BEFORE YOU SAY " I DO ", DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!

Choosing whom you're going to marry — should you decide to marry (and there's nothing wrong about opting against it) — is one of the biggest decisions you'll ever face. And yet it's astounding how many people walk down the aisle next to someone they don't know a ton about.

Of course, part of being in love is celebrating each others differences and continually learning new things about your partner. Those little surprises are the stuff of great joy. But there are some surprises best not left for after the wedding.

Here are some pieces of information that you probably want to find out about your partner before tying the knot. I'm not saying these things should determine whether or not you should marry this person — only that knowing them will generally put you in a good position for when you finally decide to get hitched.


- Do they want kids?

                                 
                        
I put this first because it's so important. This should be made very clear. It's not fair to mislead someone about whether or not you want children in your future. So be upfront and honest about how important children are to you. And If you both want kids, then how many? Would adoption be an option? Things like this must be discussed ahead of time.It is inappropriate to want 3 children and your partner says 6.


- How are they with money?

      


Money is often cited as one of the most common things couples fight about . And when you're married this doesn't go away. If anything, it can get worse if your finances become entwined.

It's important to know how your partner handles money and what their attitudes toward it are. It's worth talking about whether you want to combine your finances through joint bank accounts or by filing taxes as a couple. Will your debts also be married? Money can't buy you love — but it can mess it up.

- What's their relationship with their family like?

 

Major life events inevitably bring people back to their families. And how people handle stressful times often goes back to their familial relationships. Having a sense of the dynamics will help you both negotiate challenging times.

- How do they express anger?

                 

Everyone gets angry and upset sometimes and all couples are bound to fight. So it helps to know how your partner reacts to being upset. Do they freak out and yell or sulk in silence? Knowing this will help ease tensions when things get heated, and it'll just give you a sense of how to gauge their mood and adjust accordingly.

- Do they have any dreams or career ambitions that marriage might forestall?

                              


For all its splendor, marriage sometimes means foreclosing on some of the goals or dreams you have. It's important to know what your partner doesn't want to give up on, whether it's traveling across Europe or going to graduate school, and how it's likely to affect your marriage.

- How much sex?

                 


Sexual appetites can vary dramatically from person to person. There's no right amount of sex in a relationship. It's about what feels comfortable to the people in it. But if two people have very different sexual needs, this can lead to conflict and bitterness. So talk about your expectations in this department.

- What is their spiritual inclination?

 


As people get older, religion and spirituality often becomes more important to them. And as we all know, religious differences can be a major source of conflict between anyone. But it doesn't have to be. You just need to have reasonable expectations and know what you're getting into.

Are you comfortable with your partner being religious if you're not? Or, if you like to pray and they don't, how will that affect your life together? It is advisable to consider someone in the same denomination as you.

- How will you handle the division of labor?

Will one person work and the other stay home? Will you divide up household chores evenly? There's no right or wrong way. Just be clear about what each of you expects.

YOU DON'T NEED CAPITAL TO START A BUSINESS!!!

A lot of young and upcoming entrepreneurs and youths often have amazing business ideas, but they put them on hold due to a lack of capital. They assume that their idea will never get far off the ground unless they have major funding behind them.

It seems to them that every day there is a new startup receiving millions of dollars from venture capital firms, but what they don’t hear about is the several startup failures that used millions of naira only to fizzle out and shut their doors forever.

If your idea and plan of execution aren’t well thought out from the beginning, no amount of money can turn it into a winner. Have a great idea but very little money? Don’t let that stop you! Yes, there will be ridiculously long days with little to no sleep. Yes, you are going to be stressed. But those that want it bad enough will make it.

Here are some tips that can help you get your idea off the ground with limited funds.

- BUILD YOUR BUSINESS ON WHAT YOU KNOW!!!

Instead of venturing off into uncharted territory, make sure that you build your business around your skills and knowledge. The less you have to rely on outside sources the better. When your business is built around your own personal expertise, you can eliminate consultants and outside assistance.

Also, having that knowledge is sometimes all that is needed to successfully take the plunge into entrepreneurship. Some people go into some particular businesses because they see someone doing well in that area..it might be his knowledge zone..Go for yours.

- TELL EVERYONE ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!

Inform your family, friends, business contacts and past colleagues about your new business. Call, send emails and make your new venture known on your social-media profiles. Your friends and family members can help you spread the word, and past business contacts can introduce
your brand to their professional contacts as well. This type of grassroots marketing can help introduce your company to a much larger audience.

- AVOID UNNECESSARY EXPENSES!!

You are going to have plenty of expenses, and there are some that just can’t be avoided. What you can avoid though is overspending. Take something as simple as business cards. Being frugal in the beginning can be the difference between success and a failed business.

-  DONT INVOLVE YOURSELF IN DEBTS!!

There is a smart way and a suicidal way to use funds when starting a business. New computers, office furniture, phones and supplies can all quickly add up. Instead of purchasing everything at once and throwing it all on debts, use your company’s revenue to gradually get them.

Eliminating the stress and burden of debt will greatly increase the chances of creating a successful business.

- MAKE SURE YOU HANDLE YOUR INCOME WISELY!!!

If your business is a retail operation then this isn’t going to apply, but if you are providing services such as consulting or products to retailers, you need to make sure that your payment policy is well thought out. Don’t base your receivables on what you think your customers will want. Base them on what is going to make your business operate successfully.

- TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FREE ADVERTISEMENTS!!!

There are several ways to generate a buzz for your business without breaking the bank. Social media is a great way to gain exposure and interact with potential customers. You can also reach out to local media and offer your expertise.

Make as many local media contacts as you can and be extremely responsive with their requests. This can lead to them to branding you as the local authority, generating plenty of free press for your business.

- GET READY TO HUSTLE!!!

Hard work is an absolute necessity, but when you are starting a business with little to no capital then you must be prepared to dedicate everything you have into making the business a success. This might mean cold calling, handling customer support, dealing with billing and accounting, and every other working part of your business.

You will carry many responsibilities and it will require the majority of your time and energy if you are to make it. Don’t let limited capital prevent you from taking a great idea and running with it.

Will it be difficult and will you have some stressful situations? Of course, but that is part of entrepreneurship.

See you at the top!!!!

THE POWER OF PEOPLE!!!

                                    


Have you ever wondered what role people have to play in your life?? Do you know that the essence of life and the next step to your next level lies in people?? If I am to define that word "people" in my own way,I would say that people are God's agent fabricated by God from heaven to earth for the purpose of delivering God's promises to us.

I came up with this article to help you understand better that your breakthrough lie in people. If you want a new job,it depends on people.if you want a new house,or car,or you want a breakthrough in your business or place of work,it lies in people. Musicians or celebrities understand that without people,there is no promotion for them. If they do everything they do,and nobody buys their CD's or collection, its as good as nothing.

The problem now is that we often do not see that people have the power we need for our promotion and upliftment. There are people who can change your life within 10 mins, some can give you sweet Jobs, some can connect you to people who can change your life. Life is all about people don't you get?? We just place everything on God forgetting that God cannot leave his throne down to earth to bless you.

When God wants to bless a man,he uses people. He cannot come down from his throne to give you a Job or a car,he definitely always use people. The throne is his dwelling place. Often times,we pray fervently to God for a breakthrough in our life and God releases the answer but because our approach and attitude to people is appalling and abysmal,we tend to lose that blessing.

Everyday in our lives,we meet different people. On your way to school,class,work etc. How sure are you that one of them is not who God has fabricated to help you in your endeavor?? "Oh Lord,send me my helper" - one of the most common prayers people pray. But when God sends these helpers to us,we often chase them away with the way we talk,act,or behave.

When you pick a phone call of an unknown person,mind how you speak to that person. Some people especially ladies have missed it in this aspect.They tend to talk rudely and end up getting the caller pissed off.

A woman applied for a Job in a bank for a customer care representative. She prayed earnestly to God for this because she had all the qualifications,perfect degree and all. Meanwhile,another Lady applied for that same Job but she had not met up with the bank's criteria for the Job. So the job was decided to be given to the first woman.

One faithful day,the bank manager called the woman to announce to her the job news and when she would resume office. When the lady picked, they spoke thus " Hello who is this"? The man said " my name is Joshua" and before he could finish,the lady exclaimed and said " please I don't have time,how did you even get my number and what do you want?? In an unlikely and bad mannered tone. The manager just ended the call and called the other lady who spoke so meek and nicely and the job was given to her.

So the question is : why did she not get the job even though she prayed and qualified better?? Simple ; because she had no understanding of the power of people.
No matter how ugly,funny or stupid you think people are,never look down or behave illmannered to them.

You don't know who that person is,you don't know if he is the agent that God wants to use to uplift you. You don't know his or her worth,so just chill and behave and observe with composure rather than open your mouth to crush who God has sent for you!!

Even when you have friends and subordinates, treat them with respect and love for you don't know where you will meet them tomorrow. Your breakthrough lies in people and no man is wicked enough to forget a good a good and charitable attitude in the past.

A great man MICHAEL WONDER said " Treat people as though you are preparing them to help you tomorrow". There is no promotion without recommendation and nobody will recommend a bad mannered person. So never underestimate people for in people lies your breakthrough and what God has ordained for you!!!

See you at the top!!!!!

LOST CONSCIOUSNESS OF YOUR GREATNESS AND KEY TO TRUE HAPPINESS!!

Why do you stay in prison when the door is so wide open? Why are your eyes filled with soap when you are in the river??Move outside the tangle of fear-thinking… You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life?”

We came to this world with great powers, able to fly as high as possible, able to make all of our dreams come true; we came to this world with wings, but as time goes by, as we get older and older, we give up on all of them, we give up on our wings, our imagination, we give up on our dreams and goals, deciding that is time to be realistic and that is time to stop playing and be more like everybody else. Like that’s what the world needs right now…

Do you remember those days? Those days when you were able to fly and to travel to the most incredible places without even leaving your room? What happened? Why can’t you fly anymore? Where are your wings now? What made you give up on them? Why did you gave up on them? Was it because nobody around you had wings and you wanted to fit in? Was it because your parents told you to stop with the nonsense and be realistic, or maybe your teachers brought you back with your feet on the ground? Who was it? What was it? What happened with your wings?

You see, we came to this world with no worries, no cares, no boundaries, knowing that there are many, many great things we can achieve and many lives we could transform, knowing that we can make this world shine like a beautiful bright star, knowing that we can make this world better than it was when we arrived, but as time goes by, as we stop listening to our own heart and intuition, as we stop listening to our inner self, and start listening to the noise outside ourselves, we forget about our greatness, we forget about our dreams, we forget about our unique talents, and eventually we forget about ourselves.

We forget who we really are, and we start living a life that is not ours, a life that has no meaning to us, believing that this is what life is all about, believing that life is all about pain, fear, suffering, misery, unhappiness and so on. We choose to give up on our inner knowing and we choose to believe what those around us have to say, accepting their point of view, accepting their reality as our own.

All of their limitations are now our limitations. All of their judgments are now our judgments. All of their ideas about what is good and what is not good, are now our ideas. All of their beliefs about what is possible and what is not possible are
now our beliefs, etc. … What a sad story our life is, right?
We had such a great start and look at us now. Just look where we are, just look what we’ve become. Is this what you wished for yourself? Was this part of your big plans, part of your great dreams while growing up? I really don’t think so.

This is a tragedy. Your life is a tragedy. Our lives are tragedies. Now, let’s all gather around and complain about our pathetic life. Let’s all gather around and talk about our unhappiness, about our pain, about our misfortunes, about our stolen innocence, let’s all gather around and talk about
our misery for the rest of our lives. Let’s all do just that.

Let me be a little sarcastic.What’s the point in trying to be happy? What’s the point in changing our focus, our attitude and our lives, when we only have 20, 30, 60, 80 years to live… Why bother now? It’s too late anyway.

Let’s all remain the same. Change is not for us, change is not good. Change is a monster who will attack us, and that is exactly why we should stay away from this monster at all costs. Who in their right mind would want to be attacked by a monster?Oh, but your friends do, your family does, most of the people around you believe.Why bother being different? Why bother making a lifestyle rather than a workstyle? Stay where you are, live only for your own selfish needs, live only  for yourself, think only about yourself BUT always remember, if you aren’t better than everybody else in everything you do, you have no value, you are a failure. Why bother to be different? People don’t want you to be different. You will be misunderstood, you will be criticized.

Remain the same for the rest of your life… “Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Paul, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.”

Of course I was being sarcastic. You need to change, you need to get out of your comfort zone and you need to face your fears. You need to be different if you want to grow, and you need to accept the fact that, as you grow, as you learn and discover great new things about yourself and the world around you, you will be a lot happier if you share all of them with the whole world.

What’s the point in being the richest person in the world, the most gifted and the most talented, the wisest, the best of the best, if you are keeping them all to yourself, being surrounded by people who are lost, surrounded by unhappy people, people who have no direction, no purpose, no
nothing. Can you really enjoy all of your gifts, your blessings and your riches? Can you really be happy and content with yourself, your life and the world you live in knowing that you are the only one who experiences all of those great things?

I really doubt that. All that you have, share it with others, and by doing this, you will find real happiness. We go through all kind of stages in your lives, and we don’t stop.We keep going and going and as we move forward and forward, we discover new worlds, new ideas and new great things about ourselves, and we need to share them all with the world.

“No man is an Island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main; The world needs more people who can grasp this idea, who can understand that giving is not the end of a rich and prosperous life, but rather the beginning of it. You can’t imagine how much pleasure I get from sharing my ideas, my knowledge and my wisdom with you through this blog. It’s one of the most incredible things I have ever done, and I know that by doing this, others will start to think about their lives from a different perspective, and they will start asking themselvesvall kind of questions, questions that will eventually lead them to their greatness, will lead them back home, to whovthey really are, and this is what makes me happy.

I get my fuel, my bliss, my joy, etc. , from giving. I give and I get. Ibshare and I give my ideas, I share and I give my love, my love for writing, my love for growing people, love for knowledge, love for personal growth, and for whatever it is that makes me happy, and what I get in return is so rewarding. I get in return even more love, even more knowledge and even more beauty. This is what giving is all about. Now you understand why giving is receiving? It doesn’t have to be too difficult.

You can now go back to who you once were, to who we all are but most of us have forgotten. You can go back to being great, to being beautiful and powerful, to being loving, and the moment you wake up, others will wake up with you,
they have no choice, and little by little, the world will become a better place, a better place for you, for me, and the entire human race.

See you at the top!!!

WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH FAILURE!!!

Successful people expect to fail,but do not see it as a bad or negative experience. They know that if you have failed in the past,this doesn't mean that you will necessarily fail in the future. On the other hand,they know that previous success does not guarantee you continued success.

Failure should be your greatest friend because no matter how successful a man is,there is always an element of failure in it. For example,if a student gets 99% out of 100%, it is an excellent result and a mind blowing result but the truth is that he failed also.He failed 1%.

There are always problems in your business, your life, your relationships and everything else that matters to you. Things change,problems arise,people leave you. All these means that you have to deal with difficulties everyday of your life.

How you decide to deal with these setbacks is one thing that will separate you from the ones who truly fail. Every successful person has ups and downs. They may be due to loss of key friends,cash flow etc . Life is business and business is about risk and change, so tough times are always around the corner.

You can transform the way you experience your failure by shifting your perspective. If you wallow in failure, spend a moment contemplating the problems of other people in the world.

Everyone's history is full of great solutions to difficult problems. We just forget to see it that way. In difficult times,review your past and draw strength from all those creative decisions you made. It will instantly give you confidence in your ability to come out on top.

WHY FAILURE SHOULD BE YOUR GREATEST FRIEND

Failure is there to make us better,wiser,smarter,more cautious or even more adventurous. Be realistic about failure and you ll see that it is a tremendous opportunity.You can even become excited about it.

Failure gives you the information you need to do better. Most acts of genius come after years of trying to solve a problem and failing. Nobody embarks on a journey to success and enjoys success throughout. The road to success is filled with avenues and streets of failure.

The great minds and scientists of history often spend most of their lives failing. Yet their ability to learn from their failures had literally created the world we live in today. So you have to make failure your greatest friend.

Failure is a wonderful catalyst for change. Few of us love change for change's sake. Usually we have to be forced to accept it. The discomfort of failure and desperate times should be our motivation to accept and embrace change.

So you should have a constant relationship with failure because there is no successful man who did not lie at the corridors of failure....

THE IMPORTANCE OF DECISION MAKING AND WAYS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS QUICKLY THAN EXPECTED!!!

Your entire success as a person and a leader is determined by your ability to solve problems effectively and well. Whatever or whoever you think you are,or whatever title is written on your business card, your real job is problem solver. All day long,in different situations, you solve problems.

Great minds don't react to problems with anger or frustration, they look upon themselves as the essential defining skill area of their work. As a potential millionaire or billionaire, your job is to become extremely effective at solving problems that are brought to you whether large or small.

Remember, you are a knowledge worker,you work with your mind. Your productivity can only be measured by your results, by what you actually accomplish. And what stands BTW you and those results is always a problem or a roadblock of some kind.

The aim here is o show you the way and means of handling and solving problems. There is a systematic way of problem solving that can work in almost every place and organization. It is easy to learn and apply,and it is incredibly effective in helping you overcome obstacles and achieve your goals.

First,define your problem clearly in writing. Remember that a goal unachieved is merely a problem unsolved. The more clearly you define your problem, the more likely it is that you will find an answer or solution.

Second,once you have defined your problem clearly,ask "what else is the problem??" Never be satisfied with a single definition of a problem.continually expand your definition of the problem and you will expand your view of all the different ways it can be solved.

Third,restate the problem to make it easier to solve. If you settle settle for a quick definition of the problem,it could lead you down the wrong path to solving the problem and wasting time and resources for no purpose.

Fourth,determine all the possible causes of the problem. Ask the hardest questions and be ready to accept the very worst scenario. Get your ego out of the way.

Fifth,determine all the possible solutions to this problem. Then force yourself to ask " what else is the solution"??for there is no problem with one solution. Creativity, brainstorming and flexibility are keys to discovering all possible solutions.

Sixth,once you have done a thorough and complete analysis of the problem and laid out all possible causes and possible solutions, make a decision! Any decision is usually better than no decision at all.

Seventh, once you have made a decision, become responsible for your decision.Get ready to carry out each part of your decision. Decision without action is so so useless!!!

Eight,set a deadline,and always right down the progress of things.any vision or thing without a deadline is vague.

Ninth,implement your plan, " A weak solution vigorously carried out is usually better than an excellent solution weakly implemented.

Tenth,Check and review later to see if the solution was successful. If you do not get your expected result, implement your plan B which is another of the solutions written down previously. A plan B should always be on board.

The great and richest men in the world are decisive. They make decisions and they move ahead to implement those decisions. Average men avoid making decisions. They are too afraid of making a mistake.

Developing the quality of decisiveness, in combination with your problem solving ability, is the key to performing at your very best!!!!

THE MAGIC OF THINKING BIG AND WHY YOU SHOULD SET BIG GOALS!!!

One of the common traits and qualities shared by billionaires and richest people in the world is the ability to think big and
set big goals. I want to use this article as a medium to open your mind to the tremendous power that lies in the art of thinking big.

If you are an ardent reader of my blog, then I believe you are aware of my personal goal to become a billionaire. I personally took up that goal because I love thinking big. It might seem as though I am a joker but thinking big has a way of expanding my horizons to the realms of the supernatural.

Now let me show you the Magic of Thinking Big and why you should Set Big Goals


- THINKING BIG FORCES YOU TO CHALLENGE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM

Most people have been unconsciously programmed to abide by tradition and a certain mindset. Anything outside this
mindset of theirs is termed “ impossible or outrageous. ”But when you think big; you force your mind to challenge such limiting wisdom and your brain begins to fashion a
way out.

If the Wright brothers hadn’t thought big and set big goals; humans wouldn’t have been flying today in airplanes.  If Bill Gates had followed the conventional wisdom of “ go to school and get a job ”, I doubt if he would have been one of the richest men in the world.

So never accept conventional wisdom without first giving it a thought. Think beyond conventional wisdom and it will be so.


- THINKING BIG CHALLENGES YOU TO GO BEYOND YOUR COMFORT ZONE

“Being first is more important to me. When I set the goal to become a billionaire in my life time; I knew I was going way out of my reality. I felt uncomfortable because that goal seems like impossibility but I set it
anyway and today, I am on the journey towards achieving such goal. That’s why I love thinking big and setting big goals; it pushes me beyond my own realm of possibilities.

Now let me ask this question: have you ever been to heaven before? What real life proof do you have that heaven exists? Is
heaven not beyond human reality and understanding ? Yet, billions of people hope and pray to enter heaven; a place they are not sure even exists. To me, wanting to go to heaven is a big goal which is absolutely what a gospel pillar must attain but what baffles me is that while people are
comfortable pursuing the goal to make heaven, they feel awful setting a big goal to be accomplished here on earth.
Don’t be in this group; learn to think big for yourself.


- THINKING BIG STIRS YOUR PASSION AND ENTHUSIASM

How do you feel when you set a big goal? If you feel awful that you are gunning for something big, then you need to have your head re-examined. But if you feel excited and motivated, then you are on track.

A big goal is meant to fire up your enthusiasm regardless of how challenging it is. A big goal will increase and stir you up to your feet. You begin to have inbuilt passion for your activities unconsciously and you discover that your achievement rate cannot be compared to when you think averagely.


- THINKING BIG UNLEASHES YOUR CREATIVE INSTINCT AND HELPS YOU
UNCOVER IDEAS.

When the Wright brothers toyed with the idea that humans could fly; their minds came up with the possibility of such idea
becoming a reality. When I set the goal to become a billionaire ; I initially doubted the possibility. But as my mind began to absorb the goal; I began to see the possibility of achieving the goal and my mind is gradually coming up with a lot of creative ideas that will help bring that goal to reality even though I am so so young.

Thinking big will create in you the ability to uncover and unravel ideas not seen in the natural. It opens your eyes to creative and instinctive realm of the extraordinary. As you begin to ponder and think on how to achieve your goal,ideas supernatural will begin to set in.


- THINKING BIG GIVES YOU A PURPOSE TO LIVE AND DIE FOR

Thinking big and setting big goals give you a purpose to live and die for. It gives you something worth pursuing and worth challenging yourself over. When God gave Dr Isaiah wealth the mantle to take the gospel to all the nations of the earth,he didn't sit with it. He thought big and now we have GOSPEL PILLARS CHURCH in over 3 continents because a man was thinking big. Every man has a purpose on earth; but you can only discover yours if you think big.

It gives you the strength to follow after that vision and it gives you purpose. When purpose is not known,abuse is inevitable. Thinking big has the ability to make you survive when shot because your mind is hellbent on achieving of your goal.


- THINKING BIG ELIMINATES IMPOSSIBILITIES

Lastly, the true magic of thinking big is in the breaking of impossibilities. Thinking big makes the impossible possible. That’s why Adidas said “ impossible is nothing. ” This
statement is only true if you think big and go for it.

To many, the goal to become a billionaire is out of their reality and an impossible mission. But to me, it’s achievable because I have a perception that accept big challenges. So when next you think about setting a goal or executing a project, think big and your thoughts will be brought into existence.

See you at the top!!!!!

HOW TO MAKE PEOPLE LIKE YOU!!!

Friends are assets that a man must have for a complete life. They are people like family members whose company brings joy and happiness to a person. A man without friends is like a car without a gearbox.

 You tend not to enjoy the simplicity of life. But it is wisdom to know that you can't make a friend if you don't know how to make people like you. When people like you,they can go the extra mile for you.

Here are 5 ways used overtime by the best conversationalist to make people like you.

- BE GENUINELY INTERESTED IN OTHER PEOPLE

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.

People are not interested in you. They are interested in themselves morning,noon and night. When you see a group photograph that you are in,what picture do you look for first?

People become interested in you when you are first interested in them. I have discovered from personal experience that we can win the cooperation of anybody by becoming genuinely interested in them.

If we want to win friends,let's put ourselves out to do things for other people. Things that require time,energy, unselfishness and thoughtfulness. Strive to remember their birthdays and always look out for how to change something in someone.


- SMILE

The expression on your face is far more important than the clothes you put on. It is the most expensive makeup a lady can ever wear yet so cheap to use. You don't feel like smiling?? Then what?? First force yourself to smile and then act as if you were already happy and that will tend to make you happy.

It isn't what you have or who you are or where you are that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about. For example, two people may be in the same place, doing the same thing with the same amount of money and prestige and yet one may be miserable and the other happy.Why? Because of a different mental attitude.

Whenever you go out of your door,draw the chin in,fill the lungs to the utmost,greet everyone with a smile. Smiling Costs nothing but creates much,it happens in a flash but the memory of it lasts a long time.
It cannot be begged, bought, or stolen. For it is something that is no earthly good to anyone till it is given away.


- NEVER FORGET A MAN'S NAME

Men are so proud of their names that they strive to perpetuate them at any cost. Take out time and energy to concentrate and fix names indelibly in your mind.

When people tell you their names,always try to call them by that the next time you see them. If you do not remember, a simple hi will do. Never make the mistake of calling a person someone else's name. It is simply stating how unimportant the person is to you.

Try to ask for names and remember them. Remember that a man's name is to him the sweetest and the most important sound in English language.


- BE A GOOD LISTENER

If you want to know how to make people shun you and laugh at you behind your back and even despise you, never listen to anyone for long. The man who thinks only of himselfis hopelessly uneducated.

 If you aspire to make people like you,be an attentive listener. To be interesting, you need to be interested. Ask questions that the other person will enjoy answering and encourage him/her to talk about themselves.

Remember that the man you are talking to is a hundred times more interested in himself. His toothache means more to him than an earthquake in Benin city. So when dealing with people,be attentive no matter how boring it might seem.


- MAKE THE OTHER PERSON FEEL IMPORTANT

The deepest principle in human nature is craving to be appreciated. It is the urge that differentiates us from animals. It is the urge that has been responsible for civilization itself.So do unto others as you would have others do to you.

Give unto others the feeling of importance all the time,everywhere. It is a golden rule that if we keep,we will attract people to ourselves. Tell someone she is beautiful, appreciate that Guy's new shirt and haircut. Tell that lady how gorgeous her new hair is and enjoy doing it.

Would you like to make anyone fall in love with you?? Its simple. Let me tell you the secret. Its no trick at all. All you need to do is to talk to the lady about herself. The same thing applies for a guy.

Talk to anybody with a feeling of importance and they will listen for hours. Remember that friends are assets!!! Put these five things in place and anybody that dislikes you has an issue with nature!!!

TALENT IS NOT ENOUGH TO SUCCEED!!!

Talent is a commodity that some say is God-given.it is a marked natural ability or skill.We talk about the beauty and wonder of talent all the time. Whether it’s athletics, music, business, speaking, leadership or writing, there are individuals who seem to be born to do a certain thing.


It’s hard to describe, but like the color Red, you know it when you see it. But there’s just one problem: talent is never enough to succeed. Have you been told about a “promising young writer” but never
hear their name again? Or an upcoming great footballer but never hear of him again?? Why is this?
Because talent does not always translate to success.


Being told you have potential is not necessarily a compliment. Potential is wasted all the time.How do we avoid wasting our
potential?


Here are six steps to help you turn your talent into something productive and meaningful:


- IDENTIFY YOUR TALENT.


Many of us never get past this first step. You are unique. You have something to offer. So that is it? What next then? Your talent can be something you love to do or something you are good at. Hopefully, both.

Don’t worry about getting this right the first time Or even the second. It’s a process. Check out what you can spend 5-6 hours doing without getting bored. That is a good start. That thing you do better than everybody else or that particular thing you always find joy doing,that is your talent.


- START

Once you have figured out that special talent of yours, you have to put on your running shoes. Many of us are paralyzed by fear of not knowing where to begin.
You tend to be confused,Maybe your path is clear.,Maybe it’s not.
Truth is You will never know for sure until you actually get going. Either way,starting is a much better option than sitting around, wasting your talent.
If you make a mistake, acknowledge it. Learn from it, and then move on. Get back on track, and get over the fear of starting. You need courage. Courage is not the absence of fear but the mastery of it.
So start using your talent to cause a change instead of sitting about with it. You never can tel who is watching. He might be who is required to push you to your next level.


- WORK HARD AND WORK SMART


Do you wish you could play football like Cristiano Ronaldo? Do you hope to some day find out Michael Jordan's secret??
Here’s their secret: they practiced. Yes, all of the above people have talent. But they also worked their tails off to turn it into skill.If you want to be good at something, you have to practice it for at least 10,000 hours. You might even have to make a few sacrifices along the way. Learn from people who are ahead in your area of concentration. Give out quality time to practice day and night. Success is achieved not merely through talent but through hard work.You had better get busy.


USE A MENTOR OR COACH


No athlete achieves their full potential without a coach. Coaches provide new instruction, offer feedback, and keeps you accountable.
Feel like not showing up today? Your coach will keep you on track. Unsure of the next step to take? A mentor can help motivate you to keep moving. It helps to have someone to provide not only accountability but also negative feedback.
We all need to get better. And your best friend may not have the guts to tell you so. Get a mentor. You won’t regret it.


DILIGENCE

This is the 1% extra effort that validates hardwork.
Many have wasted talent and hard work, because of a
lack of perseverance. Finishing is an art. We have to fight distractions, obstacles,hindrances and limitation. Obstacles are blastable mountains, hindrances are climbable mountains, limitations are encompassable mountains.
Whatever you choose to do, get it done .Set deadlines. Keep yourself accountable (or ask someone else probably your mentor to help). Be a finisher.


- REDO IT


If you find early success,Immediately kill complacency and don’t let
yourself grow content.
Start a new project. Finish an old project. Learn from past mistakes. Whatever you do, keep going.
Set an alarm, get out of bed, and do it all over again.
But this time, do it better .


Sure, it’s important to discover your gifts. But don’t stop there. The line between talent and skill is immense. The goal here is to turn your potential into something productive.The person that wins is not the one with the most talent.
It’s the one who works the hardest, does the most
preparation, and keeps at it when others slack and give
up. Don’t let that be you — no matter how talented you are,You aren't until you become productive!!!

THE POWER OF YOUR ATTITUDE

Your attitude is a powerful tool for positive action.its inherently interwoven into everything you do.its your most priceless possession. The good news is that you don't have to buy it but you have to develop it. To transform your attitude into action,you must accept responsibility for what goes on inside your mind by monitoring your internal dialogue. Here are some life changing steps to guide you to turning your attitude to achievements.

- UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF ATTITUDE.

The first thing you need to do to turn your attitude into action is to tap into the power of your attitude. This step is the foundation upon which all other steps are built. Attitude is everything.A positive attitude is the foundation of a successful life. Your attitude is involved in everything.it impacts our performance at work,and our relationships.

Attitude is the corner stone upon which we build our lives. For me, attitude can be defined in one word - LIFE. The attitude that you carry around makes an incredible difference in your life.it can be a powerful tool for positive action. Or it can be a poison that cripples your ability to fulfill your potential.

Your attitude dictates whether you are living live or life is living you. To develop an attitude that helps you live life to its fullest,first you must understand that the heart is the control center for your attitude. Your attitude is nothing but an outward reflection of what resides on the inside.

To change your attitude,you must change your heart. The next time you are faced with a difficult challenge,focus on staying positive. Remember that your setbacks can be setups for even greater opportunities.Attitude affects everything you do,both personally and professionally.Remember your attitude reflects you so always have a positive attitude..


- ATTITUDE IS A CHOICE.

Taking charge and staying in control is an attitude of choice. Its your next step for turning attitude into action.What is it going to be for you ; a positive attitude or a negative attitude?? The choice seems fairly simple,doesn't it?The problem is that we often forget we have a choice. That is one of the master keys to unlocking your greatness in life.

We make choices consciously and unconsciously all of our lives. We choose when to go to bed,what to eat,wear, etc You should choose your attitude thoughtfully because it determines how you respond to the many challenges you will encounter. Sometimes making no choice is the worst decision of all. Its vital that you  consciously choose the right attitude wisely. The paths our lives take are largely determined by the choices we make day in and day out. Choice is the starting point to everything we do in life. The most important discovery is that by changing our attitudes,we can change our lives. its a choice we all have.


- IDENTIFY YOUR GOOD AND BAD ATTITUDES

Its not always easy to determine why other people have bad attitudes,but its certainly easy to pick them out of a crowd. You could probably name your friends, co workers etc you know with bad attitudes. Its easy to spot someone with a bad attitude .

 If you feel stuck,overlooked,or unappreciated,it could be that you have picked up an attitude that is holding you back. You might not see it yourself but you may have noticed that the people around you respond differently to you. If your friends,coworkers,relatives don't treat you the same way,maybe its not them.Maybe its YOU.So quickly identify the bad eggs.


- RE FRAME YOUR BAD ATTITUDE

The previous step talked about identifying the bad attitudes, here you should reframe them. You can't always expect other people to adjust your attitude for you. Of course, certainly you can't expect them to do it in such a pleasant way. Its really something for which you need to take responsibility for.

We can take classes in school to learn how to control our finances,our careers and even our overall success but where do we sign up for attitude control 101? You can change your attitude with a change in perspective and with a change in your gratitude and forgiveness level.


- FIND YOUR PURPOSE AND PASSION

Have you shared your vision with those who can help you? Write down what you want to do,for whom and for what purpose. Make a chart of how you intend to pursue your vision. The " how " will help you put your attitude to action.

 People who don't understand the importance of goals will run into walls. Going goalless is like trying to drive to an unfamiliar address in a new town without a map or directions. You might eventually get where you are going but chances are that you'll pull over in frustration or settle for a suitable substitute.

When you have well defined goals,you are far less likely to develop a bad attitude. So take some quiet time today and write down your dreams for your life. What do you enjoy doing??What can you do for hours and hours and enjoy so much that you lose track of time?? It doesn't have to be a unique talent like playing the harp or building skyscrapers.

The level of your talent isn't nearly as important as the intensity of your passion. Passion and dreams shape your attitude.


- BE PRE-ACTIVE

Pre means planning your response before an event happens. Active means taking action to put that plan in place. By being pre active, you anticipate a solution before it arises. As we all know, stress is difficult,if not impossible to avoid. But you can combat stress by choosing to be pre active. Making the decision to in-cooperate preplanning in every aspect of your life gives you tremendous power. When you are pre active,you learn to accept responsibility for your own attitude before things happen to you.

Earthquakes give no advance warning or mechanism for determining when the hazard is going to occur. Many of lifes hazard are the same,disastrous,unpredictable and beyond your control. So make resolution to be pre active.


- DISCOVER HOW TO MOTIVATE YOURSELF

Affirmations repeated several times each day,everyday serve to reprogram your subconscious with positive thinking. An affirmation is made up of words charged with power,conviction and faith. Every time you  speak,atoms of your body are affected.

Their rate of vibration is either raised or lowered. An affirmation contains the elements of your belief,attitude and motivation. Avoid every tenuous words such as try,wish, or hope in your affirmations. You want a statement that has the ring of an established truth , not a desire.

 "I am somebody" has a lot more power than " i am trying to be somebody". To motivate yourself,discover a motive that moves you. A motive helps you take action to change your life. Motivation is the hope that puts attitude into action in an attempt to fulfill a desire or achieve a specific result.


- MAKE A MARK THAT CANNOT BE ERASED

It doesn't matter where you are born,how much money you have or what your educational level is. What matters is that you recognize you can make a difference and that God has a purpose for you. Even when you cannot see the results of your work,you are still able to know in your heart that you can make a tremendous difference in someone else life .

Don't ever forget that there are so many needs and so many ways in which you can make a difference. No matter who you are, or what you do, we all have time to serve if we make time. And we should all make time as long as we have time. Its important to understand that the smallest gesture can have a major and lasting impact on a persons life.

 God has given us all special gifts, but they are not for us alone. Our gifts are meant to bless the lives of others and that's what making a mark is all about. Remember,your attitude is your most priceless possession. I wish you a super fantastic journey in discovering the power and spirit that lives within you. ATTITUDE ...........IS EVERYTHING !!!

YOU ARE NIGERIA !!!!

                        
 

Independence according to the dictionary is the quality of being free from dependence,exemption  from reliance on anything or anybody. Nigeria is 55 today but how well has the country been able to live up to the standard definition of independence.

We make mistakes certain times stating that the country is not functionally okay but it is most appropraite to note that YOU are Nigeria and I am Nigeria. It is enough to criticize the government because if you were part of the government,nothing would change.

When we say Nigeria is celebrating bindependence, we are saying that you and I are independent. YOU ARE NIGERIA. But how come after 55 years of independence,we live in a situation whereby youths put all their hopes on the government,graduates depend solely on what the government can do for them.

The government is tasked with the provision of basic and infrastructural amenities,construction of roads ,to mention but a few. Its high time we understood the concept of independence.Rise up and stay independent because THE GOVERNMENT YOU DONT KNOW CANNOT PROVIDE FOR YOU..

                                            


For 55 years,there has been no constant flow of jobs,so what is the guarantee that there will be in the coming years? This is not just an article,it is what should put you on the streets,put you on your feet,make you start thinking and place you in search of doing something.

How bad will it be to note that after graduation, the almighty government you placed all your hopes on can not even offer you a job?For those of you depending on your parents,they will certainly leave you one day and what will come of you? All i am trying to say is that we should reaccess our aims and look out for the clearer vision. The government of Nigeria does not owe you anything but you owe them everything.You can cause a change to your generation.

Believe in your dreams,work on it and build yourself. Become a man.A man is not someone that has beards on his chin but a man is one that can independently accept responsibility for development and for impact.
The likes of Basketmouth,Bovi,Wizkid and the rest of them are making it bigtime.WHY? They refused to believe that the government can do anything for them. They chased their dreams,built their goals and now they are causing a change in their generation. YOU and I need to rise.

Remember YOU are Nigeria and no matter how much we dance and celebrate NIGERIA@55,If we do not understand the role we have to play,We will forever remain in captivity.If at 25,you are still depending on the government and collecting money from your parents and relatives, You are nothing but a prisoner in your own land. So be your own government and start making provisions for you and your nation. Only this way can you celebrate Nigeria @ 55.