On Saturday, October 23, 2021, members of Dority International Alumni Association, Class of 1997, presented basketball equipment to Dority International Early Learning School (previously known as Dority International Secondary School).
The equipment was presented during the school’s SS3 graduation ceremony.
The proprietress, Mrs Zovannah Onumah, and the Secondary School Coordinator, Mr Bright Adawisi, received the sports equipment from Engr Okey Onye, and the Secretary, Pioneer Set, Mr Ikenna Ohiaeri.
Below are pictures from the event and a thank you letter from Mrs Zovannah Onumah.
Mrs Zovannah Onumah’s Thank You letter
The Pioneer Students
Class of 1997
Dear Sirs/Madams,
The management, staff and students of Dority International Early Leaming School wish to thank you for your donation of tile basketball equipment to the school.
This will go a long way in improving our sporting activities as many students are interested in playing basketball.
We are very appreciative of this very thoughtful and kind gesture. We are happy that you still have the interest of your alma mater at heart and also made effort to reach out to us In this manner.
AN OPENING REMARK PRESENTED BY THE DIRECTOR, ENGR. E. · ONUMAH ONTHE2021GRADUATION CEREMONYOF 24THSS 3 GRADUATING CLASS HELD ON OCTOBER 23RD, 2021.
The Guest Speaker,
Our wonderful parents,
Our diligent graduating SS 3 class of 2021
Distinguished guest,
Our hardworking staffLadies and gentlemen,
Today marks the end of an era for all the graduating Dority International Early Learning School Students sitting here–the end of a compulsory school for all of you and your last day at Dority International Early Learning School.
As you all say farewell to your friends, teachers, coordinators, staff and the school administrations and close the door on your high school,you also will be opening another door to your future.
A future we do not know much about now.
You all are today standing at the brink of your future.
Some of you are wondering how your lives are going to turn out.
It is okay to wonder but I think it is more important to realize that your future is not just something that happens to you; it is what you create.
The question is how do you get started with this journey of life when you have no idea of where you are going?
The answers reside within one of the grander fundamental principles of physics, the first law of motion: An object at rest tends to stay at rest unless acted upon by an outside force to get started.
You need to become the outside force that starts the mental and physical ball rolling which overcomes the inertia of inaction and indecision and begins the development of real creative momentum (your life journey).
The strength to move and keep moving must come from within you.
The key to making progress is to realize how to take that first step.
Analysis of yourself is essential to an understanding of how you tailor the knowledge you have acquired in this school to your future desires and goals in this journey.
ln this journey grab hold of the things you are interested in, that fascinate you and dive deeper into them to see where they lead you.
It will really help you to uncover the secrets about yourself and about the world around you.
You should keep your curiosity aimed at something constructive, something other than mischief.
Let those feelings be your guide in this journey.
The ultimate aim is to rise above the whims of fortune not to control your faith but to choose meaningful achievable goals and forge life free of regrets.
When people who have achieved public successes write about their lives, often their experiences get chatted like a purposeful lineal climb up a mountain towards a summit of achievements.
Life journey is not a straight line; it is a path that has many turns.
Some turns are wrong, some turns are right, some turns are wearied but then become right with time.
Wrong turns are part of your life journey.
Everyone of you needs to give yourselves the space to screw up in pursuit of perfection in your life journey.
Screwing up is learning.
The trip down any path of creation is not A to B, that will be so boring because that is predictable.
It is A to somewhere beyond zebra.
That is where the interesting stuff happens, the stuff that changes us.
We pursue the things we do, precisely because, we can’t know the outcomes ahead of time, if we know exactly what the outcome will be, why would we proceed?
What would be the point?
One sets out with an intention, but what really happens comes about with working hard effectively.
You all must loosen your tolerance with yourself to make mistakes in this journey.
It is the only way you will learn, the only way you will grow, the only way you will make anything truly great out of this journey, for mistakes are the pillars of success if well taken.
Try to be the best you can be; never seize trying to be the best you can be.
That is in your power.
The toughest part about trying is to appreciate failure and how to use it to continuously keep trying.
Never feel ashamed for trying and failing for he who has never failed is he who has never tried.
In fearing to fail, we fail to try.
Persistence, persistence is the key.
If you are not failing, you are not pushing your limits and you are not maximizing your potentials.
Your ships of life are safe in harbour.
But that is not what ships are for, so set sail on the stormy sea of life.
Failure will not overtake you if your determination to evolve as effectively as possible is strong enough.
Failure is inevitable in this journey of life but let its inevitability shape your lives and inform your future actions.
Ignore all obstacles at your feet.
There are bound to be hiccups here and here but don’t worry about failure, rather worry about the chances you missed when you did not even try.
Keep your eyes on the goals in front of you for where dry desert ends; green grass grows.
Each obstacle should be considered as mere detours to your goals.
Obstacles are necessary for success.
Victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats.
Each struggle, each defeat sharpens your skills and strengthens your courage and your endurance, your ability and your confidence.
Obstacle is a comrade-in-arms forcing you to become better.
Always look up in the light when all you can see is darkness.
Focus on what you have and what you could do with it.
Do not allow lack of resources to stop you from achieving your goals in life.
Let every tool in your “tool bag of life” be a hammer.
Success is a state of mind.
We are what we think.
All that we are, arises from the thoughts we make of the world.
The difference between those who succeed and those who fail lies in differences of habit.
Good habits are key to success.
Bad habits are the unlocked doors to failure.
We sabotage our own endeavours with negative reinforcement: – “Iam useless at this”, ‘no one is interested in my opinion” and so we need to change the way we think.
Take initiative to always try to see the hidden positive depth in everyone you will meet and everything that you ventured to do.
Hidden beauty lies beneath the most mundane hills that you transverse everyday.
There is more to anything that you can see let not the surface define you or anything.
But you have to decide to step out to discover those hidden beauties.
Find the list of interesting things that will send you deep down various rabbit holes for exploration.
Your budding obsession is a thing of value not a trifling thing to be dismissed. Paying heed to your secret thrills will be the thread that will continue to positively weave together your life journey.
Take risks, not avoiding but embracing change and realizing that life is a much more enjoyable experience with an adventurous mindset.
Do not lose focus and never derail from your goals, continue to seek knowledge with diligence and signifying attitudes. Shun every distraction.
Please my flowering Doritians do not be in a hurry to succeed.
Do not barrel through life virtually unaware of what is going on around you.
Practice the art ofpatience for nature does not actin a hurry.
You needto take time each day to slow down and be people of grace and gratitude.
Sharing an attitude of gratitude not only makes for a nicer world but also makes for a happier, healthier and more successful life.
You all should build your life castles one brick at a time for small attempts repeated, will complete any undertaking successfully.
What is more essential is learning the rudiments of whatever you have decided to do.
Passing the earlier stage of life is like climbing a ladder.
It requires a lot of courage and determination.
Dream big and explore all available opportunities to actualize your dream.
As you all walk through the school gate the last time as students of Dority International Early Learning School be grateful for what you have.
Share it with generosity and continue to replenish it.
Look up to the future.
Do not dwell on past successes and failures .
Successful people focus on those few goals that will make them better in the future.
Practice continuous learning.
People with a positive attitude of learning stay on top of what is going on in their field of interest.
They recognize that they cannot remain successful without learning about new developments for nothing is immune to the process of change.
Everyoneof you has something valuable to contribute to Nigeria and the world.
Each of you will climb your separate mountain to reach your own extended view.
Believe in yourself.
Self-confidence and determination are the keys to attaining greater heights in life.
The world is full of possibilities.
In conclusion, graduating class of 2020/2021, I wish you all the best for the future.
Congratulations!
Farewell!
Represent us well.
Network with other alumni and give back to your community.
Come back and mentor the students you are leaving behind.
To our supportive parents, we are giving you back your children.
The same children you entrusted in our care.
We give these children back much taller and much older and a whole lot smarter.
It has been our pleasure to watch them grow and learn day by day.
We have all become family members.
The school will always be interested in these children, their future, wherever they may be and whatever they may do and whoever they may be.
We look forward to the day we will hear their names linked with great accomplishments.
Thank you for sharing such wonderful children with us and thank you for your encouragement and support.
Dority International Alumni Association members, Urenna Onyewuchi(PhD) and Dr Chiamaka Nnamani, discuss children’s’ health and the medical profession in the United States of America
We take our time, weigh the pros and cons, before deciding on a course of action.
Decisions affect our happiness, health, relationships, and career.
Our future largely depends on the decisions we make today.
Yet, we rarely think about decision-making itself.
We don’t know why some of our decisions end up detrimental, even though we felt good when we made them.
We also don’t know why some decisions end up excellent, even though we felt horrible when we made them.
A few months ago, I stumbled on a decision-making process that helped me make better decisions.
I used this process to stop eating junk food and start saving consistently.
The process is called Second-Order Thinking.
It’s not the only helpful decision-making process.
There are other methods–and even apps–for decision making.
But I prefer Second-Order Thinking because it’s simple and effective.
Below is the article that introduced me to it.
Second-Order Thinking
When making decisions, how often do we choose long term gain at the cost of short term pain?
A good decision-making process reveals the future consequences of our decisions.
It solves problems in a manner that avoids unintentional and unforeseen outcomes.
Second-order thinking makes us go beyond what we know, to things we haven’t thought about.
It’s easy to make decisions that make us feel good in the short term without thinking about the potential negative impact of those decisions in the long-term.
Our experiences limit our ability to go beyond the available and seek hard truths by asking difficult questions, exploring unknown territories, and doubting what may seem like an obvious choice.
We stay inside a safety box that is easily accessible to us and guides us in making a large part of our decisions.
How we think and decide is largely shaped and constrained by this box.
Second-order thinking requires going out of our comfort zone to think outside this box.
It requires analyzing the potential impact of our decision into the future.
It requires asking these questions:
How can I make decisions with positive outcomes compounded in the future?
Is this decision attractive only because it has an immediate effect (first-order consequence) positive?
What can be the potential downside of this decision and its effect later?
How far can I look to determine how every subsequent decision creates a world of possibilities or limits the outcomes I can achieve?
Second-order thinking provides a framework to make decisions by learning the second-order consequences of our decisions and analyzing its impact in the near future.
Going beyond second-level thinking is difficult, but some people learn to expand their thinking to the third level, the fourth level and even higher levels by asking the same questions at each level.
Ray Dalio describes this very well in his book Principles:
“Failing to consider second and third-order consequences are the cause of a lot of painfully bad decisions, and it is especially deadly when the first inferior option confirms your own biases. Never seize on the first available option, no matter how good it seems, before you’ve asked questions and explored.”
First-Order Thinking vs. Second-Order Thinking
Before we learn how to apply second-order thinking to tap into the unknown, let’s understand the difference between first-order and second-order thinking.
It’s important to differentiate between the two to make a conscious effort to shift from first-order to second-order thinking.
Inside the Box Thinking
First-order thinking looks for easy answers driven by our past experiences and beliefs.
It puts more weight on the immediate effect of our actions and ignores the subsequent impact.
When we seek instant gratification, our first order thinking is at play.
It’s activated by system1 thinking which is intuitive and fast (Source: Thinking Fast And Slow by Daniel Kahneman).
This form of thinking is effective when we need to make quick decisions without exerting effort.
A good part of our daily decisions falls into this category — what dress to wear to the office, where to meet a friend for dinner, and which turns to take while driving to work.
The conventional nature of first-order thinking confines us to get the same results as everyone else.
In summary, first-order thinking is safe, superficial, reactionary, obvious, fast, easy, and conventional with a focus on immediate impact.
Outside the Box Thinking
Second-order thinking is hard and looks beyond our current assumptions and beliefs.
It requires massive effort to dig out the potential impact of our decisions way into the future.
It involves system2 thinking which is deliberate and logical.
Going beyond intuition and seeking unconventional solutions by applying second-order thinking is what makes great thinkers.
How to Develop Second-Order Thinking: Template to Make Better Decisions
To develop second-order thinking skills, let’s learn to evaluate the impact of first-order effects by creating a template using these steps:
Note down the first solution that comes to your mind with its immediate positives and negatives. This is your first-order thinking.
Then ask “What will be the future consequences of this decision?” to evaluate the 2nd, 3rd level…nth level consequence. For each decision and level, write its corresponding positives and negatives.
Ask more and more questions
What are my risks associated with this decision?
How does my decision impact others?
Why do I think my decision is right?
Choose the decision where second and third-order consequences are positive even though first may not be positive (short term pain in favour of long term gain).
Learn to recognize and apply the feedback loops. It may not help with your current decision, but over time it will enable you to make better decisions.
Once you adopt a second-order thinking mental model and start applying its template in your decision process, you will see the positive results of your efforts compound over time.
Howard Marks, a great American investor, shares his views on first order and second-order thinking,
“The difference in workload between first-level and second-level thinking is clearly massive, and the number of people capable of the latter is tiny compared to the number capable of the former. First-level thinkers look for simple formulas and easy answers. Second-level thinkers know that success in investing is the opposite of simple.”
Let’s learn examples of first-order and second-order thinking.
Example 1: Managing Crisis at Work or Avoiding One
When dealing with a crisis at work, a manager can adopt either first-order or second-order thinking.
First-Order Thinking:
I have done it in the past.
I know how to do it way better than anyone else in the team.
Let me take over and resolve it for now.
My team can learn later.
First-Order Thinking Consequence:
The manager needs to intervene every time there’s an issue since she never facilitated her team to solve problems on their own.
She is constantly busy dealing with crises and never finds time for team development.
The team does not feel empowered and people in the team do not grow, which results in low team morale.
Second-Order Thinking:
I have done this in the past.
I know how to do it way better than anyone else in the team.
But, if I continue solving it, I will never allow my team to step up and resolve issues on their own.
This is an excellent opportunity for my team to learn how to manage and deal with crises.
I will be available to guide them through the process.
Second-Order Thinking Consequence:
In the first few instances, the team may struggle and take slightly longer to resolve.
However, they will be better equipped to handle such issues on their own in the future.
It will free up the manager’s time to do effective planning that reduces the number of such crises.
The team also feels motivated and empowered to do more.
In this example, first-order thinking has short term benefits with long term negative impact.
Second-order thinking has a short term pain with multiple benefits in the long run.
Which one will you choose as a manager?
Example 2: Hiring for Now vs the Future
While making a hiring decision for a position that’s open for a long time, a hiring manager can either apply first-order or second-order thinking.
First-Order Thinking:
I need to fill this role.
Many projects will be delayed if I do not get someone to start immediately.
This person seems like the best fit for the current role.
She has certain gaps that may be challenging for my future needs.
But, we can attend to them when the time comes.
Let’s hire her.
First-Order Consequence:
The new hire can get the projects started.
As these projects increase in complexity, she starts facing challenges in providing direction and guidance to her team.
This leads to communication gaps, lack of clarity, and poor collaboration causing multiple project delays.
The culture of the organization also takes a hit as constructive arguments become destructive and employees start blaming other teams and functions for missing their deadlines and not achieving results.
Second-Order Thinking:
I need to fill this role.
Many projects will be delayed if I do not get someone to start immediately.
This person seems like the best fit for the current role.
But, she has gaps that will be challenging for the future demands of this position.
I need to hire someone who can meet my requirements for the future and not just my current needs.
While the next few months will be tough, the right thing to do will be to keep looking till we find someone suitable.
Second-Order Consequence:
Projects get to a slow start.
However, within the next few weeks, people in the team step up to take additional responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the hiring manager is also able to bring a strong leader with great potential and required qualities in line with future demands.
The new leader rallies the team through strong clarity, sense of purpose, and direction that motivates employees to put their best effort forward.
The team can make great progress under her direction and achieve substantial results.
This is a great example of why applying second-order thinking is crucial while making hiring decisions.
A deliberate attempt to apply second-order thinking can provide a huge advantage to individuals and organizations.
I hope you’ve been inspired to think differently and make that extra effort to visualize the future and reap its many benefits.
