The Sunday Mail
Changing Perspectives
Rutendo Gwatidzo
MANY of us often tend to think we are not able to do certain things until we are pushed into a corner.
There is a giant that is often sleeping inside each one of us.
The giant is multi-skilled and can enable us to punch above our weight.
One of my high school classmates (Andrew) once shared a story that taught me a good lesson in life.
Andrew was academically gifted, but despised taking part in sports.
Teachers tried to motivate and coerce him but it did not work, as he would rather choose to get punished than take to the field.
At some point, we all thought he was not able to run or had a medical condition.
With time, and due to the fact that he was a bright learner, teachers left him to focus on his studies.
One sunny Friday, the school dismissed learners early to give them time to study, as exams were approaching.
On the way home, Andrew’s friend asked him to pass through his uncle’s place to get some mangoes. They did not proceed to the house to greet those who were around, but went straight to the orchard.
Andrew’s friend climbed up the tree to get the fruits and, while at it, he suddenly screamed to Andrew to run for dear life, as two vicious dogs were approaching.
Before Andrew could figure out what was happening, he saw the big dogs coming towards him and, in no time, he took off at full speed.
I am not sure if it was a setup because his friend managed to take a video of the incident.
In an unexpected show of athleticism, Andrew jumped over the security wall and landed on the other side, leaving the dogs behind. Is there a speed limit in life?
Many of us have put a speed limit to the race that we run in life. Interestingly, the speed limit seems to be on maximum already.
Personally, I have come across a significant number of people who say: “I have already tried to the best of my ability and it is not working.”
Let me use the Covid-19 pandemic as an example. When the pandemic came, a number of us drank medicines and ate foods we never thought we would.
Personally, I consumed huge amounts of ginger, raw onions and many herbs that I had never eaten before.
This simply shows that what pursues you determines your ability and speed.
Many of us have high gears that were probably never used before, yet they do function well. I would like to challenge someone to engage the high gears of their life to unleash their potential.
There is a giant inside each and every one of us that is often sleeping, yet it can make things better for us.
For instance, to prove that everyone has a giant inside of them, provoke that person with something sensitive and that is when you get to see the energy that one can put towards rage, anger and wanting to fight.
How about using that giant for positive things and positive results?
Organisational status
The challenge in many organisations is that of having teams that are reluctant to do something.
Such teams are not bothered by slow business or lack of resources, as long as they receive their salaries.
What they fail to realise is that it is a matter of time before the business closes or before it begins to fail to pay their salaries.
Interestingly, a good number of them will begin to do their best when it is probably too late. For instance, after receiving a notice that the company is going to retrench or close down, teams begin to run around and work hard. A number of organisations that failed to make it had teams with the capacity and ability to turn things around.
Sadly, the teams allowed the giants inside them to sleep during a crisis.
Many people who are not employed are actually very capable, but they realised when it was already late that they could have awakened the giants inside them.
Fortunately for others, they get to find other jobs and then make sure not to repeat the same mistakes.
Unfortunately, others fail to get another chance and life becomes very difficult.
General facts
Do not wait for things to get worse for you to increase your pace.
Each day, we face different challenges that require us to engage high gears so that we move with speed towards reaching our dreams. Time flies without us realising it.
A number of us have many things we wish we could have done while we were teenagers, in our twenties, thirties and so on. We wish we could have accelerated at some point.
Sadly, this remains just a wish.
Many of us have sleeping giants we wish we had awakened while our bodies or our surroundings were able to support us.
Be challenged and inspired to avoid living a life of regret in the future.
Awaken the giant inside you now.
If you fail to make maximum use of the present, what pursues your future is a sad and painful life.
Do not underestimate it; run with speed and fly over that wall you think is too high.
Break limitations and reach higher.
It is a matter of time before your speed starts to gradually decrease due to many factors. It is a matter of time before the giant inside of you begins to get weary.
Do not let your giant get tired before unleashing its potential.
Poverty and many other ugly forces of life are after you. Release your gears and unleash your potential before the ugly forces catch up with you.
Rutendo Gwatidzo is the managing consultant of The HUB HR Consultancy, a culture and change management specialist. She is a multi-award-winning leader, consultant, speaker and coach. She is also an author of two books — “Born to Fight” and “Breaking the Silence”. Contact detail: 0714575805/ [email protected]/ Rutendo Gwatidzo_Official FB public page
