The Mentality Of A Champion

The Mentality of Champions 2 009

THE MENTALITY OF CHAMPIONS

BY

AUSTYN ARIMORO

DEDICATION 1

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 This book is dedicated to my mentors: Rev. Sylvester Condi Uwah, who taught me the fundamentals of successful Christian living and the power of prayers; Rev. Bulus Sambo, who taught me the conquering power and grace of a humble spirit; and Rev. Essa Ogorry, who opened my eyes to the glorious riches of God in Christ Jesus and the hunger to become an asset to my generation.

CONTENTS Dedication Table of Contents Foreword Acknowledgement Introduction 1. Set Goals For Yourself a. Goals Show Direction b. Set Specific Goals c. Goals Must Have Deadlines d. Develop a Mental Picture of Your Goals e. Water Your Goals With Prayers f. Write Down A List of Goals 2. Don’t Limit Yourself a. Make Your Goals Slightly Out of Reach But Within Sight b. Don’t Worry About Your Status In Life c. See God and Not Your Limitation d. Stir Up Your Potential e. Develop the Goal-Getter Consciousness 3. Work On Your Attitude a. Benefits of a Positive Attitude b. Build A Positive Attitude c. Make a Habit of Doing It Now 2

The Mentality of Champions 2 009

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d. Develop a Thankful Attitude e. Feed Your Mind f. Build a Positive Self-Esteem g. Stay Away from Negative Influences h. The Role of A Mentor i. Start Your Day with the Positive j. Have the Winner’s Mentality Don’t Lose Focus a. Don’t Give Room To Distraction b. Don’t Give Room To Fear c. Determination will Keep You On Track Invest Today for The Future a. Getting Started b. Why Financial Planning? c. Invest the Way the Wealthy Invest d. Invest in Your Own Business e. Invest in Income Producing Real Estate f. Invest in Liquid Investments g. Land Held for Development h. Stocks and Bonds i. Mutual Fund Investing j. Guard Your Money Carefully Control Your Mind a. Why You Should Control Your Mind b. Read with Intent c. Talk With Conviction d. Act with Purpose The Place of Planning a. First Step is to Write Down Your Goals b. Preparation c. Preparation Leads To Confidence d. Questions that You Must Ask Yourself e. The Importance of Planning f. Prepare your subconscious Mind g. How To Programme the Subconscious h. Visualization

Conclusion

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I owe a debt of gratitude to the Almighty God, the giver of life and sustainer of men. He has been faithful just as His word says. The publishers of this work have done a good work and they deserve my commendation. I’m equally grateful to my wife, Joke Fausat Arimoro (nee Sanni), who has been a pillar of support to me. I cannot fail to mention my fathers in the Lord, namely Rev. Sylvester Condi Uwah, Rev. Bulus Sambo and Rev. Essa Ogorry. I am a product of these three great men of God. Rev. Uwah brought me up in the Lord and taught me what it means to pray and hold on until the answer comes. Rev. Sambo taught me the grace of God in a humble spirit and Rev. Ogorry continues to point to me the path of greatness and the road to become what I want to be in life. Apart from dedicating this book to these men, I feel heavily indebted to them. My parents, Mr. & Mrs James Ofiri Arimoro are a gift to their generation. I say “thank you” to them for bringing up my siblings and I in the fear of the Lord. My brothers Dr. Francis and Rev. Sam deserve commendation for their role in shaping me up. I appreciate my lovely sisters Theodora, Mercy and Susan. God bless you all. deserves a load of gratitude for accepting to write the foreword to this book. May the good Lord continue to bless you. I cannot end without saying thank you to all my friends who passed through the Youth Ministries of the Assemblies of God Church, Liberation Center, Abattoir Road, Jos and to all the members of the Fulfilling-Word Foundation. I say “well done” to my pastors at the Fulfilling-Word Foundation, Satellite Church, Orogbum Civic Center, Port Harcourt, Kufre Abasi James and Victor Benson.

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The Mentality of Champions 2 009

INTRODUCTION: Champions are personalities with an uncommon attitude and made of a rare stuff. To operate in the realm of a champion, you have to be a goal-setter. The reason is because champions are not born, they are made. To be an achiever, you must not only have goals, there must be a strong determination to focus on the goals. It goes without saying that goals are the standards for measuring achievements in life. Serious people do not leave their lives to chance, they set goals. This is the distinguishing line between champions and ordinary people. This author was inspired after meditating on the account in 2 Kings Chapter 2. The Prophet of God, Elijah was about to be taken up to heaven by the Lord and his understudy, Elisha was with him. The latter had a goal. His goal was to get a double portion of Elijah’s spirit! According to Wesley’s Notes, Elisha’s goal was to get the portion attributable to firstborns as in Deuteronomy Chapter 21 verse 17. That was his desire. His goal was specific and clearly defined and he was focused on achieving this goal. Not even the distractions from Elijah and the sons of the prophet could deter him. Elisha demonstrated the mentality of a champion. Champions don’t get deterred. They don’t just give up until they get results! The result of the consistency and persistence of Elisha made him to receive what he desired. He would go on to make a mark in his generation. Contrast this with what happened to Elisha’s understudy Gehazi who lacked the champion’s mentality. Gehazi clearly had no focus. He was a student of Elisha but did not care about the anointing. He had his distraction in mundane things. Because of the lack of champion’s mentality in Gehazi, Elisha never passed on what he had. He died with so much anointing that even his bones brought a dead man back to life. The difference between Elisha and Gehazi is the mentality of a champion! Beloved, you can’t afford to live life aimlessly without a focus. Ask yourself where you want to be in say one year or five years from now. Your goals would help you get to your desired place in life. They would serve as a measure of your achievement. You can’t afford the luxury of living a goalless life and leave everything to chance. Success is not a game of chance. It can only be prayerfully worked out. 5

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 Furthermore, bear it in mind that life is like a game of football. A champion only emerges after scoring the most goals. It is important to also note that the game cannot even be played without goal posts. There is a need to work on our psyche. We must tell ourselves that with God on our side we can do the impossible and that there is nothing impossible with God (Luke Chapter 1 verse 37). When setting goals for yourself remember that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. (Philippians Chapter 4 verse 13). Don’t limit yourself because of your background or your status in life. Don’t despise the days of your little beginning. Though your beginning may be small, your latter ending shall be great! You must think and act like a champion to become a champion. I prophesy to you as you read this book that God would lift you up beyond your imagination and do for you the things you desire. Your expectation shall never be cut-off and may your dwelling place be in the tent of champions in Jesus name!

Austyn Arimoro Port Harcourt – Nigeria

1 SET GOALS FOR YOURSELF “When your desires are strong enough, you will appear to possess super human powers to achieve.” – Napoleon Hill Don’t leave your life to chance. You must become a goal oriented and goal-driven personality. Can you consider for a minute or two where you will like to be at the end of this year and five years from today? According to Ken Gaub, people who set goals are happier than those who so not.

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The Mentality of Champions 2 009 Paul said in Philippians Chapter 3 verse 14 as follows: “I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” This goes to show that that great champion of faith was a man who had a goal and was focused on his goal. His example is the desired for all believers in Christ. I have often wondered why many do not understand the reason why they serve God. They come to church week in, week out and as the years go by, without any specific thought of what they want to be in God or to do for God. In the sense that we talk about goals in this book, we refer to clear-cut goals. There is no gain saying it, can goals give you excitement and energy to achieve them especially when they are specific and definite. Goals Show Direction You don’t see a man go to the airport or the train station and just buy a ticket without a destination in mind. That is how lifer is for the brother or sister that has no goal in life. How can one have something to live for without a goal in life? According to Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo, our goals should be SMART goal. Sspecific, M-, A-achievable, R-result-oriented, T- time based. Your goals in life put you on the right track. For instance, if you are a civil servant and you have in mind the desire to set up a company of your own in the future, that goal would make you want to start saving money and investing towards the project. The difference in the life of two persons who earned the same salary, worked for the same number of years and one is successful and the other is not, is the goal driven mentality of the successful one. It is not everything we attribute to witches and household enemies that are true! The man without a goal would never end up a champion! You can never be too busy working without setting goals. This is the time to begin setting goals and praying towards achieving them. Your goals would give you direction.

Set Specific Goals You can’t afford not to have specific and clearly defined goals. A man without a specific goal is akin to the man without a goal. Many a time Jesus would ask the man or woman who needed a miracle what he or she wanted him to do. This was not because Jesus didn’t know their problems or needs. He wanted them to be specific. You can only measure your achievement when the goal you have set is specific. A goal like “by the end of this year I want to be a rich man” is not a specific goal. 7

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 Goals Must Have Deadlines It’s not enough to have goals in life. The goals must have a deadline. Without deadlines, we tend not to act with seriousness and the goals suffer for lack of adequate attention. You don’t have to drag your goals more than necessary all you need do is to appropriate specific deadlines to the goals you have. Develop a Mental Picture of Your Goals You have to have a mental picture of your goals. Envision yourself in that state and situation of your dreams. If you desire to own say a Toyota Prado, picture yourself driven a Toyota Pradoeven when you are walking down the streets or driving a Volkswagen Golf today. If it is a duplex you want to live in, tell yourself you are the owner of a duplex and behave as such even if you are living in a one room apartment. Keep a picture of what you desire to have in places where you see them daily and continually thank God for helping you achieve your goals. Water Your Goals with Prayers You need to water your goals with prayers daily. Goals are like plants and they need to be constantly watered. Without daily attention and care, they tend to die. Write Down a List of Your Goals This Year 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Five Years from Now 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Ten Years from Now 1. 8

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 2. 3. 4. 5. Action Exercises 1. Make a decision today that you are going to achieve financial independence in the years ahead. Determine a specific financial goal, set a deadline, make a plan, and take action today. 2. Resolve to remain positive and optimistic no matter what happens. Look for the good in every situation and in every person. Enjoy the process of achieving your goals.

2 DON’T LIMIT YOURSELF “The size of your success will depend on the size of your dream” – Ken Gaub When Western Union was negotiating with Thomas Edison to purchase a ticker that he had invented, they told him to name a price that he would be paid. After Edison and his wife had talked it over, they agreed that $20,000 was a fair bargain. When he went back to Western Union, he began to think that $20,000 was an exorbitant price, so when they asked him, “how much?” He stood speechless. An officer of the company broke the silence with “well, how about $100,000?” A lot of people today limit themselves to small goals. Truth is that you can never realize your hidden potential if you don’t think beyond what you imagine to be your level. 9

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 Make Your Goals Slightly Out of Reach but Within Sight If you desire financial freedom, you will need to be prudent in your spending. This would help you to meet your goal. You can’t reach a goal that you can’t see. You have to see the target to hit it. This does not negative the fact that your goal must be big! However, many people have set for themselves goals that are too high up there and become discourage when they can’t achieve their goal. We need to balance this because we have said that you shouldn’t limit yourself. It is foolhardy for instance for you to dream to win a million souls for God this year, when you have never won one before. You must set targets that are within sight. Don’t Worry About Your Status In Life In your goal-setting, don’t worry about your status in life. That you are not a graduate does not make you any less able to be what you dream to be. The Bible records that Peter and John were bold men even though they were unlearned and ignorant men. (Acts of the Apostles Chapter 4 verse 13). There educational level didn’t stop them from making impact in life. Ask yourself why Peter was the leader of the church in those days even though he was only skilled as a fisherman? Perhaps you are from a poor background and you think that you can’t dare to have a big dream, that’s a lie of the devil. There are men who have rising from lowly backgrounds to achieve greatness in life. The late Bashorun MKO Abiola readily comes to mind. Abiola was from a poor background but managed to see himself through school and went on to become a wealthy man. Elijah the Tishbite emerged from nowhere! He was the son of a nobody! Your dream would bring you to limelight! You could probably be lamenting that you don’t know any politician in power and that you’ve got no connections to fix you into the right places. There is no need to lament over this. God Himself is the connector. The Bible says that the heart of the King is in the hand of the Lord! All you need is God’s backing and the world would herald you. Nothing can stop you emerging into limelight! There’s no need to look down on yourself and say that you don’t have the looks. Friend, Omo Baba, a popular Nigerian comedian makes money humoring himself. If it were by looks, Obasanjo wouldn’t have been Nigeria’s ruler twice in a land of beautiful people. If height was all that it takes, Adams Oshiomole wouldn’t have been the governor of Edo state. The actors popularly known as Aki and Paw Paw might be small in size. They have succeeded in making a seeming advantage turn into a breakthrough. They have traveled to places around the world that so many tall Nigerians have never been to. It’s not in your height, the champion in you lies in your dream! Your perceived limitation may be your strongest selling point. 10

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 See God and Not Your Limitations The focus should be on God and not on your limitations. If you tend to see God as the Almighty, you wouldn’t reduce yourself to nothing. You are a child of God. If you can’t be wealthy and watch your child eat from the refuse bin, how much more our God. The Bible says the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof. (Psalm 24 Verse 1). God cannot withhold good things from His children. Jesus said if we as humans know how to give good gifts to our children how much more God! He has good thoughts for us to give us our expectations (Jeremiah Chapter 29 verse 11). Stir Up Your Potential Every human being on the surface of the earth is endowed with great potentials. There is something in you waiting to be tapped. All you need to do is to find a need and fill it. There is something that you are good at that can fetch you millions. All you need do is to identify the need for your gifting and provide a product or service to meet that need. This is how champions are made. Tom Fatjo, who built Browning Ferries Industries, is a famous success story. He started off as an accountant. Because no one else would haul the weekly trash for his family and neighbours, he bought a truck and started hauling the trash himself after work. Soon other neighbourhoods asked him if he could haul their trash as well. He became wealthy by standardizing the trash hauling industry locally, and then nation-wide. Colonel Harland Sandaers, starting at age 65, became wealthy selling a fried chicken recipe. Beloved, it is never too late to start something. All that you need to do is to identify an existing need and fill it. It is time for you to ask God for that idea instead of brooding over the challenges you are presently facing. One good idea can turn you into a multi-millionaire within a short period. You don’t have to become a politician or belong to the ruling party to make it in life. I dare to say that one idea from God is all that you need for your break through. If you can only but, repackage yourself and whatever you have to offer, the result would be different. Haven’t you wondered why the same quantity of pop corn is sold for N10 by the road side and N100 somewhere else? The packaging makes all the difference. It goes to show that you can put the same effort and get different results but the difference is in the packaging.

Develop the Goal-Getter Consciousness You must begin to align your thoughts to your goals. Both poverty and riches are products of the mind. The state of the mind produces the result in the realm of the

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The Mentality of Champions 2 009 physical. Your thinking must change from this moment. You must begin to see yourself succeeding. (Proverbs 23 verse 7). Only the goal-getter consciousness would make you not to limit yourself. As long as you tend to see yourself as poor, small and not able to make it, your goals would remain a mere utopia. Action Exercises 1. Look for business opportunities everywhere; develop an entrepreneurial mind-set, and continually be open and curious about needs not satisfied and problems not solved. One bright idea is all that you need to make your millions. 2. Continually write and re-write your goals with as much clarity as you can. This exercise works wonders in stimulating your creativity and unlocking your inner genius.

3 WORK ON YOUR ATTITUDE “Your attitude determines your altitude.” Attitude is a thing of the mind and needs to be worked on. Every goal-getter must have the right attitude. Without a positive attitude, your goals would remain elusive. William James of Harvard University said, and rightly so, that “the greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.” Someone once approached Blaise Pascal, the famous French philosopher and said, “If I had your brains, I would be a better person.” Pascal replied, “Be a better person and you will have my brains.” 12

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 According to Shiv Khera, the foundation for success is attitude. It follows fthat every goal-getter must have the right mentality. Benefits of A Positive Attitude Positive attitude leads to increase in productivity, fosters team work, solves problems, breeds loyalty, increases profits, makes for a pleasing personality, improves quality etc. People with negative attitudes present an opposite picture of what we just considered above. Build A Positive Attitude You have to purge yourself of the failures of the past. Think of the positive things that are true. Forgive yourself and forgive others who might have wronged you in the past. There is no point condemning yourself for sins that God has forgiven you. A lot of folks to day are battling with a memory of wrongs they may have committed in the past. Build you mind with what the Scripture says: “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans Chapter 8 Verse 1). You are now a new creature in God and old things have passed away. (2 Corinthians Chapter 5 Verse 17). Make A Habit of Doing It Now Procrastination is the number one enemy of the goal-getter. Benjamin Franklin said “Never leave till tomorrow that which you can do today.” Begin to save and invest today. Don’t wait until you start making all the millions. When you pray to God and say “Father bless me.” You have to have a channel for that blessing to come. If you are on a salaried employment, you have to have investments in some other businesses. The best time to act is now. When people say “I’ll do it one of these days.” You can be sure they mean none of these days. You don’t have to wait till all the lights turn green before you leave home. That will never happen. Develop A Thankful Attitude Count your blessings and name them one by one and it would surprise you to know what God Has done. Don’t count your troubles, count your blessings and your breakthroughs. This is the attitude of champions. Think about the victories of the past and not the failures of the past. When David was to confront the giant called Goliath, he relied on the God who had given him victory over the lion and the bear to conquer the Philistine.

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The Mentality of Champions 2 009 Go ahead and thank God for what He has done in your life and for the many things he is doing and about to do for you. With thanksgiving make your requests known to God and don’t be anxious for anything. (Philippians Chapter 4 verse 6). Feed Your Mind As our bodies need good food everyday, so does the mind. The mind needs good thoughts on a daily basis. Feed your mind with God’s word. (2 Timothy Chapter 2 Verse 15). You only get approved by studying God’s word. Read motivational books and listen to messages that would arouse your faith and challenge you to act. That is what builds us a champion. A lot of folks spend all the time in the world reading soft sells and dirty magazines and books. Instead of reading what would make them champions, some folks read stuff that would pollute their minds and set room for all kinds of devilish and demonic thoughts. What you read influences your action and your actions capture your destiny. Select the kind of messages and sermons you listen to because faith cometh by hearing the word of God. (Romans 10:17). You don’t have to listen to messages that say not everyone must prosper or a message that says your suffering is the will of God! Such satanic messages make the sparkle in the life of many aspiring champions to die! Many who were supposed to be champions are mediocre today because they found themselves in ministries and churches were they were told that every man’s lot is what he gets and that humility is accepting your faith. This is the greatest lie told from the pit of hell! Build A Positive Self-Esteem Self esteem, simply put, is the way we feel about ourselves. Some folks think so little about themselves. They’ve got the grasshopper complex like the spies Moses sent out to go check out the land of Canaan. Joshua and Caleb showed the maturity of champions. They had a different mentality – the mentality of champions. Whilst the other spies saw themselves as too little to conquer the Canaanites, Joshua and Caleb had good self esteem. Your goals today may seem like gigantic goals. You may imagine that what you dream about is out of the ordinary. You are not wrong! Champions think big. If you think little, you don’t have the champions’ stuff in you. The Soldiers of Saul saw Goliath as an impossible lot to deal with. To David, Goliath was no different from the lion or the bear he had defeated in the past. It was the same giant but from a different perspective. Stay Away From Negative Influences What kind of company do you keep? According to an age old English adage, birds of the same plumage flock together. Bad company corrupts good manners. (I Corinthians 15:33). Do you stay among people who don’t believe in what you 14

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 believe in? You have no business being in the company if any man that does not share your values. Such people would only serve to discourage you by the things they say. They would disparage you for outlining goals for yourself. You better keep away from them. Keep company with believers like you, with people who share your values and whose life would encourage you especially goal-getters too, who would challenge you to become what you want to be. Negative people would introduce you to the wrong things. You cannot afford a luxury if you want to become a champion! The Role of A Mentor The role of a mentor in the life of a champion can never be overemphasized. Whatever you want to be in life, you can look up to someone who has gone that road before and whose life challenges you. If you are a minister of the gospel and your desire is to be a champion in this generation. It depends on what angle you look at it. If you want to go along the line faith and power, you could have a Kenneth Hagin or Bishop David Oyedepo as a mentor. What you do is to study the life of your mentor and those things he or she did that brought him or her to limelight. Best way to do is to read books written by your mentor and listen to his words as often as possible with time, you would discover that there has been a transfer of deposits from your mentor to you. This happens subconsciously. Have you ever wondered why Living Faith pastors preach like Bishop Oyedepo, Deeperlife pastors like Pastor Kumuyi? It’s the result of mentoring and mentorship. Again if your goal is to become a champion along the line of deliverance, Pastor D.K Olukoya and Apostle Johnson Suleman provide very good examples. It doesn’t matter what field of human endeavour it is. All you need do is to identify a man who is a success in that sphere and emulate that person. There are always two ways one can learn from. From your own mistakes or from the experience of other people. Learning from the mistakes of others is far cheaper. Start Your Day With The Positive Read or listen to something motivational and positive first thing in the morning. You can get a collection of scripture verses that inspire you and arouse the best in you. This author loves the works of a prolific motivational author Zig Zigglar and reads snippets for the day from the works of this great man of God for inspiration on a daily basis. Whatever suits you in the positive light is what you need to read to start you day with. If you start your day with the portion of scripture that says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” in your mind, you sure are not going to be weighed down with seemingly difficult tasks within the day. This is the power of beginning the day on a positive note. According to William James of the Harvard 15

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 University, “If you are going to change your life, you need to start immediately and do it flamboyantly.” Have the Winners’ Mentality • • • • • • • • • •

The winner is always part of the answer The loser is always part of the problem The winner always have a programme The loser always has an excuse The winner says “let me do it for you.” The loser says “That’s not my job.” The winner sees an answer to every problem The loser sees a problem to every answer When a winner makes a mistake, he says “I’m sorry.” When a loser makes a mistake, he says “It’s not my fault.” Winners have dreams Losers have schemes Winners say “I must do something.” Losers say “something must be done.” Winners are a part of the team Losers are apart of the team Winners see the gain Losers see the pain Winners see possibilities Losers see problems

Exercises 1. Ask yourself whether the company you keep are people that could help you achieve your goals. 2. Filter the messages you hear and the books you read. Begin to make decision on what to listen to and what to read and where to be. 3. Reprogramme your thoughts in line with Philippians Chapter 4 verses 7 and 8.

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4 DON’T LOSE FOCUS If you’ve got your mind fixed on your goals, it would pay you not to loose focus. This is not to say that you would not encounter momentary set-backs. Begin to envision set-backs as a means for you to sit up and gather momentum to forge ahead. Stumbling blocks are not what they seem to be. It just depends on what you see. A stumbling block could in fact be a stepping stone as you make effort to go up there. If you fall as you climb upwards, get up. Dust yourself and keep moving. Though the righteous fall seven times, he would surely rise up again. You can get knocked down but a knock down is not a knock out! Champions have always come back from knockdowns to win fights. The attitude should be that it is not over until you win. In June 1994, the Super Eagles of Nigeria were playing in the second round of the World Cup in the US. It was the first time Nigeria had qualified for the world cup and had emerged as the leaders in their qualifying group. Nigeria was pitched against the Azurris of Italy in the second round tie. Nigeria almost saw Italy packing from the tournament. That Nigerian team was rated 5th in the world and was by all standards among the best of the best. With only about two minutes to the end of the match the Italians equalized and went on to defeat Nigeria. The Italians simply refused to give up! That is the attitude that you should covet. Don’t Give Room To Distraction Many things tend to distract the goal-getter. For example, the man who seeks financial freedom today may be choked on every side by the need to gratify himself today. The truth is that delayed self gratification is better because it allows you to plan now and enjoy later instead of enjoying now and enduring later. If you have your targets, say, to drive a new car in 5 years from now. Don’t sacrifice the future for now because your friends are driving brand new cars today. It is a distraction and you must not give in to such distraction especially if you have a car of your own that is serving the purpose of taking you round town. All you need to do is to delay that gratification for now.

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The Mentality of Champions 2 009 Don’t Give In to Fear The first group of Israelites who fled Egypt failed to reach the promise land on account of fear. Their spies came back from an expedition to see Canaan with a report that the land was full with giant too strong for them to defeat. Because of this, they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. In one of his books, Ken Gaub tells the story of a young boy who was coming home from school and saw a dog barking. It scared him, so he went round the block the other way. After several days of his detour, he got tired of walking the extra distance and said to himself, “I’ll get a stick and I’ll hit that bull dog, and he will know who is in charge!” When he got close to the barking dog, he looked it straight in the face and began to laugh. The he put his stick down. The bull dog had no teeth. Most of our fears are like toothless bull dogs. All we need is but a little courage to face the fears because they are False Evidences Appearing Real. Determination Would Keep You On Track You must be determined to succeed in spite of the weighty challenges you may be facing. No matter how many times you get knocked down, you must be prepared to pick yourself up and get on with what you do. Jesus mentioned the determined widow in Luke 18. The widows goal was to get justice and it didn’t matter to her that the Judge was unjust. That is the role of determination. The hallmark of champions. Persistence and determination are two key words in the dictionary of champions. If you delete these two words, then there is much to be desired. A double minded man is unstable in all of his ways and cannot be a champion. (James Chapter 1:8). He is unstable because he would not stick to plans, he would change his mind at the slightest challenge! Your goals are only achievable when you stay with them to the end. It’s not enough to say them and confess them all the time. You can spend 10 years confessing your dream without achieving it unless you have a passion towards attaining the goals. Desire must meet expectation for there to be results. It doesn’t matter what obstacle you may be facing today. It pays to say “With God on my side, I must make it” and believing this statement with a passion.

Exercises 1. Refuse to change your mind about your goals because of challenges. 18

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 2. Prayerfully work out clues to overcome the challenges you face

5 INVEST TODAY FOR THE FUTURE Getting Started A lot of Nigerians are today investment conscious as a result of the stock market boom of 2007. Many cut their investment teeth in the stock market and had their fingers burnt when the market started going down in March 2008. It is a pity that a lot of people now avoid anything having to do with investments as a result of the bitter experience of having had to loose money. The truth however, is that long term investors who did not start investing during the boom didn’t make losses. Infact, Some never got their fingers burnt at all. Investing should be viewed from a different perspective like many did post 2007 and pre 2009. Truth is that if you are serious about meeting financial goals, the time to start doing something about it is now. Why Financial Planning? We plan our finances in other to meet up with our goals. Whatever goal you have that is not necessarily along spiritual lines require finance to realize. Our goals to have our dream homes, dream cars, dream family are all tied to finances. If we are to have the mind of champions who conquer difficulties, then we must consider planning our finances. This author is of the firm belief that every individual should have at least six months of expenses stored away in the form of liquid cash investment. With such a savings, if the individual were to loose his job, God forbid, he could use 50% of what he was spending when he had the job while looking for something else to do. The individual in this case can always be sure that he can survive a year trying to get something together. That and individual losses his job is not the end of the world. Many self millionaires have been made today because someone asked them at a point in life to look elsewhere. The entrepreneurial mind is never scared of job loss.

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The Mentality of Champions 2 009 A liquid investment is one that you can easily convert to cash such as savings account, fixed deposit investments and some mutual funds like the ARM Discovery Fund and the ARM Aggressive Growth Fund. Invest the Way the Wealthy Invest Affluent Nigerians, including self-made millionaires, have their money in the following five places: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Their own business concern Income producing real estate like apartments let out for rent Liquid investments like savings accounts and fixed deposits Land held for development Stocks and bonds.

Investing In Your Own Business This author has mentioned it elsewhere in this book that you have to have a channel for God’s blessing and that it is not enough to pray and desire a good life. One area where you can make it as a champion is when you start your own business. The best place to invest your money is in your own business. If you earned your money through skills, it would also do you good to invest more in developing those skills. Rev. Essa Ogorry in one of his sermons to his church members at the Fulfilling-Word Foundation, Port Harcourt, mentioned how he told an artist several years ago that a time would come when banners would be designed by the use of the computer and he urged the artist to develop himself. If that artist listened to God’s servant then, he will still be smiling to the banks today. Invest In Income Producing Real Estate Real estate fetches money for many well to do Nigerians today. In metropolitan towns like Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri, Kano and so on, landlords make huge profits from their investment in properties in the form of rental income. You can make a wide range of what you desire to invest in, from commercial buildings to office apartments and to residential apartments It is also important to note that your choice of tenants is key to your success or failure in having real estate for the purpose of rental income. You must check their background before signing the dotted lines. Invest In Liquid Investments Always save for the rainy day. No matter how small you feel you income is, you must learn to save and be prudent in your savings. You don’t have to buy what you don’t consider necessary. This author is sure that if you look around in your house you would find a lot of items you don’t really need or wished you never bought. 20

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 There are other places (besides savings accounts) where you can keep your money that would guaranty you safety and liquidity. You can invest in fixed deposit accounts at the bank or in government bonds. Land Held For Development Many Nigerians store their money in raw land held for development. They buy land on the outskirts of growing cities that have many positive economic dynamics. As the city grows and expands, this land appreciates in value. If you wish to hold land for development then you must consider certain factors. For example, nearness to major roadways, and population pressures.

Stocks and Bonds When you must have taken out and paid your tithe, your living expenses and insurance and saved some of you income, the next place you will want to take advantage of is the stock market. You can buy stocks with the help of a stock broker. However, note that, the stock broker is not a portfolio manager so he leaves you in a world of your own to make your investment decisions. If you don’t have the time to study the market, then you should invest in a mutual fund. A mutual fund is managed by a fund manager and it is a pooled investment which is much cheaper than investing on your own except if you have the time. You must do your home work before you pick a stock. Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in present times and probably the most successful investor in stocks, says that people look for discounts in every area except in stock market investing. He has made millions by continually looking for discounts, in that the stock is traded well below its intrinsic value. The ability to find these stocks and then take a position in them made him and many like him extremely rich. Before you make your choice of a stock as yourself the following questions: 1. What does the company do? Does this company provide a necessary service or product that customers desire? 2. Does the company have good management? 3. Do I know much about the assets of the company vis-à-vis the value of its indebtedness? Mutual Fund Investing There is only one way to invest in the stock market with minimal risk, and that is through a mutual fund. A mutual fund is a pool of money made up of investments of several individuals like yourself. This money is used to purchase diversified portfolio 21

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 of stocks. A mutual fund is run by profession money managers, people who make informed investment decisions. These are people who spend their full time in the stock market. This author would readily recommend the ARM Discovery Fund and the ARM Aggressive Growth Fund managed by Asset and Resource Management Company Ltd. Both funds have a track record of successful management over the years. See www.arminvestmentcenter.com for details.

Guard Your Money Carefully You must ensure that you don’t lose money unnecessarily. It is better you invest your money in a guaranteed interest yielding instrument than to make foolish investment decisions. Studies have shown that if you leave your money in a well managed mutual fund and let it compound over the course of your working lifetime, you will further ahead than with the almost any other investment except your own business. Learn from the wealthy and do what they do. Follow the leaders and not the followers; remember that the first step to becoming wealthy is to earn the money. The second step is to hold to it. It is not how much you earn, but how much you keep that counts. Be determined and thread with care. Action Exercises 1. Open a special savings account and begin to build it up to three to six months of expenses in reserve. This will change your personality in a very positive way. 2. Start to keep aside funds that you need to invest for the plans you have. In other words, begin a financial plan for yourself. You may consult an investment advisor for advice.

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The Mentality of Champions 2 009 CONTROL YOUR MIND “If you can’t control your mind, someone else will” –

John Allston

Chris Alford, an American motivator developed what he calls the beyond your control (BYC) and in your control (IYC) circles. He posits that the secret to success balances between two circles filled with unseen power and that these circles wield their might as sure as the law of gravity. Each circle functions independent of the other and creates its own outcome. Let us try to explain these concepts further. The BYC circle holds everything that is beyond your control for example things like taxes, the weather, hot-headed customers, government policies etc. The BYC circle is a ready tent for those who want to blame something for their failures or challenges. They simply would not leave the circle and instead of becoming the champions that God originally designed them to be, they become victims. The popular American TV evangelist, Rev. R.W. Schambach will always say that “God never intended for His children to be overcome by the devil, but calls His beloved the over comers,” “God never intended for His children to be the victims but the victors!” It is a matter of choice whether you want to be the victim or the victor. No matter how the BYC circle looks like, you have the choice to overcome the BYC circle by holding on to the IYC circle. The championship mentality lies solely in the circle of things in your control. While BYC holds a thousand and one things, IYC consists of only three things: 1. The way you think 2. The way you talk 3. The way you act The secret of controlling your environment was demonstrated by Frank Outlaw when he said: “Watch your thoughts; they become your words. Watch your words; they become your actions. Watch your actions; they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character. Watch your character for it will become your destiny.” We can deduce there from that focusing on the way you think, talk and act means goal completion and successful results.

Why You Should Control Your Mind You need to be in control of your mind if you must be in charge of your destiny. Your thoughts should be centered on things that would build you and not destroy you. A lot of folks live life like victims instead of champions because they have lost grip of 23

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 their minds. Paul wrote in his epistle that we should focus on whatsoever those things that are pure and that are of good report and to think continually on these things. Friend, cast down all imaginations that weigh you down and bring into captivity in Christ’s name. That is the Jesus formular for controlling the mind. Read With Intent The first step to cultivating the IYC circle is to read with intent. Readers are leaders. Reading stimulates thought, and thoughts dictate action. If you want to improve on whatever skills that you have, you cannot do without reading. If you are laboring with fear, look for books that talk about overcoming fear. If you are constantly struggling with your bills, look for books that teach on prosperity in Christ Jesus. If you have difficulty retaining clients, find out how to build on client relationship in a book. These days, you can look things up in the internet and read. Reading plants the knowledge of the ages in your head. Champions make time out to study. Talk with Conviction Talk follows thought and determines action. They way you talk determine your level of success. If you say, “I’ll try to study more,” or I’ll try to work on my technique,” chances are you may not succeed. Why? The word try does not portray any conviction on your part. Winners don’t try to study; they study. Winners don’t try to work on their technique. They work on their technique. Say it like you mean it. Be determined to achieve your goals. Act with Purpose Actions speak louder than words. Execute a hand written, activity based action plan at the start of each day. Include professional objectives as well as personal goals. Be specific. If your goal is to delight your clients don’t have a vague goal like, “ I’ll send some ‘thank you’ notes this week.” Instead have a goal like, “Today I will send out ten thank you notes to customers that called at the shop, but did not sell.” Writing out goals creates momentum. It’s like adding fuel to fire. It creates that extra spark that makes you burn with a passion. By writing goals down, you put your energy into purpose-filled activity. It’s your choice: BYC or IYC. You can allow people and events beyond your control to dictate a life of inaction, regret, or command your destiny in the circle In your Control. It’s up to you to think the way champions think!

Action Exercises 24

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 1. Write down areas of challenges you may be facing and consider getting books that deal with those areas.

7 THE PLACE OF PLANNING “Everyone has a will to win but very few have the will to prepare to win.” –

Vince Lombardi

It is a pity that a lot of folks spend most time planning mundane things like parties and vacations with no thought about their futures. As a goal-getter, you must plan. Having defined your goals in life, you would need to take time out to plan. First Step Is to Write Your Goals Down For the umpteenth time, we must mention that goals must be written down. Consider the scriptures in Habakkuk Chapter 2 Verse 2, it says……”And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. Preparation No one plans to fail, but people often fail to plan. Like the Boy Scouts’ motto, we should “be prepared.” Every goal-getter must be serious about preparation. Developing a plan for your future is the most creative task you may undertake. Without a plan you will never reach your goal. It has been said that 98% of all failed projects is as a result of poor planning or no plan at all. A life that is plan less would soon lead to a life of frustration and lack of accomplishment. All Oceanic bank branches nation-wide are built to plan. It is so easy to recognize one even without a sign post. Thus, preparation is the necessary edge that you require to achieve your goals in life. Preparation Leads To Confidence Preparation means not being scared of failure and never accepting it. It is the ability to face defeat without feeling defeated, being disappointed but not being discouraged. You must plan about how to achieve your goals. For instance, if you goal for this year is to buy a plot of land and assuming your monthly salary is N100,000 and the price for a plot of land is N400,000. You may make a plan like this: 25

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 Monthly Income: N100,000 Goal for the Year: To purchase a plot of Land Monthly tithe: N10,000 Offerings: N5,000 Savings towards goals: N33,000 Savings account: N5,000 Upkeep for the month: N30,000 Savings towards childrens’ fees: N5,000 Investment in Mutual Fund: N5,000 Charity: N2,000 Total: N100,000

The plan above is just for an illustration. It is not by any means suggested as a plan you should stick to. If this were to be for instance, Mr. Hassan Adebayo Okoro’s plan, this author would advice Mr. Okoro to ensure he pays his tithe as soon as he receives the money and also ensure that he make all the savings as soon as possible to avoid making unnecessary expenses. You must always stick to your plan and stay with it to the end. Questions that You Must ask Yourself 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Do you have a clearly defined purpose? Do you have a plan of action? What effort are you putting into preparation? What price are you willing to pay? Do you have the “Can do” attitude? Do you have the patience to withstand the gestation period?

The above questions are pertinent questions for the goal-getter.

The Importance of Planning 26

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 Planning is an essential stepping stone to success. Planning involves you mapping out your medium to long term goals. It is an ongoing process which you may need to constantly review. Plans are the vehicles with which you get to your goals. Don’t wait until your options are limited before you commence planning. This is because planning is essential to any organizing process. No matter how busy you are, you need to plan. Just 10 minutes spent at the beginning or end of each day planning for the day or the next day, will help you get organized well beyond your expectations. If you are an employee, you must have your retirement goal. You are not going to be on that job forever. There is no better time planning for retirement than now. Prepare Your Subconscious Mind Our conscious mind has the ability to think, to accept an idea or to completely reject it. On the other hand however, the subconscious mind only accepts. If you feed your mind with doubts and fear, the auto suggestions will activate and translate those into reality. The subconscious mind is not rational. It is like a vehicle whilst the conscious mind is like the driver. The control is with the conscious mind. Companies spend millions in Nigeria to get a 30 second advert during football competitions on television and they are obviously getting results. We see an ad for a particular brand of noodles, soft drinks, or tooth paste and we go to the super market and buy that brand and not any other brand. Why? Because, we have been programmed to act accordingly. How To Programme The Subconscious Practice positive confession. The Bible says death and life are in the power of the tongue. The things you say influences both your conscious and subconscious mind which in turn influences attitude and behavior. Positive confessions are a way to programme the subconscious mind. Examples of positive confessions are: 1. “I’m rich” 2. “I’m healed” 3. “I’m good with my memory” etc Make your confessions in the present tense because the mind cannot tell the difference between a real experience and an imagined one. 27

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 The power of positive confession would help you to eliminate negative habits and to develop positive ones. For example, when you tell yourself that you have got to catch an early morning flight, you automatically tell yourself that you have got to get up and invariably, you do sometimes even without an alarm clock. Picture in your mind’s eye what you want for as he thinketh in his heart so is he. Visualization This is the process of creating and seeing a mental picture of the kind of thing that you want to have or do, or the kind of person you want to be. A constant practice of visualization would affect your subconscious for the better

CONCLUSION Champions have a rare kind of mentality. It’s not common. Champions are not born, they are made. There’s no such thing as winning by luck. A victorious life is one that is worked out with determination and perseverance. There’s no better time than now, if we must correct the mistakes of the past. You must give yourself another chance at getting a breakthrough instead of writing yourself off! The truth is that there’s nothing like failure. People only become failures when they stop trying. The fact that you are have been bruised is not a reason why you should give up. Have you watched boxing matches? Have you seen pugilists who emerge victorious after a fight? Some win with swollen eyes and can hardly even see clearly. Victory takes away all the pains. It’s just like a woman who after going through labour pains 28

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 and delivers safely. She soon forgets all the pain on the sight of her new born child. Have you heard it said that one thing the brain cannot remember is pain! You may be going through pain today, don’t give up, hold on. Sooner than later, you will get to your breakthrough. Don’t go for second best, go for the best. I know some folks today who wanted to study medicine and ended up studying something else because they settled for less as a result of one or two unsuccessful attempts. This is not to say other fields of human endeavour are not equally important. The truth is that if you have your mind fixed on a goal, focus on that goal and don’t just go discouraged at the present challenge you face. There is real joy in becoming what you really want to become. Until you discover you, you will not realize the stuff you are made of. A lot of us have not realized what we are because we don’t want to take the test. We just want short cuts. Challenges are tests that bring out the best in you. The testimony is the product of the test. For every glory there’s a story. That’s why it’s encouraging to read the biographies and the auto biographies of successful men and women. There are people who have risen from obscurity to limelight whose testimonies would stir up your spirit. Learn from men and women who from zero have become heroes from every walk of life whether in ministry, the corporate world or in private enterprise. When you look at the lives of people who have made it in life through the dint of hard work and determination, you will realize that you have nothing to worry about. All you need is faith in God and to put in your best in all that you do. Be rest assured that the God whom you serve does not fail. His word would not return to Him void unless it accomplishes the purpose which pleases Him and what is his purpose for you? His word says that He has good thoughts for you to give you an expected end. God will make available to you the grace to succeed. It comes from God alone and it is for those who desire it. Once in church during a ministration by Rev. Essa Ogorry, this author felt a witness in his heart that desire must be matched with expectation and expectation must be matched with determination to yield results. This is the stuff that distinguishes champions from ordinary people.

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The Mentality of Champions 2 009

Further Reading: 1. Brian Tracy, Getting Rich Your Own Way, (New Jersey, John Wiley & Sons, 2004) 2. Ken Gaub, Dreams, Plans, Goals, (Green Forest, New Leaf Press, 1993) 3. Shiv Khera, You Can Win, Online Manuscript

About the Author

Austyn Arimoro graduated from the Faculty of Law, University of Maiduguri with a Second Class Honours Upper Division in 2004 and won the Dean’s Prize for the Best 30

The Mentality of Champions 2 009 Graduating Student in the Faculty of Law, the Late Justice Mohammed Bello’s prize for the Best graduating Student in the Bachelor of Laws Programme as well as Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN)’s prize for the Best Graduating Student in Jurisprudence and Legal Theory. He was called to the Bar as a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in November 2005 having passed the Bar Final examination conducted by the Nigerian Law School with a Second Class Honours Upper Division. He works with the Port Harcourt office of Asset and Resource Management Company Ltd, one of Nigeria’s leading financial services firm. He is also a pastor with the Pasture of Fulfilment, the Church arm of the Fulfilling-Word Foundation and is happily married to Mrs. Joke Fausat Arimoro (nee Sanni).

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