JOHN OGBILE OKPE

Fact 1: You know what you want to do.

Fact 2: You certainly know you need to be doing that right now.

Fact 3: You say to yourself: "I will do it tomorrow."

Fact 4: Tomorrow is here. The unexpected happens and you forgot about what you said you will do today.

Fact 5: It's January 2018, it will be February few days from now. Yesterday was 13th September 2015 when you had this idea. It's almost three years down the line and still nothing from you.

The truth is that in as much as you were doing nothing concerning what you want to achieve, you were making a choice, because everyday we make decisions consciously and unconsciously. You must have heard the gist that says that life is about the choices we make, haven't you? My previous post on How To Buy The Future explains in detail.

We have to realize that time is a fixed (or limited) resource. It cannot be increased, it can only be maximised. It's better to start no matter how little, because a year from now the little things will accumulate into 365days worth and you will be glad you started.

Anything worth doing is worth doing badly until you get it right.

Let me tell you a story. Before three months ago, I've always wanted to share my thoughts on a blog. Although it's been my utmost obsession, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. "Where was I to start from?", "What do I know?", "How do I combine it with my studies?", "How much information do I have that makes me think I could be a blogger?" The thoughts were overwhelming. Plus I wanted it to come out perfectly. I wanted it to be topnotch and for that to happen, I had to do 'enough' research. I felt I haven't read enough books. I didn't have enough information to make it happen.

This is the exact same reason many people never do anything in their lives and go to their graves with their potentials and dreams still inside them. The thing is, if you wait until all the conditions are perfect, you may have to wait forever. Stop waiting for a perfect condition, there will never be one.

One striking principle of successful people is that they are action oriented. When the thought comes, they get started and autocorrect on the way.

Every master was once a disaster. You've got to know that your first product cannot be your best. As you grow and develop, your products become better. It is better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly. An ancient proverb says it's better to try and fail than fail to try.

While it's true that it is good to plan, if you take all your time planning, nothing gets done. You can't absorb all the logistics involved in carrying out a project at first try; hence people give room for miscellaneous. Remember, people don't get known for what they intended to do, they are known for what they did.

Apply the corridor principle. It states that you may not see the whole rooms in the corridor, but once you step in, the other rooms become visible.

John Greenleaf Whittier once said, "Of all the sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these: it might have been".

Today is what you've got, please maximize it. Procrastination is expensive. Whenever you notice it creeping into your life, arrest it immediately, the further you wait the worse it becomes. Moreover, you are not growing any younger you know. Few years from now, you will wake up and notice grey hairs growing all over your head, so make wise use of today. Don't wait till the end of your life only to discover you haven't really lived.

Always remember, you don't have to be great to start but you have to start to be great. The best ideas in the world are of no value until they are implemented.

So start now! Don't discount yourself!! The world is waiting to hear your success story!!!


Got any lessons from this? Leave it in the comment below.

Yes, that's right! Bobrisky had a "gateman" called Jacob!
And so?

It is no longer news that we are already into the first week of 2018. I love this time of year because it has proven to be the most productive for many people: gyms are packed, motivational quotes are tacked to office and room walls, and people are constantly talking about their new diet or their new pledge to becoming a better person. But then, it makes me a little sad to know that a few weeks from now, the zeal to follow through with these resolutions might be no where to be found. According to a story by U.S News & World Report in 2015, about 80 percent of people give up their new year goals by February.

As January drifts further into the rearview mirror, it can be easy to settle into old habits and forget about the resolutions and goals established at the turn of the calendar. Below are some steps you should take in order to increase your chances of achieving your goals.


1. Write Down Your Goals

Take time to write down carefully what you want to accomplish with your life. I have found out that writing down one's goals makes one more decisive. The fifteen minutes you invest in making a Daily Schedule will be multiplied 100-fold before the end of the month. Visualization of a goal builds remarkable confidence. Planners can predict their success. The secret of uncommon achievers is linking tasks to their calendar.

"And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it," (Habakkuk 2:2)

I already handled this area of goal setting  alongside other equally important areas in my previous post. Please read more here>>> HOW TO PLAN 2018 TO BE YOUR BEST YEAR YET


2. Break Down Your Goals Into Smaller Achievable Units

It's alright to have big goals on the horizon, but you will never get there if you can't break it down into actionable steps. Goals that are way too ambitious are destined to fail. It's best to start small.

You see, when a goal isn't trackable on a daily basis, it becomes exponentially more difficult to feel as though you're moving in the right direction... And as humans, unless we feel like we're making progress, we tend to give up on our pursuit.

Ask yourself, "If my massive goal is to make ten thousand sales this month, what do I need to get done this week in order to move myself in that direction?"


People often ask me how I manage to read one non-academic book per week, especially being a final year Mechanical Engineering student.

I simply reply: "First, I didn't just start reading a book per week in my final year, this is something I had been struggling so hard to do since my second year, but it wasn't until my fourth year that I achieved it. Second, it didn't happen because I love reading: many people genuinely love reading, but it's a little difficult for them to read through an entire book. Most stop halfway because good intentions are not always enough. It was possible because I discovered a method which is to break bigger goals into smaller unit. What I simply do is to calculate the number of pages in a book (most of the books I read for now usually don't exceed 350 pages), then I divide it by seven, which is the number of days in a week. The result I arrive at is the daily portion I read per day."

It's a very simple principle, break the mountains obscuring you into rocks, break the rocks into bricks of stone and you would soon get rid of it.

Unfortunately, most people set big, overarching, difficult-to-measure goals for themselves because they're in love with the idea of the end pursuit. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if that strategy didn't plan out very well for you in 2017, then it's probably not going to fair much better in 2018.

Henceforth, I challenge you to only set goals you can accomplish within 7 days. If you can't accomplish it in 7 days, the goal is too big.


3. Be Intentionally

When it has to do with achieving your goals, good intentions aren't enough. It takes more than just a numbered list to plant a goal and really have the emotional wherewithal to achieve it. That is why you've also got to be intentionally.

Being intentional is a deliberate action step, in the now to be committed to your goals. On the other hand, good intentions don't last, they are about unfulfilled longing, and they are passive. That is why staying on course and achieving one's goals requires one to also live intentionally.

READ MORE HERE: HOLIDAY IS OVER; GET STARTED!


4. Know Exactly the "Why" for Setting the Goal

Most people think goal setting is some routine or ritual that one has to carry out every new year. If you think that way, you are very likely not to achieve the goals you have set for yourself. If you can't tell the reason why you want to achieve a particular goal, it is only a matter of time before you lose motivation and enthusiasm to carry on with your plans.

For instance, if your goal is to lose some weight, say 20kg, but without an understanding of why you have the extra 20kg, or a big enough motivation to lose it, it's easy to let the extra calories slide, or skip that extra gym session. When you realize that the 20kg is a lot to carry around, that it represents a safety barrier for you from love and relationships, that when you lose it, you feel better, look better and your love life improves - then you can be motivated to stick to the diet and exercise.


5. Be Focused and Discipline

Be clear about what you want to accomplish. Vague goals can also fail. Rather than saying you want to make money this year, it's better to pinpoint exactly how much money you want to make, like one million naira in two months, as an example. Have a focus.

Also, you need to be disciplined. Staying on course and achieving one's goals requires a lot of discipline. Discipline is sticking to the plans you have put in place to achieve your goals whether you feel like it or not. Don't wait to feel right. Just do it!


6. Be Accountable

It is very possible to derail or totally abandon our goals. Hence, we need to have accountability partner(s). I found out early in my own life that I am more productive when I make myself accountable to others. I know this is not an easy thing for most people to do, especially in our today's world where everyone is claiming "their-own-space." But it is a necessary requirement in reaching our goals.

Accountability partner(s) hold you accountable to your goals. They are the ones you report your progress to, and who spur you to continue in achieving more.

They are responsible for helping you achieve almost all (if not all) of your goals, instead of stopping halfway, and feeling like you have done enough.

They help you get rid of excuses. They help you think of alternative solutions, in case you hit a snag. They go further to help you by exposing you to their network of friends and associates. And they join you in celebrating your successes, little or big.

You may be good, you may even be better than everyone else, but you will never be as good as you can be without being accountable to someone. We reach our potentials and goals faster when we have someone watching our back.

So, as you set your goals for the year, it's important to find a person or persons as your accountability partners. Sometimes,  you may not have the inner strength to move, you may just need that extra push from someone outside of you.


7. Be Willing to Restart

You may not be able to achieve a goal at first go. Don't feel bad about it. Accept the failure, see it as an opportunity to learn and simply restart. Things often turn around for better after no more than three or four times. Don't give up! Try again!!

Let me get straight to the point.
(sorry if it's a rough way to start, but I'd like to emphasize strongly the urgency and the need to get started with your 2018 goals)

"Holiday is over!"

I hate to do this, but permit me to spoil your mood a little bit further.

Whether you are resuming work, school, or training tomorrow or next week, the truth is exactly what is written above.

Everything continues from where you stopped, and what will determine if you enjoy a head start, reach your goals and become a better person this year are not just the plans you have made and tacked up on the wall, but also how serious you are about getting started and putting these plans to work.

On December 19th 2012, Jelili said he was waiting for the New Year before he gets started with his dream of becoming a movie script writer. He was serious about what he wanted, he even went as far as writing them down, but Jelili lacked the will power to enforce his desires. It's been over five years since he made those comments, and as at the time of writing this post, Jelili is yet to get started. Goals, plans and dreams die when they are left unattended to.

I remember someone saying this to me fifteen days to the end of 2016 in response to our conversation on getting started: "Oh c'mon John, I promise to put all my dieting plans to work. I'm just waiting for the New Year to get started." It will shocked you to learn that she still weighed something around 90kg all through 2017. I can only hope that she gets started this time around.

I think there's a widespread misconception about a New Year. We think the first few days in a new year are some sort of a super day that automatically changes and makes things work out, and as a result we put off all of our plans till then. But it doesn't work that way! You see, the first few days in a new year are just like every other normal day. The only thing that makes it different is the frenzy surrounding it. Whatever you can change, change it now, don't put if off any longer.

It's important to note that things will not automatically change because it's a new year, things will change because you do something about them. In the same vein, time doesn't change things, it is what you do with time that changes things. Likewise, intolerance of your present will not automatically create your future if it is not merged with action.


Don't only move decisively towards the goals and plans you have set. That's just the start but it doesn't end there, be sure to also apply corresponding action. Everything boils down to ACTION!

You really shouldn't be content with "managing" a bad situation or maintaining 'Status Quo' anymore in 2018. Stretch yourself.

Don't manage that bad job for another year, determine to change it. Don't manage that degree for another year, you know you need an upgrade, get it!

Don't be scared to start that business, refuse to be mediocre, stop waiting for handouts, learn that all important skill.

Do whatever it takes to get out of your comfort zone. Don't manage a bad situation this year, get out of it!

Be dissatisfied with mediocrity!
Be dissatisfied with wishful thinking!
Be dissatisfied with plans without action!!!

Today is the first day in the year 2018, and you have already started creating your future today. You will never leave where you are only because you decide so, you will leave where you are only when your desires translates to work. The moment you move from decision making to decision managing is the moment your world will change.



Holiday is over, it's time to get started with your 2018 goals. Go buddy! Get to work!!

It's barely three days to the start of 2018, and though it may be difficult to imagine, we can't deny the glaring fact that another year is in the books. Thankfully, the start of a new year, also represents the opportunity for us to make 2018 the best year yet.

In January, a lot of us set up resolutions for 2017. Where are they right now?
Fulfilled? In Progress? Or totally forgotten?

It's quite easy to dump our resolutions along the first three months of the year if we don't have a clear plan for how to make them come to fulfillment.

You can't just say you want to imbibe the culture of saving if you don't have a clear plan of how to save and make it count. You may end up keeping money aside for when temptation arises rather than for the purpose you intended it.

You need a plan, thoroughly thought through. And that's why I want to advise you not to wait till January before making your plans. My mentor says ten months make a year. Successful people take stock of what has happened in their year in the eleventh month, and plan for the next year in the final month. So that by January, whilst others are waking up to plans, you are already setting yours in motion.

READ ALSO
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LESSONS FROM EBUKA'S AGBADA

If you hope to rise above and beyond your goals for the new year and make your 2018 the best year yet, some preparation is needed. These preparations are summarized below.

1. Review Your Last Year

It is important that you review the activities of the last year before moving to the next calendar year. Review your successes. Write them all down. Also, review the goals you didn't reach. Be honest with yourself about why you didn't reach those goals. It's is rewarding to examine what really went wrong, why and most importantly how to improve and move forward.


Taking what you've learnt in 2017 can help you in not only setting goals, but in also reaching those goals in 2018.

2. Set Goals for the New Year

This is perhaps one of the most discussed topics in the area of personal development, so I'm not gonna bore you with the same stuffs you already know. Since you are already aware of the importance of identifying and putting your goals in writing, it's time to do it for the new year, which is just around the corner.


Please note that it's absolutely okay if some of the goals you couldn't achieve make it to your list of goals in the current year. You also want to include new goals based on your experiences from the current year, or changes in your personal and career or professional life.

READ ALSO
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NOODLES PALAVA


3. Deploy "The 10 Goal Method"

This involves taking a sheet of paper and writing your 2018 goals along with the current dates across the top. You write down ten goals that you want to achieve in the next twelve months, as if you have no limitations. Use the guide below to achieve that:

- Write down your goals in the present tense as if you have achieved them. It is a special way of programming your subconscious mind to work 24hrs a day to make the goals come through.

For instance, rather than write: "I want to earn X amounts of dollars a year", write down: "I earn X amounts of dollars a year."

Always write it down as though you have achieved it.

- Write down your goals in the positive sense. For instance, rather than write: "I want to quit drinking", write down: "I am a non-drinker".

- Write in the personal sense. Each of your goals should begin with the word "I". This tells your subconscious mind that the command is coming from the home office, I mean from the headquarters. It can then better register and act on your goal.


When you set goals in the present tense, and in the positive and personal sense, it energizes your brain in helping you to achieve those goals faster and even automatically.

4. Prioritize a Single Goal

Ask yourself, what goal on that list of ten above that if achieved within 24hours will have the greatest positive impact on your life. Give it some thought, and when you arrive at an answer, circle off that goal. This specific goal then becomes your major. definite purpose. It also becomes your primary goal and your most important focal point in life.

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5. Make a Plan

- Transfer this primary goal to a clean sheet of paper.

- Attach a deadline to that goal faced like the goal itself. For instance, "I achieve this goal by this day".

- Identify the challenges you will face in achieving that goal.


- Know the skills you will need and the people who can help you to achieve the goal. Write them down.

- Organize this list in the form of plans. What do you do first, second and third.

6. Take Action Immediately

It's not just about "goal-setting", it's also about "goal-doing". Spend enough time on your goals. Instead of focusing on the end result, begin to track how much time you spend on your goal daily. Take action immediately, even if the action isn't significant. Take the first step.

The key to life is to decide what you want, make a list of the steps necessary and take the first step. You can always see the first step, and when you take the first step, you will see the second step, and when you take the second step, you will see the third step, and you can accomplish extraordinary things with this method.


Using these strategies will put you in a good place to achieve your goals and have the kind of year that you both desire and deserve.


Before I come to the conclusion of this post, I want to prescribe a personal retreat for you before the new year. Find time, a day or two, to reflect, and foreshadow.
Start working on your goals immediately. Don't wait till tomorrow, don't wait till an hour, do something now.

What worked this year? What didn't? What should happen next year? What shouldn't? How do you make things happen?

Work through it, and come to a conclusive end, and you will see how your 2018 will turn out to be.

December is not only for Hangouts, and Christmas celebrations. You can equally use it to get ready for an explosive year.

Remember, if you want to change your future, take action and take action now!


READ ALSO
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JACK OF ALL TRADE, MASTER OF NONE

Back then, the chilly and dusty harmattan wind that blew up every kind of particle on the dusty ground of Oluyinka Dada Street, U-Turn, Lagos was a sign of good things to come. Then, the only thing on my mind was the Christmas clothes and toys. Those items that made me feel on top of the world! It didn’t matter if it was a rubber shoe or a plastic radio. Like every other kid in the neighborhood, I just wanted to “make Iyanga” marching through the brown earth.

There were no excuses of recession – if there’s one, I never knew– Christmas clothes must be ready! I cannot come-and-go and carry last in the presence of Ify, Frank, Chiazor and the other kids. Lai lai! (Never!)

READ ALSO: WHAT TO DO DURING THE PERIOD OF COURTSHIP

It was a time of eating unabated. Time to “drag” the chicken intestines; it was the only part we were allowed to eat before the other parts were served. We had to go through the rigours of cleaning it up ourselves. Afterwards, we threw it into the pot to boil with the other parts. When it was ready, we'd run to a corner of the house and sentence the chicken’s intestines to everlasting judgment in nature’s warmer.

The memories of how mother killed a bird which will later jerk back to life is still very fresh in my memory. It's just like it happened yesterday. I have never seen a scene like that before or after that time. It happened on the eve of Christmas, in the evening around past 4.00pm. We were all gathered in the kitchen when it happened. We witnessed as mother's knife cut deep into the bird's neck. There's no questioning that. We saw blood gush out from it's neck and also witnessed an end to it's long resistance as it lay lifeless on the big bowl. But something happened! As soon as mother poured the hot water (which had been boiling minutes before the bird met with the knife) on the seemingly lifeless bird, it jerked back to life and sprinted a little round the kitchen before mother caught up with it and a more proper and final job was done. It was quite an emotional moment. I still remember and imagine that scene up till this day whenever I witness the killing of a bird.

Before the day, I and my friends will plan the houses to visit and the shortest routes to them to “dash” us money! Those were the times I became a geographer, giving the direction to every house; a time manager, allotting the amount of time to stay in a particular place; an accountant, sharing the “dashed money” with other kids; a good child, because I obeyed the GOLDEN RULE from MAMA: “Thank you ma, we have eaten” even though it was sometimes disobeyed due to the worms running marathon in my stomach; embarked on another Great Trek, with the kilometers covered (even the Great Trek is a played-down comparism to my Christmas visitation).

READ ALSO: HOW TO BUY THE FUTURE

“Seek ye first the money and other gifts will follow” that was the code engraved in our hearts then. Once the crisp naira notes were handed to us, it didn’t matter what came next. The owner of the house will forever have his name starched in our hearts when he hands over glittering wads of mint to us. Mr. Dada the Mortician was our best friend: aside handing us the much desired naira notes, he'd also treat us to a very nice meal.

Those were the ones that knew WASSUP. Blessed are they because even Christ, the reason de’tairre for the season, said that it is not good to throw the children’s meat to the dogs!

Abi nor be so Bros J talk am? Lol


We didn't know Santa. Santa was for folks staying in the rich neighborhood. What we knew was "Father Christmas"....

... But "Father Christmas" was not so generous. He would come to our schools to give gifts to only those who payed for those gifts. Lol

So the money we gathered up from neighbors came in handy. We used part of the money to buy 'knockout' and others to gamble for balloon (we always eyed the biggest one, but I don't know why no one ever wins it. If you know, help a brother, biko!)

READ ALSO: BUSINESS LESSONS FROM #ON2017 & #Baad2017

Of course, there were those who just didn’t show that it was time for the season. They wore long faces looking like a Yoruba masquerade known as EGUNGUN! Even when they faked happiness when we say welcome at the door. Once they told us “E PADA WA NI ODUN TUNTUN” (COME IN NEW YEAR), we knew that our village people have succeeded!

That New Year ran like a snail and when it came, it only ended in locked doors with statements that touch the heart like: "I have done Christmas for everybody with the money I had, why didn’t you come then?"

Las las, if-you-too-argue, they'd tell us: “You guys should come during Easter!” But thunder was rare then, we didn't know much about it, unlike now. We would have sent one from the Head Bridge to do the needful. Hehehe

Watching the older males in their baggy jeans and boots, and the females regaled in their flowing dress sharing "Christmas Rice" from door-to-door capped the beauty of the Christmas season. More so, the ever-melodious sounds from Tony Tetuila and Olu Maintain (Hip Hop Kings of those days), accompanied by the rhythmic dancing steps (which are now old school) and the dust it generated, were all testament to the season.

Oh, how can I forget how Ode almost got drowned and swept away by the raging waters of Kuramo beach. How lucky is Mr. Okey? Oh, very lucky! Had the boy drowned that day, the kind hearted and clear conscience man would have been accused of taking the young boy to the beach for rituals. Typical African conclusion!

As I sat, scribbling this piece, I can only reaffirm the biblical assertion that “there is time for everything!

Even though my mum is still “keeping” some of the money I made then, as per bank CEO, and wouldn't return it till Jesus comes, Christmas as a child was fun filled. I don’t know about you!


READ ALSO: JACK OF ALL TRADE, MASTER OF NONE

As a little boy I loved NOODLES. Well, we all loved noodles... My favourite brand was INDOMIE. I loved slopping up long strands of noodle into my mouth. I loved the way it felt.

I wasn't born with a silver spoon. We didn't always have the luxury of eating noodles in my house at all times. As such, whenever mom came back home with a cartoon full of noodles, I would be extremely excited.

READ ALSO: LESSONS FROM EBUKA'S AGBADA

Then one day something happened that killed that excitement. Mom was particular about the number of packs we were supposed to prepare so as not to waste "her noodles".

(Yes exactly, "her noodles". Mums believe that everything in the kitchen belongs to them. Lol)

She would allocate two medium size packs to me and three medium packs to my three big sisters.

"Mummy! Abeg you fit add me two extra packs to this one?" I wailed into her ears in pidgin English.

(We were not really the sophisticated type, so we communicated mostly in Pidgin English or Yoruba)

"No, the two don do you. You nor go fit finish three or four", she replied sternly.

"I go fit o! Abeg add me two more now", I broke into a fake cry just to manipulate her to give me those extra packs, being the renowned Olojukokoro (Oliver Twist) of the house back then.

READ ALSO: HAVING A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP

Yes! It worked. She added the extra packs of noodles to the one's I already had, making it four packs in total. Boy! I was excited. Parts of the benefits of being the last child; you get to always have your way anytime, anyway and any day you want.

I turned on the stove and started to cook. In minutes the noodles was ready for munching.

When I brought the pot down and saw how big the noodles was, I became scared. Oh boy, I was damn scared!

Why was I scared?

Because I had had a deal with mom. Prior to giving me the two extra packs, she had warned that if I couldn't finish it, then she would give me 12 sound strokes of her KOBOKO. Typical African mom; they hate wasting resources.

READ ALSO: REDEFINING RELATIONSHIP

So, there was mom sitting calmly with her KOBOKO by the side waiting for me.

Here was I looking at the pot of noodles and coming to terms with the fact that I won't be able to finish it just like mother had predicted.

Slash! Warp! The KOBOKO landed on my back, accompanied by a left hand slap. Oh, I learnt my lesson that day.

The rest is history.

MORAL
It is WISDOM, when you learn to control your impulse. Acting out of impulse or excitement is FOOLISH. Spend time analyzing and evaluating a decision before you step out on it.

Understand the end from the beginning. Have a plan B, C, D through to Z.

Acting based on impulse will block your mind from seeing what could go wrong. And once you can't see this, you can't prepare a contingence plan.

Always look and count the cost before you LEAP.


READ ALSO: BUSINESS LESSONS FROM #ON2017 & #Baad2017

A few days ago, a young man from my country named Ebuka wore an “Agbada” to his friend’s wedding and it broke the internet in Nigeria.

Oh, just in case you are wondering who this young man is, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu is a Nigerian lawyer and media personality from Okija in Anambra State, Nigeria. He is mostly known for hosting the reality show Big Brother Naija, the long running Rubbin' Minds Talk Show on Channels TV as well as co-hosting The Spot and Men's Corneron Ebonylife Television.

For viewers outside Nigeria, an Agbada is a traditional attire worn by Yoruba men to formal events.

For a long time, the Agbada has not gone through any real form of innovation. People have just been wearing the same designs from time immemorial, and we have all just accepted it like that...

... Until Ebuka wore an Agbada designed by Ugo Monye to Banky W and Adesua Etomi's traditional wedding ceremony.


READ ALSO: 7 BOOKS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER READING BEFORE 2017 RUNS OUT


Everybody was talking about it and they are still talking about it.

I however learnt a lesson from this story (as usual... Lol).

You see, I’ve once heard about the designer of the Agbada from a friend. I’ve heard how he has built his brand consistently over the years. I've also heard he is a very good designer who is very particular about details and who has an eye for style. He is even making money, he has a flagship store in Lekki Lagos, but his brand name was not among the big names we hear on Social Media.



So one day... Ebuka wore one of his products, and it broke the internet. Yes! It broke the internet in Nigeria.

All of a sudden, everybody wanted to know who the designer was and his Instagram followership grew by over twenty thousand in 3 days.


Amazing, isn't it? Hmm....


READ ALSO: WHAT TO DO DURING THE PERIOD OF COURTSHIP


You reading this article, just be building your business and brand ohhhh.


Face Front.


Focus on your passion.


Focus on what you are building.


Keep delivering First Class service.


Don’t worry about whether your business has been recognized among the big names, or whether you have gotten any award or whether your popularity is not as high as you would like it to be.


Your time is coming!


READ ALSO: HAVING A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP


Whether it's graphics you design, or perhaps you are a stylist, keep those services you render First Class. Don't worry if you are not a household name just yet. You just keep delivering value with your designs and products. Someone will rock those designs someday and promote your work, like Ebuka promoted Ugo Monye's design.


Your time is coming!


I know it sounds easier said than done, and I even have to remind myself of this all the time when I realise that I have started comparing myself with other people.


Comparison has never brought me joy.


I have realized that my path is different.


What I’m building is different.


My journey is different.


My struggle is different.


My time of recognition will also be different.


All I’m doing now, is just to focus on this thing that I’m building.


One day, I’m going to blow... and it is the work that I’m doing now, that everybody will see.


I will share the stories of the lives that have been impacted because they came in contact with me...and that’s what everybody will see.


READ ALSO: 5 REASONS WHY DATING IS NOT THE SAME AS COURTING


I will share the platform I used to impact lives, and it will be my current work at The Elite Academy.


The point here is… it is not when I blow that I will start creating my capacity building courses or building my brand or organizing summits, conferences and workshops.


These things are already existing and they are the products that the world will one day discover.


And don't be tempted, not even for a second, to quote that very popular religious line that says: "one day of favor is better than eight years of labour or hustle." Like you, I also believe in the grace and favor of God, but I also believe in diligence and hard work. The eight years are as important as the one day, cos' you don't learn that craft in one day. Too often, folks miss the plot by constantly chasing the "one day" instead of building themselves up for "the day". Ugo Monye is already well positioned to handle the blow out. So keep building and developing yourself. Your time is coming!


So my friends, where is your business?


Where is your brand name?


What are you doing now that can position you for the top?


How hard and smart are you working right now?


Do the work and every other thing will follow. Remember, we don't wait to prepare in the future, we prepare in the present for the future. The future will only open up for us based on what we are doing right now in the present.

Keep working, and like Ugo Monye, your time will come!


READ ALSO: REDEFINING RELATIONSHIP

At the beginning of this year, I set a personal goal to read 52 non-academic books by the end of the year; one every week. Four days from now, I will have finished reading my 41st book for the year.

Phew!!! Not an easy task especially for a final year Engineering student who has a project to work on, and loads of other engineering materials to study.

What a wonderful year!! Many things will happen for those who decide to stretch.

My best quote for 2017 is by Earl Shoaff, Jim Rohn's mentor, he said: "set a goal for what it would make of you to achieve it."

Anyway, the intent of this post is to recommend 7 books that you should read before the year runs out.

Mind you, these suggestions are highly subjective and your discretion is strictly advised.

In no particular order, here you go:


1. Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker

T. Harv Eker explains how you too can master the inner game of money so that you will not only achieve financial success but keep it once you have it.  This book changed my philosophy about riches and wealth. I now have a millionaire mind. Do you?


2. Goals by Brian Tracy

Read this book and you'll never remain the same. Brian Tracy talked about how to set goals and achieve them effectively. Check it out.


3. David & Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell

There's an advantage in every disadvantage. What if I told you that the story you read about David and Goliath is not complete? You can get the full gist and more in this book.


4. The Law of Success by Napoleon Hill

The writer of the classic, "Think and Grow Rich" has got a lot of wisdom penned down in this book. A good read I must say.



5. How You Can Be Led By the Spirit of God

In this book, Rev. Kenneth Hagin explains step by step guidance through the Scriptures to steer Christians away from spiritual pitfalls and help them to follow the Spirit of God in every area of life. You also get to learn how the conscience, the inward witness, prophecy, visions, and training the human spirit really works. In a world where many voices are trying to gain our attention, I highly recommend this book to everyone who is seeking to make the right choices in life.  Superb read!


6. The Richest Man in Babylon by George Classon

In the book billed as "the Bible of financial freedom," George Classon shares a timeless set of principles through a collection of parables set in ancient Babylon. His goal, to provide insight to "those who are ambitious for financial success," is achieved through simple financial story telling. This book teaches straightforward lessons that aim to show that the secret to wealth building are unchanging and remain applicable throughout history. Check it out.


7. Understanding the purpose and power of men by Myles Munroe

The male is in crisis. Traditional roles once gave men stability and continuity from generation to generation. Today, the world is sending out conflicting signals about what it means to be a man, leading to many men questioning who they are and what roles they fulfill in life--as a male, a husband, and a father.

Are you feeling frustrated as a man and living far below your potential? Do you want to regain your authenticity as a man? This is the book for you. A good read I must say!


I'd advice that you do not limit your 4-5years in college to reading only your course books, because life is more real outside the four walls of a college. Most times, what we learn at school or formally may not necessarily be applicable in the real world, and the experiences we go through and learn from in the real world cannot be taught at school. So, it would really be naive to think that things learned at school should dictate the way you lead your life. The idea is, don't let school get in the way of your education.

I think it was Mark Twain who said the famous line, “don’t let school interfere with your education.” I actually do know it was Mark Twain who said that, because I just googled it. Lol, Google is a pretty good invention sometimes.

So, what are you waiting for?
Let the books in that library be opened!!
Be intentional about your personal development!!!