THE TRUE COMPETITION LIVES WITHIN

By Abraham Favour Olohigbe

 

On the sands of time, a footprint is meant to be imprinted after a lifetime, but many do not leave their marks. They are blown away like chaff before the wind. I hadn’t known for long that we were in a race with each allotted a specific amount of time. Everyone has no competitor but themselves, tasked with reaching their finish line strong and fulfilled. Looking at the world we live in now, many walk this path and are no more, leaving behind shadows of regret, guilt, and pain that lurk around, looking for whom to prey upon.

I have heard whispers here and there about how we live in a world where few are meant to lead while others follow. However, I believe everyone is meant to lead, whether in a large or a small way. A leader serves and, as such, can learn under another leader. Unfortunately, this world has conspired to make us follow bosses rather than leaders—those who do not serve but feed off others. The ones they feed upon become burdened, forgetting their dreams and hopes as they battle daily life.

“I wish I had done all I dreamt of,” is a sentiment spoken by many as their clock strikes 12, and it’s too late to reclaim time. A teacher of mine always said, “It’s too late to cry when the head is already cut off,” a saying that carries weight. They’ve been sidelined by the world’s conspiracy to make us believe others are our competitors when competing with ourselves. Man is his own greatest enemy before any other man enters the picture. His success and failure lie within him; he can either trigger his success or continue to marinate in failures.

I believe that one day some will awaken to see that we have been deceived by lies and blinded by the presence of others. Oh, that they will take this as their cue to rise and lift others to the top with them, building a new generation that understands they were born to lead.