Build courage to be free to succeed

 Hello Everyone,
Its the start of a new week once again, an opportunity to continue the journey of living our lives to the fullest. This week I will be sharing on courage and how it can give you the freedom to live life and be who you truly are. I have received a lot of questions from people who want to change career and are finding it difficult to decide to move even when they have an offer, or people who know what should be done at work but never step forward to do because it is "unsafe" to challenge their bosses or the status quo, people who find it difficult to fight for their beliefs or their rights.

I grew up in the barracks and very easy to grow up with images of macho men who put there lives on the line for others. Also movies, stories of freedom fighters, have created a perception where courage is seen as a prerogative only of the people whose roles put them in the face of danger. Courage goes beyond physical danger as many people deal with more mental fears than physical fears which numbs them and prevents them from expressing their beliefs or living as they would chose to,or stops them from chasing  after their aspirations.

 A lot of these fears are based on genuine concerns, what if I go to the new company and fail, or what if my boss picks on me or I am sacked for being too forward they ask? If I resign to follow my dream, how will i take care of my family? In today's  tough economic condition, these concerns are rational, and  it's  easy to justify succumbing to the fear of the unknown. Sadly there might be a bigger price of a much bigger future given up for a comfortable now.

I have had situations similar and will like to share from one of the most impactful decisions I have taken in my life. I took a decision early in my career to resign  from Leventis Stores where I already was a branch manager to go and start as a sales representative with P&G. This meant a 15% pay cut,and I lost the perks that came with my job namely company saloon car plus driver, a house in the GRA, gardener, security guards, generator, secretary for a role as a sales representative in a company that was about 2 years  old in Nigeria with none except a Bedford 3Ton truck as a sales vehicle . I was the first son in a family of 9 and had lost my Dad at 17 which bestowed on me the role of bread winner.

 Every single person I asked for advice on what to do asked me the same question, why do you want to leave a company that was big, well known( In the 90's Leventis was big) and you are doing well(I had been promoted within 18 months of joining as trainee sales Mgr), for a company that was unknown and sounded like a gambling organization? Don't you know you have family responsibility and you want to risk a safe Job were some of the questions from outside and in my head?

A couple of things helped me to make my decision and press on with it. The first and the most important was asking myself what did I wanted to be in the future.  and which of the options before me could help me achieve that. The second thing that helped was knowledge about P&G. I was an avid reader of the London Economist and knew about the culture and values of the organization which was attractive to build a solid foundation for my desired future.

The third thing that helped was asking myself what I had to lose if I joined P&G. I rationalized then that at my age, there were people who were still in school, so even if I failed, I could always go back and restart all over. The last thing was relying on my experience when I moved from quality control into sales. My decision then was questioned and I remember my previous GM asking me how I hoped to compete against sales and marketing professionals given my Biochemistry background and yet I was promoted within 18 months.

 Focus on the future, knowledge and re-framing my situation and gaining energy from previous experiences helped me to conquer my fears and take a decision which with hindsight built the foundation on which my career has stood on to date. I also learned to focus on  who I have to be in every situation to help me overcome my fears. I have also learnt that fear is a useful instinct because it helps you be aware of danger and guide against risks.

For many who are trying to take the next step and are afraid, you are not alone, but do not be held back by your fears. Think Deeply about  why are you afraid? Why are you afraid of losing that Job? Is it because of the income or because you may not have another one? If you you understand these, you can start to plan against the risks that make you afraid and have a clear plan. Do you need to know more? Knowledge and insights turn "evil forests" into treasure lands full of opportunities. Do you have examples from your past or from your colleagues, draw from them like David in the bible did when he faced Goliath. "The Lord who saved me from the hands of a Lion and a bear will deliver you into my hands" he said to Goliath. Courage can be built in small doses by learning from our past victories and other people's experiences .

Good luck to you as you face the battles of Life. I pray that you find the courage and strength to be you. Have a great week and God bless us all.
Kind Regards,
Alex Goma aka Teranga Lion