• Become an expert in your field.
• Don’t complain about the work it takes to achieve your dreams.
• Find out what you love and create a business around it.
• You must be willing to pay the price of success to enjoy the prize of success.
• The quickest way to become successful is to find out what the best are doing, and then do what they do.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Power shift
The Chinese are being driven by a history of imprisonment by communism. For the Indians, it is a history of the caste system. Having experienced hardship over time, these nations are desperate to demonstrate their capabilities to the world. Every year, China turns out more graduates than the population of most European countries. As the world leadership shifts to the East, I fear for the tension we may have to contend with as these emerging dinosaurs flex muscles as they attempt to corner resources to enable them meet the basic necessities of their citizen.
Tips to survive an economic crisis
• Don’t lose hope; don’t lose faith. Think positive thoughts.
• Having a narrow niche is risky during an economic crisis, so diversify your source of income.
• If you are a business owner, keep prices low and keep sales high.
• Don’t out-do yourself in trying to keep up with your previous life-style.
• You don’t want to add health problems to your financial problems. So keep healthy habits and do things that are stress-free.
• Send time with your family. They are your treasure. Even if you don’t have money to spend on them, no problem. The best gift is the one from the heart. It is the gift money can’t buy.
• Having a narrow niche is risky during an economic crisis, so diversify your source of income.
• If you are a business owner, keep prices low and keep sales high.
• Don’t out-do yourself in trying to keep up with your previous life-style.
• You don’t want to add health problems to your financial problems. So keep healthy habits and do things that are stress-free.
• Send time with your family. They are your treasure. Even if you don’t have money to spend on them, no problem. The best gift is the one from the heart. It is the gift money can’t buy.
Tips for conversation
• Try to establish common grounds, find things you may share in common.
• Focus on the speaker. Maintain eye contact.
• Try to lean towards the speaker to demonstrate your interest.
• Don’t fold your arms or lean back.
• Give compliments where and when you see fit and appropriate.
• Keep an open mind. Don’t challenge until you have heard it all.
• Focus on the speaker. Maintain eye contact.
• Try to lean towards the speaker to demonstrate your interest.
• Don’t fold your arms or lean back.
• Give compliments where and when you see fit and appropriate.
• Keep an open mind. Don’t challenge until you have heard it all.
10 Tips for smooth pass through airport security
• Avoid unnecessary stress by arriving an hour or more before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight.
• If you can, travel light. This facilitates your movement from one point to another.
• Never leave your bags unattended. And if you must, lock them.
• Don’t accept anything from strangers.
• Don’t wrap your gifts.
• Be prepared to take off your shoes, belt, heavy jewelry and jacket. If you are wearing baggy clothes, you might be singled out for further screening.
• Empty your pockets of change, mobile phones, keys, and palmtops.
• Keep boarding pass and ID out until you pass airport security. Also keep baggage claim tickets in case your destination airport has tight security on the way out.
• If you have to undergo extra airport security screening, calm down. Getting upset won’t make the process go away faster.
• Exercise patience.
• If you can, travel light. This facilitates your movement from one point to another.
• Never leave your bags unattended. And if you must, lock them.
• Don’t accept anything from strangers.
• Don’t wrap your gifts.
• Be prepared to take off your shoes, belt, heavy jewelry and jacket. If you are wearing baggy clothes, you might be singled out for further screening.
• Empty your pockets of change, mobile phones, keys, and palmtops.
• Keep boarding pass and ID out until you pass airport security. Also keep baggage claim tickets in case your destination airport has tight security on the way out.
• If you have to undergo extra airport security screening, calm down. Getting upset won’t make the process go away faster.
• Exercise patience.
Tips I learnt from a thief
• A thief strikes with lightening boldness. He does not brag about his time of execution. He plans his moves and surprises you with its outcome.
• A thief is not careless or casual. He cannot afford to. He is careful, thorough and goal-getting. He does everything not only to get the object of his desire, but he does even more not to leave a trace that would lead to his being found out.
• A thief is an employer of appropriate and quality labour. He has an instinct for good hands. He is a great talent spotter.
• A thief is a good networker. He knows that he cannot achieve anything significant alone. As a stranger, give him few hours in the town square and he will be able to recruit a good thieving team.
It sounds strange, but his tips contain lessons for us in our business and private lives.
• A thief is not careless or casual. He cannot afford to. He is careful, thorough and goal-getting. He does everything not only to get the object of his desire, but he does even more not to leave a trace that would lead to his being found out.
• A thief is an employer of appropriate and quality labour. He has an instinct for good hands. He is a great talent spotter.
• A thief is a good networker. He knows that he cannot achieve anything significant alone. As a stranger, give him few hours in the town square and he will be able to recruit a good thieving team.
It sounds strange, but his tips contain lessons for us in our business and private lives.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Life’s tips from soccer
• Every soccer player benefits from the expertise and experience of his coach. Likewise as a player in life’s game, you need a coach.
• To keep in top shape, soccer players emphasize training routine. As a player in life’s game you must continuously work on your skills.
• Just as injuries are inevitable in the game of soccer, so also are adversities in the game of life. However how you respond to tough times, defines your destiny.
• In soccer games, “half time” is the period players rest and evaluate their performance. Also in the rat race of life, take time to relax and evaluate your performance. What have you done so far?
• In the game of soccer, it is goals that count. Same way in life. What really counts is being able to take bold steps towards bringing your vision and dreams to fruition.
• Just as soccer players stick to the rules of the referee, you must play the game of life in accordance with the rules of its referee – God. He who sticks with God never fail.
• To keep in top shape, soccer players emphasize training routine. As a player in life’s game you must continuously work on your skills.
• Just as injuries are inevitable in the game of soccer, so also are adversities in the game of life. However how you respond to tough times, defines your destiny.
• In soccer games, “half time” is the period players rest and evaluate their performance. Also in the rat race of life, take time to relax and evaluate your performance. What have you done so far?
• In the game of soccer, it is goals that count. Same way in life. What really counts is being able to take bold steps towards bringing your vision and dreams to fruition.
• Just as soccer players stick to the rules of the referee, you must play the game of life in accordance with the rules of its referee – God. He who sticks with God never fail.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
How Nigerian scammers operate
Welcome to the world of online scam in Nigeria. It is a world of deceit and fraud where scam artists, by enticing unsuspecting victims with quick wealth, or even offering love via the internet, dispose them of their wealth. This article analyzes the methodologies of these scammers.
One of such antics could be e-mails purportedly sent by a person or persons claiming to be relatives of an influential person. They claim that the influential person had corruptly enriched himself. The law having caught up with him, he went on exile to escape conviction.
However, he buried a fortune in a secret location. The scammers would demand for the recipient’s assistance to facilitate the transfer of the fortune using the recipient’s bank account as a conduit.
For his efforts, the recipient is promised a fixed percentage of the fortune. Subsequently, they demand for the recipient’s bank details, which, if obliged, would give them access to the funds of the victim.
Another trick entails the sender of the e-mail claiming to be an accountant in a bank either in Nigeria or overseas.
He will offer to send money from the bank accounts of deceased customers of his employers, who have neither dependants nor next of kin. Thus, have no one to claim their wealth. They would demand for bank details or credit card details in order to complete the transaction.
The numerous dating sites on the internet are platforms for these scammers. Here the scammers chat up vulnerable people who are seeking partners. They apply the law of connection.
Scammers know you can’t move a person to action unless you first move him/her with emotion. They touch the heart of their chat-partners before asking for a hand. They pose to be willing lovers and pretend to be in need of financial help.
In the dating method, they download strangers’ pictures and pretend with the stolen identities. If you are male seeking female on the net, beware! These smart dudes also use female pictures and go to “work” with it. As a matter of fact, the latter scenario is preferred by them.
Another method is known as “phishing.” It entails sending unsolicited e-mails from a website which falsely claims to be an online presence of a legitimate business entity. The scammers appreciate that perception is reality. The layouts of these websites are comparable to the best on the net.
They claim to offer consultancy services in various facets of business; real estate, stock market, etc. This method strives because the internet is a virtual market place. The moment, these scammers land a “big fish,” they disappear into thin air.
Have you ever received unsolicited invitations to seminars or conferences in a foreign country? Be on the watch-out. After getting you on board the bogus conference, the scammers make demands for hotel reservations, conference fees and many more.
Other methods include Moneygram interceptions, Western Union hijacking and check laundering. As a safeguard, never reveal clues to your funds transfers. These scammers are dangerous and they operate at a speed faster than light!
Are you puzzled how they get your e-mail address? The scammers use special software called e-mail extractor to get your address from the net. After extracting your e-mail address, they proceed to send unsolicited messages to you.
Antidote
If you ever fell into the scammers’ trap, you were greedy, period! You were easily deceived by the prospect of making easy money. You fell for a get-rich-quick gimmick.
The next time you read a “too good to be true e-mail,” simply delete it. As you read this article, the scammers are busy thinking up new ways of carrying out their activities. They are acquiring the latest software with which they can be able to gain access to your confidential information.
On a final note, be cautious when dealing with strangers on the net. A word is enough for the wise.
One of such antics could be e-mails purportedly sent by a person or persons claiming to be relatives of an influential person. They claim that the influential person had corruptly enriched himself. The law having caught up with him, he went on exile to escape conviction.
However, he buried a fortune in a secret location. The scammers would demand for the recipient’s assistance to facilitate the transfer of the fortune using the recipient’s bank account as a conduit.
For his efforts, the recipient is promised a fixed percentage of the fortune. Subsequently, they demand for the recipient’s bank details, which, if obliged, would give them access to the funds of the victim.
Another trick entails the sender of the e-mail claiming to be an accountant in a bank either in Nigeria or overseas.
He will offer to send money from the bank accounts of deceased customers of his employers, who have neither dependants nor next of kin. Thus, have no one to claim their wealth. They would demand for bank details or credit card details in order to complete the transaction.
The numerous dating sites on the internet are platforms for these scammers. Here the scammers chat up vulnerable people who are seeking partners. They apply the law of connection.
Scammers know you can’t move a person to action unless you first move him/her with emotion. They touch the heart of their chat-partners before asking for a hand. They pose to be willing lovers and pretend to be in need of financial help.
In the dating method, they download strangers’ pictures and pretend with the stolen identities. If you are male seeking female on the net, beware! These smart dudes also use female pictures and go to “work” with it. As a matter of fact, the latter scenario is preferred by them.
Another method is known as “phishing.” It entails sending unsolicited e-mails from a website which falsely claims to be an online presence of a legitimate business entity. The scammers appreciate that perception is reality. The layouts of these websites are comparable to the best on the net.
They claim to offer consultancy services in various facets of business; real estate, stock market, etc. This method strives because the internet is a virtual market place. The moment, these scammers land a “big fish,” they disappear into thin air.
Have you ever received unsolicited invitations to seminars or conferences in a foreign country? Be on the watch-out. After getting you on board the bogus conference, the scammers make demands for hotel reservations, conference fees and many more.
Other methods include Moneygram interceptions, Western Union hijacking and check laundering. As a safeguard, never reveal clues to your funds transfers. These scammers are dangerous and they operate at a speed faster than light!
Are you puzzled how they get your e-mail address? The scammers use special software called e-mail extractor to get your address from the net. After extracting your e-mail address, they proceed to send unsolicited messages to you.
Antidote
If you ever fell into the scammers’ trap, you were greedy, period! You were easily deceived by the prospect of making easy money. You fell for a get-rich-quick gimmick.
The next time you read a “too good to be true e-mail,” simply delete it. As you read this article, the scammers are busy thinking up new ways of carrying out their activities. They are acquiring the latest software with which they can be able to gain access to your confidential information.
On a final note, be cautious when dealing with strangers on the net. A word is enough for the wise.
Reflections on internet marketing
Reflecting back on my earlier days as an internet marketer, it is surprising why I did not call it quit. I wrote over 10 articles and over a period of two months made $0.24 from it. The impression I had coming in, was the money was there online for the taking. From experience, never believe anybody that says you will make head-turning returns will little efforts online. Like every start up, you need perseverance and a large dose of self-belief. Put in the hard work. I have and still spend sleepless nights investing in my internet business. The dividend is beginning to pay off. You know what? That has further made me to further commit myself. Are you ready to pay the price of success to enjoy the prize of success? Remember, there are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Probable outcome of the current global crisis
A thousand Barack Obama can’t save the downward trend. At best he can only delay it. A more likely outcome of the current global crisis over the coming years is that first, the era of U.S. as the world’s only super power may have ended and we are likely to have a complete realignment of forces, which may put Communist Capitalism (China and Russia) on one side and then Democratic Socialism (U.S., Europe, Japan, Australia and Canada) on the other, while as usual India, Africa and South America will remain in the middle to be wooed and fought for.
How to motivate yourself to greatness
There is a drop of greatness in every man. How true? When you think of greatness, what comes to your mind? We all have the capacity to be great. But it is not everyone that will be great, because it is only a minority that put into action the habits and the lifestyle of the truly great. So, how do you motivate yourself to greatness?
G -Give up your obsession
Achieving greatness comes with a down payment. You can’t get something for nothing. Greatness is built on the virtue of sacrifice.
You have to be willing to pay the price of greatness in order to enjoy the prize of greatness. What are you willing to forfeit so as to savor the sweetness of greatness?
Remember, there are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going. Greatness is a function of sacrifice.
Keep it in mind that it is absolutely impossible to rise to the top in any sphere of life without sweating it out. Greatness comes with a price tag attached. Are you willing to pay?
R –Relationship
To achieve greatness, you have to be a people’s person. Truth is that you will be welcome to the highest realm of greatness in life based on the invitation of another. You cannot make yourself great.
You can become so good at what you do, yet to be great you need someone or a group of people. You must leverage on quality relationships. If you must achieve greatness, you must use the strength and influence of others.
Good relationships are more than just the icing on the cake; in fact they are the cake - the very substance you need, to shoot yourself to the height of greatness.
Every successful sales man knows selling is 15 percent product knowledge and 85 percent people knowledge. So be a people’s person!
E –Excellence
Ever wondered why Microsoft’s computational software is termed “Excel?” The word “Excel” is derived from excellence. At the time it was introduced into the market, it was better than any other computational software.
Excellence connotes the quality of making something extremely good. To be great, endorse your work with excellence and be willing to give your best. Constantly, be better than the best. Great people refrain from mediocrity and embrace excellence.
A –Add value
Michael Faraday, Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Michael Jackson, Williams Shakespeare. Their value-adding mentality stands them out.
Adding value is about making something better than you met it. Bill Gates dreamt of a computer on every desk, run by his Microsoft operating system. The ease with which we get our documents prepared, the speed at which graphics are displayed, can be attributed to the value-adding mentality of Bill Gates.
Cultivate and apply this principle, and you are on your march to greatness.
T –Tenacity
Never let go of your object of pursuits. To achieve greatness you must have a burning desire and a firm resolution to hang in there come what may.
As a young man, Louis Armstrong applied to a music school. At his audition, he performed poorly and was told he does not have what it takes to be a musician. Feeling rejected, he cried all day. But he resolved to his friends: “I know there is music in me and they cannot keep it out.” Louis Armstrong went on to become a jazz legend.
What made the difference? Yes, his tenacity. It is summed up as follows: Never ever give up! Greatness is achieving the unachievable. See you at the top!
G -Give up your obsession
Achieving greatness comes with a down payment. You can’t get something for nothing. Greatness is built on the virtue of sacrifice.
You have to be willing to pay the price of greatness in order to enjoy the prize of greatness. What are you willing to forfeit so as to savor the sweetness of greatness?
Remember, there are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going. Greatness is a function of sacrifice.
Keep it in mind that it is absolutely impossible to rise to the top in any sphere of life without sweating it out. Greatness comes with a price tag attached. Are you willing to pay?
R –Relationship
To achieve greatness, you have to be a people’s person. Truth is that you will be welcome to the highest realm of greatness in life based on the invitation of another. You cannot make yourself great.
You can become so good at what you do, yet to be great you need someone or a group of people. You must leverage on quality relationships. If you must achieve greatness, you must use the strength and influence of others.
Good relationships are more than just the icing on the cake; in fact they are the cake - the very substance you need, to shoot yourself to the height of greatness.
Every successful sales man knows selling is 15 percent product knowledge and 85 percent people knowledge. So be a people’s person!
E –Excellence
Ever wondered why Microsoft’s computational software is termed “Excel?” The word “Excel” is derived from excellence. At the time it was introduced into the market, it was better than any other computational software.
Excellence connotes the quality of making something extremely good. To be great, endorse your work with excellence and be willing to give your best. Constantly, be better than the best. Great people refrain from mediocrity and embrace excellence.
A –Add value
Michael Faraday, Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Michael Jackson, Williams Shakespeare. Their value-adding mentality stands them out.
Adding value is about making something better than you met it. Bill Gates dreamt of a computer on every desk, run by his Microsoft operating system. The ease with which we get our documents prepared, the speed at which graphics are displayed, can be attributed to the value-adding mentality of Bill Gates.
Cultivate and apply this principle, and you are on your march to greatness.
T –Tenacity
Never let go of your object of pursuits. To achieve greatness you must have a burning desire and a firm resolution to hang in there come what may.
As a young man, Louis Armstrong applied to a music school. At his audition, he performed poorly and was told he does not have what it takes to be a musician. Feeling rejected, he cried all day. But he resolved to his friends: “I know there is music in me and they cannot keep it out.” Louis Armstrong went on to become a jazz legend.
What made the difference? Yes, his tenacity. It is summed up as follows: Never ever give up! Greatness is achieving the unachievable. See you at the top!
Trust : A pillar of leadership
Trust is a very important factor for all relationships. When trust is broken, it marks the demise of the relationship. Lack of trust leads to suspicion, suspicion generates anger, anger causes enmity and enmity may result in separation...
Leadership is a relationship built and nurtured on trust. In leadership, trust is a two way street. The people being led must be able to trust that their leader is “able to deliver” and the leader must also be able to trust the people, that they will follow him.
Trust is built and developed over time. There are many dimensions to what determines whether people will trust a leader or not. A leader must have in the eyes of the people, the necessary credentials to lead them.
The people’s trust in their leader can be grounded in their evaluation of his/her ability, integrity and benevolence. That is, the more they observe these characteristics in their leader; their level of trust in him/her is likely to grow.
Ability refers to the assessment of the leader’s knowledge, skill or competence .This dimension recognizes that trust requires that the leader is able to perform in a manner that meets his people’s expectations.
Integrity is the degree to which the leader adheres to principles that are acceptable to his people. This dimension leads to trust based on consistency of past actions, credibility of communication and commitment to standards of fairness.
Benevolence is the people’s assessment that their leader is concerned enough about their welfare. Whether he is interested to either advance their interests or at least not impede them.
Honest and open communication, delegating decisions and sharing control are evidences of the leader’s benevolence.
Ability and integrity are likely to be the most influential early in the relationship between the leader and his people, as information on the leader’s benevolence needs more time to emerge.
Evidently, people prefer leaders who are not only competent but who are also of impeccable character. The leader’s character must be solid for him to be trusted. He must be seen as a man of integrity.
A man of integrity is truthful, reliable and never plays to the gallery. He does not just make promises. He says what he means and he means what he says.
Nobody wants to trust a leader who has no backbone. People will trust a leader, who in the face of insurmountable crisis will inspire and motivate. They will trust a leader, who can endure hard times. They will trust a leader, who will not buckle under the weight of adversity.
The manner a leader handles crisis will determine whether the trust the followers have in him will diminish or be enhanced. A leader who crumbles and falls in crisis with his followers will not only lose face but have his “trust bank” seriously depleted.
A leader who falls flat on his face in crisis shows the stuff he is made of. After all, if you fall to pieces in crisis, there was not much to you in the first place. Character makes trust possible and trust makes leadership possible.
Leadership is a relationship built and nurtured on trust. In leadership, trust is a two way street. The people being led must be able to trust that their leader is “able to deliver” and the leader must also be able to trust the people, that they will follow him.
Trust is built and developed over time. There are many dimensions to what determines whether people will trust a leader or not. A leader must have in the eyes of the people, the necessary credentials to lead them.
The people’s trust in their leader can be grounded in their evaluation of his/her ability, integrity and benevolence. That is, the more they observe these characteristics in their leader; their level of trust in him/her is likely to grow.
Ability refers to the assessment of the leader’s knowledge, skill or competence .This dimension recognizes that trust requires that the leader is able to perform in a manner that meets his people’s expectations.
Integrity is the degree to which the leader adheres to principles that are acceptable to his people. This dimension leads to trust based on consistency of past actions, credibility of communication and commitment to standards of fairness.
Benevolence is the people’s assessment that their leader is concerned enough about their welfare. Whether he is interested to either advance their interests or at least not impede them.
Honest and open communication, delegating decisions and sharing control are evidences of the leader’s benevolence.
Ability and integrity are likely to be the most influential early in the relationship between the leader and his people, as information on the leader’s benevolence needs more time to emerge.
Evidently, people prefer leaders who are not only competent but who are also of impeccable character. The leader’s character must be solid for him to be trusted. He must be seen as a man of integrity.
A man of integrity is truthful, reliable and never plays to the gallery. He does not just make promises. He says what he means and he means what he says.
Nobody wants to trust a leader who has no backbone. People will trust a leader, who in the face of insurmountable crisis will inspire and motivate. They will trust a leader, who can endure hard times. They will trust a leader, who will not buckle under the weight of adversity.
The manner a leader handles crisis will determine whether the trust the followers have in him will diminish or be enhanced. A leader who crumbles and falls in crisis with his followers will not only lose face but have his “trust bank” seriously depleted.
A leader who falls flat on his face in crisis shows the stuff he is made of. After all, if you fall to pieces in crisis, there was not much to you in the first place. Character makes trust possible and trust makes leadership possible.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Journalist in Jail?
For the journalist spending time in jail, I think it is public opinion versus the law. Legal issues ought not to be based on public opinion but rather on the evidences brought before the court. The protests we saw on TV suggest that, left to the Iraqi people, the journalist would have spent the night in his wife’s care.
Bin Laden reactions
Am sure Osama bin Laden must have had a good laugh. I watched the shoes-hurling video on slow motion. Give it to W. Bush – he is mentally alert. For every ten persons out there, the journalist’s shoes would have hit target on eight occasions.
What became of his authority
Imagine shoes being hurled at Bill Clinton or Ronald Reagan. The office of the American President is the most powerful in the world. So what became of the authority? W. Bush has poked his nose in every other affair out there and ended up rubbishing the mystic of his office. Whether he deserves it is another issue.
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