Education Continues Beyond Graduation

I was supposed to give an address at the UPNG TSCF Graduands' Night which was held at the CRC Bethel Centre at Waigani on the night of Saturday 20 September. Unfortunately I could not speak due to shortage of time. The following is the speech I prepared.

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Good evening, pastors, parents and friends of TSCF, graduating students, ladies and gentlemen!

It is a real privilege for me to have the honour of giving the Key Note Address at the 2008 TSCF Graduands Night. The last time I attended such a meeting was around this time in 1988 at the UPNG Open Air Theatre – when I was among the graduating group!

I have experienced what it means to live in contemporary Papua New Guinea as a product of TSCF, a Christian and a lay person over the past 20 years, so I could talk about many many things tonight to provide some guidance to this year’s graduating students. But because time will not allow me to do so, I will concentrate on one important topic, and it is this:

EDUCATION DOES NOT STOP AT GRADUATION!

Many people think that education stops when they graduate from college or university. Students breathe a huge sigh of relief after sitting for their final examinations. They think that the days of sitting in the classroom, sticking their noses in books and doing late night studies are over, and they are ready to face what in their view is a free world. They think education stops when they graduate.

But the truth is:

EDUCATION DOES NOT STOP WHEN YOU GRADUATE.

EDUCATION IS A LIFE-LONG PROCESS.

REAL EDUCATION ACTUALLY STARTS AFTER GRADUATION, AND IT STOPS ONLY AT THE DEATH BED!

What you have learnt in school is not enough for you to succeed in life. There is more to learn. You may leave the classroom upon graduation, but the street waits to teach you its lessons.

IN SCHOOL, THE CLASSROOM HAS BEEN YOUR WORLD; AFTER GRADUATION, THE WORLD IS YOUR CLASSROOM.

Life has a lot of lessons to teach you.

LIFE IS IN FACT A SCHOOL FROM WHICH THERE IS NO GRADUATION!

EDUCATE YOURSELF BY READING

People from the developing world have not had a reading culture. Our ancestors passed on information verbally. They were good at remembering events and dates. History was in their minds, not in books.

Coming from this background, most PNG students have had difficulty forming the habit of reading. When they do read, it was due to their fear of failing exams, and not with the intention of acquiring knowledge. Their level of comprehension is therefore poor, and reading becomes a real burden.

Therefore when people graduate and enter the workforce, they abandon their textbooks altogether. They do read comics, novels and newspapers just to be in tune with what is happening, but they avoid heavier materials such as textbooks and journals.

If you want to succeed in life, you need to continue reading after leaving school, not just light material like comics and newspapers, but real books. You need to define an area of interest and study it in detail. It may be what you studied in school, or it may be some other subject.

Nowadays, with the revolution in information and communication technology, the opportunities for self-learning abound. You can become an expert in almost any field by researching and teaching yourself through books, the Internet, CDs, DVDs, etc.

TODAY’S WORLD REVOLVES AROUND INFORMATION. IT IS AN INFORMATION-DRIVEN AND KNOWLEDGE-BASED MARKET PLACE IN WHICH THE BETTER INFORMED YOU ARE, THE MORE RELEVANT AND COMPETITIVE YOU BECOME.

You need to realize that you have not been taught all that you need to know to succeed in your chosen profession. What school has merely done is basically to whet your appetite for knowledge. You have received some instruction on how to acquire and process information. The ball is now in your courts to continue learning, because:

• THE PACE AT WHICH THE WORLD IS MOVING RENDERS MUCH OF WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT IN SCHOOL OLD AND EVEN OBSOLETE AT GRADUATION.

• WHEN YOU STOP LEARNING, YOU STOP GROWING. YOU BECOME STALE. YOU STAGNATE AND GET LEFT BEHIND!

Apart from raising your curiosity, school also teaches you more and more about less and less. The higher you go, the more and more you learn about your particular area but the less and less you learn about other areas.

That is why if you want to succeed professionally and financially, you need to teach yourself more and more about other areas.

YOU CAN BE A SPECIALIST, BUT SURVIVAL IN THE MARKET PLACE DICTATES THAT YOU BECOME A GENERALIST AS WELL.

What am I saying? Today’s market place is so inter-related that accountants, for example, must know some economics, politics, geography, history, chemistry, medicine, engineering, marketing and even psychology and philosophy!

You can do that only if you keep learning after graduating.

HOW I HAVE TAUGHT MYSELF

When I encourage you to read and study, I am writing from personal experience. I am somebody who has developed the habit of reading right from community school. Today, 20 years after leaving school, I literally sleep with books. Not one day goes by without me reading something. You will find books in our living room, the bed room, under my pillow, in the vehicle, and in my briefcase. While my wife goes to the shop or the market, I sit in the vehicle and read. If I am traveling, I carry several books to read on the plane and in the hotel room. If I do not carry hard copies, I have many electronic books (e-books) in my laptop computer which I read during breaks at work and while traveling.

I have invested a lot of money in books on areas of particular interest to me. These include international commodity trading, export marketing, sales, marketing and advertising, business, stock market investing, real estate, finance, risk management, book publishing, public speaking, leadership, etc. I am so avid a reader that one of my former bosses used to call me a ‘sponge’. I soak information.

I have had the privilege of traveling to many parts of the world (over 20 countries) in the course of my career. I have used the opportunity to buy a lot of books with my traveling allowances which are not available in bookshops within the country. Many people come home from such trips with presents for their families and friends, but I have returned with suitcases full of books. The combined value of the knowledge contained in these books probably runs into the hundreds of thousands, even millions.

My studies of international commodity trading, and coffee trading in particular, has resulted in landing consultancy jobs with the Government and the Coffee Industry Corporation. I am recognized as a national expert on international coffee marketing. I have used the knowledge to train other people, and in the process recouped all the money I invested in the books, and more.

Benjamin Franklin once said:

“IF AN INDIVIDUAL EMPTIES HIS PURSE INTO HIS HEAD, NO ONE CAN TAKE IT FROM HIM.”

This is true. You can lose all your money and your educational records and references, but what is retained in your mind is always yours to keep. Read as much as you can. Invest in books and utilize the knowledge you gain from them, and you will be on your way to success.

INVEST IN YOURSELF

Take advantage of opportunities for further studies, especially those through which you can gain some skills. Many scholarships are available from donor agencies. Check with your employer or directly with foreign embassies for information on how you can benefit from these scholarships. At least somebody else is paying for it.

Invest in yourself continuously. Apart from going for further studies and reading, purchase and listen to audiotapes, videotapes and compact disks on your areas of interest. Instead of playing music on your stereo or watching TV all night, listen to these tapes. Play tapes in your car while traveling. MAKE YOUR CAR YOUR UNIVERSITY ON WHEELS.

Attend seminars and workshops. Take short courses or attend evening classes. Further your education through distance learning. Increasing your knowledge is by far the best investment you can make.

GET CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET

Another investment you should make is to buy a computer and get yourself connected to the Internet. It can be a laptop or a desktop, and it does not have to be brand new. There are cheap second hand computers around which work as well as new ones. Do not rely on your office computer. Buy your own, and get yourself connected to the Internet.

In today’s information age, you cannot afford not to get online. Invest time in searching the World Wide Web for information on subjects of interest. Although some information is for sale, there is a lot of free information. There are also e-books that you can download free of charge from the Internet.

Subscribe to discussion groups, forums and newsgroups. Join a few online communities and enter into dialogue with members of those communities from all over the world. The Internet has brought people from all countries of the world closer to each other at the click of the mouse. Get online and know as many people of the digital community as you can, and learn from them.

Once again, I am writing from personal experience. I have learnt a lot from books, but I have also learnt from the Internet. I have spent long hours on the Internet, as a result of which I have a lot of information on my areas of interest. I also download the information, package it appropriately and present it at workshops and seminars for a fee. And the more I teach, the more I learn and the more I understand. As the saying goes, teaching teaches the teacher.

WORK TO LEARN, NOT MERELY TO EARN

If you get a job, learn as much as you can about that job. Many people stick to their little corners, do their bit and get paid. Do not be like them. Do what you are supposed to do, but also find out what everyone else is doing in the organisation.

Ask questions, and establish how what you are doing fits into the overall organizational activities and goals. Find out about the industry your employer is in. Investigate what the market trends and possibilities are in that industry. Find out what the Government’s policies are with respect to your industry.

When I joined the Coffee Industry Corporation in 1993 as a cadet economist, I realized that the coffee industry was huge, bringing in hundreds of millions of kina annually in export revenue. I realized that if I was to perform well in the job, I needed to know about this industry. So I spent the first 2 weeks at work reading most of the books, journals, periodicals, and special reports in the library. I am probably the only person that read all the books and reports in the library at the time. (I could tell this from the amount of dust I had to brush off the covers before reading the books.)

I read about everything from coffee production to processing and quality control, to exporting and international trading, insurance, shipping, trade documentation, payment and bank procedures. I read about Government policies, industry standards, standing rules and guidelines, and the history of the industry from inception to the present.

After 2 weeks of intensive reading and note-taking, I had a sound understanding of the industry. With that knowledge, and further knowledge I gained from continued reading, I performed so well that I was promoted every year, and within 5 years I was appointed a Divisional General Manager. I was the youngest among the top executives of the Corporation, and I exercised a lot of influence on decisions. The older men listened to me and respected what I had to say because I knew more about the industry than they did.

It is from this experience that I say, work to learn more than to earn. If you learn about your job and really understand it, earning will just follow.

READ BIOGRAPHIES OF SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE

One of the things about humans is that we get motivated and inspired by real-life stories more than theories and principles. Hearing stories of people becoming successful after tragedy inspires people and makes them think, “If they can do it, so can I.” That is why I have shared about my own experiences with the hope of inspiring you.

If you want to succeed, you need to read biographies and autobiographies of successful people. Read about people who have faced various kinds of difficulties but came out winners. Read about people who failed and made mistakes on the road to success and prosperity. Read about people who went from rags to riches, or who were nobodies but became leaders.

I have read many such stories, and one thing that stands out is that the people who accomplished great things in life have been ordinary people. Many had humble beginnings and faced many disadvantages. Many had never been to school, or dropped out of college and university. They went through many hardships and trials in the process of becoming successful. Such stories have inspired me. They will inspire you too.

STUDY MONEY AND FINANCE

One of the topics I encourage you to educate yourself on is money and personal finance. This, as you know, is not a subject taught in school, even though it is the most important area of interest for everyone regardless of which specialty people study about in school or profession they choose after graduation.

School teaches people to work for money. People go to school, study hard, get good grades, get jobs, and receive pay from their employers. But they do not receive any education at all about how money works, and how to harness money for their benefit.

The result is that only a few know how to make money work for them, while the majority works for money all their lives. Those who make money work for them become employers, while those who work for money become employees. Those who know how to make money work for them get ahead in life, while those who work for money get left behind.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS DOES NOT GUARANTEE FINANCIAL SUCCESS. TO BE FINANCIALLY INTELLIGENT, YOU MUST STUDY HOW TO MAKE THIS WILD THING CALLED “MONEY” WORK FOR YOU.

I have come to the end of my address.

I wish every graduating student the best life has to offer you as a child of God. Let me end with Hebrews 13:5, one of my favourite scriptures. It says:

“For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” The Amplified Version says, “I will not, I will not, I will not leave you nor forsake you nor relax my hold on you.”

That’s how committed God is to you as His children. His name is Emmanuel. His name is Jehovah Shammah. God is with you, and He is for you. And as Romans 8:31 says, “If Almighty God be for you, who can be against you?”

REMEMBER: EDUCATION CONTINUES BEYOND GRADUATION. WHEN YOU STOP LEARNING, YOU STOP GROWING. LIFE IS A SCHOOL FROM WHICH THERE IS NO GRADUATION. AND EDUCATION STOPS WHEN YOU STOP BREATING.

God bless you all!

Seminars in Port Moresby

I had a powerful week in Port Moresby from 12-22 September 2008. I conducted a "Principles of Financial Management & Stewardship" seminar with Young Professionals and Tertiary Students Christian Fellowship at the Cornerstone Gateway Church. The seminar was attended by a good number of parents as well.

I started with 5 biblical principles, which are that (1) God wants us His children to prosper in all areas of life;(2) God wants us to love and serve Him, not money and material things;(3) God wants us to become good and fruitful stewards of all His blessings (both to manage well and to multiply;(4) it is God's will for us to be conten with what He has given us; and (5) we must be a blessing to the kingdom of God and the world by becoming liberal or generous givers.

I then spoke on the importance of knowing ourselves and our financial positions, followed by having financial goals and how to achieve those goals. On Tuesday 16th September, which was the country's independence day, I spoke about being financially independent. I pointed out that PNG may be politically independent but is economically dependent, and that this could be true of many people as well. I encouraged participants to think seriously about becoming financially independent and free.

I am glad to report that many people testified at the end of the 5 sessions that the seminar was a eye-opener. I believe that I scattered some good seed in peoples' lives and the fruits will be seen in the years to come. I was particularly privileged to speak to students and young professionals, because they do not have the bad money habits which cause many older people to struggle financially.

On Thursday 18 September I spoke at the University of Papua New Guinea's Main Lecture Theatre. It was good to be back after 20 years of leaving school. The MLT had changed from the last time I had been in it as a student. I spoke on the topic "How To Make Money Work For You". The main focus of my 2-hour talk was on prudent management, saving and investing. I think the students learnt alot. Unfortunately we started late so there was not enough time for questions and discussions, but I know that the students did discuss among themselves after the meeting.

Then on the night of Monday 22nd September I was with the UPNG Medical Faculty students at Taurama speaking on the same topic. I really enjoyed this night because we had a lively discussion after the seminar. One important point which arose was that we need to think as Papua New Guineans and not be regionalistic or tribalist in our attitude towards one another. We spoke of the importance of networking among professional Papua New Guineans, and the need for us to take the economy of the country back from outside interests, not through force or legislation but by playing the game of money through investing in businesses, real estate and stocks.

How To Make Money Work for You Seminar

I will be with the students of the University of PNG on the night of 18th September speaking on the subject "How To Make Money Work For You". It will be part of the fund raising activities of the Western Highlands Students Association towards an awareness campaign in the province on lawlessness, HIV/AIDS, etc.

I am looking forward to it.

Principles of Financial Management And Stewardship Seminar

I will be in Moresby from 12 to 16 September conducting a seminar on the subject "Principles of Financial Management and Stewardship". My audience will be student, members of the Southern Region Tertiary Students Christian Fellowship (TSCF) Graduates Fellowhip and other young professionals. I am really looking forward to this seminar, because I know that it will the direction and destinities of the people who attend - for the better.

I will report on the outcome in a future posting.

Seminar in Tabubil, 19-21 August 08

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I was up in Tabubil from 19 to 21 August to conduct the "7 Steps To Financial Freedom" seminar for Hastings & Deering Ltd. I really enjoyed the few days in that mining township, with all its constant raining and the sense of peace and security. One thing that came across to me strongly was the fact that the houses in Tabubil don't have any fences at all, unlike all the major towns and cities of PNG. It was like living in a small town in Australia, where people are free to walk around without looking over their backs or employing security guards to protect their properties.

Anyway, as I said, I totally enjoyed the short stay in Tabubil. And I enjoyed the seminar as well. One of the things I stressed constantly was the importance of knowing ourselves when it comes to money matters. I pointed out that one of the main reasons people struggle financially is that they do not really know themselves well, with the result that they live below their potential and they constantly attempt to emulate other peoples' living standards and lifestyles.

I stressed that one of the keys to changed habits and financial success is the ability to frankly admit our weaknesses and decide to change. Most people want to change but don't have the will to change. Some give the excuse that they need time to change. But the truth is that change does not take a lot of time. Anyone who is determined to change can change, literally in a moment of time.

We heard a testimony from Mr. Paul David of how he decided to stop drinking beer twenty years ago. He said that he just decided to quit and has never touched a drop ever since. He did not wait for 1st of January to make a New Year's Resolution. He did not make a big announcement to his family and friends. He just quit!

In a previous posting, I told of how a woman stopped chewing betel nuts. She just decided that she was going to stop, and she did it without any fanfare.

There is never a perfect time to change. Every moment of every day is an opportunity to change. If we really want to change, we can change without any prompting from any one. As they say, "Where there is a will, there is a way".

Most people struggle financially because of bad money habits. It is not that they don't earn enough; it is that they don't manage their money due to habits such as buying things just because other people have those things, or buying things on the spur of the moment without planning to do so.

The response from the people at Hastings Deering Tabubil was very positive. They earn alot of money which they have misused up to the time of the seminar. I hope that I have imparted something into them which will help them to become more prudent managers of their money.

One of the things we agreed is that many of them will meet me in some corner of PNG and they will tell me how they have used the information to change their lives and their financial affairs, and especially how much better off they are. They will tell me of the businesses, properties and shares they own. I am confident this will happen.

First-Ever Stock Market Investing Class

I have been receiving a lot of queries from people who want to know about how they can invest in the stock market. I am therefore preparing a full day seminar on the subject, which I would like to call the "Stock Market Investing Class". The class will cover the subject in more detail than the only other seminar, which is the 3-hour "First Time Investors' Seminar" conducted by the Port Moresby Stock Exchange, Bank of PNG, BSP Capital Ltd and Kina Securities Ltd (The last two companies being stock brokers).

The subjects I intend to cover include the importance of goal-setting, financial planning, how stock markets are organised and function, the process of buying and selling shares, how to decide which company to invest in and when to buy or sell (fundamental and technical analysis), how to read price quotations,indices and commentary, etc. I am sure that participants will learn alot from this seminar which I intend to conduct in every major town in PNG.

I will publish the actual dates and venues on this site as well as advice my readers and fans via email when I am ready.

Radio Talk on "Bad Spending Habits"

I was able to return to the studios of KBK FM this morning to continue the "Young Money" program. his morning's topic was "Bad Spending Habits", in which I highlighted 3 of the 6 major habits which keep people in financial bondage, struggle and debt. These were (1)impulse buying; (2) the desire for instant gratification; and (3 spending to keep up with others.

Impulse buying is buying things on impulse or on the spur of the moment, without planning to do so. Most of us do this, and as a result, we waste (as opposed to spend) a lot of money. Instant gratification is about satisfying our desire for certain goods or services now rather than later. This habit also drives people into the hands of the money lenders.

Then there is all the money (a lot of it in fact) which we waste buying things, not because we need them but because other people have them. Most of us don't like the way we look or live; some people even hate themselves. Many of us compare ourselves with others which leaves us feeling that others are better off than us. This makes us want to be like the people we compare ourselves with, we so spend our money the same way they do. We buy clothes we see other people wearing, and eat food other people eat, or even buy expensive items like cars and stereos we see other people having and seemingly enjoying life.

I will continue the talk on "bad spending habits" next week.

Seminar with Coffee Industry Corporation Staff

The Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) - my former employer - is the second organisation in the country to engage me to conduct the "7 Steps To Financial Freedom" seminar. I spent the last 2 days with staff in the CIC's head office in Goroka, to be followed by another 2 days in Aiyura with the research and extension staff.

Mr. Ricky Mitio, CEO, was kind enough to be present to make some remarks. He basically told the participants that he considered the seminar to be beneficial for them, because it is only when people manage their finances well that they are able to perform well at work. According to him, financial problems lead to may staff not giving their best to the employer. He stated that in his view CIC staff were adequatey remunerated, but what is important is how people manage their salaries. He also remined staff that there is "life after CIC", and how they lived then will depend on how they manage their income now.

The seminar was timely in many ways, one of which is the fact that the future of the majority of CIC staff is doubtful in view of a Board decision to employ people with a minimum of a first degree in the key positions within the organisation. If this decision is implemented, many of the current employee will need to go back to school or they will be retrenched or made redundant.

I am sure that many employees in the country are faced with a similar bleak future. I am hopeful that other employers will give me the opportunity to talk to their employees in the way the Hastings Deering and the CIC have done.