As I waited for the lecture to begin, I arranged my questions on the course as well as my displeasure towards the lecturer as regards a comment he made in the last class. Previously, a classmate had commented that the course materials were rather advanced and his pace was too fast for the average student. His response threw us off balance as he stated that the materials were basic and that we should have known about them. The class was furious, but remained silent, I mean, we are paying for this right?
He walked in rather assertively and rapidly observed the mood in the room. We launched the offensive, querying the intensity of the course. He seemed undisturbed and took us on a mental journey. From there it was no more about what we were doing – data analysis but why we had to do it. We left probability – the topic of the day to address discipline – the underlying character that we needed to build. The ability to stick to what has to be done and do it the way it should be done within the timeframe in which it must be done.
That session is by far the most impactful session I have experienced since I began this program. Now, when I receive an assignment or a case study, I am not complaining about the volume of work required to complete it or how I have pending tasks at the office, but rather I see the strong sense of discipline, focus, and time management that this program seeks to develop in me. Using the discussion in that class as a torch, I see clear areas where I waste my time. From meaningless scrolls through social media to watching unproductive videos on YouTube to merely lounging around. With this insight, I can rapidly call myself to order when I find myself wasting time. Habits are not cut off in a day but I am improving by the hour.
Coupled with the hassle of the Lagos commute, I get home around 20:00 hours – jump in for a quick shower and rush my dinner. Give and take by 21:00, I am settled on my bed. Two options are available now, first, go to bed and awake relatively earlier to start a productive day or study a bit late into the night. Can you guess what your favourite writer does? None of the above, he loiters on social media and YouTube till around 00:00. This cycle is repeated daily and stress is built up, not because of productive work but because of laziness.
In hindsight, this cycle of repeat behaviour led to missing deadlines at work even before the commencement of the MBA program. This program and the commensurate demands acted as a mirror, reflecting my innate weakness in time management. Rather than accept change, I pill up excuses on how the requirements are unreasonable but with my last session, the fog covering my eyes has been removed. It was Jim Rohn that said, “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment” and that class was the raw material I needed to construct my bridge. Although a lot of distractions are available I have made up my mind to cross that bridge.
Now that I know that the bridge has to be crossed, the concern is how I cross it. First, an understanding of my end goal. Where do I want to be at the end of my life? Knowing this will give me the drive to wake up every morning highly motivated. second, a step-by-step approach on how to get there – a roadmap. How do I get there? many people call it goals but I call it a treasure map. Next, understanding the milestone is key. What should I see on the path that ensures I’m on track? Breaking the goals into small bits and finally who are the persons that can help me? who can I look up to? We are social animals and most times we need help. knowing who to call for help at every point would reduce a lot of frustration on this journey and keep me motivated.
We avoid challenging and unpleasant activities, which is one of the reasons we lack self-discipline. We prefer to carry out simple, straightforward, and routine tasks. Therefore, we turn to distractions like films and games rather than dealing with our difficult, uncomfortable projects or finances. Our lives are being ruined by this flight from discomfort. The distractions of this world are numerous and with each passing day, it gets harder. Trying to do research online for a work project transcends to four to five hours of scrolling through our Instagram immediately we see a pop-up from our favourite page or a message from a friend. We can say technology is our enemy but honestly, we are our enemies. Our lack of discipline is our enemy for the life we want to live, for the future, we crave.
Having said all this, we have the time, now maximize your time for maximum output.
Light, Love, and Life
#DA #MMBA4
Victory in defeat