so really it’s just how my maker created me and I unapologetically simply appreciate how he did it because the holy bible in Psalms 139 verse 14 always remind me that “I am wonderfully and fearfully made” so I simply “do me” because everyone is already taken. No wonder research shows that us extroverts think out loud and are often more comfortable ad-libbing and speaking off the curve. Being in the company of others and participating in fun group activities is super refreshing for us extroverts (of course as opposed to sitting down by ourselves for hours to write which is a tall order). This is the exact opposite when it comes to writing -I simply “deslike” writing with all my heart! Infact I was super sure that the day I will dare myself to start writing I would hire a professional writer to just listen to me speak then I would pay him or her to get all the writing work done for me. Crazy isn’t it? But guess what….somehow by God’s grace and his mercies that indeed endures forever more – this year I took the daunting “Fearless Institute Challenge” of facing my “writing giant” head on and started blogging at least twice a month since January 2020.
As controversial as this topic sounds, I will be the first one to confess that if I didn’t dare myself in 2020 this writing dream would sadly have landed in my graveyard untouched. Many of you who know me too well know how much I love ad enjoy talking which explains why i make one of the best motivational speakers and mentor. My audience always say that once I get a hold of the microphone, people always have a hard time speaking after me as well as the MC-time keeper because speaking is my beautiful gifting from the almighty God, it comes naturally to me and I am super grateful to God for it….i was literally simply “made to speak”! Being an extrovert makes it even worse because we often think by talking things out through with others. I also happen to be a “people-person”(https://diasporamessenger.com/2015/03/meet-the-chaser-margaret-kimani-the-people-person/#:~:text=Meet%20the%20Chaser%2C%20Margaret%20Waithera,with%20over%2010years%20banking%20experience)
One of my all-time favorite mentor is the late Dr Myles Munroe who was the founder of the Bahamas Faith Ministries but more importantly he is remembered as a writer, a preacher, a thinker, a leader, publisher and renown highly-sought-after motivational speaker. Funny enough he was also the first person ever to publicly dare me to start writing blogs and books which I have shyed away for years! Needless to say his motivational speaking game was second to none and indeed when I “grow up”’ i still want to be as eloquent as he was. For those of you who were so lucky to have met him in person like I was a couple times in the United States of America, you will totally agree with that he would never ever finished a sentence without stating the fact that the richest place on planet earth is sadly the grave! And his reasoning was pretty simply the fact that so many people go to the grave with so many life regrets, with so many unaccomplished dreams, well choreographed vision papers, many great life changing ideas that they never dared to execute while they were still alive! The first time I met the now late Dr Munroe and I heard him state those words my mouth was wide agape staring at him thinking to myself like “say what now dude and why the grave of all places?” but the more I listened to him the more he made unbelievable sense to me as my “blonde-eyes” then and mind slowly started to open and see what he really meant! How sad and ironic is it that so many of us God has graciously given us such precious -rare gifts, talents, brain capacity to dream big while still alive yet all these beautiful natural gifts and brilliant ideas all end up rotting with us in the graveyards unrealized and totally untouched?
But Dr Munroe in his majestic eloquence politely continued to explain to Jeff that “buried in the cemetery are books that were never written, music we have never heard, paintings no one has ever seen, the graveyard is filled with poetry never read, the cemetery is filled with businesses that never opened, also inventions we have never used, the cemetery is filled with great women who sadly died as prostitutes, great men who died in accidents as worst alcoholics, rapists and as drug addicts,….i mean it’s a rich place Jeff”. Knowing Dr Munroe too well I see a big piece of me in him that it’s impossible to shut him down when he starts speaking on things he is madly passionate about! So even before Jeff could respond or ask him any other question, Dr Munroe continued with even more eloquence and he said “and that’s why I came to Kenya!
I came to Kenya Jeff because of the cemetery…because I knew Jeff that the audience watching me on TV sitting in their house right where you are and sitting right in this studio, there are people who are the next candidate to add to the rot of the cemetery! Jeff you wrote one book, there is ten books left!” and as Jeff sighed, the shocking expression on his face “was to die for” as listened to the all-time most influential bold man on earth I know. Like that was not enough Dr Myles continued “Jeff if you die now the cemetery will have robbed us! I came to Kenya because I want you all to rob the cemetery, I want you to die empty folks! I want you to die with nothing else left to do! I want you to die because you poured all of your dreams, music, publications, visions….and to die empty because that’s the goal of life! Don’t die old! Just die empty!
Mind you the few times I attempted to write even a one paragraph, I simply run out of content, our of grace, energy and my enthusiasm naturally died a natural death to an extent of my brain literally locking what many refer to as “a writer’s block”. But the most beautiful thing that never left my mind is that when Dr Myles Munroe last visited our beautiful country Kenya (which was also sadly ironically before his plane crashed in the Bahamas), he somehow remembered me as he autographed the management book I bought from him and he looked at me straight in the eye with his forever shining bold smile and reminded me to not only to write my books but to publish them! I looked at him, smiled back and I wondered whether he remembered how much I “hated” writing in the first place? That same evening I recall him being interviewed by one of Kenya’s best National Television Anchor Jeff Koinange in his NTV’s JKL Live show and again Dr Myles simple did what he knew best….and you guessed it his very first sentence in his interview clearly started with his usual quote “Jeff, the richest place on earth is the cemetery!” and just like me when I first met Dr Munroe I could see the same rude shock registered on Jeff Koinange’s face as he wondered what and why in hell would the cemetery be the richest place on earth and not the gold mines?
Little did I know I had so much to write about especially topics and matters of national importance that I am extremely passionate about which I am so crazy and committed to influencing in our beautiful African society! Such topics range from Education to Youth Mentorship, promoting Entrepreneurship to solve world’s Youth unemployment issues, United Nations (UN)Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs), Diversity and Inclusion (D & I) especially of persons living with both visible and invisible disabilities such as autism, parenting, servant leadership, Integrity, Fearless leadership towards elimination of the “corruption cancer” just to mention a few. This has not come without challenges considering my busy schedule but at least many of you have enjoyed reading my blogs at least twice a month! Let me also encourage some of you that I too am still work in progress –in life once you deliberately commit and choose to being a student for life like me you never quite consider yourself as having “arrived” which is what makes life such a fun journey(not a destination as we never quite arrive) because every day if you are like me your mind stays open to learning something new from others including our 6 year old daughter Princess Amani and you end up have so much fun discovering new things that makes life worth living!
As a matter of fact Jeff one of the greatest thing that Jesus said on the cross is that it is finished and the guy who said that was only 33 years old (Jesus)…mind you he didn’t say “I was finished” he said “it is finished” So basically Jesus said it is finished on the cross meaning that he poured out all that he came to do on earth.” As the 2 shook hands with a very warm hearty laughter, Dr Myles did not mince his words he again reminded Jeff “Don’t die with my books men!” Feel free to watch one of his last media interview before the crash for yourself https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ7CJvYduq
It’s so funny that on October 24th 2014, it’s almost like during the last TV interview Dr Munroe was simply speaking how exactly he desired to “die empty” little did he know that that those were his last weeks on earth but super glad he actually came for the few of us who indeed took action. His words will always be a daily reminder to me and always; “I want to challenge every Kenyan to go to the cemetery and disappoint the graveyard. Die like the Apostle Paul who said I have finished my course, I have kept the faith and I have been poured out like a drink offering. There is nothing left. I am ready to die. That’s how I wanna die because there is nothing else for me left to die, When you die, die like I am planning to die Jeff. Empty. It’s finished,” Dr Myles told the TV show’s host, Jeff Koinange. And just like the late Dr Myles Munroe, whose reminder will forever stay with me I want to challenge you to book a personal appointment with none other than your-sweet-self and deliberately promise to sign a memorandum of understanding with your lovely self, promising me and the late Dr Myles Monroe that you will intentionally choose to disappoint the graveyard when your time comes by “simply dying empty”.
Remember un-executed ideas no matter how grandiose or awesome they are they will remain worthless. Remember you are not the only think tank in town, this world is full of great thinkers –some even better than yourself who never really do anything with their ideas which finally squarely land heavily in their dying bed buried at their 6 feet deep in the graveyard! Fearless influencers in this beautiful planet are super thinkers, strategic and awesomely tactical innovators and really damn good at execution of their ideas! They never allow their God-given creativity go wasted into the graveyard! The late Nelson Mandera, Wangare Mathai, Bob Collymore and Steve Jobs were some of those guys who never allowed their ideas lot in the graveyard. Mind you it’s not that these world-class fearless influencers were not always afraid to fail in their pursuit to changing the world but truth be told boldness is genius by itself and it comes with power, infinite possibilities and magic especially when the dots finally connect! That’s why Steve Jobs used to often say “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever!” Let’s be honest sometimes you do something out of sheer curiosity and interest without really knowing how it will help you in the future. But in a few years you come to know why destiny pushed you to do that particular thing. While explaining this quote Steve Jobs during one of the graduations gave the example of his obsession with Calligraphy and how he learned the calligraphy for the sake of his own curiosity and interest, but when he was making the famous Mac he put calligraphy for font,-writing style in it. I can give my own experience a few years back the Financial Economist in me dared to read this awesome book called “Day to Day Economics” to refresh my economics (and speaking of Economics…a big shout out to my all-time best Economist professor back in Kenyatta University Mr Shapiro Wawire…I will forever owe it all to you good sir) .
That book cleared and clarified all my concepts about inflation and budgeting. While I was analyzing our country budgets this book helped me in understanding each of government’s move more soberly and why fiscal deficits should be less and how it affects the entrepreneurial ecosystem, economic growth and prosperity of a nation.
So friends may we purpose to live meaningful lifes doing what matters most on this beautiful planet earth which is executing our God-given ideas into real actions. Let’s be very deliberate to jump-start our commitments around executing those ideas, the many innovations that you have been shelving and holding back in your minds for years like i was. Do not let procrastination hold you back any longer and just like I dared myself to start writing this year, may i challenge you not wait for that perfect timing which I can guarantee you there is never a perfect time to get started other than right this very minute, so start now! My prayer is that this blog refreshes your unique ideas that are almost expiring in your mind for lack of execution for years, bask in glow of the potential that your imaginative innovative ideas have the potential to providing solutions to world’s major problems! What if I told you that your imaginative thoughts that you have been shying away from executing have the ultimate power to improve millions of livelihoods for malnourished children somewhere in Africa or another country or that that trash recycling idea that you have been so afraid to action will indeed provide “green-job” opportunities to millions of our idle unemployed desperate youths in Africa as well as reduce carbon pollution which is killing millions of sea animals with cancer-causing pollutants? Gather your courage and search deep down within your soul, be bold and purpose to cultivate the necessary discipline to do whatever it takes to execute your ideas into reality or else if we continue with business as usual procrastination, the graveyards will continue to be the richest places on planet earth!
Life is too short folks no one of us knows our exact official exit day out of this planet the only thing we know is the date we actually landed into this planet(birth dates). Benjamin Franklin once said “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today” We live on this speck called Earth think about what you might do, today or tomorrow – and make the most of it because just like you I too don’t know the exact date my last day on earth is. Sadly just like Dr Myles Munroe who was in Kenya for a series of motivational talks for about three weeks believe it or not he did not make it back to beautiful island of Bahamas and he sadly died alongside nine other people including his lovely wife and daughter in the Bahamas. Luckily the 60-year-old legend and my all-time best favorite mentor indeed was deliberate about “his dying empty” pursuit and indeed lived by example so he had successfully published more than 100 spiritual and inspirational works and was a government and business consultant to Fortune 500 businesses. He had travelled to over 130 countries to inspire people transforming their ordinary lifes to greatness like he did transform mine totally. A total of 49 of his books were his best sellers…yeap I said over 49 of his books were nothing but best sellers. I too have read many of his books –then passed them on to my mentees’ which range from Understanding the Purpose and Power of Woman, Understanding the Purpose and Power of Men and The Most Important Person on Earth –these are some of his most popular titles among book readers.
I often joke with my family members who I love and cherish dearly that in my funeral I will not want to hear anyone mourning or crying over my death! I absolutely agree with John Waire who stated- “Long after I’m gone…it will become abundantly clear that I left my heart behind.” And the answer lies simply in the fact that just like Dr Myles Munroe every day of my life I purpose to live the best version of me by executing the ideas God has so graciously laid heavily in my “small gadget upstairs”. And while executing these God given ideas I am always very deliberate about meaningfully impacting lifes of those around me. Dr Vimal Shah (one of East Africa Community’s industrialist, Chairman of Bidco Africa who i am so privileged to work with to mentor hundreds of our Young students from humble backgrounds during the school holidays at his Thika factory) always remind me often that him and few of us were indeed born MAD -an acronym for “Making A Difference” …As an agent of change I am very deliberate in my servant leadership journey to always try and positively influence the thinking of especially those around me, those working below me and every other “change resistant” leaders around me regardless of our ranks. This is very important because everything starts and ends in the our brains and our minds.
Leadership is a mindset that shifts from being a victim to creating positive results and life-changing solutions. I am notoriously known for fearlessly and un-apologetically daring influence mediocre policies which I come across and especially those that I feel are not inclusive or do not value every member of our society! I believe our minds are composed of a flexible matter or a flexible mirror, which we can all simply adjust it to see a better world. Once your mindset changes, everything on the outside will change along with it which includes moving from ideation stage to actual execution. This is the same with happiness which starts right with your mindset, not from outside circumstances. Like i always say indeed happiness is an “inside job” simply because it also starts right in your mind and you cannot give what you yourself don’t possess. Remember powerful self-affirming words have the ability to quickly shift your mindset from dreaming to action-the same way they can change your negativity to positive thinking. As controversial -highly debated his life and death are in equal measure, am often inspired by the late legendary “King of Pop” Michael Jackson who pushed boundaries to extra ordinary dimensions in the entertainment industry. He added levels that never even existed and no wonder he he is regarded as one of the most significant music cultural figures of the 20th century and one of the greatest entertainers in the history of music due to his love for music which he surely did not allow to die with him as a mere idea gone wasted in his cemetery! He instead actioned his creativity and his music gifting and he ended up inspiring hope to many through his music which was his God-given talent. MJ and his “moon walking moves” still remains magic to many of our ears long after he is long gone especially his “Thriller” album. He rocketed to global stardom in the early 1980s, but his legacy as the King of Pop is based on more than the height of his career.His music will live on forever –and one of my all-time favorite song is most definitely “Heal the World, Make it a better place, for you and for me and the entire human race,as there are people dying, if you care enough for the living, make a better place for you and for me….”
Until we meet again folks, purpose to not let the graveyard rob us off your unique golden ideas by executing them now and let’s all purpose to simply “die empty”!
Fearless Leadership 