LOCAL writer Rumbidzai Mamunze has published her debut inspirational book, Excellence: A Rare Commodity, in a development she said she never dreamt about in childhood.
The book provides practical lessons especially to students starting off university life.
Mamunze, a clinical psychologist by profession, told NewsDay Life & Style that her time at university, together with a conversation she had with her father, were the greatest influences that drove her to write the book.
“Initially, I just wanted to jot down personal notes to share in conversations. But my father encouraged me to compile them into a book, saying, ‘For all we know, you could be the first in our family to put something into history. Something that could reach people in places you may never step foot in’,” she said.
Mamunze also said during the COVID-19 lockdown, she prayed for an idea to make a meaningful contribution at that time, after which she embarked on “a journey of faith, discipline, and resilience” that saw the birth of the book.
Describing herself as “a lifelong reader”, Mamunze, however, said becoming an author was something she thought to be way out of her reach.
“Reading has always been my passion — I’ve devoured books that stimulate the mind and shape character,” she said.
“But being an author? That felt like something reserved for other people — those with PhDs, world recognition, or massive influence.”
- Clinical psychologist publishes debut book
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She said the experience has proved to her that people often underestimated their capabilities before accomplishing a major goal.
“This journey has taught me that sometimes we don’t know what we’re capable of until we step into it.
“Writing this book is proof that we all have hidden capacities that only reveal themselves when we commit to the process.”
Her hope, she said, was that the market would respond to her book “with openness and kindness” and her desire was that readers would see the book as a call to excellence rather than a pursuit of perfection.
“Excellence is not about being flawless; it’s about discipline, integrity, and the daily commitment to becoming a better version of yourself,” she said, adding that the book would be helpful to anyone navigating life transitions.
Mamunze said her biggest challenge while writing the book was self-doubt.
“Countless times I asked myself: Why am I even doing this? Will it make sense to anyone? That mental battle alone has caused many aspiring writers to give up before finishing.
“The process of turning ideas into a manuscript, and a manuscript into a finished book, was far more demanding than I imagined.
“But amid the difficulties, I also experienced the beauty of support. Family members, mentors, editors, and publishers showed up at crucial moments to guide and encourage me.”
With the publication of the first book having shown Mamunze that publishing was possible, more books were in the offing.
“This first book has shown me that writing is possible. It’s no longer a dream reserved for ‘others’.
“Since my career path is in clinical psychology, I see myself contributing more to the field of mental health and human development through writing.”
Mamunze said she hoped the book would show readers that while perfection was not the goal, excellence was possible.
