The Power of Small

Embracing the astonishing impact of starting where you are now.

Photo by Akil Mazumder

Too frequently, we are so preoccupied with accomplishing great and magnificent things that we are unwilling to begin anything if it requires starting small. For me personally, this is true. It can occasionally be a fear of stepping outside of my comfort zone and into uncharted territory. However, there are times when it's the concern of doing things on a micro level when others are making much bigger waves in the same field.

I fail to recognize that I must first be a novice before becoming an expert. I should be more conscious of the fact that everyone in an industry who I now admire was once just as clueless as I am right now. They have, however, reached incredible apex in their specialised fields with the passage of time, grace, grit, and perseverance. Even those who seemed to struggle less and whose abilities came more naturally weren't experts after seven days. So be wary of anyone who sells you a lofty fantasy like becoming an "expert in three days."

Before their first live show, Jola Ayeye of the I said what I said podcast admitted that she was worried things would not go great. Then a friend told her something remarkable. She said, “Jola, the worst thing that can happen to you guys is that your first live show would end up being your most successful show.”

To discern what is feasible today, you can study trends, but you shouldn't compare your starting point to someone else's expert stage. When you are your only cheerleader, looking up to the greats in your industry can be very motivating. Own your journey, though. Make sure you're progressing. While this doesn’t excuse mediocrity or producing subpar work, starting small allows you to see your errors, learn from them, and improve as you forge your authenticity.

“Don’t let great be the enemy of good.” - Michelle Obama

I once read in a tweet that you had launched your product too late if the first iteration was almost flawless. We sadly live in a time when perfection is valued more highly than process, and there is an unhealthy obsession with "overnight successes," even though the majority of these people toil for years before they achieve success.

My local church serves as a powerful example of this for me. There were only three campuses in Lagos, Abuja, and Port-Harcourt when I joined Celebration Church International in late September 2020. Nearly three years later, there are now more than 17 campuses inside and outside of Nigeria. It is very inspiring to see such tremendous growth in such a short while but it is possible only because of the years of diligence. By this I mean that my lead pastor has been in ministry since he was a teenager. Everything that we see is the result of years of submission, learning, unlearning, yielding, grit, and perseverance in the face of hardship. To covet such without first "paying their dues" would be foolish on the part of a young minister. 

It took me a while to start this newsletter, but I realised that I had been wasting time by trying to be prepared and get everything just right from the start. Why are you still delaying starting that venture? Preparation has its place, but don't use that as an excuse to put things off.

I'll wrap up my letters by recommending some media that I'm currently into. I'm really enjoying TY Bello's most recent album, Heaven has come, right now. The Mainland album listening party on Sunday was the most fun I’ve had in a while. If you use Spotify, you can listen here.

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I’m rooting for you as you start new endeavours!

Yours,

Angel.