Dots In My Dress

Silk, cotton, colored

Ink, broken, tattered

Elegance exudes,

Amidst mental abuse

I am remembered for one thing - my faults

Many times my rights are discounted at odds
In abundance I’m known for what I lack

Like I've donned a white apparel with a tiny spot of black

In speeches I’m infamous for my blunders

Multiple sons, so I'm nicknamed 'Mother of no-daughters'

Tis for this reason I took countless vows,

To never prove my worth

To a phony dole of doves,

With attention focused on my dirt

For dots in my dress they shall always find,

But with pride I parade and will never mind!

Atsu Dogbey

(Member of TDL)

Ink Ideas!

Let’s Discuss!

So the cliché that cemeteries are the richest of all places with respect to ideas got me thinking. Not necessarily about the whys but about the possibilities that inspires such unworthy investments. Ideas, I can strongly say are like noses, as is said of opinions, and everyone has one. Implementing ideas however is like wealth and definitely not everyone has or will get one. The reasons include, lack of capital, unpreparedness, and not-so-feasible ideas among other obvious reasons or excuses if you like. Amongst all these and many others is one reason lurking beneath the sheets like the devil, whose greatest trick is to convince the world of his non-existence but before you know it, he is gone and the damage, already caused. This unforgiving devil is phrased simply as “Let’s Discuss”. Sounds familiar? I’ll explain.

So you wake up from your bed with this amazingly awe-inspiring idea to create a software platform that connects friends via chatting and photo-sharing. As it is typical of anyone including myself, the first instinct is to run this not-so-great idea by persons we consider knowledgeable. One by one, we arrange for a let’s discuss session with family and friends. Mum goes like; “Oh! The witches in my family have altered the thoughts of my child!” Dad firmly reiterates; “So after all the school fees I paid! Don’t let me disown you!” Spouse however encourages you as it is mandatory (for better for worse remember?!) but eventually jilts you for a more serious substitute; a day-worker. Friends would accept your invitation to discuss your idea and end up belittling it. At best, they talk about how you could make money the conventional way or at worst, whine and whine till the day is done. Should you ever meet Mark Zuckerberg in your lifetime, do ask him what others said when he attempted to discuss his idea of Facebook.

Ideas do not possess the quality of sounding meaningful when told to others or discussed. So you do not have to run your ideas by people before you deem it worth executing. The only requirement is your ability to sustain that excitement or the burning desire you feel inside of you about your idea. Look at it this way; discussing your idea is analogous to continuously pouring water on a blazing fire, with time the once blazing fire eventually dies out completely.

It is noteworthy that; nothing extraordinary appeals to the ordinary. In other words, running extraordinary ideas by ordinary people will only make you seem insane. Remember, wisdom is foolishness to a fool.

So whatever you have as an idea, no matter how insane it sounds (which is always the case), just do it! Don’t discuss it! You will regret it! Do not create trustees out of people but yourself and if you die trying, guess what, you died trying. Which in my view is much more befitting than living a life of merely discussing ideas and not carrying out any.

Make enough room for mistakes and remember that the world does not reward perfectionists but doers neither does it celebrate thought ideas but made ideas.

Regrettably, you will live to see another get tagged genius for executing only 20 percent of what was once the idea you discarded after series of needless consultations and fruitless discussions.

So buckle up, start work on that idea, nurse the fire you fill within and begin the most important journey of your life. A journey whose outcome if successful or failed, is equally rewarding.

Don’t discuss! Just do it!

Best Regards!

Atsu Dogbey
(Member of TDL)
Ink Ideas!

Do away with past victories!

During the semester, every student was expected to come out with an innovative idea or artifact. Little Bob showed keen interest in this curriculum and spent majority of his time working on his idea. Little Bob would spend his lunch and rest hours chiseling the edges of his artifact. He was that perfectionist who left nothing to chance. During the nights when his colleagues sought refuge in the bewitching arms of sleep, Little Bob would wake up periodically to implement changes he seemed to have seen in his sleep.

The night prior to the day of exhibition, Little Bob literally spent the entire night polishing and perfecting his artifact until it began to glow in the dark. His artifact was well crafted into what looked like the Titanic, only this time cast and rendered in iron. Although much smaller, it was equally awe-inspiring. The resultant artifact was indeed a justification of the means. It was exquisite!

After what seemed to be a long night for Bob but a rather short one for his colleagues, morning finally gave the night away. His colleagues who were present for the exhibition felt demoralized when they perceived the masterpiece Little Bob held in his tender hands. It was mandatory of the school to grant its students the opportunity to display their works before invited guests, parents and school authorities. Little Bob did and Bob’s Titanic as it was eventually labelled, emerged winner.

Happy Little Bob raced to his Professor’s office to show his work to the man who inspired and urged him on.  He desired to share the good news with his professor and life coach. The professor, who was equally intrigued at what he saw took Bob’s Titanic in his firm hands and worshiped it. It was indeed stunning. A mirrored reflection of the original Titanic. 

The professor after admiring the masterpiece, placed it carefully on his study table, opened up his drawer, reached out for what appeared to be a hammer and in the presence of Little Bob, sunk the devilish tool into the glowing deck of Bob’s Titanic. Little Bob instantly felt his soul depart from his body. His fingers and legs grew numb and saliva drooled out of his open mouth. He was in a state of shock! His titanic, like the original has just been shattered with a single blow.

Little Bob regained his consciousness after several minutes and managed a “why professor?” in the most innocent and vulnerable of tones. The professor who felt no remorse but wore an unexpected smile on his face pattered Little Bob on the shoulder and said to him; “Go out there Little Bob and build more and more of this masterpiece. Should I have allowed you to keep it, you might spend your entire life admiring this success so much so that you might never learn to build another. With this piece gone son, channel the unsatisfied feeling you are experiencing into making a better and a much more pleasant piece. Learn also to treat your future artifacts like I have done to this. Do not literally smash it like I did! Do so mentally! Never cling to any or settle on any one of the pieces as your masterpiece. Always see the next piece as the masterpiece.” 

With his innocent face covered in tears, little Bob nodded slowly in agreement.

The only constant thing in this world is change and anyone who continually clings to past victories or failures defies the normal order of nature. Learn to look past your failures and even more, learn harder to look past your successes! Be your own competition striving to make the next product or idea better than the previous. Do not settle!

Always remember this; Even a fool can overcome an instance of defeat in his past but it takes a wise and mature mind to let go of past instances of triumph. 

Never settle!
Best Regards

Atsu Dogbey

(A Member of TDL)

Ink Ideas!