What are your aspirations as far as wealth is concerned? What is your dream job or dream business? And how much do you wish to earn in your dream job or dream business in future?

Most people aspire to be rich! And by that what most people mean is to work in an executive or management position for a big multinational organisation in the following sectors: banking, telecommunications, oil & gas, automobile, mining, etc. So that they could get paid a good salary, wear expensive clothes, drive nice cars, own houses, travel abroad on vacations, etc. Oblivious to the fact that no truly rich and truly happy person thinks and lives that way. And that this form is more of being middle class; a very enticing but not too pleasant a category to belong to, when analysed carefully and deeply. We will do that a bit later.

Aspiring to be rich, others also think of starting and growing their own businesses. Which also is a huge challenge. Because usually, they do so without adequate preparation. Thus, global statistics show that 80 out of every 100 businesses (that is, 80% of businesses) fail within their first 5 years. Of those that survive, 80 percent still fail within the subsequent 4 years. Out of those that remain after these 9 years, only 15 percent make a significant profit; the remaining 85 percent just hang in there.

That means if 100 businesses start today, in 9 years only 4 of them will be surviving; and of the 4, only 1 will be making a significant profit.

In any case, if you randomly select 100 people and ask about their work life, it should not surprise you to note that 82 of them – that is, a whopping 82 percent of people – would not be enjoying their work life.

Indeed, of all the people that go to work every day, only 18 out of 100 – a meagre 18 percent of workers – really feel good about going to work; a whopping 82 percent of people harbour some apprehension or resentments when going to work and wish they did not have to go to work; a quarter of these actually hate their jobs.

This is a major source of stress and ailments.

And it will interest you to note that the consequences of stress are so serious to the extent that most of the ailments people report to the hospitals with – an estimated 90 percent[1] – are not pathogenic; that is, they are not the effects of disease-causing organisms, but rather, stress.

It is estimated that stress accounts for some 63 percent of the causes of deaths. It is that serious!

And, not too long ago, the BBC announced that work-related stress disorders had been on the increase.

The American Institute of Stress reports that 120,000 people die every year as a direct result of work-related stress. And that additionally, healthcare costs resulting from work-related stress totals an average of $190 billion a year.[2] In America alone.

Often, protracted stress and lack of true fulfilment are bedfellows.

Indeed, job dissatisfaction is widespread. So, for instance, if all the work in this world paid the same salary, what work would you have loved to do? Or supposing you were assured of 100 percent success in whatever you may choose to do in life, what would that be?

If you are in school, are you truly happy with the course you are pursuing? What is the endgame? And if you are working, are you truly happy with what you do for a living day to day? Especially, are you happy about its impact on society, your health, and your wealth?

Chances are that you do not, and that given the option you would love to be doing something else or otherwise working at a different place.

Indeed, if you were guaranteed all the resources you would need, and if – perhaps – you were not living your life to please some particular people, and if you were not afraid, and that you were guaranteed to succeed at any worthwhile venture of your choice, with the assurance that no one would mock or judge you, chances are that you would be doing – or wanting to do – something completely different from your current occupation or current academic pursuit, if you are in school.

In any case, there is a high probability of 82 out of 100 chances that you may fall into the category of those who wish they would not have to go to work; out of job dissatisfaction of some sort if you do not get the needed guidance. Thankfully you are going to be guided to avoid this danger.

[1] National Ag Safety Database [https://nasdonline.org/1445/d001245/stress-management-for-the-health-of-it.html; accessed 21:20 22nd October 2022]

[2] https://www.slma.cc/the-science-of-stress/ [Accessed 21:20 22nd October 2022]