The Journey of Life Begin Now
Your greatest transformation doesn't wait for perfect timing—it starts with the decision you make today
Welcome to Daily Reality NG, where we break down real-life issues with honesty and clarity. Today, we're talking about something that touches every single one of us—the moment when life truly begins.
I'm Samson Ese, founder of Daily Reality NG. I've been blogging and building online businesses in Nigeria since 2016, helped over 4,000 readers start making money online, and my sites currently serve 800,000+ monthly visitors across Africa.
Let me tell you about my friend Chinedu. Three years ago, he was stuck in a job that paid ₦65,000 monthly in Lagos—barely enough to cover transport, feeding, and rent in a face-me-I-face-you somewhere in Yaba. Every morning, he'd wake up at 4:30 AM to beat the traffic from Ikorodu to Victoria Island. Most evenings, he'd return home past 10 PM, exhausted, frustrated, wondering if this was all life had to offer.
One particular evening, after his boss publicly embarrassed him during a meeting for a mistake that wasn't even his fault, Chinedu sat in that molue bus heading home and asked himself a question that would change everything: "When does my own life begin?"
You see, Chinedu had been waiting. Waiting for the right time. Waiting for enough money. Waiting for the economy to get better. Waiting for someone to give him permission to start living the life he actually wanted. But that evening, something clicked. He realized nobody was coming to rescue him. No fairy godmother with a magic wand. No rich uncle abroad. No sudden windfall.
The truth hit him like NEPA restoring light after three days of blackout: his journey had to begin now, or it would never begin at all.
Fast forward to today—Chinedu runs a successful digital marketing agency serving clients across Nigeria and Ghana. He's moved his family to a proper two-bedroom flat in Ajah. His monthly income? Sometimes ₦400,000, sometimes ₦700,000, depending on the month. But more than the money, he wakes up every day knowing he's building something that matters.
What changed? Not his circumstances at first. Not his bank account. Not even his skills, initially. What changed was his decision that the journey of life begins now—not tomorrow, not when things are perfect, not when he has it all figured out. Now.
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Why "Now" Is The Only Time That Actually Exists
Many Nigerians know this struggle—we're always planning for tomorrow. "When I get that promotion..." "When I save up enough..." "When my salary increases..." "When the dollar rate comes down..." "When fuel prices stabilize..."
But here's what nobody tells you: tomorrow is just another version of today with different problems. If you can't start with what you have now, you won't start when you have more later. That's not pessimism—that's reality.
I remember when I wanted to start blogging back in 2016. I told myself I'd wait until I could afford a laptop (I only had a Tecno phone then). Then I'd wait until I understood SEO perfectly. Then I'd wait until I had at least ₦100,000 saved up for emergencies before taking the "risk" of focusing on content creation.
💡 Real Talk
You know what would have happened if I kept waiting? I'd still be waiting today. Instead, I started writing articles on my phone, published them from BRT buses heading to Oshodi, edited posts during lunch breaks, learned SEO from free YouTube videos at night. Was it perfect? No. Was it uncomfortable? Absolutely. But it was progress.
The journey of life doesn't begin when conditions are ideal. It begins when you decide that imperfect action beats perfect inaction every single time.
Think about it—how many people do you know who've been "planning" to start a business for five years? How many have been "about to" go back to school? How many are "almost ready" to move to a new city, learn a new skill, or pursue that dream?
The difference between people who actually achieve their goals and those who just talk about them isn't talent, luck, or even resources. It's the willingness to begin before they feel ready.
The Dangerous Trap of "Waiting for the Right Time"
Let's talk about something uncomfortable. The "right time" is a lie we tell ourselves to avoid the discomfort of change. It's a comfortable prison that keeps us exactly where we are.
I've seen this pattern repeatedly across Nigeria—smart, talented, capable people stuck in situations they hate because they're waiting for some magical moment when everything aligns perfectly. But life doesn't work like that. Life is messy, unpredictable, and rarely convenient.
What We're Really Waiting For
When we say we're waiting for the right time, what we're actually waiting for is:
Certainty – We want guaranteed success before we start. But entrepreneurship, career changes, personal growth—none of these come with guarantees. The only certainty is that waiting guarantees you'll stay exactly where you are.
Comfort – We want change without discomfort. We want the better life without the awkward transition period. We want the destination without the difficult journey. But growth and comfort cannot coexist. You have to choose one.
External Permission – Deep down, many of us are waiting for someone to tell us it's okay to pursue our dreams. Your parents to approve. Your spouse to encourage you. Your friends to believe in you. But here's the truth: the only permission you need is your own.
I used to think I needed to wait until I had at least ₦500,000 in savings before I could focus on building my online business. You know what happened when I finally hit that savings goal? I immediately raised the bar—"Actually, let me wait until I have ₦1 million, just to be safe."
The goalposts kept moving because the real issue wasn't the money. It was fear disguised as prudence.
The Cost of Waiting
While you wait for perfect conditions, here's what you're losing:
Time you can never recover. Every year you spend "preparing" to start is a year someone else is building, learning, failing, improving, and getting ahead. Time is the one resource you cannot replenish. You can make more money. You can learn new skills. You cannot make more time.
Momentum and compound growth. Small actions taken consistently over time create exponential results. But you can only benefit from compound growth if you start. A business started today, even if it only makes ₦5,000 in the first month, can become something significant in three years. But a business started three years from now will always be three years behind.
The person you could become. The journey itself transforms you. The challenges make you stronger. The failures teach you resilience. The small wins build your confidence. When you wait, you don't just delay results—you delay your own growth.
The Nigerian Reality: Why Starting Now Is Even More Critical Here
Let me be honest with you—starting anything in Nigeria is hard. The system isn't designed to support dreamers and risk-takers. You'll face obstacles that people in other countries never even think about.
Inconsistent power supply means you'll be writing proposals by candlelight or spending money you don't have on fuel for generators. Internet connections drop during important video calls. Banks freeze accounts without warning. Government policies change overnight. Inflation eats your savings faster than you can accumulate them.
If we talk am well, the list of reasons NOT to start is longer than the list of reasons to start.
But here's the flip side—these same challenges create massive opportunities for those who actually start. While everyone else is complaining about problems, you can be building solutions.
🇳🇬 Real Nigerian Examples
Consider this: The fact that many Nigerians struggle with financial literacy means there's huge demand for financial education content. The fact that youth unemployment is high means there's appetite for skills training and alternative income streams. The fact that infrastructure is poor means there are business opportunities in providing better alternatives.
Every problem you see around you is actually an invitation. An invitation to create something better. To offer something needed. To build something valuable.
I started Daily Reality NG because I was tired of seeing my friends and family members struggle with the same financial mistakes repeatedly. I was frustrated by the lack of honest, practical financial content for everyday Nigerians. That frustration became my mission, which became my business.
What frustrates you? What problem do you keep seeing that nobody is solving well? That frustration might be your invitation to begin your journey.
Taking the First Step: It's Smaller Than You Think
One of the biggest misconceptions about starting is that the first step has to be huge. We imagine quitting our jobs dramatically, announcing big plans on social media, investing all our savings into an idea.
Truth be told, that's not how most successful journeys begin. They begin quietly, awkwardly, imperfectly—with small actions that nobody else even notices.
What a Real First Step Looks Like
If you want to start a business, your first step isn't registering with CAC or renting an office. It's having one conversation with one potential customer to understand what they actually need.
If you want to change careers, your first step isn't quitting your current job. It's spending one hour this week learning about the field you want to enter.
If you want to improve your health, your first step isn't buying expensive gym equipment. It's walking for 15 minutes tomorrow morning before the sun gets too hot.
If you want to start creating content, your first step isn't building a perfect website. It's writing one article, recording one video, or sharing one helpful post—even if only ten people see it.
💭 Here's What I Wish Someone Had Told Me
Your first step doesn't have to be impressive. It just has to exist. It has to be real, concrete action—not more planning, not more research, not more preparation. Action.
When I started blogging, my first article was terrible. I cringe when I look back at it now. The grammar was rough, the structure was confused, and the advice was too general to be helpful. But I published it anyway. And that terrible article taught me more than six months of "planning" to start had taught me.
It taught me that my ideas sounded different written down than they did in my head. It taught me that SEO is harder than it looks. It taught me that finishing something, even if imperfect, felt better than the endless loop of "getting ready."
Most importantly, it taught me that I could do it. And that confidence from finishing one bad article gave me the courage to write a second article—which was slightly less bad. And then a third. And a fourth. And eventually, I got good at it.
But none of that learning would have happened if I'd waited until I felt "ready."
Overcoming the Fear That Keeps You Frozen
Let's address the elephant in the room—fear. Because underneath all the excuses about timing and resources, the real reason most of us don't start is simple: we're afraid.
Afraid of failure. Afraid of judgment. Afraid of wasting time and resources. Afraid of looking foolish. Afraid of proving that maybe we're not as capable as we thought.
These fears are normal. They're human. And they're lying to you.
What Your Fear Doesn't Tell You
Fear focuses on worst-case scenarios while ignoring best-case possibilities. It shows you vivid images of everything that could go wrong while conveniently forgetting to mention everything that could go right.
Let me share something personal. Before I fully committed to building Daily Reality NG into something serious, I was paralyzed by the fear of failing publicly. What if I invested all this time and energy and nothing came of it? What if people laughed at me? What if I confirmed every doubt anyone ever had about me?
You want to know the truth? Some of those things did happen. I did have failed projects. Some people did doubt me. There were months where I made almost nothing despite working hard. There were moments I felt foolish.
But none of those fears were as painful as they seemed in my imagination. And the alternative—staying stuck in a life I didn't want—turned out to be infinitely more painful than any failure.
✅ Reframing Failure
Here's a perspective shift that changed everything for me: failure isn't the opposite of success. Inaction is. Failure means you tried something and learned what doesn't work. That's valuable information. Inaction means you learned nothing and improved nothing. That's the real failure.
Think about it this way—every successful person you admire has failed more times than you've even tried. The difference is they didn't let fear of failure prevent them from starting. They just reframed failure as tuition paid for the education that eventually led to success.
The Question That Puts Fear in Perspective
When fear tries to keep you frozen, ask yourself this: "What's the worst that could realistically happen, and could I survive it?"
Usually, when you actually think it through, the worst-case scenario isn't that bad. You might lose some money—but you won't lose everything. You might feel embarrassed—but emotions pass. You might waste some time—but that time was going to pass anyway, and at least you'd have learned something.
Now ask the flip side: "What's the best that could realistically happen?" And here's the interesting part—the best-case scenario is often more likely than the worst-case scenario, but we spend all our mental energy focused on the negative.
Your Practical Guide to Beginning Now
Enough theory. Let's get tactical. Here's exactly how to start your journey today—not next week, not next month, not "when things settle down." Today.
Step 1: Define Your "What" Clearly
You can't start a journey if you don't know where you're going. What specifically do you want to change, build, or achieve? Get specific. "I want to be successful" is too vague. "I want to build a freelance graphic design business that earns ₦200,000 monthly within 12 months" is specific.
Write it down. Put it somewhere you'll see it daily. Make it real by making it visible.
Step 2: Identify Your Smallest Possible First Action
What's the tiniest step you could take toward that goal today—right now, in the next hour? Make it so small that you cannot fail to do it.
Not "start a business"—that's too big. Instead, "send one message to someone in the industry asking for advice." That's doable. That's now-able.
Step 3: Remove One Obstacle
What's one thing standing in your way that you could remove or reduce today? Maybe it's fear—address it by reframing as we discussed. Maybe it's lack of information—spend 30 minutes researching. Maybe it's time—wake up 30 minutes earlier tomorrow.
You don't have to remove all obstacles. Just one. Just today.
Step 4: Tell Someone Your Intention
Accountability is powerful. Tell one person you trust what you're starting and ask them to check in with you about it. This doesn't have to be a big announcement—just one trusted person who'll ask, "How's that thing you said you'd start going?"
The simple act of verbalizing your commitment makes it more real. It moves it from private thought to public declaration. That shift matters psychologically.
🔥 The 24-Hour Rule
Here's a powerful commitment: whatever you decide to start, take at least one concrete action within 24 hours. Not "thinking about it" or "planning it"—doing something. This prevents the enthusiasm from fading before you begin.
Step 5: Stack Small Wins
After you complete that first tiny action, immediately identify the next tiny action. Don't worry about the full roadmap yet. Just focus on the next small win. Then the next. Then the next.
Momentum builds this way. Five small actions taken consistently beat one big action taken randomly every time.
Step 6: Document Your Journey
Keep a simple record of what you're doing. It doesn't have to be fancy—a note on your phone works. Write down what you did each day toward your goal, no matter how small.
This serves two purposes: it keeps you accountable, and it shows you progress when you feel like you're not moving forward. Looking back at where you started versus where you are now is incredibly motivating.
Real-Life Application for Common Nigerian Goals
If you want to start a side business: Don't wait to register with CAC. First, test your idea by offering your service or product to one person this week. Make your first ₦1,000 before you invest in registration fees. Validate the idea with real customers, not assumptions.
If you want to learn a new skill: Don't buy a ₦50,000 course first. Start with free YouTube tutorials today. Watch one video. Practice what it teaches for 30 minutes. Do that daily for two weeks. Then decide if you want to invest in paid training. Many successful Nigerian freelancers started with nothing but YouTube and practice.
If you want to improve your finances: Don't wait for a salary increase to start saving. Open a separate savings account this week (most banks let you do this online now). Set up an automatic transfer of ₦500 or ₦1,000 every week. Yes, it's small. But small consistent actions build wealth more than large inconsistent ones.
If you want to get healthier: Don't wait to join a gym. Go for a 15-minute walk tomorrow morning. Do ten push-ups before your bath. Drink one extra glass of water today. Your body responds to consistency, not intensity.
If you want to start creating content: Don't wait to build a website or buy equipment. Write one helpful post on your existing social media today. Record a 60-second video on your phone. Share one valuable tip. Your first audience is already in your phone contacts.
The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything
Beyond tactics and action steps, there's a fundamental mindset shift that separates people who start from people who keep waiting. It's the shift from "I'll do it when I'm ready" to "I'll get ready by doing it."
You don't become ready and then start. You start and then become ready. The readiness comes from the doing, not before it.
Think about learning to swim. You can read every book about swimming, watch every YouTube tutorial, study every technique. But you will never actually learn to swim until you get in the water. And the first time you get in the water, you won't be ready. You'll swallow some water. You'll panic a bit. You'll struggle.
That's not a sign you should have waited longer. That's the process of becoming ready.
Embracing the "Messy Middle"
Every journey has three phases: the exciting beginning where everything feels possible, the messy middle where nothing seems to work, and the eventual breakthrough where things start clicking.
Most people quit in the messy middle. They think the struggle means they made a mistake or they're not cut out for this. But the messy middle isn't a problem to avoid—it's the path to progress.
⚠️ The Messy Middle Will Test You
There will be days when you question everything. When your progress feels painfully slow. When you see others succeeding faster. When family members hint that maybe you should give up this "dream" and focus on something "realistic." These moments don't mean you're on the wrong path. They mean you're on a path that matters.
I spent two full years creating content that barely anyone read. Two years of writing articles, optimizing for SEO, promoting on social media—with minimal results. My friends were earning salaries. I was earning almost nothing. The temptation to quit was constant.
But I'd made a commitment to myself: I'd give it five years of genuine effort before deciding it wasn't working. Not five years of half-hearted attempts—five years of consistent, focused work. By year three, things started clicking. By year five, I was making more than I ever made in employment. By year seven, I was supporting other people in starting their own journeys.
But none of that would have happened if I'd quit in the messy middle when nothing seemed to be working. The breakthrough was always just past the point where it felt like giving up made sense.
Redefining Success Along the Way
Here's something else that shifts when you actually start: your definition of success evolves. What you think you want at the beginning often isn't what you actually want once you're on the journey.
I started Daily Reality NG thinking I wanted to make money from ads. But as I grew, I realized what I actually wanted was to create a platform that genuinely helped people make better financial decisions. The money became a byproduct of that mission, not the mission itself.
You can't discover what you really want until you start moving. Clarity comes from action, not contemplation.
Building Support Systems for Your Journey
Let's talk about something crucial that doesn't get discussed enough—the role of community and support in sustaining your journey.
You can start alone, but you can't sustain growth alone. Every person I know who's achieved something significant had people supporting them—not necessarily financially, but emotionally, intellectually, practically.
The Five Types of Support You Need
1. Accountability Partners – People who check in on your progress and hold you to your commitments. Not to judge you, but to keep you honest with yourself. Find someone pursuing their own goals, and agree to update each other weekly.
2. Mentors or Models – People who've done what you're trying to do. You don't need personal access to them (though that's great if you have it). You can learn from their content, their interviews, their books. Study their path. Learn from their mistakes. Adapt their strategies to your context.
3. Peers on Similar Journeys – People at approximately your stage, working toward similar goals. They understand your struggles because they're facing the same ones. You can share resources, encourage each other, collaborate. Join online communities, attend meetups, participate in forums relevant to your goal.
4. Cheerleaders – People who believe in you even when you doubt yourself. This might be a parent, spouse, close friend—someone who reminds you why you started when you're tempted to quit. Don't underestimate the value of having at least one person who genuinely wants you to succeed.
5. Constructive Critics – People who care enough to tell you the truth, even when it's uncomfortable. They point out blind spots. They ask hard questions. They challenge weak ideas. These relationships are gold because they prevent you from wasting time on things that won't work.
🤝 Building Your Support Network in Nigeria
Join WhatsApp groups related to your field. Participate in Twitter (X) communities. Attend free or low-cost workshops and networking events. Reach out to people doing what you want to do—most successful Nigerians are more accessible and helpful than you'd expect. Follow and engage with content creators in your niche. Build relationships before you need them.
Truth be told, trying to do everything alone is actually slower and harder. The right support system accelerates your progress because you learn from other people's experiences instead of making every mistake yourself.
Dealing With Doubt From People Around You
Here's something they don't warn you about—when you start pursuing something different, some people in your life won't understand. Some won't support you. Some will actively discourage you.
This doesn't make them bad people. Often, they're just afraid for you. They're projecting their own fears and limitations onto your journey. They're trying to protect you from disappointment. Or sometimes, your growth makes them uncomfortable because it highlights their own lack of movement.
When my uncle heard I was quitting my stable job to focus on "blogging" (he said it with such skepticism), he sat me down for a serious talk. "Samson, be realistic. This internet thing, how many Nigerians are making real money from it? You have a degree. You have a good job. Don't throw it away for this... this... whatever this is."
He meant well. He was genuinely concerned. But he was viewing my decision through the lens of his own experience and understanding. He couldn't see what I saw because he hadn't spent months researching the possibility, studying success stories, calculating the numbers.
How to Handle Unsupportive Voices
Don't argue or try to convince them. You can't logic someone into believing in a vision they don't see. Save your energy for execution, not explanation. Your results will speak louder than any argument.
Set boundaries around your dreams. You don't owe everyone access to your goals and plans. Some dreams are too fragile in their early stages to expose to skepticism. Protect your vision by being selective about who you share it with.
Remember that their opinion isn't prophecy. Just because someone doubts you doesn't mean they're right. Just because something hasn't been done in your family doesn't mean you can't do it. Other people's limitations are not your limitations.
Use doubt as fuel, not poison. Every time someone doubts you, let it remind you why proving them wrong will feel so good. But don't make proving them wrong your primary motivation—make it a bonus. Your primary motivation should be internal: you're doing this because it matters to you, regardless of what anyone thinks.
Give them grace. Most doubters will eventually become supporters once they see you're serious and making progress. My uncle who was skeptical? He's now one of my biggest cheerleaders, telling everyone about "my nephew who's doing big things online." People's opinions change when your results become undeniable.
Key Takeaways: The Journey of Life Begin Now
- The "perfect time" is a myth that keeps you stuck. Conditions will never be ideal. Start with what you have, where you are, right now. Imperfect action beats perfect planning every time.
- Fear of failure is normal, but it's lying to you. The worst-case scenarios your mind creates are rarely as bad as staying stuck in a life you don't want. Failure is feedback, not finality.
- Your first step should be small and immediate. Don't overwhelm yourself with the entire journey. Just focus on one tiny action you can take today. Momentum builds from small wins.
- You become ready by doing, not before doing. Readiness comes from experience, not preparation. The learning happens when you start, not before you start.
- The messy middle is part of the process, not a sign of failure. Every worthwhile journey has a difficult phase where nothing seems to work. Push through—breakthrough often comes right after the point where quitting makes sense.
- Community accelerates progress. Build a support system of accountability partners, mentors, peers, cheerleaders, and constructive critics. You don't have to do this alone.
- Not everyone will support you, and that's okay. Other people's doubts are about their limitations, not yours. Protect your vision, execute quietly, and let your results speak.
- Starting in Nigeria has unique challenges, but also unique opportunities. Every problem around you is an invitation to create a solution. While others complain, you can build.
- Document your journey. Keep track of your progress, no matter how small. Looking back at how far you've come provides motivation when forward progress feels slow.
- The journey begins the moment you decide it does. Not when conditions are perfect. Not when you feel confident. Not when everyone approves. Now. Your journey of life begins now.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What if I start and realize I chose the wrong path?
Then you'll have valuable information that you didn't have before starting. Discovering what doesn't work for you is progress, not failure. Many successful people found their true path only after exploring several wrong ones first. The key is to start moving—you can always adjust direction once you're in motion, but you can't steer a parked car.
How do I start when I have no money and limited resources?
Most successful journeys don't require large capital to begin—they require creativity and effort. Start with service-based work that requires only your skills and time. Use free online resources to learn what you need. Leverage social media for marketing instead of paid advertising. Many of Nigeria's most successful entrepreneurs started with nothing but determination and a phone. Your resourcefulness matters more than your resources.
What if my family responsibilities prevent me from taking risks?
Having responsibilities doesn't mean you can't start—it means you need to be strategic about how you start. Begin as a side project while maintaining your current income. Wake up earlier or use lunch breaks. Start small enough that failure won't devastate your family financially. Many successful Nigerian entrepreneurs built their businesses on nights and weekends before transitioning full-time. Responsibility requires wisdom, not inaction.
How long should I wait before expecting results?
This varies by what you're pursuing, but generally, give any serious endeavor at least 12 to 18 months of consistent effort before evaluating its viability. Most people quit after 3 to 6 months when results are slow, right before the breakthrough would have happened. Set realistic timelines. Building something meaningful takes time. Focus on consistent daily action rather than immediate results.
What if I am older or feel like I have already missed my opportunity?
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today. Yes, you might have started earlier, but you cannot change the past—you can only influence the future. There are successful Nigerian entrepreneurs who started in their 40s, 50s, and beyond. Your experience and maturity can actually be advantages. The question is not whether you have missed opportunities, but whether you will miss the opportunity you have right now.
How do I stay motivated when progress feels painfully slow?
Track small wins daily. Celebrate every bit of progress, no matter how minor. Connect with others on similar journeys for mutual encouragement. Revisit your why—remember what motivated you to start in the first place. Understand that slow progress is still progress. The compound effect of consistent small actions creates massive results over time, even when daily growth feels invisible.
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© 2025 Daily Reality NG — Empowering Everyday Nigerians | All posts are independently written and fact-checked by Samson Ese based on real experience and verified sources.
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