The real essence to life, in my opinion, is living to make a mark on people. I often wonder what life would be like if I just lived for myself without impacting others. I think that many people want to live knowing that when they are no more, the world will be a better place because they lived. Perhaps Beyoncé’s song titled “I Was Here” inspires someone to this line of thought.
While there is a need to live an impactful life, there is often a struggle to make this work. Overcoming the challenges to reach this goal often comes with a scar. This was the story of the most recent Guinness World Record holder, Tunde Onakoya.
On July 11th, Tunde posted on his LinkedIn page, celebrating the one year anniversary of his hip replacement surgery. This surgery was due to a wrongly administered injection when he was just nine months old. He suffers from debilitating leg pain caused by Avascular Necrosis. In April, Tunde broke the record for the longest chess player, playing for a full 60 hrs. He undertook this feat to raise 1 million dollars for the education of children in Africa.
While the world cheered Tunde during his win, few knew that he had been carrying this health burden all his life. Despite his pain, he thought of others and worked to improve the lives of children living in slums. His foundation, “Chess in the Slums Africa” founded in September 2018, gives these children a chance to aspire better living condition.
“Victory is not the absence of battle, it is the trophy from the battle. No one comes from battle without scars. Every victory begins a new battle. To sustain what you have, you must keep fighting.” – Omorovie Ikeke.
Often, when people are celebrated for their victories, it is often perceived to be an easy ride because the challenges are not often talked about. There are many challenges one can experience during life’s journey, such as financial difficulties, family background issues and ill health. However, many people have won and are still winning in various endeavors because they choose not to let challenges determine the end point. Tunde Onakoya’s story is an inspiring one, showing that many people are determined to make this world a better place no matter what and proving that winning is possible.