Over the weekend, one of the readers of this blog came over to my domain to collect the Armani Wrist Watch he won for being the best commentator for the first quarter of this year. Since, I did not give anything to the best commentator for the second quarter, I have decided to combine the second and third quarter and give out something massive to the winner. I hope it won’t be Emeka again because he seems to continue winning my gifts.
Every financial move that has ever existed comes with its casualties; the casualties are always the laggards who prefer to spectate during the initial process and wait to see the result of those who are participating in the game. This has always been the case since the Old Testament days – Abel was able to sacrifice more, hence experienced a higher authority to Cain; Cain was grieved with envy and killed his own blood brother.
These contemporary times, our envy is enveloped in murderous sarcasm, cynicism and criticism. We seat in our comfort zone and cheer while others do well and bicker while others fail. We are so glad that we did not take part in the game because of the failure experienced by the participants. We fail to understand that the same participant that failed earlier would be the star tomorrow in the next big move.
The moves have the same pattern; let’s take Nigeria as a case study – in the earlier days when you graduate from university, companies were lining up with a Peugeot 504 official car to employ you. Only those that sacrificed to go to university early enjoyed this privilege. Then stocks, after it was real estate, a little while, it was NOSPETCO and after that, it was online MLM and everyone is wondering what the NEXT big move would be.
The NEXT big move would only be picked by those who are participating not spectating; those who have dared; those who have failed; those who have tried; those who have pushed; those who are always willing to go on a limb. For those who sit at the corner and watch, you would not know when the NEXT big move would pass by. There is really no voodoo, no magic, no mysticism about this prophesy, it’s a sure thing; the guys that get in early will reap the reward.
Over the weekend, I watched an inspirational Christian movie titled; “FACING THE GIANTSâ€. I hardly cry when watching a movie but this movie touched me so much that I began crying (uncontrollable tears). There were so many defining moments about this movie but the relevant one to this article is a parable shared by the man who delivered the confirmed word of God to the coach about the praying farmers:
Two farmers after experiencing drought prayed for rain independent of each other. One farmer after praying prepared for the rain by clearing, digging, planting seeds while the other farmer wanted to see the rain before doing any work. Who do you think would please God? This farmer that wanted to see the rain before working, must have justified is inactivity (just like the servant with the one talent); “how can I waste all my time and money working and rain does not fall?â€
This particular conversation that goes in the heart of the inactive farmer is the crux of this article; the fear of losing outweighs the potential of winning. We focus too much on losing and we really don’t understand that losing guarantees winning. If you don’t lose something, you cannot gain another. We focus too much in our comfort zone and fail to understand that the only way up is by going down. We fight so hard to stay status quo and expect a turning point.
The only reason why you are not moving ahead is because you are unwilling to lose anything. You want the luxury of success but you fail to understand that success is limited without freedom. You have an assurance of a monthly salary but you still find it difficult to spare a portion of it towards your dream. Your excuses are always bills to pay; just like Jesus told his disciples concerning the woman that poured an expensive perfume on Him; “Bills you would always have but the opportunity to grab your dream won’t come all the timeâ€.
A lady told me about a dream of owning a cosmetic shop when she resigns; so I told her blatantly to test the waters first. She did not understand me so I told her to buy and sell stuff while she was working. This would give her a feedback on her state of preparedness. Her next statement could have ordinarily put me off her case; “How can I be selling cosmetics to my colleagues; that belittles me. When I open my exquisite shop, then I can invite them to comeâ€.
So I asked her; “how are you going to invite them?†She really did not understand where I was taking my question to so I asked another question, “what makes you sure that when you invite them, they would come?†They already have cosmetic shops they go to what would give them the confidence to come to yours especially when you are no more their colleague and see no reason to be loyal to the emotional ties.
She immediately grabbed my point; “if I sell on a small scale now, I would be able to draw a following and also be able to ascertain my level of influenceâ€. She actually drew the words out my mouth. If your dream is to own your business one day or you want to be financially free, it’s time to start testing the waters. The Car Vacuum Cleaner is still available to test your level of influence and sharpen your intrapreneural skill. You may click HERE to order; you have nothing to lose but everything to gain. There is also a workshop training you to develop your own business plan; click HERE to know more. I would love everybody to watch the film; “FACING THE GIANTâ€; if you are interested in owning a copy, click HERE. The NEXT big move is for people who are preparing and sharpening their entrepreneurial skill…….
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August 25, 2009 at 10:25 am (UTC 1)
Lovely post, especially the parts below for me and this is becos a lot of people fall under this category. I have a few failed attempts, but i know winning is sure becos of this.
“We are so glad that we did not take part in the game because of the failure experienced by the participants.”
and…
“We focus too much on losing and we really don’t understand that losing guarantees winning”.
August 25, 2009 at 1:25 pm (UTC 1)
You will encounter the next big move by been a player of the current move. like ur analogy, if u can’t sell now u can sell later. He that is faithful in little will be faithful in much.
August 25, 2009 at 8:14 pm (UTC 1)
How can you walk if first you don’t crawl? How can you run if first you don’t walk. Every great move is preceded by several times of failure. If you don’t know the good in failure, i’m glad to let you know that you are still on the long thing – long walk to freedom.
Thanks for this post!
http://adesojiadegbulu.com/key-to-freedom/
August 26, 2009 at 1:11 pm (UTC 1)
Thanks Dipo for another inspirational write up. It is indeed a wake-up call for many of us who are hooked in a rat race. It is a liberation call.
Persistent people begin their success where most others quit; but the most difficult task is to begin. We are accustomed to a particular way of doing things and attempt to move away from that statusquo has always met a brickwall. We seem contented with our “obedient servant” status, not wanting to get our freedom from the slave masters. We do not want to take risk for fear of failure. The recent global meltdown have not helped matters, especially for risk averters; though risk takers moved on and made something out of nothing. People’s monies are tied in various investments including stocks, MLMs, etc. but people are also reaping bountifully from same investments. Call it the power of 2nd eye or foresightedness. The best time to start a new business is actually while one is still gainfully employed, This will afford you the opportunity to fall and rise but when you are out of job, it becomes a matter of do or die. One’s level of panic in the event of loss of job will depend to a large extent the shock absorbers he has already put in place. This also goes to confirm that jumping into any new business at this may not be the best option because you may falll and not rise again.
In the words of George Bernard “When I was young, I observed that 9 out of every 10 things I did were failures. So I did 10 times more work”. The Book of Ecclesiastes 11:4 admonishes us “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done”. Another version of the Bible in the same Ecclesiastes 11:4 says “He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap”. Procastination borne out of fear of the unknown has really done more harm than good in the lives of many people.
August 26, 2009 at 4:01 pm (UTC 1)
thanks dips for the watch and the time spent with you was worth it.i learnt a lot from you.fear is what imprisons many.they see failure as retrogression.they dont understand the concept of failing forward.i have failed many times and each time i fail i learn.winners dont do different things they do things differently.
thats the way to live life.dare!
August 26, 2009 at 6:58 pm (UTC 1)
How can i subscribe to your post so that it gets delivered into my mail box?
August 26, 2009 at 9:40 pm (UTC 1)
@ Felix
Great reflection
@ Solomon James
Seeing it that way is cool
@ Jesus Freak
You concordance with the idea is cool
@ Ogu
I am truly blown by your comments; Great thinking
@ Emeka
You are welcome
August 26, 2009 at 10:16 pm (UTC 1)
@ Olumide
Please, kindly click on the banner below; it would take you to page where you put your email address. Just click subscribe and you are home.
Ciao
August 27, 2009 at 9:48 am (UTC 1)
@Emeka, there is a hidden power in saying thank you. It goes a long way in motivating, not only the person to which it is expressed but others who are not direct beneficiaries. I actually wanted to say congratulations to you in my last post but I wanted you to openly say thank you to Dipo. Well, congratssssssssssssssssss. It isn’t easy.
September 9, 2009 at 9:02 pm (UTC 1)
true talk dipo, av you ever known anyone succeed who never sowed in tears. it is the parable of the seed-for it to blossom, it must die. i read dele momodu’s write up about cbn being too eager to crucify the bank chiefs without giving them the benefit of a fair hearing especially when some of them they grew the institutions from scratch. he invoked my pity when he shared some of his lowest points when nuturing ovation-sleeping on a 4by 4 bed with his family, taking his wife to the maternity at the dead of the night with his son in tow and watching as a jamaican thug threw out his loads cos he was owing rent.
thanks dipo.
balogun