LESSONS FROM BEN CARSON

       To become successful, one must have some guidelines to follow. In this article, you’ll get to read some important lessons from the life of Ben Carson. Undoubtedly, if one must succeed, you’ll have to pay the price of discipline. When you  take a survey at the lives of successful people today, you’ll come to realize there’s no one amongst them without a principle, or even principles, that governs their way of living, in general.

In most of his books, he pointed out to the fact that the desire for success is not enough to succeed. You’ll need a driving force, a set of principles and rules that will guide you. These tips for success, and many many others, were either principles he created by himself or the ones he adopted. The next heading introduces us to the tips of success, in no particular order, we’ve gathered from his wonderful success story.

6 TIPS FOR SUCCESS FROM DR. CARSON

Respect Your Parents 

Pretty sure you must be startled seeing this as first point but it is the “unpopular” truth. You’ve got to respect and honor your parents. Even the bible attests to the fact that dishonor to parents will result in gross failure, ridicule and reproach. This very important and overlooked truth was what Ben Carson understood and obeyed. You would notice in his books, taking Gifted Hands as a case study, he gave a complete story of how living with his mother was. At first, he might prove heady and not want to agree but then, I guess, an alarm rings in his head reminding him of the dire consequences of dishonoring parents and he eventually succumbs. Once this ‘overlooked’ theory is active, achieving success is inevitable.

Associate with the Right People 

Like they say “Bad communication corrupts good manners”. This proverb, always said but seldom followed, is very important for a successful living. People have complained that I’m very choosy when it comes to making friends but the established truth is that the potency of this factor must not be overemphasized or belittled in the quest for success. People like Mr. Jaeck, Frank McCotter, Mrs. Miller, Lemuel Doakes (names from Gifted Hands) amongst others, who contributed to the success story of Dr. Ben Carson are still in existence today.

There’s a system I adopted while in school, The Power Five. This is a group that consists of five high thinking persons, including you. The members of this group should not necessarily be your close friends. You can form a team of five with high personalities but they must know you in person. Choose your friends wisely and associate with individuals that will positively affect your career and watch how your mental and career development will accelerate.

Never Believe You Can’t 

Think Big, Think Positive. Guess we all remember the catch phrase of America’s former President; ‘I can, We can‘. Never for once believe that achieving a definite aim is impossible. There was a time in Carson’s life, the second half of his tenth grade, when he joined the ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps). . He had reached the highest rank attainable by a student, a full colonel. He was so mature, self-assured and incredible. After accessing Sharper carefully, he decided that he too was going to reach the rank of a full colonel but there was a problem. He joined the ROTC late and was going to be there for only five semesters instead of six but he said, “Instead of discouraging me, that problem challenged me and made me want to do what no one has done“.

Nothing can stop a man of determination except himself. So, with the knowledge residing in him, he achieved what he purposed in his heart to. There’s no doubt that there won’t be problems on the road to success but it is one thing to know the problem and it is another thing to see the problem as a necessary you must fly over.

Become A Versatile Reader 

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Don’t waste time investing in one aspect of life. Indeed, this is a very vital and necessary tool for self development. Benjamin Carson, while he was younger, was an inquisitive person and an adept reader. After falling in love with an educational T.V program, General Electric College Bowl, he decided that he was going to read everything he saw. From sciences to arts, classical music and even business with the aim that he would become a contestant on the program, although he never did. Surprisingly, his deep knowledge of classical music paid off when he wanted to apply as an intern at John Hopkins Hospital.

Staying fixed to an aspect could be very dangerous because it restricts the mental capability and capacity of an individual. Being 100% informed in one aspect of life is very insignificant when compared to being at most 60% informed in every other aspect including your major. So, from this moment onwards, I would advise that you to come out of your comfort zone and try studying materials related to other aspects of life in order to widen your knowledge horizon.

Be Unique, Make A Difference

There was a time Dr. Ben Carson, while a student at Yale University, needed a summer job badly to cater for his expenses at school. During this period, young people were moving towards the north in search of a job. But Carson decided to stay back and he eventually got a job.

Apart from this event, an incident that happened in his life interests me particularly. The professor of psychology sent a notice that there would be a repeat of a course. The day came and he was to take the examination alongside 150+ students at a designated auditorium. Immediately the professor left the auditorium, the students started lamenting at the question’s level of difficulty. Some of the students left finalizing that they would say they never saw the notice. After about an hour and half, Ben discovered that he was the only student remaining in the large auditorium. The professor entered and said, “We wanted to know the most honest student in the class”. “And that’s you”. His decision to wait behind earned him a ten-dollar bill. Imagine if he had followed the other students and left the auditorium? You, of course, know how the story would end.

Don’t do it because everyone is, don’t go there because everyone is, don’t try it because everyone. Be resolute in your decision to make a difference. Stay where you are till there’s an intuitive direction telling you to either move or wait.

Be Grateful For Who You Are

Being black attracted hatred from his classmates, while he was growing up. He told the story of how white students were confronted for allowing him win an award as the best student. intern at John Hopkins Hospital, he was often referred to as an orderly because he’s BLACK. Despite all of these, he could only see himself becoming the best. Don’t back out of that dream or vision because you are poor, short, too tall, or black. Instead, convert that so-called “barrier” to a ladder and even if you fall, you will rise again stronger, wiser and better. Remember, “You can do it, only that you can do it better”. Go out there and maximize those potentials in you and watch yourself rise to the peak of success.

These important lessons from the life of Ben Carson could help pattern your life and give it a meaning. You could add some other principles to it, but in all make sure you don’t forget the importance of discipline.

WRITTEN BY: THEOPHILUS JAMES