Not all trailblazing scientific discoveries of our time came from well-calculated, well-thought of laboratory procedures and analysis. Some, if not a good chunk of it, came from that unexpected yet exciting “Eureka!” moment. Like these important scientific discoveries, ask successful entrepreneurs today and realize that not all of them jumpstarted their business after making careful plans and programs prior to their launch – some were actually forced into it at first.
Below is an anecdote an online blogger once shared as to how he was pushed into striking it on his own and finding out that he would be immensely grateful about it today.
The year was 1999, this blogger of ours was just 25 then and was fresh out of college. With the sheen of a freshly polished hardwood floor, he sailed from UK to Sydney to experience life on his own. Offered a post at the Tourism New South Wales where he quickly made friends, he got the rare opportunity to actually mix business with pleasure and get paid doing it. It was indeed a gig that gave a pay check but nevertheless, simply a gig. To this young lad of education, it was a temporary thing so when the offer to take on a full time job came, he quickly grabbed it.
The full time position offered was that of a Sales Director’s secretary. It was a sweet deal. After all, a degree from one of England’s top universities will have surely equipped the young man with all the skills necessary to type, print and answer telephones, right?
Imagine then his surprise when come performance evaluation time, his superior marked his card a simple and glaring ‘Average.’ Average! Horror of horrors for a secretary who has always been receiving straight As in college!
Dazed and unwilling to accept such a crude appraisal, the young man confronted his boss on the evaluation. The boss, kind and wise, decided to patronize the young man by explaining his rationale for the grade. His boss’ reply? “It’s not that you’re unable to do this job, Sam, but it’s obvious you don’t want to. So you shouldn’t do it. You’re just not cut out for it. I need more engagement, more commitment from my secretary.”
Both men knew then that these essential “secretary qualities” would never manifest in the young man. In the end, our blogger resigned from his post.
It was a bitter pill to take for our young man. It was, to him, failure. But instead of admitting defeat and indulging in bitter thoughts for his boss, our lad decided to do some honest self-assessment.
Today, Sam is one of the most sought after copywriters in Australia. His target market, although very much exposed to his competition, remain loyal to him because of his impressive outputs. And his very first client was? It was his boss.
To gain a closer step to success, one must remember what our peers from the East believe in – that the Chinese character for success looks a lot like the character for opportunity. In other words, don’t look at disaster and stay fearful of it. Look it in the eye, understand it, then find that single “Eureka!” key behind its exterior that you may use to turn it into an opportunity for your development. Pushed, shoved or jumped into your own business – really, does it matter that much?