Smitten by misfortune and woe of poverty, many Nigerians tend to seek succour in religion or wishy-washy ideologies. To some who money had failed to stick with, money suddenly becomes evil. You hear axioms like “money can’t buy happiness”, “money is not everything” and all that. Quite often, our response to financial failure is redundant indignation.
Money matters. It always will. Admit it. So what?
Before you finally give up and claim this is destiny, remember even as religion men, we know there are ends and there are means to get them. So, what happens to money making? Does any kind of religion in the world deny a man from seeking the bounty of their Lord? No! Religion man or non-religion, good things of the world are there for man to enjoy. Why not let us look together into why money has been eluding you?
Understandably, getting rich in NIGERIA can seem an uphill. From a system of government which consumes up to half of national resources to a corrupt judiciary, a lax environment and a government that care too little for its subject; Nigerians face daunting problems. Setting up a goal on money sure does require some guts. But like any other enterprise, getting rich has got dos and don’ts. As a beginner, you can harm yourself with the following tips:
#1 ADMIT YOU WANT MONEY
Sounds simple but it’s a great deal. As many prefer to shy away from talking about it, it’s never a good idea hiding what you are born with. Every human is programmed by their creator to crave for convenience. Money buys some comfort. And to deny such an instinct is to be ashamed of how we are created. Nothing drives a man to success than a DESIRE to succeed, in anything. Know this, it’s a golden rule.
#2 SAVE
Remember as a student of any profession, you started accumulating knowledge in ones and twos. The same thing goes for money. Unless you have a father you want to kill and sell his belongings, no way around saving if you want to secure a foothold in financial world, or you may wait forever. Kill that monstrous fear now and begin to save, possibly from 5-10 percent of every earning. That’s how to get yourself off the ground, even if you have no one to finance you.
#3 SUSPEND DESIRES AND BUY ONLY WHAT’S NECESSARY
“Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship” – Benjamin Franklin
Most Nigerians live beyond their means of livelihood, believing, erroneously though, that money comes their way by accident and more will come. Well it does come by accident but goes by choice. Until you learn to live below your source of income, you will always have a lean purse.
#4 INVEST
Obviously! What else can you do with your savings? If you ever want cash to always flow in your direction, you must create for yourself the kind of opportunity you create for others. That is: unless you have something you sell for others, the money you spend will never come back to you.
Make no mistake: investment does not necessarily have to be on buying and selling of goods. A worthy self-improvement pays even more dividends than material goods. Take a cue from writers, graphic designers, carpenters, public speakers etc.
#5 SEEK KNOWLEDGE
Seek knowledge. It’s a must. Most start-ups lost their money to lack of knowledge. In a supposed intellectual world, everyone who wishes to thrive must seek knowledge constantly to keep up the pace with a fast developing world lest they be consumed by leaping blindly or get duped by downright liars or fake advertisers. Knowledge gives you power.
#6 DELIVER PROFICIENTLY
Neither in today’s world nor in the past has long-time success ever favoured mediocrity. If it seems to thrive at first, it’s only a matter of time before it gets swallowed by the presence of the originals. Make sure you always give your best to see the best result.
#7 PLACE PREMIUM ON HUMAN RELATIONSHIP
There is no way round good human relationship. No human love to deal with robotic bland and emotionless human. Create a cordial atmosphere where your customers/clients and employees are free to you.
Ali Faagba