There are those who shrink beneath the weight of adversity, who crumble like dry leaves in the harmattan wind, who mistake the first blow for a final defeat. And then, there are the ones who rise—fierce, dignified, and unyielding, meeting every challenge with the force of a thousand storms. These are the ones who do not merely survive the fire but emerge from it forged in steel.
When the world hurls its doubts like stones, when critics sharpen their words into spears, when circumstances conspire like a tempest against you—return like Serena. Not just with resilience, but with precision. Not just with endurance, but with defiance. “Champions keep playing until they get it right,” Serena Williams once said, and in those words lies the blueprint of greatness: unrelenting discipline, an iron will, and the unshakable belief that you belong in the arena.
The lion does not explain itself to the sheep, nor does the eagle seek permission to soar. There is no apology in the roar of a beast that knows its power. When life throws, you catch. When it serves, you swing. When it doubts, you deliver. Strength is not found in never falling but in rising each time—harder, wiser, stronger.
Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-king, once said, “You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” The world will try to shake you, to pull you into storms not meant for you, to wear you down with the weight of expectations. But the mind, when trained like an athlete’s body, does not bow to pressure; it thrives in it.
Like a diamond, pressure is your making. Like an arrow, setbacks are your propulsion. Like the phoenix, every fall is merely a prelude to resurrection.
So, when they doubt you—return.
When they test you—return.
When they underestimate you—return.
Return like Serena. And let the world know you were never one to be defeated.
By: Jide Adesina
Extract from Tales of Destiny
January, 2025
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