Recently, a very good friend of mine from my university days, Dike Blaise, posted a statement on his WhatsApp status that I believe cuts through the noise of today’s modern, quick hustle culture with surgical precision. He wrote:
Purpose demands your full tenacity. Give it anything less, and you forfeit the right to complain about the outcome.
Dike Blaise
Trust me when I say this is not just a motivational quote; it is a cold, hard law of the universe. It is a reminder that in the architecture of achievement, there is no room for half-heartedness. Too many times, we want the crown without the pressure of the work that rests on the shoulders of a king; we want the harvest without the full work and heat of the day. I believe this my friend’s insight, Dike Blaise, brings us back to the core of personal accountability: The quality of your output is a direct reflection of the intensity of your tenacity.
The Nature of Tenacity: More Than Just “Hard Work”
Tenacity is confused with busyness by some people, but they are not the same. You can be busy and still be drifting. You can be “hardworking” and yet be uncommitted to the actual core of your purpose.
Tenacity is the refusal to be diverted. It is the “full” investment of your mental, spiritual, and physical resources into a singular outcome. As I have many, many times discussed on Value Faith Blog, movement is not the same as progress. To be tenacious in purpose is to ensure that every movement you make is a step toward your divine assignment.
But still, when you give anything, I mean anything at all, less than your full tenacity, you are not just working slower; you are leaking power. I would say that you are allowing the Sucker’s Payoff, the immediate comfort of ease or distraction, to rob you of your long-term wins.
The Forfeiture Clause: The Silence of the Unprepared
The most striking part of Dike Blaise’s statement is the concept of forfeiture.
In a court of law, if you fail to show up or follow the rules, you forfeit your rights. And with his post, he is saying the same thing: that the same applies to the pursuit of purpose. We live in a generation that loves to complain. We complain about the economy, the lack of opportunities, the “system,” and our bad luck.
But there is a physical, mental, spiritual, and character-driven Right to Complain. You only earn the right to look at a failed outcome and ask “Why?” if you can honestly say you gave it your full tenacity. If you gave it 70%, 80%, or even 99%, when you could have given it a 100%, his post suggests that you have signed a silent contract with failure, or if that is too harsh, let me put it like this: You have signed a contract that gives away your Right to Complain. And I do agree with him, because intentionally or not, you have agreed, by your lack of total commitment, that the outcome is no longer within your right to protest.
If you are unwilling to pay the full price, you must be willing to accept the partial result in total silence.
Purpose is a Jealous Master
Purpose is not a hobby; it is not something you do when you feel inspired. Purpose is a sacred trust. For a lifetime or for the meantime, whether for your purpose is building a business, raising a family, or mastering a high-income skill, it requires a level of energy and tenacity that most people are unwilling to give.
As I wrote in my first article today, and as my Man of God, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, DSc, Dsc, DD, teaches regarding the spirit and the mind, your spirit may be willing, but your mind must be renewed to handle the demands of your calling. You can not have a “born-again spirit” and an “unrenewed, lazy mind” and expect to fulfill your purpose.
The mind must be trained to stay in the fight, and Joshua 1:8 tells us to meditate day and night. Because purpose requires a mind that is constantly aligned with the goal. Anything less than day-and-night focus is a breach of the contract of tenacity.
The Language of Excuses vs. The Language of Tenacity
We often find ourselves trapped Behind the Wall of Excuses. We tell ourselves:
- “I would have started, but the timing was not right.”
- “I would have finished, but I did not have enough support.”
- “I would have succeeded, but the competition was too high.”
The article I wrote, ‘Beyond the Wall of Excuses,’ sweeps these excuses off the table. Tenacity does not ask if the timing is right; it makes the time right. Tenacity does not shy away from asking for support, and it commands it through the force of its persistence.
And so, my dearest readers, without the intention of being harsh, if you find yourself explaining why you could not, you are likely in the middle of a forfeiture. You are likely justifying an outcome that you did not work hard enough to prevent. True ownership means realizing that your triggers and your results are your responsibility. It is not the world’s obligation to make your purpose easy for you.
My dearest readers, one way I would love for us to look at this is that in the architecture of a human life, we are all builders. Every day, through our thoughts, words, and actions, we are laying bricks for the future, but many of us spend more time building walls than bridges. We build “Monuments of Nothingness” using the primary tool of the incompetent: the excuse.
The quote is as sharp as it is true: “Excuses are the tools of the incompetent; they are monuments of nothingness, and those who use them are not wise.” To the modern ear, this might sound harsh. Some people live in a culture that validates every reason for failure and cushions every fall, but for those who desire to live a life of value and faith, we must recognize that an excuse is simply a well dressed lie we tell ourselves so that we do not have to feel the sting of our own potential.
An excuse is not the same as a reason. A reason is an objective fact that explains a situation; an excuse is a psychological shield used to deflect responsibility. When we use the language of “Why I couldn’t,” we are essentially handing over our power to our circumstances.
Continue Reading: Beyond The Wall of Excuses: Moving Beyond The Language of “Why I Couldn’t”
From Trying to “Redeeming the Time”
Apostle Paul urged us to “Redeem the time, because the days are evil,” Ephesians 5:16. To “redeem” means to buy back. You buy back your future with the currency of your tenacity today.
Every hour you spend in half-hearted effort is at least half an hour you have thrown away. Every project you start and leave at 70% when you know you could have done more and better is a wasted investment. My most recent article, the Lifting Rule, states that you are only promoted when you prescribe a solution and follow it through to the end. You can not be lifted into your purpose if you are constantly dropping the ball halfway.
Read Also: 13 Mistakes Every Man Must Avoid: A Blueprint for Success and Character
Read Also: Don’t Sell Out, Don’t Be Cheap
Read Also: The Lifting Rule: Why You Must Prescribe, Not Just Criticize
Conclusion
My friend, Dike Blaise, reminded us of a fundamental truth: Satisfaction is found in fullness. There is a deep, quiet peace that comes from knowing you left everything on the field. Even if the world calls the result a failure, if you gave it your full tenacity, you have not forfeited anything; you have gained character, strength, and the right to try again with more wisdom.
But my dearest readers, if you held back. That regret will haunt you more than the failure itself.
So, look at your current projects, your relationships, and your goals, and ask yourself: “Am I giving this my full tenacity, or am I preparing my excuses for the forfeiture?”
The choice is yours! Choose tenacity! Choose to own your outcome!
