by Thembe Khumalo
Listen, I fully understand why it’s important to be realistic, especially with business goals. As an entrepreneur, it is how you plan your income and your life after all. But I am also a fan of the occasional delusional season - where you give yourself permission to dream - and I mean really dream, to imagine success and impact beyond what you generally, well, dream about. Why? Because when you stimulate your imagination, you move things that were otherwise impossible into the realm of the attainable.
When I was in my twenties, I wrote a list of things I wanted to do before I die. It wasn’t a bucket list as such (because the bucket list movie hadn’t yet come out) but it helped me record some of my more outrageous ambitions. And guess what happened? Many of them have come to pass.
One of the things I wrote was that I wanted to run a marathon. At that point, I had never run even half a kilometer in my life. In school I was the child that would always be the last one to be picked for any sport. The idea of me running a marathon was certainly delusional, laughable, one might say.
Fast forward some ten years later and I was running several marathons a year. I went on to run the Comrades Marathon, which is one of the longest (90km) toughest road races in the world! All because I dared to dream it.
If you can’t be daring with your dreams, then how can you have any hope of being daring in real life.
You can’t afford to hold back because someone might laugh at you. Your self-belief has to be stronger than the fear of being ridiculed. I firmly believe that self-belief is the cornerstone of any transformation. It's the unwavering faith in ourselves that propels us forward.
I've given myself permission to be delusional about my capabilities because that's where my most significant transformations have begun. It's about daring to dream beyond conventional limits. Just like anyone else, I've faced moments of self-doubt,. But it's crucial to highlight that these doubts can be overcome. Look at high profile figures like Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs. They all persevered despite sometimes wondering if they were on the right path.
Transformation isn't just about embracing change; it's about seeking it out. Change is the catalyst for growth and improvement, and I've seen this firsthand in my journey. I've made my fair share of mistakes along the way. What's important is how we use these missteps as steppingstones to move forward and continue transforming. Thomas Edison is famously quoted as saying “I have not failed 10,000 times—I've successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.” So many of us give up trying after multiple fails, yet it is just this type of grit that separates the winners from the mediocre.
My favourite account of the importance (and rewards) of being delusion is the story of the Wright brothers. Imagine telling people you’re building a machine that will enable you to fly. I can almost hear the jeers of their neighbours, relatives, and sometime friends. I don’t know much about what their parents thought, but I can only imagine the sleepless nights they gave their mama. Yet, with patience and consistency have been my allies they actually changed the world. As a long-distance runner, I surely appreciate the steady, persistent steps that lead to the finish line.
Another example I love is the story of the suffragettes. It illustrates how the profound impact of a supportive community can overcome social resistance. Oh, the names those women must have been called the cautionary tales that respectable mothers must have told their daughters to ensure they stayed far away from those delusional hooligans. Today, the world is owes these women a debt of gratitude for giving women the right to vote.
So, this festive season I say kick back, dance, dream… because come the new year, those dreams will be the fuel you need to “do”!
Thembe Khumalo is one of Zimbabwe’s leading voices when it comes to brand-building, business growth and personal development. A winner of multiple awards both at home and in the region, she is the founder and Managing Director of Brandbuilder, a high-performance brand strategy firm that helps entrepreneurial leaders and SMEs achieve visibility and growth through comprehensive brand strategy, creative execution and social media content strategies. Known for her clarity and courage, Thembe Khumalo’s leadership track record includes board positions in listed, unlisted and not-for-profit entities. With more than 20 years in the media and communication industry, she delivers a network of high-level relationships across many industries in several African countries. | thembekhumalo.com | www.brandtobuild.co | askus@brandtobuild.co
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