That extra factor is the preparation that they have done. By the time good fortune comes their way, they already have the knowledge and skills to succeed in their endeavor.
You Have the Power
But there's good reason to believe each of us are capable of equipping ourselves for the future. What we lack is not the capability but the right attitude and motivation to start. So let's talk about those things for a little bit.Specifically, I want to explore how we can change our mindset for the better. Are there reasons good enough to be optimistic about our country's prospect? If so, how can we prepare ourselves for the coming wave of progress that's bound to come our way?
The Philippine Growth Promise
The Philippines made good economic progress for the last few quarters. The economy grew at a surprisingly high rate of 7.1% for the third quarter of 2012. On top of that, the stock market has been breaking its record highs almost on a daily basis.Although these data are very promising, sustained growth over the long-term is not guaranteed. But we remain confident, as most analysts are, that the Philippines holds a very good potential to a brighter more prosperous future for its people.
It will serve us well to remain positive about the country's future so that we may take the right actions now. This takes the tagline of this site "Invest in Your Future" to a whole new level.
Betting on Readiness
Surely, each of us will take different paths to achieve our desired goals. We have differing backgrounds, personalities and professions. Some of us are entrepreneurs while most are employees. So there are different and unique ways in which we can go about this planning and preparation process.Entrepreneurs will be extremely observant of the trends that present great opportunities for business ventures. One of these opportunities, I believe, is in mobile technology. Even now, big mobile companies are probably hard at work to get a sizeable piece of the action. But besides the big tech companies, I think small enterprising businesses can also make good profits.
Smartphones and Mobile Tech
The advent of smartphones in the Philippines is a sign of what’s to come. There are many mainstream and peripheral applications that business will definitely pursue. Some of these which I think Filipinos have the talent to venture into are the following:- Mobile website development - offering services to optimize existing websites to fit better to a mobile platform
- Apps development - Android and Apple’s app ecosystems are large enough to attract developers who will create for the Filipino consumers
- Mobile payments & banking - using your phone to pay through the use of NFC technology will present many business opportunities
- Mobile e-Commerce - the US has seen a tremendous amount of e-Commerce being conducted using smartphones. Although we could be very slow to adopt the technology, I believe we will get there soon.
Good For Professionals
Career professionals, on the other hand, will benefit by looking at their own industries. They need to see where within it they will have the most impact as more developments arrive. The booming industry of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), for instance, would require equipped and competitive employees to run their businesses. Investing in technical and skill development trainings will not only be good in the resume but also result to effectiveness in the work environment.Shifting to another industry is also an option that most people will probably consider. It would be more difficult to do, but some would have the guts to choose another path. When they decide to do so, they should know that making the leap entails planning and preparation as well. It may mean going back to school to get another degree, enrolling in professional trainings or acquiring some experiences as “stepping stones”.
Believe in Yourself
Most important of all, believing in our own capacity to learn and get better will be key to our success. We shouldn’t be blind to our weaknesses but instead work to get better.But we also can’t expect too little of ourselves and our ability to improve. When we succeed in changing our attitudes about our potential, then we will have the opportunity to unleash ourselves into the world to make a difference.
So go and take action. There's no better time than now!
Photo Credit: Roberto Verzo (Creative Commons)
