Stockbrokers have been known to commit suicide when the going gets tough. When the markets nose-dive, some prefer to jump off skyscrapers rather than face the consequences. Do you attach too much meaning and personal involvement in your material possessions? (more…)
Today has been a very humbling experience for me. I stepped back and reflected on the last eight months since launching this blog. I re-read some of my earlier blog posts, and the dear readers’ comments. The support from my dear family, friends and readers has been nothing short of amazing. I really appreciate everyone who has joined me in this journey of personal growth and discovery.
This year, I have been unshackling myself from mental slavery. I earmarked 2009 as the year of unparalleled professional and personal growth. It has meant getting rid of some beliefs that were royally screwing my life and preventing me from getting ahead. (more…)
Ok my friends, let us change gears today. We are still in the “get ahead series”, but let us try and attach meaning to our quest for success. Sometimes chasing success can be like chasing the wind. The more you get the more you want. When is it ever enough? But on the other hand, is chasing the wind such a bad thing, anyway?
Many of us are always looking to climb higher. Unfortunately, the higher you climb the more you realize how far you still to go. Do you spend your life looking for the next promotion, the next relationship, the next success? (more…)
Money is the exchange of value, the more value you create and deliver; the more you will get paid. In this “Get Ahead” series, we continue to look for smart ways to rise from financial mediocrity to financial freedom. Setting up your own value distribution system is a great way of achieving financial freedom.
I was inspired by a story told by Robert Kiyosaki and I will share that with you today.
We only have 24 hours in a day. We are limited in time, resources, abilities, talents and experience; but we want to get ahead in life. How can you get more out of those 24 hours, resources, talents and experiences? You set up systems to serve you. (more…)
You are a unique person, with unique experiences and unique talents. You can get ahead in life faster by embracing your uniqueness. Spending time and money trying to be like someone else may seem like a good idea at times, but it robs you of your authenticity.
Someone once said “find that which you love to do and you will never have to work a day in your life”. There is truth in that statement. When you do things you love, though you may physically or mentally get tired, you will enjoy what you do, and it will feel less like work and more like fun. (more…)
Influence is like a magic wand for getting ahead in life, politics and business. But how many times have you ever sat down and thought… “I need to be more influential”? I bet not many times. Not many people consciously focus on becoming influential. Very few will admit to having contemplated buying influence. We are talking of “getting ahead” in life, in this series, so I will endeavor to leave no stone unturned. (more…)
The first million is the hardest to make. Once you make it, you will find a lot more doors opening up for you. World class actors such as Angelina Jolie or Keanu Reeves will not star alongside a nobody. Fellow actors have to first accumulate a few box office hits before they can even be considered. In one of my favorite movies staring Al Pacino, actor Simone suddenly got fellow actors wanting to star alongside her as soon as “she” made a hit.
It takes 10 years of focused effort, steady determination and hard work to achieve world class expert status. It takes at least a few years of running a business for it to pick up. The early years are full of sweat and tears but with time things get easier. Many people give up before they gain momentum. I hope to inspire you to get ahead in life, by gaining and sustaining the momentum for success. (more…)
A sky scraper’s foundation is different from that of a single floor house. The kind of success you desire must have a matching foundation. Invest in a good foundation to build lasting success.
Think through that which you want to build. Reflect on the implications of your success. Visualize on the magnitude of the success you desire. If you have big dreams, then you should have a strong foundation.
Spend the time learning the ropes, training and getting experiences. I have been in situations where I have succeeded without having properly built a foundation. It is not a good feeling when you have to live with the fear of your success crumbling. My experience has taught me that it is better to wait to succeed than succeed when you are not ready.
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Learning how to duplicate your success is like getting a license to print money. Many people who are ahead in life (financially) are people who have learnt to duplicate their successes.
For example, the founder of McDonald’s Restaurants has the exact formula of replicating his success in one restaurant to another. McDonald’s has perfected the art of making a profit with one restaurant, and if you are going to open a McDonald’s restaurant, you will succeed, provided you follow their formula to the letter. (more…)
Have a quick look at those two men over there; Steve and James. They have the same education; same job type, and are of the same age – but have different outcomes in life. Steve had a knack for accumulating credit card debt; James focused on wise investment loans. Today they live in different worlds; albeit next to each other.
To get ahead in life, you have to really understand the difference between good and bad debt. Good debt takes you ahead in the long term while bad debt pulls you back. (more…)
What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9 RSV). Are you breaking your back trying to get ahead using a unique new trick? Did you know that someone already figured out what you are scratching your head over?
No matter how far, or how wide you go, you will always find someone with the exact same idea as you. That dream, that plan, that vision is not exclusively yours. Sorry to burst your bubble. There others just like you, smart like you, ambitious like you. (more…)
If you started investing $500 per month at the age of 18 in an investment paying you 10% per annum interest, compounded monthly, by the time you turned 65 you would have $24,871,691. If you waited until you were 30, then by age 65 you would have $2,123,819. If you chose to wait even longer and start at age 45, then you would only have $225,967 at 65. Starting early makes all the difference. (more…)
I get people asking me all the time about what kind of business they should start. Many people want to start a business but have no idea what they need to do. My answer is always simple…”find an angle”. You need to find an angle to serve your market, you need to find an angle to differentiate yourself from the competition.
This series is all about getting ahead. Do you want to get ahead in business? Do you want to get ahead in your career or the dating game? Well my friend, you need to find an angle. Even when starting this blog, I had to seriously think about what angle I was going to position it, write and promote it. Many people start off without really thinking about the angle they are going to pursue. (more…)
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. (more…)
I had a friend in high school, let us call him Alexander. He wrote on the toilet wall “Alexander was here 1994-1997”. The next day they painted the school toilets. They wiped out his contribution.
How relevant are you? What do you do that has enduring value? Bill gates can say his dream of having a personal computer in every home and every office has largely been realized (in the developed world at least). What are you going to be remembered for? Your legacy is directly proportional to your contribution. (more…)
