“The more you see, feel and experience, the better you think and the wider your area of influence. This influence translates to opportunities for growth.”
I am a beneficiary and product of proactivity, diligence and great coincidences in the form of networks. In all these it has been a matter of being in the right place with the right people, doing something that holds dear to or has value for them and thinking in the lines of the value you can create. I’d be lying to claim it’s been my making and I wouldn’t do that because I am working on being as honest as I can. I’d rather say the truth or nothing at all. The urge to write about this emanates from a book I am currently reading, #YouthCan that I received as a giveaway from Dr. Githinji Gitahi, the Global CEO Amref Health Africa. It was on a relaxed Saturday mid-morning when I decided to check on my twitter feed and luckily being I follow him, I saw his offer and immediately decided to put out my bid. The rest is history. It’s important to acknowledge that if I was exposed to him at this point, I probably wouldn’t have even known there was such a book and if I did I may not have know he was giving some out to support the youth. That’s how the dots connect and imagine how it would be if it all worked out for you on all accounts?
I’m not suggesting or trying to say that with exposure everything will work out for you. On the contrary, most will not but equally you’ll have a multitude of opportunities to try out and most likely you’ll get one that works out for you. I remember recently in one of my discussions with my friends about relationships, there was this discussion on getting the right person and we realized that it’s easier to get one from many than close yourself out waiting to find the one from nothing. This makes sense in our entire lives in every dimension and facet and I believe we need to make it our core principle to get exposure from as many facets as we can.
I am currently reading the book I mentioned above, #YouthCan, and I can confirm that from the narratives penned down by the different contributors, there is a role that exposure did to make them realize possibilities that lied out of their comfort zones. Beyond their routines existence there was something more and that was the push to get better and do something meaningful. I’d say to the point I have reached majority of them had exposure to different cultures, environments and circumstances including studying in foreign countries. This is a privilege not everyone gets to afford but with the advent of technology, we have the world at the palm of our hands. How about we make use of it?
By being exposed we see the world from different perspectives, are able to fathom the possibilities and dream for a different future for ourselves and our loved ones. Our parents and our communities have brought us up curtailing our dreams, aspirations and realities based on their experiences. However, these do not contain us and confine us to live the same kind of lives wading through life as we await of exit. It’s out of love that they guide us the way they do. There is a great quote that sums it up for me:
“Never dim your light, dreams and aspirations to assuage the fears and expectations of others; rather, aspire to shine bright you ignite their flames to make the world shine brighter.”
On a personal account, I have had the privilege to interact with great people who most of the times have been able to guide me in my endeavors. It’s not an unlikely thing but unless you come across such people, you’ll never know. It’s how life happens to our lives unfold to us. The more exposed you are to what happens beyond the comfort of your class, your job, your field of practice, country and continent you’ll always have a limited view of what the world has. I have become accustomed to watching David Rubenstein Show and a couple of interviews by the Stanford University Business School to gain insights on what makes a difference in the trajectories that people’s lives take. To a greater extent it’s been their level of exposure, the people their meet and bring into their lives and most importantly how they think through these circumstances that arise. I have just finished watching an interview with Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga and it all trickles down to the exposure which ultimately influences how you think and perceive things in life before you act on them. When asked about diversity, he uses cases examples on how as a person he did take it for granted until he was a part of the minority to realize. To cap it off, you may feel disadvantaged, less conspicuous and probably not to have as much potential. This isn’t the case unless you make it be.
“Get exposed, seek guidance and thrive. 99.5% of the world is composed of people willing to enable you thrive but you have to interact with them to know. Let not the 0.5% make you doubt yourself as much.”