The spark in you

"I was just a kid when I first got to see Muhammad Ali. I saw the way people looked up to him, I saw their smiling faces. And I said to myself: 'that's what I wanna be. I wanna be the champion of the world." 

Those are the opening words of the movie, Tyson about a man who at the age of 20 entered record books as the youngest heavy weight boxing champion of the world. I love the resolve in those opening words, and the fact that individual success is often sparked by the excellence of another. 

Me hanging out with star comedian Kenneth "Pablo" Kimuli

 It is important to remember that those who set the spark have worked hard and way harder to get to the top. Muhammad Ali hated the rigorous training but vowed to endure it and live like a champion for the rest of his life. That much became true as he is still considered the greatest boxer of all time. 

Just dig within your heart and you could find the spark that somebody more famous lit there. When I was a boy my father always brought home The Daily Monitor. Watching him ensconsed on the sofa reading it sparked my love for reading, and I told myself that one day I'll write for a newspaper. Now I am living the dream. 

But the dream had to be pursued first. One must work relentlessly to be the best they can be. This starts with investment in self; buy a new book every month, join a gym member, learn a new language, take dancing classes, ditch the cheap restaurants for that Sunday brunch at Serena hotel. Whatever works for you; anything that can add value to you, go for it.  

Moreover, when you work on yourself you are not only helping yourself but your neighbour, your colleagues, your family, your world as well. Seeing that change in you; that improvement; that light shining from the inside out could inspire them beyond your wildest imagination.