The tricky Donkey

The Tricky Donkey

Inspirational Short Stories with lessons: How to improve and grow personally to be more productive

A salt seller used to carry the salt bag on his donkey to the market every day. There was a stream they have to cross on the way to the market.

One day, the donkey suddenly tumbled down the stream and the salt bag also fell into the water. The salt dissolved in the water and hence the bag became very light to carry. The donkey was happy.

Then the donkey started to play the same trick every day.

The salt seller came to understand the trick and decided to teach the donkey a lesson. The next day instead of salt, he loaded a cotton bag on the donkey.

Again it played the same trick hoping that the cotton bag would become more lighter.

But the dampened cotton became very heavy to carry and the donkey suffered. It learnt a lesson and didn’t play the trick anymore after that day, the seller was happy about it.

Lessons from the story:

1. Luck won’t favour always.

2. Do not avoid responsibilities with tricks, rather be productive.

There are several Individuals out there pretending as a beggar, most of them have a healthy body, they are not a handicap, they just chose to be a beggar and survive life with tricks. The reason why most of these set of people engage in such trick is their laziness and inability to discover that they are powerful and can dominate their world. Most people act foolishly when they are pitied. A person who always expect people to pity him or her will likely be unproductive. And once laziness becomes part and parcel of an individual, it becomes hard for that individual to become better or productive.

Another category of people who are also suffering from laziness are those who avoid what needs to be attended to in their lives. Busy people are often the laziest, they are too busy to work on themselves. They are busy with their work, they fail to create time to work on their personal development. They stay busy as a way of avoiding something they do not want to face. They often know that something important needs to be attended to in their lives, but they prefer to stay busy as a way of avoiding it. That is the most common form of laziness. An attitude of unwillingness to change. They failed to attend to issues in their lives. They prefer to be busy watching TV, playing snooker, or even at work rather than working on themselves or increasing the quality of their lives.

Another set of unproductive people are those who feel entitled. This type of people is just like those who pretend as beggars. Theirs is done in another way. They often call several people who are close to them for support. They ask for a share of what doesn't belong to them, but they rather see it as a right. They justify themselves with words like "he is my uncle, I can ask whatever I want from him" "she is a sister to me, there is nothing wrong if she helps me." And most of the time, if the individual they looked up to was unable to help them, they see that person as wicked or not generous.

Productivity is commonly defined as a ratio between the output volume and the volume of inputs. In other words, it shows how efficient a person is, compared to the opportunities and materials an individual has at his disposal. It is the quality, state, or evidence of being able to generate, create, enhance, or bring forth maximum value.

11 activities that can make you more productive

Have you ever asked yourself that how can I be more productive? How can I improve as an individual?, what do I need to do to be more valuable and creative?

“Productivity is being able to do things that you were never able to do before.”___Franz Kafka

How To Improve As An Individual

Our lives are a reflection of our habits more than our education. You need to make a habit out of self-improvement. Engage yourself daily in activities that contribute to your growth. Self-development is an art in itself, it is a continual process. It takes a lifetime of practice to master. The following are effective ways in which you can improve as an individual.

1. Research about the aspect of your life you want to improve: This is the first and crucial step. It is important because you will be able to select books, pieces of training, and the kind of materials you will need. You will be able to get clues of how to get started. Do you want to get better at a certain skill? or you want to be more confident and productive? Research about it to know the pieces of training or books that will be most beneficial.
2. Get the useful materials: Depending on the area of your life you want to improve on. Source for the materials that will be needed. There are books upon books that you can study. This generation is so blessed that you can get as much information you need as fast and easy as possible. Ensure you take notes as you access these materials. Get a notepad and pen for this special activity. Taking notes alone is not enough, you must take action too.
3. Find an accountability partner or people to train with: Self-improvement is more effective when it is done with others who are competent. Spend time with people who are working on similar things as you, and you'll find yourself cultivating new good habits at a faster rate than trying to do it all alone. Are you learning to play an instrument? Join other people who are doing the same and you will learn it faster and better.
   
   
   
4. Submit yourself to a mentor: A mentor is a person who has professional and life experience, who voluntarily agrees to help a mentee develop skills, competencies, or goals. A mentor is also an advisor and role model who is willing to invest in the mentee's personal growth and professional development. Most of the time there is an exchange by working in some way for or with them.
5. Reflect and measure your progress: Evaluate and see how far you have gone. Compare the previous state to the current state. No matter how intangible the thing you are working on is, you have to find some way to measure your progress. In such a way you'll know if you are progressing or not.
6. Celebrate/punish yourself: If you notice that you are progressing, celebrate yourself. You can decide to buy yourself your favourite drink. Relax and enjoy it at that moment. And if you fail to carry out the daily challenge, create a punishment for yourself, let your mentor or accountability partner hold you responsible.
7. Sincerity matters a lot: Making a decision is far easier than carrying it out. No amount of talking about it will ever initiate true change. Avoid the use of the word "I WILL" Take an immediate step and be true to yourself. Don't Deceive yourself by buying self-development books and leaving them on the table without opening them. No amount of talking will bring about change or growth, ACTION is what counts.
8. Set goals: Write clear goals about this new skill or habit you want to form down aim in your diary or journal. You can write it on a piece of small paper too and fix it beside your bed. Ensure it is not placed at a hidden place, paste it where it is easier for you to see. You must put in mind the rule of goal setting too. Your goals must follow the SMART rules.S- SPECIFIC, M- MEASURABLE, A-ACHIEVABLE, R-REALISTIC, T-TIME-BOUND
   
   
   
9. Select role models: We human beings tend to be motivated when we see others who have done what we intend to do. It is much easier to accomplish a challenge that someone else has been through. Look up to people who are a symbol of success concerning the kind of thing you want to improve on. Read about them, learn their ways of doing it and approach that aspect in your unique style. The aim of selecting a role model is just to motivate and inspire you, not to be exactly like them. Everyone has his unique style.
10. Be consistent: Don't act like a pendulum bob, swaying from one side to the other. Focus on one thing at a time and rigorously work it out into success. Be consistent, avoid having a long break in between sessions of your practice. Involve yourself regularly and dedicate yourself to getting a massive result.
    
    
    
11. Know when to relax a bit: It is not advisable to overwork yourself. Let the growth process consume you but don't let it finish you. Remember Rome wasn't built in a day. Break down your goals or aim into steps that are achievable at a go. If you are just starting, go with less speed and as you master the new skill or attitude, then you can move with full speed. I wish you the best, cheers to your life of productivity.

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The Old Man, His Son And The Couple

The Old Man, His Son And The Couple

Inspirational Short Stories with lessons - How to develop a positive attitude towards an individual, a group, object or circumstance, how to avoid negative view on matters and people's behaviour.

A 24-year-old boy was with his dad on a train. seeing out from the train’s window, he shouted. “Dad, look the trees are going behind!” his dad smiled.

A young couple was sitting nearby, they looked at the 24-year old’s childish behaviour with pity.

suddenly he again shouted, “Dad look! the clouds are running with us!”

The couple couldn’t resist and said to the old man. “Why don’t you take your son to a good doctor?”

The old man smiled and said

“I did and we are just coming from the hospital, my son was blind from birth, he just got his eyes today.”

Lessons from the story

1. Every single person in the world has a story. Don’t judge people before you truly know them. The truth might surprise you.

2. Be quiet whenever you aren't sure of the reason behind a circumstance.

How to develop a positive view on matters and people's behaviour.

 “Positive anything is better than negative nothing.” ___Elbert Hubbard

It is not reasonable to jump to conclusions. And even if you need to say something about an event/occurrence, let it be a positive one. Causing sadness in people's lives can come from the response you gave to their actions or words. There are lots of critics in the world already, let your words be an encouragement and not an energy drainer to peoples lives. Our forefathers said, "voice is like an egg, once it drops, it breaks and there is no remedy to the damage."

Your words automatically create a memory in people's mind. It can either be a good one or a bad one. You must be aware that bad memories hurt and last longer than good memories. It is possible to easily forget the good things people do to you, but if an individual hurts you badly, you can recall that easily because it will surely be connected to your emotions, especially if you are the emotional type. How often do you remember the times your friend share his/her things with you in school? But you cannot easily forget the day he/she implicates you, especially if you were severely punished.

The world continues getting worse due to the way everyone sees his fellow man. If by the law of the Creator, you are to love your neighbour as yourself. And not trying to intimidate, discourage or frustrate other human beings like you.

"If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden"
_____Frances Hodgson Burnett

Imagine a world filled with individuals that have compassion towards their fellow man. The joy, unity, peace and progress of such a world can't be defined.

And these are the answers to the question;

how do I develop a positive attitude, view, or perception on matters and people's behaviour.

To develop a positive view of people's behaviour or circumstance, you must:

1. Ask questions in a positive manner

In as much as you are ready to develop a positive attitude on people's behaviour or circumstance. Be relaxed and at the same time quick to ask questions positively.

 “You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind.” ___Joyce Meyer

The couples in the story asked “Why don’t you take your son to a good doctor?”(the suggestion is a negative one) instead of using a line such as "why is your son so excited" (positive). It is as if the couple is saying, the boy is not mentally alright.

The way a question has been constructed will definitely show the impression of such an individual towards the other party.

And to have a positive impression on issues, you must ask questions in a positive way if you are unable to keep silent.

Perhaps someone is shouting excessively and you got irritated, instead of saying; why are you barking like a dog?, say; Are you aware that your voice is too loud. In that way, you are not sounding negative or abusive, rather you are healthily passing the information.

"It does not matter how long you are spending on the earth, how much money you have gathered or how much attention you have received. It is the amount of positive vibration you have radiated in life that matters"
_____Amit Ray

2. Consider Other people's Perspective

If you're engaging in a thing with someone else, think of his or her opinion and how it relates to your own. For instance, let’s say you are expected to meet at the beach by midday and such an individual showed up an hour late, you may have many different impressions based on your perspective. You may feel angry that the person has disrespected your agreed time, or maybe you feel worried that something bad has happened to such being. However, from his/her point of view, he/she may have been stuck in traffic or delayed by an unexpected issue that must be attended to without delay.

Or maybe you agreed on a particular thing together with others and you discovered the plan was changed without your consent. You must try to know why they do so and avoid reacting negatively. You can ask them a question about it instead of having a wrong conclusion that they don't regard you well or that they are deceitful.

3. Stop Thinking In Terms Of "Should" or "shouldn't."

thinking in terms of how certain things should or shouldn't be can lead to disappointment. We all tend to see things from our limited perspective, but our view of how things should or should not be causes most of the suffering in our lives," Avoid this perception about any form of occurrence or actions displayed by people.

If you address issues based on what should or shouldn't be, it might bring in troubles, because things will not always go as you think. Everyone is unique, the way you see things is quite different from others. Everybody looks at the same situation with different viewpoints. The main point is this; perception differs.

4. Delay response or reactions to situations

This is one of the most effective ways on how to develop a positive view of people's behaviour or circumstance.

You must be quick to hear, and learn to delay responses. At times, we respond to situations without having a full understanding of what has happened. And through this process, we won't be able to respond to it in the right way, because the reaction to such a situation was not coming from the actual sense but from what we assumed. And this can lead to the wrong proclamation. Hence, it is advisable to keep quiet when you have not found out the basis of what happened.

5. Imagine the Bigger Picture

Consider the bigger picture when forming a perspective on something. let your conclusion focus on the better side, think of this viewpoint or area of focus and hold up within the larger picture or real-world effects. By enlarging your lens to the bigger picture you will begin to see things more clearly. More details about the event will come to you naturally if you can imagine the big picture. Hence, you will positively view people's behaviour.

The big picture in the real sense is the entire perspective on a situation or issue.

To develop a positive view of people's behaviour or circumstance, you must not have a narrow mindset about issues, circumstance or behaviour of people. Think in a big and reasonable way.

6. Avoid prejudice

To develop a positive view of people's behaviour or circumstance, you must learn to avoid prejudice.

Prejudice is a negative and unfavourable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reasoning. It can be any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favourable or unfavourable. It is also unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, especially of an opposing nature, towards any ethnic, racial, social, or religious group.

Prejudice can be a powerful influence, biasing the way we think about and act towards other people. Now, a new study shows that the way people view ethnic minority faces is communicated to their level of prejudice. It turns out that the visualized faces based on the choices of prejudiced people were characterized by another group as being more criminal-looking.

Prejudice has a powerful and harmful effect, it has the power to affect the way we react to situations. Prejudice makes the victim feel less than fully human. Prejudice can often lead to bullying and other forms of discrimination.

Prejudice can be termed as small-mindedness, and this is totally against a positive attitude. A positive outlook will come alive only in big thinking and not a small mindset.

"There is a magnificent, beautiful, wonderful painting in front of you! It is intricate, detailed, a painstaking labour of devotion and love! The colours are like no other, they swim and leap, they trickle and embellish! And yet you choose to fixate your eyes on the small fly which has landed on it! Why do you do such a thing?"
____C. JoyBell C.

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 The wise man

Short Stories with lessons - How to overcome worries

People always come to the wise man, complaining about the same problems every time. One day, he told them a joke and everyone roared in laughter.

After a couple of minutes, he told them the same joke and only a few of them smiled.

When he told the same joke for the third time no one laughed anymore.

The wise man smiled and said:

“You can’t laugh at the same joke over and over. So why are you always crying about the same problem?”

Lessons from the story

1.Worrying won’t solve your problems, it’ll just waste your time and energy.

2. Pain is part of life.

HOW TO OVERCOME WORRIES

Distress, tensions, worries, doubts, anxieties, and difficulties are a normal part of life. It is natural to worry about a chronic illness, a disorder, debt, examination, an upcoming job interview. But “normal” worry becomes dangerous when it is continual and uncontrollable. Do you worry every day about “what ifs” and life issues? Or you find it difficult getting anxious thoughts out of your mind? and it is hurting your daily life, come with me.

"Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.”

– Leo F. Buscaglia

“There is a great difference between worry and concern. A worried person sees a problem, and a concerned person solves a problem.”

– Harold Stephen

What is worry?

Worry is the state of being anxious and troubled over actual or potential problems.

Worry also refers to the thoughts, images, emotions, and actions of a negative nature in a repetitive, uncontrollable manner that results from a proactive cognitive risk analysis made to avoid or solve anticipated potential threats and their potential circumstances.

Any individual can train his/her mind to stay calm and look at life from a more balanced, positive, and less fearful perspective.

Fear is quite different from worry, but both are related. A worried person will surely have a form of fear within himself.

If you read and apply these tips on how to overcome worries, you will be able to control your thoughts and worry less.

1. Understand that no situation is permanent

If an individual knows very well that no moment lasts forever, it will be possible to think about how to get out of the situation as soon as possible. 

Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create, think of what you have that motivates you to do more.

2. Analyze the major causes of the anxiety and map a solution.

Try to think of the main things behind your worries and think of a solution to the problems that created worries in you.

Make a list of all the solutions you can think of.  By so doing, you are addressing the situation from the right and positive viewpoint.  But do not get too emotional trying to get the perfect solution. Focus on the things you have the power to change, rather than the situation.

After you’ve assessed your options, make a plan of action to get out of your worrying state. Once you have a plan and you have started doing something about this problem, your nervousness will subside.

3. Learn to accept that some things are inevitable.

Life has so much in stock for its inhabitants. Every individual is liable to face tribulations or difficult situations in life. 

It makes no sense to worry about things or situations that you have no control over because there is nothing you can do about them.

Worrying about all the things that could go wrong doesn’t make life any more stable. Focusing or thinking always about the worst trials or ordeals that may occur will only prevent you from enjoying the good things you have in the present.

4. Write down your worries and  Choose a set time and place for worrying.

If you can't get rid of worrying quickly. Get a notepad or phone and make a brief note of your worries, and then continue about your daily activities. Remind yourself that you’ll have time to think about it later, so there’s no need to worry about it at the moment.

If you are still bothered about the issues, create a short time to go over your worry list, a maximum of 15 minutes. Avoid picking a moment just before your bedtime so that it won’t make you anxious just before bedtime. Allow yourself to worry about them, but only for the amount of time you’ve specified for your worry period. During your worry period, you’re allowed to worry about whatever is bothering you. As you assess your worries in this way, you’ll often find it easier to develop a more balanced perspective. 

5. Surround yourself with hopeful people

Get rid of friends  that are causing worries in your life. Surround yourself with friends who think positively. Move with people who contributes to a creative environment. This will build and  increase your positive outlook. A group of people talking negatively can infect every individual in that group with their negativity. You should avoid such group, join a circle that talk things up rather than down.

Negative things that worries can bring into your life:

This is not to frighten you but to let you know that you need to stay far away from worries. Constant worrying, negative thinking, and always expecting the worst can do the following to you;

1. It can take a toll on your emotional and physical health.

2. Restlessness; worries can leave you feeling restless and uncomfortable.

3. It can sap your emotional strength.

4. Worries can make it difficult to concentrate at work or school.

5. Worries can cause insomnia, headaches, stomach problems, and muscle pain. 

Finally, due to my strong belief in positive words, I will like to share with you 12 powerful quotes that will heal you of your worries.

“Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration and resentment.”

_____Dale Carnegie

"Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength"

_____Corrie Ten Boom

“I never worry about action, but only about inaction.”

_____Winston Churchill

"If you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present."

_____Roy T. Bennett

“If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep.”

_____Dale Carnegie

“Worry is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere”

_____Erma Bombeck

"People become attached to their burdens sometimes more than the burdens are attached to them."

_____George Bernard Shaw

"You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry, don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way."

_____Walter Hagen

"Don’t waste your time in anger, regrets, worries, and grudges. Life is too short to be unhappy."

_____Roy T. Bennett

“A day of worry is more exhausting than a day of work.”

_____John Lubbock

...upward delivery

“Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith.”

_____Henry Ward Beecher

"If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it's not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever."

_____The Dalai Lama

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Mary Daniels; The Amputee Hawker's Story and how her lies were unleashed

Real-life stories with lessons - Be honest

Mary Daniel narrated that when she was 10 years, she and her parents decided to travel to their hometown (Ayingba in Kogi State) to spend the Christmas holiday. As a child, her ambition was to become a lawyer when she grew up. She was in Primary four when her beautiful hopes were dashed in December 2006 on the highway.

During the journey, the driver drove with a suicidal speed and brought the journey to a fatal end. Mary’s parents died in the accident. She was the only one who survived the accident. She survived with a badly broken right leg that had to be eventually chopped off.

"Doctors said I would die if it was not cut,” she remarked.

A dark feeling of uselessness may have enfolded her but she had a grandmother to hold on to. Her grandmother took her to the village in Kogi State. Months after her leg healed, Daniel reawakened her dying dreams. She returned to school. But just when she thought she was on the right track to success, another bombshell dropped.

“I dropped out at JSS 3,” she said. “I was going to school on a government scholarship but they stopped paying my fees. That was 2014.”

Thereon, she sought solace in hawking, moving from Anambra to Delta and then Lagos.

When Mary turned 20 the grandmother gave her away in marriage to a man who said he loved her. It was as if she received a favour but that didn’t happen. She got pregnant with this man and when the baby was born he denied being responsible for the pregnancy. This left Mary in a dilemma.

Out of shame, she relocated to Asaba (Delta State) and continued hawking sachet water. She squatted with a woman in her village for some months before she rented an apartment.

“A car brushed my arm while I was hawking in traffic. I was heavily pregnant then. A man saw me bleeding and gave me N100,000. I used the money to rent a small apartment and bought some baby things. I gave birth in 2019.” she said

She only had a two-week ‘maternity leave’ before she returned to the streets, manoeuvring the traffic to sell water with her baby strapped to the back.

She decided to move to Lagos afterwards because she was not selling well in Asaba. She sold her home appliances to raise the fare. Her daughter is with the woman she lived with in Asaba. She is now in Ayingba with her baby. Her grandmother didn’t know she has moved to Lagos.

“I hawk in traffic around Terminal 1, Bolade and markets around Oshodi, l wait for traffic to be standstill and dash to the road to sell to passengers, I will recede to the roadside once the traffic eases off and returns immediately there is another standstill. It is stressful but I use drugs in the evening to kill pains,” she said.

She sleeps on the balcony and passage of a house, a storey building on Suwebatu Street. She hardly sleeps at night because of mosquitoes.

As she was doing this quick business of selling bottled water from street to street in the Oshodi area. Fortune found her. A man called Mr Ibitoye Ayodele Adeniyi met her in Oshodi, took her picture and posted it on his Facebook page. Her story, the pathetic story of an amputated orphan with a two-year-old baby and an aged grandmother to take care of that ekes out a living by pounding the streets of Lagos daily and selling bottled water went viral.

There are lots of beggars in most cities in Nigeria shooting their hands out with begging bowls to passers-by soliciting for alms. Mary Daniels didn’t want to be one of them.

“I don’t like begging because I believe I have the strength to work and cater for myself. I know I am not lazy and I took the decision not to beg. Some people out of pity will give me N1,000 or N2,000 after buying water from me,” she said.

Nigerians with the gift of human kindness are donating money to her generously.

The Lagos State Government through the Office of Civic Engagement has offered her accommodation and other forms of assistance.

Mary Daniels; the amputee hawker's story appeared to be false. 

Following her painful stories that went viral on social media, Nigerians started donating money through her bank account made public with about N25m raised.

This spurred the state government to immediately protect her to avoid criminals from taking advantage of her sudden fortune.

After few days, a celebrity birthday party was held in her honour featuring many cakes, fanfare, photoshoots, among others.

All was going well for the young lady until the state government discovered that her father was alive. Although her mother is dead but it wasn't through an auto crash. It was also detected she was amputated from birth.

The Lagos state governor; Babajide Sanwo-Olu immediately handed her over to officials of social welfare for investigation following revelations that her case was staged.

Mary Daniels was receiving strange calls from those who staged her story with threats to reveal the truth unless she gave them their share of the money.

It was learnt Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu handed her over to officials of welfare in the presence of the police and some Kogi leaders, who attested her father was alive.

Mary daniels was put in the custody of officials of Social Welfare. The police were there but she was not handed over to them. There were irregularities and lies in the account of her life she gave.

It was discovered that contrary to her claim that her parents died during an accident that left her amputated, it was discovered that her father is very much alive and that she was amputated from birth.

It was also discovered that her presence in Oshodi was staged. Those working with her played on the intelligence of Nigerians to get donations for her.

The truth was unleashed when the people started threatening her. She promised some 500,000 Naira, others different amounts and was planning to return to her home state when the information leaked.

Some days later, The cat was let out of the bag when it was discovered that the story must have been fabricated following strange calls that she had continued receiving from a team who were instrumental to her fortune in Lagos.

It was revealed that the amputee was not telling a true story about herself and the life she had been living before donations from the public and help from the state government came her way.

The governor of Lagos State. Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has directed the relevant ministry to hand over the matter to the state Police Command for further investigation.

Lessons from the story

1. Do not deceive people

2. The truth can never be hidden

3. Be honest, no matter your condition.

A  Yiddish proverb says “A half-truth is a whole lie.”

“Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth-telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving.” ___James E Faust

Trying to scale through life through manipulation or dishonesty is a bad thing. No matter how late it is, the truth will someday be revealed. The great leader Martin Luther King Jr. Says " A lie cannot live." Yes! A lie cannot stand the test of time. 

Lies can be in a different form. It can be in a story form, a product, a service or even an agreement or promise. But if you ever want to live a peaceful life. Live a life of integrity.

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