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.