Value First

Some years ago, I wrote an article on the concept Value First. Although my knowledge on the subject at that time was limited. That is explainable because I believe what we have or learn should be progressive. The main idea of my writ then was about how we see ourselves.

In a fascinating research into the self-perception of Americans, the study shows that 55 percent of Americans think they are more intelligent than their average counterparts, it also shows their habit of inflating self-worth.  The opinions expressed in the study may have more to do with their perception than their actual brainpower. Quoted from Independent News online (independent.co.uk). This mindset or a similar one is the reason bold people tend to always rule over intelligent but reticent people who are even scared of taking the right thoughts about themselves. How you see your self is how you see yourself. It also defines how you sell/present yourself to the world. This, to a large extent as well determine the kind of people you allow in your space. In my opinion, this is part of the reason people get married only to be irritated with the same man/woman they loved after some years. This may happen after a self-discovery series.  The question in their minds is, “how did I end up with this person?”  Truly, what changed?

 People associate money with value and the moment their account swell a little (permit me to sound like my Warri brother), they immediately begin to see the kind of lady they should have approached.

You see, some people mistakenly equate an office influence to personal power, but the moment they leave that office, their compounds, email boxes and bank accounts suddenly or gradually become empty. The traffic on their social media page diminishes and suddenly, their praise singers would be out of sight. They must be shocked to learn the hard way that the power they thought was theirs had belonged to the office they occupied all along. The people they thought were loyal to then would have been serving the new person who now occupy the revere seats. How disappointing this would be to anyone who had lost their self-value and worth to the role that in the past looked like it was never going to end.

My concept of value is to have self-awareness no matter your current state or location. The fact that we do not have the opportunity to choose who our parents are, location at birth or our color means we are given the opportunity to create who we desire to be.

For instance, the day I heard my Dad turned down the opportunity to go to Poland in the mid-1960s, I almost looked at my dad with disdain, “why would you turn down such”? I was later made to understand that he turned down the offer to enable him be with his beloved wife and family, although I did not forgive his action until I became aware of the concept of predestination. Predestination tells me God is intentional about anything He does, so my being a Nigerian is the right intention by my Creator and looking at Him with this mindset will make me always approach Him with the heart of gratitude, this we will explore more in another write up.

Of all the definitions of economics, the one I love the most is by Paul A. Samuelson 1948 which states that “Economics is the study of how societies use scarce resources to produce valuable commodities and distribute them among different people”

Why do I love it, because I can use a scarce resources to produce valuable commodities and to reduce my agony or struggles in life, I can change what I want per time to cope with what is actually necessary for that period. May be you still cannot see my point here, here it is; our desires create these scarcities; man creates his problems per time.

This is exactly the reason I believe before any other thing in life, you will need to ask and answer the question, “what do you really want out of life?” if you can, it will open you up to perhaps answering the question of who you are.

The same reason I believe your pocket shouldn’t determine where you visit or who you marry. When what you carry meets the right value in a person, there will be a connection and things will happen. I am sure you readily have a couple you question what the man or woman sees in his or her spouse. The point is, when you judge yourself based on your current state in life, you are short sighted and when people judge you based on who they currently see, then they are short sighted but when you do not know yourself, their reaction that comes as a rejection, your perception of the same will keep you below where you should operate.

There is however a balance to this, value is not pride or stupidity; I have seen where many try to marry a lady because she is from a rich family not because they have anything to offer and I ask, how blind can such an individual be? People gravitate towards anyone they perceive have what they want, only shallow people seek immediate financial gain from any relationship.

God has put His version or image in every man. This cannot be traded with anything in life.

Some years ago, wealth was measured by the lands you have but today we talk about  buying lands in the Metaverse space and for those who don’t know what this means, according to Wikipedia “A metaverse is a network of 3D virtual worlds focused on social connection. In futurism and science fiction, it is often described as a hypothetical iteration of the Internet as a single, universal virtual world that is facilitated by the use of virtual and augmented reality headsets”

What this translate to is that, anyone with a zero percent financial background could become a millionaire just by self-discovery and by extension, creating value in his/her environment. 

Job 32:8 say “But there is a spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding. BSB version

Also, Proverbs 2:6 say “For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding”

When you know who you are, your approach to everything in life will change. Friends, when you know, you know.

So many time, what we control automatically choses our circle of influence but to be with good people who seem not to be able to offer us anything in their current state, it takes intentionality.

I heard or read of a former FCT Minister, who said the president under whom he served  was a boss he had that never for once harassed him. yet we have so many individuals, just because they have a little advantage over others, they become swollen with pride. Your value changes everything about life including how you treat to people.

Value puts in you the consciousness of equity and justice, when you treat people well God blesses you. It’s a principle, it’s a law, it’s the law of value.