BANKE GABRIEL
Ambassador
The beauty of Reciprocity:
I have always struggled with staying in good physical shape all my life, I have tried all reducing agents from slimming tea, to Shaun T’s home training workouts, I even tried eating once a day. It seemed like I was a rat on a spinning wheel the harder I ran the more I had to run. The whole idea of dieting (stopping yourself from eating what you love) to attain a flat stomach has been the bane of my existence for 24 years. However it all changed, the first time I heard of the charity called OIA gives! I know your eyebrows just furrowed and a confused look just came on your face… Yh I can read minds lol, you are probably asking, what does a charity have to do with losing weight? Let me break down my most unlikely journey to top physical condition…
About a year ago, a close friend of mine, Arnold told me he just took on a 365 day fitness challenge, where he does not miss a workout and everyday he posts his progress on Instagram in order to help raise money for OIA gives charity; who help less privilege children in Nigeria with tuition fees and support from primary school to all the way to university level. This is how that life changing conversation went:
Banke: “That’s an impossible challenge!”
Arnold: “Impossible?”
Banke: “Arnold, 365 days is a very very long time, especially when you have never done something like that before!”
With an almost stoic confidence, his eyebrows lowered and his pupils constricted, and with a look of resolve just like that seen on the face of a soldier just before he decides to leave civilian life and join the military. He said
Arnold: “We would sacrifice more for someone else than we would for ourselves.”
Banke: “Hmmm…”
Arnold: “Although the goal seemed impossible, I would unequivocally see it through!”
Banke: “How can you be so confident?”
Arnold: “ It’s easy, I’m starting with why and not what!
Banke: “You are starting with why and not what? How do you mean?
Arnold: “Yes! When most people want to achieve a goal they start from the outside-in, they start with what they want... For example they would say I want more money and then the next step is what? What can help me make more money? The they proceed to get a job to help them get more money... They say “I am not too fussed about the job, I just want what would pay me the mostest in the fastest time”. Just like an iceberg (the what) the visible part we see needs to be sustained by great depth below the water (the why we don’t see).
Banke: “How does this relate to the story about how most people approach their career that you were talking about?”
Arnold: “Sadly after 50 years of making money and hating their job they then ask WHY did I choose this job? Sadly, they have already wasted their most important asset!
Banke: “What is that asset?”
Arnold: “Time!”
Banke: “So how should one go about achieving goals?”
Arnold: “Start with why.”
Banke: “Start with why?”
Arnold: “The right way is to always start with the question “why?” first. Why was I born? Why do I feel draw to this profession even though other think I’m crazy... Could it be my passion? Why are my talents leading me this way?
Banke: “So to achieve goals, we should not focus on what we want but on why we want it?
Arnold: “Yes! When you know the why, the how would come to you easily, then the what would be easy to execute. When you know the Why, you can figure out how you can align your passion with your profession and then then money (the what) would follow. Through this method you get money as well as that elusive friend.”
Banke: “Who is the elusive friend?”
Arnold: “Happiness!”
Banke: “Okay so Arnold, that was a long explanation, how would you use this same method to achieve this health and fat loss goal in the 365 days challenge?” How does this relate to fitness and me been healthy and OIA gives charity?
Arnold: “My why is to help a less privileged child through education to university, and my how is going to be achieved through training 365 day and been accountable on social media...
Banke: “So what is the what?”
Arnold: “Showing up in the gym no matter how I feel because the reason (my Why) is so much bigger than me. I know it would force me to my highest level of my willpower, because I started with my why, the what (6 pack abs) would be inevitable. It’s all about reciprocity!
Banke: “Reciprocity?”
Arnold: Yeah, through helping others (your “WHY” )you can then achieve you fitness goal (your “what”)
Banke: “I’m in!!! How DO i sign up to sponsor a child and key into the law of RECIPROCITY?
Arnold: “Go to http://www.oiagives.com”
