To Be a Man: "From Humble Beginnings to Unstoppable Greatness: The Journey No One Sees Coming"

The world doesn’t care. It doesn’t care that you’ve tried, that you’ve failed, or that you’ve been knocked down. The world only expects results. The road ahead isn’t lined with roses, and you won’t always find people cheering you on. Instead, you’ll face rejection, failure, and loss. But here's the brutal truth: it’s not about how many times you fall. It’s about how many times you get back up.

Life is not a movie where everything magically falls into place after the dramatic struggle. It's tough, it's messy, and sometimes it feels like you're climbing a mountain that never ends. But the story of every successful person who has ever lived is a story of perseverance through pain, a story of climbing despite the obstacles, and the belief that no matter how hard it gets, the destination is worth the fight.

The Stories That Inspire: Rejection, Failure, and Triumph

Take J.K. Rowling, for example. Before Harry Potter became the global phenomenon it is today, she was a single mother living in poverty, surviving on welfare. Her manuscript was rejected by 12 different publishers before finally being accepted. She had no guarantees. There were nights when she questioned everything. But she didn’t give up. And today, she’s one of the wealthiest women in the world, her books inspiring millions. She once said, “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all.”She failed, but she dared to keep going and now, her name is synonymous with success.

Then there’s Steve Jobs, who was fired from Apple, the very company he founded. Rejection after rejection. Setback after setback. But he didn't let the world’s judgment stop him. Instead, he returned to Apple, built the empire we know today, and revolutionized the tech industry. Jobs knew that failure was part of the process. He once said, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” The road was muddy and rough, but he kept going, and now we live in a world shaped by his vision.

What about Thomas Edison, the man who invented the light bulb? He failed 1,000 times before succeeding. But instead of seeing it as failure, Edison saw it as a lesson, a way to get closer to his goal. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work,”he said. Imagine if he had stopped after just 999 failures. Would we have light today? Edison’s life teaches us that failure doesn’t mean the end it’s simply the beginning of something new.

Oprah Winfrey, born into poverty, facing abuse and rejection at every turn, could have given up at any moment. But she didn’t. She turned her pain into power. She now reigns as one of the most influential women in the world. Oprah said, “You become what you believe.” She believed in herself, even when no one else did, and the world eventually believed in her too.

The Heartbreak of Life: Struggling Against the Odds

Even Albert Einstein, one of the greatest minds in history, faced difficulties. He didn’t speak until he was four, and his teachers labeled him “slow.” His academic performance was unimpressive, and yet, he would go on to change the course of history with his groundbreaking theories. Einstein’s life shows that the world’s judgment doesn’t define your worth. Only your belief in yourself does.

And then we have Michael Jordan, who was cut from his high school basketball team. He was told he wasn’t good enough, but he didn’t listen. He practiced harder than anyone else, believed in himself, and became one of the greatest basketball players to ever live. Jordan once said, “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Even Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, faced rejection and failure. He lost his job, was defeated in elections, and went bankrupt. Yet, he didn’t let those setbacks stop him from eventually becoming one of the most revered presidents in American history. His resilience reminds us that it’s never too late to change your life or make a difference in the world.

The Life of Colonel Sanders: A Story of Late Success

The story of Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of KFC, is one of the most inspiring examples of perseverance. At 65 years old, after a lifetime of setbacks, Sanders found himself broke. He had faced rejection after rejection, his restaurant failing and his savings disappearing. But rather than giving up, he kept pushing forward. He traveled across the country, pitching his fried chicken recipe to restaurant owners. For two years, he was rejected—1,009 times. But on the 1,010th try, someone said yes. Today, KFC is one of the most successful fast-food chains in the world. Sanders proved that it’s never too late to start. “I don’t believe in failure. It’s not failure if you enjoy the process,”he said. If Colonel Sanders had given up, we wouldn’t have KFC today. He teaches us that success is often just a matter of not giving up.

The Power of Perseverance: Keep Going
Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison for his beliefs. He was told that his dreams of a free South Africa were impossible. But he didn’t give up. He emerged from prison, became the first black president of South Africa, and changed the world. “It always seems impossible until it’s done,”Mandela said. He didn’t let the world’s obstacles dictate his future. He kept moving forward, and so can you.

In Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo faced setbacks and election losses before he was finally elected president. His story, like many others, shows that setbacks don’t determine your future unless you allow them to.

Yɛwo wo to sie so a, wonkyɛre tenten yɛ – It’s Easier to Grow Tall if You’re Born on an Anthill

Obi nnim obrempon ahyease (Nobody knows the beginning of a great man.)

Yes, life is harder for some. We are not all born with the same opportunities, and some of us face challenges that others may never understand. “Yɛwo wo to sie so a, wonkyɛre tenten yɛ.”But remember, the fact that it’s harder doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Your journey may be more difficult, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth fighting for.

“We Will Get There”

As the song “WOYAYA”by Osibisa reminds us:

“We are going, Heaven knows where we are going, We will know we’re there, We will get there, Heaven knows how we will get there, We know we will, It will be hard we know, And the road will be muddy and rough, But we’ll get there, Heaven knows how we will get there, We know we will.”

The road is hard, yes. The road is muddy and rough, yes. But remember we will get there. Success is not handed to you on a silver platter, and no one’s journey is smooth. But every step, every hardship, every failure is a lesson. It's a part of the process that shapes you, builds your character, and strengthens your resolve. The world may not give you the time of day when you’re struggling, but once you push through and rise, it will take notice.

It’s Never Too Late to Start

If you’re reading this and thinking you’re too old, too late, or too far behind remember this: it’s never too late to change your story. Colonel Sanders was 65 when he started KFC. Thomas Edison was in his 30s when he began working on the light bulb. Abraham Lincoln didn’t become president until he was in his 50s, and Michael Jordan didn’t even make his high school basketball team. Yet, they all changed the course of history because they didn’t give up. They didn’t let the failures of yesterday stop them from pursuing their dreams today.

Don’t let your age, your failures, or the setbacks you face today define who you are or where you’re going. It’s never too late to start. The only thing that will stop you from achieving your dreams is your own doubt. The truth is, you have the power to change your life, regardless of where you’ve come from, how many times you’ve failed, or how many people doubt you.

The Choice is Yours: Will You Keep Going?

The road will be tough. The world will challenge you, break you, and make you question yourself. But you have the power to decide whether you stay down or rise. Every great person in history has faced the same struggles you face now, but what made them great was their refusal to stay down.

"It’s not how many times you get knocked down that count; it’s how many times you get back up." George A. Custer

To be a man, to be truly great, is not to walk an easy path. It’s to rise each time life knocks you down, to keep pushing forward when everything seems impossible. The world may not care about your journey right now, but it will care about the results you achieve. And those results will be shaped by your perseverance, by your refusal to give up.

You can’t control the circumstances you were born into, but you can control how you respond. Don’t give up. Keep fighting, keep believing, and keep moving forward. The world’s expectations don’t define your worth; your resilience does. Life will be hard but you will get there.

In the End, Your Story Will Inspire Others

Just as J.K. Rowling, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Colonel Sanders, and countless others have inspired us with their stories, one day, your journey will inspire someone else. They will look at the scars of your struggles and the strength of your perseverance and say, “If he could do it, so can I.”

Your story is just beginning. Keep going. Because, like the song “WOYAYA” says, “Heaven knows how we will get there, but we know we will.”

So keep moving forward, never give up. You will get there. Heaven knows how, but you know you will.

It’s Your Time. Start Today.

No matter where you are now, no matter what you’ve been through, it’s not too late to start again. Success is not reserved for the chosen few. It is for those who are willing to fight, to fail, to rise, and to keep moving forward.

So take that first step. The world doesn’t care but you don’t need its approval. What matters is your belief in yourself, your refusal to stay down, and your relentless drive to achieve greatness.

It’s time to start the journey. You will get there.