Real world relevant skills immunize those who have – and make diligent intelligent use of – them against failure.
I always tell people of a news report I once read over a decade ago, when Daddy Showkey (who invented the unique dance styles and music genre that made him famous) explained how he survived his early years in poverty.
He said "Anytime I needed money, I would just start singing and dancing".
He did that in almost any public space. Crowds often gathered quickly and by the time he was done, a good number would have dropped money to show their appreciation.
Showkey has since used that skill of his to inspire many others, as he grew his brand to success. Today, he owns his own house, and lives comfortably with his family.
But we cannot all be skilled entertainers.
Not everyone will be gifted in that department or interested in pursuing success in that field.
And that’s great, because the world is badly in nee, today, of skilled persons with unending passion for what they do in many diverse areas of life, or markets.
Having useful skill better equips you for success.
I especially love those skills that eliminate the need to search for big startup capital.
That’s why I’m partial to catering (especially baking), PC and Internet related products/services creation and delivery, hair dressing, electrical problem solving, and other vocations
Once you acquire a skill, nobody can take it away from you.
The above is what drives me daily to support my kids to acquire and develop multiple, potentially useful real world relevant skills.
It is also why I remain a relentlessly fervent advocate of the work being done by organizations like Omowale Ola’s Field of Skills and Dreams in today’s world.
In case you still don’t get my point about skills and raising capital…
It is interesting to note that many skilled people, who do get it, often use their skills to earn money they then channel as capital to startup brick and mortar or physical entreprises they dream of owning.
For instance, a web marketing expert could channel 80% of his earnings towards starting a grocery store business managed by his spouse.
Since he works from home and has few overheads, this would be a good way to establish and grow over time, an additional stream of income to secure his family’s future.
Those who do this often end up with little or no debt to worry about. That’s why skills matter so much!
Quite often, skilled people are able to make money simply by creatively putting their skills to use, at low to zero cost, in the SERVICE of others towards solving problems or even providing entertainment.
Examples include the skilled hairdresser, PC/mobile phone repairer, automobile technician, electrician, tailor/fashion designer, dancer/singer, web marketing solutions provider etc
My personal experiences and achievements, as a Location Independent Multipreneur convince me that skills make the impossible possible
That’s why I have a keen interest in telling others to acquire skills.
I’ll end with this quote by Napoleon Hill, which perfectly captures my sentiments:
"It should be encouraging to know that practically all the great fortunes began in the form of compensation for personal services or from the sale of ideas. What else, except ideas and personal services, would one not possessed of property have to give in return for riches?" – Napoleon Hill, from his evergreen bestseller "Think and Grow Rich"