Dear readers, Long time no see, I haven’t posted for some times now because I have this gigantic goal I have set to achieve by the end of first quarter of this year or the beginning of second quarter. It is taking the whole of my attention and resources, including time. It is progressing well, we are about 70% into it and I believe now more than ever that it is a done deal. I decided to squeeze out time today to post this.
I start most of my articles with stories to make them relatable and to make you know that they are not just abstract ideas, they are practicable in day to day living and activities. I am going to start today’s article too with another inspiring story.
Sometimes in October 2016, I ran out of cash so I proceeded to an ATM to withdraw money, on getting there I met about thirty people or more on a long queue. There were four machines at this GT Bank Centre around Isheri, Lagos, three of the machines were being used but one was staring at everyone idle.
I joined the queue but after a few seconds, I asked the person in front of me why no one was using the idle ATM, he said the machine wasn’t dispensing, I asked him if he had tried it, he said, “No, (he pointed at those ahead of him on the queue) but these people are not foolish now, if the machine was working, they would not be standing here looking at it like that”. I said okay but I went to the machine, inserted my card, typed my pin and boom! To my amusement and the amazement of the people on the queue, the machine dispensed my money, I smiled and walked away. This wasn’t the first time this would happen, what made this interesting was the fact that there were two guys on the queue who were arguing and almost exchanging blows on who met whom on the queue but there was a machine waiting for someone to come and use it, no one did till I got there.
Here is another one, I started driving in 2009 but before then there was something I noticed at Lagos bus-stops during bus scarcity, when people have waited for so long for bus to come, immediately one showed up, everyone would rush and pushed each other through the main entrance of the vehicle in order to enter to the bus before it got filled up. I never joined for once. Often during this kind of situation, the vehicle would still end up carrying everyone with space left for someone like me who refused to join in the struggle. There was even an occasion when a small car came, the car would obviously not be able to pick everyone, so almost everyone at the bus stop went for the door handle of the door that was facing the intending passengers, they wanted to make it into the car, I didn’t join the struggle as usual, I just strolled to the other side of the car, I gently opened the car through the other door and peacefully let myself in. I was the first to enter the car because none of those struggling was able to enter the car on time because they wouldn’t allow each other, in fact they broke the door handle, the driver had to come down to mediate before another three passengers joined me in the car.
Those two scenarios I shared reflect the way people live their lives, people follow the crowd so much because of the desire to be accepted, we base our major life decisions on popular opinions. Truth be told though, those who choose to stand out are usually hated and often called names like maverick, nerd, proud, snub etc. but those names don’t count. The most important thing is for you to achieve your goal and live your life to the brim. My advice to you today is, step out of the crowd, there is no “rematch” for this life, we will live once, live your life on personal convictions, majority are not always right. Even if you were wrong at the end of the day, the fact that you acted on your personal convictions would reduce your disappointments, but I doubt you will be wrong if you are truly convinced. Stand out so you can be outstanding.
Another angle to this is unnecessary competition, trying to do better than the next person, people always comparing themselves to one another. The bible says those that compare themselves to other people are not wise. I have learnt to only compete with myself, who I am today should be better than who I was yesterday. My achievement of yesterday are now obsolete, it is time to do better than that. There is nothing bad in having a mentor whom you learn one or two things from in the way they live their lives and achieve what they achieve, but no one’s life should be a yardstick for yours. The way to break from this is to grow up. You must always be better everyday in every way and in all things. Your present output should be better than your past. That is what you should focus on and not what someone else or the majority are doing. You can learn from them but you must stand out and follow your own path.
Dear reader, please know that there is no possibility in any man that is not in every man. However, if they proceed naturally, no two men would grow into the same thing or be alike. We all come to this world with a predisposition to grow along certain lines and growth is easier for us along those lines than any other. We may look alike or similar before growth, but once growth starts occurring, the differences in us start showing. That gives room for endless variety that is much needed in the world. Find your path, walk in your path, grow and expand within your path and with that outstanding success is inevitable.