Today, the Instagram metric shows that I have posted 1000 content since inception.🤍
While many may celebrate instead a thousand followers’ milestone, I choose to acknowledge this metric because it signifies the number of times, I showed up in building my business brand and the digital footprint for Brave Publicity across social media, with a combined following of over 7000 people.
I have showed up in health and when ill, tired or weary, when weak and when strong. I have showed up when certain and when I was uncertain, when encouraged and when I was discouraged, when I won and lost opportunities, and even when I failed in attempts and when I succeeded.
For me, it represents my resilience on this journey.
The irony is, this is solely for the Brave Publicity brand as a business, as more has been done in efforts to serve other people and brands while gradually on track towards a thousand post and more.
With multiple designs, slides, video production, content creation, copywriting, editing and all of the effort that goes into creating, media production and driving publicity, I’ve certainly churned out more than a thousand posts. This for me, simply represents much strength.
Through the years, I learnt to embrace the imperfect when striving for excellence.
Many designs and edits would have remained in my drafts, but I was willing to try and to put out my craft.
In doing this, I witnessed much growth and observed the transformation of my craft through its growth stages that still remain. It was easy to see the difference because I was willing to put out what may have seemed imperfect at the start.
I believe that excellence is always in motion, so we must go for progress, not perfection.
I believe this because, most of what we may perceive as excellent today often change by standards in the future. In retrospect, we can always spot the imperfections and improvement opportunities, but it is the journey of growth makes us proud.
I also learnt to let others hear my voice and see my face, embracing many cringe moments.
In the early days, it felt strange to hear my own voice or speak into a lens with no one in sight. During reviews of edits and drafts, I needed to learn to let go of what I hoped it would be and embrace what was.
On bad hair days, on days when my face was puffy, on days when I had an acne break out, on days when I felt I looked fat or my face was too big on the screen, on days when the lightning was poor or the audio quality bad, on days when I forgot to turn on the mic, failed to review on site and there was no room for a retake or re-shoot. I learnt to let go of the imperfect, embraced the hard lessons and improve the next execution.
But most importantly, I learnt to create structures that aided consistency.
From day one, there has always been a brand blue-print and with God’s help, I have gotten closer each day to what the vision is – in brand communication, execution and service.
Inching gradually towards a thousand+ content/ posts has required much humility, growth and an open mind to remain a life-long student.
I don’t assume I know everything, even though I am very much aware of my capacity.
To not understand your current value may lead to undermining what you bring to the table. When you don’t know what you have, those without a moral compass and conscience would take advantage of you.
So, while I remain self-aware, I also remain humble enough to learn without undermining what I already know. Being a lifelong student is the bridge towards improved professionalism, success and growth.
I have learnt from various people. Those who have led me and taught me, those I have led and those I have served. Knowledge does not discriminate and isn’t age centric, anyone can have it and anyone can learn from one who has it, including learning from formal institutions of education.
Sometimes you learn the craft, and at other times you learn the lessons about people, the craft or the industry.
With structures, consistency was easier to embrace, even on the hard days, as this helps the vision remains front and center.
There were days I felt tired and quitting would sometime cross my mind, but I always knew that it was never an option, only resting was.
So, on days I felt fatigued, stressed or tired, I would rest and then continue, while having the understanding that every vision is in its stages. As a time would come when the support of a bigger team would keep things moving.
For now, I embrace the line of thinking that:
I may not where I want to be, but thank God I am not where I used to be.
I don’t know what requires your ability to show up consistently, so I hope that this heartfelt note of my journey inspires you and helps you see what is possible only if you believe, start and stay consistent.
Thank you for sticking with me.
Cheers to a thousand and more milestones at Brave Publicity.🤍
Article by Opeolu Adeyemi.
Founder/ Consultant, Brave Publicity Ink!
Brave Publicity Ink! 