Get Yourself out There

By Rogers Wanambwa & Mable Amuron

Roger:

The thing is, without networking, you may never achieve most of your goals. But the question is, what is networking, because really, not all kinds of networking will amount to great results.

If you are an introvert like me, I’m sure you would rather, you stay home forever, and preferably, alone or with a really small circle of close people who come to check on you occasionally.

But alas, life needs you to leave your cocoon and get out there. For all kinds of reasons of course.

As a matter of fact, your wife or husband, your job, your educational institutions, your friends, your family, your food😂 (yes, even that too), and much more is all out there. So obviously, you have to be out there at sometime.

So let’s delve into this a little and talk you into really getting yourself out there:

Over the COVID-19 lockdown period, I decided to seek out fellow writers around Africa and see whether I could collaborate with them. Through this, I can now say that I have several contacts on the African continent that I didn’t have last year.

Through these, one can never know what lies ahead. The future has never been more interesting and exciting, wouldn’t you say? I mean, how many people can say they have people in different countries on speed dial?

When it comes to the talents we have as individuals, we generally never work on developing them.

However, in this rapidly changing environment, especially in the job market, we are faced with an unprecedented situation where by one needs more skills than ever before to survive and thrive.

I can also attest that because of the writings I do, I now have a fulfilling job and a Master’s scholarship. Also, I get to do such collaborations with amazing individuals allover the world because of my following my passion.

In order to grow their companies, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerburg and many more successful innovators and inventors had to get out of their comfort zone and seek financiers to back their start-ups.

This is something we as Africans need to learn. Pursuing opportunities. It is not an easy thing to learn, but definitely not an impossible one.

Whether it is getting business, or making friends, or even finding a spouse, one really has to be out there to get any of those things.

Mable:

I am an ambivert. An ambivert is a person that’s not exactly introverted but not exactly extroverted. I’m neither here nor there.

I find that I can write about just about anything but speaking, sometimes, can be a difficulty.

I have to psyche myself up in order to do public speaking. On the scale between introvert and extrovert, I lie somewhere in the middle.

I woke up one day and realized that I communicate better when I write, so write I did. But who was I communicating to? Who would read the ramblings of a slightly insane human? Was I communicating in a void?

Shouting my words in the noise that is the internet, hoping someone somewhere would stumbled on my blogspot blog.

I have no doubt that I would have found some readers in the form of friends and family.

However, I didn’t want them to be the only people that benefited or were entertained by my words. So, the first thing I did was to run away from blogspot and to WordPress. I was getting myself out there.

I started to grow my social media, under the reading junkie brand, I was getting myself out there. And from there I gained valuable contacts and lifelong friends. I got my work out there.

And now, I have a SEO friendly website that I am building. And I am very much invested in getting to network with my fellow peers.

The saying, no man is an island is cliche but so true. Humans are community creatures. You won’t be able to find your tribe, however, if you don’t get yourself out there.

Roger:

Do my friends and family read what I write? A handful, occasionally. “Oh my God, Roger you are doing some incredible work in your writing, ” a friend or family member will exclaim when one day they read and I don’t blame that much.

Honestly, they were not my target when I started this and if and when they do join my audience, I’m happy otherwise, it mostly is for those who are interested in the same things as me. Those understand what I write about.

Again, that brings us back to networking. Through this, you join communities of like mind people who understand you and your vision. That’s important.

Even Jesus Himself when He reached Nazareth, said a prophet is never understood at home.
So go out there, shine bright so that whoever did not pay attention, eventually does. All the best.

Mable who maintains that she is “Alien to the Status Quo” can be found here.

Your Word (How Much are you Willing to Stand by it?)

By Rogers Wanambwa

You’ll find that in life, be it in business, in a relationship, in politics, or even in religion, the most important thing is one’s word.

One’s word is that which will be based on to create trust amongst him and his peers, his colleagues, his flock (if he is a religious leader), her employees or supervisors, her constituents if she’s in politics and so on.

“And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.”
Genesis 17:8-9, KJV

Yeah Jehovah promises Abraham to give him (Abraham) and his descendants the land of Canaan. This promise would be fulfilled over 400 years later. But God still fulfilled.

Throughout the Bible, God shows that He is a dependable guy, if He promised, He fulfills and that is the kind of person one should emulate in their life in that no matter how long it takes, you are still trustworthy and can be depended upon.

Basically, people can trust you to deliver.

This brings me to the second issue: Integrity.

In the book of Daniel, we find four men who’s integrity was so intact that even when three of them, Mesach, Abednego and Shadrach were threatened with fire, they did not waver. In fact, they were thrown into it.

The same group alongside Daniel would not eat of the king’s food that was offered to foreign gods.

This kind of integrity whereby you do not weaver from your ideals and principles is getting harder and harder to find. People are so swayed by even the slightest of trends and issues.

Which brings me to the third issue: Dependable.

Because of lack of trust and integrity amongst ourselves, we are becoming a nondependable generation. By generation, here I mean everyone alive today.

How much can you personally say that you are dependable? Can you be relied upon for the things you claim you should be? Don’t be quick to answer yes or no, just take sometime and really think about it.

Have you been reliable? Are you dependable?

Let me now sum it up by questioning you whether you and your word can be relied upon? How much are you willing to stand by your word? To the point of death?

That is what the Bible demands of you, that in the end times, those of you who profess to be believers will be given the choice of staying alive when you deny Jesus or dying because of your unwavering resolve.

Will you die for your word?

The Type of Growth That Leads to Growth

Courtesy Photo

By Rogers Wanambwa & Rudo Manyere

In essence, the Merriam Webster dictionary has one of the definitions of growth as “progressive development.”

Now in order to attain progressive development, many things need to take place and also it certainly depends on which area(s) of your life that you desire to see this growth in.

Also, notice that growth goes hand in hand with increase. Let this be the first thing we talk about in this article as it is a perfect measure as to whether there’s growth in your life or not.
To increase means to multiply, to be fertile, or to produce more.

And from this definition, we can relate growth with an existence of material or resources with which to carry out said growth in any area of life.

Obviously, for you to acquire these materials or resources you will need to invest in time, money and people all of which are resources to get what you want or will need to see growth.

No sustainable growth will arise out of thin air without an investment that will set you back in some way.

Another thing that you’ll notice that growth needs is the knowledge with which to carry out this production or consequently, sustained growth.

This is because as the saying goes, “a fool and his money are soon parted.”

Let’s see what happens to those without the knowledge to use resources:
Luke 19: 11-27 TPT So He told them this story to change their perspective: “Once there was a wealthy prince who left his province to travel to a distant land, where he would be crowned king and then return. Before he departed he summoned his ten servants together and said, ‘I am entrusting each of you with fifty thousand dollars to trade with while I am away. Invest it and put the money to work until I return.’

“Some of his countrymen despised the prince and sent a delegation after him to declare before the royals, ‘We refuse to let this man rule over us! He will not be our king!’ “Nevertheless, he was crowned king and returned to his land.
Then he summoned his ten servants to see how much each one had earned and what their profits came to.
“The first one came forward and said, ‘Master, I took what you gave me and invested it, and it multiplied ten times.’ “ ‘Splendid! You have done well, my excellent servant. Because you have shown that you can be trusted in this small matter, I now grant you authority to rule over ten fortress cities.’
“The second came and said, ‘Master, what you left with me has multiplied five times.’ “His master said, ‘I also grant you authority in my kingdom over five fortress cities.’
“Another came before the king and said, ‘Master, here is the money you entrusted to me. I hid it for safekeeping. You see, I live in fear of you, for everyone knows you are a strict master and impossible to please. You push us for a high return on all that you own, and you always want to gain from someone else’s efforts.’ “The king said, ‘You wicked servant! I will judge you using your own words. If what you said about me is true, that I am a harsh man, pushing you for a high return and wanting gain from others’ efforts, why didn’t you at least put my money in the bank to earn some interest on what I entrusted to you?’ “The king said to his other servants, ‘Take the money he has and give it to the faithful servant who multiplied my money ten times over.’
“ ‘But master,’ the other servants objected, ‘why give it to him? He already has so much!’ “ ‘Yes,’ replied the king. ‘But to all who have been faithful, even more will be given them. And for the ones who have nothing, even the little they seem to have will be taken from them. Now, bring all those rebellious enemies of mine who rejected me as their king—bring them here before me and execute them!’ ”

Here Jesus tells his disciples, through a parable as was normally the case with Him, that those without financial knowledge will soon face ruin.

To relate all this to our topic, it is imperative that whichever growth you attain is usable in sustaining a more meaningful growth. Your aging should come with more wisdom and knowledge to deal with life and this comes from books, experience (street smartness), and things like that.

Your education should be geared to solving problems in your society so that you actually get employed, or start up businesses that will grow and employ others.

It simply isn’t enough to grow without a foundation and without a vision of where you are heading in life.

Whilst growth is defined as going hand in hand with increase, at times it brings decrease and requires letting go. I am always up to learn and unlearn.

Learning new ways to grow and improve myself, and also unlearning patterns that have hindered my progress and maturity. Sometimes the type of growth that leads to growth is distancing yourself. Removing yourself from situations that no longer serve you.

This will lead to a decrease to stress, anxiety and coincidentally increase more time for you to keep progressing. Growth isn’t always comfortable, at times its painful, excruciatingly appalling and exhausting.

Growth sometimes means taking on less, knowing your limits and triggers. Acknowledging your mistakes and humbling yourself. Being humble does not always mean being less than but being humble takes you places.

“Humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up.” ~ 1 Peter 5:6.

It comes with taking a look at the man on the mirror and making a change. It also helps you improve on qualities that will take you far. Growth helps you to be patient, to know and understand not everyone walks at your pace.

To understand that not everything is personal, that at times people project. You learn growth is not measured by age but maturity and humility.

“Brethren, do not be children in your thinking, yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.” 1 Corinthians 14:20

It requires patience, reminding yourself that you are human and you will make mistakes. Accepting that you can also grow and learn from failure.

Understanding that, this is your first time on earth and you are bound to make mistakes.

Maybe you are aiming for close to perfection, but that too might be the obstacle that has hindered and stunted your growth. One needs to have a sense of self, a vision of where they are going.

You do not necessarily have to know how, but being willing to do everything with fear, shows progression than waiting for everything to make “sense” or feel familiar.

Thank you for partaking of this class!

Rudo is an amazing writer and (screenwriter too💪🏿) based in England and her amazing work can be found here.

Staying Single in Your Twenties

I wrote about this topic here. Please check out the article and leave some honest thoughts.

The blog is a friend of mine’s called Lauren Mugabo who resides in Germany. I’m sure y’all will love it.