Dear Destiny Friends,

Action is the foundational key to all success – Pablo Picasso

Every one of us wants to be great, but the question many of us haven’t answered is, are you ready to pay the price for success?

Success on its own comes with a price tag depending on what you are willing to do, and the price you are willing to pay. Your journey might be a little bit different and relative.

The challenge most people have in life is that they are not willing to go through the organic process of gaining credibility which entails having theoretical and practical knowledge of the subject matter in addition to leaving their comfort zone.

According to a great philosopher, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step in the right direction. When you miss the foundation, you might be a victim of defective success. It should be noted that success means different things to different people. To some people, success means having a home, earning degrees (Bachelors, Masters, Ph.D etc); while to others, it might be getting married, having good children, being rich/wealthy, becoming a governor, president or attaining the highest level of their professional experience. However, the highest and best form of success is personal success.

The question we need to ask ourselves is, how do we attain success? Alternatively, we can say, what’s required to be successful? I think the first question we need to ask is, what do I want? When you answer that question, the next stage will be preparation. This is where the bulk of the work comes in.

It is sad to note that many people just want to be popular without minding whether the route is good or bad. In the same way, many people are just concerned about succeeding in their craft without minding what it takes provided they get what they want. They are not concerned about the ingredients of success. What they fail to understand is that genuine success is organic.

In the journey of life, we all have dreams, passions, visions, and goals we would like to achieve, but sometimes we don’t have the right structure or platform to navigate through the process. When you have these right dreams and vision, but lack the right direction, you might hit the rock.

According to Mary kay Ash, “Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve

The journey of success is a long way to freedom. It entails networking with the right people, having the right mentors, mentees, associates experiencing failures and gaining theoretical and practical knowledge of the relevant information involved in addition to leaving your comfort zones amongst other variable factors. As you journey through this process, some people may laugh at you, but trust me, this is normal, especially when they don’t know what you are working on.

It’s sad to see that many people who want to succeed in life are scared of taking the bull by the horn, by taking reasonable and strategic risks as well as investing in their future. But the interesting thing is that great minds are willing to do what shallow minds are not willing to do. These great minds do not wish for an easy life because they know they can’t attain true success on a platter of gold. They must earn it and work for it. These successful people are concerned about action; they continue to move despite mistakes, challenges, disappointments, and any setbacks they may have.

Those who have truly embarked on this success journey know fully well that their success is not measured by what they were able to accomplish, but by the opposition they were able to overcome due to their courage. For you to truly succeed, you must love what you are doing. You can make money without loving what you do, but you can’t truly succeed without loving what you do.

It’s sad to note that most people are scared of making a move. Let me tell you, every day is an opportunity for you to make an impact. Go out and relate with people, ask questions; the worst you will get is a no. Even if you are rejected, you’ll know you have tried. Even the Bible book of life said, ask, you shall receive, seek, you will find, knock, and the door shall be opened unto you.

Be informed, no great thing ever happened without imagination. Elon Musk, Bill Gates, President Barack Obama, Mark Zukerberg, Michael Adenuga, Tony Elumelu and Henry Ukazu all dreamt of doing things. They didn’t just wish; they activated their interest.

Dear friend, you are carrying a big billion-dollar vision in your mind, don’t allow it die with you, the world is cheering for you. If you are determined to embark on your journey, you must be bold and dare to go the uncommon and less traveled path. You might be ignored, laughed at, and humiliated; that’s part of the price you have to pay for what you desire. When you get the inspiration in your spirit, write it down and spur it into action. Every one of us has a mission on earth. We all had a purpose which will be fulfilled on earth.

In conclusion, decide today what you’ll want the world to remember you for and dare to embark on the journey. Be advised, the process and journey might not be easy, but with your mentors and determination, you’ll succeed. I look forward to seeing you at the top.

Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator.  He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate and creative writer Design Your Destiny and Unleash Your Destiny.  He can be reached via info@gloemi.com