THE FEAR OF STANDING OUT

 I met a youth who admired Christiano Ronaldo and he knew facts about him. This was noble because it is a good trait to recognize and appreciate successful people. The question I posed to him was whether he knew his strengths and how they could add value to the world. He could not give definite answers. It happens a lot especially in Africa where many people (not all) are very quick to spotlight other peoples' achievements and quickly diminish their individual value. This is not to promote bragging but to instill a sense of personal worth and value into ourselves. Encouragement is a trait needed by every living human. That is why we have seen suicides because may be some people were not encouraged beyond their present circumstances.

Each and every person has unique gifts that can add value to the world. Unfortunately due to lack of mentorship and personal discovery a number of youths are unable to correctly define their unique attributes. In the end they prefer to succumb to peer pressure . I normally go to schools to provide career guidance and one of the major areas of emphasis is to build the confidence of these future leaders. Many youths have the potential to accomplish great feats but due to fear they end up blending in .Many of the students who fail exams is not because they are "stupid" but it is because they were not guided well.

I want to bring your attention the story of Dr. Ben Carson who used to perform so poorly in class but with the guidance of the mother ended up becoming a neurosurgeon( not a mean feat by any standards).In his book Think Big, Dr. Ben Carson narrates how he was able to operate the Siamese twins which was not an easy task. Had he feared the task he would not have made history. In his book Think And Grow Rich: A Black Choice by Dr. Dennis Kimbro he points out various black Americans who were born in very tough family backgrounds but ended up redefining their lives and purpose. These include Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Washington Carver. Such stories should inspire us who are in the pearl of Africa to do incredible things that can change our nation and continent.

Brian Tracy in his book 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success notes that doubt and fear are the greatest enemies to personal success. Today most people prefer to stand out in ideal circumstances instead of creating them.

HOW TO STAND OUT 

1.Accept that it is possible

2.Associate with successful people

3.Embrace life long learning

4.Have a clear purpose 

5.Have a positive attitude

6.Use encouraging words

7.Learn from past mistakes

8.Embrace failure

9.Take small steps towards your goals

10.Celebrate your wins

11.Stay humble.


Standing out is not for a select few. It is not about winning over the entire world. It may be about overcoming an addiction or bad behavior. We all admire successful people but it is equally important to learn what makes them to stand out.


Phillip Kiryowa

Finance and Leadership Coach

+256752615916

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