JMMB Goal Getter Live Explores the Keys to Success 

What is success? There are many definitions, but there is one thing all the greats agree on: success only comes by persevering, despite failure.  During a recent JMMB Goal Getter Live episode, which formed a part of the “Man Talk” edition, the episode featured Major Basil Jarrett, civil military cooperation and media affairs officer, Jamaica Defense Force (JDF) and Kwame Brooks, country treasurer, JMMB Group, who shared their keys to success. 

The co-presenters, whose fortunes are now eons from their humble beginnings in rural Jamaica, are living their respective dreams.  Here are some highlights of their journey and the failures that they used as stepping stones to where they are today. 

Solid Education: Major Jarret, a proud Jamaica College (JC) ‘old boy’, credits his high school for laying the foundation that has shaped him into the person he is today. He notes that JC provided him with a solid education that extended beyond academics, as he was exposed to a ‘bigger picture” by the “great ‘old boys’ that helped to mentor the young men,” helping them to chart a path of greatness and success for themselves. Kwame shared a similar story of the role that mentorship from his old boys association at Munro College played, outlining that the education that he received was not just a passport out of his ‘lack’, but also the world ahead.

See Possibilities: Kwame challenged individuals to, “Never limit your vision to your current state.” Outlining that although he came from humble beginnings he was determined to dream big, and still uses this approach today, in his role as country treasurer at JMMB. With a strong spiritual background, he recounts that one of his guiding philosophies is, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Basil reiterated the need to have a vision for your future, although men may make light of the fact that vision board exercises are largely for women, he notes the idea of visualizing your life has helped him to create a roadmap, “I start with the end in mind and then work my way back.” 

Right mindset and attitude: “There are opportunities in every crisis, so look for it,” said Jarett, during the discussion. He notes that your ability to identify the opportunities in a crisis is largely dependent on your mindset and attitude.  Additionally, individuals need to be prepared to work hard and get out of their comfort zone, if they want to be successful. In reiterating the point, Kwame said, “never waste a bad situation.” As he took the viewers down memory lane, he shared that his start in the corporate world was a long road, literally; walking from Downtown Kingston to Six Miles to hand-deliver resumes, with the hope of a job opportunity after graduating from university. This resilience, coupled with the right attitude and mindset, served him well. The solution-oriented Brooks, who reminisced that after landing a job that needed a car, he turned to a friend for help borrowing his car to get his work done, and later, “I became a taxi man of sorts myself, providing transportation to my friends who didn’t have a car, so that I could pay my car loan, when I bought my own car.” This opened the door for him to now also operate his own transportation business, successfully. Jarrett further outlined that this right attitude and mindset pays off, “If you are disciplined and determined, people will also give you an opportunity to prove yourself (especially) if you show good character.” 

Keep Learning: “Maintain a hunger for knowledge so that you can grow,” was a nugget shared by Brooks. Both men, who pay homage to the value of mentorship, encouraged individuals to learn from the experiences of others. Another key to learning is making mistakes, the duo admitted. In embracing mistakes, Kwame outlined he takes a ‘triple A’ approach – admit it, accept it and take corrective action. Adding, “Do not use a mistake as an excuse to not go forward, use it as a platform to propel yourself (and) prove to others that, though you may fall, you will not fail because falling is not failure, it only becomes failure when you don't get up and move forward.” 

Strong Support System: Brooks’ and Jarrett’s drive for success was fueled, in their earlier years, by their maternal figures - their mothers and grandmothers. Brooks notes that his late mother was a phenomenal women who propelled him to achieve because of the unconditional love and support that she constantly gave, and, in Major’s case, his academic success won the heart of his grandmother. This strong support system now also includes a core group of friends who they can rely on for a shoulder, word of advice, honest feedback or just a moment to “have a drink and chat”.  They also serve as motivation, “When (you are) down, you should seek to lean on someone with experience, someone who is non-judgmental – a friend or professional; that is what will keep you pushing…(after all) the world will be full of challenges, but you have to keep on pushing,” said Brooks. 

Kwame also gave kudos to his supportive work environment. “JMMB supports people, (they) provide counseling..., (and) a framework in which you can share with management (and) share with your team members; and (another) thing about us here, we don't ever go too hard on people for making mistakes…because we know mistakes are being human” and it is a learning opportunity. 

Even as COVID-19 has presented many challenges, following on the advice of Kwame and Basil, individuals are encouraged to identify the opportunity in this crisis, in charting their course to success.