THE surest way to get discouraged is compare yourself with others. The Scripture says don’t do this, because it will seem some people are faring better than you, and you will become disheartened. The best is for you to concentrate on doing your best. That way, you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and won’t need to compare yourself with anyone.

Asked how long it would take to bring a ship to a stop, a captain replied: “A good captain thinks at least a mile ahead.” Your success in any venture is determined by how important it is to you and your ability to prepare for it. “Any enterprise built by wise planning becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully, by keeping abreast of the facts.” Alexander Hamilton, a founding father and America’s first Secretary of the Treasury said: “Men give me credit for genius, but all the genius I have lies in this: when I have a subject at hand, I study it profoundly,” so if you want to get what you want, prepare adequately.

All the apples on a tree don’t ripen at the same time. Apostle Paul says, ‘Knowledge and understanding take time.’ When I began writing, I found myself fumbling. But I wanted to become a writer and have three books published in a year, and get good reviews. It can take years and many challenges in any new area of endeavour before one can confidently say to others: “I am what Jehovah called me to do.” Don’t wait until you are successful. Start now by saying you are what you want to become. Yes, you have much to learn and you may not be an expert, but you don’t have to be an expert to write. So, push ahead, cut yourself some slack, for you are a work in progress.

Thus, the way to defeat your detractor is confront him. You are not unique, because your temptations are no different from what others experience. Goliath was not always a giant. He was fed and nurtured until he became one. Our detractors are usually little sins we overlook and indulge until they assume a life of their own and come back to haunt us. Your detractor will defeat you anytime you tackle him by your own strength. David told Goliath: “This is Jehovah’s battle and He will give you to us.” (1 Samuel 17:47) This means, you need divine help to overcome old habits and establish new patterns of behaviour.

Therefore, you must confront your detractor head-on. As Goliath moved to attack, David quickly ran to meet him. This is why you don’t run away, don’t negotiate, and don’t compromise. No excuses. Force your detractor out into the light and don’t let him get back into your life. Establish boundaries and make yourself accountable. Stay out of wrong company. Above all, don’t look at your detractor in the light of the divine. Place all things according to their limits.

For you to gain what you want from life, you must have a cause greater than yourself. That was why David could stand up to a Goliath that everybody ran away from. The Israelites were being threatened and everybody around was afraid to tackle the problem. But David submitted himself to tackling the menace. When you are confronted with a situation that needs to be changed, you just must take up the gauntlet. Having a cause greater than yourself forces you out of a trapped lifestyle. A survey among people who lived to be over 100 years was conducted. Now, you might read about health diets, miracle drugs and strenuous exercise. But what these centenarians had in common was purpose. They had a compelling reason to get up in the morning. For you to get the best out of life, you must have a cause greater than yourself. You must have a cause great enough to focus your energies on and strong enough to keep you going when the odds are stacked against you.

Jehovah created you for a mission. At 12, Jesus said I must be about my father’s business. Twenty-one years later, dying at the stake, he announced: “It is finished. Those statements framed a totally fulfilled life. Until you fulfill your purpose on earth, you are not ready for a transition into a higher dimension of existence. Asked how long it would take to bring a ship to a stop, a captain replied: “A good captain thinks at least a mile ahead.” Your success in any venture is determined by how important it is to you and your ability to prepare for it. “Any enterprise built by wise planning becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully, by keeping abreast of the facts.” Alexander Hamilton, a founding father and America’s first Secretary of the Treasury said: “Men give me credit for genius, but all the genius I have lies in this: when I have a subject at hand, I study it profoundly,” so if you want to get what you want, prepare adequately.

Our champion this week is Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527), the Italian writer and statesman, an original political theorist whose principal work, The Prince, brought him fame. Born in Florence, this patriot hailed from a wealthy family in the city, on occasion holding the most important offices in Florence. Machiavelli’s father was a doctor of laws but was among the poorest of the city’s lawyers. He lived frugally, administering his landed estates near Florence. Niccolo became a historian, humanist and philosopher during the Renaissance. He was, for many years, an official in the Florentine Republic. He was a founder of the political ethics genre of modern political science. He also wrote comedies, carnival songs and poetry. He was secretary to the Republic of Florence from 1498 to 1512.

Machiavelli retired to his estate in Sant’Andrae in Percussina and devoted himself to study and the writing of treatises that earned him a place in the intellectual development of political ethics and philosophy. He died at the age of 58 and was buried at the Church of Santa Croce in Florence. Machiavelli’s The Prince is thought to be based on the life of Cesare Borgia, whom he served as an adviser. The Prince is a manual to acquiring and keeping power. He introduced a break between political realism and political idealism. In contrast with Plato and Aristotle, Machiavelli insisted that an imaginary ideal society is not a model by which a politician should orient himself. Machiavelli’s thought has had a profound impact on the politics of the modern world and is reflected in the hate campaigns and thuggery in Nigeria’s 2015 elections.