10 things I learnt this year
This year has been a great year for me, I have learnt more this year, than I have in the past years put together. I have grown and matured more this year, than all my years. It’s been wonderful for me. Don’t get me wrong this year surely had it’s rough and tough times, but each experience this year, has left me a better, more capable and wiser person. It’s really difficult for me to rank the things I have learnt this year, but I’m documenting the first ten that come to mind. Some of them may sound hard, don’t discard them because the student in you is not ready, or because you do not presently agree with them. File them away, time may tell.
1. I have learnt that the most important opinion about the direction one’s life goes is shared by one’s self and one’s creator. If I get it right with these two, I really do not need to a second opinion. Any consultation that moves you in a different direction from what you have aligned is the right direction for you shouldn’t count.
2. I have learnt that when one moves confidently in the direction of one’s dreams and resolves not to take any detour, sooner than later, one gets lucky.
3. I have learnt that failure is an essential ingredient in the receipy of success. Until failure is encountered at times, the student in one is never ready. There is so much information that floods ones mind that are useless until one is ready.
4. I have learnt that when a man lacks a plan B, his energies and indeed all his faculties are focused at achieving plan A. More often than not, he/she achieves his dreams.
5. I have learnt that in business, a good network gets you the opportunity, while good skills keep you on the job. Who knows you and for what, is more important than what you know. I have learnt that new friendships are a sign of new possibilities.
6. I have learnt that the best business ideas are the ones that utilize the equivalent of 2 loaves and 5 fishes to feed 5000 people. A great business idea is one that one steps into without having to source for funds or skills. If you idea requires more than you have, check it, it’s not a creative idea, it’s a competitive.
7. I have learnt that the best time to be happy is now. I have learnt that it is not good to postpone my happiness, joy and excitement into a future I may not be in. I have learnt to be happy today. To do the things I love, and love the things I do.
8. I have learnt that consistency works wonders.
9. I have learnt that there is a sure way of becoming wealthy. That it is possible to teach someone principles that if he/she adheres to, can make the person rich with certainty.
10. I have learnt that patience is not inactivity, but that patience is not seeking alternative directions or quitting when it seems that what one is doing isn’t working. Patience is the ability to confidently continue what you know will work, modifying your approach as you go.
What is your most outstanding lesson this year, and what is your learning objective for next year?
A lot more lessons are available here
Hello. I am 
I perfectly agree with your lessons learnt. They are true
Bros,
Compliments of the season!
First, I agree 100% with those lessons especially no 10- PATIENCE is one virtue I’ve developed this year. We are to follow the examples of those who through FAITH and PATIENCE obtained the promise.
Second, I’ve learnt this year that there are no limits anywhere, the limitations we face is a function of how much our mind can conceive and our eyes can see. ” As far as your eyes can see I’ve given to you” that’s what God says
God bless you and your family. Wishing you a brighter 2007!
Hi Adeolu,
I will like to commend and thank you for the great work you are doing. I have regularly visited this site over the past few months, and it has been greatly refreshing to share your energy and passion for improving other people’s life. It is from people like you that we can still draw inspiration that there is hope for this nation; a great and infathomably prosperous tomorrow.
Your job blog has been of invaluable help to me, and to friends that I refer to this site. Your commentaries are an outpouring of rain on dry and parched pastures.
May god increase you more and more. May his light shine more brightly on you to direct you in the paths of your destiny. May the coming year see you engulfed in his embrace of favour.
Thank you. It has been a pleasure and priviledge to be acquinted with you.
Deolu,
This is an apt one. But do guys on nairaland, especially Nigerians living abroad, get to read your blog/site? I doubt. Those guys are just so full of negativity about everything Nigerian that you’ll be glad they are not in Nigeria anyway. The most amusing part is that it seems peeps assume that the fact that they have found a way of leaving Nigeria bestows on them some sort of higher wisdom. And before anybody starts saying I’m saying this because I don’t know how it is abroad, let me add that I’m currently in the UK, for studies though. From what I’ve seen, things are so hard for the average foreigner here and I’m not big on having my life depend on some foreign country’s domestic policies (policy is a moving target as we all know). It galls me when those guys present it as if it’s heaven on earth, whereas A LOT of guys are making better lives for themselves in Nigeria (me inclusive, as I can’t wait for September next year to be back home). Anyway, that’s a topic for another day.
Sorry that I seemed to stray, I was just so touched by those words you wrote and can’t understand why peeps will not decipher that it is what you apply yourself to that matters, and not where you live.
Wishing everybody a fulfilling 2007.
[...] Adeolu Akinyemi posts 10 things he’s learned this year. There’s lots of great lessons there, including the value of consistency, and which business ideas are best. [...]
I totally agree with your lessons of the year and I really love The One’s reply (especially his stray on the negative Nigerians in the diaspora).
I particularly learnt in the year 2006 that if as a believer, you take a microscopic look at your history in God and the way God has been taking you from level to level in your life, you will clearly understand the times and seasons in your life
One outstanding lesson I learnt this year is that gratitude will always make a man stand out.
Another one is that money is not the essential tool needed to make money, what is needed is an Idea that will sell.
I quite agree with all the lessons learnt.
As for me,some of the lessons are what i planned to put to use this year!!
Ah! ….Please let me speak up for People Like me in the Diaspora … Yes, I grant that there are Nigeria here that only see and speak negative…all i can say about that is, the bottom line they are self seeking and comfortable…not necessarily doing well here but have a feeling of better … cos’ they have constant electricity, good road and can wake up and eat there genetically modified(GM) foods all sorts. Some on the other hand never had a chance to achieve any thing at home, may be cos of Family or social background, lack of proper education (those one I leave them) they are content living in there council estates that look like chicken coops….. with bill coming out of there ears…they are content to be average.
They are enjoy the fruits of what they did not labour for….There are still Nigeria’s that have hope and are working towards a better Nigeria, they too will need the support of you guys in Nigeria so there can be a working together…please there are still some of us out here that still have Nigeria’s back.…
Nigeria will be great…the next generation Nigerians do not just see themselves as Nigerians but a global citizen. ( that is the thinking and attitude I believe we need for a greater Nigeria)
One very important thing I learnt in 2006 was the importance of planning and following through on your plans. There’s nothing like a well cleared path leading to ones dreams and desires. When you plan, everything seems t fall in place and resources somehow become available to fulfill your plan.