GET AHEAD: Practical Steps to face life's Realities and Embrace Success

Nigeria.

CHAPTER 1

If you want to be successful you have to take 100% responsibility for everything

Jack Canfield

American Author, Motivational Speaker, Corporate trainer and Entrepreneur

Your Purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it

Buddha

Monk, mendicant, sage, philosopher and teacher

It was an occasion my partner, the team and I had worked on and prayed about for months without end. It was filled with several types of meetings from plush office settings to numerous restaurants and countless waiting sessions at office receptions. I remember vividly the many telephone calls, email requests to our families and friends for much needed contacts, late night office closures, mostly filled with humour and junk food, little or no rest, all for one single goal. It was to host one of the most notable 21st century figures in the personal development arena in the city of Lagos, Nigeria for a two-day event. The event was aimed at spurring growth amongst the teeming youth of the country. That was the general mission, but I nursed a personal one. It was one goal I was determined to execute no matter the barrier. It was to ensure that during the course of the event, I extracted as much as I could from the deep well of knowledge of the globally-recognized authority.

John Calvin Maxwell, the internationally-recognized leadership expert, speaker and author had a calm disposition about his personae even though in his eyes, I could see the depth created by years of sacrifice, work and perfecting his art. From the pick-up at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos to the nice swanky hotel which had been pre-arranged for his stay, his continuous request for my partner and I to ask him any questions we felt necessary was too good an invitation to let slip. During a private dinner over a Chinese meal with a few handpicked family and friends, the topic of success came to light as a salvo was fired. How do you achieve success? His reply set the tone for ‘me’ to embark on my quest for finding my personal success. But it came along with a requirement of answering a question first: how can you achieve what you have not yet defined? Everybody wants success but it comes in different shapes. This evolves and takes form based on the nature of the individual involved -- whether it’s happiness, good friends, peace of mind, good family, wealth, health, etc.

John went on to explain that the problem for most people who want to be successful is not that they can’t achieve it, but they have a misunderstanding on what the term success represents. Many possess very vague mental impressions of what success is and what it looks like (Made even more blurred by today’s definition, and amplified by diverse social media tools and ‘influencers’). The fact is that the picture of success isn’t and can’t be the same to two different people. This is simply because we are all created differently and, therefore, all view life from our own individualistic set of lenses. However, the principles⁹ to achieve whatever success may mean to you remains universally the same and must be followed.

In his book ‘Success 101 What every leader needs to know’, John defined success as follows:

Success is knowing your purpose in life, growing to reach your maximum potential, and sowing seeds that benefit others. It is essential to appreciate the above definition, especially since many approach success as a sprint to a fixed finish line. They take it as if it were a 100-meter dash when in essence the approach towards success should be the mind-set of embarking on a long journey and not a destination. This wrong mind-set makes you run the risk of arriving at certain points or landmarks you identified yet feeling unfulfilled. But the minute you accept this definition, you start your journey to becoming successful as you go along. Success is not necessarily the materialistic items you purchase in the store. If it were so, many would be successful. Instead, according to Gary Vaynerchuk, the outspoken American entrepreneur, materialistic things are the Band-Aid and makeup of unhappiness for a lot of people.

Another anonymous definition of what success means is being able to live your life in your own way, doing only those things that you want to do, with the people who you choose, in the situations you desire. The former first lady of the United States of America Michelle Obama said, success isn’t about how your life looks to others, it’s about how it feels to you. Success is a function of a set of fundamentals which when followed brings a certain result.

After getting this important aspect settled, let’s swim towards the deep end of the pool which is the question of what ‘Your Purpose’ is.

You must know yourself, to grow yourself

John C. Maxwell

The setting was the Pride land, a lush green African savannah ruled by King Mufasa and Queen Nala leading the pride of lions at Pride Rock and other animals in the large kingdom. Unfortunately, his brother Scar had eyes for the throne and by deceiving his nephew, that is the young cub Prince Simba, he lured the adventurous cub into a pre-organized stampede of wildebeests. This prompted King Mufasa to take action by trying to save his son. This unfortunately led to his own demise at the hands of his brother who callously pushed him off a cliff unto the path of the rampaging wildebeests. Scar blames the naive little cub, who is then unable to face the shame and guilt. Simba is then forced to go into self-exile, believing his actions caused his father’s death.

In the following years, he grows to become a strong Lion and during his wanderings amongst the characters of the lower rung of the established food chain of the jungle, he one day encounters an overactive male Baboon by the name Rafiki who serves as a Shaman and adviser to the Ruler of Pride rock. The crown prince Simba at this point does not know or recognize who the annoying, overactive, flippant animal is. In a fit of anger, he asked him Who are you? And in a swift response, Rafiki asks him one of the most iconic questions of the silver screen ever made by a primate and which everyone must now ask themselves.

The question is not who I am but who are YOU?

Simba is, thereafter, led on a brief journey of self-reflection, where with the aid of Rafiki, he discovers who he really is -- a King -- and not a mere wandering fugitive. Before then, he was being conditioned by life through his friends, Timon the Meerkat and Pumba the Warthog whereas he was indeed destined to become a ruler. Simba returns to the Pride land and defeats his uncle Scar in a battle to reclaim the throne. This ushers in a new era of peace and prosperity, which was his purpose.

The 1994 Disney Classic Lion King from which the above tale arose holds a special place in my heart (next to Manchester united and sweet treats). I am sure it is same for a million others mainly due to their easy-going fun scripts and life lessons, which are taught with the use of make-believe characters through the strategy of storytelling to entertain and inspire.

Walt Disney, under whose name the above production and several other iconic productions have been done for decades said "If you don’t have a purpose, how can you achieve success? It’s like a man who doesn’t have a dream, how can you have a dream come true? It is important a man knows that whatever he finds himself doing, he is moving towards a goal. He must bear in mind that aimlessness is known to be the worst enemy of success. A sense of purpose gives man the inspiration, energy and creativity to conquer his world. Its absence brings despair and a feeling of being lost. Purpose adds a strong motivation towards fully utilizing our God-given abilities. Purpose is fundamental and forms the basis upon which success is built.

I have since discovered during my earthly sojourn that for anyone seeking success, stability in life is only achieved by discovering who they are and their purpose. Many times, I come across people who feel they are living artificial intelligence robots by living other people’s lives whilst they feel empty on the inside, unfulfilled and yearning for freedom. Knowing who you are is a journey worth embarking on. Everyone who seeks success in their lives must at some juncture in their lives face the mirror and ask two of the most important questions any mind can conceive. The first is: Who am I? while the other is: What is my purpose?

Friedrich Nietzsche, the German Philosopher who exerted a profound influence on Western philosophy and Modern Intellectual history described the discovery of purpose as a sure way to get through life and its struggles. He who has a why to live for, can bear almost any how.

The discovery of purpose is the task all men must undertake and a burden all must carry to embrace success. It helps us to identify the why of existence without which the sojourn through life will seem almost dark, hopeless and empty. Your why is the torch light or lamp needed to go through the dark tunnels of life.

I personally believe with every fibre of my being that everyone is born with a specific purpose and its identification, acknowledgement and pursuit should be the most important mission of anyone seeking success. James Thurber said all men should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why. This search inspires us to become like an artist with an insight into painting the best version of our life’s blueprint with the paint brush in our own hands.

The journey to the self-discovery of purpose is an ever-evolving one that keeps changing lanes, but with the same certain finish line. To make a success out of life just like the young Simba earlier mentioned did, it is imperative that you start early on that journey of self-discovery. In a very busy, noisy and distractive world like the one we live in, the ability to find the requisite discipline, being able to lock down, mute the deafening noise around you and be able to spend time with yourself to make sure you know what matters to you is extremely important. Otherwise, we run the risk of running around in circles void of any meaningful impact. The discovery of this purpose is, therefore, like a bright shining star in an otherwise pitch-black sky.

Many understand the purpose of their belongings probably better than they do themselves. Just ask the average petrol head, automotive enthusiast, or car geek and you may be regaled with purposes and functions of their cars. If you ask them of their own life purpose, you might draw a blank stare. What they fail to realize is that within them and everyone lies the need for meaning and a strong longing to be of value to ourselves and the world at large.

Whilst many of us might not have the luxury of a trip to a tropical lost getaway in some idyllic resort in the Seychelles, the French Polynesia island of Bora Bora, or even a climb of the Himalayas to discover the truth of our existence. A powerful action I have learnt is the occasional shutdown of the mind to the world wherever you find yourself. Admittedly, it takes practice but it does a world of good in ensuring you are truly on the path that connects with your inner being.

Since it’s so easy to be distracted, there is a need for you to press the pause key often. This is to develop a clearer image of what will have the most lasting meaning for you. The importance of identifying who you are as well as your strengths and weakness will set you on a path of ultimate fulfilment. So whatever discovery path you believe you can embark on -- whether mental or physical -- I implore you to do so today. Many of us are like the fictional Julian in the bestselling book ‘The Monk who sold his Ferrari". He is a high-flying lawyer who suffers a near fatal heart attack which pushed him to discover his purpose. You don’t need to suffer a heart attack to begin this journey, but like Julian you will come to realize this action must be taken soonest without a moment’s hesitation. This is because it helps to make sense of everything, especially in a world where we are all like hamsters in a steel cage running in circles. Life luckily doesn’t leave you without any help or support in finding your treasure of purpose. There are various clues along the way. One of these is passion, which helps you reach for purpose. Passion will help pull you towards purpose, just like a magnet destined for contact. Your goal should be to concentrate on identifying this passion. Its follow-up will lead you one step closer to purpose and finally fulfilment, that’s your first clue.

I have immortal longings in me.

William Shakespeare

I attended High school in the amazing city of Lagos. In the early days of Junior School (the first three years of secondary school), most of those who had their secondary education in Nigeria will attest to the fact that getting rid of the shorts (which were mandatory for male junior students) which forced us to show off our skinny legs, for trousers and the girls getting rid of the pinafore in exchange for the skirts and blouse tops was the first part that announced our perceived maturity and step towards adulthood. The second part was educational, a question of if you were fit for the perceived geeky world of the sciences or the perceived dullness of the arts which would lead you to your future career paths (a choice mostly made by parents and tutors with minimal input of the students who are going to live with the decision their entire lives).

Whilst this unknown galactic warfare was brewing on where my future was headed, I had an inkling I was poised and built for law, with my internal configuration and love for all things politics, government and history. It was a marriage already consummated by destiny but there was just one little problem at that given time. None of it mattered at that moment. All I was more concerned with was side chats during lessons to my high school crush ‘F’.

At the back of class, I would chat away, finding ways to make a good impression and this usually got me into trouble. I really did not mind since even while being beaten, I got to show off my strength to ‘F’. During one of my Christian Studies classes, run by a certain tutor, a famed disciplinarian called Mr Adeosun who was known for his masterful use of the cane to bring out pain from even the bravest of knights in shining armour.

But it was quite obvious after a little treatment to his disciplinary skills that it was making no significant impact on me and so the very next time I ran afoul of his Omerta¹⁰, which was his classroom’s strict code of silence (little did I know that I had unknowingly set in motion a chain of events and that I was about to embark on my own journey of discovering purpose that would crystalize several decades down the line), I had braced up for the usual disciplinary treatment which involved being called to receive strokes of his cane in front of the class much to the usual delight of my fellow class mates who could be likened to spectators at a Roman coliseum awaiting a bout between gladiators. Instead, I got a surprise free pass as he sent me off to the tutors’ room to await his arrival. Walking down the flight of stairs, I was perplexed. The ease by which I had got the get-out-of-jail free card bothered me. I thought maybe I should have begged for his cane instead, since I was unsure of my fate was or what was in store for me. This is because in those school days, your appearance in the Tutors’ room could only mean one thing: you had run afoul of the law and sent to a place reserved for the very worst or those who were considered irredeemable. It was like a journey through Dante’s inferno¹¹ which was deemed hell by students, a place where teachers while passing by you, will for no particular reason kindly donate their strokes of the cane in support of their colleague against the rebel student who had dared to challenge one of their own.

Whilst pondering on my fate, my tutor walked in, heaved a sigh, dropped his belongings on his table which was already overflowing with notes and let out those firm words I would never forget. He said I will help you discover yourself by using what you have. At that moment, my worst fears had finally come true. I concluded a new art of torture had been perfected and I was going to be the first guinea pig. Strangely though, his next words punctured the balloon of anxiety and fear which was swelling fast: ‘since you like to talk, I am going to help you talk".

Further confusion enveloped me in that office. I felt trickles of sweat running down my back. The heat was clearly oblivious to the struggling window air conditioner whose sound made a better impression than its cool air. It continually battled for recognition and threatened to drown all the voices in the small room. I was just a young starry-eyed teen. What did he mean? What did this all mean? What about my crush ‘F’? All in-between the exchange, I got the occasional teacher enquiring about my presence in the hallowed chambers of tutors. This was their exclusive preserve safe only for prefects and other co-accused. The next words I heard from my tutor changed me forever you are going to debate.

I silently screamed a HELL NO in my little head, which at the time was a lot bigger than the rest of my body. I hoped he hadn’t heard what was an inaudible, feeble resistance. The school was lacking a debate team to represent it in various competitions and engagements. He felt I was the right peg for the hole at that point. If the hole were square at this life-changing moment, I longed to be round and if it was round, I longed to be square or any other shape.

What I did not realize at the time was that this man was a willing tool in the gymnastics of life, helping me discover who I was -- a speaker. He helped nurture, develop and grow my speaking and communication skills that serves me till this day. It will in fact serve me for many years to come. This is one privilege I am eternally grateful for. I was paired with an amazing bespectacled female partner who came to be my loyal co-traveller and friend till this day. Then the journey began. I was expected to wait after the close of school to practise speeches, pronunciations, and to discuss topics far ranging from euthanasia to politics. All of this meant one major sacrifice of what was most dear to young boys of my age at the time It was school soccer! This was the only time we all dreamt we could mimic our soccer idols, that is, the Brazilian wizards Romario and Bebeto or the Italian maestro Roberto Baggio who were the masters of the round leather game at the time. If there was one thing you were sure to find in school bags in every class you visited, it would be an inflatable rubber ball and we all lived for those moments. After games, we would be covered in dust from our head to toe, much to the disgust of our female mates back then. This gentleman wanted me to lose this all just to speak. It did not appear a fair deal at the time.

My partner and I started off rough, really rough but the more we practised, the more we became polished and refined. Eventually I reluctantly gave in to the experience. With every step of growth, the more I felt alive, in fact so alive and I loved seeing the expression on the faces of my audience, hearing their gasps of admiration, and soaking up their adulation afterwards and with each passing speech. I soon discovered that public speaking was truly an art of influence and words used were magical tools that could be interwoven to create what actions would struggle to pass along. But at the time, it was nothing more than amateurish adolescent pride of acknowledgment by others.

Representing my High school was one of the high points of my growing up. We went on to represent the school and we won several competitions and awards. It became a way of life and the best part was I got to skip classes I did not enjoy this perfect God-given talent. Life was indeed good.

This oratory skill is what further reinforced my focus in the direction of law, and as I went on to become a legal practitioner, it also significantly influenced my public speaking activities and consultancy work till today (not bad from just talking to a girl in class). The discovery of this passion helped me pour determination into what I do, and discover my purpose. The absence of this would have meant me probably wandering and drifting on the oceans of life, but its discovery helped everything fall into place like a completed jigsaw puzzle.

The journey to discovering yourself is sometimes a never-ending exercise, with every level like in a video game presenting you its own unique map, obstacles and goals. This is the more reason we must all undertake to ensure we find ourselves in that place of utopia and satisfaction of knowing what we are meant to be doing. In the 1959 classic ‘Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude’ written by Napoleon Hill and Clement Stone. it is stated the, The starting point of all achievement is definiteness of purpose with a PMA (Positive Mental Attitude). The key word is Attitude, which is your own unique approach to life or your angle of attack". This attitude can be improved on to no limit. You must have the right attitude and mind-set when you embark of discovering purpose, which is no easy task, but very achievable.

Dr Karl Menninger, a famous psychiatrist said Attitude is more important than facts… any fact facing us, however difficult, even seemingly hopeless, is not as important as our attitude toward that fact. In other words, your attitude towards life will evidently determine life’s attitude towards you. Life will begin to unravel your role and tasks when you carry a positive mental attitude. Many in today’s world who drift aimlessly through life, dissatisfied and struggling against many things do so in the absence of a goal which often comes from their inability to discover purpose.

You cannot make impactful goals in the absence of a clear purpose.

Unknown

The Salvation Army Founder General William Booth was asked by King Edward VII how he could be so fully dedicated. Booth replied that some men’s passion is gold, others wealth, mine is souls. His discovery of purpose led to the birth of the Salvation Army, a non-governmental relief agency that helps to alleviate suffering and help people who are faced with disaster globally to rebuild their lives.

The discovery of purpose is mostly an emotional exercise and the quest for discovering your why or essence is tied strongly to your emotions and your heart. It is not necessarily a mental or logical calculation with fixed permutations and a calculable outcome. It is that action which you can barely place a finger on, something that is indescribable and intricately linked to the limbic part of your brain that governs all such matters that pertain to the heart and emotions, which we mostly find difficult to explain but can vouch for its presence even though it is intangible. It is that one thing which you would continue to do if money was of no concern and you had all the time in the world, all without batting an eyelid.

One way to identify this purpose is that it usually elicits a child-like sense of wonder and excitement that just feels right and things usually begin to fall into place and you can determine your circumstances the more you carry out this noble exercise. While you are at it, the hands of the clock seem to freeze and eventually with time, it holds you and everyone else you come in contact with spellbound. It comes effortlessly and you find yourself drawn to anyone else in that particular space as similar likes start to attract you in ways you can’t describe or explain.

You are expected to take a seat and with your back to the cushion, ask what you are good at and what you seek to accomplish in line with your purpose. There is only one problem and that is that many just don’t do this. Keith Ferrazi describes it as the blue flame where passion and ability come together; it is a convergence of mission and passion found on a realistic self-assessment of your abilities.

Nothing can resist the human will that will stake even its existence on its stated purpose

Benjamin Disraeli

One of my greatest technological real-life super heroes who could have us all spending, sometimes when we do not even need or want what was being pitched was the late Apple founder Steve Jobs. With his trademark black Cashmere & Silk St Croix turtle neck sweater and blue Levis jeans on New Balance sneakers, he changed the modern world of technology. He touched on everything from portable computers to mobile phones and personal devices. He reinvented industries like the music industry effectively by changing lifestyles. In fact, he changed the world forever. Steve more or less acted as a reverend in a solemnization event by wedding humanity and technology with the now famous ‘I’ icon as the wedding band. As regards purpose, a few years before his death, he gave what is widely considered to be one of the most moving speeches to students of Stanford University at their Commencement in 2005.

After dropping out of college and exhausting his stepparent’s life savings, and yet having no idea what he wanted to do with his life at the time, Steve said to the students and members of faculty of Stanford University present on that sunny June afternoon in California: I was lucky I found what I wanted to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parent’s garage when I was 20…. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.

Many question if they will get any form of tangible assurance once they have discovered purpose. One thing is certain, and that is, you will know when you find it. For me, it’s that thing that burns brightly like a camp fire when gasoline is poured on it. Every time you exercise any form of action in the direction of your own purpose, the internal flames inside of you will seem to burn brighter and brighter.

Marie Sklodowska Curie, the Polish and naturalized French physicist and chemist, who is globally recognized for having discovered Radium and who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity, was only four years old when she walked into her father’s study. She was immediately transfixed and swept away by what laid spread in front of her young eyes.

Marie was beholding all the laboratory instruments and mixtures. She was said to always return to that room imagining herself as a scientist mixing and conducting experiments. It was, therefore, little surprise to everyone around the young lady when she entered a real lab for the first time to pursue her purpose. Her blue internal flame was doused with the fuel of passion and became an inferno, simply because she had connected to her purpose by embracing becoming an author. Marie went on to become the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. She is also the first person and only woman to win it twice, and the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different sciences. Her first in 1903 was for her work in Physics and subsequently in 1911 for her work in Chemistry. She was also the first female Professor at the University of Paris and was entombed on her own merits in the Pantheon¹² in Paris in 2005, a huge honour as she became the first woman to achieve such a feat.

The Harry Porter Book and Movie series written by J.K Rowling is one the most successful book franchise series of all-time. It is now worth billions of dollars. But how did this body of work come about, and go on to become a globally recognized phenomenon that transcends virtually every culture and nation? It all began with a discovery of purpose.

How did purpose help propel a young lady born in the South Western Part of England who grew from humble beginnings to become one of the most successful authors in modern literary history? How did she in the process amass a fortune that has made her one of the wealthiest women in the world? (Her net worth makes her wealthier than Queen Elizabeth II). Rowling said she knew she always wanted to be an author. On her website¹³ she wrote, As soon as I knew what writers were, I always wanted to be one. I have got the perfect temperament for a writer, perfectly happy alone in a room, making things up.

At age 6, she wrote her first book about a rabbit called Rabbit demanding that it be published after receiving praise from her parents. However, like many of us, the passage of time does injustice by sometimes robbing us of the zeal in following up with our purpose, that higher calling for which we have been already configured, and pre-arranged to execute.

After losing her mother to a 10-year battle with multiple sclerosis, she moved to Portugal where she got married. She was teaching English in local schools, and unfortunately, she suffered a miscarriage before eventually having a daughter. Her Marriage lasted for just 13 months after which she returned to England. She lived in a small cramped apartment in London, jobless and penniless, suffering severe bouts of depression and fighting off internal voices of suicide, while barely surviving on state benefits.

At that point feeling like a complete failure, was the exact description she gave herself during a Harvard University Commencement Speech in 2008. It was during a delayed train ride from Manchester to Kings Cross Station in London that the idea of the character Harry Potter and the book came to her. She immediately made up her mind to take the plunge by following her purpose of becoming an author. Writing under close to impossible conditions for any writer, she wrote Harry Porter and after finishing her work, she proceeded to the next battle which was to jump through the hoops of finding a publisher. Many of them refused her work, but after a year, the rest as they say is all history. She dug deep inside herself without any shovel or equipment but instead a desire, to discover her purpose for writing which had lay dormant for years. She went on to influence an entire generation, because true strength can be found in our moments of vulnerability.

There could be that person or group of people reading this and thinking it’s too early or maybe on the flip side it’s past their time for the discovery of their purpose. You can’t be any further from the truth. Your age or position doesn’t matter. It’s never too late to start the process. If you are a millennial, imagine what the world will be like if Mark Zuckerberg (of Facebook) at 19 years old did not discover purpose. Imagine whether the world would be so connected like it is today. If Larry Page and Sergey Brin (of Google) at ages 22 and 21 respectively did not find purpose and you couldn’t at the click of a mouse get more information in seconds of literally almost every recorded piece of information. If you are a late bloomer, think of Ray Kroc who at the age of 52 bought over McDonald’s and turned it around to become the world’s largest food chain to produce the billions of hamburgers the world has since enjoyed. What about Colonel Harland Sanders (65) of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame and the millions of chicken meals eaten daily globally? Then we have Soichiro Honda of Honda Motor and all those affordable vehicles which have served millions over the years. Another notable example is Sam Walton who started retail giant Wal-Mart at age 44.

‘Purpose is everything’

Unknown

You possess an inner force whose sole function is to guide you towards this purpose. Almost like the Laser Guided AGM-114 Hellfire Missile¹⁴ used in modern warfare and which is one of the most accurate military equipment to hit its targets, you have a mission to accomplish. Therefore, you must follow that inner force to reach the purpose target.

In celebrated author Robert Green’s 2012 book ‘Mastery’, he describes it as your life task. He also describes that in childhood, this inner force was clear to us and we were directed towards activities and subjects that fit our natural inclinations. But then, life happened to most of us and this curiosity which was deep and primal just faded away the more we listened to those who influenced us and life’s constant battering at our dreams like a boxer on a punching bag. In the years that follow, the lack of connection to who we are and what makes us unique is the source of so many people’s unhappiness in today’s modern world. The journey to purpose will help us discover who we really are and reconnect with that inner force. The knowledge of this with clarity will enable us find our way to the proper path and everything will fall into place. This is your life’s task.

The tale of Fritz Kreisler who is one of the most talented and gifted violinists the world has ever seen comes to mind. It is recorded that crowds would fill up the seats at the iconic Carnegie Hall in New York to hear him play and appreciate his talent. But the discovery of purpose was far more difficult to embrace. As a boy, he wanted to do nothing more than play the violin, so his parents paid for his music classes to harness his passion. But Fritz did not make much progress as everyone hoped. After a few years, he quit the lessons. He grew up like we all do and went through college and early adulthood. He studied medicine but failed to complete medical school. He went on to join the army but also failed to advance through the ranks. He went ahead to try many other pursuits but he failed in all. He took a deep introspection of his life and realized that the one piece of success he had enjoyed in his life was tied to his violin. He was said to have approached his former instructor declaring he wanted to play. His instructor accepted him back as a student, only if he would acquire the irreplaceable quality of following through on his purpose and not giving up, this was a piece of advice that he most definitely took to heart.

Many are drawn to music. For others it could be sports, and for others, it’s the art. All these come from a deep place of purpose and words can’t easily explain them. It is said that at birth, a seed is planted and that is the uniqueness we possess. It wants to grow, transform itself and flower to its full potential. Your life task is to bring the seed to flower, a destiny that must be fulfilled.

The more you dig inwards, the more you would learn about yourself to become more drawn to your purpose. Many times, people limit this discovery and come up with several untenable mental excuses that can’t stand the barrage of further examination or microscopic observation. We place obstacles in front of our steps in form of dogma, age-old traditions and stereotypes all which conspire to rob us of the grand prize, success.

This action of the discovery of purpose is the key to any form of greatness you can attain and in the words of the Chinese teacher Confucius, it doesn’t matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop because a journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step. Due to the labour involved, many avoid the quest to discover their own personal ‘Holy Grail’. They will rather put up with the dissatisfaction that is now second nature in their personal life and business endeavours. You must immediately resent this stagnancy. Start digging inwards, looking at your past for signs and patterns that serve as a link to your purpose. You will discover that some activities which suit your character remain buried and that they need to be exhumed for you to get ahead.

Dr. Viktor Frankl is one individual who understands the importance of purpose. The Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist and author of ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ who survived the Nazi holocaust disaster at Auschwitz and other concentration camps said everyone has his own specific vocation and mission in life and its actualization is what will bring about true happiness.

The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but a life without a purpose.

Myles Munroe

Without the identification of purpose of who you are or what you should be doing, you are no different from the Flying Dutchman, the ghost ship in the Pirates of Caribbean movies, sailing without a rudder and a clear map of where it is headed. The discovery of purpose puts a reason behind your goals, a spring to your every step, and you no longer just exist like millions of others on the earth trying to just get by, but you exist now with a clear, definite purpose. This is what will push you when you follow it towards the road of fulfilment and happiness. This is the reason why when we engage in any activity that corresponds to our deepest inclinations, we feel some form of inspiration, euphoria and a renewal of