Opportunity is a chance dictated by time. This year, 2026, is my chance for endless possibilities; what is it for you? With time and effort, I unrepentantly believe that all things are possible. If you see things in the same light, please come with me as we set the tune for a fulfilling year the Lord has given us to rejoice and be glad in.
Ecclesiastes 3:1‑8 (NIV) says: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”
This detailed elaboration has implications. A lot can be achieved when times and seasons are understood, saved, and applied appropriately. This year promises conscious time‑planning, planting viable seeds, and harvesting great results!
A minute is the smallest unit of time. There are 60 seconds in a minute; 60 minutes in an hour; 24 hours in a day; 365 days in a year; 10 years in a decade; 5 decades in a jubilee; two jubilees in a century (centenary); 10 centuries in a millennium. It is argued that, “After a millennium, the world looks quite different—new languages, technologies, and borders have emerged. History repeats in cycles, but each era also brings its own challenges and opportunities.” This means every second counts; use it well!
When new year arrives, the expectation is that everything will be fine, hence the outpouring of good wishes and prayers of success to and from loved ones—family members, friends, and other relatives. But truth be told, there is no guarantee that life will be seamless for anyone all the times. Life has a rhythm—sometimes things go smoothly, but they can go haywire at another time. There are as many opportunities to smile as there are to wail. This is the reality of life; ignore it at your peril. That is why, as humans, prayer without season is key!
Prayer is communication with God backed by sustained work of faith that the things prayed for will come to practical and prompt fruition. Prayer repels evil and attracts good. It is in the realm of faith what hard work is in the physical realm. Prayer equips, communicates, helps, protects, conquers, saves, makes, renews, and hopes.
Every New year offers opportunities for sober reflection and planning for future activities. Since life is a journey, the living, business organisations, and governments usually leverage it to take stock of their past activities with the view to reinforce areas of strength and make amends in areas of weakness for better outcomes in the present and future.
Reflection is the anchor of every future planning. Past outcomes guide future projections. Planning and prompt implementation are critical in the life of any person. Planning is a blueprint, an action guide over a given period of time. It can be short‑term, medium‑term, or long‑term. Short‑term plans have limited time for adjustment—it can be one year; medium‑term has some time for adjustment—5 to 7 years; long‑term could be 8 to 15 or more years.
New‑year resolutions are short‑term planning decisions whose effect could last a lifetime. New‑year resolutions have become recurrent decimals. Each year, people make Personal New‑Year Resolutions (PNR). However, these resolutions often end up being ignored, discarded, and jettisoned. Most people are not committed to their new‑year resolutions but follow the bandwagon because others have made theirs. A new‑year resolution that is not backed by deliberate action will be a mirage. No accomplishment can be achieved by wishful thinking. If it were not so, everybody would be an achiever. Therefore, those who aspire to achieve great things this year must be determined to pull through irrespective of today’s challenges and always.
The mindset of a potential achiever must be positive and bear allegiance to whatever dream the person has. With enthusiasm and passion, such a person is expected to determine that, come rain or sunshine, the goal will be scored. This means that every constraint, distraction, and contradiction is not big enough to derail the realisation of the set objective(s). Passion and determination are like lubricating oils that grease the wheel of progress. Anyone who has the ambition of achieving something worthwhile this year must cultivate passion and determination as driving forces. Anything short of them is a red signal that failure is loading, no matter how great a plan looks.
The year 2026, like any other year, is a year for daring people. It is a year of “why not” persons, people who are committed to going the extra mile within the bounds of law and morality. The year is for those who are resolute in self‑improvement and try again and again, using different methods until success is achieved. They see failure as an opportunity to try again, understanding that failure teaches the way to lasting success.
2026 is a year understanding that nothing comes easy and a conscious belief that “uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.” It is a year of transforming lofty expectations into celebrated reality. It is a year of many wins for the diligent, skillful, and talented who are committed to investing their capabilities. It has no place for indolent and wasteful people. It is the year of research, insight, and discovery, for great accomplishments!
The 365 days of this year of wonders and possibilities have begun, and the journey of unequal discovery has started. Have a definite and measurable purpose, and work as the clock kicks to make yours count for something great in the land of the living. Yes, you can if you will!
Every start is a journey; every opportunity, a chance to choose; every choice is a risk; every risk is worth taking provided its outcomes have the potential to make great. This year is a responsibility to take calculated risk or risk achieving nothing at all!
Let me conclude these thoughts with the timeless words of Socrates, who said, 'A man who is not passionate about anything (worthwhile—emphasis added) is not fit to live.' Happy New Year! Happy new opportunity to make a difference in the land of the living. If you cannot create value, add it. It will be great if you add and also create value. Value creation and addition are the only measures of a man’s resourcefulness and productivity.
*(Modest Thought with Ayuba, Yilgak'ha, 1st January, 2026; loisayuba420@gmail.com; 08116181263)*
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