BEGINNING OF THE YEAR SERIES- DAY OF 23
Hope is not a strategy.
-Vince Lombardi.
By George O. Emetuche,
Are you just hoping or are you taking action to get things done?
A lot of people keep hoping without plan, strategy and action. Great things don’t happen on nothing. Don’t just hope, you need to plan and execute. You need a smart strategy in execution.
I watched a video clip by Pastor David Ogbueli yesterday, Sunday 22nd January, where he made an instructive statement: ”If you change the seed, you alter the harvest ” Brilliant!
I totally agree with him. You will get the same harvest if you plant the same seed. To change the results of the harvest, you must do something to the seed you planted. This is where rethinking your strategy come in. You can’t plant yam and reap cocoyam.
To change the seed, you must alter the harvest, sound reasoning.
I have seen some people who have decided to do nothing, yet they expect Manna from above. Folks in this category feel that magic will happen someday. They just live by the day, without plans, goals and strategy. Nothing just happens!
Albert Einstein described insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I can’t add anything to this conclusion.
If you want to get results, you must set goals and design smart strategy.
Goals talk about what you want to achieve. Strategy tells how to achieve it. You need these two elements to get results.
The formula for success is: Brilliant Goals + Brilliant Strategy + Brilliant Execution = Success.
I have applied this formula as a professional of over 25 years and counting. No examiner will fail any student who answers this way. This formula works in Africa, America, Asia, Europe, Australia, and anywhere in the world. The formula follows simple principle of success.
My article today is on one of the elements of Success, which is Strategy.
Please don’t continue 2023 journey without a strategy.
Let me say this: A poorly crafted strategy, is better than no strategy. It’s better to improve on a strategy, than not to have anyone.
An identified path is half traveled. The man with a strategy will naturally have an advantage over the one who is moving without “a how.”
If you have been following my Beginning of The Year Series, you will notice that I have written about Vision, Mission, Goals and several other topics. I want to talk about Strategy today.
Everything is strategy! The life we live requires strategy. Don’t just live anyhow!
The environment is tough, we require smart strategies to get things done.
You need strategy at home, in your career, in your business, and every aspect of your life.
Life is Strategy.
Strategy tells How you will get things done. It’s not enough to set Goals, you must support your Goals with smart strategies, otherwise they become illusions.
We organized a three-day training retreat this January for a leading Organization and we spent reasonable time on Strategy. Agile Organizations know the importance of Business Strategy.
Individuals need strategy too.
A lot of people have designed beautiful New Year Resolutions. But many of these resolutions are abandoned within the first or second quarter of the year. Why is this so? The reason is simple, No Strategy!
Many people have written great goals on paper. They want to achieve a lot of smart things this year. The issue is not necessarily about goals. A lot of people have beautiful goals, at least unwritten ones. The main issue is how to bring the goals to life. A lot of folks can dream but making your dream a reality is the crux of the matter. Why is this so? Again, I say, lack of strategy. This is why I personally host strategy and goals setting breakfast session for interested Professionals and Entrepreneurs on our platforms. We hosted it in Enugu and Lagos on 7th and 10th of January respectively. It’s the right way to start the year. Participants got a lot of value.
I have met a lot of people as a professional who plays in the Knowledge Industry.
I know I have mentored people who achieved their goals. I have also met people who wanted to get to the top without using the ladder; this set of people wanted to jump to the top. They wanted to fly to the top without following a process. The person that jumps to the top without using a ladder, may be courting Orthopedic Hospital! People who jump from lofty heights unguarded, may get hurt. This is usually the case. Success follows a defined process. There’s nothing like accidental successful entrepreneur or professional.
Success is a long walk. A lot of successful people believe that success is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration.
I wrote a complete book on success: The 11 Irrefutable Principles of Success. I recommend you get the book. I believe It’s a great read.
One outstanding rule for success is following the right paths consistently and doing the right things at the right time.
Achieving success in life follows a sequence. Success is a journey and not a destination. You don’t jump at success, you work at success. You work on success. This is why I believe in Strategy.
I often tell startups to take charge. Time is ticking away. January is almost gone. Today is Monday, 23rd January, 2023. We have just a week to end the month of January. Other months will come and go too by God’s grace. It won’t be long Radio will start singing, “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” That’s life! Time waits for no one. Time ticks away selfishly without caring or waiting for anyone. It’s up to the man or woman who desires change to meet up with ever moving time. You must make your days count. Don’t just count the days!
Nothing happens if we don’t happen to things. Designing a smart strategy is the way to go. You just have to happen to things. That’s the way of Champions.
No General goes to the battlefield without a Warplan. The better the plan, the more chances the General has to defeat his opponents.
Life is a battlefield. We need to come to the battleground with smart strategies.
No strategy is the same. Look at your capacity, capability, and environment before designing a strategy that fits your situation.
The attitude that kills success is Someday Attitude. Average people always say they will do the right things someday. Someday, I will write my goals down. Someday, I will learn that skill. Someday, I will sharpen my talent. Someday, I will build capacity and capability. Someday, I will join a mastermind group. Someday, I will launch that idea. Someday, I will start that business. Someday, I will register for that course. Someday, Someday, Someday! The irony is that Someday never comes. Fix it now!
Champions don’t give excuses. They get inside the ring, fight hard and win. No excuses!
What’s your strategy to achieve your beautiful goals this year? Strategy tells you the things to do and the ones to avoid.
Michael Porter, said, ”The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” You need to know what to do and the ones you are not supposed to do. You need to be strategic.
You must determine the tactics you will explore in this tough arena. This is your call, it’s not transferable.
Several studies have shown that 80% of new businesses die within the first 5 years. Some new studies have reduced it to 18 months! My conclusion in this as causes include: lack of vision and sense of mission, lack of, or inadequate preparation, not setting clear goals, lack of focus, inconsistency, no core values, and lack of strategy. I recommend you get my latest Book, Starting and Growing a Successful Business. I listed what I call The Big Ten that make businesses excel.
As we continue this 31 day series, I want to remind us to design a smart strategy.
I believe that:
Without thinking, you start nothing.
Without passion, you believe nothing. Without Goals, you work at nothing.
Without action, you achieve nothing.
Without strategy, you join the crowd!
Be Intelligently Strategic!
George O. Emetuche, CES
Brian Tracy endorsed serial bestselling author, accredited training consultant, business coach, sales and marketing expert.