Self-Motivation, Personal Growth and Entrepreneurship Development on DeoluAkinyemi.com

“Please I need the names and numbers of people in whose lives 30-50k can make a world of difference. They need to be good natured Christians, actively serving in their local churches, and the money must be sufficient to make major impact in their lives or businesses. They will not have to do anything else to be qualified for the gift.”

“I’m also using this medium to invite as many as are willing to contribute money together with me for my yearly contribution to the Little Saints Orphanage (It’s the way I mark my birthday). I desire to raise 3million Naira for them this year. I’m not yet sure how my birithday will be celebrated, I’ll keep you in the know if it will.”

One day long ago (almost 17 years now) as a young lad with keen interest in mathematics, and keen interest in God, I began a search in the scriptures for the possibility of a mathematical harmony in God’s word. Somehow I wondered if the numbers in the bible were used abitrarily or if they had deeper meaning. I wondered how people lived so long in the early chapters and so short in comparism today, and I wondered if our days were numbered alike, i.e 30 days to a month, and twelve months to a year. I was able to find answers to strange questions, I was able to connect some very interesting dots, that shocked me about the rhythm and precision of God. I stumbled on the Sons of Issachar who were distinguished because they understood the times, knew what Isreal was meant to do per time, and stood in command of their brethren. I found that numbers were used at times as mere numbers, and atimes they were symbolic. Even in nature, the numbers behind the combination of elements makes a difference between soap and alchohol.

My search for the symbols behind numbers took me into some interesting understanding, showed me some things to come and made me prepared for my time. What you are about to read is not for all, and will certainly pose a lot of unanswered question to some, but to some others, they would have found an extra peice of support in navigating their journey’s with God, as they pray – “Teach us oh Lord to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to Wisdom”. Continue Reading »

Many times, we dilly dally between these two positions. We wonder if it was better to follow our head’s or to follow our hearts. We believe that to follow the head is logical, and to follow the heart emotional. Atimes we simply rationalize, that men follow their heads and ladies follow their hearts.

We all get to take decisions in our lives, researchers say that daily we make as many as 350 decisions. We decided on a variety of things, ranging from when to wake up to what to where, what to eat, how to eat, what to wear, when to wear e.t.c. We all make loads of decision everyday. It has even been said, that not making a decision requires a decision in itself.

Another interesting reality is that decisions are crucial. One little decision can make a huge difference in a persons life. Can you try and imagine for example that you did not go to the university you went to? If you had taken that decision differently, you will not be right where you are now, you will have different friends, might be in a different profession, your life would be different, clearly different. If we make the decision a smaller decision, let’s say on the day that accident happened you had not worn your seat belt, or lets say that you decided to meet with someone 5 mins longer than you planned to, and missed on that appointment that has contributed so much into who you are… reality is little changes in the initial conditions lead to extreme changes in end results, it’s called the butterfly effect.

If decisions happen so often, and the implications of them are so severe, should we not have clear principles on how to make the best decisions? Would it not be good if we master the art of taking decisions? Would it not be a worthwhile investment to get it right at getting it right? Here are a few things you can do to always make the best decisions. I also hope that from looking at these thoughts, you will right some wrong decisions you made already. Continue Reading »

Once upon a time two 13yr old boys decided to each ask their fathers for the key to their father’s brand new BMWs. They met together to agree which of their fathers was nicer, and which loved or cared about them the most. They were in JSS 3, and a lot of their classmates claimed to be able to drive, except them. Some of them also claimed to drive their fathers cars, but not them. It wasn’t good, they thought, they believed that the only way to sort things out, was to ask their fathers.

The first boy, whose name I’ll refer to as Chike, decided to ask his dad as well. He explained to his dad that he wanted to drive his fathers BMW, and that he was feeling very aloof as all his classmates were driving except him. His father laughed heartily and told him to go face his books, that when the time was right, they’ll sit down together and have that conversation again. He went to his room with tears laid eyes, his father had not even given him sufficient attention before dismissing his proposition.

The second boy, whose name I’ll refer to as Segun, asked his father the same question, explaining the issues on ground and how driving this car to school will increase his social standing. The father, being a very understanding father, who understood the value of a social life, decided to indulge him and gave him the car keys. After a lot of struggle… starts stops and sharp movements… he got the hand of how to move the car. In the course of one full day, he scratches the car, steals from his dad to fix it before he finds out, gets to impress and hang out with wrong company, and gets into big time trouble! Continue Reading »

One of the core things that the New Nigeria Club seeks to address is the question of identity. Not just image, but identity. In this classification, image is how you are perceived while perception is how you see yourself. True sustainable image is one that is projected directly from one’s sense of personal identity. If what I am projecting as who I am is not who I really am, it’s only a matter of time before all my projections break down.

There was a question I was asked yesterday, I’ll like to ask you too. What makes someone a Nigerian. What is our unique selling point? What differentiates us, for what course are we willing to die. Who is a Nigerian? What are our values? What do we believe in? What binds us together? For the Americans it’s easy, it’s freedom. The free spirit has been branded the American spirit. Many American’s have died for Freedom, they have a statue of Liberty that is a National Icon, they believe in freedom of speech, of e.t.c. America is synonymous to freedom! When you think Singapore, you think cleanliness. They are so crazy about keeping the town beautiful and clean that they go to almost any length. As far as ensuring their citizens or visitors don’t chew gum, for fear they might not find where to stick it . For Germany it’s commitment, e.t.c. There are some other countries like these, some known for fashion, some known for machines, some known for their technology, some for their piracy e.t.c. What is Nigeria known for, what what makes us Nigerian, and what should it rather be? Continue Reading »

I once read someone’s article on a friend a long time ago, I have searched all day for this article online but haven’t found it, so I’m going to write mine, and hope that it would give someone the feeling I had back then, when I read the same thing.

In the story I read, a man talks about his childhood friend, how they had drifted apart somewhere along the line. To schools they went, different schools, and to Jobs they went, different Jobs. Wifes happened, and so did kids, and the tide of life threw them along different paths. Sometimes at work the young man would think, “oh, my friend, he would have said this and that”. Sometimes he’ll recall, and push till later when to give him a call. By and by the story went, each day with the pressure to call and see mounting stronger, until one day the young man receives a post mail. He sees the mail is stamped from the same place where his friend and he grew up. Continue Reading »

I have always been a strong proponent of the power of unity. I believed that the implication of the fact that if one could chase 1000 and then 2 will put 10,000 to flight means that there is power in synergy. In fact, I analyzed and showed people that any one who stood alone when he could collaborate with someone else, was wasting a lot of potentials. Can you imagine how much of 10,000 is lost when two people decide to go separately? If you calculated it, it’s 8,000, that’s a huge percentage of possibilities lost out of lack of collaboration. Just for clarity, here is the equation. 1 will chase 1000, this means that two independent 1’s will chase 2,000, as opposed to the 10,000 they could have chased this is a loss of 8,000 or 80%.

I however discovered a slight modification of this calculation today! I discovered to my utter surprise, that it is not normal for one to chase a thousand. When one chases 1000, it is because the almighty God is involved. That equation is an equation that is only in force when God is involved. One will normally chase a few,  but one with God is majority! Sometimes we underestimate the power of God in our lives, we forget, and we think we are where we are because of our attitude, skill and knowledge. Well A.S.K. (Attitude, Skill and Knowledge) helps but God is irreplaceable and key! So in this call for collaboration, I call on God almighty without whom life would not be worth living, and I call on you too, my ever supportive friends. I have developed something, and I need your collaboration for it to succeed. Continue Reading »

“If you must play, decide on three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time” – Chinese Proverb

In my last trip outside the country, I got the opportunity to watch American Gangster. It’s an interesting film for many reasons, it’s also a film that I find a lot of lessons in. I would cronicle a few, in my attempt to share with you what is frontal in my mind this morning.

The story line was that, an American Area Father (Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson)and crime boss died, and his driver  turned right hand man Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) took over. Denzel Washington had driven this man for years, been with him for negotiation meetings, been  his PA for most of the journey, and had watched and learned. There were quite a number of people in the hierachry ahead of him, but he had been closest to the old man, and had learnt a lot from him. How to handle pressure, how to be patient, how to be decisive, how to negotiate e.t.c. He had learnt the art of business. When the Area Father died, a vacuum was created, the market was going to go unregulated. Leadership became available and there were a number of options. Continue Reading »

Today, July1, 2008 is the beginning of the second half of the year… so Welcome to Second half!

In the last one week, one particular thing has consistently been coming to my attention. While I have been busy, I have also had the time and opportunity to have some fun. In the midst of it all, I have come to realize that the greatest benefit you can do for yourself in this second half is to up your game!

The greatest enemy of great is good. The greatest enemy of exceptional is average. Rarely are people get motivated to do beyond where they get comfortable. Do you have a benchmark? Do you have standards you aspire to? Did you set goals for yourself at the beginning of the year, are you taking stock? If you are far from your goals, it’s alright, you now only need to up your game.

Here are a few tips on why and how you need to up your game this year. Continue Reading »