HAVE you ever wondered what it must feel like to be a butterfly bursting out of its cocoon? After being trapped in a self-constructed prison for days, after feeling your physical form slowly being remodelled and transformed, the rush of fresh air must be exhilarating. Yet, even as the butterfly steps out into the bright world that is waiting to receive it, it stumbles and falters. Its newborn wings droop in a moment of either hesitancy or orientation. Perhaps the creature is not yet familiar with its new wings and is attempting to learn how to use them. It may also simply be acclimatising itself to the outside world after being closed off from it for such a long period. Nevertheless, when it does eventually take flight, it goes forth with the confidence of a seasoned navigator, as if it knows that the sky has always been its destiny, and that no amount of hesitation could ever change this fact.

Growth can often feel imprisoning. Growth is uncomfortable because it is a transformation that pushes us past our limits and changes who we are. As we travel through life, we often watch ourselves grow and change into better people. We become more skilled as we study and practise different talents, we become wiser as we gain more experiences, and we become more patient as we navigate more difficult situations. Just like a butterfly which accepts imprisonment within a cocoon, we tolerate these temporary discomforts with the hope that when we are finished growing, we too can take flight with a fresh pair of wings. At some point during this process, we realise that the growth we are experiencing has taken a specific direction that is leading us towards attaining our goal of reaching our destiny.

When we do finally gain our own pair of wings and see our destiny waiting for us like the outstretched sky, we hesitate. Once more, like the butterfly, we stumble and wait, wondering whether this is truly what we are meant to be. We wonder if we truly are worthy of the destiny that awaits us.

Strangely enough, the most difficult battle that young people face is rarely against the forces of the world, but rather against their own beliefs. Although they are quite capable of excelling past limitations that are imposed by the world outside them, they are often brought to a standstill when they face the limitations that are placed upon them by their very own minds.

For instance, we know that many passionate artists are capable of creating beautiful pieces of art even when they are trapped in the midst of a roaring conflict or violent disaster. In fact, much of the information we have about historical periods of conflict and disasters comes from artists who continued to write, paint or sculpt even when the world around them was falling apart. Yet, these talents, which are powerful enough to survive the breakdown of a world, can be brought to a complete standstill when the artist begins to doubt himself. A moment of doubt is all that it takes for such talents to simply run out!

Self-doubt is a shadow that makes us forget how much work we have put into reaching the position that we are currently in. It tricks us into believing that the products of our skill and hard work have come from nothing more than sheer luck. So, when we meet the destiny that we have been working for throughout the entire course of our lives, we are afraid to accept that we deserve it. Suddenly, our strength runs out, and we are left standing in the same position.

The only antidote to this paralysing sense of self-doubt is perseverance. The only way to break the barrier that self-doubt creates is to keep moving forward, even when you lack the motivation to do so, and even when the anxiety of failure captures you.

So, as the world spreads out in front of you, as your very destiny beckons you, will you still stop to consider whether you are worthy enough of your own future, or will you move forward with courage as your fuel?