You're Unstoppable: Happy New February!

It seemed like it would last the entire year, but folks - January is over! Can I hear an hallelujah?

And no - we can't call it wraps and move to 2017. There are eleven months to go, and there is a lot to come. There will be promotions, birthdays, and weddings; there will be some 'not-so-good' stuff too, but let's not think about those for a moment.

We cannot completely control the outcomes we will experience in February, but we can try to influence the odds in our favour. Set new goals or review existing ones, think about what worked and what didn't in January, and adjust your plan accordingly.

You can be all you want to be, but you've got to put in the effort!

PS: I recently fell in love with Unstoppable by Sia, and I think its chorus is a great theme for February.

I'm unstoppable,
I'm a Porsche without brakes;
I'm invincible,
I win every single game;
I'm so powerful,
I don't need batteries to play;
I'm so confident,
I'm unstoppable today - Sia.

Farewell Nigeria: A Love Letter From A Nigyptian Girl

Nigyptian Shereen Wardakan

I was planning to write my farewell note a few days later, but walking out of the airport today - I felt my heart crunch. It’s my last time heading from the airport back to my home in Nigeria. It’s getting too real… I’m leaving in a week and it's just so sad. I'll miss living in Nigeria...a lot...but I figure I’ll get over this as I seek new opportunities and I'm motivated by challenges and experiences.

Before I delve into a wonderful future on the back of an amazing past, here's my farewell note to Naija...

They say the whole world conspires for you to get what you really want… well the world did in my case and I came to Naija in 2014 after my first visit in 2009. It was love at first sight.

Dear Naija, those past two years have been the fullest in my life… You actually brought me back to life! I recall all the warnings and sarcasm I got when I asked to move here but for some reason it felt so right and time has proved to me that the heart never lies. 

I Buy Nigerian: Simple Thoughts on Local Manufacturing and the Nigerian Economy

This post was first shared on Medium and The Naked Convos

I love NASCO cornflakes. Eating NASCO for breakfast reminds me of my childhood. I buy NASCO whenever it is available. I don’t mind stares from people who seem to pity my inability to afford pricier brands*.

I was happy to see yesterday that NASCO has overhauled their packaging. I always thought the old packaging sucked, and that it looked out of place beside attractively designed brands like Kelloggs.

The cashier asked if I chose NASCO because it is made in Nigeria. I was surprised. I buy NASCO because I love it, because it brings fond memories. I couldn’t care less where it is made.

His question got me thinking about the concept of ‘buying Nigerian’, so I decided to address some themes that have recently gained traction.

How To Set Goals (Or: How I Set Goals)

There is ample evidence that people who set goals tend to get better results than people who don’t. Goals drive focus on achieving important results rather than running in multiple directions, and cause us to apply more effort to attain stretch targets; they also help us to continue trying after others concede defeat. When supported by excellent execution and persistence, goal-setting has often proved the difference between average and excellent results.

Why then doesn’t everyone set goals?

I found that some people don’t believe they can improve the quality of their results by setting goals beforehand. In many cases, they already deliver good results and don’t see how things can be any better. I also found other people who try to set goals, but are overwhelmed by the perceived complexity of the task and lack a framework they can reapply.

I have written this for the second category of people, to share my framework.

Here’s how I set goals:

Happy New Year 2016

Happy New Year, people.

I wish you lots of joy, happiness and progress in the new year. I also wish you the courage, strength, and discipline to do things differently this year - without which your results may be no different than they have always been.

Have a good one!