Five Philosophies Of Life

Today, I woke up quite earlier (long before my alarm went off). I woke up with some thoughts. How can we enjoy life and get the best out of it? My mind went back to a few years ago, when as a trainee engineer in one of the top oil servicing firms in Nigeria I was asking the same question. I jotted down some thoughts/reasonings then and I was quick to review my notes. Permit me to share with you my thoughts then, and now. I have titled it “The 5 Philosophies of Life”

Life is Short – Invest It

When you learn to take life by each passing day, each passing hour, each passing minute and seconds, you will realize indeed that life is short. Yes it is. We are not eternal. Only God is. No matter our vision and plan, we have a time frame to make it happen. Even in societies with advanced health and medical care, life still has a limit. No wonder a wise man once cried out “So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of understanding”.

Since life is so short, there is only one thing meaningful to do with it – invest it. It’s possible to waste it. Many people do. They will just wake up one day and discover that they are already 70 years old and close to their grave without anything to show for it. They’ve squandered their lives with drug addiction, smoking, too much TV, too much sleep and what have you. Some other people just spend life. They just go through life as it comes. Those are the type of people that ask the day where it has gone. To get the best of life, do not waste time. Do not spend it. Invest it. Invest it in things that will outlast you.

Life Is Small – Be Kind

It’s a small world. I have established several times on this blog that you are 5-7 people away from everyone on the planet. It is amazing and almost unbelievable how close you are to everyone on the face of the earth. Pay close attention to the people you are meeting today, doing business with today, living with today, lording over today. You will most likely still meet again. Please, be kind to them. You never can tell where else you’ll meet. It may even not be with them. It may be with their families and friends and you’ll be amazed how much small favours you’ve done for them can open giant doors for you. It’s a small world and I recommend that you should be kind…to all.

Life Is Complex – Be Wise

We live in a time where someone has described as the era of 3 C’s – Accelerated Change, Overwhelming Complexities and Intense Competition. Life can indeed be complex. You need wisdom to deal with the complexities of life.

When you want to be successful in every area of your life (and I assume you want to), you’ve got to be wise. It’s not the default. The default is that you succeed in an aspect of life and fail in the other aspects. How many successful business men have a successful home? Quite a few. Most traded their families for their business success. I know a lot of people who are successful in business but failing in their health. Really, it’s complex to handle all these areas – career, relationships, spirituality and health. You need wisdom

Do you know how to get this wisdom? I know how. It will take another write up to tell you how but let me give you a tip. Wisdom is not a “thing”, it is a person! Yes. I will prove it sometime soon. Stay connected.

Life Is In Phases – Be Sensitive

This is one part that people do not really comprehend. They are more comfortable with the status quo and just want to remain in their comfort zone. Unfortunately, that’s not how life works. Life is in Phases. There is a time for everything.

Look at it closely. Your childhood was a phase of life. You were largely dependent, weren’t you? You enjoyed things being done for you and all. Then comes the teenage phase where you crave for independence. It’s another phase of life completely, with new skills and challenges. Growing up to settle down with your own family is yet another phase with its own challenges. Moving from phase to phase successfully requires sensitivity. You need to be sensitive to the changes going on in you and around you and make the necessary adjustments.

If you are using yesterday’s ideas to do business today, you will surely not be in business tomorrow. Be sensitive to things going on around you. Life is in phases and men are in sizes. Know the particular phase you are in and be sensitive to know when to make a move.

Life Is Interesting – Enjoy It!

I had a challenging time growing up. Because of my poor background, I leanrt to save a lot and delay gratifications. I grew up with this mentality and even when I started doing pretty well, I still saved quite a lot. I wasn’t even buying things for myself. I was just preparing for the future. One day, as I was reading a book, a powerful truth dawned on me when I read a quote “many people prepare so hard for tomorrow’s rain that they forget to enjoy today’s sunshine”. That described me in its totality.

Listen to me folks. Life is interesting. Don’t be too hard or tough on yourself. Enjoy every moment. Celebrate little successes. Take yourself out to lunch. Take that vacation out of the country that you’ve dreamt of. Reward yourself. Pay yourself. Celebrate yourself. I remember once after having a great speaking engagement, I did a celebration for my mouth! Yes, I did. I told myself “you’ve got to celebrate this mouth. It has brought you this far and it will take you to where you are going!” Enjoy life!

When people ask me how I am doing, one way I answer is to say “I am enjoying where I am preparatory to where I am going”. Will you join me in saying and meaning this confession?

You are destined for the top. No one can stop you,except you. You are unstoppable!

Billionaires In Training

I had the rare privilege of helping to organize and put together the first Billionaires in Training in Ibadan, Oyo State. After several weeks of planning, the event eventually took place yesterday. It was a time of fun, thinking and learning. It was so well planned and executed that we already have 2-3 requests to run the program in other places. Who knows? It could become a monthly event. It is my candid belief that a better life is a product of brighter light. When we see brighter, we will shine better. Cashflow 101 is one of the financial tools that can open your eyes to a lot of financial truths in a couple of hours! It has the capacity to make you richer. Infact, the more you play it, the richer you become.

A better Life is a product of brighter light

During the game that was played yesterday, and from comments I heard during the debrief session, I learnt a couple of things. Will you permit me to share with you?

You Can Live Your Dreams

To start the game, every participant was meant to place his/her cheese playing piece on one of their dreams. For 1st time players, this was really a tough task. What is my dream? What do I really like? What will I like to have if nothing in the world could stop me? Believe me, many people will not readily give you and answer. They do not know. What if I ask you? What will you like to accomplish? What would you call success? Do you have a dream at all? Writing down your dream in a way that it can be visualized in the 1st thing you must do in your journey to success. At first, it was unimaginable how people will accomplish their dreams, but people got more confident as the game wore on. Infact, we did not end the game until a couple bought their dream! Listen. You can live your dreams. You can get it if you really want.

Risk is not the same as Loss

One of the greatest hindrances to success is that people equate risks and loss. They are definitely not the same. That a deal is risky is not enough reason to walk away from it. In the school of success, the riskier it is, the more beneficial it is likely to be. Successful people do not run away from risks. They weight it, plan for it, and take it! If you are averse to risks, I can predict that you will not amount to much in your walk towards financial freedom. You need to take calculated risks as you plan to get out of the rat race.

You can be in the rate race forever!

This is a bitter truth. Billions of people all over the world are in the rat race and will be in it till they die. You are not just in the rat race because you are in paid employment. Some business owners are also in the rat race. You are in the rat race if your total expenditure is more than you passive income – no matter what you are doing. Till we finished the game, many people were still stuck in the rat race. Thankfully, that was just a game. In the game of life, the same is true. Many will be stuck in the rat race until they decide to do something about it.

You are in the rat race if your total expenditure is more than you passive income – no matter what you are doing.

Financial Independence had no respect for Occupation

This was a very interesting discovery. When people were picking their occupation at the beginning of the game, those who picked seeming good occupations (Pilots, Doctors, e.t.c) were making jest of those who picked poor paying jobs (Janitors, Truck Drivers, Police Officers e.t.c). Guess what? The 1st two people to get out of the rat race were both Janitors! They were getting very low salaries. However, their expenses were also low and they could strategize to earn passive income that will surpass these expenses. For the pilots and Doctors, their expenses were usually very high (to go with their status). They will need to build a high passive income to be able to get out of the rat race. Instead of trying to reduce their expenses, the focus only on increasing their passive income. Most often times, their expenses increase as their passive income increases.

Your occupation is irrelevant on the road to financial freedom. What matters in financial intelligence to make sure that your passive income is always ahead of your expenses.

It is Okay to Borrow

This was one truth that I had to personally deal with. I hate to borrow. I feel more comfortable not owing anyone. Infact, I used to brag about this and thought that it means I was headed towards financial freedom. I saw another angle to it. Borrowing is good. It depends on what you are borrowing for. Successful people have mastered the art of using other people’s money to make more money. They take money from others or from the bank and invest it to make more money. My advice is this- Do not borrow to buy liabilities. However, it is okay to borrow and invest in anything that will increase your passive income. Learn to use other people’s money to make money.

Successful people have mastered the art of using other people’s money to make more money.

Opportunities are all around us

Almost at every turn, one player lands on an opportunity. We are not poor for lack of opportunities. We are poor when we do not make the best of opportunities that comes our ways. We are poor when we Pass Over Opportunities Repeatedly. Opportunities are everywhere. Many see it as such while others see it as problems. During the game, someone purchased a piece of fallow land for a ridiculous amount. There were no roads and all there. However, he held on to it until a time in the game when he sold for over 10 times the amount! After that deal, he had enough cash to pay off his liabilities and in no time was out of the rat race. Can you smell opportunities? I believe that the power problem in Nigeria is an opportunity of someone to make billions on dollars. Could it be you?

The Place of Charity

One of the things I knew before was also reinforced. Givers Never Lack. As they solve other people’s problems, life presents them with more opportunities and speed. In the game, whenever you land on “Charity”, you had a choice to donate to charity. Once this is done, you can play your next 3 rounds with 2 dice, instead of 1. The same is true in the game of life. Poor people think that they can accrue more money by holding on to what they have. Rich people know that they can achieve much by helping other people. Have you being involved in a charitable deed of late? I have a friend who celebrated his birthday in an orphanage and asked all of us to convert the gifts we had for him to a gift for the kids. Can you imagine that?

I learnt also from a friend that the year Warren Buffet overtook Bill Gate as the richest man on earth was also the same year that Warren outgave him in charity! I do not think that this is a coincidence!

You can awaken your financial genius by playing this game over and over again. You do not necessarily need money to make money. You need a financial plan. As you make up your mind to get out of the rat race, my prayer is that we will meet at the top of the topmost top – where nothing is impossible!

Special thanks to my bosom friend, Adeolu Akinyemi (www.deoluakinyemi.com), who took out time out of his busy schedule to guide us through the game. Only time and eternity can reward you as you bless your generation. You will certainly be celebrated!

Financial Independence - Your Mind or The Bank?

The last two months has been interesting for me as a person. Infact, it has not only being interesting but also mind blowing! I have witnessed a major change in my mind, concerning finance and money matters, that all I see now is possibilities. I have since realized that it doesn’t take time to change a man’s financial status. It takes the right information.

I have come in contact with vital information in the last couple of weeks that is changing my financial situation for the better. In all honesty, I thought I wasn’t doing badly in my finances even before now. I work for a multinational. I earn a fairly good salary (I hope my boss will not read this and delay my salary increase). I have a couple of investments here and there and they are not doing badly. I had plans to make more investments in the nearest future and had been saving for it. So, in my own opinion, I will gain the financial independence I have been craving for in the next 5-10 years. However, with what I have learnt in the last couple of weeks, it will be a crime against progress if I am not financially liberated in the next few months.

While talking to my friend Adeolu Akinyemi yesterday, I told him I had written a short testimony that I will post before the year runs out. It will have this sentence within it “I have made more money in the last 6 months than I have made earning salaries in the last couple of year”. Wouldn’t that be interesting? I am looking forward to that post.

Wait a minute. I am sure you will like to know what I know. It’s not anything new. It’s the power of information. Information is the hub on which every outstanding achievement rides on. Vision without the right information to match will lead to frustration! I remember when I was growing up. I attended a conference where we were been asked to confess financial success. The speaker asked us to write down our financial goals and even put a figure behind it. I wrote the figure “1”with several zeros behind it. Don’t ask me what happened thereafter. I only made that kind of money on paper! I didn’t have the right information then how to transfer the figure on paper to a “spendable” reality. Many people still live in such realms.

It is not difficult to make money. It was much easier for me to make a million naira in a week that it was for me believing that it could be done. Yes, it was. Let me share a powerful truth with you. Financial liberation is not in economic policies. It is not in bank consolidation. It is not in salary increases. It stars with your….thinking! Your mind is the greatest key that will unlock your financial resources. A wise man once said “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he” A man cannot be richer than he is in his mind! Powerful.

The place to start amassing wealth therefore is in your mind. What thoughts about money do you harbour in your mind? Several years ago, while I was growing up, I was taking a stroll one day with a friend. A very nice jeep passed by us. Immediately, my friend hissed and said “Ole” (meaning thief). In his mind, only thieves and armed robbers ride such nice cars! No wonder he has not bought any till date. In my mind, even before he spoke, I said “Wow. What a nice car. This is the kind of car we will soon be driving”. As a man thinks in his heart, so he is. Notice the use of the present tense here. It didn’t say “so he will be”. Your life will automatically move in the direction of your greatest thoughts. Your thoughts determine your actions. Your actions determine your habits.

Your habits determine your character. Your character gives birth to your destiny or your destination.

I believe strongly that God is raising a generation of people who will propagate his kingdom business with their wealth. I want to be part of this people. Do you?

5 Philosophies of Life

Today, I woke up quite earlier (long before my alarm went off). I woke up with some thoughts. How can we enjoy life and get the best out of it? My mind went back to a few years ago, when as a trainee engineer in one of the top oil servicing firms in Nigeria I was asking the same question. I jotted down some thoughts/reasonings then and I was quick to review my notes. Permit me to share with you my thoughts then, and now. I have titled it “The 5 Philosophies of Life”

Life is Short – Invest It

When you learn to take life by each passing day, each passing hour, each passing minute and seconds, you will realize indeed that life is short. Yes it is. We are not eternal. Only God is. No matter our vision and plan, we have a time frame to make it happen. Even in societies with advanced health and medical care, life still has a limit. No wonder a wise man once cried out “So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of understanding”.

Since life is so short, there is only one thing meaningful to do with it – invest it. It’s possible to waste it. Many people do. They will just wake up one day and discover that they are already 70 years old and close to their grave without anything to show for it. They’ve squandered their lives with drug addiction, smoking, too much TV, too much sleep and what have you. Some other people just spend life. They just go through life as it comes. Those are the type of people that ask the day where it has gone. To get the best of life, do not waste time. Do not spend it. Invest it. Invest it in things that will outlast you.

Life Is Small – Be Kind

It’s a small world. I have established several times on this blog that you are 5-7 people away from everyone on the planet. It is amazing and almost unbelievable how close you are to everyone on the face of the earth. Pay close attention to the people you are meeting today, doing business with today, living with today, lording over today. You will most likely still meet again. Please, be kind to them. You never can tell where else you’ll meet. It may even not be with them. It may be with their families and friends and you’ll be amazed how much small favours you’ve done for them can open giant doors for you. It’s a small world and I recommend that you should be kind…to all.

Life Is Complex – Be Wise

We live in a time where someone has described as the era of 3 C’s – Accelerated Change, Overwhelming Complexities and Intense Competition. Life can indeed be complex. You need wisdom to deal with the complexities of life.

When you want to be successful in every area of your life (and I assume you want to), you’ve got to be wise. It’s not the default. The default is that you succeed in an aspect of life and fail in the other aspects. How many successful business men have a successful home? Quite a few. Most traded their families for their business success. I know a lot of people who are successful in business but failing in their health. Really, it’s complex to handle all these areas – career, relationships, spirituality and health. You need wisdom

Do you know how to get this wisdom? I know how. It will take another write up to tell you how but let me give you a tip. Wisdom is not a “thing”, it is a person! Yes. I will prove it sometime soon. Stay connected.

Life Is In Phases – Be Sensitive

This is one part that people do not really comprehend. They are more comfortable with the status quo and just want to remain in their comfort zone. Unfortunately, that’s not how life works. Life is in Phases. There is a time for everything.

Look at it closely. Your childhood was a phase of life. You were largely dependent, weren’t you? You enjoyed things being done for you and all. Then comes the teenage phase where you crave for independence. It’s another phase of life completely, with new skills and challenges. Growing up to settle down with your own family is yet another phase with its own challenges. Moving from phase to phase successfully requires sensitivity. You need to be sensitive to the changes going on in you and around you and make the necessary adjustments.

If you are using yesterday’s ideas to do business today, you will surely not be in business tomorrow. Be sensitive to things going on around you. Life is in phases and men are in sizes. Know the particular phase you are in and be sensitive to know when to make a move.

Life Is Interesting – Enjoy It!

I had a challenging time growing up. Because of my poor background, I leanrt to save a lot and delay gratifications. I grew up with this mentality and even when I started doing pretty well, I still saved quite a lot. I wasn’t even buying things for myself. I was just preparing for the future. One day, as I was reading a book, a powerful truth dawned on me when I read a quote “many people prepare so hard for tomorrow’s rain that they forget to enjoy today’s sunshine”. That described me in its totality.

Listen to me folks. Life is interesting. Don’t be too hard or tough on yourself. Enjoy every moment. Celebrate little successes. Take yourself out to lunch. Take that vacation out of the country that you’ve dreamt of. Reward yourself. Pay yourself. Celebrate yourself. I remember once after having a great speaking engagement, I did a celebration for my mouth! Yes, I did. I told myself “you’ve got to celebrate this mouth. It has brought you this far and it will take you to where you are going!” Enjoy life!

When people ask me how I am doing, one way I answer is to say “I am enjoying where I am preparatory to where I am going”. Will you join me in saying and meaning this confession?

We are destined for the top. No one can stop us except us. We are unstoppable!

The Greatest Of All Investments - Part II

What's the most profitable investment you can make?

Some people would tell you it's the stock market. Other people would point to mutual funds, precious metals or municipal bonds. Make no mistake, all those investments can offer you a great payback. But there is another investment that promises far greater rewards. I am talking about investing in yourself. Dollar for dollar, investing in yourself promises vastly greater benefits than any other investment you can name.

When you invest in a savings account, you can draw on that account when necessary. Knowing the money is there provides a sense of confidence and security. It's just as important to invest in yourself, so that the resources are there to draw on when necessary.

The best money hedge or inflation hedge is not gold, real estate or stocks. It's investing in yourself. So, my question to you is this – what will you do today, and the day after, to invest in yourself and in your future?

I started sharing with you some thoughts on why and how you can invest in yourself the last time I posted on this blog. Permit me to continue from where I stopped.

5. You Can Achieve Your Goals

Investing in yourself dramatically increases the probability of achieving your goals and is a real demonstration of your commitment to achieving them. When you invest in yourself by improving your skills for example,or taking a certification course, you at least double your chances of meeting and exceeding your goals.

6. You Create Your Own Future

Your career and future is yours to mold. Investing in yourself gives you the clarity, power and tools to create your own future and take the path less traveled. Sometimes, investing means taking a risk, but that's the price of entry for success and happiness. When you consciously invest in yourself and in your skills, you are better prepared for the future.

7. The World Is a Complex Place

Life is complex and you’ve got to be wise. You cannot know everything you need to know or do everything you need to do alone. You can't be your best without help. Find and invest in those who can teach you, show you the way and help you achieve your goals.

8. Life Is Too Short for Mediocrity

You don't have the luxury of being mediocre -- period. Or do you? Whether you opt for self-improvement or outsourcing your weak areas to someone who can do them better, determine where you are mediocre and get help. And do it quickly! Time flies away fast. You had better be it’s pilot!

9. It's a Cliché, But on Your Deathbed...

The reason we hear this often is that it is so true. The passage of time will provide a perspective we don't have now. One day, you'll look back at your problems and successes and see them as bumps in the road. Your focus will be on the big picture: the life you led, opportunities pursued or abandoned, how happy you were, and the legacy you left behind. Investing in yourself will give you the courage and determination to be happy and do your own thing.

10. Who Else Can You Count On?

Let's face it: You're alone on this. No one has as much to gain or lose as you do. No one else is going to make those consistent investments in your development to maximize your career and life. Others can surely help, but definitely not as much as you. You need to lead this move to better your life and your career. Who else can you count on?

Invest in understanding yourself better and developing your goals, plans, professional skills, knowledge, career management skills, networks, and your personal brand and profile. Do it yourself or pay experts to do it for you (try www.deoluakinyemi .com)

Try thinking, planning, self-assessment tools, goal development, reading, consulting experts, getting coached, taking courses, upgrading or acquiring skills, and proactively marketing yourself. Recognize that investing in yourself often requires that you don't play it safe.

See you at the top of the topmost top! That's where you belong! You are sure to meet me there!

Ciao

The Greatest Of All Investments - Part I

In the last few years, I have taken conscious steps to know more about investments and investment opportunities all around me. I have also gone ahead since then to make some investments. So many people I know have also done same. In the middle of it all, I discovered the greatest investment you can ever make in this life – it is an investment in yourself; an investment in a company called “You Inc”. While it is great to invest in shares, real estate and what have you, nothing comes near to investing in yourself. You reap the fruit now and in the future.

Not investing in yourself is like floating down a fast river without a paddle, map or knowledge of what's around the next bend. Things may go fine for a while, but at some point, you're going to realize you made a giant mistake. To avoid such unforeseen disaster, you need to make a proactive and thoughtful investment in a plan for achieving your career -- and life -- goals.

Permit me to share with you my thoughts on why and how you can invest better in yourself…and in your career.

1. It's the Greatest Return on Investment, Anywhere

I have seen investments giving returns of over 500% percent and this is exciting. The return on investing and improving yourself is astronomically higher than any financial investment you could make. Believe me. From increased lifetime earning power and unimagined opportunities, to protecting yourself from unemployment and the satisfaction that comes from personal growth and success, the returns are enormous. You can’t beat the offer. Can you?

2. You're the Boss of You

If you're the president and CEO of You Inc., then it's your job to ensure you don't go out of business. It's your job to nurture growth and prosperity. You do this by planning carefully, performing consistently, operating true to your mission and investing in You Inc. If you use yesterday’s ideas to do business today, be sure that you won’t be in business tomorrow! For this reason, you need to constantly invest in yourself in order to stay current.

3. You Become More Valuable

Draw up two balance sheets for yourself. On the first, list your financial assets and liabilities. On the second, list your skills, ideas, knowledge, marketability, personal networks, passion and ability to make things happen. It will be great and helpful to do this exercise. Then, increase your personal net worth by investing in your second list -- that's how you'll increase the assets on your first list. That’s the way it works. That’s how to climb to the top. Your financial assets will most likely sky-rocket as you pay attention to increasing your skills, knowledge and marketability.

4. You Can Become Great

There is greatness within you and around you. Investing in yourself will bring it into the open. You are capable of greatness. Most of us settle for just getting by, using a fraction of our capabilities. This is tragic. Realize your greatness by identifying your talents and investing in your potential.

I'll continue from this point the next time. Till then, stay right on top!

Life Is Short - Invest it! - Part II

“ Teach us to number our days, that we may have a heart of understanding”

When you learn to take life by each passing day, each passing hour, each passing minute and seconds, you will realize indeed that life is short. Many people waste life. Several others just spend it. Only a few invest it. I sincerely hope you are part of those who invest your life, especially for eternity.

Can I go back to the illustration I used in the 1st part of this write up?

Remember that we had assumed that you’ll have 30,000 gallons of water in your tank if you’ll live to be 82. If you live in Africa, the sad news is that you have less than 30,000 gallons of water. In Nigeria for example, the average life expectancy is about 45, so, you only have about 16,500 gallons of water. How are you handling this….in a desert?

It is important to note that there are things all around us that attempt to punch holes…big holes….in the tank of water. Let’s go through a few of them


1. Smoking

To be candid, it’s really silly to smoke. It’s one of the best ways to shorten your life. You can easily diminish the quantity in your tank by over a third when you smoke. Smoking gives a lot of short term and long term health issues and makes your breath stink. This is aside the money you waste purchasing cigarette sticks.

Take for example someone who starts to smoke at age 25. If he lives to be 50, he’ll have spent 25 years smoking. Let’s assume he smokes on average a pack of cigarette everyday, he’ll have consumed almost 10,000 packs of cigarette in his lifetime.

2. Drug addiction

And then there are drugs and drug addiction: heroin, cocaine, amphetamines and all the rest. No successful person uses drugs. That is a fact of life. Drugs make you stupid for long periods of time, and that limits your potential for success.

The promise of drugs is a "high" or a "feeling of euphoria." For example, heroin causes a euphoric "rush." I have heard it described as "better than sex." I have heard it described as "like being in heaven." All kinds of things. The problem is that the feeling always comes at a cost once the high ends. The cost is a feeling of depression of greater magnitude. You cannot have the high without the despair or depression. You can safely ignore anyone who tells you otherwise. So you are forced to either maintain the high or absorb the despair. Unfortunately, the despair lasts far longer than the high does. So what have you gained?

3. Too much TV!

I hope some people will not ask for my head with this point. This is one of the most deceptive ways to waste time and waste your life!

One thing you will notice about successful adults is that they watch far less TV than unsuccessful adults. A successful adult thinks, "Life is short! Who has time to waste it on TV?"

If you spend an average of 3 hours in front of the TV set everyday (many people I know spend more), and you live to be 60, you’ll have spent 7.5 years in front of your TV set! That sure looks like a waste. Doesn’t it?

I’ll like to throw this open at this stage.

I’ll appreciate if all my readers can contribute to this article by discussing what they think can punch holes in the tank, in their own opinion, and any other comments.

Shoot!

Life Is Short - Invest it!

Let’s say you are standing in a desert. You are standing next to a gigantic tank that holds 30,000 gallons of water. The tank is 11 or 12 feet in diameter and about 40 feet tall. The tank is full to the brim. This is your drinking water. Every day you drink about a gallon of water.

Let’s say that someone walks up to you and says, "Hey, can I have a gallon of water?" Your response would probably be, "Sure, why not?" In fact, if someone asked you for 100 gallons of water, your reaction might be the same. You’ve got 30,000 gallons after all, and there is nothing for you to do with it but drink it. What do you care? If you spill a little water, it doesn’t matter either.

As you go through life drinking about a gallon of water a day, you begin to notice something. Each day it doesn’t seem like you are taking anything out of the tank, but over time you can see that the level in the tank is getting lower. You look in one day and the tank is only half-full. Then it is only a quarter full. Then there is only an inch in the bottom of the tank. At that point, how much would a gallon of water be worth to you? Quite a bit, because now you can see that your water is scarce: you can see the end of the supply looming in the near future. One fateful day you extract the last drop from the tank, and you realize that today is the day you will die. You are, after all, standing in a desert. And that night you die.

The number 30,000 is significant. If you assume you will live to be about 82, there are 30,000 days in your life. Right now your tank of water is full. If you are 15 you have only used about 5,500 gallons, so water seems to be plentiful. In fact, the supply of water seems to be infinite and you feel immortal. However, each day you live you drink a gallon from your tank, and there is no way to add any more once you use it. When you are 40, you will have used up about 14,700 gallons of water. Then, you will be more conscious of the level of water and more cautious about life.

What you often don’t realize as a young person growing up is that there are a lot of easy ways to put holes in your tank or spill large quantities of water on the ground. As you are spilling the water you don’t really care because you have so much water it seems infinite. However, you can easily spill 20 or 30 years of water as a young man or woman. That water will be extremely valuable later in life. When you get older there are going to be lots of important things that you will want to enjoy: your children, your grandchildren, your spouse, your friends, your retirement. At that point water will be extremely valuable to you, and you will realize how foolish you were to spill it as a young man or woman. But at that point there will be absolutely nothing that you can do to get it back.

In the 2nd part of this article, i will be sharing with you things that can consciously or unconsciously diminish the water in your tank.

Until then, stay right on top! There is enough room there.