Success Comes from Knowing How to Trade

I never understood the meaning of the word trade until recently. I had always thought that the word only applies to the selling of physical goods. Little did I know that the whole commercial world rests on this word, and the success of individuals is to a large extent dependent on how they understand this word. The light bulb moment came for me when I listened to a Rabbi’s explanation of why Jacob didn’t give the same blessing to his sons before he died.

In Genesis 49:1-27, Jacob speaks a blessing on each of his ten sons and the two sons of Joseph who later became part of the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph and Levi were not tribes in Israel because Levi was given the responsibility of looking after the Temple, and Joseph was given a double portion through his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh because although he may not have been the “First to be born” in essence he was the firstborn of Jacob. Don’t ask me why Joseph was “the firstborn” even though he wasn’t the first to be born among the sons of Jacob.

To get back to our discussion about TRADE, in verse 28 of Genesis 49, this is what the bible says. “All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them; he blessed each one according to his own blessing”. The latter part of this passage holds a very big secret to success. It says, Jacob “blessed each one according to his own blessing”. This is called specialization. Having your own unique blessing.

People that become successful in life are those who understand their own blessing. When you get to a place in life where you understand your blessing, you will have made the most significant step toward your success. A blessing is that “thing” about you that only you have. This is what makes you unique and success comes from you knowing how to TRADE your blessing.

Every commercial transaction is an exchange, or a TRADE to put it correctly, of a blessing. People employ you, or buy from you, or do business with you because of a blessing that you have that they themselves don’t have, if they did they wouldn’t come to you.

If you want to succeed financially, make sure that you first know your blessing and then know how to add value to other’s lives by giving them your blessing at a fee. Remember a blessing is that thing that causes people to come to you. Instead of cutting corners and rip people off, make sure that you refine your blessing and give it to people in the most refined way, at a fair price and that way they will be happy and pay you a lot of money for your blessing.

The problem with most people is that they don’t know their blessing. Others despise it as a result people take advantage of them. Africa falls in the category of those who despise their blessing and others take advantage of it. Everyone knows Africa’s blessing except Africa. Africa has failed to realize that she is as blessed as everyone else and that like everyone else she can also TRADE and benefit from her blessing. Africa, like most poor people, should stop despising her blessing and TRADE her blessing fairly. A good TRADE is one where both the giver and the receiver of the blessing are happy. A bad TRADE is one where either the giver of the blessing, for whatever reason doesn’t get a fair share of the TRADE or where the receiver doesn’t get the best of the blessing after paying for it.

Success, therefore, lies in you understanding your blessing and you knowing how to fairly TRADE your blessing without ripping people off, nor letting others take advantage of your blessing. All there is to business is an exchange of people’s blessings. The giver of a blessing gives the blessing and gets a token of appreciation in form of money. And when they require anyone’s blessing, they go out to TRADE the money, which is, in essence, their blessing stored in form of money with someone else’s blessing.