The first valuable investment an individual can make in themselves is to know where they come from: their own story, the story of their parents, their ancestors, their community, their nation, and their country. This investment will never betray them. They will draw from these different stories the vital energy to move forward in the face of life’s challenges. Look at the lives of the greatest revolutionaries. They knew history. They mastered their history. They were upheld by history.

The second beneficial investment for social success is knowing your environment and sowing into it. If you live in a neighborhood that doesn’t seem dangerous, get to know it using your primary senses (sight, smell, touch, etc.). If it is dangerous, study it online. Then ask yourself the simplest question: What can I do to improve life in my neighborhood? Ponder this question until you feel like you’ve found a brilliant idea.

If the idea seems unrealistic, break it down into smaller activities sequenced over time, and begin by implementing the smallest and least expensive one. You’ll see that something will be born within you: a passion. Thus, from the history you’ve received, you will begin to write a new one—one you’ve created and will pass on. That’s how I started. I asked myself the same question in my university and came up with a solution to a problem. I wrote a new chapter in the history of my university town, my homeland, my continent, and even the world. Today, my organization is being requested on every continent.

The third valuable investment for your social success lies in hard skills. Don’t overcomplicate it. Ask yourself a few simple questions: What is my family heritage? What potential lies in my biological family? How can I further develop that potential? If your family owns a large amount of land, get trained in an agricultural field. Alternative agricultural or agri-food schools are abundant in our countries. Choose one and commit to at least three years of training—regardless of your initial academic background.

In a few years, ten at most, you will become a global reference. A communication student who devotes themselves entirely to agricultural sciences has more chances of impacting their environment than a student who graduated from an agricultural faculty. The reason is simple: very few dare. No one wants to take risks. The first risk an entrepreneur takes is to change direction—even when the waters are calm.

The fourth valuable investment for your social success is in soft skills. That’s why you must systematically enroll in an alternative school of your choice. If necessary, attend several at once or successively. Within less than a decade, African parents will increasingly avoid conventional schools for their children. We will witness, irreversibly, the rise of new schools equipped with new tools, new methods, and new practices.

After the connected economy revolution will come the didactic revolution. This is a revolution that will be driven by robotics. Machines will take on certain skills that will become fundamental with the introduction of robotics. Everything will need to be relearned. A new literacy will emerge across the planet. The education systems currently in place in our countries must either adapt or perish. In this century, if you are digitally illiterate, then you will be poor—because power has changed hands. It now lies in soft skills—your ability to create intelligence between your core skills and society’s needs.

The fifth major investment for social success is an absolute investment in your body—specifically in your health. If your eyes hurt, it becomes nearly impossible to enjoy the beauty of nature. If your teeth hurt, it becomes nearly impossible to enjoy meals, despite your appetite. If your feet hurt, walking becomes a torment. If your back hurts, it becomes impossible to write—unless assisted by a scribe or a computer.

Civilizations that wish to endure must fundamentally invest in body care and innovation in medical practices. It is better to practice preventive medicine rather than curative medicine. To do so, monitor the quality of your food, what’s on your plate, and your nutritional frequency. If you amass billions and die of cancer a month later, that’s a tragic waste. It would have been better to live poor for all eternity. Simply put: your health is your greatest wealth—and therefore your greatest investment.

Exercise regularly to stay in shape. Methuselah, the oldest man of all time, lived 960 years. Just imagine for a moment if the ten richest men on earth lived for 500 years. The longer you live in good health, the better you manage your social capital and pass it on to future generations…

This text is an excerpt from the book “Succeed At All Costs: The 5 Fingers of Success” written by Jean-Paul Marie (Pastor Samuel Binyou).

We invite you to read the following article: “UNDERSTANDING THE PRINCIPLE OF MULTIPLICATION”.

INVESTMENTS IN YOURSELF. INVESTMENTS IN YOURSELF. INVESTMENTS IN YOURSELF.

INVESTMENTS IN YOURSELF. INVESTMENTS IN YOURSELF.