THINGS TO DO…..BEFORE YOUR CAREER DISAPPEARS (ii)

Continued from part 1

***********************

The random page I landed when I opened the book was the beginning of chapter six, where he wrote:

I have often found myself thinking differently from the majority, especially from my public interventions in socio-economic issues. A friend who knew me over 20 years ago, said I’ve always been this guy who advocated for the downtrodden and that I have always argued these issues………

That paragraph that opens chapter 6 of the book tied me down. I found myself curious to know what followed. Then, in the next page, I saw some good words about Gaddafi and Chavez and what looked like a thumb down for America.  Now, It’s getting interesting, I kept turning the pages. Then, he talked about 10 things his econometrics class in London taught him. They were also interesting food for thought.

But by far the most gluing part of the parts I read was the next chapter – BEFORE YOUR CAREER DISAPPEARS…WHAT YOU MUST DO NOW.  Expectedly, he started by saying that the content of this chapter was what propelled him to write the book in the first place. In this chapter, he shared advice to individuals, families, groups, companies and governments. The points he presented in his advice to individuals were classic. Let me reproduce the headings here:

1. Activate all your talents now
2. Diversify your income base
3. Be an entrepreneur of any sort
4. Take risks when you can/banish the fear
5. Save, save, save
6. Burn the credit card
7. Don’t believe the hype
8. Engage with innovation
9. Don’t binge on gizmos. Or anything else for that matter
10. Don’t delude yourself
11. Learn to live simply
12. Develop the spirit of charity
13. Be nice
14. Write a book
15. Work…..and pray

He elaborated on these pieces of advice to people, buttressing them with classic examples, local and international.  Reading this part of the book, I saw a man in his natural, sincere self. I saw the passion. Honestly, this is the best piece of write-up I have read in recent time. It has direct impact on my life. For the past few weeks, I had been nudging the idea of putting my knowledge and experience into a book. Tope’s advice no. 14 sealed it for. I made up my mind immediately.  By the special grace of God, my first book will be launched next year, thanks for Tope for firing up that potential in me.

I have not finished reading this book, and, admittedly, I may never do ( I earlier confessed that I hardly finish any book that is more than 20 pages), but from what I have read so far in Tope’s book, it may break that unenviable personal record. In fact, it has actually broken my habit of not spending more than 30 minutes on a book. I have spent more than 1 hour on it already. Before I even picked the book, I had already designated one of my mentees and blog followers, Omotola Abimbola, to read the book and do a review for publication on my blog. I will post his review when he comes up with it.

But for me, Tope’s THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOUR CAREER DISAPPEARS is the best material on career, life, local and global political economy I have read in the last five years. I recommend it to any seeker of knowledge. The book has spurred me to activate my other talents laying fallow,  live simply, and write a book. I have always known that I could do a lot of things. I am an 8-5 corporate worker, an accountant; I enjoy sharing experience, I love writing, I like trying out a lot of things; without sounding immodest, I have a modest network; I can pull a lot of things even bigger people will struggle to pull (for example, at the risk of sounding pompous, even a state government may not be able to assemble the caliber of people this ‘small head’ assembled for Jarushub Career Conference.). Tope’s book has offered me an impetus that I can actually put all these things together as a veritable enterprise and brand. It renewed my thinking. These are few of the practical take-aways. I can bet it’s going to spur you too to take action.