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Everybody's talking about Personal Development

I like the way these people broke it down though:

Very nice and simple tips for personal growth (CLICK)

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You may also like: Everybody's talking about mental health

Black People Getting Money

A   DANCE  CONCERT

In just over a year into our @Googleorg partnership with @GoodwillIntl, we've helped a quarter of a million Americans learn new digital skills, and 27,000 people find a job. #GrowWithGoogle https://t.co/tfqxKixJmh

— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) April 10, 2019

Featuring:  Martinsfeelz, YangGang, FalztheBahdGuy, GrowWithGoogle, and others. 
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And, like they say, secure the bag. 

When the supervisor is an algorithm

"The battle to beat the quota also transformed a monotonous, soul-crushing job into an exciting outlet for workers to exercise their creativity, speed and skill. Workers attached notions of status and prestige to their output, and the game presented them with a series of choices throughout the day, affording them a sense of relative autonomy and control. It tapped into a worker’s desire for self-determination and self-expression. Then, it directed that desire towards the production of profit for their employer."  in HIGH SCORE, LOW PAY: WHY THE GIG ECONOMY LOVES GAMIFICATION (cool essay)

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Hang out with SRK

Watch and share: An Insight, An Idea with Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan.  You know I will never waste your time.
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You Can

Baby steps. 

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~*~ Business mentor + success coach

Free tips at instagram.com/alituplife :

In my business I place a lot of emphasis on self care and building a business that feels GOOD. That’s why I love this quote so much! Just like any other habit, whether that be visibility or hitting the gym, happiness is a HABIT. It needs daily practice, and that means making it a priority. This week I talked a lot about daily practices that support you and your business, save this quote as a reminder that incorporating daily practices that support your happiness is super important!

A post shared by Lacey Sites MS, MBA (@alituplife) on Sep 20, 2017 at 6:25am PDT

I love this idea that we become what we repeatedly do, because that gives us SO much control over our future! If you want to be super visible and well known, get super visible and well known. Post on social media. Go live! Talk to people. Do that over and over, and guess what you’ll become… super visible and well known! Let me know people who you’re becoming and what you’re repeatedly doing to get there! 💚

A post shared by Lacey Sites MS, MBA (@alituplife) on Sep 22, 2017 at 6:48am PDT

For a lot of business owners, the sales process can feel sleazy and transactional, even if they aren’t engaging in salesy tactics. That’s why it’s important we shift our mindset and reframe the way we approach sales. Not just so it feels good, but so it helps us focus on what really matters: building relationships. Sales are a relationship. They come after taking the time to build real, genuine relationships with real, genuine people. When we approach our potential clients as people instead of dollar signs, we’re much more likely to actually make the sale and feel good about it. What do you think? Do you see sales as a relationship or just a part of business?

A post shared by Lacey Sites MS, MBA (@alituplife) on Sep 26, 2017 at 6:51am PDT

I don't know about you, but lately it feels like there's some serious shouting and shaming going on in the online space. There's a lot of "let me tell you why I'm great, and why you suck cause you're not like me". And while I'm all for tooting your own horn, I'm NOT about making others feel small, nor having someone try to make me feel that way (because I'm not doing it how they're doing it). So check in with yourself, and the people/coaches/groups/etc. you're surrounded with. Are they making you feel great? Are they showing you what's possible and asking you to step into it? If not, it's time to let 'em go. On this entrepreneurial journey you only have room for the people that reflect to you the greatness inside you! Tag someone below who does that for you and thank them!

A post shared by Lacey Sites MS, MBA (@alituplife) on Sep 27, 2017 at 7:03am PDT

Relationships thrive on consistency. We like adventure and surprises, but we also like to know that the people we care about will always be there and support us when needed. It’s the same with business and sales. Make it a point to consistently check in with your prospects, current clients, and former clients. Schedule a time once a day or once a week, and ask everyone how they’re doing. Continue to build that relationship and give value, while you kick back and watch your bank account go up. Do you have a plan to follow up with leads? Or check in with clients? Do you think it helps your business or is totally a waste of time? Let me know!

A post shared by Lacey Sites MS, MBA (@alituplife) on Sep 28, 2017 at 7:29am PDT

It's so easy to stay paralyzed in the online space. To make all the plans, take all the courses, and learn all the things, and still feel stuck. It's not because there's more to learn, it's because you're trusting others and not yourself. You didn't need a "5 step plan to success for walking" and you don't need one for business. You need self-knowledge, self-trust, and some support. THAT is your foundation. The knowledge, skills, etc. are the icing on the cake. And more importantly... THAT is how innovation happens. Not by trying to follow all the rules, but by trusting yourself enough to create your own! Who's ready to stop being a rule follower?

A post shared by Lacey Sites MS, MBA (@alituplife) on Sep 29, 2017 at 6:30am PDT

Don’t be afraid to try something new because you don’t want to make a mistake. There are no mistakes or failures, only lessons learned. What’s something new you want to try? Drop your answers below! 👇

A post shared by Lacey Sites MS, MBA (@alituplife) on Oct 2, 2017 at 6:46am PDT

This is so good! I think sometimes people feel guilty for caring about money (which is super important as a biz owner!) because they think it makes them greedy. The truth is, caring about money won’t make you greedy, destroy your priorities, or turn you into a money monster. But money can help you go on more vacations, send your kids to better schools, invest back into your business, take care of your health, and so much more. Money is a tool that YOU use, not a vice that uses you. Share a story below of something FUN you’ve been able to do because of money! 👇💸

A post shared by Lacey Sites MS, MBA (@alituplife) on Oct 4, 2017 at 7:19am PDT

We are not what you think we are // We are golden, we are golden.  - Mika

One of the easiest ways to boost our reputation is to grow our communities, and that all comes down to one thing: connection. How many people are you connecting with each week? Set a connection goal and track it just like you would your income. This could be in the form of connection calls, free strategy sessions, questions answered, and clients helped. Think about the number of people you want to help instead of the dollar signs attached to them and the money will follow, and so will your street cred.

A post shared by Lacey Sites MS, MBA (@alituplife) on Oct 6, 2017 at 6:51am PDT

This is a powerful reminder. Especially as entrepreneurs it can be SO easy to focus on what's next and what we're working toward. It's so important to find that balance of being grateful for what we have while we work toward our next desire. What are you grateful for right now? Share with us below!

A post shared by Lacey Sites MS, MBA (@alituplife) on Oct 13, 2017 at 6:57am PDT

It sounds cheesy, but it's true. If you don't want to make a big impact with your business or your work, entrepreneurship is going to be an uphill battle. If you started your business because of a mission greater than yourself, you'll still have those ups and downs, but they won't effect you nearly as much. I know that I'm here to create waves, to serve, to be a game changer, to make an impact, and to do things differently. And THAT is why A Lit Up Life exists. Why does your business exist? Tell us below.

A post shared by Lacey Sites MS, MBA (@alituplife) on Oct 9, 2017 at 6:22am PDT

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Sometimes, hiphop is motivation

One nice example is I Decided., a 2017 album by rapper Big Sean.

Issa Tracklist #IDecided this Friday pic.twitter.com/j00ku7PmPt

— Sean Don (@BigSean) January 30, 2017

It has tracks like: Bounce Back.  I got the Moves.  Voices in my head tell me I can do better // Stick to the plan.  Inspire Me.  Sacrifices.  Bigger Than Me. 

Shout to @BigSean man. You're inspiring. Every single track has meaning. Crazy how much I can relate to every lyric. Thank you! #IDecided

— Marcus Stroman (@MStrooo6) February 3, 2017

Let your Light shine y'all. 

just got my autographed #idecided 🔥 @BigSean pic.twitter.com/M6ji0lB5yu

— Trae Steggell (@TSteggell) June 8, 2017

Peace.

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The business of Information Technology services in Africa - Under-40 CEOS

I recently discovered this fantastic series of video interviews.

Here are two that you should watch (or have your kids watch) in order to develop the ability to become a technology-business leader par-excellence. 

FAB interviews Farida Bedwei of Logiciel.



...and Wole Faroun of Netplus.

Totally awesome.  Worth discussing. 

Enjoy the holidays, and come back for MORE.

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Happiness notes

"Pleasure isn't the opposite of work; it's a key ingredient for successful work."

Let's go Deeper

Big Boy
The Prophet
Big Girl
How to find fulfilling work
How to worry less about money

Critical Thinking Notes

 Survivorship Bias: Why you shouldn't trust successful people's advice



Advertisement: Read my books.###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###

Keep Moving Forward.

Never be ashamed of a scar.
It simply means you were
stronger than whatever
tried to hurt you... pic.twitter.com/v4RMm4lmG9

— Suzanne Pardue (@PardueSuzanne) January 27, 2016

Challenges are what make life
interesting and overcoming
them is what makes life
worthwhile.
- Joshua J. Marine

— Suzanne Pardue (@PardueSuzanne) January 27, 2016

Keep going. Each step may
get harder, but don't stop.
The view is beautiful at
the top... pic.twitter.com/IjeLkdi7Ka

— Suzanne Pardue (@PardueSuzanne) January 27, 2016

The struggle you are in today
is developing the strength
you need for tomorrow.

— Suzanne Pardue (@PardueSuzanne) January 27, 2016

Nothing great in the world was
ever accomplished without
passion.
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

— Suzanne Pardue (@PardueSuzanne) January 27, 2016

Did you ever watch Meet The Robinsons?  Keep Moving Forward. 

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Sarcastic :) #backtowork

#backtowork today? Make it a triple treat by checking your bank balance then weighing yourself.

— Colin Baines (@ColinBaines) January 4, 2016

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Motivation: Leading CEOs, Leading tech billionaires, Leading websites, ...

From this best CEOs of 2014 list :
5. Andrew Wilson, Electronic Arts
What did Wilson do? First and foremost, Wilson spearheaded a corporate culture change centred on being “Player-First”. This translates into a strategy that is more in line with customer expectations by offering more free-to-play games with in-app purchase opportunities.

4. John Martin, Gilead Sciences

...an $84,000 drug will get all sorts of people, and governments, upset about price gouging, 

...but the net-net is ... $8.5bn in sales during its first nine months. 

In a tough business environment, Martin managed to lead Gilead via value-based pricing strategies, successful drug launches and a promising drug pipeline.

3.  Jack Ma, Chairman of Alibaba
...the largest IPO the world has ever seen, raising $25bn in the process. 
...the world’s biggest e-commerce company, generating 2014 sales double that of Amazon and eBay combined
...also on the way to becoming one of the biggest banks in China through its Alipay app.

2. Kevin Plank, Under Armour 

...four straight quarters of more than 30% growth and 18 straight quarters of more than 20% growth.

... just surpassed Adidas, now second only to Nike in the US

1. Elon Musk
Heads two innovative companies: Tesla and SpaceX
Tesla electric-cars are more and more popular, while SpaceX cut down the price of satellite launches to $100m, got a $2.6bn contract from NASA to carry US astronauts to and from orbit, after demonstrating several successful missions in 2014

Which sites were popular in 2014?

Click to see the top 100 websites

Also from the BBC, how many internet billionaires are there?  More than 20 are profiled here.

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Six Questions with musician Le'mmon

Le'mmon may be (just) under-30 but he is already an accomplished vocalist, songwriter, and producer.  With his silky smooth voice, fun-but-mature themes, and classic R&B aesthetic, this Nigeria-based musical artiste may just become one of your favourite.

Twitter: @lemmonchukwu

A brief history of Le'mmon: A true Lagosian, born to an Igbo father and Yoruba mother.  Real name Vincent Osuagwu.  A former church boy, was in the choir at eight.  Won Most Creative Student In Art award in school.  Le'mmon is notable for stubbornly producing different flavours of Rhythm and Blues music throughout the 21st century.  He will make you listen! 

Listen to Vintage Le'mmon.  I love That's All.

Q1: If you couldn't be a musician...
I would still be in the art world. Fine arts.  Or maybe military.

Q2: Best and worst things about your job?
Imagine a world without music!  The best thing is that my work touches people's lives everyday.
Also, music is a profession, so personal growth and career satisfaction are the other best things about my job.

Live at the Civic Center

The worst thing, however, is that in Nigeria there isn't enough support - opportunities, mentoring, management, and resources - for talented artistes.  Nobody wants to build from scratch with a talented nobody... It's different overseas.
Also, instead of perceiving a newcomer as a source of inspiration and fresh ideas, most established and successful artistes who ought to help these newcomers see them as a threat and in turn refuse any call for help.

Past EP projects: Rejected By All, Heart On Paper, and more. I have two dozen Le'mmon tracks and keep discovering more.

Q3: Studio Rat or Stage Bunny?  Lol.
 I consider myself more of a studio rat because it's a world that knows no limit in terms of creativity and production especially in this part of the world where we don't have the best technology for stage/analog production.

Q4: Tell us about the album...
 I have no album for now but I'm putting out a mixtape titled #10,000hours in early or mid 2015 which is a compilation of carefully selected songs showing my prowess as a songwriter, producer and a sound engineer from the start to the present.

Coming soon: #10000HOURS

Q5: Your top 5 artistes? 

John Lennon  

because of how he'd make a song so simple with his lyrics and he was a rule breaker and therefore changed music without knowing he was. 

Fela Kuti  

for stamping it hard on musicians especially from Africa and Nigeria  that music knows no language.

Frank Sinatra 

for his timeless voice and "never give up" spirit through his rejected times coming up as a back up vocalist.

2face idibia 

for being a great source of inspiration to Nigerian artiste who celebrate his longevity and ability to move along trend as they change over the years in the industry.
Robin Thicke 

for his strong will to succeed in a pop-dominated music industry that saw him work hard for 17yrs before he got his big break with the hit song "lost without you"

  

Q6: Three rules you live by? 
Mom, Music, Money and in that order too..it's self explanatory..those are the things I devote my heart to and love as I grow as a person...They keep me grounded...

Listen to Le'mmon Heart On Paper

Preview Le'mmon 10,000 Hours

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The Gainfully Employed

"The difference between settling for a job and seeking to be employed can be likened to the difference between existing and living.  

The one contented with a job is comfortable with merely drifting through life, satisfying his or her immediate wants and perhaps the future ones.  
This is called existing.  
Those who settle for this become slaves at their professions.  

However, those who are gainfully employed are living their lives.  
They express their true self and they ultimately become stakeholders in their chosen fields of work.  
They are princes in their professions, growing up to become kings and possessors of those professions.  

A person who has a focus on a job follows the trends of the time.  
Whatever is in vogue and pays more is their veritable choice.  
They do not care about doing work they really desire to do.  
They flow with the tide and instead of living are being lived.  
They strive to compete with other people in their work, and they fail to a large extent.  
This is because they are not in their own territories..."

- in Don't Settle for a Job; Be Gainfully Employed,
by 'Fikayo Oyewale

Get inside

I'm learning from this book.  Here is another quote I just found in it:

"One should guard against preaching to young people success in the customary form as the main aim in life.  The most important motive for work in school and in life is pleasure in work, pleasure in its result, and the knowledge of the value of the result to the community." 

- Albert Einstein.

I would like to help get this knowledge to a million more people.  Click to donate.

Bobby Jones Also Taught Me...

In my last post, I was able to share 3 of the lessons I took away from the movie on the life of Bobby Jones. Should I say in another way, lessons he taught me, even though we never met. This is often the case in life though, further enhanced by technology, the internet and social media. People we have never met and would never meet are influencing us and we them. More people can watch you, more can listen to you, more can read from you..., so what information are you sharing, what lessons are you teaching?



As Bobby grew older, he got involved in informal plays and then competitions. People began to notice him more, especially because he was so young compared to those he played with. On one of his trips at the early stages of his exposure to the limelight he said "I don't think I want to be famous...I just want to play". That definitely challenged me. One may say, he was just a kid, what did he know. But then, approaching life from a kid's perspective...innocent and pure (even in motivation) is usually a healthy approach. He saw what he did and was more into it for the fun he derived, he thoroughly enjoyed himself. That was why it turned out so differently for him. Later in life, he said again, 'once you play for money, you can't call it amateur'; he preferred to be referred to as an amateur. I like to use the word passion to describe this. I feel it's a differentiating factor and also a sustaining one. What you do now, is it fun? Do you enjoy it? If you never got a dime or recognition for it, would you continue all the same?... mhh, time will tell.



At one of the opens he played in, Bobby reported an infraction which set him back in the game and eventually affected his win. At that point, he displayed the height of sportsmanship. He was more concerned about doing it right than winning. We also do get to those points in life, when we have to make tough choices. Do we choose to show integrity or win (knowing, we've broken the rules)? If we become so overtaken by the sense of always competing, always wanting to be the first or the only ones achieving some feats, it's so easy to fall into this error. Sometimes never learning the rules (but then ignorance is no excuse), or knowing them and never truly valuing them. In addition to the dent to one's name or personality, what's the use of breasting the tapes and then getting disqualified for running so wrong? On the long run, truth, sincerity and fairplay always win. Some famous personalities especially athletes have suffered falls from this too....if only they had known. Learn the rules, play by it, sometimes it hurts, but then it pays.



Bobby played more, won more, and became very famous. This involved traveling more, practicing more...it started to tell on his health, and even on his marriage. Tell -tale signs were blinking red lights...and then he stopped. He retired. He stepped out of competitions. Simply putting it, he knew when to stop. This is another challenge all of us face. The question 'when will you stop?' Or 'when will you say no'. If we get carried away by fame, always putting up a show, always being there, or perhaps the idea that without us, some things will never be, then we allow the more important aspects of our lives to deteriorate, and we eventually lose out. Watch your relationships, watch your health; those are usually the first to give warning signs. Do not take them for granted, besides, it's better to leave the scenes when you're still being celebrated. You really don't have to take up just any and every opportunity. Let's be careful and be bold enough to identify when to say no when we have to. Do you know when you've had enough, done enough and when to step out completely? ‘Cos truly, life never ends when this happens.

What Bobby Jones Taught Me

Unashamedly, I like movies. Infact I really enjoy watching movies, first for the entertainment derived and also the new things learnt. Apart from the effects that are achieved post production of some, I'm particularly thrilled by the creativity put into them - the plots, the quotes, the make up, props and costume. 

Like music and books I do stay away from certain genres. I know very well to guard my heart by watching the things I expose my eyes and ears to. Sometimes though, I struggle to watch some movies, consciously pushing out the 'behind the scenes' like locations of lighting, cameras, director, producers et al. This wasn't quite the case with Bobby Jones - Strike of a Genius. 

Ok, I don't play golf yet (I will definitely someday, outside of wii) and don't even know all the rules but I do like the little I know already. Probably this and the movie - The Legend of Bagger Vance, which I watched a while back motivated me not to change the dial. I'm glad I did not. Inspite of the not so encouraging reviews some have written about it, I still feel very positive about it. I learnt a number of things, but I'll pick my top two to share in this post. 

The early days of Bobby show him tagging along with his dad on golf courses (despite grandpa's disapproval). Watching and learning without paying a fee. What better way is there to stir up an interest in a person than starting casually, without cohesion, without duress, especially a young mind? Also, do the young ones around you know what you're passionate about? Are they opportune to watch, to study even leisurely? If yes, you might be raising a protégée without even knowing it. If no, you may want to create opportunities even deliberately to stir. 

Another learning point was while he (still so young) was at a tournament where the masters were competing. He knew them. He brought out a book (probably from his dad) and was pointing them out, and the peculiarities he knew about them to his friend. It got me thinking. Is it possible to be passionate about a cause or a field of endeavour and not know those topping the charts. Is it possible not to have heard of the works of the experts who have blazed the trail, the professionals who have broken records, the gurus who have left footprints in the sands of time in that area?In as much as one can't model one's life totally after any, their strengths (even weaknesses) and teachings are great learning points. Is it possible to say then, if you don't know or can't say anythng about anyone in this regard, perhaps, you're completely in a new terrain, or perhaps you haven't discovered what you're really interested in? And you may want to make an effort to discover and learn from them, or keep records of your learnings for others. 

To be contd... 

How to make work better

Wall Street Journal Daily Poll: Suggestions for improving corporate culture

Is your corporate workplace a healthy one?  What would make it more so?  (Comments)

Hajiya Murjanatu employs 120 selling kunu and zobo

'I engage 120 northern boys to keep them off the street'

The business she started over eight years ago with little or no capital by making kunu (a special northern drink made from corn) and zobo drink, has turned her to an employer of labour, thus contributing to the growth of the Nigerian economy in her own way.

“I started this business out of frustration when my husband stopped me from working. My husband stopped me from work in order to take care of the children while he goes out to work. I thought of how I would be sitting down without doing nothing and that was how I started making kunu, zobo and frying doughnuts, puff-puff and giving them to the boys to sell for me and gradually I started buying beverages in little quantities and later I graduated into buying from the company and today I am a major distributor for some of these companies" (...Read more at dailytrust.com)

What do you think about this entrepreneurship story? And how about the restriction on her movement?