Find yourself first, before you find a job

Editor: The economy isn’t getting any better than it is on paper. The list of bills to pay are growing longer, and the influx of income – relatively thinner. We can’t deny the fact that working nine-to-five could come in handy now more than ever.

However, aside from the customary routine of trying to stay alive, getting employed, making money, starting a family, and raising cool kids, everybody wants a ‘little extra something’ out of life. Not everyone necessarily wants to be great or “change the world” like the crazy egocentric maniacs do, but every person craves to be more useful with their hidden genius or natural creative gifts.

The unemployment rate increases almost as often as we turn on the news. Hence, people are literally cut out for just about anything that brings income, in order to stay “gainfully” employed. But while we settle for less on momentary jobs, a lot of us don’t seem to find the required satisfaction that motivates us to be more productive. The privilege of changing our jobs still doesn’t do the trick, as we eventually get to hate on the new job the same way we did with the previous. If you feel this way about your work, then you’re certainly on the right track, because you deserve a lot more. So, why settle for less?

You can’t be fulfilled in your job, if you’re slowly drowning in the wrong profession! If you aren’t passionate about your line of work, or can’t see yourself clinging to it on a long term, then you might have chosen the wrong career path. How much of your ‘hidden genius’ have you discovered? How much of your natural creative abilities are directly connected to your current job? None? Very well, then, finding a new job to tolerate, should be the least of your concerns right now.

Oftentimes, the extra fulfillment we seek for in life is tied to our passions – and how well we pursue them – with the help of our natural gifts. It’s our passion for something that keeps us going, even when the pay isn’t exactly right, or when we encounter toxic discouraging moments. When we fail to crack open our minds to discover what our true identity and passions really are, we continue to be the unhappy employees who help our bosses achieve their dreams, while we remain miserable from continual complaints – even though we could be employers of labour ourselves. Why bury all your life’s worth just to be enslaved by a regular job that’s driving you insane, when such valuable time can be invested in a craft you’re gifted in and passionate about?

Find something you’re good at, and work twice as hard developing yourself on it – even if you have to intern for free! Market your skills, give every opportunity a shot, and take up a job that’s wired into your newfound passion. As once tweeted by Donald Trump, “If you wanna make money, stick with what you know and love.”

Well, Mr Trump did stick with his love for business – and a rare gift of attracting hatred from women; look where it got him…

Nimi Princewill

(Nimi Princewill is a Nigerian-born writer and social reformer)