How to Create the Life You Desire: Did you know there’s a blueprint for creating the life you truly desire?
No matter where you’re starting from — whether you’re drowning in debt, stuck in a dead-end job, or simply feeling lost — you can rise above it. You can design the life you dream of.
I know this for a fact, because my father, Pastor (Dr.) Emmanuel Sunny Ojeagbase, did exactly that.
This isn’t just a story of triumph against all odds. It’s a roadmap — a real-life, proven blueprint for anyone determined to change their life.
The Breaking Point
In 1974, my father — then Lance Corporal Sunday Ojeagbase — hit rock bottom.
He had gotten entangled in pool betting. Not out of greed, but desperation. With a young family of five to feed and mounting financial pressure, betting seemed like a quick fix. Instead, it plunged him deeper into debt and despair.
He was broke, in debt, and struggling to provide for his family.
But deep down, he wanted more. He knew he could do better — if only he knew how to start.
Then came the moment that changed everything.
The Turning Point
A friend, Oludare Onasegun, handed him a book.
That single act — so simple in the moment — would completely change the course of his life… and the lives of thousands of Nigerians who would later benefit from his work.
He devoured the book. Not passively. He read it like a man on a mission.
The very first instruction in that book was: Fix the Right Goal.
At the time, his understanding of “goal” was shaped by sports. He had won a silver medal in basketball at Nigeria’s first National Sports Festival in 1973. So to him, a goal meant putting the ball in the net.
But now, he had to set a different kind of goal — a life goal.
And so, he began asking himself: “What goal can I set for my life?”
Ideas began to pour in.
Eventually, one stuck: What if I became a sports reporter?
It was perfect. He was a passionate football lover. He enjoyed writing. And being sports reporter meant traveling to exotic locations for sports events and being paid to cover what he loved.
But there was one problem: he had no idea how sports stories got into newspapers.
So he started asking questions.
The First Steps
His search led him to a senior colleague in the Army, Ali Dan Isa, who had studied journalism.
Ali encouraged him to pursue formal training. This led to correspondence courses at the School of Journalism and TV, followed by another diploma from the London School of Journalism.
With two diplomas in hand, he was ready. Or so he thought.
Then came another setback: To be considered for a newspaper job, he needed at least a credit in English at the GCE O’Level.
This was a major obstacle. He had only completed primary school and given his financial situation, sitting for the exam felt out of reach.
Discouraged, he nearly gave up. Even Ali Dan Isa assumed he’d lost interest.
Then fate intervened.
The Breakthrough
In 1974, the Nigerian government issued the Udoji Award — a lump-sum payment to civil servants, including members of the military.
He used the funds to clear his debts and enroll in the required courses.
Two years later, in 1976, his first article was published in the Nigerian Herald. That single byline launched a new chapter..
In 1978, after voluntarily leaving the army, he joined Daily Times.
By 1980, he moved to Sunday Concord as a sports reporter. By 1982, he became Group Sports Editor. And in 1983, he was appointed the pioneer Sports Editor at The Guardian.
In October 1984, alongside his wife, Pastor (Mrs.) Esther Ojeagbase, he founded Complete Communications Ltd, Nigeria’s first sports publishing company — now the home of Complete Sports, Nigeria’s #1 sports daily (and now a digital platform).
What This Means for You
As I said from the start: there is a blueprint for creating the life you desire.
And that blueprint begins with one critical step:
Fix the Right Goal.
What do you want from life? What would your dream life look like?
Once you’ve answered those questions — the next step is to figure out how to make it happen.
Then comes the most important part: the willingness to pay the price.
Because the life you desire won’t fall into your lap. You must build it — brick by brick.
There you have it.
The blueprint has been handed to you.
What will you do with it?
Read the latest edition of SuccessDigest: The Walter Enyinnaya Story: From Rock Bottom in a Mud House to a $5,000/month Freelance Income
