I hope it’s no more news to you that 300 (three hundred) Zain executives were laid off last week and despite the fact that I have some other articles to write about, I have no choice than to invoke my calling by educating those that believe that this kind of thing can never happen to them. It is actually not what has happened but the feedback of what has happened and the chain reaction that can easily develop from this kind of event.
Fear is the direct consequences of this action; everybody tend to sit tight following the same vicious cycle and wising that one day their condition would change. The worse thought line by an average worker in Nigeria is wishing that God would reward their labor of love and the time they have put into a company only to get retrenched, by-passed for a promotion, abused by their boss, etc. God would definitely reward your labor of love but those based on an exit strategy.
God makes a distinction in the bible about the way we are expected to serve (or should I say work); we serve as either a bond servant or a hired servant. God prefers the latter admonishing Masters in Leviticus 25: 39-40; “And if your brother that dwells by you be waxen poor, and sold unto you. You shall not compel him to serve as bondservant: But a hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with you and shall serve you unto the year of jubilee.”
God expects you to work for a period of time as a sojourner and then quit to form you own. The difference between the hired and the bond servant is that one uses the job to garner experience, economic leverage and viable networks with an exit strategy in mind while the other has no exit strategy in mind. The bond servant believes that whatever is the Master’s own is his/her own. God warns the bond servant about this in Leviticus 26: 13.
The bond servant mentality is a rat race mentality. The whole concept of rat race conjures up the image of lab rats whose life is an endless series of activities that get them nowhere. Rat race can thus be defined as an endless and futile attempt to achieve something in competition with others that is unachievable. In your company, look at all your colleagues and ask yourself what are the chances that you can become the MD, DMD, GM or Senior Manager. Supposing your chances are high (which I very much doubt); how long? Supposing you can wait the time; how sure?
The expectation of the righteous man can never be cut shut but the righteous man is the one who listens to God not the one with a moralistic inclination. God does not want you to bond yourself to any company but to leverage the company for your exit strategy. In any given company, hired servants are thus more productive than the bond servant because they know that they have a limited time to learn and practice for their own outfit. They are not the 8-6 workers but the ones who are ready to stay odd hours and give what it takes to achieve success.
Jacob’s chase for Rachel shows the true nature of a bond servant; working for seven years to obtain a dream but deceived by his boss to work for seven more years. How many contemporary workers have been promised a raise or a promotion without getting exactly what they want? Jacob changed the whole dynamics for productivity; if you give me this, I would produce this. This particular change made Jacob wealthier than his employer. This particular story shows that working for time can never make you wealthy but working with the aim of getting out of the cycle makes you wealthier than you can imagine.
The paradox of the whole thing is that hired servants are hardly laid off because their productivity is always eminent except God sets them up because God has impressed it on them to leave but they have been scared thinking about what they would eat. Mahatma Gandhi could not have distinguished the essence of eating any better when he said: “You will not eat to satisfy your palate but your hunger. A self-indulgent man lives to eat; a self-restrained man eats to live.”
To all those who have been laid off and those who may still be laid off in the nearest future; I would not reiterate the normal Christian encouragement that all is well because all is definitely not well. You have entered the night season of your life and things would not be the normal way you are used to but things would be far better if you corporate with the Holy Spirit. This is the pruning season of your life preparing you for greater action and achievements.
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This is not the time to abuse the power that God has placed inside you by complaining, doubting yourself, lacking confidence and boldness or blaming Zain for the predicament that you seem to be in. This is the time for solitude and reflections, not the time to start throwing your CVs everywhere so that you can be bonded again. This is the time for new direction and a new level.
To all those who are working as bond servant, it’s time to seriously convert yourself to a hired servant. A hired servant starts building systems that would take care of his/her every day bills. If you have ever played Kiyosaki’s board game known as Cash Flow 101, you would realize that the easiest way to get out of rat race is when the income generated from your asset is maximally paying your bills then you move to the fast track position. Always push your energies (even if you have to borrow) in building passive income because therein lies your way to freedom.
If you are working and interested in playing this game, I would be organizing a meeting called “Beating the Rat Race” in June (all my May weekends are booked). To secure an early seat amongst the 10 players, please click HERE. I also want to point out that no matter how long you work, you would end up going into one form of business or the other because your pension if it comes regularly can never satisfy you. You may listen to my podcast on Pension Conspiracy by clicking HERE.
Why wait 25 years or more when your risk tolerance would be very low. Sharpen your business reflexes as early as possible through your wife and vice versa. For those who know they would end up in business, it’s about time you start reading about business. I am giving out a book free of charge titled; “HOW TO WRITE A BUSINESS PLAN”. It is more than 300 pages and quite easy to read. If you are interested in this book, simply make an intelligent comment below on this topic; it can be either against or for my views. I would love to read your perspective as we build the right mentality to work.
I cherished the brain behind this topic. Its contents were not only detailed but also convincing.
Indeed, many brilliant Nigerian are Bondmen and i saw myself as one tonight.
I have resolved to improve myself first, then i will quite the rat race for good by God grace.
You are a good mentor and i say kudos for a good job you are doing.
RE- RAT RACE.
I cherished the brain behind this good topic, the contents therin are not only detailed but convincing.
It is evident that many brilliant Nigerians are bond men and i saw myself as one tonight.
Indeed, i am touched and i believed strongly that you had impacted my life deeply by this topic and Zain Company ‘s saga.
A couple of months ago, i started improving myself by starting my professional studies and examination. God willing and by His grace i pray to quit the rate race of been an employee soon.
May God continue to use you to educate us the more.
Truely, knowledge is power and i pray that God will reward you for your good mentoring works .
Amen.
My prayer is that
Thank you so much for addressing this issue cos it was a topic of discussion btw some of my friends and i.I ave always had the mindset to be my own boss. so, when i ask to resign from where i was working my family members and friends just couldnt believe me.Thank God i left when i did.M y business is going places though i,m breaking new grounds and i,m not afraid in the least.
Big cheers.
the only way to avoid rat racing is to build piplelines using the 4 wealth vehicles-paper assets,real estate,internet and business.theres difference between being an employee,being self employed,owning a business and being an investor.as an employee u can be self employed but u cant own a business.havent ever wondered why people put in 20 yrs in the bank resign and have nothing to show for it?
i wonder why people act like its some spiritual snobbery to think money is not important!
spot on dips!
@ Sammo,
I really enjoyed your comment but unfortunately you are beyond the cut off date to get the book.
I made a mistake on the Rebecca thingy; I would have to correct it, Thanx.
One question I would like to respond to; this is your quote below:
“Come to think of it, it is not every one that can be self employed and you could actually be on a paid empoyment and not rat race”
1. If you are employed and you are not ambitious, then you are likely to be laid off during lean periods except you work for the government.
2. The only employed guys that do not rat race are those that have shares in the company.
3. Everybody can be self employed but not everybody can be a business owner
I referenced all my submissions to bible passages; you could counter it with your interpretation.
Thanx once more for the comment!
Man Dipo,
You are truly championing a worthy course! Good to be self employed and be your own boss.But franking speaking,me i am not convinced by your write-up for you seems to be appealing to our sensations without cogent imperatives.
The article seems deviod of realistic and tenable approaches to your premise.Your interpretaion and depiction of Jacob’s ordeal in getting Racheal (not Rebecca -a mistake i guess cos she’s Jacobs mother) does not necessarily butress your stand. Come to think of it, it is not every one that can be self employed and you could actually be on a paid empoyment and not rat race. The biblical reference are not too apt to the point and this rat race self is a relative term.
This is not to say that i do not respect or appreciate you write- up, cos overtime they have been good sources of inspiration for me and my family(i do print the stuff for my wife) but these few days Bro Dipo i have reason to differ with you on idealogical and philosophical issues you wrote about recently. You seems to me to look at issues on absolute grounds.
Meanwhile, no 4get my book o,i have ideas about writing Business plans but i need this stuff of yours too.
I believe in branching out on your own and earning your income without being a slave to money, rather the other way around, but one thing that stares me in the face is the simple fact that not everyone is cut out for enterprenureship, with the present flunctuations in global economy, government policies and counter policies, and other unexpected “rain”, a sharper than tack mind is needed for serious investments, th question now is: Is anyone strong hearted to take any such risks right now? you don’t need to jump before you know the water is freezing, the whole pond is floating ice!
Am really impressed and really touched by your write up may the fountain of inspiration inside you not run dry.Plz i will like to have a copy of the book thanks.
This was a pretty comforting and thought-provoking piece. Everyone should be working until they are no longer effective, whether if that means that their skills are no longer adequate or they no longer feel any passion for the work.
dear dipo,
when i was in the bank, i was priviledged to have been the secretary to the board and sat in meetings with directors (exec & non exec). it was easy to discern which of the directors one needed to be. i personally witnessed the firing of two MDs at such meetings.
it occured to me that whereas the md or the exec directors exercised power over employees but they too were subject to the whimps and caprises of the non execs.
apart from this experience, a look at the personalities who matter in the world reveal which side one should be. the length of time for one to be in employment depends on when the realisation hits you but the reality is that employees harly make a difference in this world.
balogun
The Rat Race!
While I encourage everyone not to stay in the rat race too long, I must caution that working for others is a necessity most times. It gives us the opportunity to build relationships and acquire different types of knowledge and experience that eventually shapes our future. Working is also one of the best places to build networks. Alas, that is what Dipo means by having a hired servant mentality. You must work with an exit strategy in mind.
Good luck everyone!
Hi Dipo,
Nice one from you.
I strongly believe that our problem in this country is our mind set. An average student is only thinking of what his/her certificate can offer after graduation not knowing that the best job is the one you do yourself and derive the satisfaction taht comes with impacting lives and your generation. Life has a meaning that trascendes money. It is about purpose.
God bless u Dipo.
even if u win a rat race,you are still a rat!go to school,graduate with a 1st class/2.1 and you automatically get a job..big fat lie.now ma friends that i graduated with just last year are apprehensive as we await nysc.i asked few of the before we all left school,”wat’s next?”most of them dont know.the truth is either as an entrepreneur or intrapreneur you are responsible for your financial life.and as an intrapreneur,one of the 3 Rs is inevitable-retirement,resignation or retrenchment.its important to plan an exit strategy because you cannot work forever.you are either a bucket carrier or a pipe builder(a bucket carrier is someone who with a linear income who works at his job all his life only to get a paycheque at the end of the month.its a slow laborious process of building wealth while the pipeline builder is one who builds pipes through which money flows from the 4 taps of wealth creation(business and this includes network marketing,real estate,internet and paper inverstments such as bonds,stocks,commercial paper etc).
its funny to see people in the daily grind of rat race for 10,20 years with nothing to show for it at the end of the day….its important to realize that getting a sound financial education is a job itself and truly no organization owes any one a job.you are simply exchanging your time and skills for a paycheque and its no enough to make you rich anyway(it doesnt matter what the amount is).in the face of the present economic crisis,job would be lost and according to financial experts,it may last for another two years…nokia nigeria gave its workers the option of voluntary resignation till may 31(i guess the date is right).the staff at the senior level would lose their perks such as travel allowncw,paycut etc..and that adds to the growing list of job losses.. and as for zain,lars stork was the first to go before the rest.the company is to cut 2000 jobs in middle east and africa by 2011… and to my fellow entrepreneurs keep working on your dream,dont give up.
nice piece dipo!
Great piece, i am transiting from my present employment to another by the end of this month and this is just the message for me. Thanks.
nice piece, some of us have been thinking of doing things on our own , our thought is that its not easy and that is the reality. but the end is sweet.
this is a great one from you, Dipo.
Thank you very much for the encouragement. This is the right time for we Nigerians (either employed or unemployed) to start thinking of businesses we can do to get out of the logjam(caused by global reccession) and to improve our economy (changing Nigeria from being a Consuming nation to an industrialised economy).
I incorporated my own company (a Limited Liability Company) last year (May) ,but iam still planning to commence operation (due to financial constraints). I wish that most Nigerians can think in thesame way and God with us,we shall be able to deliver this nation from economic instability and abject poverty.
PLS ,I NEED A COPY OF THE BOOK YOU ARE GIVING OUT FOR FREE (HOW TO WRITE A BUSINESS PLAN). PLS SEND IT TO ME AND THE LORD ALMIGHTY WILL CONTINUE TO BE BLESSING YOU,YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR BUSINESS.WE ARE ALL ENJOYING YOUR POSTS AND GOD WILL BE INCREASING YOUR KNOWLEDGE(AMEN)
@ all,
Thanx for the comments; I read it all!
I forgot to place a deadline for the book gift: Entry closes on Friday, 15th of May, 2009.
Ciao
The fear of the unknown grips everyman. Most men die many times before their death. One thing is certain, you remain a bondservant until you realise that there is no alternative to self actualisation through self employment. START THINKING, TALK LESS AND YOU WILL GET THERE.
Hello Dipo and fellow commentators,
I must ain’t surprise about the lay off of the 300 Zain executives…because the only contant thing in life is change. It’s always wise to live ready.
I guess by now most of them are yet to recover from the shock—to some of them it’ll be the beginning of their rat race, while the wise amongst them will have shaken themselves from the sake rubble and bounce back to minding their own business—if they are wise, according to the above article.
It’s better we prepare for the future, so that the future won’t meet us unprepared. You can start today!
In closing i would like to say that, if you have details in the affairs of life, you can’t be detained (stagnated or confused) by circumstances.
Dipo you’re doing a great work, soon i will get to see you one-on-one.
My regards to you wife and daughter.
What an inspiring write up.Its time for a lot of PLAN B’s
Dear Dipo,
To say this is inspiring is nothing but repeating the obvious. This is because your write-ups are always inspiring. I am sure that with the acknowledgement by many that majority are in the rat race, you wonder why many stay ‘put’ in the race. One reason that readily come to one’s mind is that many have refused to attempt to dare. And i know if you cannot dare, you cannot win and win big. We are as a people are risk averse. We over-estimate associated risks and decide to stay in our current comfort zone. forgetting that we all work for a pay master who is interested in profitability no matter it is achieved in his business, including dropping you off, his greatest asset?
God give the courage to know that there is need for plan B /exit strategy no matter what you are doing at the moment .
i still believe all is well with my friends who lost their Job in Zain. Romans 8 vs 28 All things work together for Good for those that love God.
This is really a wake up call
thanks for d word of thougt u give to people around u always it gives inspiration to many u does not no their left from their right.or people who ar confused abt life itself.pls am interested abt ur book [how to write a bussiness plan]u can send me a copy thru my post offices box[pobox 1416 onitsha anambara state]my name is up there,thanks
this is a very good one from you , though very touchy that something like this is happening but its a warning sign to others that have not been affected , i would like to have the book , I need to have my own business to prepare for the rainning days GOD BLESS YOU and may you continue to increase in wisdon , i also like the fact the you likened the present situation to the bible this shows how much you love and read the word of God , GOD BLESS YOU SO MUCH
Dipo,
I think you have a knack for inspiring people. I have read most of your post, but I can tell you that this came at the right time. I am in the mid of my dry days of ideas; thinking of how to make the theatre art group I have grow to a money spinning venture.
Each time I tried, there is a stumbling bloch staring at me acutely. This group has been in existence since 1998, this is because I have kept certain rule intact – Money and women. But the business aspect of it is drilling into my minds.
Please advise!
Mikail
Thanks once again for the inspiration. It is so unfortunate that most of us are cut up in the rat race. It requires devine intervention to pull us out. However, I believe that the first step in getting liberation starts from the individual that needs freedom. It all started like a rumour untill the hang man finally arrived at Zain. The best time to really start a business, form a team or join a team is really when one is still employed. That way, it reduces over zealousness and gives you opportunity to learn the ropes. I am willing to release a secret freely. Just write to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
To a young man building a fledgling career in the IT industry, this piece couldn’t have been more timely. Thank you sir for helping to reinforce the fact that I ought to be looking at leveraging my contacts and building my field experience.
This blog is really inspiring.Being a bond servant requiries that we must be focussed on whatever long term goals that we have made for ourselves. from my own personal experience i have learnt that this is about the hardest thing to do.just like what i heard from a friend today,the things that propel each of us forward are never fun and easy to do.and it is only the small percentage of people in this world who are willing to stomach this responsibilty ever reach their goals and acheive financial and career success.hence we have many hired workers every where around us chasing each other in the rat race.i have had ideas in my head for years now,and just to sit down and write a business plan and bring this iideas to life has held them down. It is really sad to know the right things to try and do to move from the rat race and be liberated but never get to do it.we sometimes just feel more comfortable doing things that make us happy at the moment but detrimental to our future goals and put off things that could actually change our lives.
This is really an insighful post and thought provoking. I can imagine what would be going through the minds of the workers laid off from Zain right now. I wonder if there is any such thing as Job security now.
When I was working in a bank I used to imagine of all the bankers in all the branches nationwide how many people could eventually become the Bank MD guess that is even too far maybe an AGM or a Senior Manager. It was really surprising how so many people in the financial industry don’t even know some simple principles of the Cash Flow Quadrant.
I think these principles and game should be taught in the training schools or induction programs of all banks and companies in Nigeria.
Thanks very much and would appreciate the book on business plan.
Take care and wish you all the best
Cheers!!!
teped,
quite provoking but true anyway. come to think of it the reward for hard work is more work . I am really feeling trapped
You are very right. I hope people that read this article benefit from it. From reading this article I will reconsider my project for the year 2009/2010. Thank you Dipo.
Best wishes
Hello Dipo,
Your topic today is irresistable for me, once i got the email alert i traced the link quickly to read your perspective. I agree absolutely with all your points they are very true.
Getting out of the rat race requires understanding what is Salary, passive income, paycheck, different investment vechicles, types of debt, interestingly i found out that a lot of people muddle things just thinking of making money but cannot define or differentiate the characteristics of all the channels of making income, I would encourage anyone who has not played Cashflow game before or has only played it once to seize this opportunity to join Dipo for the plan date.
The first time i played cashflow was about a year ago it was organised by Generis Solutions my life has never remain the same, infact instantly as i got back to my base i ordered a copy for myself. I have also been priviledged for the past 8 months to be a facilitator of this game every month at NNC UK meetings, i can say a lot about the practical knowledge that can be acquired but more blessing for those who can think and apply the principles.
When passive income is equal or greater than total expenses then that person has proved to be financially intelligent and out of the rat race then get on the fast track. Fast track is sweet, making money becomes a game hmmmmm……… i have experienced it so many times on the game but still working towards it in real life. But one thing is very clear i have a sound understanding and strategy for me to get to the fast track and i’m working it out not just waiting for a magic or seemily miracle to happen.
You talked about 300 pages on “how to write a business plan” ……..whao, i will be glad to have a copy anyway, i figure the guidance must be enough to build a billion pounds business.
Weldone my brother and thanks for been a blessing.
I love this article. Rather than be depressed, a lot of people need to start thinking about wonderful exit strategies. Also we all have to answer this question at some point in our lives, “what is my purpose on earth?”
Dipo! You’ve said it all. When i left my job few months ago to mind my own business, my ex-collegue laughed at my supposed stupidity. Although it was very tough as i could’nt pay my salary in the first three month but today am better off. one of them called me few weeks back for an advice on what to do next because he was denied of the promotion promised him and now they want to transfer him from Abuja to Maiduguri to worsen his case. it is time for people to understand the fact that being a bond servant wont take them far, the fear they refused to confront now would become the Wall of Jericho in the very near futues.