Are you being yourself?

Hello people,

Hope you're enjoying this sallah break as much as i am. I thought i should leave you with this post in the midst of your jollification. The post is actually about a speech Oprah Winfrey presented to some Harvard graduates in 2013. I can't say I'm an Oprah fan but i was really moved by the speech and thought i should share it with you. Maybe some of you have even seen it. 

You need to watch the video to really grasp the message but i highlighted some points below that i got from the speech. Please watch the video first then the points i highlighted can serve as a reminder about what Oprah said.
Enjoy! (If you like eat popcorn while you watch...hehe). Don't skip any part of the video, please :)

Lessons i learnt

• At some point, you are bound to stumble

• There is no such thing as failure...disappointments are just trying to move you towards a different direction

• Troubles don't last always, this too shall pass

• Learn from every mistakes, then figure out the next right move

• Your one and only goal should be to fulfil your highest, most truthful expression of yourself as a human being

• Don't ask yourself what the world needs but ask yourself what makes you come alive....because what the world needs is people who have come alive

• Build a resume about not what you want to accomplish but why

• Use your energy to lift yourself up and the people around you

• It is your goal or purpose in life that will get you out in times of darkness

• You'll have doubts about your path but if you listen to the still small voice in your heart, you'll be okay... you'll be successful

• Don't expect the clarity of your purpose to come all at once...you'll figure it out with time

• When you learn teach, when you get, give...that's what gives your story purpose and meaning

• Most of us don't want to be divided..what we want is to be validated...we want to be understood

• Don't allow enmity to cause you to lose the ability to stand in somebody's shoes and recognise all that we share as a people

• Be able to have a conversation with people you disagree with

• Most importantly, Be yourself!

Some can argue that there is no such thing as 'purpose' in life especially in this our Lagos where the hustle is just too much. Most people do all they can to survive rather than find what suits them best. As for me, i choose to believe that things will be better and that one day we'll be able to do things that make us come alive.

I hope this speech challenges us to really think about our actions. If we can all do this, i believe things will work out better for us, for those around us and our country at large.

Kindly share other lessons you learnt from the speech in the comment box. Thanks for reading:)