Poverty reduces brainpower, study

A few years ago, I went to speak at a chapter of the Full Gospel Fellowship International. The subject of my talk was on Wealth Creation and Financial Intelligence. I essentially established the fact that God wanted us to live a wealthy life here on earth and then move on to eternity to continue a life of wealth. I then shared a few opportunities and strategies to beat poverty and move on to abundant living.
Well, it was an exciting time. However, one of the members asked how I could preoccupy myself with such 'mundane' subjects instead on concentrating on my practice as a Psychiatrist. I remember I told him how what I am doing is in complete fulfillment of my calling as a Psychiatrist because a lot of people, though not having frank psychotic illnesses, are not living in good mental health because of poverty and lack. Their quality of life is compromised and they make decisions that further compromise their life and health further.
Well below is a link to a recent study that validates what I believe and why I am doing what I am doing.  
Poverty reduces brainpower, study

To Your Success,
Dr Okonoda.

Do You Have A Closed Mind?

I was talking to a younger colleague who believes he has done all he could to improve his financial state without any results. The problem is that he has involved himself in things that are largely illegal and unsustainable. And when he attempted to do a legal and sustainable one, he has done it in his own way based on his previous experiences.
So, I became empathetic and attempted to make make him see alternative ways of doing things rather than holding on to a set way and limiting beliefs. However, he just was not ready to even consider the possibility of being wrong before, let alone the possibility of alternatives ways! He has a closed mind!
Do you have a closed mind? Do you see things based on your previous experiences and beliefs which in themselves may not be based on the truth? A closed mind will not allow you to get the best out of life be it in marriage, career, business, ministry and other areas of your life.
For you to get the best out of life, you must be open, inquisitive and ready to learn! You should be able to consider alternatives even if you have some biases against them in the past. Your bias may be unfounded and based on half truths!
To your success,

Dr KM Okonoda
http://www.twitter.com/mayorking 
http://www.netwealthconsult.com
http://www.twitter.com/NetwealthC

Speaking With Grace.

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how ye ought to answer every man. Colossian 4:6

Have you sometimes had conversation with somebody in which you finished the conversation knowing that the person was saying the truth, but you were left emotionally drained, abused and deflated? You were probably thinking that you could have said the same things; pass the message across without attacking the ego (self-esteem) of the hearer!

Sometimes people are quick to quote scriptures to justify themselves. After all scripture says that ‘open rebuke is better than secret love’.  So, some have taken the moral high horse, become rude and crude in their approach, all in the name of speaking the truth and being blunt! And when people say that they are blunt, they are sometimes coming from the place of knowledge or success. So they sometimes look down on the less knowledgeable and less successful and talk down on people anyhow.

But our verse today says there is a way that you can pass that message across that will be with grace, seasoned with salt, in answering and talking with everybody. It is instructive to note that everybody has an ego (self-esteem), a sense of self-worth that helps them to function as an independent, confident entity. Whenever you talk to people and seek to attack and damage that self-esteem, you are doing more harm than good.

The Power of NO.

"Where ever you go, where ever you are
Do not say yes, when you mean to say NO".
Such a simple but powerful poem, talking about such a simple but powerful word.
If you don't know how to say NO to people, albeit politely but firmly,
you are most likely going to end up broke, feeling used, and unfulfilled.
You may never get to achieve the things you set out to do. You may end up robbing yourself and loved ones of resources and time; while fulfilling the desires of people who may not see the need to put in the sacrifices and hard work you put in to make life worthwhile for you and your loved ones!

Focus on the Cause.

 A cause could be defined as any of the following; 

1.what makes something happen: a person or thing that makes something happen or exist or is    responsible for something that happens.

2.reason: a reason or grounds for doing or feeling something.
3.principle: a principle or idea that people believe in or work for. 

The importance of focusing on the cause is well illustrated in the story of David and Goliath in 1 Sam 17:28-30. 
 28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.

29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.
 
When he was about to fight Goliath, David was out-rightly condemned by Eliab for being proud and naughty. But David made sure he was focused on the task because of the CAUSE he had in mind!

4. Finally, a cause could be a goal, aim or principle, especially one which transcends purely selfish ends. ‘He is fighting for a just cause’.

People who don’t know your cause may criticize and out rightly condemn you.
It doesn’t matter if they are your superiors or seniors, as long as you are sure of your cause, you must ignore them.


To your success,
Dr Okonoda

        

Commitment to Excellence.

17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.18 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. 20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.
Daniel 1:17-21

When God wants to exalt a man, he will bestow upon him the gift of knowledge, learning, wisdom and understanding. Suffice it to say that this kind of learning is not only in academics, but may relate to human relations, business, diplomacy, leadership and all areas of human endevour.
However, whatever gifts God has bestowed upon us, we have an obligation to take action to improve ourselves in line with these areas. That is why the scripture says;

'Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth'.
2 Tim 2: 15

Do you want to be excellent in what you do? Do you want to be set apart for distinction and not lumped together with the rest (just like the Hebrew children we read about?) Then you have to keep on studying, keep on learning, keep on acquiring knowledge. But there is a caveat! Learn from the right source(s). Measure everything you learn with the scale of the word of God, less you be deceived by the vain philosophy of men!

To your success,
Dr Okonoda.
@mayorking
CEO  www.netwealthconsult.com
@NetwealthC

Write it Down.

And the LORD answered me, and said:

"Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it".

Habakkuk 2:2
- King James Bible "Authorized Version", Pure Cambridge Edition

When a vision is not written plainly, it is subject to distortions and misinterpretations!
Do you have a vision? Write it down, make it plain so that it will be executed exactly the way you want it.
This is the secret of great companies and brands. They have their visions and missions well written. They also have well written operational profiles so that anybody coming into the company can read it and imbibe it.
Whatever vision you have and is not written is floating and may even get lost in the interpretation and execution.

To your success.
Dr Okonoda
@mayorking
CEO, www.netwealthconsult.com
@NetwealthC

Nails in the Wall

Make sure you read all the way down to the last sentence.
(Most importantly the last sentence)
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper.
His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper,he must hammer a nail into the back of the wall.
The first day the boy had driven37 nails into the wall.
Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down.
He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the wall.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for eachday that he was able to hold his
temper.
The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the wall.
He said, 'You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the wall.
The wall will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.
Once you hurt ur loved ones It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound will still be there.
A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.
Author Unknown


To your success.
Dr Okonoda.
@mayorking
CEO www.netwealthconsult.com
@NetwealthC

Living in Health; Little Changes that Lead to Big Differences.

The World Health Organization defined health as ‘ a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not just the absence of disease or infirmity’. It is therefore clear from the above definition that any focus on the physical health of an individual, community or nation at large without taking cognizance of the mental and social health is not complete. Moreover, it is not enough to be free from obvious and overt disease or infirmity, one needs to be at peace with himself and others to be said to be healthy, hence the social part.

For the spiritually inclined, the following verses will put into perspective the fact that God does not only wish us to have spiritual relationship, he also wishes us to live in health both physically and mentally:

 "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit; Who crowns you with loving kindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like an eagle." Psalms 103:1-5

"A man's spirit can sustain his broken body, but when spirit dies, what hope is left?"   Proverbs 18:14

"A cheerful heart is good medicine." Proverbs 17:22

Overcoming Fear of Failure 2

I just finished the last campaign speech for the post of president of my association. The hall was packed full of electorates whose votes were to decide who the next president would be. The election is an annual event, but many had confessed that they had not seen such intense competition between the contestants in a long time. Needless to say that no other election could be compared to that particular year even now. But as I step outside to catch my breath and relax, one of my junior colleagues came to me, shook my hand and said 'Chief, you are more of a motivational speaker. Your speech was so motivating and inspiring'.
Go back a couple of years earlier.

Overcoming Fear of Failure

We most times stay in our comfort zone, afraid to venture out because of fear of failure. We colour our fear with all sort of acceptable shades and convince ourselves that we are focused on what we are doing.
However, like Brian Tracy rightly said, successful people are optimists who try many more things, fail at many of them, but also have increased chance at succeeding. Robert Kiyosaki also puts it his own language 'rich people do more and more things with less and less efforts'.
So when next you turn down that opportunity or put off that challenge, do a thorough soul searching; are you really being focused on what you are doing or you are afraid of failure in that you are yet to do?

To your success.

Dr  Kingsley Okonoda
@mayorking
CEO @NetwealthC
www.netwealthconsult.com
 photo credit: Christine ™ via photopin cc

How to Achieve Supernatural Speed: Direction, Determination and Discipline

•       The following is the text of my ministration at Power of Zion Assembly, Jos on the above topic.

•       Text: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (King James Version)

•       ²⁴ Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

•       ²⁵ And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

•       ²⁶ I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

•       ²⁷ But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Direction

•       Once a man wanted to go to the south, but his carriage was heading north. A passer-by asked him:” If you are going to the south, why is your chariot heading north?" The man answered,” My horse is good at running, my driver is highly skilled at driving a carriage, and I have enough money." The man didn’t consider that the direction might be wrong; the better his conditions were, the further he was away from his destination.

•       There are many meanings of the word direction depending on the context. But that which concerns us can be defined as ‘the line or course on which something is moving or is aimed to move or along which something is pointing or facing’. 

The Power of Gratitude

As we enter into the New Year, many must have flocked into churches fir the traditional cross-over night services. The main focus of these services is to thank God for being alive to witness another year. There are a number of other people who didn’t consider themselves religious, but still gather in one place or the other to celebrate the New Year. Many thank God for being alive in their own way. It is a season to be grateful. However, is thankfulness and gratitude a seasonal thing? Should we be grateful only when we have big things to celebrate? What about all the other times and seasons of our lives. What about those times when life seems to be a routine, when we are barely moving from one day to the other without anything significant to make us happy and excited? What about those times when negative things have actually happened to us and we have course to be bitter, frustrated and angry? Do we still talk about gratitude? What about people who think and believe that they don’t have anything to be grateful for?