RECIPE FOR RIGHTFUL LIVING: CHANGE THE WORLD WITH WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

“People will probably forget what you said and they will possibly forget what you did, but they will NEVER forget how you made them feel!”   -  Phil Evans

A good or bad word from someone will stay with you for a long while but how they made you feel in what they said will stay with you forever!!! Of course there are two sides to this principle (as there is for most things in life) - both equally important!!! One aspect is the negative, destructive one.   If we drive a nail into something, or a knife into someone (whether real or virtual) - even when we remove them - the resulting damage, or scar, remains forever!!!   Please stay aware of that - without focusing on it.

The other aspect of this principle - the one we really should focus on - is the power of encouragement!!! The power of uplifting words or actions to another individual - or group of people - is almost impossible to measure - but the results will be sustainable if the words or actions are used consistently!!! Many of us are in the practice of using positive self-talk and affirmations to keep us uplifted - or to overcome some deep adversity in our lives that has left a scar.   It is a great way to achieve good things and to maintain a constant "feel good" mentality - but just one little chunk of encouragement from someone else is usually far more uplifting (by a factor of ten - at least) and the effects longer-lasting.

My suggestion to you is to give encouragement on a daily basis - and if you're not particularly good at it - then try it for just one week and see how it feels - and observe the change in the dynamics of the people around you.  One week of successful encouragement will change your entire life because it will become a great habit!!! Sure - it's easy to say nothing if someone in our lives does something that involves some level of achievement (no matter how large or small) - but your life (and theirs) will become far richer and more fulfilling if you can learn to give genuine praise and encouragement!!!   It may not even be achievement just yet - they may only be 'trying' to do something - but just not quite getting there. Your positive help just may allow them to reach the goal that they are so desperately seeking.  Give it a go - you've got absolutely nothing to lose - and so much to gain !!!

Moral Lesson

If you're striving for a particular goal yourself - let persistence, patience, and courage be your closest friends - you'll get there!!! Encourage someone today.

About the Author: Isaac Oluyi is a motivational teacher, entrepreneur and entrepreneurship educator. He is happily married with children. You can reach him via 08060702979 or isaacoluyi@gmail.com

"What I Remember" by Tomi Colors

The smiles the tears

My father’s nudging nods

My mother’s warming hands

The peace in everything

The trust in every eye

Nothing at all mattered

I had them they got me

Everyone very much

Closer it was……….

Better I felt…………

The pieces never had to merge

But away I was taken

The truth was ripped

The real became visible

Life became mean

Survival necessary

Mutation compulsory

Then I fell a bit too low

And ran so far

Became the worse

The farther I went…..

The stronger I was…..

Then I returned

Different I was

Not the same

Darker, meaner

Nobody knew why

They only saw the evil

Only feared the change

The more I showed………………..

The farther they turned…………

It became lonely

We became sad

So we made a trade

The old for a new

We tried we strived

But nothing could away take

Nothing could prove

Memories held

Memories still hold

I wish different

I hoped different

I worked different

But the same all stayed

Nothing changed…

That’s all I remember…

Recipe for Rightful Living: Attitude is the Only Thing!

The height we attain in life is determined largely by the way we perceive situations. Nobody is a failure yet until he/she sees failure clearly in whatever he/she is doing. So how do you see where you are at the moment? Do you see it as a desert or a fertile land? Do you see it as a cursed or a blessed land? You may wish to pause and ponder on the story below:

Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life." "Yeah, right, it's not that easy", I protested. "Yes it is," Jerry said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life."

I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it. Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning, and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma centre. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body. 

I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door", Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live. "Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?", I asked. Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, 'He's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action." "What did you do?", I asked. "Well, there was a big, burly nurse shouting questions at me", said Jerry. She asked if I was allergic to anything. "Yes", I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply... I took a deep breath and yelled, "Bullets!" Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead." 

Moral Lesson

Jerry lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is not just everything, it is the only thing.

About the Author: Isaac Oluyi is a motivational teacher, entrepreneur and entrepreneurship educator. He is happily married with lovely children. He can be reached via isaacoluyi@gmail.com or on 08060702979.

Recipe for Rightful Living: Happiness

I apologise for not living up to the promise I made when I began this series. I had promised that I would be sharing with you some inspirational stories I put together in my forthcoming book “Recipe for Rightful Living”, but my schedule is packed up of late. Please pardon me.  Believing that I am pardoned already, then let us continue from where we stopped.

 Dear readers, what does it take to be happy? And when is one supposed to be happy? Is it when you have all the money in the world? Is it when you are married or you have your own biological children? Or is it when you graduate from school? Is happiness a destination or a journey? To answer most of these questions, could you please pause and ponder on the piece below? Happy reading!

For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time to still be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.

This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have. And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time and remember that time waits for no one, so stop waiting . . .

·         until you finish school

·         until you go back to school

·         until you lose ten pounds

·         until you gain ten pounds

·         until you have kids

·         until your kids leave the house

·         until you start work

·         until you retire

·         until you get married

·         until you get divorced

·         until Friday night

·         until Sunday morning

·         until you get a new car or home

·         until your car or home is paid off

·         until spring

·         until summer

·         until fall

·         until winter

·         until you are off welfare

·         until the first or fifteenth

·         until your song comes on

·         until you've had a drink

·         until you've sobered up

·         until you die

Moral lesson

Decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy. Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

Postscript:  The story on happiness was written by Alfred Souza

About the Author: Isaac Oluyi is a motivational teacher, entrepreneur and entrepreneurship educator. He is happily married with lovely children. He can be reached via isaacoluyi@gmail.com or on 08060702979.

Records Broken by England (and Real Madrid) at World Cup. There is God ooo!!!

England's tally of just one point is their lowest ever in a World Cup group stage England lost their opening two World Cup games for the first time ever England have not been eliminated at the group stage since 1958 England failed to win a game at a World Cup for the first time since 1958 Two goals is the lowest tally for England at a World Cup since their tournament debut in 1950 England have not conceded four goals in the group stage since 1958 England failed to win either of their World Cup warm-up games for the first time since 2002 Uruguay's win over England was their first against a European side in 16 tries - a run dating back to 1970 England have drawn more games 0-0 at World Cups than any other nation, with 11. Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka had never lost in 13 outings when playing together before the tournament England's shot conversion rate of 6.06 per cent is the worst of any side with two or more goals at this year's World Cup England have scored only five goals in their last eight World Cup games. They last scored more than twice back in 2002 against Denmark England have still only come from behind to win two games at the World Cup (the 1966 final and in 1990 vs Cameroon, both in extra-time) Roy Hodgson has won none of his last five games at World Cups Frank Lampard has hit 40 shots at World Cups without scoring, more than any other player (1966-2014) England used 21 players at this World Cup (Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Fraser Forster were the only two to miss out) - they had never used more than 19 before Source: http://www.goal.com/ I came across this information on Facebook and I thought it was amusing. JUST IMAGINE!!! BRAZIL 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP First own goal Name: MARCELO Club: Real Madrid. First Keeper to concede five goals Name: Casillas. Club: Real Madrid First player to miss penalty Name: Benzema Club: Real madrid World Best player who has not scored in the first two matches Name: C Ronaldo Club: Real Madrid. Ahhhhh, Madrid na only una waka com??? There is God ooooooooooooooo oooo...

#BringBackOurGirls: Mr. President, I Hope You Are Not Watching the World Cup

Mr. President, it is 70 days now that those unsuspecting Chibok girls were abducted by Boko Haram extremists. For 70 days, the Nigerian State has failed these girls, their families and other well-meaning Nigerians who are eager to see them regain their freedom. Nigerians have shouted, tweeted, demonstrated, protested yet you have not brought back these girls. The truth, Mr. President, is that I have not been impressed by the way you have handled this matter. Your initial reaction to the kidnap was an awkward silence; the reason for which, till today, Nigerians have not been told. How can you explain why it took you such a long time to make a statement on the issue? Some of us believe the government’s lethargic approach to the abduction is what has made it difficult to #BringBackOurGirls. You also inaugurated a committee to look into the case. Sincerely, till today, I still don’t understand the rationale for raising the committee and what the committee was expected to achieve.

Even though the promise you and your wife made that you would not sleep until the girls were found was apparently facile, I will still hold you to it. So Mr. President, are you saying before God and man that you and your wife have not slept for 70 days? Nigerians know the answer. But do you know that the parents and relative of these girls would not have had any sound sleep since their kidnapping? If you realise this, then I hope you are not watching the ongoing FIFA World Cup taking place in Brazil, even matches involving the Super Eagles. Because Mr. President, if you have watched even a single match in the ongoing World Cup, then you do not understand how harrowing the experience of the parents and relatives of the kidnapped girls must be.

Mr. President, before you or anyone asks me if I have been watching the ongoing World Cup, let me tell you straightaway that yes, I have seen a number of matches. You are the Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria’s Armed Forces, so it is your responsibility to make sure these girls are returned to their families. The day you took your oath of office, you swore to defend the citizens of this nation. You swore to defend the territorial integrity of our nation, which has been so seriously assaulted by these terrorists even till yesterday, and this is why I do not expect you to give yourself to any kind of pleasure when innocent girls are being held in the forest by terrorists. You cannot afford yourself the luxury of any kind of gratification as long as these girls are captives in their land. Yes, sir, you cannot be given to any kind of enjoyment, relaxation or hedonism as long as these girls are missing. You are supposed to be empathetic towards the families of the girls. So if you have been watching the world cup, please stop and concentrate on the search for these girls.

Do you know Mr. President, that the lives of these girls can never be the same again? Having gone through so much psychological torture, they will need long hours of counselling, if they are to go back to their normal lives (at least, as close to normal as it can be) and I doubt if provisions have been made for that. Some of these girls will live in perpetual fear for the rest of their lives; some of them in the fear of the male gender that it may be difficult for them to have marital relationships or even friendships with males. Some of them will not go back to school again and those who decide to go back may find it difficult to concentrate in school. Some will have nightmares for the rest of their lives. The truth is that the consequences of the abduction on these girls (not to talk of their families) can be very grave and even unimaginable. It is for these reasons that some concerned citizens and foreigners have been using every opportunity to bring your attention to the plight of these girls.

Mr. President, eventually, when (I don’t want to say ‘if’) these girls are found and released, I want to advise that all of them, including those who escaped, be given national awards for their courage in the face of danger; they refused to be intimidated even when they knew that going to write their final exams was dangerous. They have demonstrated a great desire to be educated and they deserve to be rewarded for that. I hope my advice will be taken, Mr. President.

Why Kayode Fayemi May Lose Ekiti Election

The Ekiti State gubernatorial election will soon take place this weekend, and politicking has been taken to a very high level in the state. A lot of intrigues and even controversies, claims and counterclaims have been seen and/or heard. But the question paramount on everyone’s lips is “who will win the election?” Is it the incumbent governor, the cerebral Dr. John Kayode Fayemi or the gregarious former governor, Ayodele Fayose? I think the governorship race is between these two contestants even if there are other candidates.

I do not live in the state so it will be difficult to compare the tenure of Fayose when he was governor with the tenure of the present governor, Fayemi. But friends and colleagues who live in the state or who have had cause to travel to the state in the recent past have brought news to me of the goings-on in the state the likely winner of the election.

If one was to judge by the incumbent governor’s pedigree as a PhD holder one would conclude that residents of the state would have had it good in the last four years but we cannot go by that because the person at the helm of affairs in the country also boast of a PhD but Nigerians cannot say it’s been some wonderful five or so years. One may also want to quickly assume that with Ayo Fayose’s educational background, he would pose no real threat to the ambitions of JKF, as the incumbent governor is popularly referred to. But such an assumption will be a very costly one.

Feelers from Ekiti State suggest that a sizable chunk of the state’s population is not satisfied with the performance of the incumbent governor thus giving Fayose the chance to win the approaching election. In fact, Fayose is said to be riding on the persona that he is man of the people and he is making claims that he is closer to the people of the state and more popular than the governor. It is also said that the residents of the state believe the former governor performed fairly well when he was governor of the state and so is likely to do well if given another chance.

Why will a less educated and uncouth impeached former governor be a great threat a refined and suave incumbent governor? Since I am not resident in the state I can only hazard some guesses. It is very possible that JKF has not demonstrated enough to the people of Ekiti State that he can bring about the desired improvements the citizens of the state so eagerly desire or maybe the think he is too slow. It is also possible that Ekiti people do not think of the governor as someone who is in touch with the realities of the common man and that voting Fayose into power will bring government closer to the people. Maybe it is because JKF has not done what Fashola has done in Lagos, Aregbesola in Osun and Oshiomole in Edo.

One thing that is certain is that if Kayode Fayemi loses the gubernatorial election in Ekiti State, it will be because he failed to totally extinguish the influence of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state through numerous commendable and undeniable achievements. But the truth is that I will be sad to see such a fine and polished gentleman as JKF lose the upcoming election in Ekiti State. Whatever the outcome of the election may be, my number one wish is that the election be free and fair.

Recipe for Rightful Living: The Star Fish

 Everyone can make a difference in life. Creating each and everyone of us in a unique way is not fortuitous. There is a purpose for it. The world needs everyone to be a better place. The starting point is to identify an area, no matter how small, and act based on your capabilities. You are a solution to a problem. What is this problem? Once you know what it is, swing into action. Start from where you are with what you have. Don’t be intimidated by the size of the problem. Focus on what is in you and use it expeditiously. You may want to go through this short story captured in Recipe for Rightful Living entitled “The Star Fish”. I believe it will make a difference in your approach to how to make the work a better place to live in.

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up. As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out 'Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?' The young man paused, looked up, and replied 'Throwing starfish into the ocean.' 'I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?' asked the somewhat startled wise man. To this, the young man replied, 'The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die.'

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, 'But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!' At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, 'It made a difference for that one.'

Moral Lesson

I encourage you to take time to do something that will make a difference to someone else's life ... and it doesn't have to be much and they don't need to know. Just take a moment, do something special ... the universe will know and that's enough.

Source: (Adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley (1907-1977)

About the Writer

Isaac Oluyi is a motivational teacher, entrepreneur and entrepreneurship educator. He is happily married with children and can be reached on +234-8060702979 or through email: isaacoluyi@gmail.com

"RECIPE FOR RIGHTFUL LIVING: WHAT AM I?" by Isaac Oluyi

Welcome to another wonderful time on recipe for rightful living! I believe God has been blessing you with the recipe shared thus far. Today, I will like us to unravel a puzzle. After all, life could be puzzling at times. Are you ready? Do you have what it takes to unmask this puzzle? If you are, then let us give it a try.

I am seldom considered, though I do more to influence everything about you than virtually any one thing in your life.  I often control the time you get up in the morning, the time you go to sleep, what you eat and drink and the very thought that runs through your head.  I can make you happy or sad, loving or hateful, cheerful or remorseful, congenial or spiteful and in doing so, control the very capacity that you have for success. 

No, you don’t often think of me instead you BLAME the problem I create on the shortcoming of others, or the state of the economy, or your family or a million other reasons.  Often at times unable to find anyone else to BLAME you look for shortcomings within yourself on which to lay the BLAME. 

When my impact on your life fully is considered in your every thought and action, when you are mindful of my awesome power, when you nurture and groom me for positive use in your life, I can become more contagious than the most prolific disease ever witnessed by man.  My influence will spread to every person you come in contact with.

Groomed and nurtured in a positive manner there will be no person or obstacle that can stand in the way of my success or fail to be impacted for the better.

Moral lesson

'I Am Your Attitude'

"RECIPE FOR RIGHTFUL LIVING: THE CARPENTER" by Isaac Oluyi

It is time yet again to reflect on life. Life is fun. Life is interesting. Yet life is complex. Life could also be difficult and jejune. What a paradox! As paradoxical as life is, one can still make the best use of life by one’s attitude or choices. More often than not it is what one asks of life that it gives one. It works on the principle of sowing and reaping. What one sows is what one reaps. Even if it seems that things are not looking up for one at the moment, do not be weary in doing good. To drive home this point, let us pause and ponder on the following story shared in my forthcoming book “RECIPE FOR RIGHTFUL LIVING”. Today’s story is entitled ‘The Carpenter’. I hope you are blessed with it.

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer/contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the pay check, but he needed to retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."

Moral Lesson

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built not too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realised, we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project."

Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today. 

Interesting Facts about the FIFA World Cup

The 2014 FIFA World Cup begins today and I felt I should write about the event. So I have decided to present here some interesting fact about the biggest sporting event on earth.

The facts:

• ·        A foreign coach has never managed a World Cup winning team. The nearest is West Germany, whose coach in 1974, Helmut Schön, was born in what became East Germany.
• ·     The best any team has done with a foreign trainer was second place, reached by Sweden in 1958 with EnglishmanGeorge Raynor,[71] and the Netherlands in 1978 with Ernst Happel[71] of Austria, whose co-trainer was Dutchman Jan Zwartkruis.)
• ·         Most championship wins as player and head coach

3, Mário Zagallo,   Brazil (1958 & 1962 as player, 1970 as coach)[64]

• ·         Most final appearances as player and head coach

5, Mário Zagallo,   Brazil (1958 & 1962 as player, 1970, 1974 & 1998 as coach); Franz Beckenbauer,   West Germany (1966–1974 as player, 1986 & 1990 as coach); Berti Vogts,   West Germany (1970–1978 as player, 1994 & 1998 as coach), Henri Michel,   France (1978 as player (France), 1986 (France), 1994 (Cameroon), 1998 (Morocco) & 2006 (Ivory Coast) as coach),[65] Jürgen Klinsmann,   Germany (1990, 1994, 1998 as player, and as coach 2006 (Germany), 2014 (United states)[66] & Hong Myung-bo,   South Korea (1990, 1994, 1998 & 2002 as player and 2014 as coach)[67]

• ·         Won tournaments as both player and head coach

Mário Zagallo,   Brazil (1958 & 1962 as player, 1970 as coach); Franz Beckenbauer,   West Germany (1974 as player, 1990 as coach)

• ·         Most final match appearances as player and head coach

4, Mário Zagallo,   Brazil (1958 & 1962 as player, 1970 & 1998 as coach); Franz Beckenbauer,   West Germany (1966 & 1974 as player, 1986 & 1990 as coach)

• ·         Won tournaments as both captain and head coach

Franz Beckenbauer,   West Germany (1974 as captain, 1990 as coach)

• ·         Lost tournaments (final match) as both player and head coach

Franz Beckenbauer,   West Germany (1966 as player, 1986 as coach)

• ·         First person ever to have had both roles – as player and coach

Milorad Arsenijevic, was the first person ever to have had both roles – as player for Yugoslavia in 1930 and later as coach in 1950.

• ·         Coaches Who have made it to the semi-finals with two different teams

Guus Hiddink and Luiz Felipe Scolari are the only two coaches to have made it to the semi-finals with two different teams. Dutchman Hiddink did so with the Netherlands in 1998 and Korea Republic in 2002. Scolari’s record was with Brazil in 2002 and Portugal in 2006.

• ·         Best finish by a debuting team

Champion,   Uruguay (1930),   Italy (1934)

• ·         Best finish by a debuting team after 1934

Third place,   Portugal (1966),   Croatia (1998)

• ·         Most finishes in the top two without ever being champion

3,   Netherlands (1974, 1978, 2010)

• ·         Most finishes in the top four without ever being champion

4,   Sweden (1938, 1950, 1958, 1994),   Netherlands (1974, 1978, 1998, 2010)

• ·         Most finishes in the top eight without ever being champion

7,   Yugoslavia (1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1974, 1990)[15]

• ·         Most finishes in the top sixteen without ever being champion

14,   Mexico (all except 1934, 1938, 1974, 1982 and 1990)

• ·         Most appearances without ever being champion

14,   Mexico (all except 1934, 1938, 1974, 1982 and 1990)

• ·         Most finishes in the top four without ever finishing in the top two

2,   Austria (1934, 1954),   Yugoslavia (1930, 1962),   Poland (1974, 1982),   Portugal (1966, 2006)

• ·       Most finishes in the top eight without ever finishing in the top two

7,   Yugoslavia (1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1974, 1990)[16]

• ·         Most finishes in the top sixteen without ever finishing in the top two

14,   Mexico (all except 1934, 1938, 1974, 1982 and 1990)

• ·         Most appearances without ever finishing in the top two

14,   Mexico (all except 1934, 1938, 1974, 1982 and 1990)

• ·         Most finishes in the top eight without ever finishing in the top four

4,    Switzerland (1934, 1938, 1950, 1954)[17]

• ·         Most finishes in the top sixteen without ever finishing in the top four

14,   Mexico (all except 1934, 1938, 1974, 1982 and 1990)

• ·         Most appearances without ever finishing in the top four

14,   Mexico (all except 1934, 1938, 1974, 1982 and 1990)

• ·         Most finishes in the top sixteen without ever finishing in the top eight

4,   Scotland (1954, 1958, 1974, 1978)

• ·         Most appearances without ever finishing in the top eight

8,   Scotland (1954, 1958, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1998)

• ·         Most appearances without ever finishing in the top sixteen

3,   South Africa (1998, 2002, 2010)

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Cup_records

“Recipe for Rightful Living: The Nails in the Fence" by Isaac Oluyi

True to my promise, I have decided to share another story with you today from “Recipe for Rightful Living”. Today, I will beam my searchlight on ‘Anger’. Anger is a very bad emotion. Despite the fact that it is bad, everyone of us still gets angry from time to time. What do we do when we are angry? React or respond? Please take time to go through the following story and see the best way to handle anger. I hope you enjoy it.

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.

He said, 'You've done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there and a verbal wound is just as bad as a physical one.'

Moral Lesson

Do not react to situations when you are angry, rather respond to it by remaining calm in the face of provocation. 

"RECIPE FOR RIGHTFUL LIVING" by Isaac Oluyi

I am glad to announce that my inspirational teacher, Isaac Oluyi, has decided to write for my blog.  He has graciously agreed to share portions of his forthcoming book, Recipe for Rightful Living and he has promised to write for this blog for the next 30 days. I can assure you of one thing: your life will not remain in the same state after the next thirty days; you would have become a better person.

No one has a fool proof formula for rightful living, as experiences of individuals differ from time to time. Despite these differences in experiences, there are still points of convergences in what individuals experience on daily basis. To this end, it is only reasonable for one to learn from other people’s experiences rather than from one’s experiences. Experience has been said to be the best teacher, but I believe the best way to learn any useful lesson from experience is mostly when one learns from others. Why does one need to learn from others? It helps to avoid the pitfalls others have experienced and act as a guide for one’s day-to-day activities.

In view of the above, I will be sharing with you on this blog site in the next 30 days some inspirational stories from my forthcoming book “RECIPE FOR RIGHTFUL LIVING”. Today, I want you to take your time and digest the following story entitled “An Interesting Funeral” with a view to picking some vital lessons that will improve your living. Enjoy it.

One day all the employees of a very unusual company reached their office and all saw a big sign on the main door which read. . . 'Yesterday, the person who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym.'

In the beginning, they all got sad for the death of one of their colleagues, but after a while they started getting curious to know who was that person who hindered the growth of their colleagues and the company itself?

The excitement in the gym was such that security agents were ordered to control the crowd within the room. The more people reached the coffin, the more the excitement heated up.

Everyone thought - 'Who is this person who was hindering my progress?'

One by one the intrigued employees got closer to the coffin, and when they looked inside it, they suddenly became speechless.


They all got to stand near the coffin, and all ended up shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul. There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside it could see himself or herself! There was also a sign next to the mirror that said. . . 'There is only one person who is capable of setting limits to your growth and IT IS YOU!'

Moral Lesson

Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your parents change, when your husband or wife changes, when your company changes, when your church changes, when your location changes, when your money changes, when your status changes.  No! Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs.
Examine yourself, watch yourself. Don't be afraid of difficulties, impossibilities and losses. Be a winner; build yourself and your reality. It's the way you face life itself that makes the difference.

About the Writer

Isaac Oluyi is a motivational teacher, entrepreneur and entrepreneurship educator. He is happily married with children and can be reached on +234-8060702979 or through email: isaacoluyi@gmail.com