Five years before I started Volition Cap, I knew I wanted to do something different from my role at the time. I felt a restlessness and tiredness in my spirit. Like I had moved beyond my current assignment and needed to grow & move forward. It was like my potential was in a holding pattern and I had to break free to explore what more I could do.
But, I was stuck in a cycle of inertia. My current team mates were like family, and I didn’t want to disappoint them or the mission we had all subscribed to. I had never had dreams of becoming an entrepreneur, so I also wondered if it was the right move. Then, there was the general malaise of sticking to what was familiar and what I could already do well.
However, two things happened that got me to the decision point.
The first was traumatizing. My parents died and I felt if I’d had more financial capacity, I could have done everything possible to save them. I couldn’t shake the feeling of helplessness.
Suddenly, everything I had been taught about sowing, tithing and faithfulness was up for questioning. I finally realized that giving and dedication do not produce wealth. What happens is when you sow, God gives you wisdom, access and favour. It is what you then do with those things that generates wealth. Once that clicked, I started to deploy the same brain power I used for work to develop my own personal investment portfolio.
The second thing was I began to have panic attacks. During the therapy that followed, I discovered my mind and body were reacting to the unhappiness of routine. The fact that I was not using the deeply creative side of me. Instead, I was consigned to the tedium of administration, quality control and daily survival. I was also responding to the values and innovation limitations of Nigeria. The feeling that I could do much more on a global stage.
Those two experiences made it clear that I had to make a move, even though at the time, I wasn’t sure anything would work out.
Thankfully, God came through for me in every way.
The sad thing is, if those catastrophic events hadn’t happened, I would still be where I was. I would be in a depressing cloud of indecision and slow death. And so, I was incredibly lucky that God used otherwise traumatic events to shake me out of my inertia. Others are not so fortunate. So many years pass by while they wait for something to happen and for someone to save them. And it never comes.
If you are currently struggling with indecision, you need help. You need an objective friend, mentor or professional coach. They will hold your hand and walk you through the pros and cons of your decision. They will clarify things for you and give you the required justification and emotional support to move forward.
Stop waiting for a sign. Your dreams have been put on hold for too long. It’s time to move forward.
PS: If you are in Nigeria and need a coach, Oyinkansola Alabi can help. If you are outside Nigeria, I recommend Matt Poepsel, PhD (linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel).