Embracing your success with gratitude

By Bayo Ogunmupe Embracing success is the first book of Chidi Uzoma Ekpe. First published this year, it stands on the threshold of becoming successful through an individual broadening his viewpoint by changing his perspective in order to realise his full human potential. Ekpe the author is transformational life coach, a multidimensional speaker and writer, setting the pace for a better and more prosperous Nigeria. Ekpe is a co-founder of Ignite Book Club, Abuja with Kayode Oshin. The author believes in human capital development as the bedrock for the transformation of the agrarian Nigerian nation into an industrial society. In this book, the author makes us understand that in the face of unseemly circumstances, positive outcomes exist. Thus, an experience of failure can and do ignite success for an entrepreneur. Ekpe showcases tested principles that make for self improvement and self fulfillment in life. Life transforming principles that propel success are the kickers of Embracing Success. The book has seven chapters, an introduction, a note from the author, and a dedication. "If there is one thing humans share in common, it is the desire to succeed and prosper. To achieve this one has to apply the right principles. Cutting corners and taking advantage of people in the quest to succeed, never give us the fulfillment that we yearn for," says Ekpe. Principles are usually the doorways to the breakthroughs we seek. Accordingly, the author quoted the British wartime Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill to define 'Success:"Going from failure to failure without quitting." Thus, positive action combined with positive thinking results in success. You can always attain a breakthrough through a shift in perception and mindset. Hagar and her son, Ishmael almost died of thirst in the wilderness until God opened her eyes to see the well of water nearby. This confirms the spiritual notion that success is always closer than imagined. In Embracing Success, prayer is the first principle of success. In deference to the great American author, Clement Stone, who said prayer is man's greatest power. Ekpe insists that prayer is the master key to success. Besides, prayer has varying definitions. Work is a form of prayer, that is to say action is prayer. This is exemplified by the saying: He prays the most who works hardest. It is a saying in the Roman Empire before Jesus was born. Other types of prayer relevant to our subject are prayer of faith and prayer of thanksgiving. Prayer of faith is the prayer requesting God to provide you with a need, faithfully believing that God will inevitably provide the need. Prayer of thanksgiving is a prayer of gratitude, of appreciation to the Giver. The Bible reported of how Jesus appreciated the one that came back to thank Him out of ten lepers that were healed ( Luke 17: 15-19). We must learn to be grateful because ingratitude is a blessing blocker. "He that comes to God must believe that he is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him ( Hebrews 11: 6). Planning, the subject matter of chapter Three is the powerful second principle of success. "The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision," Helen Keller. One who fails to plan automatically plans to fail. Planning is a vital step toward accomplishing anything in life. A plan is a guide directing your movements and intentions. In fact, for contingency purposes, there should be an alternative plan, a plan B, to rescue you, should the main plan fail. A plan, when executed brings about the accomplishment of a goal. Therefore, executing a goal is much more important than writing a goal down. One of the book's examples of a man utilizing the principle of planning successfully is Kayode Oshin, a well to do accounting guru and member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). Ekpe's third principle of success is preparation. And as we all know, good luck is the point where opportunity meets preparation. Thus to become lucky in life you have to prepare for it. Attached to preparation is mentorship. This about getting guidance and direction from a successful person you wish to imitate. For example, the late Prince Tony Momoh was my mentor. he was my senior colleague in both journalism and politics. Being about ten years my senior in age, I moved close to him to gain from his experience in journalism and politics. The bridge between your present position and the next position you are hoping to occupy is training. You must train yourself for the position you are seeking. You must imbibe the principle of lifelong learning. Lifelong learning is the prescription for progress in life. You should train yourself along the lines of your dream. The difference between a civilian and armed forces personnel is training. A soldier undergoes continuous in-service training to hone his skills. he also learns new and current skills to prepare himself for leadership. The fourth and last principle is practice. You practice what you have learned or you will forget them. Accompanying practice is internship. In the practice of law, there are a period of two to three years you must attach yourself to an experienced lawyer before you can practice law alone. Such a period of internship is referred to as housemanship in the practice of medicine. At such periods you merge knowledge with practice, doing so among experienced practitioners of the profession in question. However, in the pursuit of your dream, you still need focus so that you do not derail from your goal. Moreover, you need gratitude to gain favour from both man and the universe.