Success Unlimited!

Chapter 1

Success Redefined

The main theme of this book is success. But before we embark on this journey, we need to have a working definition of success to standardize our interpretation and understanding of the word.

The glory of a seed is the hidden fruitful tree it carries on the inside. The success of the seed therefore, is the gradual transformation from the seed state into a full-grown, blossoming and fruitful tree. The word “glory” means “full weight.” The full weight of the seed is manifested when it brings forth the maximum capacity of the good it is capable of for the benefit of the world in which it is sown. I have defined success as a progressive realization of the full weight or maximum capacity of the good you are capable of. The worthy dreams of your heart are indicators of the full weight of what you are capable of. So, success is the progressive realization of the full weight of your potentials through the pursuit of a worthy dream. Based on this definition, I will like to emphasize some keywords.

Progressive: This means success is not a destination but a gradual, continuous process of realization until the full weight of goodness your soul is capable of is fully manifested to the world. It is a conscious, deliberate journey of self-discovery, self-application and self-actualization. The realization of success, therefore, is constantly evolving.

Self-discovery: The essence of life itself is the discovery of potentials and the application of these potentials through the process of growth and development.

Dreams: These are desired outcomes, goals, or future that you can see in your mind. Dreams can be expressed as aspirations or ambitions. An ambition that is focused on self can become a black hole that consumes the dreamer. Self-focused ambition never satisfies. Like a mirage, its attainment brings with it disillusionment, emptiness and inner dissatisfaction. Aspirations that focus on creating value for others are worthy of pursuit.

Visions: These are advanced variants of dreams. They are the definite and clear pictures of the contents of your dreams that refuse to go away. Dreams have potential energy, but visions have kinetic energy. A dream becomes a vision when the kinetic energy of action is infused into it. Action turns a dream into a vision. Vision is driven by the passion to create a better reality, to create value by helping others to become more or do more. Having a vision stretches you to become more in order to serve more. In becoming more, you increase your capacity to help others become more and do more. This creates inner satisfaction and fulfillment.

Covenant Dream: There is another kind of dream, though very unpopular, but in my opinion, it is the ultimate. It is called the covenant dream. This dream is exclusive to certain individuals who, having reached a level of spiritual illumination, enter into a covenant with their Creator. The covenant dream is an exclusive realm the Creator reserves for those who walk with Him. This kind of dream is only accessible to “those who made a covenant with Me [the Creator] by sacrifice” (Psalm 50:5 NKJV). Ironically, the sacrifice was made by The Creator on our behalf; we only need accept the sacrifice to enter this exclusive league. For me and my household, our personal and family dreams are derived and premised on the covenant dream.

Intentionality: Whether individual or corporate, dreams are powerful! The hallmark of great leadership is creating an enabling platform that affords its constituents the freedom to dream and create their dreams through legitimate effort. Being a human being comes with certain inalienable rights, one of which is the freedom to dream, the capacity to imagine, and the ability to think and create things by our thoughts, words, and actions. Success is never accidental or coincidental. It is the product of planned and deliberate thoughts and actions.

The human mind has the capacity to dream. And like a mirror, your persistent thought reflects your inner dream. Without any doubt, dreams do become reality. Your thought is not only a reflection of your dream but also the prediction of the future you are creating. Persistent thought of what you want is part of the process of creating that future. Likewise, persistent thought focused on what you do not want is part of the process of creating the reality of what is not desired!

Leadership: Success at any level requires leadership. The strength of any human organization, be it a simple family unit or a nation, is its ability and the capacity of its constituents to dream and actualize their dreams. The freedom to exercise this God-given ability, stretches the mind, and transforms the person. It is the growing mind that grows the organization and society. But it takes leadership to see beyond the current reality and create a desired future.

For example, the United States of America aspires to create a just and fair society where her citizens can exercise their God-given freedom to pursue happiness. This is the American Dream. But it takes more than aspiration to turn a dream into a reality. A nation is only as great as its ability to empower the least privileged to prosper. The strength of a chain is determined by its weakest link. This fact applies to many areas of life and living. A nation is only as developed as the least developed constituent of its society. A society is as healthy as its most vulnerable population. A family is as wealthy as its poorest member.

Organizations and nations driven by the consciousness of success create a system that enables and facilitates people’s ability to think, dream, and create new realities. Dreams drive people and motivate action. The picture of the coming reality makes people go the extra mile and empowers them to subdue unimaginable odds and achieve the extraordinary.