Welcome back to Off Track, the space where I speak unscripted, unfiltered and straight from the heart. No guests, no scripts, just honest reflections shaped by real conversations and real life.
This week's episode was inspired by my conversation with Abdurahman Afia, a man whose life is full of contradictions. From wealth to homelessness, prejudice to acceptance, struggling as a leader to eventually teaching leadership, he has changed in ways most of us probably couldn't imagine.
But there were three simple words he said that stayed with me:
I Was Wrong
He said it. But why is that so difficult for so many of us to say?
We expect ourselves to grow, yet somehow expect our opinions, beliefs and even the people around us to remain the same. We see it everywhere — in politics, social media, work and relationships. Change your mind and someone will remind you what you said five years ago. Admit you were wrong and somehow it's treated as weakness rather than growth.
But if 43-year-old me thought exactly like 23-year-old me, had the same opinions, behaved the same way and saw the world through the same eyes, then have I really grown at all?Maybe being wrong isn't the problem.
Maybe refusing to change because we're too attached to who we used to be is. You are allowed to change your mind. You are allowed to change your behaviour. And you are allowed to outgrow yourself, even if the world isn't ready for you to do it.
Honest, reflective and straight from the heart.
Off my chest and off the cuff.
Welcome to Off Track.