A new Chapter
It was such an honor and a privilege to have been selected as one of the 30 young and aspiring entrepreneurs (from a pool of over 200 applicants) for the Startup Smart; Entrepreneurs at Work initiative facilitated by Career Coaching Botswana in partnership with the Public Affairs Office at the U.S Embassy in Botswana. I applied for this 10 week intensive capacity training and support workshop with the intention of gaining the necessary skills and insight to growing my recently registered youth education business.Finally, I am using my blog to shed light on all areas of my life( yes even the stories I have been shying away from ) so here it goes, a new chapter in my life; thank you in advance for taking time to grow with me.
God and Growth
I read somewhere that the journey of entrepreneurship is the fastest and surest way to get closer to God. At first I didn't understand this adage until I stopped allowing fear and procrastination to dictate my life and actively sort out to pursue dreams that ignited a fire in my belly gave my life meaning each waking day. I must say that stepping out of my comfort zone has really taught me a lot of personal and professional lessons in just a few months1. Uncertainty is common
Once you accept the challenge to step out and conquer your dreams, there is that uncertainty and doubt that creeps in and makes you question the validity and feasibility of your dream. Hey, relax it is normal, although it seems like it doesn't happen to a lot of people because they never share such information. Personally, I struggled with this particular step because I had many dreams, ideas and proposals and I honestly didn't know where to start. After sharing my overthinking with my mentor, family members and a handful of friends (the few that are privileged to know the innermost workings of my mind) the lesson was a simple one. Start where you are, with what you have, take one step at a time, work on one idea at a time and then take it from there. Easy stuff right? wrong. But I must say that attending the #StartUpSmart sessions really help in terms of going back to the drawing board and refining or redefining your idea, essentially each session affords me the opportunity to learn something new and then incorporate it into my business idea.2. Ambition is a fickle lover
Daily portions of Passion, Positivity and Perseverance are the trinity of character traits that every leader and aspiring entrepreneurs swears upon. however when pursuing your dreams you will realize that ambition is a fickle lover that constantly needs to be showered with affection, motivation, sweet nothings (of course I am referring to food), sprinkles of faith and hope and when all else fails, prayer.The #StartUpSmart sessions have really helped in terms to reigniting the dream when passion and ambition fall short of filling the empty void of restlessness and hopelessness when it seems like everything is falling apart. Learning something new each day and having insightful presentations by powerful and passion-driven individuals go a long way in reviving your own passion and ambition. Ok, I have succeeded in the systematic abuse of these two words, so let's move on to the last lesson.
3. There is power in Sharing
Before I started attending the #StartUpSmart sessions I wouldn't be caught dead standing up in front of people (no matter the number or relation) and addressing them about a particular issue or simply introducing myself. But because I declared that this year was the year of positive change for me, I knew i had to actively invest in improving certain areas in my life I considered relevant to my personal and professional growth. And so I took up Self-mastery and Public Speaking classes with Career Coaching and gradually bean rebuilding my self confidence and oratory skills. I cannot say with certainty that i have mastered the art of public speaking or conquered my social anxiety but standing up and introducing myself and my passion for every session has certainly opened up communication channels and taught me one crucial lesson; there is power in sharing your story for you never know who it may inspire.
Until next time, thank you and Goodday.
P.S Don't be shy to drop a critic,comment or compliment.
