My uncle and I had this conversation a while ago at a cousin's party. Didn't know how, but we ended up talking about career. We're looking at the successful people around us and admired at how these people were able to overcome adversity, conquer themselves and consequently succeed in whatever they chose to do. My uncle's message of the day was: never be a slave for somebody else.
I've been working for quite a while in a 9-6 job (though it really isn't just 9-6... more like 8-8 + weekends)... and for what? I don't even have savings... I can't even afford to go places with it. To stress his point, my uncle used another uncle, this time a doctor, as an example. This doctor can see 10 patients an hour. If he works for another hour, he gets to see 20 patients a day. If he works for three hours, he gets to see 30 patients... and his income grows exponentially by the hour. As for me, whether I work 8 or 12 hours a day doesn't really make a difference. What I earn will always be the same. It goes nowhere. Yes, you get a raise when you're promoted but it's only an addition. Your salary increases and that's it. It doesn't MULTIPLY.
My uncle told me that if I really wanted to be successful, I should get on my toes and start to really plan for the future. Nothing is easy. Nothing is offered on a silver platter. It's not everyday that one of us wins the lottery. And life isn't getting any simpler as you get older. It's important to learn how to secure the future and to be prepared with whatever life throws our way. He told me that it's important to take risks and face the things that you fear because only then will you be able to test your limits.
Seeing the people around me, I did realize that the ones who are successful are the ones who went through really tough challenges in life. Here's this doctor from a poor family who strived so hard to become good in his craft. Here's this young actress from a province who worked her way up the showbiz ladder.
I just had a renewed perspective on my future. I just want to get serious and start creating a niche for myself... my very own place in the grand scheme of things.
