JOURNEY





Have you ever wondered why the first attempt at driving almost ends up a disaster? Have you wondered why something that seems so easy requires several lessons in order to master the act?
Truth is, you will certainly not get it right the first time, may make a life threatening manoeuvre the second time or get hurt the third.

I started driving in 2004, I was 14 at the time and had a cute Volkswagen golf to practice with. I was excited to begin and thought the learning process would be seamless. Driving seemed effortless and if people could do it, surely I could without hassle (so I thought). I felt in charge, after all it was my car and I was behind the wheel. In a bid to take control without putting into cognisance the dangers of driving unprepared, I made wrong turns, jumped some lights, bumped into a few poles and prayed to God that I would not crash.

With each lesson, I was more willing to adhere to instructions. Over time, my grip grew firmer, I made better judgements and eventually became a certified driver. Notwithstanding, the car was a wreck but each dent held a significant lesson.

Mistakes are inevitable and the beauty about learning from them is that you become better at what you do. They are a constant reminder of misjudgements and wrong decisions made. Most importantly, they highlight areas that require improvement.

Success is great but failure is instrumental to growth. We often focus on the numerous things we do right and pay little to no attention to the things we do wrong. Like my Volkswagen golf, there may be dents in your life that will always remind you of your mistakes and if you intend to be in control, embrace them, learn from them and use them as tools to guide you through your journey in life.


Loretta Laoye