DLM LIFE values exemplified in a letter to you. Read and adopt the lessons for your personal success.

2. Dear Friend,
I just visited a place called LIFE – unfortunately, this place was built
on waters, you remember Jesus walked on water? Oh yeah, you sure
know 'cos you've read that part of the bible about 101 times. He did,
and built within us the capacity to do so with His own LIFE jacket
called LOVE.
Anyway, my emphasis on this piece is to enumerate a few lessons, a
few thoughts, a few concepts, a few methodologies, a few precepts
which I strongly feel, reveals the whole essence of man – and for me,
that is living life from 'dimension four' or YOU, just wearing that
cloak called – The LIFE jacket!
First of all, I would like to be explicit on this idea of “The Life jacket”,
defining it in real and connotative terms, this I believe, will help drive
home the message I am about to pass to you. Mind you, the scroll
must be kept very safe for your consumption and further
transformation of self and humanity. I say this because, it took me 28
years and 4 months to realize that all I ever need to succeed in all I
would ever do and live for is to just keep wearing “the LIFE jacket”
but it came at a price – 4380 days minus 3 nights of midnight candles;
669 days of real suffering and torments; 10,369 days of learning and
falling and rising and relearning and most importantly, painstakingly
investing 26,262 hours of practice on how to effectively use my own
“LIFE jacket” – wow, what a LIFE devotion to purpose, that is why I
hold this piece in a very high esteem, if not, the highest esteem sef.
As such padi mi, “Eja ni o gba odo la ye lati fi malu dara” – a Yoruba
adage which I stupidly coined to mean “it is the fish that hinders the
ocean from swallowing the cow”. To make that a bit explainable, I
simply posit that the world won't swallow you in as much as you
keep hitting on your vision and your purpose, instead the world will
allow you excel if it is incapable of swallowing you. YOUR WHOLE
LIFE is an expression of the FISH – it keeps eating the cow despite the
fact that the cow is in the ocean – the first beneficiary. (Think!)

3. Oh yeah, THE LIFE jacket, the definition in both real and connotative
terms. In real terms – The LIFE jacket is said to be “an inflatable costume
for keeping a person afloat in water”. Hmmm, that means the world is
like water and for you to come through it and be remembered (float), you
have to be wearing a costume called “The LIFE jacket”. May you never be
drowned by the waters of life. I guess you have said a thousand and one
'Amen' (laughs).
Let's move on, yeah, now…, the LIFE jacket, in the connotative and
apparently in my own way of reasoning, maybe, you could say, my own
concepts and interpretation, is said to mean – expressing and living
purpose from four dimensions engrafted in my most dear vision for life.
To explain this immaculate concept to you, I would use the acronym
L.I.F.E., with the four letters meaning;
L- Love
I - Innovation
F- Fun
E- Enterprise
I strongly believe that purpose is better expressed through a constant attitudinal
embracing of LIFE as to have the LIFE jacket on, you must first value LIFE.
Hence, the first which is LOVE posits that you must have an indelible passion for
God and humanity. Love enables you unlock the favour of the Supreme Being
through faith, giving you the freedom and opportunity to exercise your right in the
kingdom treasures of the Almighty. To key into such grandeur, unlimited and
effervescent connection, you need to stimulate a genuine relationship ravished with
true love and fellowship. You become so indomitable by the forces of the earth, un-
drown-able by the waters of life, insurmountable by the spirits of the sky – you
naturally become a heavenly hero by this connection. Like a line in the JCI creed,…
“Faith in God gives meaning and purpose to human life”…that is to say, to first
discover purpose, God is the number one consultant: who designed the reason for
your existence even before you were born. So, it is pertinent to love in order to have
LIFE. You must in this same way, express the same kind of love towards every man
– I mean humanity my friend. Love towards humanity enables you to connect more
with the needs, desires and aspirations of the man. By connecting more through
love, you become an instrument of change, creating solutions that meet mans real
needs in form of products and services. When men know how much you care, they
will in turn care about what you know and can offer, patronizing and rewarding
you based on your deliverables. You must yearn for a better life for people and
yourself, it spurs passion!

4. The second instrument of LIFE you must have is INNOVATION which
galvanizes you to have an unquenchable desire for change, putting your mind
to a constant thinking process. By asking questions in unconventional ways,
you get the most unusual answers that provide mankind unthinkable solutions.
Innovations enable you “bring ideas to life” and “break conventional patterns
and traditions” and this is mostly an expression of love. People who love God
and humanity are innovative, they possess a quixotic desire to do well, they are
visionary and they deliver change. Just like Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the
change of social culture to African Americans now fully expressed by Barrack
Obama's ascent as world political prime in a one-time thriving land of black
African enthrallment; like Nelson Mandela delivered a never-heard of lesson to
the world, of peaceful political change and stability to an apartheid maimed
South Africa; and like the great and seemingly unending economic struggle has
begun to birth an innovative army sweeping through Nigeria in business,
entertainment, arts and culture forms causing individuals who would rather die
than live on African soil, to return home to claim an emerging price.
One sure thing is, some ordinary people kept thinking of delivering this
change to the people through innovation. Amongst many, one really
triggers my mind, the guy who created the internet did it and delivered
it to the world for free because of his love for humanity, he could have
easily been the world's first trillionaire since the world's billionaires
thrive on the internet's emergence – what a pain in the ass that has
become a gain in its own class, I salute you – Tim Berners-Lee.
I believe the desire for change is one of life's most fulfilling fantasies;
these fantasies usually turn out to become reality as the mind keeps
seeking new ways, new methods, and new answers to breaking the
barriers. Now, that is INNOVATION.
My dear friend, I hope I am not boring you at this point, I can imagine
your lips mumbling a big – No! (Giggle). Soon, you would have your
own “LIFE jacket” on and you would sure live LIFE expressing your true
purpose.
In furthering with this piece, I would consider FUN as the third instrument,
which empowers you to have a craving for recreation and lifestyle. Your life,
your purpose, your dream, your impact, your health, your wife, your
children, your family, your style, your game, your friends, would all make
sense when you spend quality time with them, on them, paying attention to
relaxation. It makes the body always ready to get on the next task; it makes
the mind brood out new solutions. It makes you have the confidence to live
the life with a touch of smile, always bringing out the beauty within you –
maybe the beauty of LIFE. You express love through

5. recreation, so free your mind, get on the billiard, swerve your racket, nurse
that garden, splash in some water, commit reckless acts of kindness, watch TV,
enjoy the boat ride, fancy a new holiday destination, caress the lovely beach
water, unwind to good music, be lost in a deep massage, tickle a hand, hug the
breeze, climb a mountain, sleep to the blues, rub shoulders on the computer
game, sketch a child, unravel the puzzle and above all, catch the fun and let
the fun catch you. (I am laughing out loud…are you too?)
Friend, the fourth dimension to claiming “The LIFE jacket” is ENTERPRISE,
which positions you to have a sustainable drive for service, profitability and
fulfillment. True success in life is a result of talent and enterprise. Bold
resourcefulness and service to humanity is the best work of life, enabling you
to make quality choices of need and eventually finding fulfillment in the
pursuit of other men's needs. To get hold on life, you must learn to create,
empower people to recreate, this naturally elevates you. Being enterprising
creates for you a network of opportunities which ensures profitability in what
you do. You must become an engine room that meets real needs of humanity
through sustained efforts and creativity.
To start an enterprise, you simply find a need and fill it or like Steve Jobs and
the I-Innovations, look into the future and create the need. Your business plan
will succeed when you address the needs of real people by allowing your
eyeballs capture unmet needs and unseen desires. Look for things that are not
working, seek problems, find opportunities and things that need tweaking,
where a small shift in style, operations or attitude would create a new
opportunity. Take a stroll around your neighbourhood, every block, every
house, shop and stall, tells a story – of people, their needs, their wants, their
dreams. Every hawker in the traffic, every statue at the junction, every half-
restored business, every scream of the 'Agbero', every picture on a window,
tells a story. Apply the three bone strategy to reach a successful conclusion
and eventual fulfillment – the wishbone, the jawbone and the backbone. The
wishbone because, it will keep your goals foremost on your mind, the
jawbone because it is by talking about your campaign, product or service and
asking questions about that of others, that you will convince people to come
on board your ship and the backbone because that will keep you at it until you
reach your goal. The old African witch doctor can do wonderful things with
these bones. You can too, if you use it for the good of your dreams.

6. To anchor, my friend, I would say you are the most precious gift God brought my
way and I appreciate every bit of you and your aspirations. I know you have
dreams and you have been asking questions on how best to live your LIFE. Most
times, you don't even know you are asking these questions but when you feel
LIFE is unfair and you have no explanations for many happenings – then, that is
exactly why I put this piece together specifically for YOU, so you can take a cue
from me on how I found my own “LIFE jacket”.
I sure know, if I sit you down to tell you this, many of the speech lines
will soon be forgotten, so, I took the pain to scribble my thoughts on this
floatable paper enwrapped in a two stick scroll, so you can live LIFE and
pass it on. LIFE really has to be passed on, that way; YOUR OWN LIFE
goes on.
One of the things you must do to make me happy for life and in
transition is to keep this scroll safe, especially away from fire. This scroll
can float on water because it is a “LIFE jacket” – when it flows, I sure
believe it goes to someone who will be in dire need of it. However, when
it is burnt, it becomes ashes, it is all forgotten. That is the way I want you
to treat yourself, like the LIFE jacket, that way, your essence, your
purpose will rub off on the world and knowledge will be derived from
you by so many people inspiring a foundation for innovation, for change
and an eventual shaping of the world for GOOD.
Remember, this is a small letter for those who value LIFE and want to
live it from four dimensions.
Four dimensions in a quick bite: L.I.F.E.
LOVE – You must have an indelible passion for God and for
humanity.
INNOVATION – You must have an unquenchable desire for change.
FUN – You must have a craving for recreation and lifestyle.
ENTERPRISE – You must have a sustainable drive for service,
profitability and fulfillment.

7. Hey friend, you have been equipped!
Now, Get into your “LIFE jacket” and do good, express purpose while
living LIFE!
I respect your time on this piece, you rock my world on a per second
basis and I am sure you know that. (lol)
See you on TOP!
Yours Purposefully by Innovation,
I AM DLM
David Lanre Messan
The Innovation Strat - Artist
Tel: +2348035776246 |+2348057125280 |+2347043571577
Email: lanremessan@gmail.com | lanremessan@yahoo.com
f Lanremessan @ideastrategist in david lanre messan
Infinite Impact Idea Studio:
Ground Floor, Mintydale House 45
Berkley Street, Lagos.
Website: www.wesellideas247.com
Email : brains@wesellideas247.com,
infiniteimpact@yahoo.com
Telephone : 08035776246, 07025530933,
07043571577, 01-6625717

8. I am DLM
David Lanre Messan is a pioneering Innovation Strat – Artist in Africa,
leading corporate, organizational and societal change through his many
innovative concepts and strategies using empowering, educative and
entertaining instruments. He is currently the Innovation Strat-Artist of
Infinite Impact Company, an ideas, business innovation and marketing
company that thinks, creates and execute ideas for individuals,
businesses, institutions and governments. DLM has consulted for
several corporate clients some of which include the Lagos State Public
Service Staff Development Center, Odera School of Business and
Management and Universal Anchor Consulting Limited. DLM has
several ideas, books, songs, poems and mad concepts soon to be
released. Amongst his many award winning ideas is Green Yaggy, a
youth entrepreneurial driven initiative. He also has several awards to
his credit which includes 100 Best World bank Authors of the 2006
International Essay Competition, 101 Young African Leader select and
the LEAP Africa/Nokia Youth Leadership Award and recently invited as
a Global Shaper, an arm of the World Economic Forum. Who even
knows whether he is schooled? I leave you to guess! DLM has a burning
desire to help Five Million Young Africans Bring Their Ideas to Life
before 2025.

9. THE
L.I.F.E
JACKET