How was your weekend? Did you manage to go out, exercise, disconnect from work, and connect with your loved ones?
Tip of the week: LISTEN TO YOURSELF AND GO FOR IT! She was 16 at the time, coming from a small town in Uganda, and finishing high school. She was not clear about what she will study or what her career would be. But she was adamant about ensuring that children’s voices be heard before decisions about them were made. She became an attorney and, following her passion, joined the UN fund mandated to care for, monitor, and advance children’s rights (UNICEF). Nearly a decade after joining the organization -and living through all possible contractual iterations- she is now moving to globally lead U-Report: the program created to hear and interact with young people worldwide. The same program she helped establish upon joining UNICEF in her native Uganda! No doubt, hers is a story of success, but -as she quickly points out when asked- it is not a story of individualism but teamwork and solidarity. It is a story of resilience, conviction, determination, and hard work. It is also a story of making decisions, assuming responsibilities, managing frustrations, and turning dreams into concrete expectations. From her life-story and recent advice to young people, I am borrowing the tip for this week.
Do you recall who you wanted to be when you were younger? What were your plans? What moved you, motivated you? What were you passionate about? What is your life’s vision? Which were your dreams? What has changed? How much have you accomplished? Are you happy with what you are doing now? Are you satisfied with who you are today? Is your flame still burning? If you answered in the positive, KUDOS, and keep it going. Support others, inspire others, keep growing! However, if you answered in the negative, please STOP. Think again, AND… STOP! PLEASE.
Rein in your brain and overcome the ‘need’ to explain or ‘justify’ your current situation. Instead, let it sink in. Listen to yourself, and avoid judgment. You are where you are for a reason, and I am sure it is a very good one. You are most likely in a very good place already, even if not where you intended or planned to be. Are you grateful enough, or has bitterness taken its toll on you? How much is this impacting the achievement of your dreams?
In any case, perhaps this is the time to move from where you are, determine where you want to be, and GO FOR IT! Take action, face your fears, take risks. It is up to nobody else. As you can see from our Ugandan colleague -and many other examples that come to mind- it pays off! Question your attitude, your networking, your experience, your commitment, your results. Ask yourself: Am I a team player? Am I trustworthy? Am I helping others? Am I honest with myself and my team?
Finally, take the time to find out if you are … MAD. Yes. Are you mad? According to Einstein’s definition of madness, if you keep doing the same things over and over again, expecting different results, you are. Let’s not be mad! If you have a vision and are not getting there, either you adjust the vision or the means you are using to get there!
I wish you a happy new month, as we say here in Nigeria! I hope that you have a fruitful week, filled with great insights and amazing learnings!