Are you a Nigerian politician?

Do you also lie all the time?

I was writing sales letters by hand the other day: a practice step to improve your skill as a copywriter. This is known as neurological imprinting.

Research has shown that writing by hand while studying improves your critical thinking and working memory.

By applying that to copywriting, it means you’ll learn to recognize patterns faster and understand copy at a subconscious level.

But I digress, today’s letter is about something else.

While I was writing I began to think of creating systems that could help me consistently write everyday.

Things that'll remind me to write everyday so I don't slack. Halfway into the thinking process I told myself, I’ll do it later.

I continued writing and my mind wandered to the new year resolutions I set at the beginning of the year.

I thought about going to revisit where I wrote them so I can remind myself why I should continue to strive forward.

You grow to learn that knowing the reason WHY you take action will motivate you to continue.

But a thought came and said, don’t worry you’ll check later.

Then it dawned on me: I was subconsciously putting off measures to check myself.

I remembered that on some days during the week I had the same thoughts but I postponed them for later.

I started noticing a pattern.

Am I scared to be held accountable?

And of all people, am I scared to be held accountable to myself?

Accountability is the obligation to answer for ones actions.

The process of accountability is as simple as saying:

This is what I said I'll do.

And

This is what I did.

Then if your actions differ from your words, you are obligated to answer why.

I started this with Nigerian politicians because they're prime examples. The president of Nigeria, the honourable bad boy, promised to:

• Fight corruption: well that’s a joke.

• To sustain the anti-insurgency war and curb insecurity: there's been over 20 kidnappings in Nigeria this year, and that’s the news we’ve gotten from Twitter alone. Insecurity is curbing us.

• Increase the value of naira: another joke. It's currently better to be paid $500 than it is to be paid a N100k.

And that’s just off the top of my head. You can check the others here.

And the problem? No regulating body can question the man and ask him why are things so bad?

Why didn't you do what you said you’d do?

Talk to us direct! Let us understand you.

99% of Nigerian politicians do this and nobody will/can hold them accountable.

How does this apply to you?

Think back on the things you said you'd do or you'd have done by now. Ask yourself, “why haven't I done them yet?”

You may ignore the last question.

You don't want the headache that comes with finding out you’re a liar to yourself and everyone around you.

And I don’t blame you to be honest. It’s not your fault.

I blame human neurobiology. (Fuck you neurobiology!)

Our brains are wired to actively hate work and stress.

Me sef I just wanna relas and be taken kiraof.

Now you know you’re scared to be accountable.

The next question is why?

Hopefully I’ll figure that out by next week.

Till then,

Stay easy,

Dave.

P.S: if you liked reading this letter, feel free to send me a reply.

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