When I was an undergraduate, by : CONVYDENCE

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When I was an undergraduate, by : CONVYDENCE

My early days in the polytechnic I never had the slightest idea that I was going to do anything with my writing skills. I had pushed it aside as one of those skills anyone could have. It wasn’t until I needed a financial breakthrough (during my days at West Africa Union University) that I understood that I could leverage this same skill to build a business which has helped me gained a massive financial leap.

Ordinarily, I would have comforted myself with the usual saying: “I am a student”. I would have accepted that students do not have to bother about increasing their income since they would someday, graduate and get a job that will pay them.

But no! The situation I found myself required that I move! After using my pocket money for gamble through a Ghanaian friend I was so broke that if I didn’t do something about it, I would break down. I started seeking ways to harness my writing skills and today, I am no more that broke student neither am I a graduate searching for a job.

What lessons do I have for you today?
1. Do not underestimate the power of skills. I am doing well and living my best life at the moment because I did not accept that writing was just a normal skill anyone can have and nothing more. I moved a step ahead to master the skill and learn how to profit massively from it.

I began to discover that writers could fund their dreams and passion without having to beg for support. I founded a business empire around this skill and put structures in place to help me increase my income without working too hard. I have hosted events fully sponsored by me without external sponsorships. That is how vision thrives! Enough of waiting for people to fund your dreams and vision.

Every skill remains a skill until you harness it and learn practical profitability models and strategies to start earning from it.

2. Do not accept limitations. If I had agreed and stayed comfortable as a broke student, I wouldn’t have been doing all I am doing today. I won’t be impacting lives. I want to have my name imprinted on the sand of goodwill. I want it to be known that I did not just exist. I lived!

More reason I looked beyond the limitations that showed up and strived to become valuable using my skills. I had a big purpose to actualise and taking big steps was all I needed at that moment.

I’ll be sincere with you.
At first, it was difficult because I didn’t have enough money to improve my skill. I could remember how I had to pay for a masterclass with the last money on me. I could remember those nights I had to stay awake just to stream a training using the free MB my network provider gave at midnight. It was not a good experience but that left me with a lesson.

If nothing could limit me when I didn’t have enough, nothing should limit me now.

Until you decide to look beyond the limitations that show up in your journey, you will keep giving excuses for your lack of intentionality and desire towards your growth and personal development.

3. Invest in your personal development. As a student, the things I earlier thought about was how I would study and graduate. I didn’t have much luxury to flex around so that wasn’t on the list. But my desire for personal development, later on, made me see the need to invest the little money I had in myself.

I would buy books and pay for training I could afford at that point. I started with training programmes of #5,000 and books of #2,000 or less. When I started putting what I learnt from those resources into action, I started earning as a content writer even as a starter. But guess what! Instead of spending the money on clothes, hair, shoe, etc, I saved and reinvested the money on my personal development and this increased my knowledge scale. Today, I comfortable pay multiple six figures for training offers and can afford most of the things I couldn’t afford years ago.

Those who ignore their personal development do so at their own risk. You cannot grow beyond the quality of information you are exposed to. You cannot become a better version of yourself if you lack knowledge.

If you don’t invest in yourself, you will find yourself trying to catch up with the train. It doesn’t matter if you once attended a training. Every day, innovative ideas are birthed and you have to constantly update yourself to meet up.

If you are a student or a graduate, learn to invest in yourself. Stop waiting for the government to provide jobs because that is an almost impossible wish. See yourself providing solutions for business owners and corporate organisations. That is the only way you can scale your way to financial freedom without dependence.

Get equipped with relevant skills to position yourself in today’s world of work. See how you can master the art and business of your skill. Gain clarity and learn how to grow your income, visibility and influence.

What’s my point?
You will keep complaining of not living your purpose as a student or graduate if you don’t look within you and discover how best to make a living out of your skill. See how you can become better without waiting for the government or your parents to step into the picture. If they happen to do, good and fine. But what if they don’t? What if there are no job openings for you?

I guess this is not what you want for yourself. See how you can harness that talent of yours to build massive profit and grow your influence without waiting for the government.

The ball is in your court.

O. T. Muhideen,Member Greenfield Library Limited, Atlanta Georgia USA.