Spend Less this Christmas

Unique Ways to Simplify and Spend Less This Christmas What is it about the Christmas season that causes us to overspend, overeat, and get stressed out during the holidays? Seriously, this time of year is supposed to be about love, peace, and giving, but we've allowed it to degenerate into shopping craziness. It’s become a full on festival of stress! So what can we do to counteract all the craziness that come with Christmas? Well, first I think the best way to make the Christmas season a more enjoyable time of year is to simplify our approach to the season.   11 Steps To a Simpler Christmas So to help out with that, here are 11 ways to lower your stress level, spend less, and increase your enjoyment of the Christmas holidays through simplifying your approach. 1. Don’t Spend What You Don’t Have Spend only saved up cash in buying gifts so you don’t end up with a post-Christmas financial hangover.  2. Slow Down It’s so easy to rush, rush, rush, during the holidays and forget to relax and enjoy.  Relax and don’t feel like you have to please everyone. 3. Set Expectations Tell family and friends that you’re simplifying your holidays this year and that you won’t make it to every party or give a gift to every person.  This lets you off the hook and allows you to put less pressure on yourself.  If your friends and family don’t like it, that’s their choice to make. 4. It’s OK to Say No Once expectations are set, follow through by committing only to the parties and people that are most important to you and bring you the most joy. 5. Give Less Gifts Don’t feel obligated to give a gift to everyone.  Giving because you feel obligated is not a way to bring joy to your life.  Focus on giving to people that you love the most, make you the happiest and to the less privileged.. 6. Don’t Go Crazy With The Christmas Decorations Some people really love to decorate for Christmas.  But if trying to make your house into a Christmas village causes you more stress than it should, then cut back, decorate simply, and eliminate the stress that comes from trying to make everything look “perfect”. 7. Don’t Be a Control Freak Feeling like everything has to be “just perfect” for the holidays is a recipe for disaster.  You can have a nice Christmas season without stressing out over what people think about your party, your gift, or your décor.  Keep it simple, relax, and have a good time. 8. Make a Plan For Next Year For many people, Christmastime is stressful because they run up huge debts.  Make a plan to start putting back money every month for Christmas spending.  Start in January, and when December comes around you’ll have enough to take care of your Christmas expenses. 9. Find Time To Relax at Night Turn on the Christmas tree lights, dim the room lights, and curl up with a good book or some good Christmas music and a cup of tea or choco. 10. Don’t Accept Every Invitation For me and many others, going to too many holiday parties can be stressful because there’s just not enough time to enjoy them all.  Accept only the invites that are the most important to you to minimize Christmas party fatigue. 11. Focus on Faith and Family Remember that ultimately Christmas is about loving God and loving others.  It’s not all about parties, gifts, large amounts of food, and sparkly decorations.  It’s about loving people and spending time with them. It’s about worshiping the God that made us and is there for us always. It’s about recognizing that He was born and died for us. That’s about as simple and stress free as it gets. Enjoy the season! Merry Christmas in advance!

Culled from: https://www.cfinancialfreedom.com

Balance Your Investment Portfolio the Diet Way A balanced diet, as defined in literature, is food that provides the body with nutrients needed to function properly. According to nutritionists, every person requires an average of 2,000 Calories (energy value of foods) per day to maintain his or her weight. Nutritional needs however differ depending on age, gender, body size, body shape and activeness. For instance, people who exercise regularly are generally known to require more calories than people who don’t. Food calorie plays dominant role in nutrition. For this reason, a number of people carefully watch their calorie intake especially as they try to lose weight. While watching calorie intake may be necessary, it is equally important to ensure that your calories come from a well-balanced diet. In other words, your body needs calories from different food sources to grow. …and what relationship does a balanced have with personal finance? It has just been stated above that the body needs calories from different food sources to grow. Interestingly, this assertion can be similarly shared with investment portfolio. In finance, investment portfolio is a collection of investments or assets held by an investor. Just like the body calorie analogy, it is always essential to maintain a collection of different asset classes in an investment portfolio. Asset classes include stocks (equities), Treasury bills, bonds, fixed deposits, cash, Real estate, commodities, etc. Maintaining different classes of assets helps reduce investment risks since the potential of their (assets) values falling at the same time is reduced. Choosing the right mix for a balanced portfolio It is further important to determine the right mix of the different assets owned. The practice of determining right mix of different assets is known as asset allocation. In other words, asset allocation refers to how much of each asset class an investor must hold in his portfolio. Not so long ago, I started receiving a number of messages concerning the right mix for an investment portfolio. This was after I had previously published a post on investment diversification. Precisely, most questions centered on the exact percentages that must be assigned to the various asset classes in order to have a balanced his portfolio. While it is always recommended to ensure an appropriate mix, the subject of maintaining precise percentages of the various assets can be debatable. Practically, there is no single way to balance an investment portfolio. This is because everyone has different needs and requirements. Each individual may find himself in a different financial circumstance. Hence, it would be appropriate to balance your investments based on factors such as your investment objectives, your age, as well as risk tolerance. In addition, just like ingredients in a balanced diet, it is similarly not expected to ensure equal proportions of each asset class in a balanced portfolio. In other words, balancing your portfolio does not necessarily mean assigning equal proportions to each asset class. That is to say your portfolio does not necessarily have to consist of 25% of equities, 25% of fixed deposits, 25% of cash and 25% of Real estate. If your financial circumstance demands regular passive income, it would be necessary to allocate adequate portion to liquid forms of investment. For instance, you may need your invested money in the short to medium term if you’re nearing your retirement. In such a situation, investing more of your money in short-term investments such as fixed deposits or Treasury bills can be helpful. On the other hand, a young person far from retirement can choose to allocate greater percentage of his portfolio to equity investment. Of course, an investment portfolio for a 30-year old guy must differ from that of a 55-year old person nearing retirement. It is like making changes in your diet as you grow older.  In effect, the mix of assets that is suitable for you can change at different stages in your life. Final words Just like balanced diet helps maintain a healthy body [shape], a balanced portfolio can be useful to put your finances in good shape. Balancing one’s investment portfolio must be however aimed at suiting his financial needs. As such, factors such as your investment objectives, risk tolerance and age must be considered as you try to balance your various assets. When considering a healthy diet, when you eat is equally important as what you eat. The particular time of the day may impact the choice and composition of balanced diet to stay healthy. For example, the carbohydrate proportion of your breakfast meal may be comparatively high to kick-start the day’s activities. Similarly in personal finance, your stage in life may impact your asset allocation and for that matter your balanced portfolio. As stated before, the portfolio of an adult nearing retirement may constitute a higher proportion of short-term investments in comparison to the portfolio of a younger person. In other words, how much of each asset class you must hold in your portfolio can change at different stages in your life.

Culled from: https://www.sikasem.org

Investment option.

📍📍 *CHRISTAL VILLA QUEEN'S COURT*
LOCATION: Shapati, Lakowe, Lekki, Lagos.
PRICE: N10m per Plot
PROMO PRICE: N5m per Plot
Christmas promo : 20% discount till Jan 10.
TITLE: Certificate of Occupancy
SIZE: 500sqm

📍📍 *EAST AMBER ESTATE ABIJO GRA AJAH LEKKI*
Directly facing the road
TITLE: Governor's Consent
 SIZE: 600sqm
 PRICE:  N11million per plot
• 6months installment Plans with N2million initial deposit

📍📍 *NORTHVILLE ESTATE*
locations: Bogije Lekki.
Title;Governor’s consent
Price: 600sqm -
Promo price: #9m per plot

📍📍 *VILLA GARDEN ESTATE,*
LOCATION:  Magboro-ibafo, off Lagos Ibadan Expressway
by MFM prayer city behind Nasfat
Price: #700,000 per plot
Promo Price : N595, 000 per plot
Title: Registered survey & Deed of Assignment
Size: 600sqm
Status: 100% dry
Instant Allocation/Buy and Build


📍📍 *CHRISTAL VILLA KINGS COURT*
Location: Apakin, Ibeju-Lekki
5 minutes from Dangote refinery
Price:#5m
Promo Price: #2.5m (50% Discount)
Title:Approved Excision
Size:600sqm
Status :100% Dry land

📍📍 *CHRISTAL VILLA GARDEN*,
Location :Itamarun, Ibeju-Lekki
10 minutes drive from Dangote refinery
Price :#2.5m
Promo Price :#2m per plot
Title :Registered Survey & Excision
Size :600sqm
Status: 100% dry land

📍📍 *AMEN ESTATE PHASE 2*
Location:  Eleko Beach Road, Ibeju Lekki
just a minute drive from Amen Estate phase1
Title: Certificate of Occupancy
Plot Size: 600SQM
Price: ₦12million per serviced plot
Payment plan: 6-12 months with 20% initial deposit


 📍📍 *WESTWOOD PARK ESTATE 2,*
LOCATION: Off Monastery Road,
Sangotedo, Ajah, Lagos.
TITLE: C of O
SIZE: 600sqm
PROMO PRICE: N16M per plot
10plot available

 📍📍 *IMPERIAL GARDEN*
Location: Abijo GRA Lagos
just behind Corona School
Title: C of O
Sizes: 300sqm, 450sqm, 600sqm
Prices: N10m per plot



Contact : +234708311192
Email: hiteehomes@gmail.com

Money Follows Value 'Money follows value like a dog on a leash'. I believe I owe a previous employer for this catchy phrase. It was a sales environment, and if I remember correctly, his favorite phrase was “sales follow referrals like a dog on a leash.” It’s one of those lines that’s just off-center and punchy enough to stick. The focus is that if you consistently do well and provide value for others, they’ll refer you to friends and family. Referrals, in this situation, are the overt markers of doing a job well. Sales are the ancillary benefit. In other words, prosperity is what comes when you do great work. I love the concept behind this phrase. It’s simple. It’s powerful. It could easily be used as a motivational piece, or even as the last line of your email signature. And I think it applies to far more than just sales. Where you continually find value, there you will find people willing to (quite literally) hand over their money. If you’re doing well, helping others, and providing real value to lives and communities, you will gain a reputation as one worth working with. “You” can be an artist, an NGO, an entrepreneur, a baker, a financial planner, or anything! The concept still applies. If you consistently do great work, others will support you. Then you’ll be able to support yourself! Money follows value like a dog on a leash. Let’s say you’re a small business owner. When you start out, it’s really hard to gain clients. People have to get to know you and learn to trust you. This takes time. As it happens, though, you and your business grow. Clients become willing to write you a cheque because they find value in what you provide. Let’s say you’re an avid blogger. It takes a long time to make a dent in the digital ocean. But as you keep blogging valuable, helpful content, people begin to take notice. They begin to follow you, to look to you specifically for advice. They’re willing to share your posts, boost your SEO, buy your e-books, and refer friends because they’ve found value in what you do. Last example.  Because this isn’t all about making money, it’s about doing the best work you can for every person, at all times. Let’s say you’re a non-profit organization for social justice. It’s a struggle, but as you make a few moves here and there, and help more people, others join your cause. They begin to support you, to talk with others about the issues you’re fighting for, and even to come alongside you. People will support and further your mission because they find value in what you’re doing. Money follows value like a dog on a leash. This is a great line to live by! It’s not about getting rich, but about doing a job well. Whatever it is you do, do it to the best of your ability. If everything you do is done to the best of your ability, money, growth and support will follow.

Culled from: https://www.hackernoon.com

Money palava

Bad Debt - Your Number One Enemy. People typically get into debt for various reasons: a.) Purchases small or large. b.) Unexpected life events and their consequences like medical bills or damage to property. c.) Many people get into debt because of lack of control over personal finance. For the reasons mentioned above, we tend to use a variety of products to finance our needs. Three major categories are the following: 1. Mortgages – They are used typically for financing your housing needs. In some cases, people also borrow against their assets to finance consumption. Mortgages can be very powerful, and you can make it work for you instead of against you. They typically have a high value and an extended repayment period. 2. Loans – Loans are used typically for financing medium or large purchases like cars or equipment. Loans in most cases are dangerous as they are usually used for buying depreciating assets i.e., assets that lose value over time. Cars would be a great example here. 3. Credit cards – These are used purely for consumption purposes. It is very easy to take on more debt than you can handle using credit cards. Also, except payday loans or cash loans, credit cards are by far the most expensive type of debt. THE KEY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BAD DEBT AND GOOD DEBT Yes, there is a difference between good debt and bad debt. In simplest words: Good Debt – also referred to as leverage, can help you in building wealth and passive income. You can buy an asset such as rental property, finance it with a mortgage and grow your cash flow. Bad Debt – This is an inefficient way of using borrowed money. The key mistake here is that the amounts borrowed are used for financing day-to-day expenses or for purchasing items that decrease in value over time. HOW BAD IS YOUR BAD DEBT? Each situation is different but you can use the following guidelines to check any warning signs in your personal situation: 1. You are using more than one bad debt products – credit card, overdraft facility, cash loan, car loan etc. 2. You owe more than 50% on your credit cards 3. All your monthly bad debt payments sum up to more than 25% of your income. WHAT ARE THE KEY STAGES IN FIGHTING BAD DEBT? Three typical stages lead to bad debt elimination: 1. ORGANIZE YOUR DEBT You need to make a list of every loan product that you are currently using and describe it with the following details: total amount to be paid, monthly cost. 2. PRIORITIZE YOUR DEBT As soon as you understand your debt, you need to decide which one you will pay down first. My suggestion is to attack the ones that are the smallest in total amount to be repaid. Using this method, you will see effects faster, and you will get more disposable income shortly. 3. ELIMINATE YOUR DEBT Eliminating debt comes down to making extra payments against what you have borrowed. You need to take a good look at your budget and see where you can cut on expenses in order to use this extra money for fighting debt. You are also recommended to think about additional sources of income. Every dollar counts when it comes to fighting debt. WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON BAD DEBT ELIMINATION? Bad debt is not only costly but can lead to serious consequences in case of loss of income. Bad debt is also slowing you down on your road to financial independence. Bad debt, if not managed properly, will grow over time and lead to serious financial challenges.

Culled from: https://www.growfiniq.com

Investment

CHRISTAL VILLA GARDEN ITAMARUN

Ibeju Lekki is one of the best place to buy lands in Lagos for Maximum Returns on investment.

The fact is that Lands within this corridor have the great potentials for price appreciation in future.

The best time to buy real estate is before the developments happen. Because its going to be cheaper at that time.

Buy the land now in this axis when it's still undergoing development, don't wait until its fully developed.

The more the developments that happened the higher the price.

NEIGHBORHOOD
* Dangote Refinery
* Damgote Fertilizer Plant
* Lekki Free Trade Zone
* La Campaign Tropicana Beach Resort
* Lekki Int'l Airport
* Lekki Deep Sea Port, Etc.

FUTURES:
* Perimeter Fencing
* Street Light
* Guarantee Security
* Sport Arena
* Visitors Park
* Electricity Etc.

Location: Itamarun (Ibeju-Lekki) Lagos

Price: 2.5M
Promo Price: 2M

Title: Excision in Process

Size: 600sqm

For more information, site inspection/plots purchase call or Whatsapp: 07083111902

QUEEN'S COURT

The Implication of this is that, no matter what Luxury (cars, clothes, and accessories) you can afford, It's prone to Depreciation, whereas your Real Estate Investment Appreciates - Consistently.

In the world Today, Real Estate is one of the most Valuable Luxuries you should have. Statistics has shown that Luxury Real Estate rentals in Nigeria received a big blow during the recent recession. So, forget about Letting that Property at Lekki for millions of Naira, and go for our -
'Christal Villa Queens Court' - at Sapati, Lakowe, at an affordable Price.


Title: Certificate of Occupancy
Price: N10m
PROMO PRICE: N5m per Plot
Location: Shapati, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria.

NEARBY LANDMARKS
Novare Mall (biggest Mall in Lagos)
Lakowe Golf And Country Lake Estate
Lagos Business School
Green Spring School
Corona School
Caleb British International School
Coscharis Motors
Mayfair Gardens e.t.c


INFRASTRUCTURAL PROVISION
Security/Electrified Fence
24hours Street Light
Interlocked Roads
Concrete Drainage
Under ground Electricity
Green Areas
Sport Arena
Estate Mall e.t.c

For more Information and Inspection booking, Pls Call/WhatsApp:
NIKE 07064401427
IYKE 08023963432
SAHEED 09066815852
ABIOLA 07036435999

Remember; The Best and Safest Investment on Earth is on Earth Itself.

Investment

WHEN YOU KNOW WHERE THEY ARE GOING...

When you know where people are tending towards or moving to, it is always good to go and position yourself there before they get there. Because, Economy is about people and people is about the Economy.

That is why Alhaji Aliko Dangote will always remain the richest man in African— He is smart, has massive foresight. He has acquired hectares of land in the New Lagos (Ibeju Lekki) where he is siting his multi-billion dollars Refinery, waiting for people to come. Waiting for the region to boom. Early birds always get the most advantage. The Lekki Free Trade Zone is another marker or pointer to the future greatness of Ibeju Lekki.

Other Companies That Have Positioned Themselves Here Include:

• Power Oil
• Kellogs (a Multinational Manufacturing & Distribution Company)
• Tantalizers
• Shoprite
• Slot
• Pan African University
• Coscharis
and,
• Several Real Estate Development Companies.

Real Estate Development Companies provide opportunities for individuals to also be part of the Early Birds, and have themselves positioned ahead of the great Fortunes & Social Economic Boom that is about to engulf Ibeju Lekki.

So, what are you waiting for ?!

Come and be a Landlord to Dangote Staff— acquire a plot (of land)!

Come and be a Landlord to Workers in the Lekki Free Trade Zone— acquire a plot or two (2)!

Come and be the Owner of the Recreation/Relaxation Centres and Hotels, where the foreign Investors will lodge to transact business in the region— acquire a plot, two (2) or three (3), an Acre...

And it will be our pleasure, to be your guide and help you make informed landed property investment decision in the New Lagos–Ibeju Lekki.

Even, if it is a Plot, anyone Acquire, buy or invest in here (Ibeju Lekki), you will be very glad you did, few years after

LET'S HELP YOU GET STARTED
Call/Whatsapp: 07083111902 or 07060877092
Email: Christalheights.t@gmail.com
bit.ly/Christalhomes

Christal Homes development

ONGOING DEVELOPMENT TAKING PLACE ON CHRISTAL VILLA ESTATES

Live a Life of Courage

One of the solutions I’ve discovered, to overcoming fear is to develop courage. For instance, if trying to conquer a particular fear hasn't been working for you then the idea is to work on developing courage. Contrary to what some may believe, courage is not a quality you are, or are not born with. It is one that can be cultivated and honed. Nor, does acquiring courage necessarily entail doing something dramatic or astoundingly heroic. On a day-to-day basis many ordinary folk summon uncommon courage to overcome both physical and psychological barriers in order to achieve a variety of necessities and goals. 

What then is courage?
Courage is the mental and emotional preparedness and ability to deal with difficult, challenging, and sometimes seemingly impossible circumstances. It is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, intimidation and other threats.

Why should we aspire to develop courage?
When we work to develop courage, we both empower ourselves with the ability to confront problems head on, as well as, acquire the skills required to deal with life's inevitable challenges. Courage is a psychological muscle. Indeed, when we build any muscle, we do so in order to build strength and resilience. At a time when many of us resort to harmful and counterproductive substances to deal with problems, we would do better to rely upon a healthy supply of courage. Undoubtedly, it is the wiser alternative. In building strategies for living a more productive, happy and meaningful life, developing courage is yet another way to take responsibility for your state of mind, your circumstances and your well-being.

As Maxwell Maltz, author of Psycho-Cybernetics, points out:
"We must have courage to bet on our ideas, to take the calculated risk, and to act. Everyday living requires courage if life is to be effective and bring happiness".

How to Develop Courage:

• Acknowledge and understand that it's not the absence of fear. Even the most courageous of us experience fear and trepidation. John Wayne said: "Courage is being scared to death -- and saddling up anyway". Ask any soldier or warrior who has had to venture forth in battle. Few would deny feeling fear and uncertainty beforehand. 
• Muster up the willingness to do so. Before you can acquire any habit, or character trait, you must have a strong desire or willingness to do so. Contemplating the alternative, which would be to live in fear or a position of great vulnerability, should provide ample motivation.
• Read literature, the latest news, and watch movies about tales of courage. Reading about the courageous acts of others is very inspiring and offers examples for all of us. In one of my favorite works of literature, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote, although very ill equipped for it, sets forth to courageously right the wrongs of the world. He faces scorn, ridicule and resistance at every turn, yet he perseveres.

"One man scorned and covered with scars still strove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable stars; and the world was better for this"

Don Quixote, de la Mancha

Likewise, you need not read much further than stories from 9/11 to be moved and inspired. Consider the courage and bravery of the ordinary men and women, the firefighters, the police and all those who gave their lives to save others. Who can forget the accounts of their honorable actions and how they didn't think twice about consequences to themselves? 

• Start small but start somewhere. Venturing forth and stepping out of your comfort zone can be daunting at first, so start out by doing something small. Ask that cute girl, or guy, out for a coffee (or herbal tea, juice, power shake). Sure it may be scary, but that's all right - do it anyway. If you normally hold back and are afraid to speak up, offer your opinion and suggestions at the next office meeting. It may feel awkward at first, but know that it gets easier with practice.

Slowly, but surely build up your courage by doing the things you typically shy away from. Building courage in this way can help you when it's time to quit that job you are not suited for or leaving a relationship that you've long since outgrown. 

• Develop faith and confidence. A large part of developing courage is having faith in yourself, faith in a higher power and faith that things will work out. This type of confidence comes from maintaining a positive attitude and visualizing a favorable outcome. A courageous mind-set is the product of faith, self-confidence and positive thinking.

Culled from:
https://www.essentiallifeskills.net

Ibeju Lekki Master plan

This is the master plan Ibeju Lekki. 

Allocation of Christal Villa Gold Estate

CHRISTAL VILLA GOLD PHASE 1 IS SOLD OUT ALLOCATION HAS BEEN MADE

PICTURES BELOW

*CHRISTAL VILLA GOLD PHASE 2 STILL SELLING ON A PROMO PRICE OF #700K per plot
*PROMO OFFER:* Buy 5 get 1 free PLOT.
*TITLE:* Registered Survey and Deed of Assignment
*PLOT SIZE:* 600SQM
*STATUS:* very Dry

Limited plots available

*At Christal Homes, we are Committed to real estates investment*. Call/whats app: +2347083111902 for plot bookings and enquiries‎.

Complements of the Season

Hurray!!! You made it to the Year 2018. Congratulations!!!

It is with so much joy and excitement that we welcome you to this brand new year. To many, this is a much awaited year, with so much expectation. Your great goals and aspirations for this New Year shall be fulfilled. Amen!!!

We want to sincerely appreciate our clients, friends, colleagues, well-wishers, our avid article readers, and others who made the year 2017 very exciting and memorable for us. Thank you so much for your continuous patronage, support and encouragement. Our promise to you is to exceed your expectation in this 2018.

Without the past, there cannot be a present; and without the present, we cannot talk about the future. They are all interwoven. It is the past that gives birth to the present which in turn births the future. Agreed, the past is past, but vital lessons can be gotten from the past and applied to the present to better our future. This is the reason why ‘History’ will always be a relevant course in our schools.

Yes, the year 2017 is over, but what lessons can we hold on to, what mistakes have we made that needs to be corrected in the New Year. There are lessons for everyone as individuals and also as a nation. No one, and by extension, no nation is currently in its finest state; there will always be room for improvement. As someone had said, the graph of success is always pointing upward. Our problem as a nation, and as individuals is that we don’t, or should we say, we refuse to learn from the past (history), and that’s the major reason we keep making the same mistake over and over, year in, year out. And, Albert Einstein had said many years ago that it is only a fool that will keep doing the same thing and be expecting a different result.

Is it possible to be making the same mistakes every now and then, and be expecting that a miracle will happen, to change the expected result? God cannot be mocked, whatsoever one sows, that he shall reap. Are we good citizens? A nation is basically a reflection of the attitudes and behaviours of her citizens. A good and great nation is made up of large number of good and great people.

How do nation/ people become great? Why is it that some economy/ country/ individual advance above others? Why are some countries/ people referred to as ‘developed’ while some others are ‘undeveloped’ or ‘underdeveloped’? Why is it that some people progress on a yearly basis, while others remain stagnant, or are worse-off?

I have discovered that every achievement or underachievement is usually a product of thought, as well as decision. “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. Every successful person or nation always starts with the definite decision to be successful. Thereafter, they create a plan on how to achieve that and they then walk the plan through decisive action and follow through by discipline. There’s no luck or magic about it. As a matter of fact, we can say they create their own luck or magic because success and fortune smile to the prepared, as emphasized in the book ‘The Richest Man in Babylon’ written by George S. Clason.

The year 2018 presents to us another unique opportunity to correct our past doings or undoings, first as individuals and then, as a nation. How can this be achieved? By doing what successful people and nation do.

To this end, highlighted below are ten important things to look into in order to make the year 2018 your best year ever:

-          Plan – The starting point of every worthy endeavour starts with planning. Successful people plan their life in advance; they don’t live their life to chance. Life is not a fun fare, life is a serious business, and hence, it must be treated as such. The need for proper planning of ones endeavours cannot be overemphasised. You can always tell the difference between a building with plan and the ones without. Time is ticking, have you planned for this year? Remember, he who fails to plan, plans to fail.

-          Goal Setting and Periodic Appraisal – The importance of setting SMART goals cannot be underplayed; SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound goals. Imagine a game of soccer without a goal post; it will be expedition of efforts in futility. There is also the need for periodic appraisal to see if the set goals are being achieved or not, and then to know the next line of action.

-          Take Action – Planning without action is futile; and action without planning is fatal. Action is what will bring your plan (dream) into reality. A building plan will remain a plan without the building until action is taken. I am yet to see someone that was given a bachelor’s or master’s degree for planning to study a course or have you ever seen somebody that was given an award for planning to invent something? It is action that separates the achievers from the underachievers. Hence, just do it. In 2018, let’s ‘do’ more than we ‘talk’. Remember, action speaks louder than words.

    Don’t Procrastinate - Procrastination is a trap that many of us fall into. It is simply postponing what you can do now or what you need to do now till a later period. According to a researcher/ speaker, Piers Steel, 95 percent of us procrastinate to some degree. While it may be comforting to know that you're not alone, it can be sobering to realize just how much it can hold you back. We need to realize that time is a very scarce and non-renewable resource; time lost can never be recovered – it’s gone forever. Let us value and cherish time. Do what you need to do when you need to do them; delay can be very dangerous.

-          Be Disciplined – To be disciplined is to have self-control or self-mastery. Every truly successful person or nation is disciplined. Discipline is the master key to success. Remember the word of Plato, ‘The first and best victory is to conquer self’. Discipline is like the fuel or force that will propel you to actualize your plan. Self-Discipline separates us from our ancient ancestors and the rest of the animal kingdom. Rather than responding to immediate impulses, we can plan, we can evaluate alternative actions, and we can refrain from doing things we will eventually regret. Give everything you do your best shot and work towards your goals like there is no tomorrow.

          Engage in self-improvement activities – Self-improvement is the practice of improving oneself in your areas of interest such as career, education, relationships, health, productivity, spirituality, and other personal goals. Everyone is striving to be better than they were before, and hence no one is beyond improvement. Self-improvement is a form of growth, and it’s been said that once we stop growing, we‘ll start dying. To improve yourself, you can go back to school, attend seminars/ workshops, read books and watch/ listen to tapes or CDs on areas of your life you need improvement. Improve on yourself until the act becomes a habit. Remember the words of Aristotle, ‘We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act, but a habit’.

-          Work hard and Work Smart – There are no shortcuts to success, but only through hard and smart work. Great things take efforts to achieve. Working hard is considered to be the cornerstone of every achievement. Smart work is about making the right strategy, about following a disciplined work culture. Hard work translates your vision and ideas into results. Hard work and smart work must go hand in hand for you to be successful. You need to constantly innovate and improve; and you need to work hard as well as smart. Be strong willed and work hard to get what you want, because the desire to achieve something is only as strong as the smallest distraction that can take you away from it.

-          The 4 Essential Ps: Passion, Perseverance, Persistence, and Patience –Passion is the strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something. It is the passion you have for something that will get you far. Perseverance is the continued steady belief or efforts in a course of action or purpose, especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. Persistence is the quality that allows someone to continue to do something even though it is difficult or opposed by other people; and Patience is the capacity to access or tolerate delay, problems or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious. It is persistence and perseverance that keeps you going even when the initial motivation that made you to start has already left. We must be encouraged in the fact that most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying even when there seemed to be no hope at all. These essential 4Ps are very important virtues that must be inculcated to make 2018 our best year ever.

-          Good Health is Wealth – Health seems to be one of those things we become enormously concerned about when there’s a possibility we’re going to lose it – and yet we take it for granted while we have it. All your goals and aspiration cannot be accomplished without good health. Endeavour to practice good hygiene, eat balanced diet, engage in regular physical exercise, have good amount of rest, carry out periodic medical checkup, and engage in every other things that will ensure you have a sound health.

-          Relationship with God and People – The belief in God is the unifying factor that binds all the above points. It is God that gives you the fantastic ideas to work on, and for the ideas to come into fruition. He guides and directs your path, and also gives you the ‘power’ to get wealth. Having a higher connection to the spiritual is divine. Also important, is our relationship with our fellow human being. Almost all the dealings we have in our lifetime are with other people. We must nourish and maintain good relationships with our family, friends, colleagues, and everyone we come in contact with. There are immense benefits of treating people well and showing that you care; and remember, your network (people) determines your net worth (value). And also, remember the golden rule, 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you'. We must be true to God, other people and to ourselves.

As far as we are concerned, the above represent the resolutions we have set for ourselves; they are like our ten commandments. You can also adopt them as yours. To achieve the desirable results, we must be highly disciplined. The first American President, George Washington once said, ‘Nothing is more harmful to the service, than the neglect of self-discipline; for that self-discipline, more than numbers, gives one army superiority over another’.

It is our sincere wish and prayer for you that the year 2018 shall truly be your best year ever.

As usual, we want to remind you that we care so much about you, and that when it comes to your real estate investment and advisory, we are always here to give you the very best service you can never get elsewhere. That is our promise, and will always be.

Thank you,