We are used to seeing inspirational quotes like the one above. But a week ago today, I came across a meme on Twitter. Below a pretty interesting graphic of someone doing tedious work, the caption was:
"Your kids will not benefit from your struggles, but from your successes."
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That has inspired this week's Walkabout Wednesday.
I won't add much to the aforementioned caption, other than share something else that resonates very well with that insight. This is from one of my top three all-time favorite books: How to Win in the Coming Jua Kali Boom by Samuel M. Wamae.
This book is a highly recommend read as the author provides practical guidelines and steps towards self determination and gainful enterprise for an individual in an African setting. Specifically, in Kenya.
Following is the final chapter on Results:
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We have all grown up praising struggle and effort. A key message in schools is that 'Hard Work Pays.' But I think there is no reward that emanates from merely putting in effort.
It is a bit contrarian to say this, but people get rewarded for had work bears great results. Not just working hard. And it is for this reason that being innovative and effective make a whole lot of difference.
Because there is great reward in efficient effort. That is what we now need to believe on this journey of life.
UPDATE: It's December and I'm back posting on The Walkabout. It nice... Wa wa wee wa!
What is the difference between being good and doing good?
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Last month while doing some research writing, I had the opportunity to read yet again, Good to Great by Jim Collins.
The book starts with a bold statement - that good is the enemy of great. And while it is a business book, Good to Great is primarily about being what one is best at, and actually doing the best.
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For this month, I'm torn between ending this post with a song about knowing one can or believing. All the same, both are fabulous. And more so because we have the voices of kinds saying truly beautiful things...
I'll keep this Walkabout Weekend post short and sweet.
The modern world has placed many of us in a uniquely difficult position. We want things, and there is a never-ending pressure to have things. Even worse, this same societal pressure fashions "you want" as "you should have" and "you deserve." Entitlement is deeply rooted.
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This has made a majority of us very transactional. We now approach life on QPQ (quid pro quo) terms where the thought of giving something for nothing is openly frowned up. A generation of quitters who at first opportunity, would rather walk out than try to fix anything that needs to be set right.
So what happens when we embark on something but for some reason, things don't go our way? We immediately want out. After all, the grass is "definitely" greener on the other side, and we do have endless choice and innumerable opportunities elsewhere. Or do we?
Let's explore a few examples:
1. A well educated young man who aspires for greatness and wants the fine things in life gets a job soon after graduating summa cum laude. But the pay is not good enough for him. He quickly resigns, sans a backup plan of either going into business or the promising prospects of getting a better job soon.
2. Two people get into a relationship. They truly want it to work and to have something that lasts more than a fad, something that isn't as transient as the clouds. Soon enough, while still in the process of figuring out their common direction and learning more about each other, they have a major fallout. The now all-too-common reaction happens: they call each other names, go silent on each other and ultimately cut off communication by blocking one another across all social media platforms. There is not even an attempt at trying to find out what the problem is, working on it and amicably coming up with a solution that both can be comfortable with.
3. A young, creative and brilliant radio presenter has been working in an upcoming radio station. In under a year, his popularity has grown by leaps and bounds. A larger radio station owned by a mainstream media conglomerate takes note of his massive popularity and poaches him, in the process doubling his salary and giving him "a much larger platform." But our guy doesn't last long on the job. Another station poaches him, and this begins a series of months where he has a stint in almost every radio station in the country. What he fails to realize is that as he hops from station to station, his star gradually fades. In under 5 years, very few can even recall his name.
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We like to assume that more choice means better options and greater satisfaction. In relationships, we are thrilled at the prospect of the "happily ever after," yet we don't want to put effort in the "here and now." We are taught that it's okay to have lofty expectations and that it is our right to demand things without even thinking about how those same things come into being. As long as we can see or point at it, we want it.
The only thing worth trying when all else has failed... is again.
This is a short post, featuring words that are not from my mind, but words that a essential for a healthy mind.
These words are so profound, that I see no need to add anything to them.
by Yolanda Adams
by Abba
