Zero to 100km/hour in five seconds is a common phrase amongst those in motor racing sports like Formula 1. This refers to the speed of a highly sophisticated racing car built solely for the purpose of competing against other cars in a Grand Prix at extremely high speeds. This concept of going from zero to 100 km/hour in an extremely short time should however be limited to racing cars alone. The reality of life is that most things are not instant; they are planned and brought to maturity over time.
Pregnancy is a classic example of a venture that needs time to mature. A person who wants a child would need to take the time to first conceive, then wait for nine months as the baby matures in the womb. The baby is only successfully brought to the world after the right length of time when all the organs are developed and are functioning well.
For the vast majority of people in a career or business, there is no such thing as ‘hitting it’ or ‘making it big’ overnight. Achieving success or wealth usually comes from having developed and perfected a skill and then becoming renowned in it. A renowned person is sought for his expertise and can call the shots when it comes to fees. People will be willing to part with large sums of money for the privilege of having you design their home, organise their party or manage their company if you are exceptionally good at what you do.
Whilst talent may help you to identify an area of a passion or interest which can be turned into a business, you will however need much more than talent to keep a business going and to make any serious money. This is where commitment, expertise, diligence, patience, hard work, financial prudence and wisdom come in. These are the virtues that make a person go from ‘zero to 100’ within in a few years. In other words, luck, blaming others, and prayer with no action must make way for virtues that bring success.
Let us take a further look at some of the virtues that will propel your career or business into the big league:
Diligence – constant and earnest effort to accomplish a task or project. It means regular effort and focus on a task. It should become a way of life for the person who wants to succeed in a career or business. Being an entrepreneur, although attractive, is not always easy; you need to carry on working and believing in yourself even when everyone else does not.
Patience – is required to nurture seeds to maturity. The misnomer of instant success has hampered this virtue, yet it is a much needed virtue that everyone must adopt for their diligence and expertise to be appreciated by the world. As they say, Rome was not built in day. If you are good, the whole world will notice you. It might just take some time for the word to get round to everyone, but it sure will.
Prudence – Some people marry new wives and purchase many cars when they have made some money from their business although the flow may not yet be steady. Perhaps a lucrative contract had come in unexpectedly and there is more money than previously was. Rather than reinvest and expand, many people deceive themselves and act as if they have arrived. To sustain a business for the long run, it will be irresponsible to splash out money anyhow.
Expertise – This is what it takes to become the best. Expertise is gained from experience and constant development. If you are not the best, you cannot realistically expect people to come and spend their money on your product or service. Everyone desires that the service they pay for be rendered efficiently. If I enlist the services of a caterer, I would expect that it would be food that is delicious and very well presented. It is therefore crucial for any business to have the expertise needed and also to offer a perfect service. Customers who are happy will tell others and bring in more business. Customers who have been disappointed will tell others too.
Hardwork - This is the icing on the cake of all the above principles. A person who runs a business or has a career in another person’s business must be prepared to go the extra mile. This includes being hands-on in order to deliver an expert job. There is no room for doing the minimum and expecting to get referrals.
In conclusion, taking pride in your vocation means that you give your best and develop yourself to such a level that your work will speak for you. Success in life is not usually by chance. Although there is no one way or definite direction to success, the principles above are common to those who have succeeded in their chosen fields.
There is dignity in labour, regardless of what you do, give it your best and the sky is your limit.
We all benefit when we do things right!
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