How to Get Ahead in Life

Posted at August 2, 2009

Get Ahead Series

I just got back to Australia from Kenya where I had gone home for family matters and to recharge my batteries. For the time I was gone, I really missed my blog readers and friends I have made on this blog.

My mind was like I sponge. I was taking in lessons like you would not believe. I was constantly thinking of you, my dear reader. I found myself asking; what can I learn from this situation to share with my readers? How can I inspire my friends through what has just happened to me today? Would my friends like to hear about this? I have good news for you.

I came back with a suitcase of inspiring messages. Lessons with the potential to change lives, re-kindle passions, and fuel the desire to get ahead in life.

The Get Ahead Series

I went to various parts of Kenya and spoke to hundreds of people, many of them my neighbors and family. Even people who do not have much in the way of formal education seem to be getting ahead in life. They seem to have ingenious ways of spotting opportunities and getting ahead, given their limited resources.

It got me asking myself lots of questions. For the last 11 years that I have been in Australia, I have seen people with so much more in the way of resources, talents and opportunities. However, they do not seem to have that fire, that energy, that desire to get ahead. Not in the way people I met in Kenya are anyway.

Australia is a laid back country with lots of opportunities compared to Kenya. Some call it the lucky country although the government prefers us to think of it as the clever country. The traffic lights work, the rules are obeyed, the taps never run dry, the crime rate is really low, there is universal health care… in other words, life is good. This perhaps makes some people relax.

Many are content to go to school, get a job, have a few beers over the weekend, watch footy with some mates and call it a week. There are many in Australia that are getting, and staying ahead of the game, even compared to Kenya, but the common man in Kenya seems more obsessed and in need of getting ahead than a typical Aussie.

I decided to write a “Get Ahead” series for my friends, both in Kenya and in Australia, that want to be inspired to learn how, why and when to make a difference with their lives. In this series, I will be looking at various factors that lead to success.

I will focus mainly on success as defined in money terms. I will look at success as making money, enough money, to do all that your heart desires, and to have more left over.

How many of us would do with more money? What would an extra $15,000 a month do to your lifestyle? What would a few assets to your name do to your confidence? If you are in debt, how would it feel to wake up and find that the debts are gone?

This series will be my candid talk on what money means to me and to our society. I will be drawing lessons from both Kenya and Australia.

A Man named Desire

I went to high school with a friend that I shall name “Desire”, for the purpose of this blog post. He is a regular reader of this website. We sat with him at a Nairobi pub and had a talk about his life since high school, and my life here in Australia.

This man desired to be rich. He purposed to make it in life and in school, he would tell me of all the crazy business ideas that he had for the future. Without realizing it, we used to “bond” on our desire for success. We were young minds more than 10 years ago but with a passion for getting ahead.

Talking to him on that sunny Thursday in Nairobi reminded me of his brilliance and gave me ideas for more than 10 blog posts that will form the backbone of this series I told him “hey man, do you realize am going to be writing about the stuff you are saying?”, he was like “yeah, whatever, do you what you need to do”.

It is with much gratitude that I say thank you man, for the inspiration you gave to me. I will freely share with my readers just as you shared with me.

For your information, this man with a desire to succeed, has succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. He has done well for himself and his family. I hope his lessons will inspire you to be the best you can be.

The Road Ahead

Are you still working for the big man? For many of the people I met who are doing great things in Kenya, and here in Australia, massive financial success mainly comes from working for yourself.

Working for someone else has a way of stifling creativity. Working for someone is a good way to get started, but to really get ahead of the curve financially, you have to become a business owner or an investor. More about that later in the series.

Other areas we shall look at in this series include the desire for freedom, coping with debt, living your dreams and facing your fears. We shall talk of getting ahead as being the master of your own ship, controlling your destiny and being happy.

Nothing in this series is rocket science. In fact, you may find that you already knew 99% of the stuff that we shall look at. But am willing to bet that you are probably only applying a very small portion of the lessons in this series.

Commit to applying the lessons coming to you over the next few weeks and you will make a big difference in your life. Success comes at a price. We shall be exploring the price that needs to be paid to get ahead in careers, finances, relationships and other goals in life.

Your Views

I would love to hear from you regarding getting ahead in life. Are you stuck in a rut? Do you know people who have gotten ahead in life? What lessons can you share? Your comments will help shape the rest of the series. Please share this blog post with your friends on facebook, and other social sites.

Series Navigation«Succeed through Making a ContributionFind your Own Angle for Success»

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