“Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones that actually do”. This is an excerpt from Steve Jobs’ epoch making speech to the staff of Apple some years back during the “Think different” campaign. Unarguably, Apple products have changed the world.
Many times we think about the future as if it is far away but more often, the future comes knocking on our door before we know it. You can actually bring the future closer by the action you take today, particularly if you still have all the time to make a choice and chart a course for yourself.
I remember in my secondary school days when everyone wanted to be a medical doctor, a lawyer, an accountant or an engineer. The popular mantra then was professional course and you were made to prepare for this challenge by the choice of subjects you offered.
In my school then, it was particularly more prestigious if you belonged to science class and our colleagues in science class saw themselves as first among equals. Others were made to feel like second class students not bright enough to stand the rigours of study.
I told this story before how my science teachers disowned me in my Form 4 in secondary school because I declined all entreaties to force me to science class so I could become a medical doctor. My lifetime ambition then was to be a banker just because I admired people who wore ties and suits as their daily outfit and I went for it.
I was not only persecuted by my teachers, many times my colleagues in science class mocked me and called me names. To the teachers, I was a lazy student because I refused to define my dream by their standard. They wanted me to be the best but I just wanted to be myself. I ended up being a banker by choice.
This was a time when choosing your career was more like a straight line method. Choose a professional course, study hard, make good grades and the rest would be history. Today, excellence in academics is still a success factor but it is no longer enough. Beyond your ingenuity, you have to be adaptable to current trends to make a success of your dreams.
If you are armed with the right information today, you will consistently be on the right path and you could save time that could otherwise have been wasted. In a world that is virtually becoming digitalised, there are many uncelebrated career paths aside the popular ones that will set you apart. Seek information.
It was common practice in our days to see exceptionally brilliant students isolate themselves from the rest so they would not be distracted but that time has passed. If you go solo now, you will be isolated. The present world thrives on information and information gathering is a combination of personal research and network of friends. Nurture your relationships.
Technology has disrupted the way we live. If you think future, you cannot be passive to the embrace of digital technology. A medical doctor, however brilliant, who has phobia for digital technology will suffer a self imposed limitation in his career progression.
If you are still a young man or woman whose aspiration is to be a lawyer, populating your physical library with voluminous books wouldn’t be all you need to excel in this future that is already here. Beyond being diligent in your studies, embrace digital technology.
To be a successful banker today goes beyond making excellent grades and passing all the professional courses. Banks are now more of technology companies with banking license. These are the current realities. It is either you take it or you leave it.
It is no longer enough to be a success to yourself. The future belongs to those who are not stereotyped to norms. Be open to possibilities and be futuristic in thinking. Don’t be too accustomed to conventional wisdom to ignore the change around you or you will be caught up. “Change before you have to”.
What do I suggest you do to fast forward your future? Alan Lakein put it succinctly when he said that planning is bringing the future to the present so that you can do something about it now.
©️Akin Oluwadare Jnr
04 April 2022
