2024, was actually one of my challenging years. it pushed me to either accept and navigate through the storm and rocky climb or remain at my present space, never to accept the fact that change and hardship were imminent constant.
The solace I found in remaining in my spot started to become salacious, but I knew it would eventually start to make me heavy and gallinaceous as I suddenly began to find comfort in procrastination, mediocrity and excuses. I knew I was going to wither and die if I continued on these paths or refused to be dynamic.
Took me a while, I had to wake up get on my feet and tell myself “No to vices and yes to success”!, My grits and chutzpah were reawakened as I knew I wanted more in life.
Yes there were lot of downs , as I had to face many disappointments along line, get married, move into the other end of the city, change job with a slight distinct career path, struggle amidst financial crisis and even get involved in a police case!
All these happened as a result of trying to pick myself up and to make me better!
In all of these experiences I learnt a few things which I shall share with you.
1. The power of freedom
An incident happened in Karnataka, India. A leopard was chasing a dog, the dog entered the bathroom through a window, the bathroom was locked from outside.
The leopard entered behind the dog and both of them got trapped in the toilet; when the dog saw the leopard, he panicked and sat silently in a corner. He didn't even dare to bark. Although the leopard was hungry and was chasing the dog, he didn't eat it. He could have had dinner by jumping on the dog, but the two animals stayed together in different corners for almost twelve hours. During these twelve hours, the leopard also remained calm.
The forest department focused on the leopard and captured it with a tranquilizer dart.Now the question is, why didn’t the hungry leopard attack the dog when it was easily possible? Simple answer natural instinct appreciates and acknowledges the power of freedom!
Create a work space or environment where you can make your own decisions and your input, where your suggestions and contributions are listened to, else you will become caged and die of obsoleteness.
2. Hard work sometimes isn’t enough
Back at the start of my career as young professional I always had one rule, “work hard and put in extra hours to work even harder”! But I realized my bosses were after results not the process or my methods, I learnt one lesson, some efforts can be ignored work smart rather than hard.
3. Loyalty won’t pay the bills
A bunch of Companies, firms and organizations are mostly loyal to earnings and profits rather than people.
Look out for yourself first, grow, multi task, learn on the job, be diverse and dynamic rather than eyeing promotions and salary increment.
4. Your Job portfolio isn’t permanent
Yes, that’s right! rather than clinging to labels and titles focus on building your skills, business and marketing acumen, social and professional network, PR, and self independence.
A fat salary or a big office portfolio don't define your resultant market value.
5. Your bosses aren’t always right
Point out errors by your superiors respectfully and when it matters don’t keep shut, remember a closed mouth is a closed blessing, you might just be the one God sent to your boss to initiate ideas to turn around the business.
6. Networking is key
I already highlighted this point but I think I need to emphasize it, so if you are the shy conservative type, build your public and social relations, assertiveness, self confidence and effective communication.
UpSkilling is great but connections will open doors.
7. Comfort Zones
Eliminate comfort zones and mediocrity totally, it kills growth. Take risks calculated of cause, try new things, experiment, go outside your specialized space, be adventurous.
Have a basic thumb rule which is “If I am always comfortable, then I am not growing”.
8. Feedbacks are precious
Appreciate feedbacks, although some might just criticize your work but still take it in and fact check however unreasonable. while in college the gateman has a saying “in every nonsense there is sense” I have lived by this rules and it has come in handy sometimes.
You need to understand that even the harshest feedback can teach you something valuable.
9. No one is irreplaceable
Along my career, one of the organizations I worked had just lost its deputy vice chairman, A minute silence was offered to pay respect to him and the next day a vacancy was opened for one to fill in the position.
Moral of the story, Focus on making an impact rather than being irreplaceable. Impact builds legacy.
10. The term “Perfection” is a trap don’t fall for it, it slows you down
Dare to make mistakes, fail 100 try 101. Thomas Edison said “I have not failed, I have just found 10,000 ways it won’t work”. Aim for progress, not perfection.
“I am done with my task in time” is better than “it is perfect at a later hour”.
11. CAREER PROGRESS
You can do it, just take a step at a time, continue to fail beautifully and learn from them.
12. The word success
No one will hand you that, take ownership and responsibility for your failures and growth, that is infact the start to success, as you have Identified and accepted theres a problem to which you have taken ownership and working on yourself.
Keep Pushing for opportunities never relent no one's going to care more about your career than you.
Remember people will associate and celebrate a successful man but will never gather around a failure.
So get up and put this into use, and if you didn’t finish strong, you can start big
Engr. Abdulmateen
1st Jan 2025
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