In life, we are faced with several challenges and hurdles some emotional, some financial, some in our various families. And when faced with these challenges we are left with just 2 (two) options which are “Being patient and facing it till the end” or “Just give up and walk away.”
Unfortunately the society we live in today see giving up as a weak and cowardly move and every motivational speaker will be quick to advise you to “Never give up” and face the challenge until you conquer it regardless whether it conquers you or worst, your life because, society has made us believe that that’s the real man or “Boss” move but my brother “Everybody no be Samson o.” So, why is “Giving Up” seen as a cowardly move and “Facing The Challenge” a strong man’s move? Is there a right time to give up? These are questions most people have to ask and battle to answer when faced with trying situations, but in the course of this article we will further understand these questions and their answers (and feel free to have a different opinion and tell me about it)
A very determined young man was old enough to leave home and his comfort zone to go into the world to hustle and try to make a life for himself and his family. This young man made contacts and all the money he had in his possession he used to transport and foot all his fees to travel outside the country. When the young man got to the country he faced quite a lot of challenges in that place from hunger, stress, degradation, humiliation, imprisonment to some life/health threatening ordeals, but even in the presence of all these challenges this young man had one thing on his mind “If I am strong enough, I will conquer and I will make it big here like other boys of my age here” this thought kept being his driving force all through his stay in his sufferings.
After several months passed and nothing happening he started receiving calls from his widowed mother at home asking him to “just come back home,” because he does not look good in photos and his voice sounded sad on over the phone and not like her son, a mother understands the way her child feels just by smelling him/her. The young man refused to heed to what his mother said for him to return home, he felt it is a shame for him to leave home with such great aspirations only to come back empty, but the question is “You wan die there?”
After spending almost 2 (two) years in that country with much suffering, anguish and no achievement, it finally dawned on him that it may very well be the right time to give up and go back home to restrategize. Although his pride came to play again, he purposely killed it and made his way back home. On getting home, his mother accepted him just as he was, unlike friends and spouse who abandoned him to his fate because they saw him too weak and a failure for giving up, well they do not and may never understand the horrors the young man went through all in the name of being brave, strong and wanting to succeed.
Months passed since he returned, and he tried his hands on another venture and he started earning massively from the first week he started that venture even more than he dreamt before he travelled.
In as much as I try to use this story to draw out a point, i urge you not to get me wrong in a hurry, the mind of “Keep fighting the challenge” is good and you may very well fight hard enough and get your victory but do not let pride or ego step in and block you from making “good” drastic decisions as we read in the story. Giving up does not mean you are lazy or weak, it means it’s time to restrategize and try again, the people that created the saying “He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day” may have said it when they were drunk but they are really wise words.
I may not know whom I am talking to now or the life the story herein this article is likened to, but if you find yourself in such trying situations and challenges whether in your family, love life, finance etc always remember that your life and sanity is paramount. Yes! facing that issue head-on with no fear may be important, but knowing the right time to give up is “importanter.”
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