Tag Archives: Work

Career Development, Personal development

Difference Between Vision and Ambition.

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If we follow English language semantics we’ll not get the juice out of this.

Ask a child about his dream. And most will tell you what they want to get, where they want to go to and money they want to acquire and all these so called personal acquisitions.

Are they wrong?

I go for them. You go for them too.

But have you seen that no man gets bigger by fighting for himself. No man.

Find a course you want to dedicate your life to. Get a job in that sphere. Then keep moving.

Will it be smooth? No. Will it be worth it? Sure, if you persist and learn on the way.

Most employees don’t start with why. We don’t start with a vision. We start with our tummy. Our hunger. Our needs and end there.

The problem is not where we start but where do we go from there.

Finally, I like the words of an African Bishop on this:

Ambition is not an absolutely wrong word. Ambition is a strong and necessary companion of vision.

It takes ambition to drive vision. Why? Because ambition is a strong desire to achieve results or attain a height.

Without ambition vision will go to sleep. It is the fire place of vision. It takes ambition to fire vision to action.

If you like, call it zeal. Do not discard ambition. Life is dormant without it. It is described as a cherished desire.

It is backup to vision. Genuine ambition never competes with vision. It doesn’t run parallel to vision.

Bishop David Abioye:

Thus, use ambition to pursue the vision. I’ll recommend Simon Sinek’s Start With Why.

I think I can do a summary on his two books tomorrow during my Friday book review.

Career Development, Personal development

Surviving Post-Corona: Should I quit my job or not?

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A tough question indeed.

I am a football fan. I’ve been locked outside the house for going to see matches 😀. What a life!

Can you remember the match between AC Milan and Liverpool? In 2005? UEFA Champions League Final match?

What a terrible match.

Wikipedia puts it this way:

Milan were regarded as favourites before the match and took the lead within the first minute through captain Paolo Maldini. Milan striker Hernán Crespo added two more goals before half-time to make it 3–0. In the second half Liverpool launched a comeback and scored three goals in a dramatic six-minute spell to level the scores at 3–3, with goals from Steven Gerrard, Vladimír Šmicer and Xabi Alonso.

The scores remained the same during extra time, and a penalty shoot-out was required to decide the champions. The score was 3–2 to Liverpool when Andriy Shevchenko’s penalty was saved by Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek. Thus Liverpool won their fifth European Cup, were awarded the trophy permanently, and claimed a multiple-winner badge.

Liverpool’s comeback gave rise to the final being known as the Miracle of Istanbul, and is regarded as one of the greatest finals in the history of the tournament.”

That night was hot for me. I learnt something about life.

To quit is a choice.

Now, you’re not playing against AC Milan. In fact, football has been shut down for a while now.

You’re playing against the economy and your job. You’re an employee and you can see work going in no direction. Covid-19 has startled everyone.

Are you thinking of quitting? Do you think it’s time? Is there something you always wanted to do and you’ve not been able to?

Can I ask you this even before you decide to quit or not: what is your vision?

I feel this is even the most important question to ask.

Where are you going to?

The persons who will be scared the most in this period are those who don’t have a vision for their lives. (Remember, a vision is different from ambition.)

I’ll write about the difference between vision and ambition tomorrow.

As an employee, don’t just quit your job. And don’t just stay. Have a why for quitting or staying.

Career Development, Personal branding

Five Stages of Pursuing Passion

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I find it hard using SEO to make all my writings. Humans are not machines. We have emotions. So sometimes I prefer to write from my heart.

If Google wants to list it, fine. If not, I just know this will help someone.

When you begin to pursue your passion, you’ll go through crazy processes that will make you feel like a fool.

Yes, like a fool.

I’ve been there and that’s why I want to share the five stages I’ve started but still going through all again and again.

AWARENESS

This is when it dawns on you that this is what you love to do… that this is what you are called to do. It’s so lovely but with mixed feelings too. Sometimes you cry.

If you’re a person of faith like me, you’d have cried during your prayer time. I have and still do.

That awareness is the aha moment. Incomparable.

But after this, comes the stage of… 😀

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MADNESS

Didn’t find any better word to use. I’m sorry. Do you know how a pregnant woman feels sometimes?

At madness, you’re restless. Nothing makes sense.

I can remember several times, I sleep so early and wake up very early. My mind saturated by this thing. When will I have time to spend with teenagers?

When? 😰

CALMNESS (POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE)

Calmness occurs either ways – positive or negative.

Negative occurs when you get tired and you just feel like this is not possible again. You give up. You just feel stupid and as though it’s not worthwhile.

No one understands what you’re saying. No one supports you.

Maybe, hunger on you 😀! No job and you’re pursuing passion? It’s terrible.

The positive happens when you calm down. Meditate on the journey. Begin to see what it will cost you if you keep on this journey.

The positive side is for the patient guy.

ASSIGNMENT OR PRUDENCE

Work begins here.

And the first is…

  • Personal Development

Buy books. Read. Listen to tapes. Download and watch videos. Seminars. Webinars. Follow the pros on twitter. Listen to them.

  • Service

You must serve the persons you are sent to and the person who is already doing what you want to do. I had to do this. It was fun and tough.

Let me share this story:

I was living with my aunt and then her son, my cousin, told me one day that his school was in need of a tutor – ICT tutor. I was excited.

Why?

I’d finally get to be with teens always.

So I went to the school. I met with the principal. He looked at me and was like, “I can’t pay you. We don’t have the money”.

I still went ahead to teach.

I can’t describe to you what that moment was like for me. Almost every night, I cried. I couldn’t wait to resume school. I couldn’t wait to see these kids.

The second is that I had to attend the graduation ceremony of a school in order to meet with my current boss. And I’ve been with him for about four years now learning how to coach teens.

The experience?

Immeasurable!

  • Personal Trial and Error

You begin to take personal projects too that will expand your capacity. You can write books. Organize events. Do something beyond you.

Take risk.

No going back.

Just forward and upward.

GREATNESS

It is given. You don’t take it.

Now there is greatness on the inside and that on the outside. I’m talking about the one on the outside.

It’s given, not taken.

Your work will speak for you. Your service will speak for you.

At this point, people begin to know you as a master in that sphere of life.

SIGNIFICANCE

After greatness, if you don’t stop, you enter the realm of significance.

Here, you’re not just a leader in your industry, other industries recognize your wisdom and capacity.

And most importantly, you begin to give back. That is one major sign of this stage.

It is for givers, not receivers.

A lot has happened so you want to share your journey with others.

At what level are you at in your pursuit of your passion?

If you don’t relent, you’ll receive the crown. Trust me, you will. For the stages, remember, it’s cyclic. It goes round and comes round.

Stay true to your passion. No matter what.

Book Review, Career Development

FRIDAY BOOK REVIEW WITH CHUKS | Only the Paranoid Survive by Andrew Grove.

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The ability to recognize that the winds have shifted and to take appropriate action before you wreck your boat is crucial to the future of an enterprise.

Andrew Grove

While Grove addresses this to businesses, can I tell you that your career is your business? And you the CEO?

Covid-19 is teaching everyone a serious lesson. But few are taking notes.

Why?

That’s humans for you. We don’t listen hard. We don’t read between lines. So history keeps repeating itself.

According to a post on BBC.com, nearly 200 million people could end up out of work during this covid-19 pandemic.

And if you’ve not lost yours, how can you stay guarded so you can control your career journey?

That’s what Grove has given us – not answers but questions to trigger our minds.

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1). What do you think the nature of your industry is going to be in two or three years?

Go online and type the future of work… (type your field). Open the first five pages and read for yourself.

2). Is this an industry you want to be part of?

This is a self check and it’s good we’re at home. Think about your future and career. Do you still want to be part of this field? Are you sure? You want to switch?

3). Is your employer in a good position to succeed in this industry?

“How can you motivate yourself,” he asked, “to continue to follow a leader when he appears to be going around in circles?”

I’ve thought about this and sure I know my decision relation to this. Don’t be sentimental here. Think. It’s your career remember and your life.

4). What skills do you need to progress in your career in this new landscape?

“On the other hand, when there’s a fundamental change in the industry and you don’t change your skills,” Grove said, “you will lose at both winning companies and losing companies. That is a situation that can be classified as career inflection point.”

Very key.

The first question will give you a clue to this. As you check the future of work in that field, you’ll see the skills needed.

5). Do you have a role model of the person who has the career today that you want to achieve?

Also important.

No sentiments here again. I repeat, no sentiments. Who can you follow in your supposed career? Who can show you the way in your chosen field of pursuit?

My final take is one of his quotes from the book:

The sad news is that, nobody owes you a career. Your career is literally your business. You own it as a sole proprietor. You have one employee: yourself. You are in competition with millions of similar businesses: millions of other employees all over the world. You need to accept ownership of your career, your skills and the timing of your moves. It is your responsibility to protect this personal business of yours from harm and to position it to benefit from the changes in the environment. Nobody else can do that for you.

Andrew Grove

Can you turn it to goodnews?

Africa and the Future of Work, Career Development, Personal branding

Africa and the Future of Work | Covid-19: Why your Career Plan Needs to Change.

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From Nigeria, on 31 March, 2020, I sat in the conference room with my colleagues as our boss spoke to us about the next move relation to covid-19. As he spoke, I saw sincerity and wisdom from his words.

To me, I valued that last conversation more than a salary. He kept mentioning post-corona several times. Amongst the many things I got from him, one of the most pressing is the need to recreate my career plan.

Trained as an architect, combined with teens coaching, I’m thinking about my career plan again. Although I know what I want, the disruption from the pandemic is going to change the route to get it. Yes, it will.

Why?

I’ve been at home from April 1, 2020… No office work for the next one month… The office is going to be locked… We can’t effectively service our clients online due to certain reasons.

Do I place my career plan on my organization or carry that responsibility to re-strategize for post-corona – like my boss called it?

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WHAT CAN WE DO THEN?

One of the major steps we need to take to adjust in our career plan is to understand the tech in our career and begin to embrace it fully.

Technology is not going to be an option anymore. It has replaced our environment. That’s where we live. That’s why things like AI and IoT is being integrated as a matter of necessity. If you’re not integrating tech into your career, you’ll miss a lot.

I got several freelancing jobs to work on last month, and I’m almost like a late comer in that field. However, I’m taking my time to make sure my online presence is stronger daily. And taking more assignments online too…

Note: These tasks I’m taking to earn is also in line with my career goal. There are jobs I won’t take. I will not. Despite the change, I’ll stick to my career goal but my career plan is changing.

Another step is to have multiple career paths in view. No better post explains this more than Why you should craft multiple plans for your future career.

Remember to stay safe and keep praying too. Covid-19 is a teacher for those who want to learn.

Personal finance

Stop Looking for Money. This is Where to Find it.

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Good morning from Enugu, Nigeria… It’s a lovely day. The panic is rising yet we know that that’s not the solution to coronavirus. We need to take precautionary measures as well as guard our hearts just like King Solomon said in Proverbs 4:23:

Above all else, guard your heart for everything you do flows from it. NIV

And thanks to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s words:

Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world.

For today, we’ll shortly look at various hidden points of money. Money is not far. It’s close but the eyes can’t see it until the mind captures it.

Whenever we talk about how to make money, there are persons who feel so bitter that they’ve not made the amount they want. And most times, it feels like they cannot.

I was listening to an audio few days ago and I got this list which I feel will help someone begin to see where he or she can find that money.

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Problems

When you are hungry, and you get into the closest restaurant to you, what do you do? You pay off course and then eat. Why? Your hunger is the problem. The food they have is the solution. Your money leaves you to the restaurant so you can eat.

So how do they get money? They are solving the problem of hunger.

Gifts and potentials

This things sound simple but profound if you put it to work. Gifts and potentials are basically the abilities – both natural and acquired – that you have and can be used to create value. A writer writes. A painter paints. A footballer plays football.

For each of these display of gift, depending on the excellence of the display, money comes to the person. Simple!

Opportunities

Most times this is hidden. It requires little more thinking or thinking differently. When you go online and type job vacancy, you’ll see thousands of opportunities. If you get any, money begins to roll in.

Another view of opportunity is a need. Look around you and begin to ask yourself, what are persons closest to me in need of? If you remove that need, money flows to you.

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Ideas

Another real big source of money.

I don’t believe there’s no one that has never gotten an idea. I don’t believe. If you have any idea, with wise and adequate actions put into it, lots of money will flow to you.

Sometimes the ideas might just be a flash. It mustn’t be that you’ve seen a problem first or an opportunity first. It can just be a thought and that’s it.

Goods and services (products)

Let me ask you: What are you producing everyday? Can people come to you to get something that is valuable? It’s only father Christmas and our relatives who give us money for barely no reason.

If you make something that is useful, people will buy. Yes, it might start small but keep at it.

Work

Are you employed or self employed? I’m sure at the end of the day or week or month depending on how you earn, money gets into your pocket.

When you work, you earn. Simple!

So, whenever you’re thinking of money! money!!! money!!! think about these things:

  • What problem(s) can I solve now?
  • What gifts and potentials do I have?
  • What opportunities are around me that I can maximise?
  • What ideas do I have that’s not yet implemented?
  • What goods and services can I offer?
  • Where can I work so I can earn?

Again, remember to stay safe. You can learn about the coronavirus safety measures on who.int.

And most importantly, don’t allow fear to ravage your mind.

Africa and the Future of Work, Personal development, Personal finance

Africa and the Future of Work: How we Work and Earn is Changing. Are You Ready for this Disruption?

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  • And this shows how work has changed – how production and exchange of goods & services have changed over time. It is the future of work versus the future of earning.
  • There are few persons that have the privilege of earning sufficiently from just a job.
  • Even in the midst of coronavirus, there are persons whose earnings are not going to be affected so much.

From reports yesterday and few days ago, Norwegian Airline said it would lay off up to 50% of its employees across all department, British Airways boss tells staff members that jobs will go and Employees in China visa service leave.

The figures are staggering. Nations are shutting down. The school system is not left out. Just few days ago, it was reported that secondary schools in certain states of Nigeria will shut down.

Coming back from work (a secondary school, where I work as a Life coach) yesterday, I went to get few things in a grocery store and I heard customers talking about how one of the most popular online betting website in Africa, bet9ja, has not been yielding much for bettors.

Why?

Football leagues around the world are on corona-break for safety. No one is playing. No one is watching. Therefore, few to none are betting.

However, I don’t think that the virtual version of the bet is totally down as virtual bets can be done with or without live matches.

And this shows how work has changed – how production and exchange of goods & services have changed over time. It is the future of work versus the future of earning.

My question is: Are you ready for that future? Are you building the structures needed for that future? How are you going to utilize this time of disruption as you work remotely?

Amongst other ways, these three can kick start your thinking in that direction.

1. Build an online business.

Despite the effects of the virus on the betting websites, it dawned on me there’s virtual betting. If the real Cristiano Ronaldo is not playing, PS4 CR7 can never contact coronavirus. Never!

For those who have such platforms, more cashflow is the case while they wait for the real players to come on live.

So, do you have any plans for building value online? See this post: 12 Ways you can absolutely make money online.

2. Have multiple streams of income.

One of the best advice I’ve received on creating multiple streams of income is this:

(Thanks to Shay K on Pinterest for sharing).

There are few persons that have the privilege of earning sufficiently from just a job. Follow this advice and I think you’ll be better for it. You can also read this too: How to build multiple streams of income.

3. Lifelong learning.

Devashish Chakravarty, on the Economic Times, calls it Renew and Grow. He said,

Tough times are ideal for investing in yourself and growing rapidly as a professional… your employer will be glad if you can deliver more value.”

And if she’s glad, wouldn’t she keep you?

Jim Rohn will tell you that

Even in the midst of coronavirus, there are persons whose earnings are not going to be affected so much. There are others who are also not afraid of being asked to stop work by their employer.

Why?

They have systems that can sustain them for as long as possible.

Show love to those around you by staying safe first and helping them stay safe. Visit who.int for more on coronavirus.

Personal branding, Personal development

7 Mindsets that Differentiate Amateurs From Professionals.

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Last week, I had to listen to Jeff Goins. He’s the one drilling me in the art of writing. As I listened, he was dissecting the differences between an amateur and a pro.

Why do I think you need this?

If you want to build a niche for yourself in a career, my dear, you can’t afford to be an amateur. You can start from there. Everyone does. But remain there? Mba (no in Igbo language).

Let’s see what I got.

1. Amateurs wait for clarity while pros take action.

His words:

Now I’ve learned that clarity comes with action. We must perform our way into professionalism. We must first call ourselves what we want to become and then get to the work of mastery.

My Thoughts:

Hmmm… My tongue almost went dry when I got this. One of my quotes illustrates it as this: Purpose is never clear. It only gets clearer.

This does not mean wake up and just move in blindness. Have you noticed that we tend to take more time waiting, in the name of clarity, that we don’t act for years?

I’ve applied this especially with this blog. I didn’t become a blogger by becoming a blogger “first” before starting this platform. I knew I wanted to share something. Then, Chuks started…

(Personal Message: If you want to start a blog, stop waiting to save $10. Start with the free plan like me while you write and plan your way to a paid plan. If you have the cash, go ahead.)

See his line again“… We must perform ourselves to professionalism.”

2. Amateurs want to arrive while pros get better.

His words:

For the longest time, I just wanted to be recognized for my genius. It wasn’t until I started putting myself around teachers and around the teaching of true masters that I realized how little I knew and how much I still had to grow as a writer.

My thoughts:

One major reason this is so is the amateur most times is not vision-driven. He wants to make money. The pro is vision-driven. Yes, he wants money but it’s beyond money.

Where I work now is a result of a passion to be better. Sure, we observe milestones but we don’t settle for it. Pros have growth mindset.

Related Posts

3. Amateurs practise as much as they have to while pros never stop.

His words:

I used to write a few hours on a random Saturday every third week of the month. I never got better, and I couldn’t understand why. Then I started writing 500 words a day for as little as twenty to thirty minutes per day. Within a year, I had found my voice.

My thoughts:

I’ve always wanted to spend time with teens. It’s been a dream. But, I just hung there.

Howbeit, when I started having trainings, every Thursdays for an hour, apart from daily one-on-one coaching sessions with them, I saw the difference it made. Talking with adults and talking with teens are not the same. I didn’t get it until I practised it for at least two years and I still do it today and more.

Since this year began, I’ve started lists of online training packages for teens like Teens Career Chat with Chuks amongst others. Why? Continuous practice.

4. Amateurs leap for their dreams while pros build a bridge.

His words:

You have to put the time in, but it’s more of a marathon than a sprint. I took a leap every time I started a new blog. I did this eight times, every time I had a new idea. But none of those blogs stuck until I decided to stick with one, which is the blog I write today.

My thoughts?

Why do amateurs leap? What happens when they leap?

Most times it’s because it’s not a long-term vision. They want to learn to run before learning to walk. After the leaps, if they fail, they quit. It’s meant to be a step at a time.

Don’t confuse this with Grant Cardone’s 10X. 10X is possible, and it takes time. Even if you want to start the 10X journey, you’ll discover that you have to do 1X, 4X, 5.8X…

You build the bridge and up you go.

5. Amateurs fear failure while pros crave it.

His words:

What professionals know that the rest of us don’t appreciate is that failure can teach you more than success ever will. Failure is feedback, and truly successful people use it to move forward in their careers.

My thoughts:

This is why they take actions and not wait for the perfect day. They know it doesn’t exist.

Most times the thought of amateurs is that failure shouldn’t be part of the journey. John Maxwell, one of my most treasured, got it so well that he wrote two books on it: Failing Foward and Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn.

You’ll make mistakes along the way, and that’s fine. How do you feel when you post on your blog and a reader reads it, chats you up, and tells you there is an error in your post?

I received that either last week or last two weeks, and I was so grateful.

Sometimes, I remain inactive because of fear.

6. Amateurs build a skill while pros build a portfolio.

His words:

This doesn’t mean you have to be Jack of all trades, but you must become a master or some. For example, all the professional writers I know are good at more than one thing. One is a great publicist. Another is really smart at leadership. Another is a fantastic speaker.

My thoughts:

Do you just want to be a salesman? Or a programmer? Or photographer?

I see this the same way we talk about the 4Cs in education. The 4Cs are core skills every student is expected to have to be effective in the 21st century world.

One major skill I’m trying to build is leadership skill apart from speaking, writing and mentoring skills. Why? It will distinguish me wherever I work. And sure, I know I’ll work with people along the way.

Pros build more than a skill.

Just one more…

https://giphy.com/gifs/crazy-drummer-peVimMgG69Omc

7. Amateurs want to be noticed while pros want to be remembered.

His words:

You have to care about legacy more than ego… The professionals I know whose work reaches a lot of people and truly matters aren’t just thinking about the quick win – the big book deal, the next speaking gig, the new product launch. They’re thinking about the long game, about what they want to work on that might endure for the next 100 years.

My thoughts:

I remember when I was learning to play the drums and piano and bass guitar. It was so funny how we “fought” to play.

Our motivation?

To show ourselves in church. Maybe for the Pastor to see us or the girl we’re crushing on to notice us. So we play for hours without asking the next guy to help. In fact, asking the next guy to help is like allowing him steal your show 😁.

Although I’m no real pro on the piano, I don’t focus on impressing.

To end this, I’d add mine too:

8. Amateurs are ego driven while pros are vision-driven.

Where do you stand? Where do you want to stand in 10 years time? A pro or an amature?

Career Development

Africa and the Future of Work: Understanding the Gig Economy – Part 2.

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The four necessities for thriving in the gig economy…

Place

People fail, said one of the writers they interviewed, because they don’t create a space and time to do whatever it is they need to do.

This is so insightful in the need to get to a place where you will be focused. Thanks to office spaces that are available for situations like this.

I was speaking with a colleague the other day and she told me of the structure, Genesys Tech Hub in Enugu, Nigeria, (whose CEO is Kingsley Eze) is creating. I’ve been there myself and it’s a good space for the gig worker. You can come there and work at a fee in a nice work space.

All tools you need for the tech thing is there. Someone else can choose a cool restaurant, that’s reserved.

The point is get a place for your work.

Routines

In organizations, routines are often associated with safety or boring bureaucracy. However, a growing body of research has shown that elite athletes, scientific geniuses, popular artists, and even everyday workers use routines to enhance focus and performance. The professionals we spoke with tend to rely on them in the same way.

Gianpiero Petriglieri, Susan J. Ashford and Amy Wrzesniewski

Your routine will decide how effective you will be even as a gig worker. Be regular, Gustave Flaubert said, and orderly in your life, so that you can be violent and original in your work.

Having a routine gives control too. You plan your time. You know the things to do. It’s almost like the life of an entrepreneur.

Purpose

The trio said about what gig workers during their research: Purpose creates a bridge between their personal interests and motivations and a need in the world.

It’s simple. To do well in this gig workosystem, you need to connect to your why. Perhaps you would want to read Start With Why by Simon Sinek.

People

If you browse through the pros and cons of the gig economy, you’ll see that one of the downside of the gig economy is the isolation it creates.

Humans are social creatures. Don’t stay alone. Find people to connect with. Find people who are into your thing. If you’re in Lagos, get to visit the civic centre, a bar or other hangout places like innovation hubs coming up.

You might want to do your break in a mall so you can talk business as you make contact.

The gigism is here to stay. From Abuja to Accra, there’s going to be, sorry, there’s already a shift in the way we work.

The question is: Are African employees ready for this? Especially fresh graduates…

Don’t miss out on the next topic coming up in 7 days time. Let’s keep in touch and remember to share…