It wasn’t the first time she was attending to me; I’ve experienced her quality of customer service several times – warm, friendly and hardworking. Every customer likes her; they all want her to attend to them, she appears to love what she does and she does it with passion and diligence.

Chika worked with one of the many eateries in Ikeja GRA in Lagos. She was a waitress, taking orders from customers and serving their meals. In spite of the pressure that comes with such responsibilities at times, Chika would always remain cool and calm with a smile on her face, taking in the pressure and addressing complaints from different customers.

I’ve always been impressed by her attitude to work – the way she would apologize to both young and old even fellow ladies her age or even younger. No nasty attitude no airs, just doing her job and doing it well.

That evening i needed a quick meal, I hadn’t eaten all day and I was really hungry, I was there a bit late and most of the shops were shutting down, most meals were sold out and nothing really much was left. I was lucky to meet Chika who was already preparing to go home too, I asked her to please get me something to eat and with a smile she went into the kitchen to see how she could sort me out. In about 5 minutes she was back with a hot meal, still smiling she placed it on the table with a cold bottle of water. I could see she was really tired from all the hard-work from day-break but all the same she was willing to wait for me till I was done. I was impressed.

We began to chat as I had my meal and she told me this much.

Chika is a graduate of Economics from one of the leading, first generation Universities in Nigeria. She graduated with a 2.1 about 2 years ago and upon completion of her service year, she resolved not to just sit at home and wait for her dream job.

While applying for employment in various preferred organizations, she took up this job as a waitress at one of the eateries in Ikeja.

According to her, she couldn’t just sit at home, eating drinking and sleeping without doing anything; she couldn’t afford to be idle; she’s not wired like that. When she began to work at the eatery her parents were not happy with her, they felt it was embarrassing, given their status and the fact that they could cater for her needs until a good job came along, but she ignored and pleaded they allow her get busy pending that employment she really deserved and they eventually agreed.

Her close friends didn’t make it easy for her as well, they criticized her and mocked her wondering why as a graduate of economics with a second class upper she would opt to be a waitress in such a public place, where everyone would see her and treat her anyhow, besides her parents are well to do so why yield to unnecessary ridicule? Chika concluded her story still with a smile on her face.

I was very surprised, I was impressed, I looked at this beautiful, young girl talk; not believing my ears. What I’m used to are people her age criticize the government, their parents, an uncle or relative who’s refused to help them get a good job. They’ll rather sit at home, watch TV, lounge, waste their lives on social media and make excuses for their unemployment. They have a defective believe that they have paid their dues just by becoming graduates and it’s time to ‘enjoy’

I asked for her details and requested she sent her CV to my mailbox and promised ill assist her with a better employment.

She called me a few months later and was excited to tell me she’s gotten her letter of employment from one of the leading telecoms companies where I recommended her. She was very happy, excited and very grateful.

Her monthly pay package is much more than what she’s ever dreamt of as a starter, and today she’s proud to flaunt her ID card as a staff of one of the biggest and most successful telecoms company in the world. She made it.

Would you call Chika lucky, nope, it’s not luck, it’s not even connection as it were. Chika earned this employment by creating her own luck, how? Locating her-self where it mattered and working in a manner that would attract favor and assistance.

I didn’t know Chika from Adam, we are not related, not even the same state or tribe, I don’t know her family, background or history. In fact she’s a total stranger to me. But I couldn’t help but recommend her on the account of her attitude to work, customer service and mindset. I need not know such a person to assist with anything.

If she was at home, watching TV, sleeping and generally relaxing she would never have met me.

If she had pride and felt it was belittling to work as a waitress in such a public place she wouldn’t have met me, If she had a poor attitude to work, grumpy, irritable and nasty to customers she wouldn’t have caught my attention. If that fateful evening she had insisted she had closed and decided to go without going the extra mile to get me something to eat we would never have conversed and I wouldn’t have recommended her. She didn’t even know who I was and she didn’t go the extra mile ‘because she wanted my help, it was just her way of doing things to and with every customer.

Chika created her luck. She has a good job today and an exciting career in an industry she loves and she’s very well paid. Today her friends and family members are proud of her and want to associate with her. She’s no longer an embarrassment to them. All those so called friends can’t stop calling her and asking her to help them submit their CVs in her new organization.

Hmmm, life is like that.

My dear friend I challenge you this morning to create your own luck, stop waiting for your breakthrough, break it through by yourself, make it happen! Deal with this pride and arrogance and unnecessary air of superiority. Rise above the opinions of men and stop thinking more highly of yourself than you ought to. Stop watching TV and sleeping all day long, get up and go out; go get something to do. I can’t understand how a none-income earner would say a particular amount is too small. There is more to gain from being employed than cash reward. Create your own luck.

And if you’re working in a place where you’re constantly under pressure and you’re not particularly happy, the worst harm you can do to yourself is to take it out on your clients and customers. If you’re grumpy, rude, unfriendly and nasty, you could as well be pushing away your favour, helper and good luck.

Being lucky is not an act of nature, dear friend, create your own luck.