Author: seunakinlotan

Success is so sweet and I guess that’s why many people, including me, wish to achieve success in all areas of their lives! The problem though is that “wishing” for success is inadequate in guaranteeing that we achieve it.

Following the newsletter I shared with you last week, I received heart-melting multiple feedback from several people which spurred my decision to share some practical steps on how to move from wishing for success to making it happen. 

A few months before I turned 10 years old, my parents asked me what I wanted for my birthday party. I gave them the details without blinking. I knew exactly what I wanted and it turned out the way I had envisioned. After that, I became the go-to person for planning events for those in my circle. I planned many events pro-bono up until I got married.

After I got married, I started thinking about setting up my event planning business, but somehow, the process was delayed for a few years because I repeatedly found a way to talk myself out of the idea.

Does this sound familiar to you? Are you an idea machine yet you find it difficult to turn your vision into reality? I have some good news for you -You are not alone.

I understand 2022 is about to wrap up but if you have a vision and you are willing to take the right steps, not only will you turn your vision into reality, but astounding success awaits you.

How Do You Go About Turning Your Vision into Reality?

Well, my inner circle and I recently completed a book by Curtis Jenkins titled, “Vision to Reality”. I named it the book of the month and I shared the information in every newsletter I published this month.

Together, we (the inner circle) spent seven (7) weeks reading the book, analyzed the ideas, and started getting results from those who took the time to implement the ideas.

Although, the book, Vision to Reality was written for entrepreneurs who are interested in “stop working, start living”, I believe it is also applicable to anyone looking to go from vision to reality. Mr. Jenkins shared his ideas in four parts but I’ll only focus on three of the parts.

Part 1: What Leads Smart Entrepreneurs and CEOs Astray

Part 1 addressed “what leads smart entrepreneurs and CEOs astray”. Here he discussed the behaviors many people engage in that prevent them from turning their vision into reality.

Misdiagnosed Problems: This happens when you think the reason for not achieving your goal is X but upon further examination, you realize it’s Y. When I was in the “wishing” zone of starting my event planning business, I used to think the lack of capital and location were the obstacles in my path.. Little did I understand that my real problem was my inability to get out of my own way. 

It took me a number of years before I began to see things differently. How many times have you talked yourself out of a great idea due to misdiagnosed problem? 

It’s time to take the bull by the horn and do a proper diagnosis of the real problem, so you can inch closer to turning your vision into a reality. 

Random Goals: Having random goals is the reason why many people are unable to turn their visions into reality. This is an area that I am progressively working on getting better at. 

Focused goal setting is a skill that needs to be learned and if you are truly committed to turning your vision into reality, you must refrain from setting random goals. 

The author shares that random goals stem from a lack of clarity, purpose, and direction. When you are clear about your purpose per time then you can start setting focused and aligned goals.  

To learn more about what the author thinks leads people astray, you’d need to get a personal copy of the book.

Part 2: The Remedies

Here the author discussed solutions to the misdiagnosed problems he identified in part 1. He shared the steps you can take to address perceived or real obstacles in your path, so you can start making moves that will allow your vision to become reality. 

Organize for success: This simply means start doing instead of wishing. As you know, wishing for something has no direct impact on making it a reality. What vision do you have? Start organizing for success. Make a note of your ideas, divide them into short and long-term goals then begin to attach deadlines using the SMART goal-setting strategy.

The SMART strategy is an acronym that means Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time-bound. This is a strategy I’ve repeatedly used in turning my vision into reality. It works! You, too, can!! 

2023 is still in play…start something today and watch how far gone you’d be by the end of the year. If you need more tips on vision and goal-setting, click here for a session I hosted previously.

Realization Framework Experience: The author also shared about the Realization Framework Experience methodology, RFE (which he already trademarked) in part 2 as one of the remedies for misdiagnosed problems. 

He shared that the methodology was inspired by Desmond Tutu’s famous quote, “there’s only one way to eat an elephant: one bite at a time.”

This simply means that no matter how big a problem is or may seem, it can be resolved by taking it one step at a time. He shared five steps to RFE that will help you to achieve your goals namely: Visualize, Evaluate, Calculate, Clarify, and Realize.

For more on the suggested remedies to misdiagnosed problems, get a copy of the book, Vision to Reality.

Part 3: How to Prevent Backsliding

New impactful habits are hard to form but easy to let go and that’s why if you desire sustained, continued, and lasting success, you must put strategies that prevent you from backsliding in place. Here, the author shared some practical steps like facing the mirror, recognizing growth, developing muscle, strengthening the vision, and the like.

The author shared that the best entrepreneurs (and any visionary person) strengthen their vision and carry it through to success! If you want your vision to turn into reality, you must be willing to keep moving come what may. 

In addition, you’ll need to continuously review, modify, and renew your vision, so that it’s clear and vivid. I agree with him! I have used and continue to use this strategy in my personal life and the results are astounding.

Also, acquiring knowledge, communicating your vision, and surrounding yourself with accountability partners who want the best for you will help you turn your vision into reality.

This is a high-level overview. If you need to get into the nitty-gritty of the book, you’d need to make a purchase. Click HERE to get your copy.

Final Thoughts

Throwing in the towel might seem like the best option after you have tried to turn your vision into reality severally and yet nothing seems to come out from those attempts. However, your vision can be turned into reality if you keep at it. Water does not penetrate a rock due to its “power”, it does so by persistence. There’s still time in 2023 to turn your vision into reality if you are persistent and use the right strategy. You have all the resources you need at your fingertip, the question now is, will you use them?

My mom was an enterprising woman whom I grew up marveling at her level of tenacity. Back in the day, when people say to me, “Seun, you are such a tenacious woman!”, I always respond by saying, “wait until you meet my mother”. While growing up in Abeokuta (aka Rock City), my dad decided to set up his clinic in Lagos. This move led to us having to adjust to living in Abeokuta while our dad juggled between Lagos and Abeokuta. Those were uncertain times given the economic condition in the country coupled with the fact that many workers were underpaid and salaries were left unpaid for multiple months per time. If you lived in those times and could afford the basic necessities of life, you were one of the few privileged ones. 

Despite the hardship, there was never a time that my mom held her head down – she constantly found ways to explore different ideas on what she could do to increase the family income. 

One day she came up with the idea of starting a retail shop where she’d sell everyday items that families need to get by. The idea sounded great but the major challenge was how to raise funds to get started. We had no money stacked up somewhere nor were there any financial institutions that were willing to invest in such at that time.

Still, I saw my mom, daily, making preparation for the business as though she had the needed capital. One day she returned from the market and held a black plastic bag in her hands. The bag was so small but it had contents inside it. “Mom, what do you have in the bag?”, I inquired with a curious look on my face. “It’s the items we are using to start the retail shop”, she responded.

“You are kidding me, right?” I asked again. At this point, she ignored my question, walked toward the portable refrigerator close by the window in our dining room, and started arranging the items in the bag on the refrigerator.

I was utterly stunned by her act of faith and the fact that she proceeded without caring what anyone thought of or said to her. Needless to say, she spent 30 NGN (the equivalent of modern-day $10) in purchasing those items, the situation looked like trying to build a mountain out of a molehill. It seemed unrealistic but because she was my mother, I had to go in the mood of “we shall see”.

Would you believe it if I told you that from starting with a meager 30 NGN on a refrigerator by the window side to converting our garage into a shop and moving to multiple stores around town, my mom built a sustainable business against all odds?

Building a Mountain Out of a Molehill

My mom’s story and her journey to success is one that inspires me to do more and be more. She was a woman of unshakable faith who did everything she could to keep “lack” at bay and proceeded to build a mountain out of a molehill. In more ways than not, many of the values that contributed to shaping me into the woman I am becoming today, I got from my mom. 

What’s that idea you have? Have you held back because you think you do not have enough resources to start? I say to you today, “launch regardless”.

Nothing Moves Until You Make a Move

Are you the type that wants everything set in stone before you launch? Think again! Nothing moves until you make a move. Many of the ventures or initiatives I have started or championed have been from my willingness to “move”. The same will apply to you. If you have an idea or are trying to achieve a goal, refrain from allowing your desire for perfection or the lack of capital or resources to keep you from stalling on your dreams.

Be Prepared to Take a Detour

When you launch, there will be times when unanticipated obstacles show up in your path – don’t panic! Take a detour, instead. Detours may seem long but if you follow through, you’ll eventually reach your destination. My mom wanted a big retail shop but life’s detour made her start on a refrigerator. Did she achieve her dream ultimately? Yes, she did and even accomplished so much more

Keep the Naysayers At Arm’s Length

If there is any set of people that’d always show up when you are trying to launch or forge ahead, they are the naysayers. They usually come in form of friends, neighbors, strangers, and even family members! Some will assiduously work to see to it that you are unable to take off while some will come on board with you with the sole mission of making you crash right after taking off. You must be discerning to keep naysayers at arm’s length.

Maintain Your Integrity

As you think of launching, building, and progressing in business, career, or life, one thing that will help you in flying smoothly is maintaining your integrity. I’ve seen firsthand how having integrity opens doors that are otherwise shut to those devoid of it. Integrity simply means people can trust you. If you have no integrity, sooner or later, you’ll find out that you are unable to soar into higher altitudes and that’s if you are able to take off at all.

Launch Regardless

When it comes to your dreams, don’t wait for perfection. Start where you are with what you have. The moment you launch regardless of the circumstances around you, things begin to fall into their place. You’ll also get more ideas, opportunities, and resources to help you spread your wings and fly.

What idea have you been thinking about or working on? It’s time to take that step of faith and launch regardless!

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Where were you when the pandemic struck in 2020? I can recall where I was. I had just returned to work after being knocked down for a few days by what seemed like a stubborn cold. In retrospect, however, all my symptoms pointed to COVID-19 and it might have been that I contracted the virus without realizing it – let’s assume the cold was just stubborn.

Upon my return to work, all that was on my mind was how to catch up with the emails and pending requests that had taken over my inbox. And then, boom!! News began to filter in that there were confirmed cases of the dreaded COVID-19 in my county. An outbreak that seemed distant was now close to home and it felt surreal. As I was still attempting to grapple with the thought of what that might mean for me, my family and friends and the whole world in general, my phone began ringing ceaselessly. It was a call from my children’s school announcing that the school will be closed for a few days. Shortly after that, my office announced a temporary closure and everything seemed to have been going south simultaneously. My heart raced.

Each Day is a Gift

With most major commercial activities grounded, vacation plans forcefully canceled and no end to the lockdown in sight, each day at home with my children and husband felt like a gift. I began to understand how precious each moment is and the importance of maximizing the opportunity that each day presents.

Recognizing Opportunities in a Setback

One of the major goals I set each year is to host, The Power Woman Experience, an annual story-sharing event for business and professional women around the world to learn, connect, collaborate and network with one another.

As the outlook for in-person gatherings in appeared increasingly dimmer, I began to contemplate canceling the 2020 edition. Within a few days, I concluded it was best to cancel the event, “quietly” since I had no control over when the pandemic would end. However, my daughter kept asking about the progress I’d made with the planning and what I wanted her to assist me with. In my mind, I thought she was pulling my legs until the day she reminded me that we had three months left to plan. So, I decided to let her know of my decision to cancel PWE 2020. She was gobsmacked, to say the least, and she went on to share how I needed to recognize the opportunities that the year has presented to us despite the setback. Did I yield to her suggestion? Oh, no!

The Call That Made a Difference

Within a few days after my daughter advised me to proceed with my plans of hosting PWE 2020, I received a call from one of my kingdom sisters who wanted to know how far I had gone with the planning of the event. I repeated the same lines and excuses I offered to my daughter and she allowed me to complete my justification. “Are you done?”, she asked. “Yes, I’m done”, I responded. “We are planning PWE 2020 against all odds. This is an opportunity to make an impact on a broader scale and you should go for it”, she shared. Her words ran deep!

At the end of that call, I began to see the pandemic as a blessing rather than a setback. It was as though a lightbulb was switched on in my brain from that day forward. We discussed pivoting to a virtual event despite my being worried about my ability to deliver. Eventually, I decided to pray about and commit the event to God’s hands. That was how we pivoted PWE from an in-person to an online event in 2020. It turned out to be the most impactful event I’ve ever hosted as at then with several participants from around the world. To date, I still struggle to disremember that call – it made a difference.

Plans Fail for the Lack of Counsel

One of my favorite scriptures is found in Proverbs 15:22 which reads: Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers, they succeed. I would have lost an irrecoverable opportunity had I proceeded with my plans of canceling PWE 2020. Thankfully, I have people around me who want the best for me and are always looking for ways to help me serve my audience in a higher capacity. Hosting the event not only assisted me in developing new skills but also counted toward helping me fulfill my purpose. Each time I read feedback from attendees and those who keyed in are getting multiple returns from their investment, I’m in awe.

How Do You “See” the Glass?

How did you react to the pandemic? Were there days you felt like throwing in the towel because you had to kiss most, if not all of your plans, goodbye? I felt the same way, too! It took time for me to accept and implement the advice I always share with others. When people discuss their challenges, I always advise them to see the glass as half full rather than half empty. “This is the approach of a winner”, I’d normally assert. But when I found myself in a situation where I had no control, it was arduous for me to see the glass as half full. This attitude almost cost me the opportunity to continue making an impact despite the supposed setback. How do you see the glass?

Have You Done Your Part?

One of the reasons I can tell this story today is that after receiving counsel from those who wanted the best for me, I still did my part. The pandemic may be outside of my control, however, I had the chance to control how I react and the things I do. I’ve also learned that success is birthed from “doing” not from folding arms or giving up. Have you done your part? If you find yourself in an unpleasant or unexpected situation, rather than capitulating, think of ways you can still contribute your own quota and watch how God will show up for you. PWE 2020 looked impossible until I started reaching out to stakeholders who were ready to go above and beyond the call of duty. 

Ask for Help

One of my top takeaways from 2020 is remembering to ask for help. On a personal note, I saw the beauty in asking for help because I realized that most of the things we need in life are usually within close range. However, until we ask, we may not be able to access many of the resources we need to move to the next level.

Besides, God put people – old and young – in our lives for a purpose. The onus is therefore on us to build cordial relationships with others so that we have a solid support system we can ask to help us when we truly need it. When was the last time you asked for help? Always, remember that asking is the beginning of receiving. If you fail to ask, you’ll hardly receive.

Moving Forward

In moving forward, always recall that you may have limited to no control over what type of glass life places in your hands, however, you have control over how you choose to see the glass. You can see it as either half-full or half-empty. How you see the glass affects your psyche, your actions, and ultimately your results. Start seeing the glass as half-full today and watch how high you’d begin to soar!

January 15, 2009. A day that started out as a normal day for Captain Chesley Burnett “Sully” Sullenberger III ended with him being propelled from obscurity into the limelight. He was the captain of flight 1549 that ditched in the Hudson River in New York, USA.

What Happened?

The plane’s two engines were disabled after an unexpected bird strike which led him to make a split second split-second decision to land on water. He saved 155 lives!!

The Reaction

People all around the world including me were in awe as the event unfolded on live television. It felt surreal to watch a man pull off such a stint with poise, grace, and humility. Shortly after the incident, he appeared on many live shows and news channels to share his story of how he miraculously saved 155 lives.

Preparation Precedes Success

On the surface and to most people, it appeared that Captain Sully landed on the water by chance. However, the deeper I dug deeper, the more I discovered that Captain Sully had diligently prepared for a day like that. He was an experienced pilot who submitted himself to several trainings to hone his skill including practicing how to ditch a plane that suddenly loses its engines. As of the day of the incident, records show that he had flown nearly 20,000 hours over the period of 40 years. Read that again – that’s 40 years of consistency, practice, and experience! His preparation preceded his success and ultimately his celebrity status.

Lessons from Captain Sully

Captain Sully was and is still an inspiration to me and many people around the world. I love his maturity, diligence, and resoluteness toward the things he believed in. He devoted his time, energy, and resources toward honing his skills and perfecting his craft until the time God was ready to announce him to the world.

His story of “preparation” is similar to that of biblical David who as a shepherd boy focused on his fighting skills while tending to his father’s sheep in the wilderness. The bible recorded that David killed a bear and lion with his bare hands. Killing a lion and a bear with bare hands is no ordinary feat – this shows that David was prepared to take up and overcome greater challenges. When he killed Goliath with a single shot sling, he was propelled from obscurity into the limelight instantly.

How are you preparing for success? Do you carve the time to hone your skills? As you wait for God to “announce” you to the world, are your skills half-baked or fully baked? What is your attitude to the challenges of life?

Your answers to these questions will determine whether or not you are a candidate that is ready to be propelled from obscurity into the limelight.

From Obscurity into the Limelight

When Captain Sully’s plane engines were disabled by a birdstrike, he had no prior notification but he rose to the occasion in confidence and overcame. That was far from being magical. Instead, it was the result of diligence, determination, and preparation. These helped propel him from obscurity into the limelight. As you set different goals for yourself and have big dreams, here are three things to keep in mind:

1. Sharpen your skill in obscurity: As you think of a great future, put your hands on the plow and sharpen your skills in obscurity. Sharpening your skills in obscurity helps to avoid distraction. When you sharpen your skills in obscurity, it helps you to shine brightly when the spotlight is on you.

2. See challenges as opportunities: If you truly want to be great, you must start embracing challenges instead of avoiding or retreating from them. Challenges help with character-building, problem-solving, and skill enhancement. The more challenges you resolve and overcome, the more you solve problems with ease that would otherwise drown others.

3. Be patient: As you work hard to be successful, please always remember that real success takes time and therefore you need to be patient. It took Captain Sully 40 years for him to be catapulted from obscurity into the limelight and while no one prays for it to take 40 years to get a breakthrough but it’s always good to put things into perspective so you’d refrain from putting yourself under unwarranted pressure. Be patient – your time will come and your light will surely shine.

Up until about a decade plus ago, I never fully grasped the concept of personal development. I erroneously thought personal development only meant the following: Attending and graduating from college, getting and retaining a good job or starting a successful business, becoming rich and living a good life for yourself.

So, in my second year of graduate school, when I began to feel that there’s more to life than achieving the standard things, I knew it was time to go beyond the ordinary.

Knowing that I wanted to go beyond the ordinary was one thing, but I had little to no idea how to go about it. The few people I spoke to had no concrete advice, too. However, I remained steadfast and trusted God to lead me in the right direction.

Fast forward to one day on my way to work, I saw a signpost that caught my attention. It contained information about resources at my township’s public library.

Can you make guess where I stopped on my way home from work? If you guessed, “library”, you are right. I was curious!

As I walked around the aisles attempting to acquaint myself with everything they had to offer, I came across a section for “self-improvement”. I was immediately enthralled by the breadth and depth of the collection.

Eventually, I picked up a book titled, “21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” by John Maxwell. Reading that book marked the beginning of something remarkable in my life – it was as though scales were falling off my eyes which allowed my vision to become “brighter and bigger”.

John Maxwell is my torchbearer in the personal development world and his teachings, guidance, and mentorship were instrumental in helping me to choose to live beyond the ordinary.

Choosing to live beyond the ordinary is a non-conformist, yet fulfilling way of life. It requires a strong sense of purpose, willpower, resilience, and many more godly attributes to keep it unwavering. That’s why I’m elated that you are here. The journey is easier when you associate with people of like minds.