Five lessons I learnt from 2020.

2020 has been a year most people want to forget quickly.

The lessons I will be sharing here are what I learnt in 2020, and I will try as much as possible not to be emotional to enable you to catch the message.

My lessons for the year 2020 are;

1. If you don't put yourself out, you will think you are a failure:

We often looked down on ourselves, comparing ourselves to successful people on Social Media in terms of material wealth, knowledge or experience. Most times we think we are failures because we don't tell our stories, don't share them, and are too humble.

In 2020, I learnt to put myself out there after I read Henry Anumudu's post (something like, If Don Jazzy can still be posting about his work, then why can't teachers do the same) this made me start putting my work out there the more, not seeking for likes, shares nor followers but to share my little impacts.

Months down the year people began to reach out to me, I got more paid speaking gigs joined international platforms that helped me grow and was nominated for two awards locally and one international award.

The knowledge, experience and skills you have are what others seek for, don't underestimate and undervalue yourselves by keeping it to yourself. Put it out there, someone needs it, and they are looking for you.

2. Don't advise people until they request for it:

I won't speak much on this. We, Social entrepreneurs, have a strong tendency to advise even when not asked, I can't say why but guess it's because of our passion for seeing the world become a better place.

In 2020, I learnt not to advise until you are asked to. Some people are just against change, either personal or professional. Sharing unsolicited advice doesn't go well with some people, to them you are boasting.

3. Have at least two of these 3 teachers in your life:

Three teachers youths need to accelerate our destiny are Mentors, Role model and Coaches.

For me having mentors have always been challenging (now you are smiling, yes we are on the same boat), but I cannot overestimate the influence of Role Models and Coaches in my life.

To grow more, I knew I needed shoulders to stand on, and in 2020 I saw the influence of my two teachers in my life. My coach helped me go through a lot of challenge this year, and I kept learning from my role models, most I have never met in person.

This two teachers influenced me positively in 2020.

Thank you, Coach Sandra Meninwa and all my role models out there.

4. If you don't set big goals, you might keep remaining small in life:

2020 was a year I set massive goals; in December 2019, I set goals that are big and seem impossible for 2020.

This goal I set, even I wasn't sure of achieving them, neither did I know the means of achieving them. Months in 2020, I realise I can become greater by the goals I set, not because I have the capacity to achieve them, but because I took actions on them, and this changed my thoughts.

Also, I learnt that setting big goals isn't all about achieving the goals; it is about what you learnt in the process. If you don't set big goals, you won't stretch, if you don't push beyond your limits, you keep remaining small.

5. Ask the right questions when you meet great people:

In 2020, I became curious about the power of questions and how it can open doors for success. Losers think asking questions makes you look unintelligent, and winners know that with the right question, you can open doors without request.

This year, I researched and learnt more about the power of questions as a leader and how it can influence my growth. I put them into practice by asking questions.

Asking the right questions at the right time open doors for me in 2020. If you don't ask, you don't get.

Life is not static, take the risk, fail forward and keep moving.

Obasanjo Fajemirokun ? 2020