Why You Need A High Income skill

 When the lockdown began, there were tons of posts telling students to make use of their time to learn either a skill/ a new language or whatever.

However, it became sort of forceful (in my opinion...) and it felt intrusive tbh.

This is what I mean - the skills I heard were not particularly what I wanted to do. I was too lazy to browse what each entails.

But I think the most important factor is that I had projected my mind to think that Nigeria is devoid of opportunities. And nothing good could ever emerge from here.

I couldn't be more wrong. My new mantra is, "Ignorance is a Sin, a mortal sin to be exact."

A highly punishable sin. 

I can't emphasize that enough. What you don't know is much bigger than you are. It can mar you exceedingly.

It's now that I understand why these personal coaches were ringing the bell to learn just about anything. 

But what I would like to point out is on the high-income skills they always mentioned. By that I mean, they rarely defined the description.

And I will be the first to acquiesce that they do not owe anybody the description of any skillset, especially in this 2020 where everything is seconds away from having comprehensive knowledge.

Like I said earlier, my reason for not browsing whenever they mentioned these skills was "I'd assumed that Nigeria is so terrible that you can't find anything without connections."

It's a limiting mentality that prevents lots of us from reaching our full potential.

I'd always heard personal development coaches mention that all our journey starts with the mind, I didn't fully grasp it until these past few months.

Because I was limiting my mind, it wasn't open to all the opportunities in this world. And I also didn't bother to research on these skills.

So for people like the past-me, I figured I'd bring it closer to home to give a lil rundown of these High-Income Skills.

And yup, I'll be mentioning my favourite.

1. Software and Website Development: You must have heard about this - coding and programming. A whole bunch of languages of Java, C++, HTML and the whole lots of them. They are the people who design apps that we use and they code websites from the scratch.

2. Digital Marketing: Basically selling online. Attracting people to a website to sell. The sub-skills required include Search Engine Optimization(SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Campaign marketing, Data-driven marketing, e-commerce marketing, 

Social media marketing, Social media optimization, Display advertising, Ebooks.

You can browse more on each sub-skill to find the one that you can start from and how it works.

3. Email marketing: This one is not exactly big in Nigeria but you can work remotely for foreign clients if you're good. 

This means selling through mails. You have a mailing list, which you build a loyal customer base by consistently providing value to them. You then sell to the customers on your mail lists.

4. Affiliate Marketing: It is the process of promoting products of any business through your blog, website, social media pages, youtube channel, anywhere. 

And if anyone buys that product through your affiliate link get a commission for every product you sell. 

There are websites in Nigeria that are solely for Affiliate marketing (I've forgotten about them).

5. Graphic/Web Designing: With the shift by business to online presence, now is more or less the boom of this skill. Cos business owners won't waste time setting up/designing a website. That's where web designers come in.

6. Video editing: As stated above, with the rise of social media, this is also a skill that will aid you exceedingly especially with brands for their advertisement.

More so, because this has not become a saturated market in this part of the world.

7. Dropshipping: This one too is sort of new in Nigeria too. This is a case where you sell without owning a product. So, you partner with a company/brand and sell to people.

You act as a retailer. So when a potential customer places an order, you send their details to the brand to supply the goods to them. You get your profit from increasing the price of the wares since it's obtained at a wholesale price.

8. Copywriting: The love of my life. I think Copywriting is the best of them all. Cos sales is King. Copywriting is compelling people to take an action. In my opinion, that is the greatest skill of all time.

For the past few years, I've been hearing Copywriting, I never bothered to browse as I had assumed that it was just Copyright. Like, book copyright or stuff.

When I discovered what it entailed, I felt like Paul in the Bible when the scales fell off his eyes. That's how great and important this skill is.

It's not a saturated market. 

Hell, it can never be a saturated market because from now till tomorrow, business owners want to sell and they need Copywriters to sell their products and earn huge profits.

I had just begun learning this skill and every day, I fall more in love with it. It's like I struck a goldmine, found the Holy Grail… just spectacular.

I'll leave you with the very first thing I heard before I embarked on my Copy journey - "Every Single Business in this World Needs A Copywriter"

This was from Alex Cattoni. I can never forget how I felt when I heard this…. It spans across all niches, sectors and Industries. 

And I even think it's yet to see its boom in the Nigerian space (cos even the few Nigerian Copywriters are writing for foreign clients - cos that's where the bigger oil is currently).

Anyways, that's about it… 

Please make use of the free knowledge splattered on YouTube. You'd be shocked to discover all the treasures in that app... It's not just for music videos, comedy or your favourite lifestyle vloggers…

You have ample time as we are still young. You won't have that time in the future (cue in responsibilities). 

Not that it isn't achievable in the future, but you're saving yourself a lot of stress if you begin now.

I can't emphasize how much I need my TIME these days. I know we're in our 20s and shouldn't pressure ourselves.

But there's a difference between pressuring yourself and whiling away your time at home.

In fact, if you didn't see any other thing to do on YouTube, watch TedX videos, watch facts channels, financial education channels, Under40CEOs… just don't be an average joe.

I'm doing my part of the gospel by crying as a lone wolf in these streets that are full of bants. 

You won't know how much time social media takes until you become intentional about guarding your time.

And it will shock you greatly when you're outta school, shackled with NYSC and off in the labour market without anything setting you apart from the thousands of unskilled on the same mediocrity level.

It will be worse off when you keep up with the complaints and your 30s catch up with you.

Take away from this post whatever you may... Just don't blame anyone in the future but yourself…