We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Hadiatou Wann. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Hadiatou below.
Hadiatou, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
If we’re breathing, we still have a purpose in this world, whether we have already figured it out or not. When we spend so much time and effort focusing on others’ lives, we not only dump ourselves in a hole of comparison, but we also lose sight of our purpose in this world. Our purpose is like a fingerprint. It is unique to who we are, and no one else can claim it. Our purpose should also align with what pleases our Creator.
Finding my purpose required me to expose myself to different environments. When I did that, I had to learn to be true to myself, accept my likes, dislikes, strengths, and weaknesses. I also spent a lot of time alone introspecting, trying to make sense of every challenge and success that pushed me to the right path. The path meant for me. Living in my purpose makes me feel like I’m growing and contributing to the world. My purpose reminds me that my efforts matter. I knew I found my purpose when different people told me that my words impacted them and their families in a profound way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I’m an adult and children’s book author. I write nonfiction and realistic fiction.
My intention is to educate and empower through authentic storytelling. I am also the founder of the women’s empowerment blog I AM AFRICAN & I CAN, where I feature women of color (Muslims and non-Muslims) who excel in diverse professions. It’s a safe space for these women to share their journey (struggles and successes) in an authentic way without feeling judged or like they’re being braggadocious. So many professionals have valuable information to share with the world. My goal is to find them and make them feel like they matter and their stories can impact others.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Communication, people, and time management skills. These are three skills that are vital in any field. It’s important to know how to communicate our values and opinions without stumping on people. Whenever and wherever. We’ll never fully understand people because human beings are complex. However, our journey to success requires us to learn to deal with people we like and dislike in a respectful way. And as for time management, it’s important to prioritize and not waste our time on things that don’t add value to our personal, spiritual, and professional growth.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
Investing in both my spiritual and professional growth has helped me attain my goals. First, I give credit to Allah (God) for making these resources available to me. Islamic scholars have helped me tremendously throughout my journey. These are individuals who dedicate their entire lives to learning about our religion and finding effective ways to communicate our values to the world. Listening to their lectures helped me put together many puzzles in my life. I’ve never met them, but they’ve helped me build my Islamic mentality and identity. I also turn(ed) to their lectures for clarity when I work(ed) on projects. Also, over the years I’ve been able to hone my skills by taking courses (paid and free) launched by non-Muslim professionals and educational institutions. Their resources helped me produce quality works that measure up to industry standards.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hadiatouwann.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorhadiatouwann/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorhadiatouwann
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadiatou-wann
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-MAo9acvt1jf2uqH_LSBQ/videos
Image Credits
Beth Brown
