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Elizabeth Toluwanimi Olawale A Fashion designer @ Sonia Jerry
city Ikeja, Nigeria
242
228
49
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In People and Society • 3 min read • Feb 22, 2025 21:20p.m.
Will YOU Forge Your Own Path?
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">Imitators never become the best; the highest they can be is second best.&nbsp;</span></p><p style="text-align: left;">But, why be the second best when you can be the best?</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br></p><p style="text-align: left;">It was a cool Saturday evening, lying flat on my bed, and a poem we read daily in junior secondary school flashed back to my mind.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br></p><p style="text-align: left;">It's been 10 years, and I can still remember some lines to some extent, which made me understand the mind's ability to store repetitive information for a long time—much like how we can't forget our national anthem even after years of leaving school.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br></p><p style="text-align: left;">Back to the poem that flashed back to my mind:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><em>Be <strong>yourself</strong>.&nbsp;</em></p><p style="text-align: center;"><em>The best person to be is <strong>yourself</strong>.</em></p><p style="text-align: center;"><em>Imitators cannot attain great feats in life....&nbsp;</em></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br></p><p style="text-align: left;">I remember those lines word for word, but there was a part from the poem that struck my heart, not word for word though, but I'll try to explain it: An athlete trying to catch up with another athlete on the same track can never outrun the other athlete... the best he/she can be is to be close,&nbsp; no matter how hard the athlete try.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br></p><p style="text-align: left;">Hmmm...</p><p style="text-align: left;">Do you get this?</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br></p><p style="text-align: left;">Let me paint this analogy.&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: left;">What happens if the athlete decides to move to another track?&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: left;">I'm sure that with enough speed and determination, the athlete will win the race.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br></p><p style="text-align: left;">This analogy applies to life; instead of imitating others, bring your own unique approach, and forge your own path.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br></p><p style="text-align: left;">I'm not saying we shouldn't learn from others, nor am I downplaying the importance of looking up to people as mentors and trying to learn from them.&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br></p><p style="text-align: left;">However, why not bring in your own systems, and you might even end up getting better results than the person you're looking up to?&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br></p><p style="text-align: left;">A good mentor wouldn't want their mentee to be less than them. Anyways, If your mentor is like that, it's a clue to stay clear and find another because a good mentor encourages innovation, inspiring their mentees to find their own unique voice.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br></p><p style="text-align: left;">That brings me to close with this question: <strong>Will you rather stay on someone else's track, trailing behind, or will you forge your own path?</strong></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br></p>
Will YOU Forge Your Own Path?
By Elizabeth Toluwanimi Olawale
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Queensley Okon Wilson U. Uzoeto Samuel Omoyele
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