By: Siboniso BoyBoy Dlamini
It is easy to point at society when things are not working.
And sometimes, that criticism is justified.
There are real challenges young people face today—limited opportunities, economic pressure, lack of support, and systems that do not always create fair chances for growth.
These realities should never be ignored.
But there is another truth that is harder to confront:
Not every obstacle is created by society.
Some of the things holding young people back come from within.
Sometimes it is fear.
Fear of failure.
Fear of rejection.
Fear of trying and discovering that we are not as ready as we thought.
So instead of taking action, we delay.
We tell ourselves we are waiting for the right moment.
We say we will start when conditions improve.
We convince ourselves that tomorrow will somehow feel easier.
But often, tomorrow becomes next week.
Next week becomes next month.
And before we realize it, time has passed while our dreams remain untouched.
Sometimes the problem is not a lack of opportunity—it is a lack of consistency.
We start with energy, but stop when things become difficult.
We want success, but we do not always want the discomfort that comes before it.
We admire people who have achieved something meaningful, yet we often overlook the discipline, sacrifice, and persistence it took for them to get there.
Growth is rarely comfortable.
It demands patience.
It requires effort when motivation is low.
It often asks us to continue even when results are invisible.
And that is where many of us struggle.
As young people, we must be honest with ourselves.
Yes, society has responsibilities.
Yes, opportunities need to improve.
Yes, support matters.
But there are also questions we must ask ourselves:
Are we using the time we already have wisely?
Are we building skills while waiting for opportunities?
Are we being disciplined enough to prepare for the future we claim to want?
Or are we waiting for life to become easier before we begin?
This is not about blame.
It is about responsibility.
There is power in recognizing what is outside our control.
But there is even greater power in recognizing what is within it.
We may not control every opportunity.
We may not control every system.
But we do control our effort, our mindset, and our willingness to keep growing.
Sometimes society must change.
But sometimes, we must change too.
And perhaps real progress begins when we stop waiting for everything around us to improve—and start becoming the kind of people who are ready when opportunity finally comes.
By: Siboniso BoyBoy Dlamini
It is easy to point at society when things are not working.
And sometimes, that criticism is justified.
There are real challenges young people face today—limited opportunities, economic pressure, lack of support, and systems that do not always create fair chances for growth.
These realities should never be ignored.
But there is another truth that is harder to confront:
Not every obstacle is created by society.
Some of the things holding young people back come from within.
Sometimes it is fear.
Fear of failure.
Fear of rejection.
Fear of trying and discovering that we are not as ready as we thought.
So instead of taking action, we delay.
We tell ourselves we are waiting for the right moment.
We say we will start when conditions improve.
We convince ourselves that tomorrow will somehow feel easier.
But often, tomorrow becomes next week.
Next week becomes next month.
And before we realize it, time has passed while our dreams remain untouched.
Sometimes the problem is not a lack of opportunity—it is a lack of consistency.
We start with energy, but stop when things become difficult.
We want success, but we do not always want the discomfort that comes before it.
We admire people who have achieved something meaningful, yet we often overlook the discipline, sacrifice, and persistence it took for them to get there.
Growth is rarely comfortable.
It demands patience.
It requires effort when motivation is low.
It often asks us to continue even when results are invisible.
And that is where many of us struggle.
As young people, we must be honest with ourselves.
Yes, society has responsibilities.
Yes, opportunities need to improve.
Yes, support matters.
But there are also questions we must ask ourselves:
Are we using the time we already have wisely?
Are we building skills while waiting for opportunities?
Are we being disciplined enough to prepare for the future we claim to want?
Or are we waiting for life to become easier before we begin?
This is not about blame.
It is about responsibility.
There is power in recognizing what is outside our control.
But there is even greater power in recognizing what is within it.
We may not control every opportunity.
We may not control every system.
But we do control our effort, our mindset, and our willingness to keep growing.
Sometimes society must change.
But sometimes, we must change too.
And perhaps real progress begins when we stop waiting for everything around us to improve—and start becoming the kind of people who are ready when opportunity finally comes.
