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20.06.2019 Feature Article

Beyond Intellectual Acumen; Cultivate Your Virtue résumé

Beyond Intellectual Acumen; Cultivate Your Virtue rsum
20.06.2019 LISTEN

I dashed to pick my phone when I saw a fantastic job post whiles surfing on the internet. From the onset, I knew I haven’t matched all the required skills outlined for the job. Not to discourage myself, I had to break my back and reiterate my cover letter and résumé to suit the job. After some few days, it was apposite for me to forward all the document to the employer for consideration. This incident was exactly two years ago.

Today, when I consider the anxiety and eagerness I felt whiles submitting my résumé for that job, I ask myself if I would be able to submit a résumé on my virtues with that same spirit in case I was asked.

This twist and turn that surged in my head reminded me of the saying, “Memento mori; one day you will die”. This consciousness rings a bell in my heart urging me to focus on my virtue résumé. Of course, this résumé forms my inner structures and beams. And I believe this virtue will be assessed after I am gone.

In our contemporary world, most of our time and efforts are dedicated to building our skill résumé. The concept of productivity has conditioned us to believe without skills we may never truly tap our potentials. Whilst this may be the topmost priority for many, I beg to differ by saying skills résumé can never be greater than virtue résumé. In fact, virtue résumé will even determine how long your skill résumé will outlive you. The skills you bring in to win yourself a job in this business world is different from the ones that will be talked about you when you die.

Standing on the same page of these two virtues, I have realized how massively our educational system have failed us. Instead of teachers digging to fetch our moral weakness and correct them, they focus more on our intellectual strengths.

I was a victim of this myself, but I now I have a choice to either confront my own weakness or not. However, I want to be wise enough to work on my weakness. I want people to say when I am gone that I was a bit kinder, compassionate, lovely, faithful, caring and brave. This for me is the definition of true success.

Therefore, I embarked on a new venture of cultivating my inner self. Just like a seed in a soil that needs the hand of a farmer. But in my case, I am the captain of my soul. I got to know external success is achieved through competition with others whiles internal success is by confronting your own weakness. In my case, I was determined to critically examine and question myself.

Yes! My teachers didn’t teach me how to confront my weakness. But those who have mastered this have achieved balance in life. They are in harmony with themselves and things around them.

Since I am on this journey, I want to propose this to you;

You shouldn’t let people shadows darken your progress. Especially when these shadows are from their external success. However, you should constantly strive to organize your life like a business plan whereas you take inventory of all your gifts and talents, and work on your weakness and live a purposeful life. Develop your inner self in order to glow from within.

God will help you
It is well
Author: Tsifodze Ernest
All images and names used in this story do not reflect the true identities of the original characters

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