Unleash winner within you

WITHIN every struggling person, there is a hero.

Hunt for Greatness

Milton Kamwendo

There is also a winner being unleashed.

Within every struggling organisation, there is a global business struggling to get out and be celebrated. Heroism is everywhere. It is a state of mind and quality of heart. It is a commitment to a worthy ideal, regardless of the available and enticing sidetracks.

There is a hero inside you just waiting to be awakened.

For centuries, the postage stamp has always held mystery and legend, marking special times and seasons in history. The whole world of philately lives on today despite the impact of social media and electronic mail. I also used to collect stamps, and what a wonder they were! The move to email and social media has, however, eroded the magic world of stamps and enthralling hobby of philately.

Whatever happens to the stamp, its value is in its ability to stick to an envelope until it reaches the letter’s destination. This is the metaphor of true heroism.

This is your ability to stick to your goal until you reach your desired destination. This ability to keep being grounded and have staying power is the key to greatness.

Obsession

Greatness always loves obsession.

You cannot become great in anything without being obsessed.

Skin-deep commitments never yield any heroism.

Greatness starts when you crystallise your wishes and ideas into clear goals.

You then turn the goals into an obsession. Focus burns through obstacles and limitations. Until your goal absorbs you, you will never pursue it with all that you have. Half-hearted efforts do not yield any premium.

Until there is commitment, all there is is cheap talk.

There are no half-hearted champions in any field that is worth pursuing.

To be a hero, you have to sleep your goal, wake up hugging your goal and dream your goal.

You have to see the goal all the time. Eat your goal. Talk the goal. Walk your goal. Pursue the goal.

Heroism calls for a worthy obsession. Define your mark and focus. Heroism must be an obsession you are willing to embrace and breathe all the time.

Is this some form of insanity? Yes, there is no person who would ever achieve anything worthwhile without taking some incredibly insane focused and committed action.

Lukewarm commitments do not yield any movement or achievement.

Action

It is easy to take action when it suits you and when it is comfortable to do so. This is not what makes heroes. It is engaging in what you must do that makes you a hero. Discipline is the price of greatness. Easy convenience is not heroism. True greatness is revealed when the stakes are high, fearful and threatening.

There is no greatness at bargain prices. Heroism happens when you dare take action relentlessly and when you stick on when you would rather quit.

Quitting is easy and most people do. Running to safer spaces is easy and most people do that. Giving up is easy and most people choose to do so.

The true hero is one who can take action despite the sting of opposition.

The key to greatness is action — relentless action; undying action.

Without action, there is nothing else.

Behold the mighty tortoise that makes progress when it sticks its head out of its shell. Stick your head out of your shell and you will make progress.

Persist

There will be obstacles that come your way. Persist.

There are hardships that stand in you path. Persist.

Your background will try to drag you back. Just persist.

Stick to the fight when you are hardest hit.

Calvin Coolidge was full of heroism insights when he wrote: “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On!’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

Stop looking for luck or get-great-quick schemes.

There is no silver bullet to heroism except persistence.

Certificates, impressions, history, awards, pedigree and anything else you may dare parade can never take the place of persistence and relentless action. Persist in the face of a challenge or danger.

The rewards of heroism are at the end of the line and never at the beginning.

Words

Victory is in your words. You never get to the palace talking like a slave. You never achieve heroism talking like a victim.

Greatness must first be in your mouth. How you talk determines what you become. Losers talk like losers. Winners talk like winners. Heroes talk like heroes. To change your exploits, change your dialogue and words.

For a hero, it is not what others say that is important; the words you speak to yourself and to others are the ones that matter.

As you speak, so you become. There is a vocabulary of greatness.

Heroes know that you cannot just say anything at any time because words are tools of creation. By your words, you create your victories or your defeat. By your words, you go forward or regress.

By your words, you deliver greatness or defeat. Stop speaking like a loser.

Fight

Thomas Watson Jnr, the founder of IBM, once said: “Make no little enemies — people with whom you differ for some petty, insignificant personal reason. Instead, I would urge you to cultivate ‘mighty opposites’ — people with whom you disagree on big issues, with who you will fight to the end over fundamental convictions. And that fight, I can assure you, will be good for you and your opponent.”

This is the call of heroes.

Do not engage in little petty fights that do not matter much.

There is no heroism without a worthy fight and obstacles to overcome.

It takes wisdom to choose a fight.

It takes character to fight on to win.

Many people would rather scamper than stand and fight.

Fight until you win.

Take massive action and pursue your goals until they are begging for mercy. Greatness is your portion and heroism is your lot.

A hero stays hungry for excellence, takes responsibility and uses the opportunities that arise. For a hero, the motto is: “nil satis nisi optimum” — nothing but the best.

Committed to your greatness.

◆ Milton Kamwendo is a leading international transformational and motivational speaker, author and a virtual, hybrid and in-person 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]