Have you ever been in a situation in which you thought you had it all figured out and knew what you would do to find success, but it ended up being a disappointment? Are you concerned about the future job market and the threat AI poses? Have you ever been in a role you felt comfortable in but got fired from for no valid reason? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, read on.

To be able to fire your boss instead of the other way around, you need two crucial things.

-A Flexible Mindset

Having a flexible mindset means you're ready to leave the ship when it sinks instead of going down with it. You need a flexible mindset to adapt to change in your workplace or industry. Since employers lay off workers all the time, being able to fire your boss or explore various professions could give you a level of calm most people don't have in today's money-centric age. And when I say fire your boss, I don't mean you should get your boss to leave your workplace. It's more like being able to quit and get a better job when your boss is getting too demanding and insensitive.

-The willingness to learn multiple skills continuously.

You get to enjoy a life of freedom when you learn marketable skills and build experience in different professions. You have two advantages in this scenario. First, you have friends and connections in various industries. Secondly, you are confident in your ability to learn new skills for future career prospects.

HOW MY MINDSET WAS TRANSFORMED

My whole world got rocked due to some financial challenges I experienced recently.

I enjoy reviewing books a lot.

I love it so much, I once thought I would read and write till old age. It wasn't something I wanted to retire from.

I mean, what's better than being paid to learn and expand your mind?

Unfortunately, my perfect world got rocked when the main payment platform I used decided to ban me from using my account, which is a common problem for freelancers in most parts of Africa, where various governments don't appear to have workable agreements with international financial service providers.

This wasn't the first time l was getting this scare.

Thankfully, I was able to review about a thousand books in almost three years regardless of this daunting challenge.

Eventually, I decided that enough was enough! I had to look for other ways to make money or would keep risking losing my livelihood by accepting the minimalist rules I lived my life by.

My minimalist mindset was partly inspired by what I saw around me.

Too many people seem to be stuck doing jobs they hate to buy the things they don't need.

I didn't want that to be me so I stayed rigid and stuck with a low-paying job by Western standards but above average in less technologically advanced countries.

It became clear to me that my mindset had to change, and I had to welcome a bit of aggression to survive the chaotic conditions that come with building wealth actively.

Thankfully, I was able to find a new path that involves utilizing other payment platforms and showed me that growing exponentially is highly attainable.

The path I found, from a video on YouTube, involves sharing my stories and the life-changing messages I got from them to the world.

Also, I formulated a new plan that involves learning and utilizing a new, profitable skill every month. I will be talking more about this in my future newsletters, hopefully.

I wasn't expecting it, but I feel overjoyed about this new plan and can't wait to execute it.

Lesson: new exploits can be exciting and rejuvenating.

Here, I will be talking about how adopting a flexible mindset and taking on different work roles (in different career paths) can increase your chances of succeeding in life. I write a list that contains eight benefits of adopting a flexible mindset, which I hope, will convince you of the importance of learning new skills constantly and seeking new work opportunities in different industries by the end of this post.

Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said that "change is the only constant in life.”

The benefits of having a flexible mindset in life cannot be overlooked. And it's something we should embrace and not shy away from, after all, our bodies are constantly changing. If not, I would remain the child who plays all day and gets up the next day ready to do it all over again.

How a flexible work mindset transforms your life and leads you to success.

1. You have a better chance of surviving in a fast-moving world.

AI is probably one of the most feared acronyms in history. Many people are scared of the horrors the mind behind the machine would bring to the industrial world. However, technology in general and other social factors also play a role in the rapid changes we are currently experiencing and will continue to see. Writing with dip pens gave way to writing with ballpoint pens, and typewriting preceded typing on computers. Several industries in the US moved to China to produce at a competitive rate, which is a benefit (or curse, depending on how you look at it) of globalization. Increased population and climate change are also contributing to changes in the industrial world. To stay competitive and abreast of all these changes, adopting a flexible mindset would be highly beneficial. If you're a fisherman who supplies companies and you learn that fish can no longer survive in the river you fish at, you don't sit down in a corner and wait for the world to end; you try to figure out how to import fish from Finland or wherever the fishes are likely to be swimming in (with their fins of course). You might even want to consider another career entirely.

2. Higher levels of energy and excitement.

I don't know about you, but doing the same job over and over again for 40 years seems quite challenging, even if it's something I love. The longer the hours and the days you have to spend on a job, the more tiring it gets. This reminds me of the law of diminishing marginal utility, which says that the marginal utility derived from each additional unit decreases as consumption increases. If this concept is not already applied to production, let it be known that I mentioned it here first, and I named it Folu's law of marginal work contribution. I digress. When you learn to adapt to change and take on various disparate challenges, work feels more like an adventure than a tedious task. This might be a great solution for people seeking work-life balance, and instead of giving in to the dopamine rush of escaping work, they get pulled by the thrill of a new job and see it as an experience to look forward to. So, instead of fighting the constant battle of balancing work and fun, work becomes fun and something you can truly live through.

3. It strengthens your mind and makes you more flexible in other areas.

Many people today are not equipped to survive disasters and heartbreak because they are not used to being flexible. And from the moment we start school until we get our first job, most of us believe we are going to spend our life doing one very awesome job. However, this is likely to lead to a devastating heartbreak that's more obvious than a Telemundo show because nothing in life is promised. Adopting a flexible mindset in the career world might reshape your mind to not accept a level of comfort that weakens you and allows you to be dull and rigid. I've studied wild birds several times and most of them appear to be looking out for danger every second, even while picking seeds from the ground. Despite this seemingly tedious task, they seem to be teeming with life. They are arguably more in tune with nature's busy nature (wait, that's where they got the word from, nature. How come I never realized this?). But as the smartest beings on the planet, many of us believe being comfortable is life's main goal. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying comfort should be completely ignored. Nope, I am just saying comfort is a part of the equation. Also, change is another part. And the monotonous patterns we accept at work could be a recipe for failure, especially since the world around us, which is heavily dependent on technology, is changing rapidly. I'm no psychologist, but I believe being ready for anything at work could transform your brain patterns and prepare you for accepting changes in your love life, physical form (age problem), social circle, etc. After all, work is something many of us do almost every day. Imagine what the impact of not knowing what to expect or learning new skills every day would do to the mind. People are more prone to quitting marriages, relocating, and changing friends (or chat buddies) in today's world. How well will we survive these changes with an old mindset of expecting things to be the same at work and everywhere?

4. You get to meet more amazing people and make beautiful memories.

I won't forget the online fan who told me they liked my music and would play it wherever they got to DJ. I also cherish the wholesome conversation I had with a client I helped to get a house. (I know what you're thinking. Yes, I have taken on several roles myself. No, I'm not an empty barrel. I appreciate your honesty.) Taking on different roles will bring you to meet people you would probably never meet otherwise—people from different walks of life. You could be a nurse assistant at a care home and learn from the dying and what they regret or wish they had more time to do. You could become a kindergarten teacher and be reminded of what it means to be a child and free-spirited. Also, going through multiple careers means you have a wide range of experiences. You could be traveling to different countries as a flight attendant in one year and eating various amazing dishes as a chef the next year.

5. Your survival chances increase.

Imagine you were a surf guide for a while and you found yourself in a situation where you had to swim in the ocean for 10 minutes. Okay, I know that seems oddly specific and unlikely. But what about a more likely scenario of being stalked by a sex offender? I remember the satisfying stories about professional combat experts defending themselves against creepy dudes. In general, we become more likely to survive the dangers of this world the more things we know, or better yet, know how to do as a result of experiencing diverse roles in life. From now on, I identify as a ninja, poison taster (sorry, expert), knife catcher and thrower, bare-hand fisher, and smooth operator. PS Don't bring your ladies around me.

6. You are more likely to find a better-paying job or one you love more.

I knew I could be making more as a book reviewer, but I didn't know something else could be even more exciting while paying me a lot more. After I got the blessing in disguise that forced me to seek new jobs, I don't think I ever want to go back to spending the long hours I do reviewing books even if I could. I've never been more grateful for a loss...wait, except for the time I lost my belly weight (my one-pack) and gained what I call my almost-abs back. That said, the more career options you explore, the more chances you find the one that suits you best at any moment or pays more. Many people are stuck in low-paying jobs because their jobs keep them so busy, they don't have time to explore other options. This is a dangerous spot to be in, and finding time to work on other goals is very important for achieving growth in life. Also, you could find what you're really good at, talented in, or have a passion for when you try new career paths. Imagine if Colonel Harland Sanders decided to retire at 62 instead of founding KFC.

7. It's easier to switch when you build new skills regularly and take on new work roles.

Working on building skills and experience in different careers allows you to gain important work connections. You already have familiar faces and individuals who are likely to work with you again once you decide to give your old job (that you left honorably of course) another shot. Also, you could start immediately because you don't have to go through a lengthy learning process; you had previously passed a big part of the learning phase. You would not be much bothered about the next phase of your life when you lose a job. You could easily switch or just amplify your effort to accelerate your other careers.

8. You gain bragging rights and increase your chances of getting hired.

Any recruiter would be impressed by a multi-skilled applicant, especially one who has experience in different professions. Also, having your impressive credentials mentioned at an event you've been invited to is probably one of the best ways to get back at your ex. (Just kidding. I don't even remember any of my exes, says I as I stare at the wall with a teary, faraway look.) Your extra skills might also be instrumental to your growth at work. You could get more problems solved and become a crucial member of your team with a flexible mindset. Your boss would be afraid to lose you and not the other way around. Imagine what that does to your bargaining power.

Now that you know why having a flexible mindset is important for success, I hope you dare to try that new job, take on that new skill, and ask that crush out... Got you! I just added that last part to see if you're still paying attention. Anyway, I'm ending this with a quote that I just coined while writing this post, "Happy work, happy life." I know it doesn't rhyme like the original quote, but it makes more sense if you ask me. Most people spend more time at work than with their spouse today, right?