It’s been said that the difference between a success and a failure is simply that some believe in making things happen, and others believe in things that happen to them. Don’t get me wrong, technical skill/expertise and talent DO matter, they just don’t matter as much as you think. A more than basic understanding of your craft and being good at it is definitely a plus and arguably a strong point in your arsenal. But will they ensure you success? No. If it were, every talented creative would also be a multimillionaire.

Success in any form is created by doing. It’s amazing that you’re great at sketching and designing dresses, but its more about how you execute and turn it into a viable business. For example, Karl Lagerfeld  is an extremely talented designer but I think he’s a far more talented business person.  You only have to look at his myriad brand extensions, not only of Chanel and Fendi but of his PERSONAL brand (Karl x NetAPorter anyone?)  He turned  (dare I say) basic items like the teeshirt into must-haves with the application of business savvy and a keen understanding of branding. In my mind Karl Lagerfeld is synonymous with irreverence. Karl by Karl Lagerfeld was just that – fun, irreverent with a touch of the classic.

Cast your mind to another great example – Diane von Furstenberg. The iconic wrap dress speaks to a very loyal customer base,throw inher great eyefor prints and you have a winning formula. But is she the best at what she does? No way. She simply understood early on the need to take her talent and brains to get where she wanted to go.

And for those creatives who believe they aren’t good at numbers or just want to focus on creating , that’s fine. Find someone who is. Find your weaknesses and ameliorate them with team members who have the know-how. Working with people who make you and your brand better only adds to you, it doesn’t diminish you. Tom Ford and Domenico DeSole are just one example of many extraordinary partnerships that exist in fashion especially.

And as its said your reputation goes before you, if you can’t find those people if you have a reputation for ‘doing’ – creating and executing great ideas- rather than saying, these people will inevitably start to come to you. So don’t have a reputation for, I don’t know, being crazy or inconsistent or unreliable.

I don’t advocate sitting on your ass and waiting for things to happen though. This is another ‘Think Trap’ – go out there, participate in things and be an active member of your personal and professional community. Find a mentor and/or a ‘Master Mind’ group of likeminded people – it’s deceptively easy to get caught up in negativity and be mired in self –pity. ‘Woe is me, I’m misunderstood’ (I’ve been there, it sucks). Bottomline, no one cares. Do right by your talent and everything good will come.

Don’t you’re stand still. As you set goals and reach them, push more. It should always be a cycle of create and execute, create and execute. Exceed your expectations and everyone elses

Concerned about the ‘haters’? (fictional or otherwise). They are immaterial to your goals, your dreams, your life. Always remember that. Besides, everyone loves a success. Failure, on the other hand is equal to having a highly contagious disease. So focus on yourself. The ones who matter will always be there for you.

The most important is to stop talking about all the AWESOME things you want to do and start actually doing them.  We all get caught up in the trap of ‘I plan to …’ ‘I have this amazing idea …’ ‘I’m trying to…’. Do. Or Do Not There is no try.

We’re all guilty of it. Endless planning, Static ideas that never quite make it to fruition. We all need to change it.

Embrace the fact that you will not succeed at everything, and not all plans will pan out in the execution phase. The only way to find out is to do it anyway.  Discovering that a lot of your limitations are self-imposed, that your dreams are attainable, by doing things, learning, meeting, interacting has an incredibly galvanizing effect, not only because it creates a virtuous cycle and re-enforces the sense that you can actually succeed, but because you show people what you can do and attract the right kind of people, people who will elevate you and your business and buy into your dream. They are customers, collaborators, successful people, potential investors and mentors.

Basically, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I don’t have the answers but I can only share what drives us and has gotten us through more hurdles than I can count.

Finally here’s a link to a recording that was instrumental to our lives – The LPM/L’Espace mantra ‘Act as though it is impossible to fail’ was culled from it. I hope you find it useful!

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Isoken Ogiemwonyi is a director at Obsidian fashion

30 Days 30 Voices series is an opportunity for young Nigerians from across the world to share their stories and experiences – creating a meeting point where our common humanity is explored.

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.