YOU CAN’T PLEASE THE WORLD.

As interesting as our world is to live in, you cannot possibly please the inhabitants. If you are meek, the world might mistake it for slackness. If you always have answers to questions, your colleagues might take it as a ploy to outshine them. If a leader is tender, he will be regarded as weak. If his methods are harsh, he will be regarded as a tyrant. No matter how laudable a government’s reforms might be, some will still complain. If a president is prudent in awarding contracts, he will be regarded as a miser. If however he is generous in awarding contracts, he will be regarded as a squanderer. If you are an introvert, it might be mistaken for pride. If you are an extrovert, the world will still complain. If you are honest, the world will take you for a fool. If however you are not, the world will dub you corrupt. Human beings will always have an adjective to qualify every deed, no wonder why every language (English, French, name it) has an antonym for every adjective. Funny, isn’t it?

Human beings are selfish. Once an action or decision is not in their favour, they vehemently condemn it no matter how laudable and timely it might be. For instance, a government might decide to stop the importation of rice into the country to encourage local production. Such a laudable decision will definitely be condemned by the cartel of rice importers as it means the end of their business. Nevertheless, if the government is committed to the growth of the economy, the importation of rice should still be stopped without minding the reaction of the cartel. It’s always a two-way thing, every decision must affect some positively while it will affect some negatively but that does not imply that the right decision shouldn’t be taken. If you are to please everybody, you will never carry out any decision or action. Thus, if you are to make a meaningful impact in life, you must be able to act without minding whose ox is goad.

I have reasoned that one of the mistakes people make in life is that they try to please everybody. Show me a man that is trying to please the world, and I’ll show you a potential failure. An attempt to please the world will inevitably lead to failure because no matter what you do, you can’t possibly satisfy everybody. So, it behoves you to be decisive. Never consent to do things against your will, nor be influenced by what people might say. Before taking any action or decision, ensure you think it through - weigh the pros and cons. Once you judge it right and it aligns with the values you live by, go for it no matter what people will say. Just ensure that the right thing is done and leave the whiners to whine. However, care should be taken so as not to become too insensitive. Your sense of judgment must be sound.

Be independent. Be a visionary. Be a go-getter. Be tactful. Be decisive. Be victorious.