This is a article about how we can all reach our dreams and goals.
Let’s begin with a short introduction to the most powerful man on the world, the President of the United States. Mr Trump did not start out a billionaire, nor did he start out wanting to be President. In the beginning, he wanted to become a real estate developer, like his father.
How many of us actually know what we want to do in our lives? If we honestly place our hand on our heart, I daresay that most of us are unsure. Some of us might dream to be an astronaut, as did I, or a fashion designer, or even a professional athlete. Only a small percentage of us actually fulfil our dreams, however. As the great Lee Kuan Yew once said, we have to see the world as it is, and not how we want it to be. We all have constraints placed upon us, and we tend to view our aspirations with rose tinted lenses. We might not be aware of the challenges involved, and we might not know if we are even suitable to accomplish them.
In life, most of our dreams and aspirations remain lofty and unfulfilled, and we hope that this article is able to expound and elaborate on how you might go about translating some of your dreams into reality. We have expectations of the future which we hold ourselves to, but we remain disappointed if things do not go our way. Lets begin:
- Know thyself
- Get comfortable with discomfort
- Network effectively
Know yourself
Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom — Aristotle
I am sure many of us have taken MBTI, the Big 5 test, or any other personality test our schools have pushed on us in our formative years. Undoubtedly, their results change as we age. When we were younger, I am pretty sure many of us were questioning their utility. As we move on with our life, we start to realise what we are good at, and what we like. What happens if we know them sooner? Could they influence the career paths that we choose? We live in a world where the pace of change is exponential and technology becomes obsolete day by day. To deal with this, we have to stay true to our passions, skillsets, and values. A way to find a career path is to evaluate if we have what it takes to reach that dream of ours. If we dream of becoming a scientist in a laboratory, we need to see if we have the requisite qualifications to work in a laboratory. In addition, we need to evaluate if we are comfortable with the monotony of performing experiments, the inherent uncertainty, and the monetary expectations of the career. To be successful in the future, we should all have a solid grasp of our hard skills, soft skills, interests and aspirations. What has guided success in the past does not guarantee success in the future. The future holds many more unconventional paths to success, that we might never have dreamed of when we were younger. Hence, it is very important to know ourselves well. Once we do, we are able to better moderate our expectations, find a job suitable for ourselves, and in so doing, live a more content life.
Get comfortable with discomfort
If we’re growing, we’re always going to be out of our comfort zone — John Maxwell
Should you tell a Michelin starred chef that one day he will be cooking in a automated kitchen assisted by Boston Dynamic Robots, he will lose his mind. I am unsure if many customers would pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to eat food cooked by robotic hands. However, Chipotle, Grab, and several other companies are exploring the use of robotic technology in food preparation. Manpower costs remain one of the highest in the F&B industry. It will be no surprise that the kitchen of the future will only have a bare minimum of staff. What would chefs do? Go on TV and be a Gordon Ramsey? Entertain millions of ardent YouTube fans like Uncle Roger? Or consult with software and robotics companies which make the robots? We all have to learn new things, and things out of our comfort zone, to stay relevant. We cannot have a fixed mindset about our aspirations and expectations, because these inevitably will change. Often, companies expect their employees to upskill, take on additional tasks for the same amount of compensation. My grandfather cannot speak English. He did not finish primary school, and as such, he can only converse in Hokkien and Mandarin. However, due to his hard work and entrepreneurial spirit, he runs his own business and he is doing very well for himself today. However, in my parents generation, the lack of proficiency in English would spell disaster for any of them. However, they can get by without knowing how to code. In my generation, however, it is not enough to have a bachelors degree. We need to know the basics of programming, in addition to having a excellent grasp of digital technology. The reality we face today is that we live in a world which is unkind to creatures which fall out of the times. Charles Darwin was right when he claimed that only the fittest survive. We need to get comfortable with discomfort lest we become obsolete and redundant.
Network Effectively
Your network today determines your net worth
Sometimes, to fulfill some of our dreams and aspirations, all it takes is to open our mouths. If we are pointed in the right direction by a mentor, or a friend, or a relative, we can go a long way. Conversely, even if we keep working hard, but in the wrong direction, we are bound to go nowhere. Sometimes, a friend or a mentor might be able to open doors to you which would have remained shut to you otherwise. You might be able to get into the first round of interview at a prestigious firm because your relative works there. Alternatively, if we know a senior who has managed to secure a graduate placement in a exclusive firm, we might be able to follow in his/her footsteps and garner a higher chance of entry. If we ask, we can avoid making elementary and costly mistakes. If we ask, we can get a fast track to the positions/jobs we so desperately seek. If we ask, we can have a small competitive advantage over our adversaries/competitors who are fighting for that coveted position. It never hurts to ask.
After such a long read, I hope you’ve managed to glean the three points for yourself. I hope you remember that you need to know yourself well, get comfortable with discomfort, and network effectively, in order for you to attain the aspirations you seek.
However, all the knowledge in the world is useless without taking a single step. If you want to try a platform which enables you to know yourself well, learn continuously in bite sized segments, and even find mentors, you can try out MatchIn for an exclusive period as a beta — tester! Contact us at business@matchin.asia for more information!
