A broken-hearted person wonders what it takes to have a long lasting happy relationship when he/she's been trying for so long only to always end up with a shattered heart; a poor person wonders what it takes to be rich, to be wealthy and wake up every morning without wondering what he will have for breakfast, lunch and supper... knowing that he's spoiled for choice; young people wonder exactly what does it take to be as great as their role models, to be as influential as they are; some wonder what exactly does it take to find someone who will genuinely love and appreciate them for what and who they truly are without wanting to change them to be the perfect partner that exists in their mind... Someone out there is wondering, what does it take for one to win back their loved one that they let go because they were too blind to see the diamond they had while they fooled around with a glass... believing that it's a diamond; there's a young aspiring businessman/woman wondering exactly what it takes to build a profitable successful business in a world riddled with so much greed and heartless people that will do anything for money... even if it means taking someone's life to eliminate the competition and threat they pose. Least I forgot that lady wondering exactly what does it take for a woman to be regarded as sexy and beautiful in the world filled with people defining sexiness and beauty of the woman by the size of her boobs, her waist, the shape of her curves and her body weight and not by the content of her character and the respect she commands... Goodness me; what a world we live in.

It's only natural, though, for us to wonder... exactly what does it take?

I don't know much in life and never will I ever be at the point where I think or feel like I know much in life... and with the little that I do know right now; let me tell you exactly WHAT IT TAKES:

I have lived long enough to see so many young people's talent go down the drain, all because they didn't know what it takes. So, are you talented? You can sing, dance, play rugby, soccer, netball, cricket, hockey, boxing. You can make people laugh and want to make a career out of it? Let me tell you a secret; It takes more than God-given talent for you to be someone great out of the talent that you blessed with. It takes discipline, dedication, determination and focus for you to be a great talented somebody. It takes hard work; sweat and sacrifice. Don't you ever dare think that you gonna wake up one morning and walk into the professional arena just like that; no my friend it doesn't work like that; you need to invest in that talent, nurture it and maximize its potential. That's what it takes to makes a living out of your talent!

Sis Dolly and Dr Phil are surely more provisioned experts to talk on this subject of love...but I will certainly do an injustice to myself and the rest of the world if I don't share with you what I know about love...as someone who has loved and received loved back. It takes more than just saying "I love you" to your partner to make the relationship work out. It takes self-discipline, willingness to be with someone and grow wiser, stronger and older with that person to make the relationship work out. It takes ego and pride put aside; waking up and finding new exciting ways to remind and show your partner just how special they are. It takes a choice and a decision not to let anything or anyone come between the two of you. It takes understanding, patience, trust and belief in each other... That's what it takes! I've never been married before nor am I a qualified marriage counsellor... and if I had enough money, I could have asked Dr David Molapo to write this part of the article to tell us exactly what it takes to make a marriage work out... But be it as it may; allow me to share my two cents marriage advice with you...

It doesn't take that beautiful wedding dress, that fun and exciting wedding step, that delicious wedding cake or that beautiful wedding ring to make a marriage work out - it takes character! The ability to stay true to those vows when you both said "I DO" long after the excitement of that wedding day has long died. Marriage is far bigger that the honeymoon and celebrations. It takes COMMITMENT!

I must take this opportunity to commend our generation for their courage of registering their own companies and being their own bosses... But you see my friend; it takes far more than just registering a company for you be like your business idols. It takes patience to understand that Rome was not built in a day. It takes perseverance and tenacity to hold on and make it work out when odds are against you and you just wanna give up and let it crumble down; It takes passion...you need to be passionate about what you do and always learn new ropes of doing business; learning about your clients/target market's demands and being able to meet the said demand as the supplier. But how sad and shameful it is for me to be saying this in a country where it takes a woman letting a wealthy politically connected man to get between her legs for her to get an undeserved tender and become a millionaire overnight; in a country where it takes you being someone's child to get business from the government and become wealthy in a blink of an eye; in a country where it takes a man having to lick another man's behind just for him to get that tender and feed himself and his family... Yet I can't help it but notice thousands of young people who have worked tirelessly and sweated blood to build their businesses into the empires that they are today. I salute you all; you guys are the symbols of what it REALLY takes to build and sustain a business.

To all those who are at tertiary institutions studying towards a qualification... let me tell you what it takes to graduate; it does not only take hard work but getting the work done too to graduate. The hardest working students aren't always the smartest students. You need to learn how to get the work done and how you get the work done depends on what you find to be a working formula for you to PASS because let's face it; at the end of the day...when the fat lady finishes singing; all it takes for you to get that qualification is a PASS! That's it! So get that pass and get over and done with that qualification as that's what it takes.

Most people want to be great; do great things and achieve great things, yet they’re not willing to do what it takes to be great. You just can't wish to be great and to achieve great things; you need to believe it in your heart that you are capable of achieving those great things; then you need to wake up, go out there, show up and achieve that greatness! That's what it takes to be great! And until such time as you’re willing to do what's necessary for you to be great; forget it! It will just remain a fairytale and a mystery. In fact, pigs would fly and chickens would cross the street without anyone questioning their motivates if you ever become great from just "wishing" to be great!

You need to know what it takes. Then tell yourself and believe in yourself that you’re capable of doing what it takes to make something work out... then do it!

Let me leave you with one of my favorite songs of all time by Celine Dion: "If that's what it takes!"

Today being CHOOSEDAY; I challenge you to make the right CHOICE and do whatever it takes to succeed! To be wealthy! To be happy! To be great!

Happy CHOOSEDAY!