Contending.

Contending.

2560 1707 Oliver Kagwe

This is what we do every single moment of our lives. It all starts with ourselves, then with others. When you wake up in the morning, leaving the warm, cozy sheets for the harsh chaotic world, you consciously choose to contend. When you rush in the streets, strive in the office, study in school, do shopping, go on a date, live with your spouse, play a game… you are contending.

Contending is not easy. You have to know what’s worth contending for. Finding this thing may not always be crystal clear. And unfortunately, when you find it, you realise that there are other people want it too. So you must compete. Competing requires competence. So you must develop an interest in your pursuit, invest time, money and be committed. But then again, this does not guarantee success. Sometimes you will win, other times you will lose and certainly there shall be instances where you shall draw. 

To keep contending, you have to bear the disappointment of defeat, the humiliation of failure, and the struggle of starting again at your beginnings. When you win, you have to keep your cool and not lose your head. You have to celebrate, but not too much. Because contending does not stop. It dictates that you develop an insatiable appetite for more wins, to keep you from stagnating. Contending is a means to a destination.

In case you become comfortable and you stagnate, you will have to contend with yourself. Your past, present and future come together and you feel the pressure of your potential. Potential that you could be better, you could do better, but you’re not. By and by, being comfortable evokes negative emotions and at this point your life becomes miserable.

When you take on a responsibility, you have to be prepared to contend. When you choose to do nothing, then you deteriorate – contending with hunger, disease, unfulfillment and high negative emotion.

This blog was to say this: that what you have committed yourself to doing is hard, and it will get harder. But for anything to grow, it must keep reaching out for new places. Keep going.

2 comments
  • we strive as kids to become adults thinking that this is the answer to everything. We think that just because college is over, we never have to get up early again. Shock on us ,its just the beginning. The life before adulthood is just a rehearsal.

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