The evening kicked off with an address by Dr Manyane Makua, MUT senior director at the Teaching and Learning Development Centre (TLDC) who gave the administrators valuable lessons on self-mastery as a cornerstone for a achieving emotional and social intelligence. Opening his address, Dr Makua told administrators to fasten their seat belts because he was going to be frank about the things they need to know if they want to get their lives in order. “There are many things that can impede our lives, the main question is what do you do when things happen? We all have the responsibility to prepare for a time when things happen because life happens to everyone but it always depends on how one responds or reacts to a situation they find themselves in. Nothing just happens, so you must never take a back seat in your own life and hope for the best or luck. Success is always intentional, planned for, decided upon, and pursued,” said Dr Makua.
Dr Makua shared wise and valuable knowledge that administrators can use s tools for success in their careers, social, and family lives. He impressed upon the importance of time and health and how these two life commodities are inseparable. Dr Makua highlighted that one should set a vision and never live life in a roller coaster. “Life is a marathon which we all have to run and run for a long time. Intentionally pursue priorities in life making sure that you stay the course because if you do not have a vision you will allow the call of destruction to attract you to take every detour and before you know you are on the road that does not lead to where you want to be. Your vision will shape what happens in your life,” said Dr Makua.
Only time was the enemy as Dr Makua ended his talk while the audience was still eagerly listening and taking notes. One delegate posed a question about how life is short and how should one follow these wise lessons mindful that there might be no tomorrow. To which Dr Makua warned how dangerous it was for one to eat their tomorrow today because no one can predict what will happen tomorrow. What matters is striking a financial balance by not spending what is meant to tomorrow today, citing several bad financial decisions such as people thinking they can conquer their debt using their long-earned pension, having financial greed leading to people investing in financial scams, and other examples.