Are you driven to inspire or be boastful?

There’s a big difference between this boastful person and the one that inspires. Those that inspire have done exciting things too and accomplished phenomenal things. PHOTO | FILE

What you need to know:

  • There’s a big difference between this boastful person and the one that inspires. Those that inspire have done exciting things too and accomplished phenomenal things.
  • They too have imaginative bucket lists and they will discuss them and make public their achievements. Unlike the show off though, their motive is noble; they do it to motivate and inspire you to reach for the stars too, the message is that if they did it, you too can.

Have you ever come across someone who made you feel inadequate, someone who made you feel as if all you have been doing is waste the life that God generously gave you? As if your life has been nothing but useless toil under the sun, as the book of Ecclesiastes puts it?

You know the kind that I am talking about. Instead of inspiring you through their great and wonderful deeds, they make you feel deficient, lacking, as if your achievements are nothing, compared to theirs.

Last year, he will tell you, he climbed Mt Kenya, this year, he will add, he effortlessly scaled Mt Kilimanjaro, just to celebrate his birthday. Next on his list is The Himalayas, which he intends to conquer before he turns 40. He will then turn to you and ask, “Which mountains have you climbed?”

On his bucket list, yes, he has a bucket list, is to visit the tombs where Egypt’s pharaohs are buried, to swim with the dolphins and travel the world in 80 days. Oh, and he’s undecided about what car to buy – the Range Rover Velar or the Mercedes S-Class luxury sedan. You are allowed to roll your eyes at this point, especially if like me, you don’t have a bucket list.

There’s a big difference between this boastful person and the one that inspires. Those that inspire have done exciting things too and accomplished phenomenal things.

YOU'RE FINE AS YOU ARE

They too have imaginative bucket lists and they will discuss them and make public their achievements. Unlike the show off though, their motive is noble; they do it to motivate and inspire you to reach for the stars too, the message is that if they did it, you too can.

Their incredible stories inspire you to get off your comfort zone and explore your untapped potential. They also appeal to the better person in you, the decent person in you. They challenge you to want to do good things, to shed the selfish person in you and be more giving and generous to the less fortunate.

This other one however talks about his deeds just because, to show off, to look down on others, to make them feel insignificant, in the process making you question your ability, your intelligence even.

This is the kind of person that makes you want to reach for a cream cake crammed with calories that you so don’t need, instead of a healthful carrot or raw spinach that your waist could benefit from.

In short, they bring out the worst in you, and bare your shortcomings in glaring light. Their back-patting talk of scaling Mt Kenya will make you question how fit or healthy you are, especially when you recall the two days you were rendered comatose after trudging up the dusty Ngong Hills.

You probably have a “friend” who always casually comments, “Buda, hiyo kitambi…fanya kitu, fanya kitu…” (Do something about that potbelly) while pointedly looking at your midsection. At that point, he will of course be wearing a form-fitting t-shirt that emphasises his six pack.

Or that person that always asks with condescending surprise in their voice, whenever you meet, “You still work at Nation?” making you wonder where else you’re supposed to be working.

Or the slim friend that announces, “I’ll have a salad…no dressing please,” while looking at your generous portion of fries with a frown.

This Sunday, don’t allow yourself to feel insignificant or worthless, just because you haven’t climbed a mountain or two. You are fine just the way you are, even though it might be best to give those fries a break.