Climb on to the Stage of Life -By Samuel Ufot Ekekere

There is a natural instinct in us that craves for that opportunity to be the one all eyes are directed towards. If you think otherwise, you will be lying. No one entirely loves the very quiet life away from others. We find ourselves with the impulse to conquer, to be the one giving the rules and having others watch or marvel at how well we perform. This is the reason why we have quite a number of persons who want to breakthrough to becoming musical superstars or whatever genre of superstar stardom that exist.

As a child, I had always marveled at how my pastor commanded the huge crowd that came to the church services every Sunday. The crowds were always in tens of thousands and up there, my pastor would always stand inspiring them. I was increasingly being enthralled by the influence he had and still has that some day, I promised myself, I’d make as much influence as he has and climb on that stage to inspire people.

I have observed that out of the “everyone” who desire to be celebrated; only a few manage to try to act towards the celebration arena. Yet still, only a minuet makes it to the stage of which just one might be the celebrity. I often marvel at the statistics and pray I don’t get caught up amongst the crowd who think they are worth being celebrated but do not become.

The route to the stage is not always as easy as the superstars out there make it seem. Years of sacrifice and hard-work had gone unnoticed before they managed to find that special attention grabbing opportunity.

There is always the crowd effect that forces us to cower. The crowd thinks they are the crowd and are destined to be spectators. They could pay so much to watch and may be content with watching; never ever thinking others can watch them. A major fact is only those who have being amongst the crowd ever consider taking a leap to the stage.

Breaking off from the crowd could be herculean and it often comes from a deep spirited inspiration. If you aren’t tired of watching, the rush for what life offers at the other side won’t arise.

We often make many friends at the crowd end and its always great moments but those who break through from the crowd aren’t tied to their friends. When they pop the idea of breaking free, their friends often will fuse and muse at the development. They do not often support the move at first so the man who wants to get to the stage will have to do it all alone.

Making the journey to the stage requires determination. There may not be friends to succor you and it may be temptuos but you have to push on with your believe. It’s like jumping off a moving band wagon of spectators to make a trek. It would be quiet most of the time.

The true test for the man who wants to make the stage his bed is that time of decision to redirect his pursuit from being a follower to being watched, to jump off and set sailing on his new target. It is sometimes traumatic but once the decision is made, you can set sail.

People do not believe in an idea until you decide to do it all alone ad they discover you are making some progress. This progress arrives after you have made this silent path and you find others too who are taking this path too or have taken this path and you decide to collaborate or share ideas. Ideas from those who come around you while pursuing your goal could be very helpful. You don’t have to make the mistakes others have made.

The stage often takes as many people who will believe the visionary and act in the line of his thought. When you work with a man with vision, it’s only a matter of time before you also join him at the stage sharing the limelight, even though you aren’t the focus. If you prove you are as good as the focus, you’d be privileged to someday become a focus too.

You sure want to the focus, the one to whom every one bows, whose lyrics everyone’s singing, whose dance step is the rave. It’s there at the stage. Just head there.

Samuel Ufot Ekekere writes from Uyo, Nigeria. As a teacher, motivator, and writer, he writes inspiring writs on personal development for all categories of persons. He believes everyone needs motivation. Connect on twitter @naijasoars and www.facebook.com/soarnaija, www.linkedin.com/naijasoars +2347062809301