, I started Youths4Change - a youth led organization that empowers and mentors youth of all abilities in Cameroon.

And after setting out on this “Road Less Travelled”, I ask myself three questions at the start of each day:

If not Now, When?

If not Here, Where?

And If not I, Who?

In order to pioneer, you have to be willing to let go of what you are, what you have been and even what you think you should be. 

A pioneer must let go of the known and venture into the unknown. He risks what he is in order to become something greater.

Quote of the Week!

Everyone fails at times. Defeat is only when you don't rebound, but instead allow failure to turn what could be a successful life into a wasted one.

Epic Watson Road Trip!

So I just returned from an epic road trip with my compatriots at Watson University... We left Boulder, Colorado, to Utah, through Arizona, to Las Vegas, Nevada and finally to San Francisco, California! Thanks to what I believe is an alignment of the universe, I conquered three of my greatest fears during this epic journey - fear of heights, fear of water and fear of the dark. During the trip, we stopped over and camped at the Arches and Zion national parks respectively. At Arches national park, I leaned into my fear of heights and I climbed not one but several cliffs culminating with going up very steep rocks and mountains. At Zion, I leaned into my fear of water by traversing across a body of water. It was cold, I was scared, I felt like making a U turn...but I kept going and I made it to the other side and back! And in each case, I faced my fear of the dark by camping out in the middle of nowhere.

And once I had set aside my fear, I was able to notice and fully appreciate how beautiful the scenery around me was. In that moment devoid of worry, I had the curiosity of a little child... 

I noticed the flowing waters charging down over the rocks - it reminded me of going forward even in the face of adversities.

I noticed the trees shedding their leaves and colours changing from green to yellow - it reminded me of change, shedding habits and attitudes that hold us back. 

And I noticed the huge mass of rock and debris. In all it’s grandeur, it reminded me of balance and that solid foundation which keeps us grounded and focused at all times. That focal point which no matter how much we waver or how many times we go off course, brings us back on the path to fulfilling our life’s purpose - to our hero’s journey.

Quote of the Week!

The price of victory, the price of progress, the price of championship - is sacrifice, hard work, dedication, perseverance and faith.

Welcoming our new readers joining us from Liberia and South Korea!

Pandemonium On...

My Journey of Self Discovery - Chapter 2: Setting Sail - New Horizons!

I remember leaving my family at the Douala airport and setting off to South Africa.

When I landed at OR Tambo airport in Johannesburg, I was blown away by the infrastructure but taken aback by the extremely cold weather – no one told me we had winters in Africa.

But I got over the weather as soon as I walked into the African Leadership Academy campus...

Located in Randpark Ridge, my home for the next two years stood before me in mighty splendor.

And with each passing week, with each conversation, with each ALA event, with each guest speaker, with each community service trip, each outing, each conversation with amazing classmates, with each moment at ALA, I learnt, discovered and took a step closer towards my journey of self discovery.

...

My first Christmas away from home was after my first semester at ALA. 

My Swahili teacher at ALA, a lovely woman by name Mrs. Beatrice Akala introduced me to a friend of hers – Mrs. Nanzala Mwuara.

Long story short! 

The reason why South Africa will always be my home is thanks to this kind hearted woman, who with the little she knew about me, offered me a place to stay not once but over and over again - she became my host mom.

It is people like Mrs. Nanzala, her two daughters Wambui and Wangechi and her housekeeper Ms Agnes who showed me that there is still hope for our troubled world.

They were and continue to be a bright light in my life!

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.

Margaret Mead

Character!

Subtly, over time, your character is being formed and your temperament is being fashioned.

Your tiny and sometimes undetected decisions to do good slowly build your character.

Goals and Dreams!

If there is only one route to securing your goals and dreams - and you determine that your goals are worth taking that route, despite the difficulties - then you have a choice as to whether you'll look at that path positively or negatively.

Since you have to take that path, why not look at it positively?

A warm welcome to our readers joining us from Ukraine!

As the global pandemonium continues, we are ecstatic to welcome our new readers joining us from Qatar and from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Pandemonium On!

Quote of the Week!

Doing ordinary things faithfully + excellently = extraordinary achievements & feats.

Welcoming our latest readers joining from Malaysia and Norway!

The Real Social Entrepreneur!

"The true social entrepreneurs are ghosts that never claim the glory for themselves, that work for their goal like their lives depend on it, because actually, their lives do depend on it. They don’t work to be counted. You don’t find them in congresses, seminars and forums. They don’t read literature about social entrepreneurship; they don’t study it. They just are social entrepreneurs because they need to be. They live for it and by it."
John Alexis Guerra Gomez

Quote of the Week!

 “You don't have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great.”

Les Brown

One more to go!

We did it! 

We reached the continent of South America.

Hola to our newest readers from Nicaragua.

From Africa to the Middle East to Asia, to Europe to North and South America - six continents down, one more to go...

Let's do this!

Leadership!

Whenever you are in a space with another human being, you can influence them and that's leadership. Whether positively or negatively - you decide!

Leadership is not the position of authority you hold - it is the difference you make.

The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality.  

The last is to say thank you.  

And in between the two, the leader must become a servant and a debtor.



Inspired by Max DePree's book - Leadership is an Art.

Welcoming our readers joining us from Uganda!

Quote of the Week!

"Setting the sky as your limit is overrated - Set the sky as your base! 
For in doing so, you soar to new heights and define the boundaries of what is possible."
Madelle M Kangha

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/7336502.Madelle_M_Kangha