How to Turn Your Skill into Fortune

Over the years, there has been this ‘mad’ rush for acquisition of degrees and certificates. This mad rush is necessitated by the need to acquire top jobs that will fetch fat income.

But, jobs have become so competitive all over the world that people now make do with jobs far less than their qualifications. It appears the present trend points to the fact that degrees and certificates will no longer serve as ‘insurance’ against failure, poverty, and regret.

Now, this is not to say that education is no longer relevant. Education remains and will continue to be relevant. But it is, however, worthy of note that higher qualification is not indispensable.

History is replete with people who have little or no education, but who banked on their skill, talent, and potentialities to achieve massive success in life.

The story of the American millionaire, Debbie Fields, is very illustrative. After graduating from high school, Debbie got married. She remained a full-time housewife until she finally decided she would do something spectacular with her baking skill.

She told her husband about her plan to go into cookie business, but the husband replied: ‘Oh Sweetie that is such a stupid idea.’

When she told her parents, they replied: ‘You don’t have any business going into cookie business.’

Debbie ignored them and went ahead with her plan. Armed with her business plan and a batch of ‘freshly made cookies,’ she approached many banks but was turned down because she had little education and had no business experience.

However, a bank finally gave her the loan which she used to set up her business. Starting from that little beginning, she expanded her business into a business empire. Today, her business, Mrs. Fields, is one of the strongest brands in the US, having over 2,300 locations in 10 countries and yielding about $1 billion (dollars) annually.

Dear reader, do you know that you can also make a fortune from that skill of yours? Your skill may not be cooking skill and you may or may not make a billion dollars annually from your skill, but one thing is certain: you can turn your skill into a constant income generator and start amassing millions of dollars for yourself.

Here are some tips you can use to turn your skill into fortune:

1. Find What You are Good at and Which You Enjoy Doing

The way to excel in life is to find what you are good at. Don’t waste your time trying to be like others by copying what they know best to do.

Fields did not waste her time trying to be like others around her. She sat down and figured out what she was good at, which is baking.

The world is not asking for the number of degrees you have acquired, but what you can do or the GENUINE VALUE you can render. So, sit down and figure out what you are good at and which you enjoy doing.

2. Value Your Skill and Talent

Once you have figured out what you are good at, you need to start valuing it. Place high premium on your skill or talent. There are thousands and even millions out there waiting to benefit from your skill and talent. They are anxious and ready to pay you for your skill and talent.

The value you place on your skill or talent is the value people place on it. Don’t look down on what you are good at or what you are doing. Appreciate it. If you don’t value what you are good at, you will not find it necessary to give it all it will take to excel in it.

Valuing your skill or talent makes you to be totally committed to developing and deploying it for the good of mankind. And that is the way to turn your skill to fortune.

3. Believe in Yourself

Do you belong to the category of people who always seek the approval, opinion, suggestion and advice of people before you start doing what you believe you are capable of doing? Then listen: not everybody will believe you and support what you want to do. People and even banks would not believe and support you until they see practical results you have previously achieved.

    

If you have no results to show for it now, you may not likely attract quick help. However, you need not be discouraged because if you believe in yourself and in your capability, sometime, some day, somewhere, at least you will at least meet someone who will believe you and give you the big break.

Field’s husband and parents did not believe she would succeed. Other people did not believe she would succeed.  As such, they offered her no support. But Fields believed STRONGLY in herself and in the business she wanted to establish and she eventually succeeded.

The point here is, believe in yourself. If you believe in yourself, you will succeed even if no one believes in you; but if you don’t believe in yourself, even if people believe in you, you may not succeed.

4. Seek Assistance

 

If you STRONGLY believe in your capability and in what you want to accomplish, don’t hesitate to seek the help of those that can help you.

One great lesson I learn from the lives of successful entrepreneurs is that they don’t single-handedly finance the establishment and management of their businesses. They always go to bank for loan.

You need not bother financing your business by yourself. Where necessary, apply for loan. This is the path Fields took to establish her business – Mrs. Fields. She took her business plan and a batch of cookies with her to some banks. After many rejections, she found a bank which offered her the loan she needed to start her business.

When you are serious about what you set out to achieve, you will definitely find someone who will give you the resources you need to achieve it. But you must seek the assistance of that someone.

5.   Show Them that You Can

Not learning, not degrees, not certificates, and not knowledge alone that counts; WHAT COUNTS IN LIFE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL.

As long as people are yet to see the results, there will always be rejections. You know, people don’t normally argue with results. Therefore, to turn your skill into fortune, you must SHOW people that you can do what you say you would do. 

The fact speaks for itself. Don’t waste your time struggling to convince any person of what you are capable of accomplishing. Let the fact speaks for itself.

One of the characteristics of successful people is that they don’t tell people what they can do; they show them what they can do.

Like Fields, don’t be discouraged by rejections. Every rejection you encounter should inspire and motivate you to find a way of showing them that you really can.

Dear reader, degrees and certificates are okay, but they are not the determining factor for your success in life. The determining factor for your success in life is your ability to turn your skill, talent and potentialities into fortune.

This is the path to victorious living. Read this article again and again, follow this path and you will be victorious all your life!

The Story Behind the Glory

Anytime great glories are revealed, there are always great stories behind these glories. Dear reader, welcome to another moment of inspiration and motivation. 

If you have found yourself in a difficult condition and you don’t know what to do and you feel helpless and hopeless, then, this article is for you. It is my hope that as you read this article, you will receive the inspiration and motivation to turn your life around for the better.

The first time I heard the story of this successful Nigerian transporter was in 2011 while travelling from Abuja to Lokoja.

What evoked the story from a passenger sitting beside me in a bus was my comment about the ubiquitous Peace Mass Transit (PMT). These buses are so many that they dominate Nigerian roads all the time. 

I have lived in the South West and I have been to some places in the Northern part of the Country, and I can say the story is the same: these PMT buses are ubiquitors!

As I shared my observation with the passenger beside me in the bus, he replied, “There is a great story behind the success of the owner of these buses. The man started as a bus conductor before he became a driver. He later bought a bus and as time went on, he kept adding more until he has got many of them.”

That was all the passenger knew about this successful transporter and that was what he shared with me. I had wanted to know more about this transporter, but I later put the matter to rest.

It was not until 19^th September, 2012 that I had the opportunity of knowing a little more about the transporter. This transporter came to Lokoja, the capital Kogi State (probably on the invitation of Kogi State Government, I can’t really remember).

Confluence FM Radio, Lokoja covered the event where the multi-millionaire shared the story of how he rose from a humble background as a bus conductor to a successful transporter.

Hearing the story from the horse’s mouth, I was greatly inspired and I feel I should share his success story, believing that someone out there who has concluded that all hope is lost will receive the inspiration and motivation to rekindle his hope and achieve great success in life.

Evangelist Samuel Onyeche began life from a humble background. He started as a bus conductor and lived a bare existence. A cloud of “hopelessness” seemed to hang on his destiny. But as hopeless as the situation was, he did not surrender and threw his hands up in despair; and that is why you have the opportunity of reading his story today.

He endured the discomfort and meager income he was earning from his job as a bus conductor. Later, he struggled to learn driving and became a driver. From his driving job, he was able to buy his own bus. This was the major breakthrough for Onyeche who kept adding more fleets to his buses till today.

Now having over 3,000 buses, Evangelist Samuel Onyeche believes it is only God that can lift a person from a “hopeless bus conductor” to an enviable height.

Onyeche’s success story is an eye-opener for anyone that has concluded that there is no hope for him anymore. The WHOLE truth is, you can reach the pinnacle of your career. You can make it even when others have concluded that your condition is “hopeless.” There is nothing you set out to achieve that you cannot achieve.

But the question is: are you willing to create a big story that will usher you into that glorious lifestyle you have been longing for?

Here are three tips you can use to create your own story:

1       Rekindle Your Hope

 When you have got to a situation where people say “It is hopeless,” what you need have to get out of the situation is HOPE. Hope is the lifebuoy you need to keep afloat when there is a shipwreck of your hope.

One fact about hope is that when you have lots of it, your eyes will be opened to opportunities and you will realise that you really have a fighting chance of achieving great success in life. Onyeche had hope of making it in life despite the seemingly “hopeless” situation he was in. It is this hope that kept him going and that is why you are reading his story now.

On your way to success, you must always remind yourself of the danger of despair, hopelessness and helplessness. Never allow frustration and discouragement to kill your hope of success.

Things may seem to be working against you this moment. You may have concluded that there is no hope any more. But listen, it is not over yet until it is over. Just as a tree has hope when it is cut down, you also have hope even when you are down to the worst situation.

When there is life, there is hope. As long as you are alive, there is nothing you want to achieve that you cannot achieve.

No matter the situation you are in, keep hope alive. Your present status does not determine your future. Nothing should make you conclude that you have no hope. When things are getting worse, that is when you should keep hoping for the best. ONLY THOSE WHO KEEP HOPING FOR THE BEST WILL EVENTUALLY LIVE TO GET THE BEST. Keep rekindling your hope even when there seems to be no hope. You are closer to success than you think.

2.      Keep Moving   

It is not enough to keep hope alive, it is also important that you keep working hard to turn your situation around for the better.

One great lesson we can learn from Onyeche is that he is a proactive personality. He is progress-minded. It would have been easier for him to settle down as a bus conductor, but he wanted something more. He wanted victory over want and penury.

He kept moving and making progress until he became a dominant force in the transportation sector of Nigeria’s economy.

The issue is not whether you can achieve success in life. You can. God has equipped you with the wherewithal. He has also promised you victory.

The issue for consideration is whether you are willing to keep moving and making progress. THERE IS NO LIMIT TO THE HEIGHT YOU WILL REACH IN LIFE IF YOU KEEP MOVING FORWARD AND MAKING PROGRESS.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, “The height by which great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.”

Life is in phases. You can move from the phase you are now to any phase you desire. You only have to be proactive. Be ready to do all that is necessary to move you from where you are to where you want to be.

3.      Seek Divine Intervention

The fact is, we all need God’s intervention in our lives and destiny. Even when we think we can succeed without God’s help, the fact is, if God doesn’t crown our efforts with success, all our efforts will be in vain.

Onyeche attributed her success to God’s intervention. So it is with everyone. The Bible says, “A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven” (John 3:27). From human standpoint, it is difficult to move from relative obscurity to a glorious life of affluence. Moving from a background where resources are relatively scarce to a life of prosperity takes God’s intervention. Life’s races are not won by the swiftest, the wisest, and the most intelligent; races and all accomplishments are achieved by God’s mercy.

In the race of life, it is actually those that God shows mercy that win. So, even when you think you can succeed on your own, the fact is, without the mercy of God all your effort will not avail you.

God is the foundation for victorious living. Now consider this: “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Psalm 127:1).

It takes only the help and mercy of God to create a story that brings you the glory you desire. Don’t allow any feeling of hopelessness to discourage you from seeking God’s intervention. In fact, it is even when you are in despair and in a “hopeless” situation that you need to keep calling on God to rescue you.

Finally, dear reader, as you ply Nigerian highways, you will always come across peace Mass Transit (PMT). And whenever you do, please remember the “big story” behind the big glory.

Let the big story inspire and motivate you to achieve great success today.

Till I come your way soon, go and live victoriously!  

You Are the Solution

For every problem, there is a solution. For every question, there is an answer. For every despair, there is hope and for every defeat, there is victory.

This truth is never fully grasped by us until we are hard pressed and we have nothing else to do than to fight back and get the problem solved.

The resilience, determination and great effort exerted by mankind in times of adversity vividly demonstrate that we are the solution to every problem that confront us, and if we are really serious about solving any problem that confronts us, we will certainly find the solution, because we are the very solution.

Our reaction to the flood incident that recently occurred in our country Nigeria demonstrates that we truly hold the answer to every question life throws at us. As at the time of writing this article (October 2, 2012), some states in Nigeria including, but not limited to Kogi, Benue, Bayelsa, and some states in the Eastern part of the country were worse hit by the flood that came off the release of the water of our dams.

The devastation caused by the flood is unbelievable! In some parts of Lokoja environs, many houses, properties, farmlands and even the roads were submerged. In Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State, the story is the same.

Many people who lost their houses, properties and farmlands were displaced, but sheltered temporarily by government and individuals.

Although there was nothing we could do to stop the flood, we were able to find solution to the problems caused by the flood.

While we sympathise with those that were affected by the flood, we should remind ourselves that we hold the solution to all the problems caused by the flood.

The help, assistance, finance, food and philanthropy that came from the Federal, States and Local Governments as well as from concerned citizens, have clearly shown that we are the very solution to every problem we encounter.

The magnanimity of our governments and some concerned citizens have strengthened my faith in the excellent ability of mankind to love, help and do what is right. I have always believed that if we want to change, we can change; if we want to love and be good, we can actually love and be good. We are the solution to all our problems.

Lessons for Victorious Living

From the angle of solution, the problems caused by the flood and our reaction to them have brought to light some vital lessons that will help us proffer concrete solution to every problem we encounter.

Below are four vital lessons for victorious livings:

1.   Where there are Problems, there are Solutions

One reason we get discouraged in life is that in our worst moment, we fail to realize that there is a solution to every problem we encounter in life. We fail to realize that right within us (in our mind) lies the solution.

The Book of God, the Bible has warned: “Guard your heart (mind) with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life.” The way to guard your mind is to refuse to entertain negative thoughts in your mind. Constantly fill your mind with positive thoughts. You have to force yourself to believe that there is always a solution to every problem you encounter.

When you encounter problem, don’t throw your hands up in despair. No amount of problems you face should make you despair to the point of not knowing how to find solutions to them.

Where there are problems, there are solutions. The solutions are within you and that makes you the solution to all problems you face.

The problem is not that there are no solutions; the problem is our lukewarm attitude and lack of seriousness in taking time to find the solutions we need.

You may not be able to stop the flood, but at least there are some things you can do to survive the flood.

2.   Every Solution Counts

Any solution that will take you a step away from mishap, loss of life, harm, injury, etc, is a relevant solution.

Some solutions are palliative, some are temporal, others are permanent, and some others are immediate. In times of trouble, any solution you can quickly find counts.

What may not look like a solution, ordinarily, could be the best or immediate solution you need to solve a particular problem you are facing.

That is why it is irrelevant trying to go for solution that appeals to you.  A solution that may not appeal to you could be the very solution you need in times of trouble. So, what is important in troublous times is any solution that will take you off harm or destruction.

Do you know that when the flood hit some parts of the country, the government and concerned citizens did not waste time trying to construct a permanent camp for victims? Doing so would not have been the best solution. The best solution at that moment was to provide temporary camps for the victims of the flood using the classrooms of our primary schools all over the towns and localities. The government simply shut down our primary schools temporarily in order to deal with the emergency situation at hand.

It is a temporary arrangement any way, but I tell you: that is the best way of solving any problem that requires urgent solution.

In times of emergency, what you should be thinking about is what you can do at that moment to improve the situation. While the situation improves, you can then think of permanent solutions.

So, in times of adversity, don’t overlook or ignore solutions that will provide temporary or immediate relief. What is important is staying from harm.

In times of problem, every solution that will bring some urgent relief is relevant. Don’t allow the situation to get worse by trying to implement permanent solution.

What matters in any emergency situation is emergency solutions. Every solution counts in times of emergency, provided it brings emergency relief and comfort for the very moment.

3.   Power Your Life with Desire

One great need of man is the desire to survive. This desire has gingered man to advance from Stone Age to the present Information Technology (IT) age. One great advantage of problem is that it gingers us to be creative, innovative and productive. And this is what keeps mankind progressing day by day.

Dear reader, if you are surrounded by problems and you are fed up and discouraged, I have good news for you. The good news is this: every problem that comes your way contains the seed of greater benefit.

Existence of problem forces you to think of solution to the problem. Some problems actually ginger you to take some steps and by taking these steps, you eventually discover the great potentialities within you.

You may never know or appreciate the power within you until you are desperately desirous of finding solutions to problems that confront you.

My great concern is not the number of problems, obstacles and oppositions that are bent on holding you back from making progress in life. My great concern is whether you really desire victory over these problems. You must desire positive change before you can actually see the change.

There is power in desire. This power can force you to come up with solutions to all problems standing on your way.

The lesson we can learn from the flood that hit parts of our country, Nigeria recently is that for every problem, there is a solution. For every question, there is an answer. For every despair, there is hope and for every defeat, there is victory.

We are the solution to every problem that comes our way. We don’t need to throw our hands up in despair. There is always something we can do to bring a positive change. God has given us the brain we can use to think of solution to any problem.

Having problems is not a terrible thing, what is terrible is not knowing what to do to solve the problems.

Dear reader, you already have what it takes to proffer solutions to all problems that confront you. Don’t surrender yourself to any negative situation no matter how worse it may be. No problem should leave us disorganized.

In times of problems, learn to calm down and think, not worrying. Thinking is different from worrying. Worrying does not and cannot solve any problem, but thinking does.

Learn to calm down and think. Force yourself to think of what to do to solve the problems that are standing between you and your heart’s desire.

You are the solution to every problem that confronts you. Begin to generate the solutions now and start applying them. You are on the path to victorious living!