We live in a generation where almost everyone wants to be successful. We admire the lifestyle, the cars, the holidays, the freedom. We repost motivational quotes, share powerful prayers, and dream about “blowing.”
But here’s the tough question: are we truly ready to put in the work that success demands? Prayer without discipline is just wishful thinking.
I recently came across an analysis of Davido’s week on Instagram. It wasn’t the private jets or the parties that struck me. It was the grind. In just seven days, he performed in multiple cities, shot a music video, attended endless meetings, recorded in the studio, and still made space to interact with fans. That’s not enjoyment. That’s sweat. And it reminded me of something important: even at the very top, success is built on discipline and a schedule most of us wouldn’t survive.
This is where many of us get it twisted. We pray for wealth, we pray for breakthrough, but we forget that prayer is not a substitute for sweat. You can pray for a harvest, but if you don’t plant, nothing will grow. In the same way, you can pray for success, but if you don’t show up daily with consistency, there’s nothing for God to bless.
From the outside, entrepreneurship looks attractive — “I’m a CEO, I run my own company.” But anyone who has built something real knows that success comes at a cost. In the early days, there are no off days. Public holiday? You’re catching up on orders. Weekend? You’re chasing clients. Midnight? You’re balancing accounts.
And when the business grows, it doesn’t get easier, it just changes. Instead of chasing invoices, you’re negotiating contracts late into the night. Instead of carrying stock, you’re managing staff problems. Instead of worrying about your own rent, you’re worrying about paying salaries for ten people. This is the part we don’t post on Instagram. The endless grind, the sleepless nights, the sacrifices that come long before the lifestyle.
It’s one thing to say, “I want to be rich, I want to succeed.” But success doesn’t respond to wishes or long prayers alone. It responds to work. Are you ready to wake up earlier than everyone else? Are you ready to sacrifice leisure today for impact tomorrow? Are you ready to keep going even when there’s no applause and no sign of progress? Because this is what success actually demands. It’s not vibes. It’s discipline.
The good news is, work ethic can be built. Nobody is born with it. Start by setting non-negotiables for yourself — the things you do every day no matter how you feel. Build routines that keep you accountable. Cut down distractions that drain your energy. Learn to delay gratification. And above all, keep pushing even when you feel like giving up.
So pray, yes. Speak your goals into existence, yes. But don’t stop there. Give heaven something to bless. The entrepreneurs you admire didn’t stumble into success. They paid for it — in hours, in sweat, in consistency. They kept showing up when others checked out.
Final Word
We all love the trappings of success — the freedom, the respect, the comfort. But before you reach that stage, you must embrace the grind. Entrepreneurship is not about comfort. It is about responsibility. When you choose this path, you are saying yes to long nights, yes to sacrifice, yes to carrying a burden most people run from.
So here’s the challenge: stop praying for success you haven’t worked for. Because in business, it’s not the dreamers who win, it’s the doers who keep showing up — day after day, grind after grind.
