In my previous posts of this series, I spoke about my life journey from primary school up to first year at university. What I thought would be one post has turned into a series of posts. I got carried away but this is the last post on the series.
I have always been proud that I worked hard at university until I came across this quote in a book by John Maxwell: “Someone once defined hard work as the accumulation of the easy things you didn’t do when you should have.” Here is a list of easy things I did not do when I was supposed to, while studying at university: revising lectures everyday or weekly; making sufficient time for assignments; studying for tests and exams in advance; going to the library to focus on my studies. There were many sleepless nights closer to handing in assignments, and writing tests and exams. My analysis is that for every three-month term, I probably only focused on my studies for two weeks. What happened to the rest of the time? Anything else but my studies. Some call this the “student syndrome” – doing what you are required to do only when you have very little time left (more like when under a lot of pressure!).
My second year at university was the toughest. I failed a subject and barely passed several others. I was devastated. Before university, I was not used to failing. Primary and high school were a breeze. Suddenly I felt like my dream of starting and running a highly successful IT company like Bill Gates was fading. I was obviously overreacting.
Despite the challenges in my second year, I managed to proceed to third year and graduated. It was an amazing feeling finally completing university. The future looked bright.
Just when I was getting ready to earn the big bucks in the corporate world, some close people in my life convinced me not to get a job yet but to study further. It was the shortest period of my studies – just one year. I completed my postgraduate studies and in 2008 got my first job. 2008 also happens to be the year I met a friend, who seven years later became my wife; but that story alone needs a book.
There is a feeling that I had going through primary school, to high school, to university and then the working world. My point is best illustrated by a quote from Petyr Baelish: “I’ve always wanted a ship. Now I want a dozen. It doesn’t matter what we want, once we get it, then we want something else.” At any point in my life, I tend to anticipate the next phase. And yet once I reach the desired phase, I want the next one. When in primary school, I was so excited to graduate to high school. While in high school, I could not wait to graduate to university and then get a job. Once I got a job – several years later – I wanted to run my own company. That is exactly what I did – founded and co-founded some companies. I am still employed and also running a few companies. That – ladies and gentlemen – is how I ended up here. The roller coaster is still moving. The journey continues. However this series has now come to and end. I hope you enjoyed it.