JUST BEGIN! (Guest Post)

(So there’s this female e-marketer who blows me away with two qualities: bull-dog consistency and top-notch copywriting skills.

Her mails are so good, so convincing – and so personal – that I started opening all of them. Just to read 😀

Like most people, I usually don’t read promotional mails – and I can’t even recall how I got on her mailing list – but her daily consistency and catching subject-lines caused me to click on a mail one day…and I was impressed.

The next day, as usual, she sent another one. I opened it again, just out of curiosity – and to see whether the previous one had been a fluke.

I was glued.

After about four days, I went back to the beginning of her mails – and started reading almost every one of them!

I had to reach out to her to commend her, or whoever was writing.
She laughed, and said she had been selling with emails for over ten years, so she had experience – and she said she felt good to see her writing appreciated 🙂

When I saw the figures, I wasn’t surprised.

That’s what consistency and a good sales pitch will do – but I’m not here to talk marketing.

Sometime ago, she sent me a mail – and it was so timely and spot on, I just wanted to share. However, I felt an inward check to file it – and it wasn’t really ethical, anyway.

I had prepared another post for today, but the oil wasn’t flowing. Up until this morning, I kept asking, “Father, what do you really want me to say?”

As soon as I woke up and opened my eyes, it dropped into my heart. “Just Begin.”

I had even forgotten about it.

So, I reached out to her – and she graciously granted permission.

Thank you, Onome Maureen.

It is also quite timely – and Divine – because I got some private feedback from my last post (thank you, amazing silent readers 😀 ) – and one particular mail in my Drop-Your-Thoughts box stood out for me.
I believe this post will further cement the answer for you, dear reader.

I have made some slight modifications, of course, but the meat of the gist is still the same.
Enjoy.)

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“Growing up, I never took any risks.
I had dreams of swimming, going into Agriculture and doing other amazing stuff.
But, I was always held back because I believed a LIE.
And it was the biggest lie I’ve ever been told, which was: 

You Have To Be Great To Start.

I believed I needed to be a computer wizard before I started a business online.
I believed I had to be an expert before I wrote a book or sold a product online.

But I was wrong.

Probably, these are some of the reasons stopping you from starting that business, or ministry, or schooling.
But let me share a real story from a friend which taught me that “You DON’T have to be great to start, you have to START to be GREAT.”

True story and morale: Just Begin.

‘Just after I received my fee structure from My University for my Ph.D., totaling N850,000 in 2012, I met my Dad, at Cooperative bank in Kaduna.
I explained to him that I had gotten the admission letter, and he smiled.

Then I told him, “However, Baba, there is a problem. They need N850,000.”

He held my hands, then slowly but reassuringly said, “Just Begin, my son.”

To ensure his point went home, he got into his account and gave me N14,000 – from an account that had N20,000.

I was touched.

I added N16,000 and paid N30,000 into the account – and my journey to Ph.D. began.

Today, having reached my dream, I remember the words of my father.

“Just Begin.…”

It appeared to be difficult, and at some point before my defense, I gave up: I still had a solid N300,000 to pay and they wouldn’t give me a chance for my final defense.

Then came a very unlikely help.

I had supported a gentleman to undertake a project evaluation two times in the year.
I received his call cautiously asking me to meet him. He was carrying a brown envelope in his hand.

He began, “Ahmed (not real name), you will forgive me if you find my action inappropriate.
You have given me jobs – two consecutive times – without asking for a Cent.
This is very unusual with many people.
I did not know how to approach you, but I am deeply grateful. Please accept my small gift.”

I quickly peered into the envelope and saw it contained two bundles, likely in hundreds – and he confirmed that it was N200,000.

I couldn’t believe it – and the words of my father, “My son, Just Begin” came to mind.
“Don’t worry how it will end.
Just Begin.” ‘

So, Debby, if you are building a house, Just Begin.
If you are planning to write a book, Just Begin.
If you want to pay dowry, Just Begin.
If you want to start a ministry, Just Begin.
If you want to continue with your education, Just Begin.

Nothing is more powerful than that advice: The mantra, “Just Begin” has changed my life.

No matter how slow, Just Begin – and keep moving.
If you can’t walk, then crawl – but Just Begin and Keep Moving.

Don’t give up on life just because your challenges appear to be insurmountable.
Do not be defeated before you begin.

Whatever looks like a mountain will soon become an anthill… but only if you begin.
No one wins a race until they respond to the sound of the gun – and begin.
The Journey of a Thousand Miles Starts with One Step.

Never allow yourself to be threatened by the size of your problem:

Overtime, God has seen me through a number of projects because of this philosophy – including parcels of land that I acquired by simply paying N50,000…and, overtime, these have multiplied.

Begin even in a very small way to do something about it.
Afterall, how Do You Eat an Elephant? One bite at a time.

So, if it’s a lack of money, do something small to get something for yourself.
If it’s a marital issue, look for a way to solve it.
Even those with big debts can do something about it.

Just Begin by doing something little – and it will shrink each day.

The Secret Lies In ‘BEGINNING’.”

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Dear readers, ’nuff said.

“Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end shall greatly increase.” (Job 8:7)

(Do you have a prayer request? Send it in. We will DEFINITELY be praying.)

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