Oliver Mtukudzi’s advice for young people chasing their dreams

When I am asked what advice I can give to youths chasing their dreams or goals I do not restrict myself to the guidance that I offer them. When I advise youths, I seek also to counsel parents because they turn the goals of their children into pipedreams when they want to impose talent on their children. Yet only God gives talent and God takes it away. That is how I view life.
My first advice to youths chasing their dreams is to build the very difficult but achievable culture of self-discipline. Have respect for yourself first then everyone else will respect you. How you carry yourself amongst other people, how you engage others and your humility defines a well rounded youth in the context of self-discipline.
No one is born a squeaky-clean character. Self-discipline is a process that is cultivated or is inculcated. Our environs at family level, the parents, the peers, the school and social environment all have immense influence and bearing on discipline and parents are central in ensuring that children are not only raised to fear evil but to love, to learn restraint and to tolerate others who may have different views to life. Read more
Repeat after me
By D. Senda
Say these words after me hi
Say I’m not a victim, say it and mean it
I know you’re hurting
And you may not get it now while going through it
But there’s an answer waiting right now
Washing and wishing away in tears and doubting
For what with our mouths we confess
We pray to occur in our lives
Say the words.
With conviction say them
Say them from the hilltops of your pride
If you have to soar like an eagle soar
Inflate if you have to like a peacock
For every word that departs your lips conditions your mind
I am not a victim, say it nice and loud
Tell me this.
Who tells the waves of the seas to rise after they crash?
But don’t they just?
And the dust, who ever said it deserves to kiss the skies?
If dirt made for the ground will not lie on the ground in the face of a storm
What of you made and ordained to rule over all that creeps and crawls?
All that so you can sit on your self-made sword?
And drink of your cup of pity? I am not a victim!
Say it, repeat after me
I am not a victim!
I am not a victim!
I am not a victim!
I hope you mean it.

