A track record relates to achievements of the past and has much to say about the character of an individual. This is great for some but can also be problematic for others.

People with habits that they have practiced for long periods, whether good or bad, are not likely to change overnight. However, that being said, people do change. Someone with great achievements could become complacent, and another with a disastrous past could buckle up and pull thier lives together.

Sometimes, nothing in their track record could ever predict the turn of events that make them change for better or for worse. So as much as we use the track record as a trusted guide to predict peoples future performance, we must not throw away the need for faith in people in the present, because the past, no matter how accurate it is can never reliably predict the future.

Be willing to give someone a chance to write a better record for themselves even if it has been good in the past. Also, allow another to turn a good leaf and write an acceptable record going forward.

40+FAB Blog

Will you pass credit checks?

By Olaolu Faj Opebiyi on

May 30, 2021

- 40+FAB Blog

In order to secure some type of credit from financial institutions or similar companies, you must among other things, prove you are who you say you are. These organisations understand the importance of thier finance getting into the hands of those that can be trusted to use it appropriately and repay them when needed, so they will carry out a credit check on you.

A credit check looks at information to understand your financial behaviour. As part of a credit check, companies may look at whether you’ve paid back your credit on time, how much credit you currently have and how you’re managing it. They may also look at any financial associations you may have (such as someone you share a bank account or mortgage with) and what their credit history is. They won’t do these searches without you engaging them for a service they provide.

Banks and building societies, Utilities suppliers, Letting agencies and landlords, Mobile phone companies, and Employers are among the types of companies who would carry out a credit check. The financially astute individuals are aware of this and thus ensure that thier financial affairs are always well managed.

Will you pass the credit check? Not just for finances, but for relationships that could lead to marriage, a business partnership, or a long standing friendship? Will you come out unscathed when you are put under the microscope for a position of trust to lead people or handle great resources?

What if we lived every aspect of our lives with the mind of leaving behind us a trail of consistent responsible actions that when searched out give us a good credit rating of trust? After all, no one wants to engage with someone who will become a liability to them.

40+FAB Blog

Figure it out yourself

By Olaolu Faj Opebiyi on

May 29, 2021

- 40+FAB Blog

When we hear the advise about doing it yourself, we have a picture of someone who has strived to be self-made. They figured it out themselves and came up with a strategy to be so successful all by thier own efforts.

That is a skewed picture because everything everyone has ever achieved has been a product of years of help they received from others. Doing it yourself or figuring it out yourself is not a call to rebuff help and guidance from others, it is however a call to put into personal practice what you have learnt.

No matter how good a teacher is or how well a principle has been explained, the student will never really grasp it and produce with it if they do not process it in thier own mind, being able to effectively explain it thier own way, and put it into practice to produce similar results.

Figuring it out yourself is about taking responsibility for yourself to apply what you have been taught. As the saying goes, you can take a horse to the stream but you cant force it to drink!

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Why are you not rich?

By Olaolu Faj Opebiyi on

May 28, 2021

- 40+FAB Blog

I learnt a technique of problem solving years back, called the 5 why’s, which highlighted the need to ask why a situation was the way it was, and for each time an answer is given then ask why that answer, and repeat this process a total of 5 times.

As humans, we will never address what we have not clearly identified and understood to be a problem for us. At other times, we focus on the symptoms rather than on the root causes, but we end up going round in cycles. Asking why as many times as necessary helps us go beyond the façade of our problems and we uncover what really needs to be done if things are to change.

So, why are you not rich? Is it because of education, opportunity, no support etc. If so, you need to ask yourself again why? It is an uncomfortable process to do this and if you are being honest with yourself, at the root of it you will find that there is something you can do, which you haven’t done, that will break you out of where you are now.

It’s not just about riches though. Why are you not fulfilled? Why are you not in the best shape of your life? Why are you not married? Why are you not loved? Why have you not reached that accomplishment? The list could go on, but the process to an honest answer is the same. Why? Why? Why?

40+FAB Blog

Socially awkward

By Olaolu Faj Opebiyi on

May 27, 2021

- 40+FAB Blog

Have you ever felt that you stick out like a sore thumb in social settings, or you blend in with the wall paper as if you weren’t even there? A number of us have trouble understanding social context and behaving appropriately. So, how does the social butterfly do it as they flutter and float from person to person and conversation to conversation with such ease and grace?

In social settings you must appropriately gauge your personality and the social context. There must be a balance between who you are and what is expected of people in any societal group. It takes understanding and practice to nail it, whether you are an extrovert or introvert. The introvert may certainly have to do a lot more work than the extrovert, but it is work that will pay off.

We cannot avoid people, we cannot avoid society, so we must find a way to cope with it as best we can and in a manner that is acceptable to others. There is no social disadvantage that cannot be overcome by careful planning, preparation and desire to benefit from the advantage of society.
Check out books, videos and other media available that teach on being able to thrive in social gatherings.

40+FAB Blog

One secret to change everything

By Olaolu Faj Opebiyi on

May 26, 2021

- 40+FAB Blog

I am sure you are well captivated by the title and can’t wait to find out this one little secret. The reality is, if the secret could be explained in just one thing, then all those who possessed it would have changed everything by now.

It is a bit naïve and short sighted to talk about the one thing that you need to repair everything about you and your life. It would just be as ridiculous as trying to describe the meaning of life in just one sentence.

The way we change, and the way things change, is by one improvement at a time. So, the one secret is always a seasonal one, and when it has served its purpose, then you need the next secret and so on. You may have to apply a thousand little secrets before everything changes for you.

Most of us would give up now if we knew that there were over a thousand steps to take for the improvements we most desired. Thus comes in the one thing. We only need one thing at one time to move one step forward. Focus on the one thing that you need most right now, and because you know this secret, you will quickly locate the next thing and so on, until everything changes.

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Looking for a superhero

By Olaolu Faj Opebiyi on

May 25, 2021

- 40+FAB Blog

If only the classic superhero were real, wouldn’t the world be a much better, safer place? You would think so, however, the villains in thier stories are troublesome enough to create enough havoc to keep our superhero’s hands full, thus the result of having the superhero just about balances out with what the villains can do.

In spite of this, we still seek out heroes every day, and people have the tendency to ‘hero worship’. Be it a politician, a royal, an athlete, an actor, a pop icon, an influencer, an intellectual or spiritual sage, etc. we are quick to believe in these unique people that have been born with abilities making them better than us, so we let them be responsible to save our day.

With a few exceptions, the truth is, no matter who they are, they only got there by a lot of hard work and maybe a little luck. These are the very same things that we have access to, hard work, and yes, luck.

I find that most would shy away from what it takes to become the best in thier area, and therefore highlight the achievement of the extraordinary ones, thus deflecting the scrutiny away from thier own unwillingness to take responsibility and churn out similar results.

So, if you are looking for that superhero to save your day, you needn’t look any further than your own self. You are a diamond in the rough, you are the amazing getting ready to happen, you are that super man or wonder woman. This is your mission should you choose to accept it.

40+FAB Blog

Expert, showman or conman

By Olaolu Faj Opebiyi on

May 24, 2021

- 40+FAB Blog

An expert is someone who is very knowledgeable or skilful in a particular area. They garner a lot of respect for what they do, and people usually defer to them in thier area of expertise.

Some might say don’t confuse a showman for an expert, but is it really possible to become a showman in any area without being able to wield the expertise required with such skill that people almost feel it’s magical? The great entertainers in the arts and sports are certainty very very good at what they do. Other professions may frown at a bit of showmanship, however, it does have its place in inspiring the next generation to pursue such expertise.

So what of the conman? Again, this is a form of expertise in the area of persuasion that makes one believe that someone is something they claim to be, but clearly are not.

The expert, the showman and the conman might all look the same at face value, but only by the fruit which they yield over time shall we truly know who they really are. We must strive to be the expert in our field, or maybe even the showman, but we must never be side tracked to seek to be what we are not in the hope of gaining something that we do not deserve.

40+FAB Blog

The most important one

By Olaolu Faj Opebiyi on

May 23, 2021

- 40+FAB Blog

You know how the safety instructions given at the commencement of a flight encourages us to put on our own mask first before we cater to others around us in the event of an emergency? The same should apply to other areas of life too. We don’t live hoping for catastrophe, but we should always be reminded and prepared for them when they do come.

It seems the assumption is that we only look out for ourselves first in emergencies or when things are unpredictable or abnormal, and it makes sense because if we are not well in such circumstances, we cannot truly help others. But let me ask you, have you really ever encountered a day that you did not meet someone who required help?

There is always the unpredictable or abnormal waiting to happen when we least expect, so why don’t we live ready? Don’t put off planning your finances and saving today, for someone will need your financial strength. Don’t put off eating right, dieting and exercising, for someone will need your physical health. Don’t put off learning, improving and growing, for someone will need your intellectual prowess. Don’t abandon faith, belief and existence beyond what we understand, because someone will need your spiritual strength.

Each day you wake up, you have to remember to take care of the most important one, and that is you. This is not being selfish, in fact, on the contrary it is being responsible to put your best efforts into you because the help and safety of others definitely depends on the wellbeing of you.

40+FAB Blog

Motivation-reward cycle

By Olaolu Faj Opebiyi on

May 22, 2021

- 40+FAB Blog

Motivation is a bit of a difficult thing to predict in an individual. What we feel motivates one person may not at all move another person. People can be motivated by compulsion where they do things in order to avoid negative outcomes like punishment, or the peer pressure of being left out of the group. We can also be motivated by volition where we are inspired to do something we want to do that captures our interest.

Whichever way we are motivated, there seems to be a motivation-reward cycle. The spark of motivation usually kicks in when we see someone else produce a result or avoid a consequence by what they do. This drives us to learn what they have done so we can get similar results.

As we go through the process, we either become discouraged when we don’t see the same results or we are more encouraged when the rewards start to come through. It is important that we study the techniques of those that have produced genuine results, and then apply the principles that they have, so we can produce our own results. This will keep us motivated and in time producing more and more results.

PREVIOUS POSTSPage 5 of 63NEXT POSTS

The track record

Will you pass credit checks?

Figure it out yourself

Why are you not rich?

Socially awkward

One secret to change everything

Looking for a superhero

Expert, showman or conman

The most important one

Motivation-reward cycle