Start before you start

Figuring out what to do in life- Career, business, Marry who, Join which political party or perhaps invest in which stock-  is one of the most important things you have do to ensure success in life, yet it’s often one of the most poorly thought out decisions.

This is the basis of our reflections in this article. Life is such that we always have an urge to start something. All the time is a time to start something in life. Sometime back in the same blog, I wrote that every season in life has something special that we must do and accomplish- TheAssignments in life. But then when we want to these assignments we must start but starting. Doing the outdoor work. This is the preliminary work.

Every day is an opportunity to do something new or become what you have been trying to be. And so every new day is and can be an opportunity to reinvent your image. Before you do these assignments consider these few tips.

If you want to succeed in life and defeat bigger and better-funded competitors then your focus and effort should be do first to the first things first.

When you want to start something in life say a business venture, don’t rush it. Don’t just pick what you know, or what you used to do, or even what you dreamed of doing when you were a teenager. It’s way more fun to run a successful vegetable stand than to be a bankrupt comedy club owner. Don’t fall into the trap of doing the easy, cool or fun things in life. Think about it for a good amount of time and consider the most basic things in life.

In a free society, the government doesn’t control who gets the right to start a what. Anyone can do it—in most cases without a license, a permit, or a training course.

First, when you start out in anything in life you must PLEDGE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR FIELD THAN ANYONE ELSE. You must read, learn and understand about that field. This will be your greatest value you can add to your own life as well as to the life of others. Research about it and get everything there is to learn. Be an expert in that field. Learn all the skills there are to use in your plan, research about all the legal, moral, technological, political and spiritual implications of what you are starting.

Remember always that MONEY IS A TOOL, NOT AN END IN ITSELF. When starting out in life, you don’t have to think more on money you have and will get. My advice would be that if you don’t run out of money, you get to keep playing. If you end up with more money than you started with, you win. Be consistent and honest with yourself and plan the future with the most reasonable target you want. Of course without money, there is no business. Run out of money and your creditors will shut you down, your employees will leave, and your spouse will worry.

HAVE PLANS THAT ARE PROTECTIBLE. Good and profitable ventures in life will certainly attract competitors. What are you going to do when they show up? It is only better if you come up with a barrier to entry or competitive insulation. Barriers can include patents, brand names, exclusive distribution deals, trade secrets (like the recipe for Coke) or first mover advantage.

KNOW IF WHAT YOU START WILL BE ADJUSTABLE. Remember how excited everyone got about the missiles the U.S. used during the Gulf War? You could aim after you launched it. You could adjust the flight along the way. You need a model in life similar to the one used by the Americans if you’re hoping to maximize your chances of success. For everything you start in life, think how you will overcome challenges that you will face.

GET MENTORED. Nowhere does it say you’ve got to do this all alone. Find someone who’s come before you and ask for help. They will always be odds in life and if you have a mentor you’ve someone to sort you out. The mentor you choose should be convenient and he should have life experience and a network of connections that really help you in the journey.

Be sure that what you are starting you can BE WILLING TO BET EVERYTHING YOU OWN ON IT. If what you are starting you cannot guarantee anything you have, then it’s not worth. Chances are you’ll not give it the effort and time in life. If you cannot lose your energy, rent, life, friends and family on I think it’s not worth going for it.

After considering that you can now start. Have a reflective life. Remember to stay in touch with me at jeremiahwakamu@gmail.com or on Facebook Jeremiaho Wakamu to keep this discussion going. And again referrals though you social media network/connection and word of mouth is the best you can do for this blog