The victory of Nana Addo in the just ended presidential election is historic and very inspiring. Historic in the sense that it’s the first time a child of a former president (ceremonial president) is assuming the highest office of the land, and very inspiring because he failed many times in his attempts before succeeding.
Many people like me around the globe will admire and celebrate him on his eminent elevation as President of Ghana. Indeed, we will talk about it and celebrate him today and in many years to come, but would we also stop briefly to consider the lessons his victory and life teaches?
This is a man who was rejected on two occasions by Ghanaians in his bid to become their president. Surprisingly, today he has been elected president by the very people who previously rejected him.
His lessons when applied by all to our individual lives will give us personal fulfillment and success in life. Here are four to consider.
1. Don’t Give Up Quickly
In October 1998, Nana competed for the presidential candidacy of the NPP and lost to John Kufuor. Later, he again ran for the president of Ghana in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections as the New Patriotic Party candidate and lost on both occasions to John Mills (of blessed memory) and John Mahama respectively.
Nana is a man who has the fighting spirit and does not give up too quickly. He failed many times in fulfilling his dream of becoming a president but did not allow those defeats to discourage and overwhelm him to quit and give up on his dream. Each time he was defeated, he picked up himself and kept believing in himself and his dream and kept trying again until finally he succeeded.
To achieve your dream, you must have the fighting spirit like Nana has to fight until your dream is delivered into your hands. Things will come at you in an attempt to discourage and overwhelm you like they came at Nana just to make you give up and quit, but you must be resolute and of a strong heart to remain standing.
If you have suffered defeats and currently on the ground, rise up, pick up yourself and go again. Nana wouldn’t have been elected president today if he had decided after one defeat not to pick up himself and try again. It is his continuous trying that brought him the victory we are celebrating today.
If you must also be celebrated tomorrow like our president-elect, you must learn to try more things and when you fail or have fallen, pick up yourself and try over and again until you finally win.
2. Once You Have Life There Is Hope
Nana did not become a president-elect at age 40 or 50 or 60 or even at 70 but at a ripe age of 72, the age many others would have given up and stopped believing in their dreams.
From the experience of Nana, there is no need for you to live in a state of hopelessness if you are alive. Once you are alive there is hope for tomorrow. To become worried and disturbed because at age 40 you have not achieved the goals and dreams in your heart is to be unwise. Your worries and anxieties will cause you to age badly and may even send you to your grave before your time.
If at age 72 Nana can still achieve his dream of becoming a president, then at 40 or 50 or even 60 you should be rest assured that once you have breath your dream is not beyond your reach.
Every dream and desire in your heart, if it is from your Maker, has its appointed time for manifestation and will not fail. Keep working hard at it, keep believing in it, and life will surely deliver what belongs to you .
Nana did not consider his age; therefore, stop considering your age. All that is needed is life and once you have breath there is hope for the future. Enjoy today while you hope for tomorrow.
3. Don’t Listen To What Others Say About You
If Nana had listen to what people said about him, he would have stopped believing in himself and going forward. People said he cannot become a president. People doubted him because of the record of his failures, but he did not doubt himself. He did not allow people’s opinion to shape his belief and confidence in himself.
If you must reach the winners’ circle and be celebrated like Nana, you must not listen to what people say about you. People will always not believe in you and your dream, but you must learn to believe in yourself. When people give negative commentary about you, remain focused and refuse to be distracted. When they write you off, do not write yourself off, and do not repeat the songs they sing about you to yourself. It is not what others say about you that matters, but what you say about yourself.
If you believe you will succeed you will, irrespective of how many people do not believe it. Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.
Nana conceived a dream to be a president, believed in it, and refused to allow the opinion of others to stop him. Everything that was said about him were said to belittle his dream and to break his focus, but he brushed them aside, and remained focused. Today, he has made it despite those adversarial statements.
Your dream is possible, therefore, do not listen to what people are saying about you. Ignore them and remain focused. Those who belittle you today will celebrate your victory tomorrow and acknowledge they were wrong.
4. Your Time Will Come.
Everything under the sun has its time and season. Most often, if it is not your time, you may struggle and hustle with no results to show.
Perhaps, it could be interpreted that all the defeats Nana suffered came because it wasn’t his time, but when his time came he recorded an impressive victory.
He was patient enough to wait for his time and you must learn to be patient to wait for your time and not cut corners. Time defines everything and makes all things beautiful. In waiting for his time, he had to deal with and manage frustration and envy.
He competed with Atta-Mills of blessed memory and John Mahama and was defeated by them. He saw them enthroned as presidents with all the fanfare and the glory of the office he desperately wanted.
Learn to deal with and manage your frustration and envy while you wait for your time. Do not be envious of your colleagues who are currently living in their time. The proof that your colleagues made it before you is a sign that you can also make it when it’s your time.
John Kufuor, Atta- Mills of blessed memory, and John Mahama all made it before Nana and these are his colleagues, but that didn’t mean because they made it before him he wasn’t going to make it. When it was his time he also made it.
There is no need to be in haste in life. It is just a matter of time and you will be celebrated. Give yourself time and give God time to make all things beautiful for you in His time. When Nana’s time came God gave him a sizable victory which no man can contest in the courts. Your time will come.