Welcome to August
Share your plans for August
Today is the first day of the month of August, the 8th month of the year. As usual, team meetings will happen today with one goal in mind for the next 31 days; to ensure profitability, and eliminate loss and redundancy in business operations. Surprised? Well, don’t be.
[Middle] Team Nigeria secured its first gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, courtesy of Olarinoye Adijat. She lifted a total of 203kg for accumulated lifts, to set the game’s record in the category after lifting 92kg for her second take.
E-mails bearing “kindly find attached” will fly at the speed of light around the world. Some people will get promoted today, some will receive query letters while some folks will be starting new roles. In all, I want you to take out some time and do these things;
Write a list of things you are grateful for that occurred in June. Don’t be economical with the truth, be grateful.
If you lost someone dear to you and the memory is still fresh, you might want to do away with the things that will bring back painful memories. If the deceased has come of age, like a really older adult, you might as well celebrate their passing away. For there’s glory in death.
On a separate piece of paper, write out what didn’t work, and also outline why you think it didn’t work. Spend some time brooding on where mistakes happened. Suggest what you can do better. Hey! Speak to someone if you can, I’m also an email away. I’ve got listening ears.
If you applied for jobs and they rejected, you with “We found a more suitable candidate” appreciate the fact that you were honourably rejected. It means you have better chances ahead of you. All you need to do is to keep moving, keep learning, and don’t quit applying. At least you got closure, which is better than being ghosted by some reckless HR executives.
If you have applied to a role, done tasks and interviewed with an organization, kindly reach out to them with a ‘warm reminder.
If your employer cheated you with inconsistent pay despite your efforts and also had the guts to lay you off. You are at liberty to seek redress in a court of competent jurisdiction. NEVER ALLOW A DISRESPECTFUL EMPLOYER TO GO scot-free.
For those who had errors in relationships at work, with their partners or business associates, it helps better if you tell yourself the truth about your shortcomings rather than wait for your stubbornness to be validated by a friend who has a biased value system. Admit your mistakes, where necessary restitute, forgive and move on. If the ‘breakfast’ was served hot, you might as well take a break. However, I suggest you stay off acting on the chorus of Burna Boy’s “Last Last”.
If you are learning new skills and you dropped out/ stuck, you can join our accountability community.
Jokes only
16-year-old Nigerian golfer Iyene Essien set an enviable record at the Champion of Champions World Golf Championship Invitational, in Northern Ireland by finishing as first runner-up.
In August, I want us to apply those monthly appraisal meetings we do in our respective offices into our lives. You too, take out a paper and write out what you want to see done for August. Break it into weeks, then days, then ascribe a time duration to it. Also, add a success metric.
Haruna, Olufemi and Bidemi, each of you have been writing novels but because of PS4, you have been procrastinating. A novel that has been in your mind since November 2021. It’s almost 10 months gone and you haven’t completed chapter 3. Kindly get back to work. This also relates to you all not working on projects that you have abandoned.
For those learning new skills; why have you abandoned your courses on Coursera and jumped to Freecodecamp?Please go back and remain focused!! Why are you shocked? It’s you I am talking to! Go and finish one before jumping on to the next.
What we are reading for this month
Marie and Hiten's Pitch Deck Workshop.pdf’ [17th-24th]
Business model canvas [9th-16th]
Nail The First 90 Days [1st-8th]
Top HR Tech Trends to Watch Out for in 2022 [25th-31st]
What I am grateful for
I am grateful for the completion of my courses on Udemy, Coursera and LinkedIn
I am grateful for my health and my family
I am grateful for a safe trip to and from Uyo where I went, to a friend’s wedding ceremony even though the waitress denied me access to small chops and Atama soup. Well, thank God for Gala. I personally feel Gala and Bigi Cola should be made a compulsory item in the First Aid box.
Super grateful to all the Nigerian women consistently winning medals for Nigeria.
Grateful to see Zambia’s President leading the country aright.
What didn’t work?
I tried applying for a foreign grant but immediately they saw I was Nigerian, they denied me access. My heart sunk when I saw their rejection email but I patted myself on the back and moved on.
I lost my younger brother, a batch A 2022 Youth Corper serving in Lokoja, Kogi State, he went to NCCF handover ceremony to become the NCCF President and on his way, their vehicle skidded off the road and that was the end. I still miss him though. He studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Benin. God rest your soul Sunday Obiazi.
I lost my Samsung Phone and Mac Laptop. The person who saw it demanded 600k before releasing it. Next time I’d be more careful how I leave things inside a parked vehicle.
What I will be doing in August.
In August, my team and I will be reaching out to property owners around GRA Ikeja, Lagos, Uyo and Abraka to kickstart our coworking Hub “Axis”. The one in Uyo will be Emem Hub by Axis. If you are in Uyo, we’d need some help.
Still, in August, our team will be hosting free knowledge sessions on Saturdays on UI/UX.
Go forth and win like Joe! Welcome to August!
What will you be learning in August? Share!