About four years ago, I was talking with a pastor and he asked me to look through the window where an old vulcanizer was working. From how he was looking, it was certain that he was very old and lonely not to talk poor and hungry. The pastor asked me if that man planned to live like that when he was younger, and I replied No as almost anyone would say. But then this pastor insisted and gave me proof that indeed that man planned his future from when he was young. We decided to experiment with his concept and went on to meet him for a brief discussion where he told us his story. According to him, there was a time when he was very rich, but his business went down and he ran into depths.
Hearing the old man's story, I felt pity for him, but then the pastor asked him if there was anything he regretted doing or maybe an opportunity he missed. This was when I realized that the pastor was right and the old man did plan his future from the onset. Moreso, I saw clearly that he hadn't learned from his mistakes and was only telling his story to draw pity. I wouldn't want to go into details of everything he said because they never really made sense. He was a welder with lots of contracts from big companies, he had his establishment, but refused to learn and improve in his field (He never said this part though). He blamed the companies that gave him the contract for ending his contract before it started and said he regretted not going to India for a particular training and certification at that time.
It was this last statement that made me see the obvious, he had a taste of wealth and thought he didn't need any other training in his field. He wasn't ready to learn anything. Even there he was, he would argue on outdated facts that we now know to be true because he never thought about increasing his knowledge capacity. I have seen this same thing play out in my father's life. It's not just my dad, but the mind of the average Nigerian. They think true knowledge is in the four walls of the university, and once you know a good deal about your job you are on point. Only very few strive to know further. This is my major fear for the future. Being outdated in knowledge.
Even if I should be outdated at all, there are a few things I would love to be updated on such as; basic hacks and skills, fashion and dress sense, knowledge about my field of study, knowledge in politics, and knowledge in stocks and business. I think the more we grow older the more we think experience is very important, therefore we count on our experiences to always get the job done. But the future I'm seeing is coming at a fast pace, and experience might not help in all cases. I do not want to be that man who let his experience and ego stop him from utilizing opportunities like those before me. I've seen this cripple a lot of businesses, and this is not just because of age, it's because of the responsibilities that come along with age. Now I'm a young bachelor, tomorrow I will be a married man or father with less time to learn the things I can… how do I make sure my finances and looks are not affected by my lack of learning experience?
ALL PICTURES ARE MINE
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