GO ALL OUT

There is a man I buy some tools from, which I use for work. I don’t like this man, I don’t like how he talks, I don’t like his customer service, but I have been buying from him for almost a decade now because I always get the best products and prices from him.

One of the people who works with me on a team told me some time ago that he was convinced his team lead didn’t like him. He was giving that as a reason why they always have issues. Though I knew that wasn’t the issue, I “advised” him to make sure he outperforms all the time so the team lead will have no reasons to castigate him, and it “has been working” ever since.

Interesting. I was listening to a podcast where Iyin Aboyeji was saying the same thing: that his goal is to be “loaded” and to be ignored. Reminds me of Hidden Figures, a movie, where the character played by Taraji P. Henson was so good that even with all the racism, they couldn’t ignore her.

Since I was a teenager, my disposition to life has always been that if you need something so bad, you do all you need, not all you can, to get it. If a door can’t be opened, you break it; if you don’t have a seat at the table, make your own table.

My philosophy of life, since I heard someone talk about it when I was just 15 years old at Educare Trust Nigeria, is to be MAD (Make a difference), and I try to do this in everything. I have clients who have been with us for over a decade, and I know people who work with me today, because of the cost of finding a replacement, allegedly. And I say this with all sense of responsibility and humility.

There should be no half measures, go all out, outwork everyone, outperform everyone, if 10 is required, deliver 100. Give no one no reasons to get you off. Be irresistible. Be unavoidable. You work in a company and they are downsizing, but you a panicking, it’s a sign that you may be mediocre. Even if they will be retaining one person, why can’t that be you?

Re-evaluate yourself today, are you a half-measure guy? Do you put excellence in all that you do? If you want to go far, you need a quick change of heart. No be everything be prayer. Think about it.