There’s No Money, There’s No Job, but What Are You Doing About It? Learn a skill today!
“There’s no money.” “There’s no job.” “Things are hard.” “Nobody is hiring.” These are statements we hear almost every day, and honestly, there is some truth to them. The economy is difficult, jobs are not always easy to find, and making money can be challenging, especially when you are starting with little or nothing. But while we acknowledge how difficult things are, there is another question we need to ask ourselves: What are you doing to change your situation? It is very easy to complain about the lack of opportunities, but it is much harder to sit down, look at yourself, and decide, “I need to learn something that can make me valuable.” The world has changed, and you no longer necessarily need to have a university degree before you can make money. Formal education is valuable, but it is not the only path to financial independence. Sometimes, what you need is a skill, determination, consistency, and the willingness to start from somewhere. Learn a skill today!
One of the biggest mistakes people make is believing that the only way to make money is to get employed by someone else. They spend months or even years sitting at home saying, “I’m looking for a job,” while doing absolutely nothing to improve themselves. But while you are waiting for that perfect job, what are you doing with your time? Are you learning? Are you improving yourself? Are you developing something people are willing to pay for? Are you acquiring a skill? Because sometimes, the opportunity you are waiting for is hidden inside the skill you refuse to learn. Instead of spending all your time complaining that there is no job, why not use some of that time to learn something? Learn how to sew. Learn how to bake. Learn hairdressing. Learn makeup. Learn shoemaking. Learn photography. Learn graphic design. Learn video editing. Learn web design. Learn catering. Learn phone repairs. Learn digital marketing. Learn a trade. There are so many things you can learn today, and the beautiful thing is that you can start small. You do not have to have everything figured out before you begin.
You don’t necessarily need millions of naira to start changing your life. Sometimes, you need to start with your time, your willingness to learn, and your determination. A skill can become a source of income when you take the time to develop it. Someone who learns how to bake can start by making cakes for friends and family, and eventually those friends can refer other people. Someone who learns how to sew can begin with simple outfits and gradually build a customer base. Someone who learns hairdressing can start from home and eventually open a salon. Someone who learns graphic design can start by helping small businesses with their flyers and gradually build a portfolio. The beginning might not look impressive, and you may not make much money at first, but small does not mean insignificant. Every successful business, career, or craft started somewhere. What matters is that you start, practice, improve, and remain consistent.
This is why investing in yourself is so important. People invest in clothes, phones, entertainment, gadgets, and things that make them look good, but one of the best investments you can make is an investment in yourself. A skill is something nobody can easily take away from you. Once you learn it and become good at it, you can continue to improve and find different ways to turn it into income. And learning a skill does not always have to cost a fortune. You can learn from someone who already knows the skill, take an affordable class, watch tutorials online, practice with what you have, or even become an apprentice under someone who is already established. What matters most is your willingness to learn. You have to be humble enough to start as a beginner because nobody becomes an expert overnight.
Maybe you didn’t go to university. Maybe you couldn’t afford higher education. Maybe you started school but had to stop. Maybe you don’t have a fancy degree or the qualifications that many companies are asking for. That does not mean your life is over. Your circumstances may explain where you are today, but they do not have to determine where you will be tomorrow. There are people making honest livings every single day from skills they learned outside the classroom. The person making your clothes has a skill. The person baking your birthday cake has a skill. The person fixing your shoes has a skill. The person styling your hair has a skill. The person designing your business logo has a skill. The person repairing your phone has a skill. Skills have value because they solve problems, and whenever you can solve a problem for someone, there is a possibility of earning from it.
However, learning a skill is only the beginning. You have to practice and become better at what you do. You have to be willing to make mistakes, learn from them, and keep going. You also have to understand that being skilled is not the only thing that matters. You need to learn how to market yourself, communicate with customers, manage your money, build relationships, and provide good service. Your first attempt may not be perfect. Your first customer may not pay much. Your first month may be slow. You might even feel like giving up, but that is part of the process. The goal is to keep improving until you become so good at what you do that people begin to look for you.
We also need to stop comparing our beginnings to someone else’s success. Sometimes, you see someone making good money from a particular skill and immediately think, “That person is lucky.” What you don’t see are the months or years of practice, the money they spent learning, the failed attempts, the customers they lost, the times they wanted to give up, and the sacrifices they made before getting to where they are. You only see the results. Instead of being jealous of someone’s success, ask yourself, “What can I learn from this person?” If someone is making money from baking, learn baking. If someone is making money from fashion, learn fashion. If someone is making money online, learn the skills they are using. You don’t have to copy someone’s entire journey, but you can learn from what they have done and create your own path.
We also need to understand that there is dignity in learning a trade. There is nothing shameful about being a tailor, baker, shoemaker, hairstylist, mechanic, plumber, painter, carpenter, photographer, makeup artist, caterer, or any other skilled professional. There is nothing wrong with making an honest living with your hands or with your knowledge. Not every successful person will have a university degree, and not every person with a university degree will automatically become successful. Education is important, but so are practical skills, creativity, discipline, experience, and the ability to provide value. There is dignity in honest work, regardless of what the work is.
So yes, there may be no jobs. Yes, money may be difficult to find. Yes, the economy may be frustrating. But you cannot spend your entire life complaining without taking action. If you have time, use it to learn. If you have access to the internet, use it to learn. If you know someone with a valuable skill, ask them to teach you. If you can afford a training program, consider investing in one. If you have a talent, develop it. If you have an idea, start working on it. Don’t just sit around waiting for life to change while doing nothing to improve your situation. Become part of the change you are hoping to see in your own life.
The skill you learn today might become the source of your income tomorrow. The little thing you are learning now might become a business in the future. The thing you currently think is “just a skill” might eventually become the reason someone else gets a job. So, the next time you find yourself saying, “There’s no money,” pause for a moment and ask yourself, “What skill am I learning that can help me make money?” Instead of only asking where the next job is, ask yourself what value you can create. Instead of waiting for someone to give you an opportunity, prepare yourself so that when an opportunity comes, you are ready for it. Because sometimes, the first step toward a better financial future isn’t finding a job. Sometimes, it is investing in yourself.
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