Youth in Mind: Unlock the Lock to Soar High

Saif could see the dreams that once filled his heart, but they passed through his mind like fleeting scenes in a film. He struggled to turn them into results or create the change he wanted to see.

An invisible force seemed to hold him back. He found it difficult to speak up, even when he had strong ideas. In discussions and presentations, he watched friends and colleagues contribute while he avoided his own turn. He became skilled at handing responsibility to someone else and telling himself that he would speak next time. That next time never came.

His ideas remained trapped in his mind and throat. Colleagues encouraged him, and professors urged him beyond his comfort zone, but safety and familiarity remained tempting. Inside, however, he fought against the life he had chosen. Alone, he questioned why he could not act and why he continued to let fear control him.

He feared criticism, laughter, mistakes and exposure. Those fears, along with a series of justifications, kept him behind the walls of his comfort zone. Eventually, he graduated with a high grade-point average, but his search for work opened another difficult chapter. He remembered applying for an accounting position, studying the requirements, researching the company and preparing for the interview. He believed he was ready and that the opportunity belonged to him.