More Responsibility than I Bargained For

I used to think responsibility came in stages.

Especially as an NYSC intern, I imagined my professional journey would follow a predictable pattern. I would learn on the job, observe colleagues I considered more experienced, support wherever I could, and gradually take on bigger responsibilities as I became more confident.

In my head, there was a process. You start with the smaller things. You learn the ropes. You gain experience. Then, when you are finally ready, you are trusted with bigger assignments.

Little did I know that process existed mostly in my imagination. Nobody really prepared me for how quickly things would change.

My shock came from realising that being new did not mean being shielded from important responsibilities. There was no one saying, “Let’s wait until she has more experience,” or “Let’s give her only the simpler tasks for now.”
Instead, the opportunities came.

Before I had fully figured out one task, another would land on my desk. Then there was a meeting. Then another campaign. Then another deadline. Suddenly, I found myself working on things that felt much bigger than what I imagined I would be handling at this stage of my career.

I remember a time when my boss tasked me with planning a webinar. In my head, I was like, “Who does this woman think I am?” I didn’t even know how to put together a concept note, let alone plan an entire webinar.
But somehow, I did it.

And that moment became a reminder that sometimes people see a capability in you before you see it in yourself. There were many moments when I wondered if my bosses knew something I didn’t, because the questions running through my mind were always:
“What is happening?”
“How am I supposed to do this?”

“I don’t even know how to do this, so why am I the one handling it?”

I was constantly caught off guard. And honestly, I still am sometimes.
The expectations could feel intimidating because they challenged the way I saw myself. I was still learning. I was still figuring things out. Yet I was being trusted with responsibilities that required me to stretch beyond what felt comfortable.

There were days when my brain felt like it had thirty tabs open. I would move between tasks, meetings, and deadlines, trying to keep everything together. And at some point, “E be like say person wan craze.” IYKYK.
But somewhere along the way, my perspective started to change. I began to understand that responsibility is not always given because someone believes you already have everything figured out. Sometimes, it is given because they believe you are capable of learning what you do not yet know.

The things that initially intimidated me slowly became lessons. Every new task taught me something different, not just about the work itself, but also about how I think, how I solve problems, how I communicate, and how much I can learn.

I am still very much on that journey. I still have moments when I receive a task and my first reaction is, “How exactly am I going to do this?” I still ask questions, seek guidance, and learn every day.

But I think that is the beauty of growth.

It is not a sudden moment where you wake up and feel completely ready for everything. Sometimes, growth is simply realising that the things that once intimidated you no longer feel as impossible as they did before.
When I think about the responsibilities I have been trusted with, I do not see them as proof that I had everything figured out. I see them as opportunities that challenged me, stretched me, and helped me discover what I am capable of.

Because sometimes, the people who give us opportunities are not waiting for us to become ready first. They give us the opportunity because they believe we will become ready along the way.