I had an interesting conversation with an Uber driver recently and while I was genuinely interested in his story, he triggered a different pattern of thoughts in my subconscious – unlocking a series of questions. Will you ride with us for a minute?
Me: So why do you have 2 Canadian flags on your windshield? Not Nigerian flags? Or that of any other country?
Uber Driver: My brother, I am tired of this country and I want to leave. I bought 2 and put 1 up there but my son put up the other one. That country is just the best place to live in, the environment is so…, the people are so…, work there is so… etc
Me: How do you know all of these? Have you been there before? I know of many opportunities back here in Nigeria. For example, I once met an Uber driver who has bought a fleet of cars from the business.
Uber Driver: I have a friend who lives there. Just after 5 years he started sending money, cars and other items to his family back here. I have another friend who just got a Federal Government job here too but he got it by divine intervention – everyone else had to know someone. When I try to save to buy my own car, something just takes the money up. I am tired of having to know someone to make it – I am leaving for Canada, soon.
Me: So what have you done about this? Do you know the process? Cost? Have you started working on this?
Uber Driver: It is capital I need now o! It is very expensive. I know I have to do one test…ermmm ILTS…
Me: You mean IELTS – Test of English? So do you at least have an idea what it will cost? Have you found out about the process? or other requirements?
Uber Driver: I haven’t o but I will travel soon.
Your guess is as good as mine.
This man has 2 flags stationed on his dashboard (owning his view daily) because he is convinced about a better life he hopes for, solely based on stories he got from a friend who claims to have experienced a better life while being in that environment.
He rarely has other validations besides his ‘current state’ of finding things 'hard'. Yet he hardly has information on how to go about his lofty dreams but he affirms that he would achieve this dream soon.
So I asked myself…(and you should too)
What lofty dreams do I hold so dear that I have coloured the space of my everyday view with? What are the basis of these dreams? Have I validated the authenticity of this basis? Have I taken steps to find out what it requires to birth reality of these dreams - If I have duly validated them? Or am I clutching unto this dream with the thread of ‘hear-say’?
You may say you do not have a dream per say but what subconscious desires have you acquired from another person’s experience without adequately validating if these should be yours too?
Will you take a minute to clean, re-access or have a WINDSHIELD CONVICTION?
Or are you contented with obstructing your current journey with an unfounded, shallow rooted dream? Will you be intentional or let everything else control your plans?
WHAT ARE YOUR WINDSHIELD CONVICTIONS? WHAT IS YOUR JOURNEY ABOUT? It indeed is a good time to check through and be realigned as the new year beckons.
Will you share other questions that this conversation sparked up in your mind?
#Goals #PersonalDevelopment #Inspiration #StoryTelling #Future #GettingThingsDone #Strategy #IntentionalLiving
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Privileged to have worked across the high-capital construction, fast-paced e-commerce & the precision-driven outsourcing industries; 'Kayode KOLADE is a Business Strategist and Project Manager with experience in People, Process & Operations Optimization, a Soft Skills Trainer and Mentor with a creed to continuous improvement. A Fellow of both The Institute of Leadership & Management and The Learning & Performance Institute.
