When did struggling become a requirement for success?

Precious Nghituanapo
  • 19 Hours Ago
Precious Nghitaunapo



Somewhere along the way, exhaustion became proof of ambition, and taking your time started to look like failure.



A new year always arrives with noise - resolutions, timelines and pressure to “figure life out”. For young people, January does not simply mark the start of a calendar; it reopens familiar questions: Am I doing enough? Am I falling behind? Does anyone really see my struggle?



Young people are often told to “be patient” while being expected to perform like adults with fully mapped-out lives. We are praised for our potential but judged on outcomes, navigating a country where opportunity and access do not always move at the same pace as ambition.



As the year begins, perhaps the real conversation is not about where we should be by December, but whether the systems around us are creating space for us to grow, to fail, to learn and to restart without being written off.



Telling young people to be resilient cannot replace the need for real access, real opportunities and real support.



Perhaps the focus should shift from how much we can endure to why endurance has become the expectation. Why survival is celebrated more than stability. Why potential is applauded, but progress is postponed.



Strength is not only found in pushing through, but also in knowing when to pause, realign and ask for support.



As 2026 begins, let this be a reminder: progress looks different for everyone. Small steps count. Starting again counts. Showing up - even quietly - counts.



So, as the year unfolds, the question is not, “How hard can I push?” but rather: How can I grow with intention, without losing myself along the way?