One thing I’m sure about is that in our journey to success, to making impact and change in the world, something we need to keep close in mind is that we should not get ourselves involved with just anybody, whether it be as a friend, as a close associate, or as a love partner.
For a person like me, the topic of ‘trust’ has never sat well with me, because of some personal experiences of mine regarding it. I find it hard to trust someone, no matter how well they pass all my checks and barriers. And I still maintain that it is a good thing, because for a person who aspires to make impact, even the smallest relationship with the wrong person can send you and your work crashing down.
In my case, it was the subject of my account – my Facebook account. I got hacked by someone who was at the time, very close to me, probably as a result of the issues we were having at the time. And when I asked for my account back, he refused. I was actually seething: You broke into my account, deleted my device from it, changed my password, and you’re bluntly refusing to give it back to me?
I had allowed myself into a relationship with that kind of individual. When I think of it, it was something like the case of Richard and Debby in the novel Friends and Lovers by Eric Jerome Dickey, if you know it. 🥲
Key points to take away from this are:
…the kind of people we surround ourselves with matters a million
You may think little of it, but as people who are working to impact change in society and in the world, the kind of people we surround ourselves with matters a million. Having people in your circle of friends or contacts that cause you to feel bad about yourself almost every time you talk to them is bad for you.
Sure, there’s the case of criticism often dampening our spirits, but when the criticism becomes a constant feature, it’s then for the bad.
…connect with, build ties, and give out sensitive information to the people you enage with MUCH less.
And as far as networking goes, this doesn’t mean you should stop networking, both in your professional and personal life. This only means that you should connect with, build ties, and give out sensitive information to the people you enage with less – much, much, MUCH less.
And if you’re a person who easily gives into emotions or trusts just as easily, try to get a tough skin.
It also helps to reach out your friends and connections who have passed through the route you aspire, and ask them about how they were able to balance professionalism with thier personal relationships.
It wasn’t until it hit me hard that I understood the need for two-factor authentication…
It wasn’t until it hit me hard that I understood the need for two-factor authentication. Although, one certain time, after listening to a webinar by Okoye Ijeoma Dicta, where she talked on the importance of two-factor authentication on one’s social media accounts, I tried it out on my Facebook account. But I didn’t make it to the end, because my Google Duo (which is now Meet) refused to accept my phone number. I actually just gave up, feeling that my account was already safe, and that setting that up would just be ‘in case of necessary necessities.’
Well, the joke was on me! When my Facebook got hacked, I immediately went to my Twitter to protect it, by downloading 1Password authenticator app and following the steps. Luckily (maybe because it was relatively easier to do it) I had already protected my Telegram account with two-factor authentication.
Being careful with the kind of people we associate with, build relationships with, share information with, and generally let into our lives, is something that everyone needs to hear. It’s not all about the professional taglines and recognition, what goes on behind the scenes is far more important, because a weak link could cause it all to fall to the ground.
Don’t let a relationship (I’m not only referring to love relationships here) – no matter how real it appers to be – cause you to do things that could backfire. Be sensible, think with your mind, and don’t take two-factor authentication for granted!
Ọlaedo is a teen lifestyle blog, written by a Nigerian teen from a Nigerian teen’s perspective. And aside from my blog I’m an aspirant of a career as a software engineer, I write about my tech journey and as well pen down some tips I’ve uncovered based on my personal experiences, on my socials and on the blog.
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Does the topic I shared here relate to you? How are you able to keep from mixing personal feelings into your professional connections and relationships? Are you a techie also, or looking to go into tech? I’d love to hear from you in the comments. Let’s interact! 😊
Stay motivated,