Evolution - Stage 4

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In January 2013, I started this blog as a platform to share my ideas, with no proper form or focus. Anything went.

A few months later it evolved into an inspirational blog. But when ‘inspirational blogs’ started flooding town, I had to move shift focus. Inspirational blogging became [and is now] too common.

In 2014, I started personal development blogging. I was sharing personal development ideas based on my knowledge and experiences. Later on, in the latter part of 2015, I realized how generic this blog was becoming. Then I got to a point where I realized I had to focus and build my blogging around something specific.

Hey, what's up with your reading goals for 2016?

For the record: I love cats

Less is more. That's the philosophy guiding my reading goals for 2016. As much as I relished the challenge of reading 40 books in 2015, I decided that this year I would have to step that down. The plan is to read less books, do more thinking and take more deliberate action. My main focus in 2016 is on understanding, not knowledge.

In December, I made a list of 25 books to read. Then I changed my mind again in January, with the idea that I may end up reading more or less than 25. I decided that I would just go with the flow. That whatever number I would arrive at  in December 2016 would be good enough. But now, I realize that is not a good idea; it's not a smart way to think. If I want to achieve anything worthwhile through reading in 2016, I have to be deliberate about this whole thing.

Mind you, I haven't decided on a number yet. But what I have done is to make a list of categories of books I'd like to read, based on the areas of my life that need the most attention. There are at least three books under each category, each of them has been selected based on strong recommendations from people.

But that's enough about me. Now, let's talk about you.

Why do you even have reading goals in the first place?

If you're serious about setting and/or accomplishing reading goals in 2016, then you need to be deliberate about this thing. Don't just pick any book to read, narrow your scope and make sure you have an objective for this.

Why do you want to read the number of books you want to read in 2016? Is it so that you can gain mastery in a new subject? Or so that you can acquire new skills that come from practicing the things you will read? Or is it so that you can tweet about all the books you have read and show off to people? Make sure you get your motives right. In the course of the year, you will face obstacles that will obstruct you from achieving your reading goals. What will matter most, what will keep you going, will be the objective(s) for setting those goals.

Narrow your scope

When pursuing your goal, one thing you will notice is that there are so many books in the world you want to read. Some great titles won't pop up until late in the year and they will tempt you to veer off course. Sometimes that is okay, other times it's not.

So it is important for you to narrow your scope. What kinds of books do you want to read this year? Why do you want to read them? By the time you answer these questions, you will be better prepared when delicious books - that aren't already on your reading list or aren't in the categories of books you've scheduled for the year - come your way.

So far this year, I have read hundreds of articles about content marketing, and I finished one book and read another half way. I finished reading StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath and read half of Charles Duhigg's The Power of Habit.

Now I'm reading The 50th Law by 50 Cent and Robert Greene. I don't intend to finish all the books I start. What's most important to me is gaining valuable knowledge from them. Once I sense that I have gotten the main point of the book, I will move on to the next one. Just like that!

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Why I almost quit blogging

January 2016 was the toughest month I have ever had. I came into the year hoping for great things and it seemed like January was out to steal my joy. Things weren't going the way I had hoped. I came this close to deleting my blog and looking for something else to do. I will admit that most of my trouble was my fault. But still, it wasn't fun.

Please I need your help with this questionnaire

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Hi guys!

My friend, Princess, is in her final year in the university and needs your help with her research project. Kindly click this link and you will land on the questionnaire.

It is designed to investigate the effect of social media on youth political participation in Nigeria. This is one of her core requirements for her B.Sc. Please note that it's for Nigerians aged between 18-35.

Once again, here's the link to the questionnaire, Thank you very much. Please help me share this link on Twitter, Facebook and anywhere else you can.

7 TED Videos That Will Fire Up Your Creativity

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It's been a tough couple of weeks for me. Things haven't been so good, at work and almost every other aspect of my life. But I believe this is all part of a process.

What Do You Want 2016 to Be Like for You?

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I’m excited about 2016 and all the possibilities that may come with it. I wasn’t as excited about 2015 as I am now. I mean, considering all the lessons I learned in 2015, I’m thankful that I am a little bit wiser this year. Are you excited about 2016? You should be.

I know this will be a good year, I feel it in my gut. But I also know that 2016 will only be as good as we make it. Whatever good things that will happen this year will happen because of the seeds we have sown in the past years and the seeds we will sow in the early months of the year.

Ugh! I Lied to Myself

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Note: This is just a random rant

In the final days of 2015, I made a decision that I was going to read just 25 books in 2016. I convinced myself that I needed to read less and practice more; that I needed to read less books in 2016 than I did in 2015. Turns out I was only deceiving myself.

After going through my book (ebook) stash, and seeing some really great titles that I just have to read this year (that weren’t on my reading list already), I decided “you know what? Screw it!”

I’ve changed my mind. I can’t put a cap on the number of books I will read this year. I won’t even set a target anymore (save for my target of at least 25). I’m going to go with the flow and read whatever appeals to me at the time. Whatever happens, happens.

Happy new year people! We are going to grab 2016 by the cojones (read: grab the bull by the horns) and make the most of our lives!

Would You Like to Write for My Blog?

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Since I started blogging in January 2013 I have tried to use every post on this blog to help people and be a blessing to them. Without you reading this blog, it will just be 'another one' of those blogs. But you have made every letter and thought on this platform worth it.

The Top 10 Songs and Albums On My Creativity Playlist

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Everyone has a go-to music playlist, for when they are sad or happy or in need of inspiration. When I need inspiration to write, I listen to some specific songs or albums and they help boost my creativity. And since I listen to a variety of music genres and lots of songs, I can’t put them all on this list.

But then, there are songs and albums that stand out though. This is the list of the top 10 of them (in alphabetical order).

The 15 Best Things I Read in 2015

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If you ask me how 2015 has been like for me, I’ll give you one simple answer: deliberate. 2015 has been a deliberate year for me. I came into this year with the intention to learn and grow on purpose, and that is what I have done.

This Thing Called Life

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Over the last year, between when I started youth service and now, I have come to understand (and not just know) that life is not one-dimensional. There are always two or more ways to look at things. I now understand that life isn't always about right or wrong. And it’s not always black or white. Sometimes, it is both and more.

I'll Be Speaking at a Summit in Abuja this Week. All You Need to Know.

On Wednesday, December 23, 2015, I'll be in Abuja for the first time ever. I've been invited to speak at the Abuja Social Media Summit. The theme of the summit is 'Social Media for Social Good' and the venue is Valencia Hotels, Wuse II, Abuja.

During the summit, I'll be speaking about Social Media Branding Strategies. Finally, all the weeks I spent interning at Alder Consulting can be put to good use here. Lol!

More details for the event are below.

Topics and Speakers:

Social Media for Social Good – Grace Anuforo

Opportunities in Social Media – Sanni Hussein

Social Media for Business – Abraham Ologundudu

Social Media Marketing Strategies – Blossom Ozurumba

Blogging for Business – Jide Ogunsanya

The Future of Social Media Business in Nigeria – Onyeukwu Charles

Social Media Branding Strategies – Adeleke David

Social Media for Professionals – Amaka Onyeagoro

Date/Time: 9am Wednesday December 23, 2015

Venue: Valencia Hotels, No. 44 Blantyre Street, Wuse II, Abuja – Nigeria.

Admission: N5000 (covers summit materials [Print and Video], and Refreshment).

Enquires: 08068397820, 08163094941, 08172886116, 07039081681, info@abujasms.com, www.abujasms.com

How Women Can Make Smarter Financial Decisions

This guest post was written by Eloho Onwah. She is one of the most awesome people I know. She works as an investment manager in Lagos.

Here's her advice to young women just starting out professionally on how to secure their financial future and make smarter decisions with their money:

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One day, you are a young professional woman beginning your first job with the promise of your first pay check, next day you are ten years into same with the realization that you are living from paycheck to paycheck. How do we pivot and change this course?

How to Build a Career on Your Strengths

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The average person spends most of their life at work. Won’t it be miserable if we worked in places we neither like nor are good for? Places where we are merely getting by and aren’t making significant contributions?

How to Improve Your Emotional Intelligence

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When I was much younger, I had major emotional problems. Apart from dealing with low self esteem, I had to live with my hot temper. It wasn’t difficult to get me angry, and this hampered my relationships with people. Each time I got angry with someone, I would start to ignore them (I still do it sometimes). But luckily for me, I had a desire to change all that, I just didn’t know how.

The Psychology of Self Motivation

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“Purpose is the ultimate determinant of motivation. You are only as motivated as well as you understand the purpose of a thing (situation or life).”

One of my biggest problems in life has been lack of self motivation. That push I need to get things done when they ought to be done and not procrastinate. From my interactions with people, I find I’m not the only one who has the problem. I could also reel out stats to prove that many other people in the world also face this problem everyday but I won’t. Because it doesn’t matter. If you, like me, struggle with this problem of a lack of self motivation then let’s go on this journey together.

The One Important Lesson I Learned From Anthony Robbins

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I have always been a lover of books. My mum used to tell me that I never asked for toys, as a kid, whenever she was going shopping. She said I was always asking her to buy me books. I suspect she was exaggerating, trying to make me feel like a superhero of sorts. But still, I remember some instances when I made such requests as a kid.

The Story of Jack Ma

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The initial title of this biography was ‘The Story of Jack Ma: From English Teacher to ECommerce Billionaire” but even that will not suffice now. Jack Ma is more than just an eCommerce billionaire. Forbes.com calls him the “symbol of China's rise to No. 1 in Internet and mobile phone users.”

Before 2014, I didn’t know who Jack Ma was. It was around that time Alibaba Group filed for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in the United States, in what became the biggest IPO in the country’s history. Just recently, I sat down to watch a documentary titled ‘Crocodile of the Yangtze River’. The documentary, a narration of the Alibaba story from the mouth of Porter Erisman - a former Vice President at Alibaba, was a simple story of a man who found his niche, saw opportunities and took them smartly.

How to Buy Things from Jiji.ng

Jiji.ng is the fast-growing classifieds, which suggests a wide choice of diverse items and goods. All the advertisements are posted by real people, who have decided to sell stuff they don’t need. It makes shopping even more pleasant and accessible. So, how to buy things at Jiji?

A Short Biography of Elon Musk

The first time I saw Elon Musk, I thought he looked like Malcolm Merlyn from the TV series, Arrow. Or maybe my eyes are paining me? Sigh. I don't know, you decide.

Forbes Africa described Elon Musk as “the new Steve Jobs”, “the cult-favorite CEO”, and the one who has grabbed Apple’s creative crown. That last part may be up for a debate but it is difficult to deny that Elon Musk’s life isn’t worth looking at. I’ve become very careful when I’m tempted to label people as ‘inspiring’ but I think it’s only right to tag that to the man.