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Managing your limits

The best we can give is to give our best every time. It is not a comparison with what you offered in the past, but the best your present capacity could offer. Time changes, likewise conditions, so your best also changes with changing factors or conditions.

By thinking this way, you will save your energy from overburdening yourself with what you could not achieve after stretching yourself beyond the elastic limit to offer the present deliverable. Be positive, do not be intimidated by the achievement of others. When your capacity increases, you can compensate for what you cannot give in the past.

It does not mean you should cooperate with your tendency to be lazy or self-indulgent. In a clear sense, stretch yourself to the breaking point. (At least your mind is made up to break barriers and barricades), but know when it is obvious you cannot do more. At this point, you have the likelihood to start blaming yourself for not doing something to avert the present condition. Of course, you must take responsibility for your actions, but accepting your limit is not unacceptable.

When you identify your present limitation, do not use it to exaggerate the nearest future limitations. At least you have been equipped with information on how massive it can be. Resolve to find help where and when possible. Maybe, from colleagues, superiors, online self-help, mentorship programmes, training programs, etc. In all, self-mastery and development are keys to making progress over and beyond where you have been. You will be glad you did when you see yourself climbing past insurmountable barriers.

Take this with you. The tangible thing is how you have handled the past, focusing on the present, and preparing for the unexpected. Be wise and deliberate. Refuse to settle.

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Preparing a delicious life

Think of the efforts and resources you put into cooking that delicious meal on your table, most especially on special occasions or celebrations. Oh, you enjoyed the last one? Even if you cannot satisfy your appetite at home for some reason, I am sure you won’t hesitate to pay any amount to buy that favourite delicacy from the best restaurant in the city.

That is how you should think about the outcome of your daily, weekly, monthly, yearly (or any other yardstick you choose as your timeline) undertakings. It should bring delight and happiness. Something that is remarkable, rewarding and can be appreciated. Thus, be willing to spend time, effort, money or other resources to achieve them.

They may not be easy. You may require extra training, staying more focused, getting in touch with someone that can help out.

What if the food is too salty and you almost throw it away? You have to take precautions the next time you are preparing it. It may be the combination of seasonings or forgetting you initially added salt, and when it appears tasteless, something must be missing.

Treat your achievements the same way. Avoid too many details on a particular aspect when there are other 99 things. Avoid wasting resources, all because you have or can avoid many. What of those times you might not have enough. Always think of contingencies, the rainy day when you won’t be able to go out and buy even though you have the money. Do away with forgetfulness. That appointment can be once in a lifetime opportunity to break loose from the life of mediocrity. Write it down, or add it to your calendar and if it is not a business secret that you cannot share, ask someone to remind you.

And when it appears you are not getting what you want, it may be that your effort is not enough. Add more. Spend more and wisely. Focus on what is missing – maybe your weaknesses. The skill or ability you do not have. The next should be better. Do not disappoint yourself again. It may cost a lot if you meet other people’s needs, maybe your customers. A repetitive mistake may mean you are not competent. They will find alternate except for a few loyal one’s who may also be discouraged and start contemplating alternatives.

There are also times that what you cook might not be tasty to you but does to those you serve. That is why you should be intentional to seek feedback. Make this a habit. Share the food with someone or a group so that they can appraise your mastery of cooking skills. Why do you keep that new year Jollof from your visitors? What if you eventually waste it? Do not waste your efforts and resources. It might also be beneficial to them. Think of that fulfilment and self-actualization in meeting a need.

What is your perception about this meal I just served you? Feel free to share the meal. Some people say, ‘joint or collective eating is usually tasteful.

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How To Be Organised Always

The greatest advancements of this century, the light bulb, the airplane, and computer, were created by innovators – people who imagined things that did not exist and asked why. Being an outstanding employee requires a touch of this inventors’ spirit, a determination to consistently strive to create value – Bernie Milano

Many at times you find yourself in a disarrayed situation. You think of accomplishing a task now, but along the line, you got caught in another demanding your intervention. If you are not careful, you will possibly not return to continue the first not to talk of completing it. Since these situations are made up of competing activities, you are left with the decision to choose which should be done first. If you are well-coordinated, you might be able to move forward early but at some other times, this is difficult. The complexity is higher if you are in a group. Members will be competing to have a say. Whether you are making personal or group decisions, having a standard way of doing things might serve better or be preferred. I do not mean you must follow the rule all the time but having such in place might be the medicine for the resultant severe headache.

You must have also failed to meet a deadline at one time or the other, delayed a friend you are going out together, have to sweat profusely searching for an important document and struggle to submit an application on the last day. I have found myself in all these situations in the time past. The last one appears to leave me with painful experiences. There was a time I needed to submit an application, which was in two stages. In the first stage I passed, I was able to submit an online form. I was not fortunate to scale through the second stage, which involves submitting a letter to justify my qualification for a scholarship. I need not wait for the outcome since I already know where I stand. The officer in charge was ‘well organised’ to politely inform me of my late submission of the email, and that I would not be considered.

Many have similar experiences and are still ‘enjoying’ it. I mean enjoying it. It has become part of them. They never think of changing how things are working with them in this regard. Getting organised is a price you have to pay to forestall these regular scenarios that play out in our daily life.

Perhaps the following would motivate you to escape from your comfort zone.

Saving time and having more time to attend to other things

On time delivery of project or rendering services

Cost savings

Quality outcomes

The list is endless. If you put things in the proper perspectives, your orientation changes regarding how to handle your daily activities, how you organise your working space at home or office, when to do what considering factors of time and other resources; and generally fostering an environment for effectiveness and efficiency in daily actions vis-à-vis the cost of doing otherwise.

Pay close attention to the following areas that you need to organise. You can thereafter add yours in the comment section of this article.

Your desk: Sort items out by client identifier, by project name, by date – whatever makes the most sense for you.

Computer files: Organize file for easy retrieval. Be specific regarding the names you give to files. Put things with similar characteristics into similar folders.

Hard files: Arrange them in a manner they can be easily accessed; alphabetically, by client name or by project name.

Your calendar: Do you have a place to go, project to execute, deadline to meet? Organise them in your calendar to avoid slipping over schedules and being double booked. The electronic calendar may be very helpful since it has the advantage of notifying you of any engagement not minding your location.

Office gadgets: Put things where you can easily locate and use them. Those things use often should be closer than others should.

Yourself: Stop implementing your activities at the wrong time. Stop placing your items in the wrong locations. Let them have their places. Stop jumping the queue. If you want prompt attention, be punctual yourself.

How then can you stay organized?

Communicate better

Do not be the only one on the field of play. Remember twenty-two players prepare for the game. Each person needs the right information as to the wing to play, and how to play handle opponents. If you happened to be the coach, you are not supposed to wait until you get to the field of play before telling your players what to do and how to do it. Communicating with others in your team saves from the stress of running up and down on the field. When you are not well organised, your opponent that is better off does less work hitting the target when your team is busy running from pillar to post. Timely communication makes you better organized to make strategic decisions in a timely manner on the stage of action without the fear of wreckages.

Activities should have their time

Make sure you know when you are doing what you are supposed to do. The time allocated to tasks may not be very much convenient but it helps you to handle chaos situations. When you do just one thing but leaving others undone, you will incur costs that can be monetary, loss of trust, loss of progress, having to delay other things, among others. So, learn to do only what you are supposed to do only at its time.

Don’t just prioritize

Some activities may appear insignificant compare to others but can be like the ignition for a car to move from A to Z. At times, prioritizing might make you ignore and fail to carry out such activity. You will be left to regret your action when you need to have done them earlier before the succeeding ones. It follows that being less importance now does not mean they will remain so in the future. Therefore, stay focused and adjust when necessary.

Let them have home

Things should have their place in the office, on your computer and other electronic devices and in your mind. It is easy to get lost if you do not have a home. You cannot even be located because you do not have an address you were found last. To be organized in this sense means keeping your things where can always go back to search for them. They should be properly labelled and kept where they can be located easily. Make easy-to-access storage spaces for things you are sure to use almost every time and do not let the space be too clumsy.

Keep only what you need

Having fewer things is an indication that you enjoy those things more and feel convenient about those things rather than letting half of what you own to accumulate dust. You will spend more time managing those things you do not need and the once you need.

Let others be responsible

Why do you think you are the only one that can do everything? That is a sign that you are not an effective team leader or mentor. If you live an organised life, you do not overload yourself with responsibilities, meetings and deadlines. Go through your activities on regular basis to see the ones you can give out to those you trust. When you do this, others will be bearing your stress with you and at the same time giving your delegate a sense of responsibility. You will feel secure when delegation is necessary for the future because your delegate has been trained to take similar responsibilities in the time past.

Make sure you are doing something

Staying organized does not mean a stress-free life. You must work hard to complete the present task so as not to encroach into the time allocated to others. Lifehack says, “work harder when you feel like giving up today. What’s more important is to remember what you work for is meaningful to you. And this is how you can stay motivated and happy every day”

Declutter regularly

Create time during the weekdays to organise your activities and things. Things do not stay organised on their own; they need to be organised continuously and consistently. When you are just starting, it may appear difficult but as you stay focused, you will be on track and achieving results.

Choose your approach wisely

I know you must have done some things right in the past. So do what has worked for you in the time past. The culture that makes you stay organised will be developed as you apply your style alongside the initiatives above.

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Step Out, We’re Together

It’s a lockdown period! Everyone seems to be indoor. The fear of catching the deadly virus is enough to keep one in, even if there is no enforcement by the government. Expectations on the relaxation of the restrictions are not even on sight, but then life must continue. I must think of what to do.

I remember putting down a few things to achieve in the year. Do you have Vision 2020?. I also have. I wanted to be better than the past years. 2020 must be a new beginning. I am not getting younger, so are the days gradually slipping away. Truthfully, I wrote a statement of commitment, which I supposed will guide my future endeavours. See it here:

I, Aasa Olaoluwa will arise and build; but dazzling sights have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in my life project.

Use what you have

I started well. I launched out by writing a business plan on a life-changing project. I was on fast lane early on while getting the needed advice both within and outside my immediate family. It appears the compulsory holiday is for me since I have always been busy with one activity or the other before then, but this isn’t the case. I am getting tired already. I even misplaced the manuscript at a time, but later found it where it was hiding. Along the line, other ideas emerged, one of which is this reason for this note.

The motivation

I have noticed over time I get to write scripts for presentations or correspondences after getting short notices. Most times, I am impressed with myself (I don’t know if my audience does, but I think they do). When it comes to doing the same for myself, I linger until the idea goes out of reach. I used to have a blog which, was not adequately managed. I later deleted it to begin again, this time more seriously. Not without you !… Smiles! Maybe that’s your story?

The promise

This idea wouldn’t get to fruition without you. Therefore, I call on you to be part of this success story. I wouldn’t want to disappoint you. I must drop something here regularly. I am sure this will benefit you and someone close to you.

Raise the bar

Do you also have a similar story? What are you doing to raise the bar? The time is not always right. All the needed resources may not be available at a given time. You’re not likely to have all the supports from those you trust. The pandemic may not be over very soon, and likewise, the economy may not be fast enough for recovery. The opportunity you have now may be the only one to change your status quo. Succeeding opportunities maybe for other areas of your life not very relevant for the season they come. Will you sit down idle or focus on your past? I call on you to rise with me. Let’s do something different and celebrate our success together. You’re not alone.

Kindly visit the About to have a preview of what to expect as we journey together. I also call on you to share your short story about this period in the comment section. Hoping to read from you soon.

Thank you.

Thinking Differently

11 Lessons from a parasitic relationship

If you need information on conferences and other professional engagements, I might be able to help. I have lost count of the number of conferences I have attended, although I cannot add them to my CV for reasons you will know at the end of this post. I can’t complain about not having the resources to attend or that my organization does not approve any for fear of leaving my job for several days. Best of all, I do not solicit or apply to them; they just came knocking and organizers compelled me to attend without my formal approval.

You may wonder why I am so lucky when you have probably not attended any recently. You might say, “He must be very lucky and smart at what he does.” But wait, before further praise, let me explain more clearly.

It has never been very convenient to attend those events. Not convenient at all, I must say. To be fair to the organizers, they are consistent and focused, and I have many things to learn. But how do I tell them that I do not need them when they are always the ones giving? I have never seen the need to change my position from being a receiver. They have never complained.

They are well recognized, though not liked or appreciated in the global world, but they keep going. I think they are the most exposed to hostility in this world, yet they want to dominate the market space.

Despite my inability to cope with their supposed excesses, I have learned so much from their team, which I will share here before introducing them to you at the end of this piece.

Here we go…

Activity: Always active when they need to implement a project.

Operational: Always doing something.

Dominance: of their industry.

United: Team members have common pursuits.

Consistency: Never give up attitude.


Unbeliever: Never believe anything is impossible. Always going again.

Exemplary: Every succeeding member does not struggle to master their course because they always learn by example. The superiors are not afraid to give business secrets for fear of someone planning to start their own thing.

Eat more than enough: They are not carried away by little achievements. They take in or achieve enough to make it look as if they are unbeatable.

Timely: They can operate at any time, but they make use of their most active time, which is not always convenient for competitors. When they are less active, their customers may not give them the needed opportunity to patronize them.

They thrive in the most inconvenient circumstances, what most of us would call the ghetto. They have more than enough to stay active from their first life experience.

Independence: They teach their subordinates to be independent from the time of induction.

When many would give up fighting, they would rather wait for the most convenient time or the next opportunity to launch. Because they are actively alert, they easily act within the next available opportunity.

Before you realize their presence, they must have taken enough business secrets from you. By that time, you are already feeling their impact.

The team belongs to the mosquito family! Are you surprised I got these from them? Of course, I do. I felt if the relationship they have with man is beneficial to them, then man must also benefit from them.

If you have attended any of their unsolicited meetings, I am curious to know what you can learn from them.

I am anticipating your response!

How to Position Yourself for Career Relevance

In this post, I will be expounding on a principle that pertains to how one’s positioning should drive achievement in any endeavor.


Before delving into the topic, may I inquire as to how your day has been? Regardless of your response, rest assured that we are in this together. There are numerous unseen partners, such as yourself and I, who are on this journey. Let us continue moving forward. This is not a competition to determine who comes first, rather, our goal is to support each other until we reach our final destination.


Let us begin. As a bachelor student, my class was among the pioneering set of my department and faculty, although not the first set. We were foundation students who laid the groundwork for upcoming students in various aspects, such as curriculum, outlooks compared to other departments, performances, student leadership at the departmental level, politics, and so on.


As a member of the pioneering set, I had additional burdens or, let me call it, responsibilities. My name was the first on my class list. Others did not need to know my registration number to check my semester results when released, even though our names were not always included in the results. All they needed to do was to check the first line. It was possible to trace my performance, take note of when I failed a course, or compare my performance with theirs.

That burden was on me throughout my undergraduate days, except when our results were not posted. I seemed not to be very well-known until our first results were released. I think the best results were attributed to another person who was more outspoken than I, and maybe next to me on our class list. It was not long before I came into the limelight because the topper was first on the list, and that was me.


So, it behooves me to shoulder my responsibilities. It requires a lot of effort to maintain the topper position. You have no major work to do if you are below the ladder, even if your performance drops, no one is watching. At last, the unexpected happened to me. The capital ‘F’ came and did not wait for me to respond to its knock when it happened in a general course. As expected, my performance dipped, but I never lost my position, courtesy of the dipping of most results in my class.


As a carry-over student, I took on another responsibility to call on other course repeaters to attend the lower class together, and I finally passed the course. The right attitude towards failure is an important factor there. I attended classes as if it was my actual year course, participated in course activities, and even encouraged my fellow repeaters. I love telling these stories of my failures. I did that in my previous posts.


How does this scenario relate to my current motivation? Until a few years back, I seldom liked to appear in the public space. I couldn’t and wouldn’t even make an attempt except there was a compulsion, but it was rare. When I did need to make a public presentation or talk, I prepared adequately, and I think I did well in most of the appearances, but not without extra energy. I am an introvert.


I was motivated to start some public stuff because I was ready for a change. Against my wish, making some of what I do appear in the public space pushed me to go for more. I was not ready to disappoint my viewers when they eventually saw that all I was doing was just noise. I want to constantly exceed expectations. I do not have everything, but I can go for everything because everything will not come to me naturally.

ICYMI: Maximizing Your Skillset (Video)


The key to keep going may be to put yourself forward for people to see what you are doing. That way, you are like a pioneer or first on the list of those in your class. I am sure you are not ready to be a disappointment. Any laxity will drop your rank. Any failure is like a shame, but it is good when it comes. You can learn not to do what you did that brought the failure.


As for motivating you, many of my mates also put up good spirits and try to do more. Some were even doing better than I eventually, but they couldn’t outperform me because I had a clear lead, and it was difficult for them to catch up. However, because each of us recognizes our individual strengths and weaknesses, it was not difficult to consult each other when necessary to strengthen our position. It means you do not have to start well to start doing well or dominate your niche. Start anyhow and anywhere. You will eventually recognize that you have the potential to dominate a particular space. Before long, it will become visible that you are a leader in the space. Those who dare try the same thing will need to borrow your key to do so. Do not be afraid to give them the duplicate because you can decide to change the lock without their knowledge. They will return to you for another duplicate after several trials to open without success. If they open without your consent, appreciate the fact that they climb the shoulder of a giant, and that’s you.

Remember to Watch: Becoming An Asset


I expect you to start doing more. Perhaps, I will have the motivation to sustain or improve my current drive, but we can achieve greatness together. I know you can, and I can as well. This is not another motivation, but a reality that is staring at you to go farther than where you are.

On you mark, get ready, Go !

Building a Unicorn Entity

I have you in mind, and I am sincere in my words. I have always regarded you as an exceptional individual, irrespective of your appearance, background, or available resources. Your potential is what matters, not your attractiveness.

Allow me to share my recent discovery with you. Until recently, I was unaware of the magical power possessed by unicorns. While I knew of their strength from the Holy book, their uniqueness intrigued me enough to research further. From their gestation period of 11 to 13 months, which is longer than that of some animals, to their iconic horn that appears at age two, and their color change from silver to white, unicorns are truly beautiful creatures. The male partner is also known to be protective of the newborn during their early years.

These are just a few of the unique characteristics of unicorns. It is no wonder that a business worth $1 billion in valuation is referred to as a unicorn. Some employers even seek unicorn employees, individuals with exceptional skills and abilities. If you aspire to be one, there are guides available online. However, my focus is on your uniqueness, just like the unicorn. Your ideas may take longer to incubate than others, but that is what makes you special. You will eventually become a unique business entity or a valuable human resource.

You are likely to go through several developmental stages, just like the unicorn. During your early years, you may be susceptible to internal and external factors. Therefore, it is essential to surround yourself with experienced individuals while growing with others. A valuable and viable team of different expertise is necessary to build a unicorn, even though the initial ideas may originate from a single individual.

The horn of a unicorn is said to be its source of strength. Similarly, you must identify your source of competitive advantage and nurture it. This will strengthen your adaptive capacities to shocks and disruptions to your performance.

Unicorns are known to live for 1000 years, remaining youthful and active until they are about to die. Some organizations have also existed for a long time, remaining strong, relevant, and competitive. The key is to continue doing what makes you relevant.

I care about your progress and would love to hear about your journey. Our fellow members, can contribute to expanding your horizon to build a unicorn niche. If you have any ideas about the Silicon Valley, please share them with the team. Together, we can build a unicorn niche using our ordinary daily lives experience.

Creating a Positive Self-Image



I hope you know that regardless of our current status, we are all striving to change our circumstances. We are in this together. If you feel like giving up, remember that I am your partner on a similar journey. If you give up, you will discourage me from continuing on my path.



Perhaps you have a mental image of what I look like or what I am currently doing. You may be correct, but what if that is not who I am? I may not look like how you see me in the media (if you have ever seen me) when you see me in person.



You are the one setting the standard. No, I am not! You believe what you think you know, but I know who I am because I see myself every day. I can prove you wrong.



Just as you see others, set a standard for yourself. Believe in what you think you should be. See yourself as you think you should be and believe in what you see. Prove me wrong.



We do not need to take the same path to reach our goals. We should appreciate and admire what we have. We should inspire and be inspired by what we still have.



The key is to never judge yourself based on what I have that you do not have. You also have things that I do not have. Judge me based on my efforts to change my circumstances, just as you are doing.



To stay committed to your path, you can read the commitment statement I made some time ago: Step Out, We’re Together



I admire and am inspired by what you do. Can you share with me in the comment section? Let’s celebrate our success stories as we strive to change our circumstances.

Simple Tips for Mutual Benefits in Business

We’re all on a journey to greatness, and sometimes that means supporting each other along the way.

dhepro

It’s a busy day as usual, but I feel I should pen this down for you, my companion on the journey to greatness.

I was at work, deep in thought, when someone knocked on my door. I heard her knocking the door of the room before mine, but I am not sure the occupant was available to respond. It wasn’t who I was expecting, as I know when the colleague is around by footsteps, but I still had the urge to respond despite having a flow of thought for the task I was doing.



Habari ! , At least I understand that, but because I won’t be able to flow along speaking the dialect, I gracefully told her, I don’t understand the language. Then, she switched to English. That’s the advantage of being a polyglot.



She introduced her product, I have an excuse for not patronising her – I bought a similar product earlier in the day – even though I have adverse for partronising such when I have not been doing so for an entity I am not familiar with. It is normal to tell such a person, ‘maybe another time’. You guess is quite on point. However, just as I close the door behind me, I have an impression of buying the product. Luckily she had not gone far, so I did.



My patronage has two reasons. I realize this can serve mutual benefits. I might need a business secret if I intend going to the same business in the future. Such action can bring a friendly conversation in the future that will lead to a talk along that direction. I might also be able to help by offering valuable advice on growing her business being a trained project manager.

Also, she needs feedback to improve her products, and I can do that freely. It’s beneficial to me. I see it as my corporate social responsibility since I have always emphasized being on a similar journey with many unknown partners. This is a great meeting point. Overall, patronizing her should be a motivation not to give up on her entrepreneurial endeavour.



So, let’s remember that we’re all on a journey to greatness, and sometimes that means supporting each other along the way. Have you had a similar experience? Share in the comments below! Don’t forget to add ‘extra’ to your ‘ordinary’ experience on a daily basis as I have just done. #RefuseToSettle