Occupy (Series)

Part Four

Extraordinary Things, Ordinary Places

By Rogers Wanambwa

It is common knowledge that Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Microsoft which are all trillion-dollar companies started in small rooms and garages.

This fact seems inconsequential now because they are big companies. I mean, so what if they begun in such conditions?

But, hold up!

Lest we overlook this important lesson that even in the most ordinary of places, extraordinary things can be born.

You see, even Jesus was born in a manger and grew in Nazareth. These two were never associated with great things. But He came from these humble places to prove a point that it doesn’t matter where you are from.

You can still change the world. Or perhaps you just want to change your village or family. Start on that too.😉

Do you always wonder where these celebrities cane from? Doesn’t it seem like they cropped out of nowhere and now they are always in our faces?

I believe that it is because where you come from does not limit how far you will go. Only your faith will do that.

This is the theme of this series. Occupy. Do not fear starting things because “they will fail.” Fest not starting and regretting in your last days.

What if is not something to go out of this world with. Even still, many go in this fashion. Hope it won’t be you.
Start that business, do that course, approach that lady/guy, start that farm, that NGO, preach that gospel, write that book.

Most importantly, don’t wait to have enough to start, ordinary places have birth extraordinary things, humble beginnings have resulted in legacies.

Notes:

Luke 2:1-14
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.

John 1:46
“Can any good thing come from Nazareth?”

Occupy (Series)

Part Three

Get Started

By Rogers Wanambwa

If you are to occupy places, positions, spaces, and so on, you have to get started. The sooner you do, the earlier this will happen.

For some reason, many of us have a ridiculous fear to start. Be it approaching that beautiful lady or a handsome man (here women claim that they are not supposed to woo men, even as they do so many things that entice men unknowingly or knowingly), be it starting a business, or just starting on that course that one keeps promising themselves they will go back and do.

Perhaps then Jesus was right when He said that the kingdom of God is like unto a child. Children are wonderfully fearless. They go after everything and anything that takes their eyes’ fancy.

Maybe because of life-giving us unending blows, we keep daring less and less the more we grow. But does it have to be that way?

You’ll be amazed for example how easy it is to open up a company in Uganda right now! I just finalized opening up one so I am speaking out of experience.

I guess then it is ignorance that keeps us from what we want, not leaving fear behind. But I find that these two are lovers and always travel together. Procrastination too, gets us stuck at moments instead of going ahead on our journeys.

I am not saying that when you start, things will go smoothly, I promise you, they won’t. not when what you are chasing is greatness. This is why you always those who achieved having almost similar stories of turmoil.

It is not intentional on their part; it is just life.

Life is always weeding out jokers. You have to commit to things. See them through to the end. And life will keep throwing challenges (read tests) at you for each level you ascend to. It is up to how much time you will spend doing that test (read overcome it).

Besides, isn’t that where the fun is? Imagine how boring life would have when we all can get what we want when we want it. Even still, we wouldn’t appreciate the effort put into the creation and provision of said things.

But here we are, me telling you to start no matter the hurdles you see ahead of you and you, contemplating getting started after all.
Do tell me, are you ready to take that leap of faith?

Notes:

1. And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3, KJV

2. My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. Hosea 4:6, NIV

3. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. Hebrews 11:1-2, NKJV

Occupy (Series)

Part Two

Accept you are not Unique (get to the Trenches)

By Rogers Wanambwa

To do some things, you have come off your high horse and be able to associate with those doing them already. Why? Well, for many of us, capital is simply not there in the beginning.

This means that we have to do many jobs that we were not interested in so that we can raise the money to fund our plans.

Of course, here I am believing that I am talking to someone that has already written down their plans and is willing to start (maybe I will talk about the will to start tomorrow).

But back to the point. You have to be willing to be frugal and save your earnings from these jobs you take.

Otherwise, you will lose sight of your vision along the way, and before you know you have been at it for decades.
By accepting that you are not unique, you stop expecting from others and start doing things yourself.

I mean why should someone finance your dreams and visions like they don’t have theirs? When you are not willing to serve others even at a lowly level? Even still, those who would have helped have most likely been swindled or deceived already and you are just another person with a story.

This does not mean you will never get help.

The interesting thing is that when you stop expecting things from people and start doing your work, those that are looking to invest notice your hard work.

Isn’t that something?

The universe aligns only those invested in things. Not those thinking about doing them, only those doing them. It is simply not enough to talk about it, you have to start doing something about it.

Similarly, there is no unique idea as such. Only improvements and new ways of looking at the already existing things.

The successful things you see are there because someone got to do them. If you think I am lying, check on the internet about your idea. Most probably it’s already there.

What should you take from this write-up then?

That you are not unique. That your idea too, is not unique. That those who will help will find you along the way. That you have to start at some point, even when that point is way off where you would have liked to start.

So, do that available job. Start with a small project. Put something in action.

I will dedicate this to those waiting, that sometimes you have to ‘just do it.’

Notes:

But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Matthew 23:11

But it is not this way with you, but the greatest among you must be like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. Like 22:26

Occupy (Series)

Part One:

Bankability: Are you Bankable?

By Rogers Wanambwa

In this series, we are going to look at a few things that will help you dominate your field. I would like to note that I am learning them as I go and so you will be looking at some of my plans herein.

To be bankable literally means to be acceptable to or at a bank. An example is bankable funds. It also means to be guaranteed to bring profit. An example is a bankable movie star (do we have these in Uganda though?).

From these definitions then, we can be able to inform this article better.
As a person, you owe it to yourself to continue improving in different ways to remain relevant wherever you are stationed.

It is simply not enough to get there, even as that in itself is not easy. You see, you can not camp at the mark of your first achievement. Or any of them for that matter. There’s more territory to get and so your work is never really done.

If we start looking at life like this, it means our plans and visions will outlast us.

To achieve said plans, you must position yourself in ways that make you profitable to be associated with. How though?

By being able to offer solutions to people’s problems.

To do this, you need to be knowledgeable. Acquiring knowledge takes time and resources and so you will have to invest in yourself in this area. You simply can not afford to cease or tire of acquiring knowledge.

With the way the world is always changing and at a rapid speed nowadays, you have to know more than everyone else around you to remain bankable.

Fortunately, most of the information in you’ll need is in your hands. Literally.

On your phone, you can get almost all the information you need. Use it. Dedicate time to this every day. Religiously too.

In a nutshell, to be bankable, you will need to remain relevant in the industry you are in, to your family, friends, community, country, and so on.

Let’s chew on this and plan to achieve this. Remember, this is a lifetime process. But do you agree? Let me know what you think.