Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. – Dr Martin Luther King Jr

Happy birthday to me! Yes, today is my birthday. Over three decades ago in Lagos, Nigeria on this day, February 2, a child was born into the world and eight days later he was named, ‘Dotun’. ‘Dotun’ is a Yoruba name which means, ‘renewed’. Thinking about it now, I am actually living my name – helping people transform their lives by first renewing their minds. What is in a name? That may be another thought to look into in subsequent blog.

As I write my first ever blog you can imagine the thoughts and feelings coursing through my body. It marks the first step towards achieving what I believe strongly is my purpose on earth, “renewing minds and transforming lives.”

I wonder where this will take me but I do know I want to touch at least one life in every nation on the surface of the earth. It has always been my dream to have a platform on which I am able to help people change for the better in life – infact I pursue every opportunity to encourage, empower and enlighten someone to be the best he/she can be.

To this end, I want to say welcome to my world.

  • It is my hope that when you are down and feel like you can’t go on, my words will feed you the needed encouragement to push on till you achieve all/any set goal.
  • It is my hope that when you are lost and do not know where to turn, my words will shine a light on your path giving you the direction that you need.
  • It is my hope that when you are helpless and feel the world will come crashing on you, my words will give you the strength to forge ahead surmounting every obstacle on your way.

As I am taking that first step today, I am urging you to take that first step as well towards achieving your dreams.

The greatest lesson on taking the first step I ever had was taught to me by my little niece, Omorinsola – we call her ‘Mo’. Mo was a tiny little baby of two months when I first saw her. I saw her try crawling for the first time and she failed but she didn’t give up so she eventually crawled. I saw her take the first step towards walking and I am sure you can imagine how many times she found herself sprawling on the floor but she didn’t give up. I heard her mumble her first word without making sense to anyone but she kept at it – now whenever she says, “uncle I miss you”, it can’t but melt my heart. Mo is now three years; she can run, jump and do everything a three-year old would normally do. What if she did not take those first steps?

Every man has the ability to dream but only few eventually make their dreams a reality. A wise man once said, “it is the start that usually stops most people.”

The first month of the year 2012 has just ended and I am sure majority would have set goals to be achieved this year; but the question to ask is, “what have you done towards achieving the goals?” If you want this year to be better than the past year you MUST take that first step towards achieving your goals.

Go on take the first step. You don’t have to get it right the first time, just take the first step. A baby that is scared of taking the first step will never walk in life. Just in case you fall down after your first step…, get up and take another step.

I am excited about this year. I have set goals too and I trust, hope and believe that together, we can track and report achieved goals this year!

Action Exercises

Here are three action steps you can follow to translate my message into action and transform your life.

  • Breakdown your 2012 goals into smaller achievable chunks.
  • Identify which chunk you can do within the next few days or month.
  • DO IT! Go ahead and do the first thing identified by you.

To our success in 2012.

DO!