In spite of great desires and huge hunger for success that propels almost everyone, the unfortunate fact is that success is still elusive to many. In Nigeria, and by extension Africa, failure is a common phenomenon; hence the country and the continent are brimming with people whose existence and experience are synonymous with failure. Leaders fail repeatedly, so do the people they lead; infrastructure fails, organizations fail, systems fail, marriages fail and the society crumbles. This is why Africa is the poster boy of backwardness, poverty, diseases and illiteracy.
However, experts opine that success is within reach of everyone who will strive for it provided such persons are able to identify success-enabling principles and are willing to put them into practice. Many want to be successful without having a grasp of this. Such desire is akin to longing for a meal of omelet while refraining from breaking eggs; this can only be a forlorn desire whose end is frustration and exasperation.
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Connecting those who desire success with the skills and principles that will facilitate the realization of this is the theme of Ademola Adeoye’s latest book, Success Simplified. The book is a codification of success-enhancing principles.
Adeoye starts by knocking the bottom off some myths surrounding success. One of this is that success is hard to achieve or that it is the preserve of some lucky people. In the 192-page book, Adeoye puts a lie to this. Success Simplified has practically stripped success of the hard stuff and has made ‘elusive success’ accessible to as many as are willing to pay the price. That’s right; there is a price to pay. Success may not be hard but it is not cheap either. It is only obtainable by those who are willing to pay the price by toeing the line that leads to success.
Another myth that is debunked by the book is the belief in some quarters that success is bad. Some people do not strive for success because they want to avoid its ‘bad influence’. To disabuse the minds of those who have been beguiled into believing that success is evil, Adeoye says, “To become successful means to flourish, prosper and do well.” Pray, how is doing well synonymous with being evil?
One of the principles of success espoused in the book is the need for a paradigm shift from the old way of leading to the new one. Adeoye says the old way of leading is dead. The old way of leading is handing down orders and directives, the new way is allowing people to deploy their ingenuity and creativity after agreeing with them on what the vision is. Great leaders do not stand in the way of their employees’ productivity through micromanagement; instead they facilitate productivity by giving free rein to employees’ creativity. This is in tandem with the observation of Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, when he said it does not make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do. That is the new way of leading.
Adeoye also writes about the need to build solid relationships. John Maxwell puts it succinctly that one is too small to be great. That means everyone needs others to achieve purpose. However, it is not everyone that comes your way that is needed on your journey to success. To go far in life, you need to pick your companions. Travel with those who will hasten your journey, not those who will hinder it. Adeoye says, “Every individual in your life is of consequence to you. They influence you in some way or another, whether you realize it or not. You are continually being seasoned and flavoured by the individuals that surround your life. You will eventually become like those with whom you associate.”
The book also submits that service is the key to greatness. No one can experience true greatness without offering service. Service is the distinguishing factor between great leadership and mediocrity. According to the author, “Greatness is service and service is greatness. Only great people serve others. In Nigeria, many people have wrongly believed that those who are served are the great ones. No! Those who serve are the great ones. Greatness is not for selfish people.”
The book, Success Simplified, is a rich book from a rich mind. Mr Ademola Adeoye has invested valuable years in self development and self-discovery, which resulted in his success. This book is not a collection of principles others have written, it is a codification of principles that have helped the author and others. Consequently, Success Simplified is an invaluable gem that is replete with principles to make anyone wise, exceptional and successful. It is a book for those who want to make definite and definitive marks in life. It is a book to be read, internalized and lived out by everyone who aims to achieve lasting success.
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