,
9 tweets,
2 min read
Read on Twitter
THREAD: How to make your 6pm to 12midnight count despite traffic jams and long work hours - a personal case study.
1/ Demola, my colleague at work, suddenly resigned from our commercial banking job one morning in June 2000.
Later that day at lunch, he told me that he had secured a scholarship to study for his master's degree in America.
Later that day at lunch, he told me that he had secured a scholarship to study for his master's degree in America.
2/ Prior to Demola's resignation, I didn't even know that studying in America was an option for poor people like us.
He explained that he studied for the GRE, passed with very high marks, and applied for admission plus scholarship, and he got it.
I was intrigued.
He explained that he studied for the GRE, passed with very high marks, and applied for admission plus scholarship, and he got it.
I was intrigued.
3/ At this time, I was working 10hours (or more) a day and taking public transportation to work in Lagos (4hours a day).
But I desperately wanted more for myself and knew that I had to make sacrifices to achieve my goals.
But I desperately wanted more for myself and knew that I had to make sacrifices to achieve my goals.
4/ For the next 6 months, I worked from about 8am to 7pm, sat in Lagos traffic from 7pm to 9pm, studied from 10pm till 1am, and left home for work at 6am the next day.
11-hour workdays.
4 hours travel to work.
3 hours studytime (10pm to 1am)
4 hours sleep.
For 6 months.
11-hour workdays.
4 hours travel to work.
3 hours studytime (10pm to 1am)
4 hours sleep.
For 6 months.
5/ I am sharing this because the top response to my "make-your-after-work-life-count" was that it's impossible because of traffic jam and long work hours across the continent.
Traffic jams will always be there. You just have to keep working on your life goals despite it.
Traffic jams will always be there. You just have to keep working on your life goals despite it.
6/ After 6 months of this crazy schedule, I score in the 90th percentile in the GRE and got a scholarship to study in America.
The rest, as they say, is history.
The rest, as they say, is history.
7/ Your life is yours to direct. The circumstance of your birth and the realities of your environment should not define you.
You own your life and can direct it in the direction of your dreams.
You own your life and can direct it in the direction of your dreams.
I hope this helps someone.
