Lessons from 2018
2018 was a strangely tough and wonderful year for me. For the most part it was my year of liberation, the year i found freedom, the year i found myself and the year i truly searched and thankfully found God.
For someone who has always had a responsibility on my shoulder (black tax is real my friends), who has always been held down and back by one reason or the other, whether real or imagined, 2018 was the year when for the first time i found myself with no responsibilities and no obligations but my own.
It was a strange and scary place to find myself and for the most part, I did not handle it so well. I mean i went and left my job, left a town i had grown to love, left friends i had gotten attached to and also left a career i had taken 5 years to build and excel at!
It was the year i started an organization, built an amazing team, revived a past business, did my first consultancy gig, made some great partnerships and friendships, learnt new things, took great risks and got great rewards.
It was the year i literally pushed myself out of my comfort zones, had more sleepless nights than ever before, got bat-shit scared, cried myself to sleep on more nights than not, and drove myself crazy with worries.
But it was also the year i learnt about the magic of new beginnings, the excitement of following your dreams, the lessons of failing, the joy of living with purpose, the fulfillment of creating something new and the peace of trusting in God.
If there was anything i took from the eventful year that was 2018, it would be this:
1. There is such a thing as Purpose
There is a reason why you are here. Your greatest job is to find out what that reason is and live it.
As Jobs aptly put it 'You've got to find what you love... Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. And as with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it.'
2. Dream big, then dream bigger
'We have but one life. Just one. Why aren't we running like we are on fire towards our wildest dreams?'- Anonymous
You know that thing you have always wanted? The plans you always make, the resolutions you have given up on? That business you have wanted to start, the job you have wanted to have, the life you always dream of? You can have it. YES YOU CAN.
If you have not figured out what you want, do it now.
3. Do it Afraid
I have always, and will always give mad respect to anyone who has ever tried in whatever way, and no matter the results, to go after their dreams, to create something new, to try out new paths. It takes maximum courage to do this.
It is said that fear has killed more dreams than failure ever has.
If you are doubting yourself, remember, as woody Allen said, '80% of success in life is showing up.'
All you have to do is show up. Be late. Be scared, Be a mess. Be weird. Be confused. Just be there. You'll figure out the rest as you go.
JUST DO IT!
4. Fail fast and fail often
'But why are we worn out? Why is it that, once fallen, we do not try to rise, and, having lost one thing, we do not seek another? Why?'- Anonymous
As a rule of thumb, always fail fast and fail often.
Failing fast ensures you learn. Once you get an idea try it out. Only then will you know what works and what does not.
Failing often ensures that you grow. Keep trying new things. Do not stagnate. Do not stop. Do not give up.
5. Your circle matters
Keep a close circle of friends and family who will be there for you when things hit the fan. People who will pick you up when you are crushed, who will remind you why you started the path you are on when you have forgotten, who will believe in you, who will feed you when you can't afford it and most importantly, who will love you during those tough times.
This circle may be friends, family, mentors, coaches or it may be yourself. Build that system. That circle.
What we don't hear often is that success is a tough and lonely journey and often times, it is those who seem strong and to have it all sorted that need a shoulder the most.
6. Success is contagious and addictive
Until i joined the great YALI community, i was among the crop of people who always lamented about the hopeless generation of today's youth. And then i got connected to young people who were doing amazing things, breaking glass ceilings, charting new paths and changing narratives, and my life has never been the same.
You are the people you spend your time with. Join great communities of like minded people and create good networks. Hang out with people who are doing what you want to do. Get mentors and coaches. I tell you for real, success is indeed contagious. And once you succeed at one thing no matter how small, you will find your self succeeding at the next and the next.
7. It is Possible!
One key thing i got from 2018 is to learn to ditch my rigid mindset and to adapt the concept of 'yes and'. It encourages the building onto, contribution and entertaining the possibility of outrageously crazy ideas.
It may be hard for most of us, but this year, let us learn to say yes to the seemingly unreasonable and build it to something workable.
It is possible.
8. God Above All
Above everything else, above everyone else, PUT GOD FIRST.
Build a strong foundation in Him
For it is in Him that all things are made Perfect.
To say that it was an easy year would be to subtract from the rich journey it was for me, and to say that it was a bad year would be totally ungrateful of me. It was at the same time the best of years and the worst of years, but through it all I laughed, I loved, I lived.
But most importantly, I was LOVED! By God, by family, by friends and by you all.
And i am forever grateful and much more the richer for it. 😍💞💕
Love and light to you all this 2019!😍💞💕
As Neil Gailman aptly put it.
'I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you'll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you'll make something that didn't exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind.'
With Love
Kajuzi ;)
For someone who has always had a responsibility on my shoulder (black tax is real my friends), who has always been held down and back by one reason or the other, whether real or imagined, 2018 was the year when for the first time i found myself with no responsibilities and no obligations but my own.
It was a strange and scary place to find myself and for the most part, I did not handle it so well. I mean i went and left my job, left a town i had grown to love, left friends i had gotten attached to and also left a career i had taken 5 years to build and excel at!
It was the year i started an organization, built an amazing team, revived a past business, did my first consultancy gig, made some great partnerships and friendships, learnt new things, took great risks and got great rewards.
It was the year i literally pushed myself out of my comfort zones, had more sleepless nights than ever before, got bat-shit scared, cried myself to sleep on more nights than not, and drove myself crazy with worries.
But it was also the year i learnt about the magic of new beginnings, the excitement of following your dreams, the lessons of failing, the joy of living with purpose, the fulfillment of creating something new and the peace of trusting in God.
If there was anything i took from the eventful year that was 2018, it would be this:
1. There is such a thing as Purpose
There is a reason why you are here. Your greatest job is to find out what that reason is and live it.
As Jobs aptly put it 'You've got to find what you love... Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. And as with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it.'
2. Dream big, then dream bigger
'We have but one life. Just one. Why aren't we running like we are on fire towards our wildest dreams?'- Anonymous
You know that thing you have always wanted? The plans you always make, the resolutions you have given up on? That business you have wanted to start, the job you have wanted to have, the life you always dream of? You can have it. YES YOU CAN.
If you have not figured out what you want, do it now.
3. Do it Afraid
I have always, and will always give mad respect to anyone who has ever tried in whatever way, and no matter the results, to go after their dreams, to create something new, to try out new paths. It takes maximum courage to do this.
It is said that fear has killed more dreams than failure ever has.
If you are doubting yourself, remember, as woody Allen said, '80% of success in life is showing up.'
All you have to do is show up. Be late. Be scared, Be a mess. Be weird. Be confused. Just be there. You'll figure out the rest as you go.
JUST DO IT!
4. Fail fast and fail often
'But why are we worn out? Why is it that, once fallen, we do not try to rise, and, having lost one thing, we do not seek another? Why?'- Anonymous
As a rule of thumb, always fail fast and fail often.
Failing fast ensures you learn. Once you get an idea try it out. Only then will you know what works and what does not.
Failing often ensures that you grow. Keep trying new things. Do not stagnate. Do not stop. Do not give up.
5. Your circle matters
Keep a close circle of friends and family who will be there for you when things hit the fan. People who will pick you up when you are crushed, who will remind you why you started the path you are on when you have forgotten, who will believe in you, who will feed you when you can't afford it and most importantly, who will love you during those tough times.
This circle may be friends, family, mentors, coaches or it may be yourself. Build that system. That circle.
What we don't hear often is that success is a tough and lonely journey and often times, it is those who seem strong and to have it all sorted that need a shoulder the most.
6. Success is contagious and addictive
Until i joined the great YALI community, i was among the crop of people who always lamented about the hopeless generation of today's youth. And then i got connected to young people who were doing amazing things, breaking glass ceilings, charting new paths and changing narratives, and my life has never been the same.
You are the people you spend your time with. Join great communities of like minded people and create good networks. Hang out with people who are doing what you want to do. Get mentors and coaches. I tell you for real, success is indeed contagious. And once you succeed at one thing no matter how small, you will find your self succeeding at the next and the next.
7. It is Possible!
One key thing i got from 2018 is to learn to ditch my rigid mindset and to adapt the concept of 'yes and'. It encourages the building onto, contribution and entertaining the possibility of outrageously crazy ideas.
It may be hard for most of us, but this year, let us learn to say yes to the seemingly unreasonable and build it to something workable.
It is possible.
8. God Above All
Above everything else, above everyone else, PUT GOD FIRST.
Build a strong foundation in Him
For it is in Him that all things are made Perfect.
To say that it was an easy year would be to subtract from the rich journey it was for me, and to say that it was a bad year would be totally ungrateful of me. It was at the same time the best of years and the worst of years, but through it all I laughed, I loved, I lived.
But most importantly, I was LOVED! By God, by family, by friends and by you all.
And i am forever grateful and much more the richer for it. 😍💞💕
Love and light to you all this 2019!😍💞💕
As Neil Gailman aptly put it.
'I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you'll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you'll make something that didn't exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind.'
With Love
Kajuzi ;)
Great lessons that you learnt and thanks for sharing....will borrow some
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