Every Big Idea Starts With a Crazy One
Every company you admire — from global tech giants to local startups — began the same way: with an idea. An idea that sounded too risky. Too unrealistic. Too impossible.
So, what's the difference between the person who dreams it and the one who builds it?
Conviction. Not talent. Not funding. Not even the "perfect timing." Just the unshakable belief that the idea must happen — and the courage to keep going when everything says stop.
Fred Smith: From "C" Grade to FedEx Billionaire
Fred Smith was just a student at Yale when he submitted a paper about an overnight delivery service.
The professor wasn't impressed. He gave it a "C", calling the concept unrealistic. But Smith didn't file it away or forget it. He believed in it. Deeply. Convincingly.
In 1973, he launched FedEx with a fleet of planes and a mountain of belief. Today, it's worth over $60 billion — all from one idea, backed by relentless conviction.
Strive Masiyiwa: Fighting for Connection
Do you believe in it enough to start?
In Zimbabwe during the 90s, the idea of a private mobile network seemed laughable — or worse, illegal.
But Strive Masiyiwa saw what others didn't: a future where ordinary people could communicate freely. He fought a five-year legal battle just for the right to build what is now Econet Wireless.
Today, Econet connects millions across Africa — a giant in telecoms and proof that conviction can outlast opposition.
Masiyiwa's secret weapon? Faith-fueled conviction. He didn't just believe in the business — he believed it was his assignment.
Leadership Takeaway: Conviction is the Gamechanger
Conviction doesn't mean ignoring criticism. It means listening, learning, refining — and still moving forward when others stop.
It's what makes the difference between a good idea... and a great legacy.
Want to know if your idea matters?
Ask yourself: Will I still believe in this when it gets hard?
If yes — that's conviction. And that's where leadership begins.
Ideas are everywhere. Conviction? That's rare.
The world isn't changed by what you write in a notebook. It's changed by what you fight for, build, and believe in — when no one else does.
So, what are you building? And more importantly...how strong is your conviction?