No Pressure

By Anaiah-Faith Dodoo

"No pressure".

The irony of the phrase

The people who say it the most

Mean it the least.

Because there is pressure.

So much pressure.

Pressure to

To be faster, 

To be stronger, 

To be smarter, 

To Work harder,

To Be a leader 

An actress

A musician

An athlete

A visionary

A president

A kid? No.

Because this person practices longer

This person has a harder class

This person can do this

This person can do that

They are faster

Faster

Stronger 

Quicker

Smarter

Better

They will always be one step ahead 

While you’re three steps behind.

Wake up early 

Sleep late,

Why are you just sitting there?

If you really wanted this as much blank 

you would be doing this that and the next.

Go to school

Go to practice

Do chores 

Study

Free time? Huh!

Millionaires don’t have free time,

Visionaries don’t have free time,

Success waits for no one

Sleep? What’s that?

Be dauntless

Be callous

Do whatever it takes to prevail

Cultivate your strengths

expunge your weaknesses

You have to, or you’ll be left behind 

the ocean of people 

who are “born” with what it takes.

What it takes to be a Pioneer,

To be revolutionary

To be the epitome of excellence,

To emulate perfection

But what is perfection

"Perfection is not attainable 

But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence".

(Vince Lombardi)

But does that matter? No. Because

If you think it’s hard now

It will only get harder

And of course, you know that you don’t need another lecture

So, Ya know… no pressure.

By Anaiah-Faith Dodoo