Life's Lessons From Humpty: How to Triumph Over Adversity
Benjamin Ola. Akande |
TEDxClayton
• July 2019
Dr. Benjamin Akande, a Nigerian born American economist and storyteller, takes us back to his youth and shares a remarkable tale of an old and familiar rhyme – Humpty Dumpty.
As a child growing up in Nigeria, Humpty was his superhero – Superman and Batman combined. Humpty represented the epitome of courage…perched atop a wall.
So how is Humpty’s tale relevant today? Humpty’s wall is a simple metaphor for all of our lofty aspirational pursuits, and the singular act of overcoming challenges. Climbing a wall is moving beyond where we are. Climbing a wall is overcoming adversity to successfully scale the wall of obstacles.
Dr. Akande offers that there is a little of Humpty in all of us. We have all fallen, yes. We have all been broken, certainly. But somewhere deep inside, behind the doom, beyond the gloom, we still have our eyes on that wall and are willing to climb in, cracks and all, as impossible as it may seem.
The story of Humpty Dumpty strengthens our resolve to confront the fear of failing and to not allow it to keep us from rising above insurmountable challenges.
Humpty’s story is a helpful touchstone that speaks to all of those good eggs out there. Dr. Akande challenges the audience to persevere when all hope seems lost. The world needs us to be prepared to rise above our greatest challenges, no matter how impossible they may seem.
Dr. Akande’s inspirational presentation engenders the audience to …Go find your wall! Go climb your wall! Even when you fall, get up and GO!