By Tiana Owolabi
Failure is not our only punishment for laziness; there is also the success of others. -Jules Renard (1864-1910).
Pierre-Jules Renard was a French author and member of the Académie Goncourt, most famous for the works; Poil de carotte and Les Histoires Naturelles. Among his other works are Le Plaisir de rompre and the posthumously published Huit Jours à la campagne.
Yes, you might have heard this repeatedly. You truly do not have any excuse to be lazy and I will tell you the “why”. Kindly, take a moment to read this.
Few months ago, I had a discussion with someone who is like a brother to me. He is a spoken word artiste and he’s very good with words.
For somebody like me who is always fast to notice such kind of talents in young minds, I told him that particular day, “Daniel (I don’t want to disclose his name here. I’m sure when he sees it, he can relate), why not start putting your spoken words into use? It shouldn’t be dormant. Start blessing lives through it.”
Furthermore, I added “you can make a short video of between 1-2 minutes, record it and post it online.”
Today, I am glad he is doing that already and I believe this is just the starting point for him.
Dear WINNERS,
What is that particular talent that you have?
What is that particular thing that you know how to do?
What has been stopping you from putting it into use?
DON’T WAIT UNTIL YOU HAVE A PLATFORM TO FULLY EXPRESS YOUR POTENTIALS.
Do you know how to write? Start Now!
Do you know how to speak? Don’t wait till you are called for any engagement. Let people know what you do.
Do you know how to sing? Put it into use and start singing. Join a group if possible. etc
Years ago, while there was no platform for me to express myself or let me say, I didn’t have a good phone that can browse “very” well and post write-ups (meanwhile, it isn’t an excuse because I can still make do with what I have), I never stopped writing.
Though I didn’t write everyday but I write when idea drops in my mind.
So, I repeat, as a teenager, don’t wait till you have a platform to fully express your potentials before you start putting it into use.
By doing this, you are sharpening your skills and I believe that a time will come when that skill will serve nations.
Keep doing your best.
Keep moving.
There is no excuse to be lazy.
To conclude, Tryon Edwards; an American theologian, minister of the Second Congregational Church in New London, Connecticut, from 1845-1857, after having served in Rochester, New York dropped this bombshell:
“Indolence is the dry rot of even a good mind and a good character; the practical uselessness of both. It is the waste of what might be a happy and useful life”.
I hope you got value from this and you are ready to take actions towards it.
P.S: Hope you are still watching this space for my birthday gift to 5 teenagers? Would you like to be part of the teenagers who are ready to learn and grow? Watch this space. Gift to be unveiled on my birthday. You can reach me via bit.ly/tiana-owolabi
Thanks for reading through.
Feel free to like, comment or share. Let me know if you got value from this.
Have a result-filled week.
© Tiana Owolabi