Yetunde Odugbesan-Omede: An Incredible Woman with An Incredible Legacy

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She is a professor, an author, a woman’s empowerment advocate, an entrepreneur, philanthropist, wife and mother, amongst other things. Her name is Yetunde Odugbesan – Omede.

Before reading about her, I had never even heard about her. But after reading her interview with Guardian Woman, I could not hear enough about her. She is everything we as women should aspire to. Her confidence and poise come through and her ability to achieve so much including being a wife and mum speaks volumes about her values and personal strength.

Her interview was not just inspiring, it gave us a look at the inner woman and that woman is someone you would be proud to know…someone who we should probably term an NH Mentor. Several things stand out in the interview, but we will share a few…

When asked about the danger of women becoming complacent and not striving for excellence as a default, she had this to say:

Everyone should be striving to achieve their highest potential. Everyone’s level of greatness is unique to who they are. I believe you do the world a disservice when you become complacent because complacency opens the door for stagnancy and laziness; which means you are not moving, not growing and not evolving. The world depends on your purpose, your talents, your gifts and your ideas. When you realize your purpose, the urge to keep going despite the obstacles will become stronger because it’s no longer about you.

There is so much wisdom in that single paragraph that if you stopped reading here, you would have gotten enough to think about and spur you into action.

 

On the 3 Main things that Prevent Women from Succeeding…

Comparison: I have a chapter in my book on Comparison. Women at times have a tendency to measure themselves against other women’s timelines, other women’s successes and life choices. When you compare yourself to others you are doing a disservice not only to yourself but to God. As women, we have to realize that everyone has their own divine timeline, their own journey to success, their own purpose, their own destiny, their own way of living, their own way of expressing themselves, their own style—everyone is different. I strongly believe that accepting yourself for who you are is the greatest gift you can give yourself; this will you allow to experience life and success in a healthy manner.

Everyone should be striving to achieve their highest potential. Everyone’s level of greatness is unique to who they are

Self-Doubt: Constant self-doubt or second-guessing oneself can also prevent women from succeeding in life. Self-doubt is a normal occurrence however; it is not healthy when it starts to infringe or hold you back from pursuing your goals. We often question if where good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, savvy enough, etc, and that constant questioning can be damaging to your spirit, mind, body and soul. As a woman you need to accept and validate yourself and never wait for anyone else to give you the assurance you need. When you’re confident and sure of yourself first, it opens so many doors that criticism cannot shut.

Choice of Friends: As women, it’s important to be around other women who truly support and celebrate you. There is nothing worse than being in company that does not bring the best out of you. You have to avoid being around people who are lackluster, lack ambition and never excited about life. The truth is, if someone is unhappy deep down inside its hard for them to be the type of friend or anchor you need when you are on your journey to success. I’ve seen so many women downplay their gifts, beauty or success just to make their friends feel comfortable around them. A real friend regardless of whatever situation they are in will never make you feel inferior nor covet or envy your success.

 

So what is the secret to her success?

Balance is key. I deliberately and purposefully seek out balance. Balance does not miraculously occur in one’s life. You have to make a constant effort to prioritize and ensure that you are giving your best in the areas that matter. I do believe balance is possible, I give my all in my marriage, as a mother, as a family person, as a professional, as a friend, as a businesswoman and more; because I choose to and I fight for it.

To read the entire interview, click here >>>The Guardian Nigeria