Voting is anyone’s right on Election Day, it’s a freedom that makes any country unique.
Elections are always a hot topic. Candidates for office put in a lot of time and energy campaigning to get their names out to the public and persuade them to vote for them. A key element in any campaign is the candidate’s political brand. A solid political brand can make or break a campaign.
What if I told you the vote that will affect your future success more than anything isn’t the one you will place on Election Day!!?
One of my comrades is running for Presidency in the Uganda National Student’s Association elections and a friend is running for Guild leadership in a certain public University. In January, they will each step into the booth and vote for themselves. I admire their courage in their convictions and willingness to put themselves in the arena.
I want you especially the young people of Uganda, East Africa and Africa to do the same thing, do not only vote for them rather also vote for yourself too. The one person you absolutely must vote for is YOU. I’m not talking about writing your name in on the ballot, I’m talking about choosing yourself every day.
When candidates from both parties up and down the ticket across our great nation, region and continent step into the voting booth, they will vote for themselves. They have in essence voted for themselves every day leading up to Election Day.
Politicians on both sides of the aisle are ever telling the country that this election is a critical choice that will affect generations to come. One of them is even saying this is “our last chance to save the country”.
Some people will tell you your vote doesn’t make a difference because the election is rigged. As far as I’m concerned it’s all rhetoric, what’s fact is the vote that WILL make a difference for you is the vote you make for yourself. Every. Damn. Day.
The reality of it all is that voting for a complete stranger once every couple of years isn’t going to fix anyone’s life. Politicians are not messiahs, they are merely interim elected officials. What will fix whatever ails you is VOTING FOR YOURSELF each and every day. There’s nothing they can do to have more of an impact in your life than something you can do yourself. We respect the power of elected officials, but it’s time we start respecting our own power more.
Want to write a book like my colleagues Happy and TracyLynn? Vote for yourself by writing daily.
Want to double your income each year for four consecutive years like my big brother Ham? Vote for yourself by investing in coaching and doubling down on your effort.
Want to lose 20 lbs.? Vote for yourself by dieting and exercising daily.
What’s stopping you?
Are you telling yourself you’re too old? Joe Biden’s 77years old ran for and finally won USA presidency. He got to where he is by voting for himself well before becoming vice-president 12 years ago.
Are you telling yourself you’re too inexperienced? Donald Trump became the President of the United States with ZERO political experience. Because he voted for himself.
Are you afraid of what other people think? Remember during the 2016 primaries in USA, The Huffington Post refused to report on Trump, saying his candidacy didn’t qualify as “news”. Didn’t matter, he kept voting for himself.
What habit can you change to vote for yourself?
Figure that out and it will do a lot more for you than whichever candidate gets elected president.
There’s an old saying in politics that “If someone gets in office that you don’t like but you didn’t vote for the opponent then you can’t complain”. Just like in an election, if you’re not willing to vote for yourself (think invest in yourself) you can’t complain about your results.
What if we were as horrified by our own behavior as we are by a particular candidate’s?
What if we responded to the negative comments we make about ourselves with the same passion and emotion as we respond to our friends comments about a particular candidate?
What if we were as offended by our own mediocrity as we are by our other people’s political beliefs?
What if we spent as much time working on our business as we did tearing down candidates on social media?
When you make excuses it’s the equivalent of staying home and not voting for yourself.
Voting is your right on Election Day, it’s a freedom that makes our country unique. It’s also your right the other 365 days of the year; so decide to campaign for yourself, choose yourself, invest in yourself, and make yourself great. YOU are the best candidate to be YOU.
Lukanga Samuel
lukangasamuel55@gmail.com
+256785717379
The writer is an Ambassador of Humanity, UNSA shadow chief whip and a judicious youth leader from Nakaseke District.
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