7 Business Lessons To Learn From Ants 5 See The Great Future Ahead

I remember many years ago while still a teenager living with my parents in Benin City (i.e. South South Geo-political zone of Nigeria) I learnt this lesson of seeing a great future ahead, or call it envisioning, from my elder brother who happened to be travelling across major states and cities in Nigeria, due to his work then. I will never forget the story he told me about Lagos when he returned, even though some were exaggerated. He so painted the picture of the 'beautiful Lagos' that I started longing to go to Lagos, even though I had no reason for going then.

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As at then, I had not seen a pedestrian bridge; a 10- storey building or a bridge that sprawl some kilometres across the sea (i.e. the third mainland bridge). On the comic side, I had not seen a mo-lue (commuter bus where majority of the pa.s.sengers stand, if possible 'hang' on the bus, while the others sit) in which people enter while in motion, and alight while still in motion. You will be pardoned if you say I was a real 'village' boy as at then. But not now because I am currently based in Lagos.

However, the point here is not about where I reside, but the power of painting a mental picture. In fact, I wished I was a script writer or a movie maker as at then, I would have shot a movie t.i.tled 'The Beautiful Lagos'. And guess what? Due to the fact that the desire to go to Lagos (created by the mental picture) was so strong, the opportunity to travel to Lagos surfaced for me. Let me not bore you with how it came, and how I maximized it. But the fact is, the opportunity came and I took advantage of it.

Relating my story with the case of the Ants: though they have no king (or boss) to make them work, yet they labour hard all summer, gathering food for the winter; you could see the power of vision in action. Having come to the realisation of what they do not have in life and what they have, they began to paint a mental picture of what their lives could be in the near future (i.e. winter) using what they have. They saw the possibilities of having abundant food during winter (when the climatic condition will not be favourable for them to work).

On the other side, they saw the possibility of wallowing in hunger during winter. However, they chose to have more-than-enough food in winter instead of a full dose of hunger. Suffice it to say that your poor background can help to fuel a strong desire in you to live a life of great achievement so that your children will not suffer the deprivations you experienced in your childhood days. Well, that depends largely on your mindset, and how you interpret the situations surrounding you.

Back to the Ants. In view of their desire to live in abundance during winter, they started painting the mental picture of abundance in their minds, and that propelled them to action with excitement (without seeing any obstacle on the way). In a matter of time, winter came. While other social insects were dying of hunger, they were having a nice time celebrating their 'end of the year party'.

That is vision. In simple term, it is what your business could become or what you would want your business to become in the near future; say one, two, five, or ten years from today. 2 And the ability to paint this picture (in writing) at the beginning of every business venture, coupled with the corresponding action to work it out is what makes the difference between successful businesses that outlive the owners and the failed ones.

The beginning of any success in life or business is to first see it in your mind's eyes. This 'seeing' is also called visioning. After that, it is expedient that you transfer the exact picture you have created in your mind's eyes on paper, without losing any of the details. This will help you to maintain focus and keep the vision alive.3 Even the good book (i.e. the Bible) admonished that you write the vision,and make it plain thathe may runthat readsit.4 And when it is well articulated, and written down, it becomes your vision statement.

In the words of Leke Alder, a brand and strategy consultant I hold in high esteem, "a vision statement is not those items or convoluted syntax you use to decorate your proposal; it's a well articulated expression of your ambition. Also, it is a simple and clear description of what your business could become in the near future; it's a propellant of attainment."5. That means, it must be compelling enough to drive you to work. From there you start developing your Mission statement, corporate objectives and strategies, amongst others. Put all these components together, and then you have a business plan which is a very important tool you need while embarking on the entrepreneurial journey.

This is the business lesson No. 2 to learn from the Ants. They see a great future ahead of them by painting a great mental picture. And that drives them to work.