Embracing the pirate's spirit

What if success was as simple as deciding who you want to be?

Watching One Piece with my kids, I realized that Monkey D. Luffy’s journey to becoming King of the Pirates holds powerful lessons for entrepreneurs and leaders.

His unwavering vision, ability to inspire others, and relentless pursuit of his dream mirror the qualities of world-changing figures like Mandela and Gandhi.

In this post, I break down the three traits that separate those who dominate their field from those who stay average. The question is—what will you be the King or Queen of?

The good thing about having kids is that you get to watch shows you wouldn't normally watch alone. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to watch a TV series called One Piece.

It's a comedic adventure about pirates searching for a treasure called the One Piece.

This could be one of my favorite kid's movies of all time, mainly because of the lessons I learned.

Without giving away too many spoilers, the story revolves around a boy named Monkey D. Luffy, who grows up idolizing Shanks, a pirate captain.

Although pirates often have a bad reputation, Shanks seems to be a good-hearted pirate.

Shanks brings a devil fruit from his travels, and when Monkey D. Luffy accidentally eats it, he gains some unique elastic powers.

Determined to follow his childhood hero, Monkey D. Luffy sets out to become the King of the Pirates.

He possesses an innate hunger, vision, and belief that he will achieve this goal.

However, what's fascinating about his vision is that it’s not just for him alone.

Throughout his quest, he also inspires others to be anything they aspire to be. In his mind, "can't" doesn't exist.

His innocence and determination are both comedic and inspiring.

Even when he encounters potential enemies, Monkey sees the best in everyone and encourages them to chase their dreams, no matter how challenging it may seem.

He reminds us, “No matter how hard or impossible it is, never lose sight of your goal,” which even softens the hearts of those who might wish to destroy him.

It is this dream, this vision, and this resilience that leads others to join Monkey D. Luffy in his quest to become "The King of the Pirates."

If we could all embody the same conviction, vision, and desire to be the Kings and Queens of our respective fields, nothing would stand in our way.

Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and even Monkey D. Luffy share these commonalities.

While examining the lives of those who have accomplished extraordinary things, we can see that they possess three key attributes:

1. A hero they looked up to

2. A vision that is larger than themselves

3. The ability to inspire and enlist others to join in their vision

Ultimately, they also have the willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve that vision.

This mindset can elevate you from being an average entrepreneur to dominating your category.

Personally, I've been diving deep into this concept. What category do I want to dominate, and why?

As I navigate through this journey, I will be sharing my experiences on my LinkedIn profile, YouTube channel, and my upcoming podcast.

This is a fascinating journey for me, and Monkey D. Luffy has inspired me even more.

He said, "I decided to be King of the Pirates. I don't care if I die for it." 

And I, too, have chosen to be the Queen of Connection—though I’m not sure I’m ready to die for it just yet.

So, I have a question for you: What will you be the King or Queen of?

Remember, all you have to do is make a decision, and the rest will follow.

For your success,

Thembi

P.S. I will be documenting my journey on LinkedIn and YouTube. Please follow me on these platforms to stay updated!