GAP BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE AND POWER

by HENRY KEKULE OKAFOR
(LAGOS,NIGERIA)

“This is yet another powerful lecture of mine that I have packaged to help people who are having difficulties using their knowledge to achieve success in life through actions.

Have you ever wondered why, a lot of times, you just can’t seem to make progress in life despite the fact that you know so much about what it takes to succeed? There just seems to be a gap between what you know and what you actually do. I call this The GAP BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE AND ACTION.

There are a lot of people who have read a lot of different personal development and motivational materials over the years and acquired a wealth of knowledge in this way. But, for some reason, they just couldn’t get past reading or listening to such materials to actually living the life they desired. Often this was accompanied by a sense of frustration and the feeling that perhaps such things just don’t work, or at least not for them. That is usually how we get to feel when there is a gap between our knowledge and our actions. It’s when you know what to do and how to do it, but you just can’t get to actually doing it. A lot of people are greatly endowed with inert talents and gifts. Others acquire very high level of Education but they end up not being able to put to use these tremendous knowledge and skills they have in them.

Through my experiences in interaction with students, colleagues and other professionals, I have discovered 3 obstacles to taking action even when we have the knowledge. These obstacles and the ways to overcome them are:

1. YOUR FEARS:
By far the biggest obstacle to taking action is your fears. These may be fears that you are aware of but quite often it is fears that you may not even be consciously aware of. For example, like many people you might like to start a business and have a lot of business ideas in this regard, but maybe you find yourself unable to take the next step. Something holds you back. Until you recognize and deal with that issue you may find yourself stuck.
I know of a person that had such a problem. We grew up together then in Onitsha,Nigeria and even went to the same University-UNIZIK for our first degrees. She was very brilliant but in our third year, her academic performance started to dwindle. I was really baffled at first because this was the same girl I knew right from our cradle years and who I could bet on her intellectual prowess. During one coaching session for her, she discovered what was holding her back.
You see, this lady’s parents had divorced some months back. After the divorce, she lived with her mother who was not wealthy. Her father, on the other hand, was wealthy and would get her expensive gifts and generally provide for her materially and he had even promised to ensure she would marry a very wealthy man as well---Imagine! Well, through my coaching and counseling sessions, she discovered that she was actually sabotaging her chances of academic success because to her, being wealthy meant being like her Dad and she felt that there was no need studying hard again since she felt she had all her 'paths painted in Gold'.
It is important to be clear on what your fears are. They are by far the biggest obstacle that you have to deal with in order to move ahead and succeed. The example I have given also illustrates that knowing the origins of our fears is very important in dealing with them.
You may know what your fears are, but may not be clear on the reason you feel that way. The answer usually lies in the origin of the fear. Coaching and counseling can help you dig deeper and understand yourself better with respect to your fears.

2. FEELING POWERLESS
The second obstacle is Powerlessness. Powerlessness occurs when you are living in a state of low power. In this state you will find that you generally feel less energetic, blame yourself or others are judgmental of self and others and at times even angry.
The best way I would describe this state is the feeling of having a weight on your shoulder, or a feeling of heaviness in your chest or heart, particularly when you think about your future and your plans. It can be such a drag and every step can take so much effort.
Part of the answer to dropping this weight lies in learning to let go of the negative things in your life. Once you do, you are able to move ahead to a state of higher power. When you are in a state of higher power you let go of blame, judgment, anger and negativity. You drop that weight from off your shoulders or lose those bands that are constricting your heart and mind.
Then you begin to feel refreshed and light. It becomes easier to move ahead without the clutter of negativity. In a state of higher power wisdom and intuition are more accessible to you. The process of letting go of such judgments, blame and negativity need not be a lengthy or difficult one. It just needs to be focused and deliberate. Again, coaching can be very useful in this area. Another thing that can help you to get to a state of higher power is your spirituality. We often neglect prayer and reading God’s Word, but they are the easiest and cheapest means of getting rid of negativity, blame and judgment of self and others. Meditate on God’s word and pray earnestly. The Bible says in the book of James chapter 5:16 that “effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” It will avail you the power you need and give you the courage to move forward without fear and heaviness.

3. LACK OF FOCUS
Once you have recognized and let go of your fears and are in a state of higher power, you need to add Focus in order to move from knowledge to action. By focus, I mean your vision in life. What is it that you want to do with your life?
Part of the reason that knowledge you have is not being put to use may be that there is nothing for you to focus it on. There is nothing pulling you in a certain direction. So today if I tell you about investing in Food business like setting up a bakery, you will be really excited about it and tomorrow if I tell you about importation business or teaching you will be really excited about that too. The result is that you be pulled in many directions and end up remaining stationary despite your unfocused efforts.
Acting consistently and towards the right purpose is important. Work out your vision. Work out your purpose. Be clear on what you want in life.

Once you do these things, it becomes easy to say NO to things that will not add value to you. It becomes easier to say NO to distractions and you will then know what knowledge you need to acquire and concentrate on in order to reach your destination”