Last week and into this weekend Kampala was rocked with the
merrymaking of Makerere University graduates.
The celebrations are in order given the time, sacrifice and
effort that has been expended over the previous two decades. This is the culmination
of the mind bending effort it took to learn the alphabet and arithmetic tables,
to mastering the ability to hold it all in medical school’s anatomy class, to
finding the knack of balancing your academics with your raging hormones.
But for us the older ones we look on, smiling knowingly and
biting our tongues before we can say, “You have seen nothing yet!”
Listed below in no particular order is what I wish I was
told when I was leaving campus those so many years ago.
1.
The world will only pay for value
The world does not owe you a living. It
will only pay for the value you can deliver. Your job for the rest of your life
is to continue increasing your value. You do this by continuing to learn and
from experience. Take every opportunity to learn and gain experience –
sometimes even if it is from working for free. It’s not the cloths that make
the man, but the man/woman who makes the clothes. Character has value. Strive to
be reliable, dependable and trustworthy.
2.
Get out from under your parents wings as fast as
you can
Your parents want the best for you. You
must resist the urge to continue enjoying their hospitality. Move out at the
earliest opportunity – even if it’s is only with your thread bare campus mattress
and battered metal box (I am told those are from a pre-historic era). The
sooner you leave your parents house the easier it will be to wean yourself off
the DSTV premium bouquet, washing machine, free food and board.
3.
Stay fit and healthy
You are not getting any younger. To make an
impression at the office or your place of work you have to stay healthy for
long stretches of time. You cannot afford sick leave. Drink lots of water.
Steer clear of fast food as habit. Your endurance will be tested in these
early as as you set off on your career, the difference between climbing the
ladder or not may just be the long hours you are able to put in – ever with a
smile and never a grimace.
4.
Recognise that there is a higher purpose than
yourself
Responsibility sets in. It’s no longer only
about you. It’s about your partner. It’s about your family. It’s about your
boss. It’s about the business you work in. It’s about your neighbourhood, your
society, the nation. If you lurch your star to a higher cause than yourself you
will be able to persevere longer, overcoming the speed bumps of life with a
shrug and a smile.
5.
Nothing works the way it’s supposed to
Regardless of what the gurus of inspiration
say nothing ever works the way it is supposed to. Plan ahead but be flexible.
Be adaptable. Be ready to take a hit – many hits, change direction, revise your
view of yourself and the world and keep on keeping on.
6.
Realise that nothing of enduring significance
can be created alone
The storyline of the hero who goes it alone
against immense odds and comes out the other side victorious is the stuff of
Hollywood and you are best advised to live it in your DVD player. Your
education did not prepare you for it, but in the real world you have to work in
teams to achieve anything worth talking about. This will often mean having to
share the limelight, to admit your weaknesses and even rely on others more than
you are comfortable.
7.
Start planning for retirement now
They say as soon as you are born, you start
to die. Similarly when you start work plan your career but more importantly
plan your exit. It’s not too early to start saving. Interest yourself in the
skill of running a business and investing. Understand that just as it has taken
you 20 years to make it thus far these skills too will take time to learn and
master. Don’t be seduced by the promise of the one big deal that will sort you
out for life. It never comes. Life is a series of small steps, which may grow
bigger with time and experience.
And so we have come full circle. Focus on
learning and gaining experience in whatever you want to achieve. You feel
clever now but the world will not be fooled – not for long at least. Be on the
lookout for durable sustainable progress. If a deal is too good to be true, it
is.
