Murphy's Notes

In the last few years, I have dabbled into a couple of investments primarily to make money and build wealth. They didn’t all go as planned but I did learn a few good lessons from them. I’ve summarised these into eight tips I think would be useful, particularly for young adults.

Sometimes your plans work and turn out beautiful. Other times, your plans fail… like fail completely, but your failed plans point you in a different direction and you realise that the failed plan was the best thing that ever happened to you because it just helped you to discover your true path and purpose. That’s the power of Serendipity.

Inspired by Don Williams’s song “Crying in the Rain”, this note is a reminder that we all need people in our lives with whom we can be our absolute selves. If you’ve got such people, you don’t have to cry in the rain and you’re truly blessed.

Beyond your skills and competencies, how connected are you? And no, by connection, I do not mean gaining undue advantage through corruption, I mean the people in your network that can speak for you in the places that matter. Stay connected!

It's Children's Day in Nigeria and today's episode is inspired by two children characters from my favourite shows - Dexter from "Dexter's Laboratory", and Sheldon from "Young Sheldon". The key lesson for today is that more often than not, mastery is a by-product of obsession.

In today's note, we share the story of how monkeys are captured with a special innovative trap created by some Indian hunters. We're faced with two choices: let go of the nuts or become monkey meat. What are your nuts? Let go and run free!

"If you're taller than me, you can't also be shorter than me". This statement I came across weeks ago underpins the fact that everyone has a unique advantage. The challenge is that most people dwell on their disadvantages and complain about how they've been dealt the short end of the stick. You should rather focus on the bright side. Find your unique advantage and capitalise on it!

Today’s note underscores the importance of gratitude. Gratitude for the big things and the little things. Even when you appreciate someone for doing you a favour and they say the words “Don’t mention!”, you must understand that this is merely an expression of modesty and so you do not need to stop “mentioning”. Refined people never forget to mention!

In every business organisation, there are various types of employees. Those who make things happen and rise to the top are usually entrepreneurial. While they do not directly own the business, they take ownership of whatever service they’re providing to the company and its clients. And they have the right attitude to work. Ask yourself this difficult question today and give yourself the bitter truthful answer: “Would you hire you?” With your current skillset, mindset, and attitude to work, would you hire you?

In today's note, we dwell a bit on the first lesson from last week's episode - Money Management. I share the one money management tip that has helped me over the last four years and is the bedrock of growth in lots of life endeavours - record keeping. When you keep proper records of your expenses and income, it helps you audit and manage your cashflow better.