Omo, pop a bottle for me, I made it.

Feb 3

On the third of February 2022 I published my first actual post on my blog, a day before, I had entered into "a 30 days" writing challenge. From the very beginning, I was sure I would make it to the end of the challenge, I had all the motivation I needed. I almost didn't make it to submission time a few days later. 

It is funny how consistently I submitted a few minutes till the gates of heaven closed, but never missed entry, even it meant pulling old content and reworking it for a day. 

It wasn't a personal challenge, but my really close friends could tell that I took it seriously. I would occasionally put off paid work to make sure I completed my content for the day before getting back to work. 

I got valuable feedback from the group and a couple of head bursting comments on my works. Essentially renewing my confidence in my skill. 

As a content and copywriter, I have not been a stranger to writing. Instead, I had become too familiar with delivering on jobs I had not taken time to write for myself. The challenge gave me the chance to write for myself, and I learned a couple of things I would like to share.

5 lessons you can learn from.

1- If you don't try your hand at something, you will never really know how good you are.

I have always been good at creating beautiful content, but I had never really stayed at storytelling because many of the Jobs I got didn't require it. I always liked it, (I write short stories and poetry) but I had not fully learned to incorporate it into concern and copywriting. I tried it once, and it almost became a drug. If you have read one or two of my posts you would be familiar with Jim and Mike, the money-wise friends. I'll get better and keep telling compelling stories. Stay tuned.

2- You can write every day.

If they told you you can't write something meaningful every day for an extended period they lied to you. Initially writing is not an easy task, but you get better the more you write, you learn the needed hacks and gain muscle elasticity. You can always write better with each day of writing. You would need help along the way which leads me to number 3.

3- A structure always makes things easy.

The first task we were given was to create a content calendar or a list of 30 potential topics, and while I deviated so far from the original list, it gave me a sense of structure. I could always go back to the list when I was unsure of what to write next. There are still topics on that list I'll get back to eventually.

4- Community is an integral part of development.

Whenever you want to engage in a task like this, the community is vital to your success. Triple C created a community where feedback made your writing worth it. A good community keeps you on your toes. There were days when I had not started writing and a particular WhatsApp notification would remind me that someone was already submitting their entry for the day, and the 9:00 pm submission or get booted out strategy was extremely effective for keeping me in check. 

5- Discipline is freaking hard but worth it.

I am quite glad I stuck through to the end. Writing every day is not easy, the fact is you'll get tired, but consistently showing up has its reward, you feel good about yourself, and you notice progress as a result of your discipline. Keep at it, it is worth it.

What Next?

I intend to take out time after this challenge to review all of the content I have put up on my blog. Ensure they are SEO-worthy while practising SEO optimization in the process. I plan to create content calendars more frequently, write much more, experiment with my writing, and evolve my skills beyond what it is now. 

I made it to the end of this challenge, and I would like to congratulate others who took up the challenge and saw it through till the last day. The organizers have been amazing, and my readers have been encouraging, special mention to Esther Asuquo; you deserve plenty of accolades. She basically pushed fantastic it to the end. You are fantastic, friend. 

Thank you Triple C.  

What to do.

Take opportunities to be better, participate in tasks that will stretch you. Leave your comfort zone. 

Selah.

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What are we feeding our minds?

Ever squeezed your face at the lyrics of a song?

I spent about 2 hours at a shop, and to kill time, I had to shift my focus from my phone, whose battery was already screaming for life, to the flat-screen TV meant to entertain visitors. On an average day, I would enjoy whatever was on, especially if the TV was tuned to a sports channel or music channel.

"Nigerian afrobeat is just beat and nothing else."

I have never debated this quote, but today, I was assaulted with song upon song, and quite unluckily for me today, I had the presence of mind to sit and really watch the music videos

Scene upon scene in each music video, a nearly naked lady was presented to my senses. I made the mistake of taking into account the words rolling off the lips of the artistes. God! If the rate of illicit sex needs to find a nesting home, Nigerian afrobeat would gladly breed it. Line after line of sexual glorification was churned out to the minds of unsuspecting listeners. 

I spent close to 3 hours due to delays beyond my control, and there were only about 3 decent songs aired. Unsurprisingly, various customers and workers bobbed their heads to the different tunes while some sang the lyrics one by one. 

Don't get me wrong, I love a good secular song, and I am a sucker for quality rap, but when the lyrics of your music border on obscene and advocate for a life without sexual rules, I draw the line. 

How does this affect how the mind works?

Simple, the more something resounds in your mind, the more it conditions the way you react to situations. Ponder on sex enough, and your decisions are skewed towards it.

It is not newfound knowledge that what you feed your mind with eventually forms how you think. Your beliefs are centered on what you spend your time listening to. 

Eventually, you become what you spend time listening to. Listen to songs about illegal money-making, and eventually, you begin to rationalize selling drugs or other illegal ventures. The more you listen to songs glorifying illicit sex, the more you become open to the idea. The more you listen to songs on how bad a system is, the more you see the flaws in that system.

What to do

Pick what you listen to. Be deliberate about your music. Be intentional with what you feed your mind. Understand that music influences the masses, and you definitely don't want to be with the present crop of the masses.

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Bricks of storing wealth: Investments

"Jim remember when I told you I bought some coins three months ago?"

"Yea, I can't remember their names; what coins did you buy?"

"I bought some VFX and some other coins."

"So what happened to the coins?"

"I have made 4x the amount I put into it."

"Ooh, wow, how much did you put into it?"

"About hundred and fifty thousand naira, I should withdraw some tonight and invest in other options."

"Mike!!! Where did you get hundred and fifty thousand naira?"

"Remember I told you about saving? I saved specifically to invest, it took me more than a year to save up that amount, and I was saving aggressively."

"Mike, you are patient; ooh, I trust myself, I'll have spent some of the money."

"Can you see how my patience is paying off?"

"I can. Essentially in savings, I have to play the long game, right?"

"Exactly."

Investing

Now that you have savings(link) covered, what do you do with the money you pay yourself.

a. Take yourself on a fun trip.
b. Buy yourself a lovely gift.
c. Make your money work for you.
d. Do giveaways and charity for the needy.

The reason you are saving will determine what you direct your savings to. If you save for procuring a particular item, then go for it, that is the purpose of that savings plan. If you save to have to use opportunities when they come, then investing your money is your best bet.

Investing is essentially having your money work for you. It involves putting your money into sectors you know will yield an increase over a period.

Categories of investment.

There are various investment categories, but I'll be looking at investments on how risky they are.

1. Low risk - low-risk investments are investments where your profit is almost always sure, or the chances you lose your capital is minimal. Often, these investment options yield low rewards too. Examples include Treasury Bills, Bonds, Dividend-paying stocks.
2. High risk - High-risk investments are the opposite of low-risk investments. They involve much risky investment options that could yield high rewards.  Examples include Cryptocurrencies,  investing in options, investing in the forex market, and currency trading.

One thing that is advised when investing in any asset or sector is for you to know that asset and sector very well. Never invest in something you do not fully understand. You should also know your risk appetite before entering into any investment.

Some common sectors people invest in.

1. Land
2. Cryptocurrency
3. Stocks
4. Transportation

Etc.

What to do.

You might not have enough to invest in bigger platforms yet; what you can do in the meantime is to educate yourself. Learn about the various asset classes. Knowledge is power.

"Jim, can you believe it? Thank God I withdrew from my coins yesterday."

"What happened?

"I woke up this morning, and all I saw was red!"  

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Setting the Bricks of wealth: Saving.

"Only the unlearned make money without paying themselves first.*

"Mike, how far? I have started learning a skill, ooh, and I am enjoying it."

"That's good. What skill are you learning?"

"Content writing, ooh guy. I have been going through some tutorials. I even met someone that wants to test me with a task."

"How long have you been learning?"

"About three weeks now, bro. Should I go ahead?"

"Is he willing to pay?"

"Yea, he said he would pay for the test, and if I am good enough, he'll increase the pay."

"Okay, that's good. You can go for it."

Jim makes to leave the room.

"When that money drops, I go first but shawarma."

"Jim, did I hear you correctly?'

"How far na, I no fit chop the fruit of my labor again?"

"It's not that, Jim. I understand that it's good to have plans for your money before you receive them personally. I believe it is sometimes too optimistic, considering you have not done the job..."

"Mike, I understand, but..."

"Also, the first person you should pay when you get your money is God or yourself, depending on your spiritual leanings. Abi, you don't want to pay your tithe?"

"I'll pay tithe, but what do you mean by pay myself?"

"Jim, you know how I always have extra money to spend even if I have not worked for a while?"

"Yes, I was going to ask about that."

"Well, it is because I pay myself first. But it goes beyond that."

One lesson I took from the Richest Man in Babylon is always to pay yourself first if you don't have any religious obligations, and if you do, sort out the most important, then pay yourself afterwards.  

Paying yourself is quite different from treating yourself. Paying yourself is saving money first before spending on any expense. 

Why save?

Savings is a form of safety net. 

Many people make money but do not have a savings habit; as a result, they spend virtually all they earn before they know it. They fail to prepare for eventualities. Straight and simple, this is not wise.

Having some money down to cater for unforeseen future occurrences is a lifesaver. It helps to take care of emergencies and gives you a general feeling of safety.

Saving positions you for opportunities.

While Mike and Jim will talk about investments tomorrow, for now, you should know that many financial assets need a sizable amount of money. A savings plan for investing is the best way to prepare for investment without feeling the weight of money leave your spending account.

How do you save effectively?

1. Calculate a fixed percentage to be saved on all income. This fixed percentage would create discipline for you.
2. Automate the process. Do you have a bank account? I know for sure that saving in a bank working bank account can be challenging to do; why not open up a saving account. You can easily use a savings platform like Cowrywise that would easily automate the process for you. In the nearest future, a post giving insight on various saving platforms will be released. Keep your eyes peeled

In conclusion 

Saving can feel overwhelming, but the bottom line is for you to start. Once you put that part away for yourself the first time, remain consistent, and the rest becomes easy.

What to do?

Take stock of your earnings and calculate what percentage you can pay overtime, stick to it.

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3 skills you can learn to earn and how to pick them.

In picking a skill, understand that no one masters a skill in a day, and anything worth building will take time. The truth is while some skills are more accessible to pick up for some people than others, anyone can learn any skill with a reasonable amount of dedication and practice.

how do you select a skill

Look at what you do well.

For some, the skills that bring them money are not too difficult for them to learn. They just had to discover what they did well and work on these areas. For, it was writing. I found out how I wrote with ease and then decided "this would make me rich and famous" while I haven't precisely hit both targets, writing has opened me up to better finances. For some, it could be their natural ability to get people interested in stuff, and they can become corporate MCs. 

The main thing here is to identify what things you do well which can be monetized.

Look for what pays well.

Who wants to learn a skill that doesn't earn bank? No one. When picking a skill, you should choose one that would be profitable and marketable. You won't decide to develop armpit farting as a skill because you are good at it, no. A good number of people in the coding sphere do not really love to code; instead, they know how profitable the venture is, and they are willing to learn. Eventually, there is a fulfillment that comes with task completion, and this helps them stick to getting better.

3 profitable skills you can learn to earn.

Writing.

Writing as a skill is quite vast. You can start at learning one part and end up in another. You can quickly start learning how to write by starting to write. There are countless free resources online that can help you master the art of writing. Writing has various subgenres, which include.

1. Fiction
2. Content writing
3. Copywriting
4. Technical writing
5. Ebook writing

E.t.c

Graphics design.

Graphic design is a skill that involves creating appealing designs on a canvas. It is exploring or combining imagery and typography to communicate a message. This might seem a bit high sounding, but it involves merging texts and images to pass a message across. You basically need creativity, attention to detail, and a desire to learn to stay consistent with graphics. YouTube should provide a lot of materials you can use to learn. There are softwares specific for creating designs. They included

1. Adobe creative suite.
2. Corel Draw
3. Canva

Etc.

Virtual Assistant.

Many people do not know that this skill exists. It basically means assisting someone with simple tasks such as setting reminders, organizing weekly timetables, and the sorts. What you essentially need for this skill is a good dose of common sense and proper planning. 

In conclusion

These are skills you can learn effectively that will earn you cool cash in the long term.

What to do. 

Pick a skill, read about it in general, look for people who have learned the skill, and find out what the journey would look like. In subsequent days more tips and guides on skills and how to understand them would be popping up on this blog. Keep your eyes peeled for our fresh posts.

What do you do after you start earning? Watch out for our next post.

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Skilling up, is it a necessity?

"Mike how far, money never still land ooh."

"Bro, did you finally reach out to your parents?"

"Yes, they mentioned that it would take a while before anything comes to me here. So Mike how do you make money. I see that you don't call home except to greet."

"You remember last week when I was asking if your reached out to home at all asides asking for money?"

"Yes,your questions were too much."

"I actually wanted to let you know how much you depend on home."

"Ooh, that is true"

"The thing is I learned a skill, and that is what I have been relying on for extra support"

"When did you learn a skill to the extent that you now earn with it?"

"Do  you remember back in our 2nd year, that some guys came to host a design training?"

"Yes I do, I couldn't make it to the Training, I can't even remember what took my time then."

"Jim, Jim, this is exactly the point, that training changed my life and I can remember that point like yesterday. I'll probably never forget that point in time"

"Okay, okay, what happened then?"

"A one week graphics design training was held, I participated, had to borrow a laptop for the training. I remember they taught us the basics of design and some softwares too."

"I remember now, you always mentioned a name back then, Brother Taye or was it Titi?"

"It was brother Tayo, he was the one who took me as his personal student after he saw my desire to learn graphics design."

"Where is he now?"

"He is running a full digital agency in Abuja now. I remember back then, he would send me links to YouTube videos, he would give me assignments, and help me check how good or bad my work was. He really drilled me, and I learned."

"I think he left when the team left campus, right?"

"Yes he did, but I kept in touch. I would offer to handle some of his projects and he would pay me when I completed each tasks, little by little he would introduce me to his clients and how he related with them"

"He really took you under his wings back then"

"Yes he did. Although it got to a point where I had to start learning on my home and working on my own projects, now here I am today"

"Mike, do you think it is too late for me to learn a skill?"

"It is never too late to learn a skill."

"But what if I don't like graphics design,what other skill can I learn?"

Not everyone has this journey in skill acquisition, some were motivated my hunger and lack, some by passion, others still by desire for freedom. Whatever the motivating factor is, learning a skill will be one of the Greatest investment in yourself you can make.

Why learn a skill?

There are a lot of reasons why you should learn a skill if you don't have one already, but I'll be touching on two major reasons.

First it gives you a sense of responsibility.

Having a skill in hand, creates a feeling of power over your earnings. When you have something legitimate in your hands, it comes with a sense of responsibility. Responsibility is good, you can legitimately be proud of what you are doing.

Second it gives you an alternative source of income.

Everyone wants to earn something, while it is easy to rely on parents and uncles, having another source of income helps take care of expenses without troubling others. It means you can begin to store value financially for the future.

In conclusion, learning a skill is pivotal to long-term wealth. You do not have to leave your day job or close up all other means of income to learn a skill. There are skills that take time before they yield. Having something worthwhile doing is a sure path to legitimate wealth.

What to do.

Keep your eyes peeled for the next post as I'll cover some high in demand skills you can learn.

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Building relationships the right way.

"Did the money finally drop?"

"Not yet."

"Jim, when last did you call your parents sef?"

"What kind of question is that, Mike? Are they not my parents? Shouldn't they be the ones checking on me?"

"No vex, guy, but you mean to tell me that aside when you need money, you hardly call your parents?"

"Jim! Everyone is busy, don't disturb me."

"What about the babe you spoke about a couple of weeks ago, still talking with her?"

"Which one, the one that ran away after the dinner I spent so much on? Or which one sef?" 

"Yes, that one, you will have to take heart on that. Jim, how many friends do you have?"

"You, Kunle, Dami D, Ace wire, ehm ehm."

"Asides from me, how many of them can you go to for actual help?"

"How will I go to Ace wire for help, na Yahoo boy na, this your questions don to dey plenty."

"Exactly, asides from me and a few other people, your choice of association is quite poor." 

"You think it's easy just to cut off these guys?"

"I know it isn't easy, but the way you position yourself would determine what kind of people come to you."

Mike locks his door, "I want to let you in on something not everyone knows."

Mike looks around calls Jim closer.

"To have long-lasting friendships, you have to give value and build that relationship over time."

Many times we make the mistake of pursuing wealth while focusing on money. We fail to recognize that wealth goes beyond money and that relationships are an essential part of getting wealth.

There are times we monetize relationships, getting close to people because of the financial value they can offer us. This should not be building a long-lasting relationship rests on one giant beam. 

Value.

What value do you bring to a relationship as a friend? Are you one that only takes and takes from a relationship without offering anything in return? Are you the kind of friend no one can rely on for any type of help when the need arises?

Being valuable can take different forms. Are you valuable as a person when it comes to your character? In essence, are you a good person? Can you be there when your friends need you without having an ulterior motive for being there? Some friends are valued for their skill, others for their emotional stability, others still because of their interpersonal skills in relating with others.

And then, there are people whose value in a relationship is directly proportional to what they can get from that relationship. They only reach out if something is in it for them. These people hardly have friends who will go out of their way for them.

Five essentials for building the right kind of relationships.

1. The small things matter 

    You don't have to wait till you buy cars for your friends before you do something for them. A simple gesture such as a call could be what they need at a time. Don't hold back from those small things.

 2.  Give time to your relationships.

      It might be a couple of minutes a day or the whole day, but giving time to get to know your friends is an invaluable part of keeping valuable friendships. It helps you know who your friends are and how to be a better friend to them.

 3.  Cultivate relationships without biases.

      Sometimes biases prevent you from making valuable friends. You heard a rumor and based your relationship with a person on that rumor; you are most likely doing yourself a disservice. Get to know people before giving up a chance at being friends with them, and this will lead to number 4

 4.  Get to know people first before calling them, friends.

      Often people mislabel people around them. Those they ought to consider as acquaintances they tag as friends, and those who should be close friends they do not treat with so much value. This often happens because many do not have a clear intention behind their friendships.

 5.  Different friends are for different purposes.

      Not all your friends would give you financial advice; it does not mean they are not valuable. Some friends have a singular purpose in your life; others would be there for all times and seasons; sometimes, identifying the purpose of your friendships would determine how well you manage them.

In conclusion, being of value is essential to long-term friendships, and having good friends often determines how you turn out in the long

run. 

What do you need to do then?

First, evaluate yourself; second, consider your friends around you. Do you need to change friends? Do you need to gauge what relationships you call friendships? 

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Creating the right mental attitude to wealth.

"It's been three weeks since you told me you spent all your money? You should be receiving an alert soon." 

"Mike na true ooh, these past weeks have been like torture for me. If not for your help, I don't know how I would have made it. You are God sent."

"Guy, no problem na, what are friends for? Anyway, how are you going to manage whatever popsy sends to you this time?"

"Well, I have been doing some thinking, there are some clothes I need to buy, you know na, those new denim jackets. I also need to pay for materials; I have to start reading for exams. Ooh, remember that power bank I brought to the room last week? I am yet to pay for it. I'll do that when the money enters. I'll split the rest for foodstuff and upkeep for the month."

"Jim!! I thought you said you were going to get a skill. Remember you asked me how I have money to spend even though I don't get an allowance as large as yours from home."

"Calm down, Mike, I remember, but there will be money now; I'll have some leftover for something else."

"Remember I also told you that I pay my tithe first whenever I get paid, and then I save a certain percentage, I buy books, both academic and business-wise, and then I take care of other essentials. Why aren't you planning like that?"

"Mike, your own is too much jare, remember, we only live once; money will still come na."

A vast majority of people have an issue with money; they have signed a restraining order on wealth, so whenever money comes into their hands, they spend it so fast they cannot account for how they spent their money. I am sure you aren't one of those people, and even if you are, you can do better, and here is how.

Plans do not execute themselves if you do not apply yourself to them, and you can't devote yourself to your plans if your mind is programmed to do so. After assessing where you are and projecting into where you want to be, the next step is to reprogram your mind to reach that goal.

"The mind of a child cannot comprehend the activities of an adult."

The same goes for wealth; a person with a poor mindset will always lose money. You don't believe me? How many people who have won huge sums in a lottery go on to become wealthy? Let's bring it close to home. How often have you been given a cash gift, and at the end of the day, you cannot account for the money?

The shift in your mindset would eventually show in how you treat money. You should learn not to buy things on credit; you should also consider what you put as priorities when planning your money.

Books are a threshold for mindset shifts. My mindset about money was initially formed at an early stage in my life when I first read "Rich Dad Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki. There are a lot of things you can discover in a simple book.

Books such as "The Richest Man in Babylon," "Money won't make you rich," and "Rich Dad Poor Dad" are solid books to start your mindset shift on wealth. 

It would help if you also aimed to adopt the right attitude to life in general. Thankfully I have something that will help you do this with ease already. 

The bottom line here is that you should stop sitting on your butt, hoping money would fall out of the sky because even if it did, you would mess it up in the end. Change your mindset about something and watch how that thing changes for you.

By the way, do you think Jim would ever be financially smart? Leave a comment, and thanks for your time.

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Plan: Assessing your situation

Jim came into the room grinning from ear to ear. He waved his phone at me, 

"Credit alert!! My parents have sent me upkeep again; ooh. We go sharpaly ball small. Do you remember that babe we sight for department basement? I have to take her out this evening." 

He was already dialing her number on his small phone. 

"How much did you receive?" 

"Can't you check the screen? No dey disturb me." 

"You that was just planning to take part of my garri, you come dey form now, no problem" 

I read the message in the alert, 

"your dad just credited you with 50k and the next thing you want to do is go out with a lady. I am sure you will spend nothing less than 10k tonight." 

"And if I do? It's not your 10k, na. I'll plan the rest after this night, jare." 

"Jim, your dad just sent another message. He said this should be enough till the end of the month."

 "50k can't finish like that; it should do me till the end of the month." 

"Are you sure? No problem sha, I have a work deadline to get to and an assignment to submit. I'll talk to you later."

Barely a week later, Jim came to my room. "Mike!! Mike!! Abeg I fit see garri for your side?" 

"Guy, how far? What happened to the money your dad sent last week?"

"Mike, I won't lie to you; just 5k is left." 

"Haba Jim, and I warned you."

"Can you believe that lady made me buy a bag of like 10k for her on Valentine's day. She disappeared afterward."

"Bro, na you mumu, I for no give you garri at all."

"I get, but you be my real Gee. But Mike, how do you always have money to take care of your needs."

Guess what, Mike plans. 

Mike wasn't always in the best financial position, but he took the initiative one day, took stock of his situation, and mapped out how he wanted his life to run. 

What does planning entail? The first step in effective planning is taking stock of where you are, and that is precisely what Jim needs to do. He needs to 

1. know what he earns (if he earns at all), 
2. what he does to make, 
3. how he spends, 
4. what he spends on,
5. Where he stands financially,
6. What to do about his situation,
7. Who can help,

Etc.

Once Jim can adequately assess his situation, a chunk of his problem disappears.

I know deep down many of us are like Jim, not that you would blow a portion of your money on immediate gratification and useless things, but in the sense that we do not know where we stand financially.

Often we know money comes in, and money goes out, and by the end of the week, we cannot really account for our finances, time, and lives in general. 

Fixing your life clearly starts from identifying where your life is at. Improving your finances is not a solitary endeavor. You also have to determine where you stand. 

Look at it this way, if you get lost in a city, the first thing you would like to do is to identify where exactly you are. From there, you can begin to ask for help or map out a way to get yourself in the right direction.

There are different ways to do this.

One very effective way is asking yourself questions, questions like in the list above. Questions help you to think a bit more.

Take out time, 30 Mins to an hour, to ask yourself questions that would put you in a meditative mode. With those questions, you will be able to chart out the next steps in your journey to financial freedom.

One of the worst feelings in the world is feeling lost and knowing your finances are completely out of your control. 

I have taken the liberty to extend a little bit of help.

I'll be preparing a cheat sheet of simple questions that can help you find where you are and give you an idea of what you need to do to get on track with your finances. 

What do you need to do? 

Send me a message on WhatsApp via 2348177324373 - A J Victor to join the waitlist.

Also, if you felt that Jim acted smart with his money, let me know in the comment section. 

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Musings on love, just another valentine tale.

Yesterday was Saint Valentine's day, and everywhere was awash with red.

Not the red of danger, no, at least not if you are single, as you would be the victim of several stray bullets. It was the red of love. 

There were various expressions on these days, as trumpets went up in the sky, and strange faces looked down upon the masses from billboards. Everyone was doing doings.

Often, days of significance come and go, and various people find that their expressions of love have been unrequited. Strange discoveries and broken hearts also abound on this day, but this is not a story about that, but just my mind running creative tracks and testing if I still have a storytelling ability.

Kingsley, in particular, had traveled down from Accra, where he managed a small enterprise. He already had a box of chocolates on its way to Samantha's a residence, and he was out shopping for the perfect red gown for his love. 

Samantha, on the other hand, had other plans, she was so in love with Kingsley, but she was unsure as to what to get for him. She couldn't even fathom how she would reach out to delivery service in Ghana. She hadn't thought her valentine plans through. She wasn't too expectant either, as Kingsley had not made any obvious signs that he would be doing anything special, unlike previous years. In the end, she concluded on treating Kingsley out when next he would be in the country; in the meantime, she searched all over social media for a three-piece suit that would make any woman turn her head and take a second look at her man.

At precisely noon, she got a call from an unknown number telling her to get dressed and prepare herself. After she dropped the call, she went back to scrolling on her phone and snacking on a bag of cheese balls. She had spoken with her man earlier that day and wasn't expecting anyone else.

Suddenly a knock on her door startled her. She made to open the door when she heard the lock click, an unknown fear gripped her, and several thoughts began to run through her head. Had she forgotten her keys outside, was someone picking her lock, what could be going on? The face she saw next was that of Kingsley peaking through the half-opened door, all teeth out. She was shocked, the good kind. 

He presented her gown, and she felt heavy; immediately, she dove into the dress, and picked up her car keys. The outing was going to be on her tab. She wants going to be out-gifted. 

From the park to a nice eatery to the movies, Samantha wanted Kingsley to experience all of Lagos on her account, and she did an admirable job. At the end of the day, they grabbed a pizza box and went to her house for the night. Kingsley had already booked a return flight for the next day. They chatted through the night, catching up on various matters, and they both fell asleep deep into the night. 

The following day Kingsley prepared to leave at the door of the house; Samantha walked up to him, patted his shoulders, and pouted, "I enjoyed yesterday, but..." Kingsley immediately asked, "but what, my love?" She jokingly replied, "I didn't get any chocolate." "What!?"

_____________________________________________________________________________

In another part of town. A dispatch rider is heading back to his sketchy business after his girlfriend had worshipped him over the exotic box of chocolates he bought for her. 

Yes, I know, at this point, this would be where I advertise a trustworthy delivery agency, but since none has offered, I'll drop a faux lesson instead. 

Boxes of chocolates are fantastic, but memories stay longer. 

If you enjoyed the story or felt it could have had an alternate ending, feel free to fill up the comment section with your ideas, I would love to read them too.

On to more serious matters tomorrow, thank you for your time.

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Making money and building sustainable wealth Step 2.

 

If you have started putting into practice what you learned last week in our first post, you are on the right track. Your finances can literally turn around in a couple of months if you put all of these steps into practice. 

So what does step 2 entail?  Pay attention, take notes and follow up.

Practice and Earn

You now have a skill, what do you do next, lock it up in your cupboard and wait for the dough? Of course not. Practice, practice, practice. Practice in the secret for a while, create needed samples, try out so many things, then come out. There is no point practicing writing in your room without showcasing your skill to the public. There is no point in designing an awesome flyer and leaving it on your computer. Your money is in the public go get it. 

Save 

Your skill has begun to make you money, you feel a bit proud of yourself, and you can now take care of certain financial obligations. That's not all, it is vital you begin to save. Saving is essential if you want to build wealth in the long run. The nice thing is that you don't have to save everything you earn, you just have to set out a percentage, and save consistently. Look at it this way, saving is one of the ways you secure personal wealth Vs financial obligations to others. You can decide to save in a separate account or use a savings app like Cowrywise. So learn to pay yourself first, or second if you have religious obligations. You won't regret this move.

Invest.

So, you are steadily building up a sweet pile of money, what's next? Buy a car with your savings? I'm tilting towards a no though if you are still early in this journey. Why? You are trying to grow wealth, not blow wealth. The next and final piece of this step by step guide is to invest. 

Investing is basically putting your money to work in a way that earns you returns. There are a whole lot of investment options available today, from real estate to transportation,  financial markets which include stocks, bonds, currencies and cryptocurrencies too. The knowledge on how to invest properly and patience are the tools that help you reap good returns from your investments. Getting luxuries can finally be an option when you have solid areas where your money is working for you via investments

If you stay consistent with this guide, you will be enjoying the fruits of your efforts in time. It takes consistent actions and time to see results but is ultimately worth it.  Overtime, I find that asides building wealth using these methods, we gain an understanding for the principles of wealth increase and it refines our perception of money

Stay tuned as further series will be dedicated into in-depth explanations and industry insights on each of the areas.

What can you do?

Leave a comment on what you have learned and what changes you want to apply/practise

Missed the first article? Read it here.  Say Hi on Twitter and browse through our medium for more insightful articles like this.

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Making money and building sustainable wealth.

Do you want more money?

Of course you do. You have bills to pay, luxuries to acquire, Data to subscribe for. Money leaves in multiple ways, but do you have enough money coming in for you? Do you have money on ground to take care of your emergencies? Do you have money for flex or your luxuries? 

The truth is that many of us have legitimate money needs. Often times, we realize that the funds in our accounts are not sufficient to meet these needs

What can you do about this?

Head out and start making money? Na, money making does not work that way because there are processes to follow to build sustainable wealth. You can't keep relying on loans, favours and keep sinking in financial and emotional debts.

How then, can you build sustainable wealth? By the time you finish reading this, you'll have gained a lot more direction in your money making journey. If you do learn something new or not, let me know in the comment section.

How to make money in the long run.

One major fear that comes with trying to make money is the fear of losing it. Don't worry I have your back, and I have created a great guide to aid you on your journey to financial freedom.

Step 1 - All about becoming better.

Assess your situation.

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

Luke 14:28 ESV

Yes, scripture has wisdom for planning too. 

The first thing to do when embarking on a journey to financial freedom is to first assess where you are. By assessing what state your finances are in, you can begin to understand how much trouble you are in. Lol, really though, knowing where you stand would help you make better decisions to take you out of that place. 

Mentality shift.

This is a crucial step many miss. It is important especially if you desire long-term wealth. You do not expect a child to act like an adult, neither do you expect a doctor to act like a lawyer. This is because their mental programming differs. Same goes for wealth. You need to reprogram your mind to think better about wealth and get comfortable with owning a crazy amount of money. If you cannot do this, you'll make money but also lose it before you can snap your fingers. You may also end up making less than what you're worth if you do not pay attention to this.

Get a skill

After you have fulfilled the above steps in step 1, you can now get a skill. There are skills you can naturally pick up, while there are some that might take you a bit more effort. What I do advice is to pick skills that earn you a lot. There are countless resources on Google that can help you get started. Make YouTube your personal person during this learning stage (you won't regret it). Consistency is a gamechanger, so don't start out today and expect to master it all at once. Stay with the process.

Conclusion.

"Wait, what?!?! Why would he be concluding?"

I know, I know, you were enjoying this, right? The human mind however, is known to feed on information in bits. This is science and you don't argue with science. 

In my next post I'll be letting you in on the three other steps to complete this process and you will be all set. In the meantime you should practice these three things first. They can as well change your life. 

Sneak Peak into what is in store for next time.

Practice and earn

Save

Invest wisely.

If you enjoyed this, do me a favour and check out my medium page and my Twitter (for more fun updates sprinkled with gems to do life better)

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The Perfection Illusion

“Perfection is an Illusion”

Day in day out, I come to the realization that you really cannot hit perfection. But, you can try, and eventually, watch yourself fail. Sad right? Well, in truth, man was not created to be perfect. At this point, some people are already shaking their heads in disgust, thinking that I cut the crap and put a full stop to what could potentially accelerate their progress in life. 

How?

Stay with me for a bit, especially if you are 

• a writer

• Someone getting into a new field

• If you are picking up a new skill,

• If you have been crippled by inertia,

Before I move forward, here is what Salvador Dali, a painter who knew his craft says about perfection.

“Have no fear of perfection - you’ll never reach it.”

Can we fear perfection?

I love how Salvador does not treat perfection as a thing to be attained but as a state to be feared. To make something perfect is the action or process of improving something until it is faultless.

While this might seem appealing, the only things that cannot be improved upon are things that are dead. As a result, there will always be a new model of a car that was supposedly perfect or a new style for a dress deemed perfect. That is why there is always room for improvement. 

“To be perfect is to be dead.”

I am sure every man has an image of how they would like things to be, i.e. a private jet, a fleet of cars and the occasional boat cruise, a perfect relationship, with no arguments or squabbles, a perfect room with the chairs stacked in the correct spots, their clothes neatly folded and arranged in their bags, and if you are like me, all your kitchen utensils properly cleaned and arranged.

But even these images of perfection are flawed. A stranger can waltz into your life and make things better, and then you realise how heavily imperfect your perfect life was. 

Perfection breeds inertia.

Often times perfection stops us from taking action at all. We are often stuck with an image of what we think is best. Sometimes, this image could be so overwhelming that it usually leaves us stuck in a place where we cannot do anything. 

Sometimes the problem with people is not the inability to work but the fear of performing below the perfect bar set for themselves. 

Here is a tidbit for parents and those on their way to parenthood, you cannot raise a perfect child. (drops mic and awaits the comment section.) 

If you intend to wait for the perfect child, don’t bother bearing raising any children at all.

If you patiently kept reading till now…

A couple of weeks ago, a very good friend and I were discussing creative writing and how editors could make works better. During our conversation, it struck me. While there are mediocre works that truly demand editing, so many creative works are edited based on the leanings of the editor and not the imperfection of the work. 

It was further revealed to me in a trancelike meditation that if you gave your work to several editors after each edit, there would always be a missing synonym or a misplaced allegory. 

Do I advise you to fold your arms and churn out despicable content? Hell no. You will probably shame yourself, your ancestors and your English teacher if you turn out content riddled with punctuation errors and obvious blunders.

What I do advise, though, is to work around the basics of editing or proofreading in the least. Cross your I’s dot your T’s and like Nike, “Just do It.”

A Grammarly account can help you do this with ease. 

Now, this advice applies to writers and everyone on the list above. You do not have to wait till you have that perfect role or CV before you begin to put yourself out there. I obviously did not wait to be perfect before I started writing on Medium and started my blog.

You can easily see my carefree side on Twitter; or reach me personally on WhatsApp @ +2348177324373.

I am always open to disagreements too. Let me know what you think about perfection in the comment section.

  

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lasers or the scattering of seeds?

A Jack of all trades, master of none, right?

Growing up this quote was like a warning to focus on a specific task and become perfect at it. If you are true to yourself, the quote hits
home on most occasions. It forced you to close off distractions and focus on a single task.

Guess what.

That famous maxim that has been peddled to you since the day you found you had multiple skills isn't complete. But, "Wait a minute," not complete? 

Yes. 

If you are interested in finding out the complete quote, keep reading.

Laser focus or scattering your seeds.

A case for scattering your seeds.

Bode's parents discovered at a young age that he loved painting, but he was also exceptionally gifted with numbers. He would paint in the evening, capturing the beauty of the sunset. He would be found attempting to solve complex mathematical equations in the mornings. 

Not all of his paintings came out great, in fact, they often looked a mess, but when he did churn out something good, they were sights to behold. 

There were times he would be stumped by a problem, he would mop, and his mood would show it, but with proper guidance, he could get the right solutions. 

His parents realized how much potential a career in maths could afford him, they got him teachers and planned for him to study at MIT. He could very well develop the next equation for space travel. They also got him, teachers, in the arts helping him fine-tune his painting and drawing abilities although they only saw it as a recreational activity for him.

In time Bode found his school saturated with so many maths geniuses just like him, and while that didn't deter him, he began to turn more into arts. So when the NFT wave came, he was well-positioned to take advantage of it and it paid off. He still loved maths, but his knack for creativity became his gateway into wealth.

For those who have heard the story of the sower from scripture (yes, I love scriptural stories), It is about a farmer who went about scattering seeds. The seeds fell on various grounds and in the end those that fell on the good soil produced fruits in varying amounts.

In truth, the story refers to hearts and the word of God, but one valuable lesson we can pick from this story is that the farmer did not stick to one soil. He kept on scattering his seeds and only produced the desired harvest in the end. 

The bottom line is that learning to pursue multiple avenues might be better than sticking to just one option.

The downside of this is that it is pretty draining. 

A case for laser focus.

Tabitha finally had her big music break. Her song was on top of the Nigerian charts, and her manager (her brother) had just received a call from a foreign artist that was ready to jump on the remix of her song. 

She already had her success story mapped out. She flashed back to a time when she had juggled playing football with her love for music. She enjoyed the thrill it brought, but she had to give it up for the music. She finally made it, mama would be proud.

When a laser is focused on one point, the results can be quite eye-opening for those who do not know. It can even cut into the toughest of diamonds. 

is that focusing on one area could have payoffs of proportions beyond measure.

The downside is you lose other unexplored opportunities. What if you focused and never made it. Think about it.

The balancing act.

Sometimes, understanding that there is a need for balance is essential. It is not wise to go around scuttling at the next supposed gold, nor is it always the best option to close your hands to various opportunities that would present themselves on your way to mastery. 

What should be learned is to pick your skills across a range and choose to zone in on these. Doing this would be energy-consuming, but it is totally worth it. 

Oh yes, I did not forget. 

"A Jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one"

Sinister how they left this out, but the operative word 'oftentimes' should not be forgotten.

If you found out something new, and I am sure you did, a follow on Twitter would be superb. If you feel like you learned something, too, do share this with others.

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5 ways to get the best out of an event or training

The year 2022, a beautiful year with a lot of opportunities, for some the year is in full gear already, but for others, the year is having a slow start. Whichever side you are on, you will definitely be attending more than one event this year, actually, whoever you are, whatever field you are in, there will definitely be seminars, pieces of training and events related to your field, and this piece is aimed at helping you to maximize each and every event you will attend,

Before we go one, please note that the points' effectiveness depends on you too.

Research.

So first on the list of things to do to get the best out of any training, event, or seminar, is research. When I say research, I mean research in every of its form.

Research on what kind of event you will be attending, ask questions, search the internet, contact the organizers, basically know what you are going for, the advantage of researching the event you are going for is invaluable, you get to know what to expect from such event, you get to know how to prepare for the event, you get to know who you would like to bring along with you for the event.

Research on the topics to be discussed, it will make understanding a little bit more interesting, also it will aid you in connecting with the speakers, and this will be invaluable in making meaningful connections after the event. While researching on the topics, questions will begin to form, and this helps you to look forward to the seminar or event.

Research on the speakers, the more you know about the people who will be teaching, the more connected you are with them when they finally teach, the more you are able to tailor your questions for your desired response too.

 

Listen, Jot.

A common error we make when we attend events is that we think we are there to watch, not there to learn so we claim we listen and few moments after such events, we are empty, not because we didn’t listen, but because we are not wired to store all information gained right away like computer, and that is where jotting comes in. Note important points, key phrases, contacts, sites mentioned, questions from other members, note your questions, note names, places etc, but be careful so as not to miss the important information.

 

Conduct.

Now you might as what conduct has to do with attending and getting the best out of an event, but the truth is that conduct could make or mar the result of an event on a participant.

Your conduct is very important when it comes to an event. As noted in the previous point, many people go with the intention to see what’s going on at an event not particularly to learn at all, hence a nonchalant approach.

Conduct before, conduct during.

Conduct before has to do basically with how you prepare, your dressing, your attitude towards the seminar, event or training, your mannerism, all this contribute in no small measure to how much you will gain from any training.

Conduct during. Who says a smile doesn’t matter. How you carry yourself during an event says a lot about the amount you will gain from such an event, training or seminar. Laughing, jesting and disturbing during an event will definitely not benefit you at the end of the day.    

 

Participate.

Be active. Participate, note questions, and ask questions, you do not know the advantage of this? Asides the answers given that could be quite beneficial, you gain presence. The more important or pivotal the question, the more presence, the more interest you attract. Never be scared of asking questions.

Questions are not the only part of participation, some seminars and trainings allow sessions for discussions, activities, leave your comfort zone, take up tasks, and be noticeable.

 

Connect

Getting connected is the in thing now, need a job? Need funds? Need ideas? There is virtually nothing in the real world you want to do that doesn’t require, or that would not be aided by connections with the right people.

My major Principle for connecting is. Be interested, be interesting.

After trainings events and programs, there is usually a time to connect, connect with the invited guests and others around. Your success at connecting with the invited speakers sometimes depends on how well you have followed the previous.

Many a times the speaker would easily respond to someone who has asked an intelligent question during the course of an event, than someone who was dull throughout.

One thing to note is that sometimes you have to take a chance, depending on how well you have researched, you can easily walk up to any of the speakers after an event and get the engaged in a discussion, let the discussion revolve round topics related to the speaker, it might not necessarily be on what was spoken about during the seminar, be interested in the person you are discussing with, the more you know, the more you come off as interesting.  

In conclusion of the whole matter, practice makes perfect, the more you follow this tips, the easier it is for you from benefit from any event, seminar or training.

 

Akintade J Victor.

 

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