The world way of thinking, may be of the human being is that we like certainty; which possibly is the reason why our brain is designed to always protect us – designed for survival no matter what! This story is my life experience that I think can help me and you to progress in life vis a vis grabbing presented opportunities; JOB opportunities. 

It was in the late 2019 when a friend/a mentor if I allow to put it; she recommended for the job of ‘data collection and IT consultant’ for one the organisations that were working with UNHCR implementing some projects in one of the refugee camps in Rwanda. She knew I had knowledge in computer science and quite a bit I was a tech savvy. Quoted, ‘’you did computer science and I am sure you can do this job. I recommended you, they should reach out you for questions to see how suitable are you for the job’’. The exact same things happened; I knew I didn’t have all the capabilities to do the job because I have never used that software at all. From that time, I did my homework about the job and the software I was required to use;

To be honest, I was a little scared, yes, yes; what if I am not capable of this job? But of course, on the other side, I did have the idea of what the job is and what the software is because I have used other kinda similar software in my previous jobs. The lesson was that ACCEPT the job even if you don’t 100% qualify for it and do your HOMEWORK to know all it takes to be good at doing that job. This helped me (1) to challenge myself to learn new things, (2) I develop and discovered another talent ‘teaching’ and (3) I made new friends whom some of them we become really good friends and talk regularly. I have realized that if I had declined the job I wouldn’t have benefited all those things that most of the time are not part of the benefits of the contract hahhahha. 

Yes right. I liked this quote from the Book Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel that says something like ‘all cost don’t have a price tag. Some things cost too much in untagged prices’. So, all the benefits of the job, benefits of the contract are not always mentioned in the contract (responsibilities). Some are invisible, but profound. 

Religiously, the cross in front of you is bearable if and only if you accept it. 

When you get offered an opportunity, what the hell do you know about the reason behind you being chosen for that. Accept it and see what that choice will lead to. Maybe you will learn something new, or you will make new friends that will help your growth in so many different ways or may be you will discover actually what you don’t know.

 

Author: Jean de Dieu N. (Jado)