My Keke Ride from Hell

"Do you have a death wish?"

Those were the exact words she blurted out. Not me. The lady sitting in front of me in the keke, clutching her handbag for dear life. Truth be told, I was silently echoing her sentiment.

Yesterday, Wednesday, January 15th, was an evening that started like most others. I'd just left a powerful worship service, my heart still reeling from the music and charge from my pastor. I hopped into a tricycle heading towards WAEC to get to YabaTech junction, where I'd normally get another keke home. 

But yesterday, at YabaTech, I ended up in this keke ride that almost turned into a prayer point. Our driver, let's call him "Speedy," clearly had other plans for our "tomorrow." As soon as all passengers boarded, Speedy took off like a rocket, seemingly competing with an invisible Usain Bolt, swerving through the streets of Shomolu, Fola Agoro precisely, like a possessed Okada on steroids.

Every car, bus, and even those brave pedestrians, we overtook them all. Speedy must've definitely been on a mission. I mean, the guy was laughing! This deep, unsettling laugh that made the whole experience even more terrifying. It literally sent shivers down my spine. 

The lady in front, bless her heart, finally snapped. "Do you have a death wish?" she yelled, "I will jump out of this keke oh! Are you normal at all?" She followed up, pointing at two young ladies crossing the street who barely escaped from Speedy's wrath.

At that moment, in the midst of the chaos and near-misses, it hit me. How often do we, in our professional lives, operate like Speedy?

We're always rushing, chasing deadlines, promotions, that next big thing. We get so focused on where we're going that we forget to enjoy the ride. Sometimes, we even cut corners or step on others to get ahead. We ignore the near misses, the warning signs, the voices telling us to slow down. Look at you, barely three weeks into January, and you're already stressing like its December 31st! What happened to pacing yourself? When did we decide to start sprinting through the entire year?

Speedy might have gotten us to our destination faster (maybe), but at what cost?

That keke ride was a wake-up call. It made me think, in our pursuit of success, are we living with a metaphorical "death wish"? Are we sacrificing our well-being, our relationships, our integrity, our peace of mind, and even our safety, all for the sake of "getting ahead"? 

Let's choose to be intentional, not just driven. Let's strive for excellence, yes, but with balance and a healthy dose of common sense (abeg!). Let's build success stories that are not paved with reckless abandon but with thoughtful strategy, collaboration, and a respect for the journey.

What do you think reader? Do you ever feel like you're in Speedy's keke in your professional life, especially so early in the year? Did those New Year's resolutions about balance and intentionality fly out the window already? Let's discuss this in the comments!