I called my friend around 6:40am on Saturday morning to tell her I was on my way to work and would love to see her. She returned my call around 8am, and I told her I was already at
work, and she went, Nawaooo Girl, even today? I laughed at that and asked why she was screaming so loud. She simply said, today is Saturday nah.
You think I like work as much as she makes it seem right?
Grab some drink and snacks, as I take you back to the person
I used to be until few months ago. Would you?
They said if you can dream it, then you can see it yeah?
That’s actually partly true. They forgot to mention that between dreams and reality, there is a pathway called “Process”.
Dreaming alone will never guarantee that you will get to desired point in life.
Get that? Got it? Great. Now, Let’s get back to the story.
You see, I have always been a focused girl. Curious, eager, relentless, resilient and stubborn too. If I wanted something, I will look for any way possible to get it. Running has never made sense to me.
…But you see this past few months, I have thought about running much more than I could ever remember. I felt my job was demanding so much from me. And I hated it.
Blame me not!
Port Harcourt isn’t exactly like Lagos, so maybe you will appreciate it when someone lives for work that is meant to resume by 8:am most days, before 6:30am.
This is not because this person live at Igwuruta and work around Elelenwo. Rukpokwu to GRA maybe. But basically because you need to get to work, prepare for the day and get
your mind mentally ready. No one has the time to listen to the
excuse of being held by traffic. Plausible, I know, but still an
excuse.
And that didn’t just sit well with me. So I struggled for months.
The numerous business transactions, PR, content creation and management, quality assurance, Job scheduling and implementation, media marketing, and Operations that this person directly oversees from Monday to Sunday, isn’t enough
reason to give this person a break.
If you snooze, you loose they kept saying. Besides, consistency is the rule of the game.
I will always wake up with the “Lord, why me?” and “adulthood is a scam” mantra. Consciously or unconsciously. Constant headache was my best friend. Yet I will return late from work, try to finish up a book I started, write a piece(which is fast
becoming rare), and get ready for the next morning. Every
single day.
I thought it was unfair to me, until we were taught about “The Capacity Quotients” in one of our management meetings.
Did I mention that I was constantly asked to work harder, because they feel I have so much potentials but not bringing it all? No? Oh I was.
Did I also mention I worked harder in this firm than I’ve
worked my entire life all along?
But the question was, for how long?
********************
There are basically four types of capacity quotients. There are
more though. But let’s look at these four.
1. The Intelligence Quotient
2. The Emotional Quotient
3. The Social Quotient, and the
4. The Adversity Quotient
We are familiar with the Intelligence quotient, I’m sure. It is
the quotient that assesses your intelligence. Your ability to
learn, understand, or reason in a sound way. The emotional quotient refers to the capacity to recognize a
persons, and other’s emotions, and use that emotional information to guide thinking and behavior. A lot lack this.
The Social Quotient refers to the capacity to know oneself and to know others. It is the Social Intelligence developed from experience with people and the ability to learn from it. People struggle with this too.
Finally, we have the Adversity Quotient – Which is the is the ability to deal with adversities or ability to turn obstacles into opportunities.
And this my honey, is what a lot of people lack. The ability to show up in the midst of adversity. The ability to be Tenacious, consistent, to persevere, endure, be dogged, resolute, indomitable, firm, stern, never yielding or flinching.
The ability to keep moving until a desired result is gotten.
********************
Just like a lot of people out there, I know I had it, but in a very
low degree. Working every day of the week was like a nightmare. Working and not receiving a pat on the back was strange.
I almost asked of my darling Dad one of these days while I was still at work, so he could tell me, Well done my Baby, come and rest. But, I didn’t want him to think I am not strong
enough. (I sha called him when I returned from work though). But I was telling him for the purpose of information, not redemption!
Plus, I have an amazing mentor, who sees my strength even when I can’t. He even recommended books that will help build
and sustain me. He will listen to my radio programs and rate
me.
*********************
These days, I feel really bored and lazy when I don’t have to work for any reason. Waking up on Saturdays and rolling all over my bed by 9am seems like luxury to me, and a lazy one
at that.
I have learned, and still learning that no matter how high the IQ, EQ or SQ, if I lack or faint in the face of Adversity Quotient, my strength is indeed small.
You might not get to work as hard or often as I described here,
but learn to withstand adversity.
It is better to Pay today, and eat later!
The world will hand over whatever you give it. It is Garbage in,
garbage out.
Towards your capacity Development!
The Ready-Writer
© Lillian Imenka
Writing Duchess
Young Vibe 