Glimpses of Greatness

Many times in life we fail to take note of glimpses, passing glances. They can be so mild that our senses will miss them. We love grand gestures and dramatic shows. Those excite our emotions and take us to cloud 9. But did you know that those glimpses are a precursor to the grandeur. Did you know that taking note of and appreciating the glimpses opens the door to the dramatic show you are waiting for. This is an article about an attitude of gratitude. How would you rate yourself when it comes to appreciating the little things in life? I am reminded of the song Simple tins by Tarus Riley if I am not wrong. 

There is nothing wrong in wanting to see great things happening. We all want to see it and that is fine. The only issue is when we fail to take note of the simple ones and express gratitude for them. There is a lot we lose when we are focused only on the mindboggling occurrences of our daily life.

Focus on the Journey

Do not be so focused on the final destination that you fail to enjoy the journey. Taking the SGR or bus to the Coast is a good example to use here. There is so much beautiful scenery along the way. It would do you a great disservice if you only focused on the beach you are going to see at the coast. You would miss out on the beauty of the Tsavo, the distant view of the Taita Hills, the stopover at Mtito Andei and so much more. The loss would be significant. Appreciating the glimpses of greatness along the way sets the stage for the grand experience of the vacation at the coast.

Mercy drops

Before the Showers of blessing, there are drops of mercy. Ezekiel 34:26. Before a heavy downpour, there are light showers to prepare the way. Don’t put off your celebration until the heaviness comes down. Enjoy the build-up. Be grateful for the build-up. Revel in the build-up. The victory tastes much sweeter when you remember the process you had to go through.

The leper

Luke 17:11-19. A story is told about a group of lepers who went to Jesus and received healing from him. While 9 of them went on their way as though they were entitled to it, one remembered to go back and say thank you. Something profound happened when he did so. There was a perfection of what he had received. Jesus told him your faith has made you whole. The concept of wholeness is such that nothing would be missing as far as his wellness was concerned. Gratitude opens the door for God to be and do more for you. It’s the secret sauce to the best God has to offer. Don’t be stingy with your gratitude.

Balance

I have noted something about the Israelites when it comes to giving thanks. They are extravagant. Just read Psalm 137 to see an example. Or check out Stephen’s sermon in the book of Acts. They have a way of enumerating everything that God has done for them through the ages. Unfortunately some of us don’t remember to do that. We are quick when it comes to asking for stuff from God but very stingy with our gratitude. I am calling us to a place of balance where you spend as much time giving thanks as you do asking for the same blessings. The God who gives delights in the gratitude of his people. We must learn the art of thanksgiving.

Bears, lions the Goliath

David’s story is also a good reminder. 1 Samuel 17:34-38.  When it came to facing Goliath, he had the confidence that he would triumph. The reason for this was that he had seen earlier victories in his life facing lions and bears in his daily grind. The little victories prepare you for the big battle that is coming ahead. They show you what is possible if you trust in God. Remember to reflect on the far that God has brought you and be thankful for it. It will energize you to go to the next level. So go ahead and celebrate that small opportunity, make the most of the current hand you are dealt, how you handle it will determine how tomorrow looks like for you. He that is faithful with a little will be entrusted with a lot more. Don’t be ungrateful because you are waiting for that big break to testify.

Awhile back I wrote a book entitled Blessed to be a Blessing where I delved deeper into this conversation. If you would like to know some of the things you can thank God for, grab yourself a copy by placing your order through CLC Kenya https://kenyaclc.org/shop/blessed-to-be-a-blessing-2/ 

Pros and Cons of Money Market Funds

 

I love the fact that Kenyans are increasing their literacy when it comes to Finances.

It is good to hear many people asking after MMFs and other asset classes.

I would like to explore a few pros and cons of this asset class in this article

Pros

Ease of liquidity. It is so straight forward that you can deposit money today and request for it after three days and it will be readily available much like a regular bank account. This makes it ideal for money you need to access speedily. Unlike the bank which will keep your money at little to no benefit to you, this will give you the benefit of returns no matter how short a duration the money stays.

Ease of joining. Just like a normal bank account you will fill a form and submit your identification documents and KRA PIN. That alone will be enough to get you started once you deposit the initial amount. This varies across different providers.

Modest returns. Most of them will give you returns above 10% per annum. The returns are also compounded meaning the longer you stay and maintain discipline the more you will earn from it. This is one of the easiest ways to generate passive income.

Flexibility of contributions. You are at liberty to top up your contributions at any time with any amount though some will have a minimal top up amount.

Spread of risk in low exposure instruments. The fund utilizes call deposits, T-bills and bonds. These are low risk instruments which have little risk of default.

Cons

A challenge to maintain saving discipline because of zero safeguards. Since no one requires you to contribute regularly, you are likely to slide into indiscipline when it comes to growing your money steadily.

Ease of liquidity makes long term saving tricky-requires great restraint. Unless you are highly disciplined or put an automated system in place to grow your long term savings, you will not be able to go too far. That liquidity is a blessing and curse in equal measure depending on how you navigate it. You need to be clear on what you are saving or investing towards and if you realize the MMF is derailing your long term goals, then switch to an alternative that will make it easy for you.

Variable disparity in gross and net return. It is important to know that there is a gross and net return. There are fees and taxes applicable to the return which you need to take note of as you sign up. Think about the net return because that is what you should be expecting.

Returns Subject to market forces-applicable to majority of asset classes. While the MMF is low risk it is still subject to the movements of the market. Any shocks will touch the returns but the beauty is that this is not exclusive to MMF but affects majority of classes

Laissez faire approach to contributions takes away predictability of position. It is difficult to predict your own growth as an investor except you put in safeguards in the form of automated savings.

To choose or not to choose MMFs as an investment vehicle? That depends on your goals and aspirations. 

A little on Money, Savings, Investment

                                                    

Savings are the beginning of the journey to Financial Freedom. How much of your income are you saving currently? Where are you saving? What is the Rate of return? How secure is your money?

Before you save

First things first. You cannot save what you do not have. How are you making your money? Utilize your skills and abilities to generate as much income as possible right where you are.

Considerations

When you are looking for a place to save, it is important that you find a place with a mix of benefits to you.

Returns

Put your money where it will labor hard for you. Do not keep it where the rate of inflation will wipe away its value. Worse still, do not put it where there is close to zero in terms of return. Enlighten yourself with the knowledge you need about the alternatives you have.

Security

It is good to pursue high returns but you must also be careful not to sink your hard earned cash in a Ponzi scheme. The security of your money is and remains a key consideration.

Access

How easy/hard is it for you to access your money when you need it? It is important that you decide from the onset what your goals are with regard to your savings. Knowing the why behind your savings will dictate a lot of things. If these are emergency savings you will definitely want a place where you can access the money on short notice. If you are thinking long term you want to be in places where there are restrictions on access. Let your goal dictate the vehicle you choose.

Reputation

What is the track record of the institution you want to put your money in? Can you vouch for them unashamedly? Do you have social proof that they deliver on their promises? While some institutions rely on their good name with nothing to offer presently, skin in the game is an important consideration when you are choosing an institution. If possible seek to understand the top leadership of the institution and their track record. If they have questionable reputations, it is m=important to tread carefully because leopards rarely change their spots.

Financial strengths and fundamentals.

Are you able to tell the financial strength of the institution? Do your due diligence before you hand over your money to anyone. Make sure the institution is fundamentally sound. Look at its financial statements, line of business, associates and affiliates among many other things. They will give you a clue as to the safety of your money.

Fees involved

Seek clarity on any fees, taxes and other charges the plan attracts. Without this info, you might find yourself eating into your gains without noticing. The charges need to be as low as possible to maximize on your potential return.

The options of a saver

Money gives the possessor options. This is where the elements of financial freedom start to kick in.

With money I can set up a business responsive to my strengths and a good fit for me. When I go into a business I am well suited for, then I am no longer working but living my dream.

I could also choose to continue working where I am currently but from a position of strength knowing that should I be let go, I have a soft landing.

I have the option to buy into a portfolio of stocks, bonds, REITS and many other investments that will earn me interests and dividends. Depending on the size of my savings, I could easily replace my income with the interests I gain from my investments.

Wealth creation is a marathon. The problem with today’s generation is we want to make a sprint out of it. It is important to know that wealth that comes easy flies easy too. Wealth that respects process will outlast any shakeups.

Are you ready to start running the Marathon of Wealth Creation? Talk to me today and I will be your guide along the way. Reach out on +254725832477 or Samuel.asena@advisor.jubileekenya.com

Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

From the Closet to the Pulpit

Private victories precede public victories. What you do in private defines who you are. The closet is a place of formation, the pulpit is a place of showbiz. Many people are saints in public but beasts in private. We have a persona we display before the people to make ourselves likeable but in our private moments we are something totally different.

We grew up with phrases like Sunday Best, creating good first impressions and the like. While impressions are good and helpful, what is more important and lasting is character and integrity. When you develop and display integrity, you don’t have to worry about impressions because they will come naturally for you.

Many have defined integrity in different terms but for me integrity simply means that my thoughts, intentions, words and actions are aligned and consistent. I am not one type of person to this crowd and a different person in another crowd. I do not mean that I shouldn’t play my different roles with what is required. What I want to put across is that whatever I am doing, there needs to be clarity and consistency in terms of my values. Values mean nothing if they can be adapted and discarded as you deem fit. You cannot be a flip-flopper.

In today’s world we hear about closet gays, lesbians as an example. You might not believe it but we have many people who are closeted in their respective areas of fault. If we were to pull back the curtains and see what goes on behind the scenes, we would be surprised at what we would see. There are many closet alcoholics and drug addicts, closet fornicators and adulterers, closet liars who will lie through their teeth if it will get them out of a sticky situation, closet corrupt people who will seize whatever opportunity comes their way.

There’s a classmate I had back in college who had a T-shirt which had the caption-Virginity is not dignity, it is lack of opportunity. While I don’t agree entirely with this statement, there is a segment of people for whom this is applicable. The question I have for you is, are you an inherently decent person or are you conditioned by lack of opportunity and societal expectations? Some of us haven’t been named in corruption scandals simply because we are not at the table where deals are happening. Given the opportunity, we would end up worse than those we point fingers at. It disappoints to see some people blowing the whistle on abuse of office and such other vices only to end up behaving in the same way once they are given the chance. Many Whistleblowers; especially on the political arena speak up only because the corruption isn’t benefitting them. Give them a seat at the table and the chest-thumping stops.

We have rules for everyone else but ourselves. We want others to toe the line but excuse ourselves and give room for error. If you deserve a chance to make things right after slipping up, the same chance should be given to others as well. It doesn’t make sense to demand of others what you are not willing to do. It is a lack of integrity to expect others to follow set rules while you as the enforcer are doing the opposite. It is pharisaic to ask others to do what you tell them without looking at what you are doing. The English call it preaching water and drinking wine.

My question to all who are reading this is; who are you in the closet? Does it match with your words and actions in public? Do you like the person you are in the closet? If we take the mask off, will we like what we see? How can you bridge the gap between the man in the closet and the man on the pulpit?

Speaking of the pulpit, I am not referring to that place where the preacher stands to deliver a sermon. I am talking about the public square where you and I perform to the audience that is watching us. About the place you report to for work daily. I am speaking about the way you act when your boss is around. About the way you behave when your children are watching, when you are in the presence of your parents or other figures of authority.

It is my submission that if you aren’t proud enough of what you are doing that you are ready to do it no matter who is around, then there is still a gap between your closet and your pulpit. I write to encourage you to do what it takes to close the gap between the two. Decide who you are and who you want to become. Be consistent in thinking, speaking and acting like that person. Someone said your thoughts become your words, your words become your action, your action determines your habits which determine your character. And when all is said and done, your character determines your destiny. You must choose to die daily to the person you don’t want to be and become alive to the person you want to be.

 

What it takes: Sacrifice

“If you're going to try, go all the way. Otherwise, don't even start. This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives and maybe even your mind. It could mean not eating for three or four days. It could mean freezing on a park bench. It could mean jail. It could mean derision. It could mean mockery--isolation. Isolation is the gift. All the others are a test of your endurance, of how much you really want to do it. And, you'll do it, despite rejection and the worst odds. And it will be better than anything else you can imagine. If you're going to try, go all the way. There is no other feeling like that. You will be alone with the gods, and the nights will flame with fire. You will ride life straight to perfect laughter. It's the only good fight there is.”
― Charles Bukowski, Factotum

Anything worth having is worth sacrificing for. If your dream doesn’t cost you anything then I guess it is not all that important to you. The reality of life is that you can’t have it all. Whenever you talk to people adept at climbing mountains, they will tell you that you cannot carry everything with you to the top. The secret to getting to the top is in traveling light.

Think about space shuttles. The further they go out of the earth’s atmosphere, the more they have to drop off some parts. The challenge we have today is that people want to get to the top but carry everything else with them. Looking back at the Bible, we see Jesus saying that the way that leads to life is long, narrow and winding.  

These few examples serve to show us that sacrifice is a huge part of the journey towards our goals and dreams. While others are having ‘fun’ you need to be grinding so that you secure your desired future. Those who reach their dreams have learnt to pay now so they can play later. They have embraced delayed gratification.

My question is, how have you sacrificed today for your future? What have you deliberately given up to ensure that tomorrow is better? Your dream needs to matter so much that you don’t mind spending and being spent for its realization.

For your dream you will allocate time, money, expertise, experience and anything else it asks of you. Are you ready to go all the way? Is your dream important enough to make you put everything on the line? Sacrifice is the fuel that enables dreams. The thought of your dream should make you do whatever it takes to get things done.

If it was so easy to reach your goals, everyone would be where they want to be. Many wish for it but few will get to realize it. Since we have established that wishes are not horses, we are left with just one option. We must go get our horses if we want to ride. Are you ready to pay the price for the horse that will take you to your destiny?

Character-Resilience, tenacity, discipline

 

Goals and dreams are beautiful. The hard part is staying on course until they are accomplished. At the beginning of the journey, everyone is excited and the energy levels are very high. There is momentum and it doesn’t feel like work to get the ball rolling. As the journey progresses, fatigue begins to set in, distractions arise and your peers begin to drop off. It is at this time that you have the choice to make. Will you keep going or quit like the rest.

This is the time that reveals what you are made of. Many of us talk big in the moments of euphoria, few have the character to back it up. When challenge begin to arise; because they will, are you able to stand up for what you believe in and discipline yourself to stay on course? When you meet shiny new objects, are you able to tell what they are and cast them aside? It is easy to wake up early for a few days, the struggle comes when you need to do it for an extended duration. Do you have staying power.   

Character is about staying power. When you are able to bounce back and keep going after every setback, then we can say you have developed character. Nothing develops your character faster than the pursuit of a heartfelt dream. Think for a moment about a salesperson with a sales quota to hit. I am privileged to work in a sales environment and I can tell you, sales and targets will make you work miracles. When there is a reward attached to whatever it is you are pursuing, you will move mountains to get it done. You will not only think outside the ox but throw the box away. As a sales person, I have encountered obstacle after obstacle in the course of my work. The need to deliver has seen me go above and beyond what I thought possible and every time I have challenged myself in that way, I have received the results I was looking for. You need a certain enthusiasm to succeed in such an environment. Prospects will dismiss you, disappoint you, stand you up, take you round in circles, tell you no but you have to keep moving until you get what you are looking for. To put it plainly, there are more nos than yeses in the sales career. The trick is to move on to the next prospect with the same energy and enthusiasm you started your day with. That is what resilience is all about.

Discipline is another aspect of character. There are many forces that seek to pull you away from your pursuits in life. You should never let that happen if you are committed to the realization of your dream. Once your mind is set on the path you want to follow, don’t allow anything to stand in between you and your destination. You must become ruthless with yourself. The human mind and body prefer the path of least resistance. If you allow it, it will take you to places you never imagined you would end up in. Discipline is about being ready to pay the price. It is about walking out of your comfort zone consciously and pushing yourself towards your desired future. It will have you waking up at a specific time every morning and carrying out certain tasks religiously until you see your dreams take on life. It is that willingness to do uncomfortable, unpleasant things because they will lead you to where you want to end up. It is showing up even on those days when sleeping in would be a better option. Apostle Paul speaks about disciplining his body because he realizes that it is very easy to go off track. 1 Corinthians 9:27. You cannot permit everything and still reach your dream. Something has to give somewhere.

You also need an adaptable spirit. Some mountains need you to go through, others need you to go around while others will call for you to go over. A person with the resolve to get to the other side, will do whatever it takes no matter how difficult. When you are persuaded of the significance of your pursuit, nothing can stop you from going for it.

Character is about honoring your commitments to yourself and others irrespective of the price you have to pay. Many of us have no problem disappointing ourselves and others. It needs to pain you every time you fail to honor your word. You must become bound by every word that proceeds out of your mouth and be willing to stretch yourself to get it done.

Without a strong will, you will never be able to actualize your dreams. The amount of resistance you need to push through to come out victorious at the end is immense and only a few have what it takes to persevere. Character is about being long suffering and willing to hold out through the storm. Every dream will have to navigate through a storm of some kind before it is realized. The one thing that will keep you sane through it all is the strength of your character. More than anything else, you need to develop that grit to come out victorious when all is said and done. Dreams belong to those who will remain steady throughout the storm.

What are you adding to your character to ensure you achieve your dreams? 

What it takes: Resources

 

Resources

Every dream requires resources. Resources are the inputs you need to get the desired outcome. They could take different forms. Key resources include time, money, skills and talent. If you have these four, you are well on your way to reaching your dreams.

Let’s break it down a little bit.

Time

An investment in time will be necessary to move you from your current station to your desired end. You must be willing to give your time to the task at hand to turn the dream into reality. Businesses hire people to help them work on their desired goals. You are paid as an employee in exchange for your time. If the business owner had a way of carrying out their tasks without the need of your time, you would not have a job. Billions of people around the world are employed to give their time towards the pursuit of certain dreams. If you want to be a great musician, you will spend hours upon hours in practice to achieve it. According to those who study mastery, it is said that you need at least 10000 hours of deliberate practice to become a master at something. No goal worth pursuing will be done without a significant investment in time. In some instances, you will need to buy other people’s time to successfully actualize your dreams. If you do not have what it takes to invest some time for your dream, you can as well forget it. You must be deliberate in creating time for your dream because there are many competing interests pulling you in different directions. Since you do not have time for everything on your mind, you must decide to spend the time you have on your highest dreams to the exclusion of others.

Money

Dreams also have a money component. Different dreams have different requirements when it comes to money. While money is not everything, a lot of our dreams get derailed because we failed to plan for them financially. Jesus shares a story about a person who wants to build a tower and in it he says that it would be foolish of him not to count the cost prior to starting. This is because without a clear understanding of the amounts involved, you are likely to stare at a stalled project. In relating money and time, it is good to note that money is what the wealthy use to buy the time of others who work for them. You need enough to compensate others for their skills and time. You will also need money to buy all the other inputs towards the realization of your dream. Think about a farmer who dreams of a bumper harvest. He must think about leasing land if he doesn’t own his own land. There will be the cost of tilling and preparing the land for sowing. At the point of sowing he will need either men or machines or both. Depending on what he is planting, he will determine the kind of fertilizers he will need. Apart from that there is weeding, top dressing and many other necessary activities before the harvest is ready. All those are inputs towards that expected bumper harvest. Question is, what inputs does your dream need. How many of them include a monetary component? It must be factored in as you do your planning to ensure you succeed.

Skills and talent.

What skills do you need to realize your dream? Beyond having people available, there is the matter of the skills they bring to the table. If you don’t have people with the right skills, it is going to be difficult to achieve your goals. The loftier your goals, the more you need to bring on board specialized skills and talents. If you dream of putting together a world class medical facility for example, you will need to hire the best brains in the medical field. This doesn’t come cheap. You must think of skilled laborers as part of your inputs. Have you audited your dream to see what kind of skills you need on board? Have you acquired those skills? If not, you need to get them on board as a matter of urgency because without that, your dream will struggle to come to life. It doesn’t matter the size of your dream, there will be need for some skill if you will bring it to life.

What other resources do you think you need to actualize your dreams?