MONEY ! MONEY ! MONEY !

MONEY ! MONEY!  MONEY ....

You know the song… 

People battle everyday with the problem of money. It seems we never have enough to meet our needs . Sometimes you get a lot of money at a time and within a short time ,the money is gone and you are sitting wondering what you spent it on.

In fact, if you think about all the money that has passed through your hands in recent times that you cannot really account for, you may want to harm yourself. Especially when you have an important need and you do not have the money to meet the need. Sometimes you sit down and feel like breaking your head against the wall.

Every time you commit yourself to change and say you will do better with money , the process repeats itself.. as a typical nigerian,You begin to suspect a spiritual alien power at work against your pocket. In order to remedy the tide of events,you become a “prayer warrior “ ( whatever that means ) . You spend hours, nights and days in prayer and supplication often denying yourself of food and water.

You keep this up for days and months even years. Because the results do not come in time , you become secretive,suspecting everyone around you. Your spiritual guide ( prophet ,pastor , imam ) has confirmed that someone is at work to keep your purse empty. probably a close family member who does not want you to succeed....

The occasional cash windfall comes and you gleefully testify in church before a crowd to justify your lean – fasting – induced appearance. In the process , more are “touched “ to afflict themselves also with starvation and thirst in the hope of getting their own “miracle “.

After some time , the “miracle” tapers off and you are broke again. Thank God ! No one remembers you are that brother or sister who gave the windfall testimony some weeks back . You have nothing for the offering basket today .

You begin to succumb to tugs of frustration on your heart . Doubt begins to corrupt your soul and you wonder if God is really interested in your case .

The rousing sermons no longer resonate inspiration in your heart although you do not reflect this on your face… Your “ faith “ is failing because after all has been said ( and prayed ) and done, … You are STILL broke … And if the truth be told …the feeling stinks . Lacking money really sucks ! I agree .

Like the prophets of Baal in that wonderful story in 1kings 18 (really worth reading ), many are crying in the wrong direction. No matter how we afflict ourselves and engage in theatrics without actually doing the real creative and productive things that produce value and translate to wealth.... the only thing we will get is more pain , more hunger and more lack. 

And this will lead to the destruction of every other good thing in your life. Your relationships with others and yourself. You become a circumstantial hermit because you think you have tried every possible thing to turn your tide . The fundamental error is that you are looking everywhere for the solution except within yourself. 

inside you is the cause of the problem and inside you is the solution too.. the sooner you realise this, the better for you ...

The other chap at the contest on the mount was called Elijah he came alone.. BUT he came prepared . He put some things in place BEFORE he opened his mouth . The rest is history.

Money only answers to PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT. 

All else is sinking sand. Regardless of the drama you deploy or the prayers and fasting and mountains you climb and desserts and valleys you visit............... 

No matter how many witches or wizards you cast out, no matter how many times you fast and pray, until you lay out a good plan and work it persistently, you will remain in frustration and failure.

this is africas greatest problem... 

It is better you take the time to plan well. Make clear decisions. Avoid toxic relationships… Take massive and focused consistent action. 

Keep adjusting and moving forward. Do not be sentimental or dogmatic. Work with good information… Keep working … keep a positive and proactive attitude, Your circumstances will improve.

THE INCREDIBLE WATERMELON !!!

The watermelon seed develops up to 200,000 times its original body weight in about 80 days.

Each fruit is laden with seeds that have the capacity to grow at the same rate too. When you invest in watermelon farming, you can make up to 400% if you manage your farm well.

Can you imagine that ?? The irony for today is that 99.9% of those who grow watermelon for sale are not literate. They have no statistics, they have no systems. Some of them are farming by the roadside or on borrowed land. They have no marketing plan apart from the selling power of the fruit itself. The only thing that helps a watermelon to sell is the watermelon itself. because they are not educated, they can not develop maximum benefit for their work. most of the farm produce in Nigeria actually goes to waste before it reaches the market.

In corporate environments and offices across our big cities, people are looking for investments that can yield good profit returns… Some have even fixed their money in instruments that offer less than 20% per year.

The watermelon is in the hands of an uneducated farmer offering you better returns than you can get in any financial product – while at the same time creating jobs in a sustainable way. Most financial products do not add any extra value. last year i put N 50,000. into an investment product organised by one the banks. i left the money wit them for six months when i decided to go get my money, i got N 51,700. i had earned only N 1,700 for six months of my money being with them.  when i put this beside the crazy inflation rate, what happened is that i actually lost money.  if i had put that money into farming vegetables or this watermelon and i get a good harvest, i would certainly have made much more and i would be creating something of value that i can see.

The watermelon is offered to us in traffic or in market stalls and we hardly ever realise that this simple wonder of nature has the capacity to turn round the financial fortunes of whole communities if properly approached and appreciated.

The watermelon and indeed many areas or agriculture have the power to change our lives completely in many ways especially financially.

Watermelon is a type of melon and member of the gourd family, cultivated extensively for its pleasant-tasting fruit. Watermelon grows rapidly as a trailing vine and is very demanding of soil nutrients and space. Its original habitat was tropical Africa, but its popularity became widespread early in history, and today it is cultivated throughout the world. There is literally no home on earth in which watermelons are not consumed.

There are more than 1200 varieties of watermelon, ranging in weight from less than a pound, to more than two hundred pounds, with flesh that is red, orange, yellow or white.

The Carolina Cross is the common variety found in Nigeria. It produced the current world record watermelon weighing 262 pounds (119 kg). It has green skin, red flesh and commonly produces fruit between 65 and 150 pounds (29 and 68 kg). It takes about 90 days from planting to harvest.

Traditional medical practitioners have also discovered the usefulness of water melon as a source of cure to over 100 ailments. This opens up another market opportunity for the watermelon business.

According to a traditional medical practitioner , melon is proven to be capable of facilitating the body to eliminate excess sodium, which helps reduce swelling and lower blood pressure. Moreover, because of its extremely high water content (approximately 96%) and 0% fat properties, watermelon is often used in dieting and has become an ideal weight-control food.

It was discovered that melon is considered being able to promote urination, reduce swelling, clear heat, remove toxic substances, and mitigate high blood pressure. Watermelons are capable of diminishing inflammation and relieve fever, as it has the same effect of insulin that helps lower the blood sugar levels, making it an ideal food for diabetes patients.

What’s more, the traditional doctors reveal that recent studies have proven that melon extracts have shown anti-cancer activities, which can decrease tumour significantly, when used in short and long-term treatment.

These findings are being corroborated by many experts around the globe who are beginning to openly recognise the potential of natural remedies for health issues.

“If you have a boiled watermelon skin, honey and a little lemon in the morning afternoon and at bed time, then you can kiss cold and fever good bye. .. Also the watermelon seeds when eaten are good for men, as it revives their sexual capability,”

In some nations of Asia, especially China, roasted watermelon seeds are very common and eaten as a snack! Other regions of Africa press them to produce watermelon seed oil, which is commonly used in making soups such as Egusi. In fact, even the rind is sometimes pickled or even stir-fried, which means the whole watermelon fruit is edible.

These findings have made the fruit a potentially hot commodity, not only for those who take it for its medicinal value, but also to people who want to stay healthy or basically just have a good refreshing drink. The commercial potential of watermelon is yet to be fully realised.

With an investment of about N80,000 on watermelon, you will earn over N250000. Maturity is between 80 – 100 days depending on the type you choose to grow.

It is interesting to note that at present about 100% of the watermelon we eat is grown by people who have no formal education . This is one of the reasons why there are so many varying tastes and quality of the fruit on the market. Water melon sales have risen exponentially over the last few years, driven by a growing middle class that has become health conscious. With the awareness of the tremendous health benefits of the incredible watermelon.

There is also a potential for the production of carbonated watermelon juice drink – if only the raw material can be guaranteed !! The market potential for this is easy to imagine.

Today the watermelon is a common fruit at breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is an excellent snack between meals and especially for weight watchers. It is used for quenching thirst while providing good nutrition.

A typical variety can produce at most 1700 plants in an acre, each producing a maximum of 3-4 fruits. An acre therefore averages 8,000 to 9,000 fruits.

The new hybrids guarantee at least 2,500 plants per acre, each producing 6 -8 fruits.

Multiply these figures by the average price you pay for a watermelon and see what you can get from one acre in about 100 days. Buyers will come and buy your whole stock. Just calculate the returns and compare it to what you would get from your savings account or fixed deposit.

As with any business, there are risks involved. Problems such as disease, poor weather and soil can not be ruled out. That is why it is always advisable to insure your farm. However, if you manage your farm well, these risks will be seriously minimised. There is no way you plant at least an acre and lose your money.

Nutritionists have found that watermelon should be in most people’s diets because of all the health-promoting vitamin C and antioxidants—including beta-carotene and lycopene in every bite, combining great taste with excellent nutrition.

Watermelon may also be a natural Viagra, says a researcher. That’s because the fruit is richer than experts believed in an amino acid called citrulline, which relaxes and dilates blood vessels much like Viagra and other drugs meant to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). With these facts in your arsenal, marketing watermelon should get easier.

Please send an e mail to byobafrica@yahoo.com start your mail with your full details and phone number. We can send you a detailed report on how to set up a watermelon farm right in your backyard or on a commercial scale. It is not rocket science at all. All you need is good soil and a little commitment. You get healthier and wealthier. And you create jobs and more opportunities for others.

You could even grow your own water melons and sell exclusively through supermarkets around the country.

Imagine if you can draw up a list of 200 people you know who can buy from you on regular basis. What will that translate to in residual income. ??

Don’t forget that watermelon is highly consumable. If your customers buy two a week at N300 each, you have a gross of about N4miliion per annum right there .. Don’t forget that this is just PART TIME INCOME !!! As you cant sleep on the farm which just needs supervision as it matures . If you have a good cycle system, you will have fruit all the time and regular income..

In the watermelon we have a product that yields guaranteed returns…. Imagine if an educated person takes it up and turns it into a real business ?? Just imagine what that would be like.. All you do is get about five acres and divide the land into sections which you plant at different times to ensure you have fruit all the time. If you can not afford that land , of course you can start with even one plot of land.

In most of the villages around the country, you can lease land for very cheap. You do not need to buy the land. You clear the land … This is your main expense ….

Set up the farm , staff it and then begin maintainance and supervision, in about 100 days, you begin to get results.. 

CHOOSE ENTREPRENEURSHIP

It is not wise to spend time in prayers asking God to come and solve your problems… What you should do is to ask God to open your eyes.

The truth is that there will never be enough jobs for everybody But ironically, there are more than enough opportunities for all. In fact, for each person alive, there are many opportunities … If only you can think and believe a bit more in yourself and not some external miracle force. Everything must start with you. Once the foundation is weak… All else is in vain.

People fail … More because of the things they have been believing than any other factor. This belief shapes their attitudes and bleeds into everything else.

Every human being becomes what he or she has come to believe and accept as fact in life and living. This is true whether you accept it or not.

There are cripples who are wealthy and there are able bodied people who are failures. There are blind people who are very successful and we have billions of people who have eyes but are still unable to see opportunities around them.

There are professors who can not pay their bills. And there are semi- literate footballers who can buy a small town. The evidence is overwhelming… Success has more to do with how you think than any other condition. It has nothing to do with qualification or social status.

That is how the colonialists wanted us to think and our leaders accepted it and fed it into educational systems which have produced many of us.The most popular document in Africa is called CV. it is still a serious problem today.

There is no such thing as unemployment of people. What there is rather, is UNEMPLOYMENT OF MIND.

People do not like to think . They do not believe in themselves. They blame others for their problems just like they expect others to solve their problems. They have eloquent excuses to prove that their problem was caused by external forces.

If you can have a more positive attitude and stop being suspicious and fearful, you will see changes in your outputs and your results. Your whole life really is how you think.

It is possible that you disagree with this presentation or a part of it. That is a normal thing. I am yet to see anything created by a human being that is flawless. The point is not to focus on what you do not like or what you do not agree with, but to focus on what you can use and progress with. Progress is very important but argument about who is right or wrong is foolish.

The simple truth is that no matter what is written… Not everyone will be successful. Even if you print money and give it to everyone, there will be people who will be broke within one week.

Even if you open everybody’s head and pour wisdom into them, some people are just destined to remain stupid.

Deuteronomy 15:11 says “ For the poor shall never cease out of the land:”…. so no matter what you say or do, some people will never make it. Just try not to be among .

There is an entrepreneur in all of us. It is our original state …. It is time to unleash the greatness in you.

Entrepreneurship is not as difficult as you think, in fact, it may be the only option left for you to realise your full potential. 

You don’t need a lot of money to start a small business.

You don’t need a lot of money to start a small business. The impression that many of us have is that without a lot of money as up-front capital, it will be impossible to start a reasonable business that can grow and make you very successful. Well this is largely a myth. We can prove that while capital is important, it is not the most important thing in starting a new and successful business. 

The first thing is  

THE PERSON involved and the second thing is 
THE IDEA... Then comes ....
THE ENVIRONMENT and only after that does... 
THE MONEY comes into play. 

So you can see that even if you have plenty of money and you are not a good business person it could still all fail. You can also see that if you have money and have no idea or execute in the wrong environment, it could still all fail too. for example, a friend of mine came to Nigeria from Ghana. she decided to go into tilapia farming . she had a huge farm in Ghana and she felt that with Nigerians huge population, the business would be even more profitable here in Nigeria. on paper, everything looked great. she invested over $50,000. as initial seed capital to set up the farm, and at the onset everything was going fantastic. sales were even better than what she had projected. then slowly one hard reality that was not really anticipated began to be a real problem ....  NEPA ! problem in Nigeria. while Ghana had constant power, Nigeria did not. and tilapia, unlike catfish can not survive at all outside water. this means that as soon as you harvest tilapia out of the water, you have to put it in ice or in the freezer or it will begin to decay. and to get ice, she needed power. to get power she needed generator which consumed diesel. and the diesel cost is what eventually caused her to stop the tilapia farm and go back to catfish. this is the effect that environment can have on a business. and indeed .. i fully agree that Nigeria is indeed a very tough environment to do business. but if you structure your plan well, it is also probably the most profitable place to do business too. yes i agree too that money is important but it is not everything. We will show you here in G300 businesses you can start without any money invested whatsoever.

Only a serious mind and attitude are key.

there are businesses you can start  Part-time, anytime in this tumbling economy and insulate yourself from the harsh economy. 

Many people don’t have the inclination to take the plunge on a full-time basis. Part-time shoestring start-ups could also be the answer. Get the venture going on a part-time basis and determine if you like running your own business. 

If you do find that the life of a small business owner suits you, then prepare to gear up your business for full-time success. In a short time you could be talking great revenues.

To be an entrepreneur, you need to develop a knack for knowing what niche needs filling. this is so important. look at the niche that google filled. look at the niche that whatsapp has filled. both businesses are today worth billions in dollars. i have no doubt that YOU TOO CAN DO IT. 

Take a look at your community. just calm down and look closely.... Is there a business that needs to be started? Is there something that you feel should exist that does not ? Is there something that you think you are good at which you feel confident people will appreciate ?  

Every great business started in this way. Even the great religions of the world started like this.... Something is lacking ... Find a way to provide it.  That's entrepreneurship.

If you already have a job or you are still in school, you can test the waters with a small start-up without leaving the comfort and security of a steady salary and perhaps even nice insurance and pension benefits. These things are also very important. 

send us an e mail at byobafrica@yahoo.com or g300club@gmail.com to learn about other business opportunities and low-cost franchise ideas. You will also find tips and suggestions on how to find the business that is just perfect for you. 

As I have always stated, there will never be enough jobs, but there will always be more than enough opportunities. This is a simple fact.

Conduct your own due diligence research. You might find that there is already a business that caters to your proposed market. Analyze the existing business. Could you do the task faster? Cheaper? Better? If after careful analysis, the answer is “yes,” then you should prepare to take on the competition.

As I have said before, there are so many business ideas you can start with little or no money as long as you are serious and willing to give commitment and discipline. every single one of the ideas we offer is free of charge and very feasible and needs just the faith and dynamism of a determined mind. 

You can never succeed if you do not first believe. 

WARNING ! Success and ego can never mix. Every single successful entrepreneur has succeeded because he or she has been willing to do whatever is necessary to make the venture a success. bill gates and his partner paul allen started in a garage. micheal dell started in his dorm room and ggogle did not even have an office in the early days... they held meetings in fast food restaurants... One problem we have in Africa is our ego. Some of us feel “ too big “ to get involved in a particular type of business. for example, the business of refuse collection.. or if you are running an internet business, nothing stops yu from going to a cafe for a few hours every day to run your online business until you can affort better infrastructure. START WHERE YOU ARE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. 

If you feel too big for something it means you have a small mind. You can not see far. What did they say about little drops of water ..... ? they make the mighty ocean.. so start with the little drops. 

Things are really changing these days and I am happy to note that...... 

I know a lawyer and at least one ex banker who are very successful catfish farmers today. with the increasing cost challenegs in catfish farming, they have diversified into drying the fish to sell to consumers or supermarkets, and also growing watermelon beside the ponds... its all about faith and discipline... 

REAL ENTREPRENEURS will pull up their trousers and roll up their sleeves to get the job done because that's what it will take if they really want to succeed and if you are in nigeria and you are serious..... YOU WILL SUCCEED. 

There was a general in the bible called naaman he had to do what he felt was shameful to him in order to get his problem solved. go and read that story.. 

START YOUR BUSINESS TODAY. 

DON’T STOP SHOUTING !

In Mark 10:46-52 …. There was a blind man who could not see but he could hear.
......( Whatever challenges you are facing now… know today that there are always other options that you must explore. provided you keep your spirit positive, you will see it )

He heard that Jesus was around and he immediately began to shout. why did he shout ? he shouted because he had heard stories of Jesus and miracles that Jesus performed and he wanted a miracle himself..... He wanted to see. 

Because he was a beggar people looked down on him. They told him to shut up and stop making a nuisance of himself .. ( when you try to do something that will take you to another level, there will always be people or circumstances who will try to give you reasons to stop.). 

But what did he do ?? He shouted even more. His shouting brought results........ and Jesus stopped to pay attention to him. ( May Jesus stop and pay attention to you today. Amen! )

A conversation ensued and this beggar who started the day without eyes went to bed that day seeing clearly. so many others who were not beggars at the time would have ended that day without solving their problems but this beggar got his solution because he refused to shut up. 

now that he can see, his horizon of potentials and possibilities has been exponentially enlarged. The things that were not possible for him the day before because he could not see are now possible today because he can see … Wow … How did this happen ?

Because he shouted ! 

and he refused to stop shouting. He refused to listen to what others were saying …. They told him to shut up but He kept shouting and he got his results. 

It is possible that those who told him to shut up did not even get solution to their own problems … But the blind beggar got his problem resolved because he refused to listen to those who told hi to stop shouting. He persisted in his effort. And he got results..

You too will get results if you don’t give up. 

If you don’t try to blend in for fear of looking different. You will get HIS attention and he will stop and pay attention to you just like he did with the persistent beggar and things will happen in your favour. You don’t need any middleman. Make the call direct and make it now.

He decided at that point in his life that regardless of what others may think .. He was going to fight for what he really and truly wanted. And in that moment of decision… Everything changed.

Many people are still in the valley of decision between what they want to leave behind and what they want to catch in front of them. Many have been there for years. Put there by doubt, indecision, procrastination and general ignorance.

These things are just excuses and will not change the fact that you are not happy.

You need to do something unusual if you want to achieve something unusual. In the film AVATAR Jake Sully said … SOMETIMES YOUR WHOLE LIFE BOILS DOWN TO ONE INSANE MOVE. Then he went for the biggest bird in the sky….

The economy is tough … People say this. But interestingly enough, it is inside these tough times that some people will achieve things they never achieved before. 

There is absolutely nothing the human mind can not achieve. So said Albert Einstein the greatest mind of 20th century.

But the mind must first believe and be willing to act on your belief. never give up, never stop. keep moving. keep thinking keep working. keep expressing yourself .. shout... He will come to you and solve your problem. Just dont ever give up or stop and most importantly, dont stop shouting...

THE FALSE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WEALTH.

FALSE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WEALTH

Majority of people have no real personal beliefs and go through life thinking that hard work is the key to wealth. This set of people are essentially just mirrors of their environment and reflect only the conventions dictated by that environment.

Whatever they do, they do because they see others doing and not because they have strong convictions about their actions.

Another small set of people have strong principles and beliefs which transcend – and sometimes shape – their environments . It is from this set that the successful people spring.

The greater population live their lives on assumptions created by someone else. Many get to advanced age before realising that they had wasted their lives holding on only to assumptions. Here are some assumptions about wealth that you should consider re – configuring in your mind :

False assumption #1 : having a job is the key to wealth and security. There is no paid employment that can give you wealth and independence. Even if they make you the M.D.
A job merely supports the habits that you have become used to and equate with comfort ; like rent, feeding, fees, bills, the occasional holiday…people will tell you that once they can do all these ,they are “comfortable “ If you are not the owner, or one of the owners, you can never be truly fulfilled. The key is not to work hard ,but to work smart.

False assumption #2 : savings is a good investment for the future. There is no wealthy person in history who has become wealthy by saving. Even in the bible you know what happened to the servant who “ saved “ his talent. He lost it to a more productive colleague.
I am not saying don’t save. I am saying that savings must be seen as a transit point for your money in its journey to bigger levels. Set a certain target like N10 000, when you reach it, take the money out of the savings and put it into something which has the potential to give better returns . Then start the cycle again. The general rule with savings is that the interest you earn from it is usually lower than the current inflation rate. That has the effect of ultimately reducing the buying power of your money if you leave it in savings. How much was fuel three years ago ? How much is it today ?? That is inflation.

False assumption #3 : debt is bad . The richest people in the world never use their own money. The person owing the most money in Nigeria is Dangote. But he is also now said to be the richest black man in history. There is no real business that will not require financial assistance at one point in time. According to the original laws of economic, that is why banks exist. Debt is actually unavoidable if you really want to grow at a certain rate. Look at Nigeria some years ago when all the banks were looking for N25 billion. Who did they run to ? The innocent masses ! By the end of the so called consolidation exercise, the banks had raised many hundreds of billions from the poor masses WHO STILL REMAIN POOR . The secret is to borrow money only for productive reasons. Not to buy things that will not bring in more money but rather make you spend more like cars or clothes. If you buy a dress will you not buy soap every week to keep it clean ? One of the main reasons that the issue of debt arises is because the money was not put to the use for which it was borrowed in the first place or the promoters did not have full or correct information about what they were going into. You must be sure of what you are doing before jumping into the lake of debt.

False assumption #4 : security is good to pursue : every person is crazy about security. Job security, social security, spiritual security, emotional security…. But security is only an illusion. No one will get out of this life alive. No one. When you achieve one security, another insecurity appears which needs to be overcome again. The cycle is endless. This is why religion thrives here. Fear and lack of self understanding. The real reason that people feel insecure is lack of faith. . Risk is part of progress. There can be no progress without risk. In fact, i read somewhere that it is risky not to risk. If you really want to achieve something outstanding, then you must know that it will be impossible to see all the outcomes before you take off. There was no way Bill Gates could have foreseen the dominance of Microsoft or for mike zuckerberg to see how far face book would go. No matter how well laid out your plans, you must know that there is an element of risk. If you allow the risk factor to hold you back, then something great has just been held back.

False assumption # 5. Failure is a bad thing. People who get ashamed when they fail and people who detest failures lack spiritual depth. They can never truly know God. Every single lesson in life and every single thing that makes sense and is useful in life was born out of failure. The human project was an initial failure. God had to clean the slate with a flood and start over . The vary nature of a human being begins with a skeleton. You can not have a human being without a skeleton. You don’t need to go far and say a person has a skeleton in his cupboard … No ! We all have skeletons in ourselves…. We would not be who we are without skeletons… This should tell us something. There can be no success without initial error. But to dwell in the error or stop action …. That is the great stupidity. If you were able to ask any successful person about failure, you will be amazed at how many times they failed before they succeeded and became prominent. Do not live in the fear of failure or allow a setback to hold you down .Strive on ….. If you fall , stand up and look at what caused you to fall. Retrace your steps and avoid the cause of the fall and move on.

False assumption # 6. Wealth is measured by material possessions. That is the problem of our human nature. We use the wrong rulers to measure the fabric of life. Wealth is not money. You must never forget that. There are some people who have money that you respect and there are some people who have money that you do not respect. Why ? There is a big difference between having a lot of money and being wealthy. The greatest thing that you can do as an individual is to add value. That is what we are all here to do. The adding of value is the real measure of true wealth. Wealth which is not as result of value creation is fraudulently acquired. Look at nelson Mandela and look at Aliko Dangote and look at Wole Soyinka. They are all wealthy but from different trajectories.

False assumption #7. Someone outside yourself is responsible for your success. Most people like to be led. This is why many churches in Africa are full and a new and artificial economy is being created by people who do nothing but dress well, talk and promise miracles. Our people have no real desire to flex their minds. Real thinking and self understanding is very hard for them. They fear to take responsibility and consequently live mediocre lives. They assume that their success as individuals depends on a person outside themselves. It has been like that from the beginning of time. The Israelites actually wanted to stay back in Egypt. They were going to stone moses for working hard to take them to the land of milk and honey. As long as the Egyptians would shelter, feed and protect them and sustain their semblance of identity, they were willing to remain slaves to the system… It is still happening today. There is no bigger business than creating illusions for people. youths are looking for jobs in oil companies and banks. People who studied pharmacy are working in banks. My job is not to judge. I am and never will be qualified to judge. But look at what has been gained and look at what has been lost when a pharmacist takes up a job at a bank. Especially when less connected qualified bankers are at home unemployed. Our people also feel that travelling abroad will do it … I read a comment that someone made about the issue of our people travelling out of the country to do all types of menial jobs – the person said …. wealth does not come from abroad…. Wealth comes from ABOVE “ enough said.

False assumption #8. Getting rich is a do or die affair. Every struggle is a function of lack of thinking or acute selfishness. You don’t have to harm another person to make it. That will create a cycle of bondage for you. The stain of blood cannot be washed off by soap alone. Just like fresh air, There is an infinite source of wealth . We just have to learn how to tap into it. It is available to all men if only they can do the first task of self discovery. Then you will know what you are good at and will not feel threatened. If you look at business today, you will find many identical products selling .like coke and Pepsi . Etc every person has a strength. The problem is to find it and use it to improve a situation. Then you will be rewarded with wealth. David made enquiry about potential benefit before deciding to go and face Goliath. He had it at the back of his mind that he would become rich and marry the kings daughter. This was certainly better than tending goats in the bush. His strength was his faith. And his apparent stubbornness. Gani fawehinmi was apparently a very stubborn person. Just like Mandela. I can say the only real gift these people have is their stubbornness. You can see how they have used that stubbornness to help others and gain prominence. Prominence usually moves with her junior brother his name is wealth. You can not get wealthy through struggle. You do it by solving problems.

False assumption #9. It takes money to make money. No ! You need an idea. Then you need to be sure. Then you need resources …. Money is just a resource. If you have a billion dollars and you have no idea what to do, the money will actually be a problem rather than a potential solution. When ebony magazine was to be launched, the publisher had no money. He simply go people to subscribe ahead and used the money to get the magazine out. That is an idea. Money is very important but we have put it too much in front it the hierarchy of priorities. That is the fundamental problem we face that brings turmoils in homes and minds. If you have no real ideas, you are likely to remain confused. Thinking is indeed, the hardest world of all

THE PEBBLE AND THE SEED

If you bury a pebble…

it will obey the law of gravity and stay in the ground. It may even sink deeper with time.

But if you bury a seed … It obeys a different law and grows out of the ground… Against the pull of gravity.

If you look at the pebble and you look at the seed… you will see that they are somewhat alike to the naked eye. so what makes them move in opposite directions ?

What makes them different is what is inside them. What is inside the pebble is not what is inside the seed. That is why a pebble is called a pebble and a seed is called a seed.

People are the same. We all look similar but have different content. Some people are like the seed and some are like the pebble. Some people remain the same without changing or growing. They simply get born, live like every other person, attend weddings , pay bills, grow old and die. And get buried like the pebble they resemble.

Another set are bent on expressing God given potentials to affect lives and add value. They want constant renewal and development. They deploy and maximise talent . It is from this set that the rest of the world is watered. It is from here that true wealth is created.

The interesting thing is that all people regardless of their heritage or background can choose which to be … The pebble or the seed. In fact the whether we see it or not, we are by our daily actions choosing sides. Every person was born a seed. But over time many will turn to pebbles.

Every single person is either growing or diminishing. we must make a conscious choice to grow. with each waking moment of our life , you are either contributing or collecting. Adding or subtracting.

It is all a matter of choice… are you a pebble or are you a seed?

Are you growing or are you diminishing ?

WHY SOME PEOPLE MAY NEVER SUCCEED.

Why does one person succeed and another fail ?

Why is it that it seems some people will never be successful and some people always seem to enjoy success ?

Human beings by their very nature are superior to other beings on earth for the simple reason that they possess the ability to change matter and circumstance.

One man can gather pieces of metal together and create a car . Another man can gather pieces of metal too and create a gun. The same metal but different motivations. One man can decide that he wants to build a city and another can decide that he wants to rule the world. And they will all succeed.

One would expect that with such great potential, no human should be in want. But alas .. Some people are in want. Some people lack and some people do not lack. Some people are successful and some people are not successful. Some people are poor and some are rich. Why ?

There are of course different interpretations of the concepts of wealth and success.

Some people live in one room and consider themselves successful and rich. Some other people live in four rooms and still consider themselves as poor.

I know a guy who was so happy that he had just bought an “okada.” (motorcycle) I have been in attendance at a church service at which a man gave a ‘testimony ‘ about how “ God gave him a car “ the car was a “tokunbo” ( used car ) but as far as he was concerned he had really done something great. Every person has his or her own level or interpretation of what can be called success and they have a right to their opinion. 

Many things in life are a function of individual perception. There are people who assess themselves by what others are doing. If you they do not have something that others have, they do not consider themselves successful and there are people who don't care. who is to say who is right or wrong ?

Your level of thinking or awareness determines your perceptions and your judgements. So this may also affect your opinions about what is success and what is not success.
So let us agree on a simple definition:-

Success is when you are getting your own desired and expected results from your living experience and failure is when you are not.

From my own personal experience I have listed 16 things you may need to address in order to be a perpetual top performer who is successful and happy. 

I call them the I6 ACCUSATIONS OF SUCCESS. Failure to correct them may spell permanent residency in the land of the failures. Please look at each one objectively and pronounce yourself guilty where appropriate.

1. YOU HAVE NO GOALS.
You do not have clear and specific goals for your life. You just live each day as it comes and catch any opportunity that presents itself. All you know is that you want to make money. But you are not clear exactly want goods or services you will give in exchange for the wealth. you don't know what you are good at and you don't know what you can be good at because you do not have clear goals for your life, you easily give up at any sign of obstacle in a venture. Living a life without a clear vision is like leaving your house without knowing where you are going.

Whoever you may be, living a life without a clear direction or just for money will make you an easy prey to indecision and illegal activity. No matter how old you are, you need a purpose and a direction for your life.

2. YOU DO NOT PREPARE.
You may have lost great opportunities because you did not prepare. In fact there are some opportunities that you will not see unless you are prepared. It does not make sense to want to be a success without getting the skills that may help you to become so. Every job has a job requirement. If you are not qualified, you will never get the job. If you get it, you may not be able to sustain it. Qualification is not determined by a document, it is determined by your ability to perform. If you are working somewhere now, do your very best there. That is the preparation for the next level.

3. YOU HAVE BAD HABITS.
Your bad habits are the wall between you and your progress. check yourself, if you are sincere, your habits will scream at you like red paint on a white wall. They creep up on you and you don’t really notice that this is one of the reasons why you are not doing well. A bad habit can only be replaced by a good one.

4. YOU ARE NOT PATIENT.
You want to make it now. You don’t want to go through the process. Even God took time to make the world by many of our youth today need results today. There is nothing in nature that does not take time to mature. If it happens instantly, then it is not natural and will soon come back to worry you.

5. YOU DO NOT ACT IN TIME.
Procrastination is one of the biggest enemies of personal development in the whole world. In some cases, it is born out of fear which in itself is born out of low self esteem which in itself is born out of lack of proper information which can only come through awareness. In other cases, you are just lazy and foolish. Time is the only thing you can not get back if you lose it. So don’t waste it. Great destines have been wasted through procrastination.

6. YOU DO NOT WANT TO LEARN.
This is either due to laziness or arrogance. Both are forms of madness in psychiatry . The most popular madness is the one many of us don’t know we suffer from. The dislike for learning can only be madness because it is the only channel of growth. You want the result but you hate the process. And you cover your dislike of learning with eloquent excuses. The end result is still failure.

7. YOU BUY THINGS YOU DON’T NEED.
There is a difference between what you NEED and what you WANT But you don’t really know this . So your pocket will never fill up enough to make impact in your life. You empty it at every opportunity to collect useless things. If you look at all the things you have bought recently, how many are needs and how many are wants ? It is not very easy but you need to get a strong grip on your spending pattern. If you do not, then there is no other effort that will yield positive results.

8. YOU DO BUSINESS YOU DON’T REALLY KNOW.
You have no focus. You follow your friends and do what you see them doing. You don’t really know what you want apart from just money. So you get involved in business you don’t really know or have a natural interest in. This makes it difficult to sustain growth especially in times of crisis which is inevitable in any venture. In some cases you are not just into things you are not an expert in, you are involved in MANY things you don’t really know about. Your name is now jack. Jack of all trades and master of none.

9. YOU ARE AFRAID.
Fear is the most popular prison in the world that many do not know they are trapped in. Many people have been in the hold of fear most of their lives and never realised. It leads to procrastination.

Fear is the reason why many do not take risks. You fear what people will say. You fear to be embarrassed. You fear to succeed, you fear to die.you stay in the comfort zone because it feels safe. But that is not the case. The comfort zone is the most dangerous place in the world and it is very risky not to take a risk. Every human being is gifted. Fear is what keeps your gift from coming out to benefit the world and making you rich.

10. YOU DO NOT TAKE CASH FLOW SERIOUSLY.
You can not tell exactly what you do with the money that you get. Money is coming in but growth is not happening . It seems as if every year, you are starting afresh. Why ? Pay attention to cash flow. It is the life blood of all things good in the physical realm. Without money you are just a dreamer or a storyteller. There are so many small things we buy with money that we do not really need. If you calculate at the end of the year how much this adds up to, you may be shocked. You may want to slap yourself. Can you estimate how much you have spent on communication since the day you started using mobile phone ? I have been spending an average of 3000 a month for the last ten years on recharge cards. Just work that out ! And how many of the calls were really productive ? It is not easy to track all this but it is important to have a clear ideas of your cash flow if you don’t want to be a permanent debtor.

11. YOU ARE TOO PROUD.
You feel too big to do some things. Your pride makes it difficult to reason with you. The ego is the fence between your greatness and the present problems you have. Become humble and be a star ! You can only come from the bottom to the top. If you already act as if you are on top, then where do you want to go from there ? You need to look beyond your ego and do what needs to be done to succeed. Do not worry about who can see you . One person i really respect is a man called Otunba Ghaddafi in Lagos Nigeria.

He was a former bodyguard who turned to sewage collection. His slogan is “ shit business is good business”. He now provides mobile toilet to over 80% of public events in Nigeria. He is very wealthy now from “shit” money. We can learn from that.

12. YOU DO NOT DIVERSIFY.
You were foolish enough to put all your eggs in one basket and when the basket was taken away you now have nothing. If you put all your eggs in one basket, it means you have to do everything to protect the basket. What has now happened is that you have now become a prisoner of the basket. Please try and understand my point. Some people will misunderstand ans say that it it better to focus on one thing and not do many things at the same time… Let me explain. Look at a mango tree. A mango tree is focused on one thing. That is being a mango tree. It does not try to diversify and decide to grow oranges on one side and bananas on another side just in case the demand for mangoes falls. No the tree does not do this it is focused on growing mangoes.. But observe something … It has many branches and it has many mangoes. It has even planned to drop some mangoes that will grow and become new mango trees in case something happens to it. It has not lost focus but it is still able to diversify.

13. YOU DO NOT ENJOY WHAT YOU DO. 
Many people who are working fall into this category. They are not happy but they are locked in by fear, doubt and lack of what to do. Many people are just working for the money. Although i understand the logic, i do not see it as the best way to live a life that has no duplicate. You just have to enjoy your work. Your life springs from there. Make this your ultimate goal even if it is not the case now. There must be something about your present work that you can enjoy. The most tragic thing is to be self employed and still not enjoy your work.

14. YOU LIKE TO BELONG.
You like to do what people are doing. And you love to be counted among the relevant circles. You willingly sacrifice your individuality just to be accepted by the majority. You love to be popular even if you are not really happy. The spirit of social blending will keep you from being truly creative. You may never create again. Of your own free will, you have decided not to be outstanding. You may be worth millions now but your true destiny may be in billions if you had pursued it. You may be like the fool who reached the top of a tree that is at he base of a mountain. In order to climb the mountain which is the superior height, he will have to climb down from the tree first. That is humility.

15. YOU DO NOT KNOW YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE.
Purpose is the only way to navigate the maze that the modern world has become. If you are not clear about your purpose, you need to pray and think hard. This is very important indeed. No single human being is an accident. Because no two human beings are the same. Every single one of us id different and unique. There must be a reason for this. And you need to find it. Even a blind man can have a vision. That is purpose. Bishop TD Jakes said “ if you can not find your purpose, then find your passion because your passion will lead you right into your purpose” i really agree.

16. YOU DON’T KNOW GOD.
You are filled with dogma and religion. You have never missed church but you still feel unfulfilled. You pray everyday but you know that something is still missing. God is not in any church. God is in the spirit and you have to meet God in spirit and in truth. Because we are not truly spiritual and because we do not really face, live or tell the truth, it becomes a problem. You follow God more because of what you want. Do not God to God because of things. Rather , go to God BECAUSE of God. That is the starting point of all your solution. The very first thing is God. Then all things will just come. But we don’t do this do we ? We are just too smart for our own good. It is important for you to know that without faith, it is impossible to please God and if you are not pleasing God, what are you doing ?
That is it ! Those are the 16 “ accusations “ directed at you… Lol. How many are you guilty of ? Everything in the earth works by laws. The strongest law is the law of seed time and harvest. Other philosophies call it karma. It is spelt out in genesis 8:22 . And the duration of the law is clear . The law will be in force as long as “the earth remaineth “ go and read the section of the bible. .

Every single action we take is a form of sowing and every single experience is a form of reaping. The law is unbreakable. All you need to do if you want to change your experience is to change your actions.

Good luck !