I returned from an interview exhausted. The reason for my exhaustion wasn't because of the fact that I spent six hours participating in both oral and written parts of the interview but that I couldn't get hired because the recommendation of the panel was conveyed to me before leaving the premises.
As I journeyed back home, my eyes were full and vacant as if all the light from within had been extinguished.
With the accumulating stress from the challenges occasioning my lack of desired job, I was emotionally drained. I was in this state in my room when I heard a knock on my door. I opened the door and met a young man who introduced himself as Joshua, the new occupant of the neighboring apartment.
"You are welcome Sir. It's nice to have you join us here." I battled the previously accumulated tears to welcome him.
"Hope there isn't a problem Sir?" He asked after noticing my teary eyes.
"No problem, I am fine."
He remained silent for a few seconds before appreciating me and returned to continue arranging his new apartment.
My brother, whom I was staying with, returned home later in the evening and I explained what transpired at the interview I attended to him.
"It's not yours. When the opportunity that is yours comes your way, you will get it. You just keep exploring every opportunity that comes your way without relenting."
These had always been his words to me whenever I felt bad about my failure to get a better job. I calmed down a little with his encouragement before we went to bed.
The following morning being Saturday, I didn't go to work. My brother left for his shop early in the morning. I was lying down, trying to reflect on my situation once again when my new neighbor knocked on my door. He asked for directions to where he could get some vegetables. I opted to take him to the vegetable shop because he was totally new in the area and he might find it difficult to locate the place.
On our way going, he looked into my eyes and asked about what the problem was. Anyone could establish that I was lying if I insisted on being fine despite my face displaying the contrary.
"I went for an interview yesterday and after doing my best, I wasn't hired."
"That's part of life. You win some, you lose some. Is that all that is making you so sad?" He asked.
"My sadness lies on my meager income where I work presently. I am earning 26000 Naira despite my qualification and I am not happy about it." I concluded.
"If you tie your happiness to your income, you will never be happy." Joshua responded to me.
"What do you mean? If I was employed in the organization that I went to for the interview yesterday, I would be earning more than 100000 naira salary. That would make me a happy person. Are you telling me that it would not make me happy?" I asked him.
"Yes. For you to be happy, don't tie your happiness to what you earn. Look for something else like the love you have for the job, the value that you are adding to the society and tie your happiness to them. Whatever you earn today, there is a better salary somewhere.
"If your happiness is about the amount, you will always be sad, looking for better pay from whatever position that you occupy. I pray you get a better job soon and you would understand what I am saying better. That's my advice for you."
I kept the words in my memory but didn't work with them immediately.
God answered his prayers for me and a few months later, I got a job with an organization where I was earning 80000 naira. I broke the news to Joshua and we celebrated the development.
I was on the job for some months before feeling that many of my friends were earning a lot better. I started looking for another opportunity.
While doing that, my love for my current job depreciated and I saw the salary as inadequate. At this time, I had rented my apartment and I wasn't staying with my brother again.
After keeping Joshua's advice in my memory for more than a year, I began to see reasons why I should work with the advice. I practically proved to myself that I will never be happy if what makes me happy is the fatness of my salary.
I changed my belief and attached happiness more to the value that I am adding to society through what I do. Since I like improving my income, I started thinking of how to save and invest in order for me to live the kind of life that I envisaged instead of pursuing a better job all my life.
Years later, this advice is still helping me. The more my income increases, the more I want it to increase more. I realized that it is not worth being responsible for my happiness absolutely.
I am still in touch with Joshua through calls and chatting. He spent only a year in the apartment before being transferred to another city by his employer. Since that time, we never met but we are in touch frequently.