Do You Really Know Who You Are?

Have you ever wondered how important it is to really know who you are? Trust me, it’s more important than you think.

Finding that uniqueness in you that would ultimately lead you to purpose and fulfillment. And you can only discover that by trying.

It may sound cliché but knowing who you are is the key to unlocking that door that you desperately want to open. Knowing who you are will help you when it’s time to fight. Fight for the career you want, fight for the messages you want to pass across, fight for the people who mean the most to you and fight for the kind of world you want to live in. Finding or discovering your passion and following it can lead to opportunities that you have never imagined.

For as long as I can remember I wanted to be an actress. I wanted to tell stories and make people visualize those things I could only see in my mind. Pursuing this creative streak led me to activism – activism led me to speak out for the marginalized in our society using my artistic skills – then led to meeting people all around the world who connected with my vision – and ultimately, that vision led me here today. You may have a similar career with the person seated next to you, but how you execute your tasks must be different from that person.

Being normal will never make a person extraordinary. Don’t play it safe and don’t be afraid of criticism. I’ve had more than a fair share of that. When I decided to make a socially relevant movie about fistula, people told me it would be a flop. They told me I would lose money and that no one would be interested in it. To make matters more complicated, I decided to name the movie ‘DRY’. You can imagine – they concluded that it would be ‘DRY’ before even seeing it! Today, that vision has not only changed lives and educate people around the world but has birthed a movement for maternal health and women empowerment that I hope would someday outlive me.

To achieve excellence, you need to stretch out of your comfort zone. I’m not promising you that your efforts would always end in success. You would fail a number of times, that I can promise you. But you see, that’s the beauty in it. The journey. Don’t miss that. The journey IS the destination and greatness belongs to those why try. Life is about growing and learning new skills that you will carry with you for the rest of your lives. There will be times when you feel like you cannot possibly go on. There will be times when you think you are backed against the wall. Fear is going to be a player in your life, but you get to decide how much. There will be obstacles along your way, but stay on that path, your own unique path, and you would surely get what you desire. It is the difficult days, the ones that challenge you to your very core that will determine who you are.