Running on Fumes
Dear Dali,
One of the most important lessons in life is to pace yourself. Know when to run, to walk and to rest. I love running as a sport and it has kept me going. My attitude towards life has been to ‘push’ until something happens. There are many reasons for this- but I suppose the biggest has to do with the fear of failure. Fear is never a good reason but at times it is a great fuel. It will push you to overwork, hoard/save for the future and at times to be super competitive. These may sound good, but they don’t come from a good place. They may lead to high levels of stress, anxiety and at times anger. Avoid them please.
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October 2, 2023
Letter #13
Entitlement and Complacency
Dear Dali,
No one owes us anything. This is one of my constant refrains to myself and the team at SIVIO. As a nonprofit we run the risk of assuming that we are owed resources by donors. During bad patches we can easily be disappointed by the behaviour of donors. We don’t always quickly regroup to deal with negative energy- which ends up harming us.
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September 22, 2023
Letter #12
Just Do It
Dear Dali,
Over the years I have learnt the importance of being a doer rather than collecting and refining an idea. There is no perfect idea. The test is in the doing. I must appreciate the importance of testing the idea, learning as we implement and to quickly make corrections. The clock is ticking, and it never stops- a fresh idea or organization maybe old and dated tomorrow. Keep going.
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September 20, 2023
Letter #11
Are we there yet?
Dear Dali,
This was a constant question that you used to ask whenever we embarked on a road trip. I think as human beings we are at times more focused on getting there (destination) and little interest in the actual journey. I am the same. Impatient. The first three years of SIVIO Institute also coincided with the building of our family home as well. It wasn’t easy. It stretched my patience. But it taught me the importance of initially enduring the journey to eventually the enjoying the whole process.
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September 18, 2023
Letter #10
Intolerance
Dear Dali,
I have heard it said that corruption is a cancer destroying our moral compass and creating decay in society. Agreed. Have we looked at intolerance? It is potentially a more debilitating threat to attempts of nation building and consolidating democracy.
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September 14, 2023
Letter #9
Zimbabwe will Humble You
Dear Dali,
I believe it was Prince Metternich of Austria who said ‘ I once ruled Europe but never Austria’ in reference to his regional influence and overseeing what is usually referred to as the ‘ Age of Metternich’.
From the time we started our work in Zimbabwe in 2018 me and my colleagues have been invited to maybe 5 events speaker, a couple as part of an audience and very few radios appearance thanks to Tafara of Classic263 who developed a liking to me- probably because I was always eager to participate. Our work has not been widely cited. I still have to introduce SIVIO Institute. We are not a known brand. However, I have been all over the world during the same period.
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September 12, 2023
Letter #8
What keeps you going?
Dear Dali,
It takes a burning desire combined with faith to keep going. Ever since I co-founded SIVIO there has not been a day that I have not thought about the organisation. It’s my 3rd born but at times it behaves like it’s the only one. However, that level of focus can kill you. One has to find ways of taking a step backwards. Watch the baby from a distance. I generally don’t work from the office. I have created a distance between myself and the team responsible for the day-to-day management of the organization. At times it helps to watch from a distance.
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September 7, 2023
Letter #7
At first you don’t succeed…
Dear Dali,
Failure is the flip side of success. In many instances it looks like there is 50 50 chances of success or failure. Yet we do not embrace failure. The organization that I am running is a result of failure. If I had not left my previous employer or rather had my previous employer not suggested termination of my contract SIVIO Institute wouldn’t exist. So, I am grateful that I had to leave the old to experience the new.
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September 7, 2023
Letter #6
Dealing with pressure
Dear Dali,
I am pressure. I exert pressure on the team at times in a positive, but I suspect in a negative way as well. Pressure is necessary- it helps us to discover ourselves. The end product is usually good. But at times pressure can destroy us. Pressure tends to come from either of two places- a very dark place of fear and insecurity. You feel the need to perform and to fit in. That is negative pressure. However pressure can also come from a place of healthy competition- where one wants to better themselves. The quest for self-improvement based on what you have seen elsewhere. I have mostly used this pressure in building skills within the team
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September 7, 2023
Letter #5