A warm welcome to you, dear reader, and many thanks for being among the many hundreds of readers who gave this column a rousing reception when it debuted on July 3. Today we conclude the two-part series entitled “Breaking New Grounds: The essence of having a formidable kick start” by answering the question we raised last fortnight:

How can you break a new ground?

(1) Discover who you are; stop being a duplicate of someone else. You can’t be a Beyounce if you were made to be Alice. Stop dreaming of becoming Usain Bolt when you can’t do a 10-metre race.

I remember one day when two of my friends invited me to join them in a race; I still regret ever wearing that oversized pair of shoes. We weren’t a quarter close to the ‘to’, let alone the ‘fro’; when I was panting like a troubled antelope that saw a hungry lion. When they saw my frustration, they thought they could motivate me; they said, ‘Common Ken, you can do it’. In my mind, I said, ‘Do what? This man you’re running with is at the edge of fainting; please leave me alone’. When I couldn’t take it anymore, I told them that we’ll meet at home. Running has never been my passion and will never be my passion; no amount of motivation can make it be; it’s needless making a fool of myself.

Do you know that a lot of people dabble into trouble by doing what they’re not meant for? Do you know that a lot of people even dabble into double trouble by trying to break new grounds in things that they don’t have a clue? On the long run, the grounds resist them because they weren’t meant to be there. To break a new ground, be who you were made to be.

(2) Understand your purpose; your purpose is your identity. Listen; talent is raw, but skill is refined. If you wear raw gold, people will mock you. To succeed in your talent, you must develop the skills that come with your talent; if you don’t, you will, with your indifferent attitude place a limitation on yourself. If your skill requires excellent communication, and you’re someone that says, ‘I wented there, instead of, I went there’, do something about your deficiencies’.

Remember, New York slangs are not accepted where life really matters; the London cockney accent can’t be condoned when those who rule this world gather; the Nigerian pidgin English can’t be tolerated when the world’s top entrepreneurs meet to discuss vital issues.

Dig into the relevant skills that will make you stand out in your relevant call. Apart from acquiring the right skills, you need the relevant information; and please, don’t just be informed, be updated. Many computer software receive regular updates because of the high level of technological competition within the industry. If software is updated, why can’t you do the same? Anyone at the cutting edge of understanding never gets embarrassed when duty calls. People with first class understanding are always itching for opportunities to display their talents, while those deformed, misinformed or under-informed enjoy buying time. Skills, information and updates help you understand your purpose.

(3) Don’t sleep or rest on just knowing the basics; be creative; be innovative. Creativity and innovation are the keys to breaking new grounds. People who are creative and innovative are diehard strategists and tacticians. Developing a new concept requires creativity and innovation. Whether in talent, gift, business, career or profession; those who break new grounds stand out of the crowd.

To break new grounds, you must be creative in your thinking; to break new grounds, you must embrace creative imagination. You don’t need to be the Late Steve Jobs to do it; do it in your own style and uniqueness. There is something that you can do better than anyone; yes, I mean better than anyone. Search for it; live for it; do it now!

Thanks for your company and please keep a date next fortnight – Wednesday, July 31, 2013. Till then. God bless you.

•SUCCESS FACTOR appears fortnightly on Wednesdays. The Columnist, Kenneth Nkemnacho, is a popular London-based motivational writer and YAHOO Contributor. He can be reached via kenneth@kennethvisionmedia.com or publisher@newsexpressngr.com

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