Are you still thinking you don’t have what you need to achieve your [tag]dream[/tag]? And thinking it is not worth it holding on any longer? Wait…Why did Napoleon lose to the English at the battle of Waterloo? The English simply fought five minutes longer. Some few years back, I went to serve my fatherland (to fulfil all righteousness). I came out of NYSC Orientation Camp with no clear picture of what lied ahead. The truth is that I had been deployed to a village (to teach Physics and Mathematics). Immediately I saw the deployment letter, I knew within me that I was not going to end up at the place. How this will happen, I did not know. But I made up my mind to give it all I had at the time.

Motivations to hold on came from the pictures of future I carry within me and the desire to succeed. What will happen to all the dreams? The great plans? My aspirations for the year? My community development work with the youth – led initiatives I was working on before the start of service year? The questions were countless and it was as if I would not be able to provide the solutions. Almost everybody around me at that time did not know the solution either. Nobody, I mean, really knew what lies ahead.

Waking up the following morning, I discovered that I had joy unlimited – the joy of seeing my dreams achieved. There and there, I decided to effect the change that would lead to the fulfilment of my dreams. I made up my mind to secure a placement first within the city and then sort out things with the State Director much later. He was the only person everybody believed could do anything to the posting.

My dreams paved way for action and the actions to the result – redeployment to the city. In a matter of days, I got a new place in the city and was able to effect the desired change of location. The roads seemed too far but the passion derived from the dreams saw me through. This experience taught me two great lessons as regards life. “If you want the rainbow in life, you have to be willing to put up with the rain!” and “If you really want to live, you would better start at once to try!”

Sometimes, patience, perseverance and time are the simplest ingredients to achieving your personal success. If you really think about it, most great achievements were not born until lots of time, enormous patience (with yourself) and unwavering perseverance prevail. So, let us now consider few people whose simplified formula for [tag]success[/tag]: “P.P.T.”, (Patience, Perseverance and Time) spawned great products! Every minute somewhere in the country a “Tantalizers’” fast food centre is satisfying people’s need. Can you imagine a business which opened its door (or “Arches”) some few years ago still so strong today with so many outlets across the nation? Well, its founder Bose Ayeni, sure did. Mrs. Ayeni, was no inventor. But she recognised a great idea when she saw one.

From being a mother and no job in view, she started packaging few businesses with a monthly allowance she got from her husband – Mr. Folu Ayeni. She discovered an opening in the Fast Food Business and that happened to be a meeting of interest and opportunity. Tantalizers did not take off on a easy as funding became a hard nut to crack. Finally! It took a loan from a friend to kick start the dream eventually. But the truth is that Tantalizers would have started anyway though it would be more painful. Bose Ayeni is a simple woman with a simple plan to achieve huge success. Today, Tantalizers is being listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Chances are you are reading this article in a room with the use of lighting. Well, you can thank [tag]Thomas Edison[/tag] for that. Did you know that history had it that Edison failed over 9,000 (that is thousand) times before perfecting the light bulb! How many of us would have thrown in the “proverbial” towel at 20 failures, 150 failures or at the 8000th failure? In my opinion, Thomas Edison’s picture should be under the definition “perseverance” in Webster’s dictionary! I believe you are in agreement with my suggestion. After Edison had invented and produced the light bulb, a reporter asked him how it felt to fail over 9,000 times. Edison replied, “I was glad I found 9,000 ways not to invent the light bulb!” From this point forward Edison went on to receive 1,093 patents, more than any other person in U.S. history. Wow!!!

I am sure of us would say that the examples do not apply to you. What about Ubong Essien (Achievers’ manual), Austin Okere (Computer Warehouse Group), Biodun Shobanjo: Jewel of Advertising, Fola Adeola (Guaranty Bank & Fate Foundation), Jimoh Ibrahim (Global Fleet Group and NICON Group), Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State and the Sweet Sensation Stories? As you can see, the common traits between Bose Ayeni, Thomas Edison and all the people mentioned above is simple and direct: Belief, Perseverance, Patience and Time. Whatever it is you are trying to achieve in your precious and valuable life, I am convinced these traits must be present. Especially, belief! If you do not believe, you will not achieve. So, don’t give up now. Give it one more trial and you will succeed. Push the right buttons.