“Stealing a drum is easy, but finding a place to beat it is not.” – African proverb
It is no secret that the essence of our New Year resolutions is to refine ourselves in order to carve a better image for ourselves. From those of us who have vowed to get into shape to those who have strategised to make millions of cedis this year, we are all making a choice, consciously or unconsciously to float with the tide or swim against it. Whether the objective is to eradicate our unhealthy habits and cultivate healthier ones, or to position oneself to attain new heights, you are still making a choice however indirect between the floating or swimming.
In this choice, let us turn to Shakespeare for an anchor of his own advice regarding our self-refinement “To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles…” This iconic line from Shakespeare’s Hamlet encapsulates a universal dilemma that transcends the confines of an Elizabethan stage and resonates deeply within the human experience. As we resolve to become the best version of ourselves in this New Year, we need to contemplate whether we will adopt a nobler attitude and endure the hardships that life thrusts upon us while refining us, or to actively oppose the myriad of challenges and continue wallowing in the pool of poor self-esteem we are floating in.
In the context of our individual resolutions toward self-improvement, this Shakespearean musing becomes a poignant reflection on the choices that shape our character and destiny. The phrase “to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” entreats us to accept that life is littered with adversities we cannot anticipate, rather than trying to control them. It challenges us to acknowledge that existence itself is fraught with difficulties, thereby arming you with the mental fortitude to face them as and when they come.
When Shakespeare tells us to “take arms against a sea of troubles”, he is painting a vivid picture of proactive resistance. It is an invitation to stand resilient in the face of life’s tumultuous ocean, armed with the courage to navigate its waves and emerge stronger on the other side. In the realm of self-refinement, this echoes the decision to actively confront our shortcomings, challenges and the inevitable uncertainties of life.
Interestingly, the most typical New Year resolutions tend to float with the tide. Shakespeare, on the other hand, entreats us to choose swimming against the tide by using the term “nobler” to suggest that our path should be guided by principles, virtue and moral excellence. In our quest to be better individuals, we are confronted with the choice of whether to passively endure the injustices and difficulties that come our way or actively engage in the battle for personal growth and betterment.
This does not mean those resolutions that float with the tide are lesser in meaning. Rather, it is because the former allows us to put things off or push them to other times without us feeling bad about them. Many of us will not readily accept that we live as if we are destined to live forever – but we never seem to think about how much time we waste by putting-off actions. We live as if we have a full and overflowing supply of time, even though this very moment might be our last. This is the headache that accounts for our unwillingness to become better individuals, year in-year out.
The inner struggle implied in “to be or not to be” is familiar to anyone on a journey of self-discovery and improvement. This year, we need to let this soliloquy become a call to arms against the sea of troubles that hinder our growth. It should be our prompt every time we need the courage to confront our flaws, overcome obstacles and/or strive for a nobler existence. The decision to “take arms” is an acknowledgment that the pursuit of personal excellence involves intentional and sometimes arduous effort.
Whatever resolution we have made for the year, it is a call for introspection, a contemplation of our choices and an affirmation of the transformative power inherent in the decision to actively work on ourselves and our society. What we have to do is make our goals conform to us, rather than we conforming ourselves to the goal.
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Kodwo Brumpon is a partner at Brumpon & Kobla Ltd., a forward-thinking Pan African management consultancy and social impact firm driven by data analytics – with a focus on understanding the extraordinary potential and needs of organisations and businesses to help them cultivate synergies that catapult them into strategic growth and certify their sustainability.
Comments, suggestions and requests for talks and training should be sent to him at kodwo@brumponand kobla.com
