Overcoming excuses, fears, lack of finance and environment, among others, many believe are reasons for their predicaments, are the dominant themes in Stretch: Winning Against Odds, written by Michael Oguche.

The book, which has 106 pages, identifies inability to take responsibility as one of the greatest enemies to success and definitely not absence of knowledge, money and connection.

The author says because most people tend to believe their challenges in life are caused by external forces and not by their internal disposition, says that they blame everyone, the country they live in and the family they are born into as reasons for their failures, setbacks and irrelevance.
He maintains that the way forward is to empty oneself of all elements, patterns of excuses. He says the individual should take personal responsibility to ensure they do not stand as barrier in the way to unleashing potential.

“No matter who you blame and the reason you blame, until you take full responsibility for your life, everything will remain static.

“The best anyone will do is to encourage you, but you are the one that is responsible to take the needed initiative or action. You have to be accountable for your life, your ability to respond effectively to your situation or challenges that confronts you. If you are very sure you want to leave the arena of excuses, you must stop the talks and do the work.
“You need to be proactive because no amount of talk can change your situation rather your decisions and actions. If you must take responsibility, you must make decisions that can guarantee a change act accordingly even if it’s hard, stressful and painful.”

He adds that a decision is incomplete until there is committed action that channels your resources, time, strength, skill and finance, among others.

Oguche maintains that accepting responsibility is what differentiates a man from a boy, noting that age is not what makes one responsible, rather one’s ability to act in a way that brings about the best outcome in a given situation.

“Your environment, time, failures, fears and background are not the reason you are where you are- you are the reason you are still where you are. None of the excuse patterns can rule your life without your consent. It is your response to them that determines what will become of you.”

Oguche, author of The Pathfinder: Defining Your Destiny, a 175-page book, brings to bear basic principles that are often neglected, which are precursors for man’s fulfilment of purpose in a refined and structured pattern.

He says, “The book drives from self-discovery, which is one of the ingredients that open up anyone’s potentials and possibilities and establish the concept of seed mentality and its multiplier effects and a balanced approach to service-oriented paradigm as the best and legitimate ladder to the top.”