BC LIFE
Saved by @CodyyyGardner

How Reading Helped My Career

 In 2013, a joint venture Israeli/South African company was looking to make a foray into Nigeria. They wanted to set up an outlet in Lagos after conducting their feasibility studies and they needed a Nigerian financial institution to partner with.

 Somehow, i was given their contacts and we agreed to meet with our teams from both sides at Victoria Island. 

I got my team together- about 8 of them- people in e-business, IT and other units that I know will have one thing or the other to do with this company.
I wanted to conclude in just one meeting. As the South African MD and his Israeli partner walked into my office where we were all seated and I stood up to exchange pleasantries with both of them, his eye went to the book on my table. 'Oh, you're reading Tipping Point?', he asked.
I was reading Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell that week and I had the book on my desk in the office. I usually have the books I'm reading either in my car or on my desk. I replied in the affirmative.
He asked for other books of Malcolm Gladwell that I've read and I mentioned Outliers-The Story of Success and What The Dog Saw. He asked for my best among the books and I mentioned Outliers. His best was Tipping Point.
As we discussed while standing, every other person looked on. No one joined our discussion because none had even read the books nor heard of Malcolm Gladwell. Finally, the South African banged my table and said loudly, 'I will open my account with this Bank'.
That was how the account relationship was secured. Not by a convincing sales pitch or amazing presentation but by the power of the written word that connected two minds.
The more you read, the more you will know. Books open up our minds in a way nothing else can. A good book can stretch a mind so much so that the mind will never regain its initial shape. Reading is transformational.
You can get so much exposure and deep insight that even millions of dollars cannot give- just by reading.
So, what's your reading plan for the year? How many books will you read this year? How much investment will go into your mind? I usually tell people that a mind is a terrible thing to waste. What some people carry on their head is more expensive than what is in their mind.
Make up your mind to read good books this year. Read biographies. That's the wisdom of an entire life packed in just one book. Read good inspirational and motivational books. We all need doses of inspiration from time to time.
Read up on finances. It will sharpen your analytical skills. Read books about your core area of competence and purpose. It will broaden your horizon. Read books on areas where you want to improve. The largest room in the world is the room for improvement.
Read very good novels to improve your communication skills. You can't rise beyond your level of communication. Read newspapers. You will stay current and refreshed. Read up articles of some columnists. Even if you disagree with their opinion, it gives you another world view.
Reading has helped my career even beyond the wisdom and information packed in books. I've made great friends, acquaintances and even business relationships through books.
What's your excuse for not reading? Some people claim they don't have time. But they have time to post pictures on social media and even contribute to several humongous groups on social media. You can read in the toilet. I do. That's one of the best places to read.
Read a chapter before you go to bed. Read when you're in public transport. There are e-books. Read on your phone. Read on weekends. Slot in an audio book while doing the dishes or washing. Listen to an audio book while driving or exercising.

Go get yourself a book today.
Pro 3:13-14: Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver,
and the gain thereof than fine gold.
Thinking of a book? Start your year with 30 Career Lessons I Learnt Along The Way- one of @Rovingheights Bestselling books of 2020. Send a DM to @Rovingheights to get a copy delivered to you.

@threadreaderapp unroll
https://t.co/QGcExbUAgi

More from Bayo Adeyinka

Bayo Adeyinka
Bayo Adeyinka
@greaterbayo
Travelogue: Ibadan-Hills, Bottoms, Masquerades & Research

More than 15 years ago, I met an Italian who had lodged at KS Motel at Total Gardens, Ibadan.

He was in Ibadan for the first time and he was very fascinated with the city when I informed him that Rome and Ibadan shared a very unique similarity: both of them are built on seven hills. He asked me to take him round Ibadan which I did.

The seven hills are Oke Padre, Oke Ado, Oke Bola, Oke Mapo, Oke Are, Oke Sapati and Oke Mokola. But Ibadan is not just a city of hills. It is also a city of 'bottoms'. Loosely translated, 'idi' means bottom or the backside.

Several people have attached sexual innuendoes to the names. However, the actual translation indicates that some of the 'idis' indicate how the settlers converged at a point thereby leading to how they arrived at the names given.

Go round the city and you can locate Idi-Arere, Idi-Ose, Idi-Ishin, Idi-Ape, Idi-Ayunre, Idi-Obi and Idi-Ito.
FINANCE
Bayo Adeyinka
Bayo Adeyinka
@greaterbayo
Fighting Ourselves When We Should Be Fighting Them

In support of Jimi Agbaje during the 2015 elections, I produced 2 jingles as my contribution. I wanted him to win.

So, through the assistance of a friend of mine who is a PDP stalwart, we were directed to handover the CDs to a PDP Chieftain in Lagos. The PDP Chieftain asked us to meet him at a club house around Palmgrove. It was a Sunday evening.

When we arrived, we passed through security checks. The club house was guarded by mobile policemen. On entering, the PDP Chieftain was seated with company. Right opposite him was a friend with company also. All of them were having drinks.

They were the only people in the club house-apart from the stewards- and my friend and I. The club house was shut to others and we could only come in because our names had been dropped with the mobile policemen who were on guard. Music blared from speakers in the club house.

We were invited to have drinks. We respectfully declined. No be wetin we come do be that. I handed over the two CDs. The first CD was played. It was a dance-along, sing-along, gyrate kind of jingle. The friend of the PDP Chieftain jumped up and started dancing.
POLITICS
Advertisement
Bayo Adeyinka
Bayo Adeyinka
@greaterbayo
The Law of Trust

“I’m not upset that you lied to me. I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe in you”- Friedrich Nietzsche

Sometimes in October, I received a call from a former client who had been out of the country for almost a year.

He is not a Nigerian but had just secured an appointment with a company. His first statement was “Bayo, I need to pick your brain on this because with you I know where I stand. I know you’ll not deceive me”.

After our discussion, he told me he had already informed his Chairman that their banking relationship had to come to me. I’ve signed it on since.

I’ve had cause to reflect over his statement many times since then. Here was a man whom sometimes I had very difficult conversations with. I’ve had to tell him no when I knew his requests were not possible. Sometimes, the relationship was stormy.

I never fail to tell my colleagues that the major currency for transaction is integrity and this will only be sustained in an atmosphere of trust. Never lie to customers in order to make a sale.
LIFE
Bayo Adeyinka
Bayo Adeyinka
@greaterbayo
The Next 20 Years

Just look around you in Nigeria, for example. 20 years ago, the ATM machine was a novelty. No bank issued debit cards- maybe just the foreign ones. There were no banking apps. You couldn't transfer funds the way we do now.

It took 7 days for your 'upcountry' cheques to clear- meaning that if someone pays you a cheque in Sokoto and you pay it in in Ibadan, you had to wait for 7 days to receive value. Later, it became 3 days.

I recall as a young banker, I used to go to the CBN Clearing House with a box that was locked by my supervisor and which could only be opened by the CBN Clearing Supervisor. I carried that box like it was my life.

I had cheques of other banks and a very huge calculator we called casting machine inside that 'portmanteau'.

Around this period 20 years ago, there was an influx of new generation banks that changed the landscape. Now, see how the banks have changed in 20 years. In just 20 years, the banking sector in Nigeria is the one of the most sophisticated in Africa. So much progress has been made
WORLD
Bayo Adeyinka
Bayo Adeyinka
@greaterbayo
The Law of the Value Chain

I was at a courier company on Saturday to send out a parcel to Abuja. This courier company actually started out as a transport company with buses going to different destinations in Nigeria.

Overtime, people sent parcels through the drivers to different destinations. The company saw an opportunity and started a courier and logistics company.

As the very courteous staff of the courier company attended to me, I saw her bring out different cartons to pack the items I was sending out. Several parcels were everywhere packed in those cartons.

I whispered to myself that production of packaging is another line of business that this company should go into- if it is not already into it. The company will produce for its own use-rather than buy from others- and also sell to other users of packaging materials.

From transport to courier to packaging- this is a simple explanation of value-chain activities.
WORLD

More from Life

Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin
@RickRubin
https://t.co/Uejb3Ng30u
LIFE
ArmaniTalks \U0001f399\U0001f525
ArmaniTalks 🎙🔥...
@ArmaniTalks
A relationship begins to get stiff when excessive patterns begin to form.

Too many patterns leads to a boring, predictable, logical lifestyle.

Get the emotions involved.

Do something spontaneous out of the blue moon & flip the script.

'What's wrong with the patterns?'

Nothing is wrong with patterns.

However, there is a problem when all you have are patterns.

It's boring.

'Can you explain why?'

Sure 👇

The thing with relationships is that it's meant to be an emotional experience.

It's very difficult to logically explain love, right?

'Right.'

Well this is where you want to steer the ship the right way.

1. Too emotional is bad.

2. Too logical is bad.

Let me break it down.

1. Too emotional

If a relationship is completely ruled by emotions, then it's too volatile.

You will never reach productivity if you are aimlessly only following each others emotions.

This lifestyle tarnishes any structure for the couple.

'So why do people do it?'

Because it's fun.

You may ruled by this stage in the honeymoon phase.

Normal.

You'll be so spontaneous that it almost becomes a lifestyle.

But it's hard to level up your life when you're too spontaneous.

Avoid.
LIFE
Advertisement
Steve Cuss
Steve Cuss
@stevecusswords
I've been doing more study on the constant critic(s) that every church leader deals with. Its amazing how a steady group of 2-5 critics can really tax a leader's health and impact them way beyond their numbers. ie, more than 3 feels like 'legion' to a leader.

1/

All vocations face criticism of course.

I wonder if church criticism is unique because:

a) church leaders tend to conflate personal identity and church health more than most.

b) critics falsely think they know about leading a church because they attend a church.

2/

For example, doctors and teachers face criticism. People come into a Doc with diagnosis from Internet etc. But I wonder if attending and serving in a church makes someone more confident that they know when they really don't know.

3/

I've often marveled, and been hurt by how strongly someone has an opinion about something they've had zero training in. They are oblivious to how broad a church is - they think everyone thinks the same.

4/

One reason they think this is because their phantom mob is usually made up of like minded people. A handful of passionate people agreeing, so they say, 'everyone thinks' but actually it is less than 1% of the church.

5/
LIFE
Olaleye oluwafemi spreading
Olaleye oluwafemi spre...
@pfemiolaleye
10 Red flags to note in relationships .

A thread !

1. Secrecy - There is a difference between being private and being secretive . Anyone who doesn’t want people to know you are dating may have somethings they are hiding . It’s ok to be private but alarm bells should ring where there is secrecy .

2. Barter - The relationship is almost always about what is being exchanged . While there will be exchanges in every relationship, an undue focus on this will indicate that someone is there for something they can get and not what they can give .

3. Misaligned values - What is sacred to you isn’t respected by the other .values like honesty , integrity , respect isn’t important to the other party . A relationship with nonaligned values cannot work ! There will always be conflict .

4. Mystery income - Some folks are dating thieves , robbers and fraudsters and always have signs to indicate that their partners are fraudulent. It is a huge red flag not to know what your other half actually does for money . It’s not wise to join a sinking boat .
LIFE
Risktaker\U0001f9b9\U0001f3fd
Risktaker🦹🏽...
@Risk2Earn
10-Life Lessons From The One & Only @naval

~Thread~

“You want to be rich & anonymous... Not poor & famous.”

The goal is to get rich & disappear, not to get noticed!

The problem is that too many people are chasing clout instead of wealth.

Clout is not gonna put food on the table in 5 years. Change your priorities!

“I don’t have time” is just another way of saying, “it’s not a priority”

Being “Too busy” is a myth,

People make time for the things that are important to them.

If you haven’t made enough time then it’s simply because you haven’t convinced yourself it’s a priority.

“Earn with your mind, not with your time”

You’ll never get rich trading your time for money...

Reason being? Because you only have 24 hours in a day & you can’t work non-stop.

Use your mind & money to create a product that will generate you money even while you sleep 🥱

“You can escape competition through authenticity... No one can compete with you on being you”

No 2 humans are exactly the same, there’s something that makes each of us unique.

Find what makes you different & capitalize.

Your biggest competitive advantage is your originality!
LIFE

You May Also Like

itrade(DJ)
itrade(DJ)
@ITRADE191
Here is the detailed information of about strategy,

Entry time : 9.30 - 10
Exit : Upto you

Strategy :
Sell weekly ATM CE & PE at almost equal price
For ex : Sell Nifty 17250 CE at 50 and Nifty 17250 PE at 48 so it will become short straddle

Buy monthly ATM or near ATM CE & PE at matching price (5-10 points diff should be fine) as hedge
For ex : Buy Nifty 17250 CE at 150 and Nifty 17300 PE at 155 so it will become long straddle.

Weekly Short straddle + Monthly Long straddle

Adjustment:

• If you feel slightly bullish/bearish then no adjustment needed
• If Nifty moves 50 up or down and sustain then just simply roll up or down half of qnty and keep rest of the quantity. If market goes up or down further then roll up or down rest.

• If Nifty moves one side or about to breach BEP then add equal amount of lot. This can balance tested side. For ex: If I bought 17300 CE 4 lot as hedge then add 4 lot so you will have only one side risk . Note: Remember to keep SL at cost price (only for additional lot bought)

Capital requirement:
2.2 L for 4 lot
Adjustment requires additional capital upto 1L

Note : High risk high reward strategy, please don’t execute until you fully understand. Kindly do paper trading or backtest.
RR : 1:1
POP : 45-55%
OPTIONSLEARNINGS , ALL
The '60s at 60
The '60s at 60
@the_60s_at_60
"The MAD Primer of Bigots, Extremists and Other Loose Ends," from September 1969.

Seen a couple of these panels make the rounds from time to time, so here's the complete set of 10 (something to amuse and/or offend almost everyone).


Chapter 1: The Super Patriot


Chapter 2: The Ku Klux Klansman


Chapter 3: The American Student


Chapter 4: The Right-Wing Extremist
FUN
Advertisement
Patrick McKenzie
Patrick McKenzie
@patio11
A thing which I unironically and enthusiastically believe which is unpopular among smart people of my acquaintance: financial engineering has in the recent past and present contributed substantially to human welfare. We should hope to see more of it.

Maybe more geeks need to meet someone who says “My job is teleporting value across time and space.”

Financial engineering is sort of a squishy term. I don’t primarily mean payments infrastructure or financial rails, although both of those involve substantial engineering.

I mean more “We took a thing and performed some alchemy, and now have a new thing.”

Except instead of alchemy it is generally quite a bit of math, a huge amount of contract law and due diligence, often an impressive amount of ops work, and a dusting of technology that web devs would recognize as such.
ALL
Pieter Levels \u2728
Pieter Levels ✨
@levelsio
Joe Rogan's podcast is now is listened to 1.5+ billion times per year at around $50-100M/year revenue.

Independent and 100% owned by Joe, no networks, no middle men and a 100M+ people audience.

👏

https://t.co/RywAiBxA3s

Joe is the #1 / #2 podcast (depends per week) of all podcasts

120 million plays per month source https://t.co/k7L1LfDdcM


https://t.co/aGcYnVDpMu
MAKERS
Abigail See
Abigail See
@abigail_e_see
Can we control the output of neural generation systems?
Can we build a better chatbot using this control?
And what makes a good conversation anyway?

Check out the blog post for our NAACL paper:

https://t.co/UAAUxSeA0L

#AI #NLProc #DeepLearning #ConversationalAI @facebookai

This post got a little delayed since the paper's publication, but the intervening time has given me an opportunity to reflect.

So this post has some extra thoughts regarding more recent NLG developments - e.g., pretrained models like GPT(2), and the suitability of beam search.
ALL