In the face of the setting sun.

The assignment; life! The method; character, competence and confidence. Courage is the capacity to do life, yet failure comes early to the brave. Nonetheless, the lesson of failure is only a step, alongside the way of knowledge, wisdom, understanding and diligence.

Courage; the ability to do, to go and to be. It is the energy and mastery to become. To face your fears and work through your tears may take you many years. But there is no shame in effort and sacrifice that moves you closer to a noble goal. Every step, though others may not see, is victory. Victory, you see, is not born at the end of a thing nor is it in its convincing. Victory is in the conviction of the beginning to stay the course.

There is no shame in struggle, for the outcome may not be yours to handle. But in determination, perseverance and striving for, is the celebration of the human spirit to dominate the earth. Come my son, go my daughter - take hold of life with Spirit. Take it for none can withhold it from you.

Be mindful of the heart, but let it not trick you to take a trail to no avail. For vanity hides easily among lies and deceit. Courage is the high road, all else is hollow. It matters not how long you live nor how far you travel, but how well you live and the legacy you leave, creates a path that others will follow. And when all is said and you stand alone in the face of the setting sun, by the grace of God His will be done.

Allan Bukusi

TRAINING LEADERS

The Significance of Life

You did not have a say over your date of birth or day of eventual demise. Nonetheless, your achievement in life will be determined by three important choices; your choice of god, your choice of spouse and the use of money. Your choice of god will determine what you define as success, how you live and what you want out of life. This choice will prioritize your work, engagement and worthwhile pursuits in life. Your choice of spouse, your life’s prime companion, will affect your state of joy, peace, contentment and happiness in life. However much or little resources come into your possession in this life – none will be transferred to the next. The way you choose to use the resources available to you is more important than the amount of money you accumulate and will determine the quality of your life on earth. When all is said and done it is not the independence of these three that makes a life, but the alignment of the three that decides your life’s significance. 

Allan Bukusi

TRAINING LEADERS    

The Strong White

There was once a farmer who needed to plough his farm and get rid of pests on his land. The farmer worked hard, but was not able to till all the land and the insects ate much of his crop while it was still in the field. One morning he told his wife he was going to the market.

When the farmer arrived at the market he found a horse trader. He bought a strong white horse and then went over to the fly catchers den and bought a chameleon called Color. In those days chameleons used to help people get rid of insects. The interesting trio of a strong white horse, a chameleon called color and a tired farmers arrived home late at night to eat, rest and prepare for work the next day. At night the horse turned to the chameleon and said, “My name is Strong White what is yours”. The Chameleon said, “well I don’t have to be strong I just change color, play dead and get to eat the insects”.

The next morning the farmer took his new team to the field and White pulled the plough through the mud and got himself all dirty. Color, the Chameleon, put on his dead color and ate all the insects that passed by. The farmer was very happy with their work. In the evening White had to take a bath and thought that color should too. But Color was too lazy to clean himself up and went to work the next day without taking a bath. This went on for many days until Color began to emit an awful smell. White pleaded with Color to clean himself as he was beginning to raise quite a stink! White told Color, “You only have to look dead, not smell dead to do your job”. But Color just laughed and would not listen to White and said, “I told you I don’t have to be strong like you all I need to do is play dead”.

One day a vulture appeared in the sky above. Vultures do not have very good eyesight, but they can smell a dead frog from a mile away. That night White mentioned the vulture, but color said, “No one can see me when I change color”. The following day the vulture appeared again slowly circling the farm. When Color had eaten enough for the day he settled down to sleep. That was when it happened. In one sweep of its wings the vulture swooped down and gulped up Color in less than a second. Strong White never saw Color ever again.  

Allan Bukusi

The Wedding Dress & The Dish Cloth

A long time ago when men used to leave their wives in the Homelands and go to work in the South African Gold mines, there was a man whose dear wife passed away and left him with twin girls aged ten years old. The conditions in the Gold mines were very dangerous and it was not uncommon for men to die in the mines from exhaustion and accidents. The men who survived the grueling experience often came home sick and unable to work on the farms. However, the money was good and was enough to cater for the needs of a poor family.

The man took his daughters to his widowed mother’s house and asked her to take care of them. He turned to the girls and said to them, "Now my dear ones you are young and beautiful I am going to work, but you must prepare for your wedding day". Your grandmother is wise and will guide you. You must listen to her carefully because she will give you what you want. The young girls were excited and said goodbye to their father as he took a train to Gauteng Province.

After many months a letter arrived for grandma. Inside were two envelopes – One for each of the girls. Each had the same amount for money inside and clearly labeled. The man had become sick, but sent the money home and wrote – "This is my present for each of my girls. Guide them, but give them what they want". As the girls grew they began to notice that other girls in their class had many things they wanted, but did not have.

One of the girls began to get impatient and asked grandma for rings, cream and new dresses. Grandma reminded them of what their daddy had told them - they must prepare for their wedding day. But this was too much for Joyce who wanted everything today! Grandma did not have the strength to refuse and let her have what she wanted. Unfortunately, Daddy never came back.

On the night before the twins wedding day, for they were to be married on the same day, Grandma gave each girl her envelope from their father and told them. “He wanted each of you to have a beautiful dress”. Jane took her envelope and went and bought a beautiful white dress, but all that was left in Joyce envelope was only enough to buy a dish cloth.

Allan Bukusi

TRAINING LEADERS

Employment or Enterprise

When you complete your basic education (formal schooling) you have two options; One, to become an employee or two, to be an entrepreneur. At some stage in life you will experience both of these conditions. It does matter which path you determine to take. Because you must excel in order to succeed.

Also see

Employment and enterprise are the same thing

The five laws of successful employment

Employment is a business

The entrepreneurial employee

How to start a business without capital

The age of the employee has come to an end

The Economic Empowerment Mindset

The 33 Laws of Self Employment