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  • Inspiring and Empowering Others to Help You

    “For changes to be of any true value, they’ve got to be lasting and consistent.” ~Tony Robins.

    “Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy. Human beings have the awesome ability to take any experience of their lives and create a meaning that disempowers them or one that can literally save their lives” ~ Tony Robins.

    No man is an island. Personal success and development cannot be achieved in isolation. God has abundantly blessed us with people in our lives that we can rightly use to achieve our life’s purpose and goals.

    Each and every person you have come across in your life has a part to play and it is entirely up to you to recognise that and help them to help you move closer to your life’s purpose.

    In this article I discuss three important ways to empower our associates.

    Firstly let me make mention that there are 3 groups of people in our lives;

    • Close relationships – these will include your family, your friends, your spouse, and your children.
    • Your work relationships – these will include your colleagues, workmates including your boss.
    • Others – included in this category are people you come across every day.

    You need to know how to interact with these people in order for them to help you achieve your desired life’s purpose and goals. The key areas I have identified are listed below.

    Appreciation

    There is no single person I have come across in my entire life that does not like or rather feels bad when they are appreciated. Appreciation is perhaps one of the most important aspects of getting people to like you and to inspire them to support and help your cause.

    Develop the habit of expressing gratitude, even for the smallest acts of kindness. A genuinely simple smile and a heartfelt “thank you” goes a long way in lifting the other person’s spirit. The more thankful you are the more people are inclined to support you.

    Always acknowledge the effort, even if what you received isn’t exactly what you requested. Make the other person feel appreciated for their service and assure them that their effort was valued and not wasted.

    Appreciation lifts the self-esteem of human beings. The feeling of appreciation is an intense one and can make or break someone’s self-esteem. Imagine yourself working for a boss who does not seem to appreciate whatever effort you put into your work.

    Imagine the frustration of dedicating countless hours to an assignment, only to feel completely unappreciated.

    Now, contrast this with the feeling of being appreciated, even for your smallest efforts. You’ll find yourself willing to invest extra time because you know your work and presence truly matter.

    Approval

    Remember, everyone is primarily emotional.  Everything that people do, or choose not to do, is largely driven by their deeper emotions.

    Your job is to connect with their higher and more positive emotions so they feel so good about you that they want to help and please you in some way.

    If you are in a supervisory position it will really help you to spend more time with your subordinates inviting their feedback and comments on their work. To achieve this, you must create a trust worthy environment.

    This I believe is one of the best methods to get their work approved as they will understand what is expected of them.

    There is nothing quite like the satisfaction of having your work approved by your manager. It makes you feel a true sense of ownership and pride in what you have accomplished.

    Believe me, having a highly motivated worker can yield results beyond your imagination. The quality of your subordinates can make or break your success.

    If your personal goal is very dependent on other people’s input you need to devise methods that are consistent and gain respect from other people.

    You need to be nice, friendly, and courteous. I encourage you to read more on people management.

    In life, you always have a choice. You can either do everything yourself or you can get others to help you do some of the work. Delegating work is surely key to helping you achieve more with your time.

    Attention

    The third and final aspect of empowering others is attention. Just like every one of us loves attention in one way or the other. Learn to listen with keen interest.

    Pay attention to the details that keep people motivated and work to improve them.

    If you have a difference with say a work colleague. Do not argue with them but reason with them. Listen to their explanation and make sure you understand the reasoning behind it. If you do not agree with them be polite in letting them know that you have a different viewpoint.

    I have experienced this, especially with women. Even when they know that you cannot help them, they just want you to listen to them. All they are looking for is someone who can at least give them an audience.

    The fact that you will give them the attention they need, will greatly improve their self-esteem. If you are married that is lesson number one for you. Give your wife all the attention she needs. Listen to her.

    Conclusion

    Your ability to delegate effectively, which requires that you inspire and empower others to help you willingly, will determine how fast you move ahead. 

    It will determine how much you earn in your job; this will also determine the quality and quantity of your productivity; it will determine your ultimate financial success in life.

    The key to all of this is your ability to empower others. Life was meant to be lived with people.

  • You Have Something to Give

    “When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice” ~ Indian Proverb.

    “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give” ~ Sir Winston Churchill.

    Each of us is uniquely created with a distinct design. We are all meant to thrive through interdependence.

    No one in this world can truly claim to be completely independent and not in need of others.

    I want to remind and encourage you of how important and relevant you are to humanity. I want you to realize that you have something to contribute to the well-being of the world.

    No matter what your situation or background is, you possess something that is uniquely yours.

    I am deeply concerned about some of the negative questions being raised on a prominent website.

    To make matters worse they are coming from kids as young as 15 years of age. Most of the questions are to do with giving up on life.

    Imagine a 15-year-old who feels overwhelmed by life, ready to give up before truly beginning to live. How sad indeed.

    I often ask myself this question: What if Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, Thomas A. Edison, and many other great inventors and discoverers had given up before making their breakthroughs? How different would the world be today?

    Your gifts and talents may not amount or match the great discoverers and inventors of the past, but it plays a very significant role in the advancement of humanity.

    You have a very significant and important role to play on earth. Myles Monroe says the richest place on earth is the graveyard.

    This is where you discover inventions that never came to be; dreams that were never fulfilled; songs that were never sung; buildings that were never constructed and many other things that the world has been deprived of.

    I pray and hope that you will not be a graveyard statistic but will leave a meaningful and positive legacy that endures.

    Ask not what the world will do for you but, what you will do for the world. Stop thinking from within the box and in fact, remove the box altogether.

    The human race is like a body. The body cannot function properly with a missing part, it may function but with a lot of difficulties.

    Do not be those missing parts. Do not rob the world of your talents and gifts. Do not deprive us of your contribution to humanity. We greatly need them. You are not living by accident or by chance but for a reason and for a greater purpose.

    If you are almost giving up on your life sit down and thank God that you are still alive. Many are struggling to hang on to life yet you have it for free. The fact that you are still alive means that you have something to give.

    There are so many things to thank your creator for and let alone obey his guiding words by dedicating your life to contributing to the wellbeing of humanity.

    No contribution is too small; everything adds up to make a difference. It’s high time you started using your mind constructively.

    You see everything is conceived in the mind. Our minds are the workshops for all that we see.

    Our minds are power engines of our lives. The real secret of power is the consciousness of power.

    The more conscious we become of our unity with this mind, the less conscious we shall become of conditions and limitations, and as we become emancipated or freed from conditions we come into a realization of the unconditional.

    We have become free! We have removed the box. We have evolved.

    The ability to eliminate imperfect conditions depends upon mental action, and mental action depends upon consciousness of power; therefore, the more conscious we become of our unity with the source of all power, the greater will be our power to control and master every condition.

    Conclusion

    Every human being including is as important as the next one and the one before. I want to encourage you not to look down upon yourself.

    You were created to contribute to humanity and your contribution is valuable.

    This all starts with you realizing and appreciating how important you are to the whole world. DO NOT rob us of your gifts and talents.

    Just like you have benefited from the inventors of computers we also want to benefit from you.

  • The Dawn of a Season

    “Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending” ~ Carl Bard.

    Take heart and give way to the new season. This is my first article for this New Year since my website was hacked.

    Time flies and waits for no one. Whether you like it or not time will not wait for you.

    We have just been ushered into a new season and it is still the right time to start afresh or build up on the gains achieved from the past season. 

    If you are like me and like to set new goals please go ahead and set them. Set this season as the turning point that will see you grow your weakest areas of your life.

    In order to grow you must obtain what is necessary for your growth but, as you are at all time a complete thought entity, this completeness makes it possible for you to receive only as you give; growth is therefore conditioned on reciprocal action just the same as like attracts like.

    The challenge for you this year is to obtain what is necessary for your growth; to stop those detrimental habits; to build on your business skills; to improve on interpersonal relationships and to grow spiritually.

    The Challenge

    “How you respond to the challenge in the second half will determine what you will become after the game, whether you are a winner or loser” ~ Lou Holtz.

    Think for a moment, what you would be if you were not a husband or wife, father or mother, or brother or sister, if you were not interested in the social, economical, political or religious world.

    What then would you be? Think about what you were last year; how much you achieved; and how much more you did not achieve; do you want to stay in the same position or do you want to climb the ladder of self-improvement or would you rather take a few steps backwards?

    The challenge therefore, for is to find the right combination and balance of tools or rather characteristics for a more fulfilling personality.

    The target should be to find the right ingredient’s necessary for growth. In order to grow you must then, obtain what is essential for growth.

    Your growth then is dependent on what you take in. Remember first that all growth is from within and that you are the source of that growth. Note that you are also the source of your own growth. 

    To ensure that you reach the optimum growth levels for this year you must make sure that you develop the right mental attitude. This will mean a constant renewal of the mind. One must make a deliberate policy to buy and read self-improvement and development books. It also means that you need to focus more on the positive things in life.

    Manage Your Thoughts

    It is very amazing to know that all things in the world began as a thought. Even at creation I believe that, God must have first thought before speaking.

    The saying “as a man thinks so is he in is heart” holds water for me. You always produce what you think. Your outside world is a true reflection of your inside world.

    If you think cheap you come out cheap. If you set your mind on mediocrity you get exactly that and vice versa.

    I can challenge you that nothing in this world has ever been invented without first being conceived as a thought or an idea by someone.

    Noticed that the world has a way of giving us back what we predominantly harbour as thoughts.

    This then makes me realize that one of the most important tool we have as human beings is the mind which is the thinking organ.

    If you can master the thoughts you hold, believe me, you are destined for greatness. In this new season, challenge yourself to begin mastering and managing your mind.

    Be Proactive and not Reactive

    The human nature is that of being reactive. Meaning we always wait for the situation to happen and then react after wards.

    This means that most of the time we are firefighting. That is the difference between successful individuals and those of us that are struggling with life.

    If you want to be ahead you must be proactive and not reactive. I used to be like this and I can confess that this firefighting syndrome has not completely gone away.

    The best way to handle life is to be prepared for every eventuality. To be proactive is to take measures in advance for an event that will occur including the unexpected.

    Like I said this is a new season and with it comes a new tide of everything. The challenge this season is to build on the little gains achieved for being proactive and not reactive. Being reactive is a sign of laziness and no lazy person can be successful.

    Conclusion

    As per tradition for me every New Year is a new season and I always make resolutions and set goals for it.  This is one of the best tools I use to measure my progress towards reaching my personal development goals.

    I hope and trust that you have formulated one for yourself to keep you going.

  • 5 Personal Success Questions

    “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will” ~ Vince Lombardi.

    All normal human beings want to have personal success at whatever they are doing.

    Any normal and ambitious being will pride themselves in whatever endeavours they are pursuing.

    I believe that no one wants to reveal their failures before achieving success.

    Usually, we boast and talk about our failures only after success has been realized or achieved.

    In my quest to achieve my personal intended goals I have asked myself some questions and these I hope will help guide you as well.

    Simple though they may seem, these questions can literally change your life they could help accelerate to achieve your personal success.

    Have I Neglected a Fundamental Skill?

    Before you answer this question ask yourself if you even have the basic skill.

    Regardless of what you do for a living, you cannot succeed if you’re failing to master the basics.

    In every area and aspect of our lives, there are basics. You do not expect a baby to start running before it learns how to sit and walk for example.

    You need to identify the basic requirements for whatever endeavours you are involved with and ensure that you have the basic skill set.

    Many times people set out to do something without the necessary fundamental skill set.

    For example, to succeed in any business you need to gather the needed basic skill set before you even venture out.

    If you want to own and run a home business, say an affiliate marketing program. You will of course need to do market research and understand the niche you are venturing into.

    You must acquire the basic knowledge and apply it in your business for better results and success. The same applies if you are involved with personal development and coaching.

    The lesson here is simply to learn and do the basics of your job. Unless you’re doing that, you can forget about success, because it’s just not going to happen.

    It is better not to reinvent the wheel but improve on the wheel.

    Is There a Bad Habit I Should Stop?

    Great! You’re doing the basics, so now it’s time to look at the stuff that’s getting in your way.

    Look at your daily routine, your weekly activities, your monthly commitments.

    If you’re like most people, you’re probably doing things that aren’t just useless, but counterproductive. You are doing business as usual.

    Stop and check your daily activities and start doing “business unusual.”

    Yes even for me there are a lot of bad habits I am working to improve on that are very detrimental to my progress.

    Things like computer games, web surfing, and more, these I find very destructive to my progress.

    I am slowly learning how to use the web for my growth and not otherwise. Take care with how you use the internet, it can be destructive if not properly used especially social media.

    Whatever it is for you, you’ll experience a significant surge in productivity when you limit (or stop) these behavioural impediments to your success.

    Do I Need to Upgrade My Basic Skills?

    Now it’s time to examine the basic skills required for your job and identify any that need improvement.

    For example, if you’re in sales, maybe you’re good at asking questions and presenting solutions, but tend to hem and haw when it’s time to close the deal. If so, work on your closing skill.

    There are many ways you can use to improve your skillset. The one I use most is reading relevant materials.

    You could pursue further training if you want to have a recognized qualification depending on what your demands are with your current situation.

    Upgrading your basic skill set will definitely give you an edge over your competition. I encourage you to have an open mind and always embrace change.

    If you are a manager be a good listener to your subordinates. Do not feel threatened if you have a member who has more knowledge than you.

    Instead, embrace them and learn from them and use them to get better results.

    Besides, it does not mean that when you are the manager you are the most intelligent no no no neither do you have the monopoly of knowledge.

    What Extra Skill Will Bring Me the Greatest Success?

    It’s time to take a big step in your endeavours. From this perspective, identify a skill or habit that today is totally foreign to you but which, if mastered, could also help propel you to a level of success far beyond your current situation.

    Do not remain stagnant or content with your current skills set. Find a new skill to propel you even further with your personal success.

    For example, suppose you’re a brilliant innovator and have mastered all the basics of engineering. What would happen if you mastered the ability to sell your ideas to someone?

    Similarly, suppose you’re making a decent living in Sales. How much more successful would you become if you mastered business accounting?

    Conclusion

    There are many more questions you can ask yourself that will help propel you to even greater heights if you have to achieve your personal success.

    Make sure that you answer them honestly and always improve on them. It is always better to have a written down life’s mission that should be read on a daily basis and used to monitor your success progress.

  • Keeping Track of Your Achievements

    “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs are people who have come alive” ~ Harold Whitman.

    Positive life changes come to those who show dedication and discipline towards their purpose. Making the decision to change your mind is a step in the right direction.

    Every achievement has its own seed in the mind and can only be realized by deliberate planning and execution.

    To get to the level of success that one aspires to, one must focus only on the positive things. It is doing the positive things that move you closer to success.

    The ability to stay motivated is the key ingredient to successfully turning the tables on one’s wheels of fortune and achieving personal growth.

    One of the most interesting contributing factors to maintaining high positive motivation levels is always being able to physically see and acknowledge the progress and achievements you have made.

    I typically take stock of my achievements on a quarterly basis, meticulously breaking them down into weekly and monthly assessments. Some individuals prefer to do this on an annual basis, while others choose a monthly approach to track their progress.

    Keeping track of your achievements is perhaps the best motivating factor of all because the satisfaction gained from a successfully completed project has no limits.

    Keeping Track

    “Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think” ~ Benjamin Disraeli

    Thus being able to keep track of one’s achievements is very important and here are popular ways that are commonly used for this purpose.

    At the beginning of most well-thought-out projects, there is usually a good and reliable strategic plan in place be it marketing, business, or personal development.

    This usually works as a checks and balances formula to ensure that everything stays on track. If it is a long-term project a periodical review is the prudent way of monitoring progress.

    Even when the project is successfully completed it is always prudent to draw up a summary of or things covering the details of the major aspects of the project and its contributions to the final outcome, making sure to quantify as many aspects as possible.

    Creating a folder filled with positive acknowledgments for your job well done is an empowering way to celebrate your achievements. It serves as a tangible reminder of your hard work and success, motivating you to reach even greater heights. Each acknowledgment is a stepping stone on your journey, encouraging you to reflect on your progress and strive for excellence.

    This of course is not only valuable for future endeavors of the individual but also serves as a motivating factor.

    Serving as both testimonials and references, these acknowledgments can also be used to build up an impressive portfolio for the individual from the expertise angle.

    Reflecting on past projects brings a profound sense of fulfillment and inspiration. Each achievement serves as a testament to your dedication and hard work, reminding you of the heights you can reach and the impact you can make. Embrace these moments, for they fuel your journey forward and ignite the passion to pursue even greater accomplishments.

    Absolutely! Embrace the under achievements in your project as valuable learning opportunities. They are stepping stones towards growth and success. Each setback offers insights that can propel you forward.

    Recognizing these moments allows you to refine your approach and build resilience. Remember, it’s not just about the victories, but how you rise from challenges that truly shapes your journey. Use these lessons to fuel your ambition and drive your next steps toward greatness!

    Participating in as many high-profile external activities, company boards, internal committees, representations, and other platforms that create the necessary experience and exposure is also recommended.

    After which keeping a well-documented and monitored chart of the said activities to be used as a tracking element is also helpful in encouraging you to keep a positive mindset.

    These achievements tracking help to further project the extensive capabilities of the individual with the intention of creating an impressive portfolio.

    Knowledge goes hand in hand with achieving success. We must continually learn from what we hear, observe, and experience in our daily lives.

    Surrounding ourselves with a positive and enriching environment is key to accelerating our personal development. By consciously choosing the company we keep and the spaces we inhabit, we empower ourselves to grow and thrive. Embracing positivity not only boosts our confidence but also propels us toward our goals, fostering resilience and determination.

    Therefore, reading empowering books, watching motivational videos, and attending seminars on personal development is the way to go.

    Conclusion

    Amazingly, we already have gathered immense knowledge in our journey of life. Sometimes when we search within ourselves we may find inspirational thoughts from the wealth of our experiences.

    Instead of tucking away this knowledge, why not write about them to inspire others. One might just find it extremely rewarding to put down one’s inspirational thoughts in an ebook.

  • 5 Tools for a Successful Business

    We all want to have a successful business, don’t we? But, what tools do you need to have for a successful business?

    Many of us focus too much on the money part and neglect other important ingredients of a successful business.

    Yes, I know and understand that money is important so are the tools you use to generate it. There is no business that can generate enough revenue without tools.

    Lets discuss a list of key tools for a business to succeed. These are proven and I think they will be helpful to you, especially if you are just starting out in business.

    Time

    You must understand that time is money and it is of the essence. Time is an important tool in anything we do. In business, your main objective is to make money.

    How do you make money? You utilize time accordingly. But the question is how do you productively convert your time into money?

    Are you making full use of your time or do you just let the time pass you by? Time is a commodity that once lost it cannot be recovered.

    How much money you make depends on how good you are at converting time to money. The less time you spend the more money you can generate.

    If you are already productive, then you may want to ask; what are the things you can do to improve further. Remember time is the most valuable asset and once it’s gone, it cannot be recovered.

    Time is the most equal resource we all have in life. It’s something that God has graciously given every person in the same amount, regardless of their circumstances.

    Everybody on earth experiences the same hours of day and night; The same seasons in a particular area. I have never heard of anyone saying that they enjoy more time than 24 hrs per day.

    Human Resource or Human Capital

    The second tool for me is human resources or human capital. To be successful in business, you must have people connections.

    I mean you must have the right people working with you. People consist of customers, suppliers, partners, staff, and associates.

    I cannot imagine a business that is successful without people. If there are no people connected to your business I can guarantee you that you are wasting your time.

    One thing that you must not leave out is your mentor or coach. Having genuine mentors or coaches is very important and it can make a very big difference in your business.

    What a mentor does is that they will help you grow through your business. You will gain valuable knowledge if you have a good mentor.

    You should also have a mentor not just for your business but for your personal growth as well.

    A mentor does not necessarily have to be a person you know. You may not even be in a position to meet them physically. A mentor is someone you look up to.

    To make sure that you have more profit, you must serve people well. Organize your database of people connections. By simply knowing who does what, who supplies what, who needs what, where to get what takes you miles ahead of your competition.

    Even if you are doing affiliate marketing you need to know the needs of your affiliates.

    Knowledge and Skills

    The third tool you need is a combination of a set of knowledge and skills.

    When I talk about knowledge and skills, I am not referring to academic knowledge that you find in schools or colleges including universities.

    What’s more important to you is knowledge and skills that can bring you the kind of results you want and usually these are not found in schools.

    How many MBA holders, do you know of, that have become business owners and have made tons of money or are running successful businesses?

    That shows you that getting the right knowledge and skills is important. Don’t blindly go after the knowledge that will not add value to your skillset.

    Go for knowledge and skills that are universally tested and proven. Get knowledge that is relevant to your business. Study what other related businesses are doing and do it better.

    Examples of the right knowledge and skills are where to get what from who, money-making trends, marketing strategies, the art of dealing with people, negotiating skills, selling skills, skills of managing and growing money, investment skills, universal laws of success, and more.

    Don’t waste time on unnecessary knowledge. There’s only so much that you need to know and learn. Be sharp and focused when you acquire knowledge and skills.

    Don’t follow what normal people do. Above all put your knowledge and skillset to practice. Knowledge without action is equal to zero results.

    Personal Health

    You cannot make money when you are in bad health. My number 4 tool is good personal health. In fact, this is the most important tool of all.

    How can you run a business without a healthy body? In order to maintain optimum health, you have to provide your body with proper nutrition and sufficient exercise.

    And also don’t forget about your emotional well-being don’t let anger and other negative emotions control you.

    This is where positive and empowering attitudes come into play. Maintaining your body is just like maintaining your car. If you send your car to a workshop for regular service and pump petrol regularly, why don’t you do the same for your body?

    Go for medical check ups atleast once a year. Have a deliberate healthy living habit.

    It’s something for you to think about. Don’t be stingy over spending money for your own health because physical and mental health can cost you a lot of money in the long run if your body is not taken care of properly.

    Financial Resources

    Let’s face it. It takes money to make money even if all you need is a little. But you might not need a lot of money to start a business because there are many ways to start one with low capital, I recommend affiliate marketing programs.

    I meet a lot of people who want to be rich but are not willing to invest time and money. You must invest in something in order for you to get something out.

    The law of sowing and reaping is at work. Don’t expect something without investing anything. Money is one of the investments you need to make.

    Even though you don’t need to have a huge capital for your business, but at least you must be able to cover your expenses while building your business, and this costs money.

    You also need resources to buy products to stock up and other stuff. So, you must at least come up with whatever amount that you have to start a business.

    Conclusion

    These are the five basic tools you need for business success. I call them tools because you need to use them in order for your business to succeed.

    Do your best to acquire or grow or invest in these personal tools. These tools have worked for me even in the area of personal development.

    But the good thing is you don’t need to have a perfect combination of tools to get started. You can still perfect the tools along the way.

  • Business Unusual

    “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand” ~ Vince Lombardi.

    I am sure that most of us have heard the saying “business as usual,” am also pretty sure that the heading to this article does not make much sense to some of you.

    Maybe you are thinking the title should have been “unusual business” or something related or maybe you think it is a mistake, NO!!!.

    The title is perfect and suits the article very well as you will see. The quote by Vince Lombardi basically sums up the activities of what, successful people do.

    On the contrary, though I would like to disagree with the phrase “business as usual” to me it simply means business without improvement.

    If you are in the habit of the business-as-usual syndrome, then chances are that you are stagnant and not improving in whatever you are doing. You need to change.

    Do Things Differently

    To succeed in life you need to do things differently and in a smart way. If you are in business making an improvement on a frequent basis is what will distinguish you from others.

    Especially if you are in the service industry improvement is very cardinal. Well, I have learnt that some things cannot be changed and thus are better left like that.

    But most of the things we do in life can be improved upon. Improving on the smallest of things in your life will result in a total change in your outlook.

    An improvement in your waking up could result in you having more time for other things; an improvement in your eating habits will result in a healthy life.

    These small changes when put together result in big changes. And this is what distinguishes success from failure.

    To do things in an unusual ways means to have a heart and love for what we are doing. If you have a love and passion for whatever business or work you are doing believe me you will always try to improve on it.

    I will give an example of the computer industry; see how computers have evolved from big mainframes to miniature computers with so much power and flexibility.

    This of course is as a result of the passion and dedication the men and women in this industry have put in. The notion that “business as usual” should not be the one for you if you want to be a success in life. Your business should not be as usual it should be different and smartly done.

    Learn the Tricks of the Trade

    “If money is your hope for independence, you will never have it. The only real security that a man can have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience and ability” ~ Henry Ford.

    You cannot improve on anything without learning the ropes. By this I mean you cannot improve your business or your personal goes without learning and knowing how things are done.

    Learning is perhaps one quality that needs to be improved upon on a very regular basis. I learn a new thing on a daily basis. Never stop learning. The moment you stop learning you will have closed the door to growth.

    You need to have an open mind for learning new things and tricks of the trade. In every niche there are norms, “the dos and the don’ts” learn them and improve on them. This will be your guide to success.

    Even in your quest to succeed I believe that you have a written down life’s purpose, use it as your guide and keep improving on it. There is no limit in acquiring knowledge but, also know that it must be put to use. Knowledge without action is useless. Learning must be followed with action.

    There is no point in learning how say, foreclosure is done in real estate and not put it to practice. Imagine how much time would have been invested in the learning process just to be wasted without being put to use.

    If you have to learn ensure that you will put to use what you have learned. Napoleon Hill says “KNOWLEDGE will not attract money, unless it is organized, and intelligently directed, through practical PLANS OF ACTION.” This is how important action is. Action is the most important of all success principles.

    Having a mentality and doing “business unusual” has many more positive credits than negatives. Just the fact that you are motivated to do something differently gives you an added advantage against your fellow employees if you are in employment.

    Your boss or supervisor will be very pleased with you when he sees the effort of improvement being exhibited. It also goes the same for people running their own businesses. The little efforts being applied will definitely be noticed and appreciated by both would-be customers and current ones.

    Conclusion

    “Business is a combination of war and sport” ~ Andrea Maurois. I would like to encourage you to have a mentality of doing things differently.

    It may be difficult at the beginning but remember that Rome was not built in one day. Start with the small little things that are easy to do and continue on that path for say 3 weeks and see if you will not make a difference.

  • It Pays to Start Small

    “Do not despise the days of your small beginnings” ~ the Bible. “Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still” ~ Chinese proverb.

    Some translations of the Bible say “humble” beginnings. I am sure that we all want to succeed in all areas of our lives more especially in the financial area.

    It is only normal and nature permits it. I believe that all normal human beings have the desire to want to do something that will make them excel and succeed in all endevours’ of life.

    The biggest problem, however, lies in the desire to climb the tree starting from the very top. It is the wish to enjoy the fruit before even taking the necessary step of planting the tree.

    It is like wanting to eat dessert before having the main meal, rushing to experience the rewards without putting in the essential groundwork first.

    We always want to ignore the basics. Many of us do not want to build a solid foundation for our success, be it in business or personal development. We want the easy way out.

    We would rather start reaping from what we have not fully sowed. However, what we do not realise is that ignorance and avoidance of basics is one of the major contributors to our failures.

    Yes, you may experience temporal success but the end is very catastrophic. Cutting corners may just prolong your journey to success.

    Starting small gives you the opportunity to learn the trade. You grow slowly but steadily learning and avoiding big losses.

    This gives you motivation, as you are able to see the small achievements that you are scoring along the way and you keep building on them.

    The Building Blocks

    To succeed at anything you need to have the building blocks put together. In fact, you must first acquire the building materials and then put them together in the right order.

    Most of us have acquired the building blocks and I can assure you that a good number of us have better building materials than successful people.

    The major difference is that we want to jump the gun. We want to start building the house from the roof.

    Simply put we do not appreciate our small beginnings. I like this Chinese proverb that says “a journey of three thousand miles beginnings with one step.”

    For sure every step taken simply means that you have covered a distance. In this case, your building blocks are the steps you are taking.

    As an individual, I have learned to appreciate that for anything that I want to succeed at, the small efforts and inputs that I put in are greatly appreciated and treasured.

    For I know that it is these small little things that give birth to big things. Know that Rome was not built in one day.

    Remember if you are planning to start running your own business do not be discouraged at the amount of startup capital you have.

    Just start and grow with your business. The more you learn how to handle small amounts of money, the more you are training yourself to handle large amounts of money.

    They say “it is the cents that make the dollars.” Put the cents together and you have a dollar. The more cents you put together the more dollars you have. The more dollars you have the more money you accumulate.

    It’s just like the human body; it is made up of small cells. These small cells when put together make each and every tissue, organ, and finally, the whole body is complete.

    When you focus on the composition and makeup of the human body you will appreciate that all growth comes from within; you will appreciate that those small things when put together they add up to something big.

    Start Small

    I know we all want to start big and quickly move in the comfort zone.

    The reality is that even the biggest corporations of today started small.

    A lesson learned from starting small is that you grow with the business and develop a discipline for managing it.

    Nature is such that you will hold dear what you have worked for and have seen grow from scratch. You become emotionally attached to it.

    It is very different to be given a lot of money that you have never handled before in your life, the likely hood of mismanaging the funds is higher than when you have toiled and sweated for the same money.

    They say easy come easy go. Have you ever wondered that most of those who win the lottery quickly become bankrupt?

    Starting small and ensuring steady growth also gives you a sense of pride and satisfaction.

    I am not against anyone who starts big, experience has shown that those who grow their businesses from a small scale are more likely to succeed than those who start big.

    I feel more comfortable starting with something I can handle and improving on it as it grows. It is much easier to handle small things and learn from them.

    Even in the area of personal development, change will not come like manna from heaven. The change will come through the small everyday efforts that you put in.

    Conclusion

    In order to succeed, we must appreciate the days of our humble beginnings. We also appreciate that all forms of living things are made of small components and remember that it is the cents that make the dollars.

    Learn to cherish those days and thank your creator for them. The days of your small beginnings are your learning curve and building blocks for your success.

  • The Secret Source of Power

     

    “The possibilities of thought training are infinite, its consequence eternal, and yet few take the pains to direct their thinking into channels that will do them good, but instead leave all to chance” ~ Marden.

    Before we go further let’s define the word power “it is the ability to do something or act in a particular way, especially as a faculty or quality.”

    We all possess the unique ability to take various actions. Each of us holds the power to make choices, whether those choices are positive or negative in nature.

    Everyone has some unique ability or talent; no one can truly claim they can’t do anything meaningful at all in life.

    Since all human beings have the ability and quality to do something one would then expect all of us to lead very successful and fulfilling lives.

    This is not meant to happen; the key is understanding the secret and where it comes from: POWER. It’s about how to use this power, apply it, and truly realize its potential.

    The Source of Power

    The question to ask then is, what is the true source of this power? As you read along, you will begin to understand the concept of the source of power more clearly.

    The mind and its attitudes are by far the most important elements of achieving success and fostering personal development.

    What your mind thinks about most of the time, is what you eventually become. In other words, you are in your current position because of the thoughts you entertained.

    The thoughts you harbour in your mind are key to your success. If you want to make lots of money, have the money consciousness.

    The ability to eliminate imperfect conditions depends upon your mental action, and mental action depends upon consciousness of power.

    The more aware we become of our deep connection to the source of all power, the more effectively we will be able to manage and positively influence every situation we encounter.

    This mental attitude is our personality and is composed of the thoughts which we have been creating in our own minds. You see the mind is such a powerful tool.

    Therefore, if we desire a significant change in our current conditions, all that is necessary is to actively change our thoughts and mindset.

    This will, in turn, change our mental attitude, which will, in turn, change our personality, which in turn, changes the person, things, and conditions, or, the experiences with which we meet in life.

    This, however, is no easy matter, but with persistent effort, it may be accomplished.

    The source of all this power is the universal mind, from which all things proceed and which is one and is invisible.

    The Secret of Power

    Now that you understand the source of power, the next crucial step is to learn the deeper secrets behind harnessing that power effectively.

    Like I always say knowledge without action is useless. You need to be conscious of power because whatever we become conscious of is invariably manifested in the objective world; it is brought forth into tangible expression.

    Put simply your thoughts are transmuted into reality. Have you ever realized that even the earth was first a thought according to the bible? “In the beginning, GOD created the heavens and the earth.”

    Correct me if I am wrong but, I believe that GOD thought and visualized what the earth would like before creating it.

    The secret of power is in the consciousness of it. The secret of success is one of the methods of organizing victory, one of the accomplishments of the Master-Mind.

    A person who thinks big possesses a creative mind and often finds it significantly easier to manage and tackle big challenges effectively.

    The mind is just as much present in the infinitely large cosmos as it is in the infinitely small particles of matter that compose our universe.

    Conclusion

    There is a wealth of information available on this blog, and I would highly encourage you to explore various topics that may pique your interest.

  • 3 Reasons Why Leaders Fail

    We are all born leaders in one way or another. If you are not leading people, at least you are responsible for the leadership of your life.

    A good leader takes calculated risks and sometimes fails, the distinguishing factor is that an effective leader learns from his or her failures and moves forward.

    A good leader also takes responsibility for the failures of his team members just like he takes credit when they succeed.

    It is not realistic to assume that all forms of leadership are a success. Leaders are human beings and people make mistakes and they sometimes fail.

    In this article, I outline some of the reasons why I think leaders fail. There are many factors though but I feel that the ones outlined below are the major reasons.

    Not Sharing and Understanding the Vision

    If you want to lead you need to have a clear understanding of your vision or plan as it maybe.

    A good leader will clearly share his vision or plan. This will allow his followers to understand him and see how they can fit in his vision or plan.

    I have noticed that most of our leaders, have no clear-cut vision to share, especially amongst our African politicians. They have a tendency of not having a clear vision for their people and hence end up failing when they are in leadership positions.

    Actually, most of them are not in these positions to serve the people. They get into public office for their own benefit. The first thing they look at is enriching themselves.

    Sharing the vision of the company or any other venture is very important. For the young manager, it is very important that you understand the vision of the company before you get into leadership positions.

    A leader who does not know or understand the company’s vision and goals will be leading a team without goals.

    I want to liken this to a sports team. The manager of a football team knows that the vision and objective of the team are to produce positive results in this case beat every opponent in order to lift the first prize.

    He will then prepare his team accordingly and impart the vision to his team members, in order to achieve the set goals.

    If you are a CEO of a company and your company has no vision for the future. Please formulate one and pass it on to your team and see how they will take it.

    Most likely they will quickly realign themselves to fit in. It is the responsibility of the leader to identify among his member the qualities he is looking for.

    A good leader will help improve the skills of his team members by providing them with the necessary tools and an enabling environment.

    The Arrogance of Not Listening to People

    Real leadership requires that you spend time listening to your team members. Listening is a skill that needs to be developed. If you want to be a good leader do more listening than talking.

    I have worked with a CEO who did most talking than listening and I can tell you he was not an inspiring leader.

    We had a high labour turnover at work and even the ones he really thought would stay longer did not.

    The reason was he was always talking and not listening and taking in criticism. He was a Mr. Know-It-All.

    The only way you can know how you are progressing is to allow people to speak and you do the listening.

    Giving a deaf ear to your team members’ suggestions and observations is a very good recipe for failure.

    A good and progressive leader will encourage his team players to speak out and give them an opportunity to be heard.

    By not listening and taking constructive criticism the leader will end up having to make wrong and catastrophic decisions.

    Here is what I have come to learn if you do most of the talking and criticism people will not be willing to help you make the right decisions. In fact, they will be glad to see you make decisions that are not good.

    I want to believe that if you cannot listen then you are not a leader you are a boss. Only bosses make final decisions without listening to other people’s inputs. There is a big difference between leaders and bosses.

    Leaders who are successful over the period have mastered the art of listening and allowing all the stakeholders to candidly express their opinions. Bosses on the other hand impose their decisions on the team.

    Not Widening the Circle of Involvement

    My last observation for leaders’ failures is a lack of widening the circle of involvement. It’s just “me that makes the decision and nobody else.”

    As a company grows a strong leader will realise that there is a need for more players to get involved. Most of us think that when more people are involved it takes away our power.

    This is not the case nowadays as most companies want to maximise profits and spend less on the much-needed team players.

    There is something that most people in leadership positions forget and that is you are made successful by your team and not yourself.

    Your team is capable of making you succeed or indeed fail. Having a widened circle of participants is good for company growth.

    Great leaders continuously engage and involve more people in their vision. This will bring about change and support will grow both naturally and organically. With support from most of your team members, the sky is the limit.

    You can widen the circle by promoting or giving some of your responsibilities to people within your team. You can then concentrate more on making sure that they make the correct decisions that align with your objectives.

    Conclusion

    Ultimately, there is no formula for leadership success. You can only find suggestions and how you apply them entirely depends on the kind of organisation and team players you are handling.

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