This past weekend I attended the #IAMANENTREPRENEUR seminar
which was held at the Bandwirth Barn, Woodstock. The seminar was about everything
entrepreneurship – what makes an entrepreneur, staying inspired, perseverance
etc. Most of all – to me – it was verification that through determination and
drive; anything is possible.
The key note address was delivered by Dr Tim Tebeila – a
South African businessman and the Chief Executive Officer of Sekoko Resources
(Pty) Limited. Dr Tebeila trained as a teacher before he founded his own
insurance and construction companies. In his address, he shared how he left
teaching and how he almost did not graduate because his marks were nowhere to
be found. Dr Tebeila grew up in a small village where they had to walk between
5 and 10km to school.
Dr Tebeila shared how he was not in good relations with his
principal – at the school he was employed as a teacher. One morning he walked
into the office finding a man signing an employment contract – post 14. Post 14
was Dr Tebeila’s position at the school. Stunned by the man signing the
contract, little did he know that; that Monday was his last day at work. He had
been kicked out by the principal – he no longer had a job. Dr Tebeila said that
had he not gone through those mishaps; and had he not had bigger dreams he wouldn’t
have been the entrepreneur he is today.
There I was listening to a wealthy man talking and could not
grip his humbleness. Why is it; that he is wealthy? He has dreams that no-one
can ever take away from him. He knows what he believes in and lives for – and
money is just a bonus.
Dr Tebeila is wealthy because he knows that it takes village
to raise a child. He is wealthy because he knows when God has blessed you with
something; you share it with others too – whether it is resources, money,
information etc. He is wealthy because he never stopped dreaming.
It got me thinking that sometimes people tend to be content
with trivial things because they do not want to leave their comfort zones. Sometimes
when you have dreams and want them to come true you sit down and assess your
situation. You think if I leave my job to pursue my career – what I was born to
do – how will I make ends meet. Because you forget that you were born for
something, you forget that the creator will lead you to it. By leading you to
it, I mean certain things in your life will become so unbearable that you have
no choice but to leave those things and focus on your calling. Dr Tebeila said
a series of events led him to making a decision.
A series of events have taken place in my life that made me
sit down and consult with God. He blessed me with the ability of executing
works, the ability to think, ability to help where I can – he made be ABLE.
Just when I decide I want to reach for my dreams – the
mishaps start happening. I have decided to leave my comfort zone and all
anticipated bad things will start happening – these are there to make one
derail. However, I still stand my ground and forward I go. All bad things will
happen, storms will come, but I will still have my dreams.
But what are your dreams without focus? Focus on how you
will achieve them. Focus on who will help you achieve them. Focus on where you
are headed. Focus on the objective.
I’m glad I went to the seminar, I came back certain that
these minor setbacks are just hurdles that I need to jump over. I was born to
be great; and to be great one actually needs to believe it before other people
see it.
One of the speakers at the seminar was Bonkke Shipalana, who
said “don’t let your success be bigger than your dreams.” So dream and dream
big – you are only as big as your dream.
Word of advice from me: don’t be content with being ordinary
when you were born to be extra-ordinary.
NB: Don't let the festive season derail you from the bigger picture – making your dreams come. :)
