This is my year, 2010. Gone are the years that frustrated me socially and in business. I am back inaction to complete missions that were abandoned because of certain circumstances. Circumstances that I could have prevented had I been careful enough. I glad they happened as I had learned valuable lessons in life.Business went down, broke up with the one I love(d) dearly and friends varnished on thin air. My faith to come back and be who I wanted to be never faded away. I knew what I need in life and how to get it. I was just not inspired, but not lazy. I was less inspired to go for my goals, I had shifted my focus on current and temporary problems at that time. I was aware that was not the end of the road, but I did not do anything about the situation that I was in. surrendered and moved out of my lovely and sunny apartment, went back home to stay live with relatives.
A week later with relatives, I realised that I do not belong there and what has happened to my dreams and goals that I always fought for. Dreams that never made me sleep at night. I questioned and challenged myself. I felt I was losing hope in life, deep down I knew that I am strong and can make it again in life.
Life sometimes hits you harder so that we can learn its valuable lessons. Lessons we cannot find in educational institutions. Internal debates continued, until I realised that I needed to shift my mindset and change my focus. I had to re-focus on my dreams and goals that meant a lot to me. Problems and whatever that troubled me at that time never meant a lot any longer, but my dreams were now much more IMPORTANT than 'so called' stressors. Going back to the drawing board meant, writing my life plan and writing my business goals.
I wrote my action plan, for business and personal. One of the most important aspect in action plan (life and business) was to start socialising with people who will help me achieve my goals. I started swimming in a sea full of sharks with sharper teeth. I stopped being a shark in a small pond. I was now a small fish in a sea, no longer a shark in a small pond. I rubbed shoulders (still do) with successful people and those who never accepted defeat in life. I hanged around with those who see failure as another lesson in life and not as a weapon of 'mass destruction'. My mindset slowly but surely changed. My confidence level went high one day at a time. I started seeing light in myself and started to smile again.
My library of motivational books had collected dust, I removed the dust and read them one by one. I listened to motivational CD's and DVD's day in and out. I inspired myself further and further. I joined Toastmasters International, to develop and hone my speaking abilities. I met young and confident speakers whose eyes were sparkling stars when they make presentations.
My network was growing daily and it was becoming full of very influential people, socially and business wise. At toastmasters I learned how to speak and address people professionally. I became more aware of myself when I speak, my confidence level rose again. I made speeches in my club, I visited other clubs in other areas. In my mind I knew that I needed to build and reinforce my network. Visiting other clubs meant more and more influential people in my circle.
The less influential and forever complaining started drifting away slowly in my life, as my
topics were now different.Now that I believed in myself more, and was fighting for my goals. I attracted like minded people in my life, sharks with sharper teeth in the sea (business world) started inviting me in their groups. They no longer intimidated me, even though I felt so small amongst them. I observed how they did things and duplicated them. I read books and newspapers that they read. i hanged out where they hanged out. I met their friends and friends' friends.
It is true that success from those who succeeded in life with rub on you if you hang around them. If you hang around those who complain two things will happen (1) You will end up complaining instead of appreciating life and being a goal getter; (2) You will loose a lot of energy trying to show them the positive side of life. Move away from such people, you don't need them. Some of these negative people are our friends, relatives, colleagues and the one we love. Where would you find successful people....? Attend business expos, seminars, workshops, social networking forums. It is crucial to have positive thinkers in life and not those who will discourage you. Better be alone than be with the complainers.
One of my goals in life is to be an internationally acclaimed motivational speaker, using my life as a case study. I have seen a lot, I know the joys of being self made rich and the sorrows of being self-made poor. I choose to be rich and be more successful in all my endevours in life. I am still building my list of influential people and I literally deleted those who never made a difference in m,y life and yet they expected me to make a difference in their lives. Say no to win-lose friendship, say yes to WIN-WIN. Be brutal about it.
I am now a Vice President (Public Relations) for local Toastmasters International Club, bought a car and don't owe it a cent, got a Diploma in Project Management, and now going for advanced level course in Project Management. I am now involved in community development projects, we doing musical festivals to promote musical bands who are not known and yet they are better than known ones. I no longer stay with relatives, I have my own place in Mogale City. I am happy. Be aware whom you befriend.
I still run a printing business, Tau and Associates, we print banners, flyers, posters, t-shirts, lanyards and also have mobile billboards for rentals to advertising agencies and small businesses
What's your story...?
To your success,
Baleseng 'Basi' Tau
Visionary Entrepreneur
