SECRETS OF TRUE WEALTH — HARD WORK IS NOT ENOUGH, AYO OLANIYI, FIVE TALENTS PUBLICATIONS
The conventional wisdom is that to be rich, you have to work very hard. Such teaching is embedded in the Yoruba saying: Ise loogun ise, which simply means hard work, is the antidote to poverty. Most people are brought up holding on to this maxim.
In order to be rich, they imbibe the culture of hard work and immerse themselves in their work 24/7. But the bad news is that hardly could many people have time for their family. Sharing quality time with children is a rarity. But the unfortunate news is that most people end up not being able to achieve what they set out to do. Most are barely surviving and many are still living in abject poverty.
The good news, however, is that a new generation of thinkers is out to challenge this position. One of them is Ayo Olaniyi, who wrote in his new book that: Though he does not teach laziness nor encourage crooked way of earning a living, but the author believes that while a man must work hard, he must also work smart.
The book opens by stating categorically that prosperity or poverty is a matter of choice. Hence the author says a man must choose for himself what he wants in life. He posits that the first step in making the right choice is to know God because God is the only source of prosperity. Read him: 'The Bible confirms that prosperity is a gift from God. Both spiritual and material wealth belongs to the children of God. God is the giver of riches and possessions.
The author has already attempted to settle the argument that people who are atheists have been known to be prosperous as he distinguished clearly between 'true' wealth and 'false' wealth. The true wealth comes with peace of mind.
The book argued that all prosperous people have something in common - They follow certain principles and as he put it: 'The few who are prosperous are the ones that decide to do what many chose not to do'.
In enumerating the principles that guide prosperity; the first is the principle of giving. Money by itself, he said, is neither good nor evil depending on the attitude of the person holding it.
Throughout the book, Olaniyi made it clear that God being the giver of prosperity must take first position in the quest or desire for and acquisition of money as well as what you do with it. The first principle dovetails into the second, which is tithing. This ought to have been included in the section on giving, although the first also dwells a lot on interpersonal relationship, while the section on tithing addresses the issue from Christian perspective.
The third principle is also part of the first since it relates to Biblical teaching on the issue of first fruits.
The fourth principle is sowing and reaping. He explains: 'The only way to harvest is to ensure you sow. Sow your seed where it can grow and be expectant'. The fifth principle is stewardship about which he has this to say: 'God expects you to wisely manage what He has entrusted into your care. He wants you to understand that you have been entrusted with whatever you have and you shall be accountable for the way you use it'.
Why hardwork is not enough is clearly demonstrated in chapters 4, 5 and 6. The author states that the strongest person may not be wealthiest because the race is not to be swift. To be rich or prosperous a man needs divine instruction. 'God is able to empower you for wealth by specially educating you.
He is able to give you revelations and instruction, so you know what to do at any given time for the purpose of prospering you'. He goes on to list hindrances to prosperity, ignorance, a situation where one lacks essential information that could lead to his transformation. wrong relationship. 'There are several people who are made for the stars but because they ended up with ducks, they find themselves perpetually unable to fly, stuck on the ground'. Others are wrong choice of career and sin..
The book is a clear departure from other motivational books on wealth creation as it offers clear, easy to follow steps on how to create wealth and maintain it. It doesn't only suggest investments to do; it also contains advice on making your earning permanent even when you are not physically able to run around.
The style of writing is easy to understand for all categories of readers and the tips illustrate everyday experiences. It is recommended to every one who wants to put an end to unprofitable hard work.