IT'S NOT A COMPETITION

Why are we competing?

Jan 10, 2023

I have never been much of a football fan and my friends have taunted me a few times over this. However, God knows I'm a die-hard fan of F1.

At some point in time, we all have fallen in love with a particular sport or game. It might be football, as you enthusiastically support your team and watch as your all-time favorite player does all the "fancy footwork" and "dancing through the defense" mercilessly thrusting the ball into the net. It might be basketball as you watch the MVP on the court skillfully dribbling the ball and making that heartwarming three-pointer. It might as well be watching the Grand Prix as you hear the engines firing up on the circuit as your best F1 driver pushes that car to its absolute limit to get the first checkered flag as he makes his way to the podium. It could be tennis, chess, rugby, athletics, or any other kind of sport, you name it.

Now am pretty sure you are wondering where am I going with all these sports shenanigans. You are probably wondering where is the catch. Relax amigo. Be a little bit patient and give me a chance to unwrap it for you.

I would not define myself as a sports fanatic, as a matter of fact, I am an amateur when it comes to this subject, however, if there's one thing I know for sure is that we all celebrate and cherish when our opponents terribly lose. Don't we? Cause definitely it must hurt when your team loses and it even hurts a lot more when you lose.

One thing is certain. For your team to win, the other team must lose. But unlike any other kind of sport, life is not a zero-sum game. I don't have to lose for you to win in this game of life.

What about we hold each other's hand and help one another achieve his/her own objective in this life? What about we lift one another as we climb? In the words of the wonderful civil rights activist, Amber Hikes, " What use is it making it to the top if all it affords us is a bird's eye view of everyone we've left behind?”

Lifting might be difficult but is essential in this generation. I, for one, believe that the world will be a better place if we cherish our friends’ successes and genuinely be happy for them. So why are we even competing in the first place?

If you are flaming and glowing with opportunities, share some with your friends. If you can connect us to those opportunities the better. I would advocate for us to stop going around preaching that famous gospel, "connections muhimu" when you can’t share any. And let's all social distance and sanitize ourselves against this national pandemic of saying "ni God manze" whenever our friends ask us how we did it. We've sincerely had enough of that narrative, haven't we? We got no doubt it’s God, but give us the ABCs of your success, give us the recipe as well as the ingredients. Even the president of our republic, His Excellency William Ruto was more than generous about his success story. From a poultry farmer to the fifth president of the republic of Kenya!! I mean, who would have seen that coming? I for sure did not. And as I pen this, I can hear those two legendary memes in my head and I just can't stop laughing; "Hiyo ni uwongo bana" and "watu sio wajinga." Feel free to laugh along.

As the new year begins to take shape kindly keep all that in mind. Most importantly, however, remember that all victories inevitably come at a cost. You've got to be brave, take risks, and remember nothing can substitute experience. There is nothing to lose by trying. We can all say what should be done until we are the ones to do it. Let's be the ambassadors of change.