Where do I find success? The question at our
disposal now upon first sight looks more of geographical location or
orientation. But I want to state categorically that there is no specific
location whereby success can be found. In fact, success is everywhere. One
might have basics for argument on the fact that some people leave their homes
for places of greener pastures, but nevertheless, what they seek is wealth and
not success. So therefore we revive the question again; where can we find success,
where does it come from, who gives it and how can we identify it when we see
one? In this noble country where we hold religion up high as a vital element
for human existence, it is very normal to hear people say that; ask and it
shall be given unto you, knock and it shall be opened, God is the answer to all
thy question, and so on. Personally, I do not have any problem with the above
statements; only that I want to ask; what of those who do not believe in the
existence of God? Does that mean they cannot achieve success at all? Contrary
to that, it is evidently clear that most of the people we regard as rich and
famous, the celebrities, the superstars, etc are the advocates of atheism. They
do believe that the world was not created by a scientifically and that there is
nothing as a supreme being, not to talk of the day of resurrection.
Moreover, I believe that nothing can be possible in
a man’s life unless that which God has willed for him. Indeed despite this
strong belief more has to be done I our quest for success. No matter the level
of your faith and sincerity to your creator, if you don’t get up and work to
make a difference, you will die as a prophet without honor. I want to relate
this to an incident that happened a long time ago. I remember a practical
demonstration by my Uncle on how faith moves with action. There was a man who
normally spends almost all his time in the mosque praying to Allah. Then one
day, my Uncle and I upon his usual act of sharing his lunch with most of the
people at the mosque, he brought food to the mosque, shared it and did not give
that man intentionally. Upon intending to leave, he said; one bowl is left and
yet everyone has been served. Just at that very moment, this man began to clear
his throat in a very strange way, not knowing he was trying to signal to my
Uncle that he has not been served yet. Then the food was given to him. Upon our
return, my Uncle explained to me that faith without work is far from
righteousness. Initially, I never saw the work that the man did before he got
the food. But upon further reminisce, I came to understand that the work he did
was the efforts he made to signal my Uncle in a form of clearing his throat. If
he had not done that, he wouldn’t have had that meal. Can you imagine this? He
spends all his time praying, but the little work he did earned his lunch. You
can image what he has been missing out there. God is ready to give you what you
want, He just wants you to make an effort and start doing something.
Every human
being who wishes to fly successfully on the jurisdiction of his religion should
have two wings, thus; belief and practice. An elimination of one renders the other
insignificant and less functional. As it is said that;
“Belief
without practice is meaningless as practice without belief is also meaningless.” Anonymous.
I say, point blank that success is from the inner
self, can be expressed by way of decision and identified by the process in
achieving them. This simply means that to become successful, first and foremost
the intention, the motivation and the desire should be set right. This is followed
by conscious, consistent and moral processes to achieve them.
Success by way of decision has to do with the
individual selecting from several alternatives from what he or she wants. It is
no deferent from the intention needed to process ones future desire. Dear
reader, the things you do each and every blessed day, sums up to build your
future. Furthermore, consistency of doing the right thing; despite the quantity,
amounts to something positive in the future. Indeed we are not only interested
in just the decision making, but actually the right one. It leaves you to
choose or decide to be good or bad, happy or sad, successful or a failure; all
depending on what you decide to do. The type of decision you make distinguish
you from your mates at school and work despite the fact that you are all doing
the same thing. Two laborers on a construction site were questioned on what
they were doing. The first one said; “we are just laying bricks and we never finish,
it’s so boring.” the other said that; “we are on the verge of building a
magnificent world class medical facility, which will live long to benefit the
people in my community. It’s the first of its kind and I am so happy to part of
it.”
We can see that both workers are doing the same
thing but based on their individual decisions and intensions, they are entirely
different from each other. At the end of the day, the second laborer had a
promotion because of the wiliness of work and happiness backed by the decision to
do for the sake of society. Another thing to note is that, the second one does
not care whether he is in list of contributors or not, whether he is recognized
or not; all that he knows, is that he is part of the winning team working hard
to transform the face of society. So therefore it’s your decision to either be
part of the brick layers or the wining team working to transform the face of
society.
At this juncture, we can give a concrete, well
accepted and applicable definition for success as;
“The
positive intention or willingness of heart backed by the ability to bring out
what you are for the benefit of where you are.”
Looks very
narrow and too simple as one may choose to call it but indeed, based on our
analysis, that is the true definition of success. Do not be self-centered in
you deciding on what you want to accomplish in life. Let not your decisions based
on your own personal benefit but rather that of the society and the future
generation. History will judge all of us not based on what we have achieved for
ourselves, but the positive impact our achievement has on the society. Always
do things with the sole aim that one day someone will benefit from it. I
remember the very statement of advice my father gave me when I turned eighteen.
He looked at me and said; “if
people say don’t do this, do it if you are sure it will be of benefit someday.
And is they say you should do this, avoid it if you are sure it is for the best
interest of the future. For our judgment lies not in the hands of the present but
rather the future.” These few words have
been my source of motivation and have broadened my horizon on what man should
be aiming at achieving in life. It is very evident that the very people we know
in the history of this world who stood for the right thing to be done were at
most point in their lives opposed and misjudged by their very generation. But because
they understood this simple philosophy of success, they never bordered about
what people said or did, but rather what they think will benefit the future
generation for indeed, their judgment laid in our hands. Most of these people,
heroes as we call them, in the likes of; Malcrom Ex, Martin Luther Kings Jnr.,
Abraham Lincoln and our very own Nelson Madiba Mandela and Osagefo Dr. Kwame
Nkrumah, were all deemed as the enemies of yesterday but heroes of today.
Don’t go to school because you want to be employed,
go to school because you want society to benefit from your knowledge. Don’t be
a doctor because of the salary and working condition, be a doctor because you
want to save a life. Don’t be a farmer because man must survive, be a farmer
because you want to feed the nation. Whatever it is that you are doing, do it
with the society at heart. Do not wait to be a C.E.O. before you start doing
something? Don’t wait to get a job before you can do something for the orphan
in your neighborhood? In fact, do not wait for opportunities; start to create
these opportunities yourself. You don’t have to be an extraordinary person in life;
you only have to be a simple person doing extraordinary things. It doesn’t
matter where you live or come from, whether it is poverty or you live in a hat
or a kiosk or whatever; just brighten the corner where you are. Take the bold
step of transforming your society for the better. Don’t let the future
generation point fingers of blame at you. Let them count you as part of those
who toke the right decisions and stood firmly for the truth to prevail-the
right thing to be done. Don’t force yourself to be in front. Even if you are
relegated to the background, it is none of your business. Let them take all the
applause; let them take all the praises. Besides if you are denied what is
rightfully yours, the future will judge us all. Your business is to make sure
that your positive impact is felt by the society so that deep down in your
heart, you know that you are the hero, the icon, the source of change the
people are enjoying. That feeling alone, money can never buy. Nevertheless, one
day you will reap the results of your hard work tenfold and you will become
victorious. This, my dear reader is true success.
Indeed, many great men have come and gone, but when
you start counting, don’t forget the man who always weeds the park even though
he never gets paid, don’t forget the woman who always sweeps the market place even
though you never greet her, don’t forget the old man who always guards the
mosque or church. These people are vital treasures that make the society glow
in the light of development. Don’t underestimate what you are doing. You never
know who you are likely to meet on the way, you never know who next will walk
into your little shop, and you never know how that early morning smile made someone
forget all his nightmares. Whatever that you do, let it be but for the interest
of society.
