Be Prepared!!!

Going through the Forbes List of the Fifty (50) Richest People in the World, I was astounded by the sheer percentage of those who inherited the wealth that earned them a slot on it. I guess financial success isn't tied solely to hard work, training, education, or any of the numerous other virtuous tenets we are usually encouraged to imbibe or abide by afterall. Well, we aren't all evenly priviledged. Palpably, over 90% of the world's estimated 7billion humans have to earn their own 'bread'.

Most people have to be productive in order to earn a living. More than 90% of earth's population aren't interested in being on the Forbes list. Surviving day to day proves to be a formidable distraction from this vain goal. It is arguable that there aren't enough jobs to go round. The opposite case is also arguable. Whichever side of the divide you belong to, you will be able to draw up a convincing argument. Most people won't accept certain jobs because they feel they are overqualified. Some label certain jobs as demeaning. Then for others, certain jobs are beyond reach because they don't have the requisite qualifications.

We must learn to look beyond being employed as a means of earning money. If everyone thinks this way, it's obvious that we will conclude that money-making opportunities abound. What are you good at? What do you enjoy most? With the vast, and ever increasing 'needs' of the human race, money can be earned from almost anything imaginable. Find a 'need' then meet/fill it. Be the best at whatever you do. The nuggets will come naturally. There is hardly anything as gratifying as making money out of something you love doing.

Whether one desires to be gainfully employed or earn money one way or the other, depends a lot on 'preparation'. Preparation could mean getting formal or informal education, practicing, getting a mentor/role-model, etc. Whatever the case may be, there must be ways of improving at a task that was followed by people who previously took that route. If it's a new idea, it could still be improved upon, one way or the other.

"A good (chess)player is always lucky."
---Jose Raul Capablanca

A popular saying goes thus, "Luck is when opportunity meets preparation." How true this is! The difference between competence and incompetence is preparation. No matter the field of endeavour one would like to use as a case study, we will always arrive at the conclusion that the more prepared we are, the more likely we are to succeed or excel.


"Any opening that you know well is good no matter what its reputation".
---Dan Heisman (Chess Coach)

"I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times".
---Bruce Lee

Improve at whatever you do. Strive to be the best at it. You can never be sure when the opportunity to show your worth, or usefulness will arise.

Be prepared!