One of my most respected young achiever, Toyin Subair, CEO of HiTV delivered a speech at a conference in Lagos Business School a couple
of months back and he made reference to an article Dr David Oyedepo referred him to many years back as one of the best things he has ever
laid his hands on.
The complete article is here: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/10/30/8391794/index.htm
But lemme quickly highlight the key points in case ure unable to read d full article
WHAT IT TAKES TO BE GREAT
Research now shows that the lack of natural talent is irrelevant to great success.
The secret? Painful and demanding practice and hard work.
For one thing, you do not possess a natural gift for a certain job, because targeted natural gifts don't exist. You are not a born CEO or investor or chess grandmaster. You will achieve greatness only through an enormous amount of hard work over many years. And not just any hard work, but work of a particular type that's demanding and painful.
Scientific experts are producing remarkably consistent findings across a wide array of fields. Understand that talent doesn't mean intelligence, motivation or personality traits. It's an innate ability to do some specific activity especially well.
The article goes on to discuss these key points:
1. No substitute for hard work
2. Practice makes perfect
3. The skeptics
4. Real-world examples
5. The business side
6. Adopting a new mindset
7. Be the ball
Why?
If great performance were easy, it wouldn't be rare. Which leads to possibly the deepest question about greatness. While experts understand an enormous amount about the behavior that produces great performance, they understand very little about where that behavior comes from.
The authors of one study conclude, "We still do not know which factors encourage individuals to engage in deliberate practice." Or as University of Michigan business school professor Noel Tichy puts it after 30 years of working with managers, "Some people are much more motivated than others, and that's the existential question I cannot answer - why."
The critical reality is that we are not hostage to some naturally granted level of talent. We can make ourselves what we will.
Maybe we can't expect most people to achieve greatness. It's just too demanding. But the striking, liberating news is that greatness isn't reserved for a preordained few. It is available to you and to everyone.
funny funny week
hmmnn... 500 level.
Tonite is jst one of thoe nites that I feel like I'v got too much in my head, one of those nites dat I feel like pouring it all out.
But where do I start from? I've got a lot to contemplate on cos I've got a lot of things I'm lookin out for.
I still feel d pain of havin to part wit my Skye family, they made 5weeks look like a lifetime, d entire experience was more than worth it!
500level fast approaching. Final lap it is, yet it smells like a fresh beginning.
Ummm.. rly got a lot to work on.
I still have my dreams of havin a 5.0GPA
n I still have my vision of polishin men to excellence compelling me to want to speak in conferences, write articles, n consciously mentor the ones that are coming up;
I have to print my first book "A-Z OF LIFE: experience of a 21yr old" by my 21st which is jst a couple of days 2 grad;
I have a network to build on cos I wanna make sure each cu student is just a friend away;
I still need more time with God to figure out how my post-grad life will be cos I've got loads of assignments but I dont know the ones that will go first.
Overall, in all of these things I can only do 1 thing and this 1 thing is what I know how to do best- commit it into God's hands.
Hauwa.. m chattin wit her rite nw, she wnt let me type this piece in peace
Busola. chattin, bt rubbish fcbk chat = 2lines/min
Chima.. annoyin me rite nw by askin unnecessary questions
Tanga.. hearin 4rm him afta sum 3wks communication break
Dami.. shez gone offline n hopefully by d nxt time she comes online she shld be seein this blog.
A couple of hours back, I was brushing up a old write-up for fresh publication. Title: Networking: How who u knw counts over what u knw
n I rly luv I line I used in dat article:
" Trust me, there is no future for those who do not place value on relationships!"
Lookin at these ppl I mentioned above, I hv loads of things 2 say abt hw wonderful these guys are
.. bt m so lazy 2 finish this. Lord help me!!
cant blv i'v nt been here in a long while!
Quite a lot has changed since the last time I posted anything, but the summary of it all is that I'm gettin bigger n better by d day all cos of God's favour.
I'm not sayin much 2nite... i'l b back some other time.
All I can say now is THANK YOU LORD. I will always love You!!
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Contributors
- Tolulope Akanni
- Tolulope Akanni is a writer and entrepreneur. After bagging a degree in Engineering, he had his big break shortly by self-publishing his first book, A-Z Life Lessons at the age of 21. The book uses poems, pictures and stories to express the thoughts of the Nigerian youth burning with a passion to create value. He is presently in Paris, France for a professional training and is also working with a team led by Onyeka Nwelue organising the Literacy Africa International Charity Concert and the editorial team of In-correct Magazine. Tolu Akanni is a visionary and dynamic youth with a rare and unique passion sent on a mission to bring out the best in people to the end of seeing men live up to their full capacity.