Stretch to success

Recently, I was very impressed by someone I met at the university. I had some problems with the computer in my room and needed help. I call the computer center and kind of expected help in the form of someone young and techy, probably a guy. To my surprise, the HE was a SHE; and she was not young either - probably in her mid 40s.

In my conversation with her, I found out that she had made a major career change in her late 30s. For more than 20 years, she was a hairstylist. She only switched to computing around 6 years ago when she bought her first computer, which she paid a lot of money for. But when it was delivered to her house, she had difficulties setting it up, which is not surprising since it was the first time she ever handled a computer. And when it was finally set up, the computer didn't work.

Frustrated with the fact that she had paid so much for a computer that did not work, she decided to enrol in a computing course. She went on from there to take a degree in computing, and now she has a new career. One of her replies inspired me, "I still love to do hairstyling. In fact, everything about it comes naturally to me. It is relaxing because I don't need to think so much. But everything about computing is the opposite. It is hardwork. I don't have the natural ability and everything I know is the outcome of many hours of attending classes and reading computer books and magazines. "

She amazes me because I am not sure how many of us would dare to be stretched that way! Well, John Maxwell wrote "rubber bands must be stretched to be effective... Like rubber bands, our personalities, talents and gifts are not effective unless we're stretched." He went on to list four reasons why people stop stretching!

• They have surrounded themselves with people who are both bored and boring.
• Their work ceases to be a challenge. everything become automatic, nothing more than an assembly line.
• They have learned to get by with shortcuts. They settle for less than the best.
• They see their value based on their relationships (ie. who they know), not their resources. A good eg. would be marriage. After the wedding, we figure that our spouses would love us just because we're married. So we stop courting (stretching), and our marriages stop growing.

In summary, without stress, there would be no growth (although I would differentiate between healthy and unhealthy stress). Whilst sabbatical is to be enjoyed, I want it to be a fruitful one as well - particular, working on self improvement through the acquisition of a new knowledge or skill. Hence, my decision and resolve to continue with the mathematics and economic modules, even though they may be tough. I welcome them as a stretching and growing experience for me!