You might have a had a disadvantaged background but you don’t have a disadvantaged brain” – Vusi Thembekwayo
I happened to watch a video and the man Vusi was
talking and he made the above statement, that statement triggered something in
my mind. I looked back at the times I have blamed my background or some of the
hard circumstances my family went through for not pushing myself in life. I
have many times said that if I had parents like this or that then maybe I would
not be where I am, I could be in a better place or have a better job or just
have better connections.
They
gave us an Education
When I look back, I now appreciate that we all have
to value work, we need to work hard and use what God has blessed us with. Many
times I tell people that my dad did not leave us with acres of land or property
except the house that he and mum built which we are really grateful for. He
passed away in 2001 while we were still young in our education and if it wasn’t
for the grace of God and resilience of my mother and the prayers and support of
friends and relatives, I don’t think we would be where we are. She did whatever
she could to educate us.
Our parents give their all to educate us and
sometimes the sacrifices are so painful. I have seen with my own eyes what my
parents had to do. I no longer dwell on what my background was, whether I wasn’t
given all the other things I wanted. Indeed I agree with Vusi, that no one has
a disadvantaged brain. I now realize, the greatest gift my parents gave me was an
EDUCATION. My task is to put what I have been educated with to work.
Excuses
I shouldn’t have an excuse as much as there are many
things to hang excuses on like the economic times, the high rate of
unemployment, failure to be connected, jobs aren’t paying well especially for different
levels of education. Some people sit back
waiting to be told what to do, education comes in both the formal and informal
way but many people suspend their brains and hold on to the confession that the government will do everything for them.
We have to put our brains to work,
we need to build intellectual capital and use it in every field and every
opportunity. Some people have shunned work, they have refused to get their
hands dirty because they say that their degree can’t allow them to get into the
trenches, that it can’t allow them to roll up their sleeves and do things that
can bring food to their table, that it can’t allow them to open up shops for
wholesale and retail trading, that there is no market for this and that, that
the piece of land is too far, that there is no development here, that my innovation can’t
do much etc.
My
Few Experiences
After university, I happened to intern with a big
organization for 6 months and I really am grateful for the experience I had. I
expected to be taken on and that did not happen as expected. I was given a
stipend (allowance) but that stopped the moment my contract wasn’t renewed.
I worked in a store (warehouse) sorting books every day
for about a month, I was paid $ 1.4 or 5000 ugx per day, this experience
humbled me, instead of sitting home watching series after series, I then decided
I needed to get myself busy. Doing that job was a temporary vehicle for me but
I learned vital character traits and the value of working hard. Money isn’t just
given, it is earned. My father used to tell me that money is not plucked from
trees. When I used to ask them for money, I used to think that money was ever
there until I started making my own.
I ended up volunteering with an organization that
taught me vital skills that I use today until I got another opportunity to
intern again for one year and a half. My boss at the time told me these words, “Arthur
you can’t keep interning, If you want to grow, you need to leave this place.”
I started applying for other jobs
and indeed doors opened. When my boss spoke, that is when my brain opened
because I was getting comfortable with the weekly allowance and travel
allowances. I remember saving up most of the monies and up to now, I regret my
first mistake of using my hard-earned savings to buy a car, there could have
been a better investment to do, however, today – the lessons learned are a vital
part of my everyday life.
Don’t
Shun Work, Study and Read
I just want to encourage anyone reading this article,
not to shun work but to use their brains to learn as much and apply the
knowledge to do things that can lift them and others up, studying is not only
done in the university, the greatest investment anyone can give themselves is
to invest in their minds, read about what you are passionate about, search
knowledge of different topics. I love this statement said by one of my friends
Benjamin Tumukunde, “I want to be well studied and well-read”.
We need to learn and stop blaming our background as
much as it has played a part. Use what God has given you, Jacob worked for
Laban for 14 years, I know that he went to his place with nothing but he left a
loaded man. God has given us brains and our minds need constant renewing
through learning and exposure.
When Ben Carson talked about his story, this is what
he said, “I would like people to recognize in looking at my story that the
person who has the most to do with what happens to you is you. It’s not
the environment, it’s not the other people who were there trying to help you or
trying to stop you. It’s what you decide to do and how much effort you put behind it.”
#Transform #Impact #Empower
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