Imagine a young student in the early 90s, fresh out of high school, proudly receiving a scholarship to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce. This was me, standing at what I thought was the beginning of a carefully planned trail. However, beneath the surface of this business scholarship lay a different passion, one that continually earned me accolades throughout my high school years: industrial arts.
The irony does not escape me now. My original scholarship application was to do a New Zealand Certificate of Engineering (NZCE) in Architecture, a prestigious qualification that aligned perfectly with my natural inclinations. But like many young people, I found myself influenced by well-meaning voices, such as those of my parents and teachers, who were steering me toward what they believed was a more practical path in finance and economics.
What followed was a lesson in life’s unexpected turns. I spent two years in New Zealand playing rugby for Mount Albert Grammar School (MAGS) and Auckland Grammar School (AGS), which despite winning tournaments and victories, left me with more injuries than achievements. However, what sometimes seems like a setback carries within it the seeds of transformation. My exclusion from AGS 1st
But life wasn’t done teaching me how to be resilient. Losing a scholarship that first year at MAGS, coupled with my father’s temporary hiatus from the civil service, pushed me into the job market. For ten years, I worked, starting at the bottom of the corporate ladder, carrying within me that dormant dream of education. Then came what some might call serendipity, but what I now know is divine intervention, another study opportunity, this time in computing science and information systems.
This morning, brother
These words resonate deeply with my own experience. The path I took was not the path I originally envisioned, but it was exactly the path I needed. Every setback, rugby injuries, lost scholarship, years of work, was not just an obstacle but a stepping stone leading to where I needed to be.
Remember what I said about willpower in my previous article? About how our ability to change lies not only in our desires but in our ability to persist? Now I understand that this persistence is not just about pushing our way forward, it’s about having the strength to keep getting back up after we’ve been knocked down, yes, but also having the wisdom to recognize when life is taking us back toward a better path.
This journey has taught me that true willpower is not just about overcoming obstacles, it is about maintaining faith in the face of uncertainty. It’s about trusting that even when our carefully laid plans fall apart, there may be something greater happening.
For those of you facing crossroads or similar setbacks, remember this: Your path may not be straight, but every turn has a purpose. Continue to nurture your emotions, even when circumstances seem to keep them away from you. Stay open to the possibility that what appears to be a detour may actually be a divine redirection.
After all, our greatest accomplishments lie not in the perfect execution of our plans, but in our ability to remain true to our journey, even when the destination changes.
The road continues to open.
