Self-improvement

At the beginning of the year people make resolutions. Even those who don't write things down have good plans in their minds, because every reasonable adult wants to do better and become the darling and pride of his family or society. But time flies and we often wake up in December to discover that half the resolutions we made in January are unfulfilled. Then we lick ice cream to assuage our guilt or find scapegoats.

"Always be employed in something useful"

But I've come to discover that the fault is with us. Fortunately, it's easy to shake off the frustrations and begin with determination on a clean slate. As it is said, failure is only failure if you learn nothing from it. I'm fully persuaded that we don't have some monkey gene that keeps us goofing as proponents of Evolution Theory would want to posit. Rather we have an inherent firepower that can be invoked through self-improvement actions as we embark on the journey of becoming all we want to become and achieving all we want to achieve.

In a recent interview, Amos Wekesa who rose from frightening poverty to enviable success in the tourism sector revealed that the secret to success is good health, spiritual stability and academic ability. These things don't come by osmosis; you must deliberately work to transform yourself. In the true spirit of an African saying, "You must do your own growing no matter how tall your father is."

I've been privileged to read the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790). This illustrious American statesman, inventor and author was self-taught! He was constantly on the lookout for means of self-improvement. He devoted two hours everyday to reading, but his real transformation began when he decided to break negative habits and acquire thirteen virtues that he felt were desirable for one to contribute eminently to the world. Two of those ideals I like most are resolution and industry: (i) "Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve." (ii) "Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions."