“If you are not doing the work, it’s not going to get done.” – Rick Rubin
We are in the final stretch of the year, a time when most organizations are finalizing projects and winding down for the year. It is also a time where results from the previous months work come to fruition, where the work done blossoms, whether its financial reports, exams or any measure of work and effort put in throughout the year.
This has been an unusual year in many ways, it has forced people to become creative and find solutions to problems that could not be anticipated a year ago, it has also brought hardship and difficulties to many, especially those that don’t like to work and put in an effort of any kind.
I have always been a firm believer in working hard and relying on yourself above everything and everyone, even God because no one can help you if you don’t believe in yourself first. There is only so much that people can do for you and for so long, at the end of the day you will have to pull your weight. We can’t keep blaming people, organizations or the government when things go wrong, at a certain level we have to work for ourselves.
We all saw what happened during the lockdown and is still going on, as a country we relied heavily on others for our goods, even the basic ones like food and medication and some tests. It is never a great position to be in, it leaves us vulnerable and weak, it will always be better to be self-reliant and help more often than to get help. It will always come down to the work that individuals do or don’t do, no need to point fingers and blame others when we all have the power to do the work necessary.
Getting honest help and having someone to rely on will always be a plus to have, it will come in handy, but it should never be the main way of living and going about business, after all, we don’t live in an isolated world anymore, it just isn’t feasible.
Whatever we want to be done will not be done if you do not put in the work, it’s a basic truth that we all sometimes neglect and forget. As the year ends, I hope your fruits of labour have paid off and that you continue to work hard and get the job done.  

• Olavi Popyeinawa
•Twitter: @olavipopyeinawa
• Email: olavipopyeinawa@gmail.com