Do you know what will happen after this COVID-19 lockdown?

Nothing will be the same. Two major stressors will fall on most people:

- Financial and
- Emotional stressors.

But there’s good news: not everyone will be a victim. At least not everyone will feel that amount of stress that will cause families, companies, and institutions to downsize and live at the mercy of economic depression.

Those who are not currently working on themselves to get on the side of the advantage will feel the most heat. They’ll be financially and emotionally stressed more than everyone else.

Some will lose their job, get harassed by landlords, and unable to pay their bills for some time.

For that reason most of them will end up depressed, anxious, and fed up with life except there’s a special intervention.

Only because they fail to be on the side of disadvantage.

Life is a choice.

To be in the first group is therefore not by chance but a choice.

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

You have the power to be on whichever side. Either to smile or cry after the lockdown.

The wise will be preparing themselves, doing something different the rest are ignorant about.

“And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had an understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.” — 1 Chronicles 12:32 KJV

These are the 3 things you MUST learn to do if you want to smile at the end of the lockdown.

And here’s they are:

1. Upgrade your economic worth

You’re either selling something or buying something. You can’t be neutral.

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If you are not selling, you are buying.

The sellers take the front seat in the system. They preside and determine the direction of the economy. In other words, they rule the market and influence the economy more than the consumers.

If you want to smile after the lockdown, you’ve to develop yourself to have something to sell — a skill or information — to be a seller.

And how do you do this?

Two simple ways:

Through

• learning and improving relevant skills and
• updating your knowledge both in your industry and those related to it.

You have to be so good they can’t ignore you.

Do some research to finding out pivotal positions and skills relevant to your industry. Compare the relevance of one skill to the other. Find out which is the most needed and which is getting out of demand.

( Hint: employee pay more for skills that only a few people can do.)

Identify those highly technical skills and start to learn them. Outsource information, buy online courses, attend online classes to learn the skills, and aim to be an expert in one or two of them.

By so doing, you’re saving yourself from being laid off in your work after the lockdown. Better still, finding another job where you’ll be in the MVP category — the irreplaceable.

(Hint: employees are going to pay less or lay those that refuse to accept the new bargain. This will be more in departments that don’t require technical skills or expertise.)

Why?

Nobody wants to pay more for what another person can perfectly do at a lower price.

It’s only by climbing to the MVP sector that your financial security can be guaranteed after the lockdown.

2. Build and Invest in relevant relationships

A good relationship is a worthy investment.

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In the 21st century business, your network will determine your net worth.

If you’ve not been building relationships, it’s not too late, you can start right after reading this article.

The truth is, if you’re not connecting and networking with people in your fields, you’re putting your financial security at risk.

A good relationship is not only a source of happiness. It is also a medium for life and business opportunities — customers, clients, projects, appointments, referrals, and recommendations.

Edison Besty is a wonderful friend of mine I introduced to Medium a few months ago. Today he’s earning some bucks on the platform.

From every angle there’s no way he could figure out there’s a platform like Medium had I not told him. (Especially because we reside outside the United States — West Africa.)

Our relationship is the conduit for that opportunity.

It was what made me watch his back and introduce him to such an opportunity.

But there many writers in West Africa who are not earning a dime from the internet. Today he’s one of the few ones that do.

So, build relationships. Most of your opportunities in life will come from some of them.

They’ll help you with opportunities you may never have access to in your lifetime.

If I have seen further than others, it’s because I’ve stood on the shoulders of giants.

Mind you, a giant will only permit you to stand on his shoulder on the grounds of a healthy relationship.

3. Finally, you have to deserve it

Effort notwithstanding, there’s one thing that can ruin your chances of living above average.

Just one thing — an average mind.

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“As a man thinks in his heart, so he is.” — James Allen

An eagle may never learn to fly until she believes she can.

Until you feel you deserve anything, you may never have it.

Some persons are poor, not for lack of opportunities or because they have a physical disability. But because they believe they don’t deserve to be wealthy.

So, you need to cultivate a winner’s mindset — a mind that believes it deserves to live the best of its desires.

Saturate your mind with confidence — convince yourself that you deserve a wonderful job, a better house, a flashy car, a beautiful wife, and amazing children.

Listen to the success stories of others. Download inspirational audios and listen to them. Watch their videos online.

Read self-help books until your mind tilts towards abundance and beauty. Because you deserve them.

Conclusion

When you upgrade your skills, network with a mastermind group, convince yourself that you deserve what you want from life, nothing can stop you from getting it.

It’s a promise.

Soon you will smile for two reasons:
— either because you have gotten a better job or

— Because you’ve become so relevant to be ignored in your company.

That’s how to ride the tide of crises to your advantage.

This article was originally published by Joshua Idegbere on medium.