Success is NOT where you are, IT'S THE JOURNEY YOU HAVE TRAVELLED

Every now and then, you read a story in the media and social sites about this whizzkid that was running their own office at 24, allegedly a millionaire. For many of you, it tends to make you feel [SIZE=6]inadequate. A FAILURE![/SIZE]

I mean, you are doing 36 and still living in a one-bedroomed extension in Langata, pretending to be middle-class. You are yet to buy your first plot or car. Perhaps you work for a mean Mhindi who you could kill in a minute were it not for the law. For you, life is a daily struggle to keep live and soul together.

Sitting down to your supper of sukuma and ugali, with the single fried egg that the missus has saved for the man of the house, you read a story about a Laura thisorthat who was running her/his own company at 23. You despair and put down the paper. Better to watch the fifth-rate Mexican soaps on K24.

They bring on a programme called Young Rich. More 20-something millionaires.

They all say they wake up at 4.00am.

They all say they work hard and smart.

They all say they started very young, about 11, being entrepreneurs.

They did it all by themselves.

They are smart. They are trailbrazers. They are winners.

They say anybody can do it, if they put their mind to it. If they worked hard. If they went to Church every Sunday and gave some quality time to family.

It all makes you, an honest, hardworking, God-fearing Kenyan feel inadequate.[SIZE=6] A loser.[/SIZE] I mean, at 36 you are living in a rented one-bedroom. Your kid goes to the local ‘academy’, not Hillcrest, and you still can’t pay the Sh15,000 fee on time.

And right there in front of you is this 27-year old millionaire who drives a VX and lives in Kilimani.

Before you reach for the rat poison, listen to me. Am a little older and what I have to say may be of interest to you.

IT’S MOSTLY LIES. LIES AND MORE LIES. OK, UNTRUTHS, HALF-TRUTHS AND QUARTER-TRUTHS.

FACT: Outside the ICT industry, IT IS VERY, VERY HARD TO MAKE A MILLION IN ANY INDUSTRY WITHOUT HAVING MILLIONS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Read that AGAIN and AGAIN. Internalise it. It’s the truth.

What am I saying?

Let’s say you, the 36-year old, were born in Laisamiss to a nomadic father or even a teacher. You went to school when you were 6. Finished Class 8 at 14 years. Did KCSE at 18. Joined UON at 19 and finished at 23 (thankfully no strikes shut down the Uni for an year). You join the job market at 24. EVERYBODY IN KENYA WHO GOES TO UNIVERSITY JOINS THE WORKFORCE AT THIS AGE, TAKE OR GIVE!

When the whizzkids are making their first millions? How now? Did they skip some grades or what?

So, when the whizzkid is appearing on K24, talking about how hard they have worked over the years, you are attending your first job interview at a third-rate advertising company. Or the muindi’s in Industrial area. Before walking all the way to your uncle’s, where you are putting up. He lent you the coat for the interview by the way. And the shoes. And the tie.

You see, what the whizzkids NEVER, NEVER tell you is the TRUTH. THE REAL TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.

[SIZE=6]AND THAT TRUTH IS?[/SIZE]

THAT 95% OF THEM COME FROM RICH OR UPPER-MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES THAT GIVE THEM THE CRITICAL SEED CAPITAL AND CONNECTIONS TO start off.

DON’T GET ME WRONG, IT’S NOT A SIN. BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD, NAY, RIGHT, IF THEY ALSO TOLD THE REST OF US THAT DADDY/MUMMY LENT THEM THE FIRST SH5 MILLION TO TAKE OFF,AND INTRODUCED THEM TO THE PROCUREMENT MANAGER AT KENGEN OR WHATEVER.

That while, with your first salary of Sh15,000 you were thinking of how to buy your first decent shirt, a mobile phone, a TV (ngai!, a TV!), and at the same time pay school fees for your kid bro back in Laisamiss, they were being given FREE office space at Dad’s tower block in Westlands.

That while you were commuting daily from Dandora to the darn Muindi job they were living rent free in the three-bedroomed SQ besides their dad’s mansion. With DSTV. And a free phone to call the Kengen procurement manager. Or Email him on the HP Envy dad bought as a graduation present, to book an appointment to drive to in the Merc nobody uses. That while you were doing cybers to complete your job application forms, their dad’s secretaries, messengers and lawyers were at their beck and call (the latter to register more companies at Sh100,000 each, a dream to you, to win more tenders at KenGen or whatever).

So, now, you are 36 in one-bedroomed SQ and this 28-year old is on Young Rich. Or some blog. The Business Daily. Whatever. Claiming to be a smart, hardworking go-getter.

At hand is that rat poison. WHAT DID YOU DO WRONG?

RELAX. THROW THE RAT POISON AWAY.

THEY AIN’T TELLING THE TRUTH. THE WHOLE TRUTH.

[SIZE=6]SUCCESS IS NOT WHERE YOU ARE. IT’S WHERE YOU HAVE COME FROM. THE JOURNEY YOU HAVE TRAVELLED.[/SIZE]

Keep Walking, bro/sis. You ain’t failed. It’s a long way from Laisamiss (or Kilgoris, or Mathare, or Loki etc,) to Langata. Keep walking.

Let them keep yapping. Don’t begrudge them. Look at them and smile. YOU KNOW THE TRUTH.

Yours faithfully,

GUKA

41 Likes

I agree with you. There are very few exceptions of guys who are multi-millionaires who started with nothing and built their fortunes. Even that seed money you speak of doesnt have to be as much as 5m but its enough to get the guys projects off the ground and then he/she goes on from there. There are guys i know and hang out with who are now driving VXs and bimmaz and im still pushing my toyota (which i was given by the folks! Yes, i am that middle class!) but I know these guys didnt work from the ground up to get those millions in their accounts. They were set up by the folks and in a few exceptions, pulled of some seriously shady business deals.

RELAX. THROW THE RAT POISON AWAY.
THEY AIN’T TELLING THE TRUTH. THE WHOLE TRUTH… Hahahaha

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I worked at KPLC as a casual employee and my salo was 10K… si uongo nilikuwa HR department lakini temporary Clerk. My duties included putting new employees details into the Comp system among other things. and to tell u the truth vile umesema nilikuwa naona relatives of Gichuru (Then MD Kplc) and Mrs Bilha Gahoki (then Chief HRO manager and well connected to Gichuru), getting employment on permanent basis na sisi tumekuwa hapo 2yrs na bado ni contract ya miezi sita sita unapewa. Heck even Chris Okemo (then Minister Energy) brought a clande he used to sleep with na akapata job kwanza cheo kubwa. Some of these relatives were fresh out of muchatha and only education they had was Form 4. Then they get employed as Tehnicians…starting salo 25K plus other packages like Hse allowance na miscellaneous zingine. hii ilikuwa inaumiza sana …ukweli isemwe

http://img03.deviantart.net/b7a1/i/2009/082/1/8/keep_walking_by_marceloryuuku.png

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That’s all true however, Kenyans are wired to be awed and wowed by wealth and show little concern of how one got it

Angalia the way guys follow Sonko around town like he’s a small god, Pattni is now a Saint with a church and a flock to tend to… Kamwana … Raila…

Why not Munyakei, Koigi, Shikuku,

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This is the first realiest thread in many a days…@ Guka…asanti sana…juu there are times one wonders whether ni kurogwa ama ni nene…

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we liked to be wowed, hata that jarvelin guy who keeps repeating ati he learnt to throw from youtube is hog wash. the guy was winning high school javelin competitions in 2003, youtube came to the fore in 2005

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i just had to like this

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i just had to like this

lakini huyu dame alitoka far…watch this 2014 video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UWx-avbxHA

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Is it just me or does she look like Esther Arunga? or whatever the name that chic was of Hellon and finger of god?..

Mboss, ati you have a car from your folks? That prolly means your first phone and pad (hse) were paid for by dadi/mami. Count yourself lucky and work your ass off to repay their support. 95% of the people here are from 'Laisamiss"…

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Hapo umeongea kama elders kumi.

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And this is what I call reality Check. Passion and focus will definitely earn you your dream.

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Sob*… Fuckin true.

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…very true guka…bila connections za who is who…u cant make it far…bila help ya the ones already “known”

…one achievement you can thank urself early is paying rent while under 20…from ur money,si kulipiwa…

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Eeeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiii, wee mboss, sikusema wanaume wazima walie. Just Keep Walking. Stick your chin up and walk. You’ll get there.

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Wealth is most often built over generations. you are lucky if you made it rags to riches.

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