You were made for greatness

No matter how many times you attend motivational talks, read motivational books or seek inspiration, the ultimate change in your life will only occur when you put in 100 per cent effort.

We admire the late Wangari Maathai for her courage and persistence in preserving Kenya’s environment; we hail Nelson Mandela for his self-sacrifice, for his relentless fight against apartheid. These personalities were not special, they had traits we all have, the only difference between them and us is that they honed them.

1. Consistency
The most successful people in the various professions know that to grow, you need to put in the work. To be a successful writer, for instance, takes more than just writing daily. Globally acclaimed Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Adichie Ngozi says, “Read, read, read. I’m not sure that one can be a good writer without being a good reader.” This is how you make your skill a successful habit.

2. Persistence
This ties in to the first point. It doesn’t matter how you feel, it boils down to what you know you must do; push yourself. Find some creative ways to stay motivated; find a mentor, it doesn’t have to be someone you approach directly, you could subscribe to their social media accounts, watch their speeches online for example. Bottom line, never, ever, quit! The reason there are triumphs and trials is to offer life lessons that will reshape and guide your journey. There are no shortcuts to legitimate success; shortcuts lead you to a jail cell.

3. Plan
You have heard the saying; he who fails to plan, plans to fail. The easiest way to plan is to pick two-three big goals for the year, and break them down into quarterly, monthly, weekly and daily actions that collectively add to the big goal. Make sure you also evaluate periodically to make adjustments if something isn’t working. This does also mean lots of self-sacrifice; you might miss out on some fun in the short-term. But in the long-term, you will be smiling when the money and recognition starts to come.

4. Find something you believe in
Many young people, out of understandable desperation, often say they are looking for “any job”. When you opt for anything, you are likely to be mediocre. You need to find what drives you, and find ways to grow in the respective specialty.

5. Learn to express yourself
This isn’t just in the way you dress, it is also about the way you speak and handle yourself. No matter how talented and smart you are, if you cannot express yourself in proper English or Swahili, you won’t go very far. This is especially so with English; a global language. People need to understand you to want to engage with you, so leave the “manze”, “as in” and “Unaget?” to social conversations with friends.

6. Observe social etiquette
Articulation and eloquence needs to be backed by socially acceptable etiquette. This doesn’t mean you can’t be yourself, it just means you should exercise some form of consideration of others - that means don’t yell unnecessarily, don’t cut people off in conversations, don’t shove people, and maintain eye contact when speaking to others.

7. Be time conscious
Tardiness is a sign that you lack attention to detail, are disrespectful of others and disregard their time. It can also be perceived as a form of self-importance and arrogance. Respect others’ time and they will reciprocate, and please respect deadlines and aim to be at least 15 minutes early to an appointment.

8. Be respectful
Respect isn’t reverence, respect means according your fellow man, whether an elder, peer or junior, a level of accord. Know that everyone has something to offer irrespective of their socioeconomic class. Reverence is more of adoration accorded to people, in some form of prestige or power position, and never question their faults. Human beings are all equal, you need to demand and also offer respect, not reverence to people.

9. Expose yourself to new vistas
Books, people, travel, documentaries, Ted talks, nature, learn a language, attend talks at cultural and art centres, listen to divergent views from yours. That’s how you grow. Really successful people do not limit themselves to their immediate environment; they explore new and different realities.

10. Seek counsel
Never be ashamed, or afraid to ask for help. It isn’t a sign of weakness. On the contrary, it is a sign of strength. All greats, including presidents, need advisors. No one is omniscient.

11. Your success is only sustainable if you impact lives
True success is when others benefit. This isn’t limited to charity, or social enterprise, even pure invention for profit with the right intention can make a difference. Look at what the invention of the cellphone, electricity and even penicillin has done for mankind, even though we pay for them. You can make a difference with your invention and innovation.

12. Be yourself
People can smell a fake a mile away. There is a way you naturally dress, talk, gesticulate and smile. If you are like me who has a boisterous laugh, own it. Being amiable, respectful and articulate. Observing rules of etiquette doesn’t mean you lose yourself. Learn to be true to yourself considering all these things, people may not understand you initially, but they will respect you more for it in the longer term.

13. Believe in yourself
There are no ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’ about this - you need to believe in yourself. When you believe in yourself, what people say to put you down is easier to deflect. You could also use that negative energy to propel yourself forward to prove the naysayers wrong. Eliud Kipchoge, Kenya’s own, and considered the world’s best marathoner, has a will power of steel that keeps him going. He once said, “You need to choose to be great. It’s not a chance, it’s a choice.”