BY AGBOLADE OMOWOLE
HAVE you ever felt that there is more to your life than your present job? Have you ever felt that your heart yearns for something which you are yet to discover? Have you ever thought about being fulfilled in life and business?

You are product of your environment. Every geographical region has a prevalent attitude. Nothing may have a greater influence on your life than your environment. Your environment has in one way or the other, shaped your thinking, your behaviour, your taste, and your overall orientation of life.

Your environment can make or mar you. It is not hard to explain why different people who grew up in different parts of a country have a particular attitude. Your environment determines what you see, what you hear, some of the things you believe and some of your values.

You are being influenced by friends. If you want to know the direction you are headed in life, evaluate the lifestyle of your closest friends. Your friends are an integral aspect of your decision making, and may determine your lifestyle.

Your friends increase or decrease you. A friend, who is not increasing you physically, mentally, academically, financially, emotionally, and spiritually, may be decreasing you. It is important to surround yourself with positive people, if you want to be successful in life.

You are a product of your upbringing. At a very tender age, you have answered some of life’s most important questions like what is right and what is wrong. You have answered most questions between the ages of three and six. The boy you were, you still are. Between the ages of three and six, you had stored all the life lessons you learnt in your mind, and as you grew up, you made decisions based on what you learnt when you were a kid.

Look back. Why do you hold on to some memories and have seemingly discarded others? The truth is that we only remember those events from our early childhood that are consistent with our present view of ourselves, and the world around us. Your past holds a key that you can use to maximize your future.

Your memories tell you about you. Your oldest memories may be the major indicators of why you believe what you believe, and do the things that you do.
Psychologists believe that as we get older, our reactions in the present are reactions to gestalts (Collections of memories which are organised in a certain way). Your early childhood memory is between age seven to eight or when you were younger.

I REMEMBER a story my mother told me of a boy. When he was a kid, he liked walking. He started walking at the age of nine month, and was fond of walking around. There was a time he walked around the street and couldn’t trace his steps back home. Someone found him, and took him to a traditional ruler called baale.

As I grew up, I realized that I still like going up and down. I like doing something positive. I like traveling. Truly, the little boy I once were, is still the person I am today.

What are your oldest memories before the age of eight? Can you remember a birthday gift, taking a risk, or playing with toys? Can you remember being angered without reacting? Can you remember being a negotiator or trying to stop some friends from fighting?
It is easy for us to look outside for a solution to our problems.

Often times, I receive e-mail and phone calls from people who want to be fulfilled in life and understand their real purpose.
The solution to any problem you have right now is within you. Search your heart and you will begin to see the real you.