On a very serious note: If you haven’t read “The Richest Man in Babylon” wetin you gain? In fact, if you happen not to have read that book, oya ask me for my account details so you pay your fine already. Or… Start avoiding me. lol! Frankly, that gospel according to St. George Simon Clason only narrowly missed making the 67th book of the bible. I mean, if you take my opinion seriously, then I insist you engage that book ASAP. And it will surprise you how much one well-written book can do.

By the way, this piece is not really about “The Richest Man in Babylon.” All I want to do is use it’s central idea, “a part of what you earn is yours to keep,” as steppingstone for the idea I desire to share with you. Mind you, that central idea, as simple as it may appear, was enough to make Arkad, and Agamish before him, the richest man in Babylon. It equally holds the power to transform your financial lot. I repeat, even as I insist all the more, read that book – whatever it takes. If you’ve read it, but a long time ago, I can assure you a second, third, fourth, or umpteenth read may do you even more good. Yea, this new you deserves to be reintroduced to those ever-true ancient words.

When your salary lands in your account, how do you spend it? Pay for food, transport, and other utilities. Pay your tithes, support family and friends. Fulfill obligations to worthy causes. Look good for yourself and show off some bit. And then you’re back to square one, to repeat this routine in the next & subsequent months. Sadly, year in, year out, the story is not different. And all the more sadly, nothing is left to your name, you who are in the middle of everything, who get to put your life in the line on a daily basis. Frustratingly, one’s life becomes pretty much like everyone else’s cash cow, the same cow that gets to become beef after she’s run out of milk.

Free advice: Always pay yourself, and first. It’s in that book; read it.

The point for today: Just as you need to pay yourself, and first, in order to be well on your journey to financial freedom, I’m humbly requesting you to endeavor to always have some fun for yourself. Kindly don’t make your life pretty much about paying bills. Matter-of-factly, we can’t escape the bills, as next to everything has to be paid for. But we can surely do better than spend the dawn to dusk of every other day meeting the financial demands on us. We can do better than that joor. We can create time for fun, and have it for ourselves, without having to feel an iota of guilt.

Lemme stop already. But always remember that it is always ‘work,’ ‘pray,’ and ‘play.’ And for me, none is more important than the other, or is one most important than the other two.