One of the most crucial aspects of life that many people fail to understand is that our reality is closely connected to finance. To maintain your financial position and protect what you have built, you need a certain level of power, influence, relationships and control.
I have studied the lives of many great men and read several books that have opened my eyes to how the world works, especially from the perspective of the common man. However, one criticism I have about many of these books and motivational teachings is that they often focus heavily on money and mindset while saying very little about decision-making, influence, power and control.
How would you feel if, after spending years developing the right mindset, building a business and becoming financially successful, everything you built was suddenly threatened by endless court cases, excessive taxation, regulations, political decisions, competition or people with greater influence?
This is why I believe that you should not only pursue money. You should also build relationships, influence, knowledge and the ability to participate in decision-making. The world is not always fair, and as a person, you may face challenges, threats, competition and difficult moments.
Money is important, but money alone does not always protect money.
Let’s examine the patterns we can observe from the lives of some successful people across Europe, America and Africa.
1. Robert T. Kiyosaki
Robert T. Kiyosaki is a great author who analysed the difference between the rich mindset and the poor mindset through a simple analogy of life in Rich Dad Poor Dad.
Without doubt, many of his ideas can help people reshape their goals and their understanding of money. However, in my own view, many people have misunderstood his message.
Robert Kiyosaki is not necessarily saying that having a job is bad. A job can provide income, experience, relationships and opportunities. The problem is depending entirely on your salary without using part of your income to build other opportunities.
Your salary can be used to acquire assets and investments that may grow over time. Financial success is not determined only by how much money a person earns, but also by what the person does with the money earned.
Someone can earn a high income and still remain financially poor if they spend everything they earn. Another person may earn less but gradually build assets and investments that create additional income.
Personally, I believe that some jobs can help people build better relationships, influence and connections. Government jobs, for example, can give people the opportunity to participate in policy-making, administration and the implementation of decisions that affect society.
Many of the people who make, implement and interpret laws were once employees themselves. Laws are created to bring order to society, but laws and policies can also have a significant effect on people’s financial lives.
Therefore, I believe we should not misunderstand Kiyosaki’s message. His message is about developing a rich mindset, whether your income comes from a job or a business. Earn income, invest in assets and build additional opportunities. If you cannot do everything alone, find the right partnerships.
However, I believe that one area that is not discussed enough in many financial teachings is the relationship between money and power.
A person may develop a strong financial mindset and build wealth, but someone with greater influence may still affect that wealth through regulations, policies, laws and decisions.
Therefore, while pursuing money, we should also understand influence, relationships and power.
2. Donald Trump
Donald Trump is another example of someone who has been involved in business, real estate and politics.
Many people focus only on the money and business aspect of his life. But his journey also shows the connection between business, influence and political power.
When a person builds significant wealth, he may eventually understand that money alone does not give complete control over every situation. Businesses operate within a system of laws, regulations and government decisions.
This is why many wealthy individuals become involved in politics, policy-making or relationships with people in positions of influence.
The question is not always, “Does this person need more money?”
Sometimes the question is, “What kind of influence is necessary to protect, expand or control what has already been built?”
3. Elon Musk
I have recently started studying the life and business journey of Elon Musk more closely.
Many people see the technology, the companies and the billions of dollars associated with his name. But I believe there is another part of the story that people sometimes ignore: relationships with governments, institutions and powerful networks.
Some of the industries in which he operates are closely connected to government policies, contracts, regulations and national interests.
This does not mean that his success is only because of government relationships. His intelligence, vision, risk-taking and business strategies are also important.
But it shows us that business does not exist in isolation.
Technology, finance, government and influence often connect with one another.
4. Mark Zuckerberg and Pavel Durov
Mark Zuckerberg and Pavel Durov are both examples of individuals who built powerful technology platforms.
The businesses connected to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Telegram have become part of the lives of billions of people.
However, as these companies became more powerful, they also became connected to governments, regulators and law enforcement agencies.
This shows us that when a business grows to a certain level, it no longer operates only as a private business. It begins to interact with governments and institutions.
This is one reason why relationships, influence and the ability to defend your interests can become important as a business grows.
A wealthy person may have money, but if there is no one to speak for him, defend his interests or help him navigate difficult situations, he may still be vulnerable.
5. Aliko Dangote
As an African, I cannot discuss wealth and business without mentioning Aliko Dangote.
He is often used by motivational speakers as an example of what is possible through business and entrepreneurship.
But when we study the journey of successful people, we should ask deeper questions.
How did they start?
What relationships helped them?
What opportunities did they discover?
What government policies affected their businesses?
What partnerships did they build?
What systems did they understand?
Dangote’s journey shows that business success does not happen in isolation. Business operates within a wider environment of government, policies, relationships, markets and opportunities.
Today, his business interests are large enough to have an impact on conversations around economic policies and national development.
This is another example of how money and influence can eventually become connected.
6. Femi Otedola
Femi Otedola is another Nigerian businessman whose success is connected to the energy and oil sector.
The energy industry does not operate outside government regulations. The government has a significant role in licensing, regulation and the general structure of the industry.
This raises an important question:
Can an ordinary person simply enter every industry and own every opportunity without understanding the system behind it?
This is where many people fail to understand the reality of wealth creation.
Many successful people do not publicly reveal every relationship, strategy or opportunity that helped them build their businesses.
The public usually sees the final result. We see the companies, the cars, the houses and the billions. But we may not see the relationships, the partnerships, the decisions and the opportunities that came before the success.
There is always more to the story than what is publicly visible.
7. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi
When we look at Nigerian political figures such as Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, we can observe another pattern.
These are individuals who have been associated with business, wealth and political influence in different ways.
The question is:
Why would a person who has already achieved financial success enter politics?
Is it only because of money?
Or is it also because of influence, control and the ability to participate in decisions that affect the environment in which business and wealth operate?
This is not to say that every politician has the same motivation. People enter politics for different reasons.
But it is worth observing the pattern.
Many people who already have money still pursue political power and influence.
Why?
Because money and power are not always the same thing.
Money can buy many things, but influence can determine the environment in which money operates.
Money, Assets and Power
I want you to observe the patterns of successful businesspeople, political influencers and policymakers.
Many motivational speakers make people believe that there is only one formula for success. Some say that jobs are bad and that everyone must become an entrepreneur.
But I do not believe there is only one formula for success.
A job can provide income.
Income can be used to acquire assets.
Assets can generate additional income.
Relationships can create opportunities.
Knowledge can help you make better decisions.
Business can create ownership.
Politics can create influence.
Technology can create new markets.
Investment can create long-term growth.
There are different paths to financial success.
The problem is not necessarily having a job. The problem is depending on only one source of income and spending everything you earn on survival and liabilities.
If you earn money, you can gradually use part of it to build assets such as stocks, shares, treasury bills, real estate, digital assets or businesses, depending on your knowledge, risk tolerance and financial situation.
It is through income that many people build assets.
Successful people earn money through different means, invest in different assets and build relationships that can help protect and expand what they have built.
This is why I believe that finance is not only about making money.
It is also about understanding the environment in which money operates.
Do Not Let Anyone Give You Only One Formula for Success
Do not allow motivational speakers to confuse you with one rigid formula for success.
Study the patterns.
Keep seeking knowledge.
Understand how finance works.
Ask questions.
Think for yourself.
Some people say that a job is only a “journey of a borrower.” I sometimes laugh when I hear such statements.
If having a job is completely bad, why do many successful businesspeople build relationships with governments?
Why do they influence government policies?
Why do they participate in politics?
Why do they build relationships with people in powerful positions?
The answer is simple: there is no single formula for success.
Success can require conviction, direction, determination, consistency, strategy and a vision for the future.
Whatever you do, do not blindly accept the idea that there is only one path.
I call people who insist that everyone must follow only one path “hunters.” They are always trying to convince people that their own path is the only path.
But life is bigger than that.
Define your purpose.
Find your conviction.
Understand your talents.
Build your career.
Build your business if that is your path.
Invest your returns into assets.
Build meaningful relationships.
And understand the role of influence and power in the environment around you.
Finance Is Dynamic
When a person lacks clarity and has not defined his purpose, he may run after every opportunity without understanding that not every opportunity is meant for him.
Finance is not static. Finance is dynamic.
It is not found in only one career, one business or one industry.
There are billions of dollars moving through different industries and sectors.
Some people build wealth through employment.
Some through business.
Some through technology.
Some through real estate.
Some through investments.
Some through politics and influence.
Some through partnerships.
The important thing is to understand yourself, understand your purpose and understand the environment in which you operate.
Above All, Find Joy in Your Journey
Whatever you do, find joy in it.
Find joy in career growth.
Find joy in building and expanding a business.
Find joy in investment and financial growth.
Find joy in building relationships.
Find joy in personal development.
Find joy in political achievement and influence, if that is your chosen path.
Find joy in overall growth.
That is what matters most.
Not one particular method of growth promoted by motivational interpreters who want you to believe that their own path is the only path.
Finance is not just about making money.
Finance is about understanding reality.
It is about understanding how money is created, how it moves, how it is protected and how it can be lost.
It is about understanding that wealth does not exist in isolation from relationships, institutions, government, policies, knowledge and influence.
There is still more to reveal.
