THE SECRET OF MOVING FROM UNKNOWN TO RENOWNED

THE SECRET OF MOVING FROM UNKNOWN TO RENOWNED

‘If you deliberately set out to be less than you are capable of, you will be unhappy for the rest of your life’-Abraham Maslow

You’ve heard their names:

-Omawunmi Megbele –Law student turned songstress turned celebrity

-Ayo Arowolo-Journalist turned personal finance expert turned celebrity

-Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie-Literature buff turned author turned celebrity

The list of ordinary folks who became extraordinary and renowned is endless.Here is an important point….You too can join the list of unknown individuals who have strutted the limelight and gained recognition as a result of unearthing their Godgiven talents and abilities.Stay with me, as we embark on a journey that has the capacity to change your life and fasttrack you into a life of success and significance.Being renowned is about putting yourself in the spotlight, walking to the centrestage and becoming you own megaphone.In the past, you could be obscure yet secured, in today's world , you cannot bank on that because, people will only buy into you when you’ve gained name recognition, which is a function of being an expert in your field.I have coached countless individuals who are amazingly talented and they often ask me:’Kenny, I am gifted but unknown, people don,t give me jobs, I don,t have clients and I am getting frustrated’.If you are in their shoes, you’ve just landed a road map that will instruct and inspire you on your success journey.

When I use the word RENOWNED think of somebody different from the megastars, tabloid seekers.Our renowned personality is someone trying to gain recognition for all the right reasons and is eager to help others live a better life and become a solution provider in a chosen field.Now, let’s get started

PILLAR 1

DECIDE TO BE RENOWNED

To become renowned, you,ve got to decide to be renowned.Trust me, it won't come on a platter of gold.It requires time and effort.Deciding to be renowned will require an atitude shift i.e :a new way of seeing and talking to yourself.You've got to see yourself as a megastar, a celebrity, an expert who has a unique offering for the universe.If you ask most renowned pop stars, authors, talkshow hosts, lawyers, e.t.c.they will tell you:’I have always known I will be renowned and be making a difference in the lives of people’

PILLAR 2

DISCOVER YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Everything God created has a comfort zone.
Birds fly in the sky
Cars function on land
Fishes swim on water
Your comfort zone is a combination of your gifts, talents, and strengths.What gives you pleasure, an activity you are comfortable doing.Find your comfort zone, refine it to marketable skills and deliver it to your world.

PILLAR 3

TURN YOUR TALENT INTO A SKILL

Talent is a natural ability, God gives talent.Skill is the refined talent.Its therefore your responsibility to convert your talent into a skill.In the words of Fela Durotoye:’Talent is innate and inborn , skill is diligent, disciplined and developed talent’

PILLAR 4

Follow.One. Course. Until.Successfull(F.O.C.U.S)
Watch small children playing and what do you see?They move quickly from one toy to another, from one activity to another.They spend tremendous energy but get little done.They lack focus.What do you want to be known for?Your answer to this question is an indication of what you should focus on.You can only be renowned for one thing.

PILLAR 5

GET THE WORD OUT
What ‘s the use of being a solution when people don,t know what you offer.A terrible thing happens without publicity….NOTHING.Don’t be the single grain of sand in the beach, be the beach umbrella, bright, high and extremely visible.Chudi Onyemeri a Business Freedom coach once made this statement:’Its not your talent that sells you, its marketing that sells your talent.’

PILLAR 6
GIVE IT FOR FREE(AT FIRST)
What can you do for free and still earn a fee?In the early days of your business pursuit, you should be willing to offer your services, product, expertise, for free.Most of the world renowned successful people have gone through a period when the value they offered were not immediately rewarded with money.

-Zig Ziglar ‘s first 3,000 motivational speeches were given for free
-Anthony Robbins in the first six months as a motivational speaker, gave his speeches for free and had an average of fIve speaking engagements everyday.
-I have written more than 200 articles and they were all written for free in my early days as a syndicated columnist.
PILLAR 7

CATCH THE WRITING FEVER
You’ve got to become an advocate of your message by using writng as a medium.Find a platform, (either a publication or you can even author a book) which gives you room to preach your message and express your expertise.I know a caterer who wrote a book on cakemaking and since then her business has witnessed mega growth .Writing gives you credibility and gives you the opportunity to display your depth of knowledge.

Finally, you’ve got to learn how to sell.We are all in the selling business.You sell the reasons why you deserve a promotion to your boss and he/she buys into it…that’s selling in action.Authors sell books, movie stars sell tickets and their movies, singers sell CDs, Sport figures sell sports soft drinks, CEOS sells their products,professionals sell their service.Master the selling game.

When you adhere to this time tested pillars you will definitely rise out of obscurity to popularity in your chosen field.Nigeria needs more personal brands lke you, who can make a difference and build the country into a desirable nation….Will you join us?

Kehinde Ajose is known as Nigeria’s foremost Talent Development coach, Author,Renowned Syndicated columnist, wo helps people to discover and develop their talent solutions into wealthcreation, so that they can rise to become global brands.He is the Publisher of M.O.V.E. ACHIEVERS COMPEDIUM, and also a sought after seminar facilitator reachable @ ajosekehinde @gmail.com/splendidkenny01@yahoo.com .http://www.kehindeajose.blogspot.com/

CROWD MENTALITY
‘Imitation is suicide’ -RALPH WALDO EMERSON
I got the inspiration to write this piece while listening to M.I’s crowd mentality song. For me, the lyrics of this well crafted rap epitomize the danger of walking in somebody else’s path. The legendary Fela kuti calls this:’Follow, follow’. In today’s world, I see this mob mindset being displayed everywhere. From Music, to Fashion, from politics to the Sporting arena, you find individuals who have no business doing what they do,they will rather fit somewhere else.Don’t be afraid of walking your own path , don’t just follow the multitudes because they seem to be doing what is right. Find your own rhythm and pace in life’s journey.
Recently I was having a coaching session with my OAP (On air personality) friend, I counseled her to develop her unique signature style which will make her different from any other radio presenter people have ever listened to. In branding, differentiation is everything. You are either distinct or you go extinct. When you are different, you are remembered. Its been said that heroes walk alone. They stand out from the crowd and stay outside the security of the pack. They walk their own paths, sing their own song, write their own stories, and dance to their own drumbeats. In the words of John Maxwell he said:’ He who follows the crowd will never be followed by a crowd’.Your originality is your greatest asset.Radio broadcast in Nigeria is replete with different radio stations who have been able to carve a niche for themselves.For instance WAZOBIA FM is different from an INSPIRATION FM.These stations have carved out a niche for themselves which is the reason why people keep listening to them. Quit trying to be everything to everybody. You are not designed to live someone else’s life .Live your own life and be all you were meant to be.Learn to be comfortable in your own skin.
I.K Osakioduwa a renowned radio presenter puts it this way:’The worst thing in life today is trying to fit into someone else’s shoes.Someone else’s shoes are designed for him.His feet are different from yours.’The starting point of quitting the mob mentality lies in self discovery.Ask yourself:’Am I wired for what I am presently doing? According to Charles Swindoll:’God wanted you to be you,don,t dare change because you are outnumbered’.Take a critical look at topnotch salesmen,muisicians, outstanding sportsmen,musicians, and brilliant inventors.These people are doing what they can do best.That is why they are right there at the top of their game. Don’t try to make yourself into something you have no inborn talents for, if you do you will be running through life travelling third class when you could have gone first class. Companies understand this, that is why they have a unique selling proposition.Be you,be comfortable in your own skin. I am concluding this piece by quoting part of M.I crowd mentality rap:

’If you don,t have a mind of your own Don,t be disappointed, this is fine be a clone .Listen to me rhyme Am done trying to be mine all alone .There are people walking around like zombies And its so strange How people are afraid of change .Afraid of what will happen if we re arrange .So most black people are just doing What the crowd is doing ,doing what the system says we are allowed to .So break free from the crowd mentality And then we can start to build a new reality.

Kehinde Ajose is a sought after motivational,Renowned syndicated columnist and acclaimed Talent development coach reachable @ 08024212530 or splendidkenny01@yahoo.com/Motivationswithkehindeajose.blogspot.com

B.R.A.N.D YOU

BRAND YOU
Everyone has a chance to stand out. Everyone can be noticed. Everyone can project his/her Uniqueness and distinctiveness. No matter how talented you are, if you are not branded, you cannot rise to the top of your game. One look at the distinctive swoosh on your trainers tells everyone who got you branded. The truth is that you are a product competing for attention on the shelf of life. All renowned authorities in various fields of life have learnt to distinguish themselves through personal branding. Personal branding is about amplifying your unique characteristics and packaging them into a personal representation that is “Younique” and distinct.
Personal branding is a mental tattoo held indelibly about you in the minds of other people. Your personal brand reflects what you are committed to, what you stand for, and how you represent it to the outside world.
The core reason why individuals like Michael Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Da grin, Fela Anikulapokuti are still being recognized even though they have left this terrestrial space is simply because they are brands, they gained name recognition by maximizing their God given abilities. So what does it takes to become a talent brand?.

B-Be the expert: Yes! Be the one who people run to, when they need to solve a problem that is in area of your core competence.
Sharpen your talents into world standards. The only way you can attract more clients is by upping you game and having an expert status in the mind of your prospects.Project your problem solving ability so as to attract the right prospect to your niche.

R=Relevance: How relevant are you in your chosen field? If your name comes to mind when people are looking for a particular service, then you are relevant. Being relevant simply means finding a solution a peculiar problem in your chosen field. It’s also about being creative, productive, and inventive.

A-Announce your presence: When was the last time your name appeared in the print media of the electronic media. It is your visibility that determines your credibility. To become a brand, you need to constantly broadcast your presence by being in the face of your prospects. Either through contributing articles to publications, starting a project, writing a book e.t.c

N-Newness: You have to constantly innovate. All strong brands are always expanding their brand visibility by doing something new or adding a unique feature to the service they render. You can also serve an unmet need in your niche and be the cynosure of all eyes in your craft.

D –Differentiation: Differentiation is the key to market domination. If you don’t separate yourself from the majority, then you cannot get the lion’s share in your industry. What’s your specialty? What quality sets you high and above the crowd? If you do not identify what make you different, then people will be indifferent to your services.Get branded! Be the light in your industry, its not just enough to recognize your place you need to also maximize your market space and be the dominant leader in your niche.Go and rule your world!

KEHINDE AJOSE is Nigeria's renowned talent development coach, Acclaimed motivational speaker,publisher, m.o.v.e achievers compedium,and soar away syndicated columnist who helps individuals to discover and develop their talent solutions into wealth creation so that they can become highfliers in their careers and become global brands.He is the CEO of m.o.v.e solutions , reachable at 08024212530/splendidkenny01@yahoo.com