I used to dream of climbing Mount Everest when I was a child. The thought of climbing the highest mountain in the world just excited me. Then I watched a documentary on TV showing some people’s journey to the top of the mountain and I literally froze in my couch. “There is no way I am going to do that,” I muttered to myself. Since then, my dream of climbing Everest died a quick and natural death.
How many of your dreams have died because you were afraid to climb a mountain? How many visions have you let go of because you couldn’t take that big leap? A few years ago, I was confronted with a big mountain in my career. I had just finished an internship and I was getting comfortable in my role as an Editorial Assistant when suddenly the responsibility of managing the whole magazine was thrust upon me. I’m talking about thinking of the theme, coming up with content, deciding on the theme for the photo-shoot, working with the designer to get the right clothes, managing the distribution of the magazine and so on. I had just under four months experience and I didn’t feel as if I was ready to manage a whole magazine. I mean do you how much work goes into putting together a magazine that readers would like? That was another problem; what if the readers don’t like the end product?
This was a huge mountain that was before me but guess what? I had to climb it. Where was I to run to? Go back to my former boring HR job? I had to climb that mountain by force. It was not a smooth journey. Due to my limited experience, I had to learn on the job. I had to think outside the box. Amidst tears and many sleepless nights, I produced three magazines; front to back. I look at those magazines today; proof of what can happen when you face your mountain and climb it!
I had to face another mountain this year. An opportunity to manage the brand of a church and a well-known Pastor in Lagos presented itself. It was unbelievable because never in a million years would I have thought that I would ever be offered such a position. So where is the problem? My lack of experience again! Prior to this role, I had never managed a big brand before. I used to live tweet for my church in Ibadan during service days on my BlackBerry. Can you compare that with managing social media for a big man of God? “What are you doing,” my brain screamed. I remember my first day at work and being given my job description. During the meeting with the COO, the only voice I could hear was the voice in my head saying, “You are biting more than you can chew. You had better tell this man that it was all a mistake.”
To be sincere, I started the job in faith because I had no past experience to fall back on. It’s been four months now and it feels like I have been doing this all my life. The content writer has now become a brand manager and a social media expert with specialization in church ministry. How cool is that? All this would not have happened if I had quit; if I refused to climb that mountain. I keep getting new ideas for the ministry and as I implement them, I am usually surprised at how people quickly embrace my ideas. I don’t even know where these ideas come from. Okay I do … they come from God.
When you face a mountain, two things can either happen; the mountain becomes levelled before you or you climb it. Running away is not an option! That is the easy way out. What presents itself as a mountain in your life? It may be your job or finances; your family or your education. Whatever it is, know this – you can overcome that mountain. I love the Scripture that says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” That means no matter how high the mountain is, I can scale over it. I can rise to my next level despite the fact that I am confronted with obstacles. You can do the same thing too. Just be bold. Cowards never make history. Only people who find courage to overcome challenges do.
Photo Credit: Expresstandm.com
About the Writer: Adedoyin Jaiyesimi is a Writer, Media Content Creator and Brand Manager. The various publications she has written for include Y! Magazine (now Y! Africa), Discovery, Pride Magazine Nigeria, Butterscotch magazine amongst others. She currently holds the position of Brand Communications Manager at Victor Adeyemi Ministries and she is also the founder of LRouge Media, an editorial and brand consultancy company which provides content writing and editing services for business websites, magazines and blogs. When she is not creating content, you can find her in church doing the work of her Father. She tweets @msdoyeen and blogs at www.adedoyinjaiyesimi.wordpress.com
