“ We are made by ourselves… or never created. “- Dr Sydney Newton
Are you an entrepreneur or are you considering becoming one? Do you want to be successful in life and business? What if I share my personal success plan with you so you can act on it ? If you answered yes to the last question, read on.
I’ve written a lot of articles on how to start a business, how to develop business ideas, how to raise capital, and everything in between. But I have never written an article about my personal life and how it affects my business. Talking about my personal life is something I fear, but in 2012 I made the decision to be more open.
I made the decision to give my all in my knowledge base; from my ideas and strategies to my personal experiences and business movements. But I will not disclose data on income, business ideas, and legally restricted stocks. Now back to the topic of the day.
Many times I have been asked to reveal my personal formula for success. It’s also funny to note that those who have asked this question expect me to pour out some sort of holy grail. Now the truth is this: there is no secret to my business success. Why, you ask ?
Well, the reason is that the secret code to success is no longer a secret. It has been used and disclosed by people like J. Paul Getty, John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Aliko Dangote, Robert Kiyosaki, Richard Branson, Larry Ellison , etc.
But no matter how universal the law of success is, I still believe that the path to success for every successful person is unique. This means that each successful person has their own story to tell and lessons to share.
So, in this article, I’m going to try to make the most of the lessons and codes I worked with to get to where I am today. So, without wasting your time, here are seven codes that have shaped my success in life and in business.
My personal secret codes for success in business and life
“I was not born successfully ……… I succeeded ……… on the street.” – Adjaero Tony Martins
1. I’m working hard in the right direction
Most successful entrepreneurs and employees associate their success with hard work, but they don’t tell you about it; “ Hard work is useless without strategic direction. ”
Several times I had to complain about the stress of their daily work and the need to find a new job because they were not making progress. All I do is wish them the best and leave because their minds are already clouded with the illusion that getting another job will ease their pain.
One truth I often can’t tell them is that my job is also stressful and sometimes I work twice as hard as them. But the difference between us is that we work in different directions. Although I work hard to build a business, you might be working hard to build your career, but our end result will never be the same again.
The richest people in the world are building networks; everyone is trained to look for work. – Rich dad
So what’s the point I’m trying to make ? I stress that working hard in the wrong direction is pointless: don’t work hard to grow someone else’s business; don’t work hard to make your boss rich. Instead, work hard to grow your business; Work hard on acquiring assets that provide sufficient cash flow so that you don’t have to work again.
Most importantly, even if you are starting your own business, don’t try to do it all yourself. Don’t be a solo player, work hard with your sales team; work hard to forge strategic alliances with other successful businesses. Work in the right direction; this is my first pass code.
2. I believe in myself
“You are crazy and you should be proud of it. Stick with what you believe in. ”- Hawkins
If there is code, I will underline it several times; it is self-confidence. Without it you won’t get anything. All of my business success is the result of my self-confidence, and I’m not the only one doing it. The world’s greatest businesses were built by men and women who believed in themselves; thought and acted regardless of what the critics said.
“Stay true to yourself; and your personal philosophy. “- Giorgio Armani
Every time I sit down and analyze my life and my business; I wonder where I would be if I didn’t believe in myself? I wonder what my financial situation would be like today if I lived in fear of what people would say, I wonder where would I be if I took the advice of family and friends without thinking of myself?
“It’s worth trusting your instincts . “- Donald Trump
I remember how my father made an effort to bring me to the United States. I made it clear to everyone that I wanted to earn my fortune here in Nigeria, and this position really caused a lot of chaos because my dad couldn’t understand the basis of my position. I remember how I bluntly refused to go to China to oversee the family business because I wanted to stand out from my father’s shadow.
Most memorable was my decision to drop out of college. Family and friends thought I was crazy, but still wanted to give up and focus on my business. It was a painful decision due to the effort, resources and time already invested in my education, but I thank God because I have no reason to regret.
“The most important aspect of my personality as defining my success is coming; was my doubt of conventional wisdom, the doubt of experts, and the doubt of authority. While it can be painful in your relationship with your parents and teachers, it is extremely rewarding in life. ”- Larry Ellison
I can never overstate the importance of self-confidence. I can never overstate the need to face harsh criticism. Don’t live in fear of being criticized; don’t put other people’s opinions ahead of your own. You are you and no one can understand your ideas and your philosophy better than you.
Therefore, do not be afraid to defend your position, do not hide in the shadows of others; come out. If you have an idea that you firmly believe in, avoid criticism and take action. The end justifies the means.
“You must act and act now.” – Larry Ellison
3. I persist
Nothing good is easy. The world is not going to spoon feed you; You have to fight for what you want and it takes persistence to win the battle. Your first hit or hit in business can’t kill; so you have to keep trying. Success is not an overnight affair; that’s what you will achieve over time.
“I have been ruthless even in the face of a complete lack of support, because more often than you might think; absolute persistence is the difference between success and failure. ”- Donald Trump
I didn’t start a business overnight; I did not pass my first test. Becoming a successful entrepreneur was the result of repeated trials and quick learning from every mistake made.
4. I live a balanced life
“In your quest to become a billionaire, you have to literally sacrifice everything – completely shutting off everything else in your life (hobbies, interests, free time, friends, family, even love) and the determination to do nothing but work. hard to earn a billion dollars. as soon as possible, without doing / thinking / worrying about anything else, never give up, no matter what; until you have a billion dollars . “- anonymous
The above statement is an excerpt from an email sent to me by a reader in response to an article I wrote about my goal of becoming a billionaire. As much as I appreciate his efforts to write to me, I must point out that his perception is false. The reason I set myself the goal of becoming a billionaire isn’t about money, I am doing it for something more than money.
“Becoming the richest person in the world is not a championship; it’s all about competence. ”- Carlos Slim Helu
Second, sacrificing everything in your life to earn a billion dollars is a dumb perception. There are things that are more important in life than money; things like your friends, family, hobbies, and relationships. There are also free gifts from nature that money cannot buy; for example, spirituality is not a material thing, it is a thing of the spirit.
So when you give up all in search of money; that means you’ve made money, your god. Now what’s the point of a billion dollars with no family, friends, and interests to spend? Remember, life is short. That’s why Jeff Bezos said, “ Work hard, have fun, and write history. ”
As an entrepreneur, I take my time because I am always on the move. But despite my busy schedule, I still devote time to the things I enjoy. I will always spend time with my family and friends. I give time to spirituality; I try to attend social events as much as possible and find time to read, listen to audio tapes and attend seminars. It all comes down to managing time and prioritizing your tasks.
No matter what my commitment, I try to balance my actions and I think you should do the same; you end up becoming multimillionaires and billionaires with destroyed homes, marriages, and poor health.
5. I accept teamwork
“Business and investing are team sports . “- Rich dad
I have started and built several businesses from scratch. I have also had successes and failures. I recovered from several setbacks and used my successes. I earn money even when I sleep. In fact, I earn more on vacation than when I am active. What’s my secret?
Well the secret is that I am not a solo player; I am a team player. I love teamwork and that’s why I invest in people. I hire and associate with people smarter than me. I work with people who understand the technicalities and who have the capacity to get things done. Therefore, if you want to become a successful entrepreneur, you have to accept teamwork. It’s so easy.
“My business model is The Beatles. These were four guys who controlled each other’s negative tendencies; they balance each other out. And the total was more than the sum of the parts. Great things in business are not done by one person; they are made by a team of people. ”- Steve Jobs
6. My personal values
“Sometimes what works for you early in your life doesn’t work for you at the end of your life.” – Rich dad
“Waste of resources is a deadly sin at IKEA.” – Ingvar Kamprad
What is dear to you in your heart? What do you attach importance to? What are your personal values? Did you know that your personal values can be an obstacle to your success ? Yes, what you believe in can make you fail. I wrote an article about my goal of becoming a billionaire, and this article received a lot of criticism.
Some people have challenged my justification for setting such a goal, and some have called me greedy because I wanted to make a billion dollars at the expense of others. I had to answer them by telling them why I want to become a billionaire. Now, before we continue, I want you to analyze the following opinions:
- Money is bad
- Rich people are greedy
- You have to sell your soul to the devil to get rich
- I need a stable salary
- Go to school to find a secure job
- Not enough money
- Life is not fair
- I can’t work for free, I have to pay
- I wanna get rich quick
- The government should tax the rich and give to the poor
- The government must take care of our needs
Are the above statements true ? If your answer is yes then it is your own opinion but I want you to know that the above statements are made by people with a bad perception. If you have this perception, you cannot be successful; don’t talk about being rich.
“Don’t ask what your country can do for you; instead ask what you can do for your country . “- John F. Kennedy
Money in its true sense is not evil; it is simply a means of exchange and legal tender, I would say instead that the love of money is bad and so are people who hurt others just to make money. As an entrepreneur, money is just a way to keep an account; money is one way of measuring my accomplishments in the business world.
Now, for me, I value things like time, freedom, control, work, and relationships. I value my time, and that’s why people work for me, and that, in turn, leads to freedom. I want to be free to travel or to do whatever I want; when i want it
I don’t want to get stuck in a job where I do as I’m told; live in fear of being made redundant. I am an entrepreneur and I love my job; that’s why i worked without pay for three years just to start my own business.
In fact, I still work for free. Now let me ask you : would you rather work for free for five years and live the rest of your life without having to work again, or would you still receive a regular paycheck for the rest of your life ? I’ll leave it to you to answer. Most importantly, I value my relationship and will do anything to keep it going.
7. I keep moving
“The altitude attained by great men is not the result of sudden flight; while others sleep at night, they work. ”- Anonymous
No matter what situation I find myself in, no matter what setback or business challenge I face; I’m sure I continue to make progress towards my goal, most people see successful entrepreneurs as successes overnight, but the truth is, they aren’t. The road to success is not paved with gold.
“The Rich Dad Company is an instant hit; but it took us ten years to get there. ”- Robert Kiyosaki
The above quote is true in its entirety. Taking my life as an example, my current situation is not due to sudden theft. I’ve been in the trenches, walked through fire, and been through storms, but still make sure to keep moving forward. I have started and lost a few businesses and investments; yet I continue to move. Whether I succeed or not, I will keep moving forward.
If you move, even fire won’t hurt you. If you stand still near the fire, even if you are not on fire, the heat will eventually get to you. – Rich dad
I remember the first days when I decided to become an entrepreneur; what most people don’t know is that I made this decision with no money in my pocket. Going penniless was not the only problem; I was also inexperienced and had no business skills.
But instead of staying the same and dreaming of my goals, I did the dirty work, raised capital and invested first in myself by attending the workshops of business ideas. development, marketing and investing Instead of staying the same, I signed up with a network marketing company; where I developed my leadership and sales skills.
I kept jumping and moving until I found my place. I wasn’t making any money back then, but I was happy because I was doing something more important than money, and that’s Moving On.
“I’m not afraid of being 80 and I have a lot to do. I don’t have time to die. ”- Ingvar Kamprad
Fast forward to the past, I haven’t stopped moving because the world is changing rapidly and if I don’t keep moving; I will be left behind. Instead of accumulating money in my bank account, I am always looking for good investments and business opportunities. I’m still building a business whether I fail or not, and when I’m not busy I pick up a book and read or listen to an audio recording of the business.
Most importantly, I never stop attending seminars because I don’t want to stop studying; I don’t want my cup of knowledge to be complete. I want to follow a moving trend; otherwise, I’ll be overwhelmed and left behind by new, fast-paced competitors.
“A full bowl is useless.” – Chinese proverb
“Life is a journey and not a destination. Business too; your goals keep moving forward . “- Thomas J. Barrell
Another reason I stress the need to keep moving is because people think that becoming a millionaire or billionaire means having a million or a billion dollars in your bank account. I’ll never keep a million dollars in savings because it’s financial madness for me.
Don’t save money in the bank; keep your money in durable investments or assets. That’s what I do. I keep transferring my money from one investment opportunity to another; most of my money also comes from business in the form of inventory and fixed assets. The lesson here is: don’t stagnate; keep moving forward .
“IKEA is not exactly perfect. It annoys me when they say IKEA is the best company in the world. We are on the right path to becoming one, but we are not there yet. ”- Ingvar Kamprad
Finally, I would like to point out that I am not there yet. Despite my successes and my failures too; I am still a long way from my goal of becoming a billionaire. We still have a lot to learn, start a business, build products, invest in finance, redistribute wealth, meet friends and fight competitors.
But I want you to remember it; whether I achieve the goal of becoming a billionaire or not, whether I lose everything tomorrow or not, no matter how many times I succeed or fail; I will stick to the process. I will continue to move until the day I bow before death . And you?
