The rules of writing would usually suggest that I write in a certain genre but we are not in normal times so would like to be a little all over the place with this one.
It has been a tough year; I thought I had at least the next two years of my life all planned. I got my masters, got an internship opportunity into a great company and thought my life was about to take a smooth turn. Like many of us, I was so excited to enter the New Year.
January was not bad at all, February too but then we entered March and for a while, we thought the chaos was not close so we relaxed.
We locked down due to the Corona Virus, people started working from home, some had their pay cut, and others lost their jobs. For me, the dream of working in an amiable and stable working environment was lost.
As sharp as I was, I put all my eggs in one basket knowing it was reckless of me to do so.
Fast forward, it has been weeks and all my plans seem to have fallen through. I have taken up jogging to help me keep sane. I have thought of several ways to make money but it all feels like the usual Ghanaian “do what’s trending” line of thinking. The truth is I was disappointed that things were not happening the way I had planned.
I have no savings, very little income and refuse to ask my parents for money. I almost gave in to my vices.
However, in the early hours of last Saturday, my mother called and she had these words of wisdom for me:
“No matter how much you feel you’ve failed, just start again, No matter how much you feel all is lost just find a problem and work at a solution for it”
I realized then that I had lost sight of the things that I ought to have focused on, that the first step to finding hope and opportunity was my MINDSET. The key to finding hope and opportunity is deciding not to dwell and focus on your situation but finding the next avenue to enable you chase your goals amid loss and misfortune. .
As far as there is breath, problems would arise and people would be looking out for people to help
solve those problems. Be that problem solver.
The truth is, we are all paid and promoted at our various jobs based on how well we can solve a problem. In the midst of this pandemic think of how you can solve a problem. Find hope in the thought that there is always going to be a problem and you can be or help provide the solution for it. That is not just to say that think in the pattern of “there is an answer” but “what the answer is”. Finding the right solution takes patience and experimenting, you need to decide that you are going to find the best answer. In finding the right solution, I would advice you take up some free online programs. This is not just to sharpen your already acquired knowledge on some particular subjects but it could also help you identify an interest in other disciplines.
I recently had a conversation with an event planner and coordinator that illustrated how important it was for one to cultivate this mindset. She mentioned that due to the pandemic, business has been slow. However, she had realized that most people have been indoors for so long that they wanted a change in scenery so she decided to offer interior décor services to her clients.
The advice is not just to think outside the box, to standout you must think both inside and outside the box.
By thinking both inside and outside the box, you are able to not only find a way but also strategize to make what is already being done better. It also involves being one-step ahead of what’s trending. Most of us have ventured into either delivery services, food or the sales of Covid-19 PPEs during this pandemic. My question here is what next? Yes, this is going to be the new normal for a while but just as every other trendy thing, there is going to be a permanent solution to this pandemic. Be it a vaccine or immunization of some sort. Question is, what happens to your business then?
I am sure the plan is to move on to the next trendy thing, which could work. However, imagine how much more you would make if you were always ahead of the trend. Think of what people would need or want to do after this settles. Vacation Travel for instance could be one of the next big things.
No matter how big the picture is, makes sure you have it together in a realistic well-organized set of steps.
I do not have it all figured out yet, I am still penning down how to achieve my big picture. How I can take daily realistic steps to achieving my goal? By having a plan of action to execute these daily steps, it is easier to see things in a holistic manner, evaluate the necessary directions to take and invariably make the necessary adjustments as the need arises.
Always remember, the goal is not to wait to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but to find the
spark within and light up that tunnel.
By: Joshua Robert.
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