Category Archives: General

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, Parenting, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

Error-Free People Rarely Achieve Authentic Success

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“Success tends not to go to the person who is error-free, because he also tends to be risk averse. Rather, it goes to the person who recognizes that life is pretty much a percentage business. It isn’t making mistakes that’s critical; it’s correcting them and getting on with the principal tasks.” – Donald Rumsfeld

I meet them every now and then. People who take pride in saying nothing ever goes wrong with their plans. They always get it right. You never find them looking vulnerable. They are always cool, calm and collected – ever so sure of the outcome of whatever they are engaged in doing.

People who act as described above often want to be seen as – and some claim to be – perfect.

In Reality Being Without Fault – or Being Perfect – Would Be Too Boring to Bear on Earth!

In my opinion, a person whose activities have such predictable outcomes (i.e. who always gets everything right and never makes mistakes) will eventually bore not just others, but him/herself as well.

But the truth is that no human can really be perfect.

I’ve written elsewhere that once a person can achieve real perfection in life, s/he no longer belongs here on earth. It would be time for him/her to move over to heaven…or anywhere perfect beings live.

Not everyone is a soccer lover. But most people who are conscious adults living on earth today will have heard of Lionel Messi. He’s the small man who makes big things happen for Barcelona FC in Spain.

Back in April this year (2013) his team got beaten by a massive 0 – 4 margin. I refused to believe Messi was on the pitch that day. And not just him. That team has some of the world’s best players on it.

That they got beaten that badly was baffling. But guess what? Messi himself admitted that his fitness was not the cause of the club’s 0-4 loss to Bayern Munich.

It is this demonstrated ability to admit he can make errors that’s helped him become a great achiever.

Acknowledging Our Faults Creates Opportunities for Self-Renewal & Growth

We can all learn from that. Messi knew – from his champion mentality – that the loss, though bad, would not end the world…or his career.

Indeed, we students of success know that such big time failures often serve as inspiration for us to move to the next level of achievement.

As a Writer, Aim for Perfection, but Understand That You Cannot Achieve It

“Perfectionists rarely get anything done, because they often want to get everything right.” – Tayo K. Solagbade

A person can achieve exceptionally high levels of competence in the process of aiming for perfection. In writing (like any other field) therefore, one must set a goal that challenges him/her to pursue perfection.

You will continually identify areas where you fall short, then make needed adjustments, and try again.  

Sometimes You May Have to Review Your Set Goal

If after repeatedly making needed adjustments, you still struggle to achieve your goal, you may need to re-visit the goal you set for yourself.

Ask yourself some serious questions…like the following…

How did you settle on your chosen writing goal?

Let’s say you’ve set a goal to write 2 blog posts per day:

a. Did you consider how many words each post would be for example?

b. Was the time needed to research each topic for useful information/ideas factored in?

c. What about the time to be spent editing and proof reading?

d. How many days in week would you be able to write at that rate?

And so on…

When you give honest answers to the above questions, does the goal you set still look realistic for YOU, at YOUR current level of competence?

Hint: If yes, keep persisting, and you’ll eventually breakthrough. If “NO”, sit down and re-do your goal setting, this time based on the insights gained from the above question and answer session.

Final Words: Perfectionists Rarely Finish Writing (On Time)

Whatever you do, never delude yourself into believing you must make your writing “perfect” – because pursuit of perfection is a never ending journey for use here on earth.

What you will find is that by chasing perfection, your work will eventually get so good that others will hail your accomplishment as a writer.

But in order for them to see it, you’ll have to know when you’ve done enough to let it go out and be READ as your published work, by others.

Sadly, perfectionists rarely get to that point when they can let go.

Rather, they tell themselves it can still be made better, and keep trying to do so, without considering other factors e.g. total number to be written, and delivery deadline.

In the process they end up never finishing – at least not on time. That bad habit eventually leads to disappointed clients – and fewer referrals or opportunities for new business.

Don’t let that be your story!

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, Parenting, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

FYI: If You Experienced Difficulties Accessing This Blog’s Content between Monday 15th July 2013 to Saturday 20th July 2013, This Could Be Why…

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NB: Let me start by saying this post is being made for information purposes only. And it applies specifically to the period between Monday 15th July 2013 to Saturday 20th July 2013.

In case anyone’s experienced difficulties accessing articles/content on my blog in the last few days…hostgator has now confirmed they’ve completed the migration of all customer accounts:

” onto brand new, more powerful hardware which will include the latest versions of cPanel and CentOS.”

Alert email notice announcing start of upgrade

Screenshot of email notice announcing start of upgrade

Screenshot of email notice announcing start of my hosting account migration

Screenshot of email notice announcing start of my hosting account migration

In response to my enquiry, they’d replied thus:

“…there may be some performance issues for the server since the migration process will have an impact on the communications performance of both systems. This effect should be temporary.”

The screenshot below shows their email notice that the upgrade has been successfully completed for my account.

Screenshot of email notice announcing successful migration

Screenshot of email notice announcing successful migration

General, My DN Travel News, Parenting

Proof that Schooling Can Dis-Empower Your Child Economically!

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I recently posted a Facebook comment on an article titled Beware Africa’s “Middle Class”. The author – Bright B. Simons – provided an accurate analysis of the nature of today’s African middle class of consumers. He rightly warned foreign investors to avoid stereotypes in making sense of this group.

For instance, to estimate the size of Africa’s middle class, Simons compared data from multiple authoritative sources one would presume reliable. They were poles apart in their estimates!

That’s a nightmarish scenario for investment decision makers keen to pin down facts to work with.

What’s more, far from being homogenous, Simons noted that Africa’s middle class is really a mix of shades – not fitting into familiar “standard classifications.” And he’s quite right.

Many Young and Educated Africans Do Not Belong to Africa’s Current Middle Class: Surprised?

For me, the most striking revelation in Simons’ article, was his observation that (contrary to the norm in developed societies) young and educated Africans do not make up majority of the emerging African middle class.

If anything, they lack economic traits (e.g. purchasing power) characterising “middle-class status elsewhere”.

Simons says Africa’s middle class today, is increasingly dominated by the “rarely well educated” – but street smart – cross border trading types. Dubai-frequenting ones he calls “suitcase merchants”, who buy cheap fast moving or second hand consumer goods, for dispatch to “open-air markets” back home.

Not surprisingly, this new consumer “class” lack tastes and preferences typical of the conventional middle class.

Bright Simons should know these things…

He invented the SMS short code system used by his company (mPedigree Network – an award winning mobile service launched to fight fake-drug trading, by authenticating pharmaceuticals across Africa and Asia).

This work brings him in contact with members of Africa’s unusual middle class possibly on a daily basis.  

He’s also based in Africa (and black) – making him uniquely positioned to extract deep truths, that may otherwise be hard to uncover.

This Situation Calls Our Schooling System to Question

Simons’ observation makes it obvious we need a different kind of educational system.

Unschooled chaps with street-level business know-how are outdoing our graduates economically.

Something is NOT right here!

Simons apparently recognises that fact too. He describes our educational system, as being out of tune with the socio-economic requirements of today’s Africa.

And he proves his point by contrasting two groups of “consumers” in Africa’s middle class economy.

On one hand there are the swelling ranks of what he terms an “educated underclass” (African graduates churned out by our educational system).

And on the other, there is the “uneducated” but “rapidly rising underclass”.

The presence of both groups sends out confusing signals to prospective investors – who are used to looking for tell-tale “market and consumer behaviour” they see in middle classes from other societies

Quite rightly, Simons calls the described situation “an amazing contradiction”.

I’ve written about the need to overhaul our educational system in many of my past parenting articles. In them, I make elaborate reference to eye-opening write-ups – by Robert Kiyosaki, Sir Ken Robinson, Seth Godin and others, that can guide overhaul of our educational system.

Maybe with the picture painted by Simons, more African adults – parents especially – will pay attention.

Maybe.

What You Can Do As a Parent…

I strongly suggest you read Simons’ article, if you are an African parent (or plan to be).

It explains a trend we’re seeing more of, that strongly suggests conventional schooling may not help your child succeed economically.

In fact, I honestly believe what Simons revealed in his article, is embarrassing to educated African adults – parents especially.

He has basically shown that most young and educated Africans cannot match the purchasing power of their “uneducated” middle class contemporaries.

By implication, they have to play second fiddle, to less schooled contemporaries – sometimes as employees!

The edge they were told schooling would give them is NOWHERE to be found!

This can be quite humiliating, frustrating – and could make a person lose faith in formal schooling.

I say this from VERY personal – potentially traumatizing – experience.

African parents must help their kids get better prepared to achieve economic independence in the real world.

To do this, we must get more involved in coaching our kids on how to succeed in life out of school/paid employment – as early as possible.

We can no longer depend on formal schooling alone.

Our educational system still prepares people mainly for paid employment (which gets harder to find daily). It rarely prepares them for entrepreneurship (which is becoming more viable as the way of life, even if part-time).

Final Words: What I Mean…and What I Have NOT Said

Depending on who is reading, this line of argument I’ve adopted can be “provocative” :-)

Like I said in my Facebook post on this, I am NOT saying formal schooling is useless.

However, I argue that a lot of what we teach today, offers very limited value for succeeding economically (especially outside paid employment) in 21st century Africa.

Since jobs are now harder to find, it follows that our schools need to change what they teach.

In Nigeria for instance, many of my uneducated “in-laws” from the East (my kids are half-Igbo), buy and sell from when they can walk.

A good number usually end up achieving superior economic means, compared to their counterparts who choose to attend (or finish) schooling.

It is for this reason that I constantly challenge my kids with real-world relevant skill building activities.

My purpose is to help them LEARN OUTSIDE school, even as they continue formal schooling.

If you love your child, do the same for her from today. Or tomorrow, you may have yourself to blame.

As we say in Africa: “A word is enough for the wise”.

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, Parenting, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

You Can’t Establish Expert Authority with Money

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In some parts of the world, some people get accorded authority status based on unproven wealth they display – and rarely little else. I grew up in a society where it happened (happens!)…a lot. However, authentic expert authority is not achieved by “showing money”. It comes via demonstrating verifiable, value-adding competence. This article provides insights you can use.

What Does It Mean to Be Called an Expert Authority?

An Expert Authority is one who has – by his/her achievements/contributions in a particular field(s) – demonstrated that s/he is a value-adding leader in thought and/or action.

Typically s/he has over a period of time made significant impact on stakeholders in that field. They would formally acknowledge his/her competence, and readily make reference to him/her as a result.

This can be in professional fields, and also in everyday social life.

I’ll start by giving a “non-sensitive” example.

Nelson Mandela is widely recognized as Human Rights icon. His lifetime achievements – including many ideas and thoughts he has expressed – have made the lives of millions better, earning him countless awards.

Mandela is therefore an Authentic Expert Authority on Human Rights.

Anybody Can Show Money – That Will Not Necessarily Confirm Expert Authority Status!

If no means exists to verify them, anyone can make any claims s/he likes – and we would be incapable of checking to determine if it’s the truth or not.

In this regard, developed societies (where personal records dating back to your ancestors can be reliably traced) have an edge over less developed societies.

In such places, people know they can get found out if they make false claims. So they do it less blatantly. But some daring characters still do it :-)

Now, like I said at the start, in certain societies, some “clever” persons cut corners by “buying” authority status. This is typically done by giving monetary and other rewards to “corruptible” key players and stakeholders.

As a result, they get accorded formal attention/recognition despite having limited (sometimes no!) pedigree, and offering little useful value.

Here’s a potentially “sensitive” example…:-)

Imagine a person convicted of looting public funds while in office, a year ago, being given an award on Human Rights in the same country(or indeed elsewhere)?

That’s absurd. But it has happened…many times, in certain societies.

An award confers authority status on the recipient. S/he is assumed by others as being an embodiment of the values and ideals on which the award is based.

One would therefore naturally expect whatever s/he has done (and will do) to be consistent with what the award is about.

A dishonest – and unrepentant – former office holder, conferred with an award meant for persons who protect people’s rights from abuse?
That’s not authentic authority status!
Like I said, money can buy it in some places.

But where things work, that’s rarely possible.

Final Words: To Establish Authentic Expert Authority Status – Prove Yourself Worthy

As an expert in your chosen field, the best way to establish yourself as an authority is to record achievements that make it obvious that YOU ARE!

It does not matter what field you’re in. Start by getting necessary preparation.

Mandela did not need to attend Human Rights school (if anything like that exists). Instead he set a real goal for himself to change the lot of real people.

Then he went out to make it happen. And he put every fiber of his being into doing so.

It took him time, but he eventually made it.

It was however in the course of doing it, that he recorded many achievements, attracting recognition – that eventually won him “Expert Authority” status.

Just as this works in the non-professional field, so it does also for professionals in various areas of endeavors – be it paid employment or business/entrepreneurship.

That includes lawyers, doctors, and experts in all other areas of interest and focus.

To establish authentic authority status amongst your peers, simply record achievements – via your contributions – that show you are indeed worthy.

So, even if you’re in a place where it’s possible to “buy it”, you now know better :-)

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, Parenting, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

Fast-Food Energy: Self-Repairing “Artificial Leaf” Cheaply Generates Electricity from Dirty Water (New Discovery)

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A research team has developed a “self-repairing artificial leaf” that produces electricity from dirty water. This is a milestone achievement, in the drive for sustainable energy. Forward thinking governments of developing countries may find it useful to explore adopting this new technology.

This is a major advancement in efforts to develop alternative – and sustainable – energy sources. It has been featured in the “ACS journal Accounts of Chemical Research”. The research was funded by USA’s National Science Foundation, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the Department of Energy.

Artificial Leaves Generate Electricity - 27 Science Fictions That Became Science Facts in 2012

How It Works

This artificial leaf works by mimicking the process of photosynthesis carried out in nature by green plants – which convert water and sunlight into energy and oxygen.

However it does not use the same complex chemical process. It is just a thin slab of silicon (referred to as a “sunlight collector”), coated with catalyst films on either side. The two films generate oxygen and hydrogen gas (on opposite sides).

When placed in water, under sunlight, the catalysts in the device break the water into its hydrogen and oxygen components. As the gases bubble to the surface, they can be easily collected for use as fuel to produce electricity in fuel cells. This is the simple principle on which this innovative device works.

The Relatively inexpensive compounds used to make the catalysts on both sides of the leaf (nickel-molybdenum-zinc generating hydrogen on one side, and cobalt film generating oxygen on the other) are said to be abundant in nature.

That eliminates the potential problem of replenishment as the devise needs to be mass produced.

Potential Applications – Individual homes in Off-Grid Locations

The research team leader is Daniel G. Nocera, Ph.D. (Harvard University’s Patterson Rockwood Professor of Energy). He has suggested that individual homes lacking access to power grids/generating plants would benefit from using this inexpensive alternative.

With less than a quart of drinking water, he explained that the artificial leaf would provide about 100 watts of electricity for an entire day.

The improved version of the leaf was reported in New Orleans on Apr. 8, 2013 (during the “Kavli Foundation Innovations in Chemistry Lecture” at the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society).

It has been re-designed to utilise dirty or impure, bacteria-contaminated water readily found in nature. The scientists found a way to make the leaf self-healing. Basically, the catalysts now fall apart in a manner that prevents bacteria’s access to smooth surface they need to establish their bio film. “Then the catalyst can heal and re-assemble” said Nocera.

In earlier versions of the leaf, this had not been possible. As a result electricity production got shut down as the bacteria eventually formed their bio film across the smooth surface of the leaf.

This new self-healing property represents a major advancement – especially for the needs of developing societies. There, access to clean and pure water remains an even greater challenge.

Personalized, Fast-Food Energy: A Cheap Energy Generator, Adapted to Tough Local Conditions

Millions of people around the world still lack access to basic power supply via their country’s power grid.

They will benefit from a portable, inexpensive solution like this self-repairing artificial leaf energy generating device.

Nocera stated that “It’s kind of like providing ‘fast-food energy,'” and he pointed out that his team plans to produce lots of inexpensive units that will trade a bit of efficiency for functionality. They will be aimed at getting the job done.

He used the analogy of the transition from “huge mainframe computers to a personal laptop” noting that “This is personalized energy.”

The artificial leaf offers superior benefits to existing alternative energy solutions.

For instance, solar panels are expensive, and can only generate energy when the sun is out. In contrast, the leaf’s hydrogen and oxygen can be stored and used at night.

As Nocera points out, many complicated and expensive alternative energy devices are being developed.

But that is making it difficult for them to get widely adopted on a large scale. A less expensive and simple system that works like the artificial leaf, therefore stands a much better chance of getting widespread usage.

He revealed that the team has plans to further integrate the device, with technologies used to convert hydrogen into liquid fuel, for running portable electric generators or indeed cars.

Final Words: Developing Countries Stand to Beneift The Most

Leaders of developing nations – especially those in Africa, should seriously consider cutting back on money they keep sinking into space projects, and similar “abstract” pursuits.

They would be better off exploring ways to collaborate with Nocera and his team, to get the research solutions working for their rural populations.

Doing so will translate to an immediate improvement in the quality of life enjoyed by their people!

FURTHER READING

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509123900.htm

 

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, Parenting, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

Young People Must Be Taught To Be Original!

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Less than 24 hours ago, I saw one of my most widely read and referenced farm business ideas articles (titled “Producing Good Catfish is Important, But Finding Good Buyers is Imperative!”) subjected to a more malicious level of abuse than I’ve ever seen. Naughty people periodically use other writers’ works without giving credit. When found out, many quickly make amends.I’ve experienced this with some of my articles. But yesterday’s was a new experience!

Before I tell you what happened, let me provide some background.

I’ve Been Writing on Farm Business for Over a Decade

Yesterday 3rd July 2013, was my brother’s birthday. At about 10.38 a.m I arrived in a client’s office in Cotonou, for a Web Marketing Systems development project review meeting.

But just before we started, I pleaded his indulgence to let me call my brother in Abuja, Nigeria, to wish him happy birthday.

We had not spoken since I left Nigeria 3 months before. By the time I was done, I’d learned my new report titled “10 Fruits You Eat, That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind” (featuring ideas on using pineapple peels to produce fermented and non-fermented drinks), emailed to him a month ago never arrived.

So I promised to re-send it.

You see, writing on Cost-Saving Farm Business ideas and providing best practice support to farm business owners has been my passion since 2003. And it’s earned me considerable name recognition and credibility. Indeed today, I enjoy the serious attention of farm business owners, and others aspiring, as subscribers to my newsletter, website visitors, and buyers.

Developing Solutions Of Different Kinds to Help Farmers

The challenge many farmers face in finding buyers for their market ready farm products –especially livestock and perishables – has always intrigued me.

For years while in Nigeria, I actively interacted with many farm owners to get an idea of unique challenges they faced, and solutions that could be evolved.

My Feed Formulation Handbook was meant to help farmers acquire the know-how to compound their own rations for their animals. This was in light of the compromised integrity of commercial livestock feed that some found themselves buying.

I got feedback from buyers who expressed the desire avoid manually doing the Pearson square computation for feed formulation.

So I developed an MS Excel-VB driven Ration Formulator software. Both have become quite popular.

The Menace of Content Thieves and Intellectual Property Abusers

In 2009, I wrote the above mentioned article, that attracted serious attention and interest locally and internationally. Various blogs, and websites linked to, or referenced that article via Ezinearticles.com where I published it.

Many such articles have generated pre-qualified sales leads for me. A good number result(ed) in sales of my products, and services (e.g. consultancy).

But as is common with intellectual works, I have found people using my works picked up from Ezinarticles.com without abiding by the terms.

Content publishers know Ezinearticles.com requires that they retain an author’s byine in any article they choose to republish on their website or newsletter.

That’s where we authors post short “marketing” blurbs containing one or two links leading to relevant pages on our websites. It is the small payoff authors gets for sharing their expert knowledge at no charge.

This is meant to be a symbiotic relationship. Sadly, some people – and I’ve seen this a lot in the farm business “category” – prefer to take without giving.

I’ve periodically found my articles reproduced verbatim from Ezinearticles.com, with ONLY my name retained. My entire byline is removed, including any links I added back to my website.

These people feel my work is good enough to be used on their website, and/or social media pages. But they refuse to let me get what is due to me, preferring instead to use my work to generate benefits for themselves alone.

It’s nothing new. Other authors/writers have similar experiences. We do what we can. Sometimes I’ve succeeded in getting abusers to make changes or simply take my work off their websites. Recently, I simply decided to ignore them.

Discovering a More Malicious Form of Intellectual Property Abuse

However yesterday, I encountered a more malicious dimension of abuse.

To generate sales leads based on my expertise on the subject, I had inserted (in line with a Burt Dubin tip) my mobile phone number in the last paragraph of the article.

That simple gimmick led to many people calling to consult me on how to apply the ideas in the article. Then at a point, those phone enquiries fizzled out. They just stopped coming. I didn’t know what to think.

Eventually I put it down to the reduced search engine visibility of article directories, following Google’s repeated algorithm changes.

Then yesterday afternoon, I saw that article reproduced verbatim on a blog run by a young Nigerian chap. As usual, my name was on it, but my byline was not.

However I got really ticked off when I saw that he’d replaced my phone number with his. Exactly where it appeared in the last paragraph of my article!

Less alert readers would naturally assume that that was my number!

Not believing my eyes, I called the number. Sure enough I found myself speaking to a young guy, who identified himself as the website owner.

I casually enquired about the service he was offering, and he readily asked “Do you need help with marketing your farm produce?”(he did not know it was me i.e. author of the article he’d used).

In other words, just what I aimed to do, he was now doing using my write-up – effectively denying me any benefit from my intellectual creation!

Young People Must Be Taught To Treat Intellectual Property With Respect It Deserves

All over the world we have people who steal content and abuse copyright privileges. But only in Nigeria have I consistently found people doing it so callously, with absolute disregard for the damage they do.

I say this without apology. It’s an indisputable FACT.

They abuse a system that encourages competent experts to offer such valuable works in the Internet space at no cost. Failing to see that their actions threaten the continued willingness of such people to share what they know!

This is why today, I write much fewer farm business articles for article marketing online.

Instead, I offer information products for sale to my subscribers and interested website visitors.

My probing questions soon unsettled my young friend. He said:

“There’s too much noise here. Let me call you back later.”

That was 4p.m yesterday. It’s already 10a.m today. And I know I will not be hearing from him.

However I do intend to get him to do the right thing.

If he does not, I WILL put up links to his website here on my blog, along with his name and phone number. Then I’ll inform his website host and Ezinearticles.com via a formal complaint email.

Next, each week that the abused version of my work remains on his website, I will post about it on my Facebook and Twitter profiles, and share widely.

Keeping Quiet Only Emboldens These Cheats and Other Dishonest Individuals

Saying nothing emboldens people who do these things. I refuse to be a silent victim. Anyone who abuses my work in that manner will have me to deal with, if I find out..

Our young people must be taught to develop serious respect for intellectual property.

Many learnt not to do so, from what they saw some irresponsible adults do.

The onus is on us to help them realize that they have within them the capacity, and capability, to produce original ideas and writing.

That will make them discover it’s a more dignifying and fulfilling approach.

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, Parenting, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

Sometimes You Need to Act Without Your Intuition (6 Tips)

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This article is a sequel to the piece on my blog titled “How to Establish Truth, and Experience Less Doubt“.

Like I said in that piece, to use your sixth sense simply LISTEN to your deepest feelings, and act on them. However, sometimes those “feelings” may not be distinct enough for you make your mind up.

When that happens, you may have to “walk blind” i.e. face such situations on your own…not knowing what to expect, and letting things play themselves out.

Sometimes you’ll misread positive situations negatively (e.g. paranoia arising from previous bad experiences), or assume a negative situation to be positive (e.g. naivety/wishful thinking).

This “dilemma” is likely to occur less often, as you master use of your 6th sense. But it’s unlikely to ever go away completely – as long as we’re human.

For each person, the situations that cause this dilemma will naturally differ.

What is important is that you work hard to develop reliable real world relevant competence at whatever you do. That will see you through instances when you’re getting mixed signals from your 6th sense.

I Describe Six Real-Life Scenarios in Which Using the 6th Sense Can Be Very Challenging

1. Dealing with Anchorless Social Chameleons

Some years ago, I wrote an article on Emotional Intelligence that ended up being widely syndicated and extensively quoted in published journals online.

In it, I described the positive attributes of a Social Chameleon, as described by Daniel Goleman, author of the book “Emotional Intelligence”. He also mentioned that some people take this ability to the extreme by using it to manipulate others.

They become duplicitous, constantly trying to pretend to be who they are not, in an effort to get what they want from those they relate with.

Goleman described these kinds of persons as ANCHORLESS Social Chameleons. Examples include con men (or women). People who make a living from gaining people’s trust in order to defraud, cheat, or even hurt them.

Have you ever had to relate with that kind of person at work or in your personal life?

They can be so hard to pin down! And some are SO GOOD at what they do, that even when your 6th sense helps you correctly catch them out, they can put up such an act that you end up thinking you were wrong, and apologizing to them!!

Anyone who has been in love with a two-timing partner may understand what I mean:

You had this GREAT relationship everyone admired you for. Yet, every now and then you got a strong feeling your “partner” was not being straight with you. But each time you tried to establish truth by bringing it up, you always came away feeling like a jerk…until one day, you caught him/her red-handed!

2. Scam or Con artists Playing Mind Games

Two-faced people. In certain societies, duplicity is almost an accepted way of life. People learn from an early age to use deception to get what the want.

A person from a society where sincerity and trust rank high (even if with a keenly honed 6th sense), is more likely to get “duped”, if s/he has dealings with someone from a society where duplicity reigns.

Why? Because the use of the 6th sense is always a function of the experiences one is exposed to. In such societies, it will take you time to “train” your 6th sense to competently guide your decision making.

This is why foreigners often tend to be easy prey when they visit such societies. It’s also why the famed 419 Internet fraudsters recorded such great success in the early years, before people LEARNT.

3. Spies and Terrorists Working Undercover

Consider members of terrorist groups who infiltrate societies and organisations. What about men and women who live double lives as spies – working for their countries security agencies?

These people skilfully maintain relationships with different groups of people, while living double lives.

Few suicide bombers’ associates know what they’re involved in – until they made the news!

These people succeed because others rarely use their 6th senses to find them out. Their ability to pass lie detector tests is apparently not fabled. I’ve read that some actually get trained to do that!

4. Wanting “Something” A Bit Too Badly

If you’re too emotionally and/or psychologically tied to a desired outcome, you could misinterpret or become totally dead to signals from your 6th sense.

Sometimes, the other person could be very skilled at “masking” signals s/he gives out, leaving you inadequate “information” to feed your “truth meter”.

We need to watch out, for mixed signals arising from our subconscious unwillingness, to accept the truth our 6th sense may try to tell us.

A lady dating a two timing chap could force herself to believe she’s the only one in his life – despite sensing that the opposite is the case.

One example from a real life experience.

As a desperate start-up seeking clients in 2005, I repeatedly “chased” a rich but mischievous prospective client, who made me jump through many hoops, pretending to be interested.

Each day I was with him, a quiet voice kept telling me he was just “jerking my chain”.

But he looked so fatherly (he was greying) and acted so nice, that I dismissed the thought – repeatedly. I SAW he could afford to pay me – and felt that was enough.

He was interested. What I stupidly failed to note was that he was the kind who liked to cheat others – to get something for nothing. Some people get rich through that means. And that often makes them bad clients. Your 6th sense should help you detect that. I did not apply mine – and I learnt a painful lesson.

After over 5 visits, he had requested (and gotten), from me, a printed 10 page proposal – FREE. This was in addition to picking my brain for hours on end. Then he said he would get in touch with me.

A week later, I learnt through an employee of his that all he got from me had been passed to a nephew of his, who was a web designer, to use in building a website for his company.

So, he’d just used me! That experience taught me to  require a refundable fee payment, to provide proposals or discuss project aspects in depth.

5. Dealing With Temptations in Moments of Weakness

Why didn’t I see that coming? That’s a question I’ve sometimes asked myself many times, after discovering I’ve been taken for a ride.

When you’re having financial challenges, even  “fraudulent” offers you’d normally use your 6th sense to sniff out may tend to “miss” you.

That’s when you start giving bogus email offers you would normally ignore a second look :-)

In such moments of weakness, even situations you would normally handle competently with your 6th sense can become unduly challenging.

People I know to be intelligent and analytical thinkers, have surprised me by responding to fraudulent phone SMS messages that informed them they’d won money, in UK lotteries!

In one instance, after I’d advised that it was a scam offer, one such person went ahead to call the number provided. When she was asked to send money over to get details, she saw I was right.

I’d “seen” enough of (but never replied to) those kinds of SMS messages to become numb to them. But she – like the others – was yet to get that far. They however only acted out of character because they were under financial pressures.

In their normal states of mind, when they were not in need, they would have readily deleted such messages without even reading them.

But as human beings, when bills are mounting, and expected income is delayed, everything that comes our way offering promise of some income suddenly gets our serious attention.

It’s that subtle “wishful thinking” that makes it so hard to stay properly tuned in to our 6th sense.

It takes GREAT mental discipline to fight this feeling when it comes. We must key in to our 6th sense to see such phoney offers for what they are.

6. Getting Carried Away by One’s Success

Sometimes we could just be absent minded. People sometimes get careless when things start going well for them. As a result, they miss signals their 6th sense throws up.

This is why I argue that knowing how your 6th sense works, does not mean you’ll be able to competently use it to reach your goals on a long term basis.

Different situations will occur, requiring you to apply your 6th sense is varying ways. Not all will be familiar to you – meaning you’ll have to guess.

That’s why I offer in this article, real life examples in which the 6th sense was used. Reading them can help you better prepare for what you may face.

You’d Have to Be Psychic to Always Get It Right

Napoleon Hill wrote extensively about using the sixth sense in “Think and Grow Rich”. We were all born with it. Our ancestors were however more aware of that innate ability and put it to great use.

For entrepreneurs, especially those starting out, consider getting a copy of James Cook’s “Start-up Entrepreneur”. I’ve repeatedly referred to it as “The Missing Chapters In Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich”.

Why?

It’s because Cook provides amazingly deep insights on how to deal with adversity, and uncertainty, as a first time start-up.

In that New York Times Bestseller, he shared, based on his personal experiences, practical examples of how he used his “intuition” to choose the right people to work with him as employees, and to detect persons not being straight with him.

But like I said earlier, no one can be perfect in this art. As humans we will sometimes get it wrong.

For instance, had he been perfect in his use of intuition, Cook may probably not have brought in shareholders/board members who later turned around and tried to kick him out of his company!

Over 10 months of boardroom battling took place. Luckily, his 51% ownership, and refusal to give in to their antics enabled him emerge victorious.

Final Words:  When You Struggle To Use Your 6th Sense, See It As a Learning Opportunity

There are times when I feel like someone launched a signal to “jam” my 6th sense “lie/truth detector”!

I simply get mixed messages or none at all.

When that happens, I’ve learnt to – as I said at the start of this piece – walk blind. I simply monitor trends and traits I can use to make up my mind.

Unlike the instant “gut level feeling” the 6th sense gives, this approach may take weeks to yield fruit.

You’ll be exposed to potentially negative outcomes. If any manifest, just dust yourself off, and move on.

In the end, you’ll often emerge tougher. What’s more, my experiences indicate these things sometimes happen for our own good.

We may not be able to use our 6th sense to solve every puzzle or avoid every danger.

There will be times, when our inability to quickly apply our 6th sense, will be meant to help us grow.

When (not if) it happens to you, make the most of it!

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

Be Easy to Identify Online

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Success in business (or life in general) requires getting others to trust you. Today, people will readily Google your name to find out more about you. Do you have your first name and surname registered as a domain name i.e. www.firstnamesurname.com? This article explains why your success may depend in-part, on doing that – as well as a few other things.

People contemplating connecting with us, can make up their minds in seconds. Some may be so fickle minded that one small hint of inconsistency in your online profile or presence can make them flee – literally speaking.

That’s Why You Need to “Protect and Nurture Your Google/Online Identity”

A few years ago, I wrote an article on the above theme – based on my observations and experiences.

Googl’ing a person’s name can sometimes throw up links leading to profiles or pages of persons bearing the same first and last names as him/her. Maybe it happens with yours?

If you’ve never Google’d your name – try it now. If other people show up with the same name as yours, it may not be a good thing…for YOU.

I have met a number of people who faced this dilemma, in their business.

I’ve been lucky with my own name though. I have never encountered anyone online bearing the same first and surname combination with me.

Since 2006 I’ve done a lot of heavy content publishing that’s helped me gain reasonable name recognition. But even then, whenever I checked – even way beyond page 10 of Google’s results, I never came across a namesake.

That notwithstanding, a few weeks ago, I decided to register www.tayosolagbade.com to cover that loose end.

And that’s why I’m now writing this piece – especially for persons in business who find they have at least one or more online name sakes.

Persons in Paid Employment Can Also Benefit From Doing This

At first, there is a tendency to think that this may be a non-issue for those who are not in business e.g. employees.

I would however argue that you should consider making it an issue.

It is in your best interest, to ensure your employer (current or prospective) has no difficulty picking you out from amongst your namesakes online.

Ambitious career persons in today’s world, actually purchase their own names as domains.

They then point the URL to profiles on free hosting accounts. Some even purchase cheap hosting and build their resume websites on it.

For Business Persons, It Is Especially Imperative

For instance, I strongly believe that as a person in business, you must aim to dominate (at least) page 1 of Google’s results for your name. At least 80% should be all about YOU.

In my considered opinion, that reduces chances of people mistaking a namesake for me.

Publishing good quality content regularly, via an intelligent web marketing system, can help you gradually achieve that.

One quick and reliable way to boost your claim to your name on the web (and search engines take this into serious consideration), is to register your name as a domain.

That way, you alone get to ultimately use that URL. No one else.

Imagine what would happen if a namesake beat you to it, and registered the domain?

People who meet (or hear/read about) you may Google you (this happens a lot!), and click on the URL for your name, only to discover a different person!

How confused do you think they would be?

It could be worse. For instance, some may not even realise the person they’ve found is NOT you.

If that happens, you’d better hope what they see pleases them. Otherwise, you’re done!

The above could happen to a potential client/buyer who remembers your name but is unable to recall the URL for your company correctly.

If Your Namesake Does Something Bad, It Could Cost You Greatly!

Be you entrepreneur or employee, you can be negatively affected if your name sake has a bad reputation online.

Some namesakes may do naughty things, linking negative reports to their names.

In 2010, I actually interacted with a prospective client who had this problem. A namesake of his showed up on page 1 of Google, with screaming news headlines (from BBC and other websites) describing the namesake as a criminal. Same name. Exact same spelling!

Like I told him “Few people will even bother trying to investigate to verify if it’s really you the news story is about!”…that includes potential clients/employees!

Think about it. When BBC reports a thing, most people accept it as God’s truth.

Yes they do! And that’s why it’s best to consolidate your name recognition online via regular quality content publishing in YOUR NAME.

It’s your best form of defence against inadvertent or deliberate negativity.

Final Words: Protect Yourself!

I’ll therefore end by saying, if you do nothing else, register your name as a domain (preferably top level e.g. dot com) ASAP.

But if you really want to be in control of what happens when people do an online search in your name, adopt a custom Web Marketing System. (Email me via tayo at tksola dot com for details of what it entails – or use this contact form).

You will NOT regret doing it.

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, Parenting, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

THE FOOL WHO THOUGHT HE WAS WISE (A 14 Year Old’s Useful Short Story On HIV-AIDS Prevention)

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This insightful piece was written by a 14 year old boy – Amaechi O.S – 6 months ago. It was typed by him in MS Word format. The story delivers a powerful message regarding a dangerous misconception some people – especially kids or “uneducated” adults – may have about “how to wear” condoms to prevent HIV infection.

I’ve edited it for spelling, comprehension and grammar but added NOTHING to it, and published it here (i.e.www.tinyurl.com/AmeachiOnHIV). A PDF version is available via a download link at the bottom of this post. Please share it freely – and do let Amaechi have your feedback – if any – in the comments section or via email (see below)

Oh yes, one more thing: Consider this the VERY first guest post I’m publishing on my blog…LOL! And who knows…Amaechi may end up becoming another teenage writing genius – like Bamidele Onibalusi!!

======STORY BEGINS====

There was once a family. They had lived through many generations, and were rich, strong, God fearing people.

But one day, one of their offspring brought disgrace to the family.

His name was Leinad.

Leinad thought he was clever, but often did things that showed he was not very smart.

On that fateful day, armed robbers broke into the house where he lived with his family, and demanded for two million naira.

But they were fair with him, and gave him two options.

They told him to choose between being injected with a syringe containing HIV infected blood, or giving them the two million naira.

“We will be back in five days time”, said the men of the underworld.

After five days they came back asking him if he had made his decision.

He said, “Yes. I want to give you the money”.

“Where is it”, said the men of the under world.

“It is in my room”, he replied.

“Then bring it out now!” they said.

Leinad went to his room, but instead of getting the money, he wore a condom on his manhood, then went back downstairs, and said:

“I want the syringe, I want the syringe man!”

So, they tried to inject him in the buttocks with the syringe.

“No, on my hand” he said.

They injected him and left saying “You did this to yourself!”

But Leinad laughed saying: “Those fools they don’t know that I am wearing a condom”.

Two years later he died of HIV.

======THE END====

Send feedback to: amaechiOS at tksola dot com OR add your comments below…

DOWNLOAD THE PDF VERSION…

This insightful piece was written by a 14 year old boy – Amaechi O.S - 6 months ago. It was typed by him in MS Word format. The story delivers a powerful message regarding a dangerous misconception some people – especially kids or “uneducated” adults - may have about “how to wear” condoms to prevent HIV infection.

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News

10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind (FREE PDF DOWNLOAD)

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E-mail your name, country, mobile number, occupation, & facebook/twitter URLs (if any) to tayo at tksola dot com, and I’ll send you a FREE copy of my detailed PDF report titled “10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind.”

E-mail your name, country, mobile number, occupation, & facebook/twitter URLs (if any) to tayo at tksola dot com, and I’ll send you a FREE copy of my detailed PDF report titled “10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind.”