You can choose not to sit on the fence. You can choose not to

Hear the commanding words of Gail Kelly, who proclaimed: “You can choose not to sit on the fence. You can choose not to criticise. You must stand as guard at the door of your own mind and choose to be positive.” In this utterance lies a call to action, a summons for the soul to awaken from apathy and claim its rightful dominion. For neutrality, when cloaked in cowardice, becomes surrender; criticism, when empty and unkind, becomes poison. Only vigilance over one’s own thoughts can transform life into strength and meaning.

To sit on the fence is to dwell in hesitation, to refuse the responsibility of choice. Such a posture spares one the risk of failure but also denies the possibility of triumph. History has never honored the undecided. Heroes are not those who linger in indecision but those who step forward, even trembling, to declare where they stand. Kelly’s words remind us that choosing is itself a moral act, and to abstain from choosing is often to side with weakness.

To criticise without purpose is to drain the spirit of both speaker and hearer. There is a noble critique that builds, that sharpens, that points to better ways; but there is also the lazy criticism that mocks, belittles, and destroys. The former is a tool of growth, the latter a toxin of the soul. By choosing to refrain from destructive criticism, we protect not only others but also ourselves, for the bitterness of criticism is a fire that burns the vessel that carries it.

Thus Kelly urges us to stand guard at the door of the mind. This is no casual image, but a call to vigilance. Thoughts are the seeds of destiny. If we allow envy, fear, or despair to enter unchecked, they will root themselves deeply, twisting the soul. But if we watch carefully, if we admit only courage, gratitude, and resolve, then our minds become gardens of strength. The guard at the gate must be tireless, for the assaults of negativity are constant, and only the disciplined survive.

History shows us the power of this principle. Consider Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome and stoic philosopher. Amid wars, betrayals, and plague, he wrote in his meditations that the mind is sovereign, that no man can harm the soul unless it consents. He stood as a guard at the door of his mind, refusing despair, refusing anger, and choosing to live in wisdom and strength. His empire may have been shaken, but his inner citadel remained unbroken.

So too we recall Mahatma Gandhi, who, in the face of hatred and violence, refused to admit bitterness into his heart. He chose instead to guard his mind with truth and nonviolence. Surrounded by criticism, mocked as weak, he held firm to his positivity and his values, and in the end, his spirit triumphed over an empire. His life is living proof of Kelly’s teaching: that what enters the mind shapes the destiny of nations.

The meaning of this quote is thus: each of us is sovereign over our inner world. We cannot always control the winds of circumstance, nor silence the voices of others, but we can determine what enters and takes root in our minds. To choose positivity is not naive—it is the highest form of discipline, the act of aligning one’s thoughts with hope, strength, and constructive action. From such discipline flows resilience, courage, and the power to inspire others.

The lesson for us is clear: do not wait upon the fence, do not waste life in petty criticism, and above all, guard the gates of your mind. Practical wisdom calls us to three acts. First, decide with courage, even when uncertainty remains, for indecision is itself a silent defeat. Second, speak only the kind of criticism that builds and refuse the kind that destroys. Third, watch your thoughts each day as a sentinel watches the city gates, admitting only those that strengthen your spirit. In doing so, you will live not as a passive spectator, but as a master of your own fate, and a beacon to all who walk beside you.