2 Things

As occasion demands;

1. Learn to say “no”

2. Learn to say “I don’t know”

Saying “No” is a remarkable way of saving your time and ultimately your life and saying “I don’t know” though a tough statement for many, can bail one out in times of confusion as it does not necessarily indicate ignorance but a willingness to learn.

In whatever you do;

1. Promise little

2. Deliver much

Promising others little is important but does not in itself deliver much. It is in promising ourselves much and holding our words in high esteem that ensures that we can actually deliver much.

Are you in a new place?

1. Open your eyes

2. Close your mouth

New in the PC industry, Steve Jobs opened his mouth and explained how great the business was but Bill Gates opened his eyes and saw there was abundant space but for a major software company and he pushed Microsoft in there.

When you are angry;

1. Close your mouth

2. Open your mind

In opening your mind, you think opportunities and the worst you can do is revenge which hopefully will not see the light of day. In opening your mouth, you spit out irretrievable fire which will burn the countenance of another and yours as well.

Nothing goes for nothing

1. What you do not kill cannot die

2. What is not know cannot be forgotten

To achieve anything worthwhile, you have to put in reasonable effort. No beginning starts without an end. To start succeeding, you have to first end failure and to begin wealth, you have to first end poverty.

If at all you must lose;

1. Lose the bait to catch the fish

2. Lose ignorance to gain knowledge

Who says losing is bad? It all depends on what you lose. You have to lose carbon (iv) oxide to gain oxygen in other to survive as a human being. We have to lose the old archaic to gain the new and trendy.

Have you noticed?

1. Silence makes no mistakes

2. Money makes no enemies

Take notice and be wise “Silence Mystifies & Money Magnifies”. If only a fool can keep quiet, he will be thought wise and if only you had more money, you will have less visible enemies.

That which cannot be cured must be endured

1. God will provide – but you must provide till He does

2. Only fire can be concealed, its smoke cannot be held back

Even if we prevented Adam and Eve from eating the forbidden fruit, you probably would have been the one to eat it. So even if it means selling snow during winter or buckets of sand in the desert, be creative and persevere during times of hardship. Never reduce to giving excuses for your situation.

For your business to thrive

1. Make plans as complex as possible but give simple orders

2. Never trouble Trouble until Trouble troubles you

Its simple, “Think complex, talk simple; that in itself will save you a whole lot of trouble.”

In case you never knew;

1. The only way to keep a secret is to say nothing

2. The best armour is to keep out of range

Prevention is said to be better than cure and obedience better than sacrifice. Well, I believe that prevention is in itself the cure and obedience is in itself sacrifice.

On a final note;

1. He is a fool that cannot conceal his wisdom

2. Be civil to all, sociable to many, familiar with a few and friendly to a handful

Much more than loving what you do; Do what you love because most of the time, that’s all that counts.

One more thing

1. Preparation is the mother of good fortune

2. Daring is its father

Because you need to dare even to prepare

Much more than you achieve, inspire

Much more than you receive, give

Much more than you prepare, dare

Much more than you plan, pray

Much more than you say, do

Because in actual sense, that’s all I have to say

Speech by Segun Dada as CEO of SLM Services to SLM partners © April 2007