Madam,

As I scroll through social media, I’m struck by the alarming trend of young people seeking shortcuts in life. We are being told that success should be instant and if it is not, we are failing. However, real success isn’t born from shortcuts; it is born from sweat, tears and unwavering commitment. The notion that we can bypass the process and jump straight to the prize is not only unrealistic, but it is also damaging to our collective psyche.

We are raising a generation that values the destination over the journey. We are encouraging them to skip crucial steps in their personal and professional development, only to find themselves lost and unfulfilled in the long-run. The reality is that true growth happens in the trenches, not in the shallow waters of instant success. It is the late nights, the early mornings and the countless hours of practice that we truly discover our potential.

Think about someone, a young entrepreneur, for instance, who wants to start a business, let’s call him Sabelo. He thinks he can skip the years of experience and jump straight to success, but without putting in the work, he will struggle to build a sustainable business. He will lack the skills, the network and the resilience to weather the storms that every entrepreneur faces. And when he inevitably fails, he will be left wondering what went wrong, instead of being equipped with the knowledge and experience to try again.

This phenomenon isn’t limited to entrepreneurship. It is evident in our education system, where students are more concerned with passing exams than with genuinely learning and growing. It is also evident in our obsession with reality TV shows, where we celebrate instant fame without recognising the years of hard work that went into achieving it.

The consequences of this mindset are far-reaching. We are creating a generation of young people who are ill-equipped to deal with failure, who are unwilling to put in the time and effort required to achieve greatness and who are more concerned with appearances than with substance. We are raising a generation that is more focused on getting the trophy than on becoming the person who deserves it.

However,  it is not all doom and gloom. There are still those who understand the value of hard work, who recognise that success is a journey, not a destination. They are the ones who are putting in the time, who are willing to struggle and who are emerging stronger and more resilient as a result. They are the ones who are redefining what success means to us and they are doing it with grit, determination and a willingness to learn.

We need to reassess our priorities and instil in our youth the value of hard work, resilience and patience. Let’s encourage them to take the scenic route, to struggle and to learn from their mistakes. Let’s celebrate the process, not just the outcome. Let’s recognise that success isn’t a sprint; it is a marathon.

We owe it to ourselves, our children and future generations to promote a culture of perseverance, grit and determination.

Let’s work together to raise a generation that values the journey, not just the destination. A generation that is equipped to deal with failure, that is willing to put in the time and effort required to achieve greatness, and that is more concerned with becoming the best version of themselves than with getting the instant gratification that our society so often promises.

As I scroll through social media, I’m struck by the alarming trend of young people seeking shortcuts in life.