Between the Lines:Phillip Chidavaenzi
Title: Pursuit of Purpose (Aphorisms)
Author: Ralph Kadurira
Publisher: Mind Blower Publishers (2018)
ISBN: 978-0-7974-9678-1
MULTI-GIFTED youth leader and leadership trainer Ralph Jonathan Kadurira’s 2018 publication, Pursuit of Purpose (Aphorisms) is a compendium of 109 insights into individual human purpose and how it can be identified and religiously pursued for personal fulfilment and the benefit of humanity. In the book under review, Kadurira — who last year published a gripping novella on sexual exploitation titled Short Time — shares deep insights into purpose. This makes the book a handy tool, not only for those still groping for their purpose, but also for those seeking ways to add a sharper sting to their pursuit of purpose.
A diverse range of themes including the interconnection between vision and purpose, time and purpose, lack of decisiveness, passion, success, identity, provision and life assignment are dissected with the precision of a surgeon to help the reader comprehend ways in which purpose can be realised and fulfilled. Reading the book, one gets the impression that failure to master and connect these concepts like the various dots in a single line will make it possible for an individual to realise their potential and fulfil their purpose.
Although negative personal experiences, including racism or low self-esteem associated with one’s physical looks can hinder their ability to function in their purpose, Kadurira contends that one is always fit for their purpose regardless of how they look or their racial or ethnic background. Even physical handicaps cannot be an excuse. The author employs biblical allusion by using Moses, the larger-than-life biblical character assigned to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt to their land of promise and confronting Pharaoh, regardless of his stammer. This demonstrates that nothing should hinder anyone from fulfilling their assignment.
Kadurira demonstrates how false ideas connected to one’s identity can also be a major stumbling block in the realisation of purpose. He says “we tend to be trapped in people’s opinions of who we are, who we can become and who we ought to be and what we should do or not do” (pp21). He said against such a backdrop, the desire to fit in has led many to shipwreck their purposes as they ended up pursuing things they were never called to chase.
It takes more than knowing one’s purpose to be able to pursue it to its finality and therein lies the danger. The implication here is that one may indeed have their purpose on their fingertips and still fail to concretise it in real terms because this demands high levels of faithfulness, commitment and hard work. Kadurira helps us understand that we have to put in the works and get our hands dirty. He writes: “Know this truth, until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.” (pp28). One of the major drawbacks in the pursuit of purpose is gossip. Reading through Pursuit of Purposes, one realises that, indeed, a lot of people who expend their energies on gossip miss opportunities to engage in worthwhile and fruitful pursuits. The one consumed in purpose has no time for anything else, because they are so absorbed in their assignment, and everything they do is a step taken towards that dream. Kadurira — who is also the man behind a social enterprise called Mind Blower Children’s Fund set up to mitigate social and educational hardships among adolescents — contends that purpose pursuit also stirs the individual to consider other ways of adding value to what they do. Using the fund as a model enterprise, he demonstrates how the pursuit of purposes will always attract cheerleaders.
One reason why someone’s chase of purpose can run out of steam along the way is failure to anticipate the hurdles likely to pop up along the way. In light of this, it becomes a necessity — almost like a rite of passage — to “take calculated and unpopular risks” (pp31). Kadurira is of the view that those who ride against the tides, disregarding popular opinion along the way, often break the glass ceiling and find themselves at the top.
The world is unforgiving to jacks of all trades, and these never shine like the stars of the galaxy as they are hardly masters of anything. As demonstrated in this literary offering, an individual who understands their purpose never seeks to chase many things at the same time. They understand their specific area, learn the ropes and master their assignments.
Consequently, they become authorities in their specific area. Kadurira reflects that another significant mistake people often make is that of thinking that motion is a reflection of progress. The dividing line is so thin it is almost invisible. This is an important, non-negotiable fact of life. Many people are engaged in a lot of activities, but without production.
This is a book that any person desiring to grow or move to the next level in their life needs to have in their library. It is an inspirational offering worth the paper it is written on.
Kadurira is a training and development consultant and director of Springtide Morphoos as well as the founder and convener of The Mesh ZW with three other publications — Mind Blower; The Beginning (co-authored with Kudzai Portia Gurure), Fighting Ignorance and Destiny Sagacity (multi-authored).
