One of the greatest lessons I have learnt in life is this: success is rarely a straight line.
I often encourage young people to study the lives of great leaders such as Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, and many of today’s influential economic and political figures.
When we look beyond their achievements, we see years of sacrifice, persistence, and hard work. None of them started at the top.
Take the late M. K. O. Abiola, for example.
As a young man, he sold firewood and performed with a traditional music band at events in exchange for food, just to support his education. Those humble beginnings did not define his future. Instead, they strengthened his character and prepared him for the remarkable success and philanthropy for which he became known.
I can relate to that journey. To finance my master’s degree and doctorate in England, I took on various odd jobs. Today, I am not even working in the profession I originally trained for.
As an undergraduate, my dream was to become either a diplomat or a university lecturer. Yet, over the last 28 years, my career has taken a very different route. At one point, I even had the opportunity to join the Canadian Foreign Service. However, family priorities led me to choose a different path.
Life has taught me that your destination matters more than the route you take to get there.
Some years ago, I met a young man who drove me around for three days.
I was impressed by his professionalism, calm demeanour, and communication skills. During our conversations, I discovered that he was an accounting graduate. Instead of sitting at home waiting for the perfect opportunity, he chose to drive and earn an honest living.
After his assignment with me, a few referrals resulted in his transition into an accounting role. Six years on, he remains successful in that profession.
Think about that for a moment.
Had he waited for the “right” job before taking action, his story might have been very different. He moved forward with what he had, where he was, and that decision opened new doors.
So, my message today is simple:
Life is about focus.
Know where you want to go. Stay committed to your goals. Do not allow temporary setbacks, detours, or humble beginnings to discourage you. Take every legal and legitimate opportunity that moves you closer to your destination.
Do not sit and wait for life to happen. Make progress with the opportunities before you. Every honest step forward brings you closer to where you want to be.
As the late Lucky Dube wisely said:
“Good things come to those who go out and make them happen; they don’t come to those who wait.”
So keep moving. Keep learning. Keep striving.
Stay focused, stay purposeful, and trust that every legitimate effort you make today is preparing you for the success of tomorrow.
*Kunle Ojeleye, a sessional professor, and change management expert, writes from Canada