AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE I WISH TO TELL AFRICANS AND THE WORLD

With reference to the above title, to Africans and the world at large, do not be afraid of failure but rather, be terrified of regrets. When you get into the world after graduating from school — especially for the youths — you will get alot of your applications turned down. You will get a lot of no’s. No. No. No and you will get a lot of Yes’s. Yes’s from people. But don’t give up. Giving up is something I did a lot of while growing up.

I remember being among the contestants of Emia 2017 in Cameroon. During the running competition, my mother bought a pair of louis vuitton shoes for the competition and I was super excited because almost everyone wanted those types of shoes, just like the iPhone 11 which everyone presently wants. As I slid my feet into my new shoes, I quickly checked the size and I discovered it was a size 41 instead of a size 38. I looked at my mother and I said,

 “These shoes are too big!”

She replied that she had done that on purpose and when I asked why? Once again she said she knew I would grow into them. 

When I got to the field the following day, the coach asked us to stand in a line. We were to run for five minutes but as I took off, I immediately fell to the ground and twisted my ankle as my shoes were too big. I could not run at the given speed because my shoes were not the right fit as of the time of the competition

In life, we all have goals that we are trying to achieve, but the person we are right now is not the person we will be when we cross the finish line to our dreams. And with this, we must walk and pace ourselves in the journey towards our goals. But let me tell you something, if I had passed Emia at that time, I would not be working as an office administrator in United Arab Emirates today. I would not have discovered myself or known that I deserved better. Many of us are not ready to run the race of life, but we must understand that as we run the race, we become better. And as we pace ourselves, we grow. Then when we grow, our feet get bigger and our shoes become the right fit. Only then can we run a bit faster and as we pick up the pace; we get to the finish line at the exact time we need to cross it. 

Do not be afraid of the word no. But be afraid of the possibility of a yes, because you might decide to quit before the clock strikes.

There are a lot of questions to keep you up at night but always remember this thought: WHAT IF I DID NOT GIVE UP?

Keep these thoughts with you even if you cannot see the finish line yet. Remember,

• Rome was not built in a day.
• Never stay in your comfort zone if you want to succeed.
• Success is not rewarding if it doesn’t challenge you.
• There is always someone working harder than you are.
• You have to prove everyone watching you wrong.

Yinde Elizabeth is my name. I am an energetic, positive experienced young lady working as an office administrator in the United Arab Emirates. My main goal in life is to create a lasting legacy to my society. I am passionate about helping young ladies become better versions of themselves and for them to realize that their voices have to be heard in the society, and for them to know they can equally become their own bosses.

Find Elizabeth on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn with the name:  Yinde Elizabeth.