2016 - My2Cents
It has been almost 5 months of my stay here in Ghana. 2016 is here, everyone is excited, but as they say, “time flies.” Believe me it does. Soon it will be December & the usual “We wish you a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!!” to remind us that 2017 is here. The question is: “Will 2016 be any different?”
A Recap
The past year has been very exciting and pivotal for me. From organizing and coordinating events and conducting student trainings focussed on Digital Marketing and Android, to co-organizing and co-hosting the biggest Google tech event for the year — Google IO 2015, to my graduation and lastly to joining MEST.
Giving Back
People give back differently. Together with my friends, I like organizing, facilitating and taking part in Children’s Home visits. Through this noble cause, Chagua Charity — a community platform that makes it fun and easy for us to give back, was born. It is amazing how the project has grown to be and we hope to impact more lives in the coming year.
Joining MEST
I joined MEST, one of the best Entrepreneurial Schools in the world, in August 2015. The environment is supportive, the culture is different but the drive is the same. I enjoy the food here (plenty of fish, chicken & Jollof rice). The weather is perfect, people are warm, the music is great, and we are yet to have a security drill.
Just like you, and just like your friends, I look forward to a fulfilling year. Am grateful for the support of family and friends for the person I am today, and to God for the blessings. Before I sign out, I would like to share my two cents with you, from what I have learned over the past few years.
My Two Cents
- Life is an adventure, loosen up!
As we have always been told, it is advisable to have a general sense of your goals in life. I would also like to add that it is also a very good idea not to get too rigid about your path. Be open to possibilities; let other people in your lives, and be ready to listen when new opportunities present themselves before you.
2. Stop wishing, start doing!
Did you promise to start blogging this year? Yes. Then stop checking Facebook 10 times a day, sit down and write down your first blog. In reality, no one is stopping you from achieving your goals. Opportunities will come your way. Say “Yes” to some and “No” to the rest. Make mistakes, but only new mistakes!
3. Failure is really, really good!
Here is a motto I use: “I will fail again and again, until I succeed.” By failing, you are discovering the 10,000 plus ways your idea/concept won’t work. It is just a matter of time that you will find the one way it works!
4. You are going to screw up, own it!
Somewhere along the way, all of us will screw up. It just happens. Some of us will screw up more than others; it’s just plain going to happen. You will take credit for someone’s idea. When you feel painted into a corner, there’s a good solution: tell the truth. It’s uncomfortable, and you may get into trouble, yet it will almost certainly be less trouble than if you compound the issue by lying again.
5. Design your self-image
What we can achieve in life has a lot to do with our self-image. If you see yourself as a risk taker and a doer, you’re more likely to take risks and do! The opposite is true. Understand why you do the things you do. One of the ways we can change our behaviour is to proactively change our self-image while at the same time bringing our behaviour in line with our self-image.
6. Add on: Keep focus
Just as we give life its meaning, we also give all our activities their meaning. In addition to our physical activities, your emotional and intellectual activities also require our focus. If we don’t focus on these, we might as well fall. Have a great 2016 and all the very best!
