Tobi Amusan is the 100m hurdles world record holder and the girl of the moment. Nigerians have something to rejoice about and we are happy! Watching her on the podium made me teary-eyed. I learnt a few lessons from her story and I thought to share .
🤎Persistence pays: despite a series of coming 4th a few times and facing discouragement from different corners, she didn’t give up. “I was the almost girl: I got fourth, fourth, fourth. Now I finally did it.” If you believe in that project or that goal, don’t give up.
đź’›Speak it: In a tweet in 2016, she made it clear that she had victory on her mind …”Unknown now, but I will be UNFORGETTABLE … I will persist until I SUCCEED”. We should not be afraid to speak things into reality.
❤️Say it loud: Yes o… even her colleague Williams of Jamaica attested that Tobi spoke her win into existence. “…I saw a little snippet of what Tobi wrote: ‘Incoming world record holder.’
“To see it unfold today is amazing. I am proud of Tobi. Definitely, she can speak things into existence.”
There is a place for being quiet about your goals but sometimes you need to say (write) it out loud. Vision boards are also a great way to “loud” your dreams and watch them become real.
đź’šParental support rocks: Tobi’s parents are teachers, and even though her father wishes her well he would much rather she faces her studies and forget about sports. In fact, at a point he burnt her track gear, but Mum supported her aspirations against all odds. Tobi’s says, “My mum saw what I didn’t see in myself and she felt she could give me a chance. She kept telling me not to disappoint her.” Tobi, you have done Mummy proud and I’m pretty sure Dad will come round.
đź’ś Don’t pass on your issues: Even though her Mum is her number one supporter, she didn’t support her at first. Her parents had been athletes in their youth and her mum had a bad experience of being abandoned by the authorities after getting injured. However, she was able to look beyond her past and support her daughter’s awesome talent and dreams. It’s the same with work; just because you didn’t quite succeed doesn’t mean you should discourage others who want to try.
đź’™Change is sometimes crucial: Tobi’s first love was football, and while she was good, her area of excellence was her speed, and she was advised to try the tracks. A career pivot may be what you need to become the star that you were created to be, so don’t be afraid to make a change!
🧡Stay calm and carry on: Pressure can sometimes be daunting but we must always keep our eyes on the prize! Tobi knew her competition was stiff but she stayed calm. “Seeing the world record was like yes but I had to keep my composure for the final and I think I handled that pretty good, all thanks to God.”
đź’ś Acknowledge God: Tobi knew God was her source and acknowledges Him always.
đź’š Inspire others: Tobi has inspired Ese Brume and a whole nation!
Chioma Momah
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