Apple has lost its creative and visionary leader Steve Jobs. Even if you never knew him he has influenced humanity. His brilliance approached in develop Apple brand of products remain the keystone of Apple’s success story. It is still hard to imagine Apple without him.

We have dissipated our time and energies in coordinating our communal efforts to develop our nation –we have gone to orphanages and convalescent homes to help others, we have supported the work of inept governments when we repaired our damaged roads, but we can only do so much. We have taken to the streets when we have been pushed, deprived and beaten to the wall – only to say enough is enough. How many people die when hospitals shut down because of strikes? How many people meet untimely death simply because the person in charge feels some other personal agenda needs to be serviced? We cannot afford to sigh.

If all we do is to succeed in spite of the system, we may be paying a heavy price for negligence of the fate of others and the society. If we can afford to buy good cars for bad roads and generators for candle electricity; we cannot build refineries to supply fuel for our cars and generators, or can we then raise our kids in body armour? Some go to school with kids who have no idea what tomorrow holds for them. It is time we rolled our sleeves and got working. If one conscientious leader becomes your Local Government Chairman, Governor, even President then our lives will be fuller, safer and richer. Everyone who desires the interest of Nigerians must not be spectators; we must be part of the solutions. Our sighs must be a reward of our committed labour.

Where am I going? We need 300 people. Will our members everywhere, those interested in the rallying around a cause strong enough to push Nigeria forward come together? If we were to look back in 15, 20 and 30 years from now, if our children asked us the single moment for would have loved to change, will it be now, when we have a chance, not only to vote, but to vote for results that matter. I don’t want to join the company of people who will look back and sigh to ourselves – we could have done better!. God, give us great leaders, give us great men!

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This I am thankful for.

Today is my birthday and I’m alive. It is a luxury that if I had all the resources of the presidency, I still can’t buy it. This I am Thankful for.

I studied Microbiology in school. After deciding hospitals and test-tubes were not the way to go, all hell broke loose. Today, I do something I enjoy and I have no regrets. This I am thankful for.

At the height of all hell breaking loose, I sat down under a tree depressed.  two ladies approached me and thanked me for talking to them in JSS2 six years ago. It was one moment I’ll never forget. I was re-fired to continue to do well. This I am thankful for

I made many decisions last year. For every door I dared to knock last year, they opened. When not qualified, I outclassed. Even ones I bungled I got a second chance. It’s a good feeling, God can we do this again? This I am thankful for.

I had traveled to Benin for a meeting but was running late. The bus broke down around 11pm on Benin-Ore expressway. We slept in the rain praying we won’t be preyed upon by thieves. We got another bus and got to Benin. This I am thankful for

Thank you for giving me Damilola. Relationships require smart work and a balance of love, passion and commitment. I didn’t need to be sweating in hard labour to build this one. Over the years I thank you. This I am thankful for

One thing I have never lacked in my entire journey- The support of people who believed and encouraged me, especially at those times when I found it hard to believe in my self. I have in turn helped many to find encouragement on their pathways in life. This I am thankful for

Last Sunday, I couldn’t drive to Church so I took a bike. 15 minutes later, the bike man skidded under a 911 truck while I stood watching. I later saved the bike man from being crushed by the vehicle. I later went on my way. This I am thankful for

This coming year is starting and I know I have to begin to thank God for successes I have recorded in it. When I thank God the earth and everything will respond to me. This I am thankful for

Thank you to everyone who made last year a glorious one. I have been embarassed by text messages, wall posts,  cals , thanks all…. this I am thankful for

Pens up!

Most times, the common complain    with people who have ideas is the problem of finances. Most peoples’ dreams eventually die because they are waiting for and expecting one big money to land on their laps so that they can pursue their passions- that only happens in movies.

There are numerous ways by which you can raise funds for your business, if you are hungry enough to pursue it. But firstly, you need to have a plan; the month of April will be dedicated to developing a business plan.

1. SELF FINANCING:

I call this self financing as a way to raising funds for your business on the premise that you understand you are different from the business. What happens when you bring money out of your savings or save money towards starting your business is that you are borrowing the business some money or investing in the business to start.

To self finance, you could deternmine when you want to leave paid employment, i.e. if you have a job or when you want to start and then begin to save gradually towards it. Self financing is the most common methods, but then lots of people get into trouble when using this system because the feel they own the business and the money and as soon as the first signs of money begins to roll in, they eat it up. But it remains the safest method.

2. INVESTMENT: sales & liabilities

This is like the first where you sell what you have to secure what you want to achieve. There are times when money may not be available but we have investmens or liabilities stored somewhere. If you are truly passionate about your dreams, one of the things that will test your commitment is what you are willing to give up for it. I know people who went into businesses and gave up cars, lands, which could be an asset or a liability depending on the expense and cost. But if you see farther ahead of the present assets and enjoyment, nothing will be too small to give up for the business.

3. PARTNERSHIP :

This occurs when you usually realise the dream may be bigger than your funding which is usually the case. But then a note of warning; sharing your idea exposes it to duplication or poaching, but then if you want your vision to grow, you’ve got to share it. Partnership is the coming together under agreed terms on the various issues; roles and functions, funding and profit sharing.

When your dream is bigger than you, or your interests, partnership might be the next thing on your mind. You might want to engane the services of a stronger company, or some one with a lot more cash than you presently have.

But then like I said, be careful of sharing your ideas with poachers, in further editions we will be discussing protecting your intellectual property.

4. FRIENDS & FAMILY:

Another avenue is to leverage on family leanings and relationships to develop the amount you need to start your business. This is using other people’s money (OPM) to finane your ideas. There are friends and family members who have the cash you need to start your business. if your plan is convinding enough, and very viable, it is sure to receive the amount of resources needed.

5. HIGH NET WORTH INDIVIDUALS

This is using other people’s money (OPM) to finane your ideas. There are high net worth individuals who have the money and are looking for people who have ideas and need funding. These people are willing to look at your ideas and help you fund it, some may seek to partner with you on the business, while some have funding companies as part of their own ways to giving back to their communities.

6. INSTITUTIONAL SPONSORS

This includes investment banks, venture capital companies, SME funding organizations and Microfinance Institutions. There are numerous institutions, even supported by the Federal Government that have been empowered to support growing businesses at reasonable interest rates that even banks will naturally not want to provide. There are lists of microfinance banks and SME companies on the internet and in the press.

In all, the gratrest asset asset for your business is yourself. what you need to do immediately about your business,make your business suceed.  All the best.

It is important to know and recognize the vital signs of a relationship’s potential. When I meet people and we talk about whether a relationship should continue or die, I quickly discover that relationship don’t break suddenly, the danger signal begins blinking long before a break up is imminent but the people were not watching out for them. Those times were actually opportunities to restructure and recognize those threats before they threaten your marriage or relationship.

I am not a fan of broken relationships and I will never be a fan of divorce. But then there are some courtships, dating or love relationships that will have too drastic an effect. The greatest tragedy of a broken relationship is not the loss of the intimate relationship, it’s a broken heart. When we break up, we leave behind parts of us thereby entering into another relationship defective. It is therefore important to know when to hang in or work on it, and when to move on, to understand when conflict is healthy and when it is destructive.

Caveat! It is crucial to know there are no absolutes, especially when dealing with human behaviour. These are some of the vital signs I thought about, you are free to add yours to it. There might be trouble;

1. If God tells you it is wrong. There are times when we enter into relationships even though we know we know it is wrong, even when our friends tell us we are making a mistake, especially when it seems the person it too good to be true- it probably is. Somehow, those things come back to hang us by the wrists.
2. If there is no one, no value, and no being to which you both submit to. There might be fire on the mountain. It is essentially proven that for any relationship to succeed, the two individuals should not be the center of attention of the relationship, something else, you both value and that will not get tired- God, vision, value could be in the center.
3. If you aren’t thinking of the future together. Have you ever thought about the future without imagining him/her there? You you plan your lives independelndependently of each other? Does he/she ever tell you about her /his plan without thinking of you? It’s probably because you are not in the picture yet.
4. If you are relating from the position of need. If you need the relationship to survive. If you need to be in the relationship. Is is a dangerous thing if you enter a relationship because the lady/man is filling a particular emptyness in your life.it is really not a good sign if your happiness depends on another person. It makes your happiness dependent of the actions and inactions of another person. Also goes to the paerson who enters a relationship because he feels he needs to fix the other persons life. Remember, a relationship or marriage is not a tool for evangelism, neither is it a tool to change the other person. When the contract between the fixer and the fixed is finished or cannot work out, they will look for another challenge.
5. If there’s no Chemistry: chemistry or passion is what makes a friendship (commitment, intimacy) graduate into a love relationship. No relationship will last long if the love and passion in the relationship is one-sided. The giver one day will be tired of putting so much into the relationship without receiving love. Every strong relationship is built on mutual strength, companion friendships and support. There is also
6. If you lose nothing if you end the relationship, it’s probably not worth much to you. Your partner should serve as an important source of encouragement, strength and support. At every slight disagreement, if you think of leaving and can readily think of getting another guy/girl, you may probably do that soon. It is an indication that no value is being added in the relationship.
7. If you have not learnt to fight successfully. Fighting successfully means the ability to fight and take corrections, the ability to disagree and not allow that to destroy the fabric of your relationship. Most couples in the heat of argument say things they never meant and that signals the end of a wonderful relationship. Times and moments of anger brings out the hidden person within, and if the two people have not mastered the art of coping with that person, an end might be imminent too.
8. If you are not open to change and growth. Relationships bring about new challenges and there may be need to constantly become accustomed to attitudes, mindsets, thought patterns and people we never thought we could never thought we could never cope with. More importantly, we will need to change and grow, but if we are comfortable and rigid about our mindsets, perceptions and attitudes, you may soon have to create a relationship with them! Long lasting relationships are built on the ability to complement and adapt to each other and the situations as they come around.
9. If the person exhibits a behaviour that makes the relationship difficult to stay. There are behaviours and attitudes such as fits of rage, stubbornness, smoking,one partners’ undue submission to external influence. Or if your partner sees himself incapable of changing.

I’ve been working on the materials from the 4th strategy meeting of future movement. I must say we have made a great leap in our efforts of galvanizing (bring together) all change agents and organizations that will deliver the future. But then I will deliver that later…

I recently had a brief 4-hour chat with a younger friend of mine and we discovered she had only limited her potentials and personality by the parameters of her thoughts. Analysing peoples’ perceptions and feelings we can only trace it back to what ter thoughts have conditioned her to be. We do not see the world the way it is, we see it from where we are. I discovered that even I needed to pay attention to my system of thought.

Thinking is the talking of the soul. Thoughts are not just things; they are the force that that governs everything, everywhere, that is why they say ideas rule the world (I wrote on ideas rules the world, but then who rules ideas?). Sound ideas are a product of strategic practice of the thought process.

We think our thoughts are our own little private room where we can say anything, but then our consistent thoughts are obvious in our daily expression, on our faces, the way we behave and even our character. If you have ever disliked someone on sight you easily understand my logic. It affects the way you reason and hence affects your actions. I remember the story of the woman with the issue of blood who went to meet Jesus in the midst of a walking mob. After menstruating for 12 years, she could not have been walking straight, but Mat 9:21(AMP) recorded that she kept saying to herself, “if I only touch His garment, I shall be restored to health”, and she was. What have we been saying to ourselves?

”The economy is bad and it will affect me”, “I can’t sell anything”, “I think people just don’t like me”, “I cannot speak in public”, all these thoughts have continually done what we wanted them to do; they have conditioned our minds and faculties so fit into that mould. “Can’t” is one of English language’s strongest expressions – it means you lack the ideas to make it happen; or if an idea is given to you, you can’t see it, even if everything absolutely was placed into your hands or like a horse dragged into the sea, the possibility of drinking or providing results is simply nil- you simply won’t even if your life depended on it).

Our impossibilities are the limitations we have built in our minds. Whether you will have a strong personality or character is as a result of your habitual thought pattern. If your habitual thinking belittles you and puts you down, you will never develop courage and gusto to challenge it. Our talking to ourselves or thoughts reaches into our being and empowers our thinking to accommodate ideas, and to be able to generate solutions. I make it bold to say the kind of personalities we develop, is a product of our thought response to our family, experience, location, and sex dealings.

But then, when you determine to control your thoughts will you discover it is not a light work at all. I once took pride in joking that I can never succeed in selling hot water to an Eskimo, it was a joke but then it became my reality; I had to empty my bank account to buy a product and sell, to be able to defeat such mindset.

I will remember a quote I saw somewhere that when a person takes a knife and begins to slash himself until blood oozes out of his body, we shut him up in an asylum, but then most of us slash our mental shelves with daggers of different kinds- hatred, self condemnation, jealousy, doubt and fear and we think we are sane. A man/woman of the future will not lacerate himself with vicious thoughts. Every thought is a seed that produces a mental plant and action after the kind of seed. Life is just to us what we pay for. If you want to sow success and sound growth, you cannot afford to sow procrastination and laziness.

As we move on in time we’ll get to discover that those who think, rule. There is a great market need for more heads than hands, as a matter of fact the harder you work (physical exertion), the less you are valued/ paid.

Say to yourself today, I am what my thinking makes me.

Somehow, the thoughts in your life will inevitably speak out

The only way to get a different harvest is to begin to sow differently today.

This is _______________’s review of ____________ written on the _________________
Deadline: One Year from Today’s Date_________________
1. Look for, or think of all your goals for 2008, and rate yourself over 100%, what did you score?
2. What was your greatest achievement and loss/regret for the year?
3. What other goals did you achieve and which are left untouched?
4. In what ways could you have done better in areas less achieved by you?
5. If you were to think of a word or phrase to call 2008, what would it be?
6. Consider your response to the goals, challenges and opportunities and define yourself by a single word or phrase, what would it be?
7. Now be honest here, what are the things you would have done better, or rather you would have wanted them not to happen?
8. Highlight in numbers, the achievements you would be proud of in 2008, how many do you have?
9. Name the people who made a difference in your life. Why and how did they make a difference? (Make it a point to call, mail or text them to thank them for their impact).
10. How did your relationships grow, change or end? What did you learn? [your wife, children, spouse, friend]
11. Whose lives have you contributed to this year, especially one in which you never expected anything in return?
12. What projects or activities: social, academic, relational, are still in progress? Which ones did you not achieve in the previous year.

It important to write them down somewhere, don’t just answer them in your head. The new year will be turbulent, but for strategic people, it holds a lot of promises and you cannot afford to be a spectator in December 2009, when other people are counting gains.

See you at the other side of the year, but then…
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!