For my window, I stared at the fallen apples in the backyard. They are from the neighbour’s over-grown apple tree. Some are getting rotten.

In Lagos, I complain about the price of apples, in London I watch them rot in the back garden…life they say is not balanced.

It made me ponder on the subject of value.

First, value is contextual. It is impacted by location and availability. Surplus reduces value. Scarcity increases value. Are your skills set in surplus or are they scarce? Are you in the right location? Perhaps it is time to move.

Second, value is all around us. A friend was asking for suggestions to increase her earning potential. I told her to look around for where value already is, and align with it.

Value is dictated by what other people deem as important. For example, funders choose to support projects focussed on certain priorities, like health and gender equality. It will shock you how much is spent on these causes every year. While you are hitting a brick wall thinking up what next, others are aligning with people and projects of value. Investigate what is of value and align your efforts to benefit.

Third, value is within us, and can be created. Many of us already have everything we need to stand out and succeed, yet we spend more energy trying to fit into societal norms for fear of isolation and failure.

We need our differentiators to truly shine. We need to leverage what we already have.

What have you been supressing? What are you putting off and procrastinating? What are you placing low value on?

Value can be created. Everytime we solve problems for others, we create value. Who are you solving problems for?

So, all this because of apples?

Anyway… Will you be changing evironment? Will you be aligning with value or will you be creating value?

Your thoughts?

ps: I saved some fallen apples. I created value for my children’s tummy.

#value #growth