How to set goals like the motherland mogul that you are
To me, setting a goal is like aiming that bowling ball at the white pins; the amount of effort and calculation put in determines how many bottles will be cleared which is why your goals do not matter more than the mode of setting them. I’ll give you a better illustration. Setting a goal is similar to aiming a missile at a spaceship from this planet, you don’t know for sure if your aim is going to bring results but you just close your eyes and do it anyway! IT MUST SCARE YOU The number one lesson which is fundamental to setting goals is going way beyond your limit. Now I’m not asking you to be unrealistic, set a goal within your human capacity just let it scare you a bit. How does your own goal scare you? You know you’re scared of your set goals when: I. It’s within the limits a motherland mogul like you does not have II. It’s something you can do even though you think that you cannot attempt it III. You don’t believe it’s something you can do or someplace you can get to BE REALISTIC When it comes to the art of setting goals, my dear you must be very realistic. For instance, you shouldn’t submit your CV for a job which requirements are higher than your professional level knowing fully well that you cannot get those papers before the interview. You must meet the requirements of your requirements! You have to strive to reach the eligibility level and never relax on your oars. UPGRADE YOUR OS I know this is 2018 so everyone probably knows OS means Operating System right? Right. Ever wondered why Apple keeps upgrading the performance level of their gadgets? To keep up with the consumer market! Same way you cannot stop being eligible! You have to continue being the best person for that position, the one they are losing out on if they don’t put their monies on! How do you do this? I. Get professional The ‘masters syndrome’ in today’s Nigeria has ravaged most appointment seekers. What they don’t know is that professional certification singles you out of the master’s multitude. You need to attend a course today, start from somewhere, be it WIMBIZ or a Nigerian Women Techsters training just do something! II. Build your experience Fill your resume with internship/externship experiences, work for free if you have to! III. Get out of your comfort zone Your comfort zone is that place in your existence where you feel totally at peace, rested and fulfilled. I will tell you a secret today (promise not to tell nobody?), your goal will never be in your comfort zone! Beyonce had to go solo, leaving behind friendships and carbs to become who she is, Malala went over the fence of children and women not being heard in a rather conservative state and Joe Okei-Odumakin had so many visits to detention and prisons to be an activist. None of these people felt entirely happy leaving the comfort of friendship, being obedient to repugnant laws and the comfort of their bed and peace to be moguls but they did anyway! That’s my point exactly! Don’t reject offers in other regions! Stop telling yourself you’re too young! Stop telling yourself you’re a woman! Just stop! Learn something outside of your known area of specialization, think of a business idea someone in your society is not taking up, be creative. IV. Don’t try to be regular Try setting goals negating what you were expected to do. For instance, in the legal profession, most ladies decide to work in the civil service to minimize stress in order to combine law with making a home but some outstanding ones still take up jobs as company secretaries, private practice, maritime legal experts etc. Sometimes our purpose lies in our ability to think outside of the box, in order to get the honey out of the rock, you might have to roll up your denim and begin to cut it out instead of just taking your mind off it totally. These tips are great life builders and I hope they help someone. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
How to be a BAWSE: Lily Singh’s best tips on how to conquer life
Lily Singh is best known for her Youtube channel Superwoman which has over 1 billion views and has featured guests ranging from Michelle Obama to Zendaya. Her book, How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life describes a BAWSE as a`a person who exudes confidence, reaches goals, gets hurt efficiently, and smiles genuinely because they’ve fought through it all and made it out the other side`. She emphasizes that life is not about surviving but rather taking the decisive steps to have more effective control over your life, choices, and actions. Here are some of our favorite tips from the book to get you started on your ride to be a BAWSE. Conquer your thoughts We are the products of our thoughts, what we think affects how we treat others and allow others to treat us. Conquering your thoughts put you in charge of yourself. It means being accountable for the things you say and do. So when you find yourself in a situation that challenges you or makes you feel a certain way ask yourself WHY you feel a certain way, WHAT made you perform a certain action, and HOW you could do things differently. The information you discover is powerful because it helps you to discover patterns and in turn use your mind productively and efficiently. Words lie, actions lie too, but consistency speaks the truth Now if that line doesn’t speak truth to you, I don`t know what will! Consistency is key: people determine who you are depending on what you do. If you are always late to meet that deadline or never do that task you said you would do, people will come to know you as the unreliable person. That is not the reputation you want to have. Consistency and habits breed good behavior, you begin to create patterns that show people that they can trust, rely and count on you. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to show people who you are and then keep showing them. Seek out situations that make you uncomfortable Comfort Zones: we love them, they make us feel happy and safe. When we are in a situation that we do not feel is tailored from us we tend to panic and act out. We basically do not cope because it is not the reality we know or are used to. Use an uncomfortable moment as a learning tool, what does it say about you, what are you doing to address this uncomfortable situation. What can you learn? Being uncomfortable does not mean sit back and refuse to do anything, just because its no longer the norm for you. You have to be proactive, take matters into your hands, see what difference can come out of this experience. If you want to stay in the league, keep up to date on the game Learning is a lifetime process. There is always room to further your education and skills, no matter how high up the career ladder you get. Do not become too self-assured that you do not think you have any more lessons to learn. Learning more about advances in your field can help you shape your goals, enhance your career and keep you above the rest. Do not presume you know it all or that you have become an expert whose opinion is the only one that matters. Take time to refine your skills and competencies. This does not just refer only to taking short or online courses to nurture and grow your skills, it also refers to the lessons you can learn from others around you. A brilliant quote from the book is “Being the dumbest person on your team doesn’t make you a stupid person; it means you are smart enough to select people to work with you can learn from”. This means surround yourself with people you can learn from. Asking questions when you don`t know is not a shortfall, it is dedicating yourself to learning something new. Don’t be afraid to ask for things. The worst that will happen is that you’ll be told no! Too often than not, we tell ourselves `no` before we even do what we wanted to achieve. We become the roadblocks to our own goals. But, what if you denied yourself a yes, an upgrade or a promotion? ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE. It is a famous line for a reason. If you do not ask, you will never get what you want. You do not even open yourself up to the option of getting it. Do not be afraid to put yourself out there, to request for more when you know you deserve it. Sure, we are all scared of rejection but that allows us to adjust and try again with something better that works. A Motherland Mogul knows her worth and when to ask for it to be respected. Do not talk yourself out of asking for that raise, state your case and demand your prize. You may just surprise yourself by getting exactly what you asked for. Got an article you’d like to share with us? Share your story with us here.
How smart women multi-task
The idea that women-led or owned businesses are usually on a small-scale basis, run out of homes and often have less than five employees, is old. We have outgrown the ‘cookies and crafts’ stereotype and have our sights set on bigger goals now. In case you haven’t noticed, we now manage boardrooms while keeping things in check at the home-front. As women, we are wired to multi-task, whether as mothers, professionals, athletes, students, entrepreneurs or any of the other limitless titles we take on. It’s no wonder we are superwomen – efficient multi-tasking demands a lot of discipline! If you’re still trying to uncover your super-powers, this article will help. Practice how to multi-task Practice is essential to mastering any skill. Take a look at all you need to do in a day and pick a few routine tasks to start with. Begin with carrying out few routine tasks, then move on to slightly more difficult ones. Introducing a routine involves doing specific tasks at the same time, the same way, every day. Once something becomes routine, it gets easier, even if you’re not totally focused on it. Make a to-do list At the close of every work day, make a list of tasks for the next day. This will help you both prioritize and plan for the next day, while ensuring that you address the most important tasks first. Pay attention to the task at hand Steer clear of distractions; be wary of emails, chats, and other interference. If working from home, try isolating yourself from family-related intrusions, if at all possible. Minimizing distractions allow for undivided concentration. Schedule tasks and set time frames. Schedule everything breaks, eating, workouts -even showers. Have a deadline or a short turn-around time for tasks, and you’ll surpass your expectations. Through trials and errors, you learn how best and fast to complete tasks. Also, avoid the tendency to take on more than you can handle. Prioritize. You need to have a clear understanding of what tasks are more important. That way, you are able to give more attention to high-yielding tasks. The low payoff items should be at the bottom. Following up on clients, returning calls and generating new leads should be at the top, but emailing a friend to tell them about your date doesn’t fall into that category. Take Note: If you have 10 or 20 priorities, you don’t really have priorities. Know when you work best I work in consultancy, and more often than not, my work can be done at any time of day. However, I work better in the mornings, so I try scheduling work for that time when I am the most productive. Each person has a best time for work. Discover yours by monitoring your productivity on a daily basis, then learn to dedicate your best time of the day for your most important work. Group similar tasks Activities that are similar, are easier to work on at the same time. Consider setting specific times for checking emails during the day instead of checking every other time. When organizing priorities, try grouping similar tasks, as focusing on similar activities, maximizes effectiveness. Delegate Everyone talks about how awesome it is to multi-task, but let’s be honest, you can accomplish much more with extra hands! Some people are of the belief that multitasking is all theory, and so, impossible. But, tasks still have to get done in the shortest time possible. Assess the tasks you are personally able to, and the ones good enough for delegation. For example, writing social media updates and having someone else edit them for posting. Use waiting time efficiently Always take along some work, especially if you have to be in places like the airport, bank, or doctor’s office, where waiting is inevitable. Take time out Allow yourself some needed rest. Take a break when you can, take walks around the building or just meditate. If you feel overwhelmed, to improve concentration, replenish your body with water or a snack. Learn to say NO Know your limitations, so you aren’t biting off more than you can chew.