Don’t Build Your Life On Public Opinion

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SINCE the last US presidential election, the media have been awash with talks and stories on the elections. Some people are yet to overcome the shock of a Donald Trump victory. I have seen and read a lot about lessons from his victory. One lesson stands out, and this piece is titled after it: ‘Don’t Build Your Life On Public Opinion’. I don’t know the original author.

Trump lost the presidential debates, twice.

Yet he won the election.

He lost the public opinion polls to Hillary by double digit margins.

Yet he won the election.

All living former American presidents opposed him.

It's Time To Re-fire

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RECENTLY, I was under the teaching of Ugochukwu Omeogu during the Nigeria Rise Concert. I was blown away to put it mildly. His conviction, eloquence and results are un-assailed. Indeed you should always make efforts to leave your comfort zone and your terrain to hear others speak. It’s really empowering.  Mr. Omeogu shared some enriching nuggets I would also share on this edition.

What Goes Around Comes Around

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THIS inspiring story truly shows that what goes around, comes around. The question has always been, ’if it comes around to you, would you be glad it did?’ One day a man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His jalopy as we call it here was still sputtering when he approached her. Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn’t look safe; he looked poor and hungry. 

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Have Things Blown Up...Try Again

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RECENTLY, the news media was awash with reports that Facebook founder lost about $200 million in the recent failed SpaceX Rocket launch that was meant to beam internet services to remote parts of Africa and the world. This was one of the reasons he came to Africa in the first place. It is instructive that Mr Zuckerberg himself was away in Kenya and Nigeria when this huge project was been executed in Cape Canaveral’s Launch Complex, Florida.  Also, when and after the launch failure, he was still busy in Nigeria attending to pre-arranged schedules. Strangely, he remained calm in the face of great adversity. There are lessons here.

Make That Move Right Now

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GROWING up in the 1980s, there was this popular song by Shalamar, ‘Make That Move Right Now Baby’. Remember it? Its old school now. That was any DJ’s favourite. It was guaranteed to bring legs to the dance floor. I remember my uncles and aunties always rocking this song. Growing up was fun. Well this is not the focus of this edition.

Make that move right now was actually inspired by my meeting a business associate recently. I belong to a couple of groups on WhatsApp. 

Life Indeed Is A Seed - Important Lessons

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HAVE you heard this saying, ‘the evil you do remains with you: the good you do, comes back to you!’. This story captures it, and highlights some business lessons. A woman baked bread for members of her family and an extra one for a hungry passerby. She kept the extra bread on the window sill, for whosoever would take it away. Every day, a hunch-back came and took away the bread. Instead of expressing gratitude, he muttered the following words as he went his way: "The evil you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!" This went on, day after day. (She added poison to the bread she prepared for him!)

How To Have A Happy New Month Indeed!

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I woke up this morning with loads of messages on my phone. The messages were everywhere – on Facebook, WhatsAapp, by text, you name it. Some people even sent messages by 12 midnight or shortly after, just to coincide with the dawning month. I guess that your phone and social media platforms have also been inundated with such posts – the happy new month messages and prayers. Sending and receiving such messages is not an issue in itself, but it becomes an issue when month in month out we keep sending and receiving such messages without any corresponding action to bring those great wishes to fruition.  While I then join tons of your friends to wish you a happy new month, on this edition, I share on how to have a happy new month indeed.  And this is in no order of importance.

Life And Business Lessons From A Gospel Singer

Chioma Jesus. Photo courtesy of youtube

RECENTLY in church, we celebrated first fruit harvest and mid-year thanksgiving with Nigeria's famous gospel singer Evangelist Amaka Okwuoha, also known as, Chioma Jesus. I have never seen my Church dance in this manner. It would seem that we were in a dance competition. I saw happiness in an extraordinary way likened to heaven, maybe.  I saw people sweating off their sorrows, smiling away anger and praising God for his favour, grace and love. I share some life and business lessons I learnt as I listened to Chioma Jesus minister in songs.

Test That Narrative

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GROWING up, in the news, on social media platforms, in our environment, virtually everywhere, we get fed with all manner of narratives that eventually form our belief system and view of life. But you may want to pause and take a second look at some of these narratives. Indeed you may want to challenge these narratives and live free. Here are three examples worth considering.

Time Is Short; Live Your Dream

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IT is probable that the most painful phase of life will be when, all is said and done, one looks back and wishes one had done some things one was passionate about earlier on in life. The truth is that by taking the appropriate steps now, one doesn’t have to experience that phase in one’s lifetime. One can live fulfilled, even if one doesn’t become the richest man on planet earth. This article shows you how to, slowly but surely, live your dream.

Let’s first establish and agree that one can live his dreams, infact millions of people are living their dreams, and you can be one of them.

July: 2nd Half, 2nd Chance

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IT'S July, the second half of the year. For many people, they don’t want to imagine it; there are still a lot of unmet expectations, broken dreams and tough unachieved targets, and the clock is still ticking. Well, the clock is created to tick, and you and I can really do nothing about it. So this is surely not a time to despair, rather it’s a time to overhaul and advance. Growing up in the 1980s and 90s, I used to enjoy watching an interesting Nigerian TV programme called 2^nd Chance. Basically, the programme was about...

Practical Ways To Stop Financial Wastages

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THE story is told of John, not his real name obviously, who had a good paying job and a growing side business. He lived alone in his 3 bed flat in the heart of Abuja and drove a latest model car, something people call a ‘machine’, took vacations at the slightest excuse, the funniest being, ‘Jesus is coming soon…so, live your life now!’ John had an infatuation for having the hottest…

Is There A Better Inheritance?

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A lot of parents and business owners are literally obsessed by the worth of inheritance they will leave their descendants and protégés. For others, it is about how much money they will spend in making their children a man or woman, depending. And to them, the more money they spend, the more they feel like a great parent. Is it about the worth of the inheritance or about inculcating enduring life lessons? Are both mutually exclusive? Are you guilty?

What World Are You Creating?

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THERE’S a saying that goes…“Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can never hurt you”, sometimes said by parents to their child to help them deal with bully name calling. Parents were trying to tell their children to walk away and don’t let what bullies say bother them, because they’re only words. The truth is that words spoken out loud can indeed hurt, not only emotionally, but physically as well. They can also change your life for the better, or for worse depending.

Let’s do this quick exercise

Its June: Whats' Your Time Check?

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JUST 'yesterday', we were all excited about the New Year. Today, the year is almost half gone. How time really flies indeed. How have you fared so far this year? Are you hitting your intended targets and plans? Here are some helpful points to help you finish 2016 successful.

Don't Be Sorry For Being Rich

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IN a number of social media groups I belong to, there is this post shared frequently. A post that, for lack of the appropriate word, tends to criminalize affluence and glorify poverty. Paraphrased, the post reads and I quote,

Important Business and Life Lessons from a Workers’ Strike

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COMPARED to previous Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) strikes, the recently called-off strike leaves much to be desired. One would assume that since the NLC was striking for a good cause – the reduction of petrol pump price – everyone would rally around them and offer support. I was wrong, at least from the feedback I got from the people I spoke with and the outcome of the strike. This is instructive. So what are important business and life lessons from this?

How to Create Your Own Zone for Better Productivity

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SPEAKING with several CEOs on the secret behind their outstanding successes, all of them agreed that they created their own world to drive their success. Creating your own zone is surely one of the surest ways to achieving enduring success. Are you creating your own world, and how do you create it?

How To Deal With Rejection: Succeed

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THE human nature is so wired to celebrate more than mourn, and what can be more celebrated than success? People don’t reject success, they celebrate and respect it. Nothing aptly captures this point like the fairytale rise of Leicester City Football Club, a rise that has taken the club to the top, winning the English Premiership. 

Don't Go Broke Looking Rich

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RECENTLY, I read an interesting quote on the Facebook wall of someone I call ‘Nwanne’, meaning brother, and he is indeed, Obinnaya Uruakpa. The saying reads, ‘Don’t buy that $300 bag to have nothing in it. Buy that $10 bag to have $290 in it. Don’t go broke trying to look rich’. Waoh!!! This is both simple and profound. Are you broke but trying to look rich? I’m almost certain you know someone who is literally speaking, in the business of ‘impressing’. Once my friend flew to London….