By Strive Masiyiwa
_”Nobody can do everything but everyone can do something…”
When I was a student in England, I used to cross a very busy highway, opposite a school. One day there was an accident, and a child was killed.
The following day I saw a gentleman come out of his very expensive car, put on a white coat, and raised a sign asking cars to slow down!
After that, I saw him EVERY single day, without fail! After a few months, I saw that they had installed a proper crossing, but I did not know that he had lobbied the local council.
One day I mentioned it to someone who knew him, and she told me that he was a CEO at a very large company. It was not his child who had died or someone he even knew. He did it because he felt it was the right thing to do.
Every day, each one of us sees something which we can take action to solve, which does not need us to wait for some authority.
We can each do something.
Here is another very important thing you can try to do each day, that might just help save a life: check in on how people are doing.
I heard a tragic story a couple days ago about a 30-year-old woman in the USA who took her own life. No one knows why. She was a successful lawyer, an award-winning TV correspondent, and much more.
None of her friends, family, and colleagues had any idea that she was so deeply sad, they said. She was always smiling and laughing.
They are now asking themselves if they should or could have known, or done something to help.
No one knows that answer, but people around each of us [on whichever continent we live] were already suffering struggles of all kinds. Then the pandemic hit and caused so many new ones: Lost family, friends, and colleagues; lost jobs, businesses, education; lost time shared together at life events like weddings, funerals, graduations. The list is long.
Delayed hopes and dreams. [And for some of you here, postponed business development and hirings].
In addition to the impacts you read about most often, the pandemic has taken a big toll on the mental health of millions of people, of all races, ages, nationalities, income and education levels. It has impacted everybody, even if we ourselves didn’t get sick.
If you yourself are feeling very sad, please ask for help. It doesn’t mean you are weak. And you’re not alone. Even the strongest, most powerful people on earth are having a tough time. None of us here have ever lived through a pandemic before.
I know many of you as #SolutionSeekers wonder what to do to help. I don’t know the mental health resources in your communities, but why not start by you yourself taking the time to call or visit someone [especially your “strong” friends, family, and close colleagues], and ask:
“How are you? Are you doing okay?” And ask yourself that same question. Then really listen and ask more questions maybe. Your voice might be just the one they needed to hear.
As #Entrepreneurs you have all faced countless challenges over the years, plus the inevitable ups and downs of life. You all know what I’m talking about.
Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.
Selah.
• Masiyiwa is a major telco entrepreneur and founder of Econet.