The fifth episode of Mastering Mediocrity premiered on 12 October 2020. This episode was quite distinct from the others as we conversed with our host, Zeeshan on different subjects such as his career, aspirations, and his take on the content creative industry of Sri Lanka.
Zeeshan, being the enthusiastic individual he is, came across the content creation industry at a very young age. He mentioned how one does not realise their inner talents unless someone puts faith in them, while relating it to his own story of how he got into the filmmaking sector. As he mentioned in Episode 1 of Mastering Mediocrity, moving to Sri Lanka expanded his mind and has eventually brought him to where he is now. He believes in taking chances and not making excuses, especially when one knows that they have the potential to make it in life. In simple terms, if there’s a will, there’s a way.
Steve Jobs once said: “I’m here to make a dent in the universe”, and that is the motto of Zeeshan’s life. When asked about his long-term plans, he revealed that he has always been the one to look at the bigger picture and was never cut out for the traditional nine-to-five work system. Despite being criticised for “shooting too high”, he was adamant in working towards his dreams and when he looks back, wants to be proud of the decisions he made. He also pointed out the role job satisfaction plays in everyone’s lives and said that if we aren’t happy, then we should be able to take the risk and quit. At the end of the day, we need to understand ourselves and our goals in order to be content with what we do.
A marketing agency commonly known as a “social media agency” is one of the start-ups which require the least of resources. Zeeshan mentioned how many of these start-ups are short-lived since there are no proper guidelines or regulations as to how these agencies need to operate. He believes that the content creation industry in Sri Lanka needs to grow and so do the individuals in it. It is vital that businesses do their due diligence before signing a contract with such agencies due to the increased number of scams that we witness on a daily basis.
To put it mildly, this episode taught us that there is nothing wrong in dreaming big and working towards it. At the end of the day, it’s all about being content with what you do.
Episode transcribed by Amani Najumudeen
YouTube: https://youtu.be/Wx7B5E0pLto
