Do not Ignore these Three things if You want True Success.

by Adejoke Adekunle

My friend Tom had this great idea; it was a huge project that required titanic sized funds to execute. So he went out looking for sponsors, participants, venture capitalists and what nots. He eventually pitched his idea but didn’t get the feedback he anticipated. Confident that his idea had the potential to create a lasting impact, Tom had his head high in hopes, waiting for the right sponsor to come by. But that was all he did, he waited. Years down the line, someone else (let’s just call him Jim) had a similar idea; not only did Jim implement the project, it was a huge success and a slam in Tom’s face.

There are hundreds of stories of people who had life play out differently from what they expected. You probably have your own story too. But here’s what I think makes up for true happiness and success.

Have a vision and let the world see it: “where do you see yourself in five years?” it’s a question most interviewers ask job candidates. Why would anyone hire you if you have no clue what your career big-picture looks like? Sadly, many people don’t and they go on looking for any job just to earn a living. Nobody said the road to the top would be easy. Having a vision doesn’t mean you have all you need to get there but it’s a start point. See yourself where you want to be and do a reverse mapping to your present state. Successful people don’t wait until they have all they need; they start with what they have and make gradual progress but most importantly, they start with the end in mind.

Have you pictured yourself having that job? Great! Find out the things you need to get there and be diligent to follow through. If you haven’t, then take that first step. With a vision, you are already halfway to the top.

And do tell people. Word of mouth remains a very strong form of advertisement; get people interested in you and what you do, surround yourself with the right people, it’ll keep you accountable, focused and move you up the success ladder faster.

Do something, Do it now: My story isn’t so different from Tom’s. I had the opportunity to let a particular project go sky-high but I wanted it to be perfect, I was scared to fail. Eventually, I did nothing and the opportunity slipped through my fingers. Talk is cheap, everybody talks. But if you want to get ahead in life, you have to do something.

No matter how unsatisfied you are with a situation, it won’t change if you do nothing about it. If you don’t like something, change it, or at least try. Chances are, there are a number of people in the same shoes and once you solve your problem, you can solve theirs too. It’s not enough to be ambitious; get your hands doing something, put your nose to the grindstone, over deliver. Take risks (calculated ones). If you fail; be proud about it, learn from it and get back up. You’d be better for it.

If you want a job, you’ll keep wanting it until you go out to get it. Of course you’ll be expected to have the requisite experience and skills needed for the job but don’t make it an excuse to remain idle or sink into a slough of despond. Tom’s plans went awry because he wanted things to be perfect, one key factor to Jim’s success was that he figured out ways to scale down the project and he started small. In the end, it didn’t matter whose idea it was first but Jim was recognised for bringing that idea into reality.

Discover the real you: like education, self-discovery is a lifelong process. If you fail to discover who you really are, you’ll wander through life fulfilling the purposes of others and never get far. People who are known and admired for their success don’t hide under the shadow of others; they discover what they want out of life early enough and stick their necks out to get it. The world applauds people with relevance, people who are known to be really good at adding value. Find a balance between what you love doing and what you are really good at. You can only be relevant if you are known for something remarkable. Get yourself used to being different. Be remarkable.

For the most part, successful people control their destiny. The world has gone super busy; and the only person who truly cares about you, more than anyone else, is You. You are solely responsible for your happiness and success.

Maybe not all of it, but you’ll regret a better part of your life if you fail to do these 3 things.