Ingosi was one of four daughters of a traditional big family in Africa. In a culture where women are often viewed as housekeeper, mother and maid, Ingosi was cut from a different stone altogether. She simply had the desire to fly and to become a fighter pilot. She also had the guts to back her instincts and wanted to join a mission to outer space someday.
But how exactly does a woman survive and thrive in an occupation almost totally reserved for men in her culture? She had an eagle’s vision of what she wanted in life, and clung to it with the tenacity of a pit bull.
Want to be happy & Successful? Follow your Heart! Get locked on to your goal with such a crystal-clear vision that nothing will shake you off course.
Why? Because you’re going to be tested. You’re going to be put through the viscous circle of doubt, distraction and deviations along the way. Guaranteed!
Case in point: Although Ingosi had the support and encouragement from her father, someone else thought flying was a bad idea. A very bad idea.
At the time, Ingosi was dating a banker. Unfortunately, the idea of her flying to did not set well with him. He floored Ingosi one day with an ultimatum: “If you become a fighter pilot, we cannot marry.”
Ingosi was shell-shocked. She didn’t want to quit her dreams. She couldn’t quit. For the first time in her life she tasted the ultimate freedom of flight. The message was clear. She had to choose between rings, or wings.
The banker got dumped!
Cling on to your dreams. They are almost divine! At the first sign of a naysayer, kindly excuse yourself. Tune them out. Steer them away. Keep them afar and cut off their toxic influence. Believe in yourself. You don’t need that negative buzz in your brain. To be a peak performer, find people who encourage and support you. And if anyone brings you down, you now know what to tell them.
It’s a sad fact of life, but you’re going to have people chirping in your ear. Relatives, friends, lovers, co-workers and strangers all telling you how (or even if) you should fly the plane. Well-intentioned as they may be, keep one thing in mind: you’re the pilot-in-command.
Choices are the hinges of your destiny, Stay on course, make the right choices.
Say “Goodbye! Dovidenia! Adios! Sayōnara! Sbohem! Auf Wiedersehen!” to Naysayers
P.S: Story was adapted, paraphrased, and personalized from a conversation with my friend John Tillison
I hope you enjoyed reading this. Do leave your comments below.
Dr. Owen Fernandes, MBA
