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NewsDay

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Mount on wings

Columnists
For a long time I have always wondered what makes the difference between the motivated and the demotivated. So last week two things happened that left me inspired and desperate for a much better way of doing things that ought to bring about transformative leadership at personal and other levels.

For a long time I have always wondered what makes the difference between the motivated and the demotivated. So last week two things happened that left me inspired and desperate for a much better way of doing things that ought to bring about transformative leadership at personal and other levels.

The first one was witnessing the unfolding of “The Space”, a platform we co-convened and co-created, where young people come together to unleash their innovation and creativity . If you missed it, please look out for it on social media.

The second was a shopping experience at Food Lovers Market, where I saw a logo I had been given as a sample so I could make a decision.

These two experiences helped me realise that unless we begin to rise above mediocrity and cyclic politics, we will remain stuck in a rut. So, while many focus on the governance aspects, others have chosen to harness their energies towards building their lives away from the rhetoric of politics. This only happens when, like eagles, we mount on wings above the storm!

The tendencies

I also attended a meeting at church last week and after four laborious hours of fidgeting — as I hate meetings with a passion, especially in Zimbabwe, where we seem to love talking more than we act — I got one major nugget that totally catapulted my inspiration. Pastor Tendesayi Vendesayi (hope you do not mind I quote you) emphasised that the challenge with us as Zimbabweans is we are always waiting for the next great thing to happen.

He explained that two years after elections, something happens that as Zimbabweans we tend to fixate on until the next election approaches. When that election comes and goes we realise that nothing has actually changed, not at leadership level, but in our realities. Since 2000, this has been the trend and this year it is the Joice Mujuru factor.

Many of us are busy sifting through the little intelligence we can gather from the media and all other sources and that becomes an obsession, as we fortune-tell, foretell and guess. Sadly we seem to lose track of other realities. This is what happens to and in Zimbabwe in between elections.

Meanwhile, we speculate, point fingers, push, shove, fight, kill and do all sorts of crazy things at the expense of focusing on the broader perspective, which is not solely focused on political dynamics of Zimbabwe.

There should be a time of sanity, where we decide to address bread and butter issues. Governance is necessary, but like Deprose Muchena said during his presentation at The Space, “democracy in Africa is like a tikoloshe, everyone talks about it, but very few have seen it”, and unless we realise that, then we will continue to fail to rise above the nonsense and be stuck in this rut.

bald-eagle-wallpapers-flight

An eagle is said to be able to mount higher than a storm and have a bird’s eye view on the storm. A similar strategy would be useful for many Zimbabweans wallowing in poverty. It is critical that we begin to mount above the political drama and begin to explore ways of creating wealth. I met a 24-year-old millionaire, born, raised and self-made in Zimbabwe.

While many of us are busy being activists and following unnecessary drama that leaves us drained and disgruntled, others are busy creating wealth, jobs and opportunities for themselves and others.

Another young man I met again last week shared his dream of using the current spaces to create wealth and he was sharing his dream of owning a yacht in Monaco, houses in Rio and transforming communities by empowering them to transform their lives, while, of course, he also explores means of enhancing his financial prospects. These are Zimbabweans just like you and me — the difference between them and those who are desolate is that they have chosen to mount wings above the paralysis of the status quo and do what makes life tick. The zombie looks could end; the despondency dies and the desperation goes away if we all chose to make a difference in our lives and the lives of others.

Going forward

The future may look bleak and we might choose to become hopeless, but the truth is that there are those who have chosen transformation and are making it work. It is not necessarily about having loads of money to your name, but it has also to do with health, healthy relationships, peace of mind and whatever it is that you chose to become. If you think your next vote is on Mujuru, Tendai Biti, Welshman Ncube, Simba Makoni, President Robert Mugabe or Morgan Tsvangirai, that is fine, that is you. Also please remember that outside the political spaces of life there is the legacy creation and that involves what you chose to do with your life.

Let us invent alternatives to energy, technology and whatever is possible and not just wait to utilise what others have invented for us.

The Dean of Ambassadors accredited to Zimbabwe, Ambassador Mwapanga Mwana of the Democratic Republic of Congo, shared that young people cannot keep making excuses, we need to take the necessary steps to be resolute about creating job opportunities, not just for ourselves, but for others. Imagine if 100 000 of us created three jobs a year, how many jobs would we have created? Imagine challenging the status quo in terms of how business is being conducted in our country; will we not revolutionise Zimbabwe, Africa and the world? However, this can only happen when we hold hands to facilitate for a transformation that is more than political transformation.

It is when we decide to mount wings, having an overview and deciding to excel no matter what. Only then will we begin to see a better Zimbabwe, as each life seeks to transform its realities and begin to see fresh ideas implemented for the good of progress. No one will ever come and save us from what we face as Zimbabweans whether big or small, the older ones will keep retelling how it was like back in the day, the young people might keep complaining, but what is critical is that we mount wings. Let’s do this!

lGrace Chirenje writes in her personal capacity and loves stimulating conversation. She would be excited to hear from you. You can contact Grace on [email protected], follow her on twitter @graceruvimbo or Facebook: Grace Ruvimbo Chirenje. Chat soon.