Take a risk and pursue your desire

Caren Wakoli is the founder and Executive Director of Emerging Leaders Foundation. PHOTO| COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • What is true about life is that times change and everything changes.
  • We must therefore keep developing ourselves to become the best version of ourselves at all times.

Many young people say that they do not see people in the society that they can uphold as role models. Is this a valid concern?

It is a valid concern. We have few good role models. This is not for lack of great men and women who are living purpose-driven lives, it is because very few of them have been profiled by the media. Maybe that’s why we have many individuals, including young people, whose main goal is to get rich through the shortest route possible. This is because money is what we celebrate.

 

What advice would you give regarding tapping into their talents and developing their potentials?

One of the greatest lessons I did not learn at school is that academic success alone is not enough. Your talent is your competitive advantage. Most of the time what differentiates human beings is their ability to discover their talent and passion, and build their capacity to excel in these. What is true about life is that times change and everything changes. We must therefore keep developing ourselves to become the best version of ourselves at all times.

 

From your experience working with young people, what do you find to be the most common mistakes that people make in their early 20s?

 Following money instead of passion – The best thing is to do what you love. Sometimes whatever we are passionate about may not pay, persist and give it time. It will work out in the end.

 Impatience with humble beginnings: We all start somewhere. Almost all the time people start small. Shortcuts are disastrous.

 Not investing in themselves. The most important resource you have is YOU. Read books, listen to mentors, attend professional courses, learn soft skills, have inspiring conversations, take time to unwind and rejuvenate.

 Being comfortable and settling: Don’t settle. Keep learning and growing.

 

Leadership is not always a trait that comes to people naturally. Why do you think that it is important to develop leadership skills?

It is the cornerstone of our wellbeing. It gives one an edge over the rest. I believe that every human being is a leader – the only difference is that someone must call out the leader in us. 

 

One of the challenges of Africa is rooted in bad (political) leadership. What are you doing to contribute to the moulding of the next crop of political leaders?

The challenge for our continent is squarely that of leadership. We equate leadership to politics. These two are totally different. Leadership is not necessarily politics. Politics is just one of the avenues through which individuals practice leadership. I am contributing towards moulding the next generation of leaders through mentorship and coaching. I do this through Emerging Leaders Foundation, where we provide a platform for young people to sharpen their leadership skills and be the best they can be.

 

What is your definition of an empowered youth?

One who is self-aware, knowledgeable and is well equipped to exploit their potential; an empowered youth is one of the greatest forces of transformation any society can ever have.

 

What do you have to say regarding networking?

Networking is a must-do, whatever your personality type. People are a great resource, and for you to tap into their potential and networks, you must be genuinely interested to know them and have an understanding of what they do. You also possess a skill or contacts that may be useful to someone else. And like in all relationships, there are those that will work and those that will not. Volunteering is a great step in getting ahead when it comes to networking.

 

Apart from being the vice-chair of SONU, Congress lady and Gender Affairs Secretary, what kind of university student were you? 

Being at the University of Nairobi is one of the best things that ever happened to me. That institution shaped who I am. The experiences and interactions I had were very foundational. Other than being in student leadership, I was in associations and clubs like Main Campus Christian Union (MCCU), and I choose Life (ICL). During holidays I would look for job opportunities like doing sales or conducting research and writing papers for organisations to earn some money for my upkeep.

 

What is your greatest fear?

Inability to meet my needs.

 

What would you name as the greatest mistake of your early career days?

That would have to be choosing money over passion. There were moments when I paid more attention to the amount of money I earned over whether or not I was passionate about the work I did. The greatest joy for me now is doing what I love and enjoy, and loving what I do. There is a fire that gets lit inside us when we take risks to pursue our desires. Desire is something very powerful. Money follows passion.

 

Visit www.elfafrica.org and https://www.facebook.com/emergingleadersfoundation/ for more info on what her organisation does.