The Long Game: Why Investing in Yourself is the Ultimate Payoff
The question of when our efforts will pay off is one that we frequently ponder, especially when engaging in activities with uncertain potential outcomes. Personally, I've faced moments of despair, prompting me to reflect on the potential results of my endeavors.
One of the most challenging moments in my life was realizing I had to spend four years in school to pursue a degree program. It was daunting, considering the financial constraints that would make it difficult to pay my fees and attend to basic needs. I often questioned how it would all end because, in the midst of these challenges, I saw no hope.
There were moments when I felt pursuing an undergraduate program was a waste of time, but finding myself between the years of my enrollment, there seemed to be no way out. Fast forward, I successfully graduated, only to face another hurdle of being at home without a job.
At this point, I concluded that going to school was a total waste. School sometimes feels like a scam, you pay a hefty tuition fee, but upon graduation, finding your dream job is a rare outcome. However, with time, I learned that I had to find something more meaningful than just wait for a dream job which I couldn't find.
When I looked at my certificates, they seemed like mere pieces of paper I had worked hard for four years to obtain. Once again, I felt scammed. I engaged in side hustles and began exploring other opportunities online. l tried to learn new skills through my personal exploration of the internet.
Through this way I found it fulfilling to sustain myself independently before landing my dream job. My passion for knowledge and teaching finally materialized when I secured a teaching position in one of Ghana's prestigious senior high schools. The dormant certificate became the key to obtaining the job.
While I didn't fully utilize the credentials from school, I focused on learning additional skills through personal exploration. Although I didn't initially recognize their importance, both the skills and academic qualifications eventually converged to support me.
The one thing that has aided me today is investing time in building capacity and investing on myself. Sometimes what you're doing today may not yield immediate results, but it's part of the progress for the future. Everything we learn or build pays off over time, requiring patience and perseverance. I hope my brief motivation serves you well as the year begins.
I’ve learned today from you,everything takes time
Thanks for sharing
You are welcome dear. I'm glad you've learned something from this piece.
Study to work is a traditional advice, I think the one most of us received, but that is not the only option available, starting your own business would be ideal, you just have to have a clear vision of what you want to do and above all patience and perseverance.
I agree with you; studying merely for the sake of employment was a common mindset. However, I didn't remain committed to that path for long, as I've always aspired to set up a business. During my time in school, I studied entrepreneurship, which further ignited my passion for starting a venture. I began a small business after securing a job and saving up for it. While starting a business may seem appealing, it's far from easy. Also it's not everyone who possess the capability to grow a business successfully. Even with sufficient capital, adequate knowledge about the business you would want to do is crucial. Therefore, in addition to vision, patience, and perseverance, I would say it's essential to continuously acquire knowledge and, if possible some practical experience.
I believe in personal investment and gaining more knowledge. I have paid for courses just to learn more skills. I hope I will be patient enough to see the results.
Honestly at the point you struggle Soo hard to pay your fees and after suffering for Soo many years there will be no job at that point you will have to go back to skill work with dosnt require your credentials it will now look like higher education is a scam, is not an easy situation at all.
But I believe that time has its way of settling everyone
I feel your pain, struggling hard to pay for school fees and other personal things, and at the end of graduating from school you couldn't secure your dream job it's painful. But I believe everything takes time.