I personally believe that today’s youth is born with tremendous opportunities but with constant distractions. Far and in between, select few decipher the code and navigate the complex journey to their advantage. The large mass are yet to take longer.

Back in the days when I was at primary and secondary schools, Temar Lijie was the driving motto. I now know that strong motivation has been steadily waning even if we know education is even far important today and in the future. If we think we do not see the value of knowledge as most does these days, it is time to ask ourselves a better question. Educating ourselves and acquiring the right set of knowledges and skills is far more than a financial metric. Our success and happiness all depends on it. Knowledge continues to be a potential power for change. The only question to ask is whether the formal education is enough to empower us in the work place and in business.

As much as there are masses of people wondering how to survive the harsh reality of life, there are select few who dares taking the path of wisdom early on. For today, let me mention the choices of Hana Hailu, Yonas Duguma and Kalewongel Tesfaye who are proving age is not a thing. They have contagious visions and you would grow together if you join their network. If I borrow Hana‘s words ‘በትላንትናችን ከማንም ጋር አንጣላም በነጋችን ከማንም ጋር አንደራደርም-literally translated to ‘we don’t quarrel by yesterday and no compromise for our tomorrow’ is a kind of mindset that we all should nurture. Digital has brought up tremendous possibilities but not without flaws unless it is wisely managed.

For some one who consistently reads unmannered and uncenssored comments, suggestions and write ups in the social media and behind desktops, it only tells that something is going in the wrong direction. 

Strive Masiyiwa, one of the few African inspirations, used to advise that whatever you do, do it with dignity. His message resonates more in this digital age where everything you say or write is permanently stored in the universe of internet. Good or bad, it would follow you wherever you go, sometimes taking yourself to clear it. 

I suggest to watch Acrimony film that has captured the cost of bad habits early in our professional life. Digital bad habits are even worse.

Some of us may think we are anonymous when we posted some improper staff on the internet, yet we never realize our actions and preferences are easily traceable by the search engines. Literally, we are easily identifiable. By engaging in the wrong platforms, we are subconsciously ruining our opportunities in the scarce jobs market, be it now or ten years later. 

Even if in the hardest way possible, COVID-19 pandemic has taught us a lesson that how much we depend on others even with those we thought we don’t share the same value. 

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At a time where schools are back to life, I just hope that every one of us acknowledges and embraces the strengths and flaws of the people around us and collaborate better for a common cause. Quick wins are either for the smartest or looser. Most enduring and fulfilling success in life takes time, perseverance, hard work, collaboration and many more. As to the opportunities in the digital space, we might complain that the policy has failed us, yet there are select few who shape themselves and flourish within the same environment which means, most of our failures are as a result of our own making. 

Humans are social animals and we drive the best satisfaction in our life from helping others through our hard work. Simon Sinek, a renowned speaker and author, asks his audiences to recall a name of a teacher who influenced them one way or another or be a reason to be the better version of themselves today. Not surprisingly, every one in the audience had carried that name in their memory even after twenty plus years. Then he asks, the names of all the other teachers who the audience met at school. None of the audiences recall their names. While I listen his lecture, I too reflected my own experiences at different stages of schooling.

Interestingly, I tend to remember the names of the teachers who taught me at elementary school than to the high school and the university. I feel like there was more connection at personal level early on than the latter stages. It won’t take me longer to recall the names of my elementary teachers while I struggle to name a single person at a university. I bet it is more of the same with you as well.

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It too is similar in life. We tend to cary the memory and names of the people who encouraged us, supported us, motivated us, guided us, advised us, collaborated with us etc. If it is the case, why don’t we spend our time wisely and try to become that memorable person we look after instead of spending unproductive life behind social media- technically promoting hate speech.

For some of you who really do not know where to start to educate your self, here are my advise. 

Freely Available Courses and platforms 

Coursera.org: Free and Premium courses taught by top instructors from world-class universities and companies, so you can learn something new anytime, anywhere.

edx.org: Increase access to high-quality education for everyone, everywhere; Enhance teaching and learning on campus and online, Advance teaching and learning through research. It has useful Free and premium courses.

LinkedIn Learning: In addition to summarizing your professional activities as your digital CV, it too has time bound courses. 

Facebook for Business: teaches you social media marketing and how you can bring a business online in Facebook. Facebook Marketplace is hitting the ground to support. Ethiopian online business. It is good to leverage the opportunity.

Google Digital Garage: teaches you digital marketing and how you can bring a business online in Google.

Blogger.com: (blogspot.com extension) provides blogging and hosting services free of charge. Blogging helps to connect to more professional connections and trends. By blogging here, you will probably fail fast and learn for a more professional blogging. If you click here, you learn that the article you are reading on is in fact first posted on blogger.

Medium: A Free and Premium blogging site where you write your new ideas to a larger online audience. You may see it here after sign up and creating your account.

We are what we read, and it is fundamental to follow the trend and readjust our expertise to the one we want to excel. One easy way to understand the market needs is to follow job boards and read between the lines of every job requirement. We don’t have to apply for every job vacancy but continue to learn the market needs. For example, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and E-commerce are fast approaching the Ethiopian market and how do we see ourselves fitting in there? In this ever changing environment, we fail to capture the trend means, we allow our selves to be less relevant as professionals and entrepreneurs.

Most of us (Ethiopians) think hard skills are everything for professional world. Sadly, despite needed, hard skills are half the puzzle mostly being only the basis or the gate way. It is important but does not make us a better person, especially in Ethiopia. More than 80 percent of our success in business or professional career depends on Soft Skills. What is Soft Skill any way and how we development it? 

Engaging in constructive discussions with others, actively learning, following trends, and setting examples means we are not only helping ourselves to lead a dignified future but also fostering a healthy community around us which reinforces each other in a virtuous cycle.

The Questions is are we willing to do the necessary and dignified moves?