The Anatomy of Success -By Saifullahi Attahir

The word success has always created a nostalgic feeling in the chest of men and women throughout history, it’s a word that everyone want to associate with, it’s a word that hundred of books were written about, many cultures had created philosophical wisdom quote about. Although success has different meaning to all of us like our finger print, but overall, it can be seen as fulfillment of one’s desire, getting what you have been looking for, living a happier,easier and contented life.

I’m not going to define what success is, but rather try to explain some of the factors that lead to success in life. To many when asked what causes success ? The only answer is hard work, but is hardwork really the answer to success? The answer look confusing looking as to how in our daily life we encounter people that are hundred times hardworking than us but in terms of success or living a comparatively easy life are hundred times below us.

Some may ascribe success to smartness, intelligence, education, luck, strength, patience, but I’m sure by just looking at your close neighborhood and analysing our daily life you would come to the conclusion that it was far more than these individual factors or their sum.

This article was based on a book I read written by Malcolm Gladwell called ‘ The outliers: the story of success’ . The author tried to gather all the apparent and hidden factors that lead to the monumental achievement of few individuals in life ranging from athletes, footballers, artists, businessmen, big law practitioners, scientists, Doctors, and more.

Outlier is an English word that means someone outside the normal frame, people who have achieved tremendous success and fortune beyond average individuals. Example can include; Lionel Messi in football, Bill Gate in Computer,Dr Ben Carson in Medicine, James Brown in Basket ball, Usain Bolt in Athlete, Albert Einstein in Science, Roger Federer in tennis, the list can include outstanding political leaders in history, writers, etc.

Malcolm Gladwell came to the conclusion that outliers are those who have been given the opportunities- and who have had the strength and the presence of mind to seize them. Most outliers are product of history, of community they were born and rise, of opportunity, and legacy. Success is grounded in a web of advantages and inheritance, some deserved, some not,some earned, some just plain lucky- but all are critical to making these individuals who they are.

I chose the word ‘Anatomy’ which is a medical word, to portray my desire to dissect these individual factors by highlighting the most important attributes that makes success in life. Let me begin with a story:

Ahmad* ( real name concealed) was a boy born in 1995 to a low income family in Kafin Hausa town, his father’s source of income are peasant farming and radio repair. His mother was a house wife who mainly depend on her husband for her daily needs and that of her children.

Without mentioning, Ahmad was raised in a household whose 3 square meals are barely met talkless of other luxurious demands. He also has 4 other siblings including 2 women among them. Being the Second among them and one of the males makes it a necessary to always accompanied his father to farm daily. This thought Ahmad the habit of hardwork early in life by toiling in the sun along with this father and brother. The family of 7 were completely dependent on their father’s meager source of income and the small farm.

His father had a primary school level of education while his mother was good in the Islamic knowledge but has not attended western education. The good side of it was that both parent were intelligent at their own level of education and more so were always encouraging their children to surpass them as they regretted not attaining higher enough due to economic circumstances. This persistent call rang well in Ahmad ear, for he was rised very passionate to study higher and becoming someone later in life.

Ahmad lack of luxury that may distract his attention, his father’s constant advise, plus his natural ingenuity makes him a bright child in his primary school surpassing his classmates. He finished top of his class and got an admission for Junior education at Aujara town. Another problem was that his father can not sponsor his boarding school expenses, so he was transferred to a Junior day school in his hometown Kafin Hausa.

After 3 years of Junior school, Ahmad got admitted in to the prestigious Science Secondary school Kafin Hausa ( one of the best public science secondary schools in Jigawa state with record of producing the brightest Doctors, Engineers and co’s). Seeing the opportunity, his father managed to sponsor the child for the boarding looking at the proximity of the school and their house.

At school, Ahmad met other young, ambitious and bright students from all over the state giving him the opportunity to network, learn and challenge himself for further academic excellence.

He was not among the top of his class, but was constantly evolving, becoming more determine, focus and prepared. In 2013, while Ahmad was 18 years old, he graduated from GSSS Kafin Hausa with 7 credits in his WAEC result ( including all the five science subjects; English, Mathematics, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry). Luckly enough, The Government of that period under Alh Sule Lamido requested students who excel with five credits and above in WAEC to submit their papers for scholarship screening.

To cut the story short, Ahmad got Scholarship to Study Aviation Engineering in Egypt, he graduated successfully and secure a job with one big Airline company in Lagos. His life and that of his family totally changed for the better, his family were no longer poor, and his destiny has changed for ever.
using the above story, let us analyze some of the factors that lead to young Ahmad success.

FAMILY BACKGROUND

Studies have shown that family background play a critical role on how people are raised and what they end up becoming. Despite his parent lack of deeper knowledge of Western education, but they have inculcated a strong desire for their children to excel in order to compensate their inability to have attained the same. His parents ( both father and mother) were both intelligent enough during their educational pursuit although not far. This mixed trait find it’s way through the blood of their progeny that gave Ahmad advantage of excelling at school.

Another advantage from the family background was the lack of luxury that help Ahmad to be less distracted and becoming more focus in his studies. Imaging if he was born in to an affluent family surrounded by television daily watching cartoons or comedies, or his father was in to the habit of buying them mobile phones and other game gadgets? Definitely that would have distracted his attention, making him less energetic and determined to escape the poverty line.

It’s a well known fact, that a person from already successful family is more likely to succeed than someone from less advantageous background. A lawyer is more likely to have children Lawyers, a Doctor is more likely have Doctors children, our future leaders in this country are more likely to come from the homes of our current society Elites. It’s all due to the advantage of direct mentorship, inherent legacy of privileges, and access to education and freedom of free thinking.

ENVIRONMENT

Environment also play a pivotal role in where individuals end up becoming in life. It’s a well known culture that a person is a product of the people he surrounded himself with. That’s is why good networking was essential for attaining success in life. Ahmad interaction with other boys with similar interest, ambition, and determination while studying at GSSS Kafin Hausa has played a monumental role in catapulting him higher enough on the ladder of success. Imaging he was brilliant enough but he graduated from one local and poorly equipped secondary school, the story might have been different, he might not get the 7 credits in WAEC.

RIGHT TIMING

Right timing was also an important factor, although some people may see it as ridiculous or trivial, but deeper thinking would make you conclude the importance of TIMING in determining success. If Ahmad was born in 1990 and graduated from Kafin Hausa around 2007 or 2008 before Lamido started awarding scholarship, no matter how brilliant he is or the excellence of his WAEC result, he might have ended up studying in one of the local colleges of Education, or health or polytechnic ( apologies to anyone studying in those prestigious institutions).
The example is similar with how Bill Gate was born in America surrounded by Computers, and access to education giving him the unprecedented advantage of becoming one of the world tech giant and billionaire. Imaging if he was born in Africa, or born in 1900’s before the advent of microchips. This can be applied anywhere.

PREPARATION MEETING OPPORTUNITY

Off course, most often the word success occured when preparation meets opportunity. God has guided Ahmad to prepare well for his exams, always attending classes, reading extra miles, reading past questions and networking with the right people. So when the time for the WAEC and the Scholarship exam comes, he was not caught unaware and that was why he excelled.
For many people they only wish to succeed but they never make any preparation ahead of time. It was like the parable of a farmer expecting a good harvest without earlier going to his farm and clearing it of any unwanted plants, no effort for harrowing, no effort for fertilizer, no effort for weeding, how can you expect when rainfall came you would have the best harvest.

To succeed in anything it requires planning ahead, in case if the opportunity meet you, you already have that advantage.In conclusion, we have seen how success become multifactorial, comprising different but related elements. Even at your current level, when you analyze anything that you ever succeeded at, you can evidently see the effect of some or all of the above factors.
But in the end, remember that Success is Ultimately THE GRACE OF GOD whose benevolence gather all the above factors to work for you when he decided for you to succeed at something.

Saifullahi Attahir

Saifullahiattahir93@gmail.com