Success

Discovering Your True Talent: The Three Key Clues

/ Masauso Moses Phiri / Leave a comment

Work feels fulfilling when you operate in the area of your gifting. When someone works within their talent, the effort looks seamless, the performance sharp, and the experience enjoyable to watch.

You have likely seen it. A gifted leader in motion. A musician at their best. An athlete performing with precision. A teacher, or even an author, doing exactly what they were made to do. Such moments command attention because excellence has a certain clarity.

People who operate in their strengths often earn more. Their work speaks for itself. Quality becomes their signature.

Talent, of course, can be overrated. Talent alone will not carry you far. Effort is required. Discipline matters. Perseverance is non-negotiable.

Yet the opposite is also true. Hard work cannot fully compensate for the absence of natural aptitude. Skills can be learned. Knowledge can be acquired. But without inherent talent, progress in a chosen field eventually meets a ceiling.

When talent, skill, and knowledge converge, however, the results are remarkable.

So, how do you identify your true talent?

A helpful framework points to three clues that leave a clear trail: yearnings, rapid learning, and satisfaction. When these appear together, they often signal a gift placed within you.

1. Yearnings (Desire)

Your deep desires reveal the presence of an inert — or God-given — gift. This is especially true when those desires appear early in life.

Social pressure, financial hardship, or lack of opportunity can bury these longings. Yet they rarely disappear.

If you want to discover your talent, pay attention to what you have always wanted to do.

What have you longed for all your life?

Perhaps you remember being chosen to lead. Perhaps you felt a strong pull toward public speaking. Perhaps you dreamed of building businesses, creating wealth, and caring well for your family or even contributing to your nation’s wellbeing.

Such desires are not random. They often point toward your design.

2. Rapid Learning (Aptitude)

Another trace of talent appears when you begin learning a skill and your mind seems to light up. Concepts connect quickly. Patterns make sense. You grasp ideas faster than others.

This ease does not mean effort is unnecessary. It means you possess a natural wiring for that activity.

Aptitude is a signal. Pay attention to where learning feels unusually natural.

3. Satisfaction (Joy in Doing)

The final clue is deep satisfaction.

It feels good to do the work. There may be fear, nerves, or challenges, yet there is genuine pleasure in the doing. Like a musician performing, an actor in character, or a singer delivering a song, you sense that this is what you were made for.

Often, others feel it too. People are helped, moved, or inspired by what you do.

Where Talent Lives

Your talent sits at the intersection of three circles:

  • Desire — what you long to do
  • Aptitude — what you learn quickly
  • Satisfaction — what brings deep joy

Where these meet, you are likely standing in the center of your calling.

Pay attention. Your life has been leaving clues.

Embrace Long-Term Thinking for Lasting Fruitfulness

/ Masauso Moses Phiri / Leave a comment

Note: This post has been revised and re-shared to give updated information and insights.

The illustration was flawed, but it made the point. A man posed an intriguing question while sitting at a conference in Nyanga, Zimbabwe. This is a beautiful region bordering Mozambique.

He asked, “If you had only one apple and were hungry, would you eat it or plant it? By eating it, you satisfy immediate hunger, but the next generation face starvation. By planting it, you guarantee future abundance, even at the cost of current hunger.”

The flaw in this illustration is that you first need to eat the apple to get seeds to plant. In this case, consumption drives production. Nevertheless, the essence of the question remains: Are you willing to forgo short-term gratification for long-term rewards? 

We live in a world where short-term thinking is the norm. Many people don’t plan beyond today. Some plan for a week, a month at best. But few think in terms of a year, let alone three, five, seven, fifteen, or even twenty-five years ahead. In contrast, some societies plan decades in advance — sometimes as far as fifty years.

This mindset is understandable. For those living hand-to-mouth, immediate survival takes priority. There is no time to worry about tomorrow — tomorrow will take care of itself. As the Bible says in Matthew 6:34, “Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Nonetheless, the truth is that anything worthwhile takes time. Patience can be hard. But it’s indispensable to lasting fruitfulness. Worthwhile pursuits need planning. Execution. Willingness to fail, learn, and try again. As the saying goes, 

“We overestimate what we can achieve in one year. But we underestimate what we can achieve in five.”

Things that take longer to grow and mature are more sustainable and have a greater impact. This applies to life in general, spiritual growth, wealth creation, career growth, businesses, and other pursuits.

Similarly, it typically takes five to seven years for a product or business to scale. Real profitability in any venture often materializes after a sustained five-to-ten-year execution plan. But to achieve this, one must think and plan long-term.

The biblical story of God creating a nation from one man — Abraham — illustrates this point. It took over four hundred and fifty years for this to come to fruition. Yet, God was willing to wait and work within the natural processes of life.

More than anything, this demonstrates God’s patience and perseverance. We do not live that long. We also lack God’s omnipotence. So, we must temper our ambitions. We should approach them with a multi-generational perspective instead.

The key encouragement here is that we can achieve what we set our minds to — but not instantly.

It requires patience, persistence, and methodical progress. We need to take small deliberate steps consistently. Our efforts will compound over time. This will lead to exponential results. The journey may start slow, but the long-term advantages will be undeniable.

How to Become a Long-Term Thinker

1. Make Time to Think and Plan

We live in a world where busyness is often mistaken for productivity. Many people are occupied with non-essential activities that do not contribute to meaningful progress.

To break this cycle, we must de-cluster our lives and dedicate time to thinking and planning. Set aside moments daily. Think about where you want your life, family, career, business, and finances to be in the next five years. Consider the next ten years as well.

2. Set Clear Goals

Once you have taken time to think, define your goals.

What are five key things you want to achieve in the next twenty-five years, God willing? Break these into quarterly milestones, giving you 100 quarters to achieve them.

With such a long time-frame, failure to achieve your objectives is unlikely if you stay committed.

Even if you focused on achieving just one major goal in that period, what would it be? Start working on it now and track your progress every three months.

Long-term thinking is a powerful advantage. By embracing it, we position ourselves for sustained progress and a legacy that outlives us.

Why Preparation Leads to Success in Life Decisions

/ Masauso Moses Phiri / Leave a comment

Many people start things. Few finish them.

Many start construction projects. Few finish them. Many join gym memberships in January. Few stay consistent through the year.

Some leave employment to pursue entrepreneurship. A few years later, they are back in employment. Others, nevertheless, thrive.

Many start studies—a master’s degree, a PhD, a professional course. Again, only a few finish.

What explains the difference between those who start and finish, and those who start but never finish what they began?

The Problem with “Just Start”

I suspect the answer is simple: many do not count the cost.

We live in a culture that celebrates the mantra, “Just start!” But should you? What would the Lord Jesus say about that?

In Luke 14:28–30, Jesus says:

“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’” (emphasis added).

This is very different from the modern slogan: Just do it. You want to build a tower? Just do it. You want to go to war? Just go for it.

That is not Jesus’ counsel.

Be Prudent Before Taking Action

Jesus continues in Luke 14:31–32:

“Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.”

Failure to count the cost often leads to failure. Failure to ask whether we have what it takes to finish what we start leads to disappointment and shame.

At its core, this is about prudence and preparation.

We often celebrate the few who “jumped” and things worked out. But they are rare. Many jumped and did not land well. Many quit stable jobs to “do their own thing” and eventually had to return to employment.

Wisdom Begins with Discernment

Here is the point: we must be prudent about what we plan to start.

Proverbs 14:8 says: “The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving.”

Discernment comes first. Where do you want to go? What will it take to get there?

To discern simply means to find out or perceive. This requires research. It requires asking hard questions. Seeking godly counsel from the older and wiser.

You want to pursue a certain career path? Good.
What will it take to finish it?
Do you have the aptitude for its core demands?

You want to be a lawyer? Do you have the capacity to read long cases? To write and argue persuasively? To deal with difficult clients—sometimes criminals seeking loopholes in the justice system?

Count the cost.

Beware of the Danger of Recklessness

Proverbs 14:15–16 adds:

“The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps. One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.”

The unwise person believes everything he hears.

Someone says, “I quit my job and started my own business. I’m doing very well.”
No questions are asked. Is it legal? Is it ethical? Is it sustainable?

The simple believes everything.

But the prudent gives thought to his steps. He practices delayed decision-making, especially in major life choices. He asks: What will this cost me? Do I have the knowledge and capacity required? What preparation is necessary?

Preparation Makes Completion Possible

Consider a man who wanted to run his own business. He struggled to work for others, but he had responsibilities—a family to support and school fees to pay.

Instead of “just jumping,” he prepared. He saved two years’ worth of living expenses. Only then did he resign and start a small manufacturing and contracting business. That financial cushion gave him time to learn the business. By the third year, he earned enough to sustain his family.

Another wanted to build a home. Instead of starting construction right away, they first secured land. For years, they met only the basic development requirements. During that time, they saved. They bought building blocks and stored them. They saved for the roof, then for the interior finishes.

When construction finally began, the house was completed in less than six months.

Painstaking preparation. Swift execution. Successful completion.

It Is Wise to Wait

It is okay to wait.
It is wise to prepare.
It is godly to count the cost.

Preparation matters.

So before you start anything, ask yourself this question:

Do you have what it takes to finish what you are about to start?

Three Wellness Essentials for Fruitfulness in the Year Ahead

/ Masauso Moses Phiri / Leave a comment

The year was 2024—January, to be precise. I began to feel pain on the left side of my chest. I lecture in Pathology, which is the study of diseases. Instantly, my mind went to the worst-case scenario. This could be a serious heart problem.

I went to the hospital, where they ran all the necessary cardiac tests and imaging. Everything came back normal. The consulting doctor completed his due diligence. He then asked me a simple but piercing question:
“How much do you sleep?”

He had me there.

I had been “pushing” hard the previous year. Five-hour nights were the norm. I was in serious sleep debt. Stress had accumulated. Prolonged work without adequate rest began to manifest as muscle pains.

That experience taught me an important lesson: we must be good stewards of our bodies. Ancient Stoic thought viewed the body as something evil. It was to be punished, starved, and deprived. But, the body is meant to be carefully stewarded. We are body and soul. Our spirits dwell in our bodies. If we destroy our bodies with unhealthy habits, we neglect our duty as stewards. Scripture calls the body the temple of the Holy Spirit.

How were temples kept? Clean, orderly, welcoming, and well maintained. Likewise, wise stewardship of our bodies is essential for optimal performance and productivity this year. It is part of faithfulness—and faithfulness leads to fruitfulness in both work and life.

There is very little we can truly enjoy without good health. So how can we be better stewards of our bodies this year? I would like to suggest three cardinal principles.

Eat Rightly

What we eat accounts for about 80% of the battle for good health. Even weight loss is largely about eating—roughly 80% diet and 20% physical activity.

It is not only what we eat, but also how we eat. Quantity matters. How much we eat will eventually show. We reap what we sow, even in matters of diet.

Extremes must be avoided. Both under-eating and over-eating lead to poor health. One results in malnutrition; the other in obesity. Both carry serious health consequences.

Concerning food choices, excessive fat, salt, and sugar should be avoided. In Scripture, fat was always offered to the LORD. It was burned as a pleasing aroma. The priests or the people did not eat it (Leviticus 7:23). Sadly, the sons of Eli were worthless men. They sinned by demanding meat with the fat still on it (1 Samuel 2:12–17). It may not be accidental that their father, Eli, is later described as “heavy.” Excess fat has a way of showing up.

Is the Lord not wise in instituting this law? He knows that excess fat (lipids) is harmful. Too much fat leads to weight gain, which results in fat accumulation in blood vessels. These vessels become narrowed, forcing the heart to pump harder to circulate blood. This increased pressure leads to high blood pressure and its related complications. A T-bone steak may be enjoyable—but moderation is essential.

Similarly, excessive salt intake contributes to high blood pressure, while sugary foods predispose one to diabetes—the so-called “sugar disease.”

I am not one to prescribe whether one should eat only white meat or avoid certain foods altogether. God said, “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you” (Genesis 9:3). Scripture also warns against forbidding foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth (1 Timothy 4:1–5).

What is consistently recommended is moderation in all things (Philippians 4:5).

One final point on eating concerns frequency. How many times should we eat per day? There is no strict rule, and we must be careful not to impose one. However, Scripture reveals a pattern of God providing food twice daily—morning and evening. This was the case with manna (Exodus 16:8). Elijah experienced the same situation. Ravens fed him bread and meat in the morning and evening (1 Kings 17:6).

I have noticed a similar pattern in rural communities. People often eat twice a day. They supplement with natural snacks during the day.

Scientifically, this pattern also has merit. It allows the body enough time to break down food and extract nutrients needed for daily energy.

Ultimately, we become what we eat. Let us resolve to pursue healthy eating with moderate portions. This will greatly enhance our productivity and effectiveness in all our endeavors.

Exercise Regularly

Bodily training is indeed of some value (1 Timothy 4:7). Regular exercise—especially cardiovascular activity—stimulates blood flow, burns excess fat, and promotes overall health.

Many studies show a strong correlation between physical inactivity and non-communicable diseases such as hypertension. Increased physical activity often helps stabilize blood pressure.

Exercise does not need to be intense. Consistency beats intensity. Four to five sessions a week are enough. Nor does one need a gym. Walking alone—aiming for about 10,000 steps a day—is effective, accessible, and free. The streets cost nothing to walk on.

If you can jog, that is excellent. While excessive jogging may lead to knee problems over time, done in moderation it is a beneficial form of exercise.

Whatever form it takes, let us commit to some form of bodily exercise.

One final observation: exercise is strongly correlated with success in life. Exercise requires being intentional. One does not accidentally become consistent at it. You plan, get up, dress up, and get going. Scott Adams, in How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, writes:
“I believe exercise makes people smarter. It makes them psychologically braver. They become more creative, more energetic, and more influential.”

I agree. The same discipline that drives a person to succeed is often what sustains an exercise routine.

If you do not exercise, start small. Even ten minutes of walking a day can make a meaningful difference.

Enough Rest

This is where I personally failed—and have since repented. I now aim for six to seven hours of sleep each night, which I have found to be enough.

The day is neatly divided into three eight-hour segments. Eight hours are for sleep. Eight hours are for work. Eight hours are reserved for everything else. Traditionally, Sunday—or Saturday for some—serves as a day of rest.

We need this rhythm. We need to work. We also need adequate rest. Rest restores the body and re-balances its chemistry. A good night’s sleep is essential for proper functioning.

Prolonged sleep deprivation is detrimental to both physical and mental health. Its effects can resemble alcohol intoxication—dizziness, impaired judgment, and reduced coordination.

It is telling that when the prophet Elijah fell into despair, part of God’s remedy was simple. “He lay down and slept under a broom tree” (1 Kings 19:6–7).

Again, moderation applies. A lazy person clings to the bed, as a door turns on its hinges (Proverbs 26:14). Oversleeping reflects sloth. But enough sleep is a blessing.

Napping can also be beneficial when circumstances allow. Take advantage of it when you can.

All the best for the year ahead.