Rising above the
gamble patch
“Today, we give you
the power to read and do all what appertains to your degree. Go ye out there
and prove it to the world that you are a product of whose quality is
guaranteed…”
 |
| Art Courtesy |
Let me to take you
back to the day you shifted your tassel with so much enthusiasm and the joy of conquering
the journey that had been had engulfed you; the fruit of the years spent cultivating
what would now be the foundation of your career. The words that gave you
strength and confidence; it was going to be fine, after all you had the weapon
– Education, so you thought. You are released to the labour market, to face
society, and prove to yourself that you are indeed ready to take on the world.
Flash-forward to the present day and we are painted a very complex picture, they say experience is the best teacher; I’m yet to ascertain if by “best” they had in mind the harsh reality that comes with that bit of learning. You also realize that part of learning entails gambling through life, falling, rising, laughter, sacrifice and pain; it’s a whole network of actions and emotions. I have interacted with a number of people mostly graduates; those currently unemployed, employed or self-employed who are still on the journey trying to gain a sense of themselves in the world. In case you are wondering whether their career is shaping up exactly how they had imagined it would a few years down the line; it’s not the case. I guessed so at least for most.
 |
| Photo Courtesy |
The reality is that most
either love their career, earn less than they expected, are surviving through it
but it’s taking a toll on them. In real sense a number are going through the
gambling patch, you try one thing when it doesn’t work you try another until
you reach the goal of finding a sense of fulfillment. If you have tried to reach
your goal and tumbled because you encountered a hurdle, don’t stop - jump
higher. And sometimes before you figure
it out; it’s normal to find yourself caught up in the gamble and tumble of
life. The fact is that you’ll be confronted with a climb, more complex and
sometimes difficult than you had envisioned; that is the nature of goals.
In the quest for
sustainability in your life or career, you’ll be taken into a new territory,
fear and doubt will engulf you, you’ll experience meltdowns and so many times feel
overwhelmed but you’ll have to make a decision and a commitment to yourself.
The decisions you make at this point in life are very critical in determining
your chances of success, your ability to navigate your way through.
No matter how scary,
stuck or uncertain you might feel about your situation, relax and take some
time on introspection, pray and take action; take the necessary steps you would
need to gain new tools and concepts to move forward on your goal. You’ll also
need as much optimism and drive required in tackling it.
 |
| Photo Courtesy |
When you’ve gambled
through life and failed enough times always remember that “You try things, some
work, some don’t, and you do more of what works.” Sometimes to find a clear
sense of direction towards achieving your goals and making bolder steps up the
ladder, you have to keep an open mind. No one ever wants to experience setbacks
or failure; it can be so disheartening especially for a perfectionist and can
push you over the edge in worst cases. I am still learning that sometimes it
helps to redefine failure, to take it as an opportunity to re-evaluate yourself,
shift your course and find new motivation.
If you are a young
graduate and you’ve probably heard different experiences of those ahead of you,
don’t fret, and just don’t keep your hopes too high as well. Set reasonable
goals, pray, build your confidence muscle; to break through in a world where
there’s so much intimidation, you’ll need this. The challenges you’ll face in
the course of your journey will however offer you opportunities to gain mastery
over your career and life.
