NEVER GIVE UP

NEVER GIVE UP

BY ATTAH CHUKWUMA CHRISDON

There was once a race competition, where the contenders were informed that the first to finish the race will receive a priceless treasure. "This treasure is placed at the end of the distance to be covered", the instructor told the contenders. The athletes could wait to hear the whistle that signaled the commencement of the competition. All ran with the expectation of grabbing the treasure at the end. To the very chagrin of the fastest runner, when he ran to the end, he saw no treasure. He stood at the end of the line disappointed, and thought they have been fooled into the race. Subsequent athletes maintained this routine on arrival, until one of the runners arrived, only to run pass the line, and saw the treasure hidden behind a pillar situated few steps forward. Yes, life expectations seldom come as wished. Little wonder Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on". William Feather maintains that Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go. A little more effort can make all the difference!

Life is going to find a way to test you, and your expectations. At times, you may feel that life is unfair. The urge to quit during these times is the highest but don't give in. Whatever your aspirations are, if they are valuable to you, fight for them. If one way doesn't work, just change your strategy. Never giving up doesn't mean you keep doing the wrong things over and over, it means to be smart and figure out the correct actions to take, and then take them until you achieve your dreams. You can try all you want but if you're taking the wrong set of actions, you're not going to be successful. In the words of Theodore Roosevelt, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again". Is not enough to aspire great altitudes in life. It requires more to accomplish than to desire or dream. There is no wisdom in abandoning a journey you initiated because of its requirements. Choose the type of life you want to live today. And be ready to defy all odds. It is attainable, only that you have to do more to achieve it. It is not enough to do all that is required of you. Pay the price and have your dreams materialize. The difference between the ordinary and the extraordinary man is the word "extra". Take some steps more. Do some extra things because the secret of greatness/success lies in the "extras". Achieving goals isn't just about doing the normal things only. It's also about forcing yourself to become better, wiser, and stronger in order to attain higher goals. Push yourself to the limits and cross the limits.

Regardless of what you do for a living, do not give in when tribulations come. As a student, never give up in your academic pursuit. Even when all night toils seem like night party, never give up. When that result you had hoped to be the best turns to be the least, you have to keep standing. Even when your course mates snub you, simply because your dream is still at its infancy, never give up. Even if you are repeating a whole semester, the secret of reaching the other end of the tunnel is "never give up". When your grade on a result booklet makes you paint your registration number, never give up. Even when your friends abandon you because you no longer make "As", never never give up. You have to keep standing. Confucius once said, "Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall." In the words of Dale Carnegie, "Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all." This justifies Vince Lombardi words: "winners never quit, and quitters never win". When your best effort yields the worst result, never, never give up.

Thomas Edison once said that many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. At the stage, you are contemplating giving up maybe just a stone's throw from your place of reigning. Running away and giving up won't solve your problems. Instead, embrace it and don't let go until you have what you want. The journey of life would never be a bed of roses. In fact, it has never been and would not be now. Prepare your mind for the jungle of vicissitudes, twists and turns of life. Don't let people determine your life's worth because at the end of the day it is you who will be held accountable. According to Louis Pasteur, the strength of achieving most goals lies solely in the tenacity of the achiever. A Japanese Proverb says, if you fall seven times stand up eight times.

There is a secret lesson learnt during trying times and hardships. No matter how long the night last, morning surely will come. According to Rocky Balboa, "The world isn't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it do not care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. But it isn't about how hard you were hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward." Sidney Sheldon said that the only one who can make you give up is yourself." Thomas Edison once said that he is not discouraged because every wrong attempt discarded is a step forward. There is no goal that does not have a road block. Distraction and reasons to quit abound but it is only your determination that will push you through. Without an unshakable determination, one cannot achieve anything in life. No wonder Zig Ziglar said that Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful.

Plan your future with God, who will give you the strength and dexterity needed in the journey of life. Never give up-the future is brighter.



ATTAH CHUKWUMA CHRISDON

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