WORDS OF WISDOM SHARED BY Mr James Mworia (CEO, Centum Investment)

Article by Mitchell Odhiambo

On Tuesday, 26 May 2015, I am in the reception area of Centum Investment, together with ten other AfricaTalentbank.com (ATB), Brand Ambassadors. We are scheduled to meet with Mr James Mworia (CEO, Centum Investment), at 11:00am, a meeting facilitated by Centum Investment and, AfricaTalentbank.com.

We all gather closer for a last minute pep talk, adjusting our attire to ensure everything looks in pristine condition, prior to our meeting one of the most successful CEOs in East Africa. One can feel the tension (or was it nerves), in the air.

At around 10:45am, we are led  to the Centum Investment boardroom by a warm receptionist who makes us feel most welcome and by 10.50am, we are seated in the boardroom, awaiting the arrival of Mr Mworia

A few minutes later, following a short briefing from his assistant, a charming gentleman in an elegant white shirt and a sky blue tie (whom we all recognize as Mr. Mworia), walks in to the boardroom – he definitely has presence. As Mr Mworia walks in, he fills the  atmosphere with his positive energy and his charisma fills the room making everyone smile and feel comfortable, as we laugh at his jokes. We go through the formalities of introductions as he welcomes us to Centum Investment, and asks us to take our seats. Our meeting begins.

To describe this meeting as one of the most inspirational meetings I have had, would be an understatement. While Mr Mworia may be one of the most successful CEOs in East Africa, what I remember most, was how humble, approachable and personable he was. His mannerisms put us all at ease and his words of wisdom are still ringing in my ear, more than a week later.

I will summarise the key takeaways from our meeting with Mr. Mworia who said:

1. THERE ARE TWO IMPORTANT DAYS IN A MAN’S LIFE. The day he was born and the day he discovers why he was born. Find your purpose and go fulfill it. Mr Mworia then went on to explain that his passion is to create what does not exist and you only have to look at his track record at Centum Investment, to recognize this. He then went on to add: We are here to create something with the God given talent(s) and purpose(s) that we have.
2. SUCCESS IS ABOUT BEING CURIOUS. Only results will determine the outcome of a man’s life. You are who you are because of the decisions and actions you take. The world is full of serial complainers, average persons. Live in the present, be the best. Be in the top 0.1%. Don’t be mediocre. To be successful, prepare for an opportunity that does not exist today.
3. THE ATTITUDE YOU BRING TO LIFE WILL DETERMINE WHAT YOU GET OUT OF IT. You are solely responsible for your success or failure. No one will spend as much time on you, as you should spend time on you. Believe you are going to succeed and do not waste a moment.
4. THE PAST IS IRRELEVANT. Focus on the footprint you will leave in life. Build the legacy you will leave behind. Persistence, not talent is what makes the difference. The brave are those who waited 10 minutes longer. The test of a person’s character is what it takes to stop them
5. LOOK AT THE COMPANY YOU KEEP. It is either helping advance you or is the cause of your stagnation. Guard your mind as well from negativities. Be careful about what you feed it.
6. INVEST IN YOURSELF, FOCUS ON IMPROVING YOURSELF. Take pride in your capabilities and build capacity. Let no one rob you of your time.
7. YOU ONLY FAIL WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO GIVE UP. Expect challenges but remain focused. Change tact where need be, but stay rooted to your objectives; do not lose sight of your goals. Persevere, be patient, never give up. Run to the finish line. Focus on your race.

These wise words of wisdom are still ringing in my ear. I hope you enjoyed reading them, as I did hearing them. On behalf of my fellow ATB Brand Ambassadors, I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Mr. James Mworia and his team, together with Africa Talentbank.com Limited.   Article by Mitchell Odhiambo