I had lived my whole life in Kumasi and built my life around
my family, friends and colleagues there. After my internship at a prestigious
public hospital, i had an offer for permanent appointment. Suddenly i was not
content any longer. I felt a deep dissatisfaction with my "good" life
that transcended simple comprehension. So on a whim with 200ghc in my pocket
and just a verbal assurance of a place in a private eye clinic, i took my bag,
sat in a bus and arrived in Koforidua, Eastern region. For the first time in my
life i was completely alone, no friends, no acquaintances, no accommodation, no
job and most interestingly, no experience in a city i had never visited before.
Little did i know that, two years down the line I would be launching a book,
starting a business and leading a movement? Looking back, I am surprised at how
far I had come and already accomplished. This is how it all began.
The decision to move to the Eastern region was not
premeditated. Contrary to a lot of decisions in my life, coming to work in
Koforidua was not a planned activity. One day I saw the notice in my mail of a
place in an eye clinic and I applied for it. A day later I was contacted on
phone and asked to report the next day. That was it! No interviews, no letters,
no meetings. To tell the truth it was scary but completely exciting. So I took off the next day, with no idea
about where I was going to stay or even if I would like the place I was going
to work. So I arrived in the town at around 5pm and was shown a room to lodge
and rest. I reported to work the next day, was introduced to the staff and an
hour later, I was treating my first patient. I have been doing that every day
for the last two years now.
There have been lots of ups and downs. Successes and
failures. Tears and laughter. Through it all I have always held on to this
mantra that countless times in the midst of severe disadvantage and trials,
heroes are born. The fire that burns the chaff and chars the wood is the same
that purifies the gold. The pressure that breaks the rock, flattens the hills
and move the earth is the same that produces the diamond. Most of the time,
there is very little you can do about what happens to you, but your response to
them is completely in your power.
Along the years, I have learned to transform the lessons of
failure into the raw materials of success and have grown and matured in several
areas of my life. There have been times I almost gave up. Sometimes it was so
easy to just retreat into my safety zone and stop advancing, but I came to
believe that the essence of life is not stagnancy but consistent growth. Tomorrow
the 31st of May being my birthday, I wish to tell my story today and
share two of the most significant lessons I have learnt so far in the flower
city.
The lessons are;
1. Be prepared:
Life is a never ending rollercoaster of activity. To succeed
you have to say alert and conscious of your environment and decisions. Success
occurs when a prepared mind meets a great idea. There is nothing worse than an
opportunity that comes to meet an unprepared mind. The Bible says, be prepared
in season and out of season. If you will achieve anything, it is critical that
you stay alert and sensitive to your environment. It is better to be prepared
and not get the opportunity than to get the opportunity and not be prepared. I
was prepared for an adventure. An experience of a different sort so when the
opportunity came, subconsciously I was ready.
The next lesson is to;
2. Take a chance:
Action! Action! Action! It is the oil that lubricates the
wheel of success. It is the ignition that starts the machine of accomplishment.
Take a determined action now! Having a great vision and not taking any action
to bring it into being is like day dreaming. It produces no results. Add
momentum to your goals. Take a step towards attaining that goal.
The story still unfolds and I am so sure that it will only
get more exciting and adventurous as the years roll by. For today, take the
lessons I have shared and make your life an adventure too. Perhaps I might
share more lessons next year on my birthday. For now, wish me the best of the
year.
