5 Reasons Why Women Will Never Be Taken Seriously

A lot of women don't like me very much. That's just a fact. It's because I speak it as I see it and women don't really like to hear the truth. I mean we say we want to hear it but we really don't. We just want you to agree with us. 

If we don't find ways around these self-sabotaging behaviours, no one will take us seriously: 

Be an Expert!

Many people feel that lightening needs to strike and a few rays of light settle on your head to finally say you are knowledgeable or an expert in something. I used to think this way and now that I look back I am convinced that our pattern of thought is way out of context. That is why we have mediocres running things and those with the knowledge waiting to be called up and given a 21 gun salute! 

Erm, people! Mark my words, it will never happen. You will sit there waiting with all your fancy English and nicely framed certificates for a very, very long time. Chances are your wait will not only be long but will also be excruciatingly painful because you will wake up every morning knowing you could have done a much better job. Its not enough to know it, you've got to be visible so people will know you know it and give you a chance to apply it! There is no other way!

Who is an expert? Lets not get too technical, in simple terms, he/she just knows a little or a lot more about a subject matter/skill than the average person. What therefore differentiates an expert from a generalist is knowledge and time. If you invest quality time into gaining quality insight into whatever field you are looking to specialise in, then this article is a must read.

People argue that leaders are born, not made. Its either you have it or you don't. I have my reservations about that but then again we all have a right to our opinions. This will be a great resource even as I continue the 'Home Businesses on a Tight Budget' Series. I hope it helps!

Yea, its still from my rave of the moment Forbes.com....

http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2012/01/27/experts-rule-15-ways-to-establish-authority-in-your-field/

No be curse o, na true!

Ok so this is a mini rant. To who it may concern (including me!)

If you failed in the pure water business, you see your neighbour selling Coke and proceed to empty your storehouse and fill it up with Coke. You haven’t asked the most important question. Why did the pure water business fail into the first place? One would argue that everyone drinks Coke, Coke sells, Coke is a strong brand. Well what about water? We all need to drink it don’t we? In that case you cannot tell me that the product was the problem. So what went wrong? You most definitely will not succeed in this business either, except by some divine intervention you decide to look at your process one step at a time and objectively pick out what your weaknesses were. If not, prepare to close shop! No be curse o, na true!

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=721  

You can call your frozen fish company Alleluia! Fisheries, or your garri mill, Success Is Mine Mills. If your fish are below par, rotten or of questionable quality in any way and your garri is half dried and full of stones, you are going down! The only people that will buy stuff from you are those who feel one thing –pity! Please I beg of you, don’t hinge the success of your product on your name alone. Look at the names that currently rock the world, Apple, Virgin, Trump! Does that give you a clue? The brand makes the name what it is, not the other way round. No be curse o, na true! (Let me state that I have nothing against these names and they are entirely fictional and were not intended to vilify any company or business in any way. These were purely for illustration purposes)

If you complain that your thighs are fat, your tummy is round, your feet smell, your arms are flabby and you haven’t done anything consistently over time to change it. Please save us the drama. You don’t really want slimmer thighs, a flat tummy, sweet smelling feet or toned arms. If you did, you would have got it by now. Forget the evil genes we all blame before we've done 10 reps of sit ups. You don't have it because you don't want it. If you don’t believe me picture how you methodically planned to buy those red stilettos even though you knew there was no kobo in your pocket. You didn’t have all it took to get it but that didn’t stop you did it? But because you didn’t have Nike trainers, joggers that matched and a pretty headband, you can’t be caught dead in scraggy gym wear and you therefore couldn’t go to the gym. Exactly! No be curse o, na true!

Get Up!!!

Just a l'il something to get you revved up and stay fighting. It's hard but it's worth it!!

About to give up.....Sigh...

I'm tired....
Nothing seems to be working....
It's like trying to squeeze water out of a rock....
I can't, I just cant.....
There's no point.....
I'll never get it done....
I just don't have what it takes....
Who would hire me anyway?...
Why won't anyone help me?....
Am I cursed?....
It's no good....
I'll probably be horrible at it....

Please feel free to add as many downers as you can to grow the chain of pity party favourites. The worst thing you can do to yourself is to walk around thinking the world owes you something at every turn. 

Africans Are Lazy!!! ......No?.....Prove it!

Taking a little break from our Home Businesses Series to share this eye-opening article. I know many of us have thought about this once or twice but were never able to fully articulate an answer to the question........What is wrong with Africans? With all the resources, natural and human, all the options, the good of the land in many respects and nothing to show for it.

No one has articulated this as well as this writer who boldly called all of us, yes, ALL of us, lazy! Just read it and you'll see why we need to start thinking differently to get different results!!

http://mindofmalaka.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/you-lazy-intellectual-african-scum/

It can be easy trying unthink decades of thoughts, stories and perceptions that have been passed down to us either knowingly or unknowingly by those who went before us. But think about it, if we were so smart and all knowing, why do we always feel like we always end up with the short end of the stick. We rely way too much on what was said, or done and we don't want to find out things for ourselves. I can't explain anymore than Will Smith's character in the 'Pursuit of Happyness'.



So don't just sit there sulking.....If you want it, go ahead and get it!!!

Women and Money

Ok. So the aim is to add value this year especially to women who I think take their strengths and gifts way too lightly.

I must point out that I am not a feminist or and activist in that regard. I do think it’s time to take responsibility for our lives; of our thoughts, our words and deeds. As much as grace and favour are available in abundance, it’s up to you to make the best of it. The world will not give you what you deserve; only what you negotiate. Too many of us are sitting around staring into space and someone somewhere is counting on your success to move to their next level.

The first principle I am trying and testing this year is to actively study how the wealthy live and operate I am not talking about those who SEEM to be wealthy and successful. I am talking about people who have purposefully thought out ways of sowing seeds for the future; generational thinkers. Any fool can make money. It takes more than a little wisdom to keep and grow it.

I came across a table that outlined the way men and women deal with money from the book, ‘Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich’. It was a revelation. A few points I picked out:

Somebody Lied....

It's a new year! Welcome to 2012!!! 

Ok so I spent the best part of last year on research, fact finding and searching out solutions. This year is going to be great! Trust me....Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!!!!

I was listening to Ice Prince's track 'Somebody Lied' and I was struck with the bug to put this down. Enjoy!

Somebody lied.

They said all we needed to do was study hard, get a good job, get married, have a family, make tons of money, retire and die.

Somebody lied. They said all you needed to succeed was hard work and a tenacious spirit. No one said anything about sitting down to think of what you are good at and doing it, even if it didn’t fall under Engineering, Medicine or Law.

Image source:<p><a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=2741">Image: 89studio / FreeDigitalPhotos.net</a></p>

Somebody lied. They said that making a 1^st class would open all doors and solve all problems. No one said anything about actually having to be good at the job and remaining relevant, 1^st class or not.

Somebody lied. They said you were more likely to have a successful marriage if you loved to cook, clean and wear an apron all day. No one said anything about making the most of your own gifts; even if they weren’t all and about onions and egusi.

Somebody lied. They said all you needed to become a millionaire was to start up a small business. No one said anything about the Mallam at the gate who has been a CEO for 30 years and still lives in the wooden hut.

Somebody lied. They said graduates from Nigeria were among the best in the world. No one said anything about the fact that what we pat our backs for at 25, our counterparts elsewhere already knew at 16.

Somebody lied. They said advertising was the key to making a killing in business. No one said anything about thinking up an exceptional product that people would want in the first place.

Somebody lied. They said if you pretended to be rich long enough, you eventually would. No one said anything about making sure you were actually doing something to make the money in between. Wearing Brazilian hair and Jimmy Choo heels doesn’t make you rich. It makes you a broke chic in Brazilian hair and designer shoes. That’s even worse.

Somebody lied. They said the only way to show you had made it was to build a humongous mansion and drive the biggest cars. No one said anything about keeping up appearances. That costs twice as much and many never survive it.

Somebody lied. They said the hardest working, most intelligent people made the most out of life. No one said anything about actually having a plan.

Somebody lied. They said all you needed to do was be nice and pretty and scout around for Mr Right. No one said anything about getting about the reason you were put on earth in the first place

Image source <p><a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=2280">Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net</a></p>

Somebody lied. They said all you needed to do was find a rich husband, cross your legs and enjoy the ride. No one said anything about no one wanting a liability, not even the oil rich sheikhs.

Somebody lied. They said a bird in hand was worth two in the bush. No one said anything about making sure the bird was free of the flu and was worth holding in the first place. If it wasn’t, then you would have lost both the bird in hand and the ones in the bush.

Somebody lied. They said if you fail, try, try, and try again. No one said anything about that being a sign that you are trying hard in the wrong thing. If results aren’t coming by working one way, try another.

Somebody lied. They said half a loaf of bread is better than none. No one said anything about actually working hard to get the other half of the loaf rather than settling for the half you managed to get and be bitter the rest of your life. Its either you get the full loaf, or go hungry; some handouts are better left alone.

Image source: <p><a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1152">Image: jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net</a></p>

Somebody lied.

They said all you had to do was do what your predecessors did, like what they liked and believe what they believed. No one said anything about finding out the truth for yourself. What do YOU value? What do YOU consider important? That’s a clue to what you are really about. Don’t wake up 20 years from now shaking your head saying....somebody lied.