PLAY THE LONG GAME

Sometime in November, 2002 we had just completed writing our final grade 9 exam paper and as we stepped out of the exam room we were on cloud 9. Our junior secondary days were over!

As I caught up with my friends knowing that for most of them this was the end of the journey at Kabulonga boys and possibly last time we would see each other. We were all excited and looking forward to the holidays to catch up on the much needed rest.

We shared our plans for the holidays which was mostly to rest and play. One of my friends though had a different plan. He had already organized grade 10 books and after resting for a while his plan was to start preparing for grade 10. We laughed at him and tried to advise him to rest like what everyone would be doing. 

"We can always study once we go back in school. You don't even know the school you will go to and subjects you might be taking." we insisted. 

But he had non of that, he was already geared to work during the "off season."

Some 3 months later, our results were officially announced and we had made it to grade 10 to the schools of our choice. 

Once in grade 10, most of us had a lackluster attitude towards our school work. We just did whatever was required of us in class and nothing more. Our friend on the other hand continued to work with the same level of intensity that I had seen him with since grade 8. 

By grade 12 we had started pulling up our socks and catching up such that by exam time it felt as though we were all on the same page with him. 

On November 25th, 2005 we wrote our final grade 12 exam and just like in grade 9 we were excited because we had the whole year to rest/play in society (or sosido as we called it) before we could start thinking of college in 2007. 

In the meantime, by January 2006 our friend had enrolled (even before results came out) in a program which he diligently undertook.

In April 2006 grade 12 results were announced and just like in grade 9, our results in the group didn't come out any different at this stage.

At that time, I even thought there is no point in consistently working hard, just wait for the right time (just before exams or exam year) before you get serious. 

Once results came out, we could now apply to university for the following years intake.

By the time we were in 2nd year of university, our friend graduated and started working and with the same work ethic he had in school, he quickly rose through the ranks. As we were completing our tertiary education, there was a clear difference in terms of our professional lives. This was after almost 10 years from the time we met in grade 8.

I had for sometime wanted to find out what made him have a strong work ethic for such a consistent period. I looked forward to a time when we would meet in person to ask him.

Fortunately, I discovered the answer earlier than our meeting. After writing this article on my blog about a lesson I had learnt from my class in my junior high school, I had shared the link of this article on my Facebook wall.

 He made a comment which answered my question and helped me understand what could have sustained his level of effort over the long haul. He said:

"For me, early on in my life, I learnt from this that I could do anything I wanted to do, become anything I wanted to become."

When I read his comment, the light bulbs switched on in my mind. For what else could make him study when there is no exam in sight, to work hard when everyone else around him was resting and urging him to follow suit except that he was thinking way ahead of that time. 

While we were viewing each final exam (resolution) as an end, for him it was a bridge. While we were busy celebrating each exam completion (end of year) as if the world had come to an end, he was busy preparing for his next adventure (new year). And while we would only put in our best during exam period (on demand) he showed up all year round (self motivated).

While what we were fixated on was going from junior to high school, his sights were on college to becoming the professional he wanted to be and beyond.

If we can stretch our minds to think of the kind of person we want to become beyond this year, we might find it easier to overcome the obstacles which always show up whenever we try to improve ourselves. If like my friend you know what you want in the long term, you wont be so obsessed with short term results. Instead, you focus on the process i.e. developing the skills, habits and routines which sustain you over a long period of time.

Through this lesson, I realized that if I want to experience any major transformation in my life, I must be willing to do the work for long consistent periods without enjoying the fruits.

Your goals may not be accomplished in 2022 but what is more important is to make progress in the direction of those goals.  

And if you commit to a path, a practice, a discipline, a routine long enough (6 months, 1,2,3,4,5, etc. years) something is going to give. 

What view did you have when you came up with your 2022 resolutions? Are the goals the end in themselves or are they stepping stones beyond 2022?  

As an adage goes:

People tend to overestimate what they can do in one year but underestimate what they can achieve in 10 years. 

It's time to think beyond the grade (year). Its time to Play the Long Game!