Man, and his will to succeed.

The will of man to succeed against all odds is what has propelled humanity forward throughout history. It is the force that has driven us to explore new frontiers, to push beyond the limits of what we once thought was possible, and to achieve greatness in every field of human endeavor.  If some men and women refuse to give up, who are willing to fight for their dreams and persevere in the face of adversity, the human spirit will continue to soar, and the impossible will become possible.

The will to survive or give up in life lies with you.

Let us look at the movie, I Never Had by Brad Cohen and co-authored by Lisa Wysocky. It is a story of a young boy named Brad who had Tourette syndrome. When Brad was growing up, teachers and other adults even his father interpreted his involuntary sounds and sudden jerking movements as attempts to get attention or simply acting up. He was ridiculed and teased by other kids. 

Despite all odds, he was determined to go for his dream, which was becoming a teacher. One will wonder how this could be possible, given that he had Tourette syndrome. Brad had interviews with 24 schools in the Atlanta area that had teacher vacancies, but no one was willing to take a chance on him, despite an impressive college record and glowing recommendations. But he would not give up. 

His will was strong enough to pull him through. On his 25th interview, he was offered a job as a 2nd-grade teacher. His will to never give up saw him through. Man has choices, and what we choose to become results from an inner conviction.

Another example of a man’s will to succeed comes from Victor E. Frankl’s own experience as a Holocaust survivor. Frankl was a psychiatrist and neurologist who was imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. Despite the horrific conditions he faced, Frankl managed to maintain a sense of purpose and hope, which he believed was the key to his survival.

In his book “Man’s Search for Meaning,” Frankl writes about how he used his inner strength to cope with the challenges of camp life. He describes how he found meaning in his suffering by focusing on his love for his wife, who was also imprisoned in a different camp, and his determination to help others.

One example of Frankl’s resilience came when he was forced to work in a coal mine. The work was grueling, and Frankl’s fellow prisoners were dying at an alarming rate. But Frankl refused to give up. Instead, he used his knowledge of psychology to motivate his fellow prisoners to keep going, reminding them of the importance of their work and encouraging them to find meaning in their suffering.

Through his example, Frankl showed that even in the most challenging circumstances, it is possible to maintain one’s sense of purpose and hope. 

There are many Nigerians who have shown their determination to succeed and achieved great success in various fields. Here are just a few examples: Aliko Dangote, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Olajide “JJ” Olatunji.

Once the willingness to succeed is there, success becomes the goal.