Of course, no one hates becoming a headline. But before I go far, do you know what a headline means? A headline is the title of an article. But according to Malek Arol Dhieu, a headline refers to standing tall among people. It also refers to having a name worth mentioning.
Now, have you ever tried becoming a headline? Remember, you can’t become a headline when you are idle. Becoming a headline is a sacrificial decision to make. If you have not taken a decision to become a headline and you do not even want to take it, then well and good. Maybe you are comfortable being the bottom line or tail of people who are headlines.
If you have already taken the decision, then praise the Lord; you are a hero, and you will be a celebrant for the rest of your life. There are so many ways one can become a headline. But one bad thing about being a headline is that it is difficult to maintain. You may rise to it today, but if you do not take very good care, you may fall from it tomorrow.
Anything you do, whether good or bad, makes you a headline. But when you become a headline through bad things, your being a headline is “made in China”. If you choose to become a headline through bank robbery, it will not take you half a year to become so, and unfortunately, it will not take you half a year to end up locked in a prison cell, thus your name begins running to the bottom line.
If you choose to become a headline through good things, then you will always be referred to as the “G.O.A.T.” to mean the Greatest of All Time. Exceptionally, you will be that rare character who comes once in a generation. If your dream is to become a leader, then commit to the course of becoming a leader and lead people by what you are, not who you are. By doing so, you will become a headline.
If your dream is to be an author, then you must detach yourself from a stressful life and live a life where you have peace of mind. With peace of mind, everything is achievable. You will publish one book after another, and your name will run across the world.
If you choose to become a headline through philanthropy, then you must adhere to the Bible verse that says, “Your right hand should not know what your left hand is doing,” and the reverse is true. You should also adhere to the principle of giving without remembering. By doing so, the needy will always protest if your name does not appear in the headline.
If you choose to become a headline through activism, you must be brave from top to bottom to face authority by telling it what is wrong. To fit into the bucket of constructive activism, you can also suggest the way forward. By doing so, you can become a headline.
However, being a headline predisposes you to a number of consequences, ranging from those you may encounter with jealous friends and colleagues to those from the authorities. But the only way you can cope with it is by being passionate about becoming a headline. There are so many people on earth, but only those who have made headlines are known. The choice is entirely yours; who else do you think can force you to become a headline?
The author is a medical student at the University of Juba.