How To Get The Best From The Internet

In the words of one of my favorite teachers, Olumide Emmanuel, “the world is a global village and the internet is the village square.” That is where the “village meetings” hold. Just like we go to the market to buy stuffs, so is the internet to the world today. The difference however, is that with the internet, you don’t necessarily need to leave where you are to buy whatever it is you want to buy, for instance, someone could be in Nigeria and make transactions with people in Japan, US or wherever.  The internet has made things easy, to a large extent, such that someone gets a lot of things done without leaving a spot.

Although, the internet has a lot of advantages and benefits to offer, however, the user is the one who decides what he or she wants to get from the internet, is it positive or negative use you want to exploit the internet for? I have heard people say things such as “the internet is bad, the internet is this…and that”. Whenever I hear such statements, I am quick to ask, are you sure-does the internet uses itself? I do not believe that the internet is bad. For crying out loud, it is somebody’s brainchild! And much more a lot of people have used it to make meaningful and positive impacts across the globe so, why is yours different?

One of the benefits the internet offers is that it provides relatively cheap and easy access to personal-development materials. Regardless of the field or profession you are, there are loads of information you could access online, to beef up your intellectual bank.  In an interview conducted by gemWoman, Iquo Ukoh, a renowned female marketing expert, says, “the internet provides ample opportunities to learn new things and continually improve one’s knowledge base and skills without necessarily getting into the class rooms”. She adds that, “today, I am also passing my knowledge across to younger marketers by writing articles regularly on my LinkedIn profile”.

Ironically, it is sad to know that a lot of young people go online to waste their time, in the process they waste away their life unknowingly. Sorry, I’m beginning to take it personal (smiles) but that’s the truth. It is just like someone who goes to the market, wanders around the market without any tangible reason. A market is a place for business thus, it is meant for serious and business minded people.

I have benefited a lot from using the internet, as a writer, it has helped me to expand my reach, develop myself, meet people from different parts of the world, showcase my creative abilities to the world, reach people I may never see, make money legitimately, to mention a few.  What you do on the internet determines what you’d get from it. Like the bible says, “ask and you will receive, seek and you shall find…”the question then is, what are you seeking on the internet?

Are you a business person, do you want to buy or sell your goods? You can publicize your business on the internet. Whatever you get from the internet is what you have made up your mind to get. I have been able to reach out to thousands of people via the internet, I have got a couple of invitations which were financially rewarding all because of the kind of use I have put the internet to.  As a writer, I have had invitations to feature on people’s websites both from within and outside Nigeria. I run my blog (www.bamisaye.wordpress.com) where I post on Wednesdays and God has really helped me to touch lives, families etc. through this medium. You can do more than I am doing, if you really want to. The beauty of the internet is that it is cheap compared to other means. 

I challenge you, my dear reader, put the internet to better use. You can gain from the internet if only you are determined enough. You can make use of the internet to make your voice heard. The bible says, “to him who knows how to do good and does it not, it is a sin”. Be among those who are making positive impacts via the internet. See you at the top.

Adeniran Bamisaye

@Dkingzpen