FINANCIAL LITERACY & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

 Last year there was a youth who pointed out that he desired to improve his financial circumstances but it was not an easy journey. He is not alone a number of working professionals are in the same dilemma of struggling to change their financial landscape. This is especially evident with the increasing cost of living. I remember during the Covid 19 lockdown a number of families struggled to make ends meet to the extent that I know of 2 young men who burnt themselves because they could not cope up with life. A number of success gurus have noted that everything is created twice. First in the mind and then in physical reality. It means that if we are to change our financial landscape it starts with changing our internal thoughts since thoughts affect our actions. Wrong thoughts about money will sabotage our financial journey. It means that in our journey to financial independence and freedom it is critical to do the following: 1.Set clear financial goals 2.Live within our means 3.Save...

 Our attitude determines our altitude. There are so many wrongs that happen in our lives. The most successful people are also not immune. In fact when we get a chance to interact with the people we admire most in life, they have had their share of setbacks. The difference is that they never give up and they also make a deliberate choice to learn from these setbacks. We can not deny that 2025 was a tough year to many. A case in point was that there were several accidents .In the area of finance many working professionals struggled. It is never a nice feeling to struggle financially yet this is a common scenario in today's unpredictable economy. During such times it is easy to give up. The encouragement that I give to any working professional is that things can get better if we shift our perspective. The people who have changed their financial trajectory have accepted facts as they are but they go ahead and make better financial decisions. For example if a working professional is hig...

 It is the desire of every working professional to multiply their income. Is it easy? The answer is no. In fact I have met a number of professionals who have given up on  their pursuit. If there are other working professionals who are earning thrice what we earn it means there is hope.  I once interacted with a working professional who was doing well financially and she told me that she focuses on developing her mind regardless of the season. It is no wonder that she has received several promotions over the years and her income has increased tremendously. No employer will pay an employee for doing nothing. It is within our power to go the extra mile in adding value to the company so that our income is increased. The first step is to enlarge our thinking. The mind feeds us with what we focus on. It is a privilege to work because most times the companies where we work provide us with access to information that has the power to change our financial decision making. Today the...

 It is the desire of every working professional to multiply their income. In fact such discussions should start when one has not started their formal employment. The sad stories of our national sportsmen dying in poverty can be a wake up call that if anyone takes the issue of financial literacy lightly, he or she is likely to face an uphill task in the future. We have heard stories of international sportsmen and women who became bankrupt simply because they lived unplanned and expensive lifestyles. Money is very mysterious and can elude us without proper planning. With adequate planning a working professional can start small and have a decent living. Unfortunately many times by the time we receive salary there are so many distractions that compete for the limited resources. This is more pertinent in today's world where the cost of living is becoming higher. Rome was not built in one day and I strongly believe that the same principle can be applied to our finances. There is a tenden...

 There is no working professional who wakes up every morning without a desire to increase their income. It is only the means that become tough. The issue is that there is a section of working professionals who earn thrice what their counterparts earn.  After observing a number of working professionals who are successful in their careers and are earning more than others I have discovered that they are intentional in networking. I believe that it is human nature that people are social beings . It is rare for a person to live in isolation for long. The leaders who have shaped the world and their respective industries normally focus on extending their boundaries. This is how they make valuable connections that lead them to opportunities.  I have met a number of young working professionals who prefer to relate to only their teams without intentionally seeking to extend their influence beyond their role. To network effectively we need to know that every person has value. No bod...

 It is the desire of any working professional to improve their income. This is a daily discussion among working professionals whether in office or at lunch time. One of the secrets that working professionals who earn thrice their counterparts is that they leverage the numbers. They belong to groups where they pool resources and invest together. As a financial literacy trainer for the last over 7 years I have been in the space of advocating for working professionals to form groups so that they can invest nd learn together. It seems that it is part of human nature that people who unite are much likely to develop faster than those who work in isolation. I know of a group of university students who formed an investment club in their final year and as we speak it is worth billions in investments. The members have greatly benefitted in belonging to an investment club. I know of another investment club that was formed by youths in a certain church and today it is a big cooperative that is...

 It is the desire of every working professional to improve the quality of their lives in 2026. How possible is this? How come there is a section of working professionals who earn thrice their colleagues? What can we learn from this elite group? In researching about the working professionals who are ahead of others in terms of position and income I have realized that they have a clear purpose. They simply know what they want. Many working professionals have lost out of great opportunities because they have no clear direction. Purpose enables a working professional to think beyond earning a salary. They focus on self improvement well knowing they are the most important resource. When a company is collapsing they do not fire their leading employees. They focus on those who are non productive . This means that every working professional has the power to elevate their status in terms of productivity. Those who have been promoted over the years are based on the value that they contribute...

I have been a working professional for over 5 years. I have picked up a number of lessons and today I want to focus on why a working professional might not achieve their financial dreams if they are not intentional in choosing the right career. Choice of career goes wrong right from our families where we are told to study and seek for a job without the right career guidance. I once saw finalists of a university degree who did not know what they will do after university. These cases are very common. Many students opt for courses because "their friends" have told them. Others pursue advanced studies because it is the trend without considering that in the market place employers focus on experience. Is it bad to pursue advanced studies? The answer is no. However it should be done with proper guidance. A number of working professionals are in roles they "hate" simply because they focus on the end result of being paid a salary. Earning a salary is very noble but it is als...

 It is the desire of every working professional to achieve financial freedom. The key question is, is it an easy venture? Probably not. I remember there was a young employee who was very brilliant but unfortunately joined bad groups. He spent most of his time in the bar instead of prioritizing personal growth and in the end his performance dropped and he was axed from the job. Life became so hard for him.  Mentorship has proven to be one of the most effective strategy for any working professional. A number of prominent company executives have attributed their career rise to being hand held by senior and experienced professionals. If a working professional seeks to multiply their income it is important that they seek advice from professionals with a proven track record. It is difficult to improve your game without advice from a proven professional. Many young working professionals have misused their hard earned money in wrong ventures simply because they want quick profits. In ...

 In 2026 we need a different type of thinking. If we faced setbacks in 2025 this is a brand new opportunity to make things better. In researching about leaders who began from lack and are now rich I have discovered that they all intentionally invest in their minds. The tendency to focus on our failures is one of the biggest shortcomings that hinders the creativity of any working professional. John Maxwell noted that success is by choice. It means that the choices we make in 2026 will determine our destiny.  If we are to maximize our potential in the area of finance in 2026 we need to begin with the end in mind. Stephen Covey in his great book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People noted that we should begin with the end in mind. We have the power to change our lives if we deliberately focus on what we want to achieve in the long term. For example we must plan on how to utilize our income in productive activities in 2026. The cost of living is getting higher every day yet we ...

 With adequate finances we can be sure to achieve our set goals. One of the biggest regrets any working professional can face is to work hard and not achieve their set financial goals. The question is, why is it that there are employees that earn twice as much as other employees and what can be done to reverse this situation? The focus of this article is no the belief system of the working professional. As I write this article there is a particular employee who has already set a goal of improving their financial circumstances. However in the same scenario there is an employee who is focused on all reasons why their financial situation can not improve. It is called self sabotage. In this new year we need to develop a generation of working professionals who do not focus on limitations but rather focus on the enormous potential to widen their income base. In Think and Grow Rich , Napoleon Hill points out that everything is created twice. First in the mind and then in reality. This mea...

 It is the desire of every working professional to diversify and multiply their income. I have been fortunate to listen to a number of discussions on how to widen the income base of working professionals. It is important to describe a budget and how it can aid any working professional in making better financial decisions. A budget is a summary of estimated income and how it will be spent over a period for example a week or month. A budget helps in easing decision making and encourages cautious spending. A budget also encourages discipline in savings and if followed helps a working professional to meet their financial goals. In a nation where over 70% of the population is below 30 years, it is a common trait to see many working professionals living beyond their means. Many do not track their spending and wonder why they live in financial shortage. I witnessed a young working professional who noted that he did not need to plan for his money because death was inevitable. It is importa...