Over the course of my life, I have encountered no shortage of people who would proclaim to believe in entrepreneurship. Such claims mean nothing.
These people are deeply entrenched in their comfort zones. They usually have their jobs which they feel safe and secure in, thinking these jobs will be theirs forever while being completely averse to risk.
Right from a terribly young age, right on the streets, I have always practised entrepreneurship, even in the crudest of ways.
I hawked and sold vegetables. I raised local poultry. I risked my life--spending days and nights in bushes and forests hunting wild game which I sold just to make ends meet, pay for my education and have some folding money.
I did not believe in entrepreneurship. I probably did not even know what that meant at the time. But I practised it.
Naive as I was then, I still could see that the easiest way to getting the money I needed was selling something that was needed. That was what it was all about back then--getting the money I needed.
One would expect that as I grew up and advanced in my education, my thirst for entrepreneurship would dim.
It didn't.
Actually though, I continued to hone the skills which underlie entrepreneurship and which I had largely learned first-hand, through trial and error from my earlier years. I continued to sweat in practice, attempting various ventures, starting several businesses, making many mistakes and blowing money on more occasions than I can remember.
But I learned valuable lessons, troubleshot my strategies and remained firmly in the entrepreneurial arena.
Eventually, I would leverage the experiences gained to achieve wild success as an entrepreneur.
A lot of people I come across are often amazed at my forays into entrepreneurship considering I'm a medical doctor. They find it difficult to see how I've made seemingly parallel mindsets work as well. Many don't know that even before I became a doctor, I've always been an entrepreneur.
I would say that my success stems from my motivation. As a child, I hated not being able to afford the things I wanted and that is what led me to hustle on the streets. From that early age, I was determined to succeed, to achieve big things and so I pushed myself in ways that many others can't or won't. Even today, after all these years and despite my accomplishments, I've not relented in my pursuit of maximum excellence, freedom and happiness.
I learned the importance of taking risks. My life has been all about taking risk. From time spent in the wild jungles hunting game to going for a study in medicine with little to no idea how I would survive. Playing it safe almost never leads to success as an entrepreneur or in life generally. It’s not about taking just any risk, though. Understanding calculated risks that are more likely to pay off is a crucial part of success in this arena. You’ll need to be willing to take a few risks to succeed. Just like I did and still do on a daily basis.
My constant risk taking didn't and doesn't go down well with a lot of people. They can only see the risk itself but not the potential reward. Knowing how much the influence of my inner circle can impact my actions and success, I've consciously chosen to only connect with like minded individuals. Entrepreneurs like me with positive energy who are all about doing and who see the opportunity in every challenge. Knowing and partnering with these people has also been and will continue to be a key player in my journey.
Part of my success also results from being observant of the world. I include these observations in my regular brainstorm sessions in which I come up with ways I can take advantage of the possibilities and opportunities around me. While others are talking about their beliefs, I actually take my opportunities when they present themselves.
Further, I have adopted the philosophy of creation and using my abilities to identify needs, fulfil them and solve problems. This philosophy is in stark contrast to that of many who instead always choose to consume rather than create.
I also practise learning by doing. When I do, I'm consciously in the process, paying attention to detail, trying to see the patterns, establish links, recognise cause and effect. If and when I make mistakes, I don't relent but rather see how I can extract lessons from these failures that will guide me onwards.
With my processes, it is no wonder really why my ventures are widely successful. I currently own at least 2 profitable businesses--a farm (M.P. Omale Global Farms Nigeria Limited) and a full Solar and embedded systems engineering company (Xindel Nigeria Limited) all of which provide a range of products and services that are well sought after and utilized in over 15 countries world wide
When you move on from thinking to actually doing, from believing to practising, that's when the magic starts to happen.
This isn't a book concept, success doesn't come from just discussing your dreams, ideas and ambition.
Success comes from putting yourself out there. All the resources you'll need will probably not be available to you initially, but by starting from where you are, working with what you have, you build momentum and put the laws of nature to work for you. These gradually get you to a place where you can easily access the resources, connections and accessories that will expedite your success.
When I reminisce on how far I have come from my vegetable hawking days till my current reality, it is almost unbelievable. But make no mistake about it, this was only possible through constantly taking action, taking risks, falling flat on my face several times yet still forging on with an unshakeable confidence in my dreams and aspirations.
If I could do it, you too can.
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