By aNy mEaNs nEceSsaRy

In 2007 when I took a dive into the uncertainty of entrepreneurship, I was certain within in a few years I would become extremely successful within. 

I thought I had the temperament and 'ballz' on lock. As time went on I began to evolve into social circles beyond my tax bracket without the necessary account balance to match such relationships or 'Lagos Friendships' as we call it. 

It soon began to dawn on me that while I aspired to building a successful business, I had unconsciously began to compare and hold myself to the standards of my fellow young millionaire friends who by all accounts were living the life. 

I soon realized I was doing myself a huge de-service as it became more apparent that with some of these guys things were never what they seemed. I may not be where I ought to be yet, but I am definitely not where I used to be and I thank God for that.

Thing is, before you begin to envy your peers and wish you were them, stop and consider for a minute if you can take the kind of risks they take. The Nigerian society is too perception driven and we all tend to draw inspiration from any semblance of success we can see. 

The next time you read about a young successful person like a Linda Ikeji, or a Daniel Kanu, don't just consider the naira or dollar signs or the flamboyant life styles they have come into, but also the risks they take on a daily basis and what they stand to lose if eventually their true leverage (which most successful people are never quick to reveal) become public knowledge. Things are never what they seem. I realize that some of us have suffered too much to see anything wrong in the 'by any means neccesary' approach to wealth creation, but please understand that I'll gotten wealth never lasts.