This week I would like to share two experiences of people who have shown unquestionable determination and commitment to excel in their lives.

I had the rare privilege of being invited by the Professional Association of Secretaries Zambia to be amongst the four judges tasked to assist in selecting the winner of this year’s prestigious award. The contest is divided into various sections which include practical and oral testing and at the final dinner event the top five contestants are given one generic question and one question they pick at random. In a country that has over 1,000 secretaries who had an opportunity to enter the contest and be an advocate to champion and lobby for the improvement of their own profession only five brave secretaries forged on till the end. The Professional Secretaries Association Zambia put up a fantastic show, the final event was well-organised and the attendance very excellent, they must be commended for organising such an exceptional event.

The contest itself was not easy, the questions were tough and the challenge was an uphill battle. I saw determined women battle it out for the big title, I have a great deal of respect for the five final contestants, and they put so much effort into the contest. It is also encouraging to see the bosses of the finalists come to support their secretaries, that is rare and it gave the contestants the boost that they needed. In any contest however there can only be one winner and the night belonged to Charity Singongi, a Secretary with the Ministry of Agriculture. I was touched by Charity’s presence, her confidence, her personality, her charisma, her drive and determination for excellence.

I interview people for a living, as a Human Resource specialist, I am always looking for what I like to call the ‘X-factor’ in a candidate, this is what separates one candidate from the other. Charity is not an ordinary person, she walked in the interview room and I can tell you that she carried the sunshine into the room. I came face to face with a candidate who blew me away despite the tough questions and pressure we put her under.

Charity Singongi is physically challenged (disabled) and I remember when I first saw her at the door, I thought she would want the judges to feel sorry for her but on the contrary she presented herself in a manner that she did not feel sorry for herself and neither did she want anyone to do so. She wore a fantastic smile and was very confident in her presentation.

Charity mentioned that there are close to 50 secretaries within her workplace and she was the only secretary who entered the contest and for her effort, courage and determination she was crowned The Secretary of the year 2009. Her acceptance speech was moving as she told the guests that never in her life had she expected to win such an award. She promised to fly high, the flag of the association at the same time advocate for better recognition of the Secretarial profession. No one can question such determination and commitment, you can learn something from Charity, that even when the odds are against you, if you put your mind, body and soul into anything you will excel.

I also want to share an experience that is very close to my heart and very close to my home. In my profession as a human resource consultant I communicate with many people who approach me with a variety of challenges they may be facing in their careers. One of the most common challenges is when an individual makes a decision to study for a qualification they do not want for the simple reason that they have not made the cut for the course they wanted and are forced to take an option to study a course they do not want. An individual’s choice may be to study Economics but they find themselves being given a course in Education. As a result one is forced to spend 3-4 miserable years studying for a qualification they have no interest in and then find a job as a teacher end up disliking their job. Many people ask me whether it is ever too late after one has already invested so many years on a course to switch professions. Let me share this story with you.

My brother, Mayaba is the youngest in our family of six siblings, four boys and two girls. He was always a sharp kid and I remember every other year in his early school days that we always were at his school when it was prize giving day, he always received a prize. When he completed his ‘A’ levels his wish was to study for a qualification in Medicine, unfortunate he received a blow when he did not have enough credits to go into med school, he was allocated Biological Sciences instead.

He spent the next three years studying for a Degree in Biological Sciences and graduated with honors. I remember sighing with relief when he got his first job because I knew that we would not have to continue giving him money to get by since he would now earn his own income. A few months into his new job he called me and told me that he had been accepted into medical school and that he was not about to give up his dream to become a medical doctor. You can imagine the first thought that crossed my mind, I thought another 5 years of paying and supporting him through Med school, I tried at the time persuading him to stick with the job because at the time I was employed and what I earned was already strained but he was adamant and told me that if I or the other members of the family could not help him with financial resources, he would find it elsewhere.

My brother went on to study Medicine and completed this year, can you imagine eight years in University. He is now in the process of getting registered to practice medicine at UTH and to top it all he is only 29 years of age. What commitment, what determination, what energy and what exceptional drive. This story shows you that it is never too late to take on a career that gives you the fulfillment. It is never too late to start a business in any area of your choice. Being stuck in a job you hate or a business you dislike is entirely your choice; you are never too old to make drastic changes in your life.

I encourage you today to take a good look at your work, your life or your business or even your health and ask yourself if that is what you want to do or be for the rest of your life. If the answer is no, then start now to make the necessary changes to get you where you want to be.