According to Judy Garland, "we cast away priceless time in dreams, born of imagination, fed upon illusion, and put to death by reality". When I read this statement, it sent me into one of those thoughtful moments. Truly, how many of us have sat down; day in and day out, simply gazing into the skies thinking to ourselves, "Oh when I grow up, I will be a.....", "Oh if I had a million Ghana Cedis, I will build a..." or "If I were from a rich family, I could have become a....", etc. We waste priceless time which is cast away just daydreaming and making wishes without taking any action. These dreams are surely born of our imagination because we create those vivid imagery in our mind's eye and feed it with illusion. In the end, if we do nothing about those dreams, the flakes drop out of our eyes and we finally realize that alas! we have killed our dreams simply because we did nothing to bring it to life.
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| Patricia in a pose with Mr. Michael Cobblah |
What are these illusions that we feed our minds with, which makes it impossible to act upon our dreams? The Cambridge English dictionary defines an illusion as an idea or belief that is not true. It was wise to have joined my EMBA Strategic Management Class for a Corporate Round Table yesterday, ably organized by our Lecturer Mr. Bennet Kpentey. We were fortunate to have our special guest of honour, to grace the occasion. He was in the person of Mr. Michael Cobblah a Director at C-NERGY GLOBAL HOLDINGS. He is one of the few Certified Valuation Analysts in Africa (just like my lecturer) and for my readers in Ghana, you would recall that he managed Ecobank Capital for 8 years, changing the face of Investment Banking and more. He presented to the gathering at the La Palm Beach Hotel, on the topic, "The Bird's Eye View", I garnered a lot of strategies in action which I would be applying and also sharing with those who attend my coaching or mentoring sessions. He rightly noted, that being successful at what you do, definitely does not come from luck but by the favour of God and your own determination to learn and overcome your failures. In several of my blog posts, I have had the occasion to mention a few of these illusions. But I love how the "Iceberg Illusion" he mentioned, puts all of these illusions in a pack.
And so let me share just four of my own stories on how I face these hurdles, yet keep moving.
The iceberg illusion is simply trying to let us all understand that Success is an iceberg. What we all see, admire and desire is the glitz and glam after one has succeeded and is basking in the spotlight. But there is the unseen under-currents at the tail of most successful people. At least the ones that I have come across. And I liken it to the Biblical quotation that "Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he reap". Hard work pays. Before one can achieve great success, there is a price to be paid. That price is what people don't see or pretend not to see. They simply love and want part of your success. But as Christians we are reminded to desire to see Christ and Him crucified. Yes, He had to pay the price for us and now He is glorified. There is the need to be Persistent, Dedicated, Hardworking, Disciplined, Overcome Disappointment, be ready to Sacrifice, rise from Failure (s), the list cannot be exhausted here. And certainly that leap of faith and prayer will help you launch into the deep.
When I joined the Toastmasters International Organization, through the Accra Toastmasters Club in Ghana, I positioned myself to gain knowledge, to understand what they have that makes leaders. I fell in love with the tagline - "Where Leaders Are Made". But again, to my fellow Toastmasters, we must not be under the illusion that everyone who joins or passes through our clubs would be made leaders. It is those who are ready to pay the price. It is those who would not be under the illusion that beneath the success is luck. Beneath the success is all you see in the above image. So are you ready to pay the price? If yes, then success is yours. The glitz and glam comes after the action, cut, it's a wrap. Please ask the Hollywood Stars how long they spend on set.
MY DETERMINATION
I had to drink deep the Pierian springs of Toastmasters, guided by what Alexander Pope once said:
| A little learning is a dangerous thing ; |
| Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring : |
| There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, |
| And drinking largely sobers us again... |
And so I read the monthly magazines that were sent from the USA Headquarters regularly. I visited the official website to acquaint myself with the educational materials and resources. I had to put my dream to the test and remain committed to my Toastmasters Promise. I then noticed the title of Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM), which happens to be the highest recognition for those who actively pursued the Communication and Leadership tracks of the organization. So I focused on both tracks and did not limit my growth opportunities.
MY DISCIPLINE
I had to discipline myself to attend meetings regularly. I had to pay the price by sacrificing time and money. Ensuring that speeches were drafted, rehearsed, constructive feedback well taken to hone the next speech delivery, etc. There was the need to engage with the wider West African Toastmasters too, and so financial resources were required to attend District conferences periodically. It was through this discipline, planning and commitment I believe, that Mr. Moses Cofie became my mentor. He would nudge and encourage me to go further and take on leadership roles at the District level, time and again.
MY DISAPPOINTMENT
You would think that everyone wishes you to excel. Please do not be deceived. Just remain conscious of the fact that, delay is never denial. I encountered several disappointments along the line, when opportunities that could have made me a Distinguished Toastmaster early on, passed me by. But through it all I remained dedicated to the cause. We win some and we lose some. Don't be too hard on yourself. Pick up the pieces when you face disappointment and move on.
MY SACRIFICE
I had to sacrifice time, energy and resources. I had to be resilient and persistent as I kept my focus on reaching the goal. There were several years, where I had to attend meetings with my little daughter. That weekly routine was to dash down to her school for pick up, pass through the house to get her out of school clothes and to get food, to turn outside lights on at home (at the time, my dear husband was out on a peacekeeping mission in a neighboring country and I was alone with our little girl). And when I rush down to the meeting venue for the Accra Toastmasters to play my role, it was because I knew I had committed to it and I wanted to ensure it was done. That is what leaders do - they keep their word. In that same period, I pursued a weekend degree programme, so stop the excuses and be kind to yourself. There's more you're capable of achieving, if you truly want to make a difference. Over the weekends, I had family and friends to lean on, because they would be away from work. But this added to my challenge and excitement. I had the opportunity to hone my communication and leadership skills. I took on the Secretary position of the Club, when Mrs. Yawa Hansen-Quao went on to scale higher heights. And later took up the hot-seat as the Vice President Education when Mr. Gideon Tsike had served his turn. This was the period Ghana hosted the premier conference & gathering of the West African Toastmasters family, now known as District 94. The teamwork, the coordination, and organization of this event was nothing short of miraculous.
It was a great learning experience under the presidency of Mr. Moses Cofie. I availed myself at every opportunity to act in multiple roles. And I dare say, that it has been of immense benefit to my growth and knowledge.
IN CONCLUSION
Do not feed your dreams with illusions. Face the reality. You must be ready to work hard, be disciplined enough, to stay dedicated, rise up from the failures, overlook the disappointments, support and mentor others to scale higher heights, and stay focused on your goal(s). Yes, you must celebrate your milestones. Don't always wait too long to tell your own story. Because not everyone would want to celebrate your achievements. Just as you encourage yourself through those tough times, be sure to celebrate YOU at each milestone. Your success is possible - Believe it and know that all successful people faced similar if not more challenges. Only if you are ready to pay the price, you too will make it. Do not be envious of the success of others. Celebrate them, for by so doing, you might learn a thing or two for free. I hope when my book is finally out, you would grab a copy for yourself and learn from my experiences, my mistakes, my success stories and all. And I look forward with glee to share with you, more news on my journey through Toastmasters and more.
PATRICIA DZIFA MENSAH-LARKAI, DTM
FOUNDER, LEAD CONSULTANT - PERISSOS HORIZON
Instagram: @Perissos.Horizon
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