Growing up , I did not experience much failure. I wasn’t necessarily the brightest of students but I would be among the top 15 in a class of 40.
I enjoyed living a quiet life but once in a while , I will attempt something crazy to spice up my life. I passed both my BECE and WASSCE exams with distinction: 10 ones and 7As respectively. In University I studied Economics, Mathematics and Statistics.
Oh boy! EMS was a tough one for me because I think I settled too quickly in life. I felt University was the time to take it easy and explore other sides of me. Which was not a bad idea but I know I over indulged at some points. I completed University of Ghana with a lower, I really don’t know why I was surprised and disappointed because the trajectory of my report sheet had an obvious ending.
I failed, I had to accept it and start working from where I was not where I expected to be. When my colleagues were graduating, I couldn’t because I had papers to resit. This was a frustrating time for me giving my BECE and WASSCE records. “What will people say?”
Quickly, I had to learn how to live my life without people dictating their pace to me. I prepared and went with my full chest to re-write the papers and I passed. Did I tell you, I was a Campus Ministry Vice President? Well… I was! My church members saw me and I could only imagine what they were thinking. But what mattered was what I was doing with my life so I have a better story to tell someday.
I quickly thought, if I had known better probably I would have done better. So I adopted this strategy: to share my experiences with some friends who were still on campus. I spoke to a number of them but I will share one of the success stories.
Naa Korkoi Addo was an engineering student, very smart and intelligent. I shared my experience with her and she also had similar challenges. My story and mentorship helped her overcome the challenges. She later became Women in Engineering (WINE) president in University of Ghana (UG) and now doing her PHD abroad! What God Cannot Do Does Not Exist.
I didn’t let the failure I experienced put me down. I decided to write my own story with different pens and pencils, not what society expected!
I was unable to get the bank job I wanted because the banks I applied for thought only second class and first class division students could do the work. So I started my career in hospitality. I developed a niche in marketing! Oh! Did I tell you I tried writing ACCE (Association of Certified Chartered Economists) exams? Oh yes, I tried it, just to prove a point that I could do economics for the banks to pick me. But as fate would have it, I failed. But I found love in Marketing.
Today, I am married with a child. I am thriving in my career as a marketer, I wrote my last paper in March to become a Chartered Marketer with CIM | The Chartered Institute of Marketing . I am a high flyer in my office. I give marketing support to startups as a business. I have moderated programs with top corporate players. I also serve as a board member on my campus ministry where I have dedicated a great portion of my life to make sure people who come in contact with me won’t follow the path that led to my failure; even if they do, they will learn to fight for victory and not settle for less.
I am still writing my story! But I hope this encourages someone not to give up. Own your experience, set goals for yourself, don’t settle for what the system is preparing or programming you for. You don’t need to follow the path to success, create yours and set an outstanding example!
Stop trying to prove a point; live your point, if it’s attractive enough they will draw near!
