A case study from The Safety Chic on How to crush your 2019 goals
It’s a new year and you’ve set those amazing goals that will propel you to your next level. How do you go from being a novice to getting international recognition? How do you go from your current great level to the higher rung on the ladder of success? I would be sharing with you a few tips that worked for me while building “The Safety Chic” brand from zero to almost a hundred. I am not at my destination yet but I am a good distance from where I started. Even though I’m still a work in progress, I believe you can pick a thing or two from my experience. In my opinion, there are 5 major things that you’d need to consider to ensure you go from zero to influence or from the level you’re on currently to the next. [bctt tweet=”How do you go from your current great level to the higher rung on the ladder of success? Learn from – @TheSafetyChic ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Preparation What do you have in your hands right now? Do you have some training or certifications in a certain area? Do you have work experience either paid or unpaid? How about requisite soft skills and good behavior? What life experience do you have which has charted you on a certain path? These things are tools available to you that if used correctly will prepare you for your next level. As someone with a communications background, I later got interested in the Safety profession but had to ensure I was qualified by getting the right certifications and gaining work experience through volunteer work. While working for free, I put my best foot forward with good behavior and that led to my bosses recommending me for jobs that paid and took me out of state. Based on your set goals, what do you think you can begin to do NOW to prepare you? It’s never late to start Grit and Consistency When the going gets tough, the tough get going. As motherland moguls, you need to decide upfront that you’d have staying power no matter the disappointment or challenge you face. What would you do when friends disappoint you or when no client shows up? What will you do when no one is reading your blog, watching your videos or listening to your podcast? Would you still continue? There was a time it felt like no one was seeing all the work I was putting in. There were times friends I asked to give me a shout out on social media did not do it. [bctt tweet=”At a time, I had no customer. I had to keep doing my bit because I knew this was just a phase that would pass – @TheSafetyChic ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] When you stay consistent, even though your audience is unresponsive, you’d have what we call a top of mind awareness and when something comes up in your niche, you would be the first person remembered. There were many times safety situations came up in the country and everyone would be seeking my opinion on social media. This made me appreciate my consistency. More importantly, I honestly assessed what I was doing and decided to seek help in areas where I needed it to ensure I achieved my goals. Seek knowledge He that knows not and knows not that he knows not is a foolish man. If you know you do not know something, seek knowledge centers. There are many ways to acquire knowledge in today’s world. Besides Google, there are thought leaders in almost all subject matters. Read and listen to what they say, pick up what is relevant to you. Do courses online and in-person. Find mentors and coaches. There are a lot of mentors you can learn from by watching them, they do not need to be in your DM for you to get it. I learn a lot from reading Strive Masiyiwa’s posts on Facebook but he does not know I exist yet. When my business needed redefinition in 2016, I took Steve Harris’s Mastering the Business of your Talent Course. That exposed me to the path to tow, increased the number of quality people in my network and he linked me to my current Coach Rotimi Eyitayo who works in the Education space. [bctt tweet=”Prepare yourself for success by doing courses online and in-person. Find mentors and coaches. – @TheSafetyChic ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] This placed me on the right trajectory because I needed to break into the education space. I’m also very selective of the people I listen to on social media and the groups I join. There is a great Facebook group with so much knowledge being shared regularly that has helped me tremendously. It’s called Headstart Africa. This is a good way to get informed. Look around you, how do you plan to acquire knowledge for your desired goal? Remember, you can get this formally and informally. Execute the tasks Whatever thy hands find to do, do with all diligence. There are so many coaches, mentors and courses can do for you. If you do not execute, you will not move an inch. Put your learnings to work. Create products, organize events, write blog articles, shoot videos, record podcasts, write a book, collaborate with others etc. Basically, step out in faith and do what you need to do. Do not lose focus because of what people are saying. You must also be your own PR agency. [bctt tweet=”It is important you have a digital trail so that when a search is done, you and your work will pop up. – @TheSafetyChic” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] As you execute, talk about your work and document digitally on your social media for a start. As you go, you’d eventually get mentions in blogs and other media. It is important you have a digital trail so that when a search is done, you and your work will pop up. This is really important most especially if you want your work
Takeaways from Sheryl Sandberg’s Book – Lean In
Lean in is a book I’ve always wanted to read from the first day I saw it. The three words at the cover caught my attention – Women, Work, and Leadership. These three words have unique interconnectivity that I just could not resist. I’ve been looking forward to reading this book and I gripped it from the moment I found it on the shelf. Sheryl Sandberg is the Chief Operating Officer for Facebook where she has worked in since 2008. She has also worked with Google and lots of major brands. She began her career as a staff at the US Treasury Secretary, Larry Summers, since then she has climbed the corporate ladder and is now the only female at the board of directors for Facebook. Her book –Lean In encourages women to be more assertive in the workplaces, stock filled with her experiences on motherhood, leadership, and career. Lean in is a book I encourage every Motherland Mogul to read. Here are some few tips I picked from chapter 1 alone. I hope it wills you to pick up on this book from the shelf. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WEREN’T AFRAID? Statistics show that: At the top fifty colleges, less than a third of Student Government Presidents are women Profession ambition is expected of men but is optional, or worse, sometimes even a negative-for women “And for all the progress, there is still societal pressure for women to keep an eye on marriage from a young age,” She wrote in her book. Sheryl shares the story of her first marriage. She married early expecting that it would secure a happy life for her. “In my head, 24 is the perfect age to get married, I think it’s time I do some rethinking”. She said. [bctt tweet=”For all the pressure to be successful, I felt a higher pressure to get married early – @sherylsandberg” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] “Many women still see ambition as a dirty word,” she says That’s true. Just the other day I told my friend that my sister was very ambitious like it is a bad word. She works with a large editing firm and when I tell people that, they go “hey that’s cool, she should think of getting married’. They honestly do not expect more from her. She has proved her point, she has worked hard, now it’s time to get married. “Leadership roles are not the only way to have a profound impact.” – Sheryl Sandberg Hellen Keller says “Power is being able to make a decision in the thing that matter to you” sometimes being a CEO may not be the thing that matter most to people. Sheryl closes the chapter saying – “Writing this book is what I would do if I weren’t afraid” Now you, what would you do if you weren’t afraid? Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
How to Achieve your 2019 year resolutions
Happy New Year Motherland Moguls. Let’s jump right into the year, shall we? More than half of all year resolutions fail, but this year, they don’t have to be yours. Many people find it difficult to maintain and accomplish their resolutions. Here is a list of things you can do to help make sure you accomplish the goals you set for the New year, create a plan on how to reach it, and become part of the small group of people that successfully achieve their goal. Believe in yourself Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings.”- Samuel Johnson. Your values in life determine your beliefs, about yourself and the world around you. When you believe in yourself and chose to be a good person you will find yourself to be more positive and successful in life. Believing in yourself is the first step to success whether it means your life, your career, or simply your confidence, and in that lies your power. Say it again and again The more you say it, the more you believe it. The more you believe it, the truer it will become as you strengthen yourself and your confidence! The beginning of a new year is a good time to make a resolution to change your behavior in some way because you know millions of people are doing the same thing. So you get positive reinforcement when family members, friends, and coworkers talk about making and trying to stick with resolutions. You feel like you’re part of a worldwide self-improvement movement – and you are! Be Accountable People make better choices and perform at a higher level when they know they are being watched by others. The reasoning is simple when you are held accountable for your actions, you will work harder. Share your goals with people around you. It’s important to have another person ask you about your progress. When there is someone else other than yourself holding you accountable, you are more likely to get your tasks completed Track your progress What separates a person from achieving their goals and not achieving their goals is staying focused and being persistent in following through. There are many different ways to track your progress toward your goals. Look at the big picture Why do you wanna accomplish this certain thing? What is the purpose? Think about these things and answer these questions with the end result in mind. Take the time to reflect upon your goals and imagine what the big picture looks like. motivation. Plan and Organize Everyone has dreams and goals, but without planning and organizing what you need to do, you’ll get nowhere Celebrate Celebrating your wins not only feels great physically, but it reinforces the positive attitude and behavior you want to show up when you face a new challenge or opportunity. [bctt tweet=”Believing in yourself is the first step to success whether it means your life, your career – Makalela Kgotlelelo ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
SLAYing your productivity from the inside out
In a world flooded with so much negativity here, it’s high time we realized that in order for us not to become like lost balls in the high weeds, we have to maintain certain personal standards and values to keep afloat. Yes! It is true that teamwork will always create room for a deeper level of productivity. But most times, we tend to forget that there is no great team without great individuals within. And the level of productivity of any team will be determined by the level of value within each team member. All these bring us back to the importance of building ourselves as individuals, whether in our business, our career or even our personal lives. Following the guidelines below, from John C. Maxwell in his book ‘The 360° Leader’, we can be able to determine where we belong in this pursuit for productivity. “These seem to be the two main paths for people to get ahead in an organization”. People who rely on production… Depend on how they grow Focus on what they do Become better than they appear Provide Substance Do what’s necessary Work to control their own destiny Grow into the next level Base decisions on principles People who rely on politics… Depend on who they know Focus on what they say Appear better than they are Take shortcuts Do what’s popular Let others control their destiny Hope to be given the next level Base decisions on opinions The big question now is, having looked inside out, where do you think you belong?The Rush! No doubt the year is sprinting to an end, the clock is ticking endlessly, yet, many personal and corporate goals lie unachieved. At this point, there seem to be many pointless reasons not to double our hard work, and see to it that no stone is left unturned, but really?? Do you really think productivity is about those who sweat the most? “It is not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?”. – Henry David Thoreau Take a deep breath! The breath here goes beyond taking out Carbon dioxide and taking in Oxygen. It’s more about taking deep reflections on not just what we are yet to achieve these past eleven months, but most importantly who we have been, who we have become. This is the beginning of our ‘inside out journey’. The Inside Out Journey This will help us restructure our lives in all ramifications. Taking a deep breath will give us a cue to the direction of our paths the past eleven months. It will help us see the loopholes within which may include laxity in a particular area or even too much concentration in another. This journey will help us balance our lives. No one is saying this is the time to start setting new goals and objectives. (although that wouldn’t be a bad idea, at all). However, what is paramount here is that, we already have targets and set goals that are yet to be actualized. The inside-out journey… Give us a sense of focus and direction Help us set our priorities right. Yes! It may be called a journey, but its unbelievably right and quick too! This journey to productivity is quite different from the others we mat have been through these past months; chasing success and leaving behind every other aspect of our lives, forgetting that even exhaustion reduces the quality of our productivity. Therefore, this is not the time to keep running in the usual circles. The only circle we should run within at this point is inside of us. [bctt tweet=”Productivity should not just be something we strive to go through but rather, it should flow through us – Eden Benibo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] That’s the true success! Like Lisa Nicholas rightly advised “make sure you measure success by the right barometer. Success is a holistic experience. It’s not partial. It’s not compartmental. It’s an entire experience.” So! Focus on the real deal at this point. Grow into your next level, do not hop into it and watch ‘you glow before your own eyes’! Slay on!! Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
YETUNDE TAIWO-SHORTERS: 7 POWERFUL WAYS TO LEVEL UP YOUR PERSONAL BRAND IN 2019
It’s Yetunde Shorters here, chiming in sharing with you, as we plan for the New Year, seven powerful ways to level up your personal brand in 2019. This year flew by so quickly that we couldn’t even catch a breath, but it’s never too late. You can start now and start today, and let’s plan for manifestations in 2019. Below are my suggestions of 7 powerful ways to level up your purposeful personal brand in 2019. PLAN AHEAD Planning means take the time one of these days before the year is over and sit down and plan for the things you want for your brand or your business. Plan what your social media would look like, what each quarter would look like, and what products you’re going to launch. Write it out. You have plenty of time to do that this year so that you can be prepared and schedule things for next year. That way, you save yourself some time. [bctt tweet=”You can start now and start today, and let’s plan for manifestations in 2019 – @Yetunde .” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] MANAGE YOUR TIME Manage your time like a boss. We all have 24 hours in the day. If you’re a solopreneur or you have a small team, you have 24 hours a day. You have a lot to do. What that means is you need to be conscientious of how you spend your time. What are you doing with your mornings? Do you find yourself on Facebook or Instagram immediately? STOP IT!!! The first 90 minutes set the tone. Be intentional about those 90 minutes. CONNECT, BETTER That means online and offline. Sometimes we get caught up in posting, and we forget that we have to engage other people, so dedicate 20 to 30 minutes of your time per week and go back to the people that follow and engage on their pages. Like the comments, like their pictures, read stuff, and leave your thoughtful feedback. Also, do this in live events. That means go out more, look for networking or marketing events that you can be a part of. MAP OUT YOUR SYSTEMS If you are going to be doing events, a photo shoot or consulting with clients, write out what that looks like. For example, when a client inboxes you, what is your response? Or when a client responds to you. What do you reply to that? Write it out step-by-step. Having automated content helps in a way that when anything happens, you’re literally just cutting and pasting again saving you time. Or you can use e-services to create an auto send out. DOCUMENT IT This is one of the things that were actually in the recent book I had with the Better Business book. I shared the 10 things I’ve learned from my 10 years in business. If I knew then, I would have documented any good thing that happened in my business. When you’re going to do a review of the year or an analysis to a client, you can go back and have documentation. [bctt tweet=”Documenting things is a great way to track your progress – @yetunde” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] So, at the end of the year, if you have to do a year in review, you have all your ducks in a row. You have content for your portfolio. You have content for testimonials. It’s a great way to track your progress. TRACK AND ANALYZE This often depends on how engaged you are on social media or your newsletter or in person, to see what’s working. Test it out and then come back and take off the things that are not working. Tracking and analyzing helps you see that your efforts are being put to good use. That way, you will get into the quality of what works for your brand, and so you just rinse and repeat and use the things that work over and over again. AUTOMATE YOUR PROCESSES Create your automation systems. What does it look like when someone signs up for your newsletter or signs up for talking to you, what is that process? If there’s anything you can automate, which means use a mailing service where something is automatically sent to them without you, your business can function without you; you automatically automate all the stuff that you want your customers or potential clients to know. Again, you have a plan ahead, manage your time like a boss, map out your systems, connect better and more, document the milestones, track and analyze often, automate, engage, and convert. These 7 steps are what you need to level up for your brand in 2019. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
5 Must Watch solid TED Talks on Self-Love
Self-love is an essential component to have in our lives yet, embracing and understanding what it entails can be complicated and difficult. There are numerous ways in which we can hinder ourselves from self-love. We can judge ourselves, demean ourselves or get caught in the comparisons trap. In the TED Talks below, the speakers elaborate on how to deviate from self-loathing and embrace self-love. The speakers discuss why self-love matters. They share their experiences and provide tips on what we need to do in order to look and see ourselves the way we deserve, with value, worth and with our unique beauty. [bctt tweet=”Caira Lee’s TED Talk on “I Search 4 It Blinded” calls us to make ourselves our first priority, accept, and be kind to ourselves – @isireflectdaily ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 1. Caira Lee I Search 4 It Blinded: The power of self-love and self-esteem Caira, the National Award Winning slam poet speaks about what she calls radical self-love. She discusses how we can look at ourselves with more love by embracing “our thing”/what we care about, being mindful of how we speak to others and also, ensuring to give self-love to others. Watch here: 2. Ashley Graham Plus Size: More like my Size In this TED Talk, model and body activist Ashley Graham shares her experiences in her career, starting out as a model that did not fit into the traditional ideal standards of what a model should like. Ashley believes there is no one perfect body and she affirms that beauty is beyond size. Watch here: [bctt tweet=”You are bold, you are brilliant, and you can beautiful! There is no woman like you – @ashleygraham. Watch her Ted Talk on Self Love.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 3. Adia Gooden Cultivating Unconditional Self- Worth Adia Gooden is a licensed clinical psychologist. In this TED Talk, she admits her insecurities growing up and her feelings of inadequacy. Initially, she tried to cover it up with striving for perfection, busyness and a relationship, but that didn’t solve the problem. Adia discusses how therapy and working on herself has helped her to develop a good sense of self-worth. In this Ted Talk, one of her tips for self-worth is the need to forgive yourself. It’s important to reflect, acknowledge the pain and what you learned from a situation in order to move forward. Adia speaks about letting go of how you think you should look and be. Rather, she says, you should embrace the quirks of how you are. Watch here: [bctt tweet=”Embrace the quirks of how you are – @DrAdiaShani” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 4. Cheyenne Cochrane A Celebration of Natural Hair Cheyenne Cochrane is an advocate in the movement for women to embrace their natural hair. In her TED talk, Cheyenne talks about some of the stigma preventing women from embracing their natural hair such as covering it up because of professional aspirations. She discusses why embracing natural hair is more than a hairstyle but a part of self-love, individuality, and empowerment. Watch here: 5. Brene Brown The Power of Vulnerability Brene Brown is a researcher and storyteller. She studies human connection — our ability to empathize, belong and love. In this TED Talk, Brene discusses what she has come to learn about people who have a genuine sense of worthiness, love, and belonging. She shares that the sense of worthiness comes when we have the courage to be imperfect, the compassion to be kind to others, and to connect as a result of embracing vulnerability. Watch here: [bctt tweet=”You can’t selectively numb emotions because, you then numb the other things..the joy, gratitude and happiness -@BreneBrown” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
HOW TO OVERCOME THE STRUGGLE OF BEING MULTI-PASSIONATE
Are you that person who does many different unrelated things and you are criticized for not being focused on one? Do you feel lost when people you know have a particular thing they are pursuing, while you juggle different hats without a possibility of finding a job title that contains all your passions? You are multi-passionate. It is alright to change your mind every now and then. Don’t beat yourself up for going in different directions; be open to trying new things. If you embrace it, you will find new systems to help you do all things you are interested in, while remaining focused and productive. A multi-passionate individual is a person who has various passions and often finds answering the question, “what do you want to become in the future (or when you grow up)” difficult as they feel they have to settle down to one thing only. Such an individual is also known as a renaissance person, multi-potentiality, polymath, or scanner. In today’s business environment, Steve Jobs, Tim Ferris, and Richard Branson are good examples of multi-passionate people. Other historical examples include Maya Angelou, Aristotle, and Sir Isaac Newton among others. Wondering how to be okay with being multi-passionate? Here are the steps to take: 1. Accept who, and where you are As with some many other things in life, you have to accept who you are, then devise a strategy or strategies that will help you through the journey. Speaking about his own journey of finding self, Nick Maccarone observed that by not limiting himself or attempting to dupe his heart into some “conventional path it knew better than to follow” he allowed himself to “take a little bit from each experience and lean into the intricacies of my being”. “I am not defined by one thing or by anything,” He wrote on Medium. “I follow where my heart and curiosity beg me to consider. I pursue each path as wholly as I can while not exhausting the possibility of doing the same for another.” he continued. [bctt tweet=”Clarity comes from engagement, not thought. – @marieforleo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 2. Keep a record of all your ideas Often, an idea will pop in your mind and sometimes it feels like the calling that you have been waiting for. However, it changes and you are back to the drawing board. Without a doubt, it will be difficult to be knee-deep in one project for too long. As such, keep a record of all interests and ideas that come up. In addition to writing, reviewing the ideas is also important. Assign yourself time to go through the ideas to track what you have tried, and what you will try in the future. Keep a small book with you to write random thoughts. Establish a day in a week or month when you can sit down to review them. Stephanie Medford an artist, designer, writer, and traveler notes that she keeps a ‘for later’ list of books she wants to read in the future. “On the rare occasion when I have nothing to read, I turn to that list,” she adds in her article called ‘the joys of being multi-passionate’. [bctt tweet=”The best way to go about unveiling your ideas is by acting on them. Pick something on the list, anything- and jump right into it.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 3. Act on decisions, don’t just think about them When uncertain about an idea, don’t wait until when the choices seem clearer in your mind.”Clarity comes from engagement, not thought,” says Marie Forleo, an entrepreneur, writer, and philanthropist. The best way to go about unveiling your ideas is by acting on them. Pick something on the list, anything- and jump right into it. It is by doing that you discover if the idea is something you want to put your energy into or move to the next thing. All in all, you don’t have to feel bad for not having one specific passion that you follow. Franchesca Ramsey, an artist, comedian, activist, TV and YouTube personality and actress advises other renaissance people to keep a calendar. Additionally, she tries to stick to the schedule and also keeps a personal day to explore things that she was not able to do during that week or work on personal projects. “My team knows that if it is on the calendar, that’s the time that is blocked off.” “You kinda have to set those boundaries for yourself,” she adds. Below is a link to the 31-minute interview Ms. Franchesca did a while back to help you get started and re-discover yourself as a multi-passionate individual. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
The Deep Rations of a Mental War: How It Affects You and Your Career
[bctt tweet=”Triggers are not always pulled, some are attended to by planting seeds where the soil has no intention to grow or build – @go_itse.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] As a content creator or simply a writer, you would think that the only thing that one has to deal with is pen and paper. The conception of an idea and putting it to paper, and then once you’re done, it defines you. However, we tend to forget that our career or business is a journey. If at any point you find yourself thinking of quitting, changing the name/industry of your business or switching careers and starting afresh, remember these points coined from The Art of War. Discovering The author of The Art of War, Sun Tzu, would say, “ Earth comprises distances, great and small; danger and security, open ground and narrow passes, the chances of life and death.” Mental health, depression as most would relate to, takes us to the depths of fighting between small and great distances, vis-à-vis, that we would want to take ourselves to, especially with our business and career goals, with the same breath try to balance it all with the personal ones. And what I’ve learned and still I’m still learning is that it brings great danger than security. Allowing narrow passes over open grounds, bringing about confusion and a high risk of certain aspects of your career lying dormant. In Point 21 of Laying Plans, Tzu explains, “If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him.” In as much as we take the detriment of mental health as sickness, it is more psychological as it is. The more we allow the elements to grow greater than our will to succeed, the more we are aligned to derail. To evade is an individual mystery, which is aligned as to how we got there in the first place. As we go through this state in a unique way that in some cases, no mantras can maintain let alone anti-depressants. It is more like trying to evade the police in Need For Speed Most Wanted. Wherein this matter, we are trying to evade the state of being “less wanted” by the essence of life and you’re either marching, running or sinking in the art of war with your mind. [bctt tweet=”The best thing about knowing and acknowledging the state of our own mental health is through self-mastery – @Go_Itse ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Uncovering “When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men’s weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be damped. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength. On the other hand, the proximity of an army causes prices to go up; and high prices cause the people’s substance to be drained away.” – Waging War, The Art of War. Defining what we go through as a mental illness whereas it’s a result of unattended life aspects that stack up, cause friction and then the heat goes to the head. That’s when we start to wonder why life sucks and then the idea of being stuck sucks life away from that which we love. From managing people, careers to a detrimental state of not being able to manage the major key to all, ourselves. A high price to pay that I learned by the means of losing a job, as you couldn’t talk to anyone. You see yourself as the go-to person and the happy-go-lucky person with a great beautiful smile. Failing to deliver on time and lack of communication were the failures derived from this state. [bctt tweet=”We define what we go through as a mental illness whereas it’s a result of unattended life aspects that stack up, cause friction and then the heat goes to the head – @go_itse” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Recovery ”If equally matched, we can offer battle, if slightly inferior in numbers, we can avoid the enemy, if quite an equal in every way, we can flee from him” – Attack by Stratagem, The Art of War. Triggers are not always pulled, some are attended to by planting seeds where the soil has no intention to grow or build. The energy it takes for an attack or a relapse to occur, (as some deal with it well enough to know the triggers and some don’t), requires one to have an equal or greater strength as the infirmity. Be it consistency in therapy (talking, writing etc.), yoga, meditation or exercising. Trying to avoid such a state can be easy at an early stage by doing the most with therapy and other forms of it, from someone who discovered at a very early age. Mastery ”One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.” – Tactical Disposition, The Art of War. We may read all the self-help books to gain knowledge on how to break through an anxiety/depression state. But the will of the author of the book and of another individual may not correspond. The best thing about knowing and acknowledging the state of our own mental health is through self-mastery. From that point of perspective and execution will we be able to master other things, even when there are triggers. Then we can become effective motherland moguls and not be faint-hearted. 5 Take Home Points from The Art of War on Mental Health “Energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow. A decision, to the releasing of a trigger.” – Energy “Thus one who is skillful at keeping the enemy on the move maintains deceitful appearances, according to which the enemy will act. He sacrifices something that the enemy may snatch at it.” – Energy “By discovering the enemy’s dispositions and remaining invisible ourselves, we can keep our forces concentrated, while the enemy must be divided.” – The Weak Point and Strong ”So in war, the way to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.” –
Marilyn Oma Anona: I’m more than “just a TV girl”
Marilyn Oma Anona was a student of the sciences who studied to become a doctor. But her passion and drive for the field of media and communications motivated her to later switch paths. You can say she’s made the right decision as she’s building a media empire as a TV Talk Show host, public speaker, and an award-winning multimedia and social entrepreneur. In addition to her media pursuits, she’s also a humanitarian as she runs a foundation – THE RIGHT STAGE, which seeks to help the less-privileged youths, children and women in our society. Her compassion and dedication also extends to the area of mental health awareness as she leads the initiative for the Suicide, Anxiety and Depression Campaign (S.A.D.) In this interview, we discuss her start in media, her vision, and goals. Marilyn also highlights the challenges she overcame, the impact she has made and the legacy she intends to leave on others. What media outlet gave you your first big break and what did that beginning process teach you? I can’t boast of having any big break yet but I am a fan of appreciating every step of the journey. For starters, I studied medical sciences. Switching from that field to media in a society that is mainly about paper qualification was significant. I heard things such as “but you did not study mass communication or anything media related.” Regardless, I know I am both multi-talented and versatile. Therefore, I was not suppressed by any of that. I’m always eager to showcase my gifts. I’m always eager to show all that I have to offer. I had my first big exposure with MYTV AFRICA. I also received a slot to be a presenter on a show produced by “Media Option” which was aired on NTA. Through those opportunities, I was also able to speak at several important events. I was most often the youngest speaker at such events. I also reported for “Dailies” and I was a contributor to some papers. The experiences helped me to be tenacious, as well as gain a lot of confidence. I heard people say things such as “that’s another Oprah in the making”. [bctt tweet=”I know what I am called to do and I face it squarely – @Omalivingshow_” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What has enabled you to build your successful career and brand? The knack for excellence, to make an impact, and to make the society more beautiful than I met it with my gifts. I stay true to my calling. I know what I am called to do and I face it squarely. That is my niche. My wow factor and my uniqueness. Staying authentic has made me and my brand distinct. As a TV talk show/event host, public speaker, multimedia and social entrepreneur, how would you advise people coming into this field after you? For those aspiring to venture into the field of media, please sit and have a thorough reflection. Don’t only delve in because you perceive glamour. Please be very sure that you are passionate about what you want to dabble into. Make sure to have someone in this sector as a mentor or friend in order to learn from them. Multimedia entrepreneurship is tasking but with tenacity, passion, and consistency, it will pay off in the end. What should aspiring female media influencers be most aware off when it comes to the world of media? The media is for highly intelligent and flexible women. Media is a tasking aspect in terms of a career. We also need to know that we play a big role in society. The world is built and moved through information and content, therefore, female media influencers need to be mindful of what they put out. This way, we are seen as tools for positively transforming the society. What challenges did you encounter when you first started producing your TV show – Omaliving, and how did you rectify it? The major issue I had was that I did not know much about production. That experience later turned me into a production guru. I am better now. I have gained more knowledge. Fewer people are consuming traditional media (TV, Newspapers…)these days. Is this a positive change for you? How do you see the field of media continue to evolve and your role in it? We are in the digital world now and personally, I hardly do TV. I am mostly on social media or YouTube. That’s why I am not in a hurry to get OMA LIVING SHOW back on the conventional TV. Though it is capital intensive to build up a highly visible online TV, it’s part of the process. Social media is helpful because you get visibility quickly if you know your onions. However, my brand is mainly focused on young people and they are mainly on the New Media. I believe in innovation and my brand will continue to move with what may be the latest trend. It is media and if you want to succeed, you can’t be laid back or stuck in the past. What legacy do you want to leave as you pursue multimedia and social entrepreneurship? I will be remembered as OMA, the one who fought for many causes and tried her best to inculcate positive values and give entrepreneurs and humans hope. Currently, I have many goals on the multimedia aspect. I envision feature films, an institute for grooming the best, as well as getting the best multimedia contents across the world. Also, I intend to have a proper therapy center for the Suicide, Anxiety and Depression Campaign (S.A.D) campaign which I am leading. Who are some women that inspire you in media? My inspiration comes from within. There are many women I like and admire but my inspiration is from my soul and divinity. Something in the universe just pushes me to align with my purpose. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Entrepreneurs…Take care of your mental health: Here’s why
I remember the first time I met him at a friend’s house. He was incredibly smart, charismatic and passionate—all the things I believed it took to own a successful business. As the night when on, I realized my original assumption was correct. I pulled out my phone and did a quick search of the guy that had caught my interest—not in a romantic way, but in an intriguing “I’m fascinated by you” kind of way. He was the real deal. According to his digital footprint, he’d been in local and national media, he had thousands of followers on social media, and his business was a real business—systems, staff, and everything. I was impressed. Wary of coming across as odd, or romantically interested, I resolved to secretly follow his business ventures from that day on. Imagine my shock, when, only a year after our meeting, I came across a press release that he was going out of business. I read the contents of the press release, and I was dumbfounded. It went into great detail about his frustration with the lack of support, the personal financial difficulties he’d had to endure, the debt he went into for the sake to maintain his business, and the toll all of it had taken on his mental health. He was tired, and he was closing shop and taking some time for himself. At 32 years old, he was moving back in with his parents and going to figure out his next move. There, in an open letter for the world to read, he bravely committed to doing what many entrepreneurs are never taught to do—take care of self first. [bctt tweet=”Self-management is one of the most critical skills for successful entrepreneurship. It’s something that no school or book can teach you completely- @andrena_sawyer” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The truth is, it is incumbent on you, as an entrepreneur, to get a hold of your emotions, triggers, and mental health, because, at the end, the stresses of entrepreneurship and seeming failure has led some to suicide and on the lesser end, it may lead some to avoidable (and unavoidable) depressive breakdowns. Whether it’s due to the notorious end of the year burnout, or the hustle and bustle of peak seasons. The bottom line is that you sometimes get to a point where you realize that you simply cannot continue to fake it until you make it. In those moments, it is not your business acumen, the number of followers you have, or even your five-star ratings that will save you. Salvation becomes dependent on two things: your ability to separate self from your work, and how well you’ve developed your self-management skills, which are just as instrumental to your success as any other part of your entrepreneurship journey. During the holiday season, the temptation is always to reflect on the successes and failures of our businesses, adjust and get right back to work for a successful new year. I hope that every entrepreneur adjusts that process slightly and prioritize self-management. Doing so just might save you and your business. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.