SUCCESS VISA: walking/working your way to success

Nobody is born a success or a failure, we all live to be either successful or as a failure depending on how we lived our lives. Everybody is born with all needed potentials to live a fulfilled life but how much of these potentials we discover and maximized determines how successful and fulfilled we become.
Success and failure are not functions of our background in the real sense, but how well we've discovered and developed ourselves to maximize opportunities for growth around us.
While some are busy fighting for American Visa and Visas to other foreign countries to go in search of greener pastures as an escape from the circumstances that seem not to be favorable to them where they have been,, others are busy making fortunes out of those same circumstances in the same land.
Well, it is not out of place to travel abroad in search of a better life, but it will be highly self-misleading and shortchanging if you go abroad in search of what you have onboard in your present abode.
If by all standard your vision is not workable where you are owing to the scarcity of resources both human and non-human and which cannot be sourced where you are. And if your supposed target audience (the people who are to benefit from your vision) are not around you, then launching out becomes rational.





      SUCCESS IS GRADUAL

Success, however, is the gradual and progressive achievement of predetermined and worthwhile goals in fulfillment of God's purpose and to better the lot of humanity.
Now, you may set a goal, pursue it and achieve it, but if it is not in line with the purpose you are born to accomplish as a blessing to humanity, you may not still be fulfilled.
Real success entails so many things beyond ambition, good wishes and mere dreaming. All achievements have to be congruent with your essence of being born. Real success is more than just achieving set goals.
There are so many people today in spite of their achievements, affluence, and opulence; they still don't have a real sense of fulfillment deep within them. They still feel an emptiness within them. Something is still missing and they know it (if they are really sincere with themselves).
Just as you would require Visa to be accepted into a foreign country, you need the following VISA to be inducted into the world of real champions.
V - Vision
I - Initiative
S - Sacrifice
A - Attitude
             
                V - VISION 
Dream is what could be, while vision is what would be. You need more than mere dreaming to succeed. The heart of a man is full of many desires. So, you need to make a stock count of all your present desires, wants, interests, cravings, and passions and sieve out that "one thing" that makes the difference.
You can't really be a difference maker in life if you don't know what really makes the difference.
We are each born to achieve something for God and for humanity. Most times, the core of the essence of our being is surrounded by many other desires and cares thereby making it dicey in trying to align our life pursuits with our life purpose. And of course, you know that until you discover and define your purpose, and live in congruence with it, you cannot really be fulfilled.
Please note that vision is meant to be discovered as it is designed by God and programmed into our being from birth.
Our passion - what we are being driven from as well as what we are being driven to, is a major pointer to what our lives should drive at.
Vision statements are only philosophical explanations of our vision (on paper for example) which serve to guide us in the way we should go in all our pursuits. So, having a well-articulated vision statement is one thing, but fulfilling the essence therein is the most important thing.
The first step to a successful and fulfilled life is finding your own area, fitting into it and functioning there all your life. You can't be fulfilled ploughing another man's field. You can at best, be compensated.
Life is well beyond just surviving. We are not born just to survive,but to live and become a blessing to humanity.
It is important to note howevr that the needs of humanity are highly numerous and diversified. No one man can meet them all. Each man is destined to meet at least a portion of it. This way,you make life better for humanity in that area. This is what vision entails.

   
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   I - INITIATIVE:
Discovering and defining your vision is not success yet. You have to begin to live the vision every day and for the rest of your life. You must strive to initiate that plan you have on your head. You need to start something irrespective of prevailing circumstances. Don't complain things are not good that's why you couldn't do anything. Do something instead and make things good, better until they are best.

 Please note that imagination and reality are two different words entirely. You may work out everything on your head and on paper, but trying to execute your plans may come with a lot of confusion and discouragement. If care is not taken, your vision may begin to fade away. But you have to task your brain until it gives you what you want.
At times, even trying to think out a way out of confusion brings you into more confusion. But anyhow, you have to forge ahead and birth your vision.



BE PROACTIVE

To really succeed, you must be proactive.
While some are still at home watching the weather, others are already in the field planting seeds. What then makes the difference? ...bravery and proactiveness.
The brave and the proactive ones defile all odds to sow bountifully whether under the rain or the sun while the lazy ones are still taking shelter in their comfort zones complaining of the weather being too unbearable for them to go to the field. And do you know what the outcome would be? While they are still standing where they are, they will see those that went under the rain and the sun to labor in the field coming back with a great harvest. And do you know what would happen next? They will have no option than to buy what they could have produced themselves.
 Indeed, bravery is the cure for slavery.
All along in the pursuit of your vision, always dare to try something new. Don't be too used to how it has been - tradition, and lose touch with how better it can be - innovation. Trying something new will surely come with risks and pains. But don't be afraid, it will not kill you.
From the things tha have worked, you can learn the things that can work better. In fact, tradition and innovation must not be sacrificed for each other in the pursuit of success. Start something and now.


Read also: Make a name out of the shame!
 
       S - SACRIFICE

 Life is a market place and everything has a price tag. Once you've placed your orders and made payments, you have a delivery of what and how much you paid for. Life does not cheat and cannot be cheated.
For every vision you are running with, there are specific demands life places on you. When you are able to meet these demands, you mount up in greatness. But when you are not able, you melt down in mediocrity.

People may try to help you, but there is an extent they can go in fighting for you. Remember, they have their own battles too. You must be at the forefront of the battle and others will join you in the fight. It is your life and you must take responsibility for it. If you don't, no other person will.
Stop complaining about circumstances - wishing you were born into a better family background. You've been born there and that's it. You have to accept your fate and face reality in order to turn the story around. It is not unfortunate to have found yourself there, but it will be so unfortunate to leave them the way you met them. Things have been the way you met them because nobody dared to take responsibility for the change so needed.
If there are no pillars of support where you've found yourself, make yourself the needed pillar for others to lean on. If you are born into weak circumstances and nothing seems to be happening around you, then take it as an opportunity to make things happen. Even if you are born into big families, still don't relax and settle down for the achievement of your parents. Strive to surpass your parent’s achievements. Take their greatest achievements as a benchmark and launch on to higher glories.
Indeed, nothing great comes cheap and easy in life. It comes with sacrifices and your readiness to go any length in paying the sacrifice and doing this on the right altars guarantees your success.
Let's look at some of the sacrifices.


1.  THE SACRIFICE OF LEARNING: Your vision will grow lean if you don't learn enough per time and over time.
 The greatest hindrance to the fulfillment of vision is ignorance and the greatest weapon is knowledge. While it is needful for you to be very passionate about pursuing your vision, don't do so without first arming yourself with the relevant knowledge.
 True, there are some things you learn on the job, but there are some knowledge and skills you must possess for you to breakthrough.
Learning is however highly laborious. It takes physical, mental and spiritual energies to learn well. It takes time and money to acquire relevant information both in quality and quantity. This is the reason why lazy people can't cope with the demands of good learning.
 It may even cost you some pleasures and leisure’s.
Indeed, knowledge is very expensive, yet it's still cheaper than ignorance. Ignorance can cost you almost everything including your life.
To lead the good life you so desire, you must read good books, listen to great minds and be mentored by them. You can't go farther than you know you can achieve. The more the size of your vision, the more the size of the knowledge and skills you need to actualize it. You may not know everything at a go, but ensure you know as much as it is possible at that moment.

KNOWLEDGE IS NOT ASSUMED

True,  knowledge is not assumed. You either know or you don't. If you really know, it will show, and if you don't, it will also show. You don't necessarily need a prophet to find out what and how much a man knows. It is written all over him.
Everything you do as you live each day - the way you respond to issues would either show how knowledgeable or ignorant you are about the realities of life.


KNOW WHAT YOU DO AND DO WHAT YOU KNOW

Please note very importantly that everything you do daily as you pursue your dreams is being scrutinized by many people out there. Some check out for ways they can partner with you,while others just look out for errors through which they can nail you. So, be well armed by relevant knowledge.
Never try to do what you are not knowledgeable about because you will fumble in no distant time. If the people out there already know all you know, you can't make a difference among them. Remember, there are many people out there who are doing something similar to what you are doing. And it is what you know or do not know that will place you either ahead or behind them.
Itbis true that you are not going there to compete with anybody, but don't forget that life in its nature is competitive. So, be prepared.
Never come before your target audience unprepared. Arm yourself with the needed skills that can change the game for good. Remember, your product won't sell much if it's not different and better than what is already in the market. Give to the world what they have not seen before and they will keep coming, asking for more.

Read also: Just take it easy!


2.  THE SACRIFICE OF TIME: Great things don't come too easily and too quickly. They take time.
 Never be in a hurry to come on stage when you are not well prepared. Every good performance you see on stage is a product of long hours of unseen labor behind the scenes, but the time spent in preparation will always be it at the end if the desired results have been achieved.


YOU TRAIN WELL TO REIGN WELL

You cannot reign well and reign long if you don't train well and train long.
It may require years of active and laborious studies, going through the pages of books every day, listening to messages by Great minds, just to get that word you need to transform your world.
You may at times spend nights and days in the laboratory or workshop just to dig out something that will bring you out to your world. You must devote a bulk, if not all of your time daily in building your knowledge base and sharpening your skills. You can't build your dreams into reality without first building capacity and this takes patience, endurance and perseverance. You need not be in haste; else you end up a waste. It requires discipline too, especially in time management.


TIME DISCIPLINE

Time is a non-renewable but highly consumable commodity in life. If you can master time, you master life.
Know what and who is worth your time. Allowing things and people that does not take you any closer to your dreams to take your time daily is one of the definitions of carelessness. Note that anything that takes your time unnecessarily, takes your life even while you are still breathing.
However, it is not enough to get busy; every bit of your time spent should count and should be productively invested. Even if you don't see the results now, never mind. Just continue sowing on good soils and someday, the harvest shall come.


Read also: Managing your Emotions!


3.  Sacrifice of Pleasure: There are some things that count but are not counted by many people. Whereas, there are some things that are counted but do not really count, and you must know the difference.
To succeed, you must know the things that count and treat them with utmost priority. Nothing should count to you which is not connected to the fulfillment of your vision at the very core.
 There are some personal desires, cravings, comfort and pleasures that could really be so enjoyable but these could get you trapped and hindered if not checked. If you can't deny your flesh some of the pleasures it desires, your flesh will deny you the treasures you desire.

If you can't override your flesh to drive your life in the direction of vision, your flesh will override you to drive in the direction of division (a point in life where you feel so divided within yourself being dragged among many things calling for your attention). You get so confused within you.
If your mouth still enjoys eating anything your eyes see, then be ready to endure the heat of living with unfulfilled dreams. If you are always found where common men are found, you will start thinking like them, living like them and you may end up like them.
Every great man you see up there enjoys some moment of solitude, a time not necessarily for wining and dinning, but for good thinking and self reinvention.
Now, to maintain good relationships, we need to have time for people but not to the extent of not having time for yourself. You can never be too busy to have quality time for yourself. You can't be very productive, creative, innovative and efficient if you don't spend time every day to work on yourself.
Note that the people around you now are being attracted by something you've got to offer. If you don't fall back to your filling station to refuel yourself all in the name of pleasing people with your time, one day, you may run out of fuel on the way and break down. And the same passengers (people) you've been trying to please will still alight from your vehicle to board another one that is properly fuelled leaving you to your fate.
You will only be celebrated for your past victories, but if you are no longer winning new trophies, you will only be good for history even while still living.
 At times spending time with friends could really be interesting and pleasurable, but be careful not to reach out and leave yourself behind. Be wise!



      A - ATTITUDE

 Indeed, attitude is everything. Your attitude will either launch you to high altitudes in life or place you in perpetual servitude. You mold your attitudes to mold your future. Success or failure is a product of attitude. Once you get it right with your attitudes, success is in view.
Let's take time to X-ray some of these attitudes required for success.


1.  The attitude of humility: Greatness comes in bits, in installments. It comes from doing many small things greatly per time. It comes by laying many small bricks on each other until a whole building is formed.
 Success is the cumulative result of taking small steps daily towards the achievement of a bigger dream.
To succeed in life, you may be required to start very small at times. You may be required to play on a very low key until you've gathered enough momentum to pitch and this requires absolute humility and patience.


It takes humility to persevere and persist in obscurity without losing self-security in order to build the dexterity needed for success.
 For you to succeed, you must learn from those who have been in the business and this requires humility and submission. You have to let go of your pride in order to ride unto victory. You must bring your shoulders down.
You see, pride makes you feel full even when you are empty. It makes you feel you've learned all you need to earn a space at the top even when you are growing lean out of ignorance.
If you desire a place at the top, keep it up because that's where you are destined for. But remember that the way up is down. You don't climb up from the top, you start from the bottom.
 Please note the word "climb". It's not "jump". You don't jump important steps while climbing the staircase else you fall and get injured. There are always seasons of obscurity in the journey of success. A moment where there is little or no recognition and ovation, and it takes absolute humility of heart to still enjoy this dark moment until you come to the limelight.
Many a time, people miss opportunities they have been waiting for just because the opportunities didn't come as dignified as they anticipated. They had fixed their minds on a big "golden staff" just for them to see a small wooden "walking stick" and they despised it not knowing that life gave them the wooden walking stick for them to rehearse and master how to use the golden staff  they envisaged.
There are times people expect to make billion naira and the only way they think they can achieve this is that Multi-billion naira contract. As as result, they despise every small opportunities to make small money. They forgot that it is one naira that adds severally to make a billion. Always remember that the key that opens or closes the door is always smaller than the door itself. Be humble and fulfilled!


2.  The attitude of honesty and integrity: If you look around the world today, there is so much confusion everywhere. The sense of morality and values are increasingly being lost. You see people trying to fake it in a bid to make it. You see people playing games in order to make names in the society. Betrayals, backstabbing, breach of contracts, manipulations, and maneuverings, corruption and all sort of societal vices plaguing humanity. You see people offering substandard products and services packaged in well-beautified containers all in a bid to make more profit. They run over people in a bid to increase their turn over. There is deception everywhere and it is now very difficult to know who to trust. People now dealing with high level of skepticism, suspicion, and distrust all because of where we've found ourselves as a society.

True, there are some people that seem to be making it despite faking it. But you know something, if you are for real or not, the world knows. When you break the hedge, even if the serpent doesn't bite now, it will bite later.
To really succeed in life, you must deal with clean hands - you must be a person of integrity. Your ways must be straight. Your character must be unquestionable and in congruency with acceptable norms and values.
You may not be a perfect human, but at least, you must be trustworthy. Remember, any worthwhile goal you are to pursue in life is supposed to be a solution to the problems facing humanity and not to create more problems.
Meanwhile, the people whose problem you are trying to solve must first believe in you and trust you before they can entrust you with their life issues. For this to happen, you must be a person of honesty and integrity. People will only submit and buy into your vision the extent they trust you and have confidence in you.
It is not only in big deals that honesty is required. It covers every aspect of your daily living. Integrity is not developed when you get to the top; it is what takes you to the top. If you can't be trusted with little, you cannot be trusted with much.


INTEGRITY IS NOT CHEAP

Integrity is very expesve thats why men who are cheap in character and virtues cannot afford it.
The life of honesty and integrity is not the easy one. It is always unpopular at first. It attracts criticisms, attacks and oppositions especially when you dwell among people living double standard lives. But however it is, you have to maintain your standard and someday, people will begin to know, accept and respect you for who you are.
 At times, being a person of honesty and integrity makes you odd and different in the crowd, but that's the beginning of making a difference in your world. Don't be moved by the immediate gratification you will get for compromising standards. You may play pranks on the people now and receive kudos still. But with time, the people will understand the meaning of the riddles and evict you from the middle of their lives - a position you manipulatively took by not being frank. If you have integrity, the world pays you for it. But if you don't, you pay for it.


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3.   The Attitude of Faith and Perseverance: Indeed, greatness comes with a lot of challenges and confrontations. There are a lot of battles you fight even when you don't expect to fight. You even fight with yourself at times. You struggle with some attitudes, weaknesses, addictions, obsessions and proclivities. At times you struggle between various options to make sensitive decisions. There are times you may need to step out of your comfort zone when you are not even too sure of survival in the new jungle you are stepping into.
      There are times you may need to establish relationships, make deals with humans who can fail any time. Since you would always need somebody to talk to in order to help yourself in the time of emotional storms, you may tell your story unto the wrong ear and received in the wrong heart full of mischief.
You take so many risks at times even when there are chances of it not working out positively. You see, everything you envisioned is only potential; it has not come to pass yet.
 The road is full of many uncertainties and it takes great faith so go through it and succeed. You must see the invisible and believe the impossible. You have to keep moving even when your final destination is not in view. The picture of the future you want to feature, that you've created in your mind should be more real to you than prevailing circumstances.
There are times you find yourself in situations that look like the whole world is crashing down on you; your dreams looking shattered and you look so divided within you. It requires great faith then to go through the gloom and still succeed.
True, it takes faith to persevere and it takes perseverance to prove your faith. You persevere the extent you have the faith that the lines must surely fall in pleasant places for you even when things fall apart now.
Faith soothes your pains when the road is not smooth.
By faith, you would always insist to persist even when circumstances resist.
More so, offences and hurts would come on the way even from the people you least expected and it takes great faith to let go and still love them to the extent of having anything serious to do with them.
It takes faith to discover the greatness in people and invest in them even when they don't seem to deserve it.
The eyes of faith see beyond the countenance of people to discover and optimize their content.
Since you cannot succeed alone and would need people, getting "already made" hands to work with may not be feasible most times. You may need to get people with the needed potentials even if it's still at the raw state and build them to be the best they can be. It takes great faith to do this.
In fact, without faith,you will faith.
BE FULFILLED!


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