The ManicaPost
Arthur Marara Motivation for Success
I was given an opportunity to speak at MegaFest Awards this last Thursday at a local hotel in Harare. What captivated me was the theme I was asked to speak on, “A Brighter future is possible in Zimbabwe.” Though I did not have a prepared speech, this week I am going to take you through some of the points that I spoke on and some additions. I believe in Zimbabwe’s future, I believe God has called me and made me to be a Zimbabwean deliberately.
My purpose on this planet demanded that I be Zimbabwean and be born where I was born and the family I was born to. I am proudly Zimbabwean, and all my educational books are endorsed, “Proudly Zimbabwean” This has nothing to do with a political party, it has everything to do understanding my purpose.
Who is Zimbabwe?
Endowed with precious natural resources, breathtaking flora and fauna, and spectacular natural wonders of the word, this country is blessed! Whether you see the blessing or not is actually up to you. Given that we have all these amazing resources, I believe that Zimbabwe has an even more precious resource than all other things; its people. Zimbabwe is you and me.
The precious resource that the country has is its people. If people do not understand their value as individuals they will never understand the value of what God has endowed in them and the resources that God has placed in our country. If Zimbabwe is going to develop, and be the nation that we all desire it to be, its people have to focus on developing themselves. I write in my book on “Personal Development” that the starting point in developing a nation is to develop its people. If we do not develop ourselves we can be rich in natural resources, and yet lack the skill to fully exploit them.
You have a role to play
“The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing will suffice to solve the world’s problems” (Mahatma Gandhi). Between January 2017 – to date what is it that you did that has made Zimbabwe better? What is it that you have made that has helped not even in a significant part; solve some of the problems that the nation is facing? Everyone has a part to play in the future of Zimbabwe.
This does not mean you necessarily have to come up with some dynamic turnaround strategy for the economy (nothing wrong with this and this is what is even needed), but you have to start with what is within your control. It is the small things consistently done that can make significant difference. I pass through the City centre sometimes in the evening if I have commitments that side.
One thing that I find very disturbing is the amount of lights switched on, and the amount of power consumed when there is no one in those offices. Do know how much energy we can save for the nation if you make a decision to switch off lights that are not being used, to switch off the heater or air conditioner when you are not in the office, switch to solar geysers or hybrid geyser, use light emitting diodes (led) lights and by so doing saving your own money.
Imagine how different things will be if you make a decision and develop the discipline not to be a litter bug. It’s not surprising to find grown up man, and women smartly dressed, who eat in their cars, and throw the litter through the window of their cars. Why honestly? Why is it you go to a University where we expect to find learned people, and yet you cannot even go confidently into the ablution facilities due to the disturbing levels of the mess. Start by what is within your control, and to your part, and if everyone does this, we will make a difference.
Fight corruption
Be the change that you want to see in the world (Mahatma Gandhi). Corruption kills. Corruption cripples the nation, corruption destroys talent, corruption destroys the economy, corruption destroys creativity, corruptions kills merit. Corruption is one of the problems that has affected the country. Regardless of the size of corruption, corruption is corruption and must never be condoned.
Do not pay bribes; do not take the shortcut. Think about the future, the legacy you are building, what you are doing to the next generation. People complain about the traffic police being corrupt, but truth be told, there will never be corruption on the roads if people refuse to pay bribes.
Travel with a roadworthy vehicle, have all the statutory requirements met (fire extinguisher, radio licence, reflective wheel, jack, spare wheel, and observe speed limits). Do not create a reason for corruption, and do not buy into it. You cannot pass on a legacy of corruption to the following generation. Say no to corruption!
Develop a culture of service
Why do you need to be paid a bribe or “token” for doing what you are supposed to be doing? If you are a mortuary attendant, why do you need to be paid for people to access the bodies of their loved ones? If you are a nurse, why do you need a bribe for you to be “nice”? If you are a policeman why do you need to be paid a bribe for you to be “active”? Do your job, period.
The most important thing to guide us is a culture of service. I visited a relative one of the days who was admitted in one of the public hospitals and he recounted to me some horrors at the hands of the staff members who were thoroughly unconcerned, and were even flirting in the presence of a patient. Who does that? There is no greater honour in life than an opportunity to serve and to make a difference in the lives of people.
Just a bit of energy, sacrificing 5 or 10 more minutes to clear the queue, helping the elderly or physically handicapped will make a significant difference. Whatever seed you sow in the lives of others who will always come back to you and benefit you and your descendants.
What will you be remembered for?
Dr. Mike Murdock once noted that, “A person is remembered for two things, the problems you have caused and the problems you have solved” What problems are you solving for the nation? What problems are you solving in your community? If you are not solving problems you are often causing them.
When I discovered my purpose, I summarised my life in the following terms, “I want to inspire people, I want someone to look at me and say, “Because of You I never give up”. I love to inspire people, and to challenge people to live their dreams and to make a difference in the communities they live in.
Do not fight each other
We need to invest our energies in building each other and not fighting each other. There is no time to build in the times of war. You can build but you will also experience destruction. Churches are fighting each other daily, businesses fight each other, and families are fighting each other. Strive for peace, and be a peacemaker where you are. Focus on building strong families based on sound life principles. Bring out the best in other people, and together we will make Zimbabwe a great nation.
Celebrate each other’s potential
Great people are not intimidated by other people’s potential. They build their success on the service to others and not at the expense of others. Do not be jealous of people who are more talented or gifted than you. You have your own uniqueness but celebrate your own uniqueness and other people’s uniqueness. I am not jealous of other Zimbabwean speakers who might be better than me. I celebrate their uniqueness. You will never learn anything from a person you do not admire, and respect.
Thrive on the success of people and not on the misery of others. Do not count your success based on the number of unsuccessful people around you but the number of successful people you raise. If you are a church minister, always ask yourself how many people have you helped to succeed? How many have become better by working for and with you? Some employers will have employees serve them for decades, and see them walk away from employment with nothing but a paper written “long service award”.
As a way of giving back to the nation, I will be conducting a FREE, Career Guidance, Motivational workshop for all students at Mutare Boys High on the 17th June 2017 from 09:00am – 10:00am and thereafter I will spend time with “A” Level History and Divinity students. All students are free to come. Register on the following number +263772304449.
I will continue with this article next week. Grab a copy of the Manica Post. Stay blessed!
Arthur Marara is an attorney, author of several books, and a motivational conference speaker. Connect with him on +263772467255 (Whatsapp).
