Whatever you do, Don’t cry while reading this.

Back in July 2019...

Just a few weeks after I relocated to Lagos (from Asaba..), I quickly reconnected with a old friend of mine whom I went to see in Ikeja on a Sunny Sunday afternoon at KFC...

It was amazing to see him again because we go way back to Uni days in DELSU (Delta state university), Abraka Campus

Back then...

We ate together, played FIFA and PES together, watched football together, talked about women together, "looked for trouble" together...

Heck, we were fucking brothers and we looked very much alike in almost every area conceivable...

But unlike me...

He took his studies very-very-very seriously

And he graduated with a sharp 2:1 in Physics (4 pointer... / a few points below the 4.5 benchmark for a firstclass)

Bottomline: The boy sabi book die.

And he was one of the top 3 graduating students in Physics Department / Class of 2011/12...

And not surprisingly...

Just a few weeks after his NYSC...

My man got a 1-year paid internship with a high-end branch of UBA (United Bank for Africa) here in Lagos

He was in the "tech and software" department

And was perfect or so he thought..

Turned he was wrong about something...

He put too much faith into the corporate machine that takes too much and gives very little in return...

In the final weeks of his internship, his supervisor broke the news:

For "economic reasons", UBA was no longer going to absorb them (the interns) — as full-time staff...

Not even the usual 2-year probation they offer contract staff who come in through outsourcing agencies like workforce and the likes...

Nothing new here

Banks do it all the time

Get fresh graduates to work like slaves for one year under the guise of paid intership or contract employment on probabation with a promise to induct you if you prove yourself worthy (usually, the pay is as shitty as the false promises)

Let me not digress

My friend didn't see the handwriting on the wall yet

Because as far as he was concerned....

He had a good result and the brains to back it up (true)

So he started applying for jobs

KPMG, Deloitte, Telecommunications brands, GTB and so on...

Aptitude tests and Interviews came.

He aced some, failed some....

But never seemed to get a job

Bit by bit, limb for limb...

The system tormented him and shattered his self-esteem to pieces

And after about 7months of staying at home,

Wishing, hoping, praying and battling with depression....

He got a small job with a brokerage firm.

I think he said the pay was N100,000 or so but his new office was located in CMS,

Quite far from their house somewhere in Ikotun or Egbeda or so I can't remember...

And when we reconnected that day at KFC in Ikeja...

He just complained and complained and complained....

This life, what the fuck

He's overworked and underpaid

There's a load of work to be done and these folks refuse to employ more people — so he's doing 5 people's job all in one...

And he can't complain or ask for a raise because well...

That means risking a sack.

And a sack means going back to the streets where you have to start all over

Not in this economy where you can't even find a decent job with the best of results.

I allowed him to finish, then I asked him...

"So what are you going to do?"

He said "how do you mean?"

I replied "What's your plan...? are you applying for better jobs or you want to do something or the side that can help you earn more??"

His reponse:

"Well, I'm just applying for better opportunities and I'm hoping I get callled up for an interview soon. Bad thing is I don't even have anybody to help me. Anyway I'll just keep applying. Until then, I can't think of anything and I really don't want to do anything on the side for now..."

So I asked him...

"But if you say you're not happy with this job, why are you not actively making plans for an exit? it's cool to apply for better opportunities but that's a strategy based entirely on hope... why not start something on the side? something you control, something that gives you the power to earn an unlimited income? There's lots of legit, legal ways you can increase your income online... with your phone alone, not even a laptop"

The more I gravited towards making money online...

The more the light in his eyes dimmed

I was saying something he didn't want to hear...

This wasn't the life he envisioned for himself

Those late, long nights... studying for straight As

And now... 

He has to "set his degree aside" and start hawking stuff online to make money?

The look on his face said it all...

But I tried to make him see that..

While this thing of ours may not look sexy from the outside;

It's actually the only legal way left to make as much of your own money as you need to live how you damn well please...

I gave him examples...

Mentioned many people I knew..

Heck, I told him about how I transitioned into direct response after I lost my job...

Told him he was even smarter than I was

And that if I could do it,

Then I was confident he 'd thrive beyond his expectations as long as he took it seriously...

And I even offered to partner with him in an Ecommerce business I was tryinng to start back then...

I said I'll put 60% of the money down,

Just cover the other 40% (my way of making him commit, I don't think it's a good idea to 100% fund partnerships. People won't take it as seriously as when their own money in on the line...)

I even promised....

I'll do A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H....

Just do F (and I'll show you how to F)

Blaaaaaaah!!!! Didn't work

I kept reaching out to him for weeks and weeks and he always had one reason why he didn't think he was ready...

I got tired and we didn't speak to each other for months

Then during the lockdown, he called and we got talking again

And that was when he told me they slashed his salary by 50%

50 fucking percent.

And that in fact... they owed him about 2 months salary

And that the only payment he got every month was "Thank you for coming, see you tommorrow or next week" kind of money

That's when I lost it

I told him to get the hell out of there

He said "I know I know but if I leave will I get another job?"

I said you're single, you still have a rooof over your head at our parents' and you still have time to try something new...

Can't you see now that this job you don't want to leave doesn't give a shit about your welfare?

Get the hell out of there man!

Get the fuck out of that place

He was in high spirits and said he agreed with everything I said and in fact, he was going to make a firm decision this time....

The last time we spoke, he's still there..

That's almost 3 years since we started discussing this

3 FUCKING YEARS!

In that time, I've seen complete newbies get into this thing of ours and make their first $100, then $500, then $1,000, $10,000, $100,000 and more....

3 years is a long time,

Not just in life, but in this our business

3 years of laser-focus and consistent hardwork is enough time to transform your income and lifestyle..

But there's only so much you can do..

It hurts that he's settling for that life when there's so much more out there for him if he takes the leap...

It hurts to see him getting wayyyyyy less than he deserves

He's a good friend, and an amazing human being

And I love this man to bits

That's why all of this makes me angry

Back in school we all had dreams of working for big companies and earning N350,000 a month as salary

But the reality we met a few years after graduation was a wake up call

The system is fucked.

That life you want, the system can't give it to you

You have to create something for yourself.

It's sad you had to come to this harsh realization just when you thought your degree had set you up for life...

But reality is reality...

And you have to adjust accordingly when necessary

It's not going to be easy...

But self-reliance is the only way

This thing is as clear as daylight but it's sad most people pretend they can't see how fucked up the system is and that almost everything we were promised in school was a lie

They simply hope things will get better

Or they give up altogether

Not good.

I wish I could force people to see just how much power they have to change the course of their lives...

Because when you realize that as of now,

No matter where you are in life,

You have all it takes to build that life of your dreams...

That's when the blindfold comes off,

And that's when the system loses it's power over you...

But I don't even have the strength to force a horse to the stream

Talk more of make it drink water against it's wish

But here's something to chew on...

Before you know it, you're 50

And you're still where you were 30-years ago.

Same line of work

Same shitty pay

Same toxic work environment

And still hoping things get better or ... like most people...

In a complete state of bitterness where you're angry at everything and blaming everyone for your situation...

But who's to blame really?

And what stopped you from starting back then?

Or what's stopping you from starting now?

Other than your own reluctance and emotional attachment to doing things the old way even when the world has since moved on?

In hindsight, there's only one person you can really blame

Or hold responsible

And that person is the image you see when you look in the mirror.

Today, you have a decision on your hands

And depending on what your decision is...

The next 5-10 years of your life might be bliss or hell.

Tick says the clock... tick tick..

What you have to do, do quick.

Stay frosty,

A.

P.S: If you own a business, or you're trying to start one... and you genuinely need help getting amazing results... like these...