In conclusion, map out what defines progress for you and pursue it. Remember to do the following in the pursuit; trust, hustle and rest.
There is a lot to be depressed about in this clime, and social media has its own way of adding to that depression especially with the way people post boast about every little thing going on in their lives.
A lot of times, I just stay away from social media platforms to take breaths of fresh air and come back again because in actual fact, one can’t stay away totally.
Two things get me depressed often; money and love.
I’m not much of a materialistic somebody but I love financial independence. My mother tells me a lot of stories of the financial feats she made in her twenties before she got married and I wished I could achieve more than she did but I’m not even close to half of what she achieved then and the daybreak of marriage is almost upon me. Perhaps it was because her father studied in the University of Wales, Cardiff, established a school in his home town, was a political elite in his days and my own dad studied in the University of Ife (now OAU) and worked in the civil service. Lol… Rich Dad, Poor Dad. The point I’m trying to make here is that some times, having a rich dad helps you get your own Ferrari earlier in life… and if your papa no be Dangote or Adeleke or Femi Otedola, own your wheel barrow with pride! I love the Agege boys.
I used to be a story-teller, but I think I’ll just go straight to the point. That explains why I started with the end so that if you don’t have the patience to read through the whole piece, at least you will have read the conclusion from the beginning.
The reality of life in this country is that education alone won’t get you anywhere. To your education add a skill that can fetch money.
Not everybody wants to write a CV and apply to foreign firms like The Mide Johnson. Some want to hustle with their skill and explore an entrepreneurship path.
For me, progress was making money with my skill. Establishing a business is one of the most challenging things to do in Nigeria because somehow, every line of business you can easily think of for a start is crowded already. Photography, make-up, baking, catering, tailoring, hairdressing, modeling, online and offline trading, furniture making, music, freelancing, yahoo, etc even up to private and commercial sex business, there is tight competition everywhere.
“Hustle” has got to be one of the most popular buzzwords in business today. “Hustle harder to generate sales”, “work on your side-hustle, while keeping your 8–4 job”, hustle this, hustle that.
To begin that hustle involves a lot of capital at the initial stage and to be honest, starting small is no longer the starting small we used to know; because that “small” has to be big enough to get you to convince your potential clients in this social media age. The pressure can be depressing especially when you realize that the hundred thousand naira you think you’ve been able to save up for the start has been expended judiciously and you are not where you dream to be as a starter.
So this brings me to the place of learning to just TRUST God for progress in business. I don’t want to turn this into a preaching meeting, but then, there’s a reality of God’s Favor and Blessings upon whatever little one is able to start with.
To be honest, you are going to meet different kinds of clients: The perfectionist that doesn’t want to pay as much for the trouble he/she is going to make you go through in getting the work done. The opportunist that is just out to get your service at a give-away price or for no price at all. The benevolent client that overpays for the little service you render and the regular client that does normal. I always trust God for the benevolent and regular clients. Meeting the first two sets of clients can be depressing and somehow, they seem to be the first set of people to want to patronize an upcoming entrepreneur because they don’t have money to pay. These are the real “Nigerians”, they never have money to pay for anything.
To wrap up this part, don’t feel guilty when you take some time off to rest. However big the mAh capacity of the battery on your device, when it is used up, it will shut down if you don’t recharge. A lot of times we drive ourselves too hard when we hustle. Diligence is not bad in itself but too much of diligence can cause a serious burn out. If we can master how to take a break in our twenties and rest periodically, I think we’ll look healthier in our fifties, sixties and eighties.
Perhaps if I’m invited again I’ll tell you how love depresses me but I’ll like to say that “In the land of myth and in times of love, the real hard work of making a relationship works rests on the shoulder of a young woman… “So, if hustling can be challenging for a young woman who loves to be financially independent, it is harder for her boyfriend who has a natural instinct of being a provider. Trust me; Stingy Men Association is a twist of nature. Real Men by nature love to provide; from sperm to money, they are created to be donors… Balancing the hustling with a girlfriend is usually more difficult for him than it is for the female. As much as I think I understand this, my emotions don’t understand it and that can be depressing.
Let me quickly come to the depressing refreshing part; THE CONCLUSION. Any time I hear “In conclusion” whether or not the speaker is boring, I feel warm joy.
In conclusion, map out what defines progress for you and pursue it. Remember to do the following in the pursuit; trust, hustle and rest.
Please share your experiences and battles on this issue. I’d love to know that I’m not alone. You can also engage safe space’s discussions on twitter and instagram via this link: linktr.ee/twentieslive
