NO ONE IS A FAILURE.

Ben Carson was known by his classmates as the dumbest kid in the class, an object of ridicule among his peers. Being raised alone by a struggling mother coupled with his poor grades and bad temper, with a far-fetched dream in his head of becoming a doctor, I don't think he dreamt that he would actually become one of the best neurosurgeons his generation produced. In 1987, Ben Carson made Medical history by being the first surgeon in the world to successfully operate Siamese twins(popularly known as the Binder twins) conjoined at the back of the head(craniopagus twins in medical term).

Like the young Ben Carson in his high-school days, many people(kids and adult alike) smile through the day while constantly fighting that devil behind their ears telling them 'you know you're no good, you can't even remember what you wore yesterday', 'you're the dumbest kid in your entire school, how are you ever going to become a doctor?', 'that course is not for dullards like you', 'basketball is not for clumsy people like you, being tall doesn't mean you can get a ball in the net', "who wants to end up with an ugly, boring loser like you', 'your brain is already dead, why do you want to go back to school' and all sorts. 

Most of us live, grow and finally agree with this invisible neighbour that gnaws at us each day. It tells us that what we wish to become is impossible; that we're not brilliant enough, talented enough, orderly enough, beautiful enough, intelligent enough or good enough. It tells us that some feat can only be achieved by the genius and we were not born so (oh my mom is an illiterate:tale gist...so is Ben Carson's); afterall, If everyone is a doctor, who will be the driver or cleaner?

Not that there's anything wrong with being a cleaner or a driver, but everything is wrong with believing that a certain class of jobs or is reserved for a certain class of people or that some kinds of achievement is for some kind of people, or that you cannot  or that you cannot go from being a driver to being the CEO of a multi-national company. I heard a story recently that totally convinced me that I will live my dreams, what I am now is not what I'll be forever. 

A man told the story of how he transformed himself from a bus-conductor to an airline owner- he graduated from a commercial bus-conductor to a bus-driver, he later worked with corporate organisations as a driver, he saved up money from his job as a company-driver to get adequate education, he graduated and got a job, lost his first job, got another job, resigned and started his own business. 

Today, he is a proud owner of a company that has branches in three different countries. This story taught me the greatest lesson I've learnt so far- no matter the circumstances around me, if I can pursue my dreams, I can achieve it.I'm thinking that there are so many “bus conductors” who have big, big dreams but choose to settle in that comfort zone and refuse to go after those dreams simply because they think that people like them can never rise above their environmental limitations and conquer the world.

One of my favourite songs is 'No One Knows Tomorrow' by Asa (Nigerian Female Musician), one could be feeling great today and end up dead tomorrow, you could be a beggar today and a giver tomorrow, you could be the dumbest today and be the wisest tomorrow...you can be anything you want to be tomorrow. 

Don't you ever give in to your doubts and fears; fight them, work hard, pray harder, keep hope alive, believe and your “time” will come. Take risks, welcome and overcome change, forgive yourself for the opportunities you’ve lost, and prepare for new opportunities. Every time you fall, rise up again! Learn from your mistakes (there is value in doing something the wrong way, you know which way not to do it), treat people well, maintain your integrity and you'll achieve your dreams. THERE IS A GENIUS IN YOU, find it!

"I failed some subjects in exam, but my friend passed all. Now he is an engineer in Microsoft and I am the owner" - Bill Gates