Back in April of 2017, I had just paid for Steve Harris’ N100,000 coaching program. I borrowed just to complete the payment.
I was about to start Chapter 1 of a new book to add to the library that is my life (I no longer believe my entire life can fit into one book. It’s more of several books in a giant library).
I had a few well-meaning friends and family tell me that writing a book was not a career path.
Many times, I was nearly frustrated into going back to my Interior Design Business where I had already begun to have success until I quit.
Instead of feeling tempted every time because I could always go back, I burnt that bridge. I shut down my company website, threw away the company’s phone line and deleted our emails. I gave my clients to a colleague.
It was not easy, and I am by no means suggesting you do the same. Here’s the part that applies to my above quote.
I was beginning Chapter 1 again. I was starting at the very bottom of a new career path, but I was wiser and I was more prepared. I’ll tell you how.
First of all, I had my rent for the next year covered. In case I didn’t make any profit in my first year, I didn’t want to be homeless.
Being a single woman without any direct dependents helped a lot too. It was easier for me to burn my bridges because I wasn’t responsible for anyone else but myself.
Secondly, I had 6 months worth of savings…which I blew on trainings and personal development. My March, my money was gone. It meant I either had to find a way to make sense of what I was doing, or quit. Quitting was not an option for me.
I spent what I had and borrowed some more to pay for my final coaching program. If I had an Edirin Edewor then, I would have loved to work with her too.
Thankfully, my last bus stop paid off. I paid N100,000 to have someone tell me to go write a book. It was up to me to make that book become the foundation of a new career or to just be another struggling author.
I chose to use all my experiences, my failures, my successes, the lessons from all the trainings I’d been to, wisdom from my mentors and my personal research into the lives of successful people, to turn one book into an empire.
Two years later, I’m no longer writing Chapter 1 in that book.
It took time.
It took effort.
It took money.
It took sleepless nights.
It took building meaningful connections.
It took the right trainings and books.
It took courage.
It took crazy belief in myself and casting out all doubt.
It took being intentional.
It took choosing to go the hard way when I could have taken the easy route.
It took being deaf to insults and critics and nay-sayers.
It took certain personal sacrifices I cannot mention here.
Most of all, it took understanding the power of influence- that single most important ingredient for taking someone from the back of the line to the front in the shortest time possible.
But here we are today.
Two years ago, all that I am and have today, I only saw in my mind’s eye. When I told certain people, they just couldn’t see it, because then, I didn’t look like someone who could be these things.
But you must be willing to fight for that dream that only you can see.
Let them laugh. Let them talk. Let them say you’re not worthy, let them doubt you. That’s okay. It’s your dream, not theirs.
In the end, you will be the only one regretting if you choose to give up on your journey.
The fact that you’re starting from the bottom today doesn’t mean you won’t be at the top someday. Just put one foot in front of the other everyday.
Just do one thing everyday that your future self will be proud of.
Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.
To your certain success.
