Vision: Unlocking your Potential and Discipline for Success

By Martin Ssesanga DIPM MCIM MBA

We live in challenging times today. We see the rising rate of suicide, depression, company bankruptcies and other tragedies
caused by pandemics such as the current coronavirus. Folks get stressed to the point of giving up. How do we then harness our
Vision--even during these times? The purpose of my book is to share principles which can help folks sustain their Vision even as they navigate such life's turbulences. I hope that after reading this book, someone finds a viable reason to live. I hope that the experiences in my story inspire another person to overcome discouragement, depression and thoughts of suicide. The book encourages folks to never give up nor abandon their God given Vision.
As well, the principles I share with the world are not just a prescription for prevention. But rather, I strongly believe that those
who open the pages of my book will be inspired to act. As they cultivate personal strength and resolve, they will not only find
meaning and purpose for their own lives-but they will also seek ways and means to lift that of other people.
The book motivates all of us to keep on living and learning-despite the various tragic episodes in our lives. Furthermore, I examine the root causes of crisis in society today. I then suggest alternatives to the status quo. As you read on, I trust that you will gain clear thinking and then, your actions will cast out fear. You will discover the truth and error in whatever camp you may find yourself entrenched.
Most of the words used in this book as well as other references have been broken down for clarity. For instance, I define Vision
as "the view of our end from the beginning." I examine the factors of Vision, its power and role. I then wrestle with the discipline required to leverage one's potential to succeed despite any possible deterrence.
Vision alone can be dormant if its bearer is passive. The principles I suggest will encourage folks to cultivate their momentum to harness their Vision. I emphasize that we were all born with the potential to solve a specific community crisis. I offer personal, general, and biblical references to support these ideas. I evaluate the standard and specific methods of success which in turn can determine your resolve to stay the course- ---especially for the larger good of humanity.
Finally, I discuss the two factors which we cannot fight or avoid: Time and Change. They are constant. Therefore, to harness our vision(s), I suggest ways to accept these factors, understand them, and then manage them throughout your life's journey. I then offer strategies to help in choosing your destiny. In this book, you will find the specific questions to ask and answer while
readjusting your plan for success.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Apr 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098308544

Book preview

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Print ISBN: 978-1-09830-853-7

eBook ISBN: 978-1-09830-854-4

To my beloved Mother:

The great woman who challenged me to harness my Vision

Contents

Editor’s Note

Preface

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Foreword

My Story

Understanding Your Vision

Factors of Vision

The Power of Vision

Role of Vision

The Discipline of Vision

The impact of Vision on leadership

Components of Writing a Vision

Obstacles to Vision

Understanding the Meaning of your Existence

Life with a Purpose

Summoning Your Potential

The Power of your Potential

Potential is within you, not Ahead of You

Seeking Knowledge Is Freedom

Never Give up on your Dream

Positioning Your Life for Success

Purpose

Abuse

Plan Your Life For Success

Natural Laws and Rules

Effect of Laws

Principles to Live by for a Successful Life

Marriage Decision

Self-Care and Guilt Management 

The Opportunity in Crisis

Impact of Crisis

Nature of Crisis

Managing Crisis 

Submission to Circumstances

Crisis is Temporary 

Change and Time

Managing Change

What People Do when Faced with Change

How Do You Recognize Change?

Power of Time and Change

The Purpose of Time and Change

The Value of Time

The Purpose of Time (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2)

Abusing or Wasting Time

Redeeming Time

Using Time to Design Your Course

Purpose, Power and Destiny

Choosing your Chosen Destiny

Questions

The Need to Change Course

Why Change Course?

What Others Are Saying About This Book

Editor’s Note

Martin has encapsulated that the greatest gift given to man is not that of Sight but one of Vision. This is a profound statement; bold even, coming from the voice of one who grew up in the dusty roads of Uganda. He was not deterred by his peers and short-sighted role models who poured negatives into him like You will never make it…, Try something else…, You will never graduate… 

Martin’s vision of the future was not only louder than such voices but it was also greater than the violent times he endured. His survival has led to this point in time when he gets to tell his compelling story and share his motivational pointers with the world. Martin’s success today is a true testament to the central theme of his book which states that Without a Vision the People Perish, Proverbs 29:18. I recommend this simple but compelling read to anyone who needs more than a pair of eyes to imagine and visualize the impossible as absolutely possible.

Solomon M. Nkugwa: Founder, CEO and

Senior Organizer of NileBridge International

www.nilebridge-int.com

Preface

"Vision: Unlocking your Potential and Discipline for Success" describes the importance of having a Vision and knowing the purpose for one’s life. Even as the author draws from Christian examples, the same concepts apply to other religions and belief systems. The universal knowledge to embrace here is that God has a plan for each and everyone’s life. He (God), had made this one heavenly decision: From the get go, He had decided that among the 500 million sperms he was going to allow to swim, reach and fertilize that egg to conceiving a baby, the chosen one was going to be none other than YOU! This is the moment to seize for every one born of a man and a woman. Whether you were saved out of a mass grave, picked from a dumpster, abandoned by your dad or mom, born out of wedlock, a product of rape or misogyny, God had and still has a plan just for you!

This plan involves shifting the pain and grief you may have gone through and pivoting it to the cultivation of your God given potential. Ladies and gentlemen, we have the power to unleash the gifts and abilities in us to make the world a better place for humanity. After embracing this knowledge, the onus is then on each and every one of us to discover what this plan is for our individual lives. Even though it is not necessarily easy to follow, we choose to follow it as our life’s purpose. But when we do, everything else falls into place.

The author expresses this eloquently in a number of places. Something which goes like this: We were not put here on earth just to eat and drink, then go to school, get a job that we might hate, pay endless bills, and then for some reasons beyond our control, we just die! No. But rather, God positioned each and every one of us here on earth for a specific purpose that only we can fulfill. It is only then, when life’s experiences which is always a menu of tragedy and triumph, could capture the true essence for our existence.

This is why the author makes it clear that being happy and enjoying what we do, is part of the purpose. It also means that despite what we might be going through, we can make it our mission to make someone else happy. The book encourages us to find our roadmap for life and it gives us the means to do it. It points out that while time never stands still, our vision can, if we do not harness it. It clearly outlines Vision as God’s deposit of purpose in our mind. The author makes the case for Vision as the essential source of discipline for success. He also addresses some of the symptoms of blurred vision which impact effective leadership; such as power struggles, indecision and procrastination.

While this book uses biblical and personal experiences to motivate people to succeed, the author hopes that it will also be embraced by people from different religious backgrounds. He is confident that the principles and laws explained therein; work very well for each and every individual irrespective of their belief systems. 

Dedication

To my friend, role model, and the best mother in the whole world, Ms. Margaret Ssemambo. You are a special woman who saw me through insurmountable challenges. I have had the pleasure of calling you my Maama (Mother) in good and bad times. Those moments of joy you created over the years through your support and incessant prayers motivated me to believe that I too, could ever reach the level I was created to be. Even when I may have had episodes of doubt, Maama, you always believed in me. The essence of your motherhood created enough room for me to fail, pick myself up and then succeed. Maama, I love you so much. Thank you for helping me to understand the delicate gift of life. 

To my beloved family, Christine, mother to my children thank you for your understanding. To my adorable children, Shalom, Shiloh, and Shadrach. You all add meaning to this gift of life. It’s because of you that I have dedicated my life to being a moral foundation. Every day I aspire to be the father who aligns and inspires you all to become God-fearing and spiritual leaders in your community.

To my beloved sisters, Rose (RIP) and Jennifer, my brothers Richard (RIP), Steven, Paul, David, Michael, John, Danny, and Patrick. I love you. I remember growing up with you all and now seeing how we have turned out well, I thank God always. I will always cherish your love, respect, and support that you have given me over the years.

To my late father Livingstone, who did not live long enough in my lifetime. But I believe he is in a good place. To my great aunt Anne, who stepped up to see us through our physical and spiritual challenges-before and after losing our dear father. And to the great men and women in my spiritual life: Sister Pauline Kiggundu, who laid my spiritual foundation, and Bishop Kiganda of CFC, who prepared me in the spirit for greater achievements.

Acknowledgements

There are several individuals who directly and indirectly shared their knowledge and wisdom with me during this project. I would like to thank my good friend Mr. Hamis Kiggundu for his encouragement and advice from his book Success and Failure. I thank the late Dr. Myles Monroe of Bahamas Faith Ministries International. His online motivational messages empowered me to gain a clear understanding of the purpose for my life. They shaped my ideation for this project. There will be a couple of his reference theories, statements and principles this book for clarity. I thank my coaches, Thomas Blackwell, a keynote speaker and trainer, and Ray Huizenga, leadership and motivational coach. My cousin and also a great friend, Juliet Zawedde has always been available to lend a hand whenever I needed it.

I thank Pastor Jonathan and Verna Del Turco, founders of International Family Church (IFC) in North Reading, Massachusetts. Their sermons, embellished with words of wisdom have lifted and strengthened my resolve to succeed. I have also had the honor of serving with a great team of spiritual servants at the IFC. I appreciate Pastor Josh Roberts who offered to go through my script and guided me before publication. The beginning of my journey to the U.S. was tough. But I thank all my friends who received me, housed and helped me to settle in this great Nation. My sincere and special thanks to Dan Kitenda for guidance. I also want to thank my professors and fellow students at UMass Lowell who worked with me as I completed my MBA. I cannot forget my work colleagues-the great team at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (TSA), Logan. Thank you for always engaging, and encouraging me to put my ideas on paper.

Finally, I am so grateful to the living God! Thank You so much for creating and blessing me! Indeed, Your Holy Spirit has empowered me with the vision to manifest and share my gifts with the world.

Introduction

No one was born or created to fail. Success is within us. We are not here on earth for mere experimentation but for a purpose to solve a problem for our generation. Therefore, my Vision is to inspire people to discover their gifts which would compel them to create powerful solutions. As they help others, they would achieve their life’s divine purpose. I remember our mother telling us one day, My children, I am passionate about people and their wellbeing. My Vision, she would brighten up, is to make sure all people living in my community get the possible primary healthcare and treatment they deserve. Then, I remember one of our elder sister Rose (R.I.P), asking our mother, But Mom, why do you care?She smiled as she answered, My dear daughter, if your Vision is from God, it is not meant to benefit you first. It must benefit other people for humanity’s cause. She spoke in Luganda, our indigenous language. Hearing this from my dear mother shifted my mindset. Ever since then, I kept thinking about how I could also give back to humanity.

After several years, I was able to witness my mother’s positive impact on various people. One occasion was when I attended a party of a young lady who graduated as a Nurse Practitioner. Her father testified that she was among the beneficiaries of my mother’s care at her community clinic and home. While she was young, my mother used to treat them in our living room including her brothers and sisters who were also due to graduate in USA with doctorate in medicine, engineering and Registered Nursing respectively. Of course, my mother was among the invited guests on the occasion. Hearing these stories and many others just confirmed what my mother usually told us. Indeed my dear mother had lived her Vision. I wanted to live mine. But it was not an easy journey-now that I remember how it started:

I was born and raised in Uganda, I attended various elementary schools depending on the Guardianship and facilitations available then. These schools were; Bukalango primary school, Green valley primary school and Police children school. I joined Kampala High School for both my ordinary and advanced level school. I went on to join college at Makerere University business school, where I graduated with a Diploma in Business Studies and then to Makerere University for my Bachelor of Commerce in marketing. I worked with Uganda Electricity Distribution Company for a while before I proceeded to the United Kingdom for further studies. I graduated at the Chartered Institute of Marketing at the level of (MCIM). I then relocated to the United States as a permanent resident and graduated with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Massachusetts (UMass Lowell). While in the USA, I have also obtained various certificates in the field of public health: Certified Nursing Assistant (MA State), Residential Behavior Technician (RBT), Medication Administration Provider (MA State), Adult/Child/Infant CPR/First Aid (MA State), and Home Health Aid. I am also a graduate from The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) Glynco, Georgia with certificates in Transportation Security Administration.

I have had the pleasure of working in different roles for various organizations. I have worked as an Assistant Program Manager, Residential Behavior Technician at Advocates Inc, a human services NGO agency. I have worked at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a mental health counselor, and also at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as a Transportation Security Officer. 

Perhaps some may be wondering why I engaged in all that schooling leave alone working in all those fields. I can only quote my good friend, Mr. Solomon Nkugwa who states that There was no one singular choice for specialization. What kind of options did we have growing up in our poverty-stricken environment? When we moved to what we hoped to be greener pastures, what we knew was just but a myth. The new environment in the Diaspora presented a strenuous immigration process. You had to expose yourself to all available opportunities until you landed one in which you were both the benefactor and the beneficiary. I think my friend’s statement right there explains my many professional facets. It is the lighter version of the old American adage, ‘Fake it until you make it…,’ only this time, it is constant reality we are living in. You do your best until your next assignment, hopefully of greater value to you and to the people you serve, Solomon adds.

Currently, I work with young behavioral struggling individuals as a residential behavior technician learning and sharing practical skills which in turn helps work with my struggling son and his entire supporting team. On the flip side, I am transiting to writing and motivational speaking as my passion. Part of my personal Vision has been to transit from clocking shifts to standing on stage. I do believe this is the highest honor where I get to share my experiences and life story with many people around the world.

And so, the basis of writing this book is my belief that everyone has a story to tell. But we don’t have to own those stories. They must never die with us in the grave. Our stories if told