Most times, the biggest thing standing between a person and their next level is not lack of opportunity, but the quietly unknowing that they don’t have enough to get started. For some it’s the certificate they don’t have. For others it’s the fear of going up into a world entirely new to them. But if there’s one thing I can say about my own life, it’s that you already have more than you think.
For years I considered my certificate to be the “slice of pie” that would lead me to the life I had always wanted. I carried my certificate everywhere. I sent my certificate to countless places. I applied to interview places, waited, prayed and still could not find a job. Seven years passed and all I had were unanswered emails and “We’ll get back to you”. I soon learned that many people experience exactly the same thing I did: the certificate doesn’t always lead you to the life you want to lead.
The skill that opened up doors for me was a thing I had been using casually for many years without having ever realized how valuable it was. Writing opened up doors I never imagined possible. Not everyone can write and after you consider just the amount of writing required by publication companies, media companies and online platforms, it makes sense why writing is still one of the most valuable skills anyone can have. My certificate didn’t get me a job anywhere, but my writing helped me get opportunities that I never even considered applying for.
That’s what most people don’t notice. You probably don’t have a diploma. You don’t have connections. You may not have the right environment, but you do have something; a skill, talent, a habit, a curiosity, a mindset that can be the core of your next chapter. The problem is that so many of us don’t take the time to notice what we already have.
There are also people who find themselves stuck because they are afraid of the unknown. I get that fear. It is usually very intimidating to change your lifestyle when you have been living with the same reality for your whole life. But, fear is an emotion that comes solely because you have never done that particular thing before and just at the moment when you discover something about it the fear vanishes.
When you are confused and seems lost about what to do with your life, ask yourself these questions: What do I know how to do already? What natural talent do I have? What can I learn with what I already have? What can I do naturally that most people cannot do? These questions will help you discover the opportunities that you already had.
Progress starts with what you already have, I had writing. Someone else had design. Someone else had communication. Someone else had creativity or problem-solving. It’s what you already have that in the end will bring you what you don’t yet have. The internet is also the biggest university in the world now allowing everyone to learn skills that can change their lives.
So if you are like me, who spent years waiting for a certification to open a door, or if you just want to find the courage to try something that you haven’t tried before, just know that you are not empty, and you aren’t behind. You already have enough to move forward on your next step. Use what you have. That is how real progress happens.