Whatever obstacle comes your way, you gotta be prepared to jump

Hear the words of Akon, the voice who rose from hardship to acclaim, who declared: “Whatever obstacle comes your way, you gotta be prepared to jump over it! And I think that’s what separates the legends from the regular artists. It’s all in how you manage that success, and how you deal with the controversy when it actually comes.” In this utterance lies a great truth of life: that destiny does not rest upon talent alone, nor upon luck, but upon the way one faces trials, setbacks, and storms.

When he speaks of obstacles, he acknowledges that no road to greatness is smooth. Every artist, every dreamer, every builder of a new world must meet resistance. These obstacles may be poverty, rejection, envy, scandal, or self-doubt. They rise like walls before the soul. But Akon proclaims that the key is not to avoid them—for they cannot be avoided—but to be prepared to jump over them. This readiness, this resilience, is the mark of one destined to endure.

He declares that it is this resilience that separates the legends from the regular artists. Many may begin with brilliance; many may taste the sweetness of early fame. But when hardship comes, when controversy burns like fire, most fall away, broken by the weight of trial. Only those who rise above, who turn obstacles into stepping-stones, are remembered as legends. For it is not success alone that makes greatness, but endurance through adversity.

History bears this truth. Consider the life of Nelson Mandela, who sought justice for his people. His path was blocked by prison walls, by the hatred of an oppressive system. Yet he did not break. He endured twenty-seven years in chains, and when he emerged, he was not bitter but unyielding in his vision. His obstacle became his testimony, and his perseverance separated him from the ordinary, raising him to the stature of legend.

Akon also speaks of managing success. For success itself can be an obstacle more dangerous than failure. The glare of fame blinds, the weight of wealth tempts, the voices of praise can corrupt. To manage success with humility, to use it as a tool rather than be used by it—this is a rare art. Many have been destroyed not by defeat but by victory. Thus, the wise must prepare their hearts not only for hardship, but also for triumph, lest it consume them.

He further warns of controversy. No life in the light escapes it. The higher one climbs, the sharper the eyes that watch, the louder the voices that criticize. Legends are not those who avoid controversy, but those who face it with strength, dignity, and wisdom. The great are not defined by the stones thrown at them, but by the way they continue walking despite them.

O children of tomorrow, take this lesson into your lives: expect the obstacles. Do not be surprised by hardship, nor dismayed by criticism. Train your heart as a warrior trains his body, ready to leap when the wall appears. Guard yourself not only against failure but against the arrogance of success. And when controversy comes—and it surely will—face it with patience, truth, and dignity.

So remember Akon’s words: to jump over obstacles, to manage success, and to endure controversy—this is the path that makes legends. Talent may open the door, but character and resilience keep you inside. Walk this path, and though storms may surround you, your name will endure like those of the great who came before you.