Success rarely comes from playing it safe — especially when you’re navigating life and opportunities in the UK. More often, it comes from showing up, saying yes, and figuring things out as you go.
Clarity and confidence are built through action, not overplanning or waiting for the perfect time. Many of the best opportunities for Nigerians in the UK will not look neat and clear at first — they might even seem messy or risky. But that’s often where the magic happens.
My Journey of Saying Yes
As Nigerians in the UK, many of us came here with big dreams but limited certainty. I didn’t advance my career by saying no to opportunities that seemed unclear.
Sometimes the best thing you can do is say yes —
- Even if it’s messy
- Even if you feel unprepared
- Even if it pushes you out of your comfort zone
I’ve said yes to things that didn’t make sense on paper. Some of my biggest wins came from opportunities that first looked like hard work, chaos, or even a gamble.
There was no perfect roadmap. Just instinct, resilience, and a willingness to put in the work.
You Can’t Outsource Gut Instinct
In the UK, we meet many people with impressive CVs, polished pitches, and “perfect” plans. But when deciding what to say yes to, I look beyond the surface.
I bet on people — their grit, values, and vision. Whether they are first-time founders, creatives with no industry connections, or professionals trying to break through, heart and determination often matter more than perfect conditions.
We don’t celebrate legends because they never failed — we celebrate them because they kept showing up and swinging.
Most People Are Afraid to Say Yes
Saying yes means taking a risk. It means committing to something that might not work out. For Nigerians in the UK, it might mean showing up to an event where you know no one, applying for a role you feel underqualified for, or launching that business you’ve been dreaming about.
But here’s the truth:
The bigger risk is waiting — waiting for the “right” moment or the perfect conditions. That’s not a strategy, it’s fear.
You can’t microwave real growth. You have to be in the kitchen, mixing the ingredients, making mistakes, and starting over until you get it right.
Saying Yes Builds Your Future
Many successful Nigerians in the UK started by saying yes to small, often unglamorous opportunities:
- Covering extra shifts
- Volunteering at community events
- Taking on new responsibilities without extra pay
It’s not about being a pushover — it’s about building the habits, skills, and relationships that open doors later.
Yes with Purpose
Saying yes doesn’t mean agreeing to every distraction. It means asking the right questions first:
- Will I grow from this?
- Can I help someone else grow?
- Does it align with the future I want?
If the answer is yes, take the leap. Data matters, but instinct is your competitive edge.
Yes Expands Your Network
You don’t grow a strong Nigerian-UK network by waiting to be invited — you build it by showing up:
- Yes to that early-morning business breakfast
- Yes to a LinkedIn introduction
- Yes to a cultural or networking event you weren’t sure about
Some of the most valuable relationships start with a casual coffee and no set agenda.
The World Opens Up to People Who Say Yes
Every door I’ve walked through came from saying yes to the last one.
Saying yes is about believing in the possibility of something better — even if it’s not guaranteed, even if it scares you, even if no one else understands it.
If you wait for the perfect moment, you may spend your life on the sidelines. Instead, step into the game. Build. Bet. Believe.
Say yes before you feel ready.
Say yes when the opportunity challenges you.
Say yes when your gut says go, even if the world says wait.
For Nigerians in the UK — especially if you’re just starting out — say yes to opportunities and build from there. That’s where growth begins. That’s where momentum is born.
We don’t admire those with perfect records — we admire those who keep showing up, swinging hard, and never giving up.
Be bold. Say yes. Change your story.
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