In 2007, my first year of Varsity I lived in the United States of Braamfontein (USB), I call it the United States because there is no other place in South Africa that has a diverse mix of people than Braam. Nigerians, Cameroonians, Vendanese, Zulus, Christians and Muslims all together in harmony. Braam was so harmonious in its diversity we even had a night club that served as a church on Sundays. Serious, ask around if you don’t believe me.

Anyway, Braam’s residents are predominantly young people that come from across Southern Africa to come to study, from Wits University to University of Johannesburg Campuses. From the so called Rosebank College (I still don’t understand why they call it that when it’s not even in Rosebank, but anyway) to Boston Business College, the only Gauteng institutions that were not available in Braamfontein were University Pretoria and Vaal University of Technology . Knowing the perpetual laziness and constant hungriness of students you probably know that take-aways would be the order of the day (excuse the pun). We chowed take-aways like nobody’s business and there were many outlets to cater to our stomachs and laziness, from Nandos to Steers to KFC, to those small Nigerian stores that sell that funny Nigerian food with the dumplings. Still, amidst the fattening variety there was a student favourite fast-food joint that was missing, “McDonalds”. At times our Mcd’s craving would get so wild that we had to catch taxi’s to Auckland Park to satisfy the spicy chicken cajun fix.
My roommate and I felt this void and we devised a plan to try and get a Mcd’s franchise into braam, considering the already growing market we had no doubt that we would make a killing off of it.
So we sought the franchise information out but were shocked when we found out that we needed approximately R3000 000 to buy the franchise, that put a big fat damper on our spirits. We didn’t give up though, we purposed that an investor would probably be the best option to follow. After a while I got busy with school, and he got tied up at work…and we ended up forgetting about having a business relationship with Ronald McDonald.
Fast forward five years later as I was walking past what used to be the Indian jewellery store that I walked past every school day, stood a very big fat store packed to capacity, with a big yellow M on the front…somebody else had taken the initiative on something I had been procrastinating on. *sigh*

Procrastination is an evil thing don’t you think? And it has affected us in so many different ways.

Thing is, when we procrastinate well enough we end up forgetting about our goals and are reminded about them when we see somebody else doing the exact same thing we once hoped to be doing…like building that unique business, or registering that degree or even going for that girl you didn’t go for, she always looks more attractive in the arms of another punk doesn’t she?
It’s even worse knowing that owner was not necessarily a better a businessman than you, or the other guy was not a better man than you…the only difference is they had the ability to take initiative faster than your sorry self.

The worste type of procrastination is when we delay until we forget, and ideas are the most spiteful things in the world. They don’t just die unpursued, they go off and find somebody else that will pursue them relentlessly. Months later they pass by your home or job and flaunt “See what you missed brother?”

Many of us think that good ideas come to life because their good, because their noble but that is a butt load of bullocks. Ideas don’t come to life because of how excellent they are but because of how excellently their pursued, that’s why we have not-so good ideas coming to life. You can have the greatest idea but until it comes to life, it remains a theatrical performance in your mind.

You see ideas are like relationships, you must nurture them, love them and make sure they grow, if you don’t…you’ll find yourself like me, passing by a McDonalds that could’ve been yours.
I guess their right, The opportunity of a lifetime should be pursued in the lifetime of that opportunity.
-SGM