This week’s Man Crush Monday honours Adeoluwa Akintoba, whose words cut through the noise with a simple truth: you are not behind. You are not failing. You are simply growing.
We have become our own worst critics. We measure ourselves against impossible timelines, compare our struggles to others’ successes, and convince ourselves we are running out of time. But Adeoluwa reminds us that life is not sprinting ahead. Growth does not follow a schedule. It ebbs, flows, detours, and sometimes pauses entirely.
Look at nature. A tree takes decades to mature. A river finds its own course to the sea. We never rush them. Why do we rush ourselves? True growth is not linear. It is messy and personal. It requires rest, reflection, and the courage to stand still when needed.
So stop apologising for your pace. You are exactly where you need to be, learning what you must learn. Life is walking beside you, not running away. You are not late. You are simply growing. And that is more than enough.
