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LIFE is a collection of journeys and experiences. Facilitating a workshop for an international organisation in Zambia, I met a man by the name of Borrotto. He was one of the participants and of DRC origin.
Hunt for Greatness
Milton Kamwendo
He had passion in his voice and when he spoke, his face would light up. As an agricultural expert, he had worked in many places across the world, yet he remained grounded and focused.
He was committed to making changes in his village. He understood that development is not just what people did in refined conference rooms but the action that one takes to make a difference.
In one of the breakaway sessions, we talked about addressing poverty in Africa and what it would take to make a difference. Borrotto suddenly stopped, raised his hand and his eyes lit up.
He said he had a secret practice he had maintained for years. This practice, to him, was like planting a seed. Each seed you plant is a promise of a forest.
Borrotto mentioned that every time he gets an opportunity to travel, he makes it a point to save a portion of his allowance and buys a cow back in his village. Today, each of his cows speaks of the travels he has had. Each cow, to him, is a story of a journey.
He felt he had a duty to posterity, to contribute to his village in this way. So, regardless of where he goes, his village is always in his mind. Every dime he can save on any trip translates into a beast in his rural DRC village.
As I walked away from that conversation, I was enthralled and felt this is an important link to greatness — doing small but consistent things over a long time. I started calling this the “Borrotto principle”. This law can be applied to any area of your life. Greatness is not for those who wait but for those who dare to take small and consistent action.
Stop waiting and start engaging. Lao Tzu once said: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Take that single step and then another. Do not be concerned about the wind because it shall pass.
Do not be obsessed with the clouds because they shall soon clear. Stop waiting and start acting.
Crowd action and not excuses into your life. Do not wait until all your excuses have been cleared. Do not wait for mountains of resources before you launch out. Take those small Borrotto-like steps.
Keep in mind the words of Robert Collier: “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”
Start, then repeat and repeat, and greatness will start manifesting. Greatness is not a single dazzling act, but a habit that you sustain over time. Develop a plan and stick to it long enough to see it deliver results. All greatness has a gestation period.
Dream big, but be willing to start small and persist. Predict the future through your persistent and consistent action.
Do not wait for the harvest, plant the seeds. Do not wait for perfection, start and perfect as you go along.
All greatness is iterative. Take that single step, then another and another. Keep moving and do not stop.
One dinner could easily be a goat back in the village. One mega pizza could easily be several hundred shares. Where do you start? Start where you are with what you have. How do I start? You start by starting. Start with what you have. There is always something to start with, regardless of its size. Your small seed will make a difference for someone.
Do not be so immersed in the bright airport and city lights as you travel that you forget your true cradle — the village. Every time you get to earn, make a point of buying a cow, a goat, a book or a brick.
Plant a development seed in your community and see greatness spring up all around you.
You are never so poor that you cannot give or contribute in some way. It is more about your imagination and mindfulness.
Like Borrotto, take responsibility, develop the space of concern to you and reduce the vagaries of poverty.
This task cannot be abandoned to some faceless organisation. Adopt the Borrotto development challenge.
There is magic in starting. Do not be afraid to start small. Just take one step at a time, then another and keep moving forward. With consistent and diligent effort, you will eventually reach your goals. Make your goals realistic enough to keep you motivated.
Make them big enough to stretch you. Break down the big goal into small doable tasks, then, as you get that into your system, the greatness flywheel kicks into motion.
Setbacks will come but do not give up. There will be times when you want to quit. Just stay the course and keep moving. But if you keep doing, moving and going on, you will be unstoppable.
Greatness is a journey that takes time, effort and dedication. Through your consistency, you predict your greatness.
Like Borrotto, make a difference where you are and with what you have. Do not wait for mountains of resources before climbing a molehill near you. Make a difference with what you have.
Small, small always leads to big, big. Do not forget your village. It is not the amount that matters but the consistency. Be diligent and consistent.
Small steps taken consistently are better than one big jump imagined, thought about but never done.
Life is a giant textbook filled with lessons. Be alert to the lessons of life. In conversations, listen so that you can learn and do. Wisdom is everywhere.
The very person you meet tomorrow will have something to teach you. This is what I gleaned from Borrotto. Be open and receptive.
The formula for greatness is: Learn what Borrotto did, and apply it in your context with consistency, then repeat.
Committed to your greatness.
Milton Kamwendo is a leading international transformational and motivational speaker, author and accomplished workshop facilitator. He is a cutting-edge strategy, team-building and organisation development facilitator and consultant. His life purpose is to inspire and promote greatness. He can be reached at: [email protected]
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