CC Magbook: Its a Lifestyle. A Reflection of Yours- A Success in Failure Series. Why Choices You Make Should Matter.

By Fredrick Chisom

We live in a world that downplays failures, and focuses on success...

We are taught, learn from success...

Why try to learn about the grit that it takes to build a bulb after 99 times...
When you can simply focus and replicate the one time, it was done right.

Now for a lot of people, this strategy works.

Still, for a niche group of people: the next leaders, the outliers, the difference creators, the Success in Failure individuals.

This exclusive group seek first to understand the grit and perseverance it would take them to reach their goals.

So, join this executive group.

If you learn only of success (of which numerous stellar books have been written), your learning is incomplete ~ Fredrick Chisom

Success in failure is a book about epic failures.

It analyses an entrepreneur's journey and highlights the Success in Failure principles

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fredrick Chisom
• Release date: Jan 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005308360

Book preview

Why choices I make matter.

A reason to dream bigger.

All reasonable efforts have been made to obtain necessary copyright permissions. Any omissions or errors are unintentional and will, if brought to the attention of the publisher, be corrected in future editions.

Copyright © 2020 Ndu Chisom Fredrick.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or hereafter invented, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Requests for permission should be addressed to the author.

The author and publisher have used their best efforts in preparing this book and disclaim liability arising directly and indirectly from the use and application of this magbook.

Project managed by The CC team- It’s a lifestyle

Cover design by Jay expression.

Modeled by Ijee.oma.

Prince Agama, Rema, Ogochukwu Ibeh, Valentine Neboh, Mayor Prosper, Jay Expression, Eo Arts, Echieh Ugomma, Mimi Etukudoh and Fredrick Chisom.

Other works (Coming soon)

(Non-Fiction) Through Travail: The Else Thinker. If Man can control my destiny: Why do I call on God.

(Fiction) Excalibur Secrets: Dreams of Afruca. Rainbow Mechanium (blog pages). Loved Ones (blog pages).

For information and inquiries, address, mailto:[e-mail]

http://www.breakfort.com.

First Edition.

Inspired by Real Events

Some scenes, characters, and dialogues have Been fictionalized for dramatic purposes.

DEDICATION

To individuals who took, taking, and would take responsibility, to make an effort to impart others and themselves, this book is dedicated to you.

In Life, it's never too late or too early to be what I aspire to be. The decision is mine. When I start or stop, whether I change or remain the same. And with those decisions, I make the best or worst of the Time I have. The beauty of Life is in feeling things I have never felt before. In seeing things that inspire and being an inspiration to others. In providing Value and being valued by others. I hope I don't shut myself off from this beauty. I wish I live a life I'm proud of and if I find out that I'm not. I hope I dare to start all over again.

Table of Content

Title Page

Dedication

Introduction

Trial One – Gamehub

Desire__ Comfort zones__ Inspiration__ Verification__ Creating a plan__ Take Action__ Create your reality__ Build__ Challenges__ Projection and performance metrics__ Analysis point.

Trial Two – Tarzan Suya

Perspective__ Drawing board__ Employment__ Diversification__ Reliance__ Responsibility__ Experimenting.

Out-Of-The-Box

Focus and the effect of multitasking__ Diversification given the margin of safety__ Greed and impact of false hope__ Education__ Credit facilitation.

Trial Three – Urge Salon

Building and managing Expectation__ Job__ Management__ Partnership__ Structure__ Everyday concepts__ Analysis point.

In-The-Box

The shape of your inspiration__ Perseverance__ Continuous effort and training__ Government and effect of policies__ Team__ Value of contract and projection__ Quality of information__ Conflict resolution__ Communication__ Internet__

Know The Individual

Belief and faith__ Life__ Environment__ Ask question__ Relationship__ Self-perception__ Growth.

Out-Of-The-Box

What's the most beautiful thing__ Does help create Value__ Family foundation__ Value of information__ About the platform.

Conclusion

Notes

Disclaimer

Acknowledgment

About the CC Team

Call to Action

Excerpts of other works

Introduction

With every passing hour, more people were trooping in and out, and certain individuals ignoring well visible signboards which read, why bother to walk around when you can enjoy a nice evening sitting down? Don't be a thief, noise steals other people's attention, etc. The hall was noisy- the seminar was nearing a thunderous conclusion as speaker after speaker received the customary applause upon entry, giving an impact filled speech on awe-inspiring topics. Due to late entry, my discourse was the last lecture before closing, so I sat in the speaker's cubicle, armed with statistics, eager to rush out and dazzle the few remaining guests with the knowledge I had spent years building and writing. Finally, my name was called out. And I stood and confidently walked up to the stage, poised to give my already well thought through, planned, and documented speech, when suddenly, it occurred to me that the hall was dead silent; no one was clapping. Looking at the expectant crowd, I realized that asides from the fact these were not the people that were here a moment ago, that the size of the group had tripled. I smiled, then the room went dark, and their stares ate into my bones. The words on the screen flashed on the floor of the stage. 'Success in Failure.' I froze. 'What knowledge do I have? I was too young. I was inexperienced. I had no credentials to speak of'. And for a second there, I became them, and they became me, and in that second, I realized what they frankly thought: 'they were here because of the topic, but they didn't know what to expect.' The lights flicked back on, probably at the request of my team members. I could see the emphatic look on their faces and repositioned myself, ready to do as prepared. I took a look at the first page of my notes:

It began with a story. The story on the Cost of living experienced by an average Nigerian family before and during the recession. It focused on the wife/woman who had to cook nothing less than 5 cups of rice every Sunday as lunch and dinner for her three kids due to her delicious cooking. As the price of rice increased, and the salary remained the same. And the allocated money could only afford 7 cups of rice. She was in a dilemma. Growing up in a house with seven siblings. She was only too aware of what hunger, borrowing, and the refusal to accept responsibility could do. She didn't want that kind of Life for her kids, so she bought the 4 cups of rice, went home, and added a little more salt. Her children ended up complaining about her food being too salty, but they never complained about not being satisfied.

Failure is about perspective.

As the depth of the message seeped in, I would lead with:

SO, WHY DO BUSINESSES FAIL?

Businesses fail for a myriad of reasons, from rash business decisions to circumstances beyond one's control. The reasons below are but a few out of several reasons why businesses fail:

• Demand and supply.

• Lack of resilience and consistency.

• Indiscipline in the area of spending.

• Poor Management.

• Poor study and planning.

• Attitude and aptitude.

• Poor capital.

• Partnership.

• Natural disaster.

• Government policies.

• Poor service and orientation.

• Environment.

• Rigidity.

• Team members.

WHY DO I FAIL?

I fail mostly because:

• I give up easily.

• I refuse to see bits of Success that can be built upon even in failure.

• I choose not to try.

• I don't realize the things (little or huge) I do matter.

I would like to state the purpose of the research work, which is to share deductions on how individuals, businesses, and governments apply certain principles, which we term 'The Success in Failure principles,' bounced back even after failed ventures.

Upon which, I would conclude with: our reality plays an integral part in our actualization of Success, but most times, it isn't ideal. While growing up, I was opportune to hear about the life-imparting story of a woman whose life history stands as a glowing example to the fact, which is, 'though circumstances may limit or overwhelm us, they do not define us.' Her name is 'Helen Adams Keller' (June 1880 – June 1968). She defied her circumstances by setting goals that guided her actions, leading to her present and future results. She was an American Author, political activist, and lecturer. The vital aspect of the story is that she could achieve these even though she was blind and deaf.

What's holding you back?

To understand why it's been done better, you have to know the old.

This discourse was a power-packed message for my intended listeners- clerks, employees, entrepreneurs, investors, parents, youths, traders, teachers, and students. Still, as I held onto the microphone, continuously telling myself that the message was inspiring. I glanced at their faces again, and I felt uneasy. In the crowd, I could picture individuals scared to make a choice. People- who are affected by accidents, wars, wrongful convictions, disasters, diseases, debts. People in prisons, abusive relationships. People who lost their families, their source of income. People whose faith and belief were lacking. People who were bruised. People who wanted to commit suicide, people who didn't have hope for growth or change. People are confronted with somewhat insurmountable challenges. When faced with these facts, I knew for sure that these were individuals who knew more, what failure means. They had lived it up and played it down. Holding onto the microphone meant I was ready, so the light engineer began to dim the light again.

The last face I remember seeing was of a child. Her smile was so endearing that it brought a statement to mind.

IS FAILURE FINAL OR IS IT THE STEPPING STONE TO SUCCESS?

This book is part of a two-part series on 'Self-Evaluation: A Reason to Dream bigger,' the other being Success by Trial (Through Travail).

I took pictures on the first day, Zida, my little cousin, tried to walk. Her motion of falling (failing) and standing (trying) again was so beautiful that eventually, when she started walking, the effect didn't diminish. In living, focus on Success is taught; that anything won't be condoned other than Success. So inadvertently, one becomes obsessed with Success; no one cares about the losing team.

The Success in Failure process doesn't recommend having less desire for Success but advocates a change in failure perception.

This book was written in an interview-style to give practical solutions to theoretical problems.

How do the choices I make affect my self-reality?

We will also talk about and critically analyze past personal experiences we have had in the start-up business in Africa, as well as future expectations of the platform we hope to create.

Gorge Bernard Shaw wrote:

For we are made wise, not by the recollection of our past but by our responsibility towards our future.

This book is for everyone, and reading further- the following deduction is made:

• Failure is a very relatable experience. Still, only a few are aware that prevailing over failure is a means to an end. For those brave enough, once you decide to act, you are automatically set on a path of either failure or Success. While one outcome is desirable, the other is not. This book is about focusing not on failure but on what to do when faced with it. For those of us afraid to try because we are scared of failing, this book shares how to build on Success amid failure. It outlines personal entrepreneurship experience gotten from business start-ups in Africa.

Success is accomplishments, not just financial but otherwise.

A message:

'Books I read shed new light on my Situation. Still, it wasn't just the books. It's because I took my Time to read as well as apply its thoughts. As Frank Kafka aptly put it, a book must be an ax for the frozen sea within us. 'The Self-Evaluation: A Reason to Dream Bigger series' are books based on people's experience of what it takes to succeed. It highlights Success, failure, and the process that led to those choices that, in turn, defined their Life. As individual experiences, their theories/principles may or may not be welcoming, but I believe there is a sound lesson to be learned,'

– Fredrick Chisom.

Dr. Dante Dixson was quoted as saying,

Looking towards the future with positive expectations is a powerful force on the present.

*Part of this book sale proceeds goes towards building a platform that creates opportunity in Africa.

Also, check out the Success of trying – Success by Trial Through Travail: The Else Thinker.

Trial One – Gamehub

It's all or nothing,

Now or never.

To Success, some are pushed- others discover it.

The things we so happily enjoy were born out of;

A desire to overcome.

• Desire

• Comfort zone

• Inspiration

• Verification

• Creating a plan

• Take Action

• Success/Reality

• Build

• Innovate

• Challenges

• Projection and performance metrics

• Analysis point

Introduction

On an actual start-up experience, this trial is based.

To give a real-life view of things that worked and the things that didn't

As well as

SIF (Success in Failure):

Little bits of Success that even amid failure can be built.

Lessons learned can also be put to use in other spheres of Life.

From this trial, one would understand the necessity of getting out of his or her comfort zone,

To actualizing Success,

To the nature of Success;

Which is 'success is fleeting.'

An Unknown cried,

Everything that matters in life must be built.

In the studio room:

My gaze shifted from the camera lens onto the teleprompter's blank screen as the senator attire. I had on was fitted with a microphone. I don't know how it got to this, or maybe I did. The idea of having dreams and no feasible way to actualize it had given birth to a desire to understand 'why choices I make matter,' which subsequently lead to team formation and subsequent research work into the lives of individuals who were willing and wholeheartedly committed to using their story to inspire Action in others. And I was here to discuss its results, the underlying and certain principles; we term 'The Success in failure principles.' We had looked into these individual lives, hoping to see, hear, prove, understand, and convey the feelings of what made them continue despite setbacks. Hello! I'm Mike. She is Kamsi, and, last but not least, is Angel, pointing at the lady seated at the far right. Their introduction derailed my train of thought, and I acquiesced as we exchanged pleasantries: the interviewing party, I would field questions from consists of a male and two females. Let's begin, the producer's voice rang out over the speakers.

Kamsi: You begin?

Desire

As youths, individuals, etc., we inexplicably don't make choices until the die is cast and desire is born. How deep this desire is, offset Success. It means Success isn't based on where I'm, but where I desire to be.

While reading online, I stumbled upon an article concerning a prominent book launch. The book was titled 'Africa Rise and Shine,' which documents the journey of a Nigerian Entrepreneur who, from humble beginnings, succeeded in growing a business net worth to 16 billion dollars. When talking about the book, author Jim Ovia who also dubs as the founder of Zenith Bank, one of the largest commercial banks in Nigeria, said,

Among the most important of those lessons, maybe my experience that it is not necessary to be born rich or in influential circles in order to achieve success.

From birth, individuals are groomed to meet needs. However, to meet imagination, there is a need to cultivate a burning desire to succeed. For instance, let's take electrical power. Before electrical technology became the driving force behind the second industrial revolution, electricity was just an imagination. The desire of notable individuals to meet their imagination led to the reality of electricity generation. Now, people are being trained in its generation, transmission, and storage- something that laid a pipe dream many years ago.

In the book 'Think and Grow Rich' author Napoleon Hill said,

Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.

A businesswoman in Nigeria, Mrs. Oluwatoye’s desire to impact the world led to the adoption of two amazing kids. Asides her story, all around us lay the effect of people's desire to Overcome, Impact, or Win. On further Analysis of these effects, you would conclude that in Life, the desire for Success needs to be stronger than the self-constraints- factors that limit Success.

As Bill Cosby said,

In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.

The term 'Desire' here refers to a strong feeling or a sense of longing. To cultivate the desire for Success:

Define what Success would be, what that Success would mean, and how to achieve it. In essence, it's imperative to choose what to be successful at, teaching, relationship, business, etc., what that Success means, either on a financial or non-financial basis.

A junior teens teacher, Mrs. Oge, back in the day, was considered wealthy. Still, she humbled herself to train and educate youths in the ways of the Lord. That to her was a success-

'The opportunity to raise godly children.'

How to go about achieving Success defines steps or hurdles to be surmounted, and often than not, this entails leaving the comfort zones. It could be quite debilitating. Still, change is offset once the decision is made.

Neil Strauss stated,

Great things never come from the comfort zones.

The comfort zone is a psychological state in which one feels familiar, safe, at ease, and secure. So you would come to know the desire for Success as doing what can be done, with what’s available- right there - right, now. And is the soil on which inspiration blooms.

Africa's desire for greatness is ignited by inspiration of the quality of living, evidenced in developed nations. It is this inspiration that drives the need to compete, which becomes the unconscious burst of creativity that lubricates goals and ambitions.

George Allen, Sr. concluded:

One of the most difficult things everyone has to learn is that for your entire Life, you must keep fighting and adjusting if you hope to survive. No matter who you are or what your position is, you must keep fighting for whatever it is you desire to achieve.

Angel: share an experience that borders on the intricacies with stepping out of the comfort zones?

Comfort zones

Anais Nin replied:

There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

That would be the experience with Gamehub. A desire not to give in gave birth to its inspiration. To the desire for Success- some are pushed. Others discover it. For Gamehub, it was a discovery. While in School, reliance mostly on the allowance gotten from parents is the norm. So when suddenly the need for transformational change dawned, it was quite scary. The term' transformational change' is used because, before Gamehub, there was other stuff. Still, this was the first business investment that asked leave of the comfort zone. Change involves sacrifice, giving up what is for what could be.

Stephen King whispered:

The scariest moment is always just before you start.

It isn't always the sensible thing to embark on, yet, it is necessary to provoke change. And change became what’s needed. For there came the point in Life, when the die is cast, and a particular way of living becomes unaffordable- change to such a way of Life can only come at the Cost of the comfort zones, and in frankness, it’s as though leaving a penthouse in search of better housing in the desert. It simply couldn't' be done. Without an inspirational push, that is.

Gamehub bordered on an idea solution to student’s software and hardware challenges. An experience embarked on in year two in the university, provoked by an inspiration that led to its creation. Without inspiration, one starts nothing. Without the commitment to work (discipline), one finishes nothing.

Peter Ustinov advised:

The point of living and of being an optimist is to be foolish enough to believe the best is yet to come.

Note, stepping out of the comfort zones entails faith and belief in the fact that the best is yet to come, i.e., positive change. Not all change is worthwhile, so think long and hard about the inspiration behind the desire for change.

In actuality, there are many definitions, types, or forms of change, but personally and currently, the most applicable types are found in Ackerman (1997) and Weick and Quinn (1999). Their deductions were;

There are three types of change in relation to its extent and scope:

• Development change: it aims to enhance or correct existing aspects of an organization (individual), often focusing on the improvement of a skill or process.

• Transitional change: it seeks to achieve a known desired state that is different from the existing one.

• Transformational change: requires a shift in assumption. It requires altering and expanding the limiting mindset in which the individuals/the organization operates.

There are four types in relation to planning and operation:

• Planned change: it is a deliberate, a product of conscious reasoning and actions.

• Emergent change: describes a change that unfolds in an apparently, spontaneous, and unplanned way.

• Episodic change: also referred to as 'step change.' It has to with the replacement of one Strategy or program with another.

• Continuous change: in contrast, is 'ongoing, evolving, and cumulative.' The continuous change is characterized by one constantly adapting and editing ideas, information, or Strategy acquired from different sources.

Therefore, change can simply be defined as the process undertaken to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc. of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone.

Due to the growing rate of unemployment, which has brought the relevance of university degrees into question, more universities in Africa are breaking out of their comfort zones to assert themselves as the catalyst of innovation and entrepreneurship, to be still recognized as a key in the development of societies and economies.

‘What assumptions are you holding?’ ‘Don't you think it's Time to let go?’