Putting Value First : Living a Value Driven Life

Values are fundamental beliefs that guide and motivate our attitudes and actions and they determine the way we behave. As individuals, we need to establish what our values are, what is important and what is desirable, what our desired end results are whenever we want to embark on any action, we have to establish standards and principles that are going to drive the way we act and do things.

Putting value first in all our life's endeavours would ensure that our motivation in life is not mainly economic but rather a mission to achieve results that will be sustainable for a lifetime.

Prof Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank (the Bank for the poor) and Benjamin Carson, M.D. are examples of such leaders. They have both made the world’s history books and even though their births were not announced, when they die, they will forever be tagged as leaders who made history. They are motivated by the number of lives they would change, they have found a reason to be alive.

They have discovered the value in their actions and they have defined the reason why. Hard-work and commitment come naturally to them and if we all emulate such characters, it will be easy for us to fulfill the four basic human needs - To Live, To Learn, To Love and To leave a Legacy – (Stephen Covey, 8th Habit). Fame, honour will naturally come to us as our name will be glued to the hearts of many people (young & old) and the history books for a lifetime.

Quotes:

"The thing that really motivates me right now, to be honest with you, is the opportunity to get other people to understand what's important in life.” – Benjamin Carson, M.D.

“You have to make living a value driven life who you are and not what you do, it will empower you with the capacity to translate your vision into reality” – STB

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THE BOTTOM BILLION: Why the Poorest Countries Are Failing and What Can Be Done About It - by Paul Collier

If you have been following Sachs and Easterly's debate on ending poverty in Africa, you may find Paul Collier's latest book on Africa reviewed by Niall Ferguson interesting.

Click here to read the book review

One-line summary: "If Sachs seems too saintly and Easterly too cynical, then Collier is the authentic old Africa hand."

Enjoy

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Consumer Credit Initiative revisited

Finally, the Consumer Credit Policy and Regulatory Framework has just been launched by the Federal Government. It is hoped that this initiative will increase consumer's access to credit and thereby boost the purchasing power of the average Nigerian.

In the same vien, the first private credit bureau (CR Services Limited, providing services via the CreditRegistry brand - http://www.creditregistry.com/) was incorporated in 2003 in the country to provide modern private credit bureau services with the use of advance technologies based on facial and finger print biometrics for borrower identification. Today, some of Nigeria's leading banks, mortgage institutions are already signed on with CR services and the list is ongoing. We expect that with these innovation/initiatives, the average Nigerian can enjoy facilities and engage in credit transactions that they would be able to pay for over a period of time.

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The Crowd as the Untruth

Hello y'all, here is one piece that has always been on my mind for some years now.

Do not loose yourself in the crowd.
A crowd in its concept is the untruth, by reason of the fact that it renders the individual completely impenitent & irresponsible, it weakens his sense of responsibility by reducing it to a fraction. Being in a crowd in short unmakes one's nature as an individual by diluting the self.

THE CROWD IS THE UNTRUTH.

.... excerpts from the philosophy of Soren Kierkegaard

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Consumer Credit Regulation gets a boost

Nigerians are enthusiastic with the introduction of the National Consumer Credit Regulatory Commission. The Bill which is aimed at increasing the level of consumer credit has currently passed its 2nd reading at the National Assembly. Chances are that the Bill will be passed into law before the present administration comes to an end in May 2007. While it is likely that a consumer credit system may enhance the power of consumers and help alleviate poverty, it is also true that if the FG does not put in place strict control measures, the desired result may not be achieved as it may pose challenges of sustaining inflation within single digit. For more information, please visit http://www.natconsumercredit.gov.ng/.

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What’s in the Black Box?

Some of us may be familiar with this phrase (the black box) known to all avid readers of Jim Collins’ ‘Good to Great’. In his book, he affirmed that inside the black box is yet another black box – namely the inner development of a person to Level 5 Leadership. The Level 5 leader is one that builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will. But I do not intend to talk about Jim Collins & Leadership, I am only challenging us all that inside us (may be in the inner black box) is that inherent ability to build enduring greatness, to change our own destiny, to move the unmovable, to step out of the usual and to be the person we are created to be.

I believe, in my years of living on this planet, getting to that point would begin through a process of self awareness, looking inside and discovering something that you are able to live and die for. Something YOU, something you love and would make you be at peace with yourself.

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Lagos BRT Lanes

Hello peeps,

It's one of those crazy ideas again, I wonder how the Lagos state Government expect the BRT buses only to move on the yellow lane and the fact that they expect all cars and buses to stay off the lane is also crazy. Mid Last week 21-02-07, on my way home from work, LASTMA officials placed their usual orange plastic polls on the yellow lane to serve as a deterrants, but the whole episode was a big joke, as the orange polls created more traffic than envisaged. As expected, the orange polls were no where to be found the following morning. Honestly, I don't know what was on their mind when they thought about the BRT buses and its workability.

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How to become a high performer: 7 point plan

1. Be You
2. Be Focused
3. Learn & Grow
4. Maintain your position
5. Be Kind
6. Fly high
7. Do not be Afraid

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Self Improvement in 2007

A note from me:
Hello peeps, it’s easy to get lost in abstraction when discussing issues concerning personal development, but continued investment in ourselves hold promises of more prosperity. As such, I consider this write-up as an idea whose time has come and I deem it appropriate to speak of the potentials that exist within us in very simple terms. I wish you all a prosperous New Year. Please do not forget to make goals that will transform your life within the following months. Happy reading!

¨ thought of the day
“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength” – Iss 40:31

¨ your career
Planning on jumpstarting your career: 3 things are key:
1.Discover your skills to achieve your potentials
2.Acquire requisite knowledge to develop it
3.Be willing to help others….

You are on your way to the top!

¨ the basics
Did you know that there is a Research Tool in all MS Office Suite, just right click any word and click on ‘look up’ in the drop down menu.

¨ get IT savvy
To Become a Techno:
Get the latest software update and be sure to look up the ‘What’s New” section of the Software. Visit the Internet regularly, Google any topic that comes to mind, it’s amazing what result you would get!

¨ political correctness
Don’t call that landball “FATTY”, the fellow is “PHYSICALLY EXPANSIVE & NUTRITIONALLY ENDOWED”

proverbs
“Humor is but another weapon against the universe” – Mel Brooks
“New ideas have the power to shape and entertain the future.” - STB

¨ English 101
Bespoke: past tense of ‘bespeak’. Meaning: Modified, tailored, adapted, made to order, personalized, custom-made, mass produced.

¨ Ol’ Saying … still relevant
“To be at peace with yourself, you must engage in what you love doing” Author Unknown

¨ feedback
Your suggestions and feedback are welcome. Is there something you want to see but not contained in here? E-mail achieversnest@gmail.com. PS: If you enjoyed reading this, please do not hesitate to refer this page to a friend, remember, ‘be willing to help others.

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