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Nyaradzo Mavindidze Motivation

A while ago I came across the Nando’s ad on twitter about the recent “Generations” cast strike – “Mvundla . . . leave the firing to us . . . ” – as I chuckled I was also struck by the audacity of Nando’s adverts.

On several occasions they have been attacked and have offended local authorities and governments. Some of their adverts have had to be taken off air because of their sensitivity but they don’t stop. They always come up with another crazy twist.

Guess what . . . whether it is taken down or not in the few hours and days the ad will have gone viral and made its point.

Another audacious company is Coca Cola, some of their adverts have bordered on offensive and have sparked the ire of many, and one such was their World Cup advert. It seems these companies and their advertising agents enjoy living on the edge and it pays off handsomely for them.

I began to reflect on my own levels of creativity and audacity. How many times has an idea or thought crossed my mind and I have crossed it out because it is too “crazy”? How many times have I held back from expressing myself and have followed the tide, for fear of being labelled the black sheep?

I began to do a quick mental calculation of how much I’ve lost to the fear of being outstanding . . . millions.

How much time I’ve wasted by feeling the need to slow down and taking it too easy lest I be deemed as over eager. How many times I’ve reminded myself of the need to act like a woman for fear of being cast out by my peers.

Icons are audacious beings. Think of any remarkable person you know whether in politics or business even in religion.

They are always crossing the line of normal, doing the unthinkable, crazy and sometimes vulgar. I think of our Zimbabwean political scene, the emerging Malema, Nando’s adverts, Strive Masiyiwa, Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, Ghandi and the infamous Idi Amin just to mention a few.

Benjamin Disraeli, former British Prime Minister, is known for his saying, “Success is the child of Audacity”.

Success belongs to those who dare to think outside the box.

Only those who dare to fail can achieve success in life. To do great tasks that are considered impossible by many requires audacity, diligence and discipline.

The Wright brothers, who invented the airplane, were successful because they dared to think differently from people around them. Invention comes with a price – immense hard work, possibility of failure, and lack of support from people around.

To be successful one has to HAVE THE AUDACITY TO NOT CONFORM, BUT RATHER QUESTION AND LEAD

Somewhere in this world today sits a senior executive in a company boardroom secretly disagreeing with the popular consensus of the people in the room because he or she sees something that is morally wrong or unethical.

Across the country perhaps sits a young graduate working on his or her secret aspiration to develop the next big software that could possibly change the world of mobile phones.

Sitting at the desk in India, which was once popularly known to be a poor country, sits a billionaire working on how to take over an American corporation.

Standing in a line up at the security check in USA, perhaps stands a father watching his young teen daughter being stripped of her basic dignity and being scanned through an intrusive x-ray scanner while people are watching her and thinks what can he do or say that could challenge the system and inspire them to develop a less invasive and more sensible process. On other hand biased opinions are perhaps being fed into unsuspecting minds by groups for personal and greater gains.

In some form or other, we are either too busy conforming to popular thinking and behaviours or disputing them in our own ways.

“No man can cause more grief than that one clinging blindly to the vices of his ancestors.” – William Faulkner

When it comes to thinking and absorbing knowledge we are basically of three types:

1) people who are passive non conformists, 2) those who challenge the popular opinions regardless of opposition or possible persecutions and 3) there are those who indulge in ritualistic and monotonous day to day living by conforming to popular norms and processes as dictated by those who they consider are authoritative figures, experts and intelligent people who know what they are talking about.

“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it – even if I have said it – unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” – Buddha.

In religious circles people need to take heed of Buddha’s wisdom. People fill pews every worship day be it Friday, Saturday or Sunday holding their Bibles, Torahs, Korans, Tripitakas, Avestas, Aqdas and Bhagavad Gitas open listening to words of wisdom and they never bother to cross check and study deeper what they are being told.

They simply conform and thus millions have been led astray in the name of religion. Those that see the light dare not correct the errors or question for fear of being ostracised.

It is easier to follow and not question than to defy and lead a new way of thinking.

Hence we are traditionally divided into groups of leaders and groups of followers.

Some of us dare to think, question, change, progress, take responsibility of their own lives and lead while others chose to obey, adhere, conform and follow. Needless to say majority of the former kinds succeed and achieve lot more than the later.

While the later get busy with the complaints, bitterness, negativity and feeling sorry for their perpetual victimised self.

By nature I am generally a non-conformist, I dance to the drum playing in my head but sometimes I catch myself being brought to planet earth by the masses thinking.

The recent Nando’s advert reminded me to live on the edge and to polish up the ever audacious me.

Success only touches the feet of those who are daring and are willing to take risks in life. Success definitely comes with a heavy price tag, and only those who are willing to pay the price, can reap the sweet fruits of their labour and attain success.