In a world where many workers wait for instructions, renowned Ghanaian business magnate Dr. Daniel McKorley, widely known as McDan, says the real winners in life and career are those who figure things out for themselves.
For him, waiting to be always told what to do or expressing your inability to perform tasks is inimical to career growth and development.
Sharing what he calls the “cheat code nobody talks about,” the McDan Group CEO told young professionals that success doesn’t always belong to the most experienced or the most talented. Rather, it is favourable to those who take initiative when faced with the unfamiliar.
He explains that in every walk of life, you’ll often be handed tasks you’ve never done before and have no idea how to complete. He says that it is normal. However, what he says matters is one’s ability to learn fast, ask the right questions, seek help where you lack, and get it done.”
According to him, the real growth happens in the space between ‘I don’t know how’ and ‘I figured it out.’ “Most people live in that gap,” he noted, adding that the most successful people cross it and that’s where careers are made.
“The cheat code that nobody talks about: be the person who can figure things out. In every walk of life, you’ll often be handed tasks that you’ve never done before and have no idea how to complete. That’s normal. What matters is your ability to learn fast, ask the right questions, seek help/support in areas where you lack, and get it done,” he admonished.
He further stated, “Trust me: The gap between ‘I don’t know how’ and ‘I figured it out’ is where careers are made. Most people live in the gap. The most successful people cross it. Answer this sincerely: Who do you think companies fight for?”
For him, it is about time young professionals shun the idea of being handed new responsibilities without clear guidance. McDan believes that’s not a reason to freeze but an opportunity to stand out.
Companies, he insists, fight for employees who can take ownership, find solutions, and deliver results, not those who wait to be told what to do.
“There’s nothing more valuable than someone who takes ownership, finds solutions, does what they say, keeps small promises, remembers details, and delivers results. In a world full of people waiting for instructions, become the person who finds solutions. Become that person and watch people fight over you,” he insisted.
The business mogul maintains that for young professionals seeking to grow in their careers, and even in their lives, those who master the art of figuring things out don’t chase opportunities; opportunities chase them.
