I started this series last week, so if this is the first version you are reading, I recommend that you access the first article in the series here. We are in a quest to uncover important revelations and insights. The ones that have the capacity to change our lives visibly.
The first point, is still the one that will be dwelt on here, is the fact that man is as he thinks. You are what you think! Our behavior naturally come forth out of who we are in our thoughts. Continue reading
“They didn’t tell me it was like this”, “I didn’t know”, “He deliberately deceived me”, “They made it look so simple”, “It’s his fault”, “It’s her fault”. There are many shades of excuses people give as the reasons for their failure. They all have one thing in common – they give the responsibility for their predicament(s) to others. These conversations ooze out effortlessly from the mouths of victims. A victim is appropriately defined as one that is acted on and usually adversely affected by a force or agent. Nobody desires to be a victim, we think erroneously that our circumstances are imposed on us by life. This is wrong!
Victors on the other hand, are people who somehow have learnt to arrogate the responsibility for their success or failure only to themselves. They see themselves as on the winning side, as happening to the world and not the world shoving things at them. They see themselves as key influencers, not merely concerned citizens. They seek out their lot in life and take it! The world watches and calls them lucky, but they know that everything they have achieved in their life has been their fault or making. They know that by thinking like a victor, they have somehow managed to attract wealth, the opportunities and the lifestyles that attends victory. Continue reading
Excuses are monuments of fools as murmuring is the language of slaves, yet it baffles me, how people participate in any of these two activities so frequently. Comparison is the pastime of fools as fear is the passion of slaves, yet it’s amazing how the greater part of society engage in them so helplessly. If the way you are living today is totally acceptable to you, then write your will, for somewhere around the corner is Elysium. Growth must be preceded by dissatisfaction, all of life’s blessings come towards one who has a burning desire. If you have cravings, and the things you crave must come to you, then there are a few things that you must build.
First of all however, what is your dream? Close your eyes if you must, but what is that one thing you will try to do, if success was guaranteed? What will you try your hands on if you knew you could not fail? What goal will you pursue, if you are assured of getting it? Dreams are the beacons of hope that guide us to new beaches far from the shores of our current realities. Do you have a dream? Or are you living your dream already?
If you want to reach beyond where you are today, if you desire more and want better, then these are a few things you need to build.
1. Build yourself
If you want more, you need to be more! Whatever you get that is more than who you are is a gift, don’t expect it next month. Quit comparing yourself with others, or murmuring about what you don’t have. If you don’t have it, ask yourself, “do I deserve it?” What value are you adding, and what will you pay for the value you are adding? To build yourself, you need to expand your mind – Read books, travel out, go on an adventure, try something new, make new friends. Look closely at your life, “what has changed in the last 1yr?” Have you made new friends? How many books have you read? Have you given yourself an attitude makeover? Are you brighter, sharper, more informed and a better person than you were before? If you don’t want to be a fool or a slave, build yourself. Don’t build just your mind, build your body, and exercise your spirit – Meditate, Pray, Sing, give expressions to your inner self. Build yourself.
2. Build Character
In this show-biz crazed world, where the virtues of modesty and conservativeness are gradually being positioned as a vice rather than a strength, you may wonder of what use is character. Interestingly, research still shows, that even crooked people like to work with people they can trust won’t con them out. The reality is that character is key. Character is the inner consistent you, it is who you are, and the sum total of all your qualities, values and ethics. In a world loaded with pressures from peers, advertising, channel O and so many influences, having an internal developed core that provides you with basic rules to guide you conduct is key. Charisma will not take you beyond where character cannot sustain you. Make up your mind to always do the right thing no matter who is watching. Guide yourself by true North principles and don’t destroy your character.
3. Build your home
Investing in your home, is characteristic of wisdom. Invest in your wife, your children, your family – nuclear and extended. Invest time, love and resources. Your home is not the house you are living in, it’s the people you are living with. Consciously build your home.
4. Build your Business
He that does not work, should not eat! There is dignity in labour, and working to earn a living, minding a business – your own, is noble and deserves credit. Don’t build a house at the detriment of your business, grow your business to build your house. Don’t focus your attention on deals and contracts, build a business. There is a world of difference between a deal and a business. Between a one-off and a system. Learn what to do to build your business and do it. Different businesses require different things, but have some generic things in common. Look for someone around you that is successful in business and if you can get, in your line of business. Learn from them.
5. Build your Brand
The Coca-Cola drink costs less than 10cents to make, but the Coca-Cola brand is worth billions of dollars. Reputation is useless if character is missing, but with character in place, build your brand. Let your name ring a bell around a theme. Be consistent. Start a Blog, sign-up on facebook, join groups relevant to you, join linked in, be visible and be consistent.
I can’t help but remember how when I was very young and in primary school how my ambition when asked was to one day become the president of Nigeria. Then, all I could do was visualize myself as a military president because General Ibrahim Babangida was Head of State then. I’d also read in civics about the former presidents and regimes that had occurred and found out that the military had ruled for most of the time since our independence.
I obviously took it for granted as a naive young school pupil that the military uniform will perpetually remain the costume of our presidents. I therefore kept visualizing with all sorts of armed forces uniforms as my attire. Needless to say that things took a turn for the better and now in the civilian era. Many people will argue that we were better off during the military era than during the civil regime. That is a topic for another day. However, looking critically at Nigeria since the new civilian era started in 1999 with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo flagging it off, the country seems to have moved 2 paces forward and 5 backward. Continue reading
And the Winner of the Samsung Phone from MTN for this season is: Adesoji Adegbulu. Congratulations. Question 7: What year did MTN start in Nigeria? (Please read the previous articles for the rules)
I am not a great fan of motivating by fear, but research if you must, the worst of the global depression, recession or economic downturn is yet to happen. All we have witnessed so far, is a foretaste and merely a dress rehearsal of what is impending. If you think that the banks have laid off it’s employees, then wait for what is coming. If you think the stock market has crashed and there is a downturn, you hang on and hold on tight. The worst is not over yet! Ireland is currently experiencing food shortage, Greece is broke and world economies are not exactly facing their greatest days. People that cry peace, when the future is bleak and far from at ease are called false prophets. It is important to warn you, that the times are not evenly set, and there is change in the seasons sufficient to cause panic. Continue reading
We have all somehow averagely gotten ourselves into a saddening grind. We take up jobs because it’s the best choice for us, we negotiate hard because we want to win, we do deals because we need the money, we go to church because we want to be blessed, say long prayers for personal requests. It’s all about us, it’s all about what we want, who we want and when we want it. We want a better Nigeria because of ourselves, because of our children, we want good healthcare because we need it. In this saddening cycle of life, it’s all about us. If you think deeply about it however, you will realize… it’s not all about you!
“A person starts to live when he can live outside himself.” -Albert Einstein
The way life is wired, you cannot have true fulfillment or joy living life simply for yourself. You cannot be wealthy, cannot have a great marriage, you cannot enjoy career convergence living life at the level of “me, me, me”. The best things in life are deliberately reserved by God for those who stretch beyond themselves. Continue reading
Nokia’s Quiz (Send the Answers today)
Which of the following is Nokia known for?
A. Finding people B. Identifying people C. Connecting people
Where is Nokia’s global head office based?
A. Norway B. Finland C. Denmark
Which of these can you get FREE on your Ovi Store?
A. Games B. Sweet & Sour sauce C. Umbrella
Which of these can you get on the Nokia C3?
A. Instant Coffee B. Instant Noodles C. Instant Messaging
Everything you need for your Nokia is right here except?
A. Ovi Store B. Ovi Chat C. Ovi Mail D. Ovi Street
(Please send the all answers to the questions to deoluakinyemi@gmail.com today 2nd of Sept, 2010.)
As I write this post, I’m in a taxi in Nasarawa. We’ve been journeying together with a few colleagues from Jos, heading towards Abuja. It’s almost 8pm and I’m 2 days behind my normal plans. I’ve had two cancelled flights by two different airlines in two days. The pot seems black, but I have learnt from time, that the white corn jelly [eko funfun] usually proceeds from the black pot of life.
Wherever, however, whenever, great things come from small, hopeless or ugly beginnings. In the midst of it all, I’m getting cozy with my blackberry and, I have a message for you! Continue reading
The more I think about the way the world works, and the invisible hand that works the world, the more I am awed. It’s so interesting that the resources exist for all who care to be wealthy to truly be wealthy. It is amazing that there are enough resources on the planet to make everyone wealthy, yet less than 10% of the world control more than 90% of it’s resources. The earth is on course, it stays it’s course under the influence of forces that are backed up by explainable laws. In the same consistent way, every process on earth is backed by principles. If you know the principles and laws governing a result, you can always replicate it!
I don’t know if it excites you as it excites me, that $1 kept at 20% per annum can become $1million in 75yrs. If it is managed at even 3% it can still become $1million in 468yrs. I’m sure you think this is too long a time, but look at it this way. It means everybody can own and build a foundation. I can give $1 to my bankers, and write a will to back it, instructing them to give away $30,000 yearly on my behalf once my money has become $1million. If we are more consistent with our savings and educated with our investments, we can all become multi millionaires in our lifetime. To build sustainable wealth has a how to, I cannot claim I am there, but I can say I’m on the path. The little advice and ideas that I share here, if put to use, will be of tremendous value to someone. Maybe you, maybe someone else you know that you can send this link to.
To build sustainable wealth, here are the key things you should do. Continue reading
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