CHAPTER SIX
SUSPENSE CREATE IT
I remember watching the final of the champions’ league some years back between AC Milan and Liverpool. Both teams were incredible to the finale. AC Milan had gone ahead to take a three goal lead only to have Liverpool comeback to equal the goals tally. It was amazing and surprised filled as the teams struggled to find the winning goal that never came until penalties were called. Both teams exhibited finesse. They challenged each other goal for goal and spectators couldn’t sit on their seats. They just stood watching to see the outcome. The outcome actually turned Liverpool’s way
Champions are people with capacity to make suspense. They suspend the minds of other by exhibiting uncommon capacity and skill that make people marvel. You’d hear shouts like wow! How did he do it? That’s amazing!
Champions are not known to do it the way everyone does it. They do not do it the normal way. Normal is often too normal for them. They go the extra mile and leave the crowd marveling at how and where they got their skill from.
I often watch “got talent” shows. I’m caught in awe at some extraordinary show of skills and talents. They are often amazing to watch and some could keep you suspense filled throughout their performance.
Champions go all the way to do what they do in a wow-full way. Your quest for championship is one that requires your capacity to do some extraordinary stuff. The extra has to be on the ordinary. People should ask how you did it. If they don’t ask, you have done what you’ve done on the ordinary plane.
As a student at the university some years ago, I had a class mate who could ride the sports bike. He was very amazing at this art performing awesome and weird stunts. We looked at him in awe because he did what only he could do.
A particular student at the University of Lagos Nigeria graduated in year 2016 with a CGPA of 5.0. He had made an A in every course since he came into the school and was the first to make such a feet from a Nigerian university. For his performance, he was given an honorary session at the Nigerian senate. He held everyone in awe. The media came calling looking to ask him how he did it. He was amazing.
You’ve seen people do some suspense filled stuff and you’ve thought how do I repeat this or how do I do something better. If someone has done some great stuff, it means it’s actually possible that’s why it has being done. Now you’ve got to think of the extra that can be done upon it.
The champion wants people to make a shout like wow! When records are created on track and field events, the spectators are often amazed at the new time records set. Sometimes an athlete creates a record that it’s believed no one would break in the nearest years. Such athletes are said to be extraordinary. It often takes another extraordinary athlete to recreate the record.
I’ve watched the mercurial Messi play for Barcelona. In one particular game, Messi dribbled every player and the keeper as well and when everyone thought he would score, he returned the ball to his own side of the field. Every team dreads him and he has proved he is in his own class, the champion amongst champions. He has won five world footballers of year awards and he isn’t waning.
It’s interesting to note that the man who wants to be a champion must prove that he is too much to be considered champion. This is because he isn’t the only one gunning for the position. He just has to be so good that even those who are competing with him will easily conclude that he is better off than they are.
You have to work really hard at doing what you do to find that extra edge. That extra edge is the suspense. Finding that suspense filled edge requires doing some more extra work than others are doing. You will have to train more, meet new coaches, read new books, try out new skills, and watch new videos.
Sometimes this suspense filled extra edge may cost even more money. It will cost money to buy new books, new videos, to get new coaches and it will cost time. This cost will require your sacrifice. We will have to sacrifice so much than normal to get the extra suspense filled edge.
A friend once shared with me about one PhD student who was defending his PhD thesis. He had gathered professors and students who came to listen to him. Everyone looked in amazement as he defended his PhD thesis. Even the professors could not hold that amazement. They had never heard something like what the PhD student said in defense of his thesis. The professors asked where he got that knowledge from seeing that so much work had being done in that field already.
Prayer from direction and guidance from God is very helpful. Most of the persons who seem extraordinary in their field often hold their capacity to God. You’d notice footballers pointing upward towards the sky in recognition of God. There is a natural; tendency towards God. God can give you that extra.
God can make your life suspense filled. He knows how to create it. He just blesses you beyond measure that people look at you in wonder. That life of a champion is a life of suspense. Create it.