The Sunday Mail
IN life we sometimes encounter hardships, misfortunes and other situations that might become hindrances to our set goals.
When put under pressure, some individuals will buckle and accept defeat while others will fight until they are able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Entrepreneur, consultant and life coach, Patrick Tendai Huni, has written a book titled “Thriving in Adversity: Secrets for Success Against All Odds”, to give hope and shed light on limitless possibilities for those people who might be in tight situations.
Citing examples from personal life experiences, the bible and other success stories, the author tried to explore how people can thrive under adverse situations. He begins by elaborating on what adversity is, making use of numerous examples to aid in explaining the phenomena.
The writer reflected on challenges faced in school, from the period when one is in pre-school to the victorious moments of attaining a university degree. He used his experience in boarding school as an example, painting vivid pictures of the bad conditions he had to endure on his academic journey.
He describes a meal they had on their menu: “You see, these fish were too small to be properly gutted and cleaned but again were too big to be treated like proper kapenta. So naturally, they came with a putrid smell, which made you reach for your nose instinctively.
“But when this kind of fish was simply boiled and dished, you needed local anaesthetic in the throat to swallow the bitter Norolon taste so as to satisfy a grumbling stomach.”
Despite all the challenges he had to face at school, he still managed to ignore the distractions and kept his eyes on the ball. He describes success that is attained under adverse situations as a punch-in-the-year triumph that will always lift the human soul.
In the chapter titled “Surviving the Wilderness”, he points out that adversity can either strengthen or destroy you. Referring to the children of Israel during their journey from captivity towards the Promised Land, he highlights the importance of accepting and adapting to the situations you might be in order to come up with better solutions.
The Israelites had to adapt to the environment which they were in if they were to survive their trek towards Canaan.
“The second thing to know about the wilderness or desert is that if you are not malleable like clay, you may just break. The human will is shaped by the sufferings it encounters, that is physical, mental and emotional trauma. Such trauma forces life-changing decisions to avoid its recurrence.”
There is also a chapter where the writer uses Milton Kamwendo’s observations while he was watching firemen putting out the fire that was gutting his bookshop at Montague Shopping Centre. These kinds of situations where properties are destroyed in such a manner affect people in different ways but in this scenario, Kamwendo is said to have picked up some nuggets of wisdom for understanding and fighting adversity.
Some of the lessons which he picked up included strategy, teamwork and action, all of which were being employed by the firemen who were fighting the inferno that was devouring his bookshop.
“The firemen start from where the fire is going, where things have not burnt and contain it, and then attend to that which is burning. Firemen, even if they have a fire, need to think strategically and to think on their feet. Everyone needs a strategy even in the direst of circumstances,” writes Huni, describing the importance of strategy as observed by Kamwendo.
The writer explored many aspects of adversity and how others have dealt with various difficult situations to become success stories. This book is among the best inspirational books I have read, with real life stories and concrete references from the Bible.
The fact that the author put a lot of effort in shedding light on various aspects of life and the situations that might be detrimental added depth to the script. By the time I finished reading, I was equipped with the tools that might prove to be useful in the future.
This is not the first time Huni has penned an inspirational book, having previously published another one titled “A Wisdom for Every Age”, which seeks to explore the possibilities of things that can be achieved at various age groups.
