I was promoted to Managing Daddy

From Daddy to Manager

Today I got a new job. My daughter announced to me that I was her manager. Previously, I had only been daddy.  I teach her music. I must have done something right. I think I will take the job. It is very rare that one gets promoted from below. It is usually your boss who decides when you get promoted.  I wonder how many staff would promote their managers. That is something to think about. For now let me enjoy my promotion from daddy to manager or maybe Managing Daddy. That sounds nice.

Allan Bukusi

This is my Book to the World, 1000th post

1000^th blogpost

I have spent many hours writing to people I have never met and sharing thoughts without regret. It has been a long journey yet some things that weigh heavily on my heart are still untold. I wish I could write many books and leave them for my children to find. But on these pages is my book to the world for a thousand eyes to behold. I tell my children a story every night to help them see that the future is bright and that they must always do right. I don't think one can tell enough stories, but this is my book to the world.  In sharing thoughts, ideas and experience we help make the world a better place. Everyone has a story they can tell.  So even if it does not always make sense, or is never completed, this is my book to the world.

Allan Bukusi

 

Was it a dream or was it your purpose?

Only purpose lasts

I started life in search of a dream. But as time went by the dream faded away. In the place of the dream, came a vision. A vision of glory. In my heart, I knew it had to be. But that too faded in time. In place of the vision came a mission. I wondered how it would be. But now, with my hands, I made a start. This time the mission would not let me go. Until, at last, it revealed the purpose in me. Dreams fade, visions are for glory, and the mission makes the man. However, in life, it is only purpose that lasts.

Allan Bukusi

Why dont you have it?

If you can perceive it, you can believe it. If you can believe it, then you can receive it. If you can receive it, why don't you have it?

Allan Bukusi

More Money, Less Rich

 

The story of

Mr. Name I.S. Withheld

 

When I was a young teacher earning 2330$ a month, I bought a piece of land worth 17,000$, owned a bicycle that cost me 950$, fed myself, sent 500$ to my parents every month and eventually built a house whose market value was over 40,000$ over a period of two years. In two years of earning a total of 55,920$ in salary, my net worth was more than my total earnings over that period of time. I was a simple teacher.

 

As a corporate executive my fortunes changed dramatically with a rise in income to 14,000$. Over the next two years, I bought a car that gave me no end of problems. Moved into an up market house and furnished it with all things good. And went into steadily rising debt. I was a fast rising executive with a budding career. And why not?...

 

But this picture disturbed me. Try as I might I could not get out the vicious cycle of growing financial crisis even though my income increased to the dizzy heights of 60,000$ per month. Despite earning more I was actually reaping less…?

 

When I eventually lost my job at a high point in my career to take on more satisfying work earning much less money, I realized how much I had wasted on things that were not adding value to my life. I kep thinking,"If only I had continued with the prudence I had when a teacher and merged that with the money I earned as a corporate executive I could have done more with less".

 

Does this story sound familiar?

 

Allan Bukusi

Managing Time, Moments of Truth & Deadlines

 

To excel in managing time, treat time like a precious resource. Use it carefully like limited funds in a bank account. Use it wisely by spending time like money to buy things you need. Just like you don't like to waste money, don't waste your time, you may not have enough left when you really need it. Nobody is born a natural time manager. Time is only available to you while you are alive. It is your job to make the most of it every single day.

I always face moments of truth when major events like an examinations or work deadlines approach. In these moments of truth, I have to ask myself if I have used my time wisely as the time for these major events come closer.  Sometimes the threat of the deadlines forces me to take urgent action. When this happens, I find myself rushing over the work. I then regret why I never used my time well when I had the time to do the job properly. In these moments of truth I realize that I wasted some ideal time in the past that should have been used to do this job that has now become urgent.

By the way I wonder why deadlines are called deadlines. I imagine it is because people are found dead on the line. I prefer to call them "date lines" or "time lines". That way, they are more friendly and do not smell of murder and death like "deadlines". By adjusting the words you use to communicate your time schedules will help those you speak to develop a healthy and positive attitude to the discipline of managing time.

Allan Bukusi

Do you know that Flat Broke Feeling

 

I have been "flat broke" a number of times in my life and I know you have too. The feeling is a mixture of helplessness, self-pity and self-blame. Yet it is also a feeling of hoping against hope. You check every pocket, envelope and account where you must have kept some money and come up with the reality that you have nothing in your hand. It is a bad feeling a sad feeling. You want to wake up, but the dream says, no way. The funny thing with being flat broke is that it does not depend on whether you are rich or poor. The flat broke feeling is exactly the same. Both are like a drowning man reaching for anything to give them relief. Once you survive the incident, you vow that it will never happen again. Somehow, it does when you are least prepared.

Allan Bukusi