I NEED A BETTER JOB

‘I need a better job’ is the a common statement in Nigeria and most countries, but I can speak for Nigerians being one myself. The need of something better(greener pasture) has led to countless tragedies and misery in so many homes and lives. It is believed that it is greener at the other side, but I beg to differ, I was in that school of thought awhile back, crying and praying to God for something better, needing a better job, better pay, better working condition. I might as well pray to be jobless with pay, whether I like it or not, that was my prayer unknowingly.

We want it easy in life, no stress but good pay, we look at those few government workers (doing nothing Monday through Friday, with job security, good pay etc), we fail to see the bigger picture (the hardworking  5% percent that Robert Kiyosaki pointed out in his book  ‘Cashflow Quandrant’ people who earns 95% of the total world wealth). We fail to see the role of hard work, persistence and patience in obtaining greatness in life.

At this point I would like to share the experience of a friend of mine, the son of very wealthy man, who had everything going for him in terms of worldly wealth, he was what we would call ‘big boy’ today, until the tides of life came his way, he was kidnapped with no ransom, unlike what we have today, the kidnappers didn’t know who him, they might have asked for ransom which I know his father would have gladly paid to half of his household, rather he was sent to another country where he didn’t understand the language of the people,  culture and believe. He prayed to God for liberty, he wanted to go back home, to the comfort of his father household, to wealth, servants and maids ( like we desire today) despite all this, he worked so hard that the company he worked for while in captivity in grew in strength and wealth. The management of the organization noticed the positive changes that came since my friend joined their organization, due to that he was promoted timely, and gradually ended up as the Managing Director in five years, in which time enemies of progress emanated as usual, he was set up for a crime he didn’t commit, due to the fact that he was a foreigner, no lawyer stood up for him, he was sentenced to life imprisonment without bail.

Now in prison with no hope of being bailed, he prayed for to his God for freedom yet he was not so depressed as the other inmate were, instead he put the skill he had learnt while serving as Managing Director  in his previous organization, into the prison system.

He organized the prison schedules and other activities so perfectly, that the warder appointed him an inmate staff, in charge of other prisoners and their activities .

He was so popular in the prison system, he basically knew everyone who came in and left the prison yard. His fame grew even the president of the nation.

Not long after the President needed a second in command, someone who could manage any situation, and the only candidate that stood out for this position was my dear friend JOSEPH.

He was in captivity for 13 years, yet never lost joy or tried to change the situation by trying to  go back home during his first employment or stage an escape in prison, though he was smart and could have pulled if off. He stayed in his place, though it wasn’t convenient, till his appointed time came.

I see so many Lagosians praying for a better job with security and fat cheque, day in day out believing that better pay would solve their problems.

If they could only look within, rather than seeking better jobs, they would have turned that organization around, make it better than it was when they came in like my friend Joseph did.

I hear someone saying  ‘you don’t know my situation, I spend 80% of my salary on transport alone’ , let me tell you something, God is teaching  you how to be conservative because the blessings coming your way will need conservativeness.

I hear another man say  ‘my boss is so mean and insensitive, I can’t bear anymore’, the truth is you are learning perseverance, that’s the skill all leaders must have, as Humble and good as Moses was, he didn’t have perseverance, we saw the result.

No matter what you think you are going through now, no matter how hard you think your situation is, the fact is, true education is not gotten in the four walls of a school, it lies in experience, that’s the reason big organizations today don’t ask for certificates but for experience.

Don’t leave that job for nothing, seat it through, you will see that the lions are just cats like Daniel did, you will observe the when you move close enough that the fire is an air-conditioned room like the Hebrew boys did. Don’t give up, move ahead like those lepers did and discovered treasures.

There is light at the end of the tunnel, the good book says “ So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up”

Imagine where South Africa will be today if Nelson Mandela had given up in that Island.

I will part with the words of Winston Churchill “ Don’t give up, don’t you ever give up”