Some days can feel so terrible you think the entire world has some beef against you. You wake up to an empty generator tank, which means no hot bath for you, and while running late to work, your nice shoes get ruined in the rain. You make it to work, but at lunch time, just before it’s your turn, the canteen runs out of food.
Then just before you’re about leaving for home, your boss gives you an assignment with a 3-hour deadline! You finally made it home but it’s not over. Your mother calls to say some girl in your secondary school class is getting married, and she’s wondering if she’ll be the last mother on earth with an unmarried daughter.
On days like these when you just need a pick-me-up, you can be sure to count on She Leads Africa to swoop down and resuce you with some common sense.
We’ve got 13 inspirational and motivational quotes to help you remember that today’s challenges won’t be there tomorrow.
1. Strive Masiyiwa – Founder of Econet Wireless
“The opportunity is in the problem. The moment I see a problem, I immediately begin to think about the opportunities that can be created by trying to solve it.”
2. Teresa Mbagaya – Microsoft Education Lead, East & Southern Africa
“On career, I’ve always remarked that absolutely no one but you is responsible for your career; as such, plan for your future. Ask for that promotion, ask to be included in strategic meetings, invest in your leadership and in your colleagues, ask to take lead of varied initiatives and best yet, bring your best self to world.”
3. Lupita Nyong’o – Actress
“It’s only when you risk failure that you discover things. When you play it safe, you’re not expressing the utmost of your human experience.”
4. Kechi Okwuchi – Sosoliso plane crash survivor
“I make decisions based on what I like – not what I look like.’’
5. Kene Mkparu – MD / CEO at Filmhouse Cinemas
“Consider what is in your hands, Africa needs your talent.”
6. Fred Swaniker – Founder of African Leadership Academy
“Everywhere I went I experienced the wonderful beauty of our continent and saw the resilience and the spirit of our people, and at that time, I realized that I wanted to dedicate the rest of my life to making this continent great.”
7. Heshan de Silva – CEO of De Silva Group
“You can never start a business based on what you like right now. Because what you liked 5 years ago, is not what you like today. So, have something deeper than what you like as a starting point.”
8. Uche Pedro – Founder of Bella Naija
“Keep it simple, don’t try to do everything. Pick your lane and be the best at it.”
9. John Obidi – Social media strategist
“It is not only important for you to become a superstar at what you do, it is necessary. There are people in your future counting on you to make it.”
10. Zain Asher – Anchor at CNN International
“I don’t believe in competing for what I want, I believe in creating what I want.”
11. Nancy Kacungira – News Anchor
“We need to begin a dialogue between ourselves… It’s time we start writing a new narrative that doesn’t focus on the struggle, but on progression.”
12. Aliko Dangote – Businessman
“I built a conglomerate and emerged the richest black man in the world in 2008 but it didn’t happen overnight. It took me thirty years to get to where I am today. Youths of today aspire to be like me but they want to achieve it overnight. It’s not going to work. To build a successful business, you must start small and dream big. In the journey of entrepreneurship, tenacity of purpose is supreme.”
13. Chimamanda Adichie – Author
“Of course I am not worried about intimidating men. The type of man who will be intimidated by me is exactly the type of man I have no interest in.”