While growing up I had the assumption that everybody had COMMON SENSE because the word COMMON suggests something that is general and easily accessible. Why should people not have the simple ability to think about things in a practical way and make sensible choices and decision?
However, as I began to look at the issue of life and study people closely, I began to realize that even though it is called “COMMON SENSE it is not very common. If Common Sense was very common as we generally assume, many things will not be the way they are. Many people’s lives will not be the way it is and even our dear country will be far better than the sorry state of things.
This new column is set to become a reference point for acquisition of wisdom and common sense for all round success in every sphere of life.
A wealthy man once did something that puzzled many people in his city. He had an only son, including many servants but surprisingly, after his death, his will read thus: “To my son, my only son whom I love, I give the singular opportunity to choose only one out of all that I own and to my servants, my ever faithful servants, I give the rest of my estate and investments including all that my son leaves out of his own choice.”
When the will was read, many people were shocked and baffled. Why should a man so wealthy give only one thing to his son, what will he now choose?
But the boy surprised them all by his choice because he made the wisest choice anyone could have made.
The young man chose thus: “Since my father’s servants are also part of his properties, I choose the servants”
By choosing the servants, he chooses everything. The choice he made was Common Sense in action.
I want to expose you to few Common Sense capsules that if accepted and applied to life can make a whole lot of difference.
- NEVER WAVE AWAY WARNING SIGNALS
Life is full of all kinds of challenges but also full of signals and signs. To ignore the signs and signals at a train junction may end up being an invitation for disaster. Many people have made business and investment decisions against their inner signals and warning signs. Many relationships have been established in complete defiance to warning signals only to become an enrollment for frustration. Common Sense demands that one should never allow one’s emotion and sentiments to becloud one’s sense of reasoning, or else one ends up in regret.
Shine your eyes! Shine your brain! Shine your heart!
- ONE THOUSAND GOOD INTENTIONS IS NOT AS POWERFUL AS ONE ACTION.
You must have heard the saying, “If wishes were horses, all beggars will ride”. Wishes only remain wishes until action is added. Many people have good intentions and desires but never see them become a reality because action is lacking.
Until you give attention to your intention your world stands still. Pursuit is the proof of desire and the journey of a thousand mile begins with a step. Whatever will be will not be until you make it be. Stop “intending to” and start “attending to” so that soon the world will stand at attention and give you attention.
- DON’T PUSH TILL TOMORROW WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY.
Many people have allowed procrastination to rob them of maximizing many opportunities because they were not prepared when opportunity knocked. “There is still time” is a deception that keeps people in the world of procrastination only for them to wake up and discover time is no more on their side.
To push today’s work into tomorrow equals overloading your tomorrow.
Yesterday is in the tomb, tomorrow is in the womb but today is all you have to secure your tomorrow; so wake up and stop the procrastination. Common sense demands that one accomplishes all that one can achieve today instead of pushing it till tomorrow because procrastination delays one’s destiny.
- DON’T WORRY ABOUT WHAT YOU CANNOT CHANGE
I once saw a wall frame with these words:
“Lord give me the courage to change what I can change, the grace to accept what I
cannot change, and the wisdom to know the difference”
The words of this unknown Author reveal a vital truth about life i.e. there are things one can change, and there are things that one cannot change. Common sense demands that one does all he can to change what can be changed, and also avoid worrying about what you cannot change. Worrying will be an enrolment for frustration.
- You cannot change your past but you can change your future.
- You cannot change your age but you can determine your impact.
- You cannot change where you were born but you can determine where you die
The list is endless! Wise up and worry no more
- DON’T SHARE YOUR PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE WHO CANNOT SOLVE IT.
A thirty nine year old woman who has been married for fifteen years once sat down and shared all her life’s frustration with her thirteen year old teenage girl for over an hour.
When she was through, the daughter asked her a question that jolted her into reality, “mummy after sharing all these with me, what help do you think I can offer you?”
Sharing your problems with people that cannot help you may look like psychological refreshment but it still does not bring a solution. Sympathy and pity party is not the same thing as solution. Have you ever asked yourself what you intend to gain by sharing your problem with someone who cannot help you? Common sense demands that you share your problems only with people that have the ability to help you solve it.
I have only shared with you five common sense capsules in this edition but there are more from where these came from.
Till we meet again on this page next week remember common sense is not common.