Sometimes as ordinary people, we are tempted to hold on to that which we consider quite important in life, we actually subjugate the power of our life itself.
Many times because we’re desperate about job security, financial security, social security and basic comfort, we trade off important choices, decisions and positions in life for temporary relief that may return dire consequences in the future.
It’s quite rife to come across people who today are in employment and holding on to jobs quite different from what they actually studied in school, this aberration is not even as bad as the fact that many also over the years keep moving from one job type to another, from one department to another, from one industry to another. For example, I know people who have moved from marketing to sales, to finance, to procurement, to customer service, to logistics, to admin, to HR in different companies just within a few years. This may sound quite normal to many Nigerians but in other well-organized climes, it is quite abnormal.
My latest experience is someone I know who used to be in sales, then he moved to audit, then to HR and today he’s into printing. He prints large format outdoor materials and also prints on point of sales items.
I also know a lady who used to be a caterer, then she started an Events Company, then went into serving drinks and mixes at events, then into sales of fabrics and shoes, then she ventured into makeup and today she’s a phone and accessory dealer; sorry she also sold hair extensions and wigs at a point.
Why do people do this? I think it’s simply for survival reasons. People keep looking for the most lucrative and rewarding ventures that will provide enough money to pay their bills and provide a comfortable lifestyle for today.
People move from one department to another, from one job description to another, from one industry or organization to another, essentially in that bid to earn more money. For Audio Version Click here
With eyes on immediate gain and the short run, it may appear like a wise thing to do, but in the long run, it’s a dangerous way of building yourself, modeling your life and securing a great future. This kind of style jeopardizes a stable and great future.
You see, in this life, there is a season when your knowledge and hard work can earn you income and sustain you, but after that season comes another when your name and reputation will be the essential requirement for your earning ability.
In the world of commerce, typically people don’t go shopping for goods and services, people go shopping for reputation – known and trusted names. In business, people don’t just buy products they buy names. That’s why advertisers invest so much in advertising so as to build a strong name and reputation and consequently enjoy what is called a top of mind recall for their own brands. When you want to buy any product for example, you’re more likely to refer to it by the most popular brand name in the market, not by the generic name of the product. That’s why sometimes, a product name has become the generic name for some products in the marketplace. These brand names that are now used to refer to the general name of the product, have built a reputation over the years through consistency, focus, steadiness, regularity, communication and integrity.
Dear friend, this is not just applicable to products, it applies to you as well. Companies and customers buy you and buy from you based on your reputation, steadiness, regularity and expertise. Employers and clients come to you based on your reputation – what they know you for, what they know you do, can do and you do well.
In a bid to feed and pay immediate bills, if you keep moving from one place to another, from one business to another, from one job type to another, from one skill sets to another, you will eventually confuse everyone in a position to pay you and reward you for whatever it is you can do. They will no longer be sure as to what skills, capacities or products to buy from you, hence you wouldn’t have a marketable reputation; you would have confused your potential buyers and value rewarders.
To paint a clearer picture, if you speak to an artisan that says he’s a bricklayer, but can do interior decor, and also electrical works, can do carpentry, and he does plumbing works as well, you will no doubt be skeptical about engaging him for any of these services. But if another comes and says I’m a bricklayer; and that’s all I do, you’re more likely to feel comfortable with him handling your bricklaying job that that one who says he does everything. It’s just natural. It’s a jack of all trade, master of none judgement.
Ladies and gentlemen, I believe it’s time you build for yourself a business or career reputation. It’s time to make up your mind on what exactly you’d like to do rather than being distracted and derailed by seemingly more financially rewarding vocations, businesses and tasks.
It is actually not what you do that is the key to financial breakthrough, it is how excellent you are and the number of people that know what you do and want your services that determine how rich you’ll eventually become – still focused on doing what you want to do.
My dear friend, what do you really want to do? What are you excited and passionate about doing, that many people need and are willing to pay for? I assure you if you stay long enough at it and work hard enough at it, you will eventually begin to earn big time from it.
When you do something well and long enough, people will know you for it and introduce new clients and customers to you, and if your quality of goods and services remain fantastic and affordable, you’re made already.
Dear friend, don’t let the immediate fear of lack and insufficiency push you away and distract you from building a good reputation around and at what you love, and many people want and would like to pay for. The fact the reward isn’t really that much today does not mean it won’t be surplus tomorrow, hey, you’re still growing. A great reputation and brand image does not happen suddenly, it’s built over time.
Many of us fail at many things because we’re too impatient and won’t give things enough growth and maturity time, we want an instant breakthrough. This is not sustainable.
Dear friend, what do you want to do? What do you want to be known for? It’s time to think beyond “what shall we eat and what shall we drink”, it’s time to begin to build your life from bottom up; from a solid foundation to the rooftop in order to make a great impact in this life with your life.
In what area or industry do you think you can make your maximum impact? Where is your natural place of excellence? Where is your position and place in this world? What are you gifted at, passionate about and is obviously of great commercial value? What is that thing you’ll be glad to do and keep doing and keep growing at for the rest of your life? What profession or business would you like to be described by when people are discussing you?
Staying with a thing and being focused on it grows you faster and makes you stronger professionally, than when you’re distracted trying to do many things or moving from one thing to another, one business to another.
Dear friend, where is your place of impact? What reputation are you building for yourself? When your name comes to the mind of people, what solution comes to their mind? How are you a solution in their lives? What answers do you have for them? What sort of comfort or consolation are you to them by being alive and nearby?
Dear friend, stay focused, work hard and long at what you want to build your reputation with, don’t sabotage your future, don’t sell your birthright, don’t mortgage your destiny because of bills, start building your reputation today, make the right impact.
