Reflecting on your experiences is one of the most powerful habits you can build. It’s been scientifically proven that people who regularly think about their past actions tend to make better decisions, achieve goals faster, with life-changing results on the long run.
That’s exactly why we at Blackish take time every year to pause, think clearly, and understand the lessons we’ve learned. It helps us grow faster and smarter.
Here are 10 simple but life-changing lessons we discovered in 2024, which can help you make wiser decisions, save you from repeating mistakes, and guide you towards a better life.
1. You’ll see results in 5 years
The actions you take today often show their full results in about five years.
The results you see in your life today are the outcome of the choices and decisions to made five years ago. So, don’t worry if progress feels slow. Keep working, stay patient, and trust the process.
2. Success depends on your team
You can build a business of ₦500 million to ₦1 billion on your own or with a small team. But if you want to grow bigger, you need talented people. Build a strong team, because your team’s strength will determine your success.
Remember, not everyone can handle big growth. Someone good at managing ₦500 million may struggle with ₦50 billion. Choose your team members wisely.
3. Some things matter more than money
Money isn’t the only thing that matters. Life has other important areas too, like:
- Health
- Relationships
- Happiness
- Knowledge
Your family and loved ones will remember the times you spent together, not late nights at the office. Balance is important.
4. Do important things yourself
We learnt that agencies don’t always deliver what they promise. After spending over ₦12 million on agencies with no positive results, we discovered hiring skilled people ourselves was better.
Result is all that matters, not fancy promises.
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5. Raise your income expectations
Your mind expects a certain level of income, like a thermostat set to a specific temperature. If your thermostat is at ₦2 million per month and you earn less, you’ll naturally work harder to get back there.
You can raise your income thermostat by:
- Spending time with richer people.
- Experiencing small luxuries to see what’s possible.
- Learning more about money and wealth.
Over time, this will change your financial life.
6. More effort means better results
The more effort you put in, the better results you’ll get. Nobody cares about your goals more than you do. Doing important tasks yourself is often cheaper and leads to better outcomes.
7. Things you ignore will get worse
If you don’t pay attention to something, it will become a problem. For example, our fashion business lost many customers in 2024 because we didn’t pay attention to Quality Assurance enough.
Always keep an eye on your investments.
8. Life is about constant improvement
Life feels good when we keep making improvements. Staying the same can feel boring. Always look for small ways to make your life better. Improve your relationships, environment, or health.
9. Friendships need nurturing
Friendships don’t maintain themselves. If you value your friends, spend time with them. We learnt to focus on fewer friendships but make those friendships stronger.
Real friends are those you can call at 3 a.m., and they’ll show up. Take care of these friendships.
10. Change your environment or adapt to it
If you don’t feel happy where you live or work, you have two choices: move somewhere new or become more connected to your community.
Make an effort to meet local people. Talk to people around you, visit places regularly, and build connections. You’ll feel happier and more comfortable in your community.
