1. My rule of thumb in all the networking I do is that I do not inherit your enemy list by virtue of us being friends. Yes, you can mistrust me for working with your enemy but be assured that when I am with them, you are nowhere close to the agenda. Quit adopting the little fights that people have and relate with people based on your own experiences. It is easy to miss out from a relationship due to biased information from the one you choose to listen to. It is time to build effective networks.
2. As far as it depends on you, create new friends all the time because enemies are guaranteed. Most enemies elect themselves into that role due to lack of correct information about you. You can not live your life counting and naming your enemies. Rather focus on who is building you and who you are building. It will lower your stress levels.
3. You cannot control who follows you but you can certainly determine who you want to follow. The fact that people do not need a license to follow you places a level of responsibility on you to make sure they get from you what you portray yourself to be. It does not matter where on the ladder of economics you are, you are someone’s role model even though they haven’t told you. Live responsibly.
4. You rather delay your response until you are sure what you want to say than speak too soon and regret your commitment. When you are ready to respond realize that ‘No’ is an acceptable answer. When you do commit then do all you can to meet your obligations even if it costs you. People plan their lives based on your utterances.
5. Everyone is a potential world changer and yet not everyone has the willingness or know-how of what part they can play. There is a general feeling that there are enough ‘world changing’ initiatives in place while others would rather not change the status-quo for what they stand to lose. A majority carry misconceptions about the subject preferring that those with ‘zeal’ should do it. The world will only change if we play our part with what we have from where we stand.
6. A good network has in it the capacity to build your net worth. Business success is no longer merely the exchange of value between total strangers. Just like any relationship, business is now about trusting the service provider before bothering what service or value one can get. Make sure your net does work and is strong enough to hold all the great relationships that come your way. It costs you time and effort to keep your net working but it is worth it.
7. It is not enough to Own something which you cannot Use. Having a talent, a skill, a book or even wisdom is good to the degree that you use it to better your life and those around you. Simply owning it and doing nothing about it trivializes your worth and usefulness.
********** End of Set 1 *********** Digest before you continue
8. The motive with which we do what we do is far more important than what we actually do. We generally see the result of one’s actions but rarely do we bother to examine closely why people do what they do. Every gesture, good or bad has an underlying reason. Nothing just happens under the sun.
9. Meaningful personal transformation starts with the realization of the need for it followed closely by a decision to effect change. A decision without practical steps towards change will always maintain the status quo. Go past wishing for change to changing your lifestyle by changing how and what you spend time doing or thinking about.
10. Sometimes we penalize the one who commits a physical crime leaving a more dangerous type of individual who is the strategist in making the crime a reality. Crime exists because someone has succeeded to steal on paper and in the mind.
11. It is maturity to know what good you can learn from others while ignoring the bad traits. No matter how bad someone may seem, there is always a layer of positive attributes you can benefit from if you look objectively.
12. No matter how much time you spend pondering about a problem, it will not change the situation until you take corrective steps to end it. Worry is the incubator or womb in which problems grow to full term. It incapacitates your creative power that you desperately need to craft a working solution. In the midst of worrying, it seems like the most noble thing to engage in yet it is the worst way to waste your time.
13. The one who labours while others shy away has a higher chance of becoming a supplier to the onlookers. Rather face temporary discomfort that gives you perpetual rewards than hold on to comfort that only lasts for a moment. It is time to rebuild a positive work ethic.
14. We will not change the world by policies, politics and protests alone. The world will change dramatically through people embracing their purpose and maximizing their potential. The smallest component of the world is individuals. To focus on individuals is to focus on the world transformation agenda. Know yourself and it will position you to know how you can help others change the world for the better.
********** End of Set 2 *********** Digest before you continue
15. It is the consistency and excellence with which you do what you do that matters more than the title you occupy. It does not matter where on the organizational ladder you operate from, your attitude towards work will determine the velocity of your ascent or descent. Be the best in your present role before hoping for recognition.
16. One man’s challenge is another man’s opportunity. The one you leave to solve your issues will become your supplier. You can rely on the provisions of others and be enslaved for life instead of preserving your wealth by creating solutions for the things you are spending on.
17. The fastest way to age under the pressure of stress is when you live to please everyone around you. With one act of kindness you will please one and offend another. People are unique in the way they view your gestures. Stay on course and focus on that which you sense is noble and just.
18. Anything that is built to last takes time to finish. Failure to appreciate that every idea has a gestation period leads to frustration and ultimate abandonment. Know what stage your idea is at and refuse to entertain suggestions for you to quit. Those pushing you to stop could be positioning themselves to take over your efforts.
19. You will struggle to keep your word that you give others if you don’t honor your word to yourself. Think of the targets and goals you promised yourself to work towards. If those goals remain untouched, no wonder why it seems complicated to meet your commitments to others. You have been well trained.
20. A student can actually be above his teacher if he chooses to study beyond what the teacher taught. Information is not stagnant; it is ever increasing. Teachers who refuse to upgrade their levels of awareness will lose the grip on relevance, usefulness and credibility. If all you know is what you got yesterday your relevance may have expired.
21. There is nothing more important than the foot print (track record) that you emboss into your lifetime. You will be remembered by the words you said, the residue from your deeds and from the content of the character you carried. Today is another chance to create that indelible mark.
********** End of Set 3 *********** Now reflect on these and implement in your life
How many times have you set to attack a day and yet towards the end of the day you could hardly account for the running you did all day? How many times have you entered a day with no clue what you wanted to achieve but in the end still remained frustrated and unproductive. These are commons situations that professionals face daily. One’s productivity is a result of intentional and deliberate decision to aspire for and work towards productivity. You can never attain what you cannot measure. You can never enjoy life in the absence of productivity. Life calls for you to be proactive and deliberate about your own happiness as a professional. Happiness is a result of all that is desired being achieved within the set time. This article was birthed out of several disruptions to my fruitfulness. I watched and monitored how my time had been wasted and sought to change the way I did things. It worked phenomenally for me and I know it will work for anyone who is deliberate and intentional.
