The Polished Lens

Here's another toast to a new year and new decade, with so much expectations for greater and better experiences, outcomes and rewards. It is easy, however, to forget that tests come with the terrain. These aren't what we are ever excited about, but they serve key roles in actually making the new or the terrain worth our while. On this first episode of the year, I share the major types of tests we could be faced with and key things to help us make the best of it all. Bonne année.

There is a reason why precious stones and other life valuables aren't easily accessible. In fact, if you have an idea how to get any, you'll probably be paying a premium to acquire it in its finest form or you will be doing much work to mine / excavate and refine / process. Truly, all that is of value lies within the deep, requiring focus, attention and consistent effort to obtain. And this also applies to whatever you want the best from in life. But are you ready to dig? Will you continue to dig till you reach the core in the depths where the true treasure lies?

What unique things are you incorporating into your leadership style to enable you get the best from your team? How are you trying to be intentional to sustain that key relationship of yours? In "Thank You, I Noticed", I, amongst other examples, shared a story I read recently in John Maxwell's Book - The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, of how a leader started a special practice as he grew in his role. I also highlight other key points you should factor in, as you consider this practice, which will help boost your team engagements and keep your relationships even stronger.

Have you ever wondered why you have been pushing for certain changes in your life and yet not getting the desired outcome? Have you often struggled with making the right choices in difficult situations like major life cross roads? The answers to these lie with an underlying factor which I call The Value Code. This code has not only been key to shaping who you are today, it is one of the critical things you need to review and modify to create the different life you desire. On this episode, I shed some light on what this code is really about and I also share 3 simple steps to recoding.

If you've been struggling a bit with clarity, then “Journey to Clarity” is a timely episode just for you. On this episode, I share my own story on my journey to clarity, while I worked on specific personal goals and dreams. I also share critical ideas I have gleaned from additional studies that I believe will wipe that blur for anyone who implements them. I plan to do even more to fine tune my clarity level, because I know clarity is what differentiates the one who aims and hits and the one who's not even ready to aim because he can't see his target.

If you've moved houses or offices a few times you'd have learnt that the hardest part may not boxing your stuff or lifting them to the truck and off, though of course this has its strains. It is actually having to decide what must come along with you and what shouldn't any longer. And for some of us this could be really hard! Life transitions work like that too, and if you're not careful not to handle this bit well, you'll pile up loads of unnecessary things, mindsets and even relationships; which eventually could be harmful in your new place. On "Stop Justifying It", I share some questions and ideas on how you can handle this better.

Do you get moved, even if only a bit, when you see so many others (probably younger, maybe even seemingly unqualified) doing exceptional things and being recognized? Well it's one thing to make sure you maximize your time (and space) and start early, but it's another thing to realize that wouldn't be enough. There's only how far an early break can work for you, because there is more. On Episode 19, I lay emphasis on something you should work on parallel to your start, and the top 3 things that can help you achieve it.

There are a number of important questions that you must answer when heading somewhere. However, there is one in particular you have to answer correctly. Why? Because the one who is going to lose with a wrong answer is you. On this episode, in the light of 2020 just around the corner, I share on how to really get this question answered so that you can empower yourself. In addition you will be able to strategize appropriately for achievable results.

CrossRoads Live was successfully launched last week with "Thrive At Home" and it was an amazing start to more of such to come. Now, I perceive that many often feel very much the same despite their developmental plans and programs. So on this episode I share one of the juicy highlights from the session how you can make sure growth and change follow every learning experience or encounter you have - by linking the strategy to the use of an everyday device.

During one of my recent reflective moments, I realized that, in the pursuit of our goals and dreams, Highways and Crossroads are critical phases we come to. You can tell the highway stage by how fast or seemingly smooth things are going while the Crossroads are your critical decision points. A sense of awareness of these points is definitely a requirement to succeeding with each one, because you are clear on how to handle all that comes with it. And to support you with this, on this episode, I am glad to announce a new value-point channel by The Polished Lens Company.

Most times when we have our minds set on a cause or a goal, our plans consist primarily of all those things we must do to reach the goal. We rarely remember, and sometimes not intentional, to incorporate in our strategy one thing that is vital, to doing really well and finishing strong. In this episode I shed light on taking advantage of and deliberately planning this one thing because you truly deserve it.

At some point in our lives, we want more - to be more, to do more and to have more. And for the most part, we want to let that more get to others, by leaving an impact or influencing them. If you've been struggling with this, what you need is an overflow and this episode is for you. On this episode, I share 3 simple keys to experience an overflow in any area of life.

David Archuleta blessed our world indeed with the song "GLORIOUS". And the One Voice Children's Choir rendered it so beautifully, I couldn't help but listen to it countless times and glean out lessons from it. On this episode I focus on just my top 3... to charge us to become deliberate to play our parts in life's symphonies and become conscious of the melodies we all create together. And yes you need to go listen to and get the song today.

If you’re interested in knowing one of the top secrets to success in life, you should listen to this episode. It’s a very simple principle, but probably not particularly easy, otherwise more people would have worked with it to reach their dreams. If you study the lives of successful people in every endeavour, you will see this thread running through their stories. The thread of “Staying With” that thing till you get to your desired level. Sometimes even up to 10,000 hours as shared by Malcolm Gladwell in “Outliers”. The challenge however is that we do not catch them “staying” as much as the results that show them off afterwards. I’ve chosen to weave that thread into my own life's story, and already seeing results, would you?

There are some things in life that if we had our way we would prefer never to experience. Pain is one. This, sometimes tear worthy experience, can happen in different areas of life as well - physical, emotional even financial. But you see, if we are intentional to pass those painful moments through a prism lens, we might just see it on the other side with its many colours. Listen to this full episode to discover some hues.

What are the chances you will find something you've not seen before? A good probability is there though, if you perhaps have a description. Some of us are in hot pursuit of something in life... and truth is we won't know even if we found it because we never had the right picture or description. So generally , the picture you should have has certain unique attributes, I share just 3 on this episode to drive intentionality and focus to your pursuit.

Giving thanks regularly for what you have is an amazing & highly productive habit. It usually fills your heart with happiness despite whatever challenges you may be going through. It helps by shifting your attention to more positive areas of your life as against the not so great. However, I have learnt that being able to identify and count these blessings in your life is one level, but there is another level - of being deliberate to be a channel that extends that blessing, in one way or the other, to someone else in order to complete the cycle. In this episode, I share some ideas worth considering.

I have learnt that only an evaluated experience truly teaches us wisdom. This is why Shaped by Seasons is a special one to mark my birthday in a few days. On this episode I share major life lessons that have helped shape my perception about living wisely. Behind each lesson is a story, an experience from each decade / season that have gifted me with growth, to live more intentionally and be better prepared for opportunities.

If like me, you've been at that point where you wanted to get clarity on what life was all about for you - hitting the bull's eye to fulfill purpose, then this episode is just for you. Discovering and fulfilling life's purpose is critical to living well but there are some vital things you must remain mindful of as you pursue purpose.

In most traditional leadership settings, critical decisions are not taken in isolation by the sole head. It always involves input from a circle of leaders. In this episode, I challenge us to look into the benefits of properly incorporating this set up in our lives. The set up of a "Circle of Counsel". The counsel you surround yourself with will determine the quality of decisions you take and on the long term how far you go. Who makes up your circle?