There are certain things that almost every one of us have heard while growing up. Those who counseled us were doing so in all honesty and arrived at those conclusions because of the situation of things around them. But in our time, the story has changed. What worked then has become obsolete in out generation. Following such advice today is dangerous because the world has evolved beyond such. Here are five things that we were told and how they are no longer applicable.
1. Go to school, get good grades and a job will be waiting for you.
This is one of the worst deception that anybody can believe today. This statement used to be true in 20th century. Very few people were educated and it created a huge need for literate individuals. Today, the table has turned and that advice is a dangerous one to give any young man. The number of educated Nigerians have exploded beyond projections. The number of those that apply for jamb alone is huge. the labor market is saturated is an understatement. Telling anybody this is to set them up for disappointment. There is no job waiting for anyone. If you will eventually get one, you’d better be ready to go “hunting”.
2. Live by the rules
We were all taught to live by the rules of the society. Even our schools had rules. We were forced to move within the confines of laid out societal opinions. Our acceptance was dependent on whether we played by the rules. If anyone moved out of it, he was regarded as an outcast irrespective of the results they have. In today’s world, anyone living by rules rarely rule their world. The world celebrates those who living outside the rules because this is how creativity and ingenuity is born. Thomas Edison, while working on an invention, was told by his assistants about the rules they were to follow. Thomas replied him, “Damn the rules. We are trying to invent something here.” Does that tell you anything?
3. A job is the best thing a graduate can have
Like I said earlier, this used to be true, but not anymore. Sadly, most graduates have not realized that the game has changed. They spend their time trying to get a job. And a good paying job at that. Some of them have lost months and maybe years of their lives while trying to get a job. Do you know why? Because they believe what they needed the most was money. Their hunger for a job has blinded their eyes to the opportunities around them. Their desire for quick money has made them miss valuable opportunities. If what you expect is not forthcoming, look around you. It just may have been there all along, in disguise.
4. Having a white collar job automatically makes you rich
This is largely untrue. Sitting in an air-conditioned office does not necessarily mean that a person is well to do. Go figure how many bankers sit in air-conditioned banking halls but are still broke. The job may meet your needs for the moment, but it is not going to give you money as you desire. Lack of job security has worsened the situation. The best way to become financially buoyant is to create something of yours. Start a business of your own. Build it and watch it grow. This is the surest way to financial freedom.
5. You need huge capital to start a business
Nothing could be farther from the truth. If you believe that you need big money to make money, it is most likely true that you cannot make money. The basic necessity for a business is not money but ideas. Capital will always flow to anybody that has a good business idea and relentlessly acting upon the idea regardless of the obstacles obstructing him. in most cases, if the idea is valid and logical, it will require little capital to start it. Anyone who wants to immediately open a business in a big way most likely will not be able to cope with its growth and magnitude. If you have a business idea, start small. And then nurture it like a baby till it grows. Don’t waste your time looking for huge capital.
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