Habits of successful people

It was on the strength of that theme that I attended a recent World of Inspiration event in Kampala. My kind of successful man has always been one with the ability to buy his own wedding suit (you would be surprised how many men beg to buy or borrow suits to wed in!) But by the time chief guest Patrick Bitature (of Simba Telecom and Uganda Investments Authority) concluded his presentation, my definition of success had changed.

World of Inspiration MD, Robert Bake interviewing author Doreen Baingana at the monthly Authors' Forum.  Bake is lauded as the number one baker of inspiration in Uganda.

Remember the research study that revealed Kenyans to be about three times more hardworking that Ugandans? Apparently, we are a bunch of lazy bums that spend days fidgeting with mobile phones hoping to bag big in the Sukuma promotion and live like young rajahs forever after!

Others look at university education as a straight line from poverty to riches. These often are the intellectual cream that join the corporate world instead of going straight into business. But as Mr Bitature said, "You can never earn as much when you work for someone else." It's after they are beset by poor pay and too much work that they consider business.

Though commendable, the journey to success is strewn with thorns. You need a firm grasp of yourself to go on. You are your biggest enemy if you do not work smart because working hard is not good enough. Being lucky isn't, either. All ingredients are essential: a solid plan, life skills, a competitive streak, time management, a grasp of the dynamics of the market, smart and trustworthy partners, military discipline, prayer, stamina and the confidence that you were created to excel.

But even before all that, you must find something that gives you a high. If it does not give you that adrenaline rush, do not do it! I've been there; have done and run away from jobs that bored me to near to death even when the money was good. But oh, the joy of doing a job one loves. Nothing beats it! So if you are lucky to find one, do magic with it as Robin van Persie does with the ball, and your success will move the world.

So let us do it; let us rise up with the optimism that each one of us has what it takes to change our destiny, and we shall amaze even us by the sheer greatness of our achievement.