A few years ago while struggling to decide if what I really wanted to study at the university was worth it, a friend of mine gave me a piece of advice which at that moment I didn’t know I would forever treasure.
I remember so well sitting in her living room and complaining about how much I wasn’t sure of my next moves; how I wasn’t sure if I was making the right decision to study English and Literary Studies and how I wasn’t even sure where to start reading from and my JAMB exams (one of the exams we write to get into a higher institution in Nigeria) were just in a couple of months away.
My friend looked at me from across where she sat and said to me,
“Mirabelle it’s okay. Why don’t you sacrifice watching TV and doing some other irrelevant things for the next few months so you can concentrate on studying for your upcoming exams. Sacrifice for these few months so you can have the best results and after your exam, you can watch all the TV you want to watch and do everything you’ve ever dreamt of doing!”
Okay okay! Of course I paraphrased but this was the beautiful message she gave to me. Although we were still very young back then and probably were just 15 or 16 years old, to me, my friend was the wisest sage who ever lived.
Since then I have always asked myself what and what I need to stop doing and start doing in other to progress. Every year, I write the answers to these questions and compare my answers to the previous years. It shows me how my priorities have grown as well as helps me articulate what I truly want to do.
1. what do I want the most?
2. What do I think about the most?
3. how do I use my money?
4. what company of people do I keep or enjoy?
5. what kind of chats do I enjoy?
6. what gives the devil space in my life? (in case you believe in the devil)
7. what can I do to cooperate with how God is sharpening me for abundance?
8. what have I been doing that I no longer need to do?
9. what less important thing do I do that someone else needs to do?
You too can try answering these. Perhaps they could help you determine what you should sacrifice to get to your golden destination.
Hello Mira ,
Wow! I’m really grateful for all that you do. May your path shine brighter and brighter.
I have a question.
How does one get started? I had always wanted to help humanity in anyway I could, in fact that was one of the things that spurred me to choose Medicine as a career.
Bur now, honestly I feel scared, maybe I’m just a wishful thinker, I don’t know what to do.
Hey there, it’s beautiful that you have the desire to help those around you. Really, you get started by getting started.
You can find an event or cause that you’re deeply interested in around you, and volunteer wholeheartedly to help out and make it a success. Sometimes you’ll realize that the things you’re really scared of are nonexistent and will never happen.