Passion, Effort, and Value - Consistency

In 2017, a young manager from a certain organization walked to me while holding a newspaper in her hand. She said, “Mr. Kingston, I didn’t know you are such a great writer. I am reading your article in the Times of Zambia Timesofzambianewspaper. I was looking for you until this gentleman brought me here”. The gentleman responded in an angry voice “is this what you brought me for? Kingston since when did you become a journalist? You are just an IT guy.” The lady quickly responded telling the man. “You are just jealous! Why can’t you give credit where it is due?” The gentleman continued, “iwe (you), Kingston you are a great IT guy, just continue being a good IT guy, this lady doesn’t know anything that it takes to write in the National Newspaper”.

After listening to their argument, I kept quiet for a while. I remembered the words of Steven Covey, “Seek first to understand”. Another word from the Holy Book flashed into my head “…be low to anger”. I responded to the lady thank you for coming here and share how you found this article interesting. The article title was about Mismatched IT Qualifications. She provided feedback that comforted me and forgot about the negative things the gentleman uttered.

I started writing in 2015, Manic Creatives gave me the platform to publish my articles on their website. I must admit I didn’t have qualifications and experience as a write or columnist. At that time I found, there were few publications in Zambia on ICT. What I had was an idea and experience in IT.

Since 2015, when I look back I have learned and applied the principled which Napoleon Hill would call Definite Purpose. The six-year journey as a columnist has been rooted in these philosophies; Passion, purpose, commitment, persistence, consistency, continuous improvement, and others.

In this fourth industrial revolution (4IR or 4.0), digital skills are one of the critical skills needed for one to remain relevant or to make an impact in their endeavors. My articles indirectly or directly promote the Sustainable Development Goals in one way or the others.

I have been doing this with passion, I have learned that passion and purpose will open doors. In this case, I have to consciously find mentors who would teach me or guide me on how to go about. I have made great people within Zambia and abroad who have supported me.

I am not a great columnist, my readers didn’t follow me because I was a celebrity, some followed me because I was consistent. Every time they bought a newspaper on Tuesday, they would find my article and read it. I have been committed to my purpose. Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority ZICTA invited me to attend one of the workshops where I was not expecting one of the Directors from the government Agencies to know me by name but he just said, “The famous Mr. Mwila, I have been reading your articles and every Tuesday my kids read your column”.

In the midst of rejection and negativity even from people who were close to me, I didn’t give up. I persisted. From 2013 to 2015, I had written to different organizations so that I could contribute but I was rejected. I have come to believe that rejection doesn’t mean it is OVER but it means find another alternative, go where you are celebrating, or put more effort.

I have been consistent in my writing, sometimes I go through difficult moments where I have more tasks but on Tuesday, my reader will read my articles. In 2017 around April, I was submitting my articles while in the hospital bed. I usually write articles to cover for a month so that week I had four articles already. I just needed to ask the Doctor to stop the "drip" for a moment so that I could open my laptop and send the articles. There have been moments when the editor may be published my column on a different day, readers would call asking why I didn’t publish the article.

The way to achievement in the fourth industrial revolution needs the way to knowledge and continuous improvement. Over six years and the years to come these are what drive me Passion, purpose, commitment, persistence, consistency, continuous improvement and among others. And in the ICT Association of Zambia - ICTAZ Information and Communication Technology Association of Zambia (ICTAZ) awarded my Publication as the Best Publication for the year 2019. In 2018, ICTAZ awarded me for my contribution to the ICT sector.

I do it with #Passion. I do it with skilled #Effort I do it creating to #Value #AliKingstonMwila

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