Covid-19: We need to plan for a bad day even when it takes a thousand years to happen

By Fr. Paulino Mondo

1. The value of strategic planning and self-discipline are points that most Ugandans have delegated to some category of people, yet we all need these qualities at all times. There are things we learn in school while others are out of common sense. We need to keep in mind that without self-discipline, self-motivation, a culture of financial saving and strategic planning; then we are in for a rude shock. Some of us never thought that one day we could find ourselves living in bad days almost every day.
2. Were most of us prepared to face these bad days? The answer is no. It is COVID 19 which has exposed us to the fact that life is not a garden of roses. There are moments when surprises surpass routine. No one thought that in a short time the whole world would be under lockdown simply because of a virus! In the beginning, most of us thought that COVID 19 was a Chinese problem which was false. It took smart minds of the fearless revolutionaries to set terms and conditions on how to defeat the invisible enemy. It demands self-discipline to command the entire republic majority of whom are civilians to face bad days.
3. There is a weird culture developing among Ugandans that whenever there is a problem, the government is asked to intervene while those demanding are watching with folded arms. These same talkative people have the guts to criticize the solution at hand even when in the beginning they were stuck. We need to stop assuming that someone somewhere will always provide a solution to all our challenges. Good solutions don’t fall from the sky; capable minds need to be always prepared even when the situation is normal, but this calls for self-discipline.
4. There are two ways through which we can be self-disciplined;
5. The first one is the willingness to think outside of the box and start acting innovatively.
6. The second is to cultivate self-discipline at all times. To save funds for the future is not only possible because one has too much but because one is determined to do so. To arrive at this, one needs a balanced emotional state of mind.
7. The wisdom of saving is that one must spend less than what he/she earns consistently. There are a good number of Ugandans who buy things on sight without a prior plan. This is proved by the way we shop while in traffic jam. A disciplined person never buys without a plan of doing so. Discipline functions on the belief that inner mental states and emotions are operating independently. One does things not because he/she is motivated but because there are on the plan of action. For a good thing to happen, the person performing them needs to cultivate self-discipline.
8. When given the choice for example, between saving some money for the future or spending everything on immediate leisure such as food and drink; a disciplined person opts for long term reasonable spending instead of abrupt and temporary satisfaction. A person who goes ahead to save does so because he is aware that the future relays on the present. To inculcate self-discipline one needs memory to recall most life circumstances. People with short memory need to be reminded to save with a conviction that the world is not ending today.
9. Discipline calls for saving funds even when there is no imminent reason. Leisure is attractive but it shies away when the going gets tough. Saving funds is a good thing in that it guarantees both psychological and mental health. Only planned savings assures one of a manageable life when the going gets tough. In life, there will always be that bad day which we don’t know when it happens. One must avoid being caught on the soft side of the unpredictable. Ugandans need to develop a permanent culture of saving even when the majority don’t think that it is urgent.
10. The tasty attraction is to satisfy the immediate need rather than save for the unknown. If we wait until we feel like saving, we are all going to have a rough time ahead, most especially during our old age or when the bad days like these of the COVID 19 arrive abruptly. The aftermath of COVID-19; will be severe for such people who had not cultivated the self-discipline to save by the time this pandemic struck.
11. The school of saving is hidden in our subconsciousness. Some people see nothing attractive in the saving culture but it is the only way out of the woods. Another paragon is how some people put off going to school because it is too long, tedious, demanding and less enjoyable. There is no way one can save strategically without education. One does not have to wait until he/she is physically fit to start mind training for winning the Olympics. It does not work like that. One must train all the time to get into the physical shape of an Olympic athlete.
12. If a person is waiting for an opportunity in order to start on a task such a person will never start. But if one is self-disciplined, such a person will act because it is right to do so. To face reality as it should be; the time to save was in actual fact yesterday but most of us took things easy, however, you can even start saving now instead of waiting for disaster to catch us hands down. In life, there is nothing like little money. All money counts.
13. Although motivation is an essential step when setting a goal, it alone cannot get you where you desire to be unless you cultivate self-discipline. Motivation comes in short bursts and lasts for a while because it is fickle and driven by impulse. It changes every day depending on circumstances to the extent that it can’t get a person through tough times because of its wishful thinking.
14. Motivation disappears when the bad day begins to etch. Motivation has a short shelf lifespan which needs checking every day. Contrary to popular belief, motivation is not the answer to our problems. We should do things because we love to do them not because we are paid to do them. Motivation may get you started, but it is the self-discipline that keeps you going.
15. No amount of motivation can make one choose to do things that are painful and demanding continuous self-sacrifice indefinitely. Such life is out of focus. The reality in life is that we are often going to do things that are demanding whether we are motivated or not mainly because these things have to be done. No one is going to motivate you to make savings.
16. It is your sacrifice, planning and paying attention to the reality that will grant you reliable results and make you a successful person. Ignoring self-discipline is like throwing your life in a trash bin. Self-discipline makes you do the right things at the right time while lack of it makes you entertain agendas that are valueless. Make saving now because tomorrow has its own demands.
17. The harsh truth about life is that you are not always going to be inspired or to be motivated to get things done so do good things whether you are in the mode or not. In life you are going to have good and bad days whether you like it or not, so be prepared for both. You are going to have low moments in your life as long as you are alive so don’t complain because no one will pay attention to you in the manner you expect it. You are going to feel like quitting because you are fed up with the situation, yet there is nowhere on earth you can only find paradise.
18. No matter what you experience, self-discipline will assist you to sail through and later admire your resilience. With self-disciplined you will survive the lows, highs, the twists and turns you encounter on the road of your life. In case you are looking for consistent and long term results, your discipline will always triumph over any kind of motivation. Discipline facilitates your commitment; consistency and the patience that you need to achieve your planned goals. The funny thing is, once you cultivate self-discipline, it will start becoming your way of life. Although it sounds strange, you will begin to derive inspiration from your own self-discipline.
19. As we conclude, here is a diamond word for you. As you save, have a scale of priorities and follow strictly. Remember that the black hair you have on your head must work for your white hair that will soon be your permanent companion.
20. Avoid saving to buy a car before you have a house for your residence and parking lot for it. How will you rent a place for yourself and your car! The truth is that the car is attractive but it starts depreciating from the moment you purchase it. We save to rescue life, to buy education, housing, land and to assist those who are in reasonable need that is why some amount of money should be kept safe in the bank. To save money and then invest in perishables is not a good approach as it wastes energy. Please, prioritize, set goals, persist and stay focused all the time because your future depends on you.