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Start Today!

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Yesterday I was invited to come and speak at a Writers Seminar. I didn’t really know what to expect there, I only made up my mind, I was going to rely on what was on my heart to speak to them. I imagined I would see a handfull of people there, you can’t imagine the internal shock I had when I entered the venue and saw they were actually many! Wow…so many writers, where have these people been? I was given the mandate to motivate them for a few minuites. To encourage them to write. After I came in a lady was introduced from Cassava Republic, her name was Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, an impressive lady…hopefully more about her later. I was later introduced (Adeolu Akinyemi owner of the most popular blog in Nigeria – wow – thanks to you!), and i approached the stage, with 4 phrases in my head, but plenty in my heart.

I spoke about 5 things I believed these writers or writer wannabe’s needed to do. I first asked, just to check how many of them really loved to write. All hands went up, I also asked how many of them presently wrote, as you can guess, the numbers divided by two or more. Many of us know what we love, but we don’t do it. Many of us have so much potentials, yet we deny the world of the service we could render, by staying in our comfort zones. Why? Many wishes, few desires. Nobody will introduce you as the person who loves to write, they’ll introduce you as a writer, the world won’t qualify your writing skills, they’ll call you a best selling author. It’s about appeal, and believe me, you won’t know except you get it out, and get it out!

1. We are not all born equal! The first thing you must understand if you are a writer wannabe or any wannabe is that you will meet people in your life more skilled than you are, and less skilled than you are. Life is a middle game most of the time, you are ahead of some, some are ahead of you! If you read the parable of talents in the Bible, you’ll see the story of a master who gave talents (cash for business) to his servants. He gave one 5, another 2 and the last 1. Lesson, we all start from different points. Don’t let the fact that you don’t have as much as Janet hinder you! Quit looking around and comparing yourself, that’s the passtime of fools.

2. Use what you have! From the talent story, the reward was not for how much they were able to get back (ROI), but the fact that they ventured with it. Many people have writing skills and they are waiting for one publisher somewhere to publish their work, don’t wait for the perfect seasons to sow, you will never sow. Use what you have now. Get a blog, own a site, but look for an avenue to get and polish your raw diamond. Venture, risk, get criticized, take on feedback. There is no growth without groans.

3. Find your earth! A seed on a table is going to be there alone forever, a seed in a glass cup is of no use. A good story in your brain is not worth a dime, neither is a write-up that has not been read. Find your earth. Find a place to push out your seed to. A place where it would probably be riddiculed but put it out anyway! Get your seed into it’s place. Whatever it is that is your skill, get it functional. If you know how to write, get a blog today! (I can help), if you know how to speak, volounteer to compere in birthdays, if you know how to encourage or counsel people, take time out to speak with someone today, if you have the gift of care, use it (there is real need out there), whatever you have, search for your earth, look for your avenue! Don’t wait till tomorrow, start now! Some of us started with love letters (did you say what?), whatever your starting point, start!
4. Jam your backdoor! I love the seed, so don’t mind my using it again and again. Once the seed is placed in the earth, there is no retreat, no surrender – The die is cast! You need to set yourself up into a routine and get cracking. The reason we have 4th rate writers is because we have 4th rate readers. Gabbage in is gabbage out, that’s true everyday and twice on sunday! Commit! Give yourself a routine – All great writers (like me) have promised themselves to do it with routine. Some every day, some weekly, some monthly, do it, do it, do it. It won’t be easy, but you’ll be better for it! If someone has ever told you they loved what you wrote, you have the makings, polish (punish!) yourself till you shine.

5. Network! Again…meetings like the one I went for are good, it makes you know their are passionate and hungry people around. You can’t be a best selling author in your room. Mix with the right crowd, talk to people who are not giving up, network with other writers, mabye there are easier ways, maybe there are simpler ways, maybe the world has moved past where you are. The only way you’ll know is if you belong to a network of writers. You want a quick network, register at here, it’s at your right hand corner.

There are wishes, wants, needs and then desires. Wishing it won’t cut it, wanting it won’t buy it, neither does needing it -look around you there are so many people who need who don’t have. If you desire to be a writer, an achiever, a winner, a top executive, a business owner, a leader, a money magnet, a …whatever. The first step is to desire it, and what is the proof of desire again? PURSUIT! Your desire is no desire until you swing into action. Somebody say, Now! Let the word Now, be the constant word in your day today!

Adeolu Akinyemi

Adeolu Akinyemi

20 thoughts on “Start Today!”

  1. olaito
    December 1, 2006 at 2:14 pm

    You dont become an expert by wishing, you become an expert by trying and failing. This is a great truth that we must all know.

    Until you start writing, you dont gain the expertise of a writer. It is a fact that there are better ‘wordsmiths’ among us. but many dont even make attempt.

    The only way you can become accomplished writer is to start to writer. When i first started writing, my mentor actually ‘tore’ my write-up.

    What i meant was that there were so many grammatical mistakes that i began to think whether i am a university undergraduate as at the time.

    but today, the story is changing. I am still working on myself though.

    Reply
  2. Emmanuel
    December 1, 2006 at 3:54 pm

    I was actually at that seminar and I must say that you hit the nail on the head. Like u said, I too started writing whenever I feel like it but writing has become part of me now. Every time I sit down behind my system is an opportunity for me to write and to add value to my readers. So, if you do not start now, you would never be a pro. Starting is the beginning

    Reply
  3. Olanrewaju Lewis
    December 1, 2006 at 5:46 pm

    Word my dear brother, writing as well as all other ventures and human endeavours in life requires the will to break the inertia to start.

    Everyone needs to go from the will(ing) level to act(ion) state. Blogging is sure not an easy venture but the moment you start, like other businesses, networking helps the person to grow and the same way birds of same feather flock together, so will you attract people, interest and ideas that will help you and spur you grow more. The key word here is diligence and staying at it until we start dinning with kings of our area of speciality

    Reply
  4. niyi ajayi
    December 1, 2006 at 6:33 pm

    I love a quote credited to billy graham,’happiness lies not in doing what we like to do but in doing what we are supoose to do whether it is convenient or not”.Going by this,i beleive until we take whatever we are meant to do as a task that must be done and leave the wishing realm,we moght still be far from it,but if we are able to overcome the initial fears,worries,can i do it like a or b,how will people feel,then many more adeolu akinyemi,jimoh ibrahim,pat utomi will surely come up.

    Reply
  5. niyi ajayi
    December 1, 2006 at 6:47 pm

    I was about longing out ,then i remember this.The bibkle recorded it that some disciples were running to the grave of jesus to confirm igf he’s really risen,i am particular about a phrase that the other disciples outran opeter and actually got to the sepulchre before him,BUT THEY COULD NOT ENTER,peter came late and took the lead.The fact that others started before you does not mean you cant catch up with them.With all sense of humility.The fact that your competitor got to a market before you does not mean you will not have your own share of the market or even more.let’s think about this.

    Reply
  6. oluseye
    December 1, 2006 at 8:51 pm

    hi deolu, this is actually my first time visiting your site and i really wanna say thumbs up, i was at the seminar u referred to in your piece and i must confess your talk really turned a few lights on, keep up the good work my brother, who says good things can’t come out of Naija?

    Reply
  7. Gbeborun of Lagos
    December 1, 2006 at 10:35 pm

    True words! started writing years ago, and I’m glad to say that today I write on various things for various media. 1 thing I learnt this week though it that i can write tens of unrelated articles in one day without prior thinking. I bought a writing pad at Numetro on tuesday and on each page is a little quote and image. I just look at each image and quote then write a page of thought from it. its not has hard as it sounds. Also use creative blocks materials that gives spark words, phrases and scenarios to aid your write-ups.

    Reply
  8. Bayuze
    December 1, 2006 at 10:58 pm

    Action speaks louder than words. Wishful thinking does not get anyone, anywhere. Writing can be both a wonderful, easy task and at the same time an arduous one.
    Spontaneity; an open, imaginative mind; good vocabulary are some of the things that make a good writer.
    If you are interested in writing, one very important word is NOW! There is no better moment than NOW to put that pen to paper and write down ur thots. Dont let them fly by or waste away.

    Reply
  9. Benin "Mwangi"
    December 2, 2006 at 8:56 am

    Adeolu,

    Thank you for your inspirational words of advice. For me the hardest part of doing sometthing comes between the time that I realize that something must be done and the time that I actually get it done. Just finding the energy to get started or to prioritize my activities so that whatever it is that needs to get done moves above the stuff that could be categorized as distractions. But after that first step, for me the rest is a down hill battle.

    By the way you have the most user friendly site that I have ever had the privaledge of commenting on-Thanks!

    Reply
  10. Adeolu Akinyemi
    December 2, 2006 at 10:09 am

    Wow, thanks all!

    @Gbeborun of Lagos…great idea, I really like that, that would help a lot of people spark up some genius in themselves. I’ll look for a way of creating an improvision of that for we the computer addicts (that rarely write on paper these days). I also think I need to learn from you and begin to be consistent with these media opportunities. I repent!

    @Benin… Good stuff. I think you should lay your hands on a copy of power of now! More of your comments are welcome. It’s glad to know that there are people finding these useful from all over the world.

    @Oluseye, welcome! and thanks

    @Emmanuel ..yesssoooo way to go!
    @Bayuze, Niyi, Lanre, Olaito…good thoughts and words, keep it coming!

    Reply
  11. Rachael Efusanya
    December 2, 2006 at 11:11 pm

    Thanks Deolu for helping activate & energise someone like me to start Today.
    I have learnt once more, its not about wanting but desiring and backing it up with an action.
    Thanks also for encouraging me to put down my comments.

    Reply
  12. Stephen Ojji
    December 4, 2006 at 7:16 am

    These five points are what noting down. I find the fact that we are not all born equal most true…

    Over time I have come to understand that the best person I can compete with, is myself.

    The beginning of most successful ventures in life starts when one challenges himself/herself and act on his thoughts immediately.

    Reply
  13. Gbubemi
    December 4, 2006 at 7:20 pm

    Hmm… for me, it’s far eaiser writing in long hand than typing on my computer, and I must confess it’s easier to sit at my computer than to hold a notepad, lol.. Though I havent compelled myself to adapt to a writing schedule (I must now o), I just note down topics/ points I would love to build up into articles… It’s also important one finds his/her writing style.. This website might help (though it’s a lot more improved than the last time I visited it) http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/

    Reply
  14. Gbubemi
    December 5, 2006 at 8:12 am

    Hi, found another link for buddying writers http://www.english.bham.ac.uk/staff/tom/teaching/howto/essay.htm

    Reply
  15. Adeolu Akinyemi
    December 6, 2006 at 11:00 pm

    Crystal…welcome! Start start start… i’m sure you are happy I got that name ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Gbubemi, thanks oh

    Stephen, yessooo our competition is who we can be.

    Reply
  16. emmanuel A
    December 21, 2006 at 11:03 am

    Building once faith sprouts one to life.
    believing that you can make it in every endeavour is the first step to a fufiled life. So believe it and act it! every one has its day.

    Reply
  17. Benin Mwangi
    January 19, 2007 at 6:25 pm

    Hi, I just tried adding a comment it didnt show up. Just in case there was an error, just stopping through to say hi.

    Also, Adeolu, are you already on
    http://www.mybloglog.com
    There we could stay in touch, but
    more importantly it is like the myspace
    for bloggers. You could meet more people
    interested in the same thing, if you so choose.

    By they way, I still believe in Nigeria.

    Thanks for replying to my prior comment.

    Reply
  18. Freelance
    March 9, 2007 at 8:23 am

    Slowly but surely. It’s all about a gradual process. Nice one beacuse there would never be a perfect time to start and you never know how successful you can be unless you start. It’s better to start and fail than not to start anything at all.

    Godspeed!!!!

    Reply
  19. IKOTUN ADEBISI
    May 26, 2009 at 8:12 pm

    live today as if it were your last cos tomorrow is a faceless stranger is a and procastination is a theif of time. readers are writters and vice versa

    Reply
  20. OMOZELE
    June 17, 2009 at 4:04 pm

    the best time to start isnt tommorrow or any other certain day but now! tommorrow waits for no one. if trully you love something, you will be so consumed by the passion to start. it is only wishers who wait. there isnt any perfect timing to venture into anything but now. when you wait too much, you only wait to wate.

    Reply

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Many hold their audience spell bound with motivational speeches but few care to hold the audience by the hand and help them walk their way to financial freedom like he does. Many have failed at everything they have tried to do but everything he does turns to gold. Read more…

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