Moments from the Peak Performer Africa’s Interactive Session for Women tagged ‘Overcoming Self-limiting Beliefs’

The Peak Performer Africa, a platform promoting positive insights for achieving peak performance, has empowered women across Nigeria with the requisite skills to attain excellence in their space.

This was the tone that characterized the maiden edition of The Peak Performing Woman Interactive Session. It was held on Monday, October 10 in the Victoria Island area of Lagos on the theme: Overcoming Self-limiting Beliefs.

Four amazons and panelists at the interactive session charged every woman in Nigeria to eschew self-limiting beliefs and be the better version of themselves to attain peak performance.

The panelists included the Executive Director of StanbicIBTC Pensions, Nike Bajomo; the Head of Sustainability and Brand of Lafarge Africa, Titi Oguntuga; Abiodun Mamora, Executive Director (Finance), Construction Kaiser and the Deputy Managing Director, Inter-Bau Construction, Doris Okechukwu Mbadiwe.

Addressing participants, Bajomo described the interactive session as; utterly significant in the space that we are in Africa and Nigeria. She emphasized, This is because the way we are brought up — the way we are configured, our background, and culture — speaks a lot to how we develop women.

According to Bajomo, the culture of how females are raised as women has put a lid on what they can and cannot do. “And we know now in 2022 that most of it isn’t true,” she argued.

A woman can be a visionary, says the ED. “A woman can be the best version of herself and as they say, ‘do whatever a man can do’. As women, we need to hear it more and more. After all, we are products of our backgrounds, traditions, and things we’ve heard before.”

However, while admitting that it would take a while for women to unwind and unlearn some of the things they have learnt before or come to believe, Bajomo inspired women to pursue their vision. “Believe in yourself first. If you do not believe in yourself, you’ll make a mess of yourself even if people believe in you. Choose to pursue the best, that vision you have for yourself.”

The executive director further reminded the women that their past does not define their future. “We must have got a few things wrong down the road on our journey, but those mistakes are not what define us; they are things that should make us stronger.

They are things we should have learned from and repositioned ourselves in a way we can propel ourselves forward. In the technology space, they will say ‘fail fast and fail forward’ (learn by doing). Learn from your mistakes and move forward. Your past does not define your future.

She further dissuaded every woman from using age as a barrier to achieving sterling performance in life.

Echoing her views, Oguntuga commended the initiative. “It is one of the credible platforms that women can leverage to access more knowledge, insight, and tips on being peak-performing women. When they are peak-performing women, it touches every aspect of their lives, relationships, work, career, and business. It drives them to the point of self-fulfilment.”

For her, there is a dire need to tell more positive stories to get women aware. Hence, she believes that more platforms like this are needed where women who have been there get to share their experiences with others.

Oguntuga, enjoined every woman, There is no end to knowledge. We need to keep learning, adding that women need to keep themselves exposed to the opportunities available. We need to expand our networks. We need to hand-hold each other because it’s a journey and we just need to keep walking on that journey.

On her part, Mamora pointed out some self-limiting beliefs including “I’m not good enough”, “I’m too old”, “I’m too young”, “I don’t have enough qualifications”, “Why should I try again after I was rejected the last time?”.

According to her, these beliefs range from internal to external factors regarding one’s aspirations and could be from anyone including teachers or parents.

She added: “As panellists, we shared some of our experiences and ideas on how we have overcome some of these things because I think it’s general. Everybody, at some point, had those kinds of beliefs, but it’s the ability to overcome them that makes you a peak-performing woman.

While conceding that these challenges vary from woman to woman, Mamora believes that once a woman can identify the self-limiting beliefs plaguing her, then she can reinforce a positive belief. “And forums like this will help you break free from such,” she chipped in.

On her part, Mbadiwe admitted, “Some of us have and are still living with some self-limiting beliefs. Some of us have overcome them. I think it’s good to identify what each person’s own is and deal with it.

We’ve discussed how some people believe that they are too young or too old to start a business or to do what it is they have a passion to do. What we are saying is that age, generally, should not be limiting people.

She, therefore, recommended that each woman should figure out how to eliminate her self-limiting beliefs. In her words;

“The most significant thing is getting to the point where we overcome them and become the best version, the God-version of ourselves.”

Without subduing the self-limiting beliefs, she pointed out, “You can’t meet your full potential.” Adding to that, the DMD cautioned, “You can’t be as productive as you are created to be, and you can’t be your original self.”

Meanwhile, the Convener of The Peak Performing Woman, Dr. Abiola Salami, said the need for a new level of action in engaging, empowering, and celebrating women propelled the initiative.

“We need to create more platforms in the world that empower, engage, and celebrate women. In CHAMP, we have been about women’s engagement for many years.

“We started CHAMP in 2012 and since 2013 we have implemented one initiative or the other to support women. The Peak Performing Woman is our new vehicle for action that we designed to reach out to women and it is hinged on our media platform – The Peak Performer Africa. This platform is set to be the #1 destination for thought leadership, building one mind at a time on the African continent.”

According to him, The Peak Performing Woman is designed to enable women to deliver excellence in whatever vocation they find themselves. We are laser-focused on women entrepreneurs and women professionals who are interested in nation-building.

While the conversation at the first edition centered around overcoming self-limiting beliefs, it is a follow-up to the first episode of The Peak Performing Woman web series that started in September. Published every Wednesday, the series provides access to fresh, insightful videos to inspire and embolden women.

Abiola Salami addressing participants at the event

The second edition spotlighted critical skills that women need to acquire to help them transition from employees to entrepreneurs.

In the words of Dr. Abiola Salami,

“Another episode was on how women can overcome the fear of public speaking.” He insisted that more women having the courage to speak publicly, adds value to them, their families, and the nation at large.

There’s more for this year. “We have a power list of 100 Peak Performing Women in Nigeria coming out in the next few weeks. For this year, the Peak Performing Woman Award and Summit will be held in December, where we will bring 1,000 women together to engage, empower and celebrate with them. We will be recognizing some icons at that event,” says Salami, the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of The Peak Performer Africa and founder of The Peak Performing Woman Network.

Calling for more synergy, Salami added,

“Any serious organization needs to plug into what we are doing and collaborate with us. We are on a moving train. We are gathering momentum and reaching out. It will be a privilege to have organizations – public and private – and individuals partner with us. This is neither a Lagos thing nor a Nigerian thing. We are positioning ourselves for the globe in what we do.”

The rich composition of participants at the event further attests to the fact that The Peak Performing Woman is on the quest to impact every woman, encouraging them to put their right foot forward, starting with one woman at a time.  

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