₦airaland Forum

Generally speaking, there's no course of life that doesnt pay when harnessed, but you will agree with me that academic courses like medicine, law and Engineering are more lucrative than others.

And the question is: why is this so? In simple terms: because they are more tasking than others.

So taking up some what difficult tasks can be a way of distinguishing yourself with wide margin from the teaming crowd.

radiokilla:
that shouldn't be a problem, it just requires your patience. I proofread my articles 3 times. The 1st time would do but it's better to receive thumps up from your readers than berating comments.
Interesting it takes less than a minute to proofread a 500 worded piece and if it's a book, an hour would do.

From a personal experience, you can never do a better job proofreading your work, especially when it's a long one as a book. Even though i pride myself over being a pro-proofreader, i still fumble proofreading my own work. Besides, it doesn't take much to engage the services of a professional.

Here's is an explanation to further buttress this idea:

When you get busy with what's important to your life, most of the ladies that come your way with the intention of staying put are definitely going to be those who are already fascinated by who you are and what you do.

And they are also going to be those who will be willing and ready to support what they met you doing.

Yes, ladies can be very unpredictable but this is a good litmus test to work it.

So the big question is: what have you dedicated your life to doing?

A wife who is a helpmate is what you get when you get busy with your dream and vision....you don't stress over it! Like sewiously!

When it comes to being outstanding and distinguished in life...choose the road less travelled...choose to do the hard things as against the easy ones.

That is where your effort will invariably shine through...that is where the noises from the crowd will not shout down your unique and perculiar voice.

There is less competition in the road less travelled...so many folks get screened out from seemingly diffiulty activities.

radiokilla:
yes thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge. The truth is: writing requires passion and technique. You have to discover yourself,your style and improve on yourself.
I wrote for a site for a month and 2 weeks without pay. I don't regret it cause it helped me become a better writer and now not every site can pay for my services. You just have to write to learn how to write.

Sooooooooooooooo...true!

ugotex85:
You've done a great job. Why don't you consider taking your books to Amazon or Amazon Kindle, you can make it big there.

Yeah, thanks for the suggestion. Please do you have an idea on how to achieve that. Share with us all. You will surely get the credit.

(6 Steps to Becoming an Author-preneur—Turning Your Knowledge, Ideas, Hobbies, Skills and Expertise into a Money-
Making Venture)

The article you’re about to read is such a long one—about 3,055 words long! But if you read it to the end, I bet you’ll offer to buy me some bottles of beer. Yeah, ‘cos you’re gonna like it, especially if the headline already appeals to you!

And if you don’t have the luxury of time to complete it now, I advice you don’t start it at all! Save it for a later read so that you can profit from it maximally.

(You can also request for a PDF copy of this write-up via email. Reading a long piece as this on a computer is more visually convenient in PDF. Plus, you’ll keep a copy for reference purposes. See my email address down below).

Now, let’s go. Shall we?

Ok.

As the title suggests, I want to introduce you to the business of writing. I want to show you in a 6-step guide how you too can profit from becoming an author-preneur.

First thing first...

Who is an Author-preneur?

An Author-preneur is someone who writes about his knowledge, experience and expertise as a way of proffering solution to others’ problems, and receives financial reward in return.

Are you a student?

An undergraduate?

A graduate or serving corps member?

A job seeker?

A worker or an entrepreneur?

Do you know you can create a full time job or just another stream of income that augments your meagre salary writing part-time? Just talking about what you already know, have experience in or are good at.

You don’t know how valuable the knowledge, skills or expertise you cur
rently have might be to someone else out there. But the truth is that: there are folks out there who are not just willing but are ready to pay you handsomely well to have that information you don’t even regard.

If you’ve been seeing writing as a past time activity, it’s high time you began to take it as real business.

Good news is...

There’s a Huge Market for Nigerian Author-Preneurs

Believe me...with a population of over 160 million people; imagine serving only 0.5% of this population. I won’t bother you with the calculation. But that translates into a huge profit potentials.

Now, in case you’ve bought into the idea that Nigerians don’t read, think about this: Don’t Nigerians (including you) still have problems they direly want to get solutions to any longer?

So if you can uncover a problem or need area, research it or harvest your existing knowledge on it, come up with a packaged solution, market it massively; friend, you’ve struck gold—Nigerians will patronize you. Period!

Take a look at some Nigerians who’re already exploiting this avenue to wealth. The likes of:

>>Praise George
>>Olumide Emmanuel
>>Isaac Giwa
>>Austine Augustus
>>Bisi Adewale

...To mention but these few ones. But really there’re just a few Nigerian Author-preneurs serving the huge population yet.

And come to think of it, one individual (like me) who needs information about a particular subject of interest can afford to buy up to 10 books at a time. So don’t get pissed off by the impression that Nigerians don’t read.

Check out some of those guys I mentioned, they’re all millionaires. How did I know? Very simple, their books sell across the nation—because they are mostly packaged solutions. Secondly, they’ve written a number of such and similar books...some 20, 30, 40, and some above 50 books. Seriously, they won’t be writing if they’re not scooping up some dough!

My Experience as an Author-Preneur

Recently, precisely, in August 2014, I got my first book published. The title is: The Wonders of books subtitled 21 Ways Reading Makes You a More Valuable Person. The book promises that if you embrace the reading culture, you’ll become a better person, and it details how.

They said Nigerians don’t read? Isn’t it? But Nigerians are scrambling for that book. I get calls from far and near. Some...to tell me how much they liked it, and have been challenged to be better by it. Others...to ask me about where to get the book.

And when I walk around the State capital where I live, sometimes I get people point at me. I could see the smiles on their faces as they beckon on their friends to catch a glimpse of me. Such scenarios can generate a good feeling in you, you know! It can be wonderful to know that the public appreciates your work.

I won’t say I’m a millionaire or that I’m rich yet! But I’m excited to have joined this industry of good prospects. And from time to time, I get trickles of income from my book sales that go a long way in supporting my meagre salary.

So by this article, I warmly invite you to join this untapped industry. If your work is good, you’ll undoubtedly excel.

“Excellence is not discriminated against in the marketplace” (Praise George)

In a 6 step process, I will walk you through the process of joining this industry...at no cost.
Yes, free of charge!

It pains me when I see young, talented Nigerians walk the street hopelessly, looking for non-existent jobs, get messed up by employers...when they can actually be doing something profitable on their own.


“True success comes only when one generation continues to develop the next generation” (John Maxwell)

Here are the Said 6 Steps to Becoming an Author-preneur


Step 1: Learn the Art of Creative Writing.

Does the mere mention of writing make you heart leap? Let alone creative writing? Don’t worry, you don’t have to write like Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, and the rest of them wordsmith...to profit from the business of writing.

No, you don’t have to...

All you do need is a decent level of ability to write simple and clear sentences so that your words flow when you try to describe a process.

However, I will strongly advice that you dedicate yourself to learning about how good writing works.

Read up everything you can find on writing. Read books, articles, blogs, journals, etc.
Good enough, there’s already an abundant amount of good information about writing on the internet...most for free. So you don’t necessarily have to buy a writing book or enrol for a writing class. Nope!

I will recommend you check out the following online resources:

• www.goinswriter.com
• www.writersdigest.com
• www.menwithpens.ca
• www.thecreativepenn.com
• www.dailywritingtips.com

I picked interest in writing in 2004. Back then, I could hardly punctuate a sentence properly neither was I articulate enough to pour out my heart on paper. But today, the story’s different; courtesy of some of these resources. You gonna learn a lot from them.

Remember those Nigerian author-preneurs I mentioned earlier on? Go check out their books, and you’ll find that their writings ROCK. Yours has to rock too...to excel in this game. Seriously!

(SIDE NOTE: I have acquired some very good writing resources over the years on virtually every aspect of writing, but there’s one of these writing resources that stand out.

And I’ll like to share it with you free of charge. I call it a writing manual because to me, it is more than just a mere book.)

How to Get this Writing Manual

If you’re interested in getting these manuals, send me an email with....

a. Subject as: “Writing manual”
b. To: okaforchijioke007@gmail.com
c. In the body, include: your name + email + phone number

I’ve already attached the book to my email. So I’ll forward it to you as soon as I got your request.
Note: Should you don’t find the manual in your inbox, please check spam.

Moving on...

Step 2: Determine Your Niche Area and Target Audience

As you work on upping your writing craft, think about the area of life you have a fair knowledge, idea, information, skill or expertise in. That is your niche area, and that’s the area your work will shine through, that is the area you are bound to excel. Don’t say you know nothing, there’s something you do know.

Knowledge Inventory Exercise

What follows is an exercise to help you harvest the knowledge, and key strength in YOU...you don’t even know you possess.

If you’re set, let’s proceed.

Take a sheet of paper and list the following:
1. Your interests
2. Your passion
3. Your experience
4. Your hobbies
5. Your skills/expertise

Without thinking so hard, write down anything and everything that comes to your mind against each point. Push yourself to come up with at least 3 points for each. By the time you conscientious do this, you’ll discover you’ve actually got something YOUnique to share.

My Knowledge Inventory List

When I carried out this same exercise on myself, below is the list I ended up with:

1. My interests

• Reading
• Writing
• Speaking
• Personal growth,
• Web development
• Graphics design
• Publishing
• English

2. My passion

• Reading
• Computer and internet
• Motivating and inspiring others

3. My experience

• Teaching
• Counselling
• Gone from a high school dropout to a graduate
• Gone from a street, ghetto boy to a coordinated fellow

4. My hobbies
• Reading
• Browsing the internet

5. My skills/expertise
• Teaching
• Editing and proofreading
• Research

The further I dig, the more the list grows.

(Note that a particular area of interest can feature in all the broad heading listed above. And if that happens, it’s a good thing— it’s an indication that such subject matters most to your life.)

If you’ve done this exercise, from the list, select that area that matters most to you and that at the same time represent a problem or need area that folks are looking for information or solutions to.

A Practical Example

Basically, I love reading and teaching. So when I was brainstorming on the subject areas to write on, because of my strong interest and passion for books and reading, I chose to write on reading.

Next, I knew that young people don’t like to read. And that’s already a problem on its own. So I began to think about an angle to approach the subject from.

Having benefitted so much from books and the act of reading myself, I ended up with the title below:

The Wonders of Books: 21 Ways Reading Makes You a More Valuable Person

Indeed, in the content of the book, I did justify the title.

I just hope I’ve done justice to niche selection.
Anyways, do forward me your question if you have any.

The Other Half of the Equation Is Your Target Audience.

Who do you want to write for?

• Young people?
• Teenagers?
• Students?
• Ladies?
• Men?
• Entrepreneurs?
• Teachers?
• Workers?
• Income seekers?
• Etc.

Each of these categories of audience can further be broken down. But I don’t think I have the luxury of space to begin to do that.

But I hope you get the drift?

Now, let’s assume you’ve honed your writing skills to a decent level, and you’re harvested your knowledge base, the next thing is to....

Step 3: Write...Write...Write...and Write Some More!

“When you begin writing, you don’t know how to write...and the best thing to do when you begin is to pick some poet whose poems you like, and imitate some. And then find other poets and other poets and imitate them” (TED Berrigan @ poetspath.com)

The above piece of advice is one of the practices that have helped me up my writing a great deal. Yes, TED is a poet and seems to be talking to aspiring poets but his suggest has general relevance to all writers.

It’s like apprenticeship, you know. And this is how it works: you identify a writer whose work you like, study his works, see how he creates, and over time, his style will rub off on him. It works like magic!

But that entails that you must be a voracious reader to even find an author whose style you fancy.

That said, it’s easy to get stuck on learning rather than doing. I made this mistake for years on end. Once you’ve identified an area of interest, start writing. When you’re done with one, start another!

Before I published my first book—The Wonders of books, I had already completed about five other books with many others in draft copies.

Note: An important lesson I’ve learnt is that: as you go from writing one book to the other, your writing confidence is being built, you begin to find your voice, develop your own style and writing rhythm, and with time, the process of starting and completing a book becomes almost automated.

You don’t fuse or stress over it any longer! It soon becomes more or less like breathing in and out for you!

Write. WRITERS WRITE!

Very importantly, don’t get your mind fixed on writing big books; you’ll be setting yourself up for discouragement. Write short books. The money is not in writing the big books—it is in writing SEVERAL USEFUL BOOKS that your readers will thank you for writing by paying for them.

Again, check out those Nigerian author-preneurs i mentioned earlier, they don’t necessarily write voluminous books. They write SOLUTION-DRIVEN PIECE!

Going forward...

Step 4: Get Published

No matter how wonderful your written work is, it won’t put money in your pocket until you transition it from manuscript to a published book in the hands of enthusiastic readers.

More so, you can never tell how well your work will do in the marketplace until you get published and begin to receive feedback from the market. You’ll always get a feedback back—positively or negatively. When negative, don’t take it personal; just look at what you’ve done wrongly, improvise and give it another shot. And when positive, rejoice, rinse and repeat the process.

But before you go scouting for a publisher, ensure you get the following right:

a) Edit and Proofread Your Work Properly.

Get friends who themselves are writers to go over your work. Maybe you don’t have one of such friends, that’s where networking comes in. However, I will advice that you pay a professional proof reader (like me) to work on your book.
I am really good at proofreading and editing write-ups. It comes natural to me. And I do it really good.

Take this article, for example, well proofread. Isn’t it? You don’t say! You may hire me for almost FREE via my contact given at the end of this long shit called an article—I think it’s a mini book!

All right, back to where I drifted off from...

Nothing puts a reader off like reading through a book full of errors—be it grammatical or typographical. It engenders negative association with the writer of a book. I hope you don’t want that?

b) Pay Close Attention to Your Book Cover.

Remember the saying: “You don’t judge a book by its cover.” That’s not correct here. We do really judge books by their covers. An aesthetic book cover design has the emotional appeal and power to entice readers. You know, readers see the cover of your book first before they go through the content.

A poorly designed book cover on the other hand can be a real turn off. And of course, that’s not what you want!

Step 5: Market Your Book Massively

Use every conceivable medium to market your book. No one else can market your book the way you will. I must confess that this is where the destiny of your book and writing craft is hinged on.

In short, NO SALES...NO PROFIT!

If you’ve done a good job of identifying your niche area, and segregating your target audience, knowing the ROUTE to take in marketing your book wouldn’t be a herculean task.

However, there’s no one best method for marketing your books. There are actually a thousand and one ways to do it, depending on your operation.

If you are writing full time, you’ll definitely have more time to yourself and the flexibility of choosing what medium to employ.
Personally, I am presently in a paid employment. So I don’t have the luxury of time to get fully involved—which sincerely is limiting my sales potentials.

Notwithstanding, I employ the following media to market my book: bookshops, distributors, hawkers, schools, tutorial centres, and sometimes I get involved. Yes, sometimes I do direct marketing.

Finally, with more good books published, you’ll do less of marketing. Not that you’ll or should stop marketing your books, not at all. Your enthusiastic readers will do it for you. That’s why you should take improving your writing craft seriously. Write good books. And publish more. Your loyal readers will sing your praise so loudly that others’ attention will be directed to your works.

Step 6: Rinse and Repeat Steps 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Don’t stop honing your writing skills. Spend time to learn how to use words to communicate ideas clearly. Learn to write good sentences and effective paragraphs.

Always write to proffer solution to problem or need areas. There will never be an end to problems.
Don’t stop writing. Keep moving your pen.

Publish more and more books. The market is eagerly waiting. Publish or perish.

Marketing is the life wire of author-preneurship. Learn to sell and market books.

In Conclusion

This sounds like a tall order, isn’t it?

Maybe, but I bet the benefit is well worth the effort.

If you’ve ever wished you could lay your hands on a step-by-step guide to get into the business of writing—for whatever reason: money? Fame? Or both? This is it!

I admit I must have left out some salient areas. So for every bugging question you have about the business of writing I’ve not address in this article, I invite you to shoot me a mail so that I can address it subsequently in: The Business of Writing, part 2.

Thanks for your time.

P.s. Please do me a favour: generously share this information with friends and family. That’s the only payment I desire for the time I’ve put into the writing of this article.

To Our Success,

Okafor Chijioke
Okaforchijioke007@gmail.com
Facebook.com/okaforchukwujiokem
070312191991

Andyblaze:
Thats Patoranking's Junior Brother!

People and rumour. I thought am the only person who knows Pato down to Adam here. Thats his young brother jare!

when his counterpart in the Western world go about giving quality lectures at expiration of their tenure.

She must be a happy person...I should always leave longing to be with her again.

saasala: Happy birthday legend

A true legend indeed...! HBD to you sir.

shaboti: what of fone keys,

That one no join!

Patoranking getting hotter.

pendusky: the last time I checked using Mavis beacon I stood at 39WPM! Am good right?

Sure, you are on course.

But then, we can be better, mahn!

A man without limbs is said to type 70 WPM.

Recently, I added a new category I tagged ‘Little Things that Matter’ to the category section of my blog.

You see, most times we overlook, neglect or disregard certain things; we flimsily gloss over them as being trivial, infinitesimal and insignificant. Yet in the end, they turn out to be slow-downs, barriers, stumbling blocks and barricades between us and our goals, dreams and aspirations.

That is when some folks would exclaim: “I nearly got it or I was almost taken…were it not for this or that.” They would go ahead to mention such things that had stopped them.

But all along, if they had been told that such things would be a barrier to their progress, they wouldn’t have believed it.

But it’s happened to them.

Are you familiar with the scenario I have painted above? May be not. Anyway, enough of the rambling!

Back to the intended subject of this article…

How fast can you type on the computer/Laptop keyboard?

This is probably one of the things you and most computer users care-less about. You may have consciously or unconsciously reasoned that it doesn’t matter. Yet it’s one of the things that may matter so much in the end.

How do I know? Simple. I’m a computer user myself—and an enthusiastic one for that matter!

I’ve dedicated thousands of hours studying various computer programs ranging from Microsoft Office applications to web design to graphics design, and so on.

But I have done little to improve my typing speed. However, I got a wake up call the day I read about Pastor Nick—that guy without limbs. Remember him? Right? I read that he types 70 words per minute (WPM). And I was down right flabbergasted.

If you do know him, I guess you know why I was amazed? If you don’t, please run a background check on him. Google is your friend!

Ok. Back to where I strayed off.

I have always watched those who are fast typers, especially good typist, in admiration and have always wished I could type as fast as they do, but have never really done much to improve to that realm.

But this time around, I was greatly challenged. It was a severe kick in the ass that wouldn’t let me sit down and gloss over it again.

So I went down to work. And I can assure you now that after three months of little efforts, I’m better off; and my productivity when I sit down to write has also improved.

Before now, I don’t struggle with what to say, I am usually slowed down by my ability to type the words out—the reverse is now the case. So I have to balance the two.

Side Note: That implies, therefore, that I must not stop growing. And I’ve made myself the promise to never stop. You know, to be at your best, personal development should not be treated as a one off stuff.

The bottom line is—improving your typing speed may just be one way to make yourself a more valuable person. Your anticipated breakthrough might just depend on it, especially if your job depends on computers.

Ok. Let’s then consider…

How to Improve Your Typing Speed

Sure, it’s going to be different stroke for different people. But here are some ideas and recommendations …

Hand and Finger placement

First of all, you’ve to learn the proper way to position your hand on the keyboard, placing your fingers on the right keys. Yes, right keys! Some fingers are meant to be on certain keys.

For instance, the left hand is meant for A, S, D and F keys, while the right hand is meant to be on J, K, L, and colon/semi-colon keys (: ; ) while typing.

The first four fingers are called the index, the middle, the ring and the little finger respectively.

And of course…the thumb; the two thumbs are used on the space bar—the space bar is the longest key on the keyboard; and other details I can’t afford to give now.

It sounds like a tall order, isn’t it?

Maybe. But it’s doable. You see, I always assure myself with the idea that once anyone has done anything, then I can do it too. For me, knowing that some else has done it or is doing it is an indication that I can do it.

Not to worry, there’s this software I know and have used that will simply the learning and mastering process for you.

It’s called Mavis Beacon. I like the version 16. You can get any version from any computer vendor, install and try it out. It’s gonna help, mahn!

Next…

Type More Stuffs and Practice More Often

Don’t install the program and go to sleep…and may be snoring in the process. Hehe!

You’ve got to discipline yourself to be on it for a reasonable while. And when you do, it will not be too long; you’ll become familiar with the positioning of the keys on the keyboard.

Here’s what you should do to that effect, set a goal of improving your speed in, say three months time. Decide that you will practice, say 30 minutes every morning and another 30 minutes before bed, and follow it up.

As you do, consistently watch your speed level; the software has a provision for that. As at when I assessed myself, I type below 20 WPM. While a fellow without limbs flies on 70 WPM.

Imagine!

And if you do that over time, you’ll be amazed at how remarkable the result will be.

Side Note: And if that happens, please apply it to any other thing you would like to learn or master. Dedication is necessary in the mastery of any skill.

Finally…

Make it a habit to type pages of books or written materials with plenty of text. That is another medium to flex your typing muscle.

And as you do, resist the temptation of typing with one hand. This singular act is bound to sabotage the goal, which is to improve your speed level in typing.

If you have been neglecting this aspect of your personal development, please wake up.

Thanks for readin’ see ya!

This is a good reminder to me...to keep going in spite of the obstacles of life.

It is also another reassuring reminder that if you don't keep trying...against all odds, you will have nothing to win at the end of the day.

Tanx for the effort man.

Dubby6: Which kind misleading topic b dis...
Y my name no dey dia
Why will i buy a painting for over 1 billion naira.... na wah oo

We each can get our names to the list.

All it takes is a little effort at personal development; what Anthony Robbins calls 'Constant and Never Ending Improvement.'

By the way, whenever you have spare time, spent it with me @ www.okaforchijioke.com

pfijacobs: As u said this is from ur head... Coming from a fellow ghetto nigga... I'd say NICE ONE.. Lovely.... Greatness is on d inside... I therefore prophesy dat I will b great... And this post will get to front page... And I will be first to comment...


P.S ur last statement.. Its supposed to be spend and not spent....

#shalom

Yea.."Spend."

Thanks for reading.

Read and digest this:

“People may hate you but when you succeed, then you’d have answered them in the most effective way…people can argue about your ability to make it but they cannot argue with your success.”

Those are the words of Japhet J. Omojunwa, a blogger turned lecturer. You may read about him here and here.

Recently, I read about his exploits as a blogger and how he got himself a lecturing job with a German University.

Indeed, I was inspired, and it was that inspiration that gave birth to this article.

Now, if you did read his words quoted above thoughtfully, what meaning does it make to you?

Ok. Here’s what I think…

The height of revenge is to choose to be great in life. That’s the best way to answer your haters; that’s the best way to respond to those who’re dehumanizing you or have humiliated you in the past; or those who doubt your ability—who’ve said “can anything good come out of him.”

Let your success speak for you.

That’s what I’ve chosen to do with my life and in fact, what I’m doing—doing my best to achieve greatness. And I’m on course—from a ghetto boy, high school drop-out and formally branded never-do-well…

And by the way, what does greatness connote?

First of all, the word ‘greatness’ is associated with such other words as: exceptional, special, extraordinary, unusual, significant, remarkable, distinguished, and so on.

Greatness, for our purpose, simply put means to be above average

Let me explain that. People generally fall under three (3) categories, in my classification, namely: the mediocre group, the average group, and the genius group.

The Mediocre Group

This group consists of people at the lower cadre of the society. They are uninformed—literate or illiterate. They may have gone to school but lack necessary information or skill to thrive in the society.

They are unproductive. They’ve got little or nothing of worth to give to the society. As such, they don’t receive much in return, for they’ve not given much.

They lack direction and are unfocused. They run from pillar to post and waste away the prime of their productive years in unproductive ventures.

Consequently, they are usually at the mercy of circumstances. They cry and complain about how unfair life, the government and people have been to them.

This is where 65% of people are in life. That’s a lot of people. No wonder their voices are not heard. Too many voices there, man!

And this is not where you want to be.

The Average Group

This group comprises folks who are basically contented with little. They may wish to have, do or be more but they subconsciously refused to do that which may earn them what they secretly desire.

They engage in self-sabotage—wishful thinking.

If you give them the option of going for risky ventures that pays in the end and some other that pays little but is safe, they go for the latter.

That may be human nature but it is detrimental to growth and development.

Here’s the summary of the average man: He doesn’t want to be behind; he doesn’t want to be on top for the responsibilities involved; he’s just ok being in the middle.

This is where 30% of people are in life. Some fellows would be comfortable here.

But is this where you want to be? It’s for you to choose. For me, I would rather be in the genius group.

The Genius group

The genius group is made up of people who are not necessarily the movers and shakers of a society. They are not necessarily super humans; they may not be wealthy but they produce wealth creators.

Generally, they exhibit the following characteristics:

*They are solution providers; and not whiners and complainers.

*They are producers; and not mere consumers.

*They are so impactful such that they’ve assumed the status of a deity.

*They are so skillful that they’ve become indispensable in the marketplace.

*They are pacesetters; and a positive influence to the younger generation

This where I think only 5% of people are in life, and where you should strive to be. There’s little competition here.

[center]***[/center]

You may be wondering, “Where does he get those stats from?”

Anywhere, from the top of my head. And of course, through intelligent guess based on observation, study and gut-feeling.

But you don’t have to bother yourself so much about the stats. Here’s what you should concern yourself with…

How do I go beyond the mediocre and average life to the genius life?

Here’s first a skeletal guide:

Genius or greatness starts from deciding to be great;

It continues to going all out to actually be;

And materializes by making impacts from your little corner.

I know that’s not enough. So here’s a list of…

5 Surefire Tips to Achieve Greatness from your little corner

1. Be Ambitious—Decide You Really Want to Be Great.

And choose where you want to operate from. Practice what Brian Tracy calls “back from the future thinking.” This concept encourages you to dream but at the same time, you have to come back to reality and start doing something.

So the major question to consider thoughtfully is, “What do I want to do with my life?” Get that settled, and you’ve set yourself up for unlimited possibilities.

2. Work on Yourself

There’s no alternative to personal development if you would go beyond the average life. Mario Puzo, author of Godfather writes, “Great men are not born great, they grow great . . .”

Develop your potentials and or acquire new skills. Your potentials are your natural abilities that you have not started exploiting.

3. Become a Better Member of the Society

How can you take part in the development and progress of your community, state and country, by extension, and the world at large?

What can you contribute as your own quota to the betterment of humanity? Embark on a cause you believe in.

4. Be Ready to Deal with Opposition

Albert Einstein says, “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.”

People will think you’re weird or that you have gone crazy when you choose to do certain things. Be ready to face such opposition. And move on.

5. Don’t Go the Easy Way—The Hard Way Scares So Many!

Do something that others avoid or dread to do. Most times such things require dedication and/or hard work.

It’s in doing such things that you’re most likely to get a breakthrough. There is usually little competition as most folks choose the easy way.

No matter how hard, the longer you stay at it, the easier it gets.

Finally…

Of course, you don’t hope to get over night success, and if it comes…good and fine! Otherwise, stay in there.

Persistence is the test great men have had to pass. You’re no exception!

In the final analysis, whenever you think revenge, think greatness. That’s the best way to address your hurts and grievances, I believe.

Note: Whenever you have some spare time, pls spend it with me @ www.OkaforChijioke.com

I have observed that most 'successful' people like to intimidate people who are just starting out. I see it every now and then. It seems they forget how they started--that they too had a beginning.

If you are on the receiving end...at the mercy of a so called superior who's presently dealing the hell with you, I will say, "Take heart."

But most importantly, don't forget how it feels in a hurry when you are up there as the BOSS. If not, you may be continuing the cycle. Of course, your loved ones are a potential hit.

How again, would you feel when it comes back to you?

Good morning pal!

If you have some time to spare, spend it with me @ [url]www.OkaforChijioke.com [/url]

It’s the 20th FIFAWorld Cup, a tournament for the men’s football world championship in Brazil with 32 participating teams.

The year is 2014.

Precisely on the 30th being Monday.

The time of play was 5 p.m.

It was Paul Pogba’s header and a Joseph Yobo’s own goal gave France victory over the Super Eagles late in the game.
And that aborted the Nigerian dream of reaching the quarter-finals

The Super Eagle’s 0 – 2 defeat to the French team had more far-reaching effect than meets the thinking of an average Joe.

To many it was the players—maybe the coach and his crew inclusive—that were defeated. And so should bear the blunt of the loss.
But come to think of it, the entire population of the country received the hit. Badly. I mean so badly.

Notwithstanding, I’ve something else very important I want to share with you in this write-up in relation to that match.

You see, like I have variously revealed in my blog, I am committed to personal development. And I take advantage of every opportunity to learn and to grow.

So as the match was being played, I scooped up some lessons I hope to apply to my life. And I said I would share them with you guys. Someone might just find them useful. Who knows!

Scene 1

Did you notice that the head coach of the Super Eagle, Stephen Keshi was always displaying contentment in his attitude over what his boys are playing?

Most coaches would get up from their seats to urge their team on when they are not playing to their satisfaction and they would show their displeasure over their play. Usually this would make the players wake up from their slumber.

But our boys were not getting such ‘push’ from the boss. So if they were making a mistake, the mistakes continue.Like we saw, the mistakes came in droves and in drones.

The Lesson

The personal development lesson here is that if you have no body in your life to get you onto the track when you’re going the wrong way, you are bound to go astray—maybe to a point of no return.

So ensure you have people you are accountable to in your life. Don’t over-grow correction and guidance.
And you don’t have to go too far to get them. It could be your wife or husband, pastor, bosom friend whom you’ve sincerely chosen to be accountable to.

The bottom line is get a rule over your head and your life. Submit to a mentor. Note: I will talk about mentorship in a future article.

Scene 2

Did you notice that the Eagles played just fine in the first half of the game? But couldn’t get a goal. They practically dominated the game. And I erroneously concluded that the match was going to be a walk-over.
I guess you still remember why the expected goal or goals never came?

The reason is basically because there was not much coordination among the Eagles’ striking force. Not necessarily because the French team had a formidable defense. Nope!

Each of our strikers who were supposed to give the goal was playing alone. The team work wasn’t there. The supposed partnership was not in place and the goal never came.

The Lesson

Don’t ever be a lone-ranger! Don’t try to run your life all be yourself. Remember, no man is an Island.
If you’re in business, for instance, don’t do your business all alone. You may plan alone. But you need people to execute your plans.

Sometimes the best route to take in starting a business is to partner with others. You may have the money to take off but may not have the requisite knowledge to operate successfully vice versa.

And in such situations you absolutely need to partner with others. All in all, I’m taking about the need for partnership. It makes your life easier; your progress rapid all other things being equal.

Scene 3

Did you notice the Eagles began to lose possession of the ball the moment Ogenyi Onazi got injured and was taken away?
He was the man posing a threat to the French guys in the mid field. So they could not penetrate the defense and then the goal post easily.

And the moment he was gone there was a loophole. The French guys exploited it. And they got the goal.
Onazi’s substitute, Ruben Gabriel was no suitable replacement. Keshi obviously had none.

The Lesson

The personal development lesson for us here is the fact that there may be times in your life when your major source may run dry or completely gone.

Thus, there’s always need for a Plan B or a backup system in place. In case of emergencies.

To start with, and without sounding negative or pessimistic, imagine losing your greatest support system. Like losing a sponsor. Or losing a business. An asset or a valuable property.

Picture what would happen. And take necessary steps in your head and in practice to handle the situation ever before it happens.
Never be too comfortable. And don’t you give room for complacency. The world is full of ups and downs.

[url]source: http://www.okaforchijioke.com/3-personal-development-lessons-from-the-super-eagles-loss-to-france/[/url]

tanx 4 ur suggestions. Listening to English speaking stations. Thats a gud one. However, i need more hints guys. Tanx in advance.

Hi fellow nairalanders, a man i respect so much asked me what he could do to speak better English. Honestly, i could not give him a satifactory answer. So i promised to get back to him. So anyone who has got any useful tips should please share it here, so that we can genuinely help this man. Pleeeeaaaaaasssse!

@abdulaz, u mean sey 2pac na ya cousin? Anyways, his jungle experiences resonates wit mine.

The legendary, Tupac Amaru Shakur, born Lesane Parish Crooks in Brooklyn, NY in 1971, is one of the famous American rappers, who’s usually associated with awful impressions.

However, in his lifetime he was in the Guinness Book of World Records as the highest-selling rap artist. His albums sold over 76,000,000 copies worldwide. His rap songs are about growing up amid violence and hardship in ghettos, racism, and problems in society.

Although he died too young (1971-1996), however, his career was full of successes to make him a legend.

Presented here are some very inspiring quotes by him I have collected that will inspire you in immeasurable ways and a comment from me on the sense each makes to me.

Enjoy it!

1. There’s gonna be some stuff you gonna see that’s gonna make it hard to smile in the future, but through whatever you see, through all the rain and the pain you gotta keep your sense of humor. You gotta be able to smile through all this bullshit…remember that.

Comment: Life is not a bed of roses. For every audacious effort you make, there are bound to be problems, obstacles and challenges. But never let them weigh you down. When you stop, your future is stopped.

2. I know it seems hard sometimes but remember one thing. Through every dark night, there’s a bright day after that. So no matter how hard it get, stick your chest out, keep ya head up…. and handle it.

Comment: Some problems look as though they will never get solved. However, there’s a solution for every problem. But then, you’ve to take the responsibility to look for it.

3. I set goals, take control, drink out my own bottle. I make mistakes but learn from every one. And when it’s said and done. I bet this brother be a better one. If I upset you don’t stress. Never forget, that God isn’t finished with me yet.

Comment: No matter your mistakes, your weaknesses, your ugly past, you can start on a clean slate and still make the most of your talents, your abilities, and your life.

4. During your life, never stop dreaming. No one can take away your dreams

Comment: Your dreams are like your baby. They are all you got. No one can take it away from you unless you let it go.

5. We can never go nowhere unless we share with each other.

Comment: What is shared actually has a way of coming back to us. It’s like planting a seed. It surely grows some day.

7. The seed must grow regardless of the fact that it’s planted in stone.

Comment: No matter how lowly your background, it doesn’t determine your future.

8. Behind every sweet smile, there is a bitter sadness that no one can see and feel.

Comment: We’ve all got problems. Everyone’s got his. Know that.

9. I don’t see myself being special; I just see myself having more responsibilities than the next man. People look to me to do things for them to have answers.

Comment: Responsibilities don’t kill us. They make us strong instead. Don’t you shy away from it. The more of it you have, the bigger you growth.

10. “…long live the Rose that grew from concrete when no one else even cared.

Comment: When it seems like nobody cares for or about you that is when you should care more about yourself. And in the final analysis, you play the major role in what your life turns out.

11. You can spend minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months over-analyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what could’ve, would’ve happened…or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move the Bleep on.

Comment: Many people get stuck in the planning stage so much that the implementation of the plan is never started at all. Shun perfection and run with the idea and along the line, improve as you get feedbacks from your results.

12. It seems like every time you come up something happens to bring you back.

Comment: Maybe this sounds familiar to you? That’s life for you. So it’s not peculiar to you after all. But you must keep moving to get to the end.

13. I don’t want it if it’s that easy.

Comment: Nothing good comes easy. There is little competition in doing what so many people dreaded doing. Go the hard way, dear!

14. Never surrender, it’s all about the faith you got; don’t ever stop, just push it ‘till you hit the top and if you drop, at least you know you gave your all to be true to you, that way you can never fail.

Comment: There is no room for quitting if you are pursuing the right cause for you. And if you tried and never made it, you would certainly pick up something else up in the process that would end up making a big difference in your life.

15…That which does not kill me can only make me stronger.

Comment: Adversities have a way of making us better people. Most People who have suffered poverty, for instance, end up being philanthropists.

16. I want to grow. I want to be better. You grow. We all grow. We’re made to grow. You either evolve or you disappear.

Comment: You swim or sink; grow or die. That’s a natural law.

17. I’m not saying I’m gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that will change the world.

Comment: Just a little positive contribution from you is what is required. If every Nigerian gives their quota in building the nation, Nigeria will be a better place for all.

To your success,
Okafor Chijioke
For: AdvanceNigeria.com Project

Yesterday i was in a bookshop and i saw a list of books that fit in the category of instructional materials. So below are a few to give you a clearer picture on what to do:

1. How to Read & Understand Better

2. 21 Habits of Exceptionally Great Students

3. Immortal quotes and wise sayings of the world's Greatest

4. A collection of Speeches by the World Greatest Orator

5. How to Overcome Shyness, Fear Or Social Anxieties.

6. 20 Ways You can Use the Internet More Effectively {mine}

7. And then 13 Profitable Mobile Businesses You can start on Campus {mine, too!}

Hope you get the gist?

Publishing instructional materials is one of the most profitable businesses smart students take advantage of on campus.... Apart from making you money, it gives you fame and popularity. If you have good research skills and can write simple, correct sentences, you can start this business. One reason why you should start this business today is for the fact that only a few smart students are doing yet. But in case this business model doesn't appeal to you, you check out the rest. You are sure to find one that makes sense to you. You can reach me via: 07030942495 or okaforchijioke007@gmail.Com for any question.

1. WRITE AND PUBLISH INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

Everyone has something of interest they want to learn or achieve. And when they come across materials that promise to teach them how to do or achieve their goal, they enthusiastically want to pay to have such materials. That’s perhaps, the reason why you choose to buy this book.

In the same way, if you look carefully—inwardly or around you, you’ll discover that there are certainly information, ideas, skills, expertise or experience you’ve got that others will gladly pay you to have if you offer it to them for sale—in the form of a book, pamphlet, manual, or handout.

What can I possibly write about?

This is one of the questions that most people instinctively ask whenever the subject of writing is raised. They say: “But I don’t know what to write about” or “I don’t have expertise in any field yet” and so. The truth is that you don’t have to be an ‘expertise’ in anything to write. You only need to make up your mind that you want to write something.

Choosing what to write about

1. Write on subjects you’ve had personal experience with. You can write to share your personal experiences. We’ve all got one. It could be just about anything: about your challenges, your difficulties and eventual success in pursuit of a goal, a dream or target.
If you passed your O’level exams in flying colours at one sitting , you know how you did it, don’t you? Of course, unless you cheated! Tell students preparing for O’level exams the exact steps you took. They’ll be eager to hear from someone who has excelled at a territory they’re only stepping out to explore.

Writing on subjects or topics you have personally encountered will enliven your writing and give you better ideas to talk about.

2. Write on subjects you are skilled or have expertise in: If you have knowledge of something or are skilled in anything, you may want to write on it. For instance, I am skilled in the use of the internet and I wrote a book on it, entitled: “20 Ways you can Use the Internet More Effectively?”

3. Write on need or problem areas: what areas have you noticed that people are struggling with? What are people’s most pressing need you’ve discovered around you? If there’s any, it’s time to research it thoroughly and present a useful step-by-step guide book on it to them. This book is a typical example of a need or problem area.

I noticed that campus students most times wish they could supplement their meager pocket money but always do not know how to go about it.

4. Write on subjects you are passionately interested in: If you simply have strong interest or passion for a subject or topic, you can research it properly and write about it.

It takes interest in your subject or topic to write a quality work that your target audience will find useful and thank you for writing.

5. Write on trendy subjects or matters of interest to the public: People often want to get in-depth information of happenings in the country, marketplace, and the world at large. Please give it to them.

Examples of instructional materials here may include: current affairs, business reports, sports, and entertainment news.

Publishing Your Work

Self-publishing is the way to go. Self-publishing boycotts the needs for agents, traditional publishers, etc. simply go to a printing press and make enquiry on what it will cost you to publish your work once you have complete your work.

Note: that some printers will do both the design and printing for you.
Usually, the higher the number of copies you wish to print, the cheaper the cost, and the better for you. Better for you, in the sense that, the cheaper the printing cost per copy, the more control you’ll have in fixing the price of your work.

As a clue, if the cost of printing 1000 copies is N50, 000, that equals to N50 per copy. So you may choose to sell each copy at a flat rate of N150 or N200, with still a good profit margin.

Marketing / Success Strategies

1. Market your book directly to your audience by yourself. Most people like buying books from the authors.

2. Do your best to explain how they (your audience) will be made better with your book. Remember, you’ll need to convince them to bring out their wallet and pay.

3. Put up advertisement notice for marketers somewhere in your book with a phone no(s) to reach you. If they think your book is sellable, they’ll contact you.

4. Use the bookshops to sell your books. Approach booksellers with an offer. Most of them will like to sell for you on commission basis, which is fine. As a complete or relatively new author, they are not going to jump at your book.

5. Use your book for fundraising. Take your book to people you know and ask them to support it by making some financial contributions. You can do this both before and after you publish your book. You’ll be surprised at how much you’ll raise for yourself through this strategy.

For the other 12 Profitable Mobile Businesses You Can Start on Campus, visit: http://campusbizpack..com/

A report states that about 95 % of the features in Microsoft office packages are unused by 90% of the users.

This implies that about 90% of users—people who claim they know Microsoft Office—don’t really know how to use about 95% of the features in Microsoft office packages.

This is probably because most computer colleges out there are ill-equipped with expert instructors and so don’t usually teach it well…and partly because most of us don’t usually have access to comprehensive materials to help us practice what we have learnt afterwards.

The good news is that…

With a comprehensive step by step Microsoft Office tutorial manual, you can learn and master this skill quicker and faster…

Read more: http://microsoft-office-tutorialz..com/

One of the often overlooked reasons why people don't get employed most times is because of lack of the requisite skills for the job.

Sometimes, it's as simple as knowing Microsoft Word, Excel or Powerpoint as the case may be. Because businesses, corporate organizations, NGOs, Government parastatals, etc increasingly rely on these programs to advance their operations.

Having competent knowledge or expertise in the use of a good number of these programs, therefore is a wonderful investment you will ever make in yourself — be you a student, a corps member, a job seeker, or a worker.