Converting Your Potential Into Power (and Profit) by Dolamu Badejo

Converting Your Potential Into Power (and Profit) by Dolamu Badejo.

What is knowledge?  I have often heard a lot of people say “Knowledge is Power”… and at so many early points in my life, I also thought this was true.  But as I began to grow, experience life and expand the faculties of my mind through different avenues including literature texts, I began to question the efficacy and the truth in that statement.  Is Knowledge really Power? The answer is NO.

Knowledge becomes Power only when and if it is organised into definite actions and directed to a definite end, through cooperative efforts of other people.

I will give you an example shortly.

But first, here is a fact - Knowledge gained is only a potential; Knowledge purposefully applied becomes Power.  And success comes through application of power.

What does this mean?

Let me ask you a simple question. Before that, I am of very strong assumption that I am talking to a knowledgeable audience.  So my question is – What do you want or desire out of what you know? Many people just like that they know something. Or like that they know what they know. But they don’t desire anything out of the knowledge they have.  So, they make nothing out of it.

Okay, lets look at that first example now:

You can sing. In fact, you can sing beautifully. You also know that you have an amazing singing voice.  But that’s it.  You don’t intend to go into singing professionally or make money in any form out of it.  So that is a potential that has not been converted into power or profit. And remember I said success only comes through application of power.  So this means, in terms of singing, you are not a success. You only know that you can sing.  But you have not applied the knowledge you have, in terms of organising it into definite actions and directing it to a definite end.  Neither have you sought the cooperation of other people with regards your singing. So all you have, as far as knowledge gained, is only a potential.

But let’s look at the flip side of the same example.  You can sing. In fact, you can sing beautifully.  You also know that you have such an amazing voice.  But, through the cooperative efforts of other people, you are seeking ways on how to nurture and expand your craft.  You want to be known globally for your talent (and that is a definite end), you want to become wealthy and successful with your singing (that is also a definite end), and so you begin with attending auditions, performing at family gatherings et cetera (these are organised definite actions) and doing everything you must do in order to reach that definite end.  This is application of knowledge!  Just from our examples, we are able to begin to understand a difference between a mere potential and the conversion of a potential.

Let’s also look at the folks who went through school for instance. You know, a lot of people assume that because they went through some form of schooling, then, they are powerful (because they have gained knowledge).  At least that is what the society makes true for us. But that is far from reality.  If that was the case, every graduate out there is powerful.  But you and I know very well, that that isn’t the case.  There are more jobless and confused graduates than employees.  

As a graduate, what you have only acquired through all years of schooling is an ordinary ‘potential’… just like everybody else.  And that you went through school doesn’t make you the only educated persons. 

I am also sharing this for someone who might think this conversation about converting potential to power is not for him or her… and would say, “Oh… but I don’t have the head for school, I am not educated. I haven’t gained any knowledge… so I can’t become powerful or a success.”  In fact, the real uneducated person is the one who thinks that the man who never went to school is uneducated.

It was Napoleon Hill who described an educated man as the one who has developed the faculties of his mind, that he may acquire anything he wants, or its equivalent, without violating the rights of others;  You don’t need to go through school alone in order to be that type of person.  You only need to know where to get knowledge when you need it, know how to organise it into definite plans of action.   

Look around you, there are countless powerful men, billionaires, who never went through or finished school.  And they are no less educated people like myself who did go through school.  They know where to get knowledge when they need it, how to organise it into definite action plans.  They know the cost of employing a cheap employee is far greater than the resources saved on employing an expert. In fact, knowing that you need to outsource something you don’t have, for you to get what you need, is ‘specialised knowledge’. And that is potential successfully converted as well.

So let’s get into serious talk now.  In order for you to make money and loads of it, you must know that you need to convert potentials into power, which can be acquired through properly organised and intelligent direction of specialised knowledge.  You also don’t necessarily need to know how to do that by yourself; you can employ the services of the ‘persons carrying the knowledge of how to get it done’. In this case, your only job here is to know how to direct and organise these 'knowledge carriers' that you have acquired or employed, to bring you good fortune.

Having said all that, you need to remember two things:

1. That what you know has no value if, you, and people cannot gain from it’s application.

And 2. The world does not pay men for what they know; the world will only pay you for what you do; and what you induce others to do.

So….again… I am assuming I am speaking to a highly knowledgeable crowd generally.  And, all other things being equal, having been placed on a level plane with everybody else no matter the depth of knowledge you carry, or are able to purchase or employ; How do you convert your potentials into power? How do you gain from applying what you know? How do you become a success? How do you differentiate yourself from your equals?  How do you make your advantages attractive?

Here are 10 steps to follow in order to begin to successfully convert your potentials to power.

  

1.     Ask yourself. What is your definite end? – What do you want to get out and at the end? What makes you a success?  You must have an idea of where you are going before you even start.

2.     You need to take inventory of yourself - What have you acquired? What do you think you know now? What do you know? What can you do?

3.     You need to identify gaps and fill it – What do you need to know? Who is offering it?  What do you need to have? What should you be doing to get it?

4.     Additional Value – What can you give? What can you contribute differently? What do you have that others need? What is tradable or exchangeable?

I need to mention that steps 1 - 4 is an unending loop.  And every time, you must keep auditing yourself in order to be or stay relevant.

5.     Develop and organize your action plans to a definite end – You must have a large imagination. Be Focused. And be consistent. Reduce your desires into writing.  Draw up a structure and convert them into action plans.

6.     Place yourself at least a level up above your equals, so you can see a greater opportunity and opportunity can easily see and locate you amongst your equals.

7.     No successful man is an island.  Surround yourself with masterminds, mentors, people whose excellence you admire… and exchange learning from each other’s temple of knowledge or experiences. So also, while allying yourself with as many people as you may need for the creation and carrying out of your plans for the accumulation of wealth, you must also be willing to give away something of benefit to them in exchange for their support.

8.     Be Capable.

-       Learn to always deliver at greater efficiency, top performance at all times.

-       Keep increasing your value offering through skills development, training and experience.  Don’t be stagnant.

-       Do all that you must, at all times.

-       Improve your level of communication and skills, and have a positive spirit of service. Be cooperative.

                                   

9.     Decide to act and get the content of your desires within a specified time.  Operate your plan of actions.  Don’t just design and keep it under your bed or away on a shelf.  You only get what you want after you have reached the decision to get it, and decided to operate a definite plan for getting it.

10. Create a winning first impression… every time.  In the case of a job applicant for instance, many persons make the error thinking that their first winning impression is when they appear in person for an interview or written exam… and that way, they can manage their image successfully (with what they wear, how they speak or conduct themselves).  What if. What if you never get called after your CV submission?  Only very few think about that.  Like I always tell people, there are at least 20 people just as qualified as you are and many more, much more qualified than you are vying for the same position you want to occupy.  So, for job applicants, your first impression is indeed your mode of application.  You need to learn how to put life into your CV in such a way that it stands out in bold contrast to anything your prospective employer has ever seen… especially in the way of application for a position.  This is your winning first impression.

In reiteration, don’t expect payment for what you know.  Expect payment for what you do with knowledge, whether acquired, purchased or employed.  It is not enough to know what you know.  Ask yourself what you can do with what you know.

Perhaps we can end it here and if you need any further help and you would like to make your advantages speedily attractive, please contact me at: zerotohundred@blondedolly.com

Good luck.