I’m sure most of you are wondering, why “ALP”? Ace life project actually sounds really dull. Trust me, I know! I must have gone through a thousand other names before I landed on this one. I also did a little poll to be sure but along the way ALP wasn’t just a name anymore, it became the beginning of a life changing journey for me, and hopefully it will do the same most of you.
In this episode, you are going to know a little bit more about me and why I chose the name “Ace life project”. Along the way, you will know my reason for starting this project now and what you’re going to get out of it. Ok…enough reading, lets get down to business!
About ALP (Ace Life Project) – Ace Life Project
Introduction
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Hello Everyone.
Welcome to the very first episode of The Ace Life Project, where we talk about anything and everything about being productive and adding value to yourself and your environment. I’m your host, Peace Okei.
The PUSH
First of all, I want to say a big thank you for those listening to me today. I really appreciate you. Thank you for joining me on this new project. This has been a big step for me, and I’m genuinely excited. I started out planning a YouTube video, but I’m a bit camera shy, so I had to dial it back a bit. ( laugh) But I’m still excited to be doing this. Over the past four few years, I’ve had a lot of people including my mum tell me I needed to start a YouTube channel, but I always had excuses like I’m busy with school, I have a lot of work on my hands, I’m bad in front of cameras and stuff like that. But somewhere in May, a very good friend of mine, Idara Emmanuel of Black Beauty Rep, called me up and said, “Why don’t you start a podcast?” And I was like, “Hmm,” guys. I couldn’t think of a single reason why I shouldn’t do this. I mean, I just got done with my MBA degree, thanks to covid19 I was stuck at home…I mean there was no better time than to start. The next issue was I going to talk about anyway? I’m not a fashion enthusiast, and I’m not funny …the things I love to talk about our religion, business, and lifestyle, anything that allows me to learn and grow continuously. So I needed something that ties all three together, and that is ALP! A lot of planning went into this, but I just want to say a big thank you, Idara, for giving me the big push. And to Adamma from Inspiraetions.ng for my beautiful cover art, she made me. I absolutely love it. If you wanna know more about these strong, beautiful and talented\ ladies, check out BBR Black Beauty Rep and Inspiraetion.ng on Ig. Please show her some love.
The BIG IDEA
The main reason for ALP…that’s Ace Life Project is to help my listeners be more productive, achieve more goals, and be generally indispensable wherever you find yourself. It could be in school, at work, in your business, or relationship…I want to provide you with actionable guidelines used by successful people in our society today and in the past to grow yourself to the point of great, significant influence. All this starts with little changes we make in our lives, productive habits we build up over time that help achieve goals as a student, single parent, religious leader, small business…you can literally start anywhere. That’s the beauty about life, no matter your age or your stage in life, you can always start over and build your way to the life you always desired…the A-plus life…the Ace life. Growing up, my mum always emphasized the importance of value, of having a talent a developing yourself to a point people, companies, and organizations sort out for you. I didn’t get it back then until I grew older. I mean back then, the school was a struggle, so I wasn’t interested in having responsibilities, I’m sure some of you can relate. But as a grown-up, each time I went for job interviews, companies wanted more than what I studied in college…more than what’s on my resume. I would go for a job interview, all suit and tied up, tell the best speech I had rehearsed the previous night, and leave thinking, ‘I Nailed It!’, ‘Yeah, I’m definitely getting that job.’ But no matter how qualified I was, companies picked the next guy because he had a unique value that made him stand out. And that’s what we are going to be talking about on this podcast…how to stand out in the crowd of your peers. If you’re seeking a job, how are you going to stand out from other applicants, if you’re a business owner, how will your product stand out in the industrial market? If you’re a Christian, how are you going to stand out in the house of God? It’s all about going the extra mile.
A little bit about me…
I’m a digital marketer for start-ups and small businesses and a fictional ghostwriter. I’ve been a digital marketer for a bit over a year and a half now, and I can tell you when I started, I was a mess. I started out working as an intern for a small business, and after three months, I thought I was ready to branch out. I left the company and decided to start up mine. I was still working on my MBA then and also had a job, so I didn’t have a lot of free time. But I wanted to build this business, so a lot of things had to do with a lot of further studies and learning on the job. I would write proposals to small companies, but I wouldn’t get any callback or approval letter. I felt so bad. It nearly rubbed off on my self-esteem. It took me a while to realize what I was doing wrong. Going back to my proposals and applications, I found nothing differentiating me from other digital marketers. If fact, others had years of experience under their belt, which I didn’t, so I didn’t stand a chance. With this realization, I had to go back to the drawing board and find out what was going to set me apart, what will make companies sort out for me, what was My differentiating factor, what was I willing to offer that other digital could not? I worked on a plan for two weeks, but once I realized the angle I was going to use, I set a foundation on that, I sent out one proposal to a company, and it didn’t take long before I got a callback. My very first gig!! I was over the moon with excitement. I was blown away. I was so proud of myself that I forgot these things come with time frames. I was only supposed to work with them for a month, but I wanted to work with them a little longer. So I started to research what to do to keep my one client coming back, how to create a profitable value that my clients will want to hold on too. My mom gave me this book; The 7 habits of highly effective people by Stephen Covey. Some of you might know it; that book became my bible. I’m going to talk a little bit about it next episode. But I started to read books like that. And listen to podcasts like Being Boss by Emily Thompson and em….shoot I forgot her co hostname. But I began to listen to many podcasts and read books about how to improve business, lifestyle, and spirituality. I started to form guidelines I could use not only for my clients but also for my personal life.
Little Step, Big Difference
And it didn’t take long before the effects started to show. My one client was so impressed after my first month when I gave him more than what they expect, and I got to work for him long term. Not long after, a second client came looking for me, and so did the third….And each time, I was able to perform above their expectations, I got the chance to work for him long term. I quickly learned the importance of being a differentiator, and I held on to it. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not perfect, I’ve made my share of costly mistakes, but it’s all about practice, figuring out what worked for me and building upon that. I didn’t let my mistakes define my value or discourage me from getting what I want. That is the mindset I’m also going to be emphasizing on. People miss out on great things because they give up on their dreams when the going gets tough. I mean, there are always going to be hard times, some harder than the rest, but that’s what makes success all the sweeter and satisfying. I remember back in high school when I used to struggle with math like probably some of you did, and em I would study so hard and get frustrated when I didn’t get it. I would study so hard that I became sleep-deprived, but each time I go an A on my math test, I would so happy, more confident, and fulfilled than when I passed other subjects with no effort. So what I’m I saying? Success follows those who are diligent, who pursue excellence, who go the extra mile. I’m grateful for how far I’ve come, and honestly, I feel I still have a long way to go, but I’m excited to learn more and to grow more meaningful relationships. But in this podcast, most of what I am going to be sharing here is about understanding who you are and developing your value. We often hear “know your worth,” “self-love,” and all that, but people hardly talk about how to grow yourself as a person and how to grow your value. It’s good to know your worth, and it’s essential to love yourself, but it’s also mighty crucial to understand the value of growth, the decision not to live a mediocre life. A one-dollar bill and a hundred dollar bill are both valuable, but a hundred dollar bill has more value than a dollar bill. So get ready, get your notepads ready and your favorite drink, we are going to be drilling into the Power of Value and Influence.
Who needs APL?
I will love to say this podcast is for everyone, but I’m going to be as realistic as possible. This is not an entertainment podcast; we are not going to talk about how best to beat your face or snatch you lace, (oooh…I just made a rhythm there), this is not comedy central, none of that. This podcast is for those who want to improve themselves truly, grow their value, learn something practical, start a new business, change up their lifestyle and meet their short term and long term goals more efficiently. This podcast is also for me, too, because I am still well on my way to the life I dreamed for myself, but I get better with every step. So I am going to be sharing information and putting together guidelines from books I read, podcasts I’ve listened to, and insightful videos (with references of course), about the mindset, choices, and habits successful men and women made to be where they are today. This will also help me because I will be writing a book about the Ace life project soon.
Get in touch
I am starting a Facebook community page for my blog readers, podcast listeners, and anyone who wants to be in a community of great men and women. We rub heads together and support each other to grow their business, change their lifestyle, or build influential relationships that will benefit you. I will also be posting a lot of motivational items, guidelines, resources…anything I come across that will be beneficial to you. We will be interacting in a voice and format that is educational, insightful, and fun. For instance, the quote for today is;
“What lies behind us and what lies before us, are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
When I look at this quote a lot of things come to my mind. But first, what does this quote mean to you? Be the first to share your thoughts, ideas, and experiences on our community page, the Ace life academy, I will leave a link below. I can’t wait to meet with you guys and hear what you guys have to say.
Conclusion
Well, I guess that’s all for now. I think I gave a pretty good intro. I’m going to tap myself on the shoulder…tap tap, tap tap…(laugh) yes, I’m applauding myself because I am my biggest cheerleader. Next episode, we will find out what our core values are, what we do with them, how they impact our daily lives, businesses, relationships, ministry, and so on, and how to discover them. I hope you enjoyed this episode. If you love this, please like and leave a comment to encourage me and if you want to listen to more episodes, please subscribe so you don’t miss any episode that I drop. You can also listen to me on Spotify and iTunes.
Till next time, I’m your host, Peace.
Be safe and stay safe, it’s a crazy world out there but spread love not hate
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Ace Life Project 