Living in a very comfortable life with fast internet and the AC turned on almost every other day, I have lived thinking that is how life is supposed to be like and what I deserved for serving loyally. But this week is different: Today, as I guard the house of the successful man who has built that business, I live here living like he did: sweating in the Philippine heat while trying to find inspiration and motivation to work hard regardless of the noise and distractions. It wasn’t imposed by anyone that I should but it’s a matter of asking “How is it like to live like this entrepreneur?”
And I can after much exertion of active effort to concentrate, here I am writing this article to remind us all:
Your environment is not an excuse to not perform.
Let alone any external factors in fact. The only reason not to perform is because you don’t want to. Anyone who wants to make ways to do something can, if they want it. All it takes, while easier said than done, is desire and courage. I’m not a successful guy, but I try to be. I learn what it’s like to be and “comfort” doesn’t seem like anywhere in that path based on observations.
I used to believe I deserve a great life just because I’m good and I perform well. But did you ever realize that probably most if not all of your co-workers think they perform well on their own standards? If we all deserve great for doing good, you’re using unjust scales. Successful people don’t become who they are by doing what everyone else does, they do things differently and risk. While all variables remain the same, it’s their mindset and actions that makes them skyrocket above the population.
Success is different to everyone: the goals they set and the standards they place. To the poor man, having a standard recurring income can already be a criteria for success. To the employee having a business could be the definition of success. To the entrepreneur creating 5 successful startups could be the definition of success. Regardless, to each one their own, but no one achieves it just because all the domino was just in place, someone needs to have the courage to see above the risk and push the first block.
It’s not about how shitty your workplace is, how poor you are or how much bad events are entering your life, yes it sucks there will be lows but it’s the way you perceive matters that matters. You can rise above all only if you strike up the courage to do so. Failure is not the absence of success but of effort.
I believe one of the enemies of productivity is fear: fear of sending the wrong message, making the wrong solution or answer or finding more problems about work. To those seeking for success or a breakthrough, I know you’re itching for something but it’s not that you’re too lazy to get it but you’re too scared to go beyond your means. I say go do it, the fingers aligning the dominoes isn’t anyone else’s but yours.
I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. -Nelson Mandela
13 comments
Kelly
Yeah. Too far! I don’t have my own site yet but I’m very open on creating one as a part of my portfolio. I just don’t know where to start. I can devote 2-3 hours on learning.
Kevin Si
You know what you should do? Buy a domain and hosting. It shouldn’t cost you much. 1,500php/year and you get to make one online and be proud of it!
Not only will it help you develop skills in the real field but as well as instant portfolio you can always present to proespects :)
Kelly
Thanks for the advise Kevs. Just a question though because I was about to get SEO short courses/videos online but have to pay for it. Don’t you think it’s too late for me to invest/learn SEO.?They say SEO is dead already, so I’m having second thoughts about it.
Kevin Si
The only people who say SEO is dead are those that are mediocre in it. SEO is alive and well and is still a running industry, but it is a niche. The reason why some people say it’s dead is because it’s getting stricter and stricter and harder to achieve correctly through “comfortable” and “easier” methods.
Be sure you’re getting it at a credible source, SEO is fine and a very essential skill if you’re looking to delve in the web and would like to tap into the marketer in you.
kelly
Alright. I’ll give it a try.I’ll make sure to make time for it. I’m in a good position now but nothing is permanent that is why I keep on upgrading my skill. Thank you for always answering my questions. Hope to see u soon Kevs(:
Kelly
I would appreciate the help Kev. It’s hard doing it alone tapos yung mga friends ko iba yung hobbies or not interested sa industry na ‘to. I’m searching for another bootcamp sa dev though, yung hindi lang certification kundi may output ako na magagawa talaga. I’m from Pasig anyways.
Kevin Si
Ah pretty far. Our office is at BF Paranaque. Do you have your own site? It pays to invest in yourself to learn :) How much hours can you devote to explore web design and development in a day?
Kelly Soriano
Hi Kevin,
“To those seeking for success or a breakthrough, I know you’re itching for something but it’s not that you’re too lazy to get it but you’re too scared to go beyond your means.” I agree with this, I tried and do not consider myself lazy. In fact, gusto ko siya maabot agad, been there but got scared. I feel I destroyed my career, hop into a lot of companies and realized I am not happy anymore with the same job. Sinubukan ko itry ulit pero pag malapit na ako, I always go back to my comfort place. Same scenario happened for more than a year and I’m thinkin just to give up and focus on what I have na lang pero alam ko di ako masaya dun. I hate it to be there.
Kevin Si
Damn, caught between a rock and a hard place ah. What’s your most preferred end given the chance?
Kelly Soriano
Given the chance, I want to jump into web dev/design. I went to bootcamp and still planning to enroll to other bootcamps pero feeling ko walang nangyayari.
“Failure is not the absence of success but of effort.” Kulang pa ba? I really dunno what to do anymore.
Kevin Si
Hey Kelly,
What effort do you believe you exerted? I started as a web developer and a designer to start with :)
Coming from that expertise, I’ll tell you that bootcamps are not enough. I believe the greatest way to learn something is if you have the pressure, discipline and the interest in the topic. So, try to get employed, it will spike up your growth, if you’re really interested in it, it will come natural for you to build it even on your break.
My company has grown people whichever background: non-graduates, nurses, pilots and what not into great web proficient employees. So I believe you can achieve to do the same.
….Or are you planning to freelance?
Whichever it is, I implore you to jump ship as long as you are really interested in it. It should come natural to you to have great tenacity to go through hardships. Have a safety budget to help you go through stricter financial time then pursue your heart’s concern.
Kelly Soriano
Thanks Kev. Continue writing btw. Your blog is a source of inspiration.
Kevin Si
Thanks Kelly, people like you are what make me come back to writing. By the way if you need help in web development and design I would love to help you!
Where are you from? :)