01/01/2022
BASIC TIPS FOR A PRODUCTIVE AND IMPACTFUL YEAR.
(Please share this post to bless others too)
1. Wake up early
(please check the time range referred to as early morning) and have a quiet time alone with yourself and with your God.
Be mindful of the environment you're in. If you live or stay with your parents and your family is the type that practice morning devotions, you might have to wake up a bit earlier than normal and this invariably means going to bed early. Because immediately after morning devotions, daily chores and activities kick off and you might not go back to your bed for your 'alone' times. So you need to understand your environment.
2. Get a working email address.
It's no news again that the world has gone digital. Robots are replacing human beings in various occupations of life.
Subscribe to life changing newsletters. They're actually free.
These days, most companies ask for your Facebook name, Twitter handle, or Instagram username just to make sure that the person they're about to employ is still sane. 😂
A lot of young people don't know the difference between email, Gmail, and Yahoo mail. You need a working email address. Emphasis on working.
An email address is said to be working when it is checked very often, sometimes daily.
Don't tell me how many times you've created it and forgotten your password.
You're in the University and you don't yet have a working email address? Wow!
It's free just to create one and write the details, memorize it.
3. Pay for knowledge.
The Bible says buy the truth and sell it not. Emphasis on buy.
It must not be money, it could be sleep, your ego, your comfort, etc. Just give it away and gain knowledge.
Be deliberate about your development.
Buy books. PDF is good, but nothing like the smell of new books. Nothing.
Buy at least 12 books this year.
One for each month if you can. It's difficult, but grace is sufficient.
4. Follow Christian thought leaders and influencers on social media.
Why should you follow them? Basically, because they have a balanced point of view, at least the ones I follow do.
Following them also helps to renew your mind.
Unfollow social media influencers that promote nudity, atheism, worldliness, etc.
5. Leave noisy and focusless groups, blogs, forums, and circles.
Some people will not overcome an addiction until they leave some groups or unfollow some pages. This happened to me personally.
Leave friends that don't add value to you if you know their influence can corrupt you.
You need your sanity biko.
6. Get or follow a mentor.
Especially for the field you feel God calling you into.
This could be separate from your spiritual father, pastor, or discipler.
Get someone that would hold you accountable financially too.
I cannot overemphasize accountability.
If you feel God calling you to business. I'll suggest you follow Strive Masiyiwa on Facebook, join Headstart Africa Community (formerly SmartBcamp) Facebook group, follow Naija start-ups on Instagram, and many other accounts that will bless you.
Do you feel God calling you into something else?
I could help by referring you to a trusted person in that field. (let's talk about it)
8. Be deliberate about savings and investment.
Most of you reading this would have kids in less than 5yrs, that's if you don't have already.
Babies are expensive. Please save and invest now. Don't bring someone you didn't plan for into the world. That person will give you troubles you didn't plan for.
9. Be deliberate about your health.
(You need your body for dominion on earth)
Use mosquito nets if you can't afford insecticide. Eat fruits.
Cut down on junk food, my dear brethren, especially carbonated drinks like coke, and fast foods like noodles. Alcohol is obviously a no, not if you are spirit-filled.
Fast regularly, research proves it detoxifies the body and brightens the skin.
10. Go on retreats or set apart.
It's easier if you belong to a fellowship in school, join Anglican Students’ Fellowship in your school.
If you have the grace, go for a personal set apart. Keep your phone away for days. I promise you won't miss anything.
11. Break off that bad habit.
Be it betting(gambling), phone addiction, po*******hy, which leads to ma********on, reckless spending, lying, gluttony, inconsistent spiritual development, procrastination, etc.
Bad habits are like cancer. Hiding them won't make them any better.
12. Habits need to be exposed so you can overcome them.
You'll need to get an accountability partner. You need to talk to somebody if you’ve tried to overcome without results.
I can also help recommend someone to you. (let's talk)
13. Show gratitude and be grateful.
Nobody owes you anything. Not even a happy birthday wish. It's that serious. If they don't wish you a happy birthday, wish yourself.
Cast and bind every entitlement mentality. 😆
Let me say it again, nobody owes you anything!
14. Read through the Bible this year.
At least, read through the new testament. How are you a Christian if you haven't read through our textbook at least once?
In school, we have textbooks for courses and you must read them to pass the course. How then do you want to excel in this faith if you don't know the contents of our textbook–the bible.
15. Learn a digital skill.
Use your brain, be creative. God wouldn't have given you a brain if He never intended you to use it.
If I could learn graphic designing, video editing, etc, then anybody, I repeat, anybody can learn and master anything. Yes! Just begin today.
Use YouTube, my dear brethren, use YouTube. I can't overemphasize this!
16. Be brave.
Take well-calculated risks in life so you won't regret them at old age.
Young people, start now that you still have your parents. If you fail, at least you'll fall back on them.
Be consistent. People respect consistency and reward it. Nobody cares how good you are if you are not consistent.
17. Go through your jottings (quiet time notes) of previous years.
This word of the Lord should not depart from your mouth and mind. Meditate upon them.
Bonus point:
Always write ideas the moment they come. That was even how this came about.
Use your data wisely this year.
Your data should not only be for watching a comedy or downloading movies.
Am I saying they are wrong? No, not totally?
I don't post comedy on my social media accounts, not because I don't like it, no, but because that's not why I subscribed.
Before you subscribe next, ask yourself, why I'm I subscribing?
Happy new year and God bless you.
Your friend and brother
Benjamin Ibe
National President, Anglican Students' Fellowship (ASF), Nigeria
(Originally written in December 2018)
