On Marriage and Making Money

 I read two books in the past two months, one on marriage and one on making money. Each brilliantly as good in their own respects, I felt it proper to write a few pointers of important concepts/thing learned from each that I don't want to forget anytime soon. 

I'll start with Earn What You're Really Worth by Brian Tracy and will then pivot to God is a Matchmaker by Derek Prince 

Earn What You're Really Worth by Brian Tracy 

• Contribute Value
• Personal knowledge and ability to apply it are your most valuable assets. 
• Where are the customers? What do people want to buy? Which businesses and industries are serving customers best? Which businesses are growing in this economy which are declining? 
• Become indispensable
• Learn what you need to learn
• Specialize in that area and become extremely knowledgeable in that area
• What activities have been most responsible for my success in life to date -utilizing such skills to realize future success. 
• Stay productive
• fish where the fish are
• what are your skills? What can I do well? What have I learned through education or experience that enables me to make a valuable contribution to my employer?
• What have I done well at various jobs in the past? What activities have been most successful in my work life today
• Contacts, Credibility, Competence
• Intelligence: ask intelligent questions; curiosity 
• Leadership Ability: take charge, volunteer for assignments, accept responsibility for achieving results in the required assignments
• Integrity, Likeability, Competence: getting the job done, Courage: taking risks, Inner Strength: perseverance in the face of adversity 
• Keys to Marketing Yourself 
• Specialization -what are my skills
• Differentiation - what to do to not only be different but better? 
• Segmentation - look at marketplace and see where to apply yourself 
• Concentration - focus and do a good job
• Top people are in constant learning mode. They are curious, interested and eager to absorb new knowledge. They are hungry to learn. 
• Develop a sense of urgency, fast tempo, bias for action. Do it Now. Do the easy things immediately (take an important phone call right now and deal with it) 
• Posteriority: discontinue lower value activities 
• Grooming is important 
• Be idea oriented at work 
• Continuous learning: podcasts, etc
• Learn how to learn
• speed and dependability
• networking, join professional organizations 

God is a Matchmaker by Derek Prince 

• The Gateway: offer your body to God as a living sacrifice 
• God gives his best to those who leave the choice to Him 
• Four areas to cultivate if you want to enter into God's plan for marriage: 
• attitude toward marriage
• attitude toward yourself 
• attitude toward other people 
• attitude toward your parents 
• Eight guidelines to follow
• walk in the light of God's word 
•  cultivate fellowship 
• be led by the Holy Spirit 
• guard your heart 
• be prepared to wait 
• be prepared for death and resurrection 
• seek the counsel of godly men and women 
• cultivate God's favor 
• 12 suggestions on women preparing for marriage
• be a helper 
• cultivate your relationship with the Lord 
• cultivate commitment and loyalty 
• cultivate your own self-esteem 
• be willing to learn 
•  be willing to serve 
• be willing to adjust to your husband's priorities 
• learn to pray and intercede for others 
• learn proper care of your body 
• observe the wife's behavior in exemplary marriages 
• Trust God. Be willing to wait. 
• Set your goals. establish your priorities 

• Don't overlook the role of parents in seeking a spouse 
• "And my confident response to young people today who desire ardently to marry, and who doubt God's love for them because they have no mate, is from Psalm 37:4: 'Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart' "

OK, one more inspiration I got is listening to Patricia Bright on Madame Joyce's podcast. A bonus, if you will. 

to be a millionaire you need to "see someone else (achieve it), not be jealous, be inspired, then take action" - Patricia Bright 

The action taking part resonates with me because I have two projects that I am working on this year that although a bit scary and cumbersome, I am committed to taking action on. I look forward to coming back to this post and seeing how far I've come since writing this, so help me God. 

Funmi