50 Practical Wisdom for Successful Life and Career in the New Decade

Congratulations! You made it into the new decade that starts with the leap year 2020.

A lot of things can happen within a decade. Everyone is on a journey. Where they are now is not where they are going to be by the end of this decade. A fresh graduate can become a PhD holder. A local government chairman can become the President of a nation in two elections. A pauper can become a billionaire. You must have heard that ideas rule the world. You will come across a whole lot of ideas, but you won’t amount to much if you don’t execute them. Talk is cheap, it is what you do that counts.

Below are fifty wisdom tips that can significantly change the course of your life and career in the new decade:

1.    Money is important. It gives you options. Life always asks so many questions that only money can answer.

2.    Having clearly defined goals will simplify your life. Know what you want to accomplish out of life. The universe will conspire to make it happen.

3.    Plan. Plan for your health. Plan for your family. Plan for your finances. Plan your career. Plan your worship. Your life will make sense.

4.    You're responsible for YOU. If you accept defeat, that's what you get. Believe you can. Don't quit until you have got nothing left. Keep going.

5.    People who say it can’t be done already made up their mind, don’t allow their decision to control you.

6.    Recognize that you are not weak. You are strong. Everyday you are awake is another opportunity to use your talents and realize your potentials, don’t waste it.

7.    Don't govern your life by democracy. Only the voices that move your ideas forward, makes them better, and makes you better should count.

8.    You are responsible for determining how valuable your time is. Dedicate that time only to things that are important and beneficial to you and people around you.

9.    There's not much time left. Spend each day focused on your dreams. Your dreams are valid as long as you keep pursuing them.

10. Do not put age limit on your dreams. The sun that shines can still dry out your clothes on the line. When you wake up is your morning. Go for it before the night comes!

11. Have the courage to express your feelings and permit your life be to be happier. Stay true to yourself and keep in touch with friends.

12. Don't let anyone label you, and make your world look too small. There's no two of your kind. You can't afford to argue against yourself. Your future can be greater than your past.

13. Be kind to yourself and others. Every person you meet is a potential door to a new opportunity whether personally or professionally. Never undermine or write off anyone, not even your house help. Where they are now is not where they’re going to end up.

14. Always be prepared. You will save yourself from pressure. When you procrastinate, you invite pressure.

15. Have the courage to work hard. Jobs will find you. There is no short cut to hard work except hard life.

16. People have needs and assign high value to the people who can meet them. In today's world and organizations you're nothing more than the sum total of your useful skills. Let this truth never depart from you.

17. Get professional CV reviewers to work on your resume if you're unsure what you have will differentiate you from the pack. Denying yourself a month's cable TV subscription to pay for a professional CV review won't hurt your future.

18. Get a mentor. Belong to a valuable network. Who you know is as valuable as what you know. Make sure your mentors have been where you want to go; are playing bigger game than you are or have experiences different than yours.

19. Get a job that fulfills you. Never be in a hurry to accept a new job offer. Research the company and her culture properly to determine fit.

20. Keep learning to stay relevant. Become a professional in your field. Earn the relevant credentials. Stay teachable. Learn new things as much as you can - every day!

21. Never undermine your boss. Don't become too familiar. Be professional always.

22. Technical skills aren't enough. You also need soft skills. A good character (integrity) will take you far.

23. Choose to be dependable and invaluable. Always give a 105%. Never compromise your quality. Real money flows in the direction of value creation.

24. Master the politics of your company, it's called organizational awareness. Brand yourself at work through competent performance. Incompetence is costly.

25. Be selfish about your career aspirations. Never be afraid to make tough decisions. Move on to better things when the time is right.

26. Learn to document things. Not everyone at work is your friend. A simple email documenting what was agreed may be your life saver in six months’ time.

27. Don't be deceived, entrepreneurship is not for everyone. Otherwise, there will be none to work for anyone. If you're not sure that you are called, don't quit your job.

28. Stay humble and in touch with your reality. Never overestimate yourself. Ask questions. Ask for help. Ask for feedback. Do something with it all the time.

29. Live with integrity. A person of integrity is ‘complete and undivided’. They adhere to high moral principles in every area of life. Everybody falls, but people of integrity always get back up.

30. Learn to negotiate for respect. Respectfully teach people how to treat you.

31. In the end, it is result that counts, not just efforts. First seek to know and master how success is defined on your job before you lift a finger.

32. Prioritize growth. If you're not growing, you are dying. Keep applying what you are learning. Be consistent.

33. Ignore the pressure. Take it one day at a time. Focus on doing your best given your circumstance every day. You'll be amazed how much you get to accomplish!

34. Be ready to help as many as possible people to achieve their goals. That's your highway to prosperity. God blesses people because of other people.

35. There is nothing called ‘I don’t know how to network’. Meet more people every day. Stop hiding. Increase your connections and relationships. Let people know what you're up to as per your career interests so they can pass the words on.

36. Value good advice, it will influence your thinking. The quality of your life cannot be better than the quality of the people who advice you and influence your decisions. Choose carefully.

37. Choose a lifestyle of excellence. Run away from mediocrity. Shun crooked paths. Whatever your hands find to do, give it all you've got.

38. Be focused. Refuse to be distracted by less important matters. When you concentrate your efforts, you’re more successful. When you diffuse your efforts, you’re ineffective.

39. Shun all forms of negativity. Don't build mental monsters of fear and worry. Stop dwelling so much on all that could go wrong that you lose sight of what could go right.

40. Run away from those who extinguish your desire to improve yourself and shoot down your ideas with negativity. It's a waste of time to try to prove them wrong.

41. Beware of who you choose to become. It will attract either the right or wrong people into your life.  Like attracts like. Life is as you are.

42. If you don’t let go of the wrong people, you will never meet the right people. If a person is not adding value to your life, making you better, pushing you to reach out for more, you need to make a change.

43. Politics will determine how far and how much you can accomplish in any society. The central function of the citizenry is to participate actively. There will be two major elections in the new decade. Participate actively in the political process. Hold public office holders accountable. Everyone will be better for it.

44. You can't compensate for laziness with prayer. Praying to God when you should be working will be answered with hunger.

45. Don't ever get too comfortable. Know when you're losing form or stalling and re-strategize.

46. There are things you can't change. Accept. There are so many things you can change if you first change yourself.

47. Stop monitoring what you have kept in God's hand. When you pray, trust God and walk in the reality that he will be faithful to you.

48. Learn your lessons. Stop old bad habits. Otherwise you will repeat your folly.

49. Never make excuses. Never give up.  It’s good to be smart and have great ideas but those who really get to be successful are the ones who never give up or make excuses.

50. Do yourself a favour. Learn to pray.

Which of the tips make sense to you? Please add yours to the list.