I had a meeting with a client in Lekki phase 1 in Lagos yesterday and at the end of the meeting I had to use the convenience. I motioned for the gents and on getting there I pushed the door and the door was locked. I pushed hard again and the door remained locked. I was offended and disappointed that the toilet of my client; a respected real estate firm in Lagos remained locked at about 11:00am.
I motioned straight for the car and still pressed I had to hold myself till I got the venue of my next meeting and luckily for me that was few minutes’ drive away. On my way there I complained to my boss that why would such an organization keep their toilet locked at 11:00am. He just smiled and told me that the door was not to be pushed open like most conventional doors, you were supposed to slide it to the left he said. I just shook my head and had a good laugh at myself.
“A man remain trapped in a room as long as he doesn’t know that he should pull the door rather than push”.
Knowledge makes a lot of difference. What you don’t know, you don’t know.
I would quickly highlight some few lessons I learnt from my experience;
- Be flexible: I was so used to toilet doors being pushed to the extent that I concluded that every toilet door that is pushed and refused to open is locked. Most times we get used to conventions and patterns that we refuse to open our minds to change. Perhaps if I had paused and took a good look, I would have figured that the door was not to be pushed.
Often times once we are told or have observed things being done in a particular way, our minds are programmed to believe that there is only one way to do such things. So keep your mind open, pause, take a closer look and I’m sure you would figure out many other ways.
- Don’t be offended, rather ask questions: Taking offence doesn’t solve problems, knowledge does. I was quick to take offence and even blamed the organization for keeping the door of the toilet locked. Many people are offended and are blaming others for the results they are not getting in their lives and businesses. They blame the government, colleagues and every other thing around them but themselves. If only I asked the receptionist a simple question I would have figured that out. Learn to learn. Ask questions, be a voracious learner. Even when things don’t work out, seek solutions and don’t play the blame game.
Life is beautiful, but it is sad that a number of people may not be able to boldly say that this is their experience. One major reason for this is ignorance. Many have expended efforts trying to get things done and their efforts seem to have produced no impact or result. Many are running hard to make progress but they find out that they are running on a tread mill. Sadly again people like this feel they need to do more or apply more effort, but the truth is they only need to know more.
If you knew better, you would do better. Knowledge helps you to direct your effort to get maximum results.
The duller the ax the harder the work; Use your head: The more brains, the less muscle.- Eccl 10:10 MSG
P.S. I went back to the office the next day and smiled to myself in confidence as I approached the rest room… Ofcourse you know what happened this time… lol
Choose to know
Learn to learn to earn.
Eizu ©Hexavia!
