We were schooled, now what?!?

 

Over the past few years, we've witnessed some things that makes one wonder about what is going on around us, and about our existence. Here are some considerations:

• We have higher education, yet we are waiting to get jobs so people who only have experience can tell us what to do. We are unwilling to use the education we worked so hard for and paid such money for work for us. We have ultimately achieved the education of mental bondage. 
• Though we received schooling, we are yet to learn how to think in terms of solutions rather than dwelling on the problem. We are too readily defeated in the battlefield of our minds. 
• We study for a grade rather than to get paid. We are taught to use our skills and education within the confines of a job. Yet, so few of us realize the benefits of applying our knowledge to our gain. We follow rules that don't benefit us, and have become a herd of sheeple following unquestionably every suggestion that is meted out to us for the gain of others. 
• We have focused so hard upon passing subjects that we are yet to learn the true value of success lies within our abilities to form lasting relationships with people. 
• Spas are for boosting wellness, clubs harbour and permit the formation of social relationships, gyms help develop our bodies physically, but the true champion is harnessing a close relationship with our creator; learning purpose, destiny, and how we truly fit in to the requirements this life has for us. Church is not so much where we go to receive but where we go to give of ourselves in service to others - our fellow man for the common good. 

Sure I can leave you thinking about what I mean, however I'll clue you in on where to start the process of thought. We did math yet struggle numerically - in measurements, finances, and in areas requiring calculations. 

Our practice of languages leave us ineffective at communicating with the oral, written and verbal dexterity so necessary for living at levels of comfort many dream of but few attain. Our inability to adequately communicate leads to a myriad of misunderstandings that result in broken relationships, mistrust, disharmony and all the other complications that compromise interactions. 

As a people, our ability to competently use information is key to our successes. As the title says, we were schooled, now what are we going to do given our situations we're facing. Plan to be a winner. 

COVID can't take all the blame

As you know, COVID has been around for some time now. We are all aware of the challenges and trauma it has caused to people of all walks of life. People, businesses, countries all felt the impact of COVID. We know it well. 

As things restart, we are doing business once again for both private enterprise and for the government. Everyone wants their work done, with a matter of urgency. 

Claims of how you come highly recommended are common, along with the other lofty reminders of your reputation - so the marketing seems to work. Then comes the "sob" story of the predicament they are in and why they so desperately need your help. Afterwards the closing arguments of how their situation took up their resources and they will pay you in one/combination of the following ways:

• they want to negotiate your fees downwards 
• they want a payment plan that permits installments; which they never stick to
• they want to offer you shares in their business and they are not even incorporated
• they want to pay you on the back end of the assignment
• they even go as far as saying we as a people need to support each other; really
• now there's a new boy, with broad shoulders that took the brunt of licks in the last year - the COVID-19 pandemic [very specifically] got things hard and difficult

In short, they want you to pay using your own resources to do their work. 

Recently, there was one that was heard: The hurricane damaged their many properties so now they have to fix them and then get back to you - who was on assignment to help them get money in the first place. 

People who sell products are raising their prices like crazy and blaming shipping costs. Services, not so much, since they are not aware in many instances that their costs have increased and in what areas and therefore are, in many instances, unable to justify their increases so they work at a loss. 

There's something all business people seek and it's called success. Yet they seem to miss the point that the businesses they deem as successful also have challenges but instead of dwelling on the problem, they focus on a solution. 

The leadership of these successful entities hold themselves accountable and work towards developing plans and utilizing resources that will enable them NOT to stay in an area of challenge for too long. 

There are many articles written about successful people and the surplus they have accumulated over time. Some articles even make it seem downright unfair that these people are being rewarded in the way they are. Yet those same successful people worked tirelessly, making personal sacrifices of time and energy, and sometimes relationships to build and expand their sphere of influence through their organizations. DON'T GRUDGE THEM. 

They use the same principles available to everyone else who is willing to put the work in and invest the time/resources necessary to GET THINGS DONE. 

Stop the blame game, it's doing no one any good. Get the success habits. They are all over begging to be taken up - but we don't want to read, listen, attend to the details and get the information that encourages success. 

Some of us go the other extreme, watching the successes of mega successful people who told their stories and live in the euphoria that we too will make it. Yet ignore those who are a little more successful and identify what they are doing; often within our own environment that makes them successful. 

Just as there is information on what we can do that is right to succeed, there is information on the wrong to avoid so that we don't fail. We all need to be aware, researching both approaches so that we can step closer to success while avoiding the pitfalls of failure. Someone has made those mistakes before, there is no need to try to make them all over again. 

Now that the world is resetting, this is your time to DO IT RIGHT. Strategize, plan and execute, this way you too can build your legacy. Remember, COVID cant take all the blame. 

The Lessons - The Test

Over the last year, we have been subjected to tests of our preparation more than ever in this segment of the globe where we live. Sure we've seen all kinds of things on the news and various other programs, but nothing is quite like when it comes to your own doorstep.

Global pandemic, volcanic activity, hurricanes, flooding, massive death tolls; they all seemed to be happening all at once. This is like bad news on steroids. Sure we've had situations before, but they seem to pale in comparison to what we're experiencing and perhaps, what we are yet to experience. 

For some reason, though we have advanced in our "standards for living" we still seem to have at the same time regressed. What do I mean?

• Fibre optics promising greater speeds, yet we can't keep them powered when the electricity goes off like we did with the old copper technology. 
• When electricity goes, so does communications, water, ability to process payments, and perhaps some other things that are not readily coming to mind. 
• There are more formally educated people and less thinkers that actually come up with sound solutions. 
• There are too many hauling around cliches like "you have to spend money to make money", and other such like fancy sayings with unsatisfactory results.  
• Too many people think that you must have origins within a metropolitan country to truly make it big and successful. 

One of the things that defeats us as a people is our lack of discipline. The willingness to stay the course doing seemingly mundane things. We want to be creative and complicate things. Yet those who keep it simple are the ones who tend to do way better. 

Why is it that when we are put to the test we choke. 

We need to be prepared so that we can function under pressure. Like clean ups and restorations. They can take a toll on the crews. Long hours, demanding timelines, with entire groups of people awaiting the positive outcomes; we need to really know our work so that we can function flawlessly under pressure. 

Life will test us! The thing is, how will we cope?