Preparing For Greener Pastures: The Value of Personal Development, Even When You Have Nothing To Show For It

I am an evangelist for Personal Development. But when you’re in a place where degeneration seems to be more rewarding, it can feel discouraging or pointless to keep at it, not to mention encouraging others to do the same.

Hoping for a better life in Nigeria can feel like trying to survive in the Amazon rain forest, butt-naked. It pours problems and bad news like rain. And inflation, like a vicious beast, is always ravaging – the cost of living defies the law of aerodynamics, and the purchasing power diminishes, as the value of the naira falls against the dollar like a coconut from a tree.

So, despite all these, why am I not of the opinion that immigrating (aka “Japa”) is the solution? And why do I still evangelize personal development rather than saying things like: “I don’t blame someone who does Yahoo,” encouraging internet fraud, “Use what you have to get what you want,” endorsing prostitution, or “If I get into that position, I will steal my share,” excusing the looting of public funds?

Well, in this piece, I would explaining why self-development is the most healthy and sustainable way out of the chaos and suffering, rather than immigrating or commiting crimes.

You Can’t Outrun The Issue: Why Immigrating Won’t Magically Change Your Life

On the surface, one might think the hard choice between doing right in Nigeria and suffering or doing wrong and enjoying is a dilemma that can be escaped by simply leaving Nigeria. While some people can indeed find work to sustain themselves abroad, it’s not that simple. In fact, it’s a false dilemma.

Leaving the country to work menial jobs often leads to an equally stressful life. People work 16-hour shifts, barely have time to sleep, let alone socialise or hang out with friends (who are most likely back in Nigeria or working their own gruelling shifts). Not paying rent means being literally thrown out into the freezing cold.

The difference might be that the little change they manage to save over the years can translate to something substantial when sent back to Nigeria, but other than that, it is mostly one shitty life substituted for another shitty life.

And, it can also get so tough that many immigrants begin to contemplate vices – be it dealing drugs, prostitution, or worse, just like they once did in their country. And, if you’ve by any chance seen the news lately, it is all about immigrants being nuisances. Which is sad.

You can’t outrun the issue if the issue is you.

The Way Out of The Conundrum

The solution is personal development – because you are also the solution.

One story that illustrates this vividly is that of Chima Mmeje, who is currently the Senior Content Marketing Manager at Moz.

You see, Chima spent ample time near the bottom of Nigeria’s economic ladder. She lived in crushing poverty – in dilapidated buildings with rats in the ceilings and floors, couldn’t afford new shoes, so she taped the soles with band-aids when they wore off, and faced times when she didn’t know where her next meal would come from. It was that brutal.

She now lives comfortably in the UK and visits Nigeria regularly. But here’s what people miss: her life didn’t change simply because she left for the UK. There are people in the UK living in worse conditions than she ever did in Nigeria – people with no roof over their heads, sleeping on frosty streets with no food or family.

So, what was the secret?

Well, Chima also did something most people ignore. She focused on increasing her value.

She didn’t just sit with her degree, hoping for a miracle. Rather, she picked up the skill of content writing and soon started working for an agency, making up to $500 per month writing 92k to 100k words. But, as any writer would tell you, it was extremely stressful for her.

But, with time, she ditched the agency and started working on her own. And soon, she was able to rack up $120k working for notable brands, while still in Nigeria.

It was after this that she decided to move to “Greener Pastures,” hence leaving for the UK, where she had gone on the basis of doing her Masters Degree (MSc.) – further increasing her value.

During her time in the UK, she didn’t just rush to get any job. Because she was well aware of her value, she refused to get paid less than anything that would be paid someone of her value in the UK. And so, it wasn’t until she had submitted her dissertation that she made a post on LinkedIn saying she was looking for Senior Content roles with SaaS companies.

After which, she turned down a couple of offers and decided to work with Moz, where she is now the Senior Content Marketing Manager at Moz, living her dream life in a city that is clearly not an “Amazon”.

In other words, she didn’t “sprint out of the Amazon butt-naked,” rather, she took her time to gear up and skill up and by so doing, conquered the forest – she became someone who could thrive in and contribute to the “Hamlet.”

The Value of Personal Development: Why You Should Strive To Keep Increasing Your Value

Think of it this way: You could use a MacBook as a chopping board or just a screen to see movies. But that doesn’t reduce the value of the MacBook – it just means its potential is untapped or misused. The same principle applies to human potential.

While being valuable doesn’t automatically mean being valued, location alone doesn’t create value. A wooden chopping board remains just that, even if taken to someone who treasures MacBooks.

This is why looking to change your geography without first looking to be someone of value is shortsighted. It just gets you into another shitty situation, maybe with snow and foreigners.

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Of course, if you want to leave, and do find the opportunity to leave the country to a more developed place, by all means do. But if you haven’t already started your personal development journey, I encourage you to begin. Because it is what unlocks better pay, relationships, and overall experiences wherever you may find yourself (not just the fact that you moved).

And, if you find yourself “stuck” in a place like Nigeria, it is not a reason to give up the struggle upwards. The truth is that, even in Nigeria, your growth can move you up the economic ladder (just like Chima).

I personally know a couple of people who have left Nigeria for the UK, only to more or less occupy the same economic “niche” they did in Nigeria:

The (struggling) intelligent lecturer with a PhD who quit her job in Nigeria and moved out is now working in a managerial role in the UK, where their intelligence is needed.

The (struggling) UI/UX designer who left Nigeria to further his studies is now employed at a design firm, and

The (struggling) young lady who was entrepreneurial in Nigeria has expanded their client base to people in the UK and beyond.

Moving abroad may amplify who you are and what you do. But it’s personal development that first prepares you.

Conclusion: Life Expands To The Degree of Your Growth

Before you cum from dreaming about how life is going to be better outside the country, do take your time to reflect on your life. In fact, sit down and write your CV as though there was an opening waiting for you. Do you think you qualify?

If you don’t think you over-qualify for that dream life, chances are you are not ready for it yet.

Just as no employer pays an employee more than they think they are worth, life seldom hands you more than your value. So, why not focus on increasing your value by:

• Reading more books
• Taking more courses
• Learning more skills
• Improving your habits
• Growing your network
• Furthering your studies
• Executing more projects

Etcetera.

Your current circumstances may not define you, but how you go about your own growth and personal development would. So, start yesterday to improve yourself for tomorrow.

Godspeed!

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