The state before success

I have often said that, “Until you arrive at your destination or achieve your aspirations, everyone can advice you”. Indeed, blessings, until fully matured, looks like a curse.

The bible put it aptly in Psalm 105:19. It says; “Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.” (KJV). Trying time does not necessarily mean you are doing something wrong.

Many hopes have been dashed during the ‘state before success’. Advisors who judged by their history or their own aspiration have crushed a lot of creativities. We have lost great pioneers by leading them through the status quo for temporal relieve, when a little support would have launched a revolution that would have greatly improve an entire generation.

It is even more challenging to endure the State Before Success in Africa, where most achievements are first generational, lowering our appetite for risk and endurance. No support for creativity because it is new and risky.

The movie ‘Black Panther’ has made all the headlines and broken almost all the financial records in movie premiering but how many would’ve encouraged our loved ones to pursue acting 22 years back?

I read with interest the account of Fred Swaniker about how he almost killed the dreams of Danai Gurira, one of the leading characters of the famous movie.

Fred recounted how he vehemently advised Danai against pursuing acting but rather study a ‘real’ subject like economics that he (Fred) was studying. Fred at the time was playing a big brother and mentor role to this young Zimbabwean who had come to study at Macalester College in the US where Fred was studying.

To think the advise was coming from a big brother and mentor as well as one who sometimes buys food for Danai was what makes the ‘rebelling’ even more challenging. Indeed, Fred had to abandon Danai, something most advisors and mentors do almost always; you live the dream I am selling to you or you suffer living yours.

Like Danai, many – especially young people – are faced with the temptation to abandon their dreams and relegate their passion to follow or live the lives of others – Pastors, Parents, Mentor – in exchange of their unique gift to the world. The State Before Success is a period for the test of character and versatility. And if you happen to be pioneering a cause, then there is practically no history to learn from; you are on your own.

Yes, the degree of your success is mostly determined by the degree of your test. We are mostly proud of ourselves when we write and pass a difficult exam as oppose to when we pass one deemed easy. Indeed the State Before Success is difficult not only because of the task but also what I call ‘lifeline blocks’, thus the opposition by loved ones and people you respect. Interestingly, the lifeline blocks and other challenges are what make the ending even exciting; knowing you endured all odds to achieve is a great feeling to the story.

In my own story as an entrepreneur – the full story I will share someday – I have had people I admire and look up to encourage me to do something that will give me wealth and success faster than pursuing a dream of helping others identify and build their aspirations.

Apart from the lack of support, it sometime defies common sense when you know how to make money faster yet chooses to go the long haul because you seek lasting impact that transcend generation. Sometimes you cannot explain to loved ones, and to family and friends when the seed seem to be taking longer to germinate. You are tempted to dig the seed and eat it.

Today, reading the story of Danai Gurira of Black Panther fame, and how she defy the odd of a breadwinner and mentor to pursue her God given passion and life, has encouraged me to keep watering the seed in all sincerity, focus and positive mentality. I am inspired to live my life, that which I can account to the Lord than that which I will regret even when society is happy with it. I am energized to lie within the grave empty and fulfilled than to lie in the grave depriving the world of ‘me’ to satisfy a temporal hunger. I may be hungry today, but I am determined to be the last to be hungry.

It is also an encouragement to all, especially entrepreneurs, that you must not give up on your dreams because the world did not support you; the world did not support the Wright brothers in manufacturing an airplane.

Do not abandon your passion because your mentor doesn’t think it is the best, Fred did not believe acting was the best for Danai.

You must not neglect the burning desire to pursue your dream that will bring an improvement to the world for a temporal daily bread because that is what everybody is doing; you are not ‘everybody’, you are ‘You’ so live YOU.

Discover yourself.

Pursue your aspiration.

Set the agenda for your life in a way that will make you proud at the harvest time, so that you can be proud of your accountability to your Maker.

The State Before Success is lived with strong conviction and tenacity. It is lived in faith, focus and positive mentality. It will be challenging, but like the farmer who sows his last seed instead of eating it, the harvest will bring the joy of the struggle.

It may be challenging now, but that is what makes the testimony even more exciting to share and makes it unique.

Your laughter is near! Your joy will be global!

Written By:

Henry Agyei Asare

Founder/CEO Tentmaker Ghana Ltd & CEO, Prime2Prime Ideas Ltd